Nationalism and Form in Indian Painting
A Study of the Bengal School
JUST BY painting in India, one does not produce Indian painting/1 This cryptic remark by the historian Akshay Maitreya directed at the attempts ofAbanindranath and his students indicated the rise
of a new consciousness among the Indian art-loving public. Used as interchangeable, the terms Indian' and 'national' were introduced in the early twentieth century as new evaluative categories By 1905 this awareness was expressed through a number of debates, both in the British Indian educational circles as well as among the Bengali intelligentsia. The first.known as the Bums-Havell debate, gained significance in the formulation of art education policies. The second housed by popular Bengali monthlies like Prabashi and Bharat-barsha and the English art journal Rupam revealed the cross-currents of modernist vs traditionalist attitudes. The range and variety in the structuring of arguments show how the Bengali 'bhadralok'was coming to grips with multiple sources of knowledge. Art' assumed an importance unprecedented in British Indian history. For the first time an art movement began which came to be recognized as 'national' paradoxically by both the Bengali intellectual in his Swadeshi fervour' as well as the British media at the same time. By 1910, the attempts of Orientalists to reveal Indian art to the west were over. Indian art was supposed to have 'arrived'. The approval of the British liberal intellectuals, which included a number of artists, made it clear that the art pursuits ofAbanin -dranath and his followers had succeeded in linking Indian art to a glorious past.
Journal of Arts & Ideas 5


- Performance Indicator 1.7(a) states that children who score below the 50th percentile in either auditory comprehension or expressive communication on the PLS-3 or PLS-4 are included in the indicator. However the percentile increase for achieving this indicator is in both auditory comprehension and expressive communication. Why? (January 2002/ Updated February 2005)
There is a direct correlation between auditory comprehension and expressive communication. Gains are anticipated in both areas with targeted instruction.
- Why do we test children 6 months to 5 years of age with the PLS-3 or PLS-4 for Performance Indicators 1.7(a) and 1.7(b)? The children 6 months were hard to test. (January 2002/ Updated February 2005)
Research shows that there are critical periods of brain development in children and the earlier you provide intervention services, the more help it will be in supporting the language and literacy development of children. Programs need to use this information to select curriculum and to implement appropriate instruction.
- Should we use only the English version of the PLS-3 or PLS-4 for reporting on Performance Indicators 1.7(a) and 1.7(b)? (January 2002/Updated February 2005)
One of the primary purposes of Even Start programs is to prepare children for success in school. In general, if the school that the child will attend has bilingual instruction, then the Spanish version may be appropriate; if the school that the child will attend provides instruction in English only, then the program should use the English version. There may also be other instances (e.g., where a child is very young or the family has recently moved to the United States) when the Spanish version of the PLS-4 may be appropriate.


Issues in Doing Geometry Homework
As a branch of maths, geometry deals with relations of solids, surfaces, angles, lines, and points, measurement, and properties. To nonprofessional, geometry is mathematically applied to pictorial artifacts like pictures. The majority of people often say that geometry is creative and creative instead of analytical. The majority of students often have a challenge making progress between geometry and algebra. The students are responsible for using their logical and spatial skills rather than analytical skills to utilize algebra.
Reasons why students have challenges with geometry homework
- Students do not comprehend and cannot apply vocabulary to unruffled the problem
- Students cannot recognize or see all the building blocks that constitute geometric problems
- Students struggle with algebraic skills that are building blocks for understanding geometry; this means that such students did not retain skills from the previous year.
The majority of the geometry problems get presented in the form of pictorial artifacts such as pictures. It can be the first time in the learner’s math career that the challenge gets misspelled. Therefore, if the student does not pick up the elusive clues provided in the picture, they will not be able to decode the problem correctly. Yet, the information the student requires is there, but he or she fails to recognize it as a useful piece of information. Geometry vocabulary is essential in this process. For example, if the learner does not understand the term bisector and its function, he will not solve the problem involving it. MyOpenMath answers can come in handy when you struggle to understand some math concepts but need to finish your homework as soon as possible.
The other common challenge with students is that they are impatient in the decoding process that is a single picture in the problem might contain several steps before they arrive at the final answer. For example, if the question requires you to determine the value of a single angle, it does not warrant you to ignore the other parts of the picture. Usually, there is a progression in determining a single piece of information that helps find another and assists in finding another one, and so on, till you arrive at the final answer. This process is more like being a detective. Learners need to understand how and where to begin their problem to get the final answer progressively. It is also essential that students become patient as they wade through determining the final solution to the geometric problem. Once the student understands the relations in the geometric shape, it becomes easier to arrive at the final answer. Therefore, it is needless to say that understand the first principles of mathematics is essential to understanding geometry.
The majority of the children get surprised by the volume of algebra in geometry, and their first thinking is that I completed algebra the previous year, and it is geometry. It is a classic example of one mathematical concept being the building block of another one. Therefore, this understanding is very critical to students’ progress in the entire math career.
It is an open secret that algebra concepts are applicable in the entire geometric problems, particularly in problem-solving. Therefore, if a student forgets algebra skills after, say, summer break, it becomes a surmountable challenge when he or she begins algebra II once he or she finishes geometry. Again, this is an excellent example of how math concepts get intertwined, and one is a building block for the other one. Therefore, students should be able to understand mathematical concepts and not just memorize them. Once they understand the concepts, then applied in real-life scenarios becomes easy.
If a child struggles with geometry, then the child needs to sit down with the teacher to analyze the level he or she is currently in geometry and even check the strength of their foundational skills in algebra. Then develop a plan to catch up.


Welcome to the Ears Wide Open Website. You find a short introduction to the project, you can watch videos from all the activities and get an idea of how the different workshops were constructed here. And you can also see with whom we have cooperated.
The activities in Denmark primarily aimed at challenging the established stereotypes regarding Egyptian and Arab music/culture. This was done in different ways:
Instant composition in Danish schools:
Challenging traditional stereotypes: During the Egyptian visit to Denmark we included contemporary electronic music and sound installations using the sounds of the city in instant composition workshops with children and youngsters, thereby challenging the traditional stereotypes of Egyptian culture in Denmark: As one of the teachers explained: “The intercultural was neutralized. The exotic/Egyptian wasn’t stressed. It was ‘just’ New Music! If we instead had used traditional Egyptian music (classical or popular), the debate and process would have been completely different. What the foreign guests here brought wasn’t that different.” And: “It was interesting that Nahla Mattar started with a sound collage, thereby challenging the students in what music is. That it was Egyptian didn’t play a central role, there were no references to the ‘exotic stranger’.”
Stomp in Danish high schools:
Presenting an Egyptian version of the very international style ‘stomp’, where the students worked with Egyptian rhythms instead of Afro-Latin-rhythms, gave students with Arabic background a rare notion of recognition to material relating to Arabic culture, in a generally culturally neutral context. For students with Danish background the experience introduced them to Arab music in a new way.
Musicians cooperating in Denmark:
During the concert at Literaurhaus musicians from a variety of genres were represented: Contemporary compositions and electronics, free improvisations and popular music/jazz. This genre diversity changed the focus from geography (Denmark-Egypt) to a diversity defined artistically.
Instant composition in Cairo:
The activities in Egypt aimed at exploring the use of creative processes in music education, in an attempt to identify if the method was relevant in an Egyptian context. We focussed on instant composition as the primary method.
Some of the students at the public library explained: “We learned to respect the others when they were performing”. One of the teachers realized that: “…when teaching I have to let them see music and voice in a different way. To understand music, they have to know what sound is”.
Please take a closer look at the different videos, where you also find explanations regarding the different pedagogical elements.
The project was financed by Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute.


ERIC Number: ED366423
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1993
Strategies Addressing Discrepancies in Educational and Behavioral Priorities and Expectations between Staff and Middle-Class K-5 Parents.
Clarke, June S.
A practicum was designed to address the discrepancies in educational and behavioral expectations and priorities noted on parent and staff surveys at a rural elementary school. The survey of parents (n=261) indicated parents' need and desire for education and training in helping their children at home. The goal of the project was to implement an outreach program to help these parents become more effectively involved in the education of their children. A priority of the project was to change parental perceptions: parents must abandon the idea that the school, teachers, and other experts are responsible for the education of their children and embrace the idea that parents themselves are the first and most important teachers of their children. Through a series of evening educational opportunities, training sessions, service fairs, and the establishment of a parent resource center, parental attitudes began to change, as indicated by their increased willingness to attend parenting events at the school. (Seven appendices contain copies of parent and staff survey questionnaires, summaries of survey responses, evaluation of parent activities, and a parent resource center "wish list" of desired books and resources.) (MDM)
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Attitude Change, Elementary Education, Parent Attitudes, Parent Education, Parent Participation, Parent Responsibility, Parent Role, Parent School Relationship, Parent Student Relationship, Parent Teacher Cooperation, Parents as Teachers, Program Effectiveness, Questionnaires, Teacher Attitudes
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Practicum Papers; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Ed.D. Practicum Report, Nova University.


Having an independent learner who is self-motivated is an important aspect of homeschool education. There are a few different ways to foster independence in your child.
It could be set up in the work plan you create with your child (see my first blog post). Because you are working with your child to create the best possible work plan, you will preemptively put in place a way to help them drive their own independence. Continuing to tweak it as the weeks go on will allow your child to work towards independence.
You could also have a conversation with your child and create an agreement that they will work on a certain amount of work (that they determine) before taking short breaks. By allowing them to be involved in the decision in creating their schedule, they will have more ownership to keep on track with it.
Another thing you can do is to design your space to be inviting. Creating an area in which your child feels comfortable and is able to concentrate on the work is key. They can again be a part of this decision and actively participate in creating this space. Alexander Den Heijer stated, “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” You can continue to reevaluate this space until you find a solution that allows your “flower” to bloom independently.
As I mentioned in the question and answer blog post, my son really likes to listen to music while he works. Providing him with the equipment to be able to do this in his work area helps him to be more independent. Another tool I created with my son was the wheel of choice. Determining the activities that he can do independently has helped him move through his day with ease, thus allowing me to do the work that I need to accomplish. There are two different types of wheels I created. The wheel with the red and blue on it represents both independent and dependent activities. These different activities are separated on the other two wheels (green for independent and red for dependent).
Constantly reevaluating the work plan and environment to best suit your needs will likely need to happen quite a bit before you figure out what works best for you and your family. Be patient with this process. You’ll get there. Don’t expect that it will happen immediately.
If you need any suggestions, have any questions, or are interested in having support on your homeschooling journey, please contact me. My email is firstname.lastname@example.org.
Maria Burke is an educator with 20 years of teaching experience. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education as well as a Bachelor's Degree in French from the University of Arizona. She obtained her Master's Degree in Curriculum Education from Lesley University and holds credentials through the American Montessori Society for ages 3-12. She currently homeschools her son and consults with other families who homeschool.


There’s a new member of the BUSD family who really stands out – which is quite a feat when you’re only a foot tall.
He’s bright green and furry, and his name is “Alphie.” As you might guess from his name, he works with the alphabet.
Alphie – an alligator puppet – is helping strengthen the way we teach phonic and phonemic awareness so that children understand the relationship between letters and sounds as they learn to read.
Our curriculum has included phonics in the past, but this school year we’re introducing a more explicit and systematic approach, using the FastTrack Phonics program. We’re also devoting more time to this crucial building block for reading – 20 minutes or more daily for students in all K-3 classrooms, the most formative school years for literacy.
“For many years BUSD has struggled with a pronounced achievement/opportunity gap,” says Maggie Riddle, the BUSD Director of Schools. In a report on FastTrack Phonics presented to the School Board in June, Ms. Riddle noted, “Too many of our African American and English Language Learner students are not at grade level reading proficiency by the end of 3rd grade.
Research shows that students who do not read proficiently by the end of third grade continue to struggle with reading throughout the rest of their education. Phonics instruction is an essential component of a balanced literacy program to address the needs of our diverse learners and close the reading gap.”
Riddle added that all students benefit from phonics instruction because in addition to helping students learn to read, phonics and phonemic awareness instruction helps students become excellent spellers, improving their writing overall.
Alphie belongs to a FastTrack family of classroom materials – including videos, phonics picture cards, letter-blending cards and alphabet letter strips – used to engage active young minds in whole-class interaction.
The teacher-friendly and kid-friendly materials helped sway the District’s decision to adopt FastTrack Phonics over other options in a field of nine candidate programs offering explicit phonics instruction. FastTrack was further reviewed in a pilot test alongside two other programs conducted in selected K-3 classrooms this past January-May.
More information about our new phonics program can be found in Ms. Riddle’s presentation to the
School Board on June 13. The agenda memo and two attachments are listed in item #16 in the online agenda packet, and the oral presentation can be seen in the YouTube recording of the Board meeting, beginning at 3:11:23. The School Board approved the adoption at the Board’s June 27 meeting.


What is General Education?General Education is often viewed by students as “those courses that I have to take before I can take the classes for my major.” It’s too bad that the definition, in a student’s mind, doesn’t encompass the inherent value of those courses. It’s also too bad that the student often doesn’t see the connections between “core” courses and “major” courses. To some extent, General Education does mean those core courses, but being generally educated neither starts nor ends with core courses.
According to Sinclair’s regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), General Education consists of “understanding and appreciating diverse cultures, mastering multiple modes of inquiry, effectively analyzing and communicating information, and recognizing the importance of creativity and values to the human spirit.” NCA’s statement on General Education also adds that these general education elements “allow people to live richer lives,” and also are a
“foundation for most careers and for the informed exercise of local, national, and
international citizenship.” The Commission expects institutions of higher learning to address these important ends. Finally, in helping to define general education, NCA states, “General education is intended to impart common knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and to develop in them the skills and attitudes that an organization’s faculty believes every educated person should possess.” Through Sinclair’s courses and programs of study, a student acquires breadth of knowledge and gains competence to achieve independent intellectual inquiry. Our courses must also stimulate understanding of personal, social, and civic values.
What are the General Education Competency Areas?Sinclair has adopted the following General Education competency areas:
Computer Literacy: the ability to apply concepts and terminology in the basic operation of computers.
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: the application of higher order analytical and creative cognitive processes.
Information Literacy: the ability to effectively locate, evaluate, and use information.
Oral Communication: the creation of common understanding through the use of verbal and nonverbal messages in a variety of contexts.
Values/Citizenship/Community: an awareness of personal obligations and responsibilities in one’s community of influence.
Written Communication: the creation of understanding through composition and synthesis of the written word.
How Does General Education Align to Curriculum and Assessment?At Sinclair, we have identified Levels of General Education Core Competencies:
Basic skills: introductory, foundational skills. Core Courses in Every Program
Skills transfer: evidence of basic skills being transferred into specific majors
Skills synthesis and integration: integrated application and synthesis of skills and knowledge in simulated workplace or transfer environments
Learning and application of general education competencies must occur throughout a student’s entire program of study, and must be assessed periodically. Simply acquiring skills and knowledge without regularly using them creates entropy—those skills die off. It is hard to imagine allowing a surgeon to perform a surgery if she or he has never actually performed the procedure. Feelings of security could be heightened, however, if there was knowledge that the surgeon had recently performed the procedure, had performed it regularly, and always had a good result. Likewise, in our curriculum, general education knowledge needs to be reinforced, skills need to be regularly used, and both knowledge and skills need to be regularly evaluated, assessed, and improved.
What are Measurable Outcomes in General Education? The General Education competencies have been translated to measurable outcomes. These can be found online in the Sinclair Community College course catalog (pp.85-86).
Rubrics have been developed to assist in the measurement (for both assessment and evaluation purposes) of these general education outcomes.


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
My preservice art ed teachers and I are involved in what we call a
Lab School for the Visual Arts wherein we will teach local 3rd - 5th grade
students in a workshop / art class entitled "Whistles and Rattles."
The plan is to show them simple musical instruments that have been
made by many cultures around the world. The rattle (I think also sometimes
called ideophones -- did I just make that up?) has been made from
dried gourds, clay, rat skin, bones, leather, wood (have I left
something out?). Some rattle on the inside. Some rattle on the
outside (I've seen this sort from Africa and Hawaii).
We'll discuss why people made or make these instruments. Other
questions might include: Why are they decorated sometimes? Why do
certain groups of people use certain images repeatedly on their
musical instruments? How did people from long ago even think of how
to make them?
Then we'll make some whistles and rattles. Should the students avoid
placing images from other cultures on their instrument? Should the
students avoid making whistle and rattles which look too similar to
examples we have shown them? If we whistle and rattle them, should
we avoid certain rythyms? Should Paul Simon not have made Graceland,
but instead just try to tell everyone, " Hey, I've listened to some
really cool music from Africa, and I think you should listen to it."
This is a fascinating discussion to me, and I am trying to find where
the middle is -- where the balance is between being so excited about
images and using them in work and being respectful to others and not
abusing their images.
Can of is this question answered socially? Legally? Ethically?
Tell me all. I want to know all. I want to know what you think.
Like Mary, thank you for reading all the way to the end of this. If
you didn't read all the way to the end of this then I don't like you
really and truly yours,
Assistant Professor, Art Education
University of Central Arkansas
Department of Art
Conway, AR 72035


Motor skills relate to movements and actions performed by muscles. There are two categories of motor skill: fine motor skill and gross motor skill. Fine motor skill involves the coordination and synchronization of small muscle movements, particularly in the wrists, hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Such movements allow for actions such as writing, grasping objects, and blinking. The development of basic fine motor skills begins at infancy, with mastery occurring between the ages of six and 12. These skills range from reaching and grasping objects, to pointing fingers, to scribbling, to pushing levers, to tying shoelaces. Because fine motor skills play such a crucial role in a child’s ability to understand and interact with his or her surroundings, it is important to monitor each child’s development of these skills and introduce interventions—such as occupational therapy—if a child falls behind. Research has shown that children with delayed fine motor skill development demonstrate improvement with participation in weekly occupational therapy sessions. Lags in development may occur as a result of injury, illness, congenital conditions, developmental disabilities, stroke, and cerebral palsy. Children with fine motor skill development delays may have difficulty coordinating body movements or performing tasks such as drawing, writing, cutting with scissors, fastening buttons, or zipping zippers.


