SENCER E-Newsletter, December 2005, Volume 5, Issue 4
Mercer Education and Science Majors Connect During National Chemistry Week
Laura Blinderman and Helen Tanzini, Mercer County Community College, New Jersey
A group of 8 faculty from Mercer County Community College attended the 2005 SENCER Institute. The inclusion of the Education department chair in our group of math, technology, and science faculty led to a number of brainstorming sessions on strengthening interdisciplinary connections. The beautiful weather and stimulating intellectual environment combined to open our minds to new ideas and collaborations. One idea was put into action during National Chemistry Week (October 16 – 22). Mercer County Community College education, chemistry, and biology majors teamed up to bring interactive chemistry experiments to elementary schools in Mercer County. Our students led a series of 45
minute events with faculty present for support. Mercer students engaged children in grades 2- 5 in combining polyacrylate and water to make artificial snow, the science behind long chain molecules affectionately called "bouncy balls" (cornstarch, glue and borax), examining the ability of crushed Tums antacid and vinegar to inflate a balloon, and making glitter slime from polyvinyl alcohol. Over 750 children in 5 schools were guided by 32 Mercer students and faculty.
Making artificial snow is not the type of unsolved public issue that SENCER activities usually address. For a 3rd grader, the "aha" moment of realizing that the snow in movies is not real snow, but something produced by chemistry opens a new way of thinking about science and the power of chemistry to address problems. The young children who participated in the event were stimulated to think about chemistry. We know this from the questions they asked which included:
Can the inflated balloon make the flask underneath float?
Could enough vinegar and Tums make a human float?
Can the snow be blown around by a fan to create a snowstorm?
Can you come back every day with a new experiment?
The Mercer students handed out age-appropriate chemistry newsletters and complementary moles and quickly realized something important about teaching; that to describe how the furry animal is a symbol of amount of a substance containing the same number of chemical units as there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12 (6.023 X 1023) is beyond the limitations of a 45 minute interactive presentation in an elementary school!
Aspects of SENCER addressed by Chemistry Week activities include; promoting civic engagement in our students, allowing students to apply course work to real world situations, developing interconnectedness between the classroom and the local community, and connecting education and science majors in a joint project.
The integration of education majors with advanced Science majors is interesting to us, because these are two groups of students who would not normally mix in their science courses. Most education majors take the SENCER course, Biological Science Concepts, while science majors take the 4 credit comprehensive biology and chemistry courses. Scientific literacy is a prominent component of our newly revised general education policy. It is particularly important for elementary education majors to have positive science experiences because they are the science teachers in K – 6. They play a direct role in stimulating the scientists of the future and also in insuring that children who pursue non-science disciplines have positive science experiences. National Chemistry Week activities also give science majors a sneak peak at what it's like to teach. Some students find that they excel at bringing science to the lay community. It is our hope that some of our science majors will consider teaching as a profession as a result of their experiences in the classroom.
The Mercer event was spearheaded by SENCER alum Helen Tanzini (chemistry), and participated in by alumni Laura Blinderman (biology), Marianne Reynolds (education), and Bruce Chorba (Biology). National Chemistry week is sponsored by the Trenton Section of the American Chemical Society (Chemistry.org and American Chemical Society - Trenton Section )
Marianne Reynolds, Chair of the Education Department summarized the event by saying, "In the classrooms, the enthusiastic reaction of the children and my students' experience with lesson planning and teaching techniques produced a successful result. Not only were the children turned on to chemistry, but my future teachers now look forward to teaching science in their elementary classrooms, too."


Temmerman, Nita (2004) Student voices. In: Artistic Practice as Research: 25th Annual Conference of the Australian Association of Research in Music Education, 27-30 Sep 2003, Brisbane, Australia.
This paper is premised on two broad interrelated assumptions. First, that the student voice is worth
listening to; and second, that students’ perceptions about what they learn in classroom music sessions are valuable sources of information for teachers in the development and evaluation of both musical programs and musical learning.
Three groups of primary aged students aged between seven and nine, were asked to share by way of personal writings, their perceptions about what they learnt in their classroom music program. The purpose was twofold, namely: (1) to determine the extent to which students described their learning in musical and non-musical ways; and (2) to gauge the match between student perceptions about what learning took place and teacher expectations. This paper focuses on the former.
It was found that students invariably describe their musical learning in terms of activities they engaged in
each week, rather than in terms of the musical concepts being covered; and written reflections consistently
integrated musical and non-musical learning.
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|Item Type:||Conference or Workshop Item (Commonwealth Reporting Category E) (Paper)|
|Item Status:||Live Archive|
|Depositing User:||Professor Nita Temmerman|
|Faculty / Department / School:||Historic - Faculty of Education|
|Date Deposited:||08 Jun 2007|
|Last Modified:||02 Jul 2013 22:46|
|Uncontrolled Keywords:||music education; musical learning; music curriculum|
|Fields of Research (FoR):||17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170103 Educational Psychology
13 Education > 1301 Education Systems > 130105 Primary Education (excl. Maori)
13 Education > 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy > 130201 Creative Arts, Media and Communication Curriculum and Pedagogy
|Socio-Economic Objective (SEO):||C Society > 93 Education and Training > 9301 Learner and Learning > 930102 Learner and Learning Processes|
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When a person is sick a doctor makes a diagnosis based on the unique needs of the individual. The doctor seeks to strike the right balance of treatments in order to bring the patient to a place of wholeness and wellness. The doctor begins this process by asking the question, “Exactly what is wrong with my patient?” The answer to this question is the diagnosis which will drive and dictate what will be prescribed.
When a parent or caregiver analyzes a child’s reading problems he/she is much like a doctor making a diagnosis. Adults caring for children have valuable knowledge about how the child learns and can evaluate needs with specificity. The child may need interventions, basic support, enrichment or all of the above. To determine what is needed, one must consider what is (and what is not) working for the reader. Once the diagnosis is made, the appropriate prescription can be written, and the problem can undergo correction.
The specific nature of reading problems can be revealed by taking a look at the common causes of reading difficulties. Listed here are the types of reading difficulties defined under Step 1: Diagnose. Click on the these links to learn more about these common reading problems:
Child Needs Glasses?
Child Needs Vision Therapy?
Child is Not Ready to Read?
Child Needs Phonics Instruction?
Child Needs Sight Word Instruction?
Child Needs Fluency Instruction?
Child Needs Comprehension Help?
Child Needs Schema Building?
Child Needs Appropriate Reading Material?
Go to Step 2: Prescribe to write a prescription for addressing your child's reading problems.
Go to Step 3: Correct to learn about reading approaches that will correct your child's reading problems.
Remember that parents and caregivers spend great amounts of time with their children and, therefore, can have a tremendous impact on how their children learn. Don’t shy away from getting involved. You can help correct problems in reading. You can partner with your child’s teacher, school personnel and other professionals to help your child overcome reading difficulty. Use this website to help you get started on facilitating this valuable partnership.


Teaching Language and Literature in Elementary Classrooms
The goal of Teaching Language and Literature in Elementary Classrooms: A Resource Book for Professional Development, Second Edition is to help the beginning teacher create a classroom environment that integrates literacy development with learning in all areas of the curriculum. Theoretically based, well organized, and practical, this text identifies the major components of an integrated language program and describes and illustrates skills teachers need to implement this kind of program in their own classrooms. It is uniquely designed as a handbook for beginning educators that serves both as a text and as a professional resource to be carried into the first year of teaching.
The narratives in this text, and the accompanying instruction for preparing to teach, are included for every elementary instructional level. A consistent chapter format is used to help readers move from a direct experience of a classroom narrative, to step-by-step descriptions they can follow to implement these activities in their own classrooms. A rich array of interactive pedagogical features is provided.
New in the Second Edition: This edition retains the purposes of the first edition, but adds ideas and information gathered over the years from new classroom observations. It also incorporates the results of the author's extensive reviews of educational research, continuous reading in all the genres of children's literature, and correspondence with faculty and students who used the first edition of this text. In response to these varied and helpful experiences, the Second Edition features:
*Strategies for dealing with problems of disruption in the classroom;
*Expanded discussions related to diversity and special needs;
*Increased attention to methods of evaluation and mandated testing programs;
*Reorganization of chapter sections to make them more useful to readers;
*A new chapter on play and the fine arts;
*Integration of electronic teaching technology into all chapters;
*Extensive in-text annotations of children's literature, discussions of new titles in children's literature, cultural literatures, book clubs, series books, and the influence of books published internationally;
*Updated reports of research and best practice studies;
*New classroom observations; and
*New appendices, designed to provide information and resources for instructional support.


"In this second edition Pat Miller has updated several of her activities, including updated Web sites. She demonstrates how to pair fiction and nonfiction, an important concept for teaching reading comprehension strategies. Her focus includes collaborating and emphasizes student achievement. Her activities cover the spectrum of the elementary school curriculum and provide fun library activities to support classroom learning. She includes information on customizing the lessons and meeting local standards. For librarians working on a fixed schedule, it is important to note that many of her lessons can be completed in a single session. Necessary reproducibles are included. This is a worthy purchase for anyone looking at quick ways to put some zip in their library lessons." - Library Media Connection
Reaching Every Reader: Instructional Strategies in the Library for Grades K-5by Pat Miller
Open the cover of this updated popular title and find fresh ways to promote the library with a focus on collaboration and student learning. Customize each lesson and activity to meet local standards. Find a variety of fun, practical, academically sound lessons that can be used today. Many lessons can be completed in one class period and with or without teacher… See more details below
Open the cover of this updated popular title and find fresh ways to promote the library with a focus on collaboration and student learning. Customize each lesson and activity to meet local standards. Find a variety of fun, practical, academically sound lessons that can be used today. Many lessons can be completed in one class period and with or without teacher assistance. Get results while getting students actively involved and participating in their learning! This book is filled to the brim with the plans, games, chants and songs, creative dramatics, and virtual field trips that readers count on from national presenter and author Pat Miller. You will reach and involve every one of your readers when you use the lessons and ideas in these hands-on, minds-on lessons!
Miller's relevant and practical ideas give how-to steps for integrating drama, music, and movement into the school library curriculum. The author discusses methods for cooperating and collaborative planning between media specialists and elementary teachers. The chapter on pairing nonfiction and fiction is a hot topic for thematic units like the Westward Expansion. The book includes reproducible masters for activities, with the necessary patterns. The last chapter gives suggestions for improving boys' literacy habits. A useful resource for busy educators who want to create an interest in collaboration between media specialists and classroom teachers.-Kathleen Pavin, Purdy Elementary School Library, Fort Atkinson, WI
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Reading dis/ability : interrogating paradigms in a prism of power
The dichotomisation of literacy instruction into phonics instruction versus a whole language approach fails to realise a fundamental tenet of providing equitable educational opportunities to diverse groups of children. Diversity becomes a problem to solve through "inoculation programs" or "special" education expertise. Moreover, children’s individual strengths can fail to realise because they do not fit well with the program of the day. Instead of being appreciated for the value that they may bring in higher-order conceptual and intellectual tasks, these individual strengths may be neglected at great cost to the individual child because they offer cheap reward in the shape of aggregate test scores. This paper is a philosophical piece, which in refusing to prescribe what one should do on Monday morning, joins other strident voices in disability studies in education to question what it is that we are doing today. Whilst not scientific, this is important work – it emphasises the a prior importance of philosophical, moral and ethical questions – reminding science that children are dynamic social beings who cannot be manipulated like genes to "express" themselves in ways more conducive to quick and cheap educational programs.
Impact and interest:
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These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from theindexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
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|Item Type:||Journal Article|
|Additional Information:||For more information, please refer to the journal's website (see hypertext link) or contact the author.|
|Keywords:||literacy wars, reading the 'right' way, student visibility and invisibility, diversity|
|Subjects:||Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY (130200) > English and Literacy Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. LOTE ESL and TESOL) (130204)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY (160000) > SOCIOLOGY (160800) > Sociology of Education (160809)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > SPECIALIST STUDIES IN EDUCATION (130300) > Special Education and Disability (130312)
|Divisions:||Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Education
Past > Institutes > Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation
Current > Schools > School of Early Childhood
|Copyright Owner:||Copyright 2008 Taylor & Francis|
|Copyright Statement:||This is an electronic version of an article published in [Disability & Society 23(6):pp. 557-570.]. [Disability & Society ] is available online at informaworldTM with http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713393838|
|Deposited On:||16 Sep 2008|
|Last Modified:||29 Feb 2012 13:48|
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Teaching Indigenous students with conductive hearing loss in remote and urban schools in Western Australia
Otitis media, and consequent conductive hearing loss, is a medical problem with significant educational and social implications, especially for Aboriginal students. Otitis media results in temporary or permanent hearing loss (conductive hearing loss), with the level of hearing loss fluctuating unpredictably.
Aboriginal children have:
- a higher incidence of otitis media (on average up to 70% of Aboriginal children are affected, compared with around 30% of the general population);
- more frequent episodes of longer duration of otitis media; and
- earlier onset of otitis media.
Otitis media interferes with children's development, especially oral language development, and consequently their acquisition of written literacy. If children do not acquire good skills in written literacy, they are much more likely to do poorly at school, drop out early, and consequently will have reduced employment opportunities. By improving literacy teaching strategies, childrens’ overall educational outcomes can be enhanced.
Approximately 80 teachers and 500 Indigenous students of pre-primary to Year 3 classes in 16 schools in the Kimberley, Goldfields and Swan education districts of Western Australia participated in the Project, which aimed to :
- investigate the consequences of conductive hearing loss among Indigenous students;
- study the effectiveness of teacher strategies to improve learning outcomes of students affected by the disease; and
- determine the effectiveness of professional development of teachers working with Indigenous students.
The longitudinal study was conducted over three years. At the start of the Project, Aboriginal students with conductive hearing loss (CHL) were performing significantly more poorly in literacy and numeracy skills than those without CHL, as measured by assessments such as PIPS (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools) and LiteracyNet scores.
Where teachers implemented the intervention strategies, the performance of students with conductive hearing loss improved, and by the end of the study no significant difference was evident in the performances of students with and without CHL.
The Project investigated the relationship between CHL and average attendance, and found no significant difference in average school attendance rates for students with and without CHL.
The Centre for Indigenous Australian Knowledges conducted the study on behalf of the WA Education Department, Catholic Education Commission, and the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia.
Professor Gary Partington
Dr Ann Galloway


Alexander Technique – Re-education in Body Awareness
What is the Alexander Technique?
Developed over a hundred years ago by F. M. Alexander, the Alexander Technique (AT) is a hands-on approach to understanding human alignment. Applying AT principles leads to more reliable sensory perception, body awareness, and movement that is easier, more dynamic and much more enjoyable. The Alexander Technique is an educational process which teaches the student how to identify and undo poor and inefficient habits that may be causing stress and fatigue.
Who studies AT?
Anyone who experiences discomfort or disability due to stress, poor posture, repetitive stress injuries or movement problems. Examples:
• Performing artists
• Voice and movement educators
• Physical & massage therapists
• Public speakers
• Computer users
• Martial artists
• Retirees with limited range of motion
• Equestrians and other athletes
"Under Robbin's magic hands I felt like I grew several inches, got lighter and more balanced, and was able to move with a new ease and grace. As a singer, I find Alexander Technique enormously liberating, and Robbin is articulate and inspired, both in her verbal and her manual guidance.”
— Elise Witt, singer-songwriter
Listen to Robbin speaking in an interview with Robert Rickover about the Alexander Technique and Music Education.
Watch and share this short video on the Alexander Technique:


The positive impact of music education
As the fall swirl of extracurricular activities gets underway, parents and children are making decisions about programs and schedules.
Did you know that learning music is more than just taking a weekly lesson?
Enrolling in a music program at an early age opens up a whole new world of enjoyment, creativity and self-expression.
Making music sparks the imagination and provides opportunity to think outside the box. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” Albert Einstein wrote.
A child’s potential can be developed in the fields of memory concentration and perceptual motor skills which are necessary for success in school and in other parts of life.
The rewards for studying music are numerous.
Through a structured course of music study, a child learns to focus and concentrate which helps to persevere and persist and develops self-discipline.
Good listening skills and attention to details are taught. Since there is a direct correlation between math and music, a child acquires skills to excel both in math and music.
Studying music also establishes good thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, evaluation and problem finding and solving. Music is a “symbol” language and the semantics of music is the most complete and universal language.
Music is an international language that all people speak.
It cuts across racial, cultural, social and economic barriers and enhances cultural appreciation and awareness.
Music is like a gym class for body, mind and human emotional spirit.
Let’s face it. Not only is sports great for children but so is taking music lessons.
Music is an art form that opens the doors to all sorts of social opportunity that is so important for young people. Continued study of music tends to inspire continuous growth in other areas of life.
There is no question about the positive effect of music education on a child. Music study can be a fun, worthwhile and most rewarding learning experience.
Of paramount importance though is the parent-child-teacher relationship that establishes the foundation for a positive learning experience. A lot of listening, understanding, support, guidance and praise are required from both teacher and parent.
A strong educational partnership of teacher-child-parent is key.
The Kelowna branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association is an association that currently consists of 19 members, all fully qualified and registered teachers, who are committed to music educational excellence.
For top quality professional service and instruction, parents, seeking the very best in music education, are strongly advised to visit www.kelownabcrmta.com for teacher contact information along with soon to be posted upcoming events.
BCRMTA teachers are located in and around the Kelowna and West Kelowna areas.
Sitting on the newly elected 2012-13 BCRMTA Kelowna branch executive along with myself as co-president are treasurer Debbie Batycki, secretary Ursula Pidgeon, past president Marla Mesenbrink and co-president Graham Vink. We are a passionate, “upbeat” group of volunteers who are eager to bring new energy to the community. Professional development for teachers and students with workshop, seminar and master class opportunity is planned.
The Kelowna BCRMTA executive board is proud and excited to announce the newly founded creative educational partnership with Maestro Rosemary Thomson and the OSO. Anybody with professional qualifications and interested to become a new member is cordially invited to join and be an active team player as part of our enthusiastic board.
For more information, contact Debbie Batycki, the membership/teacher representative, at 250-763-5773 or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Claudia Kargl is the co-president of the Kelowna branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association.


White paper on St. Catherine Model for STEM Elementary education now available
How can our nation best equip elementary school teachers to set our youngest students of a path to STEM proficiency? The National Center for STEM Elementary Education (NCSEE) at St. Catherine University has produced a white paper on the St. Kate’s Model of STEM education and how it is helping elementary school teachers to teach in the STEM disciplines.
“Answering the STEM Imperative in Elementary Education” outlines the NCSEE’s model of teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics to both pre-service and in-service teachers.
St. Catherine University faculty and staff across six academic departments — education, chemistry, biology, mathematics/physics, Montessori and psychology — have collaborated to create a co-teaching model of STEM curricula recognized for its innovation by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
To receive a copy of the “Answering the STEM Imperative in STEM Elementary Education,” contact NCSEE at STEM@stkate.edu
To learn more


The International Association for Jazz Education originally started in 1968. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, many believe that it got its start in a smaller area of Kansas. The organization was known by the name of the National Association for Jazz Education and went by the acronym NAJE from 1968 until 1989 when it changed its name officially to the International Association for Jazz Education.
The International Association for Jazz Education or IAJE originally focused their attention on the United States. By the end they had over 8,000 members worldwide and at least 40 countries represented in their ranks. The purpose or mission of the association was to spread the word of jazz through outreach programs. They also focused on educating others about jazz in the hopes of helping the music grow and develop.
The group was entirely voluntary, with members volunteering to hold the more important seats and they were also listed as a non-profit organization. They ran programs throughout the year, which were used as a way to show the history and heritage of jazz, as well as help others learn how to appreciate the music. They also worked with educators by helping them determine the appropriate curriculum and setup performances in their school.
The International Association for Jazz Education also worked with students interested in jazz music and artists working in the jazz genre. They provided information and helped those interested in a number of ways. They also gave those interested the appropriate resources when needed. Every year in January they held their annual conference, which was known throughout the world. This conference used performances and workshops as a way of helping spread the word of jazz music.
Organizations similar to the IAJE include:
The IAJE no longer exists, but the above organizations work on the same goals that they once had. The National Association for Music Education also works with educators, students and artists, but on all types of music and not just one specific genre. The closing of the organization came as a shock to many.
On January 9, 2008 the IAJE held their 35th annual conference, which took place in Toronto, Canada. The conference was a huge success and members looked forward to the next event. Instead the IAJE shut down on April 18 of that same year. They closed their office and announced that they were filing for bankruptcy. Not long after, they filed Chapter 7 and announced that all upcoming events were gone from the schedule. As of March 15, 2009 the organization no longer exists. Former members claimed that the organization lost money on their last conference and were no longer receiving donations, which led to the closing. There are still many who miss the organization today.


Preschool Toys & Preschool Gift Ideas - Ages 3 Years +
Preschool children are known for being curious and talkative. Toys designed for children in this age group rely on the notion that children ages three to five are inherently curious, ask many questions, and absorb new information quickly. But, unlike children over the age of six or seven, preschool children still learn through play. According to a study done by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, children learn best through manipulation of materials and hands-on experience – think of the myriad of ways to play with blocks or water and sand. With an instructor involved, such as a teacher or parent, the preschooler can have an adult to answer his or her questions or the instructor, in supervised play, can ask the child or children open-ended questions to develop vocabulary.
Educational and learning preschool toys are usually designed with the goal of improving visual skills, auditory, tactile gross motor, and fine motor skills. Aside from actual types or brands of toys, games and general toys for this age group use such physical skills as jumping, climbing, throwing, and active play. Active play, rather than passive watching, can be done through a number of toys and activities, including arts and crafts, puppets, blocks, simple puzzles, and imagination games. All active toys and games rely on finger and hand coordination, which should be developed by this stage. The combination of both brain and body development – from playing with blocks to doing arts and crafts and music games – is meant to stimulate both sides of a preschool child’s brain.
Aside from teaching new physical and mental skills, games for preschoolers also have the purpose for introducing social skills. With educational games and toys for this age group, interaction is inevitable, whether between peers or between a child and an adult. Interaction at this level introduces such skills as sharing, taking turns, leading, following, and becoming a friend. On a level of emotional development, games and toys for this age group are designed to encourage independence away from the security of a parent and to make the child feel safer to explore.
Not all preschool toys teach the same concepts simultaneously, however. For example, the use of basic ball play and games reinforces and further develops hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, while writing activities can be used for fine motor skill development. Games focused on physical play tend to strengthen awareness of the body, including balance and coordination, while reading and story time concentrate on attention span and encouraging appreciation of books and reading. In addition, pretend and make-believe games involve both mental and physical skills, whether a child is dressing up to pretend to be an adult or creating a cityscape from wood blocks. In fact, for preschool children, blocks introduce spatial concepts and use both large and small muscle control, as well as serving as a pre-math activity by inherently allowing for size and shape sorting.
Educational curriculum for elementary school children and beyond is divided into specific subjects as reading, math, writing, and science. Although preschool children have not reached the stage to sit through a teacher’s lesson, games and toys introduce many of these subjects interactively. Language arts, for example, are introduced by books. Whether a parent or teacher reads to a child each day, the child will learn where to find the title, author, and illustrator of a book, how to hold a book, how stories and sentences begin and end, the direction of the words and characters on the page, and that reading is a new way to learn information. Similarly, dramatic play revolves around make-believe and stories to teach roles and skills but, this time, soft, durable dolls are the preferred teaching tool. Using dolls to create a story can help children work through issues that concern them or that they don’t understand. Instead of dress-ups or reading, dolls mirror and mimic the adult world on a smaller level.
On the other hand, a subject like math is introduced to preschool children by puzzles and toys and games that involve sorting, grouping, counting, patterns, and matching. Science is another hands-on subject introduced through activities involving textures, temperatures, light, and colors. Sand and water is one popular preschool science activity that teachers about density, displacement, wet and dry textures, shapes, and ecosystems and habitats like the beach and the ocean.
While play, in the classroom or at home, for preschool children can appear repetitive to adults, children, in fact, will make small adjustments to the games they play often based upon new things they have learned. As playtime is still important for preschoolers, children, at school or at home, should have a designated play area where they can play undisturbed. In a school, this can be a part of the classroom set aside for games and toys away from the desk area; at home, the play area can be a corner or room set apart somewhat from the adult-dominated world.


