Based on the proven-effective Superkids pedagogy, The
Superkids Foundational Skills Kit for grades K–2 makes
learning foundational skills joyful and successful. The kit
provides the essentials—the instruction and materials—for
daily word work within your literacy block. Download a brochure to learn how the kit will complement your literacy instruction.
The Superkids are a lively cast of characters whose adventures and activities will keep your students
motivated and engaged in learning foundational skills. Instruction cleverly connects the Superkids to
concepts such as letters and sounds. Decoding practice includes captivating, episodic stories about
these 14 loveable characters.
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit provides explicit lessons and student materials for 30–40 minutes of daily instruction focused exclusively on building foundational reading skills. The kit can supplement any core reading program, complement a balanced literacy framework, or be used as a stand-alone resource to support students with gaps in these skills.
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit provides systematic, explicit
instruction and practice in the foundational skills students need
to be successful readers and writers—print concepts,
phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.
These skills, along with handwriting, spelling, word analysis, and
vocabulary, are taught using the Skills Books.
Download the chart for your grade level to review skills and objectives, unit by unit:
Students build automaticity and fluency by reading cumulatively
decodable, highly engaging Superkids stories in the Skills Books
and Decodable Books. Story text closely matches the sequence
of phonetic elements taught.
Preview a Decodable Book for your grade level:
Explicit fluency instruction with decodable texts is the bridge
between foundational skills and comprehension. As fluency
builds, students’ understanding of text grows!
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit provides full-color Skills Books and engaging Decodable Books for students. Instruction is contained in four Teacher’s Guides per grade level. Additional teacher resources include reproducible masters for independent practice, homework, and assessment, as well as sets of manipulative cards and online resources.
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit pedagogy is based on solid research evidence, reflects the body of research known as the science of reading, and helps students make meaningful reading progress.
Since the 1990s, converging evidence has shown that three areas of the brain are involved in reading. Children are not born with this reading network fully formed. They must be taught how to read in order for their brains to build the neural connections needed for the complex task of reading.
Download a white paper, Building a Strong Foundation for Learning to Read, for the compelling, current research on oral language, vocabulary, print concepts/letter knowledge, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.
Explicitly and systematically teaching the relationship between letters and sounds—phonics—is necessary for children to develop efficient reading. To learn how The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit teaches phonics and the other critical foundational skills in research- and evidence-based ways, download the research base, Research Into Practice.
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit contains the evidence-based foundational skills instruction found in the Word Work lessons of The Superkids Reading Program, Zaner-Bloser’s comprehensive English language arts program that qualifies for Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) funding with a Moderate level of evidence.
The Superkids Foundational Skills Kit contains the evidence-based literacy activities of The Superkids Reading Program and therefore also meets ESSA criteria for a Moderate level of evidence for positive effect on student early reading skills. Learn more.


History of Hymns: "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"
"Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"
The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 361
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure,
save from wrath and make me pure.
Augustus Montague Toplady, the writer of “Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me,” was born in England in 1740 and died there from tuberculosis in 1778.
Toplady was a staunch Calvinist and notorious for his dislike of and feuds with John Wesley. Though he had converted to Methodism, his study persuaded him that the Calvinist perspective, rather than Arminian theology supported by Wesley, offered the best understanding of salvation. In 1775, he moved to Leichester Fields and preached for a French Calvinist Church.
Toplady was involved in several literary endeavors. He published Psalms and Hymns for a Public and Private Worship (1776) and served as editor of the Gospel Magazine from 1771-1776.
In the Dictionary of Hymnology, John Julian cites the 1775 article “Life a Journey,” in which Toplady first published the first stanza of “Rock of Ages.” The following paragraph preceded the first stanza of the hymn: “Yes, if you fall, be humbled, but do not despair. Pray afresh to God, who is able to raise you up, and set you on your feet again. Look to the blood of the covenant; and say to the Lord from the depths of your heart . . . ”
The complete hymn appeared a year later in the Gospel Magazine as “A Living and Dying Prayer for the Holiest Believer in the World.” According to hymnologist Albert Bailey, the climax of the article “intended to show that as England could never pay her national debt, so man could never liquidate his sin account.”
In this prayer, Toplady uses “Rock of Ages” as an endearing term for God. Christ’s blood from his death as the forgiveness for our sins is the theme in stanza one. Stanza two focuses on the idea that we can never repay him for that sacrifice. Baptism is the theme of stanza three. Stanza four climaxes with an eschatological focus asking for mercy as we face death.
Scriptural references are all paraphrases. He cites Exodus 33.22, for instance, “when my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” And Psalms 18.2: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
British hymnologist J.R. Watson suggests that perhaps the hymn owes the most to I Corinthians 10:4: “for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Julian, a hymnologist in 19th-century England, declared “Rock of Ages” as one of the most well known of English hymns. Thomas Hastings’ musical setting TOPLADY will be the one we sing for the life of the hymn. Written in a four-part harmony, TOPLADY can be sung with piano, organ or a cappella. Hastings (1784-1872) lived in New York and was an advocate with Lowell Mason for music education and Singing Schools.
One of the paradoxes of this hymn is that Toplady may have borrowed the opening line from his theological nemesis, Charles Wesley. The image of the rock, common in hymnody and Scripture, was used by Wesley in one of his Hymns on the Lord’s Supper, published 30 years earlier. Though Wesley’s hymn goes in a different direction, it begins, “Rock of Israel, cleft for me . . . ”


BHM Series #4: Celebrations of Culture: The Visual History of Social Dance
In honor of Black History Month, I’m reposting a previous series. A few years ago, (2015 to be exact!) I challenged myself to write 28 posts highlighting African-American History. This year I finally reached my goal!!! Check out my original post below which appeared on October 13, 2016. To see more posts in this series, click here.
Even though we are living in what many would like to believe is a “color blind” society, children today see very few positive images of Black culture. With all that is going on with the fight for Black Lives, it’s important for Black children to be educated about our great heritage. It’s important as well for non-Black children to learn the richness of our culture.
More and more, I’m coming to believe the antidote to all this hate is consciously celebrating our history and culture.
In that vein, I wanted to share a great video I came across. It provides a visual history of social dance in our country (dances like the Dab, the Twist, etc.) and also highlights some of the unrecognized contributions African-Americans have made in creating American culture. It also serves as an important example of why quality arts education is important in our schools. Enjoy!
“Why do we dance? African-American social dances started as a way for enslaved Africans to keep cultural traditions alive and retain a sense of inner freedom. They remain an affirmation of identity and independence. In this electric demonstration, packed with live performances, choreographer, educator and TED Fellow Camille A. Brown explores what happens when communities let loose and express themselves by dancing together.”
Camille A. Brown’s work is the antidote to anti-black racism and a testament to the importance of art in our schools. To see more of her #BlackGirlMagic, or learn about her current projects, check out her website here.
Do you know any great artists who are helping to raise visibility of the contributions of marginalized groups to our culture? Do you know artists who are helping to push back on racial or cultural stereotypes? Please share your ideas below.
- Promoting #blackexcellence in and through the arts
- Black Violin — Challenging Stereotypes about Classical Music and Who Plays It
- Antidotes to Anti-Black Stereotypes
- Monday Inspiration: Mix’d Ingrdnts Will Make You Rethink “Women’s Dance”
- “Every school, Every student, Every day.”
- Investing in Music Education Is Smart!
My homework assignment: Inspired by an SNL’s skit, I challenged myself to write 28 posts highlighting African-American culture and heritage (roughly one for each day of the month)… Do you have a great resource to share? Post it in the comments or email me!


2009 – 2010 Nigeria BRPID Project
Nigeria BRPID Project
Literacy Classes for Deprived Girls in Rural Areas
Nigerian Association of University Women
The national literacy level in Nigeria is estimated to be well below 50% with girls and women forming the bulk of the illiterate. In rural areas this problem is sometimes compounded by the fact that not many girls are going to school at all. In Nigeria there is free basic primary education for all, but there are still fees to be paid for uniforms, writing materials etc. In the poorest and most deprived areas there are many families who cannot pay these fees.
Members of the Nigerian Association of University Women worked in a rural community in south eastern Nigeria providing classes in English and Mathematics for girls between the ages of 10 and 13 who are no longer in school and who have fallen behind with their studies. The project ran for nine months from March 2010 and was intended to serve as a “stepping stone”, giving basic literacy and numeracy skills to help the girls catch up and to encourage them to go back into the national education system.
Twelve girls participated in the project and all were put forward by community leaders. Local leaders, parents and teachers were involved in the project, which was being organised and evaluated by NAUW members.