Summer 2023 Semester Courses
ECE: Early Language & Literacy
This course explores strategies to encourage the development of early language and literacy knowledge and skill building in children birth to 8 years of age. Learners will investigate the components of literacy including; literacy and a source of enjoyment, vocabulary and oral language, phonological awareness, knowledge of print, letters and words, comprehension and an understanding of books and other texts. Theories and philosophies regarding children's language and literacy development will be addressed. Dual language learning will be examined within the context of developmentally appropriate practices. Assessment tools for early language and literacy acquisition will be reviewed.
This course is not offered in the current semester.
Looking for a different semester?
Ready to register? Note the CRN number of the class you want to take, then follow our registration steps.
Looking for a different semester? Start over.


The constitution Indiana’s forefathers drafted in 1816 established a precedent in its commitment to public education. The state’s charter mandated a system of free schooling extending from township schools all the way up to a state university.
State-funded elementary education, however, remained largely theoretical in Indiana for most of the nineteenth century.
The reality of pioneer life was not conducive to the development of free public schools. The economic privations most early settlers faced limited their income, and subsequently the tax base required to fund the schools. Additionally, many settlers took a dim view of compulsory education because it would rob them of much-needed hands on the homestead.
A state-authorized school system was spelled out in Indiana’s new constitution, adopted in 1851. A state superintendent of education was appointed the following year, along with of a state board of education.
Nonetheless, various factions continued to object to the idea of compulsory, tax-supported education on the grounds that it was anti-democratic. Additional distrust of secular schooling existed among religious communities, many of which had their own schools and colleges.
During the second half of the 19th century, Indiana lagged behind Ohio and Michigan in developing a public school system.
Significant strides were made once the legislature passed the first comprehensive compulsory education law in 1897, and authorized direct state funding of schools in 1905.
The quality of schools, however, was inconsistent in the largely rural state. Despite efforts toward centralizing the educational system, there were, in 1890, 10,000 separate townships, cities and other entities charged with financing the state’s schools, only 600 of which were larger than one-room schoolhouses.
By 1920, when larger municipalities such as Gary and Indianapolis were receiving acclaim for their educational advances, there were still 6,000 one-room schoolhouses in Indiana.
For further reading:
Robert Osgood, “Education in the Name of ‘Improvement’: The Influence of Eugenic Thought and Practice in Indiana’s Public Schools, 1900-1930. Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 106, No. 3. (September 2010), 272-299.


The education system in the Netherlands consists of the following levels:
Government Site Education
- Nursery School (not compulsory)
- Primary Education / Elementary Education (basis school)
- Secondary Education (VMBO, HAVO, VWO)
- Tertiary Education:
Senior Secondary Vocational Education (Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs – MBO and company schools)
Higher Vocational Education (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs – HBO)
University (Universiteit, Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs – WO)
Primary education begins at the age of 4 (and is mandatory from 5). Schools are divided In public and special education. (religious: Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Reformed etc.)
Note: there are primary schools in the area Zeeuws Vlaanderen/Zeeland where English classes are integrated (or a trial to be integrated). More information for the region Zeeuws-Vlaanderen can be found here: kindinzeeuwsvlaanderen
Secondary education (voortgezet onderwijs) starts after completion of primary education, usually at age 12 and generally continues to the age of 18. Children are obliged to go to school until the school year in which they become 16. In the final year of primary school (group 8), the most appropriate type of secondary school is selected. Parents, children, and teachers decide this together, with the help of standardized national tests (CITO-toets).
There are 3 levels determined by the outcome:
- VMBO is a preparation to a practical internship followed by work or a preparation to a vocational education. This generally takes 4 years, depending on the subjects chosen.
- HAVO takes 5 years and prepares for Universities of Applied Sciences or colleges.
- VWO takes 6 years and is the admission level for Research Universities.
Note: there are several secondary schools in the area Zeeuws Vlaanderen/Zeeland where teaching takes place in English (TTO classes)
In the area Zeeuws Vlaanderen & Zuid Beveland, the following schools exist:
MBO: Secondary vocational education (various schools)
HBO : HZ University of Applied Sciences Vlissingen
University: University College Roosevelt, Middelburg
International School Breda - International School Breda
(International school in Breda, covering Zeeland and West Brabant)
Antwerp International School – Antwerp International School
(International School in Belgium)


Many of Virginia Woolf’s early reviewers noted parallels between her literary innovations and those of contemporary composers, such as Claude Debussy. Woolf’s interest in music was overlooked after her death. However, 80 years on, we are now beginning to explore how her extraordinary experimental uses of narrative perspective, repetition and variation derive from her close study of particular musical works and specific musical forms.
Music provided Woolf (and other modernists including James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein and Katherine Mansfield) with a vocabulary to imagine and describe their creative practice and formal innovations. Woolf, for instance, compares her diary writing to a pianist practising their scales. She describes her reading as a process of “tuning up” for her writing. And in 1940 she famously observed:
It’s odd, for I’m not regularly musical but I always think of my books as music before I write them.
Music in Woolf’s life
Woolf grew up immersed in music. As a young woman, she attended operas and concerts at the Royal Opera House three or four times a week – sometimes, every night. Like most women of her age and social class, she had received basic music education in singing and piano. But her passion as a listener far outstripped her abilities as a performer.
Her letters and diaries repeatedly convey her love of classical repertoire – particularly the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner. But she heard a wide variety of music in varied settings. She heard folk music as she travelled in England, Scotland and continental Europe. Took in comic and patriotic songs in music halls. Delighted in the work of Arnold Schoenberg and another avant-garde repertoire through her subscription membership of the National Gramophonic Society, and Russian ballet music when the Ballets Russes visited London in 1912.
Woolf’s Hogarth Press also published studies of contemporary music, composers and popular books of music appreciation. Her understanding of – and in some cases intimate friendships with – leading composers, music critics, conductors and other musicians of her time gave her an insight into professional musical life, too. Friends included the composers and critics Eddy Sackville-West and Gerald Berners, the conductor and educator Nadia Boulanger, and the composer and feminist Ethel Smyth.
Music in Woolf’s writing
Woolf’s feminism, pacificism and cosmopolitanism were significantly shaped by her enduring, passionate love of music. The social conventions surrounding music education, performance and composition catalyse some of her wittiest and most acerbic social comedy but also inform her critiques of, for example, women’s unequal access to music education.
In her first novel, The Voyage Out (1915), Woolf references specific musical works to challenge the established expectation that men and women should play different repertoire. The novel’s female protagonist, who is an accomplished amateur pianist, plays Beethoven’s late piano sonatas. These works were frequently characterised as too technically and intellectually demanding for women performers. Essays addressed to amateur female pianists characterised the works as “simply unattainable”.
Music also influences Woolf’s creative innovations. The double narrative structure of Mrs Dalloway, for example, which contrasts and entwines the lives of society hostess Clarissa Dalloway and traumatised veteran Septimus Warren Smith, may well be modelled on the double form of musical fugues (“fugue” was a contemporary term for shell shock).
Woolf observed in 1909 that, “We are miserably aware how little words can do to render music.” But this difficulty frequently catalyses and becomes a subject of her writing.
It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that her prose has been a rich source of creative inspiration for composers. For instance, her work inspired Dominick Argento’s 1974 song cycle From the Diary of Virginia Woolf and more oblique responses, such as Max Richter’s music for the 2015 ballet Woolf Works.
In the last 15 years, musical responses to Woolf’s writing have proliferated, from the string quartet and songs premiered by the Virginia Woolf and Music project, to the recent announcement that composer Thea Musgrave is writing an opera inspired by Orlando.
In a 1905 essay, Woolf invited contemporary writers to remember words’ allegiance to music and take inspiration from that. Scholars of Woolf’s work and composers are now, it seems, doing just that.


By Liza Charlesworth
If you could wish for 100 of anything at all, what would you choose? 100 butterflies? 100 scoops of ice cream? 100 balloons? Or, how about 100 more wishes? This tale is designed to boost important early numeracy skills by helping children recognize numbers, count, add, subtract, and more. Also includes an interactive hide-and-seek page, and a chant-along poem!
After Reading: Read “100 Cheer” on page 16 several times, encouraging children to chime in and enthusiastically perform the designated movements. If you like, close the cheer with a rousing round of 100 claps!


Historic Map Works Library
One of the most extensive digital map collections available, with over 1.5 million high-resolution, full color historic maps. Discover the physical places of the past—from big cities to small farms—with Historic Map Works Library Edition. With access to more than five centuries of maps, genealogists, historians, and researchers can gain insight into how physical and human geographies have changed over time.
The core of the collection consists of land ownership (cadastral) maps illustrating the geographic and developmental history of the United States. This unique content allows users to track the "residential genealogy" of families and locations.
Historic Map Works collections include:
Property Maps, over 1.3 million cadastral maps cover the development of the United States since the late 1700's to the present day
Antique Maps, over 100,000 antiquarian maps covering the world from the 15th to 19th centuries, drawn from the University of Southern Maine's Osher Map Library
Directories & Illustrations, with tens of thousands of related listings, images, business ads, and statistics from city directories, atlases, bird’s eye views, and more
The special attention given to image quality allows users to see the details that are so important to the use of maps in research. High-resolution digital scanning clearly reproduces even the smallest features, including street and property names, plat dimensions, and structural details.
The straightforward interface lets users search Historic Maps Works by keywords, location names, and other advanced features. Unique search features include:
World Map uses an intuitive point-and-click world map to help locate data visually.
Search by Address finds maps by street name, city, and state. Plus, by using the Geo-code functionality, you can compare a modern Google map with the historic map to see details over time.
GPS Mapfinder pinpoints maps via latitude and longitude coordinates, using the geo-coded map data.
Points of Interest features over 60 different “Points of Interest” such as buildings, cemeteries, churches, hospitals, lakes, parks, summits, by which to browse maps.
Plus, features like image previews, zoom in/out, and image cropping make reviewing and using the maps easy.
Published by ProQuest.
Trial Ends January 1, 2014
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
RILM Retrospective Abstracts of Music Literature
This comprehensive music bibliography features citations, abstracts and subject indexing. It provides broad yet detailed coverage, and facilitates both focused research and browsing for readers of all levels. From hip hop to Händel, from ethnomusicology to music therapy, from elementary music education to advanced music theory, RILM is the first stop for the researcher who wants clear, verified bibliographic information that is fully cited, abstracted, and indexed.
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature’s coverage spans 1967 to the present, and the database is updated monthly. However, the documentation of conference proceedings goes back to 1835, and further retrospective coverage is planned. Since its first publication in 1967, RILM has covered articles in over 11,000 journals, many of which are not specifically devoted to music. RILM includes over 700,000 records, and over 40,000 new records are added every year.
RILM Retrospective Abstracts of Music Literature, a bibliography of music articles, collections, and books published before 1967, offers researchers and music scholars nearly 20,000 records from a critical period in music research. Comprehensive coverage includes music-related articles published in conference proceedings from 1835 through 1966; articles in Festschriften celebrating music scholars from 1840 to 1966; and articles in anniversary volumes published in honor of musicians, composers and institutions dating back to the 18th century. Journal articles and other document types will be added on a monthly basis.
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Trial Ends June 30, 2014


Introducing Letter Squads!
Teacher friend, I am so so excited to share this new resource! I developed The Letter Squads, a curriculum for letter of the week instruction. If you need engaging activities in 15 minute lessons for letter instruction all ready to go, you’re in the right place.
It’s very adaptable to your kindergarten class and whatever point in time you find yourself, whether it’s the start of the year or somewhere in the middle. This 26 week program includes 5 days of instruction for each letter, and students will love this interactive program.
You can check it out HERE on Teachers Pay Teachers, or read more below. If you want to test drive it, you can even download a free week.
Find out why Dimitra M. graciously gave this product five stars and wrote, “Thank you for the wonderful resource :)”
The Short Version
Here’s what makes it effective for students:
- Reaches all learning styles
- Game based
- Built in rewards
Here’s what makes it effective for you, their awesome teacher:
- No more piecing together multiple resources
- Choose which level your students need
- Teach the letters in any order
- Your students want to master EVERY letter
- Daily lesson plans aligned in Foundational Skills
- Includes scaffolded, guided handwriting practice
Here’s what your students will learn:
- Word association
- Phoneme and syllable blending
- Rhyme recognition and production
- Beginning sound recognition
- Phoneme blending and segmenting
- Counting and segmenting syllables
- Ending sound recognition
- Phoneme manipulation
Want more detail? Read on, or head over to the TpT page HERE.
The Full Scoop on Letter Squads
If you secretly dread letter instruction because your students aren’t engaged or motivated, if you are tired of endless worksheets that don’t reach all your students, and if you wish your students could learn phonological awareness skills at the same time, this is your place!
Letter Squads is a 26 week curriculum that includes 5 days’ worth of lessons for each letter of the alphabet. Each lesson lasts about 15 minutes, so it’s not going to take your entire day, but they are highly effective. You can teach the letters in any order, so whatever method your school uses, these can work for you.
No more scrambling to piece together lessons, reviews, worksheets, games, and rewards. This curriculum has got you covered.
Each lesson is rich in phonological & phonemic awareness, visual and auditory cues, and student rewards. Lessons are available in PowerPoint (recommended) and Google Slides format!
Digital lessons include:
- Daily alphabet review
- Letter cheer
- Discussion questions for making connections
- Daily handwriting practice: guided, animated, and scaffolded
- Interactive games
- Student rewards
- A daily joke corresponding to the letter of the week
- A badge meter showing student progress
- Built in brain break with the letter of the week
Also included in this curriculum are student work mats, which can be printed in color or blackline. They align with the digital lesson and students interact with them during instruction.
I structured handwriting practice in a way that ensures students get repeated guided practice that is heavily modeled. Animations in the PowerPoint files accomplish this perfectly! In the beginning, students only use their fingers and other kinesthetic means to practice the letter. Beginning on day 2, students write the letters using a dotted model and a designated starting point. By the end of the week, these supports are removed to allow students to practice the letter formation completely independently.
In addition to the games and interactive style of the lessons, the badge reward system gives students a short and long term goal. Their short term goal is to complete all five lessons for a letter to earn that letter’s badge. Their long term goal is to fill the entire badge collection to earn a bigger reward which you choose.
The week of Aa is available to download for free if you want to test this resource out. Each letter can be bought individually, or the bundle is available for the entire curriculum at a significant discount.
Your year of engaging letter of the week instruction starts HERE!


Practice Makes Perfect!
So often, free printable worksheets are often merely quizzes.
Now there's an option.
You can build a wonderful program of practice with our printable worksheets.
Oh how hard it is to watch students struggle with the basics! So many times, all they need is time to practice, or a mentor to go through the drills with them.
Well. Equally there are few places to go for this kind of help.
Teachers: When they begin to work on their assignments and have no idea what to do, where do we start? What can we give them for homework?
Parents: When they come home from school unable to do their Math tables or read their assignments, what are we to do?
Deep down we know that what they need is time to practice with the basics.
Well, we've created our free printable worksheets so that children can practice the Pre-K-6 subjects using easy to print Phonics, Math, and Grammar worksheets, flash cards, and videos.
I myself bookmark our own web pages to use with our own children.
My husband asks for these worksheets when he's helping them.
I believe in what we've made and really enjoy sharing it with others.
We have many free printables that can be used to teach Math, Reading and Writing whether you are teachers and tutors using elementary education programs in school, parents rescuing homework in the evenings, or parents using a home school curriculum. Your students can:
This used to be the way, the "method" if you will, that children learned their facts; yet, today, many of us are hard pressed to find the time or the help necessary for this sort of practice.
A-Z-Worksheets has the answer. Simply print the practice worksheets that your students need and they can practice the review themselves. Once you've covered the concepts, they can practice and drill on their own. They can take the quiz later.
Parents can also bookmark the Phonics and Math videos so that their children can practice the facts from a phone, iPads, and other tablets.
This way children can practice the facts while they're riding in the car, waiting on the game to start, or simply curled up on the couch warm and snugly.
When your children are wondering "What can I do?" or they want to "play" school when their older brothers and sisters are working, you can turn dead time into easy learning time with our worksheets.
Our practice printable worksheets offer practice of the facts, usually by copying three times each or searching a chart that is on the same piece of paper.
There is little teacher or parent effort needed for children to use our practice worksheets.
Our free printable worksheets are easy to find using our left navigation column. Use the left nav for subjects or grades and our extra column to find sub-topics. We aim to have easy site navigation.
Our search boxes at the top of most pages are also handy for finding such treasures as different printable Math sheets. Just search the term you seek.
Additional to our free printable worksheets we have hundreds of coloring pages to print and they are listed by topic in the second column on our main coloring pages.
Common sense practice is the order of the day at A-Z!
Here's an example of our Math videos. Never say the wrong answer with addition flash cards again. These are always in order, fast, clear and correct. Our online Math tutor videos are always patient and pleasant. :-)
See more on our addition videos page.
Teachers and Parents: Many are struggling with the new curriculum requirements and need an easy way to offer concrete practice to their students so they can excel in school. Our practice worksheets are super to assign as homework because they can help all sorts of children to excel - and they're a Godsend for struggling students.
Easy for you, easy for kids!
Teaching is a rewarding profession for helping children to learn and we want to thank you for helping us to help children around the world. Thank you for visiting A-Z-Worksheets.com and thanks everyone for all your awesome comments at the bottom of our pages. Thank you for sharing.
Have a great day!
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Various methods and supports are used to provide adults with the opportunity to improve foundational skills: reading, writing, document use, numeracy, computer use, thinking and oral communication. The skills gained allows learners to fully participate in society, have better success at work, and continue studies to further their education.
English Second Language—Conversational French—Conversational Ukrainian—Conversational Spanish—Preparation for Written Driver’s Test—Newcomer Mom and Child Movie Night—Basic Computer Literacy
Community Literacy Program
Various programs and projects are provided to increase literacy rates in our community. Community Learning distributes thousands of books to the community. Some books are new that are purchased from various sources at as low of price as can be for quality books. Other books are donated from the general public. Volunteers sort the books into categories. Reusing books means less waste going to the landfills.
Community Bookshelf Program—Books Provided at Community Events— Summer Buddy Reading Project—Books Distributed at Immunization Clinic
Social Support Services
Our supportive staff and volunteers work with vulnerable individuals that have economic and/or social barriers hindering their success in society. Individuals are provided with supports to navigate the complex network of community and government services to find the supports they need. Our aim is to help individuals learn the skills they need to help themselves.
Form Completion (Employment Insurance, obtaining Identification documents, AISH or Social Assistance application, preparation of Income Tax) —Recycled Computers— Drop in Access to Technology (access computers and internet, send faxes, print documents, use telephone)
Senior Support Services – So Much to Give So Much to Gain
The New Horizon Seniors Steering Committee determines the needs of seniors, plans programs, secures funding, delivers programs and evaluates programs.
Virtual Music Concerts for Seniors—Savvy Senior Chrome Book Project—Recording Living Histories od Seniors—Food Connection
Food Literacy Services
Everyone needs to eat, yet many in our community have inadequate or insecure access to food because of personal circumstances, scarce financial resources, and rising food and other household costs. Community Learning staff and volunteers, along with many partners, have addressed food literacy from two perspectives, the growing of food and the distribution of rescued food from grocery stores and restaurants.
Stone Soup Food Centre (150,000 pounds of food have been rescued from going to the landfill in 2022) —Barrel Garden Project and Edible Garden Project (using recycled materials, families and seniors not having a garden plot are growing vegetables)— Food Preservation Workshops (Pressure canning and preparing Nutritious economical meals)—Providing “rescued food” to 1,000 people per month.


Frontiers in Sport Research, 2019, 1(1); doi: 10.25236/FSST.080104.
Department of P.E Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, China
Micro-course is a new teaching mode under the new era, and the flip-table is a new teaching mode under the background of new curriculum reform. As the mainstream education, quality education is based on school volleyball teaching. It proposes to break through the traditional teaching concept and take volleyball teaching as the research object. Based on the connotation of flipping classroom in micro-curricular environment, this paper proposes how to use micro-class to flip classroom in volleyball teaching.
micro-class; volleyball; flip classroom
Jiang Liu, Practical Application of Volleyball Turning Classroom Construction under Micro-course Environment. Frontiers in Sport Research (2019) Vol. 1: 21-26. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSST.080104.
 Zhao Dalv, Zhao Jie, Li Yang(2016). About the Application of Micro-Class Technology in College English Flipped Classroom. Overseas English,no.7, pp. 60-61.
 Xinmiao J I, Liu S, Yunpeng Y(2018). The Construction and Application of the Mixed Teaching Mode Based on Flipped Classroom--The Teaching Reform and Practice on Landscape Design of Residential Space. Equipment Manufacturing and Education.
 Fidopiastis C M, Rizzo AA, Rolland J P(2010). User-centered virtual environment design for virtual rehabilitation. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, vol.7, no.1, pp.11.
 Lin H J, Kao Y T, Yang F W, et al(2006). CONTENT-BASED IMAGE RETRIEVAL TRAINED BY ADABOOST FOR MOBILE APPLICATION. International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intelligence, vol. 20, no. 04, pp.525-541.
 Chen, C. W J(2015). Mobile learning: Using application Auralbook to learn aural skills. International Journal of Music Education, vol.33, no.2, pp.244-259.
 Hu R(2016). Construction of the study platform for Meridians and Acupoints and the application in the flipped classroom. Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, vol.36, no.11, pp.1197.


Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Year: 2016, Volume: 9, Issue: 44, Pages: 1-7
Jihyun H. Park*
*Author for correspondence
Jihyun H. Park Department of Music Education, Gwangju National University of Education, Pilmundaero, Buk-gu - 61204 Gwangju, South Korea; [email protected]
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to discuss what creativity and convergence are in music education and to suggest teaching-learning methods for music prioritizing creativity and convergence. Methods/Statistical Analysis: This study performed contents analysis based on the data related to creativity and convergence education resulting from literature methodology and music textbooks. Literature study was performed to find the connection between creativity and convergence education and we performed an analysis divided into three categories consisting of ‘contents’, ‘method’, and ‘composition and environment’ based on instances where such connection were found in music textbooks. Findings: First, a connection between the musical concepts and activity must be provided in terms of contents. Second, there must be a learning method to converge the music and other various fields and a problem solving method learning as well. Third, appropriate questions and guidance for learning must be provided by teachers. Improvements/Applications: Emphasizing creativity and convergence in music education will cultivate necessary learning competence for the future and the importance of music education will be further recognized in the field of education.
Keywords: Creativity, Convergence, Method, Meaning, Music Education, Teaching-Learning
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Abstract: Despite ongoing discussions about cultural diversity, practical progress towards a more inclusive and flexible system in music education remains slow (College Music Society, TFUMM 2014; Rampal 2015; Carson and Westvall 2016). As critical and reflective music practitioners and scholars, we should continue to explore every avenue that might promote higher levels of cultural sensitivity in our field. From the field of intercultural education, Milton Bennett (1993; 2004) proposes a framework for understanding and facilitating growth in this area, known as the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS). Through this article, the author provides suggestions for applications of this framework in music education. Specifically, the author argues the DMIS framework can help university music teacher educators better understand the ways in which their students experience cultural and musical diversity, so they will be equipped to design individualized and relevant learning experiences that will move future music teachers towards higher levels of cultural sensitivity within the context of their teacher preparation programs.
Author: Jennifer M. Mellizo – University of Wyoming Laboratory School, Laramie, WY, USA.
Click here to read to the article. If this is your first visit to TOPICS, please read the note below.


Best Way to Reduce Poverty in Developing Countries is by Giving up to Six years of Free Education- IELTS Writing Task 2
The best way to reduce poverty in developing countries is by giving up to six years of free education, so that they can at least read, write and use numbers.To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sentences 1&2 – It is commonly suggested that ensuring primary school education remains free would expand access to education. Some have proposed that this would be a particularly effectual solution to poverty.
Sentence 3 – I completely agree with this suggestion and in the subsequent paragraphs, I will delineate why the guaranteed provision of free primary education will alleviate poverty.
Paragraph 1 – Free education would curtail drop-out rates.
Paragraph 2 – Free education would help people to pick up skills which would get them better jobs.
Paragraph 3- However, providing free education would increase taxation, adding to poverty rather than solving it.
Stated the final opinion.
It is commonly implied that guaranteeing primary school education remains free would augment access to education. Some have proposed that this would be a particularly effectual solution to poverty. I completely agree with this suggestion and in the subsequent paragraphs, I will delineate why the assured provision of free primary education will alleviate poverty.
Firstly, financial constraints deter several students from continuing their education. Therefore, making the government sponsor elementary schooling would assist in curtailing the school drop-out rates. It would also provide a solution to child labour and delinquency. Furthermore, research shows that developing countries suffer from alarming rates of unemployment. So, providing free primary education could not only empower the students to get better jobs but also open up several job opportunities in the education sector, thereby reducing joblessness.
Secondly, providing schooling would enable individuals to acquire skills and training they would not otherwise receive. This would later help them gain better jobs and become efficacious, well-rounded citizens of the country. Providing free education would help individuals have a more promising outlook on their future and promote a positive attitude towards society. This would also encourage them to work towards reducing social problems such as poverty. Access to education also provides the assurance of an economically secure future, which would also eliminate poverty.
However, one could disagree with the aforementioned points stating that there would be a considerable increase in taxation to provide free education to all, which may add to poverty rather than solve it. Additionally, schools might be overcrowded, which would affect the quality of education, thus further impacting the students’ job prospects. Finally, the provision of free education with only limited jobs may only increase competition and job insecurity, adding to deprivation.
In conclusion, I believe that providing free elementary education free of charge can offer a long-term solution to developing economies because it may abate the problem of relinquishing their chance at a better future while also aiding children to hone and acquire a range of new skills and abilities.
Meaning – enlarge or increase
Example – Ragini decided to expand her business by opening a second outlet of her successful bookstore café.
Meaning – effective or capable of producing a desired result
Example – In spite of all his efforts, he was unable to provide effectual aid to the king’s soldiers.
Meaning – present or describe something
Example – In his presentation, Manoj delineated the causes of global warming and its effects.
Meaning – Limitations or curb
Example – Satyajit Ray faced a number of constraints in filming Panther Panchali, but eventually, he overcame them all only to release the film to much critical acclaim.
Meaning – Reduce or diminish
Example – The implementation of Prohibition was an attempt on the part of the government to curtail the consumption of alcohol in this country.
Meaning – Minor criminal acts, generally committed by young people
Example – She was charged with committing an act of delinquency for shoplifting at the age of fourteen.
Meaning – Worrying or severe
Example – Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt away at an extremely alarming rate.
Meaning – Do away with or remove
Example – Sangita was advised to eliminate seafood from her diet after it was discovered that she was allergic to them.
Meaning – Lessen or ease off
Example – We set out after the storm had abated and the skies were finally beginning to clear up.
Meaning – Refine or polish up
Example – Chess is a way of exercising the mind, allowing players to hone their strategic skills at every moment.
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Inculcating an understanding of entrepreneurship and incorporating it into the school curriculum is crucial in teaching children essential soft skills. This includes communication, calculation, and creativity. The earlier they get this exposure, the quicker they can succeed.
After school entrepreneurship classes for kids can help develop confidence so that children can communicate and discuss their ideas. Here’s why early entrepreneurship education is important for children.
Business and Communication
Learning the concepts and tactics of entrepreneurship entails learning communication skills. That’s because a child may have to communicate with a person with whom they’ve never interacted before. Therefore, gaining confidence and learning to communicate their idea can help a person succeed in the field of business.
For instance, a child learning about entrepreneurship can figure out a solution to a problem a local supermarket is facing. Suppose that there’s a long queue at the cash counter. A confident child with good communication skills could walk up to the manager and suggest increasing the number of cash counters to expedite the billing process.
Business and Numeracy
Entrepreneurship education can help a child practice and polish the numeracy skills that they learn in school. Financial transactions form the foundation of a business. All planning and strategy aside, your child may have to handle money at one point or the other. Along with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, delving into entrepreneurship can also improve complex ideas like loss, profit, profit margins, and more.
Business as a Social Activity
Entrepreneurs must be aware of the social impact of the business. When learning entrepreneurship, children can explore the notions of sustainability, environmental impact, corporate responsibility, charity, political ideas, and more.
Business and Creativity
The most integral part of entrepreneurship is the ability to develop ideas and be creative. We believe that every child should do what they love. Transforming a preferred activity into a business can help children cash on and succeed in where their passion lies.
For instance, if a child likes video games, they can make a blog where they review games, make vlogs about video games, or organize gaming events.
Enroll Your Kids in After School Enrichment Programs
COMPUCHILD offers one of the best Entrepreneurial STEAM™ focused after school franchise enrichment programs. Our programs are rooted in entrepreneurial education and focus on key skill sets of financial awareness, technology, ethics, and communication.
Our Stop Motion Animation and Impactful Blogging and programs for elementary students help develop communication skills needed to succeed in an entrepreneurial environment.
COMPUCHILD is the least expensive franchises business to own. Get in touch with us for more information about it.


The Giddens School prekindergarten program helps four-year-old's develop the skills of our 3 pillars (academic excellence and learning, social and emotional development, social justice and equity) in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Our program provides a rich foundation for future schooling, while emphasizing the importance of learning through play. Children of this age often begin to see themselves as learners, coming to school full of purpose and intention. Teachers work to respond to each child, observing and inquiring to adapt a program that will be responsive to the child’s innate curiosity while assuring they have the foundational skills to support their success in kindergarten. This includes social and emotional learning, as well as academic growth. In prekindergarten, learning opportunities are provided in community contexts, including small group instruction. This helps children learn from one another and apply their knowledge to a variety of scenarios.


Do courses really lead to a career?
As we approach the last weeks of Summer many of us are dealing with either an end or a beginning. Many Spring graduates put off the inevitable task of finding a job for the allure of travel, being with friends or just getting some rest after school. Meanwhile, many students were working jobs or enjoying summertime in preparation for the upcoming school year. In either case, a successful outcome for the next step of finding employment or beginning a successful school year requires a focus on the skills that are needed.
Why Focus on Skills?
The nature of work is changing every day – technology is making some jobs more accessible and is eliminating others. The idea of having a single job for your career is increasingly unlikely, and while this may seem scary, it is also really exciting. Acquiring and being able to demonstrate more skills will allow you to increase your value in the workforce and transition more easily from one position to another.
Entering the Workforce?
As individuals begin to enter the workforce and develop a successful career path, the first step is to understand the skills needed in the workplace. Once you know the skills that are needed, you must then inventory the activities that you’ve undertaken to determine which of those skills you possess and find the most effective way to communicate those skills to the employer that most interests you. It is important to remember during this process that you can acquire skills by doing many things in addition to attending school – military experience, volunteer activities, and other jobs can provide you with the skills that are needed in the workplace. It is also important to connect your experiences directly to the skills that the job requires, not just put together a laundry list of activities and hope that the person reviewing your information can find what they need. Employers are looking for people who have the right skills – be clear and be specific in order to make yourself stand apart from others.
Going Back to School?
If you’re getting to go back to school – whether high school, college, or training programs – you will inevitably look at a required course or activity and question why that is necessary. There are many foundational skills like basic math, effective communication or teamwork that virtually every employer is seeking. Ideally, your school or education provider is closely linked to employers and is ensuring that the curriculum you are required to take matches closely the specific skills that employers are seeking. However, it is also important for you to learn and understand the skills that are required for jobs you may be seeking. If you are unsure, you should meet with your institution’s guidance or career counseling professionals to see if they can point you in the right direction. If that doesn’t get you what you need, then you can reach out to employers and ask what they’re looking for. You are using valuable time and spending significant dollars to get education, and it is important to know that you are getting what you need for your success.
Whether your objective is to get a job now or you’re going back to school and planning for the future, it is an exciting time. By focusing on skills can you better understand what you need to be successful no matter what you want to achieve.


Ernest Lawson was a Canadian-American painter, the only landscapist in the famous art group The Eight. Ernest Lawson’s work falls between Impressionism and Realism, and captures both landscape and cityscape. He was born in Nova Scotia on March 22, 1873, and spent his boyhood in Ontario. His family moved to Kansas City when Ernest Lawson was young, yet he did not join them until the age of fifteen, at which time he began to study at the Kansas Art Institute and work as a textile designer. Ernest Lawson moved to New York to study at the Art Students League in New York in 1891, and completed his art education at the Académie Julian in France in 1893. He remained in France until 1898 when he often traveled to the countryside to practice plein-air style painting. He began to display during this time, exhibiting at the Paris Salon in 1894. Upon his return to the United States in 1898, Ernest Lawson began to accumulate fame and prizes quickly. In 1904, he won two silver medals at the Universal Exposition in St. Louis. In 1908, he joined The Eight as one of their founding members. Later, in 1916, he won the Corcoran Art Prize. Ernest Lawson worked in New York cityscapes and often traveled around the Hudson River Valley to capture serene landscape works. He worked as a professor for much of his later career. Ernest Lawson is considered one of the founders of modern Canadian art. His work is considered integral to the bridge between Impressionism and Realism. He died in 1939.


- Lakeland School
- Specials Department
Specials Department - PE / ART / MUSIC
Physical Education (PE)
The Physical Education program at Lakeland School is based upon teaching our students skills, sharing knowledge, and providing opportunities to empower children. Guiding students to develop and sustain regular, lifelong physical activity is a foundation for a healthy, active, and fulfilling life.
Our PE department uses the SPARK PE curriculum to help promote healthy and active lifestyles for our students. Students have PE in a variety of settings, including the gym, fitness center, and swimming pool. All students are tested and taught appropriate swimming skills according to the American Red Cross swim levels.
Lakeland School’s Art Education program provides a comprehensive K–12 visual arts curriculum. Students practice in a variety of media including Tempera paint, oil pastels, watercolor, and more. Through hands-on learning students build a foundation in drawing, painting, sculpture & mixed media techniques. The multifaceted lessons also develop an appreciation of other cultures.
Authentic learning experiences empower students to develop creativity, critical thinking, self-expression, and problem-solving skills. Students learn how to express themselves by creating their own unique masterpieces. Building a child’s visual literacy skills is a vital role not only in expanding their knowledge of art, but also their future success in other academic areas.
Lakeland’s Music Education program focuses on music for life. The goal of the music program at Lakeland School is to teach students to express themselves through music and appreciate music throughout their lives.
We base our music program on the First Steps in Music curriculum. The First Steps in Music curriculum is designed to prepare children to become musical in three ways:
- Tuneful - to have tunes in their heads and learn to coordinate their voices to sing those tunes.
- Beatful - to feel the pulse of the music and how that pulse is grouped in either twos or threes.
- Artful - to be moved by music in the many ways music can elicit an emotional response.
Our goal is the 30 year plan, we don’t want the students to only participate in music education in school but to participate in the music that is interwoven throughout our lives. Adults who are tuneful can sing lullabies, Happy Birthday, and join others in singing ceremonial, holiday, and cultural songs. Adults who are beatful can rock to the beat while singing a lullaby, dance at a wedding, and clap in time with others at sporting events. Adults who are moved by music seek out venues to share artful experiences with others in concert halls, in community bands and choirs, or by listening to music. Artful adults enjoy being moved by music.


