Which things have more friction? Try to predict which things will be harder to push, and then measure this and see for yourself whether your predictions are true.
Get a plain wooden board and put it on the ground. Put things on the board and try to push them with different amounts of force. It's hard to measure how much force you are putting in without equipment, but see if you can move the thing by blowing on it, or by pushing it just with one finger, or by pushing with one hand, or with your whole body, or even more than one person pushing. Try pushing a wooden block, a toy car, a scrubbing brush (on the bristles and on the wood side), an ice cube, a block wrapped in sandpaper, a piece of jello or a hard-boiled egg, a brick.
Which things are easier to push? Which things are harder? What happens if you pour water on the board before you put the things on? What if the water freezes into ice? How about oil? Does it matter if the things are smaller, if they are just as heavy? Why?
What happens if you tilt the board? Does that change the amount of friction? Or is some other force involved?
To find out more about friction, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:
Science for Kids home page
History for Kids home page


Special Education P-12 and Elementary Education (Dual Endorsement), BAEd
What is the study of Special Education P-12 and Elementary Education (Dual Endorsement)?
In keeping with the aim of providing the skills needed to learn about a culture in depth, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages trains in two areas: language structure and literary analysis. Language structure is taught both holistically and analytically. Holistic language learning is facilitated by modern methods and multimedia technology, as well as study abroad opportunities. The department supports the analytical instruction of language structure through a full range of language skills courses, as well as a significant number of courses in linguistics. Literary analysis is essential to a student’s understanding of the highest achievements in aesthetic expression of a culture’s values.
The department provides instruction in history and culture, as well as literary theory, with an end to enabling the student to gain access to the intellectual life in the culture. The department imparts skills to future foreign language teachers so that they may similarly enable high school students to begin the acquisition of foreign languages.
Why Should I Consider this Major?
There are two definitions of Special Education. One is the education of students with disabilities. The other is the application of exceptional teaching. We in the Special Education Program at Western Washington University believe very strongly in the second definition. We think that it is our mission to prepare exceptional teachers and, while students who have disabilities often require the services of such teachers, we also believe that there are many other students who can benefit from high quality instruction. We also think that there is much satisfaction to be gained from the acquisition of the highest levels of teaching skills and that the teachers trained in our program benefit professionally and personally from the acquisition of these skills. That is why the word “Special” in our title is a source of pride to us and to our graduates.
- Special Education
- Resource Room
- Special Education Teacher
- Inclusive Classroom Teacher
- Behavior Interventions Specialist


iPhone Ear Training Tool:
Play By Ear
Play By Ear is a free iPhone ear training application that includes exercises for learning to play intervals, chords, and melodies by ear. The exercises are all based on call and response, where the iPhone plays some notes and you play them back on your actual instrument. As you play the notes back on your instrument, Play By Ear uses pitch recognition to determine whether or not you got the notes right. Play By Ear doesn't have as many features as the online ear training application shown to the right, but it's a handy mobile ear trainer that you can take anywhere!
Ear Training Online:
Intervals, Chords, Random Melodies
This free online ear training tool includes exercises for learning intervals, chords, and melodies. You can use the random melody feature to practice sight-singing and call-and-response (it also has pre-programmed jazz licks). The auto looping feature is especially useful so you can work hands-free, listening to the exercises and playing them back on your instrument. This online ear training tool also includes a rhythm section feature that dynamically generates jazz play-a-long tracks for major, minor, dominant7, II-V7-I, blues, and rhythm changes chord progressions... and more!
Ear Training Online:
Simple Song Randomizer
When learning to play by ear, one of the most effective ear training exercises is playing familiar tunes by ear. They can be simple songs like nursery rhymes, xmas carols, or jazz standards and rock/pop hits. All that matters is that you know them well enough to effortlessly sing, whistle, or hum their melody. With that level of familiarity you can then try playing them on your instrument by ear, without reading music. My simple song randomizer ear training tool streamlines this activity by providing you with a random song name and starting note.
WHY EAR TRAINING IS IMPORTANT
Ear training helps you to identify and play music entirely by ear, without the aid of written music. The ability to play by ear is essential to any improvising musician because it's the only way to accurately play the ideas in your head. Non-improvising musicians can also benefit from ear training as it allows you to learn new tunes, compose new tunes, and play any melody entirely by ear.
Here's another way to look at ear training... think of the last time you were around other people and somebody asked you to play a popular song on your instrument. Maybe it was an xmas carol, or maybe it was a rock song. Whatever it was, it was likely something that you could effortlessly sing yet you probably hadn't ever played it on your instrument. The question is this: Were you able to pick up your instrument and play the song by ear, or did you tell the person you couldn't play the song because you needed written music? I've been in this situation many times myself and I've always found it demoralizing when I couldn't play even the simplest of tunes by ear. And that's where ear training comes in. Regardless of your current ability, ear training can strengthen your ears moving you closer to the point where you can effortless play anything by ear.
EAR TRAINING ARTICLES
I've written several articles about ear training at my jazz blog. Following are some highlights:
- Learning To Improvise - Introduction: This article discusses my jazz education and the odd absence of adequate ear training. As you'll read in the article, my lack of ear training and my total inability to play by ear prevented me from succeeding at jazz improvisation.
- Learning To Improvise - Ear Training: This article discusses the importance of ear training in jazz improvisation.
- Play By Ear - Supporting Evidence: Interviews and masterclass notes where professional jazz musicians and educators discuss the importance of ear training and the ability to play by ear.
- Ear Training - Reader Email: Selected messages from readers of my jazz blog in which they discuss the importance of ear training in their musical development.
- Suzuki Method & Music Education: This article discusses some of the ear training principles behind the Suzuki Method and how those principles help students learn to play by ear.
- John Murphy - Ear Training Interview: In this article, I present an interview I did with University of North Texas professor, John Murphy. Among other things, John Murphy teaches jazz aural skills (ear training) at UNT's school of music.
- John Murphy - Musical Fluency: This is a short article by a University of North Texas Professor which compares fluency in a language to having strong aural skills.


This post was created by a member of Edutopia's community. If you have your own #eduawesome tips, strategies, and ideas for improving education, share them with us.
T. R. Girill Society for Technical Communication/Lawrence Livermore National Lab. email@example.com Technical Writing: Sharing Resources at the 2011 NSTA Conference The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) brought its huge annual National Conference on Science Education to San Francisco on March 10-13, 2011. I am pleased to report that the technical literacy project shared its resources with 70 conference attendees at one of this event's 2000 professional development sessions on Thursday, March 10. One unusual feature of our NSTA session (compared with others on science literacy) was that it shared techniques anchored in real-world technical-writing cases, rather than those focused only on just-for-school exercises. Here are the highlights: Presenters T. R. Girill, who manages the technical literacy project for the East Bay Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication and is an STC Fellow. Nadine R. Horner, external relations officer for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where in-service and pre-service teachers learn about this project's approach each summer and where high school students meet these writing techniques through the LLNL-sponsored regional science fair for which Horner is the director. NSTA Session Abstract Improving Technical Writing Skills In Science Class This presentation discusses ways in which science teachers can improve the basic technical writing skills that their students need to effectively "record, summarize, and communicate the results of inquiry to their class, school, or community" (National Science Education Standards, p. 214). Attendees will see how explicit guidelines for revising instructions and descriptions can externalize the often-hidden text-design techniques of those who communicate successfully about science. Scaffolded exercises that adapt real-world technical texts for high-school use enable students to iteratively improve the usability of draft explanations, including their own. This "cognitive apprenticeship" approach, which treats writing as text engineering, addresses the academic-English needs of ESL and underperforming science students as well as those in AP classes. Through student notebooks, risk assessments, and poster presentations it promotes practical science literacy during all stages of preparing typical science-fair projects. It also connects classroom practice directly to the on-the-job writing of research scientists, crime scene investigators, the technical trades, and health-care providers. The cases and materials shared here have been refined in California classrooms, have earned praise from science teachers pursuing professional development at the Edward Teller Education Center, and have received a Pacesetter Award from the Society for Technical Communication. Supporting Websites (listed on NSTA attendee handouts) Literacy development through science fair projects-- https://tvsef.llnl.gov/tvsef_itel_res.html#planning Comparative, explanatory overview of techniques and resources-- http://www.ebstc.org/TechLit/handbook/handbooktoc.html Writing instructions (checklists and annotated cases)-- http://www.ebstc.org/TechLit/trgintro2.html Writing descriptions (checklists and annotated cases)-- http://www.ebstc.org/TechLit/trgintro3.html