Fifty-five million students in the United States are home due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Schools around the country not only had to pivot to remote learning quickly, but they have had to evaluate what, why, and how students learn.
As part of our COVID-19 webinar series, Code.org Founder and CEO Hadi Partovi joined us to discuss what schools need to consider as they plan to reopen their doors and reimagine education for the 21st century. Hadi shared some great insights and tips for parents and teachers and provided background on Code.org's efforts to expand access to computer science for underrepresented groups.
Below are three key takeaways from the conversation:
1. Computer science makes schools better
Two hundred years ago when the traditional school model was created, computers did not exist. Today, computers are part of our everyday life; we use them for school, work, and play. However, only about 47% of public schools teach computer science.
Computer science is a core skill that helps students improve in math, science, and reading, and studies have shown that students who study computer science are more likely to go to college. Hadi's vision for the future of education includes computer science as a core subject. He also encourages schools to consider teaching computer science and think critically about what we want kids to learn and why.
Hadi asks us to consider what foundational skills students need to have in the Information Age and how schools can ensure that every student is ready for the new global economy.
2. Learn the tech tools
Teachers and students alike had to adapt to teaching and learning online quickly. However, most teachers don't have the training necessary to teach online.
This brings us to Hadi's second consideration for reimagining schools—that teachers must learn new technology tools and keep current with online resources to help supplement in-school learning. Our students live in a digital world, and schools must adapt to learning in that environment.
Embracing new online learning tools will free up time for teachers to mentor students and get students invested in their learning. It also answers the age-old question about how we keep students engaged.
The answer, in this case, is meeting them where they are: online.
3. Plan for every student to have a device
Whether reopening in the summer or the fall, schools are beginning to lay out plans for opening their doors. And the final factor that Hadi urges schools to consider is a plan for every student to have a device.
Planning for every student to have a device is not just an urgency for this global pandemic, but it is a requirement for next year and the years to come. Students falling behind in their studies because they've missing months of learning should not happen due to a lack of technology. The CARES act has allocated 12 billion dollars that schools can use towards bridging the digital divide.
Hadi also suggests creating partnerships with tech companies that can provide devices directly to students and nonprofits that receive computer donations and can give them to students in need.
Sindy Pierre-Noel is the senior manager of programs at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Watch the webinar with Code.org Founder Hadi Partovi and continue the conversation with the Virtual National Charter Schools Conference this July!


By Carolyn Phillips
1. Early musical training helps develop brain areas involved in language and
reasoning. It is thought that brain development continues for many years
after birth. Recent studies have clearly indicated that music lessons
physically develop the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved
with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific
ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint
information on young minds.
2. There is also a causal link between music and spatial intelligence (the ability
to perceive the world accurately and to form mental pictures of things). This
kind of intelligence, by which one can visualize various elements that should
go together, is critical to the sort of thinking necessary for everything from
solving advanced mathematics problems to being able to pack a book-bag
with everything that will be needed for the day.
3. Students of the arts learn to think creatively and to solve problems by
imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions.
Questions about the arts do not have only one right answer.
4. Recent studies show that students who study the arts are more successful on
standardized tests such as the SAT. They also achieve higher grades in high
5. A study of the arts provides children with an internal glimpse of other
cultures and teaches them to be empathetic towards the people of these
cultures. This development of compassion and empathy, as opposed to
development of greed and a “me first” attitude, provides a bridge across
cultural chasms that leads to respect of other races at an early age.
6. Students of music learn craftsmanship as they study how details are put
together painstakingly and what constitutes good, as opposed to mediocre,
work. These standards, when applied to a student’s own work, demand a new
level of excellence and require students to stretch their inner resources.
7. In music lessons, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or not, the notes
are well played or not, the entrance is made or not. It is only by much hard
work that a successful performance is possible. Through music study, students
learn the value of sustained effort to achieve excellence and the concrete
rewards of hard work.
8. Music lessons enhance teamwork skills and discipline. In order for an
orchestra to sound good, all players must work together harmoniously
towards a single goal, the performance, and must commit to learning music,
attending rehearsals, and practicing.
9. Music provides children with a means of self-expression. Now that there is
relative security in the basics of existence, the challenge is to make life
meaningful and to reach for a higher stage of development. Everyone needs to
be in touch at some time in his life with his core, with what he is and what he
feels. Self-esteem is a by-product of this self-expression.
10. Music lessons develop skills that are necessary in the workplace. It focuses
on “doing,” as opposed to observing, and teaches students how to perform,
literally, anywhere in the world. Employers are looking for multi-dimensional
workers with the sort of flexible and supple intellects that music education
helps to create as described above. In the music classroom, students can also
learn to better communicate and cooperate with one another.
11. Music performance teaches young people to conquer fear and to take
risks. A little anxiety is a good thing, and something that will occur often in
life. Dealing with it early and often makes it less of a problem later. Risktaking is essential if a child is to fully develop his or her potential. Music
contributes to mental health and can help prevent risky behavior such as
teenage drug abuse.
12. An arts education exposes children to the incomparable.
Carolyn Phillips is the author of the Twelve Benefits of Music Education. She
is the Former Executive Director of the Norwalk Youth Symphony, CT.


Lower School Curriculum
We use the Go Math! curriculum that focuses on instruction that is balanced, relevant, credible, and supportive. Go Math! follows the Ohio Learning Standards. The curriculum for K-6 develops strong foundational skills, conceptual understanding, and application of the math skills. It prepares students to be College and Career Ready by providing the students with a rigorous curriculum.
It is essential that students have a strong understanding of the number system. Students should become fluent in the following areas:
K: Add/subtract within 5
1: Add/subtract within 10
2: Add/subtract within 20 and Add/subtract within 100 (pencil and paper)
3: Multiply/divide within 100 and Add/subtract within 1000
4: Add/subtract within 1,000,000
5: Multi‐digit multiplication
6: Multi‐digit division and Multi‐digit decimal operations
We know that the math curriculum is essential in teaching students to be ready to be college and career ready. As such, we are committed to following the following 8 standards of mathematical practices as discussed in the Ohio Learning Standards:
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning others.
- Model with mathematics.
- Use appropriate tools strategically.
- Attend to precision.
- Look for and make use of structure.
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
More to Come Soon….


Jenny Langer-Osuna – The active and collaborative math classrooms – Stanford Education Series #3
- Dr. Langer-Osuna’s research focuses on the nature of student identity and engagement during collaborative mathematical activity, and the ways in which authority and influence are constructed in interaction.
- Recent work has focused on developing theoretical and analytic tools to capture the construction of marginalization and privilege in patterns of student engagement, and the spread of ideas in student-led collaborative work.
Collaborative Learning | Curriculum and Instruction | Diversity and Identity | Elementary Education | Equity in education | Gender Issues | Math Education | Professional Development | Race and Ethnicity | Research Methods | Standards | Teachers and Teaching | Technology and Education
Can off-task be on-track?: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0031721719846892
Possible topics to explore:
- Active, inquiry mathematics classrooms.
- Identity development in the classroom
- Group discussions around math problems instead of just worksheets…
- Tell me about your environment growing up (If your childhood had a smell, what would it be?)
- Was there a teacher or teachers who had a particularly strong influence on your life? Tell me about them.
- What is obvious to you (about education, teaching or learning) but many others don’t see/understand?
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Tell me a little about your research and how you got interested in that.
Identity and math classrooms
- Why is identity important to you?
- Especially math identity?
- The interactive math classroom… what is that? How is it different?
- What kind of classrooms are enabling students to see their identity as strong mathematicians?
- What hinders that?
- How do good math classrooms look and feel different from the bad ones?
- What are the best math teachers doing differently from the average ateacher?
Can off-task be on-track?
- Collaboration in math… that’s cheating right?
- How can off-task be on-track?
- Some research suggests that off-task talk can support collaboration by alleviating boredom, supporting emotional regulation, negotiating status within-group, or extending work in new directions. -2019
- When should teachers intervene off-task conversations?
- When should they allow them to go on?
- What excites you now? What is next?


