This week I worked with middle school Special Education staff on strategies for their struggling readers. Often this is a hard group of students to work with due to the wide range of their educational needs. Our focus was on comprehension, which contrasts most conversations about reading deficits as they are on decoding strategies. Also, there is a belief that if a student is reading the words accurately, then they are reading.
Reading is multifaceted, though can be broken into two main abilities—decoding and comprehension. To me, each of these are equally weighted in importance. Sometimes you have students who cannot decode text, however if you read it aloud the same student can answer any of your questions. Likewise, you have a student can read every word on a page, but cannot tell you anything about what was just read. That is why both decoding and comprehension need equitable time during instruction.
With younger students, the teaching can become too heavy in decoding and the comprehension foundation is not laid. On the flip-side, with older students’ instruction can become centered on comprehension and the decoding is neglected. Students need a repertoire of strategies in both decoding and comprehension to become a successful reader.
Citing the National Reading Panel’s 2000 report:
“The National Reading Panel’s analysis made it clear that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates:
- Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness
- Systematic phonics instruction
- Methods to improve fluency
- Ways to enhance comprehension”
Intervention instruction is often rooted in decoding. However, we have done a disservice to students if that instruction does not also include comprehension. By the time struggling students’ ability to decode is brought to grade level standards, the students are still significantly behind in comprehension. This causes frustration in students because they have worked so hard to improve themselves as readers, yet they are still not finding success. Thus, the importance to build the whole reader.


The Basic Idea
When we learn to speak, we’re learning a lot of musical skills – and vice versa! When we engage in a musical call and response or conversation – even if it’s nonsense – we’re teaching babies how language and speech works.
Over to You, Wee One
For wee ones who are babbling, respond with your own sounds, then pause, and wait for them to babble again. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t even have to be words: it’s all about the to and fro. You can use a drum instead: respond to the beats they tap out by copying them.
- Helps wee ones link language to communication
- Give wee ones, especially pre or non-verbal, a sense of agency
- Rhythm builds foundational skills in literacy (syllables), and numeracy (patterns)
- If you wee one enjoys getting a few notes from a musical instrument, try playing those same notes back, then waiting for another response
- Singing words, humming tunes, making noises are all valid ways to engage in a musical chat
No one is expecting you to be Beyoncé! Your singing voice or rhythm doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s about opening up communication. Often the reason we feel self conscious about our musical skills is because of adults from when we were wee. So model confidence and fake it until you make it!


Visual Arts Planning: Experimental Drawing 6-12 Years
You can see all current topics in our visual arts planning series here.
If you are a member of AccessArt please use the form at the bottom of that page if you would like help to integrate visual arts around a particular theme or topic.
These drawing resources have been carefully created by AccessArt as a result of many years experience working in the area, and aim to provide the foundations for a comprehensive, inspirational art education, which balances knowledge of materials and techniques, exploration of key skills and experimentation
Beginning With Drawing
The Start here drawing collection
Start Here: Drawing is a collection of resources specially created by AccessArt to help you deliver art education in your primary school.
drawing spiral snails
Artist Tracy McGuiness-Kelly shares a drawing workshop that gives children the opportunity to explore different qualities of line and markmaking to create their own designs based on the spiral.
children can take their inspiration from either a line of poetry, or a descriptive sentence which they have written themselves and then they draw from small scenes that they have set up using their toys.
Making Magic Spells
Paula Briggs leads a two-part drawing session in which children draw their spell ‘ingredients’ using a variety of media and then through further collaborative drawing, turn them into a turbulent, dynamic, shared magic spell pot!
Drawing Game: A Visual Conversation
A simple but exciting warm up exercise for tuning into the drawing process and for breaking pre-conceived ideas about ‘what is drawing?’ or ‘why draw?’
Dragon and Birds in Eggs
A drawing project using carbon paper and collage. Children are encouraged to explore diverse mark making to create collaged drawings of eggs and then they are asked to imagine what might be hatching in the egg….Birds…Dragons?
AccessArt Drawing Prompt Cards
AccessArt drawing prompt cards have been created in collaboration with artists and teachers over the years, to help support drawing and overcome the ‘white page’ and ‘fear of drawing’.
Making drawings which are looser – using the whole arm, the elbow; and the wrist.
A challenge to draw a collection of tiny objects – roughly the size of a five pence piece – things like small shells, pebbles, leaves, beads,
Artist and educator Hannah Coulson shares a trio of musical activities that combine an exploration of drawing and music.
Never Ending Landscapes
This workshop using feathers, watercolours and ink is based on the notion of Myriorama cards and encourages children to take inspiration from observational drawing and then let their drawings evolve into something more personal and expressive.
Our River: A Communal Drawing
An exploration of Georges Seurat’s ‘Bathers at Asnières’, children enjoy the freedom to explore process and materials, creating a layered drawing and ‘wax resist’ on a massive scale as they imagine the sounds and feel of a river.
Turning Paper into Fur
This is a simple drawing project that gives participants plenty of opportunity to make their drawing their own by experimenting with a range of media and materials.
Making Superhero Drawings
An exciting resource using life drawings to create cartoon characters. Young children choose dressing up clothes and then model for each other in brief, energetic poses that challenge the observational, drawing and mark making skills of the class.
Walking and Drawing
This resource shares artist Andrea Butler’s process of making drawings whilst walking. A way of drawing that captures sensory and visual experiences when moving through the landscape.


The curriculum at Ynysowen is multifaceted and contains the following:
Read Write Inc.
A systematic and dynamic literacy programme rooted in phonics. It includes high-quality whole-school literacy and language teaching after phonics as well as proven intervention for struggling readers.
Big Maths lessons are fast, fun and furious. Children work on whiteboards and ‘flash’ answers to their teachers and the pace of the lesson is quite exhausting. We need to pass on the pressure to work at pace and have maths facts instantly available, rather than counting on fingers. The children are introduced to child-friendly terms such as ‘Switchers’ and ‘Learn Its’, rather than ‘commutative law’ and ‘number bonds’ to help them manipulate numbers and make them more confident and more successful.
Literacy lessons which focus on teaching word, sentence and text level objectives, whilst putting into practice the strategies developed through Read Write Inc. These lessons are tied into the topic theme and are focussed around specific genre. We use strategies from talk for writing as well as using our LNF Pupil Tracker to identify clear next steps.
Numeracy sessions which are taught in line with, but not limited to, the Abacus Scheme of work. These sessions contain 20 minutes of CLIC (Big Maths) and then branch out to tasks which engage children in using, applying and extending the skills they have. Once a week these sessions turn into a guided reasoning carousel.
Small-group reading instruction designed to provide differentiated teaching that supports students in developing reading proficiency.
Small-group reasoning instruction designed to provide differentiated teaching that supports students in developing numerical reasoning.
After School Clubs
We offer a broad range of after school clubs which change on a termly basis. For a current list and/or a permission slip, please contact Mrs Curnow in the school office or use the message service on our contact page.
The Foundation Phase places great emphasis on children 'learning by doing'. Our youngest pupils are given more opportunities to gain first-hand experiences through play and active involvement which focus on exciting learning activities both indoors & outdoors.
There are seven areas of learning:
Personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity
Key Stage 2
All pupils in this Key Stage follow a programme of education in these areas:
The National Curriculum subjects in Wales are split into two categories, core subjects and non-core subjects. For Key Stages 2 the core subjects are English, Welsh first language, mathematics and science.
Literacy and Numeracy Framework
The National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) has been developed to help achieve our aim that the children of Wales are able to develop excellent literacy and numeracy skills during their time at school.


Educational games for Chromebooks
Making Camp Premium
Practice multiplication and division. Learn math problem-solving strategies along with Ojibwe history.
PLUS get the completely new words challenges section, an activity randomizer, and more. Customize your virtual wigwam inside and out. Earn points by solving math problems, learning about language arts, and answering social studies questions in the village-building simulation game.
MAKING CAMP [BILINGUAL] Register to play here.
If you already have an account, click here to play!
Making Camp: Bilingual can be played in English or Spanish.
In Making Camp, players practice multiplication and division skills while learning math problem-solving strategies. They’ll also be introduced to Native American history. Earn points by solving math problems and answering social studies questions in the village-building simulation game.
MAKING CAMP: LAKOTA
Learn how the Lakota lived. Experience the Lakota language. Improve division skills.
In Making Camp Lakota, players practice multiplication and division skills. They’ll also be introduced to Lakota history and culture. Earn points by solving math problems and answering social studies questions in the village-building simulation game as you earn items to customize your tipi.
FORGOTTEN TRAIL, PART 1
Forgotten Trail follows two teenagers who apply their knowledge of fractions, decimals, measurement, and statistics to retrace the Ojibwe migration through the U.S. and Canada. We interweave this with cultural history and geography through stories and flashbacks.
AZTECH: THE STORY BEGINS
Journey through the past to the present. What starts as a typical day in history class for Xitlali and José turns into a day nothing like any other. Get to school before the bell brings. And definitely stay away from that book your teacher told you not to touch! AzTech: The Story Begins teaches multi-step problem solving, basic statistics, and real world applications of math, while introduction to pre-Columbian Central American history. The game is fully bilingual (English/Spanish).
AZTECH: MEET THE MAYA
Mr. Gonzalez told you not to touch that book! Now, you’re in the Mayan jungle. Use your knowledge of statistics and history to survive. AzTech: Meet the Maya can be played in English or as a bilingual English/Spanish experience. Language of instruction is controlled by the player on every single page within the game, including text, audio and video content.
Mobile Games for Life Choices
Play on your phone or tablet
Crossroads: Choices – for players age 9-13. Topics covered include risk of child sexual abuse, exposure to domestic violence in the home, and creating a safety plan. Data from the CES-DC depression scale for children is collected and scored in the app.
Crossroads: Decisions – for players age 13- 19. Topics covered include drinking/ drug use and driving, unsupervised parties, budgeting, communication, living with a guardian abusing alcohol and drugs and creating a safety plan. Data from the CES-D depression measure and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale are collected and scored in the app.
Crossroads: Options – for players 13-19. Topics covered include drinking/ drug use and driving, dating partner violence, emotional abuse, living with a guardian abusing alcohol and drugs, finding a job, keeping a job and creating a safety plan. Data from measures of Generalized Anxiety and Locus of Control are collected and scored in the app.


Curious about our financial education programme?
As the educational arm of a debt advice charity (Debt Advice Foundation), we are all too aware of the difficulties inflicted by problem debt on individuals and their families.
We believe that financial education and the ability to manage money is one of the most important life skills we can teach our children and should be taught at the earliest opportunity.
Financial education is not statutory to the primary school curriculum. However, we believe that the process of educating children in financial capability should begin by at least the age of nine, in primary year 5. Attitudes and life skills are being formed by this age and we know that children are aware of money at an early age.
Research by the Money Advice Service showed that more than four in five teachers believe that financial education must begin in primary school, not secondary school, to be most effective.
How does the programme work?
DebtAware is a two-year, six-module financial capability programme aimed at primary school children and in which over 10,000 primary school children are currently enrolled in.
When we originally developed the programme we worked with local secondary school children to create all the teaching resources used, such as the Money Diaries, which are printed books written and illustrated by the pupils containing all different examples of good and bad money management and the attitudes surrounding those decisions.
The core lesson in each module is delivered by the DebtAware team, training a small group of children in each class to become Money Mentors. They then take the lead on three tasks, acting as teachers to their fellow pupils and marking their work.
What do we cover in our classes?
Year one focuses on the difference between wants and needs, budgeting, the different payment and credit options available and the importance of savings. Year two is more holistic, emphasising the impact of career choices, wages, pensions and financial risks like gambling and debt.


The Kirkwood School District (KSD) philosophy of Balanced Literacy is comprised of K-2 Phonics and Phonemic Awareness, K-2 Shared Reading, K-5 Language and Word Study, K-5 Reading Workshop, K-5 Writing Workshop and K-5 Read Aloud. We know these daily experiences in literacy build a foundation for later fluency and comprehension. The addition of Shared Writing, Interactive Writing and Handwriting complete the framework for literacy development in the KSD.
• Readers need long stretches of time to read.
• Readers need direct, explicit instruction in the skills and strategies of proficient reading.
• The use of mentor texts supports our students in developing their effective writing.
• Readers need teachers to read aloud to student to model and develop their metacognitive skills.
• Readers need opportunities to talk and sometimes to write in response to texts and to engage in collaborative learning, conferring, and structured conversations.
• Readers need opportunities to choose high interest, accessible books and to read increasingly complex texts appropriate for their grade level.
• Readers need assessment-based instruction, including feedback that is tailored specifically to them. Assessment should drive instruction, providing focus for mini lessons and targeted/skill group instruction.
We are constantly gathering data to determine if students are gaining the skill sets described above. We do this through informal classroom observations, formal classroom assessments, and benchmark assessments that give us norm referenced
data performance of all students at that grade level nationally. This allows us to determine the best ways to shift instruction, layer instruction, and/or supplement tools for learning.
For more information about the foundation of literacy instruction please contact a literacy specialist in your building. We are always happy to speak to you about your child’s progress and path to literacy success.


A predicate nominative is a word that renames the subject of a sentence. It is found after the linking verb in the predicate of the sentence. A predicate nominative is also called a predicate noun because it is always a noun. To find the predicate nominative, find the word after the linking verb that can replace the subject.
Steps to Find the Predicate Nominative
First, find the subject of the sentence, the noun that the sentence is about. Consider this sentence: "Mr. Johnson was my teacher." In this case, the subject is "Mr. Johnson." Next, locate the linking verb. Linking verbs include the state-of-being verbs am, is, are, was, were, being and been. The linking verb in this sentence is "was." Finally, find the noun in the predicate that renames the subject. The predicate is the part of the sentence that includes the verb and all of the words that follow the verb. In this case, the noun in the predicate is "teacher." "Teacher" is the predicate nominative. To check for accuracy, flip the subject and predicate. "My teacher was Mr. Johnson." If they can be flipped, because they are the same person or thing, you have correctly identified the predicate nominative.
Tabitha Burgtorf began her career in the education field in 1999. Her experience includes elementary and middle school teaching, curriculum writing and writing education-related articles. Burgtorf holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from George Fox University and is certified to teach in Colorado.


META is short for Music Education through Artistic Actions.
META is another way of capturing the thrust of this philosophy:
music education in and through reflective musicing and listening.
4+5+6+7+ refers to:
4+ The praxial philosophy proposes at least FOUR basic
values of music and music education (self-growth, enjoyment, self-knowledge
and self-esteem) PLUS several other values that teachers and students
should aim to achieve.
5+ Music making and music listening involve at least FIVE
interdependent forms of musical thinking and knowing.
works involve at least SIX dimensions of musical meaning
that music makers and listeners can (and should) learn to focus on
or listen for.
suggest a SEVEN-step process to follow in preparing music-teaching
episodes. This process begins by deciding the musical actions that
students will engage in during the short-term and long-term. There
are seven: performing, improvising, composing, arranging, and
conducting (all of which involve artistic listening) PLUS listening
to recorded music and (possibly) moving or dancing, or participating
in another art that is essential to understanding the musical practices
and pieces being studied (e.g., Irish fiddle music and Irish step-dancing).


Many of us always assumed even great artists like Michelangelo lived a frugal, typical existence of the cliche starving artist. If the real story of Michelangelo had been common knowledge, solid funding for the arts might be more of a real budget line item for school districts.
While prevalent in pop culture now, the starving artist of the past is a myth.
Michelangelo, painter of the Sistine Chapel among so many other artworks, thrived financially. Although not easy to find this information, it was discovered in 1995 when professor Rab Hatfield of Syracuse University in Florence found his bank records. The famous painter had amassed a fortune equal to millions in today’s dollars.
If this had been our model for the life of an artist just think of how attitudes towards arts education might be different.
We have known for decades that arts education enhances critical thinking skills and provides opportunities for students to initiate and then follow through with their own ideas. This, in turn, can boost confidence and self-esteem. When employed during the study of other subjects, art can help broaden perspectives of content. In collaborative classes like band, students grow in cooperation and communication skills and develop prosocial behaviors.
Despite all of this, and the hopeful evolution of the term “creative class,” support for arts education continues to struggle. I have followed this struggle throughout my years as a teacher and, in preparation for writing this article, dug into my own files of articles that justified including the arts as a regular subject of curriculum in our schools. Sadly, the articles I collected from the 1990’s lamented the same message as today: little support and no budget.
Arts education is on an even more precarious trajectory during the uncertain times of the pandemic. But the benefits have never been so clear with many students being sequestered remotely and showing signs of depression. Involvement in art and music classes has provided positive ways for kids to process tough emotions.
During a recent episode of NPR’s “1A”, I heard some teachers and students share how being involved in their music classes was helping them stay connected during the pandemic. Samantha Reid, a middle school band teacher from Nashville, Tennessee, sat in on her students’ other remote classes. Often, students were expected to mute themselves and only listen during class. This observation inspired her to become innovative with her online curriculum, encouraging students to stand up during class, clap, sing, and play out. She spoke about “magical moments” offered when playing instruments together, even over Zoom, and that working on a common goal provided a sense of community. “Engaging in music involves many senses and gets us up out of our chairs at a time when we really need it,” she offered.
Making arts education a priority became part of the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015, but because funding trickles from federal sources often to needy local levels, actual implementation of arts programs doesn’t always happen. Access to the arts has become like a lot of things, dependent on demographic area. Children in higher income neighborhoods often have parents who will pay for music education outside of school.
Katie Taft, Education Manager at the Center for Visual Art at Metropolitan State University in Denver runs a paid art internship program for high schoolers that defies those stereotypes. Students who are interested in the program apply by writing an essay. Participants come from all over the metro area, representing diverse backgrounds. Katie shared that the students’ involvement this year, even remotely, was critical in providing avenues to develop resiliency and “therapy-like” communication skills through art. The program also offers an opportunity for much needed socialization. The internship is an example of a grant-based arts program offered in Colorado. For information about more such programs see:
In education circles, we call it “fighting the good fight.” Standing up for and supporting the methods we believe help kids the best. Arts in education is definitely part of that fight and the best thing we can do is inquire about it and take action for our own children, whether that be researching funds for your own school or going outside of the district to find affordable programs for your student. It is frustrating for it to be such a challenge, but it is worth the benefits!
Jill Carstens is a proud Denver native, a passionate mom and a teacher her entire adult life! She picked North Denver as her home base in 1997, and has run Milestones Preschool here since 2011. If you have ideas for an article or further questions for Miss Jill, you can email her at Jill@DenverNorthStar.com


Individuals with a strong desire to see young people succeed educationally are usually drawn to the teaching field. If you enjoy creating new ways of communicating information and desire to see kids succeed, then you possess the qualities of a good educator. It might be fulfilling and challenging for you to get a degree in elementary education.
From a young age, future educators often develop a deep appreciation for the learning process and were often enthusiastically motivated by their teachers growing up. Reading more on college degrees sources show will give aspiring teachers the rare ability of instilling a motivation to learn and of inspiring their students to trust and respect them. Teachers see the potential in kids and they envision what they can become with the right foundation. It is one of the reasons why teachers teach; they know that the children of today signify the future.
Getting a degree in elementary education means a student must obtain a firm liberal arts background. These teachers educate one group of children for the whole school year, covering all the traditional subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. In many instances, one’s education program will allow the student to focus on a particular subject while maintaining the liberal arts foundation.
Students of the education program will be instructed on how to effectively communicate with kids as well as others, such as parents and peers. Students can expect to encounter many things within an education curriculum, some of which are classes in pedagogical knowledge, educational psychology, curriculum planning and various teaching techniques. These are necessary skills which can be developed after students understand more about distance education degree details that will guide them to become a great teacher. Future teachers will gain the knowledge necessary to function in the academic atmosphere.
College students will learn ways in which to clarify and respond to the needs of their students, whether it is educational or emotional. One will also learn to recognize and adjust to the varying learning styles of their students. Essentially, a good education program will address all the facets that a teacher could potentially encounter with their students, as well as other teachers.
It is necessary for education majors to understand and use technology effectively in the classroom. It has become integral to the educator’s life and this is why education programs generally require courses that address the uses of technology in the classroom. Computers are often used to assist educators in teaching the curriculum, as well as introducing elementary students to the fundamentals of computer usage. Technology is so essential to our lives that it’s a good idea to introduce them to children at an early age.
The education course curriculum will usually require the student to obtain hands-on experience as well. Most institutions require a minimum number of student-teaching hours before they can obtain their bachelor’s degree. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to put their newly learned teaching methods into action. Students will discover which approaches best facilitate the conveyance of information. They will also learn how to converge their personal styles with the formal techniques that have been taught to them.
A student can obtain their degree by taking an online course degree program or through traditional means. Either way, the student should make sure their degree programs online is accredited by a certified teaching organization. Obtaining a degree from a quality education program ensures that educators will make every effort to be positive role models for their young students.0


Dr. Janice Waldron is an Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Windsor; research interests include informal music learning practices, social media and music learning, online music communities, vernacular musics, and participatory cultures. Dr. Waldron is published in Music Education Research, The International Journal of Music Education, Action, Criticism, and Theory in Music Education, The Journal of Music, Education, and Technology, and The Philosophy of Music Education Review and has forthcoming chapters in the Oxford Handbook of Music Education and Technology, The Routledge Companion of Technology and Music Education, and the Oxford Handbook of Community Music. She also serves on the Editorial Boards of The International Journal of Music Education, The Journal of Music, Education, and Technology, Action, Criticism, and Theory in Music Education, and T.O.P.I.C.S. in Music Education and is a reviewer for Music Education Research. Dr. Waldron was named the 2012 “Outstanding Researcher: Emerging Scholar” at the University of Windsor.
Old Beliefs in New Bottles: Questioning 20th Century Assumptions About 21st Century Music Practices
The rapid pace of technological change over the last decade, particularly in relation to social media and network connectivity, has deeply affected the ways in which we interact socially (and musically) among individuals, groups, and institutions to the point that it has become difficult to grasp what it would be like to lose access to this everyday aspect of modern life. To paraphrase William Gibson, “the future is with us now, only spread around thinly.” Although Gibson wasn’t referencing music (and music making) specifically, his words aptly describe current 21st century music making (and music learning and teaching) practices. Like the fish that can’t perceive the water in which it swims, neither can we easily comprehend the importance of digital technology and communication in our daily lives. Because of technology’s all encompassing pervasiveness, it’s also not easy to recognize the implications of the challenges it brings either. Which brings me to the point of this essay, the purpose of which is to critique the below two questions derived from MayDay Action Ideal VIII:
1) Given the pervasive use of digital technology and communication, how do we integrate alternatives; for example, acoustic, live, hands-on, face-to-face, and culturally situated interactive music making, as an essential component of human cooperation and community?
2) How can we use contemporary media and technology to empower people to assert their own local and personal identities, and to critically resist the onslaught of global marketing and branding aimed at their particular demographic?
The larger implicit “meta” concern both inferred in and underlying the above questions can be explained by what communications scholar Henry Jenkins believes is “the moral panic about digital technology [that often is] a case of adults not understanding a world that has not been a part of their childhood experiences” (in James, 2015, p. xviii). Although Jenkins writes from his perspective as a new media educator, his thoughts here also encapsulate the fear (and/or naiveté) surrounding similar issues in music education; I draw on his work as well as other new media researchers to deconstruct and critique the above two questions from a 21st century music practices perspective.


Decodable texts reinforce the connection between phonics elements and connected text reading. They provide a consistent context for readers to implement letter sound strategies.
In the past, decodable text has been criticized for its artificial story structure and lack of comprehension material. The High Noon decodable readers used in Connect to Comprehension present stories rich in structure and comprehension with real-life characters who confront everyday problems.
“Reading practice in decodable text helps students assimilate previously taught letter-sound correspondences before new ones are introduced.
Decodable books provide struggling readers with successful reading experiences that demonstrate the usefulness of phonics instruction.” (Jenkins, et al., 2003)
Positive research on decodable text:
Students’ accuracy and word recognition skills are positively and significantly correlated with reading more highly decodable texts (Hoffman et al, 2000)
Readers’ performances on decoding and comprehension measures were superior when receiving direct phonics instruction with decodable texts. (Foorman et al., 1998)
Students given explicit instruction in phonics and phonological awareness with decodable text outperformed a less explicit phonics group that did not use decodable texts. (Torgesen et al., 1999)


Day 339 of #LiveWell2017
Yesterday we gave a chance at life by donating vaccines to kids. Today, we switch gears to give a the gift of music education to enrich the lives of young people. Unfortunately, education is not as equitable as we may think, and where a child lives should not determine what a child learns. Every child deserves to have access to the arts as part of their education, but many schools are having to cut music and art programs due to shrinking budgets. You can help.
Here are some charities that help provide access to music education, instruments, and inspiration so that all kids can have music in their lives and schools. If you think it’s important for every kid to have music education, please consider giving to one of these charities.
The Give a Note Foundation provides grants to school music programs and builds awareness of the importance of music education in schools across the USA.
Music Unites’s mission is to raise academic achievement for at-risk public school students y providing ” unique music education partnerships and programs”.
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation provides new and used instruments to kids in school music programs.
VH1’s Save the Music Foundation has been working to save music education programs nationwide since 1997.
There may be local foundations in your area that support music and music education for kids. If you want to keep your donations close to home, ask a local music teacher or school how you can help.
Note: As with any charity donation, be sure to shoose the one that best fits your giving goals and spends more dollars on programs and impact than on administrative costs. You can check their ratings on Charity Navigator and Guidestar.


Here's a fun activity to create snake bubbles using every day household items.
Empty water bottle
Optional: Food Coloring
Cut bottom of water bottle off.
Slide the sock over bottom of the bottle.
Pour dish soap in bowl and add water. Gently mix.
Dip the sock covered bottle in soap-water solution.
Optional: Add color to your bubble snakes with food coloring. After dipping the sock covered bottle in the dish soap-water solution, drip food coloring on the sock covered end and BLOW!
*Please remember to blow air out, and not suck in! Do not inhale the bubbles!
Want more bubbles activities? Try making SOAP FOAM!
Supplies: Blender, large bowl or container, dish soap, water, food coloring (optional)
- Add ¼ cup of dish soap and ½ cup of water in blender. If desired, add in a few drops of food coloring.
- Blend until bubble solution turns to foam.
- Pour into large container and have fun!
- Science Experiments that fizz and bubble: fun projects for curious kids by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen
- How to Make Bubbles by Erika L. Shores
- Super Simple Things to do with Bubbles: Fun and Easy Science for Kids by Kelly Doudna
Created by Chelsee, Children's Librarian at Downtown


Science Lessons From Making Freezer Bag Ice Cream
Science for Kids
"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." -Edwin Powell Hubble
I have been working with a bright young third grader, asking him to work hard and pay attention so one day I felt like it was time for a reward. I decided it was a good day for Science Lessons From Making Freezer Bag Ice Cream.
Of course, my goal is always to teach and encourage progress which means that I couldn’t simply make ice cream with him. I wanted to include some science. I thought that there would be many Science Lessons From Making Freezer Bag Ice Cream.
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Simple Science Experiments for Kids
Before we made the ice cream we did some experiments. First, we took two glasses of water and put the rock salt into one of the glasses. The glasses went into the freezer and every 15 minutes we checked to see what happened. It’s pretty fun to see kids get so interested in the simplest things. He needed to really examine the glasses of water and observe how it was freezing. We talked about how salt is used to melt ice and how salt water freezes at a much lower temperature. Why is salt used to make ice cream? It allows the temperature of the mixture around the ice cream to get colder. You can read more about the science of freezing salt water here. The glass on the left is fully frozen after one hour while the glass on the right with salt water is kind of slushy.
The Science Behind Bubbles
Then I had him get another glass with a little water and dish soap. I gave him a straw and told him to blow bubbles. He had a lot of fun making a bubbling mountain. We talked about what was happening. The volume had expanded, it was flowing out of the glass and into the sink. Why? We had added air and vibration. I explained to him that is what we would do with the ice cream. By shaking and throwing the ice cream ingredients we would be adding air and vibration so the final product would have more volume than what we started with. (A 1/2 cup of half and half will make 1 cup of ice cream.) The bubbles were really engaging for him. I wanted to go off on a tangent and explore the science of bubbles but I left that for another day.
Learning about Matter
Introduce the children to the three stages of matter. Matter can move from one state to another, but can still be the same substance. Not everything can change from one matter to another. For example, a diamond is always solid. Have the kids think about things that can change their stages of matter, like snow and chocolate. The faster the molecules move determines the stage of matter. Temperature affects how fast the molecules move. Gas has the fastest moving molecules and solids the slowest. You can demonstrate the process by melting ice cube and heating them until you make steam.
Introduce children to the scientific method
Finally, it was time to make ice cream! Like I said before, I want to add lessons while we are having fun. I made a scientific method worksheet for him to record our experiment. He gave it the title of Making Ice Cream. It amused me when he wrote his hypothesis: “The half and half will not turn into ice cream.” After he had written the materials and procedure it was time to actually make the ice cream.
To make Freezer Bag Ice Cream you will need:
- Small freezer bag
- Large freezer bag
- 1/2 cup of half and half
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup of rock salt (our store called it “ice cream salt”)
- Crushed Ice
Instructions for making Freezer Bag Ice Cream:
- Put the half and half, vanilla and sugar into the small bag. I use two bags just in case one breaks.
- Put the smaller bag(s) into the larger bag. Again I double up the bags because they usually break.
- Put the ice and salt into the bigger bag.
- Shake, smash, throw until the half and half has frozen and become ice cream. Stop and take some time to observe what is happening.
- Measure how much ice cream you have. Is it more than the 1/2 cup that you started with? Why?
Extending the activity:
- Use cream instead of half and half. Is there a difference? Why?
- Use almond milk instead of half and half. Is there a difference? Why? (Hint: the fat content makes a difference.)
By the time that we were done my young friend had learned many science lessons from making Freezer Bag Ice Cream but in his mind, he had just had a fun time playing and eating a delicious cool treat.


Hop, skip and jump
Education professor helps all students improve their gross motor skills
By Megan Sexton, email@example.com, 803-777-1421
Watching a visually impaired child confidently run or hop on one foot is more than rewarding for Ali Brian, a physical education researcher in the College of Education. “It brings tears to your eyes,” she says.
Brian helps young children and adolescents with and without disabilities improve their gross motor skills — their ability to run, jump, hop, throw, catch and bounce a ball. The common belief that kids naturally acquire those motor skills is more myth than fact, according to Brian’s research.
Two of her recent publications have shown that almost 80 percent of the preschool children tested — whether in Ohio, Louisiana or South Carolina — are exhibiting developmental delays with these skills. But after six weeks of twice weekly motor skills interventions guided by a specialist, only 5 percent of the same children showed delays.
“Nobody knows for sure why they are delayed, but it’s my hypothesis they’re not receiving any structured movement program in preschool with a specialist,” Brian says. “They only receive recess.”
There typically aren’t physical education teachers in preschools, and classroom teachers often don’t know the best ways to teach children gross motor skills. “The end game is to not only teach the teachers how to teach, but to help them conduct a motor skills intervention with me at their side,” Brian says.
While her early work focused on Head Start and rural Title One preschools, she now also looks at children with and without disabilities, particularly students who are blind or visually impaired. Her work has found that students will disabilities learn gross motor skills at the same rate as students without disabilities. All students start out delayed, but see parallel growth in six to eight weeks when intervention strategies are applied.
Visually impaired students are more likely than their peers to be sedentary, overweight or obese. Since it’s a low-incidence disability, there is only a small amount of data, and the numbers suggest children lag far behind in gross motor skill development.
Brian works with Camp Abilities, a sports camp for blind and visually impaired children, the S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind and parents of visually impaired children. In her work with parents of blind or visually impaired children, she provides a talking pedometer and a guide wire for running, and she suggests family activities that focus on motor skills.
Although visually impaired students are farther behind at the start, they moved from the fifth percentile to around the thirtieth percentile after a six-week intervention. Her next project will look at ways to assess gross motor skills of children with autism and develop interventions to improve their skills.
“To see the change, it’s powerful,” Brian says. “You think, ‘I can make a difference in their life.’”
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How we work
Here at St Michael’s we recognise the importance of good literacy skills and work hard to ensure that each of our students develops skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening that will prepare them for their future and support them to ‘achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.”
The ability to communicate effectively in whatever situation you find yourself and to whom ever you find yourself speaking or writing is essential for an adult to participate with confidence in our society. We build these skills steadily throughout our curriculum.
‘Literacy arouses hopes, not only in society as a whole but also in the individual who is striving for fulfilment, happiness and personal benefit by learning how to read and write. Literacy… means far more than learning how to read and write…’ UNESCO
Our approach to literacy is twofold:
We have high expectations of the way students communicate and these are delivered through all lessons and in every encounter the students have with a teacher, whatever their subject. Students are expected to write and spell accurately, presenting work clearly and neatly – and all teachers follow a marking policy through which they will correct spellings and punctuation or grammatical errors. We also expect students to communicate clearly and appropriately when they are speaking.
In year 7 all our students have a weekly Literacy lesson as part of their transition from primary school. This is to consolidate their literacy skills and increase their confidence in approaching the more challenging reading and writing material they encounter in Secondary school.
In year 8 and 9 students will receive additional literacy as needed during form times.
At Key Stage 4 we ensure that all our students leave college with a qualification that proves to employers and colleges they have achieved a high standard of literacy, whether this be GCSE English and/ or a qualification in Adult Literacy and Numeracy.
Additional literacy support in a one to one or small group environment is available for all our students.
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
– Harry S. Truman
As a college we aim to foster a love of learning in our students and we believe that one of the elements of this that can bring great personal satisfaction is a love of reading. We promote independent reading through the use of Reading Journals in the English Department and through visits to Canada Water Library. We expect all students to have a personal reading book with them at all times.
Speaking and Listening:
The college will be promoting the art of rhetoric and persuasive speaking through a Literacy week competition to be held in the Christmas term. This competition will involve all students in the college and will be led by Form tutors – look out for the dates because students will be wanting to rehearse their speeches at home!
Students are provided with different opportunities to develop their writing skills: by writing articles for the college newsletter ‘The Link’; contributing articles to faculty newsletters and writing competitions advertised by the English Department.
How Can Parents Get Involved?
- The single most valuable thing that a parent can do to support their child’s literacy development is to read regularly with their child at home. Just 15 minutes a day of your child reading aloud to you – from a book, a newspaper – anything will develop their confidence and their reading ability.
- Remember that every piece of written work for every subject needs to be accurate – don’t let your child rush their homework – and make sure that they have checked over it before they hand it in.
- Look on the Fronter page for English for specific activities that will support your child’s literacy development.
Forthcoming Literacy Events
Articulate – the Whole college Speaking and Listening Competition. Developing their rhetorical skills, students will write and deliver a speech on an issue that they feel strongly about. The competition will be held in heats – at form level first, building up to a whole year and then whole school competition.
Please click the picture to access the Parent and Pupil Guide for Literacy Improvement


The Field Band Foundation
(FBF) is a South African national nonprofit organization that has reached more
than 40,000 youth since its inception in 1997. Modeled initially on the
American-style marching band, the FBF’s performance style, choreography,
rehearsal techniques, and uniforms draw on local traditions and practices
resulting in a uniquely South African musical phenomenon.
As local musicking, FBF rehearsals support the locally defined values of discipline and empathy. The distinctions that FBF members and leaders make between local or global processes or qualities are discernible in the military associations and echoes of local cultural expressions manifested in rehearsal management techniques, uniforms, and choreography. The localizations of musical processes and products and the meanings and values to which these link contribute to the achievement to the FBF’s goals, which the organization aims to articulate in terms of local values.
This according to “Rehearsing values: Processes of
distinction in the Field Band Foundation of South Africa” by Laryssa
Whittaker, an essay included in The Routledge companion to the study of
local musicking (New York: Routledge, 2018, pp. 251–63).
Above and below, FBF groups in action.
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Helen May Butler’s career provides a welcome counternarrative to the men’s professional bands—such as John Philip Sousa’s—that were the rage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Butler had the professional and musical clout to attract the top female talent needed to form a first-rate professional ensemble. Her Ladies’ Military Band rose to prominence during a time when being a professional woman required sacrifice, in terms of both family life and customary female identity. Butler’s perseverance and tenacity in creating an accomplished ensemble of women in a male-dominated field is an important and inspirational addition to the history of both U.S. concert bands and the women’s movement of her time.
This according to “Helen May Butler and her Ladies’ Military Band: Being professional during the golden age of bands” by Brian D. Meyers, an essay included in Women’s bands in America: Performing music and gender (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, pp. 15–49).
Today is Butler’s 150th birthday! Below, an undated photograph of her Ladies’ Brass Band, which toured between 1901 and 1912 (click to enlarge).
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Since 1914 a Winter Carnival has been held in February in the picturesque resort town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to promote skiing and celebrate the season. Events include ski races, ski jumping, dogsled pulls, skijoring, and fireworks.
Every year since 1935, members of the band have donned red wool uniforms, fixed plastic mouthpieces to their instruments and lubricated them with no-freeze valve oil, attached shortened skis to their boots, and skied in formation as they played.
This according to “The Steamboat Springs High School Ski Band 1935–2005” by Daniel S. Isbell (Journal of historical research in music education XXVIII/1 [October 2006] pp. 21–37). Below, the band in performance.
For it [the Walkman] permits the possibility…of imposing your soundscape on the surrounding aural environment and thereby domesticating the external world: for a moment, it can all be brought under the STOP/START, FAST FOWARD, PAUSE and REWIND buttons. –Iain Chambers, “The … Continue reading →
In 1947 Ella Fitzgerald, already an acclaimed singer of jazz standards, toured with Dizzy Gillespie, immersing herself in the new style known as bebop. Like Dizzy, Ella responded to bebop’s complex harmonies with an infallible ear, and easily translated its … Continue reading →
Gertrude “Ma” Rainey’s Prove it on me blues affirms her independence from orthodox norms by boldly celebrating her lesbianism. Rainey’s sexual involvement with women was no secret with both colleagues and audiences. The advertisement for the song (above, click to … Continue reading →
The American traditional song Go tell Aunt Rhody originated as a gavotte composed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau for his opera Le devin du village (1752). An English version of the opera was produced in London in 1766; subsequently the melody attracted … Continue reading →


Employability skills or "soft skills" are the key to workplace success.
Employability skills are a set of skills and behaviors that are necessary for every job. Employability skills are sometimes called soft skills, foundational skills, work-readiness skills, or job-readiness skills.
Employability skills allow you to:
- communicate with coworkers
- solve problems
- understand your role within the team
- make responsible choices, and
- take charge of your own career
Personal qualities, habits, and attitudes influence how you interact with others. Employers value employability skills because they are linked to how you get along with coworkers and customers, your job performance, and your career success.
Essential Employability Skills
- Be organized.
- Arrive to work on time, or early.
- Be dependable.
- Have a positive attitude toward work.
- Exert high levels of effort and perseverance.
- Complete tasks on time and accurately.
- Seek out information to improve skills.
- Be flexible and adaptable.
- Complete all tasks, even if unpleasant.
- Understand dress code or uniform guidelines.
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Be friendly and polite.
- Respect supervisors and coworkers.
- Respond appropriately to customer requests.
- Ask for feedback.
- Take constructive criticism.
- Resolve conflicts calmly and appropriately.
- Read and understand written materials.
- Listen, understand, and ask questions.
- Follow directions.
- Express ideas clearly when speaking or writing.
- Learn required technology and use appropriately.
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking:
- Accept change.
- Be willing to start, stop, and switch duties.
- Work calmly in busy environments.
- Start tasks without prompting.
- Ask questions to solve problems do job better.
- Be comfortable working with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Be sensitive to other peoples' needs.
- Take responsibility for own share of work.
- Contribute to team goals.
Ethics and Legal Responsibilities:
- Take responsibility for own decisions and actions.
- Understand and follow company rules and procedures.
- Be honest and trustworthy.
- Act professionally and with maturity.
The general employability skills above help you to get hired and to keep any job. In addition, anyone who wants to advance in their careers and people working in higher-level jobs should have the following professional skills.
- Learn new skills and take on different projects.
- Serve on work committees.
- Take initiative and work with little supervision.
- Understand your industry and common business practices.
- Align your work goals with the mission and vision of your employer.
- Understand the different roles of coworkers.
- Coach and mentor others.
- Be willing to take risks.
- Be able to negotiate.
- Motivate and direct people as they work.
- Demonstrate efficiency.
- Seek to simplify processes.
- Save time or money for the company by analyzing business needs.
- Build partnerships and teams with coworkers.


There is no question that Americans enjoy listening to music. We spend on average, 4 hours a day listening to music, are excited when our favorite song comes on the radio and look up to legendary & popular musicians. Despite our love for music, music education has been cut from many schools with deeper cuts potentially on the horizon. But why should the average parent or taxpayer be concerned about the cuts to music programs? Our love for music aside, children who study music have been shown to have several benefits over their peers including:
Music students have higher scores on the SATs than the national average (source)
Learning to play a musical instrument as a child creates more robust brain responses which continue as adults (Skoe & Kraus 2012).
A Stanford University Study found that musical training can improve how the brain improves spoken word which could lead to better reading ability in children that have reading problems like dyslexia.
Students that were involved in band or orchestra in middle and high school were shown to perform better in math during their senior year of high school. In low-income families, these results were even more pronounced (Catterall, Chapleau & Iwanage 2002).
A report by the Texas Commission on drug and alcohol abuse found that individuals involved in band or orchestra had very low levels of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs use compared to peers.
Schools with music programs have almost a 10% higher attendance rate than schools without music programs
There are countless more reasons why children should learn music and why music education is important. Rob Aster (A.K.A radical Rob) understands the importance of teaching children music. As a managing member and founder of RRHOT, LLC, which produces music for film, albums, and television productions. Rob Aster has been passionate about music ever since he was a child. Artists and Musicians like radical Rob Aster understand how music can have such a powerful effect on children because it had such a powerful effect on them. We need to do more to promote music in the school and in the classroom before it becomes too late.


Members of the Butler community participate in the climate strike. Photo by Manny Alarcon Nava.
HOLDEN HARTLE I STAFF REPORTER I email@example.com
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story said the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability organized and was responsible for the climate strike held on Sept. 20. CUES was not responsible for the strike; while it was pitched to CUES’ student interns, they organized the strike not in their capacity as interns but as students. The strike was completely separate from CUES.
Sept. 20, 50 or so members of the Butler Community met at Star Fountain. 12:05 p.m. came and they were still waiting. So did 12:10 p.m. and 12:15 p.m. They were waiting on a climate change strike to start, announced and organized by the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability.
But nobody from CUES came.
CUES’ strike at Star Fountain was inspired by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist who called for global strikes. According to Vox, there were over 2,500 events scheduled in over 163 countries on all seven continents, including one in downtown Indianapolis.
The strikes were protesting climate change and forcing governments to take the necessary steps to stop it.
Jamie Valentine, assistant director of CUES, said that she had very little to do with the Butler strike.
“The strike is completely student-run,” Valentine said.
Torey Kazeck, a junior biology major, said Valentine simply introduced the idea to CUES, and the student interns did the rest of the organizing, like announcing the strike on social media.
When it was clear that no one from CUES was coming to initiate the strike, Camille Ringenberg, a sophomore music education major with no connection to CUES, started a chant just to get the crowd to do something.
“Climate change is not a lie! Do not let our planet die!”
All 50 people joined in unison. Then, Ringenberg started a march across campus.
Other people in the march started a call-and-response chant midway through the march.
“What are we doing?” People called out.
“Saving the planet!” People responded.
“When when when?”
“Now now now!”
After the strike, some students were unimpressed with the lack of preparation that went into the strike. Kendall Sagear, a first-year biology major, felt the strike started slow, but worked out in the end.
“It wasn’t well organized,” Sagear said. “But things picked up eventually.”
Ringenberg wished there was more planning.
“I wish there was more publicity beforehand to get more people active,” Ringenberg said.
If students are interested in more information, there are several Butler organizations that focus on saving the environment. Sustainability club raises awareness for these issues and carries out projects on campus. The newly formed Green Council is a place for students to submit initiatives to make the school greener.


By Nour Abou Rayya
Many Palestinians rarely have the opportunity to leave the West Bank and Gaza, and when they do, they face restrictions, complicated procedures, and uncomfortable travel conditions. But Palestinians who live in the refugee camps in Lebanon cannot leave Lebanon, and even leaving the camps – while legally allowed – is complicated not only because the camp borders form strong psychological borders. In these camps, humanitarian misery, social deprivation, and urban chaos prevail among dilapidated and overcrowded residential buildings, unhealthy and difficult living conditions, and limited, low-quality basic services. Due to the financially deprived conditions, children barely have a chance to learn about music or how to play an instrument, as the main problems their parents tend to care about are basic needs such as shelter, food, medical care, and securing a livelihood. Here, the role of Al Kamandjâti music school and cultural association starts!
Al Kamandjâti Association therefore considers it particularly meaningful to reunify its students who live in places separated by physical and psychological borders in order to let them participate in a shared music project. It operates within these challenging conditions to provide children with the opportunity to access music education and develop their artistic skills through music by playing an instrument. At the same time, the classes develop other skills that build their personalities by increasing their imagination, creativity, and self-confidence with the encouragement given by their teachers. A positive atmosphere provides the suitable space and opportunities for the students to play music and express themselves as young musicians, some of whom may become advanced enough to earn their living as professional musicians in the future.
Al Kamandjâti’s curriculum paves the way for students to reach high academic levels and helps them find other opportunities if they choose to continue their studies and wish to attend music colleges and institutions in Lebanon or abroad. The association’s academic program encompasses music appreciation and a regular program. Music appreciation provides an introduction of music and aims to develop audio perception skills by teaching student to recognize natural sounds, the sounds of their surrounding environment, human voices, and the timbres of some musical instruments; it also teaches musical styles. This introductory training helps children discover their preferences and understand the basics of music while it prepares them for choosing what instrument they want to learn.
The regular program involves students in two parallel courses in which they learn music theory and practical instrument skills. The theoretical classes teach students how to read and write musical notation and provides rhythmic training in order to familiarize the children with the language of music. Students are divided into groups according to age, level of proficiency, and the instrument of their choice. They can study the oud, qanun, ney, violin, cello, piano, percussion instruments, and individual voice classes, which they take once a week on Sundays. Throughout the school year, students receive theoretical classes for one hour per week. This requires commitment and follow-up because the theoretical classes are closely related to their practical classes in which they learn to play the instrument of their choice.
Beyond teaching instrumental skills, music education in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps is important because it provides a positive, safe space. Children are invited to be creative and encouraged to discover their Palestinian culture and engage in dialogue with other cultures.
Since the beginning of its educational program in Lebanon, Al Kamandjâti’s goal of building a music-loving generation has been implemented with success. The association can boast with a group of advanced students, musicians, and singers who reflect the serious work that has been carried out during the last ten years. This group includes young men and women, three of whom play the oud, another three play the ney, and there are two percussionists, two singers, two violinists, and a cello player. In addition, the school currently trains a group of middle-level musicians and a group of young students.
The students have presented concerts and participated in major festivals in Lebanon, among them the festivals held on the International Day of Music, Lebanese festivals, and others. Their weekly lessons and these concerts strengthen the students’ ensemble skills and reinforce their confidence on stage, which can be challenging in front of an audience. Moreover, a number of advanced students now participate as teachers in specialized music programs and give music appreciation classes, following a number of training sessions offered by Al Kamandjâti; others have become teachers and work in and outside of the camps in projects with local partners in Lebanon.
Music can unite different cultures and overcome differences. It does not understand any borders; the only limits it knows are the borders faced by its own players.


Support from all levels of government for music education and scenes can help foster a talented tech workforce, a recent report from the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) shows. Music education, the report finds, helps bridge gaps between technical know-how and critical soft skills, while the presence of music scenes in cities can help attract and retain skilled workers.
“Our findings suggest that music is more important in developing and attracting a skilled ICT workforce than we previously thought,” says ICTC’s Jeff Leiper, VP of Strategic Communications, Research and Policy.
“The value of music to society is multilayered. We already knew music was a rewarding career, means of cultural expression, healing and entertainment but now we have also confirmed that music can be leveraged to build more successful cities and to develop more innovative, successful workers in important fields like science and technology,” says Graham Henderson, President of Music Canada. “Now there should be no doubt that we must prioritize music education programs and policies that foster growth in this important economic sector.”
ICTC research demonstrates that Canadian companies face an increasing demand for workers with the right blend of skills, and that emerging sectors such as apps development and cloud computing will heighten that demand.
ICTC’s research, supported by Music Canada, combines a review of existing literature and interviews with ICT firms to demonstrate that, among other findings:
- music education fosters not just logical and computational skills, but such soft skills as leadership, initiative and teamwork. These will be critical in a knowledge economy as Canada seeks to compete in a global marketplace;
- the presence in cities of strong music scenes is generally indicative of a creative technical workforce, and that these scenes can be fostered in inexpensive ways. Cities such as Austin TX and Kitchener ON are currently capitalizing on the presence of music scenes to establish a competitive edge vis-à-vis other municipalities in attracting companies and talent.
Based on its findings, ICTC makes five recommendations to policy-makers and others in order to capitalize on the potential for music to catalyze economic development in the ICT sector:
- Provincial governments need to make a conscious and significant investment in music education that supports 21st century curriculum, provides properly trained teachers, and incorporates general teachers would be beneficial.
- Curriculum should identify the connections between music education and technology careers to encourage a diversity of career choices for those studying music and to encourage technology students to pursue their music education.
- Parents should be provided with resources on the benefits of music education and supported in advocacy efforts with levels of government and school administration.
- Given the impact that cultural scenes have on the attraction and retention of top-notch talent and quality ICT employers, governments are well advised to focus on the quality and diversity of their cultural industries as a tool for economic development. This requires support at all levels of government.
- Collect and centralize information on the benefits of music education and participation to the careers of technology professionals, to assist them in ongoing professional development. Present information at workshops and conferences directed at technology professionals or crossover conferences such as NXNE Interactive and Digital Summit.


The Renaissance era, lasting from the mid 1400s to about 1630, is one of the most distinctive and revolutionary periods in the arts, and music is no exception. Composers like Dufay, Josquin, Tallis, Victoria, Palestrina, Gabrieli, Praetorius, and Byrd were visionaries whose transformational music developed alongside the paintings and sculptures of Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
In this remarkable book, a companion to Performance Practices in the Classical Era and Performance Practices in the Baroque Era, noted scholar and conductor Dennis Shrock draws from primary sources to document and explain authentic performance practices of Renaissance era music—in many cases eye opening and rarely employed today.
Insightful chapters cover topics including vocal and instrumental sound, tempo, articulation, phrasing, ornamentation, and expression. Like a restorer uncovering the original brilliance of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Shrock’s work reveals the rich and colorful nature of this wonderful music as originally intended.
Performing Renaissance Music—together with Shrock’s companion recording Renaissance Reborn—is an insightful, colorful, and comprehensive portrait, certain to assist anyone who seeks to better understand the music of the great Renaissance composers. This book is a vital resource for any conductor, performer, or aficionado of Renaissance music.
Dennis Shrock is author of six books published by GIA: Performing Renaissance Music (2018); Performance Practices in the Baroque Era (2013); Performance Practices in the Classical Era (2011); Handel’s Messiah: A Performance Practice Handbook (2013); Music for Beginning Conductors (2011); and A Conductor’s Guide to Choral/Orchestral Repertoire, co-authored with James Moyer (2017). In addition, Dr. Shrock is author of three books published by Oxford University Press: Choral Repertoire (2009); Choral Scores (2015); and Choral Monuments (2017).
Dr. Shrock has held faculty positions at Boston University, Westminster Choir College, the University of Oklahoma, and Texas Christian University, and has had residencies at Baylor University, the University of Southern California, the University of Mississippi, and Yale University. He has also served as Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Canterbury Choral Society of Oklahoma City, Interim Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, and Editor of The Choral Journal. In addition, he has been a frequent All-State conductor and lecturer at conferences of the American Choral Directors Association.
He has received a number of awards and recognitions for his work. The City of Santa Fe declared December 22, 2003 “Dennis Shrock Day,” Westminster Choir College granted him an “Alumni Merit Award,” the state of Oklahoma conferred on him a citation for “Contributions of Excellence,” and the University of Oklahoma granted him two “Distinguished Lectureships” and named him a “Presidential Professor.” Dr. Shrock received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Westminster Choir College and both master’s and doctoral degrees in choral conducting from Indiana University.
The cover artwork is a depiction of monks singing the office from a Gradual illuminated in the 1440s and used by the Olivetan Benedictines.


A narrative enrichment programme in literacy development of Afrikaans-speaking Grade 3 learners in monolingual rural schools
CITATION: Brand, I. 2016. A narrative enrichment programme in literacy development of Afrikaans-speaking Grade 3 learners in monolingual rural schools. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus, 49:301-316, doi:10.5842/49-0-707.
The original publication is available at http://spilplus.journals.ac.za
This study is motivated by existing information on the discontinuity between home literacy practices and school literacy expectations of learners who typically speak a local variety of their mother tongue which differs in various ways from the standardised language of learning and teaching (LoLT). In this particular case, the study refers to Afrikaans as a home language and language in education. These learners typically perform below par on standardised South African literacy tests such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA) and the Systemic Evaluation Test. They show delayed achievement of literacy milestones, higher school drop-out rates and less achievement of access to higher learning opportunities (Lahire 1995; Siegel 2007). In the present study, a two-part Narrative Enrichment Programme was introduced. The first part provided learners with an enriched reading, listening and writing environment in which they could engage with novel stories and work towards producing their own little books. The second part of the programme consisted of supporting exercises that addressed narrative structure issues that arose in the course of the first part. Specifically, exercises of picture sequencing, picture-sentence matching and an exercise called “Beginning, Middle and End” were used to assess how learners recount the various narrative components and the chronology.


Schools should recognize the need for music education
Although music is not given as much importance as core academic subjects, research proves the need to do otherwise. Music helps in multi-faceted development in a student, which becomes an integral part of a student’s life. Even if schools are not willing to participate in this regard, parents should look at inculcating an interest in music in their children. Private classes for music can always be considered as an option by parents when it comes to music education for their children. The benefits of teaching music will always outweigh the investment.
Music helps develop multiple skills.
Training in music helps develop the part of the brain, which is responsible for processing language. This way, a music learner is also wired to acquire more language skills. Since music requires a lot of listening, it helps in auditory development of the brain, which leads to better listening skills. Reading music involves the calculation of notes and rhythm. Learning music can translate to acquiring math skills too. Music nurtures creativity, which has a positive impact on a child’s future.
Music improves academic performance
Research has proven that children with a high level of music training perform better in tests and score more than those who do not have exposure to music training. Music encourages students to try something new, thereby developing their self-esteem and confidence. Research has shown that the brain of a musician works differently than the brain of a non-musician. There is more neural activity seen in the brain of a musician because, while playing music there is a need to multi-task. Music acts as a stress buster, and children benefit greatly from it. Music learned have proven to have higher graduation rates than those who gave music a miss.
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This text reflects on the practice in art education to develop curiosity, interest, and critical thinking on issues concerning freedom of creative expression and the creation of significant artistic manifestations that communicate with the other. The learning processes based on dialogue and relational collaboration between students and teachers result in artistic objects produce from reflection around issues of human rights and formation for citizenship. The study was developed in the Artistic Production Course of the Specialization in Ceramics at António Arroio Art School in Lisbon, Portugal, with students from a 12th-grade class. An action-research methodology was used, with data collected through the observation of the developed activities and interviews intended to understand and identify connections arising from these reflective thoughts and their impact on artistic practices. Within the scope of the results obtained, we found that promoting activities with experimentation and exploration of ideas, sharing different perspectives, and decision-making contributes to the social and cultural individuals' identity construction.


By Marco Beltran
It is lunchtime at the Early Head Start center. The three infant classrooms are busy with feeding babies. The toddlers are sitting down to their family-style meal. As everyone is enjoying their afternoon, a loud explosion occurs. The staff are startled and the children begin to cry. Staff look at one another, unsure of what happened. Over the PA system, the program director announces that the neighborhood has lost power.
If this were your program, would you know what to do next?During National Preparedness Month, we encouraged programs to review and revise their Emergency Preparedness Plans. However, for plans to be truly effective, they need to be practiced throughout the year.
An effective emergency preparedness plan helps your program to respond appropriately and quickly to circumstances that occur. It helps to reduce risks to everyone in the Head Start community. But, the only way that can happen is if staff, children, families, and community partners know the plan and their responsibility.
The Office of Head Start OHS does not specify an exact number of times a plan should be practiced. However, it is a good idea to do a run-through at the beginning of the program year and again before the seasons when hurricanes, tornados, or snow storms usually occur.
Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center


Hornbach, C. M., & Taggart, C. C. (2005). The relationship between developmental tonal aptitude and singing achievement among kindergarten, first-, second-, and third-grade students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 53(4), 322-331.
What did the researchers want to know?
What is the relationship between developmental tonal music aptitude and singing achievement among elementary students?
What did the researchers do?
Hornbach and Taggart studied tonal aptitude and singing achievement among 162 students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade at two elementary schools in Michigan. Tonal music aptitude was measured using the Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA), a published developmental music aptitude test, which was administered by the general music teachers at the two schools. Singing achievement was measured by asking each individual student to sing a familiar song (“Bow Belinda”); performances were audio-recorded and later assessed by Hornbach, Taggart, and an independent judge using the rating scale shown below.
What did the researchers find?
Analysis showed that mean singing achievement scores tended to increase from kindergarten through second grade and then drop between second and third grades. Mean tonal aptitude scores also increased across grade levels, with one school showing a drop between second and third grades. There were no significant correlations found between singing achievement and developmental tonal aptitude scores at any grade level. While tonal aptitude scores did not differ significantly between the two schools, students from School 2 demonstrated significantly higher singing achievement than students from School 1.
What does this mean for my classroom?
Singing achievement and tonal music aptitude seem to be separate from one another. Therefore, a teacher should not assume that a child who demonstrates low singing achievement has low tonal potential nor that a child who demonstrates high singing achievement necessarily has more “talent” than students with lower singing achievement. The fact that students at one school scored significantly higher in singing achievement that students at the other school (despite there being no significant difference in aptitude scores) suggests “that if singing is taught, students’ singing achievement may improve” (p. 328).
Music educators should also be conscious that a student’s lack of success in demonstrating singing skill may be due to choice rather than inability. The drop in singing achievement from second to third grade among students at both schools “may be the result of issues relating to social rather than musical development” (p. 328). Due to increasing social awareness and/or self-consciousness, third-grade students may have chosen not to use their singing voices, even if they were capable. “Teachers and parents may need to find ways to encourage the valuing of singing voice use by children in the upper grade levels in elementary school, as it may be that peer pressure results in less singing achievement in older children” (p. 328).


Twenty lessons to introduce Gregorian chant to children’s choirs: music educator Wilko Brouwers has put together this program based on a lifetime of learning and reflection on the past century of music education. The result is nothing short of brilliant. The program is simple, short, and focused, leading children to sing chant one step at a time.
This demonstration CD of 94 tracks is a companion for the instructor manual and student workbook. Recorded by the choristers of the Madeleine Choir School under the direction of Melanie Malinka.
Discounted pricing and shipping are available for bulk orders of this product. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org for information.


Principles of effective literacy practice for EAL students in New Zealand classrooms.
Franken, M. (2005). Principles of effective literacy practice for EAL students in New Zealand classrooms. Waikato Journal of Education, 11(2), 67-82.
Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/6213
The New Zealand Ministry of Education has recently identified the need for teachers to be prepared to meet the needs of English as an additional language (EAL)² students in New Zealand schools more effectively. This paper offers a number of principles to guide policy, practice and teacher development. The paper draws on Alton-Lee's (2003) best evidence synthesis of quality teaching for diverse students, and Franken and McComish's (2003a, 2003b) observations and analysis of provisions for EAL students in New Zealand schools. The principles, grounded in second language and literacy acquisition research, point to the need to provide particular enabling conditions for the literacy development of EAL students if they are to achieve as well as their English-speaking peers.
Faculty of Education, University of Waikato
© 2005 Waikato Journal of Education. It is posted here by permission for personal use.
- Education Papers


Computers are now part of everyday life. For most of us, technology is essential to our lives, at home and at work. 'Computational thinking' is a skill children must be taught if they are to be ready for the workplace and able to participate effectively in this digital world.
The new national curriculum for computing has been developed to equip young people in England with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding of computing they will need for the rest of their lives. Through the new programme of study for computing, they will learn how computers and computer systems work, they will design and build programs, develop their ideas using technology and create a range of content.
At Outwoods Primary, computing is divided into 3 main subjects:
Digital Literacy - able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology.
Information Technology - to create programs, systems and a range of content.
Computer Science - pupils are taught the principles of information and computing, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.


Site Maintenance Scheduled: May 31st Our site will be down and change it's name to www.IllinoisLiteracyInAction.org as of June 1st, 2017. We are excited to share updates with you as we transition over to housing standards aligned instruction for all literacy strands. You will be redirected to the new site--please bookmark the new URL. Thanks for your patience!
Grade Specific Resources for Writing
Writing Best Practices
- Writing Standards
- Common Core Writing Standards: Appendix: pages 23-25
- Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading
- What Works: Teaching Elementary School Students to be Effective Writers
- Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High School
- Writing Now: A Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers in English
- Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively NEW!
- Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten through Third Grade NEW!
**Items previously located here have been moved to the button titled "Teacher Leaders"


On March 1, 2015, Governor Snyder created the Third-Grade Reading workgroup (workgroup) to analyze Michigan’s reading proficiency at the third-grade level (reading proficiency), and to suggest policy to improve this necessary element of future academic and career success. For the past twelve years, Michigan’s reading proficiency has been steadily declining, while almost every other state has improved. To understand this problem and address it effectively, the workgroup reviewed data and programs from various states, and interviewed teachers, reading intervention specialists, principals, superintendents, professors of early literacy development, and policy experts who have all had significant positive impacts on reading proficiency despite challenges posed by child poverty. These schools, districts, and states are achieving early literacy using similar diagnostic-driven instruction and intervention methods which are individualized for each student (diagnostic-driven). National test results indicate that more than two-thirds of Michigan students fail to demonstrate third grade proficiency on standardized reading tests. Michigan must do better and should strive to be the national leader in early literacy by 2025.
Based on the results of the Governor’s Third-Grade Reading Workgroup’s strategy recommendations, the early literacy work at the Department must focus on:
- Giving students the research-supported diagnostic and screening instruments, instruction, and interventions necessary for success.
- Providing every educator with training to use diagnostic-driven methods with knowledge and fidelity.
- Engaging parents in developing their children’s early literacy skills through information, awareness, and outreach.
- Providing Michigan teachers and leaders with data that compares our status and growth over time and when compared to other states.
Michigan as a state is focusing on increasing the early literacy skills of our students. The Early Literacy Initiative is a major activity that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will work on over the next few years. Research shows that if students are not proficient in reading by third grade, their chances of becoming proficient are minimal. The MDE believes that to ensure the early literacy skills of all Michigan’s students, we need to develop and deliver an educational system that provides high-quality instruction to all students, provides regular information on student progress and strategically intervenes with research-based strategies when students fall behind. The MDE also believes that prior to children becoming students (at kindergarten entry), engaging and supporting parents and other family members in supporting language and age-appropriate early literacy development will provide the foundation for later success for students, as well as increased engagement of families in their children’s schooling.
The Early Literacy Initiative is a core component of supporting the implementation of College- and Career-Ready standards in Michigan, particularly in our earliest grades. The Department is making a concerted effort to consistently focus on the foundations described above and build capacity to support Districts on the key driver of student achievement – Literacy.


Our expert instructors and community partners work with children in their specialty areas to complete projects which increases students' since of accomplishment and self esteem. Hands-on vocational classes reinforce academic learning, provide therapeutic outlets and work experiences. Building personal relationships with students increases the likelihood of community partners hiring students to work within their organizations.
Acclaimed chef of CANVAS teaches proper preparation of healthy meals as a means to improving mental and physical health. Students learn to prepare, cook, plate and serve food. The social skills and etiquette associated with food service will enable students to cook for themselves and/or pursue schooling or employment in the Culinary Arts field. Earn your Safe Serve Certification with CANVAS.
At CANVAS students become aware of the connection between their personal sense of style, how they fashion their surroundings and possible employment/post secondary schooling options. The expert teachers of CANVAS will teach life-skills like sewing and basic home repairs/decorating that will increase the students ability to be self sufficient at home and at work. Earn your Fashion/Interior Design Skills Training Certication with CANVAS.
Digital Arts/ Animation and Media Marketing
CANVAS Philadelphia is fully aware of the impact that technology is having on the world. Classes will teach students about basic computer skills. This will lead to digital arts/website and media design skills that students can use to market themselves for employment, create websites for others or promote an event or service they offer. Earn your Computer Skills Training Certification with CANVAS.
Introduction to Construction/Home Renovation
The construction field is one that allows employees to earn a competitive salary with a few months of training. Students in the Introduction to Construction/Home Renovation class will learn worksite safety and proper use of tools. Through project based learning, students will explore a variety of specialty areas including plumbing, electricity, carpentry, painting, and more. With this knowledge, students will be able to do minor home repairs and/or use their learned skills as a foundation on which they can build a career in the construction industry.
It has been scientifically proven that drawing/painting/photography can provide a therapuetic outlet leading to improved grades, social skills and lead to employment opportunities. Whether students want to add a productive passtime to their schedules, prepare a portfolio for an art college, or make personalized graduation party invites our instructors give the basic skills and resources they need to be successful.
Clay and Pottery
Working with pottery can improve motor skills, teach soft touch and provide a calming outlet for students. By using a step by step approach to project based learning students will create beautiful and useful works of art that they can share with classmates, friends and family. Instructors encourage experimentation and creativity while exposing children to the cultural/historic role of ceramic art in society.
The music education class focuses on activities in which students conceptualize through experiencing the elements of music (e.g., melody, rhythm, form, tone, and color), the styles of music, and uses of music in society. In addition, by relating music elements to other art media, the students learn to integrate and synthesize concepts that are common to all the arts and employment. Earn your Music Instrumentaion Skills Training Cert with CANVAS.
The instructors at CANVAS drivers education course are committed to teaching students how to be the safest drivers possible. All our instructors complete all state requirements ensuring that students will be receiving the most up-to-date techniques, information and safe driving standards. Our students are taught the dangers of the road, the dangers in the car, how to avoid distractions, the latest driving laws, and the key components of safe driving. As needed students receive modified instruction/Testing. Earn your drivers permit with canvas.
Home Health Aide
The home health aide field has become one of the most popular career paths in the healthcare field today. Job opportunities waiting and could include paid opportunities to help family and friends. Once you get quality home health aide training in Philadelphia, you can be a part of this ever-growing medical career field. CANVAS will offer courses/certification for home health aide, which are modified to accommodate students specific needs. Earn your HHA Certification with CANVAS.


Grupo de Pintores ¡30-30!
¡30-30! was a political/cultural movement formed at a decisive moment during Mexico’s post-revolutionary period. Made up of visual artists, cultural promoters, and directors and students of the Escuelas de Pintura al Aire Libre [Open-Air Schools of Painting], the group launched fierce attacks against the conservative educational methods of and teachers and students at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes. In turn, the teachers and students under attack tried to slow the growth of the free education provided by popular painting schools and centers. The treinta-treintista group took its name from the carbine used by Mexican revolutionaries, and its main members included Ramón Alva de la Canal (1892–1985), Martí Casanovas (1894–1978), Fernando Leal (1896–1964), Gabriel Fernández Ledesma (1888–1939), Rosario Cabrera, Fermín Revueltas (1901–1934), and Rafael Vera de Córdova, among others. Its first manifesto was issued on a street poster in July 1928, the same month as the assassination of the president-elect, Álvaro Obregón. The treinta-trentista group had pinned their hopes of continuing their educational and artistic plans on the presidency of Obregón. During the first presidential term of General Obregón (1920–24) and the term of Plutarco Elías Calles (1924–28), the progressive group supported the Escuelas de Pintura al Aire Libre as an alternative to the art education at the Academy. However, Mexico’s political situation was changing, which led to the new government’s appointment of officials, for example, the post of director of the Escuela de Bellas Artes. Given the atmosphere of uncertainty in this period, teachers, academic students, and conservative groups begin to lob fierce criticisms against the director of the Escuela, Alfredo Ramos Martínez, and the outdoor art education project. The action of the treinta-treintista group against the conservative opposition was voiced in five manifestos, one protest, three issues of a journal, and several painting and print exhibitions. (Source)
- Tatiana E. Flores, Mexico's Revolutionary Avant-Gardes: From Estridentismo to ¡30–30!, Yale University Press, 2013. 376 pp. Introduction. . Review: Oles (CAA). (English)
- See also


Software developers build web and software applications to solve problems and provide services. Information systems is a huge field because every aspect of our lives has changed because of computer programming. Basic programming languages like java or python help software engineers build projects ranging from small to enterprise solutions. Application development is a prerequisite for employment in a variety of fields, so software design needs to find elegant solutions to solve customers’ issues. Computer programmers are problem solvers and innovators for business applications.
Demand for developers have been sky high with lucrative compensation. There is huge scope of this field in both India and abroad.
Some of the industries where developers have made their permanent mark are:
- Mobile Development Companies
- Entertainment Industry
- Medical and Healthcare Industry
- Banking Sector, Insurance Companies
- Govt. Organizations etc.
The future of learning web development languages looks very promising with the various updates in technology. It is the golden time to make a career in this field.
Python is a general-purpose, versatile and popular programming language. It’s great as a first language because it is concise and easy to read, and it is also a good language to have in any programmer’s stack as it can be used for everything from web development to software development and scientific applications.
This course is a great introduction to both fundamental programming concepts and the Python programming language. By the end, you’ll be comfortable programming in Python and taking your skills off the Easy CAD Solutions platform and onto your own computer.
Take your first step towards a career in software development with this introduction to Java—one of the most in-demand programming languages and the foundation of the Android operating system. Designed for beginners, this Specialization will teach you core programming concepts and equip you to write programs to solve complex problems. In addition, you will gain the foundational skills a software engineer needs to solve real-world problems, from designing algorithms to testing and debugging your programs.
Designed for intermediate users, our PHP tutorials can help you learn PHP inside and out. Find out how to use PHP with a MySQL database, and how to know if you should use CodeIgniter, Zend, Symfony, or CakePHP as your framework. Our tutorials also cover hard skills needed to build web applications, like working with forms, data, and sessions.
Learn how to build a website or blog in WordPress with our video tutorials. In these courses, youll learn how to install WordPress and configure it for SEO, design a WordPress theme, create an ecommerce website, and publish your images and posts with the open-source WordPress content management system.
7.Digital Marketing Course
The Digital Marketing Certified Associate (DMCA) course is designed to help you master the essential disciplines in digital marketing, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media, pay-per-click (PPC), conversion optimization, web analytics, content marketing, email and mobile marketing. Digital marketing is one of the world’s fastest growing disciplines, and this certification will raise your value in the marketplace and prepare you for a career in digital marketing.
Accelerate your career with the exclusive Data Scientist Master’s Program co-developed with IBM. Experience world-class training by an industry leader on the most in-demand Data Science and Machine learning skills. Gain hands-on exposure to key technologies including R, SAS, Python, Tableau, Hadoop and Spark. Become an expert Data Scientist today.