World Thinking Day 2014
15 November 2013
Each year on 22 February, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world celebrate World Thinking Day (WTD). WTD is an opportunity to celebrate international friendship, learn about and take action on important issues, and fundraise in support of the World Thinking Day Fund.
We have chosen UN Millennium Development Goal 2 (MDG) as the theme for WTD 2014– Achieve universal primary education.
Education is a key issue affecting girls and young women around the world. Despite progress, an estimated 250 million children of primary school age lack basic reading, writing and numeracy skills, whether in school or not. Globally, 123 million youth (aged 15 to 24) lack basic reading and writing skills; 61 per cent of them are young women. (MDG Report 2013).
This situation can and must be changed. Together, the 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide can help raise awareness and ensure that every girl has the right to learning so she fulfils her potential.
World Thinking Day is a way for girls and young women to learn about life for their peers in other countries and to explore the Girl Guide and Girl Scout experience across the globe. For WTD 2014, we have now confirmed the five focus countries – Egypt, Bangladesh, Armenia, St Vincent and Grenadines, and Benin.
With the money you donate to the WTD Fund, WAGGGS will provide grants to the focus countries to take action on MDG 2 in 2014. The WTD Fund also helps girls’ voices to be heard globally, delivers leadership training to young women and gives support for Girl Guide and Girl Scout organizations around the world.
- Download the WTD activity pack for activities and fundraising ideas, available soon!
- Purchase the WTD badge now, which accompanies the activity pack, or WTD pins – proceeds from sales go towards the WTD Fund www.wagggs-shop.org
- Fundraise for the WTD Fund; check out ideas in the activity pack and the WTD website
- Take the WTD e-learning course on GLOW, available in 2014
- Join our advocacy campaign, launching in 2014
- Attend a WTD event at a World Centre as an independent guest or with a group
- Download the new WAGGGS’ handbook on non-formal education, available in February 2014


Elliott, Stephen (1999) Words about pictures : an analysis of dialogue content and process in high school art-viewing sessions. PhD thesis, Concordia University.
Classroom practice is used in this exploratory research to study the dialogue content and process associated with High School art viewing activities. Using content analysis research methods with recorded audio and video data of Art History and Art Critique classroom sessions from five research sites, this study suggests the nature and outcomes of art viewing sessions in schools are widely varied due to differing underlying purposes and goals of the teacher. The teachers implicit and explicit purposes and goals determine what dialogue content, questions, and comments relating to the works of art viewed serve to explicate. Different goals tend to focus the discussion on different issues and interests. Goals identified in this study focused student attention on varied aspects of history, style, artistic expression, artist information, or class assignments. In addition to being driven by individual goals and purposes, teachers used works of art in their viewing sessions to serve different ends. The role actual works played in the viewing art sessions of this research ranged from a superficial inclusion to a complete integration where information distilled from the works constituted the reason for, and the substance of, classroom discussion. Integration distinctions included: the use of art as allusion, as illustration, as example, and as the substance of the critical talk. Merely exhorting teachers to include or increase talk about art in their teaching practice is insufficient in determining what that might mean regarding curriculum outcomes. Increasing critical talk about art cannot guarantee that this talk will be moving students toward the same ends. Although teachers may build comparably described sessions into their curricula, they will do so with different goals and purposes in mind. Teachers will be better able to shape the content and determine the outcomes of viewing art activities in schools as they become cognizant of their implicit and explicit purposes and goals, and decide on the role actual works of art will play in their process.
|Divisions:||Concordia University > Faculty of Fine Arts > Art Education|
|Item Type:||Thesis (PhD)|
|Pagination:||x, 257 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.|
|Degree Name:||Theses (Ph.D.)|
|Thesis Supervisor(s):||Blair, Lorrie|
|Deposited By:||Concordia University Libraries|
|Deposited On:||27 Aug 2009 13:14|
|Last Modified:||08 Dec 2010 10:16|
Repository Staff Only: item control page


Students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are currently sitting for the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. These tests are supposedly designed to identify whether students have the “literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for their learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community.”
However, there are a number of serious concerns about NAPLAN, including causing health problems such as stress, anxiety, as well as vomiting and sleeplessness. NAPLAN has also been criticised for encouraging teaching to the test, the promotion of supplements, narrowing the curriculum and manipulation and cheating by schools.
Given these growing concerns about the impacts of NAPLAN, it is important to consider just what this expensive standardised literacy testing program actually measures.
Testing the ability to do tests
Just as I.Q. tests do little more than test someone’s ability to do an I.Q. test, NAPLAN primarily measures students’ capacity to effectively sit NAPLAN tests.
Students as young as seven are made to sit in a room up to twice a day over three days, 40 minutes at a time and use pencil and paper to complete tests with about 40 questions on them. These tests are broken into reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
The nature of the tests as one-size-fits-all means that the diverse social and cultural differences of students are ignored, while different learning styles and ways of knowing and understanding are stymied. The tests have also been criticised of having an Anglo-Australian bias that privileges white, middle class world views.
It seems nonsensical that pencil and paper tests conducted in a couple of hours over three days can even begin to measure the complexities of literacy learning and knowledge of our young people. Yet, each May since 2008, this is exactly what the Australian government has attempted to do.
Further, despite being touted as a useful diagnostic tool for schools and teachers, there are limited benefits to improving literacy outcomes for students when the test results are released in October, five months after students have sat them. Anyone who has ever raised or taught young children will know that five months is a lifetime in the learning development of children.
More than reading and writing
The version of literacy valued by pencil and paper tests is one that fits with a skills-based traditional approach to learning, which has limited relevance in the lives of young people today. Reading, spelling, grammar, punctuation and writing are necessary and important skills, but they fall well short of the range of skills and knowledge needed for young people to thrive as literate citizens in today’s information and media rich environment.
A large amount of research has been done into new literacies over the past couple of decades. These new literacies make use of new communication technologies, such as the internet, portable computing and mobile phones, along with visual and critical literacy, gaming, art, film, drama and music.
There is enormous potential in these new literacies for young people to engage in meaning making that is critical and creative. Continuing to privilege pencil and paper testing of reading and writing makes little sense when the lives of young people involve much more complex ways of communicating and accessing information through a wide variety of media.
Music as literacy?
One growing area of interest is in the intersection of music and literacy. Music has long been accepted as an important feature in the lives of young people, with popular music and youth culture intertwined since Bill Hayley and the Comets released “Rock Around the Clock”. Less known are the deep connections of music and language, and the capacity for music to act as a vehicle for literacy learning.
There are obvious links that can be made between song lyrics and language, but less obvious are the other links to learning, where music develops auditory and metacognitive processes through singing, rhyme, rhythm and percussion. A simple example of this is through mnemonics such as the alphabet song, where pitch and rhythm work together to trigger linguistic cues.
Music links to reading in ways that we are only beginning to understand. Motivation, cueing and comprehension are all aided through music. In other words, if we want to improve our students’ reading and writing skills, we should get them singing more.
This is the kind of innovative teaching that should be done in schools to build up literacy skills in students. But with tests like NAPLAN increasingly dominating the school day and encouraging teachers to teach to the test, will there be any room left? Perhaps if NAPLAN could measure singing then things would be very different.


Unlock the world of print and ensure grade-level success for all students.
Enhance your reading program with comprehensive phonics intervention.
Research confirms that phonics is an essential component of an effective reading curriculum.
To help students who are reading below grade level make adequate reading progress, Houghton Mifflin now offers Phonics Intervention. Our new kits, available in three levels, provide explicit instruction and practice for blending sounds, phonics/decoding skills, high-frequency words, and building reading fluency.
The Phonics Intervention Kits contain these materials:
Phonics Instruction Booklet
Explicit phonics/decoding lessons using sound-by-sound blending are just right for students who need extra support in the areas of phonics/decoding and reading fluency.
Build your students' reading fluency with these original stories
that provide practice and application of phonics skills and high-frequency
Letter, Word, and Picture Cards
Your students can practice building words and sentences with this comprehensive set of letter cards, high-frequency word cards, and picture cards.
Lexia Phonics Primary Intervention CD-ROM
This CD-ROM features a variety of motivational, game-like activities to reinforce phonics skills. Reports of student progress are available onscreen or in printed format.
I Love Reading Books
Decodable stories in Blackline Master format provide phonics and high-frequency word practice for in-class and take-home use.
Blending Routine Cards
Explicit blending models support instruction and promote effective decoding strategies.
Teach and reinforce common spelling patterns with these instructional cards.
Phonics/Decoding Screening Test
Use this test to assess the needs of students who require more help with instruction and/or application of phonics skills. Available in Blackline Master format.
Lexia Quick Phonics Assessment CD-ROM
Quick tests assess students' strengths and weaknesses in phonics/decoding
and prescribe activities in the Lexia Primary Intervention CD-ROMs.


Applications now open - Spring Bulbs for Schools
Plant bulbs in your school grounds to study climate change. Join this UK wide investigation and improve science and numeracy skills. All schools must apply by the end of July to take part in the following September. Free to all schools in Wales -spaces limited.
More information www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs
Science, Geography and ESD&GC.
Kids in Museums takeover day 2012
People's Collection Wales
The People’s Collection Wales is a website full of fascinating photographs, sound recordings, documents, videos and stories about the history and heritage of wales and its people. Discover trails, collections and stories, or just search for a photo of your favourite place! Join the site and add your own history!
Read a Million Words in Wales Rap Songs
These rap songs were created by children from Ysgol Maesincla, Caernarfon and Ysgol Bro Plennydd, Y Ffor who took part in rap workshops with musician Martin Dawes at the National Slate Museum recently. The project was part of a national scheme to “Read a million words in Wales” (RMWW) an exciting, fun campaign that sets a goal for primary school children, classes and schools to read a million words in a year through innovative interactive projects.link


Research on the literacy and language development of Spanish-speaking English language learners
Vocabulary Instruction and Assessment for Spanish Speakers (VIAS)
The Vocabulary Instruction and Assessment for Spanish Speakers (VIAS) project was a program of research funded through grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) from September 2007 through May 2013, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Diane L. August. The grants supported research on the literacy and language development of Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) conducted by investigators at the Center for Applied Linguistics and its collaborators, Harvard University, Boston College, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Houston.
The VIAS program consisted of four research subprojects and two cores (research and administrative):
Subproject 1: Predicting Growth in Spanish-speaking Children’s Reading: PreK to Eight
This longitudinal study examined the patterns of reading and language development of Spanish-speaking children reading in English, the factors that predict their developmental trajectories, and the specific skills that are susceptible to change.
Subproject 2: Early Childhood Intervention Study: Improving the Language and Literacy Skills of Spanish-English Bilingual Kindergarteners
This longitudinal intervention explored the oral language proficiency and literacy development of kindergarten children from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. The intervention attempted to improve childrenís language and early literacy skills through the implementation of a program that combined English and Spanish treatments.
Subproject 3: Developing Vocabulary in Spanish-Speaking Children: The Acquisition of Vocabulary in English Project (AVE)
This subproject consisted of a series of research studies that investigated third grade ELL and English proficient studentsí knowledge of high frequency academic vocabulary then examined the relative effectiveness of several methods of vocabulary instruction on second-grade Spanish-speaking ELL studentsí acquisition of high frequency content vocabulary.
Subproject 4: Enhancing Vocabulary through Cognate Awareness (EVOCA)
This study investigates the effects of two cognate-based interventions on the development of literacy skills among Spanish-speaking adolescent students.
The Administrative Core supported the program of research through management of grant documentation and reporting, supporting communication and collaboration among the researchers, disseminating the programís progress and results, and sharing of researcher-developed resources.
The Research Core supported the subprojects in selecting and developing assessments and protocols for their research and by providing technical support to the research team on data analysis.


Foundational Skills Taught in a Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
From its German origin, the word "kindergarten" literally means "children's garden." This translation is the perfect analogy for the goal of a kindergarten homeschool curriculum. As homeschooling parents, we want kindergarten to be the rich soil in which we plant the seeds for our children to grow in intellect and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Through the subjects of Bible, language arts, math, science, and social studies, a kindergarten homeschool curriculum provides the foundational skills and resources necessary for our children to succeed academically and in life.
A quality Christian education, therefore, begins with a curriculum taught from a biblical worldview. As homeschoolers, we are blessed with the great opportunity to teach lessons solely devoted to the Bible and Christian living. In teaching a kindergarten Bible class, children are taught that God is the Creator of all things, they each have their own gifts, and they are significant and loved by God. In addition, kindergartners also learn that Jesus came to save them from their sins, so they can have a relationship with God and share Christ's love with others. However, even when they fail and sin after accepting God's free gift of eternal life, a kindergarten homeschool curriculum also teaches children that God continues to listen to their prayers.
Another very important subject for kindergarten students is language arts. A kindergarten language arts classroom uses a variety of strategies to help children learn new words and develop foundational writing skills. In addition, kindergartners grow intellectually as parents read books to their children. When using books and texts that are musical, rhythmical, and inspirational, children quickly learn to read more fluently themselves. In fact, if children recite as few as eight nursery rhymes by the age of four, they have been proven to be excellent readers. Thus, a quality kindergarten homeschool curriculum continues to introduce children to poetic reading.
One aspect of a kindergarten classroom that is often overlooked in lesson plans is oral language. One way oral language is taught in kindergarten is by creating a weekly list of conversation topics for a parent and child. For example, if the topic is a favorite toy, both the homeschool parent and child should each take 30-45 seconds to talk about their favorite toy. After they both have talked, each then repeats what the other person has said. In doing this, children learn that listening is just as important as speaking in a conversation.
Math is a fundamental subject in a kindergarten homeschool curriculum that doesn't require expensive supplies. Kindergartners are introduced to basic terms, such as more than, less than, or equal to. As the basic numerical knowledge of children is increased, they are able to count to 100 by 1s, 5s, and 10s. Children also learn the basic elements of geometry by recognizing circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles. In addition, children learn life math skills that deal with time, money, and measurement. Kindergartners are able to identify different values of coins and learn to measure distances with a ruler and also with informal objects, such as a piece of string, their hands, or their feet.
A great advantage of teaching kindergarten is the excitement of children to learn. Therefore, a good kindergarten science curriculum supports and encourages this curiosity. Children are reminded that God is the Creator as they explore His world through their five senses: tasting, smelling, hearing, touching, and seeing. They also learn responsibility by caring for plants or a pet. As kindergartners are taught to care for their own health, they learn the importance of physical activities and eating healthy.
Finally, children also begin learning about social studies. In kindergarten, most of the curriculum is oriented toward family and relationships, which provides a foundation for later studies in history and geography. Children in kindergarten know their basic contact information like their phone number and street address, and they learn how to read and create a basic map, such as the route they take to get to Grandma's house. They also learn about national historical figures like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Whether we are teaching our children about the Bible, language arts, math, science, or social studies, an effective kindergarten homeschool curriculum provides a solid foundation for further academic success. Most importantly, however, it nourishes the insatiable desires of young children to grow in knowledge and instills in them the aspirations to be lifelong learners in God's world.


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Questions About This Book?
- The eBook copy of this book is not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically only the book itself is included.
James Christie is a Professor of Advanced Studies in Education Policy, Leadership, and Curriculum at Arizona State University where he teaches courses in early childhood education. His research interests include early literacy development and children's play. He has served as co-director of several Early Reading First projects.
Billie Enz is a professor of early childhood education in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at Arizona State University where she teaches courses in early childhood education. Her research includes language and literacy development and family literacy. She is a co-principle investigator for First Things First External Evaluation for Arizona which is a state-wide early childhood initiative.
Carol Vukelich is the Hammonds Professor in Teacher Education and Director of the Delaware Center of Teacher Education at the University of Delaware where she co-directs two Early Reading First projects and supports colleagues’ work on several other projects. Her research interests include early literacy development, particularly children’s vocabulary development, and teaching writing.
Table of Contents
Part One Foundations
Chapter 1 Foundations of Language and Literacy
Chapter 2 Oral Language Development
Chapter 3 Family Literacy
Part Two Early Language and Literacy Instruction
Chapter 4 Facilitating Early Language Learning
Chapter 5 Emergent Literacy Strategies
Chapter 6 Teaching Early Reading and Writing
Chapter 7 Assessing Early Literacy: Finding Out What Young Children Know and Can Do
Chapter 8 Elementary Reading: Expanding the Foundation for Ongoing Literacy Learning
Chapter 9 A Comprehensive Elementary Reading Program: Teaching Meaning and Skills
Chapter 10 Creating Writers: Teaching Children to Write Well
Chapter 11 Teaching the Mechanical Skills of Writing
Chapter 12 Assessment: Determining What Older Students Know and Can Do


DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. When used as recommended, the results can be used to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level feedback toward validated instructional objectives. DIBELS can be used to as assessments for
· determining benchmarks goals,
· for progress monitoring, and
· as outcome measure assessments.
Each measure has been thoroughly researched and demonstrated to be reliable and valid indicators of early literacy development and predictive of later reading proficiency to aid in the early identification of students who are not progressing as expected.
The DIBELS measures were specifically designed to assess the Big Ideas of early literacy: Phonological Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, Fluency with Connected Text, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. The measures are linked to one another, both psychometrically and theoretically, and have been found to be predictive of later reading proficiency. Combined, the measures form an assessment system of early literacy development that allows educators to readily and reliably determine student progress.
Measures of Phonological Awareness
· Initial Sounds Fluency (ISF): Assess a child’s skill at identifying and producing the initial sound of a given word.
· Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF): Assesses a child’s skill at producing the individual sounds within a given word.
Measures of Alphabetic Principle and Phonics
· Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF): Assesses a child’s knowledge of letter-sound correspondences as well their ability to blend letters together to form unfamiliar “nonsense” (e.g., ut, fik, lig, etc.) words.
· Oral Reading Fluency (ORF): If accuracy is less than 95%.
Measure of Accuracy and Fluency with Connected Text
· Oral Reading Fluency (ORF): Assesses a child’s skill at reading connected text in grade-level materials.
Measure of Comprehension
· Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) and Retell Fluency (RTF): Assesses a child’s understanding of verbally read connected text.
Measure of Vocabulary and Oral Language
· Word Use Fluency (WUF): Assesses a child’s ability to accurately use a provided word in the context of a sentence.


We are here to support our students in their quest for a higher education!
The role of a math major is twofold. First, math majors will use computer algebra software to explore sophisticated applications of calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations to science, technology, and engineering. Consequently, math majors will gain an understanding of how and why mathematics is important to our society. Secondly, math majors will explore the abstract underpinnings of why math works. Math majors will witness the elegance and logic of mathematical proof in preparation for university studies.
A degree in mathematics can open doors in virtually any industry or endeavor anywhere in the world. It is a highly respected degree among employers. Math majors often pursue career opportunities in finance, information technology, operations, and logistics as well as the traditional role of teaching.
Business related majors:
MATH 1324 Math for Business & Social Sciences IMATH 1325 Math for Business & Social Sciences II
Science, technology, engineering, & mathematics majors:
MATH 2312 Pre-Calculus
MATH 2413 Calculus I
MATH 2414 Calculus II
MATH 2415 Calculus III
MATH 2318 Linear Algebra
MATH 2320 Differential Equations
Elementary education certification majors:
MATH 1350 Math for Teachers I
MATH 1351 Math for Teachers II
Social science and health science majors:
MATH 1342 Elementary Statistics
Liberal arts and fine arts majors:
MATH 1332 Math for Liberal Arts
General studies and undecided majors:
MATH 1314 College Algebra
See the most recent college catalog for specific degree requirements and course descriptions. Additionally, online course options are available for local and distance learning students.
The mathematics program of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Galveston <st1:placetype w:st="on">College endeavors to:
a) Foster an appreciation in students for the value of mathematics in advancing humanity.
b) Produce students that are detail oriented
c) Promote numeracy among students
d) Provide a full range of convenient course offerings to support all majors.
If you have specific questions, or would like further information about classes, or seeking a degree in math and statistics, please contact the program coordinator.


Spelling, handwriting and dyslexia: overcoming barriers to learning
"The author of this book argues that spelling and writing need to be given more consideration in teaching and remedial settings especially if dyslexic pupils are to be helped back up to grade level, and other pupils are to make more effective, quicker progress. This book helps teachers and student teachers to understand the valuable contribution spelling and handwriting make to literacy development in primary and secondary schools, and shows them how to overcome existing barriers to learning." "This book will be of interest to teachers and teacher educators interested in literacy, dyslexia and dyspraxia/developmental coordination difficulties. Undergraduate and postgraduate students in education and inclusion will also find much here of interest."--BOOK JACKET.
Includes bibliographical references and index. Spelling -- Handwriting -- Dyslexia -- Overcoming dyslexia : specialist apsl programmes -- Overcoming barriers to learning : the alphabet, phonics and multisensory phonics -- Overcoming barriers to learning : strategic syllabic and cognitive linguistics.
- LCC: LB1574
- Dewey Decimal: 372.63
- Language: eng
- Physical Description: vii, 208 p. ; 25 cm.
- Edition Info: (e-book)
- English language -- Orthography and spelling -- Study and teaching
- Penmanship -- Study and teaching
- Learning disabled children -- Education
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Music therapy proven to help heal body, mind
Though some believe laughter is the best medicine, others will argue music does the trick, too.
Music can be used to promote wellness and to treat those afflicted with certain diseases through music therapy, during which a patient listens to and creates music with the goal of treating the symptoms of an illness or for physical rehabilitation.
"Music therapy has been shown to have an appreciable effect in the treatment of dementia and stroke victims," Central Michigan University Director of Music Education Randi L'Hommedieu said.
Music therapy has been used to treat patients with neurological and mental disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and autism, as well as physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease. It has also been known to reduce stress, alleviate pain and improve self-esteem in healthy individuals.
It wasn't until around the turn of the 20th century that the field of music therapy began to develop. According to the American Music Therapy Association, the first educational program in music therapy began at Michigan State University in 1944.
"Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people's motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings," according to the AMTA website.
The healing potential of music is backed by solid scientific evidence, though not much was known about how music therapy worked in the past. In recent years, doctors have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines to determine which areas of the brain respond to music.
L'Hommedieu said there is a definite correlation between music and brain function, and science has made advances in using music as a form of therapy.
"It's been established that there's a neurological connection between attending to music and brain function," L'Hommedieu said. "People are using that to make some really significant advances in the advocacy and practice of music therapy."
Music therapy activates particular parts of the brain associated with listening to and making music. Stimulating these areas of the brain can shift the balance of chemicals in the brain and reduce the symptoms of certain diseases.
Music therapy has also proven effective in aiding the recovery of people with severe brain injuries. A prime example of its success includes former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who suffered a gunshot wound to the head in 2011 and lost the ability to speak.
With the help of music therapists, she first learned how to sing again and eventually regained her speech.


Posted on January 10, 2015 by Jonathan Harnum
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The amazing Dr. Carol Dweck explains how your belief about intelligence profoundly impacts your motivation to learn, the depth of your learning, and your persistence in the face of failure. In music, Dr. Bret Smith discovered similar findings. Lots more in Chapter 6 of The Practice of Practice (free shipping in the US).
Want a free color, high-rez poster to hang in your practice room to remind you of this important (crucial) mindset? Here it is. Hope you enjoy the video.
Filed under: TED, How, Why, Motivation, Do This, Free Stuff | Tagged: Action research, Brain, Carol Dweck, Deprogramming, Developmental biology, Developmental psychology, Elementary school, Feedback, Mindset (book), music practice, practice, practice book, practice research, TED (conference), the practice of practice | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 5, 2014 by Jonathan Harnum
One of the most important chapters in The Practice of Practice—chapter 6–has nothing to do with practice directly, it has to do with what you think about musical talent. Is musical ability “natural,” a gift of genetics? Is it something you’re born with? Something you either have or you don’t? Or is musical talent earned through exposure and effort? Your answer will have a profound impact on your practice: your motivation to practice, how you approach practice, whether you persist in the face of challenges, and how deeply you learn when you do practice.
This stems from Carol Dweck’s work on how your ideas about the nature of intelligence affects how you learn. Here’s a superb summary of her work by Trevor Ragan. Dweck’s studies have been replicated and expanded since 1986 when Dr. Dweck first began her investigations. She has a wonderful book out that covers the topic in great detail, called Mindsets.
Music education researcher Bret Smith has found similar repercussions for musicians who hold fixed (innate ability), or fluid (talent is grown) ideas about musical ability. The kicker is that it doesn’t really matter whether musical talent is genetic or not, it’s your ideas about its nature that shape how you practice. Want to learn more about this topic, and 45 other chapters of great material? Pick up a copy of The Practice of Practice. Learn more about the book here.
Filed under: Motivation, Research Articles, Why | Tagged: Bret Smith, Carol Dweck, Dweck, Jonathan Harnum, Learning, Mindset, Music education, music practice, practice, practice book, read, The Practice of, the practice of practice | Leave a comment »


Chacha Nehru Scholarship for Artistic and Innovative Excellence
Primacy to Art Education:
The importance of arts in the education system has been repeatedly discussed and recommended over the decades. Rather than encouraging the pursuit of arts the education system in the country tends to relegate arts to be ‘useful hobbies’ and ‘leisure activities’. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) – 2005 reiterates the importance of Art Education at all stages of school education so that ‘we retain our unique cultural identity in all its diversity’. NCF – 2005 recommends four major areas of Art Education at the Secondary and Senior Secondary stages. These include Music, Dance, Visual Arts and Theatre. NCF – 2005 also stipulates that students must be introduced to the rich and varied art traditions in the country with due emphasis on learning rather than teaching. The approach should be participatory, interactive and experiential, rather than instructive. Such an approach should foster self-expression and self-awareness among children. It should create aesthetic awareness and develop imagination, enhance confidence in movement and speech, promote tolerance and sensitivity.
National Bal Bhawan: Bal Shree programme:
The National Bal Bhawan has played a vital role in the promotion of Arts throughout the length and breadth of the country. Currently there are 73 state and district Bal Bhawans in the country. The National Bal Bhawan has instituted a system of honouring talented children in different age groups in the year 1995 through the Bal Shree scheme.
The Bal Shree programme recognizes talent in the following areas:
1. Creative Performance
2. Creative Arts
3. Creative Scientific Innovations
4. Creative Writing
The National Bal Bhawan makes a selection of creative children through activities conducted at three levels, viz:
Local level by organizing 2-day camps in which 8 children (2 in each stream) are identified at the local level 2.
Zonal Levels by organizing 3 days camps in which local experts, specialists from six zones, namely North, East, West, Central, South-I and South -II participate for selection of children
National Levels by organizing 4 day camps from the six zones in the country. A panel of experts and resource persons representing the four streams are identified to observe and assess the creativity of children. On an average 150 children participate in the National level camp and approximately 50 children are chosen for the Bal Shree honour.
The criteria for selection of children for the Bal Shree award includes :-
(b) innovative approach,
(e) divergent thinking,
(f) elaboration of ideas,
(g) creative processes culminating into meaningful products,
(h) effective functioning in the group,
(i) analytical and critical approach.
The National Bal Bhawan has developed a comprehensive activities’ bank in order to identify the creative skills of the children. During the selection process children are provided a barrier free environment and an interactive and supportive environment aimed at bringing out the best in children. Children thus selected are honoured by the President of India and presented a Bal Shree certificate.
Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence:
With a view to further encouraging and nurturing talent NCERT
will support the children who participate in the National Camp organised by the National Bal Bhawan through a scheme of Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence. The Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence will be available to children pursuing secondary and senior secondary education in classes IX – XII.
The salient features of the scholarship scheme will be as follows:
Children participating in the National Camps of the National Bal Bhawan and pursuing studies in Classes IX – XII will be awarded an scholarship of Rs 500 per month for a period of four year till they complete Class XII.
The National Bal Bhawan will continue to independently design and evolve its testing tools and evaluation/ assessment schemes for identification of Bal Shree awardees. The National Bal Bhawan will also independently administer the activities/ tests for identification of Bal Shree awardees.
The National Bal Bhawan will submit to NCERT a list of children studying in classes IX – XII who have been selected for participation in the National Bal Bhawan Camp for award of the Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence. This list will be accompanied by detailed information on each child as per proforma developed by NCERT.