Enlighten Art Literacy Courses
Enlighten Art Center at The Cathay School is an international art standards certified art education program. The program includes these international standards and independently developed children’s art courses for the physical and psychological growth of children ages 3 to 12 years. Through creative instruction practices, nurturing guidance, and independent work experiences, children’s interest in and understanding of the arts and aesthetics will be stimulated and enhanced.
Enlight Art Teaching Methods
Enlighten Art Instructors are creative educational professionals who have adopted problem-solving project-based instructional methods. Instructors propose open questions to guide thinking and help foster problem solving from a variety of directions to shape four major artistic capabilities: observation, aesthetics, creativity, and independent thinking.
Art Literacy Integration – Pre-K
Through fun comprehensive instruction with inclusion of access to a variety of media and diverse creative techniques, children’s interest in and passion for learning art will be ignited. Projects will foster strong color sensitivity and observation. Material experiments and projects will include, but are not limited to watercolor, guache, collage, clay, and hands-on craft work. Children will be artistically enlightened!


The human nose, while it might look relatively simple on the outside, is actually a very complex structure. It also serves multiple purposes and you just might find that some of them are rather surprising.
It is a Temperature Control
One of the main functions of your nose, obviously, is giving you a way to breathe! However, there is more to breathing than simply delivering air to your lungs.
If you are outside and it is very cold, when you breathe into your nose the air warms in the nasal cavity before it hits your lungs. This helps to protect your body against the damage that cold air can do. Your nose can also cool off air if it happens to be very hot.
It is a Humidifier
Your nose also serves a role in ensuring that the air that you breathe is humid enough to be healthy for your lungs. As everyone knows, the interior of your nose tends to be moist and some of that moisture is imparted to air as you inhale. This helps to ensure that the air you are inhaling is not overly dry.
It is a Filter
It is a good idea to trim the hair around the outside of your nose, simply for cosmetic reasons, but do not trim the hair on the inside too much. That hair performs a very important function.
If you have ever inhaled something and got it caught in your nose, the hair and mucus that line your nose would have caught it. The hair and the mucus form a very effective filter that keeps particulate matter out of your lungs.
They may not be the most attractive things in the world, but the hairs in your nose really do help keep you healthy.
It is a Sensory Organ
Everybody knows that dogs have a much better sense of smell than human beings. In fact, many animals have a better sense of smell than human beings.
Researchers have come up with one of the reasons that this is the case. Human beings have approximately 1000 olfactory receptor genes, which are responsible for giving you your sense of smell. Of those 1000 olfactory receptor genes, however, only about 347 of them are actually functional. The rest don’t work.
We do have a good ability to sense the difference between long chain chemical compounds, such as those that are associated with flowers. However, we lack a developed ability to smell short chain chemical compounds, which dogs are very good at doing, and many other animals are, as well.
You will never have the same sense of smell as your faithful canine or feline friends, but human beings do have a good sense of smell, at least certain types of chemicals.
Little Differences in Structure Can Mean a Lot
On top of all of this, and with all of its very precise workings, your nose is actually very durable. The cartilage that makes up the structure of your nose is flexible enough to take a lot of damage and go right back into its proper shape. Sometimes, however, it does get broken and, for some people, they have an abnormality that they were born within the structure of their nose and abnormalities for either reason can make a big difference in how well your nose functions.
A deviated septum, for instance, where the dividing portion of the nose is out of alignment, can cause a lot of difficulty breathing. These conditions and others can be fixed by surgeons who perform rhinoplasty, which involves correcting the structure of the nose for either cosmetic or health reasons, oftentimes both.
If you have questions or concerns about rhinoplasty see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a nose surgeon.
- Respiratory System Introduction – YouTube
- Nasal Anatomy – ARS Caregivers
- Nose Facts – Science for Kids
- The Primates: Overview – Palomar College


A Student-Centered Approach:
Our approach to music education has grown from the person-centered foundations of Music Therapy, which we translate into a student-centered approach. We do not aim to create musical prodigies, we simply nurture the unique musician and artist that exists in everyone.
A free initial consultation is required (this includes playing some instruments and a brief interview where we answer questions and ask you questions too!). Please contact us to set up a consultation appointment.
You will not see us spend 30-40 minutes on a single instrument and following the instructions in a book. Our students of all abilities will engage with a wide variety of instruments and learn about music in multiple ways. If they gravitate toward an instrument/genre, more emphasis will be placed on that.
The instruments we use:
We teach music using an eclectic, multi-sensory approach. Depending on the individual or group, we may implement some or all of the instruments we have at our disposal, including:
- Strings (violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, dulcimer, autoharp, mandolin, ukulele, cuatro)
- Percussion (drumset, West Afriacan hand drums, pitched percussion like xylophones and marimbas, diatonic bells, resonator bells, auxiliary percussion instruments)
- Keyboard (piano, keyboard, accordion)
- Brass, woodwind, wind (trumpet, flugel, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, ocarina, recorder, harmonica, other wind instruments)
- Electronic music (MIDI, music production and recording, electronic musical gadgets like the makey makey, musical apps)
- Voice and body percussion
- DIY and upcycled musical instruments
Our goal – Nurture the well-rounded musician:
We work on music appreciation, technique, literacy, performance, and artistry.
We place great importance in the process of learning and the research-based benefits of learning music and musical instruments, while taking into account individual differences in learning styles, and needs.
Music is a wonderful means of promoting inclusivity and harmony amongst individuals of various backgrounds. By creating a well-rounded musician, our hope is that the good vibrations they experience in class will have a ripple effect towards those who are around them, creating musical connections with others and experimenting with the multitude of musical possibilities that exist!
We encourage making mistakes, creativity, and will adapt the music to create positive experiences
Our hope is that our students will continue to nurture the musician within for the rest of their lives!


Thought to have suffered from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Arts are once again taking center stage as districts begin making time for the arts in schools. Nationwide, the Arts seem to be making a resurgence thanks in part to schools using expanded learning time to focus on arts education (music, theater, dance and fine arts) says a report recently released by the National Center on Time & Learning.
The report, funded in part by the Wallace Foundation, studied five schools that primarily serve low-income students. These schools were selected due to the priority they place on arts education; each school views the Arts as a vital element of their students’ overall education. These schools not only added classroom time for arts education, they allocated resources to support robust art education program including adding staff and purchasing supplies.
The schools profiled in the report include:
Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School in Adams, Mass.
Clarence Edwards Middle School in Boston
Metropolitan Arts and Technology Charter High School in San Francisco
Cole Arts and Sciences Academy in Denver
Roger Williams Middle School in Providence, R.I.
CONTINUE READING Schools Adding Time to Teach the Arts
READ MORE on The Importance Of Teaching Arts To Exude The Hidden Qualities Of Individuals


- Our Programs
- Our Schools
- About Us
This month, let’s take a closer look at the Physical Development Domain, focusing on fine and gross motor skill development.
Physical development occurs most rapidly during the first two years of a child’s life. This period of a child’s life also sees the greatest brain development. In fact, during the first two years, the weight of the brain more than triples! During this time, children develop motor reflexes and will continue to develop fine and gross motor skills throughout childhood. Because of this, it is important to provide all children with activities that will promote development of these skills.
Here are some great ways for you to promote Physical Development at home:
Here’s more great resources about how to support Physical Development at home:
Next month we’ll focus on the health and safety portion of the Physical Development Domain.
Miss the most recent article in our series? Read it here.


Music Pre-K through 6
Mission and Goal
The goal of the Brevard Public Schools’ music program is to provide a cohesive, developmental approach that emphasizes learning about music, performing music through various activities and mediums, and developing an appreciation for all aspects of music and music making. It is our hope that this approach will create a lifelong appreciation for the Arts.
In addition to the above, a growing body of research indicates that education in the arts provides significant cognitive benefits and bolsters academic achievement, beginning at an early age and continuing through school.
General Program Description
The Brevard Public Schools Elementary Music classes serve grades Pre-K through 6th with emphasis on General Music. Classes are offered at various schools in Keyboard Lab, Orff Ensembles, Guitar, African Drumming/ Dancing, and Chorus. We are proud to say that all of Brevard's 5th and 6th grade students have access to string instructions.
Brevard Public Schools Elementary Music programs use the Quaver's General Music Curriculum series as the adopted text and the Brevard County Elementary Music Guide as the basis for its curriculum.
Special Performance Opportunities
The Brevard Public Schools Elementary Music program has many performance opportunities within the 55 elementary schools. The major performance is the Brevard County Elementary Music Festival which takes place in late February and is split between the regions of the county.
Staff Development Support
The Brevard Public Schools Elementary Music program frequently offers staff development opportunities. Workshops are given at different times throughout the year with teachers being notified well in advance of the event.
Professional Association Activities
The Florida Music Education Association (FMEA), as well as the Florida Elementary Music Education Association (FEMEA), are the two main components for which all Brevard elementary music teachers should be involved. These professional associations provide the teachers with an abundance of information that is useable in the everyday classroom setting.


Creativity and innovation
Creating, interpreting and improvising are at the core of the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Programme. Through the study of music, dance, and drama (which encourage experimentation, occasional failure, lateral thinking etc.) students can stretch or surpass the boundaries of traditional education. Every experience in the classroom, studio or the theatre teaches students to act independently and use their bodies to create and innovate in the moment.
Self-confidence and presentation skills
Through the performing arts, children learn to communicate effectively and connect with others intellectually and emotionally. With performance and repetition, children acquire skills such as poise, focus and overcoming anxiety, best preparing them for presenting, communicating and leading in the future.
A medium for self-expression
The performing arts can encourage your child to explore their emotions, expanding their imagination and helping them develop their own, unique voice. Each discipline, music, dance and drama, engage a child’s brain, body and emotions in different ways to encourage their confidence and find joy in self-expression.
Empathy and compassion
Performing arts help students to learn the crucial skill of understanding diverse points of view which helps them to learn empathy and compassion for others.Experiences such as embodying character, portraying an emotion physically, and singing another person’s lyrics, illustrate how music, dance and drama each accomplish this in a different way.
Cultural awareness and appreciation
Learning to appreciate and engage in music, dance and drama from different cultures, communities and traditions is an important component in helping your child develop into a true global citizen.
Physical and personal development
Alongside physical education, the performing arts help children with body control, awareness and fitness, encouraging positive lifestyle choices and helping to inculcate the habits of health and wellbeing.
Improved academic outcomes
Several findings, including NAE’s globally-conducted pupil survey and parent survey, demonstrate that children studying music, dance and drama are more proficient in reading, writing and mathematics. In countries with students that rank highly in these subjects, such as Japan, Hungary and the Netherlands, arts and music education form a mandatory part of a school’s curriculum. Other studies show children exposed to all three performing arts are happier, more engaged and enjoy going to school — all of which contribute to their future success.


We aim for our curriculum to:
Engage our children in a journey of learning and discovery. We aim to make the learning exciting, relevant and purposeful.
In order to achieve this, we plan:
- A termly ‘Learning Journey’ based on planned and structured experiences in order to develop the core skills outlined in the National Curriculum. We encourage children to take joint ownership of their journey and in response to their interests and needs, we give them freedom to adapt it along the way.
- An integrated cross curricular approach. Wherever possible we link the learning experiences together in order to give purpose to each and every lesson.
- A Spectacular Start – we find ways to excite the children at the start of each journey. We consult with the children, we are interested in their ideas of how they want the journey to go.
- Marvellous Middle – we continue to plan exciting opportunities along the way. We allow the children to have their say in the context for learning. We transfer core skills into new, relevant and exciting contexts. At the half term mid point, we set a family learning project to inspire children ready for the next phase of their journey.
- Fantastic Finish – we make the journey memorable. We celebrate the learning that has taken place. We evaluate the journey. What new skills have we learnt? How would we change it next time? Where are we going next on our journey?
- We place Literacy at the heart of every lesson – (Sp & L, reading or writing.
- We ensure core literacy and numeracy skills are transferred and practised throughout all areas of the curriculum and not just limited to Literacy or Numeracy lessons.
- We use high quality texts ‘Treasured Texts’ to provide a meaningful context to the learning.
We aim to Enrich and enhance our curriculum. We aim to develop creativity and spirituality alongside academic achievement. We aim to enhance the learning opportunities for our children through using the outdoor environment and through promoting a healthy lifestyle. Extra -curricular opportunities will develop core knowledge, skills and attitudes .
In order to achieve this aim, we plan:
- A programme of extracurricular clubs
- Visits/visitors to bring the journey alive
- Outdoor learning experiences
- Community links
- Use of the Library to develop and extend research skills
- Opportunities to develop and promote social, moral, spiritual and cultural learning
- Church links
- Themed days


The INEE website has moved to inee.org. You are currently viewing the static archive of the former INEE website, established in May 2019.
Des ressources supplémentaires examinées et organisées peuvent être trouvées dans la trousse à outils de l'INEE ("INEE Toolkit").
In this booklet, John Ozenham focuses on literacy and numeracy skills that enable people to capitalize better on knowledge of other subjects, to participate more in the social and political
In 2009, the world is faced with a dire economic situation. No one hesitates to call this situation a crisis, most governments have rushed to prioritise it, and, in response, wealthy
Today, 771 million adults worldwide are illiterate and approximately 103 million children are out of school. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 59.7% of the adult population was illiterate in 2004. The persistence of illiteracy is a
The objective of this document is to provide practical guidance to ministries of education and their partner agencies to support the application of EGRA.
In many countries of the world, large numbers of children start school, only to find their teachers are speaking to them in a language they don’t understand. In other
The concept of the TEP was developed by UNESCO-PEER (Programme for Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction), Nairobi. Norwegian Refugee Council was granted the right to develop and extend the Teacher
This manual has been developed as a guide for textbook writers. The guidelines are provided around some critical issues that need to be considered by textbook writers for the production
Given the opportunity and a method, a community will respond to caring for its needs and has within itself the resources to meet these needs This statement summarizes the founding
The LIFE mid-term evaluation conducted in 2010/11 has provided an excellent opportunity for bringing together all relevant stakeholders to collectively reflect on progress made by LIFE countries, on challenges in achieving
Education is power and language is the key to accessing that power. A child who thrives at school and develops self-esteem and pride will have better employment opportunities and is


How important are music lessons in childhood?
Learning the piano as a child could cause a lasting improvement in how our brains respond to sound and speech in older age.
Music lessons help development and promote health in older age.
Research suggests there are benefits noticed in brain function, memory and reaction times in a sample of older people where those who had music lessons as a child scored better in tests than those who did not have music lessons as a child. The research outcomes suggest music education is important in childhood for both development and improved health prospects in older age.
More information is available from this article on the website of the Telegraph, UK.
Music Lessons for children are available from Playright Music Ltd. in Glasnevin, Dublin
Graded theory and musicianship classes are also available.


Art needs communication needs the public: without a public art is not perceived as such, art without a public misses its potential. And a public needs communication as a prerequisite to a democratic discourse. According to Habermas communication is understood as a social process, by which “standards and values are negotiated, rules for social interaction are set, as well as where identities are being formed“ (cf. Klaus/Drüeke 2008) (* 1). Very often contemporary art practices bring about such public negotiation processes by questioning familiar and widely shared perspectives.
In what ways are these public communication processes initiated? How is it possible to create a public (or publics) for contemporary artistic productions? In what ways can art contribute to a democratic culture of communication? And how can different protagonists within the arts and cultural field help realize ideas of a participatory public? The third issue of p/art/icipate – producing culture actively explores the complex relationship between art, communication and the public from various perspectives.
- PERSPECTIVE OF ART: (Contemporary) artistic productions irritate existing, conventional structures of perception via different strategies – e.g. alienation, consolidation, narration, subversion, etc. This results in communication processes that allow for the re-negotiation of existing attributions of meaning. To what extent can artistic strategies be considered strategies of communication? What are differences and analogies within the subject area of art and communication? And where do boundaries between artistic work and public relations appear?
- PR-PERSPECTIVE: How can public relations and communications work (online and offline) fulfill art and culture’s specifics? What is the difference between creating a PR-campaign for a (branded) sneaker and a communication concept for a stage play that takes up current political topics? What are theoretical approaches within PR that enable social negotiation processes? Is it possible to adapt successful real-life PR examples for the arts and cultural area? Do references for that already exist?
- ART MEDIATION PERSPECTIVE: Mediation of art and culture are activities that give access to people that are interested in art and culture and that encourage participation. Depending on the role and the context, the (self-)conception ranges from a “critical practice” (Moersch 2009) (* 4) that regards especially “variance and conflict” as the central task, up to a “translation service” (Mandel 2008) (* 3), that wants to enable access to professional artistic productions and that can represent a specific type of cultural PR through its role as cultural management as well. What are art education’s requirements to be able to initiate and facilitate a public discourse? Are there any practical examples that show irritation and conflict and that consciously engage themselves in this potential for conflict? Where does art education locate itself in terms of PR and public relations work?
In this issue we would like to invite artists, scientists, art mediators, PR-strategists and cultural activists to be part of this issue’s discourse. The following headings are available. Please also note our format and citation specifications that can be found here:
Rubric „Article“: Scientific articles with a max. of 25.000 characters (incl. blanks, footnotes, bibliography)
Rubric „Practice“: Case studies from artistic or cultural experience, max. 20.000 characters (incl. blanks, footnotes, bibliography)
Rubric „Open Space“: An artistic or creative contribution (cartoons, jingles, video spots, graphic arts, …) in web-compatible, common formats
15.5.2013 (EXTENSION of the Deadline) CALL FOR PAPERS (Abstracts with 500 words)
20.6.2013 (Deadline) PAPERS (max. 25.000/20.000 characters) or contributions for OPEN SPACE
15.8.2013 (Deadline) REVISION PERIOD
20.10. 2013 DATE OF PUBLICATION


