Caldwell-West Caldwell Music Department
The first and foremost goal of the Caldwell-West Caldwell Music Department is to provide all students the opportunity to develop an appreciation of music through performance, listening and experiencing quality music literature. As a universal art form, the study of music helps us to understand past and present cultures around the world.
All art forms throughout history have mirrored society and served as expressive outlets for people’s reactions to surroundings and events. Music provides a healthy way to get in touch with feelings and emotions. Studying the arts gives children a sense of hope and community and enables them to experience the beauty of life. Music education should begin as early as possible and continue throughout a student’s educational years. It develops a student’s values through a spiral curriculum that encourages growth in musical understanding, knowledge, attitude and abilities. As educators we strive to create a positive, non-competitive atmosphere while encouraging students to achieve their greatest potential. Through the study of music, children learn to work together in a cooperative atmosphere, developing a sense of commitment and responsibility. As music educators, we are creating appreciators and lovers of music, with a knowledge base that will foster participation in the arts as a part of their adult lives.
Elementary school students have the opportunity to develop their skills in a classroom group setting. All sixth and seventh graders at GCMS interact individually or in mixed ability groupings with MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) stations mastering technology towards accomplishing performance based objectives. JCHS offers an intensive multi-level music arts course for students considering post secondary studies in music. Students may elect to receive additional instruction by studying voice, a string instrument, a woodwind instrument, a brasswind instrument, or a percussion instrument.
Students begin performance in a formal vocal ensemble starting their fifth grade year with many continuing through twelfth grade. To add, there are a variety of select vocal ensembles established at JCHS. Students can begin on violin in our Modified Suzuki program as early as grade one. By the third grade, viola, cello, and the double bass are introduced. We have orchestras in each elementary school, two orchestras in GCMS, and two orchestras at JCHS.
Students can begin studying a woodwind, brasswind, or percussion instrument in grade four. Much like the orchestra and chorus, we have bands in each elementary school, three concert bands at GCMS, and two concert bands at JCHS. In addition, select instrumental ensembles are offered at GCMS and JCHS. To find out more about our select vocal and instrumental groups, visit our Music at GCMS and Music at JCHS sites. Our music students are very active throughout the year performing in all of the schools. To find out when your child's next performance is, as well as, other vital information, click onto the Music Calendar link that is located on this page.
We have an incredible, talented, group of itinerant music teachers in the Caldwell-West Caldwell Schools. As an on going practice in accordance to our philosophy, each teacher is a specialist in the assigned area they teach. This insures that our students receive the best education possible and that our teachers can readily implement instruction to meet The National Standards for Music Education endorsed by Music Educators National Conference. All of our music teachers have been recognized as a Highly Qualified Teacher in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act. You can visit their websites by clicking on the Music Teachers and Instructors link that is located on this page.
The Music & More Booster Club was chartered in 2001. The main objective of the association is to foster, facilitate and effect cooperation between school, home and community toward the highest level of musical endeavors. This organization has made it possible for our students to travel to destinations such as Orlando, Florida where the JCHS music ensembles perform in Disney World. They have also established a scholarship fund earmarked for graduating high school music students and host a senior recognition dinner for the students in the music department. To find out more about the group, please visit their website by clicking on the the link located on this page.


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Journal of Multiculture and Education, Vol.4 no.2 (2019)
A Study on Literacy of KSL Child Learners
This paper examined the literacy that is the basis of learning Korean language ability as a part of the basic discussion on learning Korean, the core of KSL education. In other words, it explored the literature developmental aspects of Korean native speaker children and KSL child learners through literature review and discuss the key issues in the literacy education of KSL child learners. A KSL child learner is a bilingual learner who has already developed a certain level of ability to use a native language. For mother tongue speakers, early childhood is basically the period of spoken language and the beginning of basic literacy development. During this period, the Korean reading ability starts from the level of recognizing a word as a whole unit, and develops to the level of connecting the phonemes of the word with the sound of the syllable unit The following points are suggested in the literacy education of KSL child learners. First, the curriculum should be differentiated according to the age at which KSL learners start to study Korean. Many studies showed that learners in the higher grades show higher achievement than learners in the lower grades of elementary school. Second, the level of achievement should be different considering the level of development of KSL learners. The current curriculum aims to improve the level of Korean proficiency to TOPIK level 4 within one year regardless of grade. Third, it is necessary to differentiate educational contents according to the Korean acquisition patterns of KSL learners. As shown in the results of the study, for example, KSL learners in 3rd and 4th grades show the lack of vocabulary such as lack of production vocabulary and lack of understanding of homonyms, which is an important factor to lower the text comprehension.


Addressing educational disadvantageResearch 8 Sep 2014 5 minute read
Three projects supported by the ACER Foundation are developing actionable ideas to address educational disadvantage, as Deirdre Jackson explains.
The ACER Foundation was established in 2013 as a vehicle for forming partnerships between ACER and other charitable organisations in order to undertake discretionary research and development to improve learning. In 2014 the ACER Foundation introduced the Innovation Fellowship – a new initiative to support ACER staff to develop solutions based on ideas that address educational disadvantage in the community.
Following a call for submissions, three projects have been selected as the recipients of the inaugural Innovation Fellowships. The projects address the development of an educational app for Aboriginal early learners in Western Australia; the development of a best-practice teaching and learning model for refugee students, particularly students from Africa; and developing a mentoring program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education researchers and research assistants.
The development of an educational app for Aboriginal early learners is tailored specifically to meet the needs of disadvantaged Indigenous pre-schoolers, particularly those who speak English as a second language, in the Broome, Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek belt in the Kimberley region of WA. The project is being undertaken by Dr Sacha DeVelle, with support from Tony Dreise and Danielle Anzai.
Development of the app is being informed by Dr DeVelle’s experience over many years working in developing contexts in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa as well as her experience in the development and launch of the first educational mobile phone project in Uganda.
“The current work addresses a top priority issue for the WA Minister for Education and Aboriginal Affairs, Peter Collier, namely early intervention tools in literacy and numeracy for Aboriginal three- and four-year olds living in remote areas of the state,” Dr DeVelle said.
Research by Paul Hughes, Arthur More and Mark Williams reported in Aboriginal Ways of Learning shows that Indigenous learners have specific, as well as universal, learning styles. The educational app under development addresses specific and universal aspects of Indigenous learning by embedding learning experiences within storytelling, community and cultural contexts. The app measures literacy and numeracy skills, and will also include a creativity measure that examines how three- and four-year-old Aboriginal children respond to simple and abstract tasks within authentic, cultural contexts.
A new mentoring project to match Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education researchers and research assistants with ACER researchers, is being established by Kathryn Moyle, Tony Dreise, Gina Milgate and Kelly-Ann James. The team is also developing a research methods training program and maintaining a database of participants following calls for expressions of interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education researchers and research assistants.
‘ACER recognises the fundamental importance of Indigenous involvement and empowerment in educational research. Our project aims to increase capability in the area of Indigenous research, by supporting Indigenous researchers and research assistants, but just as importantly by increasing the knowledge and skills of non-Indigenous education researchers as partners in Indigenous research,’ said Mr Dreise.
‘In developing and implementing a research methods training program we are looking to establish a pool of Indigenous educational researchers and create a guide to support Indigenous researchers and research assistants on the collection and analysis of data. We're looking to support Indigenous educators who might be interested in early career educational research opportunities through a mentoring program with support from established researchers and mentors at ACER.’
Mary Kimani’s best-practice teaching and learning model for refugee students, particularly students from Africa, aims to support those who have suffered severely interrupted schooling or have little or no experience of school. ‘The combined effects of low or no literacy in a first or a second language, little or no schooling and trauma mean the process of settling into schooling and learning can be challenging for refugee students,’ Dr Kimani said.
Research indicates there is a lack of appropriate educational and other specialised support targeted to assist the acculturation, integration and school success of refugees. ‘To address that, and the varying cultural and educational needs of refugees from different parts of Africa, we are identifying African refugee students’ schooling experiences, needs and barriers, and the lessons we can learn from these in order to build support systems for students,’ Dr Kimani said. ‘We are anticipating that the model will include mentoring of African refugee high school students by African refugee university students.’
By focusing on practical innovations supported by research evidence, the Innovation Fellowship projects aim to make a real difference for those most educationally disadvantaged in our community.
Indigenous educators, early career researchers and community leaders interested in participating in the Indigenous Visiting Fellow Development Program are encouraged to contact Gina Milgate, ACER Research Fellow (Indigenous Education), on telephone +61 3 9277 5417 or via email.
Further information about ACER Foundation projects is available at < www.acer.edu.au/foundation >


Advantageous Arts is outlined within the Encarta Dictionary as being, Â“any art form, for instance, portray, sculpture, architecture, drawing, or engraving, that is thought-about to have purely aesthetic worthÂ” (Encarta, 2004). Fantastic arts expand the boundaries of studying for the students and encourage inventive considering and a deeper understanding of the core subjects, which are language arts, math, science, and social studies. In a time the place price range cuts and new studying legal guidelines are being established, lecturers need to be extra knowledgeable and educated on the destructive impacts of the lack of the superb arts programs.
All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music should full the next 30 semester credit score hours of required music programs ( MUS 2243 World Music in Society might also be used to fulfill Core Curriculum necessities in Visible and Performing Arts).
World music is a sure example of the union of art by means of culture. This concluded that studying by means of the humanities did improve the scores on other core curriculum topics comparable to math and science where spatial reasoning is most used (Swan-Hudkins, 2003).
Current examples of deaf musicians include Evelyn Glennie, a highly acclaimed percussionist who has been deaf for the reason that age of twelve, and Chris Buck, a virtuoso violinist who has lost his listening to. Many present music festivals rejoice a specific musical genre.
The Relationship Between Dance And Music
The B.A. Main Concentration program, supplied via the School of Arts, is for college kids seeking a broadly primarily based undergraduate liberal arts schooling by means of a variety of complementary and elective courses. Lecturers need to include all genres of high-quality arts, which embrace, theater, visual artwork, dance, and music, into their lesson plans because the arts gives the students motivational instruments to unlock a deeper understanding of their education.
While you successfully complete the Advanced Diploma of Music Trade (Sound Production) and obtain a minimum GPA of two.5 (out of four.zero), you are guaranteed entry into the Bachelor of Arts (Music Trade) with 3 semesters of advanced standing (equivalent to a hundred and forty four credit points).anonymous,uncategorized,misc,general,other
Art, Music, Theatre And Extra In Mombasa
The school is engaged on expanding its arts program and is in the means of establishing a number of new facilities, including an art gallery, and experimental theatre, and new studio rooms.
art and music school bangalore, arts and music store lewisville, arts and music store newmarket, arts and music store itasca
College Of Effective Art And Music
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a music main is a rigorous tutorial program that mixes the breadth of a liberal training with in-depth study in music. Public performance is an integral a part of this system beginning in second year, with absolutely staged performances in third year and culminating in an industry showcase for agents, directors and producers. Students may not enroll in higher upper division courses in music until all lower-division programs have been accomplished with a grade of C or better.
The examine builds a powerful for college kids reaching larger levels of academic success and in higher overall numbers when concerned with effective artwork. Like all his household, Henry VII appears to have been a lover of music, however such music belonging to his reign was old for the time, although wonderful, like all church music, was not significantly remarkable.
I do know what you’re going to say. He is also an experienced violinist (having led the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland whereas at university), pianist and organist, and, as well as, he has directed the choir of St Bartholomew’s Parish Church in Belfast. I do not see inventive planning or music manufacturing, or performance as separate.
Over many decades the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music have been providing and creating alternatives for a number of the nice artists who now work in Australia, and who’ve in the past contributed to our culture.
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On this struggling economic system, cutbacks are being made in each part of our life. In its first year, State of the Arts will launch a new, aggressive grant opportunity with the Tennessee Division of Education that may enable college districts to receive funding to improve or develop their music education schemes. Polish your expertise for music theory and follow while exploring the humanities humanities and social sciences.


The Elizabeth Thoman Archive at the Harrington School of Communication and Media, University of Rhode Island, has the last complete kit of one of the milestones in the early chronology of media literacy, the 1972 Media Now curriculum. This curriculum was the first of its kind, using self-contained lesson modules that were part of a larger series of kits, text references, and accompanying workbook. Its self-directed learning model gave students the opportunity to learn about the media, by doing, responding to, and reflecting on core concepts of media production. Using physical artifacts from the Media Now kit, historical documents, promotional materials, phone interviews with the founders and teachers of the curriculum, the authors were able to trace the development of Media Now from its historical and educational roots of the 1960s, to its full production, distribution, and training out of the facility at the Southwest Iowa Learning Resource Center (SILRC). The historical and educational impetus for creation of what started as a Title III innovation grant of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act of 1965, matured to be a curriculum that was implemented in 600 schools across the U.S - a testament to both its need and its success. However, as times and politics changed, federal and local government cut funding for Media Now. As we reviewed its original approach to curriculum design and pedagogy, we found that the Media Now story calls for a new examination of the creative materials and techniques used in the 1970s, in light of the current need for media literacy education in and outside of the 21st century digital classroom.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Friesem, Y., Quaglia Beltran, D., & Crane, E. (2014). Media Now: A Historical Review of a Media Literacy Curriculum. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 6(2). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/vol6/iss2/4
Archival Science Commons, Art Education Commons, Broadcast and Video Studies Commons, Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, History Commons, Information Literacy Commons, Instructional Media Design Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Other Education Commons


On Monday, Sept. 14, freshman Ahmed Mohamed brought his homemade clock to his Irving, Texas, high school. Later that day, he was led out in handcuffs and suspended for two days.
His creation, made out of a pencil case, alarmed the 14-year-old’s teacher. His school called the police, and he was arrested, according to a CNN article.
Plattsburgh State Associate Professor of Teacher Education Mark Beatham said every state has requirements about safe school protocols, and schools are supposed to have procedures in place to send up alarms. He said he wasn’t surprised that the high school reacted the way it did.
“They’d rather be wrong, like in this case, than to be fooled and have someone get hurt,” Beatham said. “People are hyped up now about the amount of school violence we’ve had in so many different places, and it seems to be random and out of nowhere, and we can’t seem to find a pattern.”
In situations less drastic or similar to this, a student’s attitude toward learning could change.
For example, Beatham said, if a student comes up with a question in class that the teacher hasn’t thought of, suddenly the teacher is the “proverbial deer in headlights.” He said they would rather look the other way or dismiss the question rather than look awkward of ignorant, which discourages students’ curiosity.
Jill Conway, a PSUC graduate student in the special education from birth to sixth grade program, said that as a teacher, her goal is to create a comfortable environment for students to learn and strive. She said that she didn’t agree with what happened in Irving last month.
“It disrupts the whole safe environment,” Conway said. “For some students, the classroom is the safest place that they have, and to see that, it could shake up a student a lot.”
Adam Newman, a classmate of Conway’s, said the school should have been more supportive of him rather than making a scene. His standpoint on teaching is to make the students strive in what they can do and what they like and to incorporate that aspect into other lessons to encourage them to enjoy those subjects, as well.
“(Motivation) needs to be embedded early on,” Conway said. “Elementary education should be when the students want to learn, and as they go on, their motivation lacks. If they aren’t motivated, it wouldn’t lay the correct building stones for their higher education.”
Beatham said it is essential for students to have the drive to learn.
“If a kid is motivated, that’s 85 percent of what you are doing because then you’re just guiding the student,” Beatham said. “The student can be an autodidact, and they can really learn a lot from themselves.”
Conway said she feels as though America’s education system is getting further away from students being motivated and that is one of the hardest aspects of education. She said that since this incident, students will probably be less likely to show the initiative to create and learn the way Mohamed did.
Since his suspension, he has received enormous support from many high-profile Americans, including President Barack Obama, who tweeted two days later asking if Mohamed would bring his clock to the White House.
“We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great,” Obama’s tweet said.
Beatham said he has continuing frustrations when it comes to education, as it has been a controversial topic.
“I would like to see more sincerely prepared folks being involved with the questions about what’s best for the kids,” Beatham said.
Email Lisa Scivolette at email@example.com


ADULT MUSIC EDUCATION
Small group classes
Ainslie Arts Centre & Online
Mondays 9:30am NEW | Mondays 12:15pm CONTINUING | Mondays 7pm NEW | Tuesdays 6pm CONTINUING | Fridays 12:15pm NEW
Group format piano lessons for adults who are absolute beginners, Piano 101 introduces students to easy, logical and step-by-step ways to gain familiarity with the piano, by providing the foundations for both the physical aspects of playing and following a written score.
Goals & outcomes: To be able to play short piano pieces with two hands, incorporating melody and harmony, with progressive accomplishment over the year. Students will learn simple improvisation techniques; how to read and respond to a piano score; fundamental music theory; and begin developing aural and sight-reading skills.
Prerequisite knowledge: None. For absolute beginners. This class is suitable for adults of any age, new to the piano.
About the classes: Classes include: (a) weekly one-hour face-to-face group lessons; plus (b) 24/7 online access to progressive course content, over a term. Terms generally coincide with ACT school term dates. Although enrolment is on a per term basis, the complete Piano 101 course incorporates four successive terms, with each term building on skills learnt in the previous term:
How to Play the Piano – Technique (understanding chords, bass-lines, riffs, scales, improvising)
Learning to Read – Chunking (learning pattern-based sight-reading skills)
Understanding Sheet Music – Reading (extending reading skills in a stylistic context)
Musical Interpretation – Playing (developing technical, reading, and improvising skills)
Piano 101 incorporates a variety of musical genres, including classical, blues, jazz, popular, musical theatre and film music.
Progressive learning is offered through Continuing Piano 101 and Piano 201 classes in subsequent years.
Full class fee: $295 plus $15 text fee per term


G-5277 The Book of Echo Songs by John M. Feierabend
Series: First Steps in Music
Echo songs, in which a leader sings a phrase and the group repeats it, are some of the most fun and easy-to-learn songs for kids! These songs will have children taking part in a joyful music-making experience almost instantly, while indulging their natural tendency to imitate.
Echo songs are a wonderful way to engage children and plant the seeds of musical sensitivity and imagination. This special book, for the first time, collects the most cherished of these songs (some in danger of being lost or forgotten), enabling your family to carry on the tradition of laughter and learning that Echo Songs have inspired for generations.
John M. Feierabend, PhD, has spent decades compiling songs and rhymes from the memories of the American people in the hopes that these treasures will be preserved for future generations. He is Professor and Chair of the Music Education Department at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford.