When I thought about how to start my commentary relating to The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease, I sat for a long time not knowing where to start. There's so much I need to say, and breaking it down into pieces would not be easy.
So, I decided to start with the following excerpt from the introduction of the book:
"Contrary to the doctrine that blames teachers for reading scores, research shows that the seeds of reading and school success are sown in the home, long before the child ever arrives at school." (page xv)
Parents, whether they choose to believe it or not, are their children's most influential teachers. There's no training for their role, though, and they start the moment their children are born.
Children watch and learn from EVERYTHING a parent says and does. So, if parents want to raise readers and learners, they have to be readers and learners themselves.
When it comes to literacy, many parents already have many of the tools they need:
- The ability to speak.
- The ability to listen.
- The ability to write.
- The ability to sing.
- The ability to express emotions.
- The ability to use words to resolve conflicts.
- The ability to read.
- The DESIRE to read to themselves and others, and be read TO.
- A public library card.
The last three items on the list are the ones which seem to be lacking most often. What do all of the items on this list have in common, though?
They all require the use of words or gestures.
The bottom line is that words have far more power than any worksheet, phonics exercise, or gadget ever will. It's as simple as that.
Don't get me wrong, there is a place for phonics instruction; but unless a love of reading and communicating is developed beforehand, the teaching of specific letter sounds will be pretty meaningless. Please refer to pages 7 through 12 of The Read-Aloud Handbook for more information about this controversy.
If you're familiar with the fable of The Tortoise and the Hare, you know that the tortoise wins the race. Why then, do so many of us seem to live our lives like the hare?
We're busy. We rush. We race to get our hands on the next miracle product or gadget. But what are we left with in the end? A child who has no idea how much fun it is to read or learn.
The most disturbing trend I've seen in local schools is that too many children THINK they hate to read. If only their parents had shown them the way of the tortoise.
The world is changing faster and faster every day, and some would have us convinced that life is one big race. There seem to be way too many hares in this world these days.
It's up to parents to raise the readers and leaders of tomorrow. If we want to create a better world, we have to stop relying on other people to help our children to learn and grow. It's a big responsibility; but we have the tools we need to change the world, one child at a time...
Are you with me?
Please note that, aside from the quote above, these words and thoughts are all my own. Since I was able to personally relate to Jim Trelease's book in so many ways, I decided to write this series of reflective posts. Here's the first one in this series, in case you missed it: The One Book We All Should Read.


A Mom Congress and National PTA report:
You know one of the surest ways to help your kids succeed in school is to be an involved parent. But not every mom and dad has the chance or support to be as engaged as they'd like. In fact, each year 37 percent of incoming kindergartners are not prepared to succeed in school. While some kids enter school with an understanding of more than 20,000 words, others understand fewer than 3,000, says Carol Rasco, executive director of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's largest family literacy organization. Why the huge gap? "The richness of the language a child hears before kindergarten is a huge element," she says. Some kids are simply spoken to more, and hear more words per day, than others.
"Most Americans get that early literacy is important, but sixty-one percent believe that most kids will catch up in a year. They don't realize that the gap they enter school with is usually the gap they leave with," says Kim Davenport, senior vice president of education and programs for the nonprofit literacy organization Jumpstart. In fact, this gap is a better indication of the importance of early learning, she says, than anything else.
That's where you come in. "When we look at children's scores before our volunteers' literacy intervention and after, we can see that we are making gains of twenty to thirty percent in language and literacy development during the year," says Davenport. "We can tell our volunteers that they are making an impact."
And, say literacy experts, the ways in which volunteers in preschools and grade schools can drive such success are simple. "Parents often think that teaching literacy has to be a formal activity," says Elanna Yalow, Ph.D., executive vice president of Knowledge Universe, the parent company of KinderCare, a private provider of early care and education. "But it's the accumulation of the little things that parents already do naturally that makes the difference: singing songs and telling stories." Talk to your teacher or principal about the ideas below and learn how you can best get involved.
At school, volunteer to come in for story-time. You may share several books a night with your child, but not all families have the luxury of time to do so, says Davenport. In fact, fewer than half of families with kindergarten-age children read to them on a daily basis, which makes reading at school that much more important. And when you are at home, National PTA recommends reading with your child for 30 minutes every day. As he gets older and begins to read more on his own, continue to bond over books by asking him questions about his latest fave.
Talk It Up
Prefer to make up your own tales rather than read from the page? Great! Telling children stories about travel or a cultural tradition automatically exposes them to different words and concepts. So arrange a time when you can come to the class to talk about your job, where you come from, a trip you just took?anything. It's helpful to bring a prop to help spark discussion and focus the kids' attention, says Rasco. But don't feel pressured to make your presentation fancy. Simply listening to and conversing with a new grown-up is beneficial for kids.
A recent report commissioned by RIF indicates that increasing children's access to books significantly increases their literacy skills and reading performance. Make a list of your family's favorite books and encourage other parents in the class to do the same. You can share lists and then start an informal book swap.
National PTA recommends dedicating a section at your school's book fair to new and gently used books donated by parents and available at no cost (one or two per family, depending on supply).
Liven up the Library
If you notice that the media selection at the school library doesn't match the diversity of the school or community, hold a fund-raiser to drum up money for new titles. You might also work with your PTA to hold a book drive to build the school's collection or to share with local families. For more ideas, Rif.org has great book lists, reading games, and activities.


Published in Inside - Volume X, No. 6
It's pretty widely recognized that teaching math to fourth graders is tough. Teaching math to fourth graders when you're deaf and they can hear-well, no one knows much about that, for the simple reason that, at TC at least, it's never been done before.
Until now. TC master's student Carolyn Woods, who was born deaf, is student teaching this semester in a fourth-grade class at P.S. 9 while working on her degree in Elementary Education. Last semester, as part of completing her master's degree in Deaf Education, Woods was a student teacher at St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn. When the semester ended, though, she surprised her advisors by announcing that she wanted to work with hearing students "like any other degree recipient." A colleague in the program referred her to Heidi Grasing, a teacher at P.S. 9 who is familiar with sign language and deaf culture. TC agreed to put two interpreters in Grasing's classroom to communicate with Woods in American sign language, and Woods was in business.
That was the easy part. About a week prior to her first day of student teaching, during Woods' orientation, Grasing surprised her by offering to introduce her to the students. "I said, ?OK,' but I was extremely nervous," Woods admits. She got it over it fast, as the kids immediately peppered her with questions. "Why can't you speak?" "How did you become deaf?" "Can your deafness be fixed?" "Do you have any friends?"
and "Are people ever mean to you?" The questions, she says, have never stopped. But the students have made her feel at home, too. Grasing had prepared them by teaching them to sign the alphabet. On that first day, one girl came up to Woods and signed, "Welcome to my class." "That made me feel connected," Woods says. She has been in the classroom since January 19, teaching math along with 10 minutes each day of American Sign Language. She has also been invited by another fourth grade teacher in the school to teach sign language to her students.
So far, the arrangement has been a success, though not without some challenges. "Sometimes kids are talking to each other, but I can't hear them. The interpreters let me know there is chatter," Woods says. "Another time, I passed out papers for the students to read aloud, but I didn't realize that some of the students pronounced the words wrong. The interpreter let me know so I could correct them." In spite of occasional loneliness because almost no one else in the school knows sign language, Woods is happy having made the choice to work with hearing children. "I remember growing up deaf, and in doing this, I thought I could be an ambassador from the deaf community to the hearing community," she explains. "The less people know, the more separate they are from each other; but the more they know, the more bridges can be built." But her main motivation is to be a role model for deaf children. "Most have very low self-esteem; they think they can't do anything," she says. "I want to share my experience and show them they can experience life in the hearing world."previous page