There are Rights. There are Fundamental Rights. There are Fundamental Rights available only to the ‘citizens of India’. Know them.
The Fundamental Rights (FR) are named so because they are guaranteed and protected by the Indian Constitution (Article 12 to 35).
These rights are ‘fundamental’ for the all-round development of individuals.
Fundamental Rights limits the power of the State
Fundamental Rights uphold the dignity of the individual. Fundamental Rights protects the freedom of the people against the invasion by the state.
If any of your Fundamental Rights are violated, you can directly approach the Supreme Court of India. Thus, these rights limit the tyranny of the executive (government) or abuse of power by the legislature.
Fundamental Rights: Citizen vs Non-Citizen
India was a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, therefore great precaution was taken so that Fundamental Rights mentioned in Part 3 of Indian Constitution is concurrent with the provisions of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
While most Fundamental Rights are available for citizens and foreigners alike (Eg: Article 21), certain rights are exclusive only for Indian Citizens (Eg: Article 19).
Fundamental rights available to both citizens and foreigners except enemy aliens
- Article 14 – Equality before the law and equal protection of laws.
- Article 20 – Protection in respect of conviction for offences.
- Article 21 – Protection of life and personal liberty.
- Article 21A – Right to elementary education.
- Article 22 – Protection against arrest and detention in certain cases.
- Article 23 – Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour.
- Article 24 – Prohibition of employment of children in factories etc.
- Article 25 – Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
- Article 26 – Freedom to manage religious affairs.
- Article 27 – Freedom from payment of taxes for promotion of any religion.
- Article 28 – Freedom from attending religious instruction or worship in certain educational institutions.
Fundamental Rights Available Only to Citizens of India
- Article 15 – Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
- Article 16 – Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
- Article 19 – Protection of six rights related to freedom – (a) of speech and expression; (b) to assemble peaceably and without arms; (c) to form associations or unions; (d) to move freely throughout the territory of India; (e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and (f) to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.
- Article 29 – Protection of language, script and culture of minorities.
- Article 30 – Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
You should be an Indian Citizen to…
- vote in Elections.
- contest in Elections (connected with Article 16)
- hold any constitutional posts of the country, like The President, Vice-President, Governor, ministers, judges etc. (connected with Article 16)
- get any benefits from the government given only to the citizens of India.
Regarding Citizenship of India
The conditions for Indian Citizenship at the commencement of the Indian Constitution is provided directly in the Constitution of India itself – Article 5 to 11.
The Citizenship Act of 1955 provides for the acquisition or loss of citizenship after the commencement of the Indian Constitution (ie after 26th January 1950.
The Citizenship Act has been amended multiple times, the latest amendment being the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act 2019.
Rights are the social claims without which, a man cannot give his best to the society.
The Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 20, 21, 21A, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 are available to all persons whether citizens or foreigners.
The Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Articles 15, 16, 19, 29, and 30 are available only to citizens of India.


By Tariq Rahman
Read or Download Language, Ideology and Power: Language Learning among the Muslims of Pakistan and North India PDF
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Wir leben in einer Welt voller Gefahren. Das Leben von Menschen wird bedroht durch verbrecherische Diktaturen, terroristische Anschläge, technische Havarien und Katastrophen verschiedener paintings. Dürfen solche Gefahren notfalls auch dann bekämpft werden, wenn dabei Unschuldige getötet werden oder ihr Tod in Kauf genommen werden muss?
How can academics aid their scholars to satisfy excessive criteria of examining and writing whereas additionally getting ready them to develop into considerate and efficient individuals of a multicultural society? And why is it vital to do that? In her new ebook, Mary Dilg brings us into her highschool English school room, the place we see scholars succeed in around the social, cultural, and fiscal strains that divide them to construct lifelong literacy abilities.
During this age of standardization, many English academics are uncertain approximately the way to comprise artistic writing and pondering into their lecture room. In a clean new voice, Luke Reynolds emphasizes that “creativity in our lives as academics and within the lives of our scholars is considered one of our most crucial wishes within the twenty first century.
Grounded within the most sensible present wisdom, this e-book exhibits the way to enforce reaction to intervention (RTI) in center and highschool contexts. certain instructions are provided for educating interpreting comprehension, vocabulary, and different elements of literacy around the content material parts, and for delivering potent interventions for college students who require extra aid.
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Extra info for Language, Ideology and Power: Language Learning among the Muslims of Pakistan and North India
Language, Ideology and Power: Language Learning among the Muslims of Pakistan and North India by Tariq Rahman


The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
- are physically active for sustained periods of time
- engage in competitive sports and activities
- lead healthy, active lives
At The Lea, we have a genuine commitment to encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Our children receive, on average, two hours of high-quality P.E. over the course of each week and a range of opportunities through our extra-curricular program. Children are committed to PE and sport; they are enthusiastic and participate well. We provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness, offer opportunities to compete in sport and other activities, to build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.
Our curriculum is designed to follow the subject content laid out in the national curriculum that follows skills and progression of skills through each year group. Children’s learning is broken down into specific areas for each key stage.
PE topics are planned so that classes will focus on two key strands of the PE curriculum per term. This is influenced by the many sporting and performance opportunities, ensuring our children have spent time in lessons learning the skills that will help them best succeed in sporting teams and competitions.
In EYS and KS1 the focus is on developing the foundational skills needed to play a range of sports. As children move in to KS2 they continue to develop these skills, whilst also applying them to a range of different sports and activities. PE lessons are taught by the sports coach for one session and the class teacher for the other session.
Following the post-Olympic funding that primary schools are receiving from the Department of Education, it is vital that we at The Lea make PE and Sport an integral part of every child’s education. We have outlined our aims and objectives on our sports premium document.


I wanted to point you to this great place to start your journey on becoming a more inclusive, anti-racist art teacher. The new Anti-Racist Art Teachers website has loads of resources to get you started with reading, listening, learning and reflecting on how to remove stereotypes and false narratives in your art curriculum. They even are starting a collection of lesson plans specifically designed for the art classroom.
You can now download these posters for FREE at these three TpT stores:
Paula Liz: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Making-Art-With-Ms-Paula-Liz
Francesca Levy: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ms-Levys-Art-Class
Paula says: “What does fighting racism have to do with art education? Everything. I’m taking the oath to do what’s right. As an art educator, I have the power to see COLOR, to VALUE all students, to create a safe SPACE, to FORM a more fair and just future, to step beyond the LINE and learn to SHAPE new perspectives through art education. A future without racism can begin in the art classroom. You can be part of the change. Join me in becoming an ally! @ms.paulaliz @nylah.khan @mslevyteachesart”
Read “Black Lives Matter: An Open Letter to Art Educators on Constructing an Anti-Racist Agenda” written by Dr. James Haywood Rolling, Jr. President-Elect of the National Art Education Association Chair of the NAEA Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Commission Professor of Arts Education, Syracuse University for insight and suggested actions for art educators.
Watching: I also watched this presentation last night: Increasing Diversity and Working Towards an Inclusive Curriculum with Kiayani Douglas by the Art of Education, which was a really good conversation.
Reading: Currently I am reading this book.
I ordered some new books for my classroom and I’m starting to grow my collection of children’s books about black artists and diversity. I am going to be reviewing my curriculum and seeing where I can add more diversity to the artists that I teach. These are all Amazon Affiliate links. Proceeds from this month’s affiliate links will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.
I know there are many more great resources out there, this list only scratches the surface. Please leave comments below to add to the conversation!


The Feelings lesson plan encourages children to recognise and talk about their feelings and emotions through a variety of musical fun activities. It is suitable for children from 3 – 7 years old and it is 13 pages long with 6 printables included.
The Feelings & Emotions lesson plan focuses on:
- Learning solfege with chime bars or resonator bells
- Playing a variety of percussion instruments, recognising the steady beat and the rhythm.
- Listening and concentration skills
- Singing together with actions, new vocabulary, speech development and solo responses.
- Social skills; working in a group, following instructions and building confidence.
- Imaginative movement to music, learning to connect music with emotion and feelings and developing creativity .
These plans are not intended to read as a script, as everyone will have their own teaching style. More, I hope that they will provide you with in-depth guidance for a number of related activities that I have found in my years of teaching to be particularly effective and engaging combinations.
I have purchased every lesson you have available and LOVE them all!! I lead music classes for toddlers and preschoolers and I love how each of your lessons builds on each other. They are easy to adapt for the different ages. The parents of my students love that their kids are learning early music education while having a blast and that the kids go home and sing and stomp out rhythms. I would highly recommend your plans to everyone. And I look forward to seeing the other lessons.


Impressionist leader, Camille Pissarro, lived and worked often in the French countryside. His wonderful scenes of rural and everyday life have become some of the most recognizable for their style and coloration. Pissarro's work continued into the printed medium where he had great success in validating the high value of prints.
Sell Camille Pissarro artwork with us. We will research its value and popularity for you.
Camille Pissarro (Danish/French, 1830–1903)
Camille Pissarro was born July 10th, 1830 in Charlotte-Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, then a part of the Danish West Indies. Pissarro was sent away to boarding school in Paris at age 12 from 1842-1847. It was there were he augmented his school education by visiting museums, and was first introduced to the French masters. Pissarro returned to St. Thomas after he finished his schooling and joined his father’s business. While he was living in St. Thomas, Pissarro befriended Danish artist Fritz Melbye, who encouraged Pissarro to pursue his art. The two left St. Thomas together in 1852 and moved to Caracas, Venezuela for a few years. In 1855 Pissarro returned to Paris with the support of his family to start his formal art training. Upon his arrival, Pissarro also attended the World Fair in Paris and saw the work of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. Pissarro was greatly influenced by his work, and studied directly under him as well as with Gustave Courbet and Charles-Francois Daubigny. Elements of their work can be seen in Pissarro’s early oeuvre.
Pissarro never ended up pursuing a more formal art education, but instead frequented Académie Suisse, an art school started by Charles Suisse where models were provided for the students to study. It was here that Pissarro met some of his contemporaries, Claude Monet, Armand Guillaumin, and Paul Cézanne. The group was brought together by their shared artistic visions.
Like many artists at the time, Pissarro lived outside of Paris proper in the country. He moved in with Julie Valley who would in 1871 become his wife and the mother of his 8 children. They were living in Louveciennes when the Franco-Prussian War began in 1870. Pissarro and his family fled to London, where they lived for a few years. Some fantastic paintings were created during this time that explore the growth of the urban in villages around London. When they returned after the end of the war, Pissarro discovered that much of his early oeuvre had been destroyed.
Pissarro began working alongside Cézanne, Degas, Renoir, and Monet. It was around this time in 1873 that Pissarro was involved in the establishment of a collective, Société anonyme des artistes, which allowed for public exhibitions of artists that were at the time not being accepted into the Salon. The first exhibition in 1874 was greeted with relative success, and helped to cement the Impressionist movement.
In his later years Pissarro embraced the printmaking medium, and joined the Society Painter-Printmakers, started by Félix Bracquemond and Henri-Charles Guérard in 1889. The goal of this society was to increase the validity of a print by displaying it alongside works of originality by the artist. Later in 1894, Pissarro also had some of his prints published in L’Estampe originale.
Pissarro died in Paris in 1903 being hailed as the “Father of Impressionism.” Although he is not the most prolific of the impressionists, he had the most influence in the development of style and technique. He was survived by his son, Lucien Pissarro, a celebrated painter and printmaker.


Parrots – Over 350 Types
You probably recognize large talking parrots found in some pet stores as parrots, but did you know parakeets, co-ck atiels and co-ck atoos are also types of parrots? There are over 350 kinds of parrots and they all live in warm places.
Parrots have a special talent –they can imitate human speech. They’re not talking to communicate, but they can say words and even sing.
Fun Facts about Parrots for Kids
- Parrots eat fruit, nuts, seeds, buds, flowers and even insects.
- Parrots can live up to 80 years old.
- It is illegal to keep a wild parrot as a pet.
- Some parrots are brightly colored. Others are mostly white or gray.
- Parrots have curved beaks.
- Winston Churchill and King Henry VIII kept parrots as pets.
- Imitate: copy
- Speech: talking
- Communicate: sharing thoughts, needs and feelings
- Illegal: against the law
- Curved: rounded
Learn More All About Parrots
Watch this really amazing video of a parrot:
A video of Einstein the talking parrot.
Question: Do all parrots live in tropical areas?
Question: Do parrots fly?
Answer: Most parrots do fly, but they also spend a lot of time climbing trees and branches.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Fun Kids Parrot Facts ." Easy Science for Kids, Sep 2020. Web. 29 Sep 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-parrots/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). Fun Kids Parrot Facts. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-parrots/
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Learn what goes into success in the workplace and gain an understanding of early child development.
- Community partner: a local early childhood learning center
- Academic area: career exploration, early childhood education
- Demonstrate responsibility, dependability, punctuality and integrity
- Demonstrate positive self-concept in beginning work experiences
- Work effectively with others
- Apply problem solving and reasoning strategies
- Understand early childhood development
- Understand importance of nurturing and communication from caregivers in child development
- Write an essay on how you acquired the position.
- Log work activities and tasks.
- Write a two to three page history of the community partner’s business.
- Keep observational notes on developmental milestones referencing The Developing Child by Holly Brisbane.
- Write an essay summarizing observations and comparing individual development.
- Present an evaluation from your employer.
- Write a final reflective essay on your future career and educational goals.
Student participates in a portfolio review to demonstrate proficiency in the competencies in the ELO outline.
Download a template to create an ELO Project Outline (MSWord, 2 pages) that fits the needs of your student.
This ELO was submitted by David Chapman, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator at Manchester Memorial High School. It was designed for high school students with with an interest in early childhood education. School rules prevented sharing of detailed materials.


Blues is the name provided to a kind and also a style of music that stemmed from the African-American neighborhoods of the “Deep South” of the United States at the end of the 19th century. It contained spiritual numbers, hollas as well as incantations along with functioning tracks as well as was characterized by straightforward rhyming narratives.
The leaders of this new style at the time were participants of the very first black generation in the United States after slavery was abolished in 1808. Although currently technically totally free, it was to be a long period of time before the social and also financial borders that existed as a hangover from the slave period were ultimately to be readjusted.
Consequently the black employees were generally bad and also without access to education. This was a crucial point in the birth of cries. Blues artists would utilize melodies that would appear good on the ear. They were unlikely to have actually had any type of training in western music and so would certainly not have actually learnt about key signatures or indeed any western music theory. In the notation of blues music it is often not known whether to connect it to be small or major. It is a lot more achievable to just say a blues in A or a blues in C. From its creation this cause new kinds of melody being born, that incorporated components that have currently spread into a huge number of cross categories. They worked well on the ear as well as didn’t have to conform to the essential imposed by western music structures and tools. Rather blues was making its own basics.
For example, blues music usually uses a small to significant 3rd, something practically unprecedented in western songs up until this point. That subsequently has actually spread right into rock n roll and surf music in the 60s. Envision that Chuck Berry might never have composed ‘Johnny B Goode’ if it hadn’t have been for that major to small change.
Not just that, but the dissonant audio of 7th chords have been made so acquainted to us by the blues that currently they have actually come to be standard elements in tunes on their own, whereas previously they were made use of entirely as gadgets by authors to make ideas to the tune. Jazz songs makes use of a complicated mix of 7ths, majors as well as minors and also altered ranges and also owes whatever to blues songs not only in regards to tunes and consistencies yet also in the African rhythms that identify a large amount of jazz drumming. Lest we fail to remember the ‘Jazz 1/8th note’ as well as the problems of exactly how to create it in symbols! I read once that Blues is to Jazz music what the Sonnet is to verse.
Making use of pentatonics in blues is so extensive that they have actually additionally ended up being so pleasurable on the ear that songwriters as well as guitar player utilize them in wealth. As is the 12 bar form, which proceeded right into Rock n’ Roll and also Jazz music along with progressing right into much more complex melodies as well as chord structures.
A further component in the development of blues songs was the lack of available songs tools. This would have indicated that the early blues artists would have needed to be content to make use of whatever instruments that they might lay their hands on. Honky tonk pianos and also old guitars have actually provided a great deal to the very early blues seem along with generating one more blues children- Ragtime.
Making songs ended up being a retreat from the whole lot imposed upon them by US society at the time and for the black neighborhood one such location where they located liberty and space to sing remained in the church. Scripture songs is still exercised wholeheartedly to this day and some of the finest heart vocalists of our times discovered to sing in church choirs. We may not have actually had Alicia Keys or Gladys Knight or Aretha Franklin were it except this.
The impact of blues has penetrated right into all types of modern songs. Gershwin is however among several composers who have actually composed blues pieces for musicals as well as the British Blues rebirth of the 1960s, spawned another blues spin-off that accompanied the appearance and also golden era of the electric guitar. For guitarists blues songs is an important part of their music education as much blues songs was originally and still is characterized on this instrument as well as is one that will still be drawn upon for a lot more time ahead. Pay attention thoroughly and you won’t fail to notice the touch of blues throughout the music that is on the air for us to pay attention to today.


The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the benefit of offering a percussion ensemble class in secondary public schools. I looked at two elements of music education: playing time and relevant instruction. The research questions focused on the difference in playing time and relevant instruction between percussionists in the concert band and percussionists in the percussion ensemble, as well as differences between the concert band subgroups (brass, woodwind, percussion). 6 separate instrumental groups were observed: 4 concert bands and 2 percussion ensembles (N=6). Students were randomly selected from each instrument subgroup (brass, woodwind, percussion, percussion ensemble) for observation. A mixed model ANOVA was used to compare the playing time per hour of each instrument subgroup. A second mixed model ANOVA was used to compare the relevant instruction received per hour of each instrument subgroup. As anticipated, the concert band percussionists experienced significantly less playing time and relevant instruction than both the brass and woodwind subgroups. The percussion ensemble subgroup did not experience a significant difference in either playing time or relevant instruction from the concert band percussionstudents. However, informal observations of the rehearsals indicated a difference in the scope and depth of the playing time and instruction experienced by these two subgroups. Implications from these observations are also discussed.
College and Department
Fine Arts and Communications; Music
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Blodgett, Jedediah Alan, "Percussion Education in Secondary Public Schools: A Pilot Study Comparing the Concert Band vs. the Percussion Ensemble Approach" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 5473.
Secondary percussion education, traditional concert band, percussion ensemble, playing time, relevant instruction, pilot study


Meals and snack times play an important part in the development of the children at Rainbow Smiles. Within the setting the approach is to reinforce and further develop skills that have been introduced from preceding areas, e.g. Pre-School will continue and further develop the personal hygiene focus that was introduced in the Toddler area, where the children learn to wash their hands before a meal, and wash their hands and face after a meal.
As mealtimes are a group activity, it provides the practitioners with opportunities to further develop social skill, e.g. teaching manners. This approach is consistent throughout the whole of the setting, with each area of the nursery focussing on its own developmental goals for the children. Hence within the ground floor there is no differentiation between the process of snack and meal times, however, there is a difference in focus between the baby and toddler area. The objective within the baby area is to integrate them into a group environment, whereas the toddler area concentrates on developing their social skills.
Mealtimes also provide a perfect opportunity to develop the children’s own sense of independence, as within the Toddler area, the children are encouraged to self-feed. This process is then further developed in Pre-School by encouraging the children to self-serve as well as undertake additional tasks, e.g. buttering their own bread. Children’s independence is further developed within Pre-School as snack time is a free flow process, which allows the child to decide whether they would like a snack. Quite often the children will also learn to wait their turn, as snacks are not served as formally as meals are.
Both meal and snack times are used as an opportunity to develop the children’s language. Within the Toddler area Nursery Rhymes are regularly sung as a group to keep the children occupied, whilst the meal is being served. This also provides the opportunity for children to express themselves as they are encouraged to carry out the actions to the rhymes. Reading stories are used as an alternative to singing, as it provides a means in which to capture the children’s attention and develop their language.
Within the Pre-School area the emphasis is much more on talking about the meal itself, thereby developing the children’s vocabulary, whilst also extending their knowledge. Name cards at the dining tables help the Pre-Schoolers with their literacy development.


Art is an International language understand by all.
The splashes of colour reverberates with diversity and vividity of Human Emotion in the Art Room at the junior level. Individual styles and techniques get honed and displayed at the middle and senior school level.
Children enjoy hobby classes of various kinds of painting pot making, decorative articles, sketching, warli art at our important events.
Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them – a world of work, culture intellectual activity and human evolution.
Prudence provides a healthy ecosystem in place for musical education, they get exposure to global music and appreciate the art more. The young learners are exposed to the musical instruments like keyboard, guitar, flute and other instruments.
Dance and Drama are the two important activities which enrich childrens’ hidden political and allow them to spread wings to soar up in the domain whatever they crave for. There is a vast plat form to unleash the true talents of young children imparting proficient skills. The children are suffered with classical western and different genres of dance. There is a myriad scope for theatrical performance to nurture that artistic skills.


Science, Tech, Math › Social Sciences Titration Test for Homemade Biodiesel Test waste vegetable oil with titration Share Flipboard Email Print WLADIMIR BULGAR/Getty Images Social Sciences Environment Alternative Fuels Climate Change and Global Warming Green Living Environment Health Pollution Psychology Sociology Archaeology Economics Ergonomics Maritime By Christine & Scott Gable Automotive Experts B.S.E, Art Education, Millersville University Christine and Scott Gable are hybrid auto and alternative fuel experts who brewed biodiesel and traveled 125,000 miles on waste vegetable oil. our editorial process Christine & Scott Gable Updated October 25, 2019 One hundred percent virgin or lightly used waste vegetable oil (WVO) requires 3.5 grams of lye per liter of oil to cause a biodiesel reaction. Heavily used oil can require significantly more and must be tested to evaluate its acidity. Titration is a common method used to determine the appropriate amount of lye (base) needed for a particular batch of WVO. How to Perform a Titration Test Equipment Needed an electronic scale or beam balance2 beakers or jarsa graduated dropperlitmus test strips or electronic pH meterlyeisopropyl alcoholdistilled water Steps to Complete a Titration Test Measure 1 gram of lye on a scale.Measure 1 liter of distilled water into a beaker.Thoroughly mix the gram of lye with the liter of water until it’s dissolved.Measure 10 milliliters of isopropyl alcohol into a separate beaker.Thoroughly mix 1 milliliter of used vegetable oil into the alcohol.With a graduated eyedropper, put a 1-milliliter drop of the lye/water mix into the oil/alcohol mix.Immediately check the pH level of the oil/alcohol mix with a piece of litmus paper or an electronic pH meter.Repeat step 7, keeping track of the number of drops used, until the oil/alcohol mix has reached a pH level of between 8 and 9--normally no more than 4 drops.Calculate the amount of lye needed for the biodiesel reaction by adding 3.5 (amount of lye used for virgin oil) to the number of drops from step 7. For example: suppose a titration uses 3 drops of lye/water. Adding 3.0 plus 3.5 = 6.5. This hypothetical batch of oil requires 6.5 grams of lye per liter of oil.


Reading is Fun Program
(C.A.R.E – Reading & Writing Counts)
Overview and Purpose
A program to encourage reading, writing, and collaboration among the student body. We CARE (Collaborative Academic Reading Excellence). In addition to supporting teachers and encourage independent readers, students will also develop confidence, set personal, educational goals and improve reading and writing performance skills. During the 2nd & 4th quarter of their academic year, students in our Reading is Fun Program, will participate in writing essays on books or creative projects recommended by their teachers
LOTUS – Boy’s Leadership Program
“Leading Others to Understand Success.”
Overview and Purpose
To strengthen and develop the foundational skills and knowledge necessary for real and lasting success.
“Prosperity stands on the foundation of character, and there is not, in all the wide universe, any other foundation.” — James Allen
This area of the program focuses on increasing the positive effect of students, building optimism and resiliency, and developing student’s strengths. In doing so, the program’s predicted outcome is to ultimately decrease negative behaviors while increasing positive responses.
The area of the program focuses on exploring and planning life after high school. This includes
1. Short-term and long-term goal setting
2. Personal Statements
3. Resume Building.
4. Career Interest Surveys
5. College Application Action Plan
6. Interview Prep
The area of the program focuses on 1. The Importance of Education 2. Showing Respect for Authority 3. Building a Positive Reputation 4. Developing Personal Values 5. Handling Peer Pressure 6. Managing Anger and Aggression 7. Employability and Work.
The Reliance House – Total Reliance on GOD
The future endeavor of Reaching Out Now, Inc. is to build or acquire a location for The Reliance House: A Success Center and housing facility for Young Girls, Women, and children who are battling with emotional and life challenges.
The Reliance House will be an environment where women will have the opportunity to move beyond their circumstance. A place of recovery, a place of restoration, a place to evolve to self-acceptance, self-awareness, a place to find your destiny.


I have seen first hand the importance of early education. The earlier your kids can start learning letters, sounds, numbers, colors, and shapes the more successful they will become later in their educational life. I know that if kids come to me in first grade knowing foundational skills, I am able to teach them strategies to become a stronger reader and problem solver. Finding developmentally appropriate early learning materials can be a chore, but Mead has some of the best products available to parents. Here are some of the products available:
Great for home and on the road, these portable and reusable dry erase boards are an interactive tool to reinforce foundational handwriting, phonetics and spelling skills. Because mistakes can be easily wiped away with a tissue, dry erase products let moms and kids see instant progress, and provide a convenient, reusable and great on-the-go sensory experience.
Early Learning activity books and games encourage sensory learning through hands-on activities in drawing, color and shapes, math and more, while also building basic motor skills for young learners. With activities that include the whole family, Early Learning games and activity workbooks help build relationships between parents, siblings and budding learners.
Practice makes perfect! To help kids build memory and better grasp basic concepts through repetition, Mead offers a range of flashcards in its Early Learning line. Perfect for at home or on-the-go, each set includes 55 print-rich cards and reward stickers to build confidence and master the next math or reading concept.
Early Learning workbooks supplement school curriculum by helping kids tackle hard-to-grasp concepts at home. Infused with fun activities in writing, phonics, math, reading and more, grade-appropriate workbooks bring everyday experiences to life and encourage thinking and problem-solving at a higher level with practical, hands-on applications and family activities.
These products are fantastic for busy parents because they arrive fully assembled and ready to go. My family has been experiencing a lot of sickness over the past few weeks making it difficult to get out of the house. These products have been very instrumental in keeping my three and a half year old busy. I love the dry erase boards because it is so easy for us to use them. Jonah needs practice on drawing straight lines and curves (the building block to writing letters and numbers) so it is easy for him to wipe and start over, he doesn’t need mommy’s help with that. As he gets olds, the flashcards and older workbooks are going to be a lifesaver as we travel or during the summer break when he isn’t at school. I might even use them at school with a few of my students who needs some help in the fine-motor skills area!
These make great gifts for young learners everywhere!
One (1) lucky reader will win a Mead Early Learning Prize Package valued at $75!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US residents only!
This product review was made possible by Mead. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.


Updated on: Apr 3, 2013
Kerala Kalamandalam was founded in the year 1930 by poet Vallathol Narayana Menon and Manakkulam Mukunda Raja. The University is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in Thrissur District on the banks of the Bharathapuzha river. The motto of the University is to design a strong system of art education in the traditional way imbibing the spirit of enlightenment of the new age.
Kalamandalam follows the gurukula sampradayam, the ancient Indian education system based on residential tutelage. It is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that have origin in the southern state of India, especially Kerala.
The Kalamandalam was accorded the status of 'Deemed University for Art and Culture' in the year 2006, by the Government of India. The University Grants Commission granted an ‘A’ category status for Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, in the year 2010. Also, it is the only deemed university in Kerala state to be accorded with that prestigious status.
The Department of Culture, Government of India, and the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, have been extending financial support to the University for select few, special projects. UNESCO sanctioned substantial financial assistance to Kalamandalam in 2004 for the preservation and promotion of Koodiyattam. Additionally, it has been functioning as a grant-in-aid institution under the Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Kerala.
The Kerala Kalamandalam is one of the prime institutions in India for providing training in the classical arts of Kerala viz. Kathakali, Koodiyattam, Mohiniyaattam, Thullal and Panchavaadyam. Various percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam and mizhavu are also taught at the University. Kalamandalam was established to facilitate training to its students in the Gurukula Sampradaya, an ancient tradition of residential schooling where students stayed with the teachers. Besides offering traditional courses in Arts and Culture the University also started offering courses in cultural studies, cultural journalism, multimedia, mass communication, women studies, documentation, etc.
- Classical dance
- Theatre forms
- Cultural Events
- Financial Assistance
For further information related to Kalamandalam, click on the links provided below:


Source: Imagine Learning. All rights reserved.
Imagine Learning is a supplemental program of computer-based tutorials that supports the development of language and literacy skills for students in grades K-5. Instruction addresses reading, vocabulary, grammar, speaking, and listening skills, and is targeted to meet the needs of English language learners, struggling readers, early elementary students, and Response to Intervention programs.
Content is presented in short, interactive tutorials that are highly visual and engaging. At grades K-2, tutorials address the foundational skills for reading, such as letter and word recognition and basic vocabulary. Tutorials for grades 3-5 build on foundational skills and address academic vocabulary, grammar, and strategies for reading and understanding informational and literary texts. Across grades, content addresses phonological awareness, reading comprehension and fluency, and speaking and listening skills. Instruction incorporates games, age-appropriate characters, and videos of students in authentic situations (e.g., borrowing a pencil from a classmate).
Imagine Learning uses pre-test and performance data to customize the sequence and pace of instruction for individual students. The program includes Evaluative Checkpoints to provide an ongoing measure of student learning. Checkpoints consider performance in previous activities to determine the type of support needed for an upcoming set of lessons.
Online activities include easy-to-understand instructions, guided and independent practice, immediate corrective feedback, and first-language support for English language learners in 15 languages. Imagine Learning also provides printable resources, such as stories and articles, vocabulary flashcards, graphic organizers, worksheets, and journal pages to supplement computer-based instruction.
To access the reviews on Learning List, click here to subscribe or contact us for more information.
About Imagine Learning
Imagine Learning was founded in 2004 by a team of education and software professionals committed to helping students develop language and literacy skills. Today Imagine Learning’s programs are used in schools in the United States, Korea, Costa Rica, Brazil, and the UAE. Imagine Learning delivers award-winning language and literacy solutions to elementary students throughout the US and around the world. The team creates educational software that uses engaging, one-on-one instruction to meet students’ individual learning needs. The software is research-based, instructionally differentiated, and fun to use. Also available on iPad and Chromebook, Imagine Learning supports a dynamic blended learning experience. For more information, please visit www.imaginelearning.com.


Material inspiration: from practice-led research to craft art education
journal contributionposted on 18.07.2011 by Nithikul Nimkulrat
Any type of content formally published in an academic journal, usually following a peer-review process.
Craft art discourse has centred on the use of physical materials. In Finland, craft art students are trained to understand various techniques and the materiality of their chosen medium. However, the materiality is often taught in terms of physical properties (e.g. tensile, elasticity, etc.). Conceptual or expressive properties (e.g. feel, impression, etc.) are hardly discussed and it is left to students to experiment with these properties in their studio practice. The conceptual issues of craft art practice concerning the use of materials thus remain personal and implicit. This article illuminates how the conception of ‘materialness’ generated from within practice-led research in textile art can stimulate students’ creativity in relation to physical materials and enable them to design the meaning and aesthetic of their work more intentionally. The consideration of materialness can thus serve as a useful means for textile artists and other craft artists in creating meaningful artworks with any chosen materials.
- The Arts, English and Drama


The nature of music has changed significantly in the last fifteen years. These modern age technologies have changed the way music is made and distributed all over the world. Music classes in Singapore are ensuring that their students are aligned with the latest in music technology. The days of learning music just on the piano are way over. Educationists world over agree to the fact that students who take music classes perform well in studies too. There is a clear connection between the processing of information and music.
Find below more information on evolving technologies in music education –
The Statistics and Facts
Teachers are using multimedia tools to teach music to children in schools. Gadgets like iPads, for example, have completely revolutionized the way music is taught in schools.
Teachers and children are commonly using it to learn melody, percussion, timing, and tuning of instruments.
Garageband – Creating Music the Tech Way
The program is called Garageband and comes preloaded in every computer from Apple. This software has brought about significant change in the way music was being perceived. The software is accessible to all and that’s what makes it such a huge success.
Students and teachers can choose from a long series of loops, preset patterns in rhythms, