Music in Croatia
Croatia’s topography and history have created a rich folk diversity. Six main styles are distinguished: 1) melodies with small intervals (halftones) and small scale, 2) melodies with diatonic small scale, 3) melodies with end tone on the quintet, 4) multi-part song, 5) large scale melodies and 6) melodies with up to four steps. The rhythm can be strict or free.
The folk instruments include sopila and spiral (double- bladed wind instruments), jedinka (flute), dvojnice (double flute), gusle (single-string fiddle) and tambura (long-neck end). Ensembles are widely used, and in recent times accordion and guitar have also been introduced in folk music.
With the establishment of monasteries in the coastal region of Croatia from the 9th century, the Christian church song was institutionalized and conveyed both Roman and Byzantine impulses. The largest cathedrals received organs in the 1300s, and western impulses were also significant in Zagreb. The influence of Italy continued during the Renaissance and Baroque, but the country also gained impetus through the Austro-Hungarian Empire. These impulses and art musical directions lived in Croatia even after they were replaced by new directions in Austria and Italy.
Cultural and political tension in the 19th century forms part of the backdrop for a national-romantic wave centered in Zagreb, the “Illyrian movement”, which drew inspiration from folk music and patriotic songs. This wave has lasted into the 1900s and has contributed to recent western directions getting in late.
Zagreb has always been an important center for art music with well-run music institutions. Subsequent to the Second World War, considerable state support has led to the development of music schools, orchestras, opera houses and a commitment to music education. Cultural politics during the socialist period led to some resistance to recent impulses, but from 1961 the Biennial for Contemporary Music in Zagreb has been a significant source of inspiration. In the field between art and folk music, popular music festivals in Split and Zagreb have played a leading role.
Dance in Croatia
Unlike several of its neighboring countries, Croatia’s dance history is characterized by proximity to the old Austro-Hungarian double monarchy. In addition, coastal provinces were largely influenced by the association with Italy, especially Venice.
The first professional ballet ensemble was established in 1894 at the Zagreb Opera. With the classic Coppelia, the Croatian ballet environment was a fact, which was confirmed by the performance of Giselle in 1897. The following year the first two ballets with a Croatian theme were performed, Jela and Ved Plitvica.
Later, the Zagreb Opera was closed for a few years, but reopened in 1921 with the Russian-Yugoslav choreographer and dancer Margarita Petrovna Froman (1880-1970) as the leading force. Previously, she had been a soloist at the Bolshoi Ballet and a member of Djagilev’s company. In 1924, she started a ballet school that was of great importance to the dance community in Croatia. Furthermore, ballet companies were formed at the Croatian opera houses in Osijek, Rijeka and Split during the interwar period. During World War II, the ballet was disbanded and only started in the late 1940s.
Typical of the Croatian dance community is the folklore ensemble Lado from Zagreb, who has also visited Oslo. The ensemble was founded in 1949 as a professional national company with the aim of showing Croatian folk songs and folk dances.


Leaders for Readers
Your contribution goes a long way. Make an impact by purchasing a book for a child, buy books for an entire classroom, sponsor a special project or fund a center all month long.
It’s no secret that language and literacy are an important foundation for a child’s success. Reading to children promotes language and literacy skills and that is why a read-aloud activity is a regular feature in our Head Start classroom curriculum. Read aloud learning is fun, but nothing generates more excitement than to have a visitor read a book to a classroom. Make a difference, volunteer to read aloud to a Head Start classroom now through the end of March. Make it a group activity by asking friends or co-workers to join you. Sign up today.
The Volunteer Experience
- Arrive at 8:30am for a brief introduction to Matrix Human Services
- Review the book that has been assigned for the day (this should take nor more than 5 minutes)
- Read to the children- interact, ask open ended questions (10-15 minutes)
- Assist classroom teachers with activities
- Departure 10am
Join Community Leaders
Be a Guest Story Teller
AVAILABLE dates Tuesday – Thursday | 8:30 am – 10:00 am
The Power of Reading
Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about.
Additionally, this activity sharpens the child’s ear so that they can detect authentic dialogue and flowing narrative. Reading aloud helps improve diction and expression, which will then transfer into speaking voice and writing voice. Reading aloud improves visual memory and the ability to see images in your mind.
The benefits of reading with children include:
- Storytime is important for brain development, even for babies who do not talk yet. When you read with children, they are connecting the words you say to the pictures on the page and to the things in their world. All of those connections are brain connections!
- Even before they can talk, children need to hear language to support brain development. Reading and telling stories with children is a great way to expose them to a rich variety of words
- The quantity of words that children hear is important for language development, but so is the quality of language that they hear. It is important to use new and different words for children to expand their vocabulary. Books often include words that adults would not otherwise use, like names of plants or animals.
- Reading develops a child’s imagination and teaches them about the world around them
- Reading exercises our brains; children who read do better at school
- Reading relaxes the body and calms the mind and helps children develop empathy


Best Selling Literacy Resources by Sheena Cameron
Sheena Cameron is an experienced primary teacher who has taught in New Zealand, England and the United States. She also has a keen interest in literacy and has written some great teaching resources on the topic. These five books are her most popular among our customers at Teacher Superstore.
1. The Writing Book
The Writing Book by Sheena Cameron and Louise Dempsey is a teacher-friendly guide to teaching writing at emergent, early and fluent levels. It includes practical information that will support primary and middle school teachers to plan and deliver an effective writing programme.
2. The Oral Language Book
This practical book outlines strategies and ideas that will support teachers to include more quality ‘learning talk’ in classrooms and to embed purposeful oral language opportunities across the curriculum. It contains a summary of the latest research and presents ideas, activities and support material to translate this into classroom practice.
3. Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies: A Practical Classroom Guide
This book is a step-by-step guide based on the latest reading comprehension research and is the result of the author’s learning journey into research-based practice and her experiences teaching in a real classroom. This book includes information on how to introduce and teach strategies and how they fit into your literacy programme.
4. The Reading Book
The Reading Book is a comprehensive guide to teaching reading. It contains research-based information that will support primary and middle school teachers to plan realistic and effective programmes that engage learners.
5. The Reading Activity Handbook: Purposeful reading responses to enrich your literacy programme
This handbook is a comprehensive collection of reading response ideas that includes 19 photocopy masters to support students’ learning. It is designed for teachers at all levels of primary and lower secondary.
Do you have any tips for improving your students’ literacy?


Making the margin visible : out-of -school literacy practices among Mexican heritage English learners in an English-only district
- Author(s): Burrows-Goodwill, Shivani Linda
- et al.
The Hispanic academic achievement gap in California is often attributed to language difference, low economic status, and assumed cultural deficit within families (Neufeld & Fitzgerald, 2001; Saracho, 2007). When students who fit these descriptors achieve academic scores of proficiency and above, we can benefit from examining their repertoires of family literacy practices. This qualitative study examined the summer literacy practices within the nine Spanish-speaking families of a second grade cohort attending a small Title 1 urban school in Southern California. At home adult support was in Spanish, and material means were limited by low-income status, yet six of the nine achieved above average on state tests in English. In this descriptive, two-phase study I used semi- structured interviews and video elicitation to answer these questions: 1. What do Mexican-heritage children do during the summer vacation? 2. What funds of literacy are available to them? 3. How do home and community ecological and cultural- linguistic contexts influence their engagement with these funds of literacy? The goal was to identify patterns of literacy engagement with local resources as they emerged through daily family routines within an apparently homogeneous sample. I used the framework of ecocultural activity settings to capture literacy events involving adults and children in their naturalistic settings. Inductive analysis of multiple data sources revealed a wide range of practices and an abundance of literacy resources within each home. Four of the six higher achieving children were found to be involved in church or bible study community activities that required literacy in Spanish. Adults in these cases provided structure and engagement to summer practices, with the purpose of moral education. In two of the cases fathers were the dominant agents of literacy. In all cases older siblings mediated practices in English. These findings complicate the deficit assumptions associated with low-income, linguistic minorities by providing illustrating how families leverage local funds of literacy to support their children's overall literacy development. The study claims the need for a new framework of literacy research that integrates the role out-of-school literacy activities in overall literacy development, and the need to acknowledge the literacy resources Mexican-heritage students bring to the classroom


Mills, Luther Rice
17 Aug. 1840–18 Aug. 1920
Luther Rice Mills, educator, was the youngest of five children of the Reverend John Garland and Martha Williams Haymes Mills of Halifax County, Va. Ordained to the ministry in 1825, the elder Mills served as pastor of rural Baptist churches in the region, while earning a good livelihood for his family as owner-manager of a sizable plantation tended by numerous slaves.
Young Mills received the rudiments of an elementary education under the tutelage of his father prior to enrolling at Wake Forest College in 1857. He was awarded an A.B. degree in 1861, graduating at the head of his class. Afterwards he served in the Confederate army (1861–65), attaining the rank of lieutenant. Captured on the retreat from Richmond (1864), he spent the last months of the conflict as a prisoner on Johnson's Island.
On his release from prison in mid-June 1865, Mills returned to Halifax County. Earlier dreams of pursuing graduate studies in mathematics at the University of Virginia and at Cambridge University had to be deferred as he assumed the management of the family estate, operating it with the help of former slaves, who had chosen to remain as "tenants" following their emancipation, and with such day laborers as he could hire for the work. His sense of duty to a widowed mother—together with an unexpected joy derived from his success at the enterprise—found Mills resolved to devote his time and energy to maintaining the family farm.
In January 1867, however, he yielded to the invitation of President Washington Manly Wingate to return to Wake Forest to teach mathematics. Here he remained for the next forty years, serving as adjunct professor (1867–71) and professor of mathematics (1871–1907), bursar of the college (1876–1907), and agent for the Board of Education (1876–80). The latter, a college-based agency of the Baptist State Convention, was charged with the task of working to "assist promising and indigent young ministers seeking to prepare themselves for the more efficient preaching of the gospel." As a result of ill health, Mills retired from the classroom in June 1907.
As a teacher, Mills was comprehensive and exacting. The young men who sat in his classes soon discovered that whether or not they learned was largely their responsibility. He believed that a teacher should not have to coax a student to study. Nonetheless, the records of many former students—especially those who pursued higher branches of mathematics at universities—attest both to the thoroughness of the work accomplished in his classroom and to his ability to inspire students to do their best.
It was as bursar, however, that Mills probably made his most important contribution to Wake Forest. He is said to have been well ahead of his time in his knowledge of accounting principles and in the skills of business management. His thrift, his prompt payment of bills, and his determination to hold expenditures within the limits of the institution's sources of revenue increased its financial credit. Such practices also won the confidence of the individuals who were able to provide equipment and funding for the college. Knowledge of the value of common stocks and other securities—together with his study of fluctuations in the market—made him a trusted adviser to the board of trustees. Reportedly, his judgment regarding investments proved to be remarkably sound.
Mills married Anna Lewis, of Tarboro, on 14 Jan. 1869. They had five children: Kate (m. Claude Kitchin), Luther Rice, Jr., John Garland, Lucy (m. John Alexander Wray), and Anna. Mills was buried in the town cemetery at Wake Forest. A portrait hangs in the reading room of the Ethel Taylor Crittenden Collection in Baptist History, Wake Forest University.
Luther Rice Mills, "Forty Years in the Wilderness," Bulletin of Wake Forest College, October 1907, January 1908.
George Washington Paschal, History of Wake Forest College, vols. 1–3 (1935–43).
Wake Forest Student, "Mills Memorial" vol. (November 1920).
Luther Rice Mills Reminiscences, undated (collection no. 00512-z). The Southern Historical Collection. Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://www2.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/m/Mills,Luther_Rice.html (accessed July 31, 2014).
1 January 1991 | Taylor, R. Hargus


The Walker Learning Approach is undertaken in the Junior
School. The Walker Learning Approach enables students to develop:
- Higher levels of engagement and motivation
- Higher oral language skills
- Increased writing
- Increased pro social skills
- Decreased behavioural problems
- Greater level of personal learning opportunities
- Improved problem solving and creative thinking
- Increased independence and interdependence
There is a strong focus on developing Literacy and Numeracy skills in
the Junior School.
Junior School students (Grade Foundation and 1) had a good start to the new
academic year. Grade 1s welcomed the new students into their classrooms and made new friends. It is
pleasing to see them begin to learn school routines and rules to have a wonderful learning
Foundation students have been introduced to the play based Investigations. It encourages them to share
space and resources with each other cooperatively. The children are supported in making choices with
their learning and thinking creatively that suit their interests. It provides them an opportunity to
develop their oral language and negotiation skills.
New students have been introduced to Heatherhill School staff and the different areas such as the
office, canteen, playground , library, Italian room and the big hall. The children enjoy playing in
the playground and in the sandpit with their friends during playtimes and lunch times.
Our Junior School motto is - We believe we can achieve.


Different research methods can yield unique insights into literacy learning and teaching—and, used synergistically, can work together to move the field forward. Now revised and updated with 50% new material, this definitive text presents widely used methods and provides students and researchers with a clear understanding of when, how, and why they are applied. Leading authorities describe established and emerging methodologies, review the types of questions they are suited to address, and identify standards for quality. Key issues in research design are accessibly discussed. Each chapter offers one or more exemplars of high-quality published studies to illustrate the approach in action. The benefits of using multiple types of methods to more fully investigate a given question or problem are emphasized throughout.
New to This Edition
Marla H. Mallette, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership at Binghamton University, State University of New York, where she also serves as Doctoral Program Coordinator. Her research focuses on early literacy, research methodologies, and mixed methods research in literacy. Dr. Mallette has published and presented on literacy research methodologies and the preparation of literacy researchers, and has used various methodologies in her own work.
Nell K. Duke, EdD, is Professor in Language, Literacy, and Culture and in the Combined Program in Education and Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her work focuses on early literacy development, particularly among children living in economic poverty. She has a strong interest in bridging gaps between educational research, policy, and practice. Dr. Duke is a recipient of the William S. Gray Citation of Merit from the International Literacy Association. She has used a variety of research methodologies in her own research and has taught courses on research design.
Foreword, Seth A. Parsons
1. Introduction, Marla H. Mallette & Nell K. Duke
2. Turtles, Tortoises, Ethnographies, and Case Study: Nuances of Difference and Design, Catherine Compton-Lilly
3. Content Analysis: The Past, Present, and Future, Samuel DeJulio, James V. Hoffman, Misty Sailors, Ramón A. Martínez, & Melissa B. Wilson
4. Correlational Designs and Analyses, Michael J. Kieffer
5. Critical Race Methodologies, Alice Y. Lee & Amos J. Lee
6. Research Methods Unique to Digital Contexts: An Introduction to Virtual Ethnography, Christine Greenhow, Sarah Galvin, & K. Bret Staudt Willet
7. Approaches to Discourse Analysis in Language and Literacy Research, Amy Vetter & Melissa Schieble
8. Design-Based Research in Literacy, Gay Ivey
9. Causal Effects: Randomized Trials and Regression Discontinuity, Christina Weiland, Anne Shapiro, & Julia Lindsey
10. Doing Historical Research in Literacy, Norman A. Stahl & Douglas K. Hartman
11. Instrument Development, Sharon Walpole, John Z. Strong, & Meaghan N. Vitale
12. Meta-Analysis, Adriana G. Bus, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn, & Suzanne E. Mol
13. Mixed Research Approaches in Literacy Research, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie & Marla H. Mallette
14. Narrative Approaches: Exploring the Phenomenon and/or Method, M. Kristiina Montero & Rachelle D. Washington
15. Neuroimaging, Jessica A. Church & Jack M. Fletcher
16. Single-Subject Experimental Design, Susan B. Neuman
17. Understanding Literacy Trends Through Survey Research, Gwynne Ellen Ash, James F. Baumann, & James J. Bason
18. Verbal Protocol Analysis in Literacy, Byeong-Young Cho
19. Considerations of Methodology and Epistemology in Designing Literacy Studies, Sarah J. McCarthey
20. Conclusion, Marla H. Mallette & Nell K. Duke
Appendix. Alphabetical Listing of the Exemplars
•The definitive text, updated: 50% new material includes eight new chapters and revisions throughout.
•Additional chapter topic (critical race methodologies), plus fresh perspectives on design-based research and causal effects.
•Essential updates on rapidly evolving topics: online research methods, neuroimaging, and more.
•Exemplary studies are cited in each chapter.


Years 7 & 8
Year 7 is one of the most important years of child’s life as they begin the academic journey into secondary education and the physical, social and emotional journey into adolescence. Building positive and inclusive relationships is a key focus of our Year 7 program to ensure that every student feels safe, secure and valued. Bullying and harassment are unacceptable and will not be tolerated at St Brigid’s College.
Every Year 7 student is assigned a Teacher Advisor, who’s role is that of a learning mentor, adviser and advocate for their entire school life at St Brigid’s. Students meet with their Teacher Advisor every morning for Homeroom and for a one to one, personal interview every 6 weeks to discuss their academic progress, celebrate achievements, establish goals and to work together to manage or overcome any problems that the student may be experiencing. This empowering program ensures that we personally know every student in our College and builds the important relationship between student, school and home.
Our Year 7 curriculum focuses on essential learning for success. Key literacy and numeracy skills are assessed during the enrollment process to create a learning profile for each student. Specialist teachers work with students individually, in small groups and class groups to develop and extend their capabilities across all curriculum areas.
We deliver a specialised Year 7 Literacy Program and have this year introduced the Math Pathways Program. Both of these learning models are demonstrating high student growth and success rates. Our class sizes are smaller, ensuring personalised attention in a safe environment in which students can learn. We have additional Literacy and Numeracy specialists on staff, dedicated to intensively nurturing and supporting students who need higher levels of intervention in these areas.
Our Year 7 curriculum provides a breath of subjects for students to explore and enjoy. Subjects include core studies in accordance with the Victorian Curriculum, Religious Studies, The Arts and Design Technologies, and key learning for the future in digital literacy, social intelligence, creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. For further details on the subjects offered at St Brigid’s College please see our 2021 Information Booklet.
iPads are an important part of teaching and learning at St Brigid’s. Students receive an iPad upon enrollment which allows for seamless learning, with students able to easily switch learning contexts – from formal to informal or personal to social – and to take control of their own learning. iPads are used safely within the classroom to explore new ways to gain knowledge, communicate and collaborate, increase personal learning, share learning discoveries and extend learning beyond the classroom. We guide students to become responsible digital citizens in our rapidly expanding and changing technical world and have a strict Digital Technology Policy to ensure that iPads are used responsibly and safely.
Students who excel are challenged to push their learning in the classroom with personalised extended learning opportunities. Additionally, they are encouraged to take up the many opportunities offered through our GEORGE program, which provides gifted and talented students the chance to shine in their chosen fields, and to gain valuable skills, knowledge and experiences in a range of competitive and non-competitive environments.Students who excel in sports can choose to participate in a vast range of sporting competitions across local, regional, state and national levels, and as the Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly ‘Sports School of the Year’ twice in the last three years, we know that we offer exceptional sporting and athletic opportunities.
Outside of the classroom students are invited to participate in extra-curricular activities in social justice, sporting, academic, creative and performing arts, design and technologies, STEAM, fundraising and leadership. Our students have won many awards, recognition and competitions across a range of these fields and we are proud encourage and nurture our future generation of leaders, creators, problem solvers and passionate individuals.
Students in Year 8 continue to build on the relationships, knowledge and skills that they have acquired in Year 7. They are challenged to extend their capacity for learning and to assume higher levels of independence and responsibility. The Year 8 program sustains the focus on essential learning for success, including literacy and numeracy, and on providing breadth and balance as students develop interests and passions that may guide their future pathway.
For more information please read our 2021 Information Booklet or to make an appointment to come into our College to see our learning programs in action please contact the front office on 5382 3545.


Improve reading comprehension in your classroom with our differentiated myths and legends from around the world close reading passages and questions. This pack includes five Year Five and Six (Grade Four and Grade Five) traditional literature passages with six pages of engaging text-dependent questions and higher-order thinking tasks. These activities are great for your guided reading program or as homework tasks.
NOW INCLUDES A FULL DIGITAL OPTION
Learn more about Theseus and the Minotaur, The Loch Ness Monster, The Legend of Robin Hood, The Trojan Horse and Māui and the Sun.
This resource links closely to the CCSS, ACARA and the NZ Curriculum.
What this resource is all about:
The purpose of this resource is to provide ready-to-go Myth and Legend texts and engaging higher order thinking questions.
This resource is jam-packed with exciting, thought-provoking activities to grab your students’ attention AND hold it. The activities begin at the lower levels of Blooms Taxonomy (Remember, Understand, Apply) and move through to the higher levels (Analyze, Evaluate, Create).
In this print AND digital pack you will receive:
1. FIVE texts – all with an extended and scaffold version:
- Theseus and the Minotaur
- The Loch Ness Monster
- The Legend of Robin Hood
- The Trojan Horse
- Plus a BONUS text – Māui and the Sun
2. SIX corresponding NO PREP Higher Order Thinking Activities
Reading Comprehension Strategies included:
- Making Connections
- Find Facts and Details
- Make Inferences
- Identify the main idea
- Ask and Answer Questions
- Compare and Contrast
- Make Predictions
3. Five Graphic Organiser Examples
- Character Map
- Story Map
- Story Plot Mountain
- Flow Diagram
- Web Organiser
4. Two Myth Information Posters
- What is a Myth?
- Features of a Myth
5. Teacher Answer Key for applicable questions
6. Two ‘Tips For Use’ pages with ways to use this resource in your classroom.
7. Close Reading bookmarks
When you download this resource, it comes in both US AND British English spellings and printing sizes.
Our resources are available as INSTANT DIGITAL DOWNLOADS, no physical resources will be shipped! This file is in A4 PDF format.


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The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) is an Act of the Parliament of India that ensures all children between the age of 6 to 14 shall have the right to free and compulsory elementary education in India. Education is the heart & soul of the United Nation’s 2030 agenda for SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). SDG Goal no. 4 also ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.
We at Sewa International, believe that education is the key to change lives sustainably and make the impacts long lasting. Our education-related efforts include that every child has best start in life, opportunity to go to school and learn well. In our approach we have been addressing education related several issues such as learning levels, dropout rates, teaching/learning materials, sponsoring education, libraries and development of school infrastructure.
Areas of Intervention:
School kits distributed
Computer Training Centers.
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Astronomy Lab for Kids: Volume 8: 52 Family-Friendly Activities - Lab for Kids (Paperback)Michelle Nichols (author)
- Not available
Explore the wonders of the universe through hands-on fun! In Astronomy Lab for Kids, science educator Michelle Nichols has compiled 52 labs and activities that use everyday materials from around the house to encourage kids, their friends, and their families to look up, down, and around at everything from the shadows on the ground to the stars in the sky.
Mini astronomers will learn about things such as the size and scale of planets using sandwich cookies and tennis balls, how to measure the speed of light with a flat candy bar and a microwave, how to make a simple telescope with magnifying glasses, and so much more!
Kids begin their journey through the stars by creating a science journal to track their experiments and record their observations. Foundational skills, like how to make observations, measure angles, and determine directions, are laid out first. The lessons expand with explorations of size and scale; light, motion, and gravity; and then on to investigations of our Solar System and finding constellations in the night sky.
Each lab includes:
The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus-all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.
Publisher: Quarry Books
Number of pages: 144
Weight: 8 g
Dimensions: 216 x 216 x 13 mm
"The science is solid and presented in a fun way. Each activity has information about the amount of time it might take to do the activity plus a list of materials needed, safety tips, and setup hints...this is a great book that will be a joy to all who use it." - Ralph Peterson, National Science Teachers Association Recommends
"Sound scientific procedures, clearly photographed step-by-step directions, and thorough explanations of intended results make this a winning resource for family-friendly experiments concerning the heavens that will teach something new to both young readers and the adults assisting them." - Erin Anderson, for Booklist
"A creative way to offer hands-on learning for science educators, parents, or students interested in astronomy." - Doneanne Soult, Westampton Middle School, NJ, for School Library Journal
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Art Education Philosophy
Art education plays a crucial role for the world's inhabitants. Generally, our cultures are visual; people learn from, and are influenced by, what they see. Thus, it is important to understand the heavily visual society in which we are immersed.
From a young age, all people are artists. In my experience, elementary aged boys and girls all show great aptitude in the arts. They are inquisitive, creative, imaginative, and willing to experiment and play. Often, students lose these artistic abilities as they grow older; the traits that would allow them to be successful in any occupation are suppressed and become dormant. A healthy education in the arts provides individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful regardless of the path they choose in life or the sector in which they work.
I greatly support cross-curricular learning as the integration of art into other subjects enriches any topic. In my classroom, art becomes a tool to teach students who learn using multiple intelligences, and emphasises lessons learned in other subjects. This allows instructors to come together using various forms of assessment to better monitor students' comprehension, and encourage intellectual growth.
From art classes, students learn skill sets; specific physical skills, critical thinking skills, and the theories behind their work. They learn from seeing demonstrations, visual examples, reading directions, hearing instructions, and making their own projects. The goal of this type of teaching is to deepen understanding and give students the chance to apply their knowledge in other areas.
Through this process students also learn the hidden curriculum. They learn how to envision the outcome of an idea, and plan a project. They learn how to make their ideas a reality, and how to give and receive positive criticism. In this curriculum, students also learn how to appropriately interact with their peers and work toward a common goal. Perhaps most importantly, students learn that they are connected to something which they have made with their own hands, heart, and mind; giving them pride and confidence in their abilities.
It is imperative that humans continue to feel this connection and the need to create. Art Education is not simply about learning to be an artist, but rather learning that everyone possesses creative capability and how it can be applied. It is important to be aware of this inner artist, so that humanity may continue to progress as an innovative species.


By Art Menius – September 9, 2014
I believe that our various artistic traditions express a common human thread unifying all people. As the audiences learn about other cultures bridges to understanding are built. They will see how folk music contributes to understanding different traditions and building civil society.
When NEH Chairman Jim Leach asked, “We have a unique national culture with a mosaic of subcultures. A critical question is whether we treat our many cultural differences with dignity and respect and as opportunities to grow and learn, or as divisive traumas worthy of warring over.”
Marginalized cultures generally do not have great access to public forums, but traditional artists from these same cultures can achieve such access, and in doing so, speak for their communities through their art. Their work contains the “mirror effect” that reflects to the outside world the mores of the cultures in which they originated.
“Folk art is important to society because it portrays social and historical aspects of areas or times that changed or lost. Folk artists are often barometers of the popular culture. In most cases, folk artists engage in depicting socially familiar ideas and themes in their art,” wrote Simone Alter Muri (“Folk Art and Outsider Art: Acknowledging Social Issues in Art Education,” Art Education 52:4 (July 1999). Muri argued that the traditional arts fostered social awareness; building tolerance for diversity and helping children understand community.
Whether music, food, or crafts, the folk arts do not happen in a vacuum. The fretless banjo asks us to wonder where the instrument came from and when. When we understand that the banjo originally came from West Africa, it asks us to look closely at the history of immigration. When we know the history of Native Americans in the southern Appalachians, it asks us to look closely at the various crafts and architecture that typifies the Appalachian homesteads and communities. Scots-Irish mountaineers learned to build chimneys from Native Americans who learned from French trappers. Embroidered Mexican scarves/napkins, used to wrap and carry tortillas on journeys of desert immigration embody contemporary issues.
The key becomes how to draw people out of their silos and let them see the connection that inspired me 40 years ago – that moment of revelation when I realized that living Piedmont bluesman John Jackson and long deceased 1920s string band leader Charlie Poole were playing out of the same common repertoire.
I have an especial interest in connecting the folklore, ethnomusicology, and the humanities to musical performance by master musicians, what folklorist Carl von Sydow called “active” tradition-bearers. I envision residencies with active tradition bearers demonstrating and teaching in partnership with a variety of humanities experts. Audiences will not just learn about the outcomes produced by humanities scholarship, but will understand how its disciplines shed light on the human condition.
The tradition bearer will gain from both the association with new audiences and from the attention of the students and scholars. Working with them as teachers will provide new insights in the humanities, their work, and their home communities. Gregory Hansen (“Folklife in Education and Cultural Conservation” (1994) described this from his six years work bringing traditional artists into Jacksonville, Florida schools:
Cultural expressions that the tradition-bearers felt were devalued within their own communities were showcased in the classroom presentations, and the tradition-bearers appreciated the opportunity to share their history and culture with young people. All of the folk artists and musicians whom I interviewed perceived that the school presentations were not only helping to preserve their culture but the sessions also encouraged outsiders’ appreciation of their traditions.
In this sense, both artists and the art they practice reflect and create community and serve as its teachers.
[Photo by Becky Johnson]


Anton Rubinstein facts for kids
Anton Rubinstein (born Vikhvatinets 28 November 1829; died Petershof 20 November 1894) was a Russian pianist and composer. Rubinstein and Franz Liszt were thought to be the greatest pianists of the 19th century. He was very important as a teacher and influenced many Russian musicians. He composed lots of music, although hardly any of it is heard nowadays. As a composer he is best remembered today by a little piece of piano music called “Melody in F”.
Rubinstein gave his first piano concert when he was ten. Between 1840 and 1843 his piano teacher took him on long concert tours of Europe. He met Chopin and Liszt and was received in London by Queen Victoria. Between 1844 and 1846 the family lived in Berlin. His friends there included Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer.
In 1846 his father died and Anton went to Vienna where he gave piano lessons to try to earn some money. When he returned to Russia in 1848 the tsar’s sister-in-law let him live in her palace. He played for lots of parties. Often the tsar came.
In 1854 he toured Europe again. Then he returned to Russia. He wanted to improve music education in Russia so he started the Russian Musical Society and then he started the St Petersburg Conservatory. During his long career he spent many years as director of the Conservatory as well as conducting concerts.
He wrote a lot of music, but although his compositions often started off with good ideas they often become rather boring. His opera Tom the fool was not a success. He was annoyed and wrote an article in a music magazine saying that it was not possible to write operas using Russian stories. He criticized several composers who were writing music which used Russian folktunes. This included the composer Mily Balakirev and his friends who were called The Mighty Handful. He said that they had not learned how to compose properly.
Rubinstein very much wanted to be famous as a composer as well as a teacher, but this made him very narrow-minded. However, it was as a pianist and conductor that he was important. He helped to improve the standard of music making in Russia by teaching and performing, and by starting the conservatory in St Petersburg.
Images for kids
Anton Rubinstein Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.


A symposium hosted by Longwood Symphony Orchestra and The Lab at Harvard Saturday, January 29, 20119:00-5:00 The Lab at Harvard Northwest Building, Harvard University
Aims and scope How does music shape the developing brain? How can music aid recovery from neurological disorders? Can music be the way towards recovering functions for children with autism?
These questions and more will be explored in a day-long symposium on neuroscience, healing, and music at Harvard University. Hosted by Longwood Symphony Orchestra, the non-profit orchestra of Boston's medical community, and The Lab at Harvard, a new forum and platform for idea experimentation in the arts and sciences at Harvard University, the symposium will explore the intersection between music, science, and medicine, through a series of talks, panel discussion, musical performances and networking opportunities for all who have an interest in topics related to the science and health of music.
Program The schedule will include a day-long course of events including talks by experts on music and brain development, music and rehabilitation, and a discussion panel on music and autism.
·Gottfried Schlaug, MD PhD, from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, will speak about the effects of music on brain development and rehabilitation.
·Nina Kraus, PhD, from Northwestern University, will speak on using music for the development of listening and learning skills.
·Nadine Gaab, PhD, from Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, will speak on the influences of musical training on language processing and executive functioning in typical and atypical developing children.
·Laurel J. Trainor, PhD, from McMaster University, will speak on music perception in the infant brain.
·Arthur Bloom from Renovation in Music Education (RIME) will speak on using music as a rehabilitative tool for soldiers suffering from traumatic injuries.
·A panel on the effects of music on autism. Panelists include the Boston Higashi School for Autism, Catherine Wan, PhD (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School), and Nicholas Lange, ScD (McLean's Hospital, Harvard Medical School / Harvard School of Public Health).
Chamber music will be provided by musicians from the Longwood Symphony Orchestra


Effective reading series informed by current research
Many children struggle with reading. The National Reading Panel concluded that effective reading instruction should include five elements:
- phonemic awareness
- systematic phonics
- vocabulary development
- reading fluency
Mounting evidence shows that with explicit phonics instruction and decodable books as a preferred reading material, students develop reliable and successful reading strategies.
All of our beginner and catch-up books and workbooks follow a systematic phonics program which include all these elements. The reading series offer phonics, vocabulary development and reading fluency. To see how our books progress, please visit the Phonic Progression of Our Books page. The workbooks include phonemic awareness, additional reading fluency, spelling and comprehension activities.
Hi-interest, decodable books
Many children who struggle to read become disaffected with reading and suffer low self-esteem as a result. The systematic structure of our intervention resources are designed to change this attitude. The exciting, age-appropriate reading books and their supporting workbooks, create reading success and build confidence along the way.
Easy-to-use resources for Special Ed practitioners
Our books offer a ‘pick-up-and-go’ resource for Special Education practitioners. Created by reading specialists, our books and resources offer ready-made, easy-to-use activities based on the five elements of reading. The reading series when combined with the workbooks offer the Special Ed practitioner a wide variety of activities that ensure new learning is secure, before progressing to the next level.


New York State Testing Program (Grades 3-8)
All students in grades 3 through 8 are required to complete state assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. Additionally, a state science examination is required for students in grades 4 and 8.
State assessments will be given on the following dates in 2022:
- English Language Arts – Grades 3-8 – March 29 – April 5 (Make-ups: April 1-8)
- Mathematics – Grades 3-8 – April 26 – May 4 (Make-ups: April 29 – May 9)
- Science (Grade 8 ) Performance Tasks: May 24 – June 3 (Make-ups: Within that time period )
- Science (Grade 8 ) Written Test: June 6 (Make-ups: June 7-8)
There is no grade 4 science assessment this year.
The state assessments in ELA and Math are aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards. These standards aim to ensure that all students develop foundational skills in literacy and math that support their readiness for success in college or career. As state assessments shift to reflect these higher expectations for student learning, we may expect the following:
- Reading passages will be authentic, with increased emphasis on non-fiction and reading for information.
- Reading passages will be longer and more rigorous than on past tests.
- Writing tasks will require students to respond directly to reading passages – to inform, describe, explain, or respond, using specific details from the text to support their claims.
- Math problems may often require students to solve problems in a real-world application.
- Math questions may address more than one skill or concept, and may require multiple steps to solve a problem.
Parent’s Guide to Star Assessments
Students in the Pine Bush Central School District take computer-adaptive Star assessments two to three times each school year. This guide will help you understand the assessment and answer some frequently asked questions.
What are Star assessments used for?
Star diagnostic assessments are used to screen students for their reading and math achievement levels. Star Enterprise assessments are also used to monitor student growth throughout the year, to estimate students’ understanding of state standards, and predict students’ performance on the state test. In addition, Star helps teachers determine appropriate instructional levels and skills that students are ready to learn.
What are computer-adaptive tests?
Computer-adaptive tests (CATs) continually adjust the difficulty of each child’s test by choosing each test question based on the child’s previous response. If the child answers a question correctly, the difficulty level of the next item is increased. If the child misses a question, the difficulty level is decreased. CATs save testing time and spare your child the frustration of items that are too difficult and the boredom of items that are too easy. All STAR assessments are computer-adaptive tests.
How long does it take to complete a Star assessment?
Star tests are designed to be as efficient as possible. On average, students will complete the STAR Math Enterprise test in about 20 minutes, the Star Reading Enterprise test in about 15 minutes, and the Star Early Literacy Enterprise test in 15-20 minutes. However, some students may require more time.
How can I help my child prepare for a Star assessment?
The teacher who gives the test uses pre-test instructions to explain the test to your child. It is important for you to encourage your child to try to do his or her best on the assessment. Since Star is a general measure of student ability in math or reading, students perform best on the assessment in the same way they perform best in school – when they have had plenty of rest, attend school regularly, and have eaten.
How will I know how my child is doing?
Please ask your child’s teacher for the results. Teachers can run a Parent Report for any of the Star tests. Often teachers share this information during a parent/teacher conference.


Overview of Programs and Curriculum
The curricula used for the 2020-2021 school year are:
Worship KidStyle Preschool Curriculum (Bible and Worship Based Curriculum)
FunShine Express Buttercups (Ages 0-36 Months)
FunShine Express Fireflies (Ages 3-5 Years)
Your child will enjoy learning using Fireflies and Butter Cups Early Learning Curricula from FunShine Express! This curriculum system is a professionally designed Early Learning program for young children. Lesson plans encompass all areas of a child’s development: language, cognitive, physical, and social. Children learn best through interacting with their environment and FunShine Curriculum activities are designed with that in mind. They will help us prepare your children for a bright future and have fun along the way!
Language and Literacy Development
We ensure all our students either read as a group with their teacher, read on their own, or both! We keep a variety of age and development appropriate books in each classroom and encourage the students to pick up and read through them at their own pace during free play. Our teachers review the alphabet with all students throughout the day and our older students also work on sight words as part of their daily curriculum. From learning to hold writing instruments, to writing their name, to journaling, our students also develop exceptional language arts skills.
Social and Emotional Development
Keeping our class sizes well-sized and within a student-teacher ratio appropriate for each age group, your child is able to receive personalized attention from their teacher while developing his or her social skills and emotional well-being. Using a variety of techniques like team-oriented exercises, individual projects, and free play, our center’s children develop their social skills while also honing their individualism. We feel non-physical and constructive discipline is a crucial part of enhancing a child’s behavior. Our parents, teachers, and administrative staff work together to help our center’s children develop self-control, responsibility, and alternatives to poor behavior.
Physical Development and Wellness
Your child’s physical development is just as important as their cognitive development. This is why we ensure our center’s children spend a portion of their day engaged in physical activity. Not only do we have two outdoor play areas, one for children under four years old and one for our four and five year olds, we also have an indoor activity room with plenty of space from physical activity. All our classrooms have a designated open area to allow plenty of space to stretch and active play stations to keep children moving while learning.
We believe arts and crafts play an important role in cognitive development. To support this growth function, children have access to arts and crafts every day. Through either structured or free play, they can draw, color, paint, decoupage and more! An additional aspect of creative expression and development which we strive to support: we display artwork in the classrooms and center to foster their sense of accomplishment and confidence.
Partnerships: CCAA, DSS, Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, PFE, Harnett County
For more information about the program as a whole:
The Buttercups curriculum is a program for Ages 0 - 36 Months. With lessons covering everything from gross and fine motor skills to music and sensory experiences, these kits consist of new daily lesson plans complete with supplementary elements for each child and plenty of materials to take home! Tailored for the infant and toddler years, this program directly correlates to the program for our 3-5 year old students. This means, even if you have multiple children of varying ages in our center, they will be able to relate and communicate with each other regarding their daily learning experiences!
The Fireflies curriculum is an adaptable program for children ages 3–5 years old. With a focus in research and evidence-based learning, these kits strive to make learning something about which your child will get excited! Each month, new non-repetitive kits will be delivered to the center, complete with supplementary materials, teacher materials, and even coordinated assessments. You will always be up to date and knowledgeable about your child's learning experience thanks to included materials like the Funshine Express monthly educational newsletter (There also is a newsletter for the Buttercups curriculum).
We have established partnerships with enrichment programs in sports, arts, and language. Through the programs below, your child can participate in extracurricular activities without you needing to rush and transport them around town. All partners come to our facility and operate in our auxiliary activities room. Your child can have fun and expand their abilities while staying in our secure and monitored facility.


Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great scholar, academician, and reformer born on 26th September 1820 in Birsingha Village of district Midnapor (now in Paschim Medinipur), West Bengal. His father Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and mother Bhagavati Devi were very religious persons. Due to the poor economical conditions of his family Vidyasagar struggle with poverty throughout his childhood.
After complete his elementary education at his village school at the age of eight, his father took him to Calcutta(Kolkata) and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar learned English numbers by following the milestones labels on his way to Calcutta. Ishwar Chandra was a brilliant student. His quest for knowledge was so intense that he used to study on street light as it was not possible for him to afford a gas lamp at home. He cleared all the examinations with excellence and in quick succession. He received the title "Vidyasagar" (in Sanskrit vidya means knowledge and Sagar means ocean, i.e., Ocean of knowledge) from Sanskrit College, Calcutta (from where he graduated), due to his excellent performance in Sanskrit studies and philosophy.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is considered one of the pillars of the Bengal renaissance. In other words, he managed to continue the reform movement that was started by Raja Rammohan Roy. Vidyasagar was a well-known writer, intellectual, and above all a staunch follower of humanity. He brought a revolution to the education system of Bengal. In his book, "Barno-Porichoy" (Introduction to the letter), Vidyasagar refined the Bengali language and made it accessible to the common strata of the society. He has authored several books like Betaal Panchabinsati, Bangala-r Itihaas, Jeebancharit, Bodhadoy, Upakramanika, Bidhaba Bibaha Bishayak Prostab, Borno porichoy, Kotha mala, Sitar Bonobas.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar initiated the concept of widow remarriage and raised concern for the abolition of child marriage and polygamy. He also opened the doors of the colleges and other educational institutions to lower caste students, which was earlier reserved only for the Brahmins. For his immense generosity and kind-heartedness, people started addressing him as "Dayar Sagar" (ocean of kindness).
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great scholar, academician, and reformer passed away on 29 July 1891 at the age of 70 years. After his death, Rabindranath Tagore said, "One wonders how God, in the process of producing forty million Bengalis, produced a man".
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Editor's Note: This blog was previously published, we're re-sharing it as part of our 'Best of' series, a look back at some of our most popular blogs.
By Dr. Geraldine Haggard, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, Guest Blogger
Striving readers in the upper elementary grades face the challenge of growing as readers and writers, while content areas become more difficult. If you're looking for ways to combine language arts and content area reading practice, keep reading. Today's blog post will help you foster student ownership and a love of reading among your striving readers.
Personal Experience with Sparking a Love of Reading
For a year and a half, I helped a fifth-grader in hourly sessions, but before the tutoring began, I studied the child's writing samples, assessed reading aloud, and studied the analysis of her state test scores based on the Common Core State Standards. I selected biographies (Hameray's Inspire! collection has a fantastic selection of individuals), and used books she was reading at school, as well as other reading materials that supported content area learning. We started reading practice at a grade four reading level. Some sessions were based on homework assignments that required writing. The student had a journal that allowed her to practice writing to improve vocabulary, use graphic organizers, and write about inferences and follow-up thinking. A lot of work was done with determining the main idea and summarizing, Multiple syllabled words were analyzed and affixes were addressed. A year later, her sixth-grade reading test score showed she had made significant progress and showed she was ready for the next year's grade level.
Ideas for Students to Take Ownership in Their Learning
Students need to have opportunities to brainstorm what they already know and need to know before they read. When they discuss their prior knowledge about a text in small groups and large groups, encourage them to also explore how it applies to the learning they need to do.
Vocabulary introduction and verbal use of it is essential. The glossary and table of contents are very useful nonfiction text features to engage striving readers in upper elementary grades. They can benefit from multiple uses of these features to help them use the information to answer questions as they review the text. Vocabulary study can include context clues and multi-meaning of words. Writing the main ideas of paragraphs can help kids summarize and can be engaging when they use graphic organizers. You can use the students’ journals to monitor writing growth and do a follow-up with individual or small group proofing.
Your students need to have daily opportunities to read at their independent levels. They will also benefit from teachers who read a narrative text in a dramatic way as a means of modeling and encouraging reading with expressions during guided reading. Fluency is essential to good comprehension as the text gets more difficult.
Reflections on Supporting Literacy Development of Older Elementary Students
After teaching fourth grade for twelve years, I found it helpful for the students to see charts containing the social studies and science vocabulary that can be used as a sponge activity when there is a small bit of time. I also found some of the narrative and informational big books extremely useful for content-area shared reading. These books introduce vocabulary and are designed to invite questioning and discussion.
I also recommend improving family engagement by consistently sharing strengths and areas of improvement of their children. The need for a lot of reading on the independent levels of their students can be emphasized as well. If you'd like to read some ideas to encourage family literacy, you may want to read the following blog posts:
As always, visit our blog soon for more ideas to use with your students.
Dr. Geraldine Haggard is a retired teacher, Reading Recovery teacher leader, author, and university teacher. She spent thirty-seven years in the Plano, TX school system. She currently tutors, chairs a committee that gifts books to low-income students, and serves as a facilitator in a program for grieving children. If you like what you read here, you can enjoy more from Dr. Haggard elsewhere on our blog.


A differentiated, small-group, word study program provides students with the foundation for establishing important reading skills. Every group of students receives quality instruction matched to their reading stage, and instruction can be paced to accommodate the needs of beginning and struggling readers. Assessment is ongoing, and directly linked to instruction, so you can track students’ progress.
The human brain is wired to be a “pattern connector,” and providing opportunities for students to explore and manipulate word patterns can make them better writers and readers. Word study work supports not only spelling and writing ability, but helps students decode unfamiliar words while reading (Cunningham, 2004).
Word study activities call for active problem solving, and have the goal of teaching not just individual words, but word knowledge. Students are encouraged to look for spelling patterns, form hypotheses, predict outcomes, and test their predictions. Such activities require students to continually ask themselves, “What do I know about this new word, and how is it similar to words that I already know?” By implementing this student-centered approach, teachers can help support the literacy development of all students in their elementary classroom (Williams, Phillips-Birdsong, Hufnagel, Hungler, & Lundstrom, 2009).
A differentiated, small-group, word study program provides students with the foundation for establishing important reading skills. Every group of students receives quality instruction matched to their reading stage, and instruction can be paced to accommodate the needs of beginning and struggling readers. Assessment is ongoing, and directly linked to instruction, so you can track students’ progress. A word study program, taught in a systematic way, builds spelling, writing, and decoding skills. Implementing a successful word study program begins with assessing students’ word knowledge and based on these results, creating small homogeneous groups. Group instruction targets specific orthographic word features. To facilitate effective classroom management, word study and small group routines are taught and practiced. Word study lessons, sorts, activities, and homework are prepared. Activities within a weekly schedule consist of an introductory teacher-directed activity (in small groups and with buddies), followed by word sorts that are based on specific characteristics such as vowel-consonant-vowel, and word-list activities. Valuable homework may include a duplicate set of word cards sent home with a calendar of activities Weekly Word Study Homework Ideas: Grades1-3; Grades 3-5.
Daily writing activities (shared, interactive, and independent) can provide valuable cues about students’ word study progress. As students become more confident in their word skills, they take more responsibility toward spelling and writing as they develop valuable decoding skills (Williams, Phillips-Birdsong, Hufnagel, Hungler, & Lundstrom, 2009). Motivation and confidence soar, and students become engaged and enthused “Word Workers.”
Words Their Way and companion word sort volumes contain a complete curriculum of reproducible word sorts and detailed directions for the teacher working with students at various literacy stages.
Word Journeys: Assessment-Guided Phonics, Spelling and Vocabulary Instruction includes tools for assessment of children’s spelling and word knowledge abilities, and offers effective instruction at different literacy stages including word sorts, and a list of over 1,000 words arranged by sound, pattern and related features.
Cunningham, P. (2004). Phonics they use: Words for reading and writing. New York: Longman.
Williams, C., Phillips-Birdsong, C., Hufnagel, K., Hungler, D., & Lundstrom, R. (2009). Word study instruction in the K-2 classroom. The Reading Teacher, 62(7), 570-578.


Literacy Intervention for Grades 5–12
LANGUAGE! Live® is a comprehensive literacy intervention for struggling students in grades 5–12. With a blended approach, LANGUAGE! Live’s instruction reinforces the literacy foundations students need while strategically using authentic text to engage and accelerate them to grade-level proficiency.
Believe Literacy is Possible
According to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, 66% of eighth-grade students performed at basic or below-basic reading levels. In order to help adolescent learners improve their literacy skills, Dr. Louisa Moats, renowned author and literacy expert in the science of reading, designed an age-appropriate, effective solution incorporating research-proven principles of literacy instruction to create LANGUAGE! Live.
By combining the power of technology with teacher-led scaffolded instruction, LANGUAGE! Live provides a safe environment for students to receive the intensive intervention needed to reinforce foundational skills and acquire language comprehension skills. LANGUAGE! Live is built on the science of reading and activates the Reading Brain. It aims to promote at least a two-year gain in grade-level reading, helping students access more complex texts, acquire a wider and deeper vocabulary, and become more knowledgeable about their world.
LANGUAGE! Live is exclusively designed for adolescent students and provides age-appropriate and age-respectful content that appeals to their lifestyles, interests, and self-worth.
The most powerful resource in the classroom is the teacher. The accompanying texts empower teachers with explicit instruction and just-in-time strategies and resources to reinforce and extend student learning. Online, teachers have access to data to review students' progress and provide feedback to address individual student needs.
As a research-based, structured literacy intervention, educators can make data-driven decisions to challenge students and accelerate them to grade-level proficiency.
Louisa Moats, Ed.D., author of LANGUAGE! Live
LANGUAGE! Live was developed by internationally renowned literacy expert Louisa Moats, Ed.D., lead author of LETRS® and author of many influential scientific journal articles, books, and policy papers on the topics of reading, spelling, language, and teacher preparation.
LANGUAGE! Live embodies research about struggling adolescent readers, effective instruction, and the most advantageous use of online learning. Read the LANGUAGE! Live Research Foundation to learn how we help adolescent students keep up with the accelerating demands of the global knowledge economy.
LANGUAGE! Live fosters growth with Text Training, which builds on students' foundational skills. Teacher-led instruction helps students advance with better vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and, unlike other programs, extensive writing practice. Watch this video to see how Text Training is used in the classroom to facilitate student progression.
Online Word Training addresses foundational skills lost or missed in earlier grades. It includes phonics, spelling, sentence structure, and fluency. Mastering these skills lets students advance with more confidence and ease. Watch this video to learn more about Word Training.
Supporting students with dyslexia
LANGUAGE! Live follows the Structured Literacy approach recommended by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and provides explicit, systematic, and cumulative foundational reading skill instruction for dyslexia intervention. Watch this video to see how it helped Dylan succeed.
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Get in Touch
Talk to one of our experts to learn more about how LANGUAGE! Live can support your school.


Child Speech, Language and Literacy Development, difficulties and disorders
The child speech and language section will offer a comprehensive library of information, activities and programs for children with normal communication, communication disorder or delay, and special needs.
For children with normally developing speech, language and communication skills we provide information, activities, games and programs to enhance these skills, and practical things parents can do everyday to facilitate their child’s communication and learning. There is also a comprehensive set of milestones to measure your child’s progress. Click here to go to the Child Development Section.
Disorders and Delay of Speech, Language, Literacy and Hearing
Some children have a communication delay or a disorder that does not allow them to communicate effectively. This can very frustrating and have an impact on their learning and social interaction. This section covers speech, language and literacy difficulties and disorders, and hearing impairment. Click here to go to the Speech, Language, Literacy and Hearing Difficulties Section.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
The diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder appears to be increasing and many people have little or no knowledge about the condition. Our Autism Section contains information, strategies and activities that can be used with autistic children to facilitate and improve communication and behaviour. Click here to go to the Autism Sectrum Disorder Section.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. Our Dyslexia section will focus on the causes of Dyslexia and reading difficulties and provide information, strategies and activities to improve your child’s reading and spelling. Click here to go to the Dyslexia Section.
Children with Special Needs
The Special Needs section will focus on children that have more complex difficulties with many aspects of communication. This section also has a heavy emphasis on the Total Communication approach which tries to find any and every way possible to enhance communication using a range on communicative tools. Click here to go the Children with Special Needs Section.


500th Anniversary of the Sistine Chapel Preparations in Rome
(PRWEB) October 19, 2010
Vatican City and the city of Rome are preparing for what could be the greatest event in modern history – the 500th Anniversary of the Sistine Chapel. Restorations of Michelangelo’s architectural projects are underway, and new sign-boards in Italian and English are being placed all over Rome where Michelangelo was involved in the art or architecture of a building or church.
Best Tours of Rome, a cooperative group of American, Canadian and English secular and art historians, also recognize the importance of this historical event, and are preparing a special series of tours to help travelers to Rome. There was already a huge emphasis on Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel before, and now, with the 500th anniversary approaching, these historians see an ever more pressing need to teach and direct tourists.
“I received all of my formal education here”, one American guide stated. “I know that 95% of us are not given a decent art education in the States, and it’s important to have that – just like parks are essential for the well-being of those living in a city, so also good art is necessary for our growth and development.”
Michelangelo Buonarroti was born outside of Florence in the year 1475. His mother died when he was still young, and his father was not initially enthusiastic about his career choice.
“What we try to do also is explain to students – it’s not about justifying disobedience – it’s about doing hard work, giving 150% to a difficult project and completing it.”
Michelangelo was a tremendously important artist in four different art styles – Early and Late Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque. He actually started the Baroque style of architecture, but Gian Lorenzo Bernini will get most of the credit, about 50 years after Michelangelo.
As another historian explains, “Raphael did in fact sneak into the Sistine Chapel before the ceiling was completed, and copied what he saw. He recognized the importance of Michelangelo’s work before it was even completed. It’s a competitive world, but then, Raphael painted Michelangelo’s image in one of his own paintings.”
Who are the “Best Tours of Rome” group?
“Some of us came to Rome to study sciences like philosophy or theology and, being surrounded by such an intense and varied collection of art, realized there was more to life than we had imagined.”
Others arrived here already with their degree in hand, and recognized Rome as the best place to practice what they had learned.
What they all realize is a tremendous need to properly educate the masses. “We have to educate, and we also have to entertain. There is a fine balance between the two. A lot of people don’t realize that, and a lot of guides, unfortunately, don’t have the full picture, either. There is a tremendously beautiful culture here waiting to be discovered. We shouldn’t allow anyone to distract us with ‘Dan Brown’ style stories – half truth and half lies – at the expense of truth.”
Any tips on preparing for a trip to Rome?
“What I’m suggesting is that people should get to Rome now, if they plan on coming, before the big splash – 2013. The cost of travel and hotels are better during the off season, and I expect prices to rise for the 2013 celebrations.”
“Also, come during the off-season (November – skip Christmas – then, from January 8th until a week before Easter). Think about when Americans would never travel – Thanksgiving, for example.”
“Michelangelo painted a ceiling in a private chapel five-hundred years ago, and people are still talking about it today. It’s important to know why, and we are one of the few native English speaking groups that can answer those questions.”


Fun activities for home
Out ‘n’ About:
Number Plate Recognition: When out walking you can look at different cars number plates. This will support your child’s number and letter recognition.
Food Shop: Children love responsibility so why not get them to write a shopping list with you. Then pop to the supermarket and ask them to count out the fruit and vegetables you need etc.
Shopping: When paying with money, ask your child to help. Talk to them about the coins you need or the numbers on the notes. Great for an introduction into basic money!
Road Sign Hunt: On walks and adventures, have a game of who can spot the most road signs. You could discuss what they mean and look at what shapes the signs are. This supports children’s understanding of their local environment and shape recognition.
Car Karaoke: Not only does singing make you feel great but can also support children’s rhythm and rhyme. Both are important skills to support their early reading development. So why not have some fun and get belting out those favourite tunes and nursery rhymes!
Marshmallow Gloop: Want to be like Spiderman… well put marshmallows and washing up liquid into a glass bowl. Place in the microwave for 30 secs a time until the ingredients are combined and you have stretchy gloop. Allow to cool for a minute and then let the play and fun commence!
Cooking: Baking and cooking provide excellent opportunities to support children’s mathematical development. You can explore weights, quantities, measurements, time and number recognition.
Story Time!: Reading stories together not only provides you with quality time but supports your child’s reading and literacy development. If you can spend just 10 minutes a day reading to your child you can make a huge difference on their development and learning! During the story you can ask your child to predict what they think might happen and discuss how the characters might be feeling. It also provides a great opportunity for them to recall key points in the story, therefore building up memory skills. For more information on the importance of books and storytelling in the early years plus resources check out the National Literacy Trust


Whether you’ve just enrolled your child in trombone lessons for the very first time or they’re back in lessons after taking an extended break, excelling at an instrument takes more than just showing up for lessons–it takes practicing, maintenance, and plenty of communication between you, your child, and your child’s music teacher. With tips that apply to both trombone students and their parents, you can make sure your trombone lessons are worth the financial and personal investment.
Take Lessons in a Professional Environment
Some parents enroll their children in trombone lessons that take place in a less-than-professional environment to save a couple bucks. Sure, you may be saving money, but you aren’t doing yourself or your child any favors in the long run. Learning the trombone isn’t only about finding a teacher that’s qualified, it’s about finding an environment that’s focused on music education. In a professional learning environment, your child won’t be distracted by outside influences. Whether your child takes lessons in a professional lesson studio or in a school classroom, the space in which they learn should be conducive to learning, otherwise their progression will be slow.
Practice Makes Perfect
You’re probably familiar with this saying, and if you think about it, it’s so popular because it’s actually true. Finding a quality trombone and enrolling your child in music lessons is only half the battle–providing a good practice space and actually motivating your child to practice is a whole other beast. From having the right equipment to making sure their practice space is quiet, well ventilated, brightly lit, and free from distraction, making their practice space as comfortable as possible is key. Although most musicians are comfortable practicing between 30 minutes and an hour a day, your child’s practicing needs may differ. For an idea on how long your child should be practicing their trombone, ask your child’s teacher for advice. When they do practice, make sure their practice time is focused and includes a warm up.
Private vs. Group Lessons
Which type of lesson model you choose depends on a variety of factors, including the age of your child and their level of study. Older students who have been playing the trombone for a few years typically fare better in private lessons, while younger students who don’t know a thing about music theory should be fine in a group atmosphere. Again, this is a situation where you’d need to speak with your child’s teacher for advice on which may be the better choice for them. In private lessons, a student can learn at their own pace–if your child struggles to keep up in school, there’s a good chance they’ll struggle in group lessons. Plus, in the course of an hour, your child is the primary focus of the teacher, not the 5-10 other students in the classroom. There are pros and cons to each, but in most cases private lessons are recommended.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
As a parent, it’s perfectly natural to have tons of questions for your child’s new trombone teacher. Whether you’re curious about their rates or need some clarification on their teaching methods, your child’s music teacher should make themselves available to answer every single one of their questions. If they’re dodging your phone calls or can never come up with a straight answer, you may want to start the search over and find a different teacher altogether. Your child’s trombone teacher should be your personal resource for all things piano. If you find yourself researching the ins and outs of the trombone, why not just ask the real-life person standing in front of you? Keep a list of questions that pop up during the week, and ask these questions the next time you see your child’s teacher. Encourage your child to do the same!
Don’t Let Your Child Give Up
As a parent, there’s a fine line between encouraging your child to keep playing the trombone and forcing them to do so. If your child finds regular practice a chore, do everything you possibly can to make them see things differently. Take them to your local high school football team’s after-school practice, and make sure they understand that all athletes, musicians, and artists didn’t get to where they are today without a whole lot of practicing. If your child seems really unhappy, try to find the cause. Are they having issues with their teacher? Are they in group lessons but want more one-on-one time with their instructor? Ultimately, it’s up to you and your child to decide when to throw in the towel. Just don’t let them make the mistake of giving up too quickly.


The best way to explain how important art is is by showing you example of one or two art activities. You can see for yourselves how beneficial art education is to kids development. In one of our classes children were asked to paint with feet.
kids had to figure out how not to use hands- PROBLEM SOLVING
they were doing something out of ordinary – RISK TAKING;
by deciding to do this activity, which was very unusual for them, they improove their CRITICAL THINKING and DECISION MAKING SKILLS;
using new (to them) materials or techniques and even picking their own colours spikes up their CREATIVE THINKING;
using toes, feet, balancing their bodies and trying to paint at the same time improves MOTOR SKILLS;
“I can do it” , “he also can do it” – doing new and crazy activities together shows children that there is more than one way to look at the world. They are starting to be more OPEN-MINDED to other ideas and possibilities;
plus working together, having fun, solving problems together brings them closer – builds up FRIENDSHIP, BREAKS RACIAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS, builds TEAMWORK and COMMUNITY SPIRIT;
by creating something kids learn about their own capabilities and builds up CONFIDENCE and pride in themselves – SELF – AWARENESS;
art is a great tool to SELF EXPRESSION – kids may not be able to name their feelings but art makes them happy and when they are happy they feel safe and confident enough to EXPRESS THEMSELVES;
creating requires focus and sometimes stillness which RELAXES children, CALMS them down, and it is a great way to deal with stress and anxiety;
kids also widen their vocabulary by talking about art, describing their own creations, which is LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT;
most importantly art is a fantastic alternative to xbox, play station or tv 🙂
It's only fair to share...
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ― Pablo Picasso


NIPUN BHARAT Launch: Mission aims to cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years
4 weeks ago
To ensure that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27, Union Minister for Education, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today virtually launched a National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat). On this occasion, a short video, anthem, and NIPUN Bharat Guidelines were also launched.
NIPUN BHARAT was launched in the presence of Minister of State, Shri Sanjay Dhotre, Smt. Anita Karwal, Secretary (SE&L), senior officers from the Ministry, all States and UTs, Senior Policy Makers, and Heads of Institutions.
While addressing, Union Education minister Shri Pokhriyal said that NIPUN Bharat aims to cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years. He said that teachers need to focus on every child for developing basic language; literacy and numeracy skills which will help them develop into better readers and writers. Thus, NIPUN Bharat envisages making the experience of learning at the foundational stage Holistic, Integrated, Inclusive, Enjoyable, and Engaging. He also informed that an approval of Rs 2688.18 crore has already been given under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to the States and UTs for implementation of the various interventions for the Foundational Stage in 2021-22.
NIPUN BHARAT, a national mission has been launched to focus on providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling; teacher capacity building; development of high quality and diversified Student and Teacher Resources/Learning Materials; and tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes.
NIPUN Bharat will not only help our students to take a big leap in their higher classes, but it will also have a major impact in making our students globally competitive, said Sanjay Dhotre.


Literacy has traditionally been thought of as reading and writing. Although these are essential components of literacy, today our understanding of literacy encompasses much more. Alberta Education defines literacy as the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with language to acquire, construct and communicate meaning in all aspects of daily living. Language is explained as a socially and culturally constructed system of communication.
From the moment child is born, his or her literacy journey begins. Children’s literacy abilities are nurtured through their families and communities. Examples are
As children enter the school system, there is a strong focus on the development of reading and writing skills. Children engage in learning opportunities that have them interacting with many different forms of text, in print and digital forms, using words, visuals and graphics. Students begin to learn
As students move through the school system, they continue to refine all of their foundational skills as they explore a wider variety of texts and technologies. The vast amounts of information that are available through both print and the Internet and the ability to communicate with wide and varied audiences around the globe have expanded the ways our students read and communicate. Literacy for our students today also means preparing them to be critical and ethical consumers of information.
Literacy development does not take place in just the Language Arts classroom. It is a shared responsibility among all educators. Although specific knowledge and skills are taught primarily in Language Arts, every subject area teacher is responsible for further developing, strengthening and enhancing literacy. Every subject area has its own unique literacy demands. Content area teachers know their subject matter and their programs of study. They are aware of the literacy requirements of their subject and understand that it is through literacy that meaning is made within their subject area content. Students need to be taught how to read different kinds of text, write and express themselves in the formats associated with each subject, and use content-specific vocabulary.
Literacy development occurs not only in school but in every aspect of daily life. We interact with others when we have a conversation. We read maps, advertisements, newspapers, recipes, manuals and websites. We analyze and interpret vast amount of media information. We write poems, songs, reports, blogs, and emails. Literacy opens the door to the world.


Historical information provided by The Jim Henson Company Archivist:
According to Jocelyn Stevenson (co-creator and writer for Fraggle Rock), around 1980, she and Jim had dinner with record producer Milt Okun who mentioned that there was no general music education material for middle school children and thought the Muppets might take it on. Jim, an appreciator of all types of music, agreed and the Muppet music project went into development with Jocelyn at the lead. The original plan was very ambitious and was to include a series of videos, a television special, audio cassettes, books and even a specially-designed musical instrument. Research was done, meetings were held, but the project moved to the back burner for several years.
In 1987, the project was resurrected in the form of a television series, The Ghost of Faffner Hall with characters designed by Ron Mueck. Each episode featured a story about the ghost Fughetta Faffner in her great English mansion and her friends Mimi, Riff and the Wild Impresario as they attempted to foil the nefarious Farkas. Underneath each storyline was a music curriculum developed by Professor John Paynter, Head of the Department of Music at the University of York and his colleague, composer and music educator R. Murray Schafer. The puppet action was interrupted by live-action inserts featuring a wide variety of musicians and their work. Each episode featured two to four musical guests ranging from Dizzy Gillespie and Bobby McFerrin to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Los Lobos.
A co-production of Henson Associates and Tyne Tees Television, The Ghost of Faffner Hall was taped at Tyne Tees studio, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. In the US, the thirteen episodes aired on HBO in the fall of 1989. Though short-lived, the series had some universal and timeless themes: music is communication, music has the power to transform, and anyone can make music.


Our vision for Mathematics at Birchwood
The Birchwood Journey to Mastery of Mathematics empowers children to become
- Creative, Independent and critical thinkers
- Dynamic problem-solvers
- Effective communicators
Mathematics is at the core of our curriculum and taught daily by highly skilled teachers.
So why is maths so important to us?
Mathematics is a creative, dynamic and highly inter-connected discipline. It is essential to our society and critical to areas of our lives that we completely depend on like medicine, technology and finance.
We use numeracy every day in all areas of our lives, often without realising. Our confidence and ability with numbers impacts us socially and professionally as we grow into adulthood. It even affects our health and wellbeing. We now know that low numeracy levels in children at school usually equates to low numeracy skills in adulthood and this contributes to a number of factors affecting lives – from unemployment to health implications.
Further to the examples of maths in everyday life, there are even more benefits to being numerate. Not least our ability to spend wisely, be on time, and to work out multiple life decisions each day. On top of that there are, of course, careers where maths is incredibly useful and often necessary.
There are jobs which use maths in more traditional and obvious ways – architecture, science, computer programming, accountancy and so on.
But also there are careers which rely on maths which may not be so obvious – sportsmen and women who calculate distance and speed, as well as angles and trajectory; and carpenters and builders for whom a miscalculation could cost them a job or their business.
Data also suggests that the higher your numeracy skill set, the higher your chance of earning significantly more, and whilst money is not the origin of happiness, we know that it can give children considerably more options to enjoy all that life has to offer.
So how do we ensure our students get the opportunity to enjoy the many skills that mathematics has to offer?
First and foremost, we ensure children experience the full national curriculum in a small steps approach where ALL students build a deep and sustained knowledge of key stage 2 mathematics. We believe that this knowledge provides the foundations children need to have the confidence and ability to flourish at secondary school and beyond.
However, we look even deeper than this, recognising that there are certain qualities nurtured by mathematics which helps our mathematicians not just to understand, but to use mathematics to create clarity from the chaos of the world around. These include the power of reasoning, creativity, abstract or spatial thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving and even effective communication skills.
These skills thread throughout our entire mathematics curriculum, and children use our classrooms as safe spaces to practice these skills from the moment they begin in year 3, to the moment they have mastered them in year 6.
In our ‘how we teach’ page, you will see just how explicitly we offer these skills throughout your child’s maths journey at Birchwood.


By Kennedy Oulu, a Research and evaluation expert, and MEL Mentor for RELI Tanzania.
While you were in COVID-19 Lockdowns, learning indicators in Tanzania evolved.
So, while you were in ‘lockdown’, we identified the following emergence in priority learning indicators which may help inform responses in other East African countries which are now re-opening schools.
Learning loss or gain? There is significant learning loss especially in foundational literacy and numeracy skills, which can be measured through UWEZO learning assessment frameworks, by benchmarking previous assessment before covid-19 and immediately when schools re-open. They can also track learning gains.
LifeSkills critical? While pre-service teacher-training is not yet aligned to the competence-based curriculum, in-service teachers struggle to shift their teaching methods. Efforts are focused on changing teacher pedagogies to be child centred and inclusive, however school reopening forced teachers to complete the curriculum, making it impossible to centre on the child when teachers had to teach to the exam.
Child safeguarding and resilience? Children, especially girls and children with disability were the hardest hit, with a proliferation of violence and abuse against children during -the pandemic school closure. It turned out that it is not only schools that are unsafe, homes are even worse. Beside the actual violence and abuse, the psychosocial effects and how it manifests itself in children learning are yet to be given serious thought. Whereas children are taught, teachers (and indeed parents) need skills to understand and provide psychosocial care to children, to build resilience and sustain meaningful lifelong learning.
Community/parental engagement in learning? When covid-19 took the school and teacher from the child, communities (and parents) not only realized that they have a role, but also that the child has a lot to learn from the parent. Engagement of communities in a way that builds their skills and responsibility to support children learning at home and school became urgent.
Structural deficiencies exist, and accountability for the right to education is a must. We realized that governments are ill-prepared. The curriculum resources were not tech-accessible, policies to expel pregnant girls from school remained and mechanisms for community and home learning had not even crossed our minds. Policies, investments and access to quality learning must be a priority.
Not that we have learned yet, but I do hope that we are forced to learn.