Your child can cut and fold her way to lots of lovely spring tulips through the art of origami. Spring is all about fresh flowers, and tulips are often the first bulbs to pop! With some simple Origami folding techniques, your child can create a vase full of these colorful paper flowers.
What You Do:
- Start by helping your child measure and cut a 4" x 4" square from the paper. Not only is she honing her cutting skills, but fine-tuning her measuring abilities, too!
- Now she can fold the paper diagonally in half, turning her square into a long-edged triangle, with the fold facing toward her.
- To create the petals of her tulip, she can carefully fold the right-edge corner up and to the right of the center point.
- Now encourage her to do the same with the other side of her triangle, also finishing just to the left of the center point.
- Next, invite your child to flip her flower over and fold over the side edges of the flower, creating a finished tulip! She can gently open the flower by pressing her finger into the center of the flower.
- To attach her stem, she can use the scissors to snip the bottom of the tulip and then carefully thread the hole with a green pipe cleaner, bending the end so it stays in place.
Did you know? It’s thought that origami originated as early as 105 A.D. in Asian culture and that Origami art would accompany a valued gift. The small folded papers represented good fortune, sincerity, or purity!
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


A 21st century music curriculum is an increasingly important aspect of developing learners prepared for success in the 21st century. Thus, the West Virginia Board of Education and the West Virginia Department of Education are pleased to present Policy 2520.10, 21st Century Music Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools. The West Virginia Music Standards for 21st Century Learning include 21st century content standards and objectives as well as 21st century standards and objectives for learning skills and technology tools. This broadened scope of curriculum is built on the firm belief that quality engaging instruction must be built on a curriculum that triangulates rigorous 21st century content, 21st century learning skills and the use of 21st century technology tools.
A committee of educators from different areas of the state convened to revise the content standards and objectives. The overarching goal was to build a rigorous, relevant and challenging music curriculum that would prepare students for the 21st century. West Virginia educators played a key role in shaping the content standards to align with national standards and best practice in the field of music education. The contribution of these professionals was critical in creating a policy that is meaningful to classroom teachers and appears in a format that can easily be used and understood.
Music Content Standards and Objectives
Guidance for Secondary Instrumental Repertoire
In conjunction with the guidance provided in the WVDE document "Building a Comprehensive Arts Program," it was felt that some guidance should be provided to novice teachers of band and orchestra to guide selection of exemplary repertoire for the secondary instrumental ensemble. Two documents have been prepared, one for band and the other for orchestra:
WV Music Educators Association: http://wvmea.tripod.com/
WV Vocal Music Association: http://www.wvvma.com/home
WV Music Teachers Association: http://www.wvmta.org/index.asp
WV American Choral Directors Association: http://www.wvacda.org/
WV Show Choir Competition: http://www.showchoir.com/events/event.php?id=884
WV Bandmasters Association: http://www.wvbandmasters.org/
WV Bandmasters Assocation Graded Music List: http://www.wvssac.org/new_site/wvssac_website/html/band/Graded%20Music%20List.htm
WV Music Hall of Fame: http://www.wvmusichalloffame.com/
WV Symphony Orchestra: http://www.wvsymphony.org/
WV Division of Culture and History: http://www.wvculture.org/
The Charleston Light Opera Guild: http://www.charlestonlightoperaguild.org/
The Clay Center: http://www.theclaycenter.org/
American Choral Director's Association: http://www.acda.org/
National Association for Music Education: http://www.nafme.org/
Photo by Michael Daniels
*Please let us know your suggestions for resources, links, or information you would like added to the page.
Office of Secondary Learning
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Building 6 Room 603, Charleston, WV 25305


Music To Baby's Ears
Sing to baby
New research by Patricia K. Kuhl, PhD., the Bezos Family Foundation's endowed chair in early childhood learning and a professor of speech and hearing sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, and her colleagues shows that a baby can listen her mother's voice during the latter stages of pregnancy and learn from hearing her. Sing to baby in utero but also once she's born. In baby's first days, soothe her with sweet lullabies. As she gets older, teach her nursery rhymes and songs with hand motions like the Itsty Bitsy Spider and Pat-a Cake.
Take a baby and me music class
Musical Mommy and Me classes for infants start as early as four or six months are in no short supply. Check out local music classes for baby in your area. These classes offer a fun introduction to music, beats and rhythm as well as social interaction for both baby and mom.
Play a variety of music
Don't buy into the hype that those videos with classical music playing in the background will turn your baby into some sort of genius (though it may soothe him out of a crying jag). However, you should definitely tune your baby into some classical music as well as fun music geared for baby's taste (like Elmo) and other genres like pop or country.
Dance to the beat
One of my favorite memories of my son as an infant is when my own mother (his grandma) would turn on the Beach Boys. He would instantly reach his hands up to her and she'd scoop him up and they would dance around her family room together. The smile on his face, and hers, was priceless. The point is, music created this special bonding moment -- and an amazing memory -- for the two of them. Create your own bond with baby through music, dancing and singing.


MindConnex Learning, an award winning global provider of digital learning solutions, has launched the first six titles in their brand new product series of interactive phonics-based readers for Kindergarten and Grade 1 students.
The Word Monsters uses phonics, interactive animation, activities, and additional optional instruction in a quirky narrative environment to give children a rich and engaging introduction to reading. Each "book" is developed in accordance with modern literacy pedagogical standards while still remaining appealing to today's children.
Aligned to Common Core State Standards – every screen in The Word Monsters features optional supplementary instruction around phonemic awareness, print concepts, reading comprehension, vocabulary and sight words. Every book also includes three activities that address each of the main strands of the Common Core Standards: Literature, Foundational Skills, and Language.
Key features include:
"Most introductory reading programs focus purely on covering the requisite decodable words with little attention given to themes or characters that truly engage children at this age-level," says MindConnex CEO, Michael Cordner. "At MindConnex, we believe that stimulating interest in young readers is vital to ensure they develop competency in reading. Our aim with The Word Monsters is to create a series of decodable readers that not only helps young children learn to read, but engages and delights them, while kindling a lifelong love of reading."
The Word Monsters series is designed for use at home or in a school setting. The first six books of the Kindergarten series are now available in the Apple App Store and the first book is free!
About MindConnex Learning (www.mindconnex.com)
MindConnex Learning is a global provider of digital learning software solutions aimed at the school education sector. MindConnex Learning offers an easier way to learn and teach using rich, contemporary multimedia designed to engage the senses and create empowering, relevant and personalized learning experiences, available in easily downloadable software programs that can be used on virtually any platform – Tablet, PC, Smartphone or online.


If your child came home from school Wednesday talking about a chameleon's prehensile tail, you may not have immediately make the connection between biology and Lego building blocks.
But students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary School in McSherrystown participated in an in-school field trip presented by Bricks 4 Kidz that made the link clear.
The hands-on learning experience started with a biology lesson on frogs, but shifted to building blocks when the presenter's screen displayed small Lego frog hopping across the table.
Created with motors, bricks and gears from the Lego Technic line, additional moving animal structures were added to the lineup: a walking chameleon; a fluttering dragonfly; a waddling seal; a crawling spider and a wriggling snake.
If the term remained unfamiliar, the concept of biomechanics was, perhaps, more clear.
"I want you to have as much time as possible to get your hands on them," said Eric Morris, co-owner of Bricks 4 Kidz.
Morris, a former teacher and guidance counselor, started the York-area Bricks 4 Kidz franchise 18 months ago with his wife, Heather. The program is designed to present STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math - concepts in a way that peaks the natural curiosity of students while allowing them to interact with the plastic building blocks they know and love.
The Bricks 4 Kidz company has designed more than 300 motorized models and the educational activities are broken down in to more than 20 units that align with common core standards.
"They're getting out of the classroom and learning about science concepts without knowing it," said Jennifer Hart, the school's development director, as applause and cheers came from the McSherrystown students.
Only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient and interested in a STEM career, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
"They need to be prepared for the jobs that are in the marketplace," Hart said of STEM education. "They need these critical thinking and problem solving skills; they need to learn to not just give up."
Her son Nathan, a fifth-grader, said he isn't as much of a Lego builder as he used to be, but he enjoyed the presentation.
"I like the mechanical engineering part of it," he said.
And Hart said the age group, students in kindergarten through eighth grade, are ready for the challenge of studying concepts such as simple machines, ecology, energy and biometrics.
The school is gearing up to introduce an after-school enrichment program with Bricks 4 Kidz, building on their in-school field trip experience. "Science usually takes a backseat, so this can only be a good thing," parent volunteer Susan May said, referring to elementary education. "If my son wanted to take the class, I would definitely let him."
In recent years, the Annunciation B.V.M. School has increased opportunities for STEM learning through numerous grants and partnerships.
Kindergarten through third-grade students maintain a native plant and vegetable garden where they learn about measuring, plant grafting and the life cycle of butterflies.
Students in sixth grade will participate in Trout in the Classroom, a partnership between Adams County Conservation District and PA Trout Unlimited that involves raising fish from eggs to fingerlings. Students will monitor water quality while learning other aspects of ecology and water conservation before the fish are eventually released at Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve.
Another grant project, this one through the Captain Planet Foundation, was written by Hart and Lynn Toft, a grandparent volunteer at the school. In January, eighth graders worked on a solar energy project, which culminated in a solar light built to illuminate the school flag.
Also in the works is a Lego robotics competition, which Toft hopes will develop into a regional league.
These programs "allow (students) to make connections between STEM and play," she said.
Her grandson's response to it all: "Grammy, that's awesome."


Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller
Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (help·info) (15 January 1793 in Vienna – 23 August 1865 in Hinterbrühl, Austria) was an Austrian painter and writer. Waldmüller was one of the most important Austrian painters of the Biedermeier period.
In 1807 Waldmüller attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. He lived in Bratislava and, in 1811, he worked as a teacher of arts for the children of Count Gyulay in Croatia. He returned to the Academy of Vienna and studied portrait painting. In 1814 he married the singer Katharina Weidner, and subsequently went on tour with her, working as a set designer.
In 1817 he returned to Vienna and spent much time copying the works of old masters and painting portraits, genre subjects, and still-life. In 1823 he made a portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven. Waldmüller later became interested in nature and started painting landscapes, which in their loving attention to detail illustrate Waldmuller's belief that the close study of nature should be the basis of painting. These are his most notable works, in which his sense of colour and knowledge of nature helped him to achieve masterly skill.
In 1819 he became professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, but was in disputes with the Viennese establishment, most notably for his comments on the system of the academy, where he wanted to establish a focus of the study on nature. His views were in opposition to the official doctrines of ideal art promulgated by the Vienna Academy, and after he had published his works on art education, he was forced to retire in 1857. By 1863. He had been accepted back into the art circles of Vienna, and was knighted in 1865.
Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller was one of the most important Austrian painters of the Biedermeier period. Whether it was the conquest of the landscape and thus the convincing rendering of closeness or distance, the accurate characterisation of the human face, the detailed and refined description of textures, or the depiction of rural everyday life: his works – brilliant, explanatory, moralising, and socially critical – influenced a whole generation of artists. Being an advocate of natural observation and plein air painting, as well as a critic of academic painting, Waldmüller was far ahead of his time.
Waldmuller died on 23 August 1865 in Hinterbrühl, Austria.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller.|
- Art Daily: Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller Retrospective Opens at The Belvedere
- Biography, Literature and Works by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller


Approximately 100,000 drawings made in Europe and the USA can be seen in the V&A's collection. The work of many schools, styles and periods is represented. Many have been collected specifically with an eye to why they were made; the collection is therefore unusually rich in academic drawings, designs for illustration, and in particular preparatory drawings used in the production of paintings, sculpture, architecture and the applied arts.
Art School Drawings from the 19th Century
Art education in 19th-century Britain was shaped by four London-based organisations: the Royal Academy Schools, the Government Schools of Design, the Department of Science and Art (based in this museum) and the Slade School of Art. Each was driven by powerful ideologies which dictated students' training.
Room 90: Prints & Drawings
The Julie and Robert Breckman Gallery contains changing displays of prints and drawings. A recent display, ‘Off the Page’, showcased book illustration from famous and much loved books selected from the Museum's collection of original drawings and prints by artists from Durer to Dulac.


To prevent obesity from becoming a problem as they grow older, new Canadian guidelines recommend toddlers and preschoolers be more active. In fact parents are being urged to let their kids be involved in more physical activities for at least 180 minutes a day.
The guidelines have been suggested by a joint committee of members of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and ParticipACTION, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring active living for Canadians.
They suggest that children between the age of 1 and 4 should remain active at least for 3 hours a day. This activity does not necessary mean an exercise routine, but more playing, crawling, and walking running than just sitting at one place.
They also add that by the age of five kids should be involved in energetic play for at least an hour a day. This means more of jumping, running, active playing etc. For babies under the age of one being active is also better than just sitting and they should be involved in crawling, playing several times a day.
The guidelines also limit the time spent by kids in front of TV, computer or tablet screens. For kids under the age of two, no screen viewing should be allowed and for those between two to four only one hour or less of screen time is allowed per day.
This is the first time that such guidelines have been released in Canada. The recommendations have been supported by Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO).
The experts say that the guidelines put Canada is the forefront among nations tha are putting an effort to provide activity benchmarks and sedentary-time guidelines for preschoolers. But it also shows that obesity is a growing concern in Canada.
In the last 25 years obesity rate of children has nearly tripled. As many as 26 per cent of kids between two and 17 years are now overweight or obese. That number jumps to 41 per cent among First Nations children.
The researchers noted that currently preschoolers spent more than 80 percent of their wakeful hours in a sedentary way. Also children today are watching TV and getting addicted to computer screens much too soon.
Dr. Mark Tremblay, who chaired the committee that drew up the guidelines and who is also the director of CHEO-HALO, in Ottawa says,
“Regular physical activity is essential at a young age as it contributes to bone and skeletal health, motor skill development, psychosocial health and cognitive development. Lifestyle patterns set in the early years predict health outcomes later in life,” he adds.
Kelly Murumets, the president and CEO of ParticipACTION adds that rather than being inside, it is important to take kids out where there are able to run and play.
“It is crucial for parents and caregivers to give young children regular opportunities to move more, and it can be as simple as getting outdoors to explore the neighbourhood rather than sitting in front of the TV,” she said.
For younger babies she says it is better to put them on the floor where they can crawl, and explore things than keep sitting in a high chair.
Canada AM’s medical specialist Dr. Marla Shapiro says that keeping children active has more advantages than just controlling their weight.
“Motor development and movement is the basis not only for our healthy bones and growth, but in later years, our cognitive and brain development, our social skills, our psycho-social markers, self-esteem, learning, attention – it has incredible benefits,” she said.
The Canadian Pediatric Society, also has shown its support towards the new guidelines. Dr. Claire LeBlanc, a pediatrician at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the chair of the CPS Healthy Active Living and Sports Medicine Committee says that it is not just parents but the society in general which should take the responsibility of developing healthy lifestyle activities for all.
“Society needs to make physical activity for children a priority because we all have a role to play, including health care teams, governments, schools, facilities and all levels of decision-makers,” he said in a statement.
The society recommends communities maintain safe recreational areas like community playgrounds, parks and sidewalks, compulsory daily physical education for all grades in schools, more affordable sport and recreation programs after hours at schools and at local facilities by the government and community. They also believe that advertisements that promote un healthy foods during children’s TV shows need to be eliminated.


• How do you best inspire students (in and out of the classroom) to learn and achieve?
My desire is to teach in such a way that people are proud to say that they had me as a teacher, who made them work hard, convinced them that learning can be enjoyable, and took pride in the accomplishments they attained under my guidance.
My students have a great deal of fun in my class and with this, I have very high expectations for them. I am known for being active and often right-brained in my teaching style. Students might find themselves in a live game show as they learn about punctuation. Or, they could find themselves using the latest technologies to research and present on a topic of their own choosing. To enhance their learning of multiplication facts, they might do a funny dance. To encourage writing and help them learn about the scientific process, they might be involved in designing a new soft drink or ice cream.
Because learning is most powerful when connected to an emotional event, I work hard to find ways to creatively present information to students. I will often dress in a costume and pretend that I am an expert in a subject. For example, I have been able to get most third graders in my class to understand how to split sentences into subject/predicate by dressing up as a karate master and CHOP sentences in half. It is a powerful and fun way to get this tough subject across to my learners.
Additionally, I have developed a two to three day outdoor camp that all of the third graders in my school attend in the spring. While there, we focus our learning on environmental issues, team building, and experiencing Alaskan wonders in new ways.
But having fun in school does not mean that my classroom is lax in structure. In fact, there is a lot of day-to-day structure when I teach. It is all designed to give students an environment that cultivates maximum learning.
An environment of respect is fostered in my classroom. Students are counted upon to show respect for themselves and for other students. In turn, I cherish the relationships I build with each student and always strive to model respect to each of them. Building a strong community in the classroom and the school is paramount to a student feeling good about their learning and finding joy in their schooling.
Of course, no teacher can claim to be the single driving force in a student’s success. Teachers need to be collaborative in nature. Not only does this benefit the students but it profits the school and makes for an enjoyable learning atmosphere. I love to share and learn with other educators. Together we help each other grow and push each other towards excellence in education.
• Briefly describe your academic background and achievements.
I received my BA in Elementary Education is 1995 from Harding University and obtained my M.Ed. in Education from UAS in 1998.From 2003 - 2005, I took a sabbatical and taught computer classes in a private school in Caracas, Venezuela. The cultural and educational experience has shaped my views in many areas, including global understanding and distance education.
Over the years, I have actively sought ways to develop my skills in teaching by taking many class, by teaching English overseas (Romania and Hungary) during the summers, and mentoring people who wish to enter education. I have also written and received funding for several mini-grants that help fund classroom literacy and technology projects.
I have been on a variety of boards and committees focused on promoting technology and literacy. I have been the webmaster for several schools. Currently I am on our school’s leadership team and help make important decisions about staff development and school-based issues.
• Please describe any community efforts you are involved in (outside of the classroom)
The main community project I have been involved with in recent years has been to run a summer-time, one-week science camp for elementary students. This camp is a partnership between the Juneau School District and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. While Camp Invention is run in 1,500 locations nationally, I represent and direct the local camp. Based on STEM and inquiry based learning, this program enriches the science learning of over 100 local children. I am in charge of promotion, hiring, staff supervision, and all aspects of camp management. It is a lot of work but it promotes science in our community beyond what our schools provide.
Additionally, I am often tapped to give presentations and trainings on technology education and trainings in and out of the school district. For example, this spring, I have been invited to give training to Alaskans at the AEYC conference in Juneau. For many years, before budget cuts impacted it, I taught technology classes for the MAT program at UAS.
I am also an active member of my church.


MoMA's Children's Art Carnival in India, 1962
The Children's Art Carnival, one of The Museum of Modern Art's many innovative educational programs, was developed by Victor d'Amico, an arts educator and founder of the Museum's Department of Education. The Carnival was first presented at the Museum in 1942. It consisted of a gallery of toys and art supplies and was designed to teach children the elements of art: line, color, form, rhythm. The gallery accommodated forty children and five art teachers. For one hour at a time, the children would use the materials and learn about art while the teachers would share innovative techniques about art education with other educators and parents. The International Council presented the Museum's Children's Art Carnival to the National Children's Museum in New Delhi. The gift was announced by Mrs. John F. Kennedy on behalf of the International Council during her trip to India in October 1962, and accepted by Mrs. Indira Ghandi on behalf of her country.
The gift of the Children's Art Carnival typifies the Museum's mission. The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art, in existence since 1953, sponsors the work of the International Program, which aims to promote modern art around the world. In addition, the Museum has a longstanding and ongoing commitment to education; the Museum was originally chartered as an educational institution in 1929 for "encouraging and developing the study of modern arts and the application of such arts to manufacture and practical life, and furnishing popular instruction."


If members of the U.K.’s Creative Industries Task Force have their way, British teenagers will soon be cramming for tests on intellectual property law and the legal implications of file-sharing. Schoolkids who download illicit MP3 files, cut and paste newspaper articles or e-mail them, or exchange JPEG files of Britney Spears will learn the error of their ways — at least according to the copyright officials.
Classroom indoctrination is one way of targeting the Napster demographic. But can it work?
To get a glimpse of this possible future of British elementary education, one must wade through a study produced by the task force’s Intellectual Property Group, which includes representatives from British broadcasting, the music industry, publishers and others with an interest in protecting copyrighted material. The Report of the Intellectual Property Group of the Creative Industries Task Force recommends, among other things, that copyright be brought into the classroom — not as a separate course, necessarily, but integrated into the regular curriculum.
“Copyright is relevant to music, art, information, technology, and English; and patents and design rights are relevant to science and design technology,” reads the report. It goes on to recommend specific ways teachers might make copyright issues a little more real to their 12- to 18-year-olds: “School children should recognize their own creativity by including the copyright symbol on their course work.”
Interest in bringing copyright into the classroom is growing among government officials in Britain as well. Chris Smith, former secretary of state for culture, media and sport, recently said: “Intellectual property rights are at the heart of the new knowledge economy and are of vital importance to the creative industries. Greater recognition by the public of the role and importance of intellectual property rights must be encouraged.”
Intellectual property is already a part of the British school system, but mostly in the higher grades. An “Intellectual Property Pack Set,” a CD-ROM designed to “Give Students Competitive Edge,” is produced by the Patent Office in conjunction with Bournemouth University and distributed to students across the country. Meanwhile, officials at the Patent Office, which is responsible for copyright, patents and trade marks in the U.K., are holding regular meetings with officials at the Department for Education and Skills to bring intellectual property issues into the curriculum at an early age.
So where does copyright fit in to the classroom fare of a British 12-year-old? Teaching intellectual property is one of many competing areas trying to be part of the “citizenship” subject, which will become compulsory in U.K. secondary schools beginning in September 2002. This new citizenship program aims to teach pupils social and moral responsibility, political literacy, sex education and the importance of marriage and family life.
According to the Patent Office’s director of copyright, Anthony Murphy, a major proponent of the new program, understanding intellectual property carries important social value: “By bringing awareness of the importance of copyright into our schools, tomorrow’s consumers can take their place in a community which understands, values and respects intellectual property.”
But even the program’s proponents agree that teenagers may not be receptive to a program that teaches them that trading MP3s is morally wrong. Anthony Murphy acknowledges that: “The idea that counterfeiting and piracy are victimless crimes is an all too common perception.”
Jessica Litman, professor of law at Wayne State University and author of “Digital Copyright,” agrees. “Young people, and other people, believe in a version of the copyright law that is different from the one now on the books. Many of them believe, for example, that if you buy a CD, you buy the right to share it. ”
Some opponents also argue that it may be inappropriate to be bringing intellectual property (I.P.) education into the classroom when laws surrounding it are so hotly contested. Litman says that educating children on the difference between “good” and “bad” behavior is tough in a field that’s in flux: “Any effort to include I.P. in a moral education curriculum has to grapple with the fact that the moral choices made in extant versions of I.P. law are highly contested.”
Finally, if controversy over intellectual property can be managed into a school curriculum, will students learn the lesson? As with the American DARE program, will educators find that telling students what decision to make might actually backfire?
According to James Davison Hunter, professor of sociology and religious studies at the University of Virginia and author of “The Death of Character,” “Moral education programs have little or no positive effect upon moral behavior, achievement or anything else.”
The desire to preach citizenship reflects a deep-rooted anxiety about whether young people can grow into law-abiding citizens. Copyright educators can only hope that students aren’t immune to their teachings.


Five Questions for: Rosita Tendall
April 14, 2011
|Rosita Tendall, right, works with students, from left, Allie Bierhaus '12 of Bettendrof, Iowa, majoring in elementary education and Spanish; Alannah Golden '13 of Rock Island, majoring in elementary education; Amy Knourek '13 of Mokena Ill., majoring in elementary education and psychology; and Jennie Halper '13 of Naperville, Ill., majoring in elementary education and religion. (Augustana Photo Bureau/Marla Alvarado Neuerburg)|
Five Questions is a series of profiles of people at Augustana College. Rosita Tendall, assistant professor of music, gives the answers today. If you know someone you'd like to see profiled, send his or her name and a note to email@example.com.
1. Why is understanding and appreciating music an important element in the development of a child?
Music comes naturally to children. It’s a big part of the way they express themselves. They think, feel and interact musically all the time. I think music is everything to children, not just as a discipline, but also as an organic part of their everyday existence and a way of knowing about the world. They can learn so many non-musical skills as well from participating in music.
2. Why do you think I hated playing the trumpet in junior high school?
You were probably introduced to music in a more traditional manner that required you to learn to play the instrument as you were learning to read music. That can be very frustrating for kids as they try to learn physical skills like where to place their fingers as they try and learn what really is a new language at the same time. Another way is suggested by approaches that employ sound before symbol such as Orff, Kodaly, or Suzuki. These approaches involve the aspiring musician in a process of exploring sounds well before introducing them to musical symbols that represent those sounds. Students who learn to play musical instruments by ear can gain an early appreciation for music as a way to express themselves as well as increase their musicianship and aural skills before adding the layer of reading the music notation.
3. Can you describe what a breakthrough moment with one of your music education students looks like?
The most memorable breakthroughs are when the music teacher candidate doing fieldwork begins to gain real satisfaction from the achievements of his or her students — when it becomes not about what they can do, but what their students accomplish. One of my future teachers told me the other day how excited she was that her 4th graders were beginning to demonstrate the ability to instantly distinguish between the sounds made by the oboe and French horn by identifying the different timbres or qualities of sound between the instruments. She was especially excited because this breakthrough was going to help them get the most out of their scheduled trip to an upcoming Quad City Symphony Orchestra concert.
4. You have children. Are any of them involved in music?
My oldest son, Jon, is a business professional by day and a techno-rock DJ on weekends. My middle daughter, Elizabeth, is a fantastic singer. She could stand here now and wow you with her ability to sing jazz. She’s got two little ones at home so she is not as involved in music right now. My youngest daughter, Sarah, plays keyboards, trumpet and accordion in the Minneapolis-based band Cloud Cult. My stepdaughter Erica lives in California and she and her husband served in Iraq in the National Guard. My stepson Jeff lives in Minneapolis and works as a purchaser for a business there.
5. What is on your bucket list?
So many things: I would like to do a solo vocal recording, maybe of lullabies or original children’s songs. I would like to find more opportunities to sing jazz. I also would like to travel to Ireland and hear local tenors singing in Pubs. And one of the things I would love to do is travel and learn and publish folk dances from around the world where these old traditions might become lost.