WebMD discusses the developmental milestones reached by 4- to 5-year olds,
including language and cognitive development.
Feb 4, 2016 ... The Raising Children Network website has a lot of information about school aged
children, including information about development, behaviour ...
PBS Parents offers a variety of information on child development, developmental
milestones, and early childhood learning to help you track your child's growth.
Aug 30, 2012 ... Understanding normal 5-year-old development and behavior will help you know
the best way to parent your child. As parents, we know that a ...
"Physical development consists of both gross motor (GM) and fine motor (FM) ... A
5-year-old can draw a triangle and write her own name, and usually has a ...
Physical and motor skill milestones for a typical 5-year-old child include: Gains
about 4 - 5 pounds; Grows about 2 - 3 inches; Vision reaches 20/20; First adult ...
5 years old. ... Bedtime battles: How to nip them in the bud · Developmental
milestone: Talking · Fun activities for promoting speaking skills · Guide to great ...
www.ask.com/youtube?q=5 Year Old Development&v=7kAJvGARsn0
Jun 28, 2013 ... Do you know the typical developmental stages and milestones for a 5 year old
child? By age five, your child should be beyond several ...
www.ask.com/youtube?q=5 Year Old Development&v=o0TGczdbiV4
Jun 28, 2013 ... Four Year Old Child Development Stages & Milestones | Help Me Grow .... Motor
Skill Learning for 4-5 year olds: Week 1 Child Development ...
Hearing and Understanding, Talking. Understands words for order, like first, next,
and last. Understands words for time, like yesterday, today, and tomorrow.


Montessori is not just about special materials; it is not just about beautiful environments. Montessori education is a total, integrated system which holds at its heart a teacher who is trained in his or her technique, skilled in his or her method, and prepared for the challenges of today's classroom. It is not enough to read the theory; it is not enough to buy the materials. Montessori teachers must first educate themselves, under the guidance of skilled practitioners, so they can develop the skill, strengths, and network they need to be effective, successful, and satisfied Montessori professionals.
The CME|NY faculty is comprised of uniquely qualified and dedicated individuals who are committed to the Montessori method of education and to enriching the Montessori community. At CME|NY we draw specialists from all over the world to teach at our center. As a group, we are proud to be linked by the rich diversity of our experiences, educational backgrounds, knowledge, work styles, and talents.
Unlike some other training programs, the CME|NY faculty do not teach at the same school. In fact, our faculty comes from all over the United States as well as Canada. They represent a broad variety of schools: small, large, public, private, rural, urban, and suburban. They offer the trainee a plethora of teaching styles so that the trainee can observe, choose, and internalize a style that works individually.For our students, we provide state-of-the-art education which meets the evolving needs of today's changing society. The academic training begins with a solid foundation of methodology and pedagogy, including traditional Montessori curriculum, rationale, and philosophy. This strong base assists in the development of teachers who nurture the pursuit of academic accomplishment, foster their own maturity and growth, and have skills to build their own classroom communities. The practicum phase enhances the professional development of the student through integration of curriculum and philosophy in the process of teaching children in the Montessori method.
Now more than ever before, teachers are facing greater and more complex difficulties in their classrooms. How does the new teacher deal with these difficult issues? CME|NY offers an approach to classroom management to assist the new teacher in confronting today's challenges.We spend time during the training, working together as staff, students, and administration, to create a community. We want our trainees to benefit not only from our knowledge and experience of Montessori, but also from use of various methods to enrich both their skills and their students' skills. By empowering our trainees during their Montessori education, we cultivate their spirits, and they in turn will empower the children of their world to build a peaceful and secure future.
At CME|NY we hold this challenge close to our hearts and we work toward meeting it with hope, determination, and love.
"The first step an intending Montessori teacher must take is to prepare herself. For one thing, she must keep her imagination alive ... The Montessori teacher is constantly looking for a child who is not yet there ... The teacher ... must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself ..."
The Absorbent Mind


English Language Learners
practicum experiences & teacher induction
Linguistically Responsive Teaching
Becoming a linguistically responsive teacher is a complex process, and one that is supported within the pre-practicum experience in the Lynch School through a variety of activities. Learning to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) first involves developing an understanding of ELLs unique languages, cultures, and identities. Teachers also need knowledge and skills about second language learning, language demands of academic tasks, and how to scaffold instruction to promote ELL students' learning. In order to be truly responsive to ELL students, teachers must value linguistic diversity and cultivate an inclination to advocate for these students.
Cultivating a practice as a linguistically responsive teacher is consistent with Boston College's stance regarding social justice, and is also aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Education's RETELL (Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners) initiative. All undergraduate and graduate students in the teacher education programs at the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary levels participate in projects during their pre-practica experiences that focus on teaching English learners academic language within various content areas. Upon successful completion of approved teacher education programs at Boston College, students will earn the Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) Teacher Endorsement. For more information, please access the Frequently Asked Questions PDF related to Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Teacher Endorsement at the Lynch School of Education.
Experiences to Learn & Practice Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy
At the beginning of each pre-practicum semester, students attend a training to deepen their understandings of working with English Language Learners (ELLs), identifying linguistic demand in academic settings, and developing learning objectives that align with State content and language standards.
Academic Language in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms:
The Read Aloud Project
Early Childhood and Elementary Education students in licensure programs conduct Read Aloud lessons in their pre-practicum site weekly. Boston College students are paired with an ELL in their classroom and get to know this child in a one-on-one situation. Through read alouds of fiction and informational texts, students learn to evaluate the linguistic demand of a lesson, and to embed teaching of vocabulary, language structure, and reading comprehension strategies. Over the course of the semester, students develop relationships with the children through these read alouds, learning about the child's home language and culture at the same time that the child is benefitting from individualized language support.
Academic Language in Secondary Classrooms: The Teaching Academic Language in the Content Areas Project
Secondary Education students pursuing licensure participate in The Teaching Academic Language in the Content Areas Project (TALCA). in order to develop their skills in working with ELLs in rigorous secondary content classrooms.. Through this project, all Boston College students learn to identify the linguistic demand of classroom activities and texts, and develop strategies to teach students the language necessary to gain and display complex content knowledge and skills.
Resources for Current Students
Current students can access a plethora of resources to support their work with ELLs through Blackboard Vista. After logging into the portal, click on the link titled "Academic Language and Read Aloud."
For more information on Lingustically Responsive Teaching, students are invited to review the following text: Lucas, T., & Villegas, A. (2011). A framework for preparing linguistically responsive teachers. In T. Lucas (Ed.) Teacher preparation for linguistically diverse classrooms (pp.55-72). New York: Routledge.
This page links to PDF files. Use this link to download Adobe Reader if needed.


Top Ten Advocacy Points for Everyone
Music Education Advocacy Resources on amazon.com
1. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania School District analyzed its 1997 dropout rate in terms of students’ musical experience. Students with no ensemble performance experience had a dropout rate of 7.4 percent. Students with one to two years of ensemble experience had a dropout rate of 1 percent, and those with three or more years of performance experience had a dropout rate of 0.0 percent.
Eleanor Chute, “Music and Art Lessons Do More Than Complement Three R’s,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
April 13, 1998.
2. Two research projects have found that music training – specifically piano instruction – can dramatically enhance children’s spatial-temporal reasoning skills, the skills crucial for greater success in subjects like math and science.
Shaw, Grazianow, and Peterson, Neurological Research, March 1999.
3. School leaders affirm that the single most critical factor in sustaining arts education in their schools is the active involvement of influential segments of the community. These community members help shape and implement the policies and programs of the district.
– Gaining the Arts Advantage, The President’s Council on the Arts and Humanities, 1999.
4. Students with band and orchestra experience attend college at a rate twice the national average.
– Bands Across the USA.
5. Music students out-perform non-music on achievement tests in reading and math. Skills such as reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration are developed in musical performance, and these skills are valuable to students in math, reading, and science.
– B. Friedman, “An Evaluation of the Achievement in Reading and Arithmetic of Pupils in Elementary
School Instrumental Music Classes,” Dissertation Abstracts International.
6. One in three of today’s school-aged children will hold an arts-related job at some time in his or her career.
– Education Commission on the States.
7. The College Board, in a publication about college admissions, states, “preparation in the arts will be valuable to college entrants whatever their intended field of study.”
– Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need To Know and Be Able To Do, The College
8. Music therapists working with Alzheimer’s patients have found that rhythmic interaction or listening to music resulted in decreased agitation, increased focus and concentration, enhanced ability to respond verbally and behaviorally, elimination of demented speech, improved ability to respond to questions, and better social interaction.
– Carol Prickett and Randall Moore, “The Use of Music to Aid Memory of Alzheimer’s Patients,” Journal
of Music Therapy, 1991.
9. Medical researchers have reported that subjects lowered bother their systolic and diastolic blood pressure as much as five points (mm/Hg) and reduced heart rates by four to five beats per minute following music listening sessions. People with high blood pressure can help keep their blood pressure down by listening to tapes of relaxing low frequency music in the morning and evening.
– Tony Wigram, “The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Low Frequency Sound and Music,” Music
Therapy Perspectives, 1995.
10. A 1997 Gallup Survey on Americans’ attitudes toward music revealed that 89% of respondents believe music helps a child’s overall development, and 93% believe that music is part of a well-rounded education.
– Americans’ Attitudes Toward Music, The Gallup Organization, 1997.


