The queen of the sciences and the king of the arts.
The mathematics club aims to work for the, interests of one fellow student. We develop student’s mathematical curiosity and interpersonal relationship skills by conducting member meetings with various topics related to mathematics. The purpose of the mathematics club is to arouse student’s interest in mathematics so that they can become confident in using mathematics to analyse and solve problems both in school and in real life situations. Mathematics is a tool to train one’s logical thinking skills. It is also a sword which can solve thousands of problems in various fields in our various daily lives.
For primary: maths club function as fun based activity for the primary classes basically to eradicate their phobia for the subject in their formative years.
For middle: it helps the middle school children to enjoy, appreciate and acquire basic knowledge by organising competitive group activities, puzzles, visits to museum, and expose conducted by other schools organisation.
For secondary & senior secondary students to enrich and discover the elegance of the subject, it’s intrinsic and inner beauty by organising maths expo and lectures by eminent resource persons.
Eco club is a platform on which we got the knowledge about environment. The meaning of eco-club is a group who works to contribute in improving environmental conditions. They offer programmes and activity to encourage others to reduce pollution, plant trees and more. Eco-club plays an important role in creating environmental awareness amongst the future generation
Activities under eco club
- Promote ethos of conservation of water by minimizing the use of water.
- Motivate students to imbibe habits and life for minimum waste generation, source separation of waste and disposing the waste to the nearest storage point.
- Sensitize the students to minimize the use of plastic bags, not to throw then in public places.
- Conducting nature camp for the students, planting trees etc.
D C L (Deepika children’s League) is a registered organisation for school children aiming at their integral growth in social, cultural and religious fields. It provides a lot of opportunities for the young generation. DCL was born out of the vision of Rev. Fr. Abel CMI, the founder of kalabhavan, the famous art education institute in kochi, kerala.
It organises a variety of programmes like:
- Personality development and speech practising seminars.
- Computer teaching and agriculture related camps.
- Art and literary workshops.
- Club will try to make participate majority of members in quiz and scholarship programmes etc.
ROAD SAFETY CLUB
Road Safety club is for learning road safety tops and propagating them to all the road users to make our road safe.
The objectives of the road safety club of SKPS are.
- To develop skills among the students for interacting with various traffic situations.
- To assist in the enforcement of traffic rules.
- To work as a volunteer.
- To undertake all required activities for ensuring safety of the users on road.
SOCIAL SERVICE FORUM
Here we have our social service forum, with a purpose to serve the needy people. We formed our social service forum in 2015 with the conviction that academics is not the only the aspect of our learning more over we should experience how to serve humanity. Social service forum in SKPS facilitates the opportunity to our students to fulfil that objective. Many charity activities were implemented and generated our financial aid to many needy people around. We are very glad that our staffs are actively participating and supporting our forum activities, also looking ahead for future endeavours.
SKPS is committed to offering students various opportunities for extracurricular participation. IT club organizes school level presentations assembly activities and such other enrichment programs useful for the overall academic excellence of the students. The aim of this club is to impart training to students regarding the new technologies. The aim of this club is to develop creative skills in students. They learn to create various types of programs useful for the academic purpose.
The film club is one of the unique features of SKPS. It gives wings to the creativity and talent of its members. The club ensures the participation of each member in choreography, stage and off stage events. It gives chances to explore the imaginative ideas and innovative thoughts of its members to have a bright future in the artistic world.
One of the main attractions of SKPS is its theatre club. It helps it’s members to have intellectual experience and enrichment, where students learn about realism, naturalism and originality of life. It ignites the hidden skills and brings out the theatrical potentiality of its members to lead a real life.


Through our Music Technology curriculum students learn how music and sound functions in our society. In our music technology lab students explore the many ways sound is used in media through learning about synchronized sound. Students also learn how to compose! When composing students not only learn the traditional way music is notated but also learn about loop based composition.
Loop based composition is the primary way music is made today and students are able to combine their traditional music education and apply it to composition techniques used in a wide array of genres including hip-hop, jazz, and rock.
Students are always creating music and media through technology in our state of the art lab that includes midi keyboards at each station as well as iPads. Please visit mrfahrenbach.com to learn more about our music technology curriculum.
“I am most proud of my connection with Walt Disney's family and the Walt Disney Family Museum. I have had the honor of working with The Walt Disney Museum to create curriculum based off of Walt's use of technology in the Arts. Through my relationship with the Museum and Walt Disney's family I have also been able to share artifacts and stories with our students about our school's namesake that allow students to see first hand how technology and the Arts can truly capture emotion in a meaningful way.”


SCIE1122 Our Solar System
- 6 points
|Semester 2||UWA (Perth)||Face to face|
- Details for undergraduate courses
- The area of knowledge for this unit is Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Category A broadening unit for Bachelor of Science students where relevant according to the broadening requirements for each student
- Level 1 elective
- For countless millennia people have yearned to understand our connection to Earth's nearest neighbours: the Sun, the Moon, the planets, meteorites, asteroids and comets. Over the millennia our understanding of our place in the solar system has changed dramatically. This unit takes students from traditional beliefs across all cultures (with particular focus on the rich cultural tradition of Australian Aboriginal solar system astronomy) to modern discoveries about our astronomical companions, their internal structure and how they were created. The second part of the unit focuses on life bearing planets. Students study the special attributes of planet Earth that enable it to support life. They explore theories about the origin of life and ask where else we may be able to discover life in the universe. Throughout this section students compare modern concepts of life and evolution with the rich traditional creation stories and traditional knowledge of ecology, climate and biodiversity. The last part of the unit focuses on the search for life elsewhere in the solar system, and the search for life bearing planetary systems and extraterrestrial civilisations. Students apply scientific scepticism to discuss evidence for previous encounters with extra-terrestrial beings and consider the possibility of interstellar space flight—the physics, the technology and the biology.
- Students are able to (1) compare and contrast two or more different cultural perspectives on the Sun, the planets and other solar system objects; (2) have an overview of the cultural quest to interpret the Earth's nearest neighbours, and how precision measurement led us to discover the scale and structure of the solar system; (3) have an understanding of the physical processes that led to the diversity of the planets, the special properties of planet Earth, and the evolution of life on planet Earth; (4) develop the ability to gather information and present it with clarity and depth of understanding; and (5) have a critical understanding in relation to studies and speculations about extrasolar planets and life in the universe.
- Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignments and presentations and (2) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 overall and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor David Coward
- Incidental fees
- Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available here or contact your Faculty Office).
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):(1) Field Trip (estimated cost - 25)
(2) Field Trip (estimated cost - 25).
- Contact hours
- standard semester: lectures: 2 hours per week; oral presentation sessions; and field trips.
summer school: lectures : online lecture recordings from Semester 2; workshop/practical classes: 2 x 2 hrs per week; field trips (6 hours); and presentations (4 - 6 hours).
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary reading', 'Recommended reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available via the Booktopia Textbook Finder, which has the functionality to search by course code, course, ISBN and title, and may also be posted or available at the appropriate school's administrative offices. Where texts are listed in the unit description above, an asterisk (*) indicates that the book is available in paperback.


Make some homemade instruments and use them to explore the science of sound! These DIY music instruments make great STEM activities for kids.
Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!
Making homemade instruments is always a hit with the kids, but what I especially love about these particular DIY musical instruments is they make great STEM activities too.
By manipulating different parts of the creating process and music making process, children can explore the science of sound vibrations. Below you’ll find all kinds of homemade instruments perfect for both making music and exploring sound!
Exploring Sound with Homemade Instruments
Homemade Rainsticks from Buggy and Buddy
Sound Matching Game with Seeds from Fun-A-Day!
Homemade Egg Shakers from Fun at Home with Kids
Musical Science Pool from And Next Comes L
Homemade Kazoo from Buggy and Buddy
DIY Voicepipe from Babble Dabble Do
Rainbow Water Xylophone from Mama.Papa.Bubba
Mini Sound Shakers from Buggy and Buddy
Rainbow Drums on the Light Table from And Next Comes L
Spinning Noise Maker from What Do We Do All Day?
Guitar Science from Science Sparks
Popsicle Stick Harmonica from Housing a Forest
Be sure to check out STEAM Kids book and ebook for even more creative STEM and STEAM ideas!


One in ten young Filipino women age 15-19 has begun childbearing: 8 percent are already mothers and another 2 percent are pregnant with their first child according to the results of the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Among young adult women age 20 to 24, 43 percent are already mothers and 4 percent are pregnant with their first child (Table 1).
Early pregnancy and motherhood varies by education, wealth quintile, and region. It is more common among young adult women age 15 to 24 with less education than among those with higher education (44 percent for women with elementary education versus 21 percent for women with college education). Early childbearing is also more common in Caraga (38 percent) and Cagayan Valley (37 percent) than other regions. The proportion of young adult women who have begun childbearing is higher among those classified as belonging to poor households than those in wealthier households (37 percent for young women in the lowest wealth quintile versus 13 percent for women in the highest wealth quintile).
The survey also reveals that one in five (19 percent) young adult Filipino women age 18 to 24 years had initiated their sexual activity before age 18. Some of them would have had their first intimate sexual act before marriage. The survey reveals that 15 percent of young adult women age 20 to 24 had their first marriage or began living with their first spouse or partner by age 18. This proportion is lower than the proportion (19 percent) earlier cited regarding initiation by young women of an intimate sexual activity. Age at first marriage hardly changed over the years. A slightly higher proportion (17 percent) of older cohort of women (age group 40-49) had their first marriage at age 18 (Table 3).
Initiation of sexual activity before age 18 is more common among young adult women with less education and those in poorer households. Over 40 percent of young adult women with some elementary education, compared with only 7 percent of those with college education, reported having their first intimate sexual act at age 18 (Table 2). Similarly, 36 percent of young adult women in the lowest wealth quintile, compared with only 10 percent of those in the highest wealth quintile, had their first intimate sexual act before age 18. Across regions, the proportion ranges from 11 percent in Cordillera Administrative Region to 27 percent in Davao. The proportion of young adult women reporting first intimate sexual act before age 18 is 22 percent for rural areas and 17 percent for urban areas. Among young women age 15 to 24, 2 percent reported initiating their sexual activity before turning 15.
The 2013 NDHS is a nationally representative survey of almost 16,000 households and 19,000 women age 15-49. The survey was conducted from August 12 to October 16, 2013. The 2013 NDHS is designed to provide information on fertility, family planning, and health in the country. Other important findings of the 2013 NDHS will be presented in a data dissemination forum on September 2, 2014 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Ave. cor. ADB Ave., Quezon City.
(Sgd) ROMEO S. RECIDE
(Interim Deputy National Statistician) Officer-in-Charge)


April 18, 2019
As a child care provider, one of the ways you gain knowledge about the interests, strengths, and challenges of the children in your care is through observation. Observing can give insight about how each child thinks, hears, and learns. Observations can also help you plan lessons and activities or select materials that will encourage each child’s development and growth.
What practices does your program use to observe the children in your care?
Here are several useful tools and techniques:
Anecdotal records are detailed notes about the children in your program. You only need a pen, paper, sticky notes, or an electronic device to record the information. These notes should include the child’s name, date/time/setting, what the child said, what the child did, and how they interacted with materials or other people. Simply record what you see and hear while the child is involved in different activities. It’s important to keep personal feelings and opinions out of your notes—focus on being objective.
Developmental checklists focus on specific skills or behaviors and are a good tool to record development and growth. Checklists offer insight into which skills a child can or cannot complete. Checklists are also a great resource to help providers plan lessons, choose appropriate materials, and set goals for each child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a free Developmental Milestone Checklist for providers.
Work sampling involves collecting examples of children’s writing, drawing, artwork, dictated stories, and language samples. Photographs or videos of children creating work and audio recordings of children talking and discussing what they are creating can also be part of work sampling.
These examples can then be organized into a binder, electronic file, or other collection as a portfolio of the child’s progress. Portfolios offer providers and families a physical timeline of a child’s work and can be used in determining strengths and challenges for each child.
More information on work sampling can be found at the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center website.
Conversations and Interviews:
Showing interest, listening, asking open-ended questions, and putting the focus on the child and their thinking helps you can gain valuable information and insight.
To make the most of observations, combine being a participating observer and an observer who stands back. Conduct ongoing observations to gain the most insight. The more you watch, listen and talk to children, the more you learn about them. Use the information gained from observation to create a nurturing environment that encourages learning and development. By using observation tools and techniques and sharing information with families, you are supporting children’s success, learning, and development.


Here’s an easy Halloween craft! All you need is construction paper and washable paint.
Meet our spooky spider – we painted the palm and four fingers and printed palm on top of palm for this arachnid. This is a great opportunity to have your preschooler figure out how many fingers must be painted to come up with eight legs for your spider. Have them come up with a theory and test it out until you get an eight legged friend.
For the ghost, again just paint four fingers and palm. Black hole punches for the eyes and we cut on oval out for the mouth.
And the best part is the ghost that isn’t perfect… is the best one – a lesson for a Type-A whose name we will not mention. 🙂
TODDLER TAKE AWAYS:
- Creative play
- Fine motor skill development
- Connection to the holidays


The assessment of young children's development and learning has recently taken on new importance. Private and government organizations are developing programs to enhance the school readiness of all young children, especially children from economically disadvantaged homes and communities and children with special needs.
Well-planned and effective assessment can inform teaching and program improvement, and contribute to better outcomes for children. This book affirms that assessments can make crucial contributions to the improvement of children's well-being, but only if they are well designed, implemented effectively, developed in the context of systematic planning, and are interpreted and used appropriately. Otherwise, assessment of children and programs can have negative consequences for both. The value of assessments therefore requires fundamental attention to their purpose and the design of the larger systems in which they are used.
Early Childhood Assessment addresses these issues by identifying the important outcomes for children from birth to age 5 and the quality and purposes of different techniques and instruments for developmental assessments.
Table of Contents
|Part I: Early Childhood Assessment||13-14|
|2 Purposeful Assessment||27-42|
|3 Perspectives on Early Childhood Learning Standards and Assessment||43-56|
|Part II: Child-Level Outcomes and Measures||57-60|
|4 Screening Young Children||61-84|
|5 Assessing Learning and Development||85-144|
|6 Measuring Quality in Early Childhood Environments||145-178|
|Part III: How to Assess||179-180|
|7 Judging the Quality and Utility of Assessments||181-232|
|8 Assessing All Children||233-280|
|9 Implementation of Early Childhood Assessments||281-298|
|Part IV: Assessing Systematically||299-300|
|10 Thinking Systematically||301-340|
|11 Guidance on Outcomes and Assessments||341-376|
|Appendix A: Glossary of Terms Related to Early Childhood Assessment||421-428|
|Appendix B: Information on Stakeholder Forum||429-436|
|Appendix C: Development of State Standards for Early Childhood Education||437-448|
|Appendix D: Sources of Detailed Information on Test and Assessment Instruments||449-454|
|Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff||455-464|
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There is deep concern the United States is not preparing enough students, teachers, and professional mathematicians and scientists to sustain the economic and scientific development that has made this country great. The problem is that elementary teachers are typically poorly prepared in mathematics, which is ultimately placing students at a disadvantage as they advance through the higher grades and college without a strong mathematics foundation. Educational studies have pointed to the importance of providing elementary teachers with on-going improvement of pedagogical practice in mathematics, but elementary teachers remain underprepared to teach it. The purpose of this mixed-methods research is to study the effectiveness of Lesson Study as a means of professional development for elementary teachers’ implementation of the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices (CCSS).
The study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of Lesson Study and their ability to develop lessons incorporating the CCSS Standards for Mathematical Practices and their ability to engage students in developing mathematical thinking. Literature pertaining to Lesson Study reveals the importance of sustained professional development for teachers. In collaboration with the SSD Superintendent and the School Board of SSD, all seven of the district’s elementary schools participated in the study focusing on elementary school teachers in grades 2-5 (n=64). Researchers from the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago randomly assigned these teachers into equal groups of either the treatment group (n=32) or the control group (n=32). The elementary teachers who participated in this study were part of the Lesson Study professional development treatment group (n=32) in grades 2-5. The findings suggest Lesson Study can be an effective means of professional development for implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices. Through Lesson Study teachers can begin to move away from a teacher-centered classroom to one that focuses on a student-centered approach to teaching and learning. Educational policymakers will learn from this study how teachers can benefit from Lesson Study as a type of professional development and how it can support teachers as they integrate new ideas into classroom practice.
|Commitee:||An, Shuhua, Myers-Miller, Damita|
|School:||California State University, Long Beach|
|School Location:||United States -- California|
|Source:||DAI-A 76/11(E), Dissertation Abstracts International|
|Subjects:||Mathematics education, Education, Elementary education|
|Keywords:||Common core state standards, Educational leadership, Elementary teachers, Lesson study, Mathematic education, Standards for mathematical practices|
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The Hour of Code will take place during the week of Dec 8th – 14th in schools all over the world.
Here in Scoil Choca, on a Tuesday evening, we have an after school Scratch + club where a group of students are working on some very interesting coding projects. Special thanks to Heidi Jermyn and Mr O’Sullivan who give of their time. Last year many classes had the opportunity to try coding for the first time. Hopefully this year we will do the same.
Some relevant resources from Irish schools:
In this short video clip, principal Enda McGorman speaks about why his school uses Scratch to support numeracy skills, in particular problem-solving:
Here teacher Elaine Lyons uses Scratch, among other tools, in a 6th class lesson on procedural writing based on a science experiment:
Also check out http://www.scratch.ie/resources for step by step Scratch lesson plans aimed at primary teachers.


What Makes a Sunset red?
A contemporary Robinsonade — York, York. The polar oceans and global climate — Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Earth, shot from space, as it absorbs and reflects rays of light coming from the Sun - the same white-looking rays that give our sky its colour. Duane W. Hamacher , Monash University. Author Duane W.
Why is the sky blue?
Why is the sky blue and where does it start? This is something that parents get asked every day. A blue sky over the Sahara desert in Libya.
The sky is blue because of the way sunlight interacts with our atmosphere. A rainbow over my house in suburban Melbourne, Duane Hamacher These colours make up just a tiny portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes ultraviolet waves, microwaves, and radio waves. The spectrum of light, showing the wavelength with objects of comparable size.
NASA Light moves as waves of different lengths: some are short, making bluer light, and some are long, making redder light. The spectrum of light we can see. Each colour from red to blue looks has a shorter distance between the waves. Red sunlight illuminating the clouds at sunset outside Melbourne during the winter solstice.
Duane Hamacher Rayleigh scattering can affect how we see the Moon. When light comes from the sun, all these light waves of different wavelengths travel through empty space. Because of the extremely small size of visible light waves less than one millionth of a meter , these light waves also interact the tiny gas molecules that make up the air itself.
- Prairie Dog Pride.
- Why The Sky Is Blue, According To Science.
- Why Does Scattering Matter?.
- Mediocre menschlichen Glücks (German Edition).
- De la mesure à la norme : les indicateurs du développement (Co-éditions) (French Edition).
- Why Is the Sky Blue? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids?
The light waves bounce off these particles just like you might bounce and get jostled in a busy hallway. As the light waves bounce in lots of different directions, we say they have been scattered. How light waves get scattered depends strongly on the size of the particle compared with the wavelength of the light.
Particles that are small compared with the light wavelength scatter blue light more strongly than red light. Within the visible range of light, red light waves are scattered the least by atmospheric gas molecules.
So at sunrise and sunset, when the sunlight travels a long path through the atmosphere to reach our eyes, the blue light has been mostly removed, leaving mostly red and yellow light remaining. The result is that the sunlight takes on an orange or red cast, which we can see reflected from clouds or other objects as a colorful sunset or sunrise.
Why is the sky blue? A simple explanation on how we see light | The Independent
Large particles of pollution or dust scatter light in a way that changes much less for different colors. But why are there different colors? The light you see is just one tiny bit of all the kinds of light energy beaming around the Universe - and around you! Like energy passing through the ocean, light energy travels in waves, too. What makes one kind of light different from others is its wavelength - or range of wavelengths. Visible light includes the wavelengths our eyes can see. The longest wavelengths we can see look red to us. The shortest wavelengths we can see look blue or violet.
The wavelengths in this picture are not to scale. A red light wave is about nanometers, while a blue or violet wave is about nanometers. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. A human hair is about 50, nanometers thick! So these visible light wavelengths are very, very tiny.
Another important thing to know about light is that it travels in a straight line unless something gets in the way to.


General music education
Every school year a unique one-year course of general music education starts for boys and girls from the age op 6 and up.
A lifetime of singing
This programme works with a method developed by Rintje te Wies: ‘Een leven lang zingen’ (A lifetime of singing), which is already in use by many choir schools nationally.
Songs constitute its base and are the reference point for all the other components. All the teaching materials around theory and formation of hearing continuously refer back to the songs. The practice of these songs at home is enhanced using a cimbalom. By way of cards with musical notation that can easily be pushed under the strings, the children can accompany themselves at home on this instrument. Playing and singing thus go hand in hand. The light, natural sound of the instrument stimulates light and clear use of voice. Using uncomplicated motor skills, all the songs are easily brought to life on this instrument.
The paper version is supplemented by an interactive companion website. Here children can go to find playful practice series to learn how to read music notes. The questions and assignments surrounding the theory have their auditory continuation here.
Also, the development of hearing, rhythmic as well as melodic, is enriched here though dozens of listening exercises which the children can do at their own speed. In addition, it is the ideal place to clarify exercises around vocal formation through the use of short illustrative videos, listening fragments and accompaniments.
The costs for the one year course are: € 240,-
including rent of cimbalom, excluding learning method


Did you use your Academic Skills Coordinator this year? If you didn’t, find out how she might have been able to help make your life easier and improve your students’ performance. Make sure you give her a call in 2020.
Basic and Key Skills Builder (BKSB) is an online tool that can be used in subjects and courses to identify, diagnose, and improve literacy and numeracy skills. Students use it independently, no marking is required, and reports can be generated quickly and easily. Read on to find out how this tool can be used to support your students and improve compliance with the ELLaN Policy and the ALaN GLO.


Millions of adults in America never learned to read, perform simple math, use a computer, or creatively solve problems. This skills gap is increasing inequality, and it is hurting individuals, families, communities, the U.S. economy, and our nation’s competitiveness.
In an increasingly competitive world, America needs as many of our people workforce-ready as possible. Building our economy means working together with employers and workforce development boards to empower individuals, families, and communities, with the educational opportunities they need. America cannot continue to ignore millions of its residents who never learned to read proficiently, perform simple math, use a computer, or creatively solve problems.
Adult Education is an economic catalyst that helps engage every able-bodied worker. Thirty-six million adults read at or below the fourth-grade reading level, and sixty million adults lack basic numeracy skills. Adult Education helps get these individuals off the bench and into the workforce and community college. It enables them to be tax-paying citizens contributing to the growth of our economy.
There is a huge concern about economic disparity in this country. Strengthening workforce skills through adult education is one of the primary vehicles for giving Americans a sense of hope and opportunity to rebuild the Middle Class.
This is an important moment in time. As stakeholders in states look to implement WIOA, it is crucial that education service providers and workforce development programs come together and start thinking about investing in and engaging with these programs differently.
This is more than just calling for better access to and awareness of education and job resources. This is about the different pieces of the education and workforce development systems across the country realizing that they have a role to play in a movement with a similar mission: ensuring economic justice for one of our most underserved populations.


“When is my child ready for piano lessons?” or “How old does my child have to be to take piano lessons?” These are two frequently asked questions I am asked by parents of young children. I began my career teaching piano lessons to children in my senior year of college almost twenty years ago. Since then, I have taught hundreds of lessons – most to children but some adults, too. As a rule, I have told parents to wait until the child is six years old and he or she has begun to read. However, a few years ago, before I became a trained Music Together teacher, I advertised lessons for four and five year old children. I had four families contact me and I gave each child six weeks of individual lessons using the a lesson book for pre-readers. This really wasn’t an experiment, but I learned some lessons of my own along the way.
1) Children at the age four and five are wiggly. Sitting on a piano bench for even twenty minutes is difficult because, developmentally, their bodies want to move to the music.
2) Fine motor skills are still working to develop so the learning curve on mastering a simple five finger scale is steep and often frustrating to the child.
3) Parents have to sit and “practice” with the child… Every. Single. Day. Refer to #1: “children are wiggly.” If the parent wants their child to learn how to play the piano or any other instrument, it will take great patience to keep a four year old on task to get through a piano practice assignment. As they finish Kindergarten and start first grade, most children have gained experience to sit and listen for a longer period of time. Although some parental involvement in practice is always encouraged, a six year old is far better able to to read and understand their practice assignments than a four year old.
4) Music Together classes are designed for children under five years old. Music Together sought me out because I had a background in music education. After reading their research and taking the teacher training course, I was hooked. The classes allow them to be wiggly and have fun within active music making. The parent still needs to be involved, but it’s learning through play, experimentation, and modeling grownups, not formal sit down practice. In my experience, it is less work for the parent, more enjoyable for the kid, and makes happier families.
After the six weeks of lessons were over, I retained one student who was four years old. I kept her on because her mom was highly involved in keeping up with her practice and she had an exceptional sense of rhythm and melody. As I later found out, her mom had taken her to several semesters of another local parent-child music class. I could tell this child had some “experience” in music and had almost achieved what Music Together calls “basic music competence.” Basic music competence happens when a child achieves an improved sense of rhythm and can sing in tune to simple songs. If a child takes multiple semesters of Music Together classes and is supported by musical play in class and at home, basic music competence can easily be achieved by the age of five. By the time a child is six, he or she is ready for private lessons and is more likely to succeed because they have already found a love in making music.
So, here is my answer to the original questions: If the child is six or older, it is a good time to begin private music lessons. Before then, enroll your child in Music Together classes to help build your child’s competence and confidence in active music making. I am passionate about how these classes prepare babies and young children for a lifetime love of music. It’s a win-win solution.


AS91635 Implement complex procedures to produce a specified digital media outcome
This workshop for teachers will run from 10am to 5pm and will be a practical introduction to one possible context for delivering this achievement standard.
The digital media outcome will be a multi-page website which integrates photographic content. The primary form of media will be “web languages” and the complex techniques covered will be “static site generation”, “dynamic data handling” and “multiple device outputs”.
For assessment purposes a student’s final outcome must incorporate original content. The production of original photographic content will not be covered in this workshop.
– Static site generation
– Page templates
– Static data
– Responsive design
– Dynamic data
– Complex layouts
– Jekyll static site generator
– Command line
– HTML and CSS
– Chrome dev tools
– Flickr API
Designed for beginners with little or no prior programming experience, Building the Web focuses on the basics of CSS/HTML and provides foundational skills for advanced coding.Details →
“The very good thing was that Tanya is talking from experience and we as teachers lacked that point of view.”
Teacher, Mount Roskill Grammar School, Auckland


Are your kids comprehending what they read? Because if they aren’t, you need to know how you an help your child improve his reading comprehension. And you need to know how to help them at home. Especially over the summer.
Some kids don’t stop when they’re confused, they just keep going! (Aaah!) I had 5th graders who were proficient at faking it. Since I always let my students choose their own books, I couldn’t know the plot of every book. But, even if you haven’t read the book, it’s possible to do a sniff test and see if your kids are really understanding what they read. Here’s how.
Quick Reading Comprehension Check (even if you haven’t read the book)
1. Skim — even a chapter or two. Ask your child about the part you skimmed. Do you remember what happened when ________? Why did ____________ do _______________? 2. Listen for confusion clues. Phrases like . . . “I forget.” “It’s hard to explain.”
Help My Child Improve Reading Comprehension
The most important thing you want your children to understand is that good readers know if they don’t understand. If your child does not have a movie in his or her head about the story — then they’re aren’t comprehending. I KNOW WHEN I DON’T UNDERSTAND.
Teach your child what to do if he/she doesn’t understand.
If you don’t understand you should: 1) stop and use a reading strategy, 2) get help, or 3) decide if the book isn’t atyour reading level and pick a different book (as long as picking a different book isn’t an avoidance strategy that is used every time.)
KEEP READING: Specific reading comprehension strategies to help your child
You Might Also Like . . . What Your School’s Reading Instruction Should Look Like


Source Publication (e.g., journal title)
Writing & Pedagogy
Researchers have long highlighted the need to apply evidence-based approaches to writing instruction for students who are [i]d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Yet, the majority of the research base for effective writing instruction and intervention is based on studies of hearing children, with or without disability labels. Therefore, existing interventions often fail to account for the unique language and literacy needs of d/Dhh students. In this article we describe an approach that enhances the power of Interactive Writing (IW) instruction, an evidence-based approach for typically developing students, that is specifically designed to engage and support d/Dhh learners. We begin by providing a brief historical overview of IW instruction as it is often used in contemporary general education classrooms. Then, we describe evidence of the unique language and literacy development of d/Dhh students from a series of recent studies related to Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) with d/Dhh students. Finally, we present the language zone in the form of a flowchart, which illustrates the teacher decision making process when responding to d/Dhh students’ various language needs in the context of IW. We conclude by illustrating examples of the language zone in use and discussing the implications of this approach for d/Dhh learners.
[i]“Deaf” is used to signify membership in the Deaf community, a cultural group which has a distinct set of cultural norms and values.
Dostal, H., Wolbers, K. & Kilpatrick, J. (2019). The Language Zone: Differentiating writing instruction for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Writing & Pedagogy, 11(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/wap.30045
Available for download on Sunday, June 20, 2021


An analysis of leadership styles of school principals and end -of -grade test scores in the third and fifth grades in rural and urban elementary schools in North Carolina
This study analyzed the leadership styles of elementary school principals in North Carolina. The twofold purpose of this study was as follows: (a) identify the leadership styles of principals in selected rural and urban elementary schools in North Carolina, and (b) investigate the relationship between the principals' leadership styles and the EOG test scores in mathematics and reading for 3rd and 5th grade students in the selected schools during the 2002-2003 academic school year. Today, more than ever, school principals are called upon to be effective change agents who must move schools forward. Effective school leadership is crucial in producing powerful changes. Principals must act as instructional leaders to create change and effective schools. Since the 1996 implementation of the North Carolina ABC's of Public Education, school leaders have been plunged into the high stakes testing arena. Principals, as instructional leaders, have been given the task of improving and maintaining high educational standards. Transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership factors of elementary school principals were measured using the 45-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ Leader Form 5x-Short) developed by Bass and Avolio (1995). The independent variables included a five-factor transformational, three-factor transactional, and one-factor laissez-faire model of leadership. The dependent variables included the 2002-2003 End-of-Grade (EOG) test scores and the rural and urban school locale types, which related to student population. The participants included 98 rural and 63 urban elementary school principals, representing 46 counties in North Carolina. A Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results of this study will contribute findings about rural and urban elementary school principals in North Carolina to the body of knowledge about leadership styles.
School administration|Elementary education
Palma, Adrienne Christine, "An analysis of leadership styles of school principals and end -of -grade test scores in the third and fifth grades in rural and urban elementary schools in North Carolina" (2004). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI3287782.


There are many reasons why performing arts should play a key role your child’s education, be it in school or as an extra curricular activity. In many studies, researchers are now linking involvement in the arts to better child development and higher student achievement.
Arts programs help build self-confidence. Various aspects of performing arts classes, from improvisation to performing on stage, will help your child build confidence and self-assurance. They will learn to explore outside of their comfort zone, appraise new situations, think outside the box, express their thoughts and ideas in a safe environment, solve problems, cope with performance and presentation fears, and build trust and self-reliance. All of these beneficial tools can be carried through to school, social activities, their future career, and will stay with them throughout their lives.
Drama and performing classes help improve communication skills, concentration, and memory. One of the main advantages of taking part in the performing arts in young individuals is the improvement of communication skills. Acting lessons, for example, will help with their presentation skills, vocal projection, tone of speech, and articulation.
Listening skills will also get refined by taking stage directions from teachers, by collaborating with peers, and working together toward a common goal. From learning new lines, to remembering their acting cues and timing, and rehearsing scenes time and again, your child will improve their focus, memory, concentration, and quick-learning skills.
Social-emotional development. Kids will also improve their social skills by working as part of a team, listening to others and expressing themselves, sharing and making new friends. They will learn to minimize errors and bounce back, solve problems and improvise, giving them the confidence to manage and perform in new situations that come with everyday life. The participation in these types of programs will also help enhance their interpersonal skills because they need to understand their play characters and the different roles, which allows young children to relate better to different situations, people, feelings, and support the ability to be in ‘someone else’s shoes.’ As a whole, the performing arts teaches kids about empathy, compassion, and how to express and understand their feelings and those of others.
Higher academic achievements. Studies have found that creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning increase and improve when arts education is added to the mix. In countries with the highest rankings in math and science, such as Japan, Hungary and the Netherlands, arts and music education form a mandatory part of the school curriculum. As the Arts Education Partnership Report “Arts Education Has Academic Effect” suggests, arts learning in music, drama, and dance is related to high academic achievements in school. As is well-known, learning to play instruments and read music improves mathematical achievement and proficiency. Performing arts programs have multiple connections to reading, verbal and math skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
It’s super fun! Arts programs are a really fun way for your kids to express themselves, their emotions, and explore and improve their unique talents. Whether kids enjoy acting, singing, dancing, or a behind-the-scenes role, they will delight in expressing and improving their special talents. They will also have a fun workout in the process, as many performing arts classes improve flexibility, balance, and coordination.
Inspired by their lessons and the passion in performing arts, SNS students show lovely and professional performances at this 1st Fall Music Festival . Audiences will be able to enjoy 19 performances that conducted entirely in English, including piano – storytelling, duet, choral singing, drama, comedy, fashion shows, and especially TED Talks – the famous TED rhetorical model, along with other special performances from students of Academic English Center.
With a serious and profesional preparation in theatre and performances, this Fall Music Festival is definitely not only a nice and memorable experience for SNS members, but also a dream stage for SNS young talents to be sprouted to grow up.
The St. Nicholas International School


How Do You Learn, When You Don't Know How You Learn?
Getting to How, in 7 Easy Steps
Step 1: Recognize the challenge of figuring out how you learn best.
Step 2: Clear your thinking space so you can think, learn, focus, and be strategic.
Step 3: See in your mind what you want, then create your strategy to get it.
Step 4: Use strategic tools (writing, music, what you say to yourself).
Step 5: Receive encouragement from people who care about you.
Step 6: Make the decision to be a winner, it is totally up to you.
Step 7: Dream big, and see the vision of what we can all do together.
"Today is the best day to achieve!"
Jonell Williams, Teacher
Gadsden Students Find Power in Their Words
"Former Gadsden Elementary counselor Angela Lindsay developed an innovative character developing program for students, using music and writing about the things that troubled them."read more
WSAV News Segment on the Ready4LearningClub
Savannah Music Festival
"As part of the 2006 Savannah Music Festival, we featured This Was In My Head, a presentation of Angela Lindsay and the Ready4LearningClub. This was one of the ten educational concerts in our Gulfstream Music Education Series. The program was immensely popular with area students and teachers. An audience of almost 1600 students and teachers gathered at the Johnny Mercer Theatre for the presentation. The audience was entertained and challenged by the performers who, during their 45-minute presentation, demonstrated the use of music as a problem-solving tool."
Gene Pinion, Education/Program Manager, Savannah Music Festival
R4LC Certified as Arts Partner for CTTA
"As Arts Partner Coordinator for Character Through the Arts (CTTA) (a 1.7 million dollar, 4-year grant from the Partnerships in Character Education Program, U.S. Department of Education, 2002-2006) I worked with Angela Lindsay, including observing her interacting with students. She went through a rigorous process in order to be certified as an arts partner for CTTA. Part of this process included extensive training in curricular modeling. I certified over 60 arts partners including many who were on the GCA roster. Of those Angela was a shining star. Her student interactions were genuine and her work exceptionally creative. It was a pleasure to watch her at work. Her student's lives were the better for having her in their life. I can heartily recommend her."
Dr. Kathleen Thompson, National Board Certified Retired Art Educator and Writer, Georgia Council for the Arts, Advisory Council (Representing Congressional District #1)
This Project is Much Needed by Children
"Angela Lindsay is a gifted teacher, counselor, and musician. Her training as a musician, educational psychologist, and music therapist combined to create a unique self-empowerment tool for children who are most at risk in any number of ways. This project is long overdue and is much needed by children."
Benny P. Ferguson, Ph.D., Former Director, Visual and Performing Arts, Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools


The government believes that cultural education forms an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum, and that children and young people should be provided with an engaging variety of cultural experiences throughout their time at school. Policy Paper, cultural education DFE, July 2013
This week I was asked what I thought were the main challenges in the UK facing those of us who support a holistic cultural and arts education within our schools and local communities.
The obvious answers would of course include cuts to local authority budgets and national funding, which are now affecting some of the biggest arts venues in London as well as community venues, libraries and museums across the UK.
Or the EBACC, which as this article from Deborah Annetts, chief executive of Incorporated Society of Musicians and founder of the Bacc for the Future campaign suggests, negates the potential impact of the recently announced £96m of funding, promised to support the most gifted students with access to arts education. Music for a few not for many.
But in answer to the question I chose the following:
- The risk of forgetting those at the very end of the journey to opening access to arts education-the students.
In the UK there are a huge range of organisations all wanting the same things. To find ways to open up access to the arts for all. Many of these focus on work with teachers and schools. However, the danger is that funding can quickly be eroded by getting people round a table to talk about the issues and reach agreement whilst actually making things happen takes much longer.
How can we ensure that initiatives and projects are needs-driven and learner-driven and that data is used not just to measure effectiveness, but to identify key areas where diminishing funding and support for arts education can have the maximum impact for those who need it most?
It’s difficult to reach the people who can most easily affect change. Where are young people? They are in schools. Where are parents who are part of their local community? Many of them engage with schools.
Schools are a central and vital part of the local community and provide a huge opportunity to open up access to organisations trying to engage and work with local communities.
Yet we constantly hear of organisations trying to reach teachers and teachers trying to reach organisations and still a gulf that lies in finding the right language, the shared aims, the pressures of time and knowing how to reach the right people to make those conversations actually translate into practice.
It would be great to find ways to create more relationships that truly work in partnership and establish a balance that responds to local need and the sharing of expertise where it’s most needed. Without doing so then the challenge of communicating the right information to the right people in the right way remains a key barrier to making things happen.
Many arts opportunities are often high quality, large-scale events and those who participate (or watch) never forget them. However many can be ‘one hit wonders’, expensive to run and once over, there is little evidence of or support for sustainability and impact over time.
The question of how to reach more people and to engage them for longer has long been a key focus for organisations looking for solutions to the challenges we face in the UK around arts and cultural education and opportunities in the current climate.
It’s great that there are structures in place that support collaboration and shared aims and values for arts and cultural education such as the Arts Council funded Bridge Organisations, The Music Education Council, the recently announced Youth Music National Alliance and the grass roots campaign to save East Sussex Music Service from threatened cuts.
But perhaps the greatest risk of all might be a failure of more arts organisations to find success in working together. If ever there was a time that this was needed, it’s now.


Kano Literacy and Mathematics Accelerator (KaLMA) aims to build foundational Hausa and English literacy and numeracy skills for 51,711 primary 4 (P4) to primary 6 (P6) children using the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, equipping them with foundational literacy and numeracy skills before they leave primary school.
KaLMA is a partnership between the British Council and TaRL Africa. TaRL Africa is a new partnership between Education NGO Pratham, and research centre The Abdul-Lateef Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who have been working together to create cost-effective, scalable literacy and numeracy interventions for more than 15 years. The fruits of these efforts have been the development of what we now refer to as the TaRL approach.
The TaRL approach works by dividing children in upper primary into groups based on learning needs rather than age or grade. This means time can be dedicated to basic foundational skills rather than focusing on the curriculum. Teaching is therefore tailored to the level of the child using contextually relevant child-centred activities and student performance is regularly assessed, rather than relying only on end-of-year examinations.


Lotic ecosystems temperature
It is based on pristine systems, which rarely exist today; and 4. Among the three orders of copepods, cyclopoid copepods are generally predatory on carnivorous on other zooplankton, and fish larvae. Such conditions result in cool, well oxygenated streams that are abundantly supplied with a food base of leaves. In Olaussen, E. Tockner intakes into account the large amount of nutrients and organic material that makes its way into a river from the sediment of surrounding flooded land. Organisms in these waters have suckers and hooks that help them stick to the water-bed, rocks or plants. Animal coloration Anti-predator adaptations Camouflage Deimatic behaviour Herbivore adaptations to plant defense Mimicry Plant defense against herbivory Predator avoidance in schooling fish.
The water in a lotic ecosystem, from source to mouth, must have atmospheric gases, turbidity, longitudinal temperature gradation and material dissolved in it. How is ecosystem like in a lotic system? Down to the end, it is usually very wide in size, less oxygen, slow-moving and warmer in temperature.
Rivers and Streams Life in Flowing Water Learn Science at Scitable
This means. Most lotic species are poikilotherms whose internal temperature varies with their environment, thus temperature is a key abiotic.
Homer-Dixon, T. The cells while moving forward also get rotated by the flagellar action. In places where flow rates are negligible or absent, periphyton may form a gelatinous, unanchored floating mat.
Biological monitoring of lotic ecosystems the role of diatoms
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access. Phytoplankton forms the very basis of aquatic food chain. The geomorphology and topography through which streams flow, their channel steepness, the variability in stream-bottom substratesand the availability of woody debris are among the natural controls that influence flow patterns.
Lotic water systems are bodies of water that is flowing continuously, ranging causing temperature to become a major abiotic factor for life in these systems. Lotic ecosystems are characterized by the interaction between flowing water with a longitudinal gradation in temperature, organic and inorganic materials.
The objective is to emulate a natural, self-regulating system that is integrated ecologically with the landscape that occurs.
Anadromous : Fish spending most of their life cycle in salt water and migrating to freshwater to reproduce.
Science for Kids Freshwater Biome
Known as Beer's Lawthe shallower the angle, the more light is reflected and the amount of solar radiation received declines logarithmically with depth. Riffle : A high-gradient bar of deposited substrate, usually spanning the width of a stream.
Video: Lotic ecosystems temperature Implications for Michigan's Lotic Salmonids under Climate Regression Models
The Nile: Biology of an Ancient River.
Lotic ecosystems temperature
|Post-project monitoring will help determine whether additional actions or adjustments are needed and provide useful information for future restoration efforts.
The animal inhabitants must possess considerable physiological adaptability to survive. The living structure along the flowing water There are other plants and animals that do not live in the water but are a part of the ecosystem that exists in that flowing water. The term lentic from the Latin lentusmeaning slow or motionlessrefers to standing waters such as lakes and ponds lacustrineor swamps and marshes paludalwhile lotic from the Latin lotusmeaning washingrefers to running water fluvial or fluviatile habitats such as rivers and streams.
Video: Lotic ecosystems temperature What is FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM? What does FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM mean? FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM meaning
The current is more pronounced at the surface than in the bottom substrate.


The 11 Plus examination board who writes the Kent Plus 11 is GL Assessment.
GL Assessment’s Kent 11 Plus
For several years now GL Assessment has created a challenging, but fair 11 Plus Test assessing student literacy, numeracy and reasoning skills.
Kent 11 Plus Test Framework
The Kent 11 Plus Test focuses on four skills: literacy skills; numeracy skills; verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. An unmarked, shorter writing task completes the Kent 11 Plus Test framework.
The Kent Familiarisation Booklet explains all this best.
Kent 11 Plus Maths Test
Plus English Test
Kent 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Test
Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning Test
National Schools of the Year – according to The Sunday Times Parent Power list
State Secondary School of the Year
Wilson’s School, Wallington
Independent Secondary School of the Year
Comprehensive School of the Year
St George’s School, Harpenden
Sixth Form College of the Year
Exeter Mathematics School
IB School of the Year
Westbourne School, Penarth
Scottish State Secondary School of the Year
Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh
Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year
St Leonards, St Andrews
Northern Ireland Secondary School of the Year
St Dominic’s Grammar School for Girls, Belfast
State Primary School of the Year
St Bede’s RC Primary School, Marske-by-the-Sea
Independent Preparatory School of the Year
Seaton House School, Sutton
Other GL Grammar school resources
Exam preparation for all, all in one place


#ReeceGiveMeSomePeace #blogtour #BooksOnTour #Day5
Author Article by Sonia Bestulic
Sonia Bestulic, Speech Pathologist and Author of Reece Give Me Some Peace! explores the wonders that making music and learning an instrument can bring to your child.
I love giving instruments as gifts to younger children – the parents often roll their eyes at me, with a half-hearted ‘thanks’ as they imagine the “noise” that will soon descend upon them… But hey, it will keep the kids busy, and even busier and more fun, if you can join in with your own instrument or vocals!
Kids in general, no matter their age, love having a go at making music (and noise); it is a quality way for them to ‘play around’ with aspects such as rhythm, pitch (high-low sounds) and volume (loud-soft).
So much research has been conducted in the last ten years, looking in to music education and the benefits it can have on child development. This is not so much about listening to music, but rather having your child learn how to play an instrument or to sing.
Brain scans of individuals with and without musical training look different; as music education produces bigger and better functioning brains. This is due to the “full brain workout” that comes with making music! “Musical activity involves nearly every region of the brain that we know about…” (Daniel Levitin, This is Your Brain on Music)
There are many exciting findings, which give motivation to have your child learn an instrument or sing. Here are some proven benefits, just to name a few;
- Improved language abilities – music training has shown children to learn words faster, develop a wider vocabulary and learn to how to read sooner.
- Increased attention span and focus – regular music education actively trains the brain, and research highlights improvements in the classroom; with listening, processing information and concentration.
- Greater creativity – both the left and right sides of the brain communicate at the same time during music making, which means the brain can more efficiently process information from the senses; hearing, touch and sight.
- Better working memory – this helps us remember things, and is crucial for tasks like arithmetic and reading comprehension.
- Increased empathy and emotional intelligence – as there is better ability to interpret and understand people’s emotion, and also listen to the subtle changes in their speech/ voice that show their underlying emotions.
- Stronger self-confidence
Other studies have found a strong link between learning to play an instrument and academic success. Dr Sylvain Moreno, from the Rotman Research Institute, reports recent breakthrough evidence that shows “learning to play an instrument leads to changes in a child’s brain that make it more likely they will reach their full cognitive and academic potential”.
The added bonus musicians experience is greater social awareness, as they make music with others e.g. a choir, an orchestra, quartet, or a band, they are learning to collaborate with others, share their attention and co-operate. Invaluable skills for both personal and professional life!
My picture book Reece Give Me Some Peace! is very much inspired by my musically entwined childhood having played the violin, and it also celebrates the joy musical instruments can bring; especially to children. To start with, it may all sound a bit like noise, but we must remember that children learn through play and fun, and for young cheeky Reece, he loves making noise… well I’m sure he’d consider it music! So, as much I and my fellow parent friends do enjoy some peace and quiet at times, it is not always possible when there are musical instruments at play! Feel free to join in with Reece on his journey of musical exploration!
Ultimately, whether it is the violin, trumpet, drums or your own voice box; that ability to communicate oneself through music is an amazing, healthy escape, and fantastic form of expression.
So, get down with the funky beat, and enjoy creating it too!
An Overview of Current Neuroscience Research – The Benefits of Music Education (The Royal Conservatory, March/ April 2014)
Perum pum pum your way over to Teena Raffa-Mulligan’s website, In Their Own Write for a spectacular interview with Sonia.
Have yourself at a BLAST at Sonia’s Book Launch for Reece Give Me Some Peace!
Click the image for details.
Play it LOUD for a Chance to WIN!
If you love music and noisy play then this book giveaway is right up your jazzy alley! Click the image to enter.
Subscribe at Books On Tour to stay in the loop.


Early Childhood Education/Development Overview
Early childhood education is a branch of the education field that specializes in the formal education of young children ages 3 to 5, though work is often done with infants as well.
Since early childhood education deals with children younger than typical school age, coursework and training in this field differs somewhat from traditional elementary education. Early childhood education focuses on children learning through play as opposed to the constructed, isolated skills practice often found in primary and intermediate grades. Students who study this discipline must become adept at both encouraging and assessing children through play.
Early Childhood Education Degree Requirements
Students who study early childhood education are exposed to a variety of topics related to the education of young children. While degree program requirements vary from school to school, the topics of study are fairly consistent. First, students will gain an understanding of the learning process and developmental stages of young children. This is extremely important coursework, as young children do not learn in the same manner as older children and adults.
Students also typically complete some sort of clinical experience, where they will be called upon to both observe practicing early childhood educators and to instruct young children themselves. These clinical experiences take place under the guidance of both a cooperating teacher and a university representative. This is the time when students are able to put all of the pedagogy and background information they have acquired in their studies to use.
A few skills are required in order to be a successful early childhood educator. Sudents must have a deep love of working with children. Since the students in an early childhood education setting are extremely young, patience and tenderness are required. Students who have a difficult time dealing with toddlers should likely choose a different age group to teach.
Since early childhood education often falls under the special education umbrella, organization is also a must. Many of the observations that a teacher will have to make and record are anecdotal, so file systems are important. Also, communication between instructors and the families of students in their care is vital. Since a young child’s development can often be a sensitive subject, delicacy and communication skills are primary components for success in this field.
Possible Job Opportunities
The obvious career choice for early childhood education students is to work in a pre-school environment, or in a public school with a pre-kindergarten program. However, many early childhood professionals work in hospitals with certain on-site programs, and others will elect to work in a traditional daycare setting. Also, in some states, the license for practicing early childhood educators allows them to perform classroom teaching duties in classrooms up to third grade.
However, there are other possibilities for career paths in early childhood education as well. Many people elect to pursue an advanced degree and often end up working as a program administrator for an early childhood or elementary school building. Others who pursue advanced studies end up working on research projects to help improve the quality of early childhood programs. Since the license offers the ability to work in an elementary school setting, all of the paths available to elementary school teachers are available to early childhood teachers as well.
A degree in early childhood education often leads students to a rich and fulfilling career. Since early identification has been shown to yield the most possibilities for successful interventions, early childhood teachers often provide a great service to children and their families. It is truly rewarding to help a child have access to a healthy, positive childhood learning experience.


How kids are learning better with augmented reality apps for education?
Did you know that augmented reality games have shown vast benefits in early childhood development? Highly interactive AR games or activities are known to give your child a realistic and lifelike playing experience. In the world of AR, a virtual world is superimposed on the real world just by having a smart device with a camera and the intended AR app or game. These days augmented reality apps for education are gaining immense popularity.
There are classroom apps and self-learning apps to help kids learn their lessons in a better interactive, safe and effective way. Be it pre-schoolers or college goers, everyone is benefited by the cutting-edge technology.
Now, let’s understand how our tiny-tots are benefited by AR technology.
Benefits of Augmented Reality in education?
Education begins at home. With the use of augmented reality, you can instill the self-learning skills at a very early stage of learning and development in your kids right at your home. Learning is made more fun and interactive with the help of AR. There are umpteen numbers of self-learning apps that let your child develop a new interest or deep dive into their existing areas of interest. Let’s discuss the benefits of AR in education.
1. Better learning experience
AR games holds to give our kids an interactive and immersive learning experience. Through AR, learning and playing go hand in hand. AR has the power to inculcate the love for learning in them. They get the first-hand experience of engaging with a realistic and lifelike environment that tends to make them better learners for life.
2. No need for special equipment
These augmented reality apps for kids will work on any PC’s, laptops or even mobile phones. So, this excludes the requirement of special device installation, and thus no extra expenses involved.
3. Improved engagement
We all know our little ones have a really short attention span. It may take days together to teach them a single rhyme. Doesn’t it? This is quite natural. But what if you include some visually interactive games to help them learn the same rhyme. Your child is sure to learn better and faster.
That’s the power of coupling interactive learning methods in education. Learning can be made even more fun with AR technology. Through this technology, the characters and letters can now interact with each other, as well as your kids encouraging them to learn while playing.
The benefits of augmented reality in early childhood learning and development are beyond words. So, let your child make a shift from their traditional toys into the world of AR with this handpicked augmented reality apps for learning listed below:
- Math AR apps: Get rid of those lifeless numerical books your child hates to even open. Install the math AR app and see how your little ones play and have fun with numbers and find a new interest with the world of maths.
- Alphabet learning AR apps: This app will help your child in identifying and learning the alphabets from the display. This interactive app will display animals related to those alphabets when the answer is correct.
- Storytelling AR apps: Make your generic storytelling time more eventful. Use storytelling AR apps that helps in changing our house into palaces, forests and space stations. It also helps to improve your child’s reading capabilities and communication as they interact with the characters in the story.
- Language AR apps: Learning a language is one of the major milestones in a child’s development stages. Language learning can be made simple by this app. It helps in translating an unknown language to one you already know, compare and thus learn quickly. It also displays fun and interactive ways of learning a new language easily.
Skipy is another augmented reality app for kids that comes with a package of innovative and intelligent toys for your child that helps them explore their imagination and creativity.
This mixed-reality toy contains a box full of stories, games, greetings and fun facts that encourages your child to draw and learn interesting facts about their creations. Your child can choose from a large variety of stories, characters, and games to sketch and see their artistic creations come to life in the form of stories, fun-facts or games using its mixed-reality technology


As teachers, we see new students all the time, from various backgrounds, upbringings, and households. As fathers, brothers, uncles, and former children ourselves, we can appreciate how difficult of a task that raising a child is. Sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re doing right, and what is causing irreparable harm.
As music teachers, of course we encourage you to consider introducing music education into your child’s upbringing. It’s been proven to develop parts of their brain that other subjects do not. But one very very important aspect of this doesn’t get mentioned often enough, and we’re going to let you in on the secret: if you bring your kid to music lessons, and then bring him/her home to an environment devoid of music nourishment, you’re only doing half of the work.
From experience, the students who are the most successful are the ones who come from a strong musical environment at home. But hold the phone! This doesn’t mean that you have to be a classically-trained musician in order for your kid to take guitar lessons. Quite the contrary — all they really need is communication.
Talking To Your Kid
Look, I know it’s hard to talk to your kid. He’s practically a stranger. But bro — it’s kind of your responsibility. And talking to your kid about music should be easy! Here are a few short cuts for talking to your kid:
Who is your favorite singer?
What is your favorite song? (Really encourage them to think about it, rather than just answering quickly)
Why is that your favorite song? What do you enjoy about listening to it?
Which bands do I play that you enjoy?
Which bands that I play drive you crazy?
What do you find annoying about them?
What kind of music are your friends listening to?
Who was the best Beatle?
Do you know who the Beatles are?
Introducing Them To Music
It’s important that your kid gets familiar with the kind of music that you enjoy, and sees the effect that it has on you. As young children, we often seek our parents’ approval before anyone else’s. One of the reasons that we organize student recitals here is because we know that our students want their parents to watch what they’ve learned to do. Let your kid know about that Fleetwood Mac song that you love, and pretty soon, they’ll be asking us to teach it to them, so they can impress you. Music education starts at home.
Letting Them Introduce You To Music
It’s equally important to let your kid introduce you to new music. This sometimes means sitting through some painful adolescent pop stars — but suck it up! Remember, it’s your responsibility, bro. Ask them to put some of their favorite music on in the car, and pay attention to it. Ask questions about it. If you absolutely hate it, at least respect their tastes and be articulate.
One of the best ways to form a musical bond with your kid is by establishing a routine of listening to music with them. Make a plan to bring them to a CD shop (if you can still find one), and offer to buy them one new CD of their choice. On the drive home, let them listen to it in the car, and talk to them about it. Really listen to it, too. What does this selection say about what your kid finds valuable? Are they following trends? Are they trying to impress you? Do they have a genuine curiosity about music?
Create an environment at home that lets your kid know that music is important and appreciated. This is like the Miracle-Gro that will makes the soil rich in nutrients. We can plant the seed of music education, but you’re responsible for tending to the soil.


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Earl of Shaftesbury and the Pit Investigation Team
5th February 2016
If you spend any time driving around rural Norfolk you are bound to come across a number of Victorian school buildings. Some will have been converted into pretty homes, with roses growing up their redbrick walls, while others still serve their original purpose. They were built in the last quarter of the nineteenth century in the years following the Elementary Education Act of 1870, which made it obligatory for parishes to provide a basic level of schooling for all their children between the ages of five and thirteen.
The urge for reform had been growing rapidly since the 1830s led by a small number of social reformers appalled by the working conditions of children employed to work down mines, up chimneys, and in factories. The legislation they forced through Parliament (often in the face of intransigent opposition) transformed the lives of millions and changed forever our perception of childhood.
Nowadays, many of these tiny schools have a mobile or two parked round the back. It was in one of these too-hot-in-the-summer-too-cold-in-the-winter demountables that I first used this context. It was with a Year 5/6 class of mixed academic development and diverse interests. Some knew a great deal about Victorian Britain, others had almost no knowledge of the subject at all.
The Mantle of the Expert context I planned for them had the following elements:
Curriculum: Social Reformers of Victorian Britain
Expert Team: A Pit Investigation Team
Client: Earl of Shaftesbury
Commission: To carry out a full inspection of the mines, discover the working conditions of the children working there, and to report back to Parliament with their findings.
My aim was to create a way into the context that would help the students develop an emotional link with the past and give them an understanding of the subject. Although I knew there was plenty to attract them, I couldn’t be sure their interest would develop into anything more significant than a passing concern since deeper levels of engagement need an emotional commitment to the work. For this reason in the early stages it was essential to pay careful attention to their levels of engagement – to listen to their ideas, watch their comfort levels, and, when necessary, make small adjustments to the planning. Going too fast would have left them behind, while going too slow would see them lose interest and go looking for other things to do.


Trudi Edwards, Assistant Head of Primary
St Margaret’s Assistant Head of Primary, Trudi Edwards says the introduction of coding in Prep and Year 1 forms part of St Margaret’s heightened focus on STEM education.
“By beginning with our youngest learners, we’re preparing our students with the digital literacy and deep thinking skills required to succeed now and in the years to come.
Through programs offered by experts in the field, ScopeIT Education, the students are learning to code through play based games that are engaging and relevant to them and appropriate to their age and stage,” said Ms Edwards.
Tahlia Butler, Prep teacher
Prep teacher Tahlia Butler says the students’ digital learning is enhanced by the need to draw on a range of other skills to achieve the task at hand.
“The girls are not simply learning the art of computer coding; they are needing to draw on what they’ve learnt in other subject areas. They’re developing their numeracy skills, including counting and simple mathematics, and their communication and teamwork skills as they collaborate with others.
We’re seeing the girls improve their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. In their initial lesson, they had to master clicking the mouse button and moving the mouse whilst looking at the screen, an action they found quite challenging.
What we’re also witnessing is the students deeply involved in the learning process. They’re developing their problem solving and critical thinking skills and showing great persistence as they work through the challenge,” says Ms Butler.


Adult Literacy and Numeracy
Just about every job in the service industry requires good literacy and numeracy skills.
Research shows that service sector workers are more likely than average to have challenges relating to their levels of literacy, language and numeracy.
About one in every two workers in the service sector have literacy skills below those needed to participate fully. Business consequences can include an impact on the company bottom-line and lower productivity. In addition, many of the affected people cannot meet the complex demands of their everyday life and work. Tasks that many people take for granted become arduous: emailing, report-writing, reading and banking.
Employees need to know how to:
- understand and follow rules and procedures
- fill out forms such as contracts and timesheets
- read notices, instructions, timetables, job sheets etc
- work on a computer
- write reports
- speak and listen effectively.
An efficient workplace where people get along and things get done depends on everyone knowing what their responsibilities are. Understanding how to work with new and ever changing technology is important too – we all need good computer skills or we get left behind.
The success of New Zealand businesses in the service sectors and the whole New Zealand economy depends on having skilled and adaptable people in the workforce.
How can ServiceIQ assist to raise the standard in my workplace?
Understanding how to identify literacy challenges and learning differences can help ensure all trainees on ServiceIQ programmes are given the opportunity to succeed.
Even the most skilled and valued service sector employees can struggle with some aspects of learning. Hands-on ability and great interpersonal skills will make someone highly successful in their workplace role. But, sometimes, these same people fail to fully engage with workplace training because of their lack of confidence or skills in reading, comprehension and assessment.
- review your key training resources for plain English
- equip your on-job trainers with a toolkit of knowledge that will help them identify any trainee learning challenges
- provide advice about funding and providers who can support specific learning development opportunities
- check new trainees’ reading and numeracy skills and give feedback, support and suggestions on any necessary improvements.


Ready to Read Alaska (formerly known as the Ready to Read Resource Center) is a statewide initiative for families and caregivers of infants and toddlers in Alaska. During the first three years of a child’s life, the brain develops at a phenomenal rate. The program’s mission is to promote early literacy development in Alaska’s pre-kindergarten children to create the foundations needed for when a child begins to learn to read. To achieve this mission, the program:
- Loans free reading kits to parents, caregivers, and organizations that serve infants and toddlers such as child care providers, libraries, health clinics, etc.
- Educates about and advocates for early literacy by giving presentations to caregivers and early childhood organizations.
With over 100 reading kits created specifically for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers, Ready to Read Alaska hopes to engage all of Alaska’s youngest children with high quality, age-appropriate books. See our current brochure for a quick guide to the reading kits we offer.


by Tiffany Herleikson,
Budget pressures and a growing focus on testing reading and math have crowded the arts out of many schools. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is a big win for a well-rounded education for our children and music and the arts in our schools. The inclusion of music and arts in the bill signed by the President last December shows that Congress believes music is part of a “well-rounded” education. And it is.
Research shows the positive impact that music has on academic performance. In a study by the President's Committee on Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), Reinvesting in Arts Education, Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education writes: "Education in the arts is more important than ever. In the global economy, creativity is essential. Today's workers need more than just skills and knowledge to be productive and innovative participants."
“Music is shown to be beneficial to students in four major categories: success in society, success in school, success in developing intelligence, and success in life.” , According to Ken Petress, PH.D in “Importance of Music Education”. And impressively, a study, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report, by the The College Board in 2006 shows that students with coursework in music performance scored an averaged 57 points higher on the verbal portion and 43 points higher on the math portion of the SAT. 100 points higher is a profound difference. That could be the difference on a college acceptance, which may impact a child’s future career and earning potential.
Study after study show that music develops parts of the brain involved in math and language, facilitates learning other subjects, and enhances skills that children use in other areas. And yet for decades music education has been relegated to a non-essential status in our schools. The new bill reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replaces the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the core curriculum with a well-rounded student education.
The law also protects students’ “music” and “arts” class time and provides new opportunities for music and arts education through formula funding grants. States receiving formula grants must use those funds to offer educational experiences, such as music, to under-represented, disadvantaged, or minority students. The bill specifically notes activities and programs in “music” and “arts” as appropriate uses of formula grants. This is great news for those in the music community.
Though many ESSA requirements do not take eﬀect until the 2017-2018 school year, States and districts should begin engaging with stakeholders on how they will ultimately implement the new law.
NOVA Music Center continues to look for opportunities to work with local schools to promote the success of music programs in our schools, as well as draw attention to the importance that music has in the lives of those who wish to succeed academically.


Importance of Language Development in Preschoolers
Language development during the preschool years is important for the progression of children's cognitive skills and for their social and emotional maturity. Language skills (such as listening, comprehension and speech) are also important for the development of pre-reading and pre-writing skills, preparing children for literacy work at school. Parents and caregivers help preschool children build a foundation for all future learning by supporting their language development during these early years.
Language and Cognitive Development
The development of language skills helps preschool children improve their memory, curiosity, concentration, thinking and reasoning skills. These skills help children use new vocabulary, improved grammatical skills and the opportunity for symbolic thought. Language development enables preschool children to use imagery as part of their thinking in order to discuss past, present and future events and their experiences of people, places and objects. Improved language skills also help preschool children to ask questions to gain knowledge and make sense of their world.
Language and Social Development
Preschool children with well-developed language skills, such as attentive listening and clear speech, are confident to express their opinions and enjoy playing with other children. According to child psychologist Dr. Carol Valinejad, "Children who feel comfortable expressing their opinions will be at an advantage in getting along with their peers compared to children who cannot." Language skills enable preschool children to understand the importance of sharing and taking turns and to enjoy cooperative play, creative play and games that require instructions or rules 1.
Language and Emotional Development
Preschool children who listen attentively and follow instructions from parents and caregivers will understand how to keep themselves and others safe. Language development is also important as it gives children a way of expressing their anger or frustration with words instead of using physical means, such as kicks, punches or temper tantrums. It helps them to see another's point of view and to develop empathy. Language skills also give children the opportunity to talk about anything that is worrying or frightening them. Preschool children who develop a love of language have fun playing with words and sometimes invent little nonsense songs and rhymes.
Language and Reading Skills
Language development in the preschool years forms the basis for learning to read. Preschool children extend their vocabulary and understanding of grammar through conversations with parents and caregivers and by sharing picture stories, songs and rhymes with them. This in turn helps with reading comprehension strategies and phonological awareness (awareness of sound-symbol relationships). Research shows that preschool children who recognize the sounds of rhyming words make faster progress in reading and spelling when they go to school. According to "AR State PIRC/Center for Effective Parenting," there is "a direct relationship between the number of rhyming words a child knows when entering kindergarten and later reading success."
Language and Writing Skills
According to "Highscope Educational Research Foundation," preschool children acquire language and literacy skills because their motivation is social. "It happens because young children want to interact and communicate with others." During the preschool years, "speaking, listening, reading and writing develop concurrently (together) rather than sequentially (one after the other)." In order to read and write, children must understand that letters are symbols representing the sounds of speech. Children who enjoy using language and develop a love of books will enjoy mark-making activities--for example, using crayons on paper or chalk on chalkboards--motivating them to communicate using symbols.
- "How to Have a Happy Toddler"; Dr. Carol Valinejad; 2007
- "Emergent Literacy and Language Development"; Paula M. Rhyner, Ph.D.; 2009
- playing image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com


The major scale is one of the most important scales in all genres of music so it's important that we understand how to play it as well as the theory behind how it works.
The major scale consists of the following intervals:
So in C major the notes would be: C- D- E- F - G- A- B and then the scale repeats an octave higher.
In the diagram below, we can see the notes of the major scale in all twelve keys with their interval above. See if you can play all twelve on your instrument and really try to become familiar with their sound.
This just covers the basics that can get you started with the major scale, but there is more to learn all coming in a later blog.
How to find relevant music education
Do you want to learn how to play an instrument? Maybe you already know, but you want to improve your abilities? We have lots of talented and experienced teachers all over the country. Find a teacher in your city today!
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