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Support for English Language Learners Classroom Assessment
is an assessment tool that can be used to document the quality of supports for the language and literacy development of young children who speak a language other than English at home in center-based preschool settings. It captures the extent to which best practices in both classroom and parent involvement activities are used by early childhood programs. A classroom observation and interview with the lead teacher are used to complete ratings on the SELLCA. The SELLCA is designed for use in research and in mentoring and professional development efforts to improve the quality of early childhood programs for English language learners.
"When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become."
— Louis Pasteur
rojections indicate that by 2030, 40 % of school-age children will have a home language other than English. All young children have the right to be assessed in ways that support their learning and development. For this reason dual language learners should be assessed in culturally and linguistically responsive ways.
NAEYC recommends the following:
1. Using screenings and assessments for appropriate purposes.
2. All screenings and assessments are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
3. Significant assessment decisions involve two or more professionals.
4. Using standardized formal assessments. Information should be used to monitor and improve learning at an individual level.
5. Characteristics of those conducting assessments- should have cultural and linguistic competence, have knowledge of the children being assessed, and have specific, assessment-related knowledge and skills.
6. The families of young English language learners should be involved in appropriate ways. (Refrain from using family members to conduct formal testing; keep families informed on their child's assessment results; give families ideas on how they can help at home.)
7. Needs in the field include more and better assessments to meet the most pressing needs, adopting policies and pracices to recruit and retain a diverse early childhood workforce; professionals, including program administrators shoud receive ongoing professional development and support in the area of assessing young English language learners.
To read more read "Where we Stand on Assessing Young English Language Learners", 2009, NAEYC.
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Creativity: What Are We Talking About?
Milbrandt, Melody, Milbrandt, Lanny, Art Education
In the United States, our collective definitions, perceptions, and myths about creativity have, at best, produced an uneven understanding of what it means to be a creative person. A primary goal of this article is to help clarify meanings associated with the broad term creativity and identify some observable processes associated with it Part of the problem in our current educational context is that the term creativity is so ill-defined, ambiguous, and fuzzy so that no common agreement exists on its meaning. Creativity remains an elusive concept where discussion, definitions, procedures, and expressions of the term may be regarded superficially unless broad understandings about creativity can be broken down to manageable and assessable specific operations.
Depending on the context, creativity may be presented as the brilliant spark of inspiration residing in the talented genius, an essential ingrethent of American resourcefulness and inventiveness, or a deviant personality trait manifest in unstable behavior with little social value. Our country's Constitution and protection of personal freedom laid the foundation for creative endeavors, yet one has only to watch the yearly extravaganza of Super Bowl commercials to know that the most popular public connotation and focus of creativity in this country has shifted from the expectation of thrilling innovative breakthroughs in scientific or artistic thought to the frivolity and innovation of rampant commercialism. For many in Western cultures, novelty often is sought through goods and experiences that can be purchased in marketplaces of every sort, rather than through internal thinking processes and application of creative effort. There is little evidence in the current educational system to suggest that schools teach students how to selectively discuss or use creative tliinking processes for personal or collective benefit or openly support students' sustained creative involvement.
As a result of the lack of understanding of creativity and a general agreement on meaning, research in art education has generally been dismissive of the topic for at least the latest generation of art educators (Zimmerman, 2009). In the wake of No Child Left Behind (2001) there is growing concern that the convergent, one correct answer' mentality that our educational system is encouraging in students results in an inability of students to seek, confront, and solve non-linear, divergent, open-ended problems. This unbalance in educational experiences and competencies is leaving a gap in the preparation of future citizens and leaders. In his forecast of our collective future, Darnel Pink (2006) speculates, "We've progressed from a society of farmers to a society of factory workers to a society of knowledge workers. And now we're progressing yet again to a society of creators and empathizers, of pattern recognizers, and meaning makers" (p. 58). Without the practice and aptitude for engaging in creative thinking, our citizenry may not be prepared to meet a world in continual flux (Liu & Noppe-Brandon, 2009).
Although it is impossible to consider all definitions or aspects of creativity, it is important to acknowledge the complexity of multiple definitions or theories to begin to construct a useful understanding. Some creative definitions and theories contradict or negate one another while others easily co-exist or overlap in practice.
As Zimmerman (2009) notes:
Researchers and practitioners need to conceive of creativity as multidimensional with consideration of how cognitive complexity, affective intensity, technical skills, and interest and motivation all play major roles, (p. 394)
Talking about creativity or making judgments about creative products might be more fruitful if we understood and used creative theories as we understand and use aesthetic theories. Art educators often have discussed merits of art based on understanding of traditional aesthetic views or artistic intentions of mimetic, expressive, instrumentalist, or formalist aesthetics. …


The 100 Dong Songs Program
From the sound of children’s voices raised in song, to the joy in their steps as they dance, or the pride in their faces as they show their original artwork to family and friends, the power of the arts and the humanities transcends the boundaries of language and geography. For this reason, the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award also highlights the importance of arts and humanities learning across the globe. Each year, we present our International Spotlight Award to one exceptional program from another country. This year, we are proud to recognize The 100 Dong Songs Program, an initiative of the Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop. This program is dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the Dong people of China by teaching hundreds of youth to express themselves through traditional Dong music.
The Dong people are an indigenous ethnic minority group whose population is concentrated in the mountainous village of Dimen, within Guizhou Province, as well as in other villages in southwestern China. Traditionally, the Dong people had no written version of their own language, known as Kam. Instead, they passed down customs and history from generation to generation through songs. The Dong recorded everything—from clan history and legends to societal rites and social duties—in a variety of song types. Even while living in remote villages, the Dong were able to preserve their cultural traditions with remarkable fidelity over extended periods of time: Some of their songs record events that date back 600 years or more.
Like much of rural China, Dimen is succumbing to the effects of globalization and technological change. Television, cell phones, and the Internet are becoming an integral part of village life. While many welcome these advances, such innovations threaten to undermine the unique folk culture and heritage of the Dong people. The 100 Dong Songs Program is helping to preserve these treasures.
We are grateful to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Asia Society for their assistance in selecting and supporting this year’s International Spotlight Award winner.
The nonprofit Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop (The Workshop) was established in 2002 to help preserve the unique heritage and invaluable music traditions of the Dong people, the Miao, and several other ethnic minority groups in rural China. More and more Dong youth were leaving their village to seek factory jobs in coastal cities, and an important connection to their past was at risk. The Workshop began recording and filming Dong and Miao music performances in Guizhou Province, and the sessions eventually led to the production of two sets of music CDs.
Because young people are key to perpetuating these cultural traditions, The Workshop places a special emphasis on helping Dong children and youth rediscover their heritage. The Workshop expanded its goals, seeking not only to record these songs, but also to incorporate the cultural preservation of ethnic music traditions into the primary school curriculum. Students would also have the opportunity to form song and opera groups.
The local government accepted this proposal, and in 2005, The Workshop started a pilot version of The 100 Dong Songs Program, first in Dimen Village and, later, in Ladong Village. The Workshop worked with local song masters to select 100 songs—of various styles and forms, for different age groups and occasions—that were popular and that represented rich cultural traditions. The collection of songs is now updated regularly.
In addition, The Workshop helped reintroduce Dong language and cultural studies into the local school curriculum and established a weekend extracurricular program where youth, ages 6 to 16, learn traditional songs and engage in singing competitions.
The Workshop also helped establish the Dimen Dong Cultural Eco-museum and the Community Culture Research Center. Working with Dong elders and university partners, The Workshop documents and preserves the group’s oral tradition and singing culture, folk architecture, agrarian practices, and such crafts as papermaking and other textile arts.
Goals for the future include expanding The 100 Dong Songs Program to the 15 villages covered by the Dimen Dong Cultural Eco-museum and, ultimately, to other Dong and Miao villages.
To expose a wider public to these cultural treasures, the Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop has issued several CDs, including Dong Folk Music: People and Nature in Harmony. The Workshop is also working with local governments to help Dimen and other villages generate revenue from cultural tourism.
The Dong people’s music tradition “harkens to a pre-literate society where every aspect of life was expressed in vocal narrative.”


Liu Haisu , (born 1895?, Wujin [Wu-chin], Jiangsu [Chiang-su] province, China—died Aug. 7, 1994, Shanghai, China), Chinese painter and teacher who , combined traditional Chinese painting methods with European techniques, especially those of van Gogh and Cézanne, and promoted this style as a model for revolutionizing art education in China. As the leader of art schools in Shanghai and Nanjing (Nanking), Liu exerted extraordinary influence. The scion of a distinguished literary family, Liu studied calligraphy under Kang Youwei (K’ang Yu-wei) and traditional landscape and flower painting under Wu Changshi (Wu Ch’ang-shih) and Chen Hengke (Ch’en Heng-k’e). At age 13, however, Liu set out on his own to pursue a less formal education. He became one of the founders of the Shanghai Academy, the first art college in modern China. During the 1920s and ’30s he organized several important national and international exhibitions and toured Japan and Europe, where he studied Western techniques and exhibited his own works. As a teacher, Liu maintained that painters should combine a knowledge of formal art theory with their natural talent and personal judgment, a departure from the Chinese tradition of copying the compositions and techniques of old masters. His works in traditional Chinese style were free-flowing and brilliant in colour. His landscapes focused on rocks and trees, and some of his paintings featured eagles and lions.


CEDAR KNOLLS — The iPad screen showed a math problem: "3-2."
Several possible answers appeared.
Madison Mitchell, her right thumb tucked between her middle and index finger, thought for a moment and then used her index finger to push the number 2.
"Try again," encouraged a cheery, high-pitched digital voice.
She touched number 1.
"Great job," the voice said.
Madison grinned and let loose a little laugh. The 13-year old at the PG Chambers School in Cedar Knolls is one of thousands of developmentally disabled students taking advantage of programs, known as apps, designed for Apple’s iPad.
Children like Madison — and those with other disabilities like autism — have taken to Apple’s popular devices, poking the tactile screens customized to their needs.
The tablet is used to help Madison structure her day. It reminds her to put away her backpack after school and can even help the teenager make a sandwich or prepare a snack.
Madison, who smiles easily and broadly, has cognitive disabilities. Her gross motor skills are underdeveloped and she has trouble communicating.
In the fall, she will attend the Early Childhood Learning Center in Chatham for high school where it will be essential for her development to express needs, thoughts and desires to peers. She usually knows the words she wants but has trouble sounding them out.
"What separates kids is not whether they can read, but the social aspect," said Lara Rouillard, technology officer at the PG Chambers School.
Madison's tablet, which is easy to carry and fashionable, will help her conquer that challenge.
Using an app called Proloquo2go, she can touch a picture or icon and a digital voice says what Madison can’t.
"I ride at Somerset Hills," the iPad said after she touched its screen. "I am having a graduation party," the tablet relayed.
These basic sentences represent an avenue for communication that was previously arduous at best or unavailable at worst.
Before the iPad, communication devices were clunky and harder to adapt to an individual child’s needs, said Arlene Sklow, Madison's speech-language pathologist.
"It’s opened up a whole new world for her," Sklow said.
And helped her achieve a modicum of independence and attain a measure of self-confidence.
As Madison’s vocabulary expands, she can type in new words and assign them an icon. For example, she recently went to Mountain Creek. She typed that in — with spelling help from Sklow — and then used the device to explain her recent trip.
"She used to get very frustrated," said Edee Levey, the principal at PG Chambers. "I’ve seen a difference. The impact is incredible."


Bob McGrath, beloved by children and teachers for his performances on the popular "Sesame Street" TV series for more than thirty years, has worked with Marilyn Davidson, authority in the field of music education, to write this very creative music curriculum for children ages 4 - 8. Seven appealing songs recorded by Bob McGrath appear on the included CD, and these songs are the basis for the seven lessons. Four other songs appear in the book as well as the CD to illustrate various musical styles, and the long-time favorite "Sing," with signing gestures included, is the encore. Students have their own book also; it's in full color and includes punch-out puppets to use with music listening activities. These lessons were prepared to help teachers provide a conceptually balanced and meaningful, yet light-hearted, music class. All Music for Fun materials are correlated to the MENC National Music Standards for Early Childhood, K-4. Appropriate for grades PreK-2.
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- Program Considerations
- Classroom Strategies
- Levels of ESL Literacy
Foundation Phase Theme Unit and Lesson Planning
A theme unit is a series of connected lessons, taught over a longer period (from a week to several weeks) in order to achieve learning outcomes. There are many advantages to teaching in theme units; it is an excellent way to introduce vocabulary and concepts, and it means that the instructor can recycle outcomes without the lessons feeling repetitive to the learners.
In an effective theme unit plan:
- The theme is relevant to learners, and provides the context for language and literacy development.
- Learning outcomes are the central focus. Assessment, resources and learning tasks all relate to the outcomes.
- Connections are made between class work and transferring learning to other contexts (e.g. community, workplace).
- Learning outcomes, content and vocabulary are scaffolded, recycled and spiralled throughout.
In an effective lesson plan:
- Activities take 20 minutes or less.
- More intense activities, such as copying, are interspersed with activities that involve talking and movement.
- The lesson begins with oral vocabulary before moving to reading and writing.
- Vocabulary is recycled several times and in several different ways, giving learners a chance to absorb new words.
- There are directions in the lesson plan for changing activities for lower or higher level learners in the class. Not every learner needs to do exactly the same worksheet or answer exactly the same questions.
Keep current with the Network!
Sample Theme Units
These CLB Foundation to Phase III theme units are designed to highlight key concepts from the ESL Literacy Curriculum Framework. There are three sample lesson plans that connect to each theme unit.
Theme Unit & Lesson Planning Guide (712 kB)
This tool contains a theme unit development guide, as well as theme unit and lesson planning templates. The purpose of this tool is to help instructors plan effective thematic units.A program purpose is a statement that describes the general intent and broad aims of a program. Effective programs have a clear and articulate purpose, which guides all aspects of program and curriculum development.


Nothing warms everyone up on a cold afternoon like a nice bowl of soup! With just a handful of ingredients and some leftover mashed potatoes from dinner the night before, your child can make this simple and healthy soup.
What You Do:
- Start by warming the stockpot over medium heat and adding the butter and oil. Invite your child to help chop the green onions and garlic using a paring knife. Learning to use a knife is one of the most important kitchen skills to master!
- Invite your child to add the green onions and garlic to the butter and oil and let cook for one minute. Now your child can measure the flour, add it to the stockpot and stir it with the spatula. Mixing flour and fat together creates a roux, a classic French cooking technique used for thickening soups and sauces!
- After the flour, butter and oil have cooked for another minute, your child can carefully pour in the vegetable stock while stirring well. Now he can let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Now it’s time for the mashed potatoes! Your child can slowly mix in the potatoes while stirring until they are incorporated. Then, he can grate the cheese and measure 1 cup to also add to the soup, stirring until the cheese melts.
- All that’s left to do is to get out the bowls and ladle out the soup for dinner! He can add a dash of salt, pepper, and dried parsley to each bowl for extra flavor!
Did You Know: The average American eats about 126 pounds of potatoes a year, and the potato was the first vegetable grown in outer space.
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.
Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals.
Teacher Resources by Grade
|1st - 2nd||3rd - 4th|
|5th - 6th||7th - 8th|
|9th - 10th||11th - 12th|
Giant Story Problems: Reading Comprehension through Math Problem-Solving
|Grades||1 – 2|
|Lesson Plan Type||Standard Lesson|
|Estimated Time||One 30-minute & one 60-minute session|
Grades 3 – 6 | Professional Library | Book
Replete with children's stories and illustrations, Math Is Language Too looks at children as sense-makers, storytellers, language creators, and problem-posers.


In Defense of Standardized Testing
In short, there were no tools for managers to use to evaluate performance in our schools.
So the education profession got together to establish performance based standards and assigned them to certain grade levels. For example, mastering the ability to recite the letters of the alphabet was assigned to kindergarten; the ability to add and subtract two digit numbers to 2nd grade, and so on. This was important for two different reasons. First, the skills identified are all foundational, which is to say they form the basis for more advanced skills, like spelling, or multiplication. Second, mastery of these foundational skills can be easily assessed through objective testing.
And that, in a nutshell, is the origin of the standardized tests. There is nothing discriminatory about an objective test that assesses mastery of an ability. There can't be. Either the student has mastered the skill well enough to meet the standard, or they haven't. No bias, no politics, no subjectivity.
Basically, teachers are protesting to being held to objectively measured tests demonstrating mastery of fundamental skills as an unfair reflection of their teaching ability. They say it is unfair to hold them accountable for the performance of their students
Remember that the next time the teachers' union demands a raise because teachers are the most important element in a child's education.
Can't have it both ways folks.
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Teaching Guide. Edited by Linda Christensen, Mark Hansen, and Bob Peterson. 2012. 360 pages.
The best collection of writing from Rethinking Schools magazine about how to teach for social justice at the elementary level. Published by Rethinking Schools.
Rethinking Elementary Education collects writing about elementary school life and learning from 25 years of the Rethinking Schools magazine. The articles in this volume offer practical insights about how to integrate the teaching of content with a social justice lens, how to seek wisdom from students and their families, and how to navigate stifling tests and mandates. The articles and lessons are divided into six sections:
Part 1: Building Classroom Community
Part 2: Reading and Writing Toward a More Just World
Part 3: Minding Media
Part 4: Math is More than Numbers
Part 5: Laboratory for Justice: Science Across the Curriculum
Part 6: The Classroom, The School, The World
ISBN: 9780942961522 | Published by Rethinking Schools.


Celebrate Youth Art Month @ Your Library
March 08, 2012
Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of Art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.
Youth Art Month was created in 1961 by the ACML, a non-profit association of art and craft materials manufactures, in cooperation with the NAEA.
The North Oak Branch partners with the North Kansas City School District to display the amazing works of the students from within our community. During the month of March, we will proudly be exhibiting art from Winnetonka High School, Maple Park, New Mark, and East Gate Middle Schools (through the middle of March). Then, will display works from Chouteau and West Englewood Elementary along with Oak Park High School ( from March 15 through May 1).
We would like to invite you to show your support for our students by stopping in and seeing their artwork.
North Oak Branch


Monitoring Literacy Learning
Winn, Judith A., Otis-Wilborn, Amy, Teaching Exceptional Children
Alice Jean has learned how to identify all upper-case letters of the alphabet, and is developing skills in matching spoken word to print.
Alvin is aware of print in the environment, and is just developing awareness of book parts.
Devon is working on his upper- and lower-case letters, and is just beginning to be aware of different purposes of print.
Wouldn't it be helpful to have a system to show the progress students are making toward their learning objectives? A monitoring system can help you make adjustments in your teaching throughout the year to meet students' learning needs. Additionally, the sytsem can help meet mandates for accountability?
With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), special education teachers are becoming increasingly accountable for students' progress, especially in relation to the general education curriculum. At the same time that accountability demands are rising, teachers are learning about alternatives to standardized tests in assessing students' learning (Leslie & Jett-Simpson, 1997; LopezReyna & Bay, 1997; Neill, 1997; Pike & Salend, 1995).
In this article, we outline a process for developing a monitoring system for assessing students' learning. The system assumes that although you, the special education teacher, may not work directly with each student on your caseload, you still are responsible for monitoring all students' learning and development in areas targeted in each student's individualized education program (IEP) and within your purview. The monitoring system we outline here is for literacy learning, but the process can be applied to learning in all areas. We present the process for developing a monitoring system in three phases: establishing learning targets, developing procedures, and refining the system.
Establishing Learning Targets--
The "What" in Your
Learning targets in literacy are the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that you have determined are important for your students to develop. The learning targets are based on your understanding of literacy development, of curriculum, and of your particular students in relation to literacy learning.
We suggest you start with the general education literacy curriculum in identifying learning targets. Many of the newer basal series have extensive objectives to guide instruction. Other literacy programs besides basals also have clear, development-based objectives. Talk with the general education teacher about the objectives that are part of his or her instruction. If the teacher has designed a program based on trade books or children's literature, clarify the expected learning outcomes. From the objectives and outcomes you gather, identify as learning targets those objectives that are appropriate for your students, as follows:
Some of your students may receive all of their literacy instruction with their general education peers. For these students, many of the learning targets for their peers would be appropriate learning targets for them, also.
Other students may participate in some of the general education program but also receive intensive instruction from you, using different instructional programs, approaches, or materials.
Finally, some students may receive all of their literacy instruction in an intensive manner outside of the general education program.
Make sure the learning targets you have selected from the general education program and from intensive instruction reflect reading and writing development along established continuum and are not a haphazard collection of skills and knowledge. Use your district's literacy curriculum goals or published developmental frameworks to check the targets you have established for your monitoring system. Here are three comprehensive sources of frameworks:
Authentic Literacy Assessment: An Ecological Approach by Leslie and Jett-Simpson (1997). …


Class handouts and other instructional materials that I designed to support my teaching:
9•Dot Problem and other creative thinking exercises.
Animation – a one-page summary of the history of animation and some basic animation concepts.
Art Education Timeline – an abbreviated version of the history of art education in American Schools.
Backward Design – a one-page summary of the ‘backward design’ approach to curriculum design.
Community Excursions – Make art about your community.
Curriculum Packet – A primer in basic curriculum theory and design.
The Day the Mona Lisa Was Stolen – Read about the most notorious theft in the history of art.
Drawing Encounters in the Classroom – Tips and activities for teaching drawing in the classroom.
Goals of Elementary Art Education – handout for ARE 4314 Art Education for Elementary Schools.
Learning to Think Like an Artist – A list of thinking skills and dispositions used by artists.
Looking At and Talking About Art with Kids – Strategies for engaging in art talk in the classroom or museum.
Painting Encounters in the Classroom – Tips and activities for teaching painting in the classroom.
Printmaking Encounters in the Classroom – Tips and activities for teaching printmaking.
Some Thoughts on Integrating Art with Other Subject Areas -Handout of quotes on curriculum integration.
Teaching for Critical and Creative Thinking Skills – What does it mean to teach critical or creative thinking in the classroom?
The Story of the American Gothic – You know the painting. But, do you know the story behind it?
Venn Diagram -Worksheet used to compare and contrast two works of art.
Young in Art – A look at child development in art (last update: 2006)
Why do people make Art? – A list of many of the reasons that people make art the world over.
Why do we teach Art in Elementary Schools? – thoughts on the value of art education for children.


The McLean Project for the Arts’ youth art show features the work of students from Fairfax County Public Schools in the McLean area.
Photo courtesy of the McLean Project for the Arts
Brightly colored self-portraits, landscapes dotted with spring flowers and hand-carved sculptures fill a gallery at the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean. All of the art was created by local school children. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, parents and tots dip their fingers in glue, clay and paint to create collages, sculptures and paintings.
"It is a true delight to see parents and children making things together in the studio. Joy is found in the stuff they make — the collages, paintings, drawings and sculptures — as well as the more intangible things we build: relationships, confidence, creativity, persistence and the many ways we make meaning through art," said Kathryn Horn Coneway of Art at the Center in Mount Vernon.
These are just some of the local art activities for children. In fact, Youth Art Month is an annual observance held each March to emphasize the value of art and art education. This year’s theme is "Start With Art, Learn for Life," which was chosen by the Council for Art Education, a sponsor of Youth Art Month.
Local art educators are using the month as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of art education and raise awareness about the important life skills it can build.
"We believe art is important to study for its inherent value, but art also promotes life skills, including creativity, problem solving, determination, concentration, collaboration and confidence," said Samantha Marques-Mordkofsky, education and outreach manager for the Arlington Arts Center in Arlington. "Regardless of what field a child pursues later in life, these skills will translate and he or she will be better rounded because of … art. We also offer multidisciplinary classes like Book Illustration, Amazing Architects & Engineers, and Murals: Big Art, Big Ideas where students have the opportunity to master technical skills in art while simultaneously learning about other subjects."
"What our art educators have known for many years research is now confirming," said Benita Cathey, director of admissions at Grace Episcopal School in Alexandria. "Art helps develop critical thinking and reading skills. Art education is vital because it builds concentration, motivation and confidence."
Jorge Luis Somarriba, art teacher and artist-in-residence at Norwood School in Bethesda, Md., says the school is a community of artists. "We believe in a process-oriented and child-centered philosophy," he said. "Art nurtures self-confidence through self-discovery and personal visual expression. Art education is instrumental in the holistic development of a human being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Art making develops the right brain, empowering individuals to become creative, problem-solvers who may think ‘outside the box.’"
Experts said art education also develops self-expression and an appreciation for the work of others. "Elementary school students create art with such unbridled enthusiasm for painting, drawing and creating things," said Dabney Cortina, communications director for the McLean Project for the Arts. "I think it’s because they haven’t been told that there is anything wrong with how they create art. Currently going on is our youth art show featuring Fairfax County Public Schools in the McLean area. It is incredible to look at. You see the talent they have. It is totally amazing."
Eileen Lyons, chair of the Fine Arts Department at Connelly School of the Holy Child in Potomac, Md., said that the arts are a vital part of the school’s curriculum. "Arts education helps students learn how to solve problems in unique ways and it deepens their overall learning experience," she said. "Through collaboration and cross-curricular projects, teachers at Holy Child work closely together to engage students in the arts on many different levels. Art teachers collaborate with language, social studies, English and geometry teachers to bring deeper meaning to learning."
For example, said Lyons, on a recent trip to the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., art and French teachers worked together to bring the Van Gogh Exhibition to life in both English and French.
Stacie Steinke, chair of the Arts Department at The Madeira School in McLean suggests art education might not be taken as seriously as other disciplines. "Schools in general have been responding to trends that you need more science and math education and have been teaching to tests. Not at Madeira, but at some other schools, art education has diminished," she said. "We look at arts as a process. Our students learn to work effectively with others. Our approach draws on a student’s natural curiosity, ability to perceive art in different forms and ability to think spatially. They develop cognitive growth, so they learn to see how parts relate to a whole."


|National Standards for Music Education
from the Elementary Classroom Teacher Resource Index
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
From National Standards for Arts Education. Copyright 1994 by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the Standards are available from MENC: The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191.
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Poetry's 'Formative Power': Teaching Poetry in Tasmania 1900-1950
Spaulding, Ralph, Australian Literary Studies
Poetry has always featured in formal learning programs, but both its function and importance have varied over time according to political and social needs. In his analysis of texts used in the teaching of English from the sixteenth century to 1870, Ian Michael illustrates the different functions poetry served during this period. These ranged from teaching skills--such as grammar, spelling, vocabulary, elocution, rhetoric and composition--to the more elevated aims of fostering Christian beliefs, moral and social values, and particular standards of personal behaviour. When compulsory education was introduced in the nineteenth century poetry met many of these needs, but educators were particularly diligent in describing poetry's power to instil virtue and faith in the young. In this period more liberal approaches to education evolved, underpinned by what Ian Reid calls 'Romantic ideologies' (22). In 1880, Matthew Arnold claimed that poetry was 'capable of higher uses, and called to higher destinies, than those which men have assigned to it hitherto', believing that '[m]ore and more mankind will discover that we have to turn to poetry to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us' ('The Study of Poetry' 171). In his Report for the same year, Arnold, then an inspector, wrote that the 'acquisition of good poetry is a discipline which works deeper than any other discipline in our schools':
Good poetry does undoubtedly tend to form the soul and character; it tends to beget a love of beauty and truth in alliance together, it suggests, however indirectly, high and noble principles of action, and it inspires the emotion so helpful in making principles operative. Hence its extreme importance to all of us; but in our elementary schools its importance seems to me to be at present quite extraordinary. ('General Report' 1880, 200-1)
Romantic ideologies had no impact on elementary education in nineteenth-century Tasmania, when the need to teach basic literacy, improve school attendance, provide school buildings and appoint teachers was paramount. In 1839 when the Governor, Sir John Franklin, established a Board of Education to control public elementary education in the colony, the main focus was on teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills and improving the moral tone of the populace by removing what an observer described as the 'evils resulting from ignorance and vice' (Austin and Sellick 16). For the rest of the century the most important teaching resources in Tasmanian elementary schools were the class readers, most of which were published in Britain and Ireland. Their contents determined the range and nature of poetry read in classrooms while their editors defined poetry's purpose and the manner in which it was to be taught. The Daily Lesson Books published by the British and Foreign School Society, for example, contained poetry 'calculated to improve the minds and characters of young persons, to promote the cultivation of a humble, contented and domestic spirit, and to lead to the more intelligent perusal of the sacred Scriptures' (Annual Report 1840, 5). The editors of readers published by the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland recommended that pupils 'be made to commit the best pieces of poetry to memory' and taught 'to read and repeat them with due attention to pronunciation, accent and emphasis' (Third Book of Lessons iii).
The subjects of poems that featured most frequently in the readers point to moral and social themes that were considered appropriate for young people: Longfellow's 'The Village Blacksmith' and Colley Cibber's 'The Blind Boy', for example, promoted the importance of Sunday worship, 'honest toil' and patient acceptance of adverse circumstances. Pupils' low literacy levels and the fact that poetry was primarily a resource for the reading lesson, and not taught as a discrete subject, suggest that most children did not have the ability or opportunity to read many of these poems. …


The Great American
Project URL: http://http://teachnet-lab.org/ps88/ps88/prest/index.htm
How it works:
This project is used to teach
students about immigration as it encourages them to learn about their
family history. Each student will bring in a photo of relatives or people
they know from other countries. These photos will then be scanned into the
computer. A narrative writing component will be added. This will describe
the photo and provide a history of the family's immigration to the United
States. There is an alternative for this project, in the case that a
student has no recent immigrants in their family. Students could write a
creative piece from the perspective of an immigrant. They could imagine
what it would be like to be new to the country. Pictures may be obtained
from books or the Internet. All photos along with the corresponding
narrative account will then be used to create a multimedia presentation,
titled, "The Great American Melting Pot."
This unit involves four main activities.
the students will learn how to:
1. Scan photos into the computer
2. Write a narrative account
3. Use AppleWorks word processor
4. Display work using multimedia
Internet links are provided
throughout the lesson to benefit both teachers and students.
This project requires students to
meet many of the English Language Arts performance standards. This
includes the students producing a narrative account. The students will
also participate in one-to-one conferences with a teacher regarding drafts
of their writing. They will demonstrate a basic understanding of the rules
of the English language. The students will analyze and subsequently revise
work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
This project also requires students
to meet social studies standards as well. They will learn about the
countries immigrants came from and they will improve geography skills.
or materials used:
The new media being used include: a
scanner, Adobe Photoshop, AppleWorks, a laser printer, the Internet, and
multimedia presentation software.
Students of all cultural backgrounds
and ability levels are suitable for this project. The students do not have
to have any prerequisite skills when it comes to the computer. Any
computer skill that is needed will be taught during the unit.
This program has many features and
innovative aspects that enhance technology skills. Students will become
more familiar with new media and will be better prepared to take advantage
of technological benefits. Students will be more successful in school and
therefore be more marketable in the workforce. This project can be adapted
into any classroom to improve cognitive processes while increasing
self-esteem, as well as improving racial relations and ethnic tolerance.
Tips for the teacher:
You must become familiar with the
software you will be using before showing students. You may choose
to enlist the aid of your school's technology coordinator to demonstrate
various procedures to the students.
If you have a limited number of computers in your classroom, you can
instruct a small group at the computer while the rest of the class is
conferencing with each other, revising, and editing their writing.
Joe Prestianni and Michele
Forschner-Prestianni are both 5th grade teachers in their 3rd year at
P.S. 88. They met on their first day of work and married in August 2000. Michele
received a BA in Psychology and Elementary Education and then an MA in
History. She has a dual certification in Elementary Education and
Secondary Social Studies. Joe received his BA in Business and later
obtained an MA in Elementary Education.
Joe runs the P.S. 88 Techno-Tykes program
which allows kids to get hands-on experience with audio/visual equipment,
digital cameras and computers.
Both hope their dedication will make an
impact on the future generation and inspire their students to reach their
Subject Area: Social


Recent data shows that over the past two decades the reading competency of American students has lagged. These findings demand immediate action. With all the many programs our teachers adopt and school districts purchase, and with all the debate over different approaches to teaching reading, it is urgently time to reinvent the teaching of reading, acknowledging that it is the key to improving students' overall success in school, impacting every single subject area and our children's future success in the workplace.
This, the 21st century, is the century of the critical reader. The 21st century reader is absorbing the world on a screen, on a mobile phone, on an ereader. More than ever before, every child needs not only to decode words and not to simply answer an adult's questions such as "Who is the character in this story?" but more, much more: to navigate the cacophony of words in a universe of information, opinion and stories. They need to be able to input their own questions in that Google bar, and marshal information that matters to them, and that can change their lives.
The way we've taught reading until now does not match what the 21st century child needs to know, and to know what to do when navigating this complex and varied universe of information and opinion.
Imagine if you enrolled your child in a soccer tutorial and for three quarters of the hour long practice the coach described soccer using words instead of action. In place of drills or scrimmages, players were lectured on the precise angle to hold their foot when kicking the ball, or the theory behind a good offensive play. This is how reading has been taught for years in our schools. Teachers lecture about "reading comprehension strategies" and "decoding skills" instead of giving children the real and authentic opportunities to actually read from varied and meaningful resources in school. They are reading less than seven minutes every day, if that, independently, by the middle school grades.
With this in mind, the simplest solution and the key to stronger reading is to treat reading as practice. Teachers need to reduce the amount of time spent talking about the benefits of reading and allow students to sit down and read. It really is this simple. It is widely accepted that math aptitude comes from working through problems and exercises. It shouldn't be hard to see then that the muscles for reading well are cultivated by absorbing words and practicing how to synthesize new ideas and new information for a new world.
Raising voracious, passionate readers means allowing children to take charge of their reading lives. A highly popular method for teaching reading is the "whole class novel" approach; it has never been proven effective by any measurable data but it is the single most common method for teaching reading anywhere in this country. Researchers (I have a particular affinity for the tireless work of Richard Allington on this subject) have been campaigning for years to say that reading at one's own independent reading level is a dynamic and effective way to build students' reading stamina, confidence and capacity for reading at higher levels.
What I am proposing is exquisitely simple, and therefore not costly. Children building capacity to read at and beyond their levels means they have to read from a deep variety of texts and for a wide variety of purposes, from a video game manual to a graphic novel to a blog on a subject of interest to the back of a cereal box to a classic canonic text. My idea is the converse idea to what has arisen from the ratcheting up of anxiety in our schools' decision makers by poor data outcomes, who resort to the purchase of snake oil remedies when instead they could solve a very simple problem with a very simple solution. It's as simple as this: children learn to read by reading. People get really good at what they do by doing it. Let's bring reading back to the classroom.
Let's let our children read.


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
"A counterpart to the base line appears in drawings as a sky line. This is
usually drawn at the top of the page, and the space between this and the
base line is identified by children as being air. As adults we usually
think of the sky in pictures as coming down to ground level; however, this
is actually an optical illusion. Not only does the sky never actually meet
the ground, but of course there is no tangible sky, only an accumulation of
air over a dark background. The concept of the sky above, ground below,
and air between is just as valid as our concept that the sky and ground
meet. Both are illusions."
CRAIG ROLAND. Associate Professor-Art Education.
Department of Art, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida.
32611-5801. (352) 392-9165 - Art Ed Office (352) 392-8453 - Fax


By David O. TeBeestDepartment of Plant PathologyUniversity of ArkansasPeople suffer from problems caused by air pollution which includes chemicals such as ozone. Plants can also be injured by air pollution including ozone. In fact, ozone damages more plants than all other air pollutants combined.
Dr. Kent Burkey at the USDA Agricultural Research Service Air Quality-Plant Growth and Development Research Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina is looking at ways that plants use vitamin C to defend themselves against pollution. One constituent of pollution, ozone, protects us from damage caused by UV if it remains in the upper atmosphere, but if ozone is too concentrated in the troposphere (at ground level), it injures us as well as plants. Ozone causes injury to plants when it enters plants and decomposes into reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs). ROIs must be neutralized to reduce injury to plants. Burkey found that plants move vitamin C into the liquid in the spaces between their cells to increase their tolerance to ozone. Snap beans may protect themselves from ozone with vitamin C in these spaces. For more information regarding this work, review the January 2003 issue of the Agricultural Research Magazine available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan03/plant0103.htm The United States Department of Agriculture website www.ars.usda.gov contains other interesting information. Click on "The Latest News from ARS" then click on "Magazine." This site also offers a section on science for kids (Sci4Kids tab) that may be helpful for teachers in K-12.
Views: Air pollutants affect and injure all species of cucurbits (melon or cucumber family), including watermelon. Watermelon and squash are the most sensitive of the cucurbits to ozone injury. The injury begins with premature chlorosis, leading to bleaching, then necrosis. Early symptoms (left) and late symptoms (right). Click images for an enlarged view and more information.


Delo is the language of the Ntrubo people. They are located in a group of villages in the south-east corner of Nkwanta district, Volta Region, east and northeast of Dambai and reaching over into Togo. The chief town of the area is Brewaniase, and the area covers about two-hundred square kilometers. The people farm crops of cassava, maize, cocoyam and plantain. They live in compounds that are built about twenty meters apart. They often migrate to towns such as Hohoe, Accra, and Kumasi in search of jobs and further education.
The Ntrubo are said to come from Atakpame in Togo, but they do not know the date of their migration. They have cultural as well as linguistic affinities with the Achode and the Adele.
Christianity was first introduced in the 1950's with the post war spread of mission schools. Most people with any elementary education would say that they are Roman Catholics or Evangelical Presbyterians. The Pentecostal and Charismatic churches entered the area in the 1960's and 70's respectively. Sadly many church members still continue to practice the traditional religion. Farmers find church going a waste of time, and many are also put off by the insistence on monogamy.
|Profile Source: Anonymous|
|Expanded PDF Profile|
|Region||West and Central Africa|
|Persecution Rank||Not ranked|
|Location in Country||East central border with Togo. The paramount chief is at Brewaniase, 35 km south of Nkwanta. Source: Ethnologue 2010|
|Primary Language:||Delo (15,000 speakers)|
|Language Code:||ntr Ethnologue Listing|
|For Primary Language:||Delo|
|Bible Translation ▲||Status (Years)|
|New Testament||Yes (2006)|
|Possible Print Bibles|
|Forum of Bible Agencies|
|World Bible Finder|
|Resource Type ▲||Resource Name|
|Audio Recordings||Audio Bible teaching (GRN)|
|Audio Recordings||Online New Testament (FCBH)|
|Film / Video||God's Story Video|
|Major Religion ▲||Percent|
|Christianity (Evangelical 18.00 %)||
|Other / Small||
|Christian Segments ▲||Percent|


PHONICS VS. PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
A reader sent us these questions about phonics and phonological awareness:
What is phonics? Is it not sounding out words? How does this differ from phonological awareness?
I get this question frequently. First, let me define phonics:
Phonics is the method of teaching beginning readers to connect the sounds of spoken language with letters or a group of letters and yes, part of phonics instruction involves the teaching of children to blend the sounds of letters together to form words (technically referred to as decoding skills).
Phonics instruction typically starts with letters first and children are taught the sounds that those letters "stand for" or "make".
It is NOT the same thing as phonological awareness. The terms are not interchangeable.
Phonological Awareness is the awareness of sounds only! It is void of print. No letters are introduced, no sound to symbol correspondence is taught.
I like to use the following example.
Phonics involves the eyes AND ears. Phonological awareness involves just the ears. You can have phonological awareness without phonics but you cannot have phonics without phonological awareness.
Phonological awareness skills are prerequisite skills for phonics!
Katie and I both think it is best to start with teaching sounds first; teaching children to hear, identify and manipulate the sounds in our language. Of course, the sooner you can establish the Alphabetic Principle the better but good phonological awareness skills help children to make sound letter connections more readily.
Skilled reading teachers can explicitly teach both phonological awareness and phonics skills (alphabetic principle) almost simultaneously in their instruction.
Thanks for the questions. Hope this information helps.


ERIC Number: ED480227
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1999
Reference Count: N/A
Critical Issue: Addressing the Literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers.
Literacy development begins in the very early stages of childhood, even though the activities of young children may not seem related to reading and writing. In 1966, New Zealand researcher Marie Clay introduced the term "emergent literacy" to describe the behaviors seen in young children when they use books and writing materials to imitate reading and writing activities, even though the children cannot actually read and write in the conventional sense. Early behaviors, such as "reading" from pictures and "writing" with scribbles are examples of emergent literacy and are an important part of children's literacy development. With the support of parents, caregivers, early childhood educators, and teachers, as well as exposure to a literacy-rich environment, children successfully progress from emergent to conventional reading. The theoretical and research-based knowledge of child development in general and of literacy development in particular provides an understanding of the literacy acquisition of young children and suggests strategies that can help children become successful, confident readers and writers. This paper discusses how to address the literacy needs of emergent and early readers. It consists of the following sections: Issue; Overview; Goals; Action Options; Pitfalls; Different Viewpoints; (Illustrative) Cases; and Contacts. (NKA)
Descriptors: Beginning Reading, Beginning Writing, Cognitive Development, Early Childhood Education, Early Reading, Emergent Literacy, Learning Activities, Reading Skills, Writing Skills
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Editorial Offices: NCREL, 1120 E. Diehl Rd., #200, Naperville, IL 60563. Tel: 800-356-2735 (Toll Free). For full text: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li100.htm.
Publication Type: Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL.
Identifiers: Clay (Marie)
Note: Written in collaboration with Elizabeth Sulzby.


Queen Elizabeth II is the queen of 54 Commonwealth countries. 16 of these countries are called Commonwealth Realm countries and Canada is one of them.
When Elizabeth steps down or dies, her son, Prince Charles will become King. If he steps down or dies, his first-born son, Prince William will become King–even though Princess Anne is the Queen’s only daughter and is next in age to Prince Charles.
In other words, because she is female, the crown wouldn’t go to Princess Anne.
Since the beginning of the British monarchy, men have been chosen first to become the next ruler.
A woman can only be chosen when there are no men in the monarch’s direct line, (like a brother or a brother’s sons).
That is how Elizabeth became queen. Her father, King George VI, had two daughters and no sons.
Last October, Commonwealth countries agreed that this centuries-old tradition was old-fashioned and should change.
Last week, at the opening of British Parliament in London, the Queen proposed a law to allow women to become Queen if that woman is next in line.
The Queen proposed other changes, as well.
She proposed that monarchs in Britain should be able to marry Roman Catholics.
This has been forbidden since the time of Henry VIII, who wanted to get a divorce (which was not allowed by the Catholic Church).
Henry VIII split the church into two parts — the Church of England (Anglican) and the Roman Catholic church. Since then no King or Queen of England has been allowed to marry a Catholic.
Stephen Harper has said Canada’s government approves of these changes but doesn’t consider them a priority for Canada.
He said he doesn’t believe there should be much time in Parliament spent debating them when there are other issues that are more important.
By Kathleen Tilly
What is your opinion on this issue? Do you think that girls and women should have the right to the crown if they are the first born? Why or why not?
Do agree with Stephen Harper? Is this issue less important than others? If so, which issues would be more important and why?
Reading Prompt: Comprehension Strategies
Read the title of the article and make predictions about what the text might be about.
How do your predictions change when you notice the picture of Queen Elizabeth II? Now what do you think the article might be about?
When you finished reading the article, discuss whether your initial prediction was correct or if it needed to be changed.
Identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand texts (OME, Reading: 1.3).
Identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts (OME, Reading: 1.3).
Grammar Feature: Conjunctions
A conjunction is a word that joins two words or phrases (groups of words) together. Some conjunctions include: and, but, or, nor, for, and yet.
Read the article and identify which sentences use conjunctions. In each sentence, identify which words/phrases are joined together by a conjunction.


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Tips for Teaching Reading Comprehension to your Kids
Teaching reading comprehension is critical to ensure your kids are
successful readers. Children have to learn more than just recognizing
letters, sounds and words. They need to associate meaning to those
letters, sounds and words.
The right reading comprehension strategies
can be the key to instilling a love of reading in your child. Without
these strategies, it's like reading a foreign language; they can say the
words, but have no idea how to interpret them.
As your children
develop and grow you should see their comprehension improve. You can
measure their understanding by the questions they ask and the comments
While preschool and kindergarten kids are primarily
learning how to decode our language and to recognize letters and words,
first graders are becoming real readers.
By the end of
first grade, kids should be able to talk about the books they’re reading
and know how to summarize the main ideas. They should understand more
and more vocabulary words and be able to associate what they’re reading
with the world around them. They are developing interests and should be
communicating what kinds of books they are interested in.
10 Basic Teaching Reading Comprehension Tips:
- Help your child create mental images when they read. Show them how to use their senses and get emotionally involved with the story they’re reading. Kids who are good at visualizing can tell you the details of the story, make predictions about what’s coming up in the story, and are eager to read more of the story – even if they’ve already read it dozens of times.
- Ask lots of questions during the story because this helps your child process what they’ve read and helps strengthen their understanding. Encourage your child to ask questions. If they don’t, ask THEM if they have any questions.
- Show your kids how to make inferences while they’re reading.
- Teach them how to figure out the most important idea or theme of the book.
- Take a little time EVERY day to read to your child; just 15 or 20 minutes is enough time.
- Talk about what you’re reading and discuss new words or ideas.
- Ask them to write a report or draw a picture about what they've just read.
- Create an inviting nurturing reading environment.
- Don’t make reading just about worksheets and quizzes. Practice sheets for spelling and vocabulary serves a purpose, but it won’t develop your child’s love of learning. Remember, the goal is to promote a love of reading.
- Find a book that your child will fall in love with. If one doesn’t work, try another one.
Important Teaching Reading Comprehension Links:
Learn specific reading comprehension strategies.
You can check out some of our suggestions for the best books for children.
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