Communication access realtime translation (cart) is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be totally verbatim. The consumer should check with the moderator for any clarifications of the material.
This text-based course is a written transcript of the live event, "Literacy Development in Infants and Toddlers: Research Findings”, presented by Dr. Margot Kelman on January 5, 2012.
>> Amy Natho: I would like to welcome you to our first SpeechPathology.com e‑learning expert seminar for 2012 and it is titled, “Literacy Development in Infants and Toddlers: Research Findings” by Dr. Margot Kelman. My name is Amy Natho and I'll be your moderator for this online course. Margot Kelman, Ph.D. CCC‑SLP, is a speech‑language pathologist in private practice and clinical supervisor at Wichita State University. Her interests are in early childhood speech, language and literacy development. Dr. Kelman currently supervisors the Toddler Emergent Language and Literacy Playgroup at Wichita State University. So welcome, Margot. We're so happy to have you here with us today.
>> Margot Kelman: I'm delighted to be here today to talk to you about literacy development in infants and toddlers. I absolutely love this age group. They're just a wonderful group of young children that you can watch and see them exploring and learning. Today's presentation is an overview of research in the area of literacy development for children birth to 3 years of age - so this is part 1. Mainly it will just be talking about research findings and some information for you in that area. My next presentation is part 2 and that is scheduled for next week and that will focus on best practices for the SLP. That presentation will cover the practical application of incorporating literacy skills in your speech and language interventions. How many of you currently have infants and toddlers on your caseload? A few of you do. For those who are not working with infants and toddlers at the moment, how many of you see yourself working with the birth to 3 population in your future? Okay, a few of you. Lastly one more question. How many of you are parents of children that are either 3 years of age and younger or we can really say 5 years of age and younger? Okay.
Before I start, I want to begin with some facts about literacy and these are from the ASHA website.
Literacy problems in the United States have reached the point of being considered a major public health problem with serious health and educational consequences.
One out of every five of our nation's school children suffer from reading failures.
A majority of all poor readers have an early history of spoken language deficits. And, they have reported that 73% of children who are poor readers have had speech and language problems.
A child who is not a fluent reader by fourth grade is likely to struggle with reading into adulthood. So, poor reading and life skills have an impact.
75% of school dropouts report reading problems and at least half of adolescents and young adults with criminal records have reading difficulties.
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Margot Kelman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist in private practice and clinical supervisor at Wichita State University. Her interests are in early childhood speech, language, and literacy development. Dr. Kelman currently supervises the Toddler Emergent Language and Literacy Playgroup at Wichita State University.
There are no affiliations or financial interests in corporate organizations with commercial products related to this presentation.


Photo by The-Autism-Mom
Screening for depression during and after pregnancy is good for women, their babies, and their families, says a new opinion issued yesterday by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Clinical depression is the leading cause of disability in women in the United States. Between 14% and 23% of pregnant women experience symptoms of depression, and an estimated 5% and 25% of women (200,000 to over a million) will suffer from postpartum depression every year.
Depression is bad for you—and your kids. It can lead to preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. If it goes untreated, your depression can adversely affect your infant's cognitive, neurologic, and motor skill development, and your older children's mental health and behavior.
While most OB/Gyns don't currently conduct routine screenings for depression among their pregnant patients, the College strongly urges that they begin to do so.
Are you feeling depressed? Have you talked to your doctor about it?


Caroline Lucretia Herschel was a German astronomer who lived between 1750-1848. Caroline moved to England so she could get a music education. She ended up working with her brother, William Herschel, doing astronomy.
discovered three new nebulae and eight comets. She also wrote astronomy books.
Caroline Herschel lived a long time. She was 98 years old when she died.
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Elementary Education Methods I
Course Summary: The focus of this course is integrating literacy, Social Studies, and the arts. Students are exposed to practical approaches to creating literacy-rich environments in which children can grow and develop as listeners, speakers, readers, and writers. Students are provided with an overview of literacy development and with components of Responsive Classroom or social curriculum.
Skills developed in Methods I include writing objectives, writing lesson plans which are to be submitted to cooperating teachers, reading aloud to a whole class, managing transitions, researching background knowledge for lessons, beginning classroom management skills, and the development of a preprofessional attitude. Student assignments include reading aloud, a diversity-focused project (readaloud #2), a reading project, and a Social Studies and Arts Integration project.
Cooperating teachers are expected to complete mid-semester summative evaluations, dispositions and conferences with students and complete final evaluations and dispositions on Tk20.
Location and Hours
Rhodes Hall, S111.
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Contact Educator Preparation
To learn more about Educator Preparation Programs at Keene State College, please contact the Educator Preparation Office or the Department Chair for a particular program.
Educator Preparation Office
229 Main Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03435


(Last Updated on : 05/08/2011)
Education in India is amongst various other elements that have supported and helped the nation to achieve development. Indian education system is fascinating and it has gradually reached the present status with several other contributions. The history of education in India is equally enthralling. Historical Background of Indian Education includes the involvement of Vedas
, Puranas, Ayurveda
's Arthasahtra which has significantly contributed to the development of Education in Modern India. The present education system in India is also influenced by the spread of different religions such as Buddhism and Jainism as well as Bhakti and Sufi movements.
Education in modern India gained a whole new facet with the promotion of western education in India, which almost inevitably started with the coming of the British. The British employed the strategy of emotional and intellectual colonisation in India, to consolidate the political immigration. It was the affinity of the elite section of Indian society to English culture, ideology and education, which facilitated the British to psychologically harness the nation's outward mindset. The British wanted the malleable Indians to learn, speak and believe English and become shadows of Englishmen.
In the Charter of 1833, English was announced to be the official language in India. The advent of English education in British India was thus a reformation movement of the 19th century which provided opportunity for the women and people belonging to the lower castes for education. Thus, the British is credited for bringing a revolution in the Indian education system. The colonial period, from 1757 to 1947, were the period for the uprising for various scholars and reformists. The introduction of institutions, for Western education based learning, was introduced by the beginning of the early nineteenth century. Thus the education system involved the British curriculum and English as the medium of instruction.
India saw the rising of various government universities at Bombay (Mumbai
), Calcutta (Kolkata
) and Madras (Chennai
). Apart from the Indian Universities and Governmental colleges, several Non-Government and Private schools were also established by Western Christian missions, to provide opportunities for elementary education. Women education became prevalent with the advent of the British and different Women's colleges were founded and Female education in British India
flourished. Education in Modern India emerged gradually from the prevailing medieval period education. The curriculum in private girls' schools ranged from the Urdu, Persian, writing, arithmetic, needlework, and Islamic studies of Punjabi. Moreover English language became the medium of instruction because it was believed that English language would make Indians capable of receiving knowledge across international borders
Education in Modern India comprises of primary education, secondary education, senior secondary education and higher education. Elementary education consists of eight years of education, while secondary and senior secondary education consists of two years of education respectively. Higher education in India starts after passing the higher secondary education and Post graduation courses are generally of two to three years of duration. After gaining independence in 1947, India made a rule that education is made available to all.
Post-independence, with the further development of the nation, education system in India has also improved drastically. Numerous colleges and institutes have emerged all over the country to provide better educational opportunities to the students. Development of Education in India is one of the factors driving the nation towards further enhancement.


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Before we look at some of the most useful comprehension strategies, we must begin to acknowledge what exactly is meant by the term 'comprehension'. This is the ability to understand something, grasp what it is about, and be aware of the finer details relating to it. When applied to reading, comprehension is having an understanding of a given text, whilst being able to interpret and apply the deeper meaning of it. We look at five of the best approaches when it comes to supporting students in comprehending a book, play or poem.
Story Mapping - This technique is particularly popular with younger students who need precise instructions to understand their work. To help them better understand a story, they must fill in text boxes to answer given questions about it. Firstly, they may have to describe the main character and the setting of the book, and also the different pivotal events in the text. In most stories, there is a particular problem, and students may also be required to state what this was and how it was solved at the end.
By breaking down the story into key segments, pupils are able to grasp in greater depth the defining moments of the text, and then begin analyzing why things happened and what effect they had on subsequent events.
Read, then answer - Perhaps the most popular of all reading comprehension strategies is reading a short extract and then answering questions on it. The beauty of this strategy for improving reading comprehension is that it can be adapted for all age groups; by simply choosing more or less complex texts, you can address students across all grades.
- Intrigues Young Readers
- Experience Culture and Fun
- Age Appropriate Content
- Grade Leveled For Grades 6-9
True and False - In True and False, students are given a list of statements relating to the storyline of a book that they have read. From this list, they must identify which of the statements are true, and which aren't. This demands an understanding of the book's content, as in order to know what happened and what didn't, they have to think carefully about the text's themes.
You: the Author - In terms of reading comprehension strategies, playing the part of the author is one of the most exciting, hands-on exercises there is. Teachers must supply a chair and place it in the center of a large circle of students. By picking names out of a hat, numerous pupils will be called up one at a time to sit on the chair, and questioned as if they were the author of the book.
Pupils who are not on the chair have the job of asking questions about the book, such as: "What about Richard's personality made you choose him as the main character?" It's questions like this that help the students asking and the one answering, as both parties will have to think about how characters were portrayed in the story, and how different events unfolded.
Diary entries - After each chapter, students could be asked to write a diary entry on behalf of one of the characters about what has happened to them during that stage of the book. Through doing this, pupils will have to think more deeply about any major occurrences within a chapter, and will hopefully understand the text better as a result.


Sixteen years after the idea was first mooted, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has finally been notified, after receiving the assent of the President of India.
Article 21-A, as inserted by the Constitution (Eighty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2002, provides for free and compulsory education of allchildren in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right.
Consequently, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, has been enacted by the Parliament.
"This was a matter of national importance for UPA (United Progressive Alliance). This bill is just not about taking children to school. This is a bill that speaks about quality education, it speaks about the physical infrastructure, teacher-pupil ratio, qualification of teachers," Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal said.
The salient features of the Right of Education Bill are:
- Free and compulsory education to all children of India in the six to 14 age group.
- No child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until completion of elementary education.
- A child who completes elementary education (upto class 8) shall be awarded a certificate.
- Calls for a fixed student-teacher ratio.
- Will apply to all of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
- Provides for 25 percent reservation for economically disadvantaged communities in admission to Class One in all private schools.
- Mandates improvement in quality of education.
- School teachers will need adequate professional degree within five years or else will lose job.
- School infrastructure (where there is problem) to be improved in three years, else recognition cancelled.
- Financial burden will be shared between state and central government


Published in Inside - Volume X, No. 6
It's pretty widely recognized that teaching math to fourth graders is tough. Teaching math to fourth graders when you're deaf and they can hear-well, no one knows much about that, for the simple reason that, at TC at least, it's never been done before.
Until now. TC master's student Carolyn Woods, who was born deaf, is student teaching this semester in a fourth-grade class at P.S. 9 while working on her degree in Elementary Education. Last semester, as part of completing her master's degree in Deaf Education, Woods was a student teacher at St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn. When the semester ended, though, she surprised her advisors by announcing that she wanted to work with hearing students "like any other degree recipient." A colleague in the program referred her to Heidi Grasing, a teacher at P.S. 9 who is familiar with sign language and deaf culture. TC agreed to put two interpreters in Grasing's classroom to communicate with Woods in American sign language, and Woods was in business.
That was the easy part. About a week prior to her first day of student teaching, during Woods' orientation, Grasing surprised her by offering to introduce her to the students. "I said, ?OK,' but I was extremely nervous," Woods admits. She got it over it fast, as the kids immediately peppered her with questions. "Why can't you speak?" "How did you become deaf?" "Can your deafness be fixed?" "Do you have any friends?"
and "Are people ever mean to you?" The questions, she says, have never stopped. But the students have made her feel at home, too. Grasing had prepared them by teaching them to sign the alphabet. On that first day, one girl came up to Woods and signed, "Welcome to my class." "That made me feel connected," Woods says. She has been in the classroom since January 19, teaching math along with 10 minutes each day of American Sign Language. She has also been invited by another fourth grade teacher in the school to teach sign language to her students.
So far, the arrangement has been a success, though not without some challenges. "Sometimes kids are talking to each other, but I can't hear them. The interpreters let me know there is chatter," Woods says. "Another time, I passed out papers for the students to read aloud, but I didn't realize that some of the students pronounced the words wrong. The interpreter let me know so I could correct them." In spite of occasional loneliness because almost no one else in the school knows sign language, Woods is happy having made the choice to work with hearing children. "I remember growing up deaf, and in doing this, I thought I could be an ambassador from the deaf community to the hearing community," she explains. "The less people know, the more separate they are from each other; but the more they know, the more bridges can be built." But her main motivation is to be a role model for deaf children. "Most have very low self-esteem; they think they can't do anything," she says. "I want to share my experience and show them they can experience life in the hearing world."previous page


The Hanson Method is an innovative penmanship program which makes cursive writing easy to teach and learn. This method was developed and streamlined over a period of 14 years. It has proven to be efficient and highly effective for all students. It is the best way to teach and to learn cursive writing.
The Teacher's Manual contains 40 logically sequenced daily lessons that take only ten minutes each to complete. The letters of the alphabet are designed to ensure legibility and proper connection from one letter to the next. The Student Workbook contains practice pages for both classwork and homework. In just 8 short weeks, students will be able to write legibly.
Give students the vital lifelong cursive writing skills they need. Order The Teacher's Manual and The Student Workbook—Cursive Fluency Now! I look forward to being of service and helping preserve the art and skill of cursive penmanship.
Sincerely, Ms. Hanson
Former Consultant U. S. Department of Education, Author, Creator of The Hanson Method, B. A. Elementary Education, M. A. School Administration, Educator.
Teacher's Manual $21.95 • Student Workbook $23.95. For large quantities, email or call to request discounted shipping cost. Hanson@CursiveFluency.com • (323) 333-1756
What is cursive?
Cursive is the joining together of the printed letters. It sounds simple, but without The Hanson Method it can become very complicated and challenging for most students. There is a best way to teach and learn cursive—The Hanson Method!
Why learn to write cursive?
A person can be identified by their writing. One’s signature on a document is legally binding. Writing in cursive is faster than printing. Writing personal cards and letters is a pleasure, a symbol of an educated person, and with cursive comes a sense of etiquette.
Why learn to read cursive?
Valuable cultural resources and historical documents such as the United States Preamble, Constitution, Gettysburg Address and many other valuable historical documents are written in cursive. With the disappearance of cursive writing skills, who in the future will be able to read our country's most historic documents in their original form? What will become of historical letters, and documents like private communications from historic leaders? writings of great public importance?
Also wills and land deeds are recorded and filed in our public records offices throughout America; millions have been written in cursive. Many of those records will remain legally significant for a very long time. Additionally, many towns, villages, and counties maintain record books of public meetings, and public business over the decades and centuries, all written in cursive. Who will keep, maintain, and interpret those irreplaceable records?
Experienced Teachers Say:
• These books make learning cursive fun! • Now all of my students love penmanship!
• Each daily lesson makes so much sense! • It's thorough, effective, simple, and fun! • It is a revolutionary handwriting system! • I wish my son's teacher had these books!


Personal Perspectives on CONSTRUCTIVISM in a High School Art Class
Hesser, James Francis, Art Education
I decided to be a high school art teacher when I realized the importance artmaking had for me as a teenager and the key role it played in my development as an individual. I have always hoped my teaching would help students discover the value and power of artmaking so they could put it to use in their lives. Recently I gave my students a survey about a painting unit we had just completed. Reflecting on the unit, one student, Renaissance,2 wrote, "I was . . . able to discover what kind of artist I am." Another student wrote, "I know what I want to do from the project and that is to go to an art school and become something using art ..." Normally these comments would have aroused my interest, lifted my spirits, and even renewed my faith in my profession; but I was especially intrigued, since this unit was the crux of a qualitative case study I was conducting on constructivist learning. Each year, before students leave, I make a point to get their feedback on their experiences in my classes. The previous year, several comments on end-of-the-year surveys revealed that students did not feel they had enough opportunity to "draw what [they] wanted." These responses made me rethink my classroom. Students seemed to prefer the projects that gave them the most creative control. So, why not give it to them? My research explored what happened when I did.
The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the power of shared responsibility in the secondary art classroom. While the conceptual framework I used is grounded in constructivism, readers may also find intersections with other instructional approaches, especially those that value student- centered learning over academic or quantitative political agendas.
History, Theory, and Practice of Constructivism
Educational theorists have argued for developing intrinsically engaging, socially relevant curricula for over a century. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, John Dewey and the progressivists gained public acceptance for the idea that students were capable of more than just receiving, storing, and reciting information. Further, Dewey helped reform American education under the premise that students learn best when engaged in activities that reflect their interests and experiences (Foote, Vermette, 8c Battaglia, 2001; Marlowe 8c Page, 2005).
Cognitive psychologists such as Piaget and Vygotsky developed learning theories that support Dewey's philosophical premise. Piaget clarified the need for context in learning, theorizing that learning follows cognitive development and is based on experience that challenges concepts understood from prior experience (Foote, et al., 2001; Marlowe & Page, 2005; Piaget 8c Inhelder, 1966/2000). Like Piaget, Vygotsky (1978) linked learning to challenging prior experience, but believed that learning drives, rather than follows, cognitive development. Vygotsky also added a key ingrethent to the mix: social interaction. Vygotsky described learning as a social process in which knowledge is constructed through interaction with a knowledgeable mentor and one's peers. These ideas form the foundation of social constructivism.3
Constructivism bears many similarities to holism and critical pedagogy. All three educational orientations strive for greater student ownership of the learning process. Peter London (2006) and the holists use more esoteric language in their emphasis on teachers framing open-ended problems that "spiritually" or "artfully" engage students' bodies, minds, and spirits. Yet, nearly identical ambitions are part of the more utilitarian writing of Vygotsky and the constructivists. Critical education has roots in constructivism but places greater emphasis on socio-political power dynamics (Shor, 1999). A shared focus on practices that are relevant to students' lives, invite student participation, assure student control of the learning process, and promote facilitators rather than teachers underlines similarities creating a nearsymmetry among the theories. …


Thursday, November 28, 2013
From Education Spotlight:
New research suggests that the complexity involved in practicing and performing music may help students’ cognitive development. Studies released last month at the Society for Neuroscience meeting here find that music training may increase the neural connections in regions of the brain associated with creativity, decisionmaking, and complex memory, and they may improve a student’s ability to process conflicting information from many senses at once. Research also found that starting music education early can be even more helpful.
Interesting. My dentist tells me that dentists have an innate appreciation and understanding of music. Given the complexity of legal analysis and legal practice, I would think that lawyers also share this quality.
You can read more here.


Today I’d love to chat about perhaps one of the most controversial topics in art education. The teacher sample.
Before I tell you which side of the fence I fall on, let’s dig a little deeper into the heart of the issue. Proponents of teacher samples believe that it is important for students to see a finished example so that they have a big picture idea of where the project is headed. They view the sample as a visual resource for students. Teachers that object to samples believe that it stifles students’ creativity. All of the student work ends up looking like the teacher’s. Opponents of teacher samples also feel that a sample done by a teacher provides an unrealistic standard to live up to, causing frustration for students that can’t make their work look “right.”
With all of the good reasons for NOT providing a teacher sample, you may be surprised to find that I fall into the other camp. I like providing a teacher sample. Here is my reasoning.
I feel like my teacher sample serves a few important purposes:
1. Making a teacher sample allows me to work out any kinks in the lesson before I begin it with students. It’s difficult to teach something you haven’t tried yourself.
2. I mentioned the second reason I like using a teacher sample above; a finished sample lets students see the big picture before they begin. I feel like this is especially important when students are starting a project that will last for several weeks.
3. I believe that it is important for students to see me not only as a teacher but also as an artist. On my whiteboard, I have a space for each grade level where I hang my teacher samples for all current lessons. When students enter the room, they can quickly glance at the board to see what we are working on that day. They also love to see and ask about what other grade levels are working on, which makes them excited about projects they will get to do as they get older.
One final reason that I like to use teacher samples is that it has brought about some great discussions dealing with creativity and ability with my students. Since I often present students with historical and contemporary artwork during lessons, they are now used to viewing artwork as a resource rather than as something to copy. That is true whether they are looking at a Picasso, a teacher sample, or an example of another students’ work. In addition, the question, “Mrs. Heyn, how are you so good at art?” opens up a great discussion about dedication and practice.
So, I’d love to know.
Which side of the fence do you fall on?
Teacher sample or no teacher sample? Let’s talk!


Contact: Science Press Package
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Do you know your own strength?
"You hit me harder!"
"No, you did!"
Scientists have found that when someone hits back, they are using more force than they think they are.
Click here for a high resolution photograph.
When two kids get in trouble for fighting, both of them often claim that the other hit them harder. It sounds like a lame excuse, but both kids might actually be telling what they think is the truth. A new study suggests that when people hit back, they're using more force than they think they are.
A team of scientists led by Daniel Wolpert of University College London wanted to know why physical fights tend to get more violent as they go on. They asked pairs of volunteers to take turns pressing each other's fingers, both using the same amount of force. Although they didn't realize it, the volunteers actually pushed back with more force than they received. By the end, both volunteers were using much more pressure than they had at the beginning, just like people tend to do when they fight. The researchers describe their study in the July 11, 2003 issue of the journal Science, published by AAAS, the science society.
A possible explanation may be that the brain pays less attention than normal to the body's own movement. This may help the brain stay alert to sensations caused by other people or objects. The brain's ability to focus like this may have evolved because it helped our ancestors protect themselves.
Back to Science for kids
Science is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.


How it can be used for bottom portion of chart:
Reading 3D is a reading record on a handheld palm available from Wireless Generation.† The instrument balances the assessment of foundational skills with Text, Reading and Comprehension (TRC) diagnostics, giving a complete picture of a studentís reading development.† Teachers administer the TRC to collect a variety of reading and comprehension information.† The assessment involves a child reading a passage from a leveled reader to combine quick indications of early skill development with deep observations of studentsí interactions with authentic texts.† Reading 3D is intended to be used for grades K-5.† The assessment can be used for both determining benchmarks and for progress monitoring.† A series of charts are provided from the assessments to provide data for grouping and to aid in instructional decision making.
Home Connection is an add-on module that supports educatorsí efforts to encourage parent involvement in their childrenís education.† The home connection piece enables parents to:
∑ be aware of the schoolís assessment schedule,
∑ quickly reference the latest benchmark scores with graphical depictions,
∑ understand assessment measures with clear, understandable terms, and to
∑ understand specific details about a childís strengths and weaknesses.


How do children develop fine motor skills? Children’s development is influenced by their physical capabilities, environment and the demands of the activity in which they’re engaging. Children’s ability to grasp objects develops gradually over the first five years of life from grabbing a toy with their whole hand to being able to hold a pencil between several fingers and write the letters of the alphabet. Over this period of time, children’s fingers increase in length, their hands increase in breadth and they move from using all fingers to grab a toy to picking up small pieces with just two fingers. By 2½, children can have a strong desire to put things together and take them apart. They become increasingly able to do quite complex finger plays like Five Little Ducks. These games not only provide opportunities for fine motor skill development, but other learning as well!


Lillian C. Compton was born in 1884, one of 12 children of Peter V. and Permelia (Catlett) Compton. She attended school in Frederick and before her school graduation she scored so well on Maryland State Normal School examinations that she was admitted to the teaching school without a high school diploma.
In 1904, after graduating from the three-year State Normal School program, she began her teaching career in Allegany County and joined Grace United Methodist Church. In 1916, she entered West Virginia University and earned an A.B. degree. After her graduation, she became Superintendent of Schools in Sutton, W.V., and two years later, she accepted the position of Supervisor of Elementary Education in Allegany County. She was the first woman to hold this position on a county-wide basis.
She continued her education and earned a Master's degree. Later, she taught classes at Columbia University, Fairmont State, Johns Hopkins University and Louisiana State University.
On February 1, 1945, Lillian C. Compton took over as President of the State Teachers College at Frostburg. Her mission as President was to prepare the College for its closing. Enrollment stood at a mere sixty-two students. With outdated facilities and inadequate funding, the College was only accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education. As early as 1943, a movement to close the institution had arisen in the State Legislature, which eventually culminated in the Marbury Report. But the end of World War II brought a drastic change in the College environment. In 1946, enrollment increased to 274 students, many being admitted under the new GI Bill. Though the movement to close the College persisted, it seemed misguided to those on the scene and was roundly opposed by both private citizens and civic groups in Frostburg and Western Maryland. With the strong support of State Superintendent of Schools Thomas Pullen, Jr., and Governor William Preston Jr., the General Assembly was petitioned to keep the School open and the Marbury Commission's recommendations died without ever being acted upon.
Under Compton's leadership, enrollment grew from 62 in 1945 to 500 in 1954, the faculty increased from 13 to 34 members, and the size of the campus increased from eight to 40 acres of land. In addition to plant expansion, she initiated programs in curriculum development, adding a program to train junior high school teachers. She introduced the Nurses' Training Program in conjunction with Memorial Hospital in Cumberland. The college received accreditation form the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary School's and from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. The physical plant grew by the addition of Garrett Hall and Lowndes Hall which housed both the library and administrative offices. Even more impressive was the completion of a new auditorium/gymnasium to house music and physical education programs. The latter building was named for Compton upon her mandatory retirement on her seventieth birthday, December 12, 1954.
The University of Maryland presented Compton with an honorary degree, and on May 27, 1973, Frostburg State College awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. During the ceremony, the President of Frostburg called Miss Compton a "fore-runner" of today's women's liberation movement but then he added, "except that you couldn't be called a liberated woman because I can see that you were never enslaved. Simply and forthrightly, with a determination and honesty which would intimidate the hardest politicians, you told it like it was, and you were not easily ignored."
Savior and builder of a college, outstanding practicing Christian and "devoted United Methodist laywoman," Lillian Compton had a long,
full life of service that touched and influenced many lives in Maryland. She died on August 1, 1973, after a long illness.


Submission to the National Curriculum Board
Australian School Library Association response to The shape of the national curriculum: A proposal for discussion.
The Australian School Library Association Inc. (ASLA) appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback to the development of the national curriculum.
Our association acknowledges the need to develop ‘a continuum of learning in literacy and numeracy skills, ranging from basic competencies in the early years through to the advancement of extension of these skills in the middle and later years of schooling’ (p. 6).
Concerns that ASLA has is the limiting scope that ‘the foundations of literacy will be built primarily in English’ (p. 6) and ‘literacy will be broadened to include communications skills’ (p.9).
A common position is that literacy relates to the development of reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing skills. These skills are essential for every learner.
Another area of concern is the assumption that information and communication (ICT) competence equates to ‘the ability to evaluate the source, reliability, accuracy and validity of information’ (p. 9). These competencies should be considered under information literacy. ‘To be information literate an individual must recognise when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information’ (American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, 1989). ASLA’s policy statement for information literacy can be found at Information literacy
ASLA has consistently promoted a learning matrix for student learning that includes literacy, information literacy and information & communication technologies (ICT) literacy. This matrix is based on a developmental and sequential approach (a continuum of learning) to skills acquisition from early childhood through to senior secondary with a cross curriculum focus. ASLA’s learning matrix is based on common language as sourced from the eight curriculum profiles for Australian schools documents published in 1994 by the Curriculum Corporation. Teacher librarians throughout Australian schools provide school library programs that utilise the learning matrix to assist students to develop information literacy and fluency and a level of proficiency in ICT skills.
The reference to ‘annotated student work samples ... to illustrate the differences in quality of student work’ is of significant relevance to the work of ASLA and teacher librarians. ASLA’s learning matrix was a key component in the production of a professional development CD-ROM, Teaching information skills, in 1997. The CD-ROM presents 12 case studies of classroom activity in the development of information skills for students from lower primary to upper secondary. Annotated student work samples provide evidence of a student’s competency in the content area and the process of learning.*
As an association, representing teacher librarians, we would encourage the National Curriculum Board to take a strong stand on the inclusion of information literacy as a viable and visible component in the development of the national curriculum for Australia.
Submitted: 17 December 2008
*Note: A copy of the CD-ROM, Teaching information skills, was sent to the National Curriculum Board.
Last updated: 2/3/2014 10:33:55 PM


The Florida Music Train
The American Folklore Society awarded its 2003 Dorothy Howard Prize to the Department of State, Florida Folklife Program and author Laurie K. Sommers for The Florida Music Train. The Florida Music Train provides educators with an entertaining and engaging program that brings Florida's musical heritage and traditions alive in the classroom. The Dorothy Howard Prize honors individuals and organizations whose work effectively encourages K-12 educators or students to use or study folklore and folkloristic approaches in all educational environments. Such works include curriculum materials, publications, audio and video recordings, multimedia publications, and exhibits.
Created by folklorist/ethnomusicologist Laurie K. Sommers and the Florida Folklife Program, with administrative assistance from the Florida Folklore Society, The Florida Music Train explores Florida's rich musical traditions from Pensacola to Key West. This educational module includes an audio CD of 23 archival, field, and studio recordings of Florida's traditional music; five lesson plans; a poster; and background information about the artists and musical traditions represented in the unit. Designed for use in elementary and secondary classrooms, the resource integrates music education with curricula in language arts, music, and social studies. Correlations to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards provided.
For inquiries about obtaining a copy of the Florida Music Train, please contact email@example.com or call 800.847.7278.
Florida Music Train: Table of Contents
- The Florida Music Train: Introduction to Unit
- About Folk Music: A Guide for Teachers
- Florida Sunshine State Standards
- Lesson Plan #1: All Aboard: An Introduction to Folk Music
- Lesson Plan #2: I Want to Go Back to Georgia (music brought by early Anglo-American settlers)
- Lesson Plan #3: Rolling and Tumbling (African American blues)
- Lesson Plan #4: Seminole Songs
- Lesson Plan #5: Our Day is Coming (Cuban American music)
- Notes to Musical Selections
- Extensions for Music Selections
- Florida Migration Timeline
- Migration to Florida
- Map of Racial and Ethnic Groups
- Map of Language Distribution in Florida


SPONSORED BY: Britannica Digital Learning and School Library Journal
EVENT DATE AND TIME: Monday, May 6, 2013, 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET/12:00 - 1:00 PM PT
School librarians play a key role in ensuring that students have the tools and knowledge to succeed. Now, in light of the Common Core's increased emphasis on college, career, and world readiness, is your school library equipped with the right next-generation digital resources for mastering 21st century skills? What criteria should librarians use to evaluate the digital resources available to students? And how can you best coach students to look at the resources they encounter online with the same discerning eye?
Using examples from Britannica Digital Learning's exciting portfolio of digital solutions, this webinar will illustrate valuable criteria that school librarians can apply when evaluating online resources to support digital literacy development. Participants also will learn a new approach, using a third-party rubric, for guiding students through the objective assessment of resources they find when reading or researching online.
Sara Torpey-Curriculum Specialist, Britannica Digital Learning
Wendy Stephens - Librarian, Cullman High School, Cullman, AL
Daryl Grabarek- Libriarian, PS 89/IS 289, New York, NY
Editor, Curriculum Connections, School Library Journal
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The NY Times reported yesterday on another study that supports the enormous value of early music lessons. This time it was a Northwestern University study that looked at brain waves of college students. Those that had been exposed to music and music lessons at at early age showed “more robust responses — their brains were better able to pick out essential elements, like pitch, in the complex sounds when they were tested. And this was true even if the lessons had ended years ago.” Reading skills were especially improved by early music study. “There’s a fascination — and even a certain heady delight — in learning what the brain can do, and in drawing out the many effects of the combination of stimulation, application, practice and auditory exercise that musical education provides.”
In order to make this music education possible it takes a entire system of parents, teachers and musicians. Here in San Antonio, we are fortunate to have active music performance programs in our schools (Disclaimer: my wife is a middle school orchestra teacher in NEISD. She has also taught in SAISD.) Many cities have eliminated most of their elementary and middle school music programs. We also have groups like YOSA and The Children’s Chorus of San Antonio that take music students to a more advanced level.
But, the great thing about music education is the students eventually have to teach themselves. It is called practicing. It is in the time spent alone with your instrument that you develop self-discipline and critical listening skills.
In order to get this opportunity, you first need to be exposed to music. I got involved in a very typical way:
1) My parents signed me up for music lessons before I was in first grade.
2) In school, touring groups (I especially remember loving the US Army Band in elementary school) came to my school and played concerts.
3) I was in chorus and band in school.
4) And, finally but most importantly, I had a few FABULOUS and inspiring private teachers.
The San Antonio Symphony and its musicians play an important part in supporting our school music programs. Our Young People’s Concerts for third, fourth and fifth graders are often a child’s first exposure to live music. Many of our musicians teach private lessons to young children. They also teach at all our local colleges and universities.
The hardest part is to start. It takes a lot of patience by parents to keep young kids on track. They don’t like to practice at first. But, kids love to improve and learn. With the right school programs and the right private teacher, any child can make quick improvement on a musical instrument they love. When a child feels like they are making progress, they will continue to learn.
This isn’t easy on parents. Most are so busy just keeping ahead of work and other parenting duties. It takes a real commitment to find the time to take your kids to that concert or school program or the weekly private lesson. But, the rewards will last a lifetime.
For more blogs by Jack Fishman visit: www.sasymphony.org/blog


Kokotsaki, D. and Hallam, S. (2007) 'Higher education music students' perceptions of the benefits of participative music making.', Music education research., 9 (1). pp. 93-109.
This study aimed to assess the perceived impact of music students' active engagement in music making. Seventy-eight music students were asked to report on the impact that their participation in music making had on their lives. The data were analysed using Atlas.ti software. The findings fell within three categories: music making as a musical act, which allowed participants to deepen their musical knowledge and understanding; music making as a social act, where students felt that they were active contributors to a group outcome, developed a strong sense of belonging, gained popularity and made friends with 'like-minded' people, enhancing their social skills, and building up a strong sense of self-esteem and satisfaction; and music making influencing the self in terms of personal skill development facilitating the students' personal identity and encouraging the development of self-achievement, self-confidence and intrinsic motivation.
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|Publisher Web site:||http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14613800601127577|
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Building Reading Confidence, by Maryann Manning
What can you do to build and protect your students' confidence in their reading abilities?
K-8 students have been saying to me, "I don't read fast enough," "I'm not reading books at a high enough level" and "The stopwatch goes off before I finish reading." All of these comments tell me these students aren't feeling confident about themselves as readers.
Under the gun
Recently, I was assessing the reading of a six-year-old boy who began to cry. He blurted out, "I hate reading. I can't do it and the other kids laugh at me because I say words slow. I'm stupid!" When I told the boy and his parents that he was normal in his literacy development for his age, that wasn't enough to erase months of receiving verbal and nonverbal messages because he wasn't benchmarking on mandated tests. The boy was phonemically aware because he could divide multisyllabic words into the smallest phonemes; he knew a lot about phonics because he could write words in invented spelling that could be read, and he knew many sight words.
I'm sure he was slow responding during the timed tests and that he didn't know how to sound out nonsense words because he was looking for real words. In addition to his total lack of confidence and his rightful distaste of reading, he skipped over every word or phrase he didn't know and went on to a word he knew. When I asked him why he just skipped words and didn't attempt a guess, he said, "Because the teacher says that I can get more words right on the test if I skip the words that I don't know." When the family left my office, I was sad for the child, the parents and the teacher who was under the gun to have her students benchmark.
The importance of confidence as a necessary psychological condition in the reading process began haunting me. I can't remember ever not feeling confident in my ability to read. My grandmother had been a teacher and I was the first grandchild who lived nearby, so she and my mother spent a lot of time reading to me. I distinctly remember filling a cigar box with words I recognized and cut out of the newspaper.
I also don't remember ever being ridiculed by anyone about my reading ability. Thankfully, throughout my schooling I was never told my reading level or how many words a minute I could read. I never saw a stopwatch used by a classroom teacher. Yes, I'm lucky because I went to school before high stakes testing, so a fear of testing eluded me during elementary school. Back then, I couldn't have identified with parents and teachers telling me about children who have begun stuttering or twitching and those who vomit before and during school when testing is happening.
All the commercials on television about building and protecting one's financial nest egg has reminded me of our responsibility to build and protect the confidence of our students. I like to think of confidence as a balloon that either becomes bigger and bigger or loses air.
Maryann Manning is on the faculty of the School of Education, the University of Alabama at Birmingham.


The Collaborative Center for Literacy Development (CCLD) provides high quality professional development for educators in grades K-5. The focus of this professional development is comprehensive literacy instruction that reflects research-based best practices. Collaborating with the eight public universities and the National Center for Family Learning, CCLD’s goal is to improve student achievement in literacy. CCLD also conducts research to determine the effectiveness of the professional development and the impact it has on student achievement.
Kentucky Reading Project is a professional development initiative for Kentucky public school elementary (P-5) teachers. It is designed to improve student achievement and emphasize family engagement in literacy.
Reading Recovery, researched and developed by Dr. Marie Clay, provides a supplementary model of instruction for children who are at-risk in their second year of primary (first grade).


Enjoy an artful departure from spring fever through creative art lessons.
Created in 1961, Youth Art Month is an annual commemoration of the intrinsic and extrinsic value of art education for all learners. Art is medium of expression, creativity, and joy, allowing children the chance to delve into critical thinking and problem solving in less traditional ways. This month provides the opportunity to develop and share meaningful art adventures with people of all ages.
Inspiring Young Artists
Young artists are often eager to join in any art opportunity and share their process and products exuberantly. As time goes on, not everyone shares the same level of comfort. I have found that a number of inspiring books or lead-in activities help to kick start the creative energy of the class.
- Visualizations with watercolors: Have your class close their eyes and imagine a time they were happy. Give them time to hone in on the moment and hold it in their memory. Next, using only primary watercolors, have them paint the feeling. Their work may be abstract or representational.
- Selecting a muse or point of inspiration: During different class periods, I have offered the opportunity to select a piece of inspiration from photos, a school garden walk, music, poems, movies, etc.
The Dot and Ish by Peter Reynolds, or The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paulo, share insight into claiming your own artistic power.
Drawing from personally relevant and intriguing points of inspiration gives young artists the chance to simultaneously build confidence and skill. This is important in allowing for freedom of expression while maintaining structure to foster development of foundational skills and techniques.
Spread the Word; Get Involved with Art Month Projects
Youth Art Month is a fantastic time to reflect on current arts integration and implementation in schools. It provides a time each year for school stakeholders (teachers, parents, students, and all learning community members) to support and advocate for the arts.
- Contributions to school: Classrooms can each take on a special project or school beautification effort. Some ideas include painting benches, designing murals, creating mosaic stones for the school garden, or designing decorative signs for areas of the school.
- Classroom decoration and design: My classes have always delighted in actively participating in decorating their environment. Some of our favorite projects include window clings, interactive bulletin boards using elements of design, and repurposed crayon activities.
Art projects: These are a wonderful way to build home-to-school connections. It allows for connection to the curriculum while feeding the left-brains of the whole family.
- Community involvement: This can be fostered through a number of possible outreach events and activities. This includes, but is not limited to art contests, student art display in local libraries and museums, sponsored assemblies or forums on art, sidewalk chalk displays, and arts and crafts workshops for families.
More Art Month Lessons:
Art On the Go
Creative art kits provide the chance to explore a featured artist and create memories with art. This step-by-step guide walks through the process for creating, organizing, introducing, and dispersing art kits in the classroom. Kits can be modified to meet specific needs and topical interests.
Grab Bag Art
Using precise measurements of the provided grab bag materials, young artists design, record, and share a personalized art project. Through creative problem solving and critical thinking, each group is sure to each come to a unique end result.
Stained Glass for Your Class
After a brief history of stained glass, young artisans delve into the creation of their own piece of stained glass using acetate. The directions make this project easy to set up, direct, and complete with all ages.


Viewpoint Effects of Motor Skill Instruction on Fundamental Motor Skill Development
The influence of a 9-week instructional program on locomotor and object control skill development of preschoolers who are at risk of developmental delay was investigated. The motor skill instruction group (n = 33) received 18, 35-min lessons; the comparison group (n = 30) received the regular prekindergarten program. Pre and posttest scores on the locomotor and object control subscales of the Test of Gross Motor Development (Ulrich, 1985) were obtained. A Group by Gender MANOVA with repeated measures yielded a significant Group by Time interaction. The intervention group performed significantly better than the comparison group from pre to posttest for both locomotor and object control skills. Additionally, this group had significantly higher posttest scores than the comparison group.


Essential Learning Outcomes for the 21st Century
The challenges of the new global century call for college graduates with essential critical and intellectual skills, a broad base of knowledge of the world, an active sense of personal and social responsibility, and the ability to integrate and apply knowledge to real-world problems. These are time-honored outcomes of progressive education that are more critical than ever for meeting projected workforce demands, and for contributing effectively to your local community and our globally interconnected, diverse, and complex world of constant change and innovation.
The BA in Liberal Studies curriculum and courses cultivate these values, with academics that focus on the following program learning objectives:
- Critical and analytical thinking ability
- The ability to understand issues from multiple perspectives
- The ability to connect learning to lived experience
- Social awareness, community engagement, and global citizenship
- Core competency in foundational skills, including writing, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, technological literacy, oral communication, and research


After a busy day, dinner, and getting the kids to bed, heaven forbid if sifting through a stack of parenting studies isn’t the first way you choose to unwind!
Still it’s a shame to miss out on what science can tell us about raising happy learners. In the interest of your sanity, we’ve gathered eight extraordinary, somewhat counterintuitive findings about fostering children’s success. Try them and report back to us — we’d love to know how they worked for you!
Praise the work, not the wit
Not all positive reinforcement is, well, positive. Numerous studies have shown that children who are praised for their work ethic are better at solving critical thinking problems than those praised for ability. Those praised for effort were almost three times as likely to focus on learning rather than “looking smart.”
Minimize your unexcused absences
Research has shown that you should make the extra effort to be physically present in your child’s classroom. In fact, attending class meetings and volunteering at school better predicts literacy development than your family’s income.
Use the TV to channel critical thinking
Let’s face it — prying our kids away from the TV is no small feat. New research shows that we might be better off using this habit to facilitate learning. Try muting the commercials and asking your child simple questions while she watches TV. What just happened? What do you think about that? These questions teach children to be effective critical thinkers and communicators.
Fear not the $5 word
Many parents assume they should use simple words with kids to avoid confusion. But new research suggests we may be wildly underestimating their brainpower. Children whose parents used complex language were found to have significantly higher IQ’s (a formidable 40 points) than children whose parents did not — suggesting that young brains become wired early for complex thought.
Soothe the soul with nature
According to research, communing with nature isn’t just a nice recreational activity. Natural settings increase a sense of self-worth and decrease stress — two important factors in priming the mind to learn. One study has even shown that natural settings can help relieve symptoms of AD/HD. When children with AD/HD participated in the same activities both inside and outside, those in the outdoor settings experienced fewer symptoms. (Learn more about nature deficit disorder, and why it’s important for all kids to spend time out of doors.)
Behind every smart child is a collection of good books
While reading to children is crucial, don’t underestimate the importance of simply giving your kid access to a lot of books. Studies have found that a child raised in a book-friendly environment — with at least 50 children’s books in the home — scores five percentile points higher in math and reading than kids with less access to good reads.
Attend to the body and wake up the mind
The body-brain connection is far from fully understood, but research suggests that children’s learning abilities are inextricably tied to physical vitality. When 33 schools in Ontario, Canada, participated in a program called Living School aimed at increasing student’s physical activity by about 20 minutes a day and improving nutrition, some schools bellyached about lost class time. But in the end, participating school showed enormous improvement. Overall scores climbed 18% in just two years. Third-grade reading scores alone shot up by 50%. Ontario’s education experiment suggests that sometimes basketball practice facilitates learning as much if not more than another after-school tutoring session.
Child labor with a higher purpose
According to new research, children of all ages who perform household chores gain valuable skills, which they can apply to school learning. In one study, children as young as two years old who performed household chores like matching socks or wiping up kitchen spills ended up having more-successful educational experiences and careers.
Have any experience applying these or other tips? Share them in the comments below.


It seems that NZ never adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but instead passed its own law, the Human Rights Act 1993, which does not create a ‘human right’ to homeschool. Now I need to look into this more.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
- Home schooling is possible for those who prefer it, on the condition that the standard of education is similar to that available in a registered school.
- The Correspondence School provides education for students who are unable to attend a school because of, for example, location, illness, disability or exclusion.
Non-compulsory education sector
Early childhood education (ECE) services include childcare centres, home-based services, kindergartens, kohanga reo, Pacific language nests, Deaf nests, playcentres, playgroups, distance early childhood education, and support and development programmes for parents.
From the Smiths:
Updated 23 September 2012: Life for Those Left Behind (Craig Smith’s Health) page 6 click here
Needing help for your home schooling journey:
Here are a couple of links to get you started home schooling:
This link is motivational:
Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill


Most instrumental musicians work closely with a variety of other people, including their colleagues, agents, employers, sponsors, and audiences. Although they usually work indoors, some perform outdoors for parades, concerts, and dances.
Musicians, singers, and related workers play musical instruments, sing, compose, arrange, or conduct. They may perform alone or as part of a group, before live audiences or in recording studios, television, radio, or movie productions. Although many entertainers play for live audiences, some prepare music exclusively for studios or computers. Regardless of the setting, musicians, singers, and related workers spend considerable time practicing, alone and with their band, orchestra, or other musical group.
Many colleges, universities, and music conservatories grant bachelor’s degrees or higher in music. A master’s or doctoral degree is usually required to teach advanced music courses in colleges and universities; a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient to teach basic courses. A degree in music education qualifies graduates for a state certificate to teach music in an elementary or secondary school.
Colleges and universities offer opportunities for students to become involved on campus while gaining experience in their fields and making connections that they might need after receiving their degrees. In addition to musical productions and concerts, international music fraternities such as Mu Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Iota offer both professional and social rewards to its members.
Internships are also an important part of the undergraduate experience. It is crucial to meet other people in the music industry and gain experience before graduation.
Musicians, singers, and related workers are employed in a variety of settings. Musicians often specialize in a particular kind of music or performance. Instrumental musicians, for example, play a musical instrument in an orchestra, band, rock group, or jazz group. Singers interpret music using their knowledge of voice production, melody, and harmony; they sing character parts or perform in their own individual style.
Composers create original music such as symphonies, operas, sonatas, or popular songs; they transcribe ideas into musical notation using harmony, rhythm, melody, and tonal structure. Arrangers transcribe and adapt musical composition to a particular style for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individuals. Conductors lead instrumental music groups, such as orchestras, dance bands, and various popular ensembles.


What Educators and Administrators Need to Know
Implementation of the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards (MCCRS) marked a change in instructional practice for educators across the state. The standards require teaching to a greater depth on a fewer number of topics in each grade. Specifically, students are required to master more critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Understanding this transformational shift in public education in Mississippi, teachers and school and district leaders have received comprehensive training on implementation of the standards to develop a deep understanding of what they require. The MDE will continue to provide training and information on resources to assist with the effective implementation of the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards.
Elementary Education and Reading / Secondary Education


|Nicaragua Table of Contents
When the Sandinistas came to power in 1979, they inherited an educational system that was one of the poorest in Latin America. Under the Somozas, limited spending on education and generalized poverty, which forced many adolescents into the labor market, constricted educational opportunities for Nicaraguans. In the late 1970s, only 65 percent of primary school-age children were enrolled in school, and of those who entered first grade only 22 percent completed the full six years of the primary school curriculum. Most rural schools offered only one or two years of schooling, and three-quarters of the rural population was illiterate. Few students enrolled in secondary school, in part because most secondary institutions were private and too expensive for the average family. By these standards, the 8 percent of the college-age population enrolled in Nicaraguan universities seemed relatively high. Less surprising was that upper-class families typically sent their children abroad for higher education.
By 1984 the Sandinista government had approximately doubled the proportion of GNP spent on preuniversity education, the number of primary and secondary school teachers, the number of schools, and the total number of students enrolled at all levels of the education system. A 1980 literacy campaign, using secondary school students as volunteer teachers, reduced the illiteracy rate from 50 percent to 23 percent of the total population. (The latter figure exceeds the rate of 13 percent claimed by the literacy campaign, which did not count adults whom the government classified as learning impaired or otherwise unteachable.) In part to consolidate the gains of the literacy campaign, the Ministry of Education set up a system of informal self-education groups known as Popular Education Cooperatives. Using materials and pedagogical advice provided by the ministry, residents of poor communities met in the evenings to develop basic reading and mathematical skills. Although designed for adults, these self-education groups also served children who worked by day or could not find a place in overcrowded schools.
At the college level, enrollment jumped from 11,142 students in 1978 to 38,570 in 1985. The Sandinistas also reshaped the system of higher education: reordering curricular priorities, closing down redundant institutions and programs and establishing new ones, and increasing lower-class access to higher education. Influenced by Cuban models, the new curricula were oriented toward development needs. Agriculture, medicine, education, and technology grew at the expense of law, the humanities, and the social sciences.
One of the hallmarks of Sandinista education (and favored target of anti-Sandinista criticism) was the ideological orientation of the curriculum. The stated goal of instruction was the development of a "new man" whose virtues were to include patriotism, "internationalism," an orientation toward productive work, and a willingness to sacrifice individual interests to social and national interests. School textbooks were nationalist and prorevolutionary in tone, giving ample coverage to Sandinista heroes. After the 1990 election, the Chamorro government placed education in the hands of critics of Sandinista policy, who imposed more conservative values on the curriculum. A new set of textbooks was produced with support from the United States Agency for International Development (AID), which had provided similar help during the Somoza era.
Despite the Sandinistas' determined efforts to expand the education system in the early 1980s, Nicaragua remained an undereducated society in 1993. Even before the Contra war and the economic crisis that forced spending on education back to the 1970 level, the educational system was straining to keep up with the rapidly growing school-age population. Between 1980 and 1990, the number of children between five and fourteen years of age had expanded by 35 percent. At the end of the Sandinista era, the literacy rate had declined from the level attained at the conclusion of the 1980 literacy campaign. Overall school enrollments were larger than they had been in the 1970s, however, and, especially in the countryside, access to education had broadened dramatically. But a substantial minority of primary school-age children and three-quarters of secondary school-age students were still not in school, and the proportion of students who completed their primary education had not advanced beyond the 1979 level. Even by Central American standards, the Nicaraguan education system was performing poorly.
Source: U.S. Library of Congress


Geometry is the oldest branch of Mathematics, which is the study of geometrical figures, such as - triangle, circle, ovals, square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, sphere, cone, cylinder, pyramid, prism, hemisphere etc. Studying geometry provides many foundational skills and helps to build the thinking skills of logic, analytical reasoning and problem solving. Geometry enables us to understand the space in real life which helps students in understanding the concepts better. Geometry has a lot of practical use, from the most basic to the most advanced spectacles in life.
Geometry is referred as a practical science and it deals with different formulas of areas, lengths and volumes. Area of a circle, circumference, and volume of a cylinder are some basic concepts of this topic. To learn this interesting topic thoroughly, students can opt for online Geometry help. With this learning process, students can understand acute angles, triangles, rectangles, Obtuse angles, rectilinear figures and many other relevant things in depth. Geometry is found everywhere: in art, architecture, engineering, sports, land surveys, astronomy, space, nature, sculptures, machines, robotics, cars etc. and hence it becomes important to understand the basic approach of the necessity of Geometry in real life.
TutorVista offers online Math help for different Grades. Our closely designed online sessions provide thorough information and boost the self-confidence of students before their final exams. Online Geometry help covers unlimited questions including all necessary topics which are compulsory for a student. Experienced online tutors are available 24/7 and they work with students and solve problems by giving individual attention. Learn from basic to advanced concepts by opting for unlimited learning sessions with TutorVista. Join a free demo session today and have fun solving Math.
TutorVista provides creative online sessions for students to make their learning experience helpful and effective. By following some easy steps, students can schedule their learning sessions with TutorVista at any convenient time. Brilliant subject experts are associated with this site and they put their effort to make each learning session advantageous for students. Basic shapes, angles, parallel lines, traversals, triangles, polygons are some basic Geometry topics that students need to learn thoroughly.
|Grade 12||Grade 11||Grade 10||Grade 9||Grade 8|
|Grade 7||Grade 6||Grade 5||Grade 4||Grade 3|
TutorVista provides online learning assistance to students at any preferred time with adequate well-explained solved examples. Free online tutoring session is also available which is comfortably designed for the convenience of students. These sessions are ideally prepared by keeping in mind the student’s academic standard and most importantly, self-assessment slots are also added during the session. Ample opportunity to practice each Math topic and clear explanation are the main positive aspects of these online sessions. Experienced tutors are also available to cater higher grade students. Get online session from TutorVista with well-trained and qualified virtual tutors today.
|More topics in Geometry|
|Geometric Shapes||Perpendicular Equations|
|Slope Intercept Form||Curve|
|Transformation||Geometry Homework Help|
|Constructive Solid Geometry||Cavalieri's Principle|
|Involute||Bell Shaped Curve|
|2D Shapes||Angle Between Two Lines|
|Angle Between Two Planes||Distance of a Point From a Plane|
|Angle Between a Line and a Plane|
|Math Help Online||Online Math Tutor|


This space is provided for analysis of EQAO questions. The questions from the Reading section of previous test will be analyzed and evaluated. The objective is to consider challenges that students may face while taking the test.
The Ministry of Education in Ontario relies on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) for assessing the reading skills of students in Ontario. It is not the only form of assessment, but it is arguably the most significant form for assessment because the results are used in policy making. Grade 6 is a benchmark year in Ontario as it is one of the three grades for the EQAO standardized testing for students (Grades 3,6, and 9). EQAO testing does not include any assessment of digital literacy. The test does not have a media section and does not place any emphasis on the development of the digital skills essential for success in the 21st century. The EQAO test has changed over time, to include greater use of visual texts such as graphs, pictures and images however they continue to lag behind in terms of digital literacy. EQAO is a ministry assessment tool for the curriculum. However, the media section is either exempt or deemed less important because the EQAO test does not consider it.
Looking at the reading section of Language booklet 1 for the 2010 EQAO test for grade 6 students it is clear that much of the content would be hard to relate to for many of the students. The first part of the test is a reading passage about the experiences of a goaltender on a hockey team. The story is about a young boy who is feeling anxious about his ability to perform well in goal. As the story continues, the young boy performs well and overcomes his fears. Many boys and girls will have an easy time relating to this story. The story is about a young person playing arguably the most popular sport in Canada. If the teachers have done a sufficient job covering the skills required for this comprehension exercise the students should be able to identify the big idea and regardless of whether or not they play sports, they should be able to relate to the question. Further, a young person in a nerve-racking situation is something that many of the students can relate to. However, in the second part of the test, the students are required to read a short passage about a team of Huskies attempting to reach their destination before night fall. The story includes references to dog sledding and the Northern Lights. The majority of the student population in Canada lives near the American border. And although, they may have seen or read about dog sledding and the Northern Lights, it is unlikely that many of them have experienced either. Again, the argument could be made that if the teacher has prepared the students with the skills required to identify the big idea and strategies for comprehension they should be able to perform well on the task. However, the Ontario curriculum does suggest that students need to have their prior knowledge activated in order to make the connections that helped them better understand the text. In this situation, there are likely very few students who would be able to make these connections and therefore utilize the reading comprehension strategies. The final part of the Language 1 booklet is a reading on a Canadian musician named Gordon Lightfoot. Once, again the students are unlikely to be familiar with the main character of the reading. With young Canadian stars dominating the pop culture scene right now, one wonders why EQAO would not use someone like Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne or Drake as the main character of this section. Overall, the test seems to be written from a stereotypical understanding of the Canadian way of life. The test covers, hockey, dog sledding, the Northern Lights, and 60s folk music. I would say with the exception of Hockey, the majority of the students writing this test, would not be able to connect to the readings.
This is the most recent EQAO test. As previously mentioned, the test has evolved to incorporate greater use of visual cues, however it is still a very traditional form of assessment. When considering the Ministry of Education’s recognition of the evolving definition of literacy as well as the recent research it becomes clear that this assessment is out of synch.


Pre-K Teacher Training and Certification Requirements
Learn about training options for pre-kindergarten teachers. See what degrees are offered, and find out what courses you'd take. Review state licensing and certification requirements for this career. Schools offering Early Childhood Education degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What You Need to Know
Pre-K or preschool teachers must have knowledge of a variety of subjects so they can plan creative lessons to teach preschool children the basics of education. These prospective pre-K teachers may take courses in developmental psychology, art, history, math and the language arts. Preschool teachers evaluate their students' work, monitor their progress and build healthy interpersonal relationships with both the children and their parents.
|Degree Options||AA in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, AS in Early Childhood Education, BA in Early Childhood Education with a specialization in behavior management, BA in Psychology with a concentration in early childhood education|
|Training||Pre-K teacher training programs may help train you for working with the government programs for early childhood education; Child Development Associate credentials may prepare you for teaching in a public preschool or a bilingual classroom|
|Certification||All preschool teachers who work in public schools must earn certification to work with children 5 years of age and under|
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, UMass-Amherst, Raritan Valley Community College, Luna Community College, Central New Mexico Community College, Colorado Christian University
What Courses Will I Take?
In most pre-K teacher training programs, you'll take core courses, such as professionalism, literacy development, young child guidance, child assessment, program evaluation and child health, safety and nutrition. In a certificate or associate's degree program, your courses also might include first aid, communicable disease prevention, group infant and toddler care, children's literature, family dynamics and introduction to psychology. As a student in a bachelor's degree program, you might take courses in classroom behavior management, educational psychology, methods for teaching children with special needs and cultural diversity.
Do I Need To Be Licensed and Certified?
The kind of licensing and certification you need depends on the state and setting in which you plan to work. If you want to become a teacher in a public school, you're typically required to have a bachelor's degree as well as a teacher's license. Certificate and associate's degree programs can prepare you to apply for a state license to work in private child care institutions or as a teacher's aide in a public school program.
Pre-K teacher training programs prepare you to meet the licensing requirements of the state in which the school is located. After graduating from the program, you'll apply to the state Department of Education, or a similar body, for licensing.
Can I Study Online?
Many pre-K teacher training programs require you to complete an on-site practicum or supervised student teaching component. You may be able to complete your coursework online if you're currently employed in the field and can fulfill the teaching experience portion at your institution. Some schools offer credit for previous experience through portfolio evaluation.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below: