The Science and Psychology of Music Performance: Creative Strategies for Teaching and Learning
Fredrickson, William E., Psychomusicology
The Science and Psychology of Music Performance: Creative Strategies for Teaching and Learning, by Richard Parncutt and Gary E. McPherson, (Eds.) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002
Among practicing musicians and music teachers there is no shortage of opinion, shared in print or passed from one person to another, on just about any topic one might name related to the performance and teaching of music. The great performers and pedagogues are sought out for their wisdom and expertise. At the same time there is an abundance of research, written primarily by college professors of music education and psychology (and many times their graduate students) that has examined in some detail these same general areas. Eminent scholars are widely published, and in some circles, read. In practical fact the two sources of information, or ways of knowing about music and teaching, pay less attention to each other than the situation warrants (or the participants deserve). The extent to which research can inform practice, and vise versa, are at the heart of The Science and Psychology of Music Performance.
In the introduction to the book, editors Parncutt and McPherson address this issue as central to their rationale for creating something which is much more than another re view of the 1 iterature. The chapter authors were invited to contribute, and paired under specific headings, because as members of a duo they each bring a focus on either the practical or theoretical. It is true that many of these authors have expertise in both ways of knowing about music performance, but the editors have done a good job of developing teams of experts who are able to bring aprimary focus to bear on the task of working in concert with their partner. The result is a volume which comes as close as anything to date in providing understandable explanations of research and practical applications of results.
Three major area headings of the book are used to create the inevitable taxonomy. …


Details about Inclusive Early Childhood Education:
INCLUSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: DEVELOPMENT, RESOURCES, AND PRACTICE, Sixth Edition, is a comprehensive special education resource book that provides essential information on a variety of early childhood learning disabilities, as well as strategies for including children with these special needs in regular educational settings. The author provides you with a solid grounding in theory and research as well as practical guidelines, real-world vignettes, and hands-on program planning assistance to prepare you to integrate children with learning disabilities into your classrooms. Updated throughout, this edition also introduces videos that are available for viewing at the Early Childhood Education Media Library, allowing you to see text concepts brought to life in real classroom settings. Whether you're training to be a pre-school teacher, kindergarten teacher, early education provider, child care provider, or administrator in any of these settings, you'll keep this resource with you long after you complete your coursework.
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Rent Inclusive Early Childhood Education 6th edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Penny Deiner. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by CENGAGE Learning.


Overall performance of home-based early childhood services
This section summarises ERO’s findings about home-based early childhood services. ERO’s reports on individual services may be read on ERO’s
website and are also available from the network of the home-based services.
- The philosophy of the services was reflected in practices that affirmed the value of children learning and being cared for in a home setting. The emphasis for all services was on establishing positive relationships with children and their families to support children’s wellbeing and learning.
- Where programmes were of good quality, children had opportunities to participate regularly in a wide range of activities and experiences both in the home and beyond. Children had fun and learnt through their play. They were supported in developing their literacy and numeracy skills through everyday experiences and routines. In a few home-based services, children experienced a bicultural dimension to their programme. Home-based services were increasingly focusing on how to promote and extend children’s learning.
- A quarter of services had a sound approach to assessment, planning and evaluation. In these services, coordinators helped educators to identify and build on children’s strengths and interests in order to promote and extend their learning and development. Many educators and coordinators needed further training and support to increase their understanding of assessment and to improve their assessment, planning and evaluation practice.
- Learning environments were generally comfortable and stimulating. Most children had access to a wide range of appropriate equipment and learning resources, both indoors and outside, to support their play. Home settings provided good opportunities for children to learn from their involvement in regular household activities. More than half the services needed more rigorous monitoring of aspects of health and safety in private homes to be assured of children’s safety.
- Interactions between adults and children were typically warm, caring, respectful and responsive. Educators were affectionate with children and the children were secure in their care. Educators made good use of their knowledge of the children and their family life when talking with children or responding to their needs, preferences and interests.
- Most services met qualifications requirements for coordinators, as the persons responsible for each network. Expectations for educator qualifications varied from service to service.
- Self review was under way in home-based services, with most managers and coordinators regularly reflecting on how to improve practice. Many services needed a more planned and systematic approach to self review to bring about ongoing improvement to outcomes for children. There was also scope for increased involvement of parents and whânau in the process of self review.
- ERO had concerns about aspects of compliance in a third of services. Concerns related mainly to the inconsistent application and implementation of some requirements of the Home-based Care Order, and the ineffectiveness of some personnel management practices in bringing about improvement to the performance of coordinators and educators.


Select the Presentations from the list below and you will be notified before each chosen webinar.
This series connects educators to cutting-edge research and is designed to support leaders in implementing proven, practical solutions. Join us for this excellent in-service opportunity to build the best lessons and learning environments for your district, school, and classroom.
All webinars will be recorded, in case you cannot attend.
Text Training and Word Training: Blend Them to Foster Independent Reading
Learn how balancing foundational skills and more advanced literacy skills improves decoding, spelling, grammar, comprehension, vocabulary, and writing.
Weave Together the Critical Literacy Strands to Give Students Confidence to Read, Part 1
Learn how a comprehensive, explicit, and systematic approach to literacy can powerfully impact your students as readers and writers.
Weave Together the Critical Literacy Strands to Give Students Confidence to Read, Part 2
Learn effective strategies that actively engage your students while building foundational skills in oral language development, decoding, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, comprehension, and writing.
Syntax: Somewhere Between Words and Text
Explore the role of syntax—why it is important and how we teach it—as an essential instructional component.
Friday, October 3
You Don’t Have to Be a Writer to Teach Writing
Learn effective strategies to teach the writing process and prepare students for college and career.
Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Reading
Examine how the newest research into the reading brain can help you meet the needs of your struggling readers.
Cultivating Strong Readers: Activities to Build Fluency
Learn ways to pair your everyday practice with targeted instructional tactics to promote accuracy and speed and find new ways to help your students become exceptional readers.
A Best-Practices Instructional Routine for Writing in the Content Areas
Learn a set of evidence-based instructional practices that help students in grades 4–12 learn to write and write to learn.
State-Level Movements to Teaching Literacy
Learn about collaboration with state DOEs that helps educators nationwide implement best practices in teaching reading and spelling.
From Graphing to Laughing:
Web-Based ELL Math Activities
Learn to connect targeted, explicit, systematic instruction in the classroom with stimulating online activities to increase mental math skills.
The Power of Multiple Strategies in Mathematics
Learn to build the relationship between conceptual and procedural knowledge that empowers students to be successful in higher mathematics.
Math Fact Fluency That Will Boost Your Students’ Confidence
Learn strategies for teaching fluency in critical math facts that make solving complex math problems less challenging and more automatic.
Assessment Practices for Elementary and Middle School Students Struggling in Math
Learn about the need for a range of research-based assessments that capture student progress in mathematics in order to meet today's rigorous expectations.
Do Your Students Feel Listened to, Connected, Cared for, and Safe?
Learn about a systematic and sophisticated approach that provides students opportunities to change behavior and improve learning.
Combating Cyberbullying: Understanding the Magnified Effect of Online Harassment
Learn how to band together to effectively teach students and adults how to prevent bullying and cyberbullying in the digital age.
Functional-Based Assessment and Intervention: A Simplified Tier II Process
Learn how Functional Behavioral Assessment and a simple Behavior Intervention Plan can be conducted with typical school personnel as part of a prevention effort.
Powerful Instructional Modeling Strategies
Learn key instructional modeling strategies for integrating technology in the classroom that will improve the effectiveness of your professional development workshops.
Technology: Integrating to Motivate, Part 1— Practice in Private, Succeed in Public
Learn how appropriately integrated technology provides opportunities for students to explore challenging concepts and critical skills individually and as part of the whole class.
Technology: Integrating to Motivate, Part 2—It's Not the Device; It's the Discovery
Learn what schools are doing across the country to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of technology in the classroom.


To develop personalized curriculum and IEP goals and objectives for each students we identify needs across the curricular areas:
- General education curriculum: grade level, general education curriculum together with accommodations and/or modifications to that need to be made for each student
- Expectations for student participation in general education environment and supports and assistance needed to maximize participation
- Specialized curricular areas (e.g., functional academics life skills routines, priorities, AT needs), and
- Functional communication and language & literacy development needs.
The Bridge School plans for studentsí curriculum needs and IEPs by conducting detailed assessments across curricular areas. Below is a list (in no particular order) of specific assessment tools that may be used to gather critical information regarding our students. Specific tools are selected based on curricular need areas, studentsí grade level, developmental and skill levels, specialized needs, and parent-teacher-student priorities.
Identify General Education Needs
- General Education curriculum content inventory (HCSD Curriculum Guide; Open Court Curriculum; Hillsborough Preschool Curriculum Guide; Hawaii Early Learning Profile Curriculum Guide)
- Academic skill assessments (Brigance, STAR, PIAT)
- Participation planning (based on Beukelman & Mirenda) [PDF 206KB]
- Inventory of General education settings (Hillsborough Preschool, North Hillsborough Elementary School, Crocker Middle School)
- Attention Profile Supports Intensity Scale (adapted)
Identify Communication and Language Needs
- Communication Matrix
- SGD evaluation-links
- Detailed video sampling of communication behaviors
- Social Networks
- PPVT - Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
The California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) is the alternate assessment for the California Standards Tests. If the IEP team determines that the student should be assessed with the CAPA, the IEP team is also responsible for determining if the student should take the grade-assigned CAPA level or CAPA Level I. Adaptations are allowed on the CAPA to ensure the studentís optimal performance.
California Modified Assessment (CMA)
The development and implementation of an alternate assessment of the California content standards based on modified achievement standard.
For complete information on Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR), visit the California Department of Education Web site.