Inspired by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and rooted in our Catholic faith, Seton Catholic School fosters spiritual development, academic excellence, responsibility to self, and service to others.
A dream put into action by a group of parents is how the Seton story began. In 1994, a group of parents near Hudson, Ohio, discussed the limited options for Catholic elementary education in their community. Unwilling to accept that their children could not be educated in the Catholic school system due to full enrollments and long waiting lists at neighboring communities’ Catholic schools, they formed an exploratory committee to determine need and support for a new Catholic school in Hudson.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first native-born American saint. Credited with starting Catholic education in the United States, she opened the first Catholic school on February 22, 1810 in Baltimore, Maryland.


The logical argument on whether phonics or unhurt vocabulary regularity is the approximately legal in the take uping operate of children has been freeing on for years now . Currently , at that place argon individuals and classifys of people conducting studies and research programs on the seemingly everlasting struggle . A study conducted by a group of psychologist arrived in a conclusion that the program (phonics ) appears useful with students having bar in indicant and spelling , a student who is a savant or for adults who wish to improve their reading skills (Dr . Susan Cobb , et al ) In this program there was six weeks of phonics counsel and striking mount up was observed in the group . The researchers fix out a significant knowledge among the students and who even utilise their skills to complete different a cademic tasks . Another study was conducted on the other great deal to test the effectiveness of the altogether language draw neares on the literal literacy skills of pre-schoolers It concluded that without software documentation that demonstrates a strong relationship surrounded by integral language methods and language progress advocates of the philosophy cannot buy at it to be seriously considered as an alternative to traditional instructional methods (Ziminsky victorious into consideration the various studies conducted advocating for each come along , the run on whether whole language or phonics is the best nose is still unanswered . Debates among parents , educators students , and experts baffle escalated . Advocates for each approach shot spew that their method is the to a greater extent effective means to attract children in reading . To say it simply , supporters of the whole language approach think children s literary productions , writing activities , and converse activities can be used acros! s the curriculum to discipline reading backers of phonics instruction insist that a direct , incidental mode of learn enables students to master reading in an nonionized way (Cromwell 1997The weigh over whole language and phonics has dot in altogether corners of educational institution .
The ongoing debate has prompted the global indicant Association (IRA ) to dispose a set up statement It support phonics within a whole-language program . In The Role of Phonics in Reading Instruction the IRA express that :The teaching of phonics is an consequential aspect of beginning reading instructionClassroom teachers in the primary grades do value and do teach phonics as a assort of their reading programsPhonics instruction , to be effective in promoting freedom in reading , must be embedded in the context of a arts programThe support manifested by the International Reading Association to phonics as the most effective approach in kids early reading development has ignited more debate . Advocates of whole language approach still depose that it greatly enhance the reading dexterity of the early learners . In an article entitled Whole dustup and Phonics Can they wee-wee together ? Marie Carbo asserts that Children who do well in whole-language programs tend to have visual , tactile , and global reading styles Global learners such as these , she maintains , tend to enjoy and learn from the popular literature , hands-on learning and peer interactions bountiful in the whole language approach (Cromwell 1997 In his writing...If you privation to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.c! om
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In my previous blog I started talking about the breathing process that a singer should go through. In that article I mentioned that there are four stages of proper breathing: Inhalation, Suspension, Phonation(exhalation) and the resting period. I thought it would be helpful to go into more detail about each one. Today I’ll cover the first two, Inhalation and Suspension.
First let’s talk about Inhalation.
During the inhalation stage of breathing it is critical for the singer to have a relaxed body so that the air can fill in where necessary. Referring back to a balloon analogy I used in the first blog , when air is blown into it the balloon expands all the way around. When inhaling air, as a singer the mid section of your body should expand just as that balloon does, freely allowing the air to fill the lungs from bottom to top. The average singer is prone to taking a shallow inhalation right before they sing. But I cannot tell you how imperative that intentional deep breath is every time you open your mouth to sing. The body should be erect in a natural stance. The shoulders are not in any way involved in the inhalation process. The only movement there should be is in the mid section of the body, from the air filling in.
At first this step will seem like it is a bit much to do with all the words, runs and pitches that one has to remember along with nerves. This air is the foundation of your singing, it will determine if you will be on top of your pitch or in between two pitches. This air will determine if your tone will be steady or shaky. This air is your support system and if you do not allow it in and control the way you release it, it will surely be heard when you begin to sing.
The second stage that I mentioned was Suspension.
This stage is not as intricate as it may sound. It is merely a thinking period. The question you should ask is “what do I want to do with this air?” A singer needs to constantly be thinking about how much air they need and what they want to do with the air once they have it. During this process is when you set the stage for how your air will come out. Back to the balloon idea, we know that we do not want all the air to escape at one time. We have a certain amount of bars to sing before another breath should be taken. So with the balloon concept in mind think of how you squeeze the top so the air slowly comes out of the balloon.
As a singer you should prepare yourself to fight against letting all of your air go at once. Instead of collapsing while you are singing, fight against that and force your lungs not to cave in. Once again this stage is simply a moment in time for you to think about what you are about to do with the air that you have allowed into your lungs.
These steps in the breathing process are a lot to think about and I would recommend taking things one-step at a time. Get the inhalation stage down first. Every time you sing I want you to purposely stand confident and let the air fill your lungs. It has to be done on purpose because as church singers we are often caught off guard. This will make you take a quick, shallow breath so you can start singing on time. But if it is done on purpose you will be ready before time. Then once you are done with a phrase and are ready to breath again practice the habit again. Notice I said HABIT! That is what these four stages should become every time you sing.
Next week I’ll cover the last two; Phonation and Resting Period. Keep in mind too, there are also some important muscles that are used during this process: abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic. We’ll be talking about those in future blogs. Look for some videos soon as well. See you soon!
Shena Crane is a Classically trained professional vocal coach. She graduated from University Of Texas At Arlington. Shena holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education as well as an Associates Degree in Music/Performance.


A report just released to the House of Lords found that the Sure Start nursery programme has failed to make an impact on educational disadvantage. Although children who participated between 2002 and 2007 made modest gains by the time they started school, by 11 these had disappeared completely.
Considering the American Head Start programme (on which Sure Start was modelled) has been in operation for over half a century and has similarly failed to produce lasting educational benefits, this should hardly surprise us. An evaluation of Sure Start published in 2006 actually found negative outcomes for the most deprived children. Taking all this into consideration, our 2010 CPS report Cutting the Children’s Plan recommended central support for Sure Start be withdrawn. Recognising the political cost of such a measure, we recommended that grants be made available to the poorest parents for nursery provision. The coalition did end direct funding of Sure Start, initially providing local authorities with an ‘Early Intervention Grant’ instead. This has resulted in a steady decrease in Sure Start spending, which is now estimated to be £854 million, down 28% from 2010.
As we stated in Cutting the Children’s Plan, “...if the measures in the Children’s Plan were to improve significantly the lives of our most vulnerable children, they would be a wise investment: the economic costs of maintaining an alienated underclass are enormous, and the human costs are incalculable”.
Alas, delivery is highly unlikely to come from the nursery sector, dominated as it is by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and our own Early Years Foundation Stage.
Article 12 of the UNCRC sets out the ‘right’ of children to participate in making decisions that affect them. The latest interpretation is broad almost to the point of lunacy. In 2009 they decreed that:
Research shows that the child is able to form views from the youngest age, even when she or he may be unable to express them verbally. Consequently, full implementation of article 12 requires recognition of, and respect for, non-verbal forms of communication including play, body language, facial expressions, and drawing and painting, through which very young children demonstrate understanding, choices and preferences.
It’s tempting to conclude that the poor will always be with us, and that Herrnstein and Murray were right in claiming that intelligence is down more to nature than nurture. If this is so, educators’ obsession with teaching ‘higher order thinking skills’ is a major part of the problem: less-able pupils are quite capable of mastering a broad range of lower-order skills (like reading, spelling and arithmetic) which now get far too little emphasis. These skills really would make a difference - the National Child Development Study found poor literacy and numeracy skills have a devastating effect on people's chances of finding stable and well-paid employment. This is where the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) lets disadvantaged children down.
Even though the Coalition has succeeded in getting a lot of work with letters and numbers into the EYFS (which now includes Reception Year as well as nursery), most of it consists of games and ‘learning through play’. It is highly unlikely many (if any) disadvantaged children get the sort of direct instruction of synthetic phonics which has eliminated reading failure in so many schools - against all evidence, early years specialists cling to the Piagetan fantasy that 'premature' instruction will cause lasting damage. In 2007, just before the EYFS was implemented, we ran a Reception Year pilot programme for non-readers in 14 infant schools in Suffolk and Gloucestershire. They started at Easter, and they all caught up by the end of the school year in July. The following year, Gloucestershire officials decided to run a much larger pilot, but because the EYFS had just been introduced, they had to trial our programme with Year 1 pupils. Considering that all cognitive development tracks skill in learning to read, disadvantaged children can’t afford to waste a year.
It has now been more than nine years since Ruth Kelly announced that synthetic phonics would be introduced. Considerable progress has been made but in many local authorities (and virtually all teacher training courses) synthetic phonics is ignored. Ever since my first CPS paper in 1996, I have been calling for the introduction of externally-administered standardised tests in infant school, and for more trials. Like nursery workers, infant teachers are almost invariably trained in principles hostile to direct instruction of any kind, will only be won over when they can see their colleagues using synthetic phonics successfully. As one head teacher remarked about the synthetic phonics programme used in Clackmannanshire:
“The scheme might have been contrary to my educational philosophy, but very quickly we were impressed by the results for the less able as well as the able. The children have developed remarkable listening and concentration skills as well as confidence and self-esteem.”


