As rewarding as it can be to help our preschoolers learn their ABCs, parents sometimes need a break — and thanks to technology, we can take one. There are dozens of apps and websites designed to help build preschool reading skills, and many of the best are so much fun that children won't even realize they're learning. A few of the best include:
1. The Reading Rainbow App
The television show was canceled in 2009 after 26 years on the air, but producers are hoping to reach a new generation of readers with the recently released Reading Rainbow app. The app, which is geared toward ages 3-9, engages preschoolers through storytelling and virtual "field trips," and helps to build not only the skills essential for reading success, but also an appreciation for classic children's literature.
2. The PlayTales App
With the PlayTales Bookstore app, you can create your preschooler's very own virtual bookstore by downloading interactive titles from the comprehensive PlayTales library. An autoplay option is available for children who aren't yet reading, and the illustrations and games that accompany the stories will delight readers of all ages and abilities.
Starfall.com is a free website designed to teach preschool and early elementary children to read through phonics. According to the National Right to Read Foundation, "nothing develops the quick and accurate (automatic) recognition of written words better than does proper phonics instruction" — and what better way to provide this instruction than through fun online games and activities?
4. The abc PocketPhonics App
Prefer your phonics lesson on an app? Then check out the highly praised abc PocketPhonics app. The "Lite" version (which only includes 6 letters) is free, or pay $2.99 for the complete alphabet.
ABCmouse.com is a subscription-based website that offers a full learning curriculum for toddler, preschool, pre-K, and Kindergarten. Each child gets to create his own individual character and follow a "step-by-step learning path" that includes puzzles, maps, coloring, songs, reading, math, and more.
6. The PBSKids SuperWhy App
If your preschoolers watch PBS, then you're probably familiar with the show SuperWhy. With the app by the same name, your child can play games with their favorite characters, all while practicing sound and letter recognition.
7. The Letter Writer Oceans App
With the Letter Writer Oceans app, preschoolers "swim" through the ocean to find the floating letters they want to trace. The app only includes capital letters, but is still a fun introduction to basic letter formation.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary subscription to ABCmouse.com for the purpose of review. My 4-year-old and I struggled to navigate the website a bit at first — mostly because he's never used a mouse before, and because we had to figure out which level he belonged at through trial and error. But now that we've worked through the confusion, he's enjoying it immensely, and is quite proud to get computer time like his older sister.


Murphy and her dad love working puzzles together in the Early Learning Center.
One of the highlights of our Children’s Services department is a large room, approximately 2200 square feet, devoted to early literacy and pre-numeracy skills. This room is designed to be used by children age 6 and younger with their adults for learning play. It includes a wide variety of participatory learning activities including a drama corner, a writing center, and many reading nooks for adult and child to share books together. A major developmental focus of this room is the absence of technology; no computers, no video screens, no electronic buttons to push. Instead, children are encouraged to use their imagination in participatory, interactive, learner-centered play.
Drake and his mom learn about counting and numbers in the shopping area of the Early Learning Center.
Cousins Micah & Austen play with the train set with Austen's mom.
Gabriella and Fransisca enjoy the Writing Center as mom looks on.
Claire and her Grandma explore the "Babies Only" area of the Early Learning Center.
"Spaceman" Tyler and dad play dress-up in the dramatic play area.
- Narrative Skills – Being able to tell or retell a story helps children understand what they read.
- Letter Knowledge – Knowing the names and sounds of letters helps children figure out how to say written words.
- Print Awareness – Being familiar with printed language helps children feel comfortable with books and understand that print is useful.
- Print Motivation – Learning to enjoy books
- Phonological Awareness – Becoming aware of the sounds and parts of words
This is a active learning space which draws families with preschoolers to the Library to play, learn, read, and have fun together.


How Children Learn to Read
By: Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities
Building blocks of reading
Reading skills are like building blocks. To learn to read well, children need the blocks of knowing the sounds of letters and the blocks of knowing the meanings of words (vocabulary), word parts (grammatical markers) and groups of words (overall meaning or semantics). To build these foundations of reading, children need effective reading instruction.
The best ways for parents to learn about the kinds of reading instruction at their child's school is to talk with teachers, listen to him or her talk about what they do during the day, and examine homework assignments. Knowing the differences between phonics and whole language - the two main approaches to teaching reading - can help parents determine what methods their child's school is using to teach reading.
Phonics focuses on the sounds of letters and words
A phonics approach focuses instruction on learning to associate printed letters and combinations of letters with their corresponding sounds. Phonics instruction gives students strategies to unlock or decode words.
- "Sounding out" words as a way of figuring out new words. For example, in a phonics lesson, "moon" would be sounded out as "mm-oo-nn."
- Practice worksheets or exercises on letter sounds, matching pictures with spoken words, short vowel/long vowel or letter of the week.
Whole language focuses on comprehension
A whole language approach to teaching reading can include:
- Teaching reading and writing throughout the day in the context of the lesson topics
- Teachers emphasizing storybooks rather than worksheets as well as multiple writing opportunities
A balanced approach can help all children learn to read
A decade of research shows us that there is no one best way to build students' literacy skills. A balanced approach to teaching reading combines a strong foundation in phonics with whole language methods. Only through more than one kind of instruction can students gain the skills to recognize and manipulate the sounds of letters and words and the skills to understand what they read. Since all children learn differently, only a balanced approach to teaching reading can give all children the skills they need to read well.
An effective reading program
- Recognize that students learn to read in a certain order: first they must understand that words are made up of different sounds, then associate sounds with written words, and finally they can decode words and read groups of words.
- Students who have trouble learning to read need to be specifically taught the relationships of letters, words and sounds. (Awareness of letter/sound relationships is the main tool good readers use to decode unfamiliar words.)
- Each child needs a different amount of practice to be a fluent reader.
- Phonics instruction should be based on individual student needs and taught as part of a comprehensive, literature-based reading program.
- Abundant opportunities for children to read at their own reading level help them to learn to read for meaning and enjoy reading.
- Highly trained teachers can help children develop good, overall literacy skills: good vocabularies, knowledge of correct syntax and spelling, reasoning skills and questioning skills.
Reading instruction for children with learning disabilities
For children with language-based learning disabilities, learning to read is especially difficult because they have a harder time with sounds of letters and words than their peers. Research indicates that because phonics instruction focuses on recognizing and manipulating sounds of letters and words, more intense phonics instruction may be beneficial for children with learning disabilities.
Early warning signs of learning disabilities
- Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds
- Difficulty "sounding out" unknown words
- Repeatedly misidentifying known words
- Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home)
- Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs (+, -, x, /, =)
- Difficulty understanding or remembering what is read because so much time and effort is spent figuring each word
If a child regularly displays one or more of these behaviors, he or she may have a learning disability and parents should seek appropriate testing and intervention from their child's school.
With diagnostic tests, it can be predicted with a high degree of accuracy which students in kindergarten and first grade will have difficulty learning to read. Identifying reading difficulties early means children have more time to learn to be successful readers. Since reading is learned more easily and effectively during the early years, identifying language-based learning disabilities and providing appropriate interventions give children more time to learn to read well.
Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (1999)


The Pros and Cons of Teaching Moral Values at School
Morals and values differ from child to child. Each child has different values instilled at home. Some children have good role models at home and are taught high moral values while others do not have good role models to follow. Schools should not teach personal values and morals but it is the responsibility of every adult in a child’s life to teach value and moral education.
The most important tool in helping student’s moral growth is to be a good role model. Students look up to their teachers. They value them and model themselves after them. Teachers begin moral and value education by modeling good values such as honesty, loyalty, compassion and justice. Teachers are always honest with students, loyal to them, show them compassion and are fair and just treating them equally. Character education is another way for educators to teach students morals and values.
There are several lessons available to teach values, one of those is Have You Filled a Bucket Today The objective of this activity is to teach students respect, responsibility, and caring. To complete the activity, students are given a cup which is their bucket. They label their buckets responsibility, respect, and caring. Then each student writes something on a small piece of paper about each other and places it in their bucket. After all students’ buckets are full they reflect and discuss what was placed in their bucket.
The school where I worked had character education. One of the projects they had was the High Five. Students received a hand which was the High Five when a teacher or other staff member noticed them doing something respectful or caring, or when they behaved properly. For example, one student loaned a classmate a pencil. The teacher gave him a High Five for helping his fellow classmate. Another child who had disciplinary issues received the High Five for sitting quietly in his chair when he was told to do so. This practice works great for students with behavior issues and it also promotes good value behavior for many students.
The drawbacks of the High Five and many other character education activities are that the students who already possess good values and behaviors become upset because they see classmates rewarded for behaviors that they do all of the time. These students rarely get recognized for their good behavior because it is a part of who they are and how they act. They do become upset and sometimes wonder why they should bother doing good and behaving because their behavior never gets noticed. I overheard one student make a statement after a classmate received a High Five for loaning a pencil to his classmate, he said, “so what is so special about that, I loan pencils to classmates all of the time.”
Teachers should help teach child values the lessons mostly comes from modeling good values themselves. There are ways to teach character education but it is important that schools don’t ignore the students who already possess good character in recognizing those who are learning good behavior.
Picture by Flickr
About Kim Miller
I am a single mom of two sons, 15 and 18 years old. I also have an 8 month old grandson. I recently earned my BA in Elementary Education and am working toward an MA in Elementary Education. I love working with children and watching them learn.


Note: If you really want to take your (or your child’s) spelling to the next level, we highly recommend that you check out the popular Ultimate Spelling Software. Click here for more information
Learning To Spell The Easy Way
If you are looking for an easy way to learn to spell, then look no further than Ultimate Spelling; the new computer program from educational software experts eReflect. Formed in 2006, eReflect has been busy creating various quality programs to help with literacy development for both adults, and children, and are regarded as leaders in their field.
There are many reasons why possessing good spelling skills are important, but it is certainly crucial for young people who may one day want to go to University, or those looking to go straight into employment after high school graduation. It is a fact that an end of year thesis riddled with spelling mistakes will not score well, as indeed job application forms littered with spelling errors will not be looked on favorably by employers. Hence it is critical that learning to spell happens as soon as children can hold a pen, and start to read.
But as they get older, learning to spell becomes trickier as the more complex elements of forming words, and sentences start to be taught. It does take time, and many students will struggle, so it is important for parents to be supportive to their children, and give them all the assistance they need when learning new words. But this isnlt always easy for the parents either for various reasons.
Let’s face it, learning words from lists is deadly dull, and even playing the same word games over, and over starts to lose its appeal.
That’s why a program such as Ultimate Spelling makes learning to spell easy, because the accent is on making the experience fun, as well as being a highly constructive, and effective way to practice spelling.
Why is learning to spell easy with Ultimate Spelling? Because all you have to do is type a word the way you think it should be spelled, click the “answer” box, and wait for the instant reply that tells you whether your effort was right, or wrong. It really is that simple. But be warned – Ultimate Spelling doesn’t let you off lightly if you do spell a word incorrectly. It won’t let you move on to the next word until you have successfully spelled the last one at least once.
But that is not all Ultimate Spelling does. Apart from making the actual learning to spell easy, this program provides a massive 143,000 word dictionary, and thesaurus; allows users to create their own word lists for practicing troublesome words; contains 100 specially selected word lists for Grade1-10 schoolchildren, with 10 progressive lists per Grade; has a personalized tracking system that monitors students’ progress, and development; and has a built-in “human” voice for pronunciation clarification.
Adding to the ease of use is the “just right” on-screen graphics that are free from unnecessary characters, icons, and fiddly tools/commands. The colors are simple too, which is good for the eyes.
Simply stated, if you are looking for an easy way to practice your spelling, the easiest thing to do is go, and download Ultimate Spelling…right now!


Asthma Resource Toolkit - Starter Guide
ACF's Region IV developed the Asthma Resource Toolkit- Starter Guide, in partnership with the southeast regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a demonstration pilot in two targeted Georgia counties (Bibb and Lowndes). The Toolkit was designed to:
- increase awareness and educate pre-school staff and families about environmental health risk factors to young children; and
- facilitate access to resources that could be integrated easily into ongoing program activities.
The Toolkit has been widely disseminated across the country and rolled out as a national model by Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Learn more about about asthma and environmental triggers on ACF's Office of Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center website: www.eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov.


5. Assessment must recognize and reflect the intellectually and socially complex nature of reading and writing and the important roles of school, home, and society in literacy development.
Literacy is complex, social, and constantly changing. The literacies of students graduating from high school today were barely imaginable when they began their schooling. Outside of school, students live and will go on to work in a media culture with practices unlike those currently occurring in school (even in the setting of the school media center). Students need to acquire competencies with word processors, blogs, wikis, Web browsers, instant messaging, listservs, bulletin boards, virtual worlds, video editors, presentation software, and many other literate tools and practices. Traditional, simple definitions of literacy will not help prepare students for the literate lives of the present—let alone the future. Consequently, reading and writing cannot usefully be assessed as a set of isolated, independent tasks or events. It is critical to gather specific information about materials, tasks, and media being used with students for both instructional and assessment purposes. In addition, we need to assess how practices are used to participate in the broader media culture as well as to examine how the broader culture assigns status to some practices over others (e.g., texting as contrasted to writing paragraph summaries in language arts class).
Whatever the medium, literacy is social and involves negotiations among authors and readers around meanings, purposes, and contexts. Literate practices are now rarely solitary cognitive acts. Furthermore, literate practices differ across social and cultural contexts and across different media. Students’ behavior in one setting may not be at all representative of their behavior in another. This may be particularly true of English-language learners who may lack the fluency to express themselves fully inside the classroom but may be lively contributors in their families and communities.
In school settings, instruction and assessment should be seen as highly interactive processes. For example, aspects of the learning situation interact with cultural and home environments to influence student learning and motivation. These social situations shape purposes for both teachers and students, influence the conditions and constraints present in the learning context, and affect students’ motivation to engage in reading and writing activities. In the social context of schooling, many factors influence learning and performance. These include types of activities, management efficiency, grouping patterns, teacher and student expectations and beliefs, classroom interactions, and the classroom environment. In addition, factors associated with teaching, such as content, tasks, and materials, all affect literacy learning.
The quality and appropriateness of assessment efforts depend to a considerable extent on the degree to which these complexities have been considered. The quality of an assessment will be low if it yields an incomplete or distorted picture of a student’s literacy. Characteristics of the text, the task, the situation, and the purpose can all have an impact on the student’s performance, and only some aspects of reading and writing will be captured in any given assessment situation. Formal tests need to be considerably more complex than is generally true today. Tests that accommodate multiple responses, different types of texts and tasks, and indicators of attitude and motivation are all essential to a comprehensive view of literacy achievement. Wherever possible, assessments must specify the types of texts, tasks, and situations used for assessment purposes and note whether and when students’ performance was improved by variations in text quality, type of task, or situation.
In order to meet this standard, we must depend less on one-shot assessment practices and place more value on assessments of ongoing classroom performance, assuming that classroom curricula develop the full complexity of literate learning. Finally, when assessment information is interpreted and reported, descriptive information about the assessment tasks and texts and the instructional situation should be included. Given the complexity of the tasks involved, reducing reading and writing performance to a letter or number grade is unacceptable.


From a Creighton Student's Perspective
February 29, 2012
Sophomore, Elementary Education Major
In today’s first reading, on the second Wednesday of Advent, we see Jonah warning the people of Nineveh that in forty days, “Nineveh shall be destroyed.” (Jonah 3:4) In this season of Lent, we also see this theme of 40 days, which can be found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. It rained for 40 days and nights when Noah was in the ark, Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days, Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness, and the symbolism goes on and on. Just as Noah, Moses, and Jesus had 40 days to spend with God, Lent should be a time for us to also spend 40 days with God.
Whatever method we choose to use to grow closer to Christ during this time, whether that is through fasting, prayer, or anything else, Lent is an incredible opportunity to step back for a second, and watch Jesus work in our lives and the lives of others. One of my personal favorite Lenten practices is to try to go to daily Mass. Having the opportunity to attend Mass every day is something that I find myself taking for granted, but during Lent, I try to go as often as I can. Every time at Mass, during the consecration, when Jesus becomes truly present in the Eucharist, there truly is “something greater than Solomon here.” (Luke 29:31)
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Playing music brings children together
A child's ability to empathise with others could be boosted by regularly playing music in groups, new research has found. Investigators from the University of Cambridge discovered participating in simple rhythmic exercises and ensembles can help eight to 11-year-olds to become better able at recognising emotions in other people.
Tal-Chen Rabinowitch of the learning institute's Centre for Music and Science at the Faculty of Music, noted: "Certain components of musical interaction may enhance a capacity for emotional empathy, which continues outside the musical context."
It is hoped the findings might be used to help create a new approach to music education, with emphasis placed on the development of social abilities as well as musical skills.
Professor Ian Cross, Head of the Centre for Music and Science at the department, explained music - especially when performed communally - can allow individuals to feel as though they are sharing the same experience at the same time.
Professor David Hargreaves from the Applied Music Research Centre at the University of Roehampton, a Chartered Psychologist, says:
"Psychologists and other scientists are conducting research which is revealing more and more about the positive benefits that musical activities can have in people’s everyday lives. It has been shown that taking part in music can increase children’s abilities to think and learn, for example, and there are now many studies which show beyond doubt that music can improve people’s health and feelings of well-being, such as in research on the effects of choral singing in older people.
"This new piece of research is going further by showing that music can also promote people’s emotional responses to others. In a carefully-controlled study, children who took part in musical activities involving co-operating with others by copying and imitating their playing gained much higher scores on subsequent tests of emotional empathy than did control groups who either did group drama activities without music, or who did neither group activity. It may well be that the emotional power of music is the key factor which mediates its beneficial effects on people’s health and well-being.


The next time your child is having a hard time figuring out what to do with herself on a long, cold afternoon, turn it into a fun and exciting learning opportunity by having an etiquette tea party! Not only will she learn more about being polite, but you both can enjoy spending some quality time together!
What You Do:
- Invite your child to help set the table for the tea party with a tablecloth or festive placemats. While getting ready for the etiquette tea party, take a couple of minutes to talk about what etiquette is and how your child can use etiquette in every day life–not just fun tea parties!
- Now your child can help make the tea for the tea party by placing an herbal tea bag in the teapot for each guest that will be attending the etiquette tea party. An adult can help by boiling the water and pouring it over the tea.
- While the tea is steeping and cooling, invite your child to place the teacups and saucers, along with napkins, spoons, and cream and sugar, on the table.
- Invite your child to share a book together about etiquette such as Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners by Whoopi Goldberg. Not only is your child learning more about proper etiquette, but she's honing her reading skills, too.
- Now it's time for tea! Enjoy the tea party with finger sandwiches, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into small bites, which have been decoratively placed on a platter along with the herbal tea.
- Encourage your child to use proper etiquette while enjoying her tea party–please!
Just for fun:
Plan an etiquette tea party with your child for her and her favorite friends! Invite your child to create invitations to send to her friends inviting them to afternoon tea! This way your child, and all her friends, can enjoy being polite together!
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


INSTRUMENTS with KIDS
From Spoons on Balloons to Floating Bowl Bells to Soda Straw Oboes, Making Musical Instrument with Kids is a treasure-trove of musical instrument ideas simple enough for children to make. It’s written primarily for adults who work with children, including teachers, parents, and others involved in the lives of young people. The instruments, presented with easy-to-follow instructions, are both kid-buildable and kid-playable, without need for difficult tools, using readily accessible materials. The book comes with an audio CD presenting the sounds of the instruments in lively solo and ensemble pieces. The simplest projects are suitable for children aged 4-5 years and up; the most advanced are suitable for the adolescent and early high school years.
In the classroom and out, instrument-making is excellent for hands-on learning, and this book can serve as an instructional resource. But most importantly, it is a guide to simple, enjoyable instrument making for its own sake.
120 pp. Comes with CD CM-32
Bart Hopkin was founder and editor of Experimental Musical Instruments, a quarterly journal dedicated to new and unusual musical instruments, since its inception in1985. (EMI is no longer in print.) Mr. Hopkin received a B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1974, and later received a B.A. in music education from San Francisco State University. A professional guitarist, he has taught, written, composed, performed and recorded in many places, including Kingston, Jamaica, where for several years he researched and wrote on Jamaican children's songs and revival church music.
Air Columns & Tone Holes
Musical Instrument Design
Making Musical Instruments with Kids
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Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the center of attention in most US public schools today. The focus on STEM fields was initiated to increase global competitiveness and the project does have its merits. However, it has left the arts languishing far off in the periphery. This is quite unfortunate, as art education is known to improve academic performance.
- On average, students who study the arts for 4 years in high school score 98 points higher on the SATs compared to those who study the same for half a year or less.
- Students who took up music appreciation scored 61 points higher on the verbal section and 42 points higher on the math section.
Of the elementary schools with arts, the most common subjects revolve around music at 94% and visual studies at 83%. Only 3% offer dance instruction while 4% provide theater arts.
Training in the arts has been shown to improve creativity and innovation. Students learn to approach issues with a critical mind and a positive attitude towards problem solving. Exposure to the arts enhances communication skills, which are essential tools for collaboration. It develops flexibility and adaptability. The government recognizes these and, indeed, 48 states have adopted standards for art instructions.
- 51% of art teachers are unhappy about what they see as the decline in art education brought about by the shift in focus. The difficulty in measuring art’s contribution to academic performance has led to its under appreciation.
To learn more about STEM vs STEAM, take a look below at the infographic below created by the University of Florida.
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About the Music Major
If music sounds good to you, why not make a career out of it? A general music degree program allows students to study music in a liberal arts setting. Students begin by taking classes in music theory, where they learn the fundamentals of musical notation, including major and minor key signatures, scales, and intervals. These courses set the stage for more advanced courses that involve in-depth exploration of music structure and form, history, genres and cultures, composition, conducting, aural and vocal skills, literature, and even language. Many programs involve learning and playing the keyboard, thereby making musical concepts easier to comprehend and put into practice.
Prior to pursuing a major in music, almost all students have some kind of vocal and/or instrumental experience. As such, students are usually required to take music ensemble courses, many of which can be applied towards the credit requirements for their degree program. In addition, schools usually offer private lessons and spaces for independent practice. Many programs conclude with a senior project, often involving a large-scale composition and/or performance.
For students wishing to get a more focused music education, concentrations and specific programs are available in composition, performance, theory, and even specific genres of music, such as jazz and religious music. A popular emphasis is music teacher education, where students learn how to teach music in a formal educational setting.
Students graduate with a set of skills that will allow them to succeed as professional musicians, composers, musicologists, theorists, educators, and other positions in music businesses and organizations.


For various reasons
not all the children of our state get opportunity to go to the primary schools or
many of them drop out after having registered there. The situation had to be rectified
in order to achieve the cherished goal of universalisation of primary education.
Demand for education also went up after Total Literacy Campaign was successfully
launched in the State in the early nineties. But the demand of the situation could
not be fully and effectively met with formal primary education systems. At the same
time, it was almost impossible to open primary schools at every nook and corner
of the State wherever there were some children not having access to the school.
Therefore, the Government
of West Bengal decided to introduce an alternative elementary education system in
West Bengal, which could reach any corner of the state, cater to the special needs
of the children, less costly, but qualitatively comparable with the formal education
system. In 1997-98 the Education department, Government of West Bengal, took up
such a programme and planned to set up about 1000 Child Education Centres, with
the help of Panchayati Raj bodies. Subsequently the programme was transferred to
the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal.
The Panchayat and Rural
Development Department took up the programme as Shisu Shiksha Karmasuchi, and decided
to set up the Shishu Shiksha Kendras (ssk), wherever there were at least twenty
children not having access to any existing primary school or require some special
dispensation, which are not available in the formal primary schools. Other essential
features of the Karmasuchi are:
Shisu Shiksha Kendras are opened at the initiative of the community
and are owned and managed by them.
Funds are provided by the State Government and Panchayats act
as facilitators only.
It is a demand driven programme; Kendras can be opened in school-less
villages / village with schools which have inadequate infrastructures [in terms
of space and / or teachers etc.]
Curriculum and syllabus as prescribed by the West Bengal Board
of Primary Education Textbooks as prescribed for the formal primary schools.
Classroom transaction on the principles ofJoyful Learning.


Scientists have known that infants’ early learning experiences may positively affect later development through processes called “developmental cascades.” For example, walking and fine motor skills have been associated with vocabulary size and later language development.
These cascades have been commonly theorized, but until now evidence supporting them has been largely correlational.
A new study demonstrates a powerful link between training infants to reach for an object and later heightened interest in objects and focused attention.
“This research tells us that babies are having experiences early in life that they build on and that provide a foundation for further learning,” says Amy Needham, professor and chair of psychology and human development at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development.
For the study, published in Developmental Science, researchers facilitated parent-guided reaching training for 36 3-month-old infants for 10 minutes a day for two weeks. Reaching behavior typically does not emerge until a child is between 4 and 6 months old.
In the training, half of the infants were outfitted with “sticky mittens”—mittens with Velcro that enabled blocks also covered with Velcro to adhere to their hands. Parents were instructed to encourage their children to reach for the blocks. The control group wore mittens without Velcro, and the blocks—covered with tape—were touched to their hands without adhering.
The babies who had used the sticky mittens showed more visual interest in a toy and were less distracted during play. They also grasped and rotated the toy for longer periods of time than the other infants.
The results were still in evidence a year later when 25 of the infants were tested again. Using the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire, the researchers also learned that the sticky mittens group had higher attention focusing ratings than the other infants.
“It is amazing to think that roughly two hours of additional experiences with successful reaching at age 3 months led to changes in the infants’ exploration and attention focusing skills after 12 months,” says lead author Klaus Libertus, research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
“This demonstrates the profound impact that early experiences can have on a child’s continued development. In a sense, the children just kept on providing themselves with new experiences and opportunities once the training sessions ended.”
“These findings support the notion of developmental cascades and suggest that motor training may also foster the development of social and cognitive skills,” says Needham, who began the research while at Duke University.
Because reduced grasping activity and delays in motor skill development have been associated with risk for developmental disorders, the findings may have implications for autism and Down syndrome research.
Amy S. Joh, assistant professor at Seton Hall University, also collaborated on the sticky mittens study.
Source: Kurt Brobeck for Vanderbilt University


BLOSSOMS Video Modules
The high school lessons in this open repository of interactive
modules are not long lectures to be watched passively, but
rather video clips that engage teachers in a "teaching duet"
with a partner whose own classroom might be a world away.
BLOSSOMS stands for Blended Learning Science or Math Studies.
Created by faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and partnering educators in Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and
Saudi Arabia, the first of BLOSSOMS' active, goal-oriented math
- Flaws of Averages (MIT)
- Flu Math Games (MIT and Wellesley College)
- Guess the Last Ball: An Exercise in Mathematical Modeling
(National University of Computer and Emerging Technologies,
- The Juice Seller's Problem (King Abdullah II Schools for
Excellence, Irbid, Jordan)
- The Pythagorean Theorem: Application and Proof (Jordan
University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan)
- Taking Walks, Delivering Mail: An Introduction to Graph
Engineering and physics videos also integrate math topics in
unique ways. English-language videos come with Arabic
voice-overs or subtitling. All lessons come with teacher's
guides, downloadable hand-outs, and additional resources.
This project, sponsored by MIT's Learning International
Networks Consortium (LINC), will soon roll out new features
such as video tagging with curriculum standards. BLOSSOMS also
plans to solicit new video lessons to extend its open
repository. For a guide of what you need to know before
submitting your own BLOSSOMS video lesson, visit
In the meantime, BLOSSOMS eagerly invites feedback from
teachers. Write email@example.com with your experiences
PoW taking place: math problem-solving moment of the week
"Aaron from Israel Loring Elementary School used another common
method. I liked the way he explained that finding a percentage
is like finding...."
- Max and Suzanne, commenting on the Pre-Algebra PoW's
Celebrate Women's History Month
In celebration of Women's History Month, the Mathematical
Association of America (MAA) has posted photographs and brief
biographies of notable female mathematicians from its Women of
Mathematics poster. Subjects range from Gabrielle du Châtelet,
a contemporary of Euler and Voltaire, to female winners of
MAA's Putnam Competition.
The complete 36" by 54" poster is available for the cost of
shipping and handling. To order, call (800)331-1622 or complete
For more resources on gender equity, check out the Math Forum's
Internet Mathematics Library:


National Standards for Music Education
|Improve your students' arts education by introducing the National Standards for Music Education into your classroom. These lesson planning resources, articles, activities, and references will help you improve students' singing skills, teach children about instruments, examine music composition, and much more! You will find plenty of strategies to address each content standard during music class and across your curriculum. These materials are appropriate for all ages.|
More Music Resources
|Provided in partnership with NAfME|
If you need to teach it, we have it covered.
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Dunlap, L. K., & Dunlap, G. (1989). A self-monitoring package for teaching subtraction with regrouping to students with learning disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 229, 309-314.
Uberti, H. Z., Mastropieri, M. A., & Scruggs, T. E. (2004). Check it off: Individualizing a math algorithm for students with disabilities via self-monitoring checklists. Intervention in School and Clinic, 39(5), 269-275.
Fuchs, L. S., Powell, S. R., Seethaler, P. M., Cirino, P. T., Fletcher, J. M., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. L. (2009). The effects of strategic counting instruction, with and without deliberate practice, on number combination skill among students with mathematics difficulties. Learning and Individual Differences 20(2), 89-100.
Burns, M. K., VanDerHeyden, A. M., & Boice, C. H. (2008). Best practices in intensive academic interventions. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp.1151-1162). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Montague, M. (1992). The effects of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction on the mathematical problem solving of middle school students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 25, 230-248.
Montague, M., & Dietz, S. (2009). Evaluating the evidence base for cognitive strategy instruction and mathematical problem solving. Exceptional Children, 75, 285-302.
Mathematics instruction is a lengthy, incremental process that spans all grade levels.
A-Plus Flashcard Maker. You can create math fact flashcards online. Customize your flashcards by type of number operation or even enter your own values to create individual flashcards.
Ask Dr. Math.. Dr. Math is an online math tutorial service, maintained by Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. Students can browse a large archive of math questions and answers and post their own questions as well. This tutorial site never closes!
Cognitive Strategies in Math. This site presents several thinking strategies that students can learn to master math computation and applied math problems. It is sponsored by the Special Education Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Math Central. Billing itself as ‘an Internet service for mathematics students and teachers’, this site contains math teaching resources, a forum to post math questions, and a challenging ‘math problem of the month.’ Math Central is sponsored by the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. ||Re
Math Worksheet Generator. Sponsored by Intervention Central, this free site allows users to create math computation worksheets and answer keys for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Use the Worksheet Generator to make math worksheets to use with students who need to build fluency with math facts.
Numberfly: Early Math Fluency Probes. Numberfly is a free application from Intervention Central that allows educators to create CBM progress-monitoring probes of 3 types that assess students' developing numeracy skills: Quantity Discrimination, Missing Number, and Number Identification. This application also includes instructions for administering and scoring these early math assessments, as well as suggestions for using Early Math Fluency Probes in a school-wide RTI Universal Screening.
Teacher2Teacher. Sponsored by Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, Teacher2Teacher describes itself as “a resource for teachers and parents who have questions about teaching mathematics.” Participants can browse archived math teaching questions by level (elementary, secondary), pose their own teaching questions, and take part in on-line discussions on math instruction topics of interest.


If you have kids interested in animals, teach them about their body structure and expanded their learning of vertebrates and invertebrates with this simple hands-on sorting activity!
This post contains affiliate links.
We did this activity a couple of months ago when we were trying out a homeschool curriculum. The curriculum ended up being involving too much reading and writing for Caden at this time, but we still had fun with some hands-on activities I planned to go along with the lessons.
Sorting Vertebrates and Invertebrates
- variety of animal figurines
- cardstock paper
- printable pages download
How to Prep & Set Up:
- Download and print Vertebrates and Invertebrates free printables pages.
- Set out the printable sorting pages with a variety of animal figurines.
Sorting Vertebrates and Invertebrates Lesson:
For this lesson we read about skeletal structures of different animals in the Encyclopedia of Animals.
Then using the free printable sorting pages I made, we sorted a variety of miniature animal figurines. I made the printables with images for non-readers and words for readers. You can print them for free by clicking on the images below. You’re welcome!
I was quite surprised at how much my son understood that some animals have vertebrates or bony skeletons and some creatures are invertebrates or have exoskeletons. He was easily able to sort the animals and creatures to the proper page.
Welcome to another STEM Saturday! Every week we aim to share something related to science, technology, engineering and/or math. Below you’ll find more STEM ideas from the co-hosts!
Check out the STEM Saturday co-hosts top posts in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math!
Building Igloos with Marshmallows from Lemon Lime Adventures
Coding with LEGO from Little Bins for Little Hands
Polar Bear Science STEM Experiment from Preschool Powol Packets
10 Winter STEAM Challenges for Kids from Handmade Kids Art
10 Ice Science and Engineering Activities from The Science Kiddo
Buoyancy and Density Science for kids: King Arthur’s Sword from The Usual Mayhem
© 2016, Stir The Wonder. All rights reserved.


science experiment with milk, food coloring, and dish soap.
experiment with color 1.milk in glass dish 2.add drops pf food coloring 3.dip the tip of a toothpick in detergent and touch lightly
learn about clouds and weather science experiment- jar, water, shaving cream and food coloring. see how clouds fill up with moisture (food coloring) and then release the "rain" below.
Fun Science for Kids- Make a tornado in a jar! To make a tornado in a jar you will need: ~ A jar ~ water ~ a squirt of dish soap ~ one teaspoon of vinegar ~ food coloring and glitter are optional
Color mixing experiment on the light table using Karo syrup and food coloring diluted with water - Creative Children's Center ≈≈
Toddler Approved: Fizzing Fireworks! A fun science activity with baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring!
GHOST MUD. Ivory soap and toilet paper sensory dough. Start off with the Ivory soap in the microwave for a fantastic science experiment! - Happy Hooligans
GLOWING magic milk experiment - cool science for kids with an added sensory element they will love.
Magic Milk science experiment for kids to learn about colour and basic chemical reactions.
Celery absorbs food coloring....experiment for kids. Also works nicely with white carnations
Playing in the bathtub with DIY paint made out of soap, cornstarch and food coloring.
sensory experiment, sensory activities with kids, science with kids, baking soda and vinegar, jell-o experiment, vinegar and baking soda


Benjamin Bloom (1956) developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior in learning. This taxonomy contained three overlapping domains: the cognitive, psycho-motor, and affective. Within the cognitive domain, he identified six levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These levels were revised in the 1990's. These domains and levels are still useful today as you develop the critical thinking skills of your students.
Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid (below) showing the highest level of thinking at the top and working its way down. Note that "Creating" is the majority of thinking done in the fine arts. Evaluating and analyzing comes from art criticism, applying is using what you learn in your art. Understanding is understanding the various art styles, periods, and using that in your art. Finally, remembering the art elements and principles of design.
Previously, Blooms Taxonomy was listed as evaluation, synthesis, analysis, application, comprehension, and knowledge. A student of Bloom's, Lorin Anderson, updated the taxonomy in the 1990's. Lorin's team represented cognitive psychologists, researchers, and assessment specialists. They spent six years finalizing their work.
Attributes of the ARTS and higher level thinking:
• Creative problem solving/Thinking outside the box
See It's the Thought that Counts [Archive] - A copy of a handout from Craig Roland's session on “Teaching Thinking in the Art Classroom” presented at the National Art Education Association Conference in New York on March 16, 2001. Has links to two PDF files linked on that page.


Singing Express is a complete scheme for singing in the primary years. It supplies everything that children and teacher need for singing together - brilliant, cross-curricular singing materials, which naturally and easily help grow confident voices and full guidance and help with using them.
Each book and DVD-ROM pack provides songs, chants, rhymes, stories and warm ups. Easy to access, easy to learn and share with children. The materials are designed for whiteboard display and include backing tracks, lyrics, song movies and specialist singing help whenever needed.
Singing Express 1 is the first in a series of four packs and is for ages 5-6 years.
'There should be at least one copy in every school.' Professor Graham F Welch, PhD, Chair of Music Education, Institute of Education, University of London.


There has been an abundance of research around play and its positive effects on early childhood learning and development. In general, research shows strong links between creative play and language, physical, cognitive, and social development. Play is a healthy, essential part of childhood. Infants explore their world through their senses while adults in their world foster their development and learning through playing games with them. Toddlers engage in pretend play when they imitate actions and events they have experienced in their family life. As they grow into four and five year olds, young children engage more and more in play activities that expand their knowledge of the world around them, develop their motor skills, and focus on their peers.
For more information on the research around the importance of play, please read the Literature Review (497 KB) prepared by the Early Childhood Learning Division, Department of Education and Early Childhood Education, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. You may also find the following articles, resources and videos of interest.
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader software can be used for viewing PDF documents. Download Acrobat® Reader for free .


1. Author’s Purpose
- This brief presentation defines the relationship between author’s purpose (first slide) and provides a quick interactive opportunity to the author’s reason for writing (2nd slide).
2. Author’s Purpose
– An animated song about all the reasons authors write.
3. Story Time: Water Pollution / Cause and Effect
– This video focuses on cause and effect using water pollution as the topic. Although a 3rd grade lesson, this can be used at the 2nd grade level as well.
4. Helping Students Focus on Text Structure
- This video is part of the “Improving K-3 Reading Comprehension” module at the Doing What Works Clearinghouse. Although, at first glance, the video appears to be on narrative text structure, informational text structure comprises as large part of the video. The video does not directly focus on this standard, but provides helpful guidance to teachers.
5. Uncovering Text Structure
- In this 5 minute video, Dr. Joanna Williams discusses the importance of teaching children about narrative and informational text structure and describes some instructional tools she has used in her research with teachers.
6. Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies and Selecting Appropriate Text
- Although not directly related to this standard, this video provides an overview of strategies useful in teaching reading comprehension.
7. Reading Comprehension
- At this site, view the brief video clip titled “Comprehension” featuring Sharon Walpole. (The videos you can choose from are listed under the “Featured Video”.)
8. Roundtable Discussion: Literacy Workstations
- This video clip shows a discussion among a 3rd grade and a 5th grade teacher and the author, Debbie Diller, about literacy work stations. Note: This video is also listed under this standard’s Activities/Centers tab with additional information.
9. An Introduction to Comprehensive Assessment
- Although this video, and the one following, are not directly related to teaching informational text, they provide a good overview of the assessment process in elementary grades.
High Expectations: Students Learn To Rise to the Occasion
10. Author’s Purpose - Authors have reasons or purposes for writing
. What are they and how can students use this knowledge to describe how those reasons support key points? In this short interactive, learners read a passage, then answer multiple –choice question about the author’s purpose.


Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) December 21, 2013
ArtSchools.com, an online directory of the best art schools, responds to an article published by the New York Times on November 23rd, which reports that an education that includes art might actually help make people smarter.
According to the New York Times article titled “Art Makes You Smart,” many art advocates believe that art makes people smarter. However, there has been little concrete evidence to support this until now. Social scientists Brian Kisida, Jay P. Greene and Daniel H. Bowen found that “strong causal relationships do in fact exist between arts education and a range of desirable outcomes” through research involving students at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark.
The scientists teamed up with the museum to conduct a study to determine if art does make you smarter. The researchers organized a lottery to select children to visit the popular museum. Over 11,000 students and 500 teachers participated in the study. The researchers administered surveys, which assessed participants’ knowledge of art, tolerance, interest and historical empathy when visiting the museum. Participants were also required to write an essay responding to one of the pieces of artwork in the museum.
The article reveals the study’s findings, “Visiting an art museum exposes students to a diversity of ideas that challenge them with different perspectives on the human condition. Expanding access to art, whether through programs in schools or through visits to area museums and galleries, should be a central part of any school’s curriculum.”
Andrew Girard, a representative from ArtSchools.com, a directory showcasing the best art schools in the country, says this study proves that there are significant benefits to art education. “Art should not be discounted and it is essential in order for students to become well-rounded, creative individuals,” he says. “Art helps broaden a student’s mind and improve their analytical and creative skills.”
Girard continues, “It’s our passion to connect young people to their dream art school. We encourage all art enthusiasts to continue their education and expand their minds through creative activities. If you’re looking for an art school, we can help you find the best one.”
ArtSchools.com is a comprehensive directory of art degrees, art schools and art-related programs listed and maintained by Monster.com, the leading platform for job seekers. ArtSchools.com is dedicated to assisting prospective artists, teachers, and students find schools, jobs, and programs best suited for their preferences. Whether you’re looking for a new job, a new school or a new direction, the ArtSchools.com directory offers insight into top degree programs in a variety of fields, including graphic design, fashion design, interior design, game design, web design, photography and film. ArtSchools.com is an affiliate of CookingSchools.com, a similar directory featuring the best culinary schools.


"Pharaohs of the Bible 4004 - 960 B.C.: A Unifying High Chronology of Egypt based on a High View of Scripture" by Eve Engelbrite
Contact: Eve Engelbrite,
Eve@PharaohsOfTheBible.com; www.PharaohsOfTheBible.com; Downloadable Audio Clip by Eve Engelbrite
FLOWER MOUND, Texas, March 20, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Nations are fomenting a new hatred against Israel, denying they had any ancient connection to their land; but archaeology continues to verify the Bible. History matters.
Conventional chronology assumed Egypt's dynasties ruled consecutively and moved their "national" capital across Egypt; yet archaeological evidence supports several dynasties ruled concurrently from different "state" capitals. With this major correction, Egypt's chronology falls into place with the Bible and the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia.
"Pharaohs of the Bible" documents evidence to support the following conclusions:
(Noah's sons were Japheth, Shem, and Ham.)
- Ham's son, Mizraim, was the Scorpion king, the first pharaoh of Egypt.
- Shem was Imhotep who built Djoser's Food Complex in preparation for Abraham's famine.
- Joseph became the vizir of Ahmose I and built large, temporary silos at Avaris to prepare for famine.
- For his last 18 years Jacob was known as Pharaoh Yaqub-Har for official shipments from Avaris.
- Thera erupted in 1651 B.C. ending Hatshepsut's reign five years before Moses' father was born.
- Moses' monotheism influenced Akhenaten. Rameses I was the pharaoh of the exodus (1491 B.C.).
- Rameses II lost Syria to the Hittites (1475 B.C.); then he lost Canaan, the Sinai, and the eastern Nile delta of Goshen to Joshua and the children of Israel (1451-1444 B.C.).
- In the eighth year of Rameses III (1310 B.C.) there was a volcanic eruption described by Judge Deborah as the "earth trembled" and the "mountains melted" in Judges 5:4-11.
- Amenemhat I (1954-1924 B.C.) built Egypt's defensive border walls approximately where the Suez Canal is today. Pharaoh Siamun fought King Saul at the wall ("shur" in Hebrew) about 1075 B.C.; and in 1055 B.C. Pharaoh Sheshonk I fought General David there.
- Prince Hadad escaped to Sheshonk I and married Queen Patareshnes' sister (I Kings 11).
- Heqakheperre Sheshonk IIa was the biblical Shishak who listed Israel's cities on Sheshonk I's wall to honor his father.
Eve Engelbrite began studying the Bible in 1973 when she became a Christian. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Arizona State University before teaching middle school.
www.PharaohsOfTheBible.com Downloadable Audio Clip by Eve Engelbrite


ACADEMIC INTERVENTION II
2016 Summer Term
Special Education 487
This course addresses reading and writing instruction across the curriculum and interventions. The processes and skills children and adolescents engage in to develop vocabulary, comprehend text, and compose quality written work are examined. Specifically the difficulties encountered by students with language and learning differences are reviewed and research providing "best practices" in teaching vocabulary, comprehension and writing as tools for literacy development will be emphasized. Student will develop skills for teachin reading/writing vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing process/products and explore technology that supports instruction. Students will master instructional strategies for reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and the development and fluency skills involved in written composition.
Other Requirements: PREREQ: SPECED 486 OR SPECED 686 AND ADMISSION TO PROFESSIONAL ED
There are no sections offered for this course and term that meet your criteria.


An illustrated guide to parenting with science.
All three of my boys are self-proclaimed math geeks and I’m pretty pleased with that. Not because it will help them with their future career goals (as a sculptor, a Lego artist, and a flutist) but because it means that they might have a better chance of being healthy as adults.
It turns out that being number nerds can actually be beneficial to my kids’ future health.
There is a growing area of research on the effect of numeracy on health behaviors and health outcomes. Numeracy is the particular set of abilities and preferences that allow you to understand and act upon numbers-based health information.
Numeracy isn’t an indication of your intelligence. It’s an indication of your desire to have information presented to you as numbers and your ability to think about this data and make appropriate use of it.
People with Type 1 diabetes need to monitor their blood glucose (sugar) levels, track carbohydrates, and adjust insulin doses, all of which require numeracy skills to accomplish. Researchers found that low numeracy was significantly associated with higher levels of blood glucose (sugar) over the previous 3 months (HbA1c levels).
Adult asthma patients need to know when to take medication, use asthma action plans, and interpret peak flow meter results, which all require numeracy skills. Low numeracy was found to be associated with a greater number of hospitalizations and emergency department visits.
An obvious argument is that this just means that people with low numeracy are also just less educated. However, the effect of numeracy was found to be independent of age, sex, education,and income.
What I find most compelling, however, is that people with higher levels of numeracy are more strongly influenced by quantitative data and less by their feelings. If you have a high level of numeracy and your doctor presents you with risk data about colon cancer and the need for a colonoscopy, you are more likely to be persuaded by the numerical evidence and less influenced by the ickiness of the procedure.
Maybe my kids shouldn’t use this particular argument when being picked on at school.
(This blog post was informed, in large part, by my work with Brian Zikmund-Fisher, PhD, on a chapter of an upcoming book on numeracy.)


by Patricia Hughes
Your baby is just about ready to be born. The lungs finish developing this month. When they are developed, they release a substance called surfactant. This helps the baby breathe at birth. Recent research suggests this substance may have another purpose. It is believed it may signal the mother’s body to begin the labor process.
The baby is settling down into a fetal position. As the baby moves lower in the pelvis, breathing may become easier. This is called lightening. The baby rolls and moves, but kicks are lighter. You may notice more regular pattern of sleeping and waking. Some mothers say their newborns continue these patterns after birth.
Keep in mind that your due date is only an estimate. Babies can be born any time between thirty seven and forty two weeks. You should be ready to go to the hospital. If you haven’t packed your bag yet, now is the time. Finalize all plans for child care for your older children, if this is not your first pregnancy. Good planning will help make things smoother when the big day arrives.
The baby is full grown this month. He is gaining about a half a pound each week. The baby will be born weighing between six and ten pounds. About seven and a half pounds is considered average. The average length is between eighteen and twenty two inches in length.
After the thirty sixth week of pregnancy, you will have weekly visits at the doctor’s office. At thirty eight weeks, some doctors and midwives do an internal exam. This is to look for any changes in the cervix. Keep in mind that this isn’t an exact science. Many women have had a visit that showed no changes in the cervix, only to go into labor that night. Don’t be discouraged if the cervix isn’t dilating at this visit.
You may notice your Braxton Hicks contractions are coming more frequently. They may be stronger as well. As they get stronger, you may wonder if labor is approaching. If you aren’t sure, drink some water and lie down. This change of positions is often enough to stop Braxton Hicks contractions. Real labor would continue to progress even after you lie down.
Talk to your doctor about labor. Ask about the protocol in that office. Each doctor handles this differently. Ask when you should call the doctor. Should you call first or go straight to the hospital. Most doctors tell patients to come when the contractions are at least five minutes apart, lasting for one minute and have been that way for an hour. If you have had a fast labor in the past, you may be told to come in sooner.
For many women, the last month of pregnancy is the most difficult. Backache is very common during the last month. You may be very tired. Frequent trips to the bathroom and difficulty in getting comfortable can interfere with sleep. Try to rest during the day to make up for lost sleep at night. Keep in mind that the pregnancy is quickly coming to an end. You will be holding your new baby very soon.
Patricia Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four. Patricia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. She has written extensively on pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and breastfeeding. In addition, she has written about home décor and travel.
No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © and All Rights Reserved


Voelker (2006) examined the way fourth graders experience and understand literacy
events in a quality school library program. In a series of six case studies, Voelker looked at the
nature of literacy events, the way children use texts during those events, the artifacts produced,
and the role of social interaction in children's interpretations of those events. Although Voelker
was generally critical of library media specialists' approach to literacy, the author nevertheless
reaffirmed the importance of a high quality collection, both professional and clerical staff, and
ample technology to fourth graders' literacy development.
Internationally, two studies in the past 10 years have noted statistically significant
correlations between professional library staffing and students' reading. Using data from a
representative sample of 9 and 14 year-old students from schools that took part in an
international literacy study, Novljan (1998) found that Slovenian students at schools with a
librarian scored significantly higher on a literacy test than students without a school librarian.
An Ontario, Canada (Ontario Library Association 2006) study of third and sixth grade students
from 880 schools, including schools from every district in the province, included reading
assessment scores, responses to a questionnaire about attitudes toward reading, and survey data
about staffing, hours open, budget, and collections from the province's school libraries. The
researchers found that professional library staff was the strongest predictor of reading enjoyment
at both grade levels. Library staffing was associated with an increase in grade 3 reading
performance, and trained library staff was associated with higher reading scores for sixth graders
(Ontario Library Association, 2006).
Support for the positive effects of adequate library staffing can be found in many
statewide studies. Overall library media specialist staffing, including ratio of librarians to pupils,
total hours, or numbers of librarians, represents one of the measures that has most frequently
Achterman, Douglas L. Haves, Halves, and Have-Nots: School Libraries and Student Achievement in California. Denton, Texas. UNT Digital Library. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9800/. Accessed June 28, 2016.


ISD 196: Inspiring young minds
How much can a list of words tell you about a student's academic potential? Apparently, plenty.
On a recent Tuesday afternoon at Shannon Park Elementary School students in Barb Renneke's third grade class are making such a list. They're coming up with items that go up and down. There are no other rules. And the things the students come up with reflect that.
"Bath water," one student announces when students are given a chance to share their lists. "Bugs," says another. "Vertical," adds a third.
It seems simple enough, but these lists and a handful of other evaluations conducted throughout the year's first trimester will help teachers identify a dozen or so students for a new program designed to provide enrichment opportunities to a population of students who show potential but have not done well enough on tests to qualify for the district's Gifted and Talented program for high achievers.
Called Young Scholars, the program is in its second year in ISD 196 elementary schools, but its first year being implemented districtwide. Five district elementary schools offered Young Scholars on a pilot basis last year.
"The goal of the program is to find students that have academic potential and give them some enrichment opportunities in the hopes they would maybe someday qualify for the Gifted and Talented programs," said Carol Hanson, who teaches both the Gifted and Talented and Young Scholars programs at Shannon Park Elementary.
The program got its start four years ago with a conversation between elementary education director Julie Olson and federal rule implementation director Jane Berenz. The district had just completed a study that showed the population of its Gifted and Talented program was less diverse than its overall student population. It had also just been named to a list of schools identified by the state as racially imbalanced because of large minority populations at a pair of elementary schools. Olson and Berenz wanted to find a way to balance things out.
"Our mission is helping children to reach their full potential," Olson said this week. "I think there were students who, for one reason or another, weren't achieving potential that was there."
A group of district employees examined a number of programs and ended up modifying one in use in the Fairfax County, Va., School District.
The Young Scholars program that came out of that process uses a series of evaluations in the year's first trimester -- in addition to the word lists students have been asked to create a new cereal, complete with packaging, or to come up with analogies -- to identify a dozen or so students in each grade who show creativity and the skills teachers think they need to excel.
Teachers also observe their students during regular lessons, using a checklist to note traits like creativity and academic initiative.
Exactly what they're looking for -- what constitutes creativity -- is a little bit open for interpretation.
"We're not exactly 100 percent sure," Hanson said. "We're looking for students that you wouldn't normally pick out as the high-achieving students."
Once the students have been identified they will be pulled out of class from time to time during the second and third trimester for enrichment activities like math or reading games. Students who took part in last year's pilot program also got invited to a Young Scholars summer camp that offered lessons on geology and field trips to the Mississippi River, among other places.
Those programs are designed to get students excited about learning. Get their attention in elementary school, the theory goes, and they'll do better in middle school, high school and beyond.
"In middle school we'll hopefully see them taking advanced courses. In high school they'll be taking the AP courses," said Mary Osmundson, who teaches the Young Scholars program at Rosemount Elementary and Diamond Path. "It really does start at the elementary level to become engaged and be pushed and have those higher-level experiences."
So far, the program seems to be working. Teachers find themselves working with students they might not have noticed as much before and the performance of students involved in Young Scholars is improving even outside of the program.
"There's kids that, immediately teachers would say their whole attitude about learning changed," Johnson said. "That they pictured themselves in a different way and tried harder."
Several students identified for the Young Scholar program last year have qualified for the Gifted and Talented program this year and Hanson sees a clear connection.
"They get to feel like they're smart. Special. Part of something," she said. "They get the Young Scholar label. That sounds pretty good."


Karen Slattery Educational Research Center for Child
Goals & Objectives
The ERCCD strives to provide a program which will:
- enhance each child’s social, physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
- provide a safe, secure and nurturing learning environment.
- encourage the development of a positive self-concept.
- foster a love of learning.
- encourage children to become independent thinkers who are able to make choices and decisions.
- develop respect of individuals and value cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity.
- establish and maintain strong parent/center relationships.
- help prepare adult students to become early childhood educators, center directors, and/or research scholars in professions and sciences related to early childhood and family.
- foster and maximize the potential of young children by providing a broad range of learning experiences.
- foster an optimal early childhood learning environment, which is useful in research endeavors.


Description of the Program
Using a schedule that accommodates those already employed as teachers, as well as aspiring new teachers, this program is designed to be responsive to requirements promulgated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (Division of Teacher Education—Bureau of Teacher Certification and Preparation) requiring that teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) be certified according to specific competencies set forth in the regulations.
Candidates for ESL certification will undergo a predetermined curriculum consisting of six (6) Core courses. These courses will address in depth the areas of expertise that are required by the regulations:
- English Usage and the Development of Linguistic Awareness, including instruction on the process of first and second language acquisition, the process of literacy development for second language learners, and the required strategies that will assist English Language Learners (ELLs) in the different stages of second language acquisition.
- English as a Second Language (Instructional Materials and Development), which includes the design and implementation of ESL programs to assist ELLs in the acquisition of English and cognitive academic language skills. The student will be required to learn and be aware of various methods, strategies, research findings, and resources that address the educational needs of ELL in their learning process, including the use of computer technology. The student will also be required to gain very specific knowledge concerning currently accepted/research-based ESL instructional methods and strategies designed to meet the instructional needs of ELLs.
- Support Services for English Language Learners (ELLs), which provides extensive exposure to knowledge concerning effective assessment, including appropriate tools and practices, for identifying levels of language proficiency, acquisition, and content learning, as well as the means to monitor student progress. The student will be required to obtain extensive knowledge concerning the availability of school support services and the promotion of parental/family involvement in the accomplishment and educational needs of ELLs, as well as a complete familiarity with educational programs and instructional activity adaptation for ELLs that require specially designed instruction pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- Development of Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity, where students will be required to become thoroughly informed of behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes of multicultural learners and families. Classroom and research activities will include the incorporation of knowledge of current methods and techniques for teaching English as a Second Language within a culturally/linguistically diverse student/family environment. Further, the student will become aware of techniques that may be employed to promote school staff ’s understanding and sensitivity toward cultures and languages other than the dominant culture/language in the United States.
Carmen E. Lamas, Ph.D.
Director, Hispanic Institute
La Salle University
Philadelphia, PA 19141
If you have any questions regarding any of the Hispanic Institute programs, please contact:


Not only is singing a great way to raise money, research shows that it's also good for your heart.
Professor Graham Welch, Chair of Music Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years and he says the health benefits of singing are both physical and psychological. “Singing has physical benefits because it is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, even when sitting. Singing has psychological benefits because of its normally positive effect in reducing stress levels through the action of the endocrine system which is linked to our sense of emotional well-being. Psychological benefits are also evident when people sing together as well as alone because of the increased sense of community, belonging and shared endeavour."
All for One choir, one of our supporters, also advocates the importance of singing to help keep your heart healthy. Choir members sang for their hearts when they performed a flash mob in Princes Quay Shopping Centre in Hull.
Regular exercising of the vocal cords can even prolong life, according to research done by leading vocal coach and singer Helen Astrid, from The Helen Astrid Singing Academy in London. "It’s a great way to keep in shape because you are exercising your lungs and heart. Not only that, your body produces ‘feel good’ hormones called endorphins, which rush around your body when you sing. It’s exactly the same when you eat a bar of chocolate. The good news with singing is that you don’t gain any calories!"
Singing even helps you live longer according to the findings of a joint Harvard and Yale study which showed that choral singing increased the life expectancy of the population of New Haven, Connecticut. The report concluded that this was because singing promoted both a healthy heart and an enhanced mental state. Another study at the University of California has reported higher levels of immune system proteins in the saliva of choristers after performing a complex Beethoven masterwork.
Bjorn Vickhoff, who led a study at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden into music and wellbeing, also believes that singing has positive effects on your health. The study showed how musical structure influenced the heart rate of choir members. “Singing is good for your health. Our research indicates that it may even be good for your heart. Further research in this field is much needed, such as the long term effect of choir singing.”
So go on, keep your heart healthy, get singing and support Sing for your Heart this December! Click here for more information about how to get involved or give our fundraising team a call on 0113 234 7474.


iOS iPhone Education
Study by App is now offering early elementary students a new way to practice their basic math skills. This application allows students to practice skills ranging from number and shape recognition, counting, and sorting all the way to patterns, addition and subtraction.
Study by App uses an audio and visual flashcard system to keep the user engaged through the learning process. The flashcard system is broken down into the specific topics to make for easy selection. Within each topic, the flashcards are scrambled each time the app is opened to allow for a fresh experience each time it is used.
Study by App hopes that users will be able to effectively learn and practice basic math skills at their own pace. Designed with the young learner in mind, this app is a great tool for students in grades K-2, as well as special education students.
This app was developed by Kelly Richards using the Study by App, LLC web developer program. Kelly Richards is a graduate of Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. She has earned degrees in both Special Education and Elementary Education. Kelly has experience teaching students with autism and other varying disabilities, with students ranging from kindergarten through high school.
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The term interdisciplinary artist is very broad and can mean many different things to many different people. There is also a distinction between becoming an artist and being a great artist. Anyone can improve his or her art skills or become an artist, but only those born with natural ability complemented by an extreme work ethic can become great in the world of art. If you want to become an interdisciplinary artist, it is important to be educated in many disciplines and routinely practice your techniques.
Art, in a loose definition, is expression through actions or creations. It is a very subjective thing, able to be seen wherever a willing eye lies. It's easy to see why art can cross into many disciplines beyond those typically recognized. If you aspire to become an interdisciplinary artist, you need to be able to manifest your artwork into multiple fields. A painter, for example, may also be able to sculpt or write plays.
Being great at such greatly varying things seems impossible. Fortunately, creativity usually finds ways to creep into everything someone does. An individual predisposed to become a great artist could find that his or her abilities transverse many disciplines. Also in favor of someone who wants to become an interdisciplinary artist is the fact that it does not mean you need to be the next Da Vinci. Anyone with a desire and passion for self-expression is an artist in his or her own right.
To become an interdisciplinary artist, you simply need to create work across many mediums. This can include physical artwork, like painting a canvas, creating a sculpture, or finding a picture. It could also refer to writing a poem or play or finding a new way of expressing yourself. In a sense, anyone creating art in more than one discipline has already become an interdisciplinary artist.
While some artists focus on breaking ground with their techniques, others are more driven to simply improve. Improving your artistic abilities is similar to improving in anything else. Not everyone is born great at art, but everyone holds the ability to maximize artistic potential. Taking courses in artistic techniques or other aspects of art education is one way to do so.
"Practice makes perfect" is something you might hear at a Little League baseball game, but it is surprisingly universal. Practicing different types of art is one of the most surefire ways to improve abilities. Not everyone will be a famous artist, but anyone with a genuine desire can become an interdisciplinary artist.
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Acceptable courses include those elementary education courses that would be required in an elementary education major.
Examples include but are not limited to pedagogical content that is primarily focused on:
- methods of teaching in the elementary school
- literacy instruction in the elementary school
- child psychology courses if they focus only on childhood 1-6 education
Six semester-hours (s.h.) must focus exclusively on childhood education. If you have a NYS electronic College Recommendation that appears in your TEACH account for a Literacy Birth-Grade 6 certificate, you will be credited with the requirement.
Unacceptable courses include those that focus on:
- more than one developmental level such as
- life span developmental psychology
- methods of teaching grades K-12
- child and adolescent psychology
- secondary, middle level or early childhood education
- children’s literature, child development and child psychology courses that focus on all grade levels.
If you need further clarification you should review college catalogs of institutions that offer childhood education programs leading to certification to learn about the types of courses that focus on the childhood developmental level. New York State colleges that have approved childhood education programs may be identified by using the Inventory of Registered Programs .


This semester Cohort 20 from the Art Education MAT program has a J-term (January term) course with Cohort 20 from the Elementary Education MAT program called Dimensions of Multicultural Education and Global Awareness. The objective of the class is to get students thinking about and as mentally prepared as possible for the diverse experiences and backgrounds our students will be bringing into their learning environments, our classrooms, on a daily basis.
The class started on Tuesday, and I’m already preparing to do a quick presentation on defining what success looks like for students and teachers in classrooms that are diverse, not only racially but also in terms of interests, prior knowledge, and ability. Chapter 12 of our text, Learning to Teach for Social Justice (French, 2002), tells the story of a graduate-level student teacher who returned to her old high school outside of Oakland, California to teach English to a group of “at risk” ninth-grade students. She asked them to define what success looked like and got some answers she had not considered before.
Throughout the chapter, she narrates how she had to redefine what success in her classroom looked like based on her students’ reading levels and interests. She had to stop and reassess her definition of success several times during the course of her student teaching experience in order to meet the needs of her students before her own. Some of the students in her class were reading far below their ninth-grade reading level, and some were reading at or beyond that. She had to come up with solutions that met the students where they were.
While I was reading this, I kept trying to relate back to how this would look in an art classroom and how I would assess what is and isn’t successful. In a high school Art 1 setting, I may have students who have never taken an art class before because it wasn’t offered in their K-8 school. They may have little to no background in the art making process. I may also have very skilled students in the same class. This is where the all-important planning for differentiated instruction, deciding on other acceptable evidence of learning, and choice based learning come to mind. Knowing your students in order to meet their educational needs is also extremely important. One of the biggest challenges of teaching is meeting all students where they are and challenging them to develop beyond that.
The student teacher in chapter 12 of my textbook stated that she used to get extremely annoyed when she posed a specific question to her professors about teaching and their answer was, “it depends.” I also hate ambiguous answers, but I am learning to accept the idea of leaving a little room for ambiguity in lesson planning in order to be flexible to my students’ learning needs.


Dominica Partners Foster a Generation for Caribbean Marine Life
Fifth-grade students in Dominica have had a unique opportunity to study marine wildlife and the ocean as an integrated part of their school curriculum, thanks to a joint project with IFAW, the Dominican government, and CaribWhale (a trade group of Caribbean whale-watch operators). This custom-designed educational program, called Floating Classrooms, incorporates both books and hands-on learning.
The mission of Floating Classrooms, first launched in Dominica more than a decade ago, is to instill in the island nation’s youth an appreciation for marine life in the Caribbean. The program is designed to inspire the next generation to conserve marine wildlife and habitats.
Dominica’s primary school curriculum inspires students not only to protect whales and their ocean habitat but also to consider careers in science and ecotourism.
Students take the initiative
The in-class part of Floating Classrooms has study units on marine animals found off Dominica’s shores such as sea turtles, whales and dolphins; ocean habitats; marine interdependence; and the effect that human activity can have on them.
Children are taught in geography class there are seven oceans, intersected by lines on a map. For migrating sea turtles and great whales there’s only one ocean. If we are to protect our fisheries, preserve our coral reefs, and responsibly grow a successful ecotourism industry, we must recognize that each of us—young and old alike—has an important role to play.
Each fifth-grade classroom also develops and implements its own community-service initiative. For example, La Plaine’s Floating Classroom students in 2010 led a community clean-up, collecting 20 garbage bags of marine debris and litter found between their school and the beach. Also, the Floating Classrooms program culminates with a research excursion aboard a CaribWhale whale-watching vessel, which brings to life what they’ve learned.
The Floating Classroom Project has already demonstrated a tangible connection between education and conservation. During the year prior to the program pilot, villagers poached 27 leatherback sea turtles. The year after the Floating Classroom session, only one turtle was killed when it came ashore to nest. Kids are telling parents and friends not to eat sea turtles and already have organized several efforts to demonstrate that turtle poaching is not tolerated in their village and shouldn’t be tolerated anywhere. In a country where protein is an increasingly rare commodity, it’s amazing to see this kind of dedication to marine life.


George Ruiz Castorena: Mevale
The title of the exhibition, Mevale, evolved from George Castorena’s interaction with a one of his special education students at Pace High School. He suggested that she employ a particular drawing technique and her response was “Mevale,” which mean “whatever I do is what intend to do.” Later, she recommended a change to one of George’s color pencil sketch and replied, “Mevale.”
George Ruiz Castorena’s art is drawn from his life. He engages memories of the struggles of family and friends from "El Barrio" through his narrative works of art. The artist states “I believe the most powerful and profound in aspiration can come from the simplest things in our immediate surroundings. To me, great artists strive to find something extraordinary within the ordinary context of their lives. My images must be powerful enough to grab the viewer’s attention yet make the subtle connections that trigger curiosity about what the artist is doing and why. Once intrigued, they will return repeatedly, attempting to discern the meaning.”
The exhibition Mevale features drawings, painting, ceramics and sculpture. Mr. Castorena uses longhorn red clay to create his sculpture. He prefers the interaction of longhorn white with underglaze to achieve the painterly coloristic effects of his tiles. He has recently begun exploring the possibilities of using commercial tile as a base for his work. He says “There are advantages and disadvantages to total glazing. However, I looking for an outlet that offers self expression.”
Of his painting, George Castorena says, “I work spontaneously, using the quick gesture which results in energetic brushwork. Color is an important element in my work, with ambiguous or vague color shaping both figure and space. I am challenging people to think about Chicano art in my paintings or drawings and to decide whether they thought it was right or wrong. It had much to do with raising ethnic consciousness.
My first concern with the relevance of art is the emotional impact that it carries. I wish to reach my audience in a strong and emotional way by the use of color, mood, tone, and subjective composition. My paintings are my statements, by reaching into the past of the Chicano community. The influences and interactions help me give concrete visibility to the Chicano experiences in the southern part of Valley.”
George Ruiz Castorena
- Born in Brownsville, Texas in 1955.
- At ten, committed to a career in art.
- Studied studio art with George Truan from 1973 to 1979.
- Currently employed by BISD at Pace High School as a paraprofessional in special education.
Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of Texas at Brownsville
- art education and studio art
- currently attending Master of Art in Interdisciplinary studies at University of Texas at Brownsville
- plans to pursue MFA at The University of Texas Pan American at Edinburg, Texas
Exhibitions from 1976 to present
- 1976 Art Gallery Texas Southmost College at Brownsville "Four Students Shows". Chicano Art Show.
- 1977 Chicano art show UTB library.
- 1977 Los Cuatro Artists.
- 1978 Los 7 Artistas Truan e Su Studientes
- 1979 Collect Art Show Art Museum of South Texas Corpus Christi, TX (in permanent collection).
- 1979 Brownsville City Limit Chicano art show at Denton TX, Houston, and Brownsville.
- 1978 Chicano Video Production Features Six Visual Artists Houston PBS. Station Houston. TX., Video.
- 1977 Production by Caesar Martinez (artists) Chicano (young) Artists San Antonio, TX.
- 1977 Mi Barrio Public Television media resources Texas Southmost College at Brownsville Aqui Rogelio Channel 4 Harlingen studio Chicano Art South Texas Harlingen, TX.
- 1980 Cactus Javelina Student Center, Kingsville.
- 2006 Senior Exhibit at Art Galley U.T. at Brownsville.
- 2006 Art in the Park by Amigos Artists.
- 2006 Day of the Dead Exhibit Calaveras Exhibit by Brownsville Heritage Complex Historical Association Museum.
- 2006 Small Works Galleria 409 E. 13th Street Brownsville.
- 2006 Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center.
For further information contact George Castorena at firstname.lastname@example.org


Rice University's Shepherd School of Music will bring together distinguished scientists, composers and musicians to discuss music's role in human cognition and behavior for the Exploring the Mind Through Music conference March 27-29. Aimed at increasing the dialogue between musicians and scientists, the conference events are free and open to the public.
The Shepherd School conference aims to be a trendsetter in encouraging neuroscientists and musicians to interface and share their latest findings and research.
"We hope this will serve as a catalyst for deepening the collaboration between musicians and scientists," said Anthony Brandt, organizer of the conference. "We see this as the first step to something bigger -- something that may help further the research and enable us to gain new insights into ourselves."
The top researchers from this burgeoning field of mind and music will present their work on topics ranging from congenital amusia (tone-deafness) to synesthesia to functional brain organization in relation to music.
"I expect to see some new collaborations forming as these experts discuss their work and experiences," said Brandt, associate professor of composition and theory at Rice. "Perhaps musicians will become advisers on research studies or neuroscientists will investigate the importance of early childhood music education, assess the importance of the arts in our mental and social development and consult on such issues as productive and efficient practicing habits."
Brandt's own interests focus on how classical music can offer insights into the mind, the limits of language and the elusive connections between thought and feeling. He has studied how music with cyclic structure -- a main idea repeating in its entirety either identically or with variations -- creates a predictability ideal for social situations. Classical music features musical statements broken into smaller fragments and reassembled in new forms. To process that music, the mind has to be active and diligent, according to Brandt.
"Because of the cyclic nature of pop music, you are constantly at risk of tuning it out," Brandt said. "Not so with classical music where your mind is hard at work. Because of its cognitive richness, I believe classical music is potentially a powerful resource for investigating the mind."
Neuroscientist and Rice alumnus David Eagleman will present his research in synesthesia -- where stimulation of one sense in the brain triggers an experience in a different sense. For example, the feel of sandpaper might evoke a sensation of forest green or a symphony might be experienced in blues and golds. Eagleman, director of the Laboratory for Perception and Action at Baylor College of Medicine, will concentrate on musical forms of synesthesia where pitches, chords or instrument timbres trigger the experiences of colors, textures or shapes. He will discuss the cutting-edge technology used in his laboratory to study such things.
Isabelle Peretz, co-director of the International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research at the University of Montreal, will explore how congenital amusia provides a rare chance to examine the biological basis of music by tracing causal links between genes, environment, brain and behavior.
A talk by David Huron, professor of musicology at Ohio State University, will focus on how music evokes feelings akin to sadness or grief.
Other speakers will be Jonathan Berger, co-director of the Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts at Stanford University; Fred Lerdahl, the Fritz Reiner Professor of Music Composition at Columbia University; Sarah Rothenberg, renowned pianist and artistic director of Da Camera of Houston; Gottfried Schlaug, director of the Neuroimaging Laboratory of Beth Israel Deaconess and Harvard Medical School; Ron Tintner, director of the Department of Neurology of The Methodist Hospital; and Mark Tramo, director of the Institute for Music & Brain Science at Harvard.
|Contact: David Ruth|