Types of Teaching Certifications
Not sure which type of teaching certification is right for you?
Choosing the right area of certification is a very important step in the process of becoming a teacher. If you decide to earn an elementary teaching certification, but your heart is truly stearing you toward teaching middle school, you’ll have to go through the certification process all over again.
Read about all the various options you have and make an educated decision about where you would like to begin your teaching career.
The following is a list, as well accompanying information, of some of your options for certification depending on the state in which you plan to teach.
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Special Education
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- American Sign Language
- Art Teacher
- Business Education
- Computer Science
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Foreign Language (some examples below)
- Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Certification
- Health Educator
- Home Economics
- Physical Education
- Reading Specialist
- Special Education
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Visually Impaired Teacher
- Education Technology
- Administrative Licensing
- Alternative Certification
- Librarian Certification


Standards of Musical Achievement
The Standards of Musical Achievement helps accelerate student’s current knowledge alongside what they have either taught themselves or learned at school. This is a great option for any student who wishes to work on foundational skills, build upon current skills, and master new skills.
These are some examples of what is included in these lessons:
- Personally tailored lessons for each student
- Teach foundational skills. Included are scales, technique and music theory.
- Introduction to new musical genres and styles
- Developing music appreciation
- Learning music theory and how music is structured
- Discovering a students musical voice through expression and musicality
- Preparing for auditions, performances, and working on general stage presence
- Finding a passion and all around enjoyment of music
- Flexibility in scheduling
The SoMA program develops musicianship at the pace of each learner to ensure that each milestone is met successfully. The program also complements the public school music curriculum to develop each student’s academic success. Included in the SoMA program are studio recitals and access to performance ensembles such as rock bands, string quartets, cello choir, musical theater, piano ensembles and more.
Need help choosing an instrument that is right for you?
Download our FREE guide to choosing the best instrument for you called “Musical Instruments- So many choices only ONE you”.
30 minute lessons: $190
45 minute lessons: $275
60 minute lessons: $360


As a climate activist, I’m often asked: What one thing can we do that matters in regard to our climate crisis? My response is always, “Talk about it.” This helps spread awareness and normalizes talking about really hard things. Because young people are acutely aware of — and increasingly vocal about — the ways in which their lives are affected now and will continually be affected by the global climate crisis, I asked five students in our community the question that I am often asked. Here’s their responses:
Tyler is a senior at WMU. He’s pursuing a double major in applied mathematics and economics.
The truth is that most people do not understand the severity of the climate crisis. This enables corrupt politicians and corporations to get away with letting my generation’s future be destroyed. Those in power are not addressing these global problems. We need to organize in large numbers, nonviolently, to express how unacceptable this is. The No. 1 thing we can do is to engage in advocacy and activism and protest against the status quo.
Aida is a Western Michigan University undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental and sustainability studies and earth science. She is active in Students for a Sustainable Earth, the Sunrise Movement and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Aida is also an intern with the Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition.
The author Jonathan Safran Foer, in We Are the Weather, writes that we can do our part in combating the climate crisis by cutting down on eating meat. Animal agriculture accounts for one-third of emissions worldwide, and we often underestimate the difference we can make with our choices as consumers. It’s a common misconception that eating mostly plant-based (food) is hard and unaffordable. Vegetables and fruits are affordable, especially when bought locally; beans or tofu can replace animal protein and cost much less than meat. Those of us that are able to choose what to put on our plates can make an impact by making conscious, sustainable food choices.
Simon graduated from Climax-Scotts High School as valedictorian this year. He is heading to Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, to pursue a degree in elementary education, with a focus on science or music.
I live in a small farming town that is quite insulated, so often the grander scheme of climate change might not be as visible as in larger cities. However, this background, combined with high school environmental science education, provides me with a unique view, in that I can understand both the impact of climate change and the importance of farming and agriculture to our world. Every year Americans throw away nearly 40 million tons of food waste. This ends up in landfills, decomposes and turns into methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. My favorite way to combat this is by composting. Organic matter is kept out of landfills and creates natural fertilizers for gardens. It’s a simple thing to start and makes a big difference.
Oceanne, age 10, is a student at El Sol Elementary School. She helped start the school’s Climate Change Club in 2019.
What I think is the most important thing that people can do is reduce the amount of CO2 we humans put in the air. We can stop burning fossil fuels by not traveling as much, using hybrid cars, and turning off lights. During this COVID-19 virus, some factories closed and people are driving a lot less, so not as many fossil fuels are being burned and the air is cleaner in many places.
Andrew is an activist with the youth-led Sunrise Movement, aimed at stopping climate change. He is majoring in English at Kalamazoo College and is scheduled to graduate in 2021.
Addressing racial injustices, particularly environmental racism, will go a long way in alleviating our climate crisis. So much pollution is allowed to occur because it happens in, and most directly affects, black and brown communities. If we, as a society, really valued all lives equally, it would be a lot harder for polluting corporations to get away with clouding our atmosphere with heat-trapping and other health-threatening particles.


This study was carried out at a South African university. The aim of the study was to test entry-level students’ fractions skills in order to facilitate teaching at appropriate levels. The sample consisted of 94 first-year entry level students (54 mainstream and 40 extended stream) who were enrolled for national diplomas in science and engineering, out of a population of 120 students. The instrument had 20 items, including three multiple choice questions (MCQs). The data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013. The main finding was that entry-level students enrolled for engineering and science diplomas performed poorly in a test of numeracy skills. The average score (47.8%) was regarded as a cause for concern, especially considering that the test was pitched at Grade 8 level. The study also found that students struggled to apply proportional reasoning when dealing with word problems. Mathematics teachers and lecturers need to be aware of students’ difficulties and ought to attempt to assist them to overcome such challenges. It is hoped that this paper will be useful to mathematics curriculum implementers at school level, subject advisors at the district level, pre-service teacher educators at Teachers’ colleges and universities, and university lecturers teaching mathematics at first year level.
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
INT ELECT J MATH ED, 2017, Volume 12, Issue 3, 281-310
Publication date: 18 Jun 2017
Article Views: 3220
Article Downloads: 2904Open Access References How to cite this article


Do you have a child who is struggling with reading comprehension, decoding or fluency? Or perhaps your child is ready to accelerate reading or writing instruction? If so, you may be seeking a Reading Specialist, Learning Specialist, or skillful educator.
Remediation or Acceleration: preK-5
At My Learning Springboard, we take a balanced literacy approach to support your child’s reading and writing development. We especially believe that building strong foundational skills in preschool and the primary grades is a strategic investment that bolsters a child’s success as a lifelong learner. Because each student’s needs are different, our reading specialists and learning specialists are well versed in a variety of approaches, interventions, and programs so that we can tailor instruction to each student’s needs using evidence-based practice that maximizes engagement.
Our reading specialists and learning specialists include both elementary and secondary educators, special educators, and dyslexia interventionists with expertise in Orton-Gillingham based programs, including PAF (developed at Windward School), Wilson, and Boost. Other programs we regularly use include Judith Hochman’s Teaching Basic Writing Skills and Sounds in Motion.
Our reading specialists and faculty also provide enrichment teaching and accelerated instruction for students ready to take on more difficult reading and writing tasks.We begin instructional planning by gathering as much information as possible, which often includes conducting individualized assessments in order to determine a student’s developmental spelling stage, independent reading level, instructional reading level, and decoding needs. This benchmarking helps our reading specialists or learning specialists to more effectively customize targeted reading and writing instruction in any or all of the following areas:
- Grammar and Syntax
- Phonemic awareness
- Word Study
In our work to help students become confident readers and writers, our reading specialists, leadership team, and faculty also help parents to support their children’s reading and writing development at home.
Popular Programs and Approaches
A variety of reading and writing programs are used depending on the needs of a particular student. Similarly, students are matched to specific Reading Specialists based on the student’s needs and the Reading Specialist’s professional expertise. Our practices are informed by research, programs, materials and diagnostic tools developed by:
- Fountas & Pinnell, Guided Reading and Writing
- Lucy Calkins, Teachers College Reading and Writing Project
- Dr. Jan Richardson, Guided Reading
- Dr. Donald Bear, Literacy Development and Words Their Way
- Dr. Judith C. Hochman, Teaching Basic Writing Skills
- Frances Santore, Sounds in Motion
- Phyllis Bertin and Eileen Perlman, Preventing Academic Failure (PAF)
- Patricia Cunningham, Making Words
- Stephanie Harvey, Strategies That Work
Writing Instruction Framework
Our writing instruction is also informed by the 6+1 Trait ® Writing Framework developed by Education Northwest.
These writing traits include:
- Word Choice
- Sentence Fluency
- Presentation (+1)
Please contact our office to discuss your family’s specific needs.


More and more we are hearing about decodable texts in our early primary classrooms.
What are they?
Decodable series of books will usually follow a phonics scope and sequence. Decodable texts are considered appropriate for early readers as they support learning to decode through the practice of sound-letter correspondences that have already been explicitly taught in the classroom. Decodables support phonics through:
- Simple sentences
- High-frequency words
- Common sound-letter correspondences
- Carefully controlled text
- Explicit practice of the letter/sound correspondences that they have been systrmatically taught
- Students are able to practice according to their own need in terms of their letter-sound ability
- Students are not expected to infer words from the contexts or syntax
- You can formatively assess sound-letter knowledge
There is some research that some students require systematic and explicit phonics instruction, and who benefit from decodables. The important thing to note is that they only need to be used temporarily to reinforce the sound-letter patterns.
They are not meant to replace a high-quality, reading program. The most effective classrooms are multi-modal, and include an array of reading opportunities from modelled, shared, guided and independent reading opportunities.
How are decodable texts different than other types of readers?
Other reading sets can differ according to the formulas that have been written to determine text difficulty. Levelled readers can provide reading opportunities to support students at a relatively systematic instructional level. They are usually based on word complexity, sentence complexity, and look at the number of words and word frequencies. Lexiles are one type of formula that difficulty might be calculated with.
Not an either/or proposition.
No books can serve all reading purposes. Decodables only work with the sound-letter correspondences and spelling patterns that students have already been explicity taught. There are rare opportunities to infer meanings from words, build content related vocabulary, and limited opportunities to build fluency and read for comprehension. Again, simple decoding is the main purpose here, and being responsive to the needs of your students is what is most important.
Other types of reading sets, including various levelled readers also have different kind of problems depending on the formulas they were based on. Most formulas are based on a one-size-fits-all approach as well. They are not guaranteed to be truly decodable. Often, the patterns of words and text are very predictable, and use highly predictable visuals.
No one set of readers can serve all purposes for reading.
It is not an either/or proposition for our students, and there are other authentic texts that students should be working with.
It really is so important for educators to be responsive to the needs of students, and ensure that those who need extra support in mapping sounds to letters and learning orthographic patterns (spelling patterns), have that opportunity daily in the classroom. But that ALL students have access to books that promote comprehension and meaning including, though not limited to daily purposeful Read-Alouds.
All students need daily reading opportunities to make inferences, work with vocabulary, and read for comprehension. sense of texts as well. Too much emphasis on decoding can be detrimental to reading success as well. It is absolutely essential that all students always have access to opportunities to make meaning from text.
Use the high quality evidence-based resources that are available to you, including authentic texts from your school or classroom library. Assess often. Learn about your students, and meet them where they are at, and challenge them each day.
(And if you are looking for high-quality decodables (you should- and not all decodables are created equally) definitely check out the excellent FREE texts offered through Flyleaf Publishing for the 2021-2022 school year)
Beyond Decodables is also an excellent site with free and research-based texts that are connected to content, highly decodable, have high-frequency words, natural syntax and language, repeated words and word parts, and are familiar, meaningful and relevant!
They should not replace rich read alouds, shared & guided reading, or independent reading opportunities that early readers especially need to engage in each day.
How do you incorporate Decodables into your reading program?
Please Leave a Reply


A companion volume to their 1999 collaboration, Beautiful Stuff: Learning with Found Materials, Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini challenge teachers from a variety of environments in North America to explore outdoor spaces to see where the children's interests lead. Inspirations and suggestions for using outdoor spaces as a classroom and natural materials to engage students. Topal and Gandini show how to create a natural materials studio and bring explorations to a deeper level. 2019. Paperback, 127pp.
Cathy Weisman Topal has been an art teacher for over 30 years. Professor Emerita in Art Education at Smith College, she is the author of numerous books for Davis Publications, including Thinking with a Line and Children and Painting.
Lella Gandini is an author, a correspondent for the Italian early childhood magazine Bambini, and adjunct professor in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She serves as Reggio Children Liason in the United States for Dissemination of the Reggio Emilia Approach. Originally published in 1999 by Davis Art.


Organisation(s): Assessment Survey Evaluation Research (India)
Pages: 156 p.
Every year since 2005, ASER has reported on children's schooling status and their ability to do basic reading and arithmetic tasks. Year after year, ASER has highlighted the fact that although almost all children are enrolled in school, many are not acquiring foundational skills like reading and basic arithmetic that can help them progress in school and in life. Since 2006, ASER has focused on the age group 5 to 16. Over this period, a clearly visible trend is that more and more students are completing eight years of elementary school at about age 14. Just four years later, these young people will become adults. So what do these youth do during these four years? Are we ensuring that they acquire the skills and abilities they will need to lead productive lives as adults? To answer this question, ASER 2017 focuses on an older age group: youth who are 14 to 18 years old. The survey looks 'Beyond Basics', exploring a wider set of domains beyond foundational reading and arithmetic in an attempt to throw light on the status and abilities of youth in this age group.
Level of education:


Early childhood education is one of the most important aspects of a child’s development, as it can have a significant impact on their future educational, social, and emotional development. Learning about the developmental milestones associated with early childhood education can help parents and caregivers better understand and support their child’s growth and development.
It is essential to be aware of the developmental milestones of early childhood education. This includes physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development. Physical milestones include the development of fine and gross motor skills, such as being able to crawl, walk, jump, throw and catch a ball, and turn a page in a book.
Cognitive milestones of early childhood education involve the development of memory, problem-solving, and language development, such as learning to recognize colors and shapes, count, understand time and form sentences. Social/emotional milestones include the development of self-awareness, self-control, and social skills, such as making friends, following directions, and expressing feelings.
Language and Communication Development of Early Education Childhood
Language and communication development are core components of early childhood education, as they are essential skills that enable a child to interact with the world around them and cultivate relationships. When a child develops appropriate language and communication abilities, they gain access to new forms of learning, enabling them to explore, problem-solve, and express their ideas more effectively. At the same time, the foundation of language and communication skills is established early in life, and it is important for parents, teachers, and caregivers to be aware of the development process.
Language and Communication Development is a critical concept in early childhood education and in the overall development of a child. It involves the ability of children to understand, use, and share language for communication purposes and to express their thoughts, needs, and ideas. Language and communication development begins very early in a child’s life, and the skills and abilities continue to develop and evolve throughout childhood.
At a young age, babies develop the ability to understand language through imitation and repetition. They also begin to make simple vocalizations when trying to express their needs, such as crying or cooing. As they grow, they start to use language more purposefully to get their needs met and to interact with people and the world around them.
Social and Emotional Development of Early Education Childhood
Early childhood education is an important part of a child’s social and emotional development. During the first few years of a child’s life, they are learning how to interact with others, how to solve conflicts, and how to regulate their emotions. It is during this time that children learn important skills such as communication, empathy, and collaboration. Early childhood educators play an important role in developing these social and emotional skills in their students. They provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment in which children can explore their world and build relationships. Educators also provide guidance, support, and instruction to help children learn how to manage their emotions and relationships.
Early education plays a critical role in the social and emotional development of young children. It provides a safe, nurturing environment that supports the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development of young learners. Through positive relationships with adults and peers, young children learn how to interact with others and develop a sense of self-worth. Early education also builds important foundational skills, such as learning how to navigate emotions, control impulses, and develop problem-solving skills. Through play-based activities, children learn about themselves and the world around them, allowing them to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for social and emotional growth. Additionally, early education settings provide an opportunity for children to practice communication and collaboration, further reinforcing necessary skills with peers.


Studying Economics: Choosing a subject to learn can be a daunting task. If the pressure of choosing something that you will engage with and enjoy studying for three to four years is not enough, the cost of the tuition, and even what you can add an extra incentive to your considerations for study.
This is why it is a good idea to deep dive into your chosen topics to understand what it is that you will actually gain from going ahead and studying them. This includes factors such as the job employment rate, the market, and other more personal aspects such as the skills that can be developed.
This piece will take a look at some of the skills you can gain from undertaking an economics degree and why they can be useful.
What Does Studying Economics Involve?
Economics is said to be a well-rounded study of people, though its focus is predominantly on finance. It combines an interesting mix of psychology, sociology, politics, and history, all of which are embedded in the consumer sector. This social science takes a look at how people interact with the consumption of goods and services, along with everything in between, which includes production and distribution of those goods and works well as a discipline for those who want to learn about more than one topic.
Advanced Numeracy Skills
Numbers make the world go around and having a grasp of advanced mathematics can put you in many favorable positions. As with any skills, the more we use them, the more we strengthen them, and undertaking economic study can really put those skills to the test, advancing them and strengthening them. If you already have a degree in economics, you might be wanting to take that one step further and look into a masters in applied economics, which will continue to help you harness your skills and excel in your chosen career path.
Communication is a vital skill in all industries – it is the very base on which we get anything done. The downside to being a poor communicator or experiencing a lack of communication could cause serious issues, and at best, communication can help people and ideas thrive, which takes individuals and companies to whole new levels, including wellbeing and happiness.
Analytical skills are yet another important set to have for both personal and professional life. It is the very skill that helps us think logically, aids forward-thinking, and can help us way up the pros and cons of any conclusion. Learning to analyze is a fascinating path in its own right, but when you can apply it to other factors such as economics and topics that affect our daily lives and the bigger picture, it becomes almost a superpower that is hard to switch off.
Analyzing data can also be the very skill that makes or breaks a future decision, which is why it is prized in many fields, especially in economics that requires a lot of data-driven decisions.