Being the music nerds we self-admittedly are, as part of our nightly study routine, Joy and I thought it would be beneficial to take turns reading out loud every term in the glossary of our text Learning Sequences in Music. We wanted to be sure we understood the meaning of all the new words thrown at us. You may be laughing, but it was quite helpful, especially for this first video you’re about to see!
A 16-hour car ride at some point in time requires a car game. Thus, on our way back from Boston, was born the Alphabet Game MLT Style. (I realize for many of you some of the terms will be meaningless, but I thought you would still get a kick out of it.) 🙂
If you want a bit more substance than our alphabet game, a few days after we returned, we recorded a video summary video for you!
- 3:00 Who was Edwin Gordon.
- 9:45 Who is Marilyn Lowe.
- 13:25 What is audiation and how is it developed.
22:00 How we each plan to start incorporating elements of MLT into our lessons.
- 25:45 What resources are available for teachers who want to learn more about MLT.
My end was a bit delayed at times so I apologize for occasionally having words drop. When I list the modes, it sounds like I miss one but I didn’t, it was just the connection. 🙂
Books mentioned in the video:
- Learning Sequences in Music, by Edwin E. Gordon.
- Study Guide for Learning Sequences in Music, by Edwin E. Gordon
- Quick and Easy Introductions, by Edwin E. Gordon. *An excellent “footnotes” version.
- The Ways Children Learn Music, by Eric Bluestine (Read Joy’s review here.)
- Intelligent Music Teaching, by Robert Duke. (We both feel it’s the #1 book on piano teaching. Read Joy’s review here.)
MLT Around the Internet
If you want to continue learning more about Dr. Gordon’s research here are some more resources around the web:
:: Just this past June (2016), the late Dr. Gordon was named one of five 2016 Lowell Mason Fellows from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
:: Dr. Gordon’s Keynote address to the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP) July 2014.
:: Public school teacher Eric Bluestine, the author of The Ways Children Learn Music mentioned above, has a blog also titled The Ways Children Learn Music.
:: Music Learning Theory early childhood teacher, Heather Kirby shares about her experience in this “Meet the Teacher” video. Ms. Kirby is also an officer on the board of the Gordon Institute for Musical Learning. She was gracious enough to host an evening gathering at her home as well as a pizza dinner one night after class during the training.
:: We spent a lot of time learning about modes, singing chants, and tonal patterns, learning their characteristic tones and primary chords (I self-admittedly have a long way to go!) An Introduction to Modes is a great article to help you understand modes a little better. Also, Forest Kinney has an excellent article in the Sept/Oct 2015 issue of Clavier Companion titled Beyond Major and minor: A composer’s understanding of chords and scales.
From Tim Topham’s Music Learning Theory month in July
:: One of our classmates, Emma Barson, an MLT teacher from Adelaide Australia shares some thoughts in Tim’s opening post-Music Learning Theory.
:: One of our GIML teachers, as well as another classmate, shared their experiences as MLT teachers in Music Learning Theory Wrap-Up.


Christopher Columbus Activities for First Grade
Columbus Day happens the second Monday in October of each year. The holiday honors Christopher Columbus and his October 12, 1492, arrival in America. (see ref 1) Themed activities teach first grade students about the explorer and his travels. The activities fit into many areas of the first grade curriculum to enhance literacy, math and science skills while also teaching history.
A world map gives first grade students a glimpse of Columbus' trip. Start by identifying Spain, where his first voyage to the Americas originated. Mark that spot with a pin. Because Columbus set out to find a different route to Asia, point out Asia on the map so that the first graders can see where Columbus tried to go. According to the logs Columbus kept, he made a stop in the Canary Islands for supplies and repairs. Mark the Canary Islands as the first stop on the trip. After crossing the Atlantic, Columbus’ ships landed in the Bahamas. Mark the other islands in the area that Columbus visited, including Cuba and Hispaniola, the island where Haiti and the Dominican Republic are now located. (see ref 3) Give the students their own world map outlines so that they can mark Columbus' route.
The Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria carried Columbus and his crew on their voyage to the Americas. Use the ships as the basis for a creative classroom activity. Students will make individual replicas of the ships using cardboard milk containers turned on their side. Cut out one side of the carton to create the ship. The kids can then decorate the containers and add sails using craft sticks and paper. For a larger version, use a refrigerator box with one side cut out. Decorate the box as a class to look like one of the ships. The kids can use the box for dramatic play activities.
Count on Columbus
The Columbus theme can carry over to math class to reinforce number concepts. One idea is to roughly map out the length of the ships Columbus used for the journey. While exact measurements aren't available, an estimate is about 67 feet long and 21 feet wide for the Niña, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. The Pinta was likely similar in side. The Santa Maria may have been about the size of a tennis court. On the playground, mark out the approximate dimensions of one of the ships. For general math activities, write numbers on ship cutouts. The kids can use the dimensions of the three ships to practice putting numbers in order or adding numbers together. For example, have the students draw two different ships and add the numbers on them.
Children's books offer a way to integrate literacy while learning about Columbus. Read a selection of books to the class, such as "Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus" by Peter Sis, "In 1492" by Jean Marzollo and "Animals Christopher Columbus Saw" by Sandra Markle. Use the Columbus books as a guide for acting out the explorer’s adventures. The poem "In 1492" is another literacy tool to learn about the explorer. Read the poem as a class and recite it together. Then, let the kids create their own poems or songs about Columbus. (see ref 2)
Based in the Midwest, Shelley Frost has been writing parenting and education articles since 2007. Her experience comes from teaching, tutoring and managing educational after school programs. Frost worked in insurance and software testing before becoming a writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a reading endorsement.


ERIC Number: ED493663
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Apr
Teaching Elementary Mathematics: A Resource for Field Experiences. 3rd Edition
Smith, Nancy L.
Jossey-Bass, An Imprint of Wiley
This book is a hands-on field manual for elementary school teachers. It features a range of activities that offer opportunities for reflection while enhancing student field experiences, through observation and practicum. The first section of the book provides activities that focus on collecting information about the school and its resources, and observing and interviewing children and teachers. Additional activities focus on working with children through games, technology and mini-lessons. Such activities come with reproducible manipulatives and materials that help make this text an excellent resource that educators can rely on throughout their teaching careers. The book is organized into two sections. The first section, In the School, contains the initial three chapters: (1) Learning about the School and Its Resources Content; (2) Observing the Teacher and Students Content; and (3) Interviewing the Teacher and Student Content. The second section, Helping Children Learn, contains the final three chapters: (4) Helping Children Learn with Games Content; (5) Helping Children Learn with Technology Content; and (6) Helping Children Learn: In the Classroom Lessons Content. The following is appended: Blackline Masters Content.
Descriptors: Elementary School Mathematics, Mathematics Instruction, Field Experience Programs, Observation, Interviews, Educational Games, Technology Uses in Education, Units of Study, Teaching Methods
Jossey-Bass, An Imprint of Wiley. 10475 Crosspoint Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46256. Tel: 877-762-2974; Fax: 800-597-3299; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org; Web site: http://www.josseybass.com
Publication Type: Books; Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: Elementary Education
Authoring Institution: N/A


Welcome to the Bear Cubs Classroom
I hope your dreams take you to the corner of your smiles,
to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities,
and to the most special place your heart has ever known.
At GES we try to make the transition into school a joyful one. Kindergarten a wonderful time to build new friendships, expand on curiosities and creativity, and learn new routines and responsibilities. Five and six-year-olds are often eager to explore and share ideas. They thrive in a classroom with routines and clear expectations. The kindergarten year is a tremendous time for personal, social, and academic growth.
Much of the beginning of our year is focused on learning about our classroom community and broader school culture. Along with learning new classroom routines the Bear Cubs also practice cooperative play and how to be a good friend. We read lots of books together and notice ways to build empathy for how others may be feeling. The Bear Cubs also learn about the ways in which we are alike and different. As they explore their own identity and notice their own strengths and challenges, we emphasize the ways we can support each other. We often remind each other to “keep trying even when something is hard”.
Our schedule seeks to find balance throughout the day. The Bear Cubs engage in regular free play indoors and out to build on interests, stamina, and collaboration. These are crucial moments for social growth! At other times of the day, the students are engaged in focused small group learning, hands-on exploration, or large group discussions. The Bear Cubs also have time to rest their bodies and rejuvenate for the afternoon.
Outdoor play is an important part of the Bear Cubs day. We will play outside several times each day in (almost) every weather. Outdoor play may include climbing, fort building, digging, playing with mud and clay, imaginary play, rock hunting, sledding, snowshoeing, and hiking. Outdoor play provides a wonderful backdrop for developing physical and character skills. It also gives students lots of practice in working through social situations. We will make a strong effort to connect to our environment both in and out of the classroom including regular trips to the beach and trails to explore the seasonal changes.
Bear Cubs Educator: Anne
Anne grew up in Northfield, Minnesota and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in Elementary Education and Spanish. She taught in Roseville, Minnetonka, and in rural Honduras as a Peace Corps Volunteer before moving to the North Shore. Anne taught in the Lynx for three years before becoming a Bear Cubs teacher. She is thrilled to be working with kindergartners! If her free time, she loves hiking with her family, creating art, and cooking.


Learning Tree International School (Learning Tree) is a high-performing, pre–K–elementary school in Tokyo, Japan, with campuses near parks as well as major train lines in lively but not overcrowded vicinities. Over the last 16 years, Learning Tree has refined a program that consistently delivers intelligently bilingual students. The school’s success comes from its immersion of young learners into a supportive, English-only community of teachers and peers.
Tokyo has a lot to offer in terms of culture and city life, yet it's just an hour away from the beach and the mountains. This fantastic city for cycling and running is surrounded by areas that offer opportunities for mountain and winter sports. Residents and visitors enjoy local and international sporting events along with museums and galleries. Restaurants and shopping are located around each campus, and most staff members live within walking or cycling distance to work.
Learning Tree, a Japanese Registered Early Childhood Facility, currently enrolls 514 students, most of whom are Japanese. The school delivers the delivers the U.S. Common Core curriculum. The teaching staff of 23 includes 13 North American teachers and five from the U.K.
At Learning Tree, students can begin as early as six months old in the Baby Seeds group. They listen to phonics songs for sound recognition, play games like “Grab and Crawl” for physical education (PE), and they paint with their hands and feet. Storytime in English is enhanced with the use of puppets.
The Little Sprouts group, for children from two to three years old, and the Big Sprouts group, for children from 4 to 5 years old, learn the alphabet through song, frequent the neighboring park for PE, work on three-letter word recognition, practice holding a pencil to write three-letter words, and read beginner level books. Several themes create a context for vocabulary development beyond sight words: the weather, body parts, the five senses, textures, and the garden. Gardening introduces students to elementary science concepts. Story time is centered around the theme of the month. Students also learn about moods and emotions, good manners, families, jobs in the community, transportation, and street signs. During music time, students learn songs, dances, and rhythm with castanets. Arts and Crafts for Little Sprouts includes using glue and paint. Big Sprouts use scissors and learn how to fold and mold. During math time, students are introduced to shapes, counting, sorting and grouping, writing numbers, and patterning. Learners who excel in mathematics will begin adding and subtracting.
The Saplings group, designed for children aged four through six, build on these foundations. During music time, students use the ukulele, xylophone, and other percussive instruments to develop hand-eye coordination, learn the musical scale, and understand how each person in a group can contribute to one piece of music. They also practice patience by waiting their turn.
Because of its success with the youngest of students, Learning Tree launched its elementary education program in April 2015, delivering the U.S. Common Core standards. At the conclusion of each academic year, each student takes an exam that shows that he or she has achieved national standards for that grade level. In April 2020, the school will enroll 28 students for both Grades 1 and 2 as well as several students in each Grade 3 through 7.
Learning Tree is interested in teachers and interns from English-speaking countries who do not smoke. They will consider newly-certified teachers as well as experienced teachers lacking certification. Candidates need not hold an academic degree in the subject they will be teaching, and there is no age limit in Japan to obtain a work visa.
The benefits package includes an allowance of 20,000 yen per month towards housing and/or transportation. Teachers are eligible for enrollment in the Japanese pension program wherein employee contributions are matched by the company. While Learning Tree waives tuition fees for dependents, its teachers are responsible for their children’s uniforms, lunch, and other fees. Teaching staff may register for professional development programs and attend lectures. Local health coverage—including dental and long-term disability—is covered by a portion of an employee’s salary, which deducted and then matched by the school. This package amounts to a bit of savings, and there are local employment opportunities for non-teaching partners.
To gain access to Learning Tree International School’s full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of any vacancies, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboards.
Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.


Perhaps you’ve seen your over-zealous friend hauling her two year old off to Kindermusik and thought it was a little extreme. Maybe you are an adult who survived a childhood forced into learning an instrument you didn’t like and are adamantly against music lessons at such a tender age. Perhaps you are a parent and wondering what to do with your tiny tot, preschooler, or school age child. Is it too early? Too late? There are a lot of opinions on what ages are appropriate for learning music. So how do you make sense of it all? And should you decide that your little one should learn an instrument, you might also ask: “Where are the best music classes near me for kids?”
How Soon is Now?
To begin with, there is no such thing as too early for a musical education. The parents that are putting headphones of the expectant mother’s belly are on to something. Music is beneficial to neural development at all ages, especially as the brain is in its early stages of development.
Now, can you stick a guitar in a 1 year old’s hands and teach them to play? Good luck with that. In all honestly, music education does not have to be formal to be beneficial in these early years. Teaching rhythm through some toddler music and dance sessions at home is a great introduction to music, as are many of the baby and tot music toys. These will help build your child’s music foundation.
The Right Age for Music Lessons
Is there a magic age to begin formal music lessons? Yes and no – every child develops differently. Gains like increased cognitive development, higher IQ, enhanced fine motor skills, and improved ability to concentrate are their strongest between ages 2 and 9. Typically, a child’s brain has developed the necessary neural pathways for music lessons by age 3. However, though the brain circuits are ready, your child may not be otherwise ready if they are not emotionally mature enough to sit still for a lesson and concentrate. Their instrument of choice may not be ready for them, either.
If you think your child is ready for lessons by age 3, you can often find small violins or guitars. Alternatively, singing and drums might be a great place to start because they are not as limited by size. Even though Mozart began playing Pianoforte at 3, his instrument was slightly different from today’s pianos. Many piano teachers prefer to start teaching kids when their hands can fit the keys, which usually falls anywhere from 4-6.
Avoiding the Therapist’s Couch
But what about all of those people who lament their childhood, forced to endure cello and flute? In truth, it has little to do with age. Lessons are rough at any age if the student has no interest in the instrument. If your child really wants to play drums and you put them in violin, then this will invariably cause friction and may create resentment. Exposing preschoolers to a range of instruments will allow them to find something that is most interesting to them – which ups the fun factor and removes the adult hours on the psychologist’s couch.
From before birth, music lessons improve neural development and capacity. Gains intensify from between ages 2-9, considered the perfect window to begin music education. You can often begin formal music lessons between ages 3-6. To ensure your child also cultivates a love of music, allow them to select an instrument (or singing) and make sure that they have a fun, engaged music teacher who is experienced with teaching young children.


Head of Department: Miss F Squire - email@example.com
Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young. (Aristotle)
The Department for Education describes Music as:
"…an enriching and valuable academic subject with important areas of knowledge that need be learnt, including how to play an instrument and sing.
Secondary benefits of music education are those of increased self-esteem and aspirations; improved behaviour and social skills; and improved academic attainment in areas such as numeracy, literacy and language…"
The NCFE qualification is aimed at students with an interest in music production and recording. It is a vocational qualification equivalent to GCSE at grades A*-C.
NCFE Level 2 Technical Awards in Music Technology Full Exam Specification (PDF)
Exam board and Code: NCFE 601/6774/9
Component 1: Written exam - 15% (2 hours)
Component 2: Practical exam - 35% (2 hours)
Component 3: Coursework - 50%
All components cover the four units of the course:
Unit 1: Using a digital audio workstation (DAW)
Unit 2: Creating music
Unit 3: Studio recording
Unit 4: Sound creation
Component 1: Written Test
Comprising short-answer questions and listening questions.
Component 2: Practical Assessment
Creative and technical manipulation of musical material to a given brief.
Component 3: Coursework
A portfolio demonstrating all learning outcomes for all four units.
Exam Course Study Breakdown (Key Stage 4)
Students will work through the following four units, compiling a portfolio of work during years 9, 10 and 11.
Unit 1: Using a Digital Audio Workstation
This unit will allow learners to develop skills in operating a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) creatively using audio, MIDI, hardware and editing tools. Learners will create a musical project in response to a brief, reflecting industry skills.
Unit 2: Creating Music
Learners will develop skills to analyse stylistic elements of music and develop a piece of music based on a specific style. Learners will engage in a review of technical and creative processes.
Unit 3: Recording Studio
Learners will plan and undertake a recording session for a given scenario. Learners will create a mixdown of their recording and review the final product.
Unit 4: Sound Creation
Learners will explore sound creation and apply their knowledge to a given brief. They will create and review their own original sound creation project.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8)
Autumn Term - Bridging Unit and Ensemble Playing
Pupils learn about key musical features and how to perform as part of an ensemble.
Spring Term - Programme Music
Pupils learn about how Programme Music is composed. Programme music is based on a particular theme like the Four Seasons or The Planets. Pupils will compose their own music based on different types of Animals.
Summer Term - Medieval and Folk Music
Pupils learn about some of the history of Music from the British Isles. They will learn how to play and perform traditional pieces of folk music.
Autumn Term - Film Music
Pupils will learn about the importance of music within the film industry and create their own film score.
Spring Term - Blues Music
Pupils will learn about the beginnings of Blues Music and how it has influenced all popular music in the 20th Century.
Summer Term - Music Technology
Pupils will learnt how to use a music programme called Garage Band and create their own modern music using a Digital Audio Workstation.


Let's Talk About Maths: The Role of Observed “Maths-Talk” and Maths Provisions in Preschoolers' Numeracy
Mind, Brain, and Education
Developmental cognitive neuroscience highlights the importance of interactions between children and their environment. As young children spend increasing time in childcare, it is key to investigate the impact of “maths-talk” and maths provisions in preschools. Qualitative insights from early educators indicate a greater bias toward counting activities than would be expected given the Early Years curriculum. In addition, we quantified the observed breadth of preschool practitioners' maths language (e.g., place-value language), setting-based maths provisions (e.g., quality of maths-related activities), and their relation with children's early numeracy skills. In settings with greater practitioners' breadth of maths language, children display greater cardinality skills although our data call for the further investigation of parental socioeconomic status and education. We conclude with a discussion on the need to operationalize children's maths learning environments as diversely as possible. Enriching practitioners' skill sets may be an effective and needed way of improving early maths outcomes.
|Mind, Brain, and Education|
|Organisation||Department of Cognitive Science|
von Spreckelsen, M. (Megan), Dove, E. (Emma), Coolen, I. (Ilse), Mills, A. (Annelot), Dowker, A. (Ann), Sylva, K. (Kathy), … Scerif, G. (Gaia). (2019). Let's Talk About Maths: The Role of Observed “Maths-Talk” and Maths Provisions in Preschoolers' Numeracy. Mind, Brain, and Education. doi:10.1111/mbe.12221


ESOL is English for Speakers of Other Languages. Migrants and new community members in Ireland come from a wide range of cultural, linguistic, educational and social backgrounds. In any English language or ESOL classes across the country, you can find learners who are highly educated with professional and skilled backgrounds who are attending classes to learn English or improve their English. However there are also a significant number of learners who are learning English who may have missed out on formal education in their country of origin and who lack the basic literacy skills to participate fully and benefit from ‘standard’ English language classes.
What is the difference between ‘ESOL literacy’ and ‘ESOL language’ classes?
ESOL language focuses on English language development for students who do not have literacy difficulties in their native language.
Many ESOL language learners may be familiar with the Roman script, that is, the alphabet we use in English. Other ESOL language learners may be familiar with writing systems such as Chinese, or a non-Roman alphabet such as Arabic or Cyrillic, but have limited knowledge of the Roman script and the conventions of written English.
However, learners who are literate in the conventions and script of any language transfer the skills and knowledge they already have to the learning reading and writing in English. While the majority of ESOL language learners do struggle with the fact that English is not phonetically regular, that is, it does not have a one-to-one sound letter pattern, this does not mean they have literacy difficulties.
ESOL literacy (for students who are new to English) refers to teaching and learning that focuses on both language and literacy development in English for students who have literacy difficulties in their mother tongue to an extent that creates significant, additional challenges for the learning of English as a second language.
Generally, these learners have low levels of literacy in their native language (in some cases, they may be new to reading and writing and may never even held a pen before). Many of these learners are also very new to the English language and require additional support to acquire the literacy skills essential to the acquisition of English in order to actively participate in the workplace and wider society.
If learners are unable to read or write in their own language, they may experience significant difficulties in acquiring reading and writing skills in English. They do not have prior knowledge of writing conventions, may not understand the concept of a letter to sound pattern and may have profound difficulties with different handwriting, fonts and prints.
The lack of basic literacy skills in any language will also hinder these ESOL learners in learning English in a formal structured setting where there are no tailored and literacy specific supports available.
International learners with spoken English who have literacy difficulties
Some students may be proficient in spoken English having come to Ireland from countries where English is used as a ‘lingua franca’ that is, as a common language of communication in an area where there are a number of national, regional or local languages. Or they may be self taught in English and have only needed to speak and be understood in English.
These learners, as Spiegel and Sunderland (2006:9) point out, may come from regions with a strong tradition of oral literacy but have very few written literacy skills in any language and may be approaching the formal learning of reading and writing for the first time. Though these learners may have high levels of spoken English, their low levels of print literacy in English could make it difficult for them to participate fully in Irish society.
Teachers and tutors working with ESOL students with literacy difficulties need to have a thorough grounding in literacy acquisition, development and teaching methodologies.


Make a fabulously creepy counting spiders sensory maths tray for learning single and two digit numerals, practising addition and subtraction and finding one more and one less than a given number. The spider theme is sure to appeal to all mini-beast lovers and the sensory-rich fine motor benefits are awesome too!
We are HUGE fans of kinaesthetic learning, especially practising homework in DIY awesome sensory learning trays! We now have an enormous archive of SENSORY WRITING TRAYS packed full of seasonal, scented, themed and otherwise super-duper fun ways to practise letters, phonics, sight words and name writing without the need for a dull worksheet. We often also use similar trays for maths skills and this spider themed sensory tray was a brilliant to practise many numeracy skills!
wooden tray (ours is a packaging box from a Melissa and Doug toy)
small plastic spiders
numbers and maths problems written on pieces of white card
[Amazon affiliate links]
As always, I like to try and extend or simplify the use to suit all three of my bigger kids so that they can find a way to play that suits their current stage of learning. Mr 2 also enjoys these activities at the sensory level!
So the first way we used this tray was to simply practise writing numerals. These are harder to learn as they are not given as much time as letters of the alphabet, and so often our kids learn to write them backwards or in awkward formation. Writing on a larger scale, using fingertips in a sensory material like this helps kids to really connect with the movements they are making.
Next I gave them a bowl of teeny tiny spider counters to add to the number outline. They counted out the correct number to match each numeral.
This was simply extended by then practising two digit numbers. First they read the numbers off the card, then copied them in the sensory tray and finally they counted out the corresponding amount of spiders to match.
The next stage, for those who were able, was to introduce some simple addition and subtraction problems , again using the spiders as counters. Using physical objects helps to consolidate learning as the child moves each one and counts again to check to total amount.
You can keep this super simple by adding just two, single digit numbers together or you can extend it by adding more digits too. They write the answer below the problem in the tray before shaking and starting all over again with a new card.
Using these mini spiders for subtraction is also fun as the child sets out the first amount, then makes the second amount disappear from the tray to find the answer, which they then trace into the salt.
Of course you could then do multiplication, division, one more than, one less than etc, indeed any number problem that you wish to practise that day!
You may also like to see our full SENSORY WRITING/ NUMBER TRAY archives for more themed and seasonal ideas!
If you liked this then you will love our SPIDER WEB FINE MOTOR GAME too!
[This post contains Amazon affiliate links to help you find the products we love. Thank you for your support.]


How art is helping shape the next generation
Art can be beautiful, thought-provoking and mesmerizing, but recent studies show it can just as easily be a catalyst for improving education and critical thinking.
A recent article by T Brand Studios in the New York Times highlights how Park West Gallery and its non-profit organization, the Park West Foundation, are working to promote arts education and awareness in the classroom to improve the minds of future generations.
The foundation, along with 14-year-old art prodigy Autumn de Forest, contributes to Turnaround Arts, an art program from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities that uses art education to improve the nation’s bottom-performing five percent of schools. The program works by having high-profile artists, actors, musicians and entertainers visit these schools to inspire creativity in the students.
For instance, Autumn speaks with the students about how art affected her life, but also holds a hands-on art lesson with them. The Park West Foundation donates the materials used by the students.
“If [students] can use art and painting as a mnemonic device for [learning], I think it’s just fantastic,” Autumn says in the article. “They keep track on the schools and the grades, and they just skyrocket, whether it’s arts or dancing or music.”
A two-year study of schools in Turnaround Arts shows that students increased their math scores by an average of 22.5 percent and their reading by 12.6 percent.
“There has also been a wonderful decrease in behavioral reports,” says Margo Lion, co-chair of Turnaround Arts. “I don’t want to say that it’s a panacea, but it really does make a fundamental change.”
World-renowned artist Romero Britto is also among those speaking in favor of art education. Having grown up enduring struggles as part of a family of nine children, Britto voices his favor for keeping art in schools in an article on CBS.
“I still think that, in school, they should emphasize more arts and culture,” Britto says. “It does give a possibility [to] create something unique and new.”
Museum exhibitions that improve thinking and empathy
Park West Gallery believes that art is for all, and has helped underwrite a number of museum exhibitions around the country so that everyone can enjoy art. These include exhibitions featuring Autumn at the Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio, Yaacov Agam at the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art in Texas and an upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Tolerance in California featuring Anatole Krasnyansky.
A study from the University of Arkansas has determined that field trips to an art museum positively impact how students think and feel. Of the 10,000-plus students surveyed in the study, 70 to 88 percent retained factual information from taking museum tours. They also displayed improved critical thinking skills and gains in tolerance and historical empathy.
“I always believed in developing the whole child in every area and providing them with rich experiences including fine and performing arts,” says Diane Pandolfi, Park West Foundation Director, in the T Brand Studio article. “Art goes to our core as human beings. The Park West Foundation is a supporter, a facilitator — I’m very blessed to be serving in this capacity.”
Park West’s charitable efforts stem from the original mission of Park West Gallery Founder and CEO Albert Scaglione to make art available to all. In fact, Scaglione’s own life demonstrates the power of art, as he was so inspired by art that he switched careers from mechanical engineering to opening Park West Gallery in 1969. He describes how freeing it was to follow his dreams in an interview with the Huffington Post:
“The defining moment was saying that this is my new career and I see blue skies and good things happening and then decided to walk away from my doctorate and 11 years in Academia,” Scaglione said. “I did it cold turkey, took a mortgage on my house and it worked!”


Britt Sedgmen is a psychologist at RWA specialising in working with children, adolescents and their families.
It’s my firm belief that we should be just as concerned about teaching our children about feelings (the full range of them) as we are about teaching them literacy & numeracy skills.
Emotional literacy is the phrase that is used when talking about an individual’s ability to recognise, understand, and appropriately express feelings. The ability to label feelings is a developmental skill that is learned through experience; we’re not born with the ability. Just as early literacy skills are the basic building blocks for reading and writing; emotional literacy is the foundation you give your child to understand the world of feelings.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
There is a wide range of ages when children start to use books appropriately, recognize letters, and begin writing; similarly, a children’s ability to identify, understand, and label their emotions develops at different rates in different individuals. A child’s growing ability to label emotions is influenced by their temperament and developmental stage, but the most important influence comes from adult caregivers, parents and teachers.
A child’s ability to label emotions are related to differences in the way adults talk to and teach children about feelings and social/ emotional problem solving. Providing your children with the skills to understand their emotional lives and express feelings in appropriate ways sets the stage for them to achieve to their potential in social, emotional, behavioural, and academic development.
Daniel Goleman, in his book Emotional Intelligence, identified skills such as being able to handle frustrations, motivate oneself, control impulses, delay gratification and get on with other people, as better predictors of life success than IQ/ intellectual ability or academic achievement. This is even (or especially) true for the brightest of children, in order for them to reach their full potential.
There is no getting away from the fact that humans are emotional beings. Emotions are an integral part of our existence. We experience a range of feelings on a daily basis — happiness, sadness, anger, contentment, disappointment, frustration, joy, pleasure, fear, guilt, loneliness — some of which are more pleasant to experience than others. Feelings tell us something about ourselves and our situation and can help us understand our needs.
Feelings are an incredible gift, but at times we can experience them as a burden. This is especially the case for overwhelmed and under-supported parents who have to simultaneously acknowledge and manage their own emotions, as well as the feelings of their child or children’s.
The ability to recognise, understand and manage your own emotions is a crucial skill for parents in order to navigate the vast majority of parenting situations. The ability of parents to support children in recognising, understanding, and managing their emotions is crucial for children to make sense of their experiences and negotiate the developmental challenges of childhood and adolescence.
There are some really important key messages that parents need to convey to their children (and need to remember for themselves). Here are a few of them:
- All feelings are okay. The full range of emotions are a normal part of the human experience, there are no good or bad emotions.
- Emotions come and go, coming up many times throughout the day, lasting just a few seconds or lingering to become a mood.
- Emotions occur on a continuum from mild to intense with the intensity of an emotion depending on the situation and other individual factors.
- We can experience more than one feeling at a time, for example, excitement and fear about going on a rollercoaster or proud and anxious accepting an award in front of peers.
- There are good and bad ways of expressing (or acting on) emotions. Learning how to express emotions in acceptable ways is built on a foundation of being able to understand emotions (emotional literacy).
This knowledge has huge implications, which we’ll discuss more in our next article. But for now, do you have any concerns about your child’s emotional literacy or your ability to balance your own emotions? These are common issues, and nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes it helps to get support from a trained psychologist. If you are experiencing these issues, contact us today on 02 9980 1400.
click HERE for Emotional Literacy for Children (Part 2)


Illuminating the influence of West African music, theory, and culture in American music traditions, and through this illumination, encouraging the academic success and advancement of West African scholars, students, and musicians.
EMBRACING THE DEPTHS OF OUR MUSICAL ROOTS
West African music is among the oldest on our planet, with a rich and varied history. The Mande musical traditions of West Africa are considered some of the most influential and intricate of all of Sub-Saharan African music. Additionally, modern research methods have unveiled very specific information showing the Mande musical traditions as cultural cornerstone of southern U.S. regions which later became hubs for the creation of jazz and the blues.
The Cradle of Jazz Project (CoJP) aims to broaden the scope of jazz history by demonstrating the strength of its roots in the Mande music of West Africa.
- The inclusion of West African music theory in the teaching of jazz history will give the Western musician: new experiences of synchronicity with other musicians, more freedom in improvisation, and fresh perspectives on the interplay of melody and rhythm.
- Musical restitution will be manifested as Jazz history replaces its current vague nod to African roots with specific teachings in history, migration, and the previously unacknowledged merging of two distinct music theories.
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WEST AFRICAN MUSICIANS
In West Africa, there is an acknowledged cultural crisis for the artisan child between traditional hereditary artisan training and formal, government-mandated schooling. An effect of the conflict is that the artist who has forsaken modern schooling to learn her craft finds bias against her stable success in the Western world. Opportunities for teaching become limited to brief residencies instead of long-term contracts, and self-management is difficult. The Cradle of Jazz Project intends to improve the chances of true global success for the next generation of Mali and Guinea’s cultural ambassadors, by delivering a bi-musical education which is also strongly academic.
Our Executive Director Julie Moore is a certified Suzuki music instructor who has proven herself capable of bringing bi-musical education to Project-sponsored students in West Africa. With her ground-breaking work introducing Western music theory to impoverished urban youth in Mali in 2011, Julie became the first person to bring Suzuki music education to West Africa. The Suzuki music method is rooted in positive development of the whole student. Our education program will provide a place in Mali where a child’s potential as a student and a young artisan will flourish. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, founder of the Suzuki learning method, said “I want – if I can – to get education changed from mere instruction to education in the real sense of the word – education that inculcates, brings out, develops the human potential, based on the growing life of the child.”
Through offering long-term primary and secondary education programs in artisan communities in Mali, young West African artisans will graduate from our program with offers of full scholarships from partnering U.S. universities.
ENDOWING WOMEN’S HEALTH CO-OPS IN MALIAN CoJP COMMUNITIES
We recognize our sponsored students and artists as whole people, part of local communities, and therefore will include the provision of basic health care for program participants who reside in Africa, as well as supporting activities which will improve the health and safety of their African communities.
- Our Global Health Director Elke Bachmann (CNM, MSN, Faculty, Midwifery Program, Yale School of Nursing) will deliver sustainable, long-term health and education support to West African communities, with a focus on Mali and Guinea. The aunts, mothers, and big sisters of students sponsored by Cradle of Jazz Project will be formed into community health co-ops. Elke will offer opportunities to Yale student midwives support this co-op, and will ally herself with local hospital systems, whose doctors will in turn make themselves available in critical situations to the Cradle of Jazz Project co-op women.


National Children's Dental Health Month is a month-long health observance that brings together dental professionals, health care providers and others to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health in children.
Leading chronic health issue for children in the U.S.
Did you know that cavities or tooth decay is one of the most common health issues affecting children in the U.S.? In some places, it has an even greater impact on children and their families than asthma. Oral health issues, such as cavities, can include:
- Persistent pain
- Dental abscesses or infections
- Inability to chew foods well and decreased appetite
- Depression and attention issues
It's no wonder that children and youth experiencing oral health issues are more likely to miss school and have poor academic performance than their peers. Studies show that school-age children and youth in the U.S. miss 51 million hours of school each year due to oral health problems. These absences can mean losing critical learning time, especially in the early grades, when foundational skills are being developed. What's more, students that experience oral health pain are 4x more likely to have lower GPAs than their peers that don't.
Prevention is key
The good news is that when oral health problems are treated and students are not experiencing pain, their learning and school attendance improve! Parents can help prevent cavities and promote good oral health by ensuring their children:
By the numbers: Tips for healthy teeth
Here are some more tips for good oral health:
1 – A child's 1st dentist visit should happen by the 1st birthday
2 – Brush teeth at least 2x a day
3 – Replace toothbrushes every 3 months
4 – Visit the dentist every 6 months
For more information
- Visit our website: www.bphc.org/oralhealth
- Looking for a dentist in Boston OR information about how to pay for dental care? Click here.


Discipline: Science and Mathematics Education
Subcategory: STEM Science and Mathematics Education
Trina L. Spencer - Virginia State University
Co-Author(s): Leslie Y. Whiteman and Tracy M. Walker, Virginia State University
This poster will briefly share the presenters’ current work to increase the interest, pedagogical skills, confidence and expertise of pre-service elementary education teachers to teach science utilizing research-based instructional methods. It will highlight keys ideas on why educational programs should re-examine how preservice teachers are trained to teach science, and discuss why incorporating field-based experiences in informal educational settings should be encouraged. The poster will also present data that shows what knowledge, skills, and insights the elementary preservice teachers gained from visiting two local science museums. It will how these experiences helped to expose preservice teachers to the practical application of scientific concepts.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): HBCU- UP- National Science Foundation-Targeted Infusion
Faculty Advisor: None Listed,


ERIC Number: ED381380
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1995
Talking Their Way into Science: Hearing Children's Questions and Theories, Responding with Curricula.
Based on five years of research about "Science Talks," this book provides a window into elementary children's thinking about the world and presents a view of how students build complex theories, identify important questions, and begin to enter the world of science, all within the naturalistic setting of the classroom. It is proposed that classroom science be taught as a particular practice of science in U.S. culture, and presents a description of how a discourse acquisition approach to teaching and learning enables all children and their teachers to engage fully in scientific thought. The content includes the origins of science teaching and "Science Talks"; descriptions of the content, structure, and practice of the child-centered model; and explanations of current understanding of how the teacher's role in this model develops and changes over time including how the model could change science instruction as a whole. Chapter titles include: "What is Science?"; "Anatomy of a Science Talk"; "Theory Building as an Irrational Activity"; "Misconceptions as a Search for Origins"; "Science Talk for Synthesis"; "Building Curriculum from Children's Questions"; and "Teachers as Model, Teacher as Coach." (LZ)
Descriptors: Curriculum Development, Discussion (Teaching Technique), Elementary Education, Elementary School Science, Elementary School Students, Science Curriculum, Science Instruction, Science Teachers, Scientific Literacy, Teacher Education
Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 (clothbound: ISBN-0-8077-3435-5; paperback: ISBN-0-8077-3435-7).
Publication Type: Books
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers; Researchers; Practitioners
Authoring Institution: N/A


Although founded in the Museum of Applied Art in 1964 as an annual review of art created by pupils from Belgrade primary schools, it quickly became a traditional event, as exhibition and support of different forms of children’s achievements in applied arts. From its foundation the aim of this event was to sustain and broaden the curriculum of primary art education through different fields of applied arts. By acquiring the knowledge, appropriate techniques and methodology from various sections of applied arts (like ceramics, textile, illustration, stage and graphic design) was intended to improve the fine arts education based on the classical postulates of drawing and painting. The exhibition helped us evaluate the results, the influence of contemporary art and its reception in the school curricula. With its involvement in applied arts, the Children’s October Salon had influenced many generations of children and enabled their immediate contact with art with its exhibition and creative programme. In its collection of children’s art the Museum keeps the works of talented children that were awarded at annual exhibitions. Collected over thirty eight years of the Salon’s existence as genuine creations of children, and results of an effectual visual culture education, they represent the accomplished cultural treasures that could be applied to various comparative studies in museology and art education.


This program specialization prepares teacher candidates to work with children/students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Candidates may choose from two tracks. Track 1: Candidates prepare to serve children, ages birth through five, in home-based and preschool settings. Track 2: Candidates prepare to work in specialized classrooms or inclusive/itinerant settings with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing specialization provides a range of comprehensive coursework that includes spoken language through audition, visual communication approaches and American Sign Language, towards language and literacy development, the development of cognition, social skills, and pre-academic and academic success.
The Utah State Board of Education grants teaching licenses. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are recommended for licensure. The program requires completion of the teacher education core in special education and a sequence of specialization courses in the deaf and hard of hearing field of study. The teacher education core has been designed to provide the student with skills in essential areas of assessment, instructional design and management, behavior management, collaboration, curriculum, and legal issues in special education.
Specialization courses expand upon the skills and methods that have been introduced through the teacher education core. The courses introduce specific educational strategies that are effective for particular student populations. Each program has been structured to develop the required skills through hands-on, practical learning opportunities; therefore, the program provides multiple field-based experiences. Such experiences within the program area gives students the opportunity to observe, question, test, and modify different instructional techniques under the guidance of a trained cooperating teacher and department faculty.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students are recommended for licensure to the Utah State Board of Education. Graduates may then opt to complete additional requirements for a master’s degree.


How do I study for the STAAR Grade 8 math ?
The five steps in the following list offer an efficient way to study for the STAAR Grade 8 math exam.
- Only review the concepts required to pass the exam. Choose an STAAR Grade 8 math study guide that covers precisely what you’ll encounter on test day to ensure that you’re optimizing your time.
- Concentrate on the skills you need to strengthen. An online STAAR Grade 8 study program that offers diagnostic quizzes can help identify your strong and weak areas, allowing you to skip the concepts you know well and work harder on those that require improvement.
- Use a learning method that includes instruction, practice, and testing. Start with short videos, followed by guided practice problems with step-by-step solutions. Before moving on to the next lesson, complete the learning experience with a quick test to measure your understanding.
- Build a solid base of math skills so that you’ll have confidence in your abilities when test day arrives. An STAAR Grade 8 math study guide that provides convenient access to remedial lessons will close knowledge gaps and solidify your foundation.
- Retain what you’re learning. Review the concepts regularly and take a practice test to determine whether you’re ready to pass the exam.
What should I study for the STAAR Grade 8 math test?
A good STAAR Grade 8 study guide for the math section of the test will ensure that your foundational skills are solid. Your review of the math on the STAAR Grade 8 should include the following: performing operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals; reasoning algebraically; memorizing the characteristics of basic geometric shapes; understanding measurement; representing and analyzing data and statistics. Any worthwhile STAAR Grade 8 test study guide will incorporate the means for strengthening these essential skills.
How long should you study for the STAAR Grade 8 math ?
The length of time you should study for the STAAR Grade 8 math test depends on your ability and background. Most students need to spend about 1 to 3 months studying regularly for 1 or 2 hours each day. Remember, there’s no substitute for putting in the time to prepare. It’s absolutely critical if you want a good score.
What is a good score for the STAAR Grade 8 math ?
What constitutes a good score for the STAAR Grade 8 math test depends on the policies of the school or program to which you’re are applying. Your individual situation and math knowledge level are also factors. No matter the circumstances surrounding the exam, you should always strive for the best possible score by using an STAAR Grade 8 study guide.
What is the best study guide for the STAAR Grade 8?
The best STAAR Grade 8 math study guide is the one that keeps you fully motivated. Look for an option that’s more inspiring than a boring STAAR Grade 8 study book or a tiresome set of practice problems. A system with the features described below will give you the inspiration you need.
- Video lessons provide the feeling of working with your own teacher.
- Audio explanations of practice problems keep you from getting stuck.
- Background tutorials strengthen your confidence.
- Optional pre-tests direct your learning toward concepts you need to master.
- Chapter reviews keep your skills sharp.
- Progress reports offer encouragement throughout your STAAR Grade 8 study guide.


Students who enroll in a program to earn their online certificate in elementary education will typically already have a bachelor's degree but now want to earn state licensure to teach in public schools. Common courses include classroom management and assessment, reading and language arts, literacy, teaching practice, elementary science, elementary mathematics and curriculum develop. Students will also need to ensure they have a proper foundation in the core subject area or areas they wish to teach; otherwise, supplementary course work may be required.
If you are interested in earning an online certificate in elementary education, you will find a growing number of flexible options. Most online schools feature an asynchronous curriculum, which means students do not have to attend class at a specified time. This allows working students, busy parents or those with limited travel options, the ability to pursue their teaching certificate. Classes cover subjects like classroom management, teaching practice, learning psychology, educational assessment and evaluation, literacy, reading and language arts, elementary science, elementary mathematics and curriculum design.
In most cases, students can earn their teaching certificate in elementary education in less than one year. Factors such as how many classes you opt to take at once, the specific number of credits required for the program, any breaks from the program and how long it takes complete your student teaching requirements will all influence completion time. Despite the lack of face-to-face instruction and in-person collaboration with peers, students can still work on group projects or presentations through the use of web conferencing, chat and streaming video technology. Professors will also use e-mail and the virtual learning platform to provide feedback for online students.
What’s Next for Elementary Education Certificate Holders?
Once students earn their certificate and receive appropriate licensure as outlined by their state, they are eligible to pursue jobs as teachers in both public and private elementary schools. For those interested in working in school administration or curriculum development, a master’s could be necessary; though gaining some classroom experience first is often beneficial. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the demand for elementary school teachers should increase by 6% over the projection period of 2014 to 2024. The average growth rate for all occupations during this time is estimated at 7%.
The mean annual salary reported for elementary school teachers as of 2014 was $56,830. Keep in mind that these statistics are only estimates. Actual pay and job openings will vary based on your location, level of experience, the economic climate, and the specific position and employer.


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Understanding Cultural Integrity
Defining Cultural Integrity 0:59
The Role of Cultural Integrity in the Art Classroom 3:10
Creating a Positive Classroom Climate
Examining Personal Biases 1:09
Fostering Multiculturalism Within Your Classroom 3:15
Physical Manifestations of a Classroom with Cultural Integrity 1:18
Authenticity vs. Appropriation
Defining Authenticity and Appropriation in a Teaching Context 1:21
Offering Age Appropriate Explanations of Appropriation 1:26
Strategies for Fostering Authenticity 1:35
Using Community as an Authentic Resource 1:01
Creating Inclusive Curriculum
Identifying Cultural Needs 0:58
Aspects of an Inclusive Curriculum 4:34
Steps to Writing Inclusive Curriculum 2:16
Applications of Inclusive Curriculum
Applications of Inclusive Curriculum; Chinese New Year Lesson 2:51
Applications of Inclusive Curriculum; Aztec and Mayan Lessons 4:10
7. 1 Conclusion 0:22
Unlock Certificate: 5 Questions
2 PD Hours
1 Learn why it is essential to incorporate multicultural learning into your art curriculum.
2 Gain strategies for discussing authenticity vs. appropriation with your students.
3 Explore empowering multicultural lesson ideas meant to inspire students to make personally meaningful artwork.
Art curriculum should match the diversity of our student population and the world we live in. But how do you develop and implement diverse curriculum with integrity? In this PRO Pack, discover strategies for infusing your teaching with more genuine multicultural learning. Learn how to craft authentic lessons without appropriating, identify resources within your community, and gain some insightful application ideas through several sample lessons.
A. Develops lessons, units, and/or centers that connect with student interests and backgrounds
D. Constructs opportunities for student choice and authentic learning
A. Designs inclusive instruction based on individual differences and understanding of diverse cultures and communities
11. Relationship Building
A. Builds rapport and positive relationships with students
B. Creates and maintains an environment of respect
13. Professional Practice
A. Demonstrates reflective practice
A. Supports art education access for all students
Connected National Visual Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
High School Art Teacher and PRO Facilitator
Jordan DeWilde currently teaches grades 3-6 in Oregon, Illinois. He strives to create an inclusive curriculum by developing lessons with positive representations of diverse artists and issues. Jordan tells his students, “Great art has been created by men and women of different races, cultures, and communities throughout history.” His mission is to teach his students that art is for everyone!


As teachers we're always looking for great, free art education resources to assist with our teaching practice, and enhance our students' learning outcomes.
You may not even be an art teacher. You may be a science teacher filling in. Either way, you need excellent teaching resources that produce skills in all facets of painting.
Many current teaching resources do not address basic painting skills like manipulating paint, brush technique and setting up your space. This one does. And, makes art education fun and easier for everyone.
Click here for the tech information on the video file.
Chroma Australia and I have produced this excellent, free, info-packed and practical 15 minute downloadable video tutorial especially for you, titled "Acrylic Painting Basics".
This tutorial was created specifically to assist you in teaching basic painting skills in a fun, simple and practical way.
Developing students conceptual skills is obviously important. Equally important though, is developing students' ability to use their paint and their brushes.
Using student quality Chromacryl paints, I demonstrate some of the fundamentals of painting in order to create a sun-drenched, light-filled beachscape.
This video meets current NSW Stage 4/5 Visual Arts Learning Outcomes 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 5.4.
Simply enter your email address below to get your free downloadable DVD.
Your confirmation email contains your immediate download instructions. It's that easy.
NB: Your email address will only be used by Explore Acrylic Painting and Chroma Australia to provide you with valuable educational information which will improve and enhance your art teaching practice, and improve your students' learning outcomes. We will never sell, rent or otherwise compromise your email address and we will never send you junk.
Running Time: Approx 15 minutes
Size: Approx 152 MB
AAC Stereo Audio
Screen Resolution: 720 x 404
MPEG-4 file (MP4). Playable on QuickTime Player (or your favourite media player). To get the latest version of QuickTime Player for your Mac or PC, click here.
NB: This is a LARGE file and may take some time to download. It has been optimised for the best viewing size versus download time.
If you have broadband your download should be reasonably quick. If not, it will be slow!
OR, if you'd rather just watch the clip instead of downloading it - here it is! Enjoy. That's what art education is all about.


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Charter Schools - Charter school research papers examine the alternative to public schools and discuss how charter schools are funded.Classical Education - Today the term “classical education” often refers to a style of education that focuses on acquiring broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences, as opposed to a career-based, vocational course of study.Educators - Research papers on educators and discuss the important role that teachers play in shaping the minds of children through their development.
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Later Hours For School Sessions - Later hours for school sessions research papers delve into the debate over changing school times, and looks at the students, and physicians point of view.
Early Childhood Education - Buzz words in early childhood education research papers discuss why language is controversial in the field of childhood education.
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Higher Education Act of 1965 - Higher Education Act of 1965 research papers discuss the key component of the Higher Education Act, which was the creation of scholarships, grants, and loan programs to help dissuade students from foregoing a collegiate education due to the expense.


The project aims to investigate how conservatoire music education shapes belongings in terms of nation and gender, during times of growing nationalism and anti- gender movements, in Estonia, Finland and Hungary. Classical music has been understood as an artform displaying and constructing ideas about both nation and gender and is a cultural practice of symbolic importance. Further, access to classical music education is regulated by unequal gender structures, while patriotism and nationalism are evident in classical music education. Questions asked are: How does policy construct the institution, teacher and student as gendered and situated in a national context? What are the main modes of teaching promoted in the institutions, and how does didactics interplay with nation and gender? How does the embodiment of a musical repertoire display nation and gender in performances? Three institutions (Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, University of the Arts in Helsinki: The Sibelius Academy, The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music) will be studied. The main researchers work with one local researcher at each conservatory in two rounds of field work. Interviews with students, teachers and decision makers, policy documents and exam concerts will be analysed. Methods are combined to grasp relations between institutions, discourses, and students’ embodiment of musical education and provide knowledge on nation and gender in an area of great symbolic relevance in the Baltic and Eastern Europe.


At St. Peter’s students engage in a wide range of fine arts and performing arts. Students discover the arts of other cultures, develop their creative voice, and experiment with their imaginations. From painting to pottery and sketching to sculpting; from creating kitchen confections to raising their voices in chorus; from performing on stage to playing an instrument, St. Peter’s nurtures the artistic spirit of its students.
Visual art should be an integral component of every child’s early learning experience. Exposure to visual art in preschool not only contributes to a child’s artistic and creative growth but also to the development of perceptual, cognitive, language, and social skills.
Preschool-3 and Junior Kindergarten students are the most prolific artists at St. Peter’s. Our youngest students explore their artistic talents in the classroom and during enrichment class taught by our art teacher in the St. Peter’s Art Studio. The intent is to awaken and challenge fresh minds to be aesthetically aware and relentlessly expressive. Art encourages children to animate their endless imaginations, which inspires their creative processing for collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making. Art becomes a common language of varied media through which children can express their ideas and cultivate a discerning sensibility toward their visual environment.
Like the visual arts, music should be an integral component of every child’s learning experience. Music impacts the developing child by offering opportunities for social interaction, emotional articulation, creative expression, language development, and physical fitness.
At St. Peter’s, students become musical virtuosos every day. Incorporating music into literacy, science, social studies, and math is a part of the daily routine. Not only do students musically engage during the regular classroom, they also attend an enrichment class taught by our music teacher in the school’s Music Conservatory. Through interactive, engaging lessons, students explore movement, rhythm, and pitch through a variety of musical styles. They sing familiar songs, learn new songs and write lyrics to new songs. They learn about the lives of classical composers and contemporary musicians and about the various instruments used to create music.
Intentional music education energizes the nervous system and stimulates the neural pathways associated with higher forms of intelligence as abstract thinking, empathy, and mathematics. Music directly contributes to the development of spatial-temporal reasoning, which is the cognitive capacity that influences reading, verbal competence, and writing aptitude.
At. St. Peter’s, all the world is a stage in the Preschool-3 and Junior Kindergarten classrooms. Without reservation, young children will mentally, emotionally, and physically immerse themselves in dramatic enactments. This bountiful capacity is a platform from which teachers introduce the dramatic arts. Students act as characters in familiar stories or create scenarios from their life experiences. These activities build memory, prompt creative expression, expand language, grow self-esteem, promote organizational thinking and develop social skills.
St. Peter’s has a long-standing tradition for exceptional theatrical productions, and every year, Preschool-3 through fifth grade students invite audiences to attend performances presented on the fabled St. Peter's stage. Because the dramatic arts enrich learning, students participate in the entire production process. Under the direction of a theater arts professional, students create dialogue, build sets, design props and costumes, and administer tech work such as lights and sound.


A cross sectional study was conducted from April 2014 to April 2015 to assess foot related problems in working donkeys and their effects on the owners’ livelihood in Hawassa City. The hoof problems in donkeys included hoof abnormality, apparent lameness or standing lameness. 369 owners owned 1 to 5 donkeys, 161 (43.35%) and 1(0.3%). 14(3.8%), 6(1.6%), 211(57.2%) and 138(37.4%) were illiterate, educated in religion, had elementary education and completed high school. The owners had 3 to 5 years’ experience. 139(37.7%) donkeys had foot related problems. Hoof over-growth was the highest cause of foot problem (12.46% prevalence) followed by hoof abscess (9.2%). The owners’ educational status and work experience were statistically and significantly associated with foot problem in donkeys (P=0.002) and (P=0.000). The number of days the donkeys work weekly and amount of weight they carry were also statistically and significantly associated with foot problems (P=0.044) and (P=0.008). The level of dependency of household on cart pulling donkey was not statistically and significantly associated with the foot problem. The age and body condition score of the donkeys were also significantly associated with the prevalence of lameness (P=0.013) and (P=0.011). The average annual financial earnings from a donkey with and without foot problem were 10,271.00 Ethiopia Birr (ETB) (513.55$) and 12,536.00 ETB (626.8$). The monetary loss from foot problems per a donkey yearly was 2469 ETB (123.45 US$) assuming the life expectancy of donkeys was calculated as a loss. Each donkey owner loses 45,614 ETB (2280.7US$) per donkey averagely due to culling of the donkey. The foot problems did not only affect donkeys, but also the living standard of the people depending on them. A systematic approach should be made to enhance donkeys’ health and the livelihood of people engaged in it.
Key words: Cart pulling donkeys, financial loss, foot problems, Hawassa city, livelihood.
Copyright © 2021 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0


In the event you adore science for children, there are a lot of fantastic ideas for kiddies to know about the world and discover the wonders and mysteries of this universe
If you adore science for children, there are a great deal of tips for kiddies detect the mysteries and wonders of the universe and to learn about the universe. Science isn’t only games and enjoyable for most all adults. It can help children appreciate the amazing things all science has to offer and help them develop and develop their own thoughts and also confidence.
Kids love to learn about the world about them and determine how these things all come together to produce. They want to know how things papers writers such as dinosaurs survived and died and also how they are on earth. They would love to know the method by which the weather works, or creatures like rabbits are able to live and also be in 1 location at the same time.
They are able to tell you interesting tales regarding things they will have heard from their own experiments Once they are young. Additionally you will see just how well they are able to explain various kinds of things. You will also find that as kids get older, they will be interested in mathematics and how it is able to make their life better.
A great idea www.math.kent.edu is to instruct your youngster how to explore the entire world about them. These toys are important because it helps them to build up their imaginations. They learn a lot just by believing.
Teddy bears and dolls are great gift ideas for kiddies. Check out the wide variety of stuffed animals that are available if you don’t have some dolls or teddies offered for your little ones. They create wonderful gifts for individuals of most ages and a variety of levels of brains.
The ability of investigation begins in a very young age and children begin to learn more about the entire world around them from a young era. Using PayForEssay doll houses and toy carsthey will be able to help you construct a world where things are connected and you’re able to shoot them through a distance and time at which matters aren’t attached. Through those toysthey are going to learn to see and understand the links between everything they see, believe, and also learn.
By way of instance, you may desire to show your daughter the exact gap in between a bear and a bunny. Let her explore the whole world through this toy to find the Earth, like the relations between items and you might desire to give her a stuffed rabbit. If she’s older, then you can present the connection between your bear and the rabbit, which are quite interesting to her.
Another idea would be to introduce them to the idea of the entire world being around. Know about all the wonderful discoveries and kids really like to discover their world and their world. The idea is always to build the fascination and delight of researching the universe and when they have become mature, they could get the pleasure of investigating their world and researching other planets.
It is also a superior idea to show them about the type of toys to get their ages. Your little one may possibly like science projects, but they may enjoy them more if they have and may teach them. By way of example, if they are just five years old they may possibly love to engage in things like fishing baits or seeds, however they will probably not be curious about insects, except if they want to devote a lot of time having fun.
While there are plenty of toys out there for kids, it is still a very superior notion to opt for the ones that relate into this natural universe your son or daughter is likely to soon be researching. As an instance, if your child would like to get out just what that a pterodactyl resembles, you might want to obtain some thing door. You’ll find a great deal of things such as that and they are fantastic presents for kids, particularly if they are curious about what the globe offers and really like science.
There are a number of unique techniques to teach science to children. Teaching kids with diverse areas is an exciting way to learn with fun science. Since most kids really like to research and have a great deal of things to do, getting them involved science is a outstanding method to teach them.
Science for kids’ toys are perfect for teaching kids. And they . – the basics that they already know about!


Creating art helps students integrate knowledge and experience.
Lesson Plan Ideas
Learning Objectives for Grades: 3rd – 5th
Developed by: Rachel Heisler University of Minnesota Duluth, Art Education Major, under the direction of Brenda Deterling, K-5 Art Teacher, Congdon Park Elementary & Lincoln Piedmont Elementary, Duluth, Minnesota
- Investigate the works of Henri Matisse.
- Learn the differences of geometric and organic shapes by creating a collage.
- Create sculptural art from a 2D project (Transfer ideas from 2D to 3D).
- Explore various materials to create wearable art, combining soft and hard materials–contrasts of textures.
- Explore Elements of Visual Art: line, shape, color, form and texture.
Discuss Henri Matisse’s work and his use of organic and geometric shapes.
Using 8″ x 8″ white paper as their background have each child create a collage by cutting out geometric and organic shapes from Fadeless® Assorted Art Paper. Shapes should overlap and go off the page to create an interesting composition. Glue shapes in place with white glue.
Looking at the collage, cut out three shapes from Pacon® Peacock® 40 point Display Board. First draw the shapes and cut with scissors.
Using Pacon® Plast’r Craft®, cover board shapes. First cut the Plast’r Craft® a little larger than the shape you’re covering, dip in water and squeeze out excess. Then cover shape, smoothing Plast’r Craft® as you go. Let dry overnight.
Using the collage as inspiration, paint plastered shapes with acrylic paint. Each shape has to be a different color.
After paint dries, assemble by stacking shapes in an interesting way. With the teachers help, hot glue pieces together.
Pick out feathers, beads, or glitter to embellish your pin! With teacher’s help, hot glue items on.
Decide how the pin should hang when clipped on to something and hot glue a pin-back with teacher’s help. Let pin dry while glue sets.
- Matte collages with black paper to make the colors pop!
- Let Plast’r Craft® dry overnight.
- Have extra helping hands when hot gluing!
- Glue pin back high on the back so it will hang nicely!


The purpose of basic education is to give the pupils knowledge and skills necessary in life, and to give everyone an equal educational foundation. Other goals include supporting the development of pupils as human beings, and their growth into ethically responsible members of society, and the promotion of learning and equality in society.
Upper comprehensive school
Comprehensive schools provide basic education (primary and lower secondary levels) and their tasks include both teaching and a broader educational role. Their objective is to provide each pupil with the opportunity for diverse growth and learning and for development of healthy self-esteem. All comprehensive schools provide good basic skills and knowledge and sufficient all-round learning.
Basic art education
Basic art education is goal-oriented education progressing from one level to the next. It teaches children skills in self-expression and capabilities needed for vocational, polytechnic and university education in the chosen art form.
Rovaniemi School of Visual Arts
The Dance Art Institute
Lapland College of Music


The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which was passed by the Indian Parliament on 4 August 2009. The Act is, without a doubt, a landmark event and India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child when the act came into force on 1 April 2010. It has been received with equal amounts of enthusiasm and scepticism. Either way, there are some serious implications for the different stakeholders involved. Here is a closer look at the Act.
What does it mean for children?
- Every child between 6 to 14 years will have the right to free and compulsory education in its neighbourhood and it is the duty of every parent or a guardian to enrol the child in the elementary school.
- There shall be no discrimination of children from a weaker or disadvantaged community.
- There shall be no physical or mental harassment.
- Children can enrol after the prescribed or extended period. These children, drop outs and others can avail of special training.
- There will be a free pre-school education for children between 3 to 6 years of age.
- No child shall be denied admission for lack of age proof.
- No child admitted shall be held back in class or expelled till it completes the elementary education.
- No child shall be required to attend any board exam till the completion of elementary education.
What does it mean for the school?
- At least 25% of the weaker sections and disadvantaged groups of the society.
- No capitation fee to be collected and no screening procedure for the child or its parents. Schools that default will be fined for it.
- Pupil Teacher ratio not to exceed 40. For standard 6 to 8, at least one teacher for language, science/mathematics and social sciences.
- A certain minimum infrastructure – all weather building, at least one class room per teacher, playground, library, separate toilets for boys and girls to name a few.
- A minimum number of working days and instructional hours to be followed by the school.
- Schools set up before the ACT was passed should conform to the norms on its own expenses within a 3 year period and new schools should follow it from the first year itself. Schools that do not conform can lose the recognition from the Government.
- The school must have a School Management Committee consisting of elected representatives of the local authority, parents or guardians of children admitted to the school and teachers. 50% of such committee shall be women. The committee will be involved in preparing the school development plan and monitoring the functioning – utilisation of funds, performance etc.
What does it mean for the Teachers?
- The teacher shall be regular and punctual in attending the school.
- The teacher shall complete the curriculum in time and supplement additional instructions after assessing the child.
- The teacher shall also hold regular meetings with parents and guardians to apprise them about the progress. A teacher defaulting in the duty will face disciplinary action.
What does it mean for the Government?
- An elementary school to be established in the neighbourhood (where it is not currently there) within 3 years from this act.
- The Government needs to monitor proper admission, attendance and completion.
- Provide infrastructural support.
- Timely prescription of the curriculum.
- Training for teachers.
- The national and state commission for protection of children’s rights will be set up and they will: review safeguard of rights and recommend effective measures, inquire into complaints and take necessary steps.
- The Central Government shall form a National Advisory Council and the State Government shall form a State Advisory Council that will include people who have knowledge and expertise in the field of education. The councils will advise their respective Governments on effective implementation of the ACT.
- A committee set up to study the funds requirement and funding estimated that Rs 1.71 trillion (US$38.2 billion) would be required in the next five years to implement the Act, and the government agreed to share the funding for implementing the law in the ratio of 65 to 35 between the Central Government and the states, and a ratio of 90 to 10 for the north-eastern states.
- For the comprehensive act please click here to download.
Prajayatna welcomes this much-needed initiative, but not without some caution. The heavy drop outs from Government schools is due to poor quality of education. From our experience, the situation can improve only when the community takes ownership of the school and its development. Therefore, we believe the performance of the ‘School Management Committee’ will be at the heart of this initiative.


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Careful hand washing is extremely effective at limiting the spread of respiratory viruses, such as the new coronavirus, so any new initiative of teaching proper handwashing is important.
Following the initiative of Dr Nisha Thampi (Medical Director of the Infection Prevention and Control Program of Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada) medical and music education experts1 from Canada, Switzerland and Scotland put a worldwide call the World Health Organisation’s 6 Hand Washing Steps translated into as many languages set to the tune of Frère Jacque. The idea was inspired by this video, with lyrics by Dr Nisha Thampi.
As of today the Hand Washing Song is available in 28 languages on this site: https://cleanhandssavelives.org/hand-washing-song/ and is open for new languages, new audio or video uploads. The project summary is going to be published in the Journal of Hospital Infections.
Please, share the link in your countries, especially with children!
HAND WASHING SAVE LIFES!
To understand the spread dynamics of the viruses in school communities watch this video.
1 Project title: It’s in our hands: A rapid, international initiative to translate a hand hygiene song during the COVID-19 pandemic
Nisha Thampi1, Yves Longtin2, Alexandra Peters3, Didier Pittet3, Katie Overy4
1Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada
2Department of Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
3 World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Patient Safety, University of Geneva Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
4Reid School of Music, ECA, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland


As a non-denominational community school, we follow the National Curriculum for pupils from Years 1 to 6 and the Foundation Stage Curriculum for pupils in our Nursery and Reception Classes.
In RE, we follow the local guidelines which encompass many religions and faiths, but is broadly Christian in nature.
We believe that children need not only to be taught skills and knowledge, but they also need the opportunity to apply these talents too. English and Numeracy skills are often taught in distinct lessons but applied cross-curricular to make them relevant and real. Other subjects are brought to life through the context they are taught in but coverage over all curricular areas is maintained. Although we use a variety of reading schemes for children as and when necessary, the core reading scheme is The Oxford Reading Tree.
Phonics work begins with the children in the Nursery and they use the scheme called ‘Letters and Sounds’ which is complemented by aspects of ‘Jolly Phonics’ as an introduction to reading and writing. This is built upon by the children in Reception and Years 1 and 2 who utilise the ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme still further.
Further details of curriculum matters can be found below, and on the individual classes’ web pages. Ypu may also find the 'Chatterday' document useful as it explains our policy on supporting your child at home.


This post is also available in: Spanish
Ensuring the quality of early childhood education is critical for laying the bases for the learning and development of all children in the region. The Regional Agenda for Integral Early Childhood Development accords a prominent place to the objective of attaining quality early childhood education. The second agreement in that Agenda calls on all countries to “strengthen efforts the achieve quality, relevant, and timely integral services geared to early childhood in the environments in which the children’s lives unfold”; and it identifies the need to establish “systems for quality assurance of governmental and non-governmental services geared to this population that are based on the expected integral development of children.”
The Regional Forum on Quality in Early Childhood Education met virtually from May to July 2020 to agree upon common strategies and recommendations for attaining the objective of quality in early childhood education, as called for in the Regional Agenda. These meetings included the participation of representatives of the ministries and agencies responsible for early childhood education, experts, and representatives of civil society organizations and cooperation agencies.
Eight key recommendations were identified to improve the quality of early education: a vision of quality, quality assurance systems, strengthening families, training families, measuring quality, competencies and certification, valuing early childhood educators and caregivers, and a forum for regional exchange.
THE NON-NEGOTIABLES OF INITIAL QUALITY EDUCATION:
- Early childhood must be recognized as a stage of life with its own identity.
- Early childhood programs must guarantee relationships marked by care, love, and protection in the educational space.
- Caregivers must be trained to promote pedagogical interactions that foster curiosity, creativity, imagination, and learning in children.
- Learning through play as a means of promoting integral development is critical in the educational sphere.
- The educational space must have the structural conditions required for quality so that children can be healthy and safe, with interactions between adults and children as well as among peers.
- Families should be supported to promote early childhood learning.