In nineteenth-century Europe and North America, school music lessons were mostly designed to foster musical literacy by teaching children to sing at sight using different versions of "sol-fa" (based upon syllables) as an introduction to staff notation. Two key pioneers were Lowell Mason (1792–1872) under whose influence music was introduced into the schools of Boston as an integral subject in the curriculum in 1838, and John Hullah (1812–1884) who conducted a Singing School for Schoolmasters in London for the first time in 1841.
With the development of recording and broadcasting in the early years of the twentieth century, the notion of attentive listening gained a higher profile with the rise of the Music Appreciation movement and the work of Stewart MacPherson (1865–1941) and Francis Elliott Clarke (1860–1958). At about the same time the percussion or rhythm band became a regular feature of music in schools, characterized by a rather formal and prescriptive approach. In contrast was the work of Satis Coleman who experimented with creative music for children at the Lincoln School of Teachers College, Columbia University. Simple instruments made by the children themselves were utilized alongside singing, movement, and spontaneous creative improvisation.
The trend towards hands-on, participatory approaches to the teaching of music is exemplified in the work of three key figures: Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865–1950), Carl Orff (1895–1982) and Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967). Jaques-Dalcroze devised his system of eurhythmics in Switzerland, and presented his first training course for teachers in 1909. He integrated movement, improvisation, and solfège (the "fixed-doh" system) into music education. Dalcroze's ideas influenced Orff who co-founded a school with Dorothee Günther in Munich in 1924 where music teaching went hand in hand with movement teaching. Musically, students were encouraged to improvise and compose their own music, and to invent a number of unsophisticated musical instruments. The first edition of Orff-Schulwerk was published in 1935 and demonstrated Orff's conviction that through speech-rhythms and chants, songs and movements, children were able to discover and demonstrate musical concepts. Meanwhile in Hungary, it was Kodály's aim to build a music culture in schools using national and folk songs. There were three basic elements to his concept of initial musical training: sung folk tunes; movable sol-fa ; and simultaneous clapping and singing, or singing in parts.
In practice, the ideas and methods outlined are adapted, combined, and synthesized by present-day music teachers, whether they are working, for example, within the National Standards for Music Education in the USA (1994), or the National Curriculum in the UK (1992). But the adoption of these ideas should not be regarded as somehow natural or immutable, but rather the result of dialogue, and sometimes conflict, between those who hold widely differing conceptions concerning music and its meaning in children's lives, and how the musical experiences offered to children in schools can reinforce the fundamental aims–the fostering of musical literacy, performance skills, and musical values, along with the cultivation of attentive listening and creative expression–of a general music education.
Campbell, Patricia S. 1991. Lessons from the World: A Cross–Cultural Guide to Music Teaching. New York: Schirmer.
Coleman, Satis N. 1922. Creative Music for Children: A Plan of Training based on the Natural Evolution of Music including the Making and Playing of Instruments Dancing-Singing-Poetry. New York: G.B. Putnam's Sons, The Knickerbocker Press.
Jaques-Dalcroze, Emile. 1967, 1921. Rhythm Music and Education. Woking: The Dalcroze Society.
Orff, Carl. 1978. The Schulwerk. New York: Schott Music Corp.
Rainbow, Bernard. 1989. Music in Educational Thought and Practice: A Survey from 800 BC. Aberystwyth, UK: Boethius Press.
Szönyi, Erzsébet. 1974. Kodály's Principles in Practice: An Approach to Music Education through the Kodály Method. Hungary: Corvina Press.


The Suzuki method of music education has proven to be a useful way for young children to learn to play music. In this 26-minute video, the journey of one violin player is traced from his early days learning the violin at the age of three. Two years of studying the violin with the Suzuki method is chronicled to allow the viewer to see just how he progressed with this method. The mother of the young player questions whether the method is working and whether her son is producing music on his small violin. The progression of his musical skill as well as a deepening bond with his mother are shown over the course of the two years of instruction. This film also includes a performance by Dr. Suzuki.


A social work mission statement is a document drafted by a group or an organization on a mission to do social work. The statement helps the organization to create awareness about the social work that they are doing. The details mentioned in the statement include the kind of social work being done by the group or organization and the purpose of doing it. There are also other details that can be mentioned that includes achievements made till now in the social work.
Sample Social work mission statement
Literacy and Child Care Organization
Social work mission
There are number of countries in Africa where there is no proper education facility available. The mission of our organization is to build and created educational facilities to children of those under developed countries. We intend to set up schools in such areas and also hire volunteers who will work as teachers. We also intend to supply books and develop an educational program for the schools. In those areas where it would be difficult to set up schools, we will have makeshift classes made of tents.
Objectives of social work:
The main objectives of this social work mission are:
- To provide education to the children of these African countries
- To spread literacy so that there is development in these countries
Achievements made till now:
We have been successful in setting schools that provide elementary education to children between the age group of five to fifteen in the remote areas on Somalia. We have ten volunteers who work as teachers.


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Questions About This Book?
What version or edition is this?
This is the edition with a publication date of 4/13/2012.
What is included with this book?
- The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any CDs, lab manuals, study guides, etc.
This hands-on guide shows elementary school teachers how to create multilingual classroom communities that support every learner's success in reading, writing, and general literacy development. The author provides a practical overview of key ideas and techniques and describes specific literacy activities that lead to vocabulary and oral English proficiency. Instructional chapters will help teachers create a language-rich classroom environment, scaffold reading and writing tasks to match students' needs, and use students' language backgrounds as a bridge to literacy learning in English. As with all titles in The Practitioner's Bookshelf Series, this resource includes many user-friendly features such as bulleted summaries and checklists as well as photographs of linguistically diverse classrooms modeling the types of instructional interactions described in the book.


The Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly : The Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly By Elizabeth Stocker
ED 205-1 Quit The Monarch Butterfly : The Monarch Butterfly Facts
Where does it live? Spot the butterflies
A monarch being born
Summing it up
About the Author
Resources Quit Facts about Monarch Butterflies : Facts about Monarch Butterflies The monarch butterfly is sometimes called the "milkweed butterfly”
The Milkweed plant is the only thing the butterfly larvae can eat!
Adult female monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. These eggs hatch, depending on temperature, in three to twelve days. Quit Monarch Larvae : Monarch Larvae The monarch first hatch as larvae.
The larvae then feed on milkweed plant leaves for two weeks
After two weeks, the larvae develops into caterpillars that are about 2 inches long. Quit Pupa : Pupa The caterpillars attach themselves to a twig and shed their outer skin to begin the transformation into a pupa (or chrysalis). This takes only a few hours. Quit Finally a Butterfly! : Finally a Butterfly! After two weeks, the butterfly emerges from the Chrysalis.
It inflates its wings with astorage of blood that is kept in its abdomen.
The butterfly waits until its wings stiffen and dry. It’s tired after all that work! The monarch then flies away to start the cycle of life all over again. Quit The Transformation in Pictures : The Transformation in Pictures Click on the picture below to see a photo story of the Transformation process! Quit Where Do They Live? : Where Do They Live? The Monarch Butterfly lives in the North during the spring and migrates to Texas and Mexico during the winter. Quit Slide 9: During the migration, the butterflies travel together in very large groups! Can you spot the Monarch Butterflies? Look closely at the picture. What looks like orange leaves are actually millions of Monarch Butterflies! Quit A Monarch Being Born : A Monarch Being Born Click on the link to watch a video of a monarch butterfly emerging from its chrysalis! Quit Summing It Up! : Summing It Up! Quit Click on the image to view a video about monarch butterflies! About the Author : About the Author Hi! My name is Elizabeth Stocker and I will be graduating from Grand Valley State University in 2012. I am majoring in English Language Arts with a minor in Elementary Education. I love working with children and plan on teaching K-2. I have always been interested in butterflies. If you have any comments or questions feel free to email me at LizE0514@aol.com. Quit Resources : Resources http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/monarch_butterfly.htm


Written by Beverly Otto, Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4/e efficiently combines theory, research, and practice to provide a solid foundation for understanding language development in children birth through age eight. A comprehensive resource, it focuses on the development of phonological, semantic, syntactic, morphemic, and pragmatic language skills, children’s understanding of written language, and ways in which this acquisition process can be enhanced in early childhood settings. Exact guidance on how to develop classrooms and other learning environments that enhance children’s language development is also provided. Every chapter begins with interesting vignettes of young children's language development, and throughout all the chapters, readers will discover anecdotal narratives to illustrate key concepts and interaction strategies.
Beverly Otto, Ph.D
., an early childhood educator for over 30 years, is professor emeritus in the Teacher Education Department at Northeastern Illinois University. She earned her doctorate at Northwestern University in teaching and learning processes, with a focus on emergent literacy. Dr. Otto teaches courses in language and literacy development for pre-service and in-service teachers, along with research for classroom teachers. Her major professional goal is preparing teachers to support children’s lifelong learning through language and literacy development. Dr. Otto also served as department chair as well as associate dean in the College of Education.
Dr. Otto is author of Literacy Development in Early Childhood (Pearson Merrill), and has authored articles published in international, national, and state professional journals. Her field-based research on emergent literacy has been presented at international, national, state, and local conferences. She has served as a consultant to early childhood centers, school districts, and the Illinois State Board of Education.
Chapter 1 Language in Our Lives
Chapter 2 Theoretical Perspectives and Contexts of Language Development
Chapter 3 Language Development Among Children of Linguistic Diversity
Chapter 4 Language Development of Infants and Toddlers
Chapter 5 Enhancing Language Development in Infants and Toddlers
Chapter 6 Language Development in Preschoolers
Chapter 7 Enhancing Language Development in Preschoolers
Chapter 8 Language Development in Kindergartners
Chapter 9 Enhancing the Language Development of Kindergartners
Chapter 10 Language Development in the Primary Years
Chapter 11 Enhancing Language Development in the Primary Years
Chapter 12 Language Assessment: Observing, Screening, Diagnosing, and Documenting
Chapter 13 Enhancing Language Development Among Children with Communicative Disorders
Chapter 14 Fostering Language Development Through School–Home Connections


As a parent you are your kid's first and foremost teacher.
you help your kid learn to read, you open the door to a life-long love
of books and learning.
Oral language is the foundation for
Singing teaches your kid the sounds of language,
making it easier for them to learn how to read.
Singing also has a
positive impact on your kid's self-expression, cooperative play,
creativity, emotional well being, and development of social, cognitive,
communication and motor skills.
According to Robert A. Cutietta,
dean and professor of music education at the University of Southern
California's Thornton School of Music. "Several studies have shown
convincingly that singing and language skills are interconnected. The
patterns of words, rhymes, rhythms and tonal qualities inherent in songs
are incorporated easily and naturally by children as they learn to
speak and, eventually, to read."
As your child sings", Linda Page
Neelly, associate professor of music at the University of
Connecticut,explains, "he begins to explore, sequence and order sounds,
which are critical skills for reading"
So, start singing with
your kids and help them sing their way to reading success!!
Sing & Grow!www.kiboomu.blogspot.com


Government-Hosted and -Supported Art
Art Displayed on Government Property
While the government cannot regulate what type of art is posted on private property, it may be able to regulate art that is displayed on public – that is, government-owned – property.
Traditional public forums – publicly owned spaces such as a street, park, or sidewalk that have typically been open to public discourse – are open to all expression protected by the First Amendment. The government may also create a designated public forum by opening up a space that isn’t a traditional public forum to be used for general public discourse. Limited public forums are non-public places such as meeting rooms in libraries and other government buildings that the government has opened for specific groups or discussions.
The government cannot place content-based restrictions on speech that occurs in traditional public forums. At most, they can enforce what are known as time, place, and manner restrictions, which regulate when and how someone may speak. Time, place, and manner restrictions on speech in public forums must be reasonable, which the Supreme Court has interpreted as meaning that “the manner of expression is basically incompatible with the normal activity of a particular place at a particular time.”
Some government property, such as jails, military bases, and courthouses, are nonpublic forums. In this type of forum, the government can restrict speech based on content if it demonstrates that it has a “legitimate interest” in doing so. The government still cannot discriminate against particular viewpoints, however. So, the government could prohibit all posting of religious iconography or other religion-themed art on military bases, but it could not permit the display of one religion's symbols while prohibiting those of another.
It may be possible for the government to create a public forum online. Most government websites are not forums for public discussion; rather, they are examples of the government's own speech, which the government can regulate to whatever degree it chooses. And while websites are clearly not traditional public fora, if the government provides a website as a place for public discussion, the website may take on the characteristics of a designated public forum — a non-traditional space that the government opens up for public discourse. In that case, the government's ability to regulate the speech that occurs on that website would be significantly limited.
Additional information is available at:
Public Funding for the Arts
Under the First Amendment, the government may choose to provide funding for the arts, which can include supporting the creation of specific works and making more general contributions toward art education or museum maintenance. But the government cannot distribute this funding based on whether the government agrees with the message of a particular work, or use funding in an attempt to exert editorial control over a museum's collection.
Because the government has a limited amount of funds, however, it must be able to make some determination about which artists receive funding. The National Endowment for the Arts is one of the largest sources of government funding for art, and Congress has tried several times to put restrictions on the grants that the NEA awards. While the restriction forbidding the NEA from funding to art that “may be considered obscene” was struck down as unconstitutionally vague, the Supreme Court upheld a later requirement that the NEA “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” in the case National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley. The Court reasoned that, because “the very assumption of the NEA is that grants will be awarded according to the artistic worth of competing applications . . . absolute neutrality is simply inconceivable.” And, because Congress's requirement merely directed the NEA to “take into consideration” decency as a criterion and specifically encouraged “respect for . . . diverse beliefs and values,” the requirement was not an unconstitutional restriction on speech.
The Court did note that “if the NEA were to leverage its power to award subsidies on the basis of subjective criteria into a penalty on disfavored viewpoints,” then the funding provision could be found unconstitutional. “[E]ven in the provision of subsidies, the Government may not aim at the suppression of dangerous ideas . . . and if a subsidy were manipulated to have a coercive effect, then relief could be appropriate.”
Additional information is available at:


Preschool teachers work with children from birth through the beginning of formal school education, which generally starts at age 5. In states without public kindergarten programs, preschool educators also teach children until students begin the first grade. Getting a job in this field requires the candidate to possess the key personal traits, as well as the formal education and training, needed to work with young children.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than 456,000 people worked as preschool teachers in 2010, most of them female. Preschool programs teach students in both for-profit and non-profit classes and in programs funded with state and federal money. Some are part of community recreation programs.
Teaching preschool requires patience and the ability to reteach material until the students understand it. Preschool teachers need to have a well-developed imagination, creativity, and the flexibility to create lessons and activities to operate effectively in the classroom. They must also enjoy working in an unstructured environment. Laura J. Colker, curriculum developer and teacher trainer working in Washington, D.C., believes that effective preschool teachers also have an enthusiasm for teaching young children and the ability to create a loving and warm atmosphere for learning.
Education and Training
Preschool teachers, also called early childhood educators, must commit to a course of study requiring a minimum of two years of formal classroom study. The required training also includes at least an additional semester of in-service study in a preschool classroom to earn official certification in many states, including Indiana. National education laws and professional teaching associations, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children, encourage states to require a four-year course of teacher preparation for preschool teachers. However, only a few states require a bachelor's degree for a state license. These states, including California, require instructors and teachers to hold certifications and licenses to work in preschool classes as part of formal school district programs. The skills taught in higher education classes include lesson planning, classroom management and discipline.
The job skills needed to be an effective preschool teacher include the abilities to keep accurate records and to communicate with parents and administrators, and the interpersonal skills to network with other teachers. Teachers must have a clear understanding of the curriculum standards for preschool classes, and the knowledge and skills to plan lessons to teach students the core content to meet the learning benchmarks listed in the state and federal education standards. These standards require teachers to understand the basics of motor development, the different ways children learn, early language and literacy development, and how the child's brain develops. These skills also help the teacher plan lessons and activities to assist students in understanding and retaining the general knowledge necessary to learn in advanced grades.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Preschool Teachers -- What Preschool Teachers Do
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Childcare Workers
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Childcare Workers -- What Childcare Workers Do
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Preschool Teachers -- Work Environment
- College Board: Career -- Preschool Teachers
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Child Care Worker
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Jefferson College (MO) Chronicle Guidance Publications: Preschool Teachers
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School
- Ohio Department of Education: Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards (Birth to Age 5)
- PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images


Mind the Skills Gap
By Mary Shumway
State Director of Career, Technical, and Adult Education
Utah State Office of Education
You may have heard the phrase, “mind the gap,” a warning to passengers on the London Underground to be cautious as they cross from the station platform into the train. Equally deserving of careful attention is the skills gap. It seems that there is a constant stream of articles, studies, and statements by people on all sides of this global issue, alerting us to a dim future should we fail to mind the skills gap. For example, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development reported that adults (ages 16-65) in the U. S. have poor literacy and numeracy skills, despite relatively high educational attainment (OECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills). The assessment looked at the cognitive and workplace skills needed to succeed in today’s global economy. A related report focusing on the United States (Survey of Adult Skills, First Results: United States) indicates that there are few signs of improvement. The average basic skills of young adults are not very different from older persons – and basic skills are not only related to employment outcomes, but also to personal and social well-being!
The report reveals much to be concerned about, but an additional report based on the findings, Time for the U.S. to Reskill? What the Survey of Adult Skills Says, lays out policy recommendations to address those concerns. Recommendation 4, in particular, is worth highlighting here:
Link efforts to improve basic skills to employability, recognizing that good jobs open up further learning options, while basic skills can often be more readily acquired in practical contexts.
This is Career and Technical Education! Participating in Career and Technical Education increases the opportunities you have of succeeding in college, career and life. Utah students have the chance to jumpstart their careers by completing a CTE Pathway, which includes Work-Based Learning, being a member of a Student Leadership Organization, and achieving Skills Certificates. Completing a Pathway will help you mind the skills gap!


A 'Literate' is any person who is able to read and write on his own and 'Literacy' is the ability to read and write or is the quality of being literate.
Kerala with a literacy rate of 90.90%, stands first among other Indian states. Recognizing the need for a literate population and provision of elementary education as a crucial input for nation building, the state government with the backing of the central government, launched a number of plans and programmes over the past years to facilitate the provision of free and compulsory education with satisfactory quality to all children at least up to the age of 14 years. 'Akshara Keralam' Project introduced in the early 1990s was one such project initiated with the aim of bringing the the maximum number of illiterates to schools and other study centres. This project was implemented in different phases throughout the state. Apart from this, a number ofgovernment organizations and voluntary associations under various schemes and services, conduct classes ( mainly evening classes ) for the illiterate adults. Such classes are held throughout the rural and backward areas of the state where educational institutions were absent in the yesteryears or for those who were unable attain elementary education in their childhood or later. The literacy rate in the urban areas is slightly greater than in the rural areas. As per the norms of National Literacy Mission, a literacy rate above 90 % shall be treated as complete literacy. On this basis, Kerala was declared a, 'Fully Literate State', on April 18th, 1991.
|Kerala- Literacy Rate*|
|* As per census 2001|
Like men, women in Kerala also hold a high literacy rate -87.7 %, which is higher than any other state in India. As a result women in Kerala enjoy a social status which is unattainable by the women folks in other parts of the country. Of the total working class (Main and Marginal) of Kerala, which is 32 % of the total population, 15.3 % are women.
The literacy rate of the three communities shows that Christians are more literate than Hindus and Muslims. The literacy percentage of these communities are: Hindus (male - 90.2 and female - 86.7 per cent), Muslims (male - 89.4 and female - 85.5 per cent) and Christians (male - 94.8 and female - 93.5 per cent).
Compared to other states in India, living standard of Keralites is high. Obviously, this is attributed to the high literacy rate and the educational standard of the people. Kerala, once home to many social evils is now absolutely relieved of them.
Apart from providing general education, Govt. of Kerala has taken initiatives to provide computer education to all students. This programme is being implemented at all schools and colleges throughout the state.
Important Dates and Events in Kerala's Literacy Mission
- June 1989 - Kottayam Municipal Town is the first Fully Literate municipal town in India
- February 1990- Ernakulam District is the first Fully Literate district in India
- 1991 - Launch of 'Akshara Keralam' project
- 1991 - Kerala's Literacy rate reaches 93.64 %
- 1991, April 18 - Kerala declared a Fully Literate State.


Early Literacy In Your Library Webinar Series Kicks Off on October 17
Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners, a report released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in June 2013, identifies 10 Key Ways that libraries can improve early learning outcomes, increase school readiness, and help all children, especially those most at risk, read and succeed at grade three. The report is a call to fully use libraries and museums to close knowledge and opportunity gaps and give all children a strong start in learning.
The more preschool children know about early literacy, math, science, and technology, and the more words they have to describe what they have seen and experienced, the better prepared they will be for reading and for educational success. Our nation is committed to early learning as a national priority essential to our economic and civic future. Libraries have a significant role in providing early learning experiences that build a child’s brain, fuel a love of learning, and contribute to success in school and life.
Join Christine McNew, independent library consultant and children’s services expert, for this engaging and essential Webinar series, which will cover early literacy program best practices, ideas for incorporating STEM learning into early literacy programs, and the basics of early literacy apps and iPads in the children’s department.
About the presenter:
Christine McNew is an independent library consultant and trainer with a passion for early literacy and early math and science. She earned an MLIS with a specialization in Youth Services from the University of Texas at Austin. Christine worked as a children’s librarian for 10 years at the Harris County Public Library and the Fort Bend County Libraries. As Youth Services Consultant for the Texas State Library from 1999-2011, she managed the statewide Texas Reading Club and Texas Teens Read and provided continuing education and consulting to youth librarians. Christine enjoys volunteering in the children’s department at the Round Rock Public Library, gardening, travelling, spending time with her family, and volunteering at music and performance venues in Austin, Texas where she lives.
Webinar Descriptions and Dates:
- Growing Your Early Literacy Program
Thursday, October 17, 2013
1:30 – 3:30 pm CDT
The first Webinar in this three-part series on early literacy will introduce best practices and will highlight model programs related to the 10 Key Ways that libraries can improve early learning outcomes. The goal is for library staff to implement best practices and to be inspired to begin planning new programs and partnerships that will increase school readiness for preschool children in their communities.
Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/548052826
- Early STEM Learning in Library Programs for Young Children
Thursday, October 24, 2013
1:30 – 3:30 pm CDT
The second Webinar in the series will introduce literature-based math and science activities for librarians to include in storytime programs for preschool children. Children have a natural curiosity and librarians need only give them a chance to ask questions, explore, look for answers, and talk about their experience. The engaging activities are aligned with educational standards and will assist libraries in implementing the 10 Key Ways that libraries can improve early learning outcomes, in particular, “Supporting development of executive function and ‘deeper learning’ skills through literacy and STEM-based experiences.”
Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/298950154
- Early Literacy Apps and iPads in the Children’s Department
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
2:00 – 3:00 pm CST
The third webinar in the series will introduce the basics of using iPads preloaded with early literacy apps in the children’s department, at storytime, and for checkout. Today’s children are growing up surrounded by technology and using tablets comes naturally to them. Librarians can introduce apps and digital books in a developmentally appropriate manner that supports early literacy development. This webinar will assist libraries in implementing the 10 Key Ways that libraries can improve early learning outcomes, especially “Linking new digital technologies to learning.”
Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/190478762
For more information, please visit the series’ informational page:
Questions? Please contact:
Naomi DiTullio, Distance Learning Consultant
Library Development and Networking Division
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Phone: 1-800-252-9386 (Texas only) or 512-936-2586
This Webinar series is made possible by funding support from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services provided to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.


What’s the best way to practice piano pieces? When you start learning more complicated songs, it’s easy for frustration to creep in. Get back on track with these helpful tips from Brooklyn, NY music teacher Elizabeth A...
When I was a young girl first taking piano lessons, I was determined to learn each piece perfectly. I sat down at the piano to practice, and played through my assignment from start to finish.
“I can do better than that,” I thought to myself.
And so I played the piece again. And again, and again. Yet I was never able to truly perfect a song until I learned the best way to practice piano.
You don’t have to make the same mistakes I did. Follow these four steps to learn that tune in record time.
1. Find the Hardest Part
Play through the entire piece once and make note of where the most challenging sections are. I use a pencil to draw brackets around the hard parts. Many times these spots are easy to see; they’re the places with all the fast notes! Other challenges like to hide. Look for transitions between sections or phrases.
2. Break it Down
Once you’ve brought your attention to the places in the music that trip you up, focus on just these sections. Break down the hard part so much that you make it easy. You may have to find the hardest measure, or even just two notes, and play those over and over until you don’t have to think about it. Then add a few notes before and after and play that a bunch of times until you’re an expert, and so on until you have mastered the entire section. I find it helpful to sit with a timer. Play that one or two measures on repeat for one full minute. When the timer goes off you can take a 30-second brain break before moving on to the next measure or two.
3. Put it Back Together
This works just like a puzzle. Now that you have each section polished, you have to learn how to do it in order, without stopping in between. Start by combining just two sections. Play them slowly, and keep looking ahead. Do this a few times so it can become muscle memory. Add another section, then another, until you can play the entire piece straight through without stopping. Don’t forget to start slow.
The first three steps can be done in one day, but then what happens when you go to practice the next day, and you feel like you’re back to square one? Do it all over again! This is the hardest step of all. It helps to change your routine and look at the song from a new perspective. Here are a few tips to keep it fresh:
- Mark the sections and play them in reverse order, starting from the end of the piece. This helps you to be able to play the end of the tune just as well as the beginning.
- Change the tempo of the song – super slow at first, then much faster just for fun.
- Record yourself and listen back to the recording.
The most important thing to remember is that playing piano is fun! Once you have gone through these steps, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Play through the whole song, mistakes and all, and savor the experience.
Elizabeth A. teaches piano, violin, viola, and more in Brooklyn, NY, as well as through online lessons. She received her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education at Bowling Green State University, and her Master’s of Fine Arts in Music Education from the University of Akron. Learn more about Elizabeth here!
Photo by aussiegall


Computations have always been an essential tool in the natural sciences, and the digital computer was originally developed for the purpose of scientific calculations. At most universities, the first computers were therefore obtained for specific scientific calculations.
Computing essential in research — absent in elementary education
The use of computers has spread in sciences, and it has become increasingly common to require that graduate students learn to programme and otherwise utilise computers effectively, often without them having had any formal training previously. Even so, few universities include structured training in programming and advanced use of computers as part of their undergraduate science curriculum.
This was also the situation at the University of Oslo in the late 1990's. There were several groups and individuals whose research depended heavily on simulation and computation, but there was no coordinated computational training, particularly not on undergraduate level.
Introducing computations at an early stage
Due to this, physicists Morten Hjorth-Jensen and Arnt Inge Vistnes decided to try and introduce computations in the elementary mechanics course. Their two main reasons for doing this was that it would expose the students to computations at an early stage, which many of them would need in their graduate studies anyway. Also, and perhaps more importantly so, it would make it possible to apply the physics to real-life problems that could not be tackled with the traditional pencil-and-paper solution methods that the students learnt in their maths classes. Since the average physics student had no background in programming, this meant that the necessary technical skills would have to be learnt in the mechanics course. This course therefore included basic training in Maple.
At the Department of Informatics, there was a large group working in
diverse areas under the general heading ‘Mathematical Modelling’. Students here were taught programming early on, but an increasing proportion of the students included little or no mathematics in their course portfolio. The general feeling was that this was due to the fact that the basic maths courses had no computational component and therefore seemed irrelevant to the students at the Department of Informatics. The Mathematical Modelling group therefore approached the Department of Mathematics with their concern.
It turned out that the mathematicians were already working on adapting their elementary courses more to the different user groups. The result was that in the Autumn of 2000, the first-semester Calculus course was taught in three different versions: MAT100A (the theoretical version), MAT100B (the computational version) and MAT100C (the physics version). The A and C versions were taught by mathematicians, while a teacher from the Mathematical Modelling group taught MAT100B.
The teaching in MAT100B was based on that the students simultaneously attended the basic programming course in Java, and the curriculum included basic programming and analysis of elementary numerical methods. MAT100C (the physics version) included simple Maple exercises. From the start, MAT100B was the most popular of the three alternatives. The other two basic maths courses were also divided into two streams, a theoretical stream and a computational stream, with teachers from the Mathematical Modelling group and the Department of Mathematics sharing the teaching.
New reform in 2003, also CoE - more collaboration
- No specific Physics stream, computational stream instead - learn viatraditional programming course rather than Maple/Matlab
- FAM and MIT together apply for support for introducing unified
- computational perspective from Flexible Learning - granted!
Unified revision for whole faculty in the strategic plan
- Computations in maths courses + programming, physics courses build on this
- Need for elementary programming course with a mathematical perspective, introduced in 2007
- More coordinated computational content in geophysics and astrophysics, also from 2007


If you haven’t seen any of Linda’s work you need to take a look! For the past few years I’ve been using Interactive Read Alouds in my classroom. It’s a wonderful resource that has read alouds identified for different reading comprehension strategies, and lessons to accompany the read aloud. It’s fantastic! I’m not doing it justice, you should check it out!
I bought two new books. They’re my birthday present to myself. Isn’t that semi-sad? But I can’t help myself…all of my jeans have holes in them but I would rather buy teacher books than clothes. Sigh – I’m hopeless!
These are officially on my summer to-read list!
I originally wasn’t planning on buying anything but Linda Hoyt shared some truly inspiring ideas for reading and writing and I had to buy them. HAD TO!
*********Keep Reading! *********
**There are Common Core nuggets of knowledge from Linda Hoyt herself!!**
Did you know the common core has created a list of text exemplars?
This means that for the grade levels examples of excellent text have been identified in different areas – stories, poetry, read alouds, informational text, etc.
The Common Core emphasizes that our students need to read and be exposed to complex, rich text – especially informational text. And they’ve provided a list of examples – wasn’t that kind?!
Hoyt recommended that we familiarize ourselves with the text attributes that characterize these exemplars. What makes them examples of excellence? By identifying these attributes we can better identify other wonderful books, and we can teach these attributes to our students.
But we can’t stop with just reading these texts, because, according to the Common Core, writing is also of utmost importance. Our students need to be taught to write and write well. What better way than to study excellent works of writing!
For example, all writing has punctuation. BUT excellent writing includes rich internal punctuation. (I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement at the term – she gave a name to a vague idea that I had floating around my head). Also, by writing in clusters of three the text becomes more lyrical. Vivid imagery is also a common characteristic of excellent writing.
See coded example:
Hoyt recommends that we study these texts with our students. That we identify these writing attributes that make the texts great together with our students. Then, with our students, work on creating writing with those attributes (i.e. internal punctuation, clusters of three, or vivid imagery and so many more).
This is just one example of many. Hoyt was able to make these attributes come alive. She was also able to present instructional strategies that were feasible for any grade level. Remember, I’m excited and I teach in a bilingual 1/2 classroom where nothing is easy! I can’t wait to start teaching writing!
Hoyt shared many more strategies and ideas on reading informational text and writing informational text. I will share them as I have a chance to reflect and read her books.
Click below for the common core list of exemplars:
This was ridiculously long and I commend you if you made it this far, you’re an awesome teacher!!! I hope at the very least the link is helpful so you can hunt for the text exemplars at your grade level.
Mrs. CastroPin It


Your child can learn more about creating parallel lines with this beaming Valentine’s Day art activity. She’ll use her concentration skills as well as create fun heart artwork she can share with a loved one!
What You Do:
- Invite your child to draw a heart in the center of her paper and carefully color it in, staying within the lines, which encourages her fine motor skills!
- Discuss with her what a parallel line is. Creating something parallel means making a line without intersecting a relative line.
- Invite your child to create a parallel line around the heart so that it doesn't touch the line of her original heart. She'll be making heart outlines that get bigger and bigger!
- Now your child can continue making parallel lines around her heart. Encourage her to continue working until she has filled her entire paper!
- Her finished creation will look like a radiating heart that fills up the whole page.
Invite your child to share her finished creation with someone special for Valentine’s Day or hang it up as decoration!
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


Children who attend regular music lessons growing up may experience slower brain aging and faster cognition as adults, even if they decide to abandon the instrument over the course of their lives, a new study finds.
Adults who hadn’t picked up an instrument in over 40 years participated in a study led by Northwestern University professor and expert in speech and music perception, Dr. Nina Kraus, to help researchers understand the effects of music on a developing brain later on in life.
Aged between 55 and 76, the 44 healthy adults all listened to a synthesized speech syllable — “da” — and had their brains’ electrical activity recorded and tracked for time. The quicker response rates of former adolescent musicians over non-players suggested to researchers an explanation why some people’s brains age faster than others.
"This study suggests the importance of music education for children today and for healthy aging decades from now," Kraus said in a statement. "The fact that musical training in childhood affected the timing of the response to speech in older adults in our study is especially telling because neural timing is the first to go in the aging adult.”
Mental illness, as a product of cognitive decline, is still a mystery for scientists. There are a number of markers that doctors and other medical professionals can check for, but the mechanisms behind the slide into, say, Alzheimer’s disease, are still largely puzzling.
The prevailing theory implicates beta amyloid plaques as the main culprit. These plaques build up over time and effectively clog the neural pathways, preventing neurons from communicating with one another and disrupting brain function. One recent study argues this is the principal reason we sleep, so that our brains can flush out the sensory waste like garbage trucks. A similar, but unrelated study found less sleep linked to Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, the buildup of amyloid plaques can only be observed. The actual reason beta amyloid plaques accumulate, and not some other thing, isn’t tied down. Like much of the brain’s inner workings, the mechanism isn’t clear. The present study shows cognitive response times in former youth musicians are a millisecond faster than those who’ve never played. This may seem inconsequential, the researchers noted, but the importance of one millisecond is magnified over millions of neurons.
“The brain is very sensitive to timing and a millisecond compounded over millions of neurons can make a real difference in the lives of older adults," explained Michael Kilgard, Ph.D., University of Texas at Dallas sound researcher, who was not involved in this study. "These findings confirm that the investments that we make in our brains early in life continue to pay dividends years later.”
The upside, as Kraus sees it, is that neural plasticity isn’t confined to childhood. While the brain is admittedly more malleable when you’re younger, picking up an instrument as an adult can have profound effects in keeping someone mentally youthful.
“The adult brain retains a profound potential to change, and we and others have seen it happen through computer based training and other therapies,” she said. “Empirically, it's an open question how music lessons initiated or resumed late in life improve neural function, but I have every reason to believe that they do.”


KCC’s Social Science Department offers instruction in a broad range of subject areas which are viewed as essential to building solid employment skills. Our rapidly changing economy needs workers who are able to critically think, analyze, and pursue knowledge to help themselves and their employers thrive. Social Science careers include: teachers, political scientists, social workers, psychiatrists, anthropologiests, religious leaders, sociologists, historians, human service workers, early childhood specialists, and teachers.
Social Science and Education courses support all career paths including: health sciences, education, skilled trades, criminal justice, international travel, business, and creative arts. The KCC Social Science and Education Department supports Service Learning, Early Childhood Education, Elementary and Secondary Education, and International Travel Programming. We are committed to helping people acquire these skills. We study:
Anthropology: helps us to understand how cultures have made meaning of human existence over time
Early Childhood Education: the field of study focusing on children’s growth and development between the ages of birth and 8 years
Elementary Education: helps young children develop important skills in a positive learning environment
Ethics: helps us to understand the guiding principles which can enrich our personal and professional lives
History: helps us to understand what came before us so that we may take advantage of successes and mistakes along the course of human experience
Human Services: helps us to understand the needs of persons on their journey through life so that we may assist them through transitions and in overcoming obstacles
International Studies and Travel: helps us to explore our world learning about new cultures and opportunities
Philosophy: helps us to understand the ideas of the great thinkers past and present
Political Science: helps us to understand the role of leadership and how leaders can help promote economic and social growth
Psychology: helps us understand ourselves, those around us and our relationships with them
Secondary Education: instruction of students in middle and high schools in specific subjects such as math, science, literature arts, music and history
Service-Learning: is a teaching and learning method that engages students in deep academic inquiry and reflection related to their field of study while they are also actively engaged in their own community.
Sociology: helps us to understand how societies have developed and how society influences us


June 11, 2012
Coastal America launched its national student art contest to further ocean literacy. Out of more than 1,500 entries from the United States, Mexico, and Canada, twenty-five students were selected as national winners, and eight of those came from the Aquarium of the Pacific’s regional contest. Judges in the national art competition included renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, cartoonist Jim Toomey (creator of “Sherman’s Lagoon”), ocean photojournalist Brian Skerry, and artist Wyland.
This achievement in the national contest reflects the Aquarium’s emphasis on using the arts to communicate science concepts. Through innovations in educational programming, the Aquarium aims to make both the arts and science more accessible and enhance visitors’ understanding of new topics.
Coastal America is a partnership between federal, state, and local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, corporations, and members of Coastal America’s Learning Center Network, which includes aquariums, marine science centers, and laboratories. In hosting the regional art contest, the Aquarium of the Pacific aims to engage local audiences in pressing environmental topics and to promote ocean literacy among people of all ages, especially students. Staff members in the Aquarium’s education department solicit entries from across Southern California through their connections with teachers and art education institutions such as the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
In addition to submitting art work, each entrant must also submit an essay based on one of seven ocean literacy principles. Edmund Liang, first place winner in the Aquarium’s college-level category for his poster emphasizing the issue of bycatch, wrote, “It’s not frequent that people stop to think how their daily lives affect the health of our planet. Being a common (like air), the ocean is often neglected and placed in the far corner of our minds since it belongs to no one—yet we all share it. Therefore, we don’t feel the immediate responsibility to maintain or care. Many people, unfortunately, have no idea how intrinsically linked and dependent we are on it.”
“For both the current and previous Student Ocean Art Contests, the Aquarium of the Pacific has had more winning entries than any other institution in Coastal America’s national network of learning centers. The high quality of the entries in the Aquarium’s regional contest highlights Southern California’s distinctive ocean ethic and the understanding by its youth of the importance of the ocean,” said Virginia Tippie, executive director, Coastal America.
The winning artwork was on display in Washington, D.C. during Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW), including the CHOW reception dinner on June 5, the NOAA 36th Annual Fish Fry at the Department of Commerce on June 6, and then the Coastal America Student Ocean Art Contest Awards ceremony on June 7. On June 8 the exhibit moved to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History for World Ocean Day.
First place student winners in two categories, art and photography: Pradmuditha Sithumini Madigapola, Aquarium of the Pacific, “My Big Ocean” Casey J. Lambries, Alaska SeaLife Center, “Whale Song” Alyssa Cheung, Vancouver Aquarium, “Unknown Ocean-Life at Risk” Carmen Pacheco, Aquarium of the Pacific, “The Miracle of the Ocean” Annika McFarlane, Vancouver Aquarium, “Tears for a Blue Earth” Ivonne Orjuela, The Florida Aquarium, “Gateway” Edmund Liang, Aquarium of the Pacific, “Shrimp Bycatch” Joyce Kyunghee Lee, Aquarium of the Pacific, “Overfished?”


Planning for a K-12 distance learning system: A case study
Date of Award
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation
instructional design, technology, School administration, Educational software, Elementary education, Secondary education
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of communications technologies for distance learning by educational institutions. Rapid improvements in educational technology and lower costs increase the likelihood that more schools will seek to adopt new technologies if they are seen as an improvement over old systems. It is important to provide practical strategies for those planning to develop distance learning systems. Few published reports focus specifically on the planning process for K-12 distance learning. Planning models related to instructional systems design and diffusion of innovations offer some recommended planning strategies.
The primary research question for this study was: What is the nature of the planning process for a K-12 distance education system? Observation of the Central New York Telecommunications Learning System's Interactive Pilot Project provided insights to the planning process from initiation through the decision to halt the project after the planning stage. Qualitative case study methods were employed to provide rich, detailed information about this complex decision-making process: (1) to identify the issues that emerged, (2) to examine the group's decision-making process, (3) to document the actual and perceived outcomes of the project. Participants described their experiences as planners with the project and suggest that the planning effort, by itself, added value to the local educational community. A model for the K-12 distance education planning process is described in detail and compared to other planning models. The findings indicate that the planning process for an educational innovation can have a significant impact, even if the innovation is not adopted.
Surface provides description only. Full text is available to ProQuest subscribers. Ask your Librarian for assistance.
Hanrahan, Lynda Ann, "Planning for a K-12 distance learning system: A case study" (1995). Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation - Dissertations. Paper 38.


Posted In: Educator Voices, Kids Not Cuts, Moving in Congress, States, Virginia
By Amanda Litvinov
Educators across the country are celebrating the many positive outcomes of Election 2012 for public education in federal, state and local races. And they should! Teachers, support professionals, professors, students and retired educators made a difference by educating voters about what was at stake for students and schools.
Take Action ›
Sign our pledge to speak up for kids in the budget fight. Tell Congress: Kids Not Cuts! ›
Now educators, parents, and all advocates of public schools are turning their focus to the budget battle that will resume when Congress returns next week. Anita Jackson, who taught K-12 special education students for 30 years in Virginia, is one of them.
“When school funding is cut, it could be the decision that makes or breaks a child’s progress,” she said. Jackson, who is now a library tech in a middle school, has witnessed first-hand how budget cuts affect the services schools are able to provide.
Nearly $1 billion for special education programs and $5 billion in overall federal education spending will evaporate if lawmakers can’t agree on a budget solution and across-the-board cuts go into effect on January 2.
Should those cuts happen, roughly 13,400 educators serving special needs students would likely lose their jobs according to an NEA analysis.
Expecting schools to serve the needs of all students while cutting their funding again and again just doesn’t add up, said Jackson. “When it comes to special ed, personnel is needed to provide individualized aid—all of that is crucial.”
All federal education programs are at stake, including those that support early childhood learning, rural schools, children living in poverty and English language learners. Millions of students will lose services and nearly 80,000 educators will lose their jobs.
But the budget proposals lawmakers have brought to the table to prevent across-the-board cuts have so far focused on cutting essential services and public education while ignoring the obvious need to stop giving massive tax breaks to the wealthiest corporations and individuals.
Paul Ryan’s budget would cut $2.2 billion dollars from IDEA, which makes up the bulk of special education funding in schools, over the next two years. The Ryan Budget—which NEA President Dennis Van Roekel has referred to as an “American Dream killer”—also proposes drastic cuts to early childhood education, would reduce or eliminate services to 4 million low-income K-12 students, and grants that help students attain a college education.
Although Ryan was not elected Vice President, he is the current chair of the Budget Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and will be a leader of those looking to cut their way to a balanced budget.
President Obama realizes this approach is not only impossible, but irresponsible, and has called on Congress to ask the nation’s most fortunate to pay their fair share.
Anita Jackson has her own message to Congress: “It’s going to cost America in the long run to go cheap on public education. It is not wasteful to provide adequate funding. American children and their public educators that work with them and serve them do so much on a dime, all they’re asking for is a quarter, not a dollar.”
“Can we get a quarter?”
You can help stop these devastating cuts to public education funding. Take the first step today by signing our Kids Not Cuts pledge to hold your members of Congress accountable and urge them to stand up for kids and working families by rejecting a bad budget deal.


Lisa Murphy teaches a few of her favorite “good morning” songs!
Friedrich Froebel promoted the idea of circle time for children to learn in a group.
This video shows the role of language to support the development of each child.
The Froebel Archive for Childhood Studies was established in 1977 and focuses on Friedrich Froebel’s educational legacy, early years and elementary education.
We are all here to learn!
The influence of Froebel is embedded in educational practice in many countries around the world in ways that are relevant to diverse cultures, communities and families.
Illustration for the classic poem “Block City” by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Be inspired by the classic poem, “Block City,” by Robert Louis Stevenson.
How a child learns to learn will impact his or her life forever . . . Caroline Pratt observed children long before she tried to teach them. She came to realize that the more children actively participate in their own education, the more they get out of it.
Esteemed Mr. Froebel, The building blocks caused our Otto much joy.


Connecting volunteer readers and tutors with children who need help most.
The numbers don’t lie: students who are tutored through ReadUP perform better in reading and are more likely to succeed in school. But they can’t get the help they need without volunteers like you. Through our signature program, ReadUP matches volunteer with local schools to help kids get on track — and stay on track — with grade-level literacy. watch video
For most Central Indiana children, caring adults are the difference between academic success and failure. Just one hour a week is all it takes to impact the life of a child. Can you spare an hour?
ReadUP Tutors are volunteers who work one-on-one with third grade students helping them reach grade-level literacy. Tutors help students improve comprehension and fluency skills in preparation for state academic exams.
Register for ReadUP Tutors by selecting the county in which you would like to volunteer
ReadUP Readers are volunteers that read aloud to small or whole groups of preschool children, helping these kids begin their literacy development.
ReadUP Corps members are trained to provide struggling readers in first and second grade with individualized literacy interventions to help build phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills.


The only Historically Black College and University System in the nation
HISTORY Southern University established in 1880 in New Orleans, Louisiana Southern University and A&M College relocated to Baton Rouge (Scotlandville) in 1914 Southern University and A&M College System established in 1974
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 16-member Board of Supervisors 15 appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the LA State Senate for 6-year terms 1 student member selected by the SU System SGA Presidents
LEADERSHIP Southern University System President - Dr. Ronald Mason Jr. Board Chair - Mr. Darren Mire Board Vice-Chair - Atty. Murphy Bell
SYSTEM CAMPUSES Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge Dr. James Llorens, chancellor www.subr.edu
Southern University, New Orleans Dr Victor Ukpolo, chancellor www.suno.edu
Southern University, Shreveport (2-yr institution) Dr. Ray L. Belton, chancellor www.susla.edu
Southern University Law Center (est. 1947) Freddie Pitcher Jr., chancellor www.sulc.edu
Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center Dr. Leodrey Williams, chancellor www.suagcenter.edu
ENROLLMENT Enrolled 14,011 students in 2010-11 - 67% Male - 33% Female - 23% attend part-time
GRADUATES Graduated 2,090 in 2010-11 67 certificate/diploma (SUSLA) 85% Black 12% White 3% Other 298 associates (SUSLA. SUNO) 81% Black 17% White 2% Other 1100 bachelor's 92% Black 5 % White 3% Other 451 masters' 77% Black 7% White 16% Other 23 doctoral 78% Black 22% White 151 professional (SULC) 61% Black 35% White 4% Other
BUDGET / ECONOMIC IMPACT Estimated System Operating Budget FY 2011-2012 - $138 million SU System as a whole brings $539.5 million to Louisiana
HIGHLIGHTS / ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- The Southern University System has a new educational partnership with Education Online Services Corporation (EOServe Corp.) to implement multiple online degree programs. -The SU System established The Honoré Center for Undergraduate Student Achievement, a new program focused on significantly increasing the number of African-American male, baccalaureate degree holders in the New Orleans region. The goal is to enroll African-American males in elementary education, to have more male role models in the school system. In exchange for free tuition, graduate of the program must teach two years in New Orleans.
- The Southern University System (SUS) will become the first university in Louisiana to become 100 percent tobacco-free.
- The Southern University Law Center (SULC) is among the nation's most popular law programs according to a U.S. News and World Report article posted Thursday, March 24, 2011.


Details about Social Studies in Elementary Education (with MyEducationLab):
This new edition of the most popular elementary social studies methods text on the market houses a wealth of content, strategies, tools, and resources for teaching K—8 social studies. Writing with the same clarity, friendly tone, and solid content of previous editions, Parker details the mission of social studies education and explores the many ways this mission can be made to serve the full complement of learners in a diverse multicultural society. He lays out the elements of a strong social studies curriculum, explains effective teaching methods, and presents a wealth of field-tested examples, exercises, activities, and lesson plans that will enliven every social studies classroom.
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Rent Social Studies in Elementary Education (with MyEducationLab) 13th edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Walter C. Parker. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Pearson.


To be a centre of excellence in the provision of adult basic education
The Dublin Adult Learning Centre provides basic education services to ensure that everyone in the inner city has the opportunity to avail of their right to develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
DALC’s Definition of Literacy
Being literate means being able to read, write and use numeracy and information technology competently to deal with situations and opportunities in your own environment. It means being able to fulfil your own goals as a family and community member, citizen and worker. Being literate is part of a lifelong learning continuum.
- Respectful of the adult status of the learner
- Creative and holistic
DALC is a Company Limited by Guarantee with charitable status and is funded by the Department of Education and Science, City of Dublin Education and Training Board, Department of Social Protection, the Department of Children and POBAL. DALC is governed by a Board of Directors and is compliant with Governance Code for Voluntary Organisations.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of Aontas in the developing of this website.


Sections / Articles
Early Learning Literacy Walkthroughs
By Corinne Eisenhart and Elisabeth Grinder-McLean
November 2013, Volume 37, Issue 3
Oral language provides the foundation for students to read and write—but many of America’s students enter kindergarten with language delays or deficits. To address the achievement gap, principals need to be aware of the importance of language experiences in early learning classrooms. Teachers of young children should provide child-focused learning environments that build language skills. Use this walkthrough template to support teachers as they establish language-rich early learning environments.
What Principals Should Know
Frequent, brief visits to classrooms help principals better understand the dynamics of an effective early learning curriculum. When conducting early learning walkthroughs, principals should reflect on these questions: What are the children doing? What is the teacher doing? How does the classroom environment encourage language and literacy development?
Early Learning Walkthrough Template
When conducting early learning walkthroughs, consider using the Literacy Walkthrough Template for Early Learning Classrooms. The guide includes three foci:
- Focus on Learning. This targets children’s actions. What are the children doing?
- Focus on Teaching. This directs attention to instruction. What is the teacher doing?
- Focus on Classroom Environment. This provides the look-fors when considering the learning environment.
A principal might focus his or her attention on learning during one visit and the classroom environment on another visit. This walkthrough instrument is designed to support and supervise teachers, not to evaluate them. After completing the classroom visit, use the walkthrough tool to guide conversations with teachers about building and refining their instructional skills to enhance children’s language and literacy skills.
Principals who recognize the facets of an interactive, language-rich classroom can help teachers put students on the road to literacy.
Download the walkthrough template here.
Corinne Eisenhart, a former elementary school principal, is an associate professor of educational leadership at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
Elisabeth Grinder-McLean is an early childhood specialist at the Goodling Institute for Research and Family Literacy at the Pennsylvania State University.
Adapted from Early Learning Walkthroughs, Principal, November/December 2013.
Copyright © 2013. National Association of Elementary School Principals. No part of the articles in NAESP magazines, newsletters, or website may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. For more information, view NAESP's reprint policy


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"In college, music education is one of the largest, most dense programs."
Music plays a big role in eduation i think it helps train your brain to work by analyzing the music. When you hear a song it goses through your ears and to your rain it makes you thing of counts and involves things like math. Playing an instrument can also help train your brain it makes you smarter by memorizing lyrics are the tune of a song.
Music also provdes a work of education by concentration. To play an instrument you must have a great attention span and really good concentration. It was proven that 78% of
Americans feel learning a musical instrument helps students perform better in other subjects. That says a lot about how music helps train your brain. In my opinion music is a very good hobby to take up.
It can make you smarter because it trains a part of the brain maybe another subject can't get to. If your good at playing an instruments some high schools consider it a core learning class, that says alot about music. So next time somone says music isn't an educational thing prove them wrong!
About the Blogger
i am from Illinois. I love to dance and am always happy! I play guitar and have two dogs and a brother. I LOVE MUSIC!!
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|Math Concepts for Elementary Education I|
|ELEM ED MATH I|
|CLASS CODE:||MATH 305||CREDITS: 4|
|DIVISION:||PHYSICAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING|
|GENERAL EDUCATION:||This course does not fulfill a General Education requirement.|
|DESCRIPTION:||This course is for Elementary Education majors. The content focuses on important mathematical ideas and their interrelationships. Problem solving, sets, functions, systems of numeration, operations on whole numbers, integers and rational numbers, the real number system, and number theory are included.|
|TAUGHT:||Winter, Summer, Fall|
|CONTENT AND TOPICS:||Problem solving, sets, functions, systems of numeration, operations on whole numbers, integers and rational numbers, the real number system and number theory are included.|
|GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:||1. Gain an enthusiam for mathematics.
2. Learn and practice problem solving strategies including Polya's 4-step method.
3. Practice mathematical exploration and learn to repeat attempts.
4. Learn the sets included in the real numbers and understand arithmetic operations and algebraic properties.
5. Read, understand, and write Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian, Mayan, Indo-Arabic numeration systems.
6. Gain an understanding of and apply the basics of number theory including, factors, multiples, GCD, LCM, primes, and composites.
7. Learn and practice ratio, proportion, and percent problems.
8. Describe the basics of functions including definitions and models, domain and range, classifications and graphs of linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions.
|REQUIREMENTS:||Attendance, a copy of the text and activities manual, and a calculator. Students must pass Math 305 and Math 306 to satisfy the GE Math Requirement. Students will take examinations, complete a research paper, participate in in-class activities, complete homework, and fulfill any other assignments the instructor may require.|
|PREREQUISITES:||Two years of high school algebra or Math 101 with a grade of "B" or higher and at least 30 credits. You must also achieve a satisfactory score on the placement exam. The placement exam will cover topics from high school algebra I and II. A student should plan to take this exam before enrolling in Math 305. The exam will be offered in November, March, and July. It will also be offered on a limited basis during the first week of class each term. A bank of practice problems similar to those on the exam is available on the web.
|EFFECTIVE DATE:||August 2002|


Education in Addison County
Vermont is known nationwide for its accomplishments in setting and assessing high academic standards for its public schools. Beyond secondary education‚ Addison County is home to Middlebury College‚ considered one of the most outstanding small‚ private liberal arts colleges in the country.
For the adult learner‚ there are numerous opportunities and resources available through cooperative efforts established by education and business.
Elementary and Secondary Education
There are six school districts that serve the communities of Addison County. Many towns in Addison County offer preschools and all have elementary education programs. For secondary education students go on to consolidated school districts which serve neighboring communities. The Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center offers an integrated work and learning program to students in three of these supervisory unions. In addition to these public schools‚ there are private schools for students at all grade levels.
Addison County residents have access to many higher educational institutions. The University of Vermont, Champlain College, Saint Michael’s College, Burlington College, Castleton State College, and Vermont Technical College are within close proximity to Addison County. Middlebury College and Community College of Vermont are both located within the county.
Since its founding in 1800 Middlebury has developed from “the town’s college” into an institution of international renown. In addition to undergraduate and graduate degree programs, it hosts the summer Language Schools and the respected Bread Loaf School of English and Writers’ Conference.
The Community College of Vermont (CCV) was founded in 1970 and merged with the Vermont State College system in 1972. Over the years CCV has received national recognition for its innovative programs and its unique way of bringing college learning to residents of Vermont. Today the CCV serves approximately 5,000 students per semester, making its enrollment the second largest of any college in the state.
Middlebury College Community Resources
Download a PDF version of Middlebury College's guide to art athletic intellectual and cultural resources and venues that are open to area residents.
Request a Relocation Package
Thinking of relocating? Order a comprehensive relocation package.
Download a copy of our Community Profile.


Ontario students have demonstrated strength in reading, but are not progressing in math or science at the international level.
Today, the Education Quality and Accountability Office announced students across the province earned mixed results on international reading, math and science assessments. While high levels of achievement in reading have been maintained, math has been at a standstill for the past three assessments and the province’s international standing in science has declined.
“Are these results good? Overall, I’d have to say yes,” EQAO board chairperson Brian Desbiens said. “But are they good enough? Not for a school system that aims to position its students among the best in the world.”
With more countries participating in the international assessments and focusing their efforts on improving the educational outcomes of their students, Ontario is losing ground, he said.
Progress in international reading literacy study, also known as PIRLS, shows Grade 4 students continue to do well and achieve high levels of reading. Ontario was only outdone by five jurisdictions.
On the other hand, results in mathematics show student performance hasn’t improved since the 2003 and 2007 studies. Ontario was topped by 20 jurisdictions at the Grade 4 level and 10 jurisdictions for Grade 8s.
Science results of grades 4 and 8 students have dropped during the past three assessments, with the average Grade 4 student sliding from a score of 540 in 2003 to 528 in 2011 and 533 to 521 for Grade 8 students.
The latest results confirm trends that have been evident on EQAO’s provincial tests in recent years, EQAO CEO Marguerite Jackson said.
“They provide yet another piece of evidence that we need strong action to improve math and science achievement while we maintain our focus on literacy development,” she added.
The assessments are established by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.


KINSHASA, April 29, 2010—“Finally, school is going to be like school again,” a parent sighed with relief at the highly anticipated distribution of textbooks to first and second year elementary school students in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Backed by US$150 million in funding from the World Bank, this initiative of the Government of DRC is part of a larger push to rehabilitate the country’s educational system. Curriculum guides were also provided to teachers. The unexpected but welcome gesture will enable eight million young beneficiaries to start school with a solid foundation.
The textbooks were acquired through the Education Sector Project, which aims to prevent further deterioration in the delivery of essential services for primary education and foster a sustainable development and financing of the sector. Launched in January 2008, the five-year project, which also entails coordination of various initiatives funded by donors, is an important first step toward full recovery of DRC’s educational system. The program is very ambitious but commensurate with the scale of the problem at hand.
For a long time textbooks had become a rarity in schools across DRC, a problem that was further compounded by a poorly articulated education sector strategy and a decline in teaching quality at all levels. Decades of generalized disruption have left a legacy of unequal access, particularly at the primary stage. For many parents whose children still attend elementary school, this initiative is very encouraging. “The basic idea is to improve the quality of elementary education by facilitating access and placing an emphasis on equal opportunities for all children of school age,” explained Firmin Seke di Makwala, one of the experts working on the project.
Laying the Foundation for Success
In Kinshasa’s Ligwala district, students at Kobota Elengi Elementary School proudly showed off their new books. This private school with a very good reputation in a densely populated neighborhood is one of the beneficiaries of the textbook distribution program. For Louis Kiboba, who teaches here, this is definitely a good step, given the importance of the first and second year of schooling in terms of laying the foundation for future success. He regretted that such opportunities were not available in previous school years.
To date, over 14 million grammar and math textbooks have been delivered across the 30 educational jurisdictions of the country. The books are distributed in all registered public and private elementary schools. “These textbooks were crafted by Congolese educators taking into account the cultural dynamics of the country,” said Firmin Seke di Makwala. “As such they facilitate learning because they make references to an environment Congolese students are familiar with.”
Pene Wangozi, an academic inspector in Maniema province, expressed the same feeling of satisfaction felt by the parents of school age children. “For a beginning, this is very encouraging, but we cannot stop after the first two years of elementary school,” he says.
Outside Kinshasa, the distribution has even reached areas that still suffer from insecurity due to recurring conflict. Such was the case in Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, where World Bank Country Manager for DRC, Marie-Francoise Marie Nelly, personally witnessed the delivery of textbooks.
Access to remote areas was facilitated by considerable improvements of roads as a result of a government-led rehabilitation effort. “In the past we had great difficulty delivering textbooks along the Bukavu-Alungu corridor because travel along that road was almost impossible,” Firmin Seke di Makwala said. “Today, we can travel that same road in less than two hours and the work of the distribution teams has been made much easier.”
Early Signs of Success, despite Lingering Challenges
Although in 2007 gross enrollment rates at the primary level were estimated at 91 percent, the gross rate of student admission in the first year of elementary school remained at only 46 percent. This statistic is indicative of the fact that many children enter late into their first year of elementary school. This results in part from forced displacements due to lingering conflicts in some of the regions, but also from the fact that parents are having a hard time paying for school-related expenses. Added to these causes are the absence of adequate teaching materials, the lack of streamlined policies for teachers and the nonexistence of a comprehensive strategy for education sector.
Yet despite the realization that much remains to be done to rehabilitate DRC’s education sector, Congolese students have begun to reap the early fruits of an investment into the country’s future.


One of the fundamental skills that we encourage our children to develop early is their Fine Motor Skills. Getting ready to gear up for Back to School is on everyone’s mind, and this is one of the primary skills we hope to build with our child. Here’s a fun way to sneak a little bit of Literacy into your Fine Motor Skill Development.
We love using our Wooden Lacing Beads for several activities. They can help to build hand eye coordination, cognitive and visual perception skills too. Using Wooden Beads can be a fun and playful way to begin to build all of these skills. The process of putting the string through the small hole in a bead requires a child to focus and use muscles, to help to make them stronger. It’s these same skills that we will later ask them to use with handwriting and even more complex tasks like tying shoes or building with small Legos as they get older.
Finding ways to use toys in a variety of ways is a lot of fun and a space saver at home or in a classroom. We used our wooden beads to practicing lacing by colors, counting, by patterns and even by shapes. Many kids will enjoy doing this over and over again as they build up their Fine Motor Skills.
There will be times though that you want to change things up and use wooden beads in a fun new way. Here’s a favorite that your child will love, which requires some budget friendly supplies. Make your own Alphabet Beads Game! To play the Alphabet Bead Game first you need some big letters! We have a foam letter mat that has made its way through a few kids and Kindergarten class at our house. You can find them just about anywhere. You can also easily make your own letters by using scrapbook paper and tracing out the letters, and then using Contact Paper to put a protective layer on them for play. Also using items like Magnetic Wooden Letters, an alphabet puzzle, or even the Undersea Alphabet Soup Game Pool Toy will work with some smaller sized bead sets.
Once you’ve found your letters encourage your child to place the beads one by one onto the letter shape. It’s a fun way to build fine motor skills and also letter recognition at the same time. You can also encourage your child to place the beads onto the string and then form letters with them. As they are placing the string onto the outlines or each letter discuss how letter formations are straight, curved and slanted. All of these tasks will help to create visual clues and form the foundation for how your child will begin to recognize each letter. It will also help them understand how to begin writing each letter. Talk about the names of the letters, and the sounds they make too.
Working on fine motor skills and literacy skills using wooden beads and letter outlines is a fun way to kick of the school year with your child!
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Kim Vij is an early childhood educator and mom of three. She shares her “Educator’s Spin” on parenting issues and how to make everyday moments into learning opportunities at The Educators’ Spin On It and award winning Pinterest Boards.