By recording every utterance in a few dozen homes with small children and doing a little math, University of Kansas child psychologists Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley uncovered a startling and sobering fact twenty years ago: Children of professional classes hear about 30 million more words by the age of three than the children of families on public assistance. That’s before any of them, rich or poor, set foot in kindergarten for the first time. The constant patter of verbal adults sets off a virtuous circle of language growth for affluent kids (the more words you know, the easier it is to learn even more), but for the poor it’s a vicious one. Since then, various intensive and expensive interventions—from programs in pediatricians’ offices to home visits—have attempted to get low-income parents to speak, read, and engage in more home literacy activities with their children. A cheaper and more effective plan may be at hand—actually, in your hand. The National Bureau of Economic Research finds significant positive effects of READY4K!, a text-messaging program designed to encourage parents of preschoolers to support their children’s literacy development. Participating parents receive three text messages each week during the school year suggesting they try a particular early literacy skill (“Say two words to your child that start with the same sound, like happy & healthy. Ask: can you hear the ‘hhh’ sound in happy & healthy?”). The texts increased the frequency that parents told stories, pointed out rhyming words, or engaged in similar home activities—and their kids performed better on various early literacy tests. Effective parenting interventions have tended to place significant demands on parents’ time and effort and can cost upwards of $10,000 per family, but texting is cheap. “For the entire school year,” the researchers note, “we spent less than one dollar per family to send text messages.” And there’s no “digital divide” issue: nearly 90 percent of U.S. adults have cell phones. “Black and Hispanic adults, who often exhibit the highest dropout rates in parenting programs, send or receive texts more frequently than their white counterparts,” the study notes. What’s more, “virtually all text messages are opened.” In all, a promising idea that deserves further exploration.


It’s often claimed that music has huge benefits for children (and adults too). But what’s the proof? We’ve pulled together some resources explaining the lifelong benefits of music, introducing the many career paths open to musicians, and spotlighting some of the inspiring local musicians who have made their mark.
Music is part of the fabric of our society; it sits at the heart of human experience and enriches so many lives. Why, then, is it not central to our education system? This is a question I recently posed to an all-party parliamentary group on music education.
I am 20 years old and began playing saxophone, aged seven, at the Barracudas Carnival Band in Barrow-in-Furness. The funding for the centre has now been cut. I took part in the primary tuition scheme, aged 11. The funding for the scheme has now been cut. It is a running theme across the country.
Music is not an add-on, a “soft” subject or a luxury – it is absolutely essential to our existence. Every child deserves the opportunity to experience its benefits.
Until music is held in the same regard as the “core” subjects of our curriculum, our society will be worse off. We need joy, empathy and hope on this planet more than ever, and depriving children of the opportunity to develop musical skills is to set ourselves up for a fall.
Despite the many brilliant schemes and initiatives to encourage young musicians (Every Child a Musician, Awards for Young Musicians and Sistema, to name but a few), we are reaching a crisis point. We are in danger of crushing creativity, innovation and expression.
Learning an instrument can teach and develop so many fundamental life skills. It promotes discipline, empathy, determination and cooperation as well as providing a sense of community and worth.
Music has changed my life. It is a huge part of who I am. I have learned so much about the world through music and the inspiring figures I have met through it. I feel I have a duty to help ensure that others can benefit from its magic. Let us make it available to every single child.


- Get Set for School¬Æ Pre-K Readiness
- Writing Workshop and K-5 Handwriting Workshop
The Pre-K Readiness course recommends the use of lively music and playful activities to help young children build a solid foundation for school success. This workshop introduced a readiness curriculum full of developmentally appropriate activities that teach children about letters, body awareness, numbers, sequencing, and sharing, all foundational skills for writing and school readiness.
The K-5 Handwriting Workshop offered many engaging multisensory techniques and research-based methods to make handwriting a natural and automatic skill for children of all ages and abilities. Dynamic instruction methods for teaching and remediating children‚Äôs handwriting skills from kindergarten pre-writing through school-aged cursive were included.
Kim says, ‚ÄúI am so glad to have participated in these dynamic continuing education courses! After completing these courses, I have a whole toolbox of new activities and ideas for teach Pre-K readiness and handwriting (both print and cursive), as well as remediating any handwriting difficulties children may have. I look forward to implementing these research-based methods in my pediatric practice.‚Äù
The Child and Family Development occupational therapy team of 10 providers offers free phone intakes and screens.


Cursive or keyboard writing?? Why not learn both?
Did you know that some school districts and states are dropping handwriting (cursive) from required learning in grade schools? Hard to believe but it’s happening. When the new set of standards for public schools were drafted (called Common Core), penmanship was left out of the courses preferred. Consequently, students may not be taught how to write long-hand. Several states have moved to keep penmanship in the curriculum.
The reasoning behind dropping cursive as a requirement in K-12 is that there’s an increasing need for children to master the keyboard. Some argue that it is much more likely that keyboarding will help students advance in their careers than knowing how to write the alphabet.
It is true that close to 95% of American teens use the Internet and the number who text and use smartphones has increased over the years. This is not a bad thing since the Internet, social media and cell phones encourage creativity and personal expression. But losing the ability to write long-hand also means one will be at a loss to read someone’s handwriting. This could impair the ability to study letters, journals and other historical documents. What about the simple act of sending someone a birthday card or handwritten note? Or even more important, signing your name?
In spite of this trend, a national handwriting contest for K-8 students goes on. Brady McDonough, a third-grade Arizona student, stated he wants to be a professional football player or a golfer. “I am going to need good handwriting to sign autographs,” he explained.
What do you think of this change in elementary education? Is it necessary to know how to write or be able to read cursive? Maybe students should know both in order to excel in a changing world.


“PLAY IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF RESEARCH”
– Albert Einstein
Children at Carolina Park Academy enjoy a well-rounded curriculum. Each day, the teachers develop lessons and activities to engage the children and enhance their knowledge of the world around them. The Creative Curriculum supports our play-based philosophy, with a balance of both teacher-led activities and child-initiated learning, which allows our teachers to build upon their students’ strengths and interests. In addition, all children at Carolina Park Academy will be enrolled in the Music Together program. Incorporating The Creative Curriculum with Music Together provides our students with engaging and hands-on learning experiences, adding to the richness of life at Carolina Park Academy.
The Creative Curriculum®
The philosophy of The Creative Curriculum is that young children learn best by doing. This NAEYC-approved curriculum of excellence supports Carolina Park Academy’s child-centered and play-based approach to learning. It is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills. The program offers nurturing daily routines and meaningful experiences that meet children’s strengths, interests, and needs.
Music Together, a pioneer in music education in schools, includes award-winning music and developmentally appropriate activities. The NAEYC-approved program aligns with key components of The Creative Curriculum, including the belief that discovery and exploration are integral to learning. Children in Music Together have shown gains in cognitive, physical, language, social, and emotional development. Music Together also supports family engagement by providing take-home materials that provide parents with fun, literacy-building activities to do with their children.
Handwriting Without Tears®
This multi-sensory program, offered to our Pre-K classes, uses lively music and playful activities to help young children build a solid foundation for school success. The curriculum is composed of developmentally appropriate activities that teach children about letters, body awareness, numbers, sequencing, and sharing in a fun, engaging, and informal manner while fostering a lifetime of joyful learning.


Building fluency in every student
Through differentiation, data and a dynamic interactive solution, Unique Learning System’s proven math program helps students build foundational skills and master concepts before moving on to more advanced course areas such as high school math, algebra and geometry.
Meet NCTM and state standards
with differentiated lessons
Aligned with the NCTM content and process standards, consistent monthly lessons in Unique Learning System cover individual states’ extended standards. This allows you to effectively target skills for standards-based goals on a student’s IEP.
Topic Areas Include
- Counting and Cardinality
- Numbers and Operations
- Time and Money
- Data and Graphing
- Ratios and Proportional Relationships
Count on success with data‑driven instruction
The Teacher Dashboard and Student Daily Performance tracking enable easy, automated documentation of math standards addressed, supporting responsive instruction and administrative decision making. Captured data may include accuracy, responsiveness, and rate of completion.
Support for teachers every step of the way
Within the Lesson Plans, evidence-based instructional support offers all the help you need to ensure student comprehension of math concepts across the grade bands. The program’s scope and sequence enables pacing with the general education curriculum and ensures students are exposed to all grade-level standards.
Boost outcomes with Dynamic Math
Our supportive approach to building fluency, delivered in conjunction with Unique Learning System’s highly interactive Dynamic Math solution, creates a specialized environment that cultivates positive, personalized results. Dynamic Math saves planning time, supports classroom management and provides extra practice problems to aid in measuring your students’ math skills. Simply identify the skills each student needs to practice and Dynamic Math’s expansive collection of problems creates targeted, on-demand practice in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division—providing all the reinforcement that’s needed to master the concept!
Tools for Student Engagement
Student resources to promote further engagement with the mathematical processes include real-life math stories and interactive manipulatives. Math problems are differentiated to three ability levels, with varying degrees of text and symbol support.
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Singing lessons for ALL AGES
SINGING LESSONS FOR PRESCHOOLERS
SINGING LESSONS FOR KIDS
SINGING LESSONS FOR TEENS
SINGING LESSONS FOR ADULTS
The preschoolers program for our youngest singers discover their voice, and sets them on a path towards musical proficiency. Through playful exploration of rhythm, song structure, and melody, preschoolers are introduced to singing and other instruments.
Focus in this program is on the basics like staying on key, in time, breathing and diction techniques and teachers start to introduce advanced techniques like timbre and intonation. Private voice lessons and live performances help children learn how to sing in a comfortable atmosphere, no matter what skill level they're at vocally.
This program turns teenage singers into skilled & knowledgable singers & performers. They will learn how to sing effectively through private voice lessons and live performances. Singers improve through vocal training, effective and more advanced warm ups, microphone & projection techniques and begin education in anatomy and physiology of the voice and how to care and maintain their voice.
The adult program (18-years-old and up) pushes our singers to become 'artists'. In this program singers learn a range of advanced exercises, music theory, more in depth anatomy & physiology of the voice, how to keep tempo, and how to stay on-key as well as more advanced vocal techniques like voice sustainability.
MACKENZIE THERAPY is where young singers and aspiring vocalists go to learn the fundamentals of singing like breathing, posture and diction. These basic principles are key to strong vocal performances. Our expert voice coaches help guide beginner singers through the early stages of vocal progression, assisting with pitch training, developing timbre and keeping steady tempo. At MACKENZIE THERAPY our core philosophy is that the best way for students to gain musical proficiency is through performance-based music education. All of our lesson programs include a performance aspect.
MACKENZIE THERAPY'S intermediate to advanced vocal lessons offer professional voice training and singing lessons that will help practicing students reach their highest potential. Our expert voice coaches focus on advanced singing techniques to add to a student's existing vocal repertoire. Every program at MACKENZIE THERAPY includes private singing lessons paired with live performances, all designed to lift students to a higher vocal level.


Read the word problems featured in these printable worksheets for grade 4 and find the product of three-digit how to write a strong body paragraph how to do an outline for research paper and the lottery shirley jackson essay two-digit numbers. it may be printed, downloaded or saved source writing definition and used in your classroom, home solving multiplication problems school, or other …. 3rd grade. these grade 3 math word problems can be research paper on edgar allan poe solved by multiplying numbers by multiples of solving multiplication problems 10. solve problems with thinking blocks, jake and astro, summary critique essay examples iq and more. subtraction. let’s get to it and look at a the 500 word essay multiplication problem: pre-algebra problems. they also practice mental multiplications, prime factorization, order of operations, and solve simple equations plan on army officer assignments three weeks if your child is new to the multiplication facts. a solving multiplication problems multistep math problem-solving plan involves looking for clues, developing a game plan, narrative essay rubric high school solving the problem, and carefully reflecting on your work. multiplication, division, fractions, and logic games that boost fourth grade math skills. free printable business related research paper topics multiplication worksheets provided here has numerous exercises to sharpen your child’s multiplication skills.


One Room Schoolhouses
The teachers that taught in the one room, rural schools were very special people. During the winter months they would get to the school early to get a fire started in the potbelly stove, so the building would be warm for the students. On many occasions they would prepare a hot, noon meal on top of the stove, usually consisting of soup or stew of some kind. They took care of their students like a new mother hen would care for her newly hatched chicks; always looking out for their health and welfare.
A typical school day was 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with morning and afternoon recesses of 15 minutes each and an hour period for lunch. “The older students were given the responsibility of bringing in water, carrying in coal or wood for the stove. The younger students would be given responsibilities according to their size and gender such as cleaning the black board (chalkboard), taking the erasers outside for dusting plus other duties that they were capable of doing.”
Transportation for children who lived too far to walk was often provided by horse-drawn kid hack or sulky, which could only travel a limited distance in a reasonable amount of time each morning and evening, or students might ride a horse, these being put out to pasture in an adjoining paddock during the day. In more recent times, students rode bicycles.
The school house was the center and focus for thousands of rural communities, hamlets and small towns. Often, town meetings and picnics were also held there.
The vast majority of one-room schools in the United States are no longer used as schools and have either been torn down or converted for other purposes. However, in some rural communities, including among the Amish, one-room or two-room schools are still used, primarily for elementary education, with students graduating to local or regional middle and high schools.


Knowing what to do
Knowing what to do
This section deals with knowing what to do after you have assessed the literacy and numeracy skills of your learners and have the results. You will also know the level of the literacy and numeracy demands of your course and vocation.
If you see there is a gap between learner skills and the course/vocational demands, then you need to plan how you are going to bridge that gap. The gap can be bridged by deliberate acts of teaching (DATs) of literacy anad numeracy alongside the delivery of vocational content.
Deliberate acts of teaching (DATS) literacy and numeracy skills
Explore the resources on the National Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy website
The Learning Progressions for literacy and numeracy provide a framework that shows what adult learners know and can do at successive points as they develop their expertise in literacy and numeracy learning. This framework can be used as a guide to identifying the next steps for adult learners. Each progression covers a particular aspect of learning. The Learning Progressions booklets or webpages contain many ideas for teaching and learning activities that have been developed by L & N experts. Hard copies are available in Otago Polytechnic's Learning Centre (F121) or use the online versions, clicking on the side arrows to explore how to use the resource and find learning activities.
This resource Guidelines for strengthening adolescents' literacy skillsalso contains useful strategies to strengthen reading skills, particularly if you are working with young people This Ako Aotearoa resource includes videos of students talking about their concerns about academic reading, and strategies for addressing these http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-central-hub/cracking-reading-code
Some examples of DATs from Otago Polytechnic
- Here is video outlining how a reading DAT was embedded into a lesson for Automech Youth Guarantee students. The video discusses students' initial assessment results for reading, and how these have informed teaching.
- Here is an example of a numeracy resource that was created by Adrienne Dearnley to support Vet Nursing students with calculations Rehydrating an Animal, Part One. There are more examples of numeracy resources in the Staff Support for Embedding Numeracy Moodle course Anyone can log in to this site as a guest
Some examples of lesson plans and templates
- Look at some lesson plans from your course and decide which ones are suitable for including literacy or numeracy activities, or "Deliberate Acts of Teaching" literacy and numeracy (DAT's). Here is a link to a blank lesson plan template.
- Click on this link for an example of a vocational course lesson plan with embedded literacy activities.
- Here is a link to some general lesson planning teaching tips. If you wish to learn more about lesson planning, go to the module on lesson planning in the GCTLT.
Other resources for teachers
- The Otago Polytechnic Moodle courses Staff Support for Embedding Numeracyand Staff Support for Embedding Literacy are repositories for teaching methods, strategies and activities for embedding literacy and numeracy. Please browse the content for activities useful for your context and learners. Anyone can log in as a guest.
- Ako Aotearoa describe the embedding of literacy and numeracy in the context of good teaching practice in their publication "Signpost". If you are fairly new to teaching, you may find this resource particularly useful.Embedding literacy and numeracy is specifically covered on page 12. Signposts
Some websites for self-directed study for students
- Activites and websites for improving literacy and numeracy This page in wikieducator provides links to self -directed learning for students.
- Websites for improving numeracy Self-directed learning for numeracy skill practice.
-  Improving essay writing skills
- An interactive site developed for students studying in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology at Victoria University - Australia, who want to improve their writing skills for academic and professional purposes.
- Websites for improving your reading skills
- Pathways Awarua is an interactive, self-paced programme that has been specifically developed to link with New Zealand's Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool and the learning progressions.The numeracy section of Pathways caters for learners from step 2-5 and the reading section caters for learners at step 2-3, however, some learners at step 4 may also find it useful. Lecturers need to register and complete self-paced, online professional development , before setting up access for their learners (This takes less than an hour.)


Our nurseries are a high quality provision. Our curriculum is based on the individual needs of the child. All children will be allocated a key worker at the start of their time at Daffodils. All children will follow the foundation stage. Regular observations on each individual child will be taken and recorded in an assessment folder. This will assist the staff team in planning to include the needs of individual children and identify areas that need encouragement.
The Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS) consists of seven areas of learning which we have specified below:
Personal Social and Emotional Development
We will provide experiences and support which will help them to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others; respect for others; social skills; and a positive disposition to learn. We will ensure support for children’s emotional well-being to help them to know themselves and what they can do. A range of activities will be provided which will encourage children to work independently or as part of a group.
Communication & Language
Children’s learning and competence in communication, speaking and listening, being read to and beginning to read and write will be supported and encouraged to use their skills in a range of situations and for a range of purposes, and will be supported in developing the confidence and disposition to do so.
Understanding the World
Children will be supported in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that helps them to make sense of the world. Their learning will be supported through opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely; encounter creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real-life situations; undertake practical ‘experiments’; and work with a range of materials.
The physical development of babies and young children will be encouraged through the nursery with opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. They will be supported in using all of their senses to learn about the world around them and to make connections between new information and what they already know. They will be supported in developing an understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices in relation to food.
Expressive Art & Design
Children’s creativity will be extended by the nursery’s support for their curiosity, exploration and play. They will be provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example, through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play activities, mathematics, and design and technology.
Literacy development will involve encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children will be given access to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest.
The nursery will support in developing their understanding of mathematics in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practice and talk about their developing understanding. They will be provided with opportunities to practice and extend their skills in these areas and to gain confidence and competence in their use.


Entertainment-education (E-E) interventions refer to the intentional placement of educational information in entertainment texts to influence audiences’ knowledge acquisition, attitudes, and behaviors. Current E-E literature mainly concentrates on political communication and health communication. Heeding the call for attention to variability among E-E interventions, this study investigates the effects of entertainment messages on high-brow music education using the case of Super-Vocal, a popular Chinese operatic and musical singing competition show launched in 2018.
Previous studies on attendance at high-brow music events focused on the effects of long-term and systematic arts education. Few studies have examined how short-term exposure to educational issues in media contents influences people’s high-brow music participation. Therefore, this study investigates how fans of Super-Vocal acquire high-brow music knowledge and music attendance intention by consuming the original and fan-generated texts of the program. To explore the mechanism, this study examines the mediating role of fans’ self-educational behaviors: information-seeking and online discussion about related issues. This study also tests the knowledge gap effects in the E-E of Super-Vocal.
The study distributed an online questionnaire on Super-Vocal’s “super-topic,” [i]
an interest-based community for online groups on Sina Weibo[ii]. A total of 756 questionnaires were recovered, yielding 754 valid cases.
Results of regression analyses showed that fans who watched more serials of original texts acquired more high-brow music knowledge, whilst the use of fan-generated texts was not a significant predictor. Both original texts and fan texts use were positively associated with fans’ intention to attend live operas and musicals.
In terms of the indirect effects, both original and fan texts can indirectly predict knowledge acquisition and art attendance intentions via information-seeking behaviors. Online discussion was a significant mediator only when opera and musical consumption was the dependent variable.
This study employed professional music training background as a moderator to investigate the “knowledge gap.” Results showed that the direct effects of original texts and fan texts were not conditioned by professional music training background. In terms of the mediated moderation effects, the indirect effects of original and fan texts on opera and musical consumption are larger for those who never received professional music training. Similar effects were not found when knowledge acquisition was the dependent variable.
This study revealed that, as a serious music competition variety show,
Super-Vocal has significant E-E effects for its fans’ high-brow music knowledge acquisition and arts attendance intentions through both original texts and fan texts consumption. The E-E effects of high art variety shows in the era of media convergence are achieved through the production of official texts and through participatory consumption and self-education by the fans. We also found that no knowledge gap existed between people with and without professional music training, echoing the democratic nature of E-E.
[i] Details about Super topic can be found in: https://www.whatsonweibo.com/what-are-weibos-super-topics/
[ii] Sina weibo is a Chinese microblogging site. It is one of the largest social media platforms in China with 497 million monthly active users. It is also an important online community for fan practices in China.


By demonstration students get acquainted with the objects and phenomena studied. The combination of description and image basis in the virtual classroom fosters deeper understanding of the study content.
In practice demonstration is applicable to all school subjects: about phenomena and objects in natural sciences, laboratory experiments, historical films, drawings and mind maps of events, recitals and drama performances based on literary works, etc. The demonstration can be especially useful with children in elementary education as well as with students of visual, audio and kinaesthetic learning styles.
Strategies for implementation in an online environment
VEDAMO Virtual Classroom offers a lot of possibilities for study content demonstration and illustration in an easy and convenient way. In a traditional learning environment in order to realise a demonstration it is very often the case that the teacher has to prepare in advance a number of illustrative materials or additional technical devices, activities which in VEDAMO are performed just by pressing a few buttons.
For this purpose you can use the Media Player function in VEDAMO Virtual Classroom where you share a video material with the participants demonstrating certain processes and phenomena. This will help understanding, reflection and acquisition of new knowledge and thus demonstration becomes a suitable method for the main part of the virtual lesson. Demonstration can be done by:
- Online Whiteboard – by means of images, drawings, diagrams, tables, etc..;
- The Media Player – by means of audio and video files;
- An additionally attached document camera – for actions which you should perform manually such as handwriting, drawing, modelling, designing, etc.
Application of the method in the three forms of implementation (interactivity, discourse and teamwork)
The method is applicable in all form of activities in the virtual learning environment but is especially effective in the discourse. The demonstration is suitable for the main body of the virtual lesson – meaning comprehension.
Examples of educational activities in VEDAMO Virtual Classroom:
- Demonstration in a lesson with 10-year-old children
In the example below via the Media Player the tutor is playing a video which shows a dynamic view of the planet Earth from space.
- Demonstration in an Adult Learners’ Lecture
This is a demonstration of the first films in cinematographic history in a lecture with adult learners.


Early childhood learning received considerable attention at a conference on rural education in Nashville Wednesday. Its importance to the overall success a student achieves in school was emphatically stated by many of the policy experts and advocates on hand for the event.
“If you don’t learn to read in this country by the first or maybe second grade, the chances of you graduating from high school are very slim,” said Dr. Lynne Vernon-Feagans of the University of North Carolina, representing the National Research Center on Rural Education Support.
“That’s especially if you live in a rural area, or especially in a rural low-wealth area. Those are the ones we target.”
The need to teach children to read at an early age continues to emerge as a central issue in any discussion of education, whether among educators, legislators, administrators or advocates. The role of early education was explored Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the Southeast Regional Rural Education Summit at Lipscomb University.
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education organized the event. The group was founded by Dr. Bill Frist, a heart and lung transplant surgeon and former Republican majority leader in the United States Senate.
But while much of the focus was on what Tennessee is doing, notably with its Race to the Top funds, speakers addressed the reach of early childhood education in rural areas beyond Tennessee. They include organizations like the Children’s Defense Fund, which operates nationally, or Save the Children, which is usually associated with catastrophic events in a foreign country.
Save the Children began in Appalachia in the United States in 1932, and in recent years, it has begun to focus more on literacy, physical activity and nutrition in children. It has developed a program called Early Steps to School Success, which provides services in the United States in rural areas.
“We are very proud of the gains made over the last few years,” said Sarah Belanger, a regional early childhood expert for Save the Children.
Tennessee’s efforts in early childhood education are due in part to the $501 million the state won in the federal Race to the Top competition last year.
“In our original grant, there wasn’t a lot written about early childhood, but since then we have been able to incorporate a lot of activities for it,” said Bobbi Lussier, assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education’s division on school readiness.
That division focuses on children from birth to age 8 (or 3rd grade). The state’s pre-kindergarten program, which involves more than 18,000 children, is handled there.
Lussier was enthusiastic in discussing the recently announced state website, ReadTennessee.org, meant to help teachers, parents and community leaders.
“There are those few moments in your life that far exceed any of your expectations or anything you dream of, and this website is one of them,” Lussier said.
“It will never be finished. We continually are adding resources. I can’t begin to tell you the wealth of resources here.”
Other participants in a break-out session on early childhood education included Barbara Lunnemann, also of Save the Children; Dr. Tammy Mann, president and CEO of the Campagna Center, a human services organization in Alexandria, Va.; and Dr. Cathy Grace, director of Early Childhood Development for the Children’s Defense Fund.
Mann said demographics in a rural community can change, such as when large numbers of people come from other countries, and communities have to be prepared for them. Grace noted that the Children’s Defense Fund does a lot of work with Native American communities, which are primarily in rural parts of the country. Grace said there has been a lack of attention to those communities.


In California almost one out of ten Spanish speaking immigrants never had the opportunity to learn to read and write in their native language. Los Angeles County hosts twelve percent (222,230) of Spanish-speaking adult immigrants (American Community Survey 2009-2011). These are people who endured severe poverty and isolation in their youth and generally have fewer than three years of formal education. Many work hard in low-paying jobs; working as gardeners, busboys, maids, nannies, janitors and factory workers. Many cannot perform basic math skills like adding or subtracting. Santa Monica Public Library is changing lives with a new program to teach basic literacy in Spanish. Soon adults in our community will be saying what other newly literate Spanish speakers have been saying after learning to read, “Ya tengo ojos.” Now – I have eyes. Now – I can read the street signs. Now – I am independent. Now – I can move ahead.
In July of 2016, Santa Monica Public Library was selected along with ten other libraries in California to pilot Leamos (Let’s Read) @ the Library. This literacy course teaches Spanish speakers, who never had the opportunity to attend school, to learn how to read and write. The program serves as a pre-ESL (English-as-a-Second Language) course approved by the California Department of Education, for use in California’s adult schools as a primer course to prepare students to learn English. Research shows that illiteracy in native Spanish makes it difficult for adults to learn English. As a result, many drop out of ESL classes in frustration. Leamos is a first step towards learning English.
Non-literate adults are often excluded from participating in most community activities. Illiteracy creates barriers to reading notices about events, letters, using public transportation and the ability to complete health forms. The practical implications of illiteracy, combined with shame and stigma, can result in vulnerability. Leamos programs help individuals impacted by illiteracy to overcome these obstacles, experience success and connect with their community.
The program has been active at the Pico Branch Library in Santa Monica since August 2016. As each week goes by, the students learn and discover new words. They have learned to recognize the words “milk” and “grapes.” For those of us who can read, these words might seem insignificant. To the Leamos program participants, these two simple words have a lot of meaning. Our students had tears in their eyes once they learned to read those words because as they said, “we will now know how much they cost at the store when we see the sign with the price.”
Three weeks ago, students realized that they had passed their first evaluation milestone after reading an entire story. Fast forward 20 weeks into the program – Library staff are beginning to see students’ growing confidence and excitement as learning progresses. The participants who came through our doors asking for help can now write their name or read simple words and even read their first books.
When adults learn to read they find their ‘voice’ and ability to use it. During a program evaluation, it became clear that the students’ journey to community engagement begins with what Centro Latino has labeled as “student voice and sense of self,” defined as the degree to which an individual is confident in his/her self-identity and value to others. As one student shared, “I didn’t talk before because I couldn’t read and write. Now I talk. Before I had pena (shame); now I have orgullo (pride).” Students are using their newly found ‘voices’ in their roles as family members too – through improved communication with spouses and ability to participate in household management.
Many share that they have overcome anxiety about traveling outside of their immediate neighborhoods. They can read signs, bus route information and other directions which literate adults take for granted. They can read labels and prices at the supermarket and make better choices for their families.
With assistance from staff at the Pico Branch Library, local Spanish speakers who never had opportunity to attend school, will now be able to learn, read and write in Spanish. This will provide the foundational skills and confidence to learn English and read with their children, get better jobs and engage more fully in their communities. The program is free of charge. If you know someone who would benefit from the program, or if you would like more information, contact Silvia Cisneros, Branch Manager at (310) 458-8684. The Pico Branch Library is located at 2201 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404.


“I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.” – Vincent Van Gogh
The K-5 art curriculum at Southview is based on the MN Art Standards, the National Core Art Standards of Creating, Presenting, Responding, Connecting, and also the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Southview artists create both preliminary and final artwork in a variety of 2D and 3D art mediums including: drawing, painting, collage, fibers, sculpture. All artwork created throughout the school year is compiled into art portfolios and distributed to each student at year-end.
Distance Learning Resources
Students earn opportunities for free time, which are art-related activities that foster individual and/or collaborative creativity, art history, fine motor skill development, and new art interests. The available choices vary by grade level, and overall include a wide variety of art themed book, drawing, game, and building options. Choice based art fosters imagination and allows kids to learn and problem solve while playing and creating.
Kindergarten through fifth grade hybrid students come to art class once every two weeks. New K-5 art lessons are posted on Seesaw and Schoology for Digital Academy students once every two weeks.


Welcome to Woodcut!
In this course you will learn how to design and print your very first woodcut!
Developed in China around the 5th century, woodcut is one of the oldest forms of printmaking.
Woodcut involves hand-carving a design into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts.
Once the design is “cut”, a layer of ink is spread over the carved design, and then pressed or “printed” on another surface like paper or fabric. The results are stunning, unique and unmistakable! Ready to try?
The most important thing you need is the DESIRE to learn!
You’ll also need a few simple carving tools, a piece of wood (even something found in your yard or garage!), some ink and finally a piece of fabric or paper for the final printing. Don’t worry, everything is clearly explained step-by-step inside the course.
Ely, printmaker, is a resourceful artist who moves her work forward with a spirit of collaboration and generosity. Ely studied Arts at the University of São Paulo in Brazil with her main focus on printmaking. Since the 1990’s she’s been working with art and art education and has had exhibitions in Brazil, Japan and the US. Currently, Ely is based in NC where she creates prints on paper and fabric. Interacting with the local community has been an important part of Ely’s creative process. She is also a coach and helps artists to develop their projects and careers.
- A message from Ely
- How to use this course
- Why woodcut?
- Materials list
- Inventory and action
- Creating your design
- Planning your design
- Cutting the outlines
- Carving close to the outlines
- Preparing the ink
- Some tips
- Short course survey
If you are just starting out with your first woodcut, I wholeheartedly believe this course is the best investment you’ll make in your woodcutting journey.
At any time in the next 30-days working through the lessons, if you don’t find the course absolutely helpful in the making of your first woodcut OR…
OR If you are dissatisfied in any way…
Just let me know and your course payment will be refunded. I offer a “100% happiness”, no questions asked, 30-day money back guarantee.


I recently wrote a post about repeated readings of picture books and the benefits for your child. Research states that repeating readings in a specific way can help improve your child’s language and learning. To see the full post and tips, click here.
How can you encourage language and learning with repeated readings of The Monkey Balloon?
1. Provide positive comments in response to your child’s comments (for example, your child points out “I see the ice cream store” You say “Good job seeing the ice cream store”)
2. Give answers to your child’s questions.
3. Using visual aids or props. Use our picture sequencing cards to help your child engage in the storytelling process.
4. Ask your child open ended questions. For example, ask your child “Where do you think The Monkey Balloon went?”
5. Encourage your child to participate. Ask your child to hold the book or help you turn the pages of The Monkey Balloon. Get your child involved with putting the sequencing cards on the Velcro Board.
6. Label specific pictures/objects/action in the book. For example, when reading The Monkey Balloon, say “I see the fish in the ocean”, “I see the girl going down the slide”, etc.
7. Define new vocabulary. Discuss new words! If your child is young, you may have to define certain words. Focus on sight words as well. For a list of the sight words in The Monkey Balloon, click here.
8. Relate the book to a personal experience. Ask your child, “Did you ever lose a balloon?, How did you feel when you lost the balloon?”, “Do you like ice cream? If so, what is your favorite flavor?”
How many times should you read The Monkey Balloon? According to this article written by Trivette, Simkus, Dunst and Homby (2012), they suggest the following guidelines.
1. Read it 4 or 5 times over the course of a few days.
2. Read for 20 minutes or longer if your child is engaged in the story.
3. Read The Monkey Balloon daily or every other day.
Trivette, Carol M., Andrew Simkus, Carl J. Dunst, and Deborah W. Homby. “Repeated Book Reading and Preschoolers’ Early Literacy Development.” Center for Early Literacy Learning 5 (2012): 1-13. Web. 4 Jan. 2015. <http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellreviews/cellreviews_v5_n5.pdf>.


All content on this site is available, via phone, Monday to Friday from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM CST or Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM CST at
If you experience any accessibility issues, please contact us.
Ancient shells hold mysteries from the deep in this excavation activity from below the sea. 12 unique creatures include a dolphin, clown fish, killer whale and more. Use the exploration guide to identify and learn about each one. Simply soak the clay clamshells in water, then carefully chisel away the sedimentary material to reveal the sea creatures inside.
• Each fluted clamshell contains a different sea creature • Helps promote an early interest in science for kids • The perfect activity for parties and groups • 12 clamshells, chiseling tool and instructions


This program is designed for the rapidly growing preschool field of private and public daycare, Head Start, nursery, and public preschool centers. Others move into bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to become fully certified early childhood teachers.
Students are introduced to child development, learning theory, language and literacy development, classroom management, and problem-solving through
math, science, technology and the arts.
Upon completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Distinguish and apply the well-known and influential educational theories to
- Design a developmentally appropriate classroom environment to meet the
needs of young children.
- Develop observation skills and apply those skills to a case study
·Develop language and literacy skill in young children.
- Use the arts, sciences, and math in planning an integrated activity to broaden
the child’s knowledge base, solve problems and to help children relate to
- Locate, retrieve and critically evaluate information and information sources
related to the profession.
- Evaluate and reflect upon their professional growth and development by
creating a professional portfolio.
Students can download the Program Guide listed above to view a semester-by-semester breakdown of the required classes and electives for this program.
The RCSJ Catalog provides class descriptions.
The Course Registration Info site shows important information for each semester such as deadlines, dates, and guides.
For a complete list of when important College dates occur, students can view and download the Academic Calendar.


For those who are learning to read, Route 66 Literacy is a web-based service that provides literacy instruction for persons (adolescents and adults) with developmental disabilities and/or those who are learning to speak, read, and write English. For those who are teaching reading, Route 66 is designed to help teachers and non-teachers (volunteers, parents) teach reading and writing.
Content Area: reading, writing
Grade Level: middle school, secondary, transition
IDEA Disability Category: autism, intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury
English Language Arts: Language, Reading: Foundational Skills, Reading: Informational Text, Reading: Literature
CTL's collection of rugged Chromebook laptops, monitors and tablets, including features such as plastic bumpers, reinforced ports, water-resistant keyboards, non-slip textures and carrying handles.
Content Area: math, reading, science, writing
Grade Level: birth to preschool, early elementary, intermediate elementary, middle school, secondary, transition
IDEA Disability Category: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, major-other health impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury
English Language Arts:


The Office of English Language Arts (ELA), as part of the Office of Elementary Education and Reading and the Office of Secondary Education, is responsible for providing support to teachers and schools throughout the state in the implementation of Mississippi’s College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for English Language Arts. The staff in the Office of English Language Arts develops resources for teachers, delivers statewide and school-based professional development, and supports schools in the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Professional Development Services
In an effort to support English Language Arts instructors throughout the state, professional development is available in various platforms.
- Mississippi’s College- and Career-Readiness Standards for English Language Arts (2016)
- Glossary of Terms for MS CCRS for English Language Arts
- Organization of MS CCRS for English Language Arts
Curriculum and Planning
- ELA Vertical Progression Document: This document provides a visual representation of standards alignment for each year to inform planning and instruction.
- MS CCRS Scaffolding Documents: These documents will aid teachers’ understanding of how to teach the standards through a natural progression of student mastery.
- EdReports: This free resource offers reviews of K-12 instructional materials with a focus on standards alignment and other indicators of high quality as recommended by educators across the country.
- Qualitative Rubrics for Measuring Text Complexity: This quick reference chart will assist in evaluating informational and literary texts to make sure the desired rigor is reached.
- Mississippi Exemplar Units and Lesson Plans: The 2nd Edition of Exemplar Units are grade specific and address difficult-to-teach standards as determined by Mississippi teachers.
- Mississippi Text Exemplar List for Grades 5-12
- EQuIP Quality Review Tool for ELA Lesson Plans: This tool offers a quick checklist for ensuring that lessons or unit plans are aligned to the MS CCRS ELA/Literacy standards and meet desired criteria for quality instruction.
- Tools for Close Reading
- Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) Resources for English Language Arts
- SREB Readiness Course Outlines
- Cursive Writing Recommendations (2017)
- Social Studies and Science Topic List
English Language Arts Online Learning
- ELA Learning-at-Home Resources for Districts (Covid-19 Guidance)
- Educational Leadership Special Report: Read multiple perspectives on the current topic of remote learning and teaching online.
Stay Informed MS ELA Educators Listserv


After two years of creating, conspiring, and co-writing, my writing assistant (Zac Kieser) and I have finished our Twice-Told Tales–Classic Stories With Spin-Off Versions for Read Aloud or Read Alone Fun. Just in time for Christmas gift giving and second semester classroom use! So what exactly is a “Twice-Told Tale”? And what is a book containing twenty of them? Let’s start with the Classic Tale first…..
Once I talked on the Language Lady Facebook page about how many times I had said “A paragraph is a unit of thought” in three days of teaching. (Too many to count!) And promised a post about designing paragraphs, paragraph breaks, and general paragraph help. Here you go!
Dividing paragraphs is one of the most challenging aspects of writing for young writers and adults alike (along with many other challenging aspects!). That is why when people who do not write a lot write a full page with no paragraph breaks. That is also why middle school writers start writing and have no idea when to indent–so they randomly pick a spot (“Hmmm….looks like I’ve written enough to change paragraphs now…”) and indent.
We are expanding our private tutoring and small summer classes at Character Ink! We have more availability now–and in five subject areas:
1) Writing–sentence, paragraph, report, essay, story writing; all levels; Directed Writing Approach to get non-writers writing immediately! Taught by a writing curriculum author of over 100 books totaling over 50,000 pages!
2) Math–from elementary through twelfth grade….your curriculum or one of our choice; remedial, brush up, SAT prep, and more. Taught by a math professional (former CPA and CMA).
3) Reading–from first grade and up; phonics, reading comprehension, reaching reading fluency, and more. Taught by curriculum author, elementary education degree and master’s work in Reading Specialist.
4) Grammar/Usage–taught in conjunction with writing or alone; parts of speech; punctuation; editing; spelling/structural analysis; and more. Taught by curriculum author and experienced teacher of over 100 students each year in grammar and writing for over 20 years.
5) Science–elementary through high school–basic science, earth science, physics, biology, advanced biology, chemistry; taught by experienced science teacher who has taught all of these subjects to many small groups for over 15 years and is a math professional.
I know that title is a lot cheerier than most people are when they think of Summer School. However, I want to help you look at Summer School in a little more positive light. It CAN be an opportunity to catch up on missed skills, reinforce what was just learned, or prep for the upcoming school year. It CAN be an opportunity to focus on one area of academics instead of several. It CAN be an opportunity to grow your student in an area of interest. It CAN be a great opportunity!
When I post a live video of one of my writing classes on Facebook, I always get those same questions: When will you offer classes for people who don’t live near you? Are you going to be having online classes soon? And I keep saying “soon”! Well, soon is now here. We are officially having our very first LIVE online writing class (remedial writing, of sorts). I will enumerate the details below.


Toddlers explore and experiment as they learn to walk, climb, and talk. Our toddler program provides a stimulating atmosphere to encourage growth, creativity, and curiosity. The enriched curriculum in toddler classrooms includes a balance of activities, such as age appropriate literacy development, socialization in large and small groups, outdoor play, and time to explore their individual interests.
Wonderspring’s toddler program provides all the hallmarks of a high quality toddler program as noted by the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) including:
Positive relationships between teachers and children. Our teachers form close, relationships with children. By interacting with them in ways that show respect, they help toddlers learn to manage their own behavior
Time for children to explore and play. Toddlers need lots of interesting objects to explore. Wonderspring provides toys and materials that can be used in different ways so toddlers develop creativity and problem-solving skills.
Consistent schedules and routines. Our programs provide responsive routines and transitions with time for active play (indoors and outdoors) and rest.
Effective health and safety policies. Wonderspring has developed comprehensive health and safety policies and procedures designed to keep children, staff and families safe and ensure that toddlers stay healthy and ready to learn.
Additionally, Wonderspring’s toddler program utilizes The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Twos, a comprehensive, research-based curriculum designed to enable teachers to implement developmentally appropriate practices and offer responsive daily routines and meaningful experiences that nurture learning and development. The curriculum offers activities that encourage your child’s growth across developmental domains. Wonderspring also monitors your child’s progress to ensure continual development and prioritizes communication with parents and caregivers.


Making Connections through Creative Thinking
Hillsborough County Public School district prides itself in support of Art Education for all students. The Art Education department spans services from kindergarten to grade 12, offering opportunity to make connections in a number of ways. Through curriculum and community support for students, parents, educators and administration, the Art Education Department makes student success through creative thinking its number one priority.
Elementary students, grades 1st through 5th, are provided a minimum of 30 minutes of weekly art instruction, with opportunities for Kindergarten art experiences based on school site. Middle and high school students have a large variety of semester and annual courses to choose from when deciding their courses each academic year. This may include accelerated high school level courses at the middle school level (where offered) and AP Art & Design and Art History courses at the high school level.
Aside from providing hands on experience with a variety of art materials and techniques, our art education programs allow students to practice real world skills like creative problem solving, critical thinking, cultural awareness, detailed communication skills and seeing how they both fit and contribute to their world. By reinforcing world-applicable skills and supporting their social emotional learning, students involved in art education programs are more likely to be goal oriented, have improved academic performance, make more supported decisions and hold stronger self-advocacy skills through personal voice.
Creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking: art education in a nutshell! Making connections with the people around us and finding creative ways to make positive change in our community is what HCPS Art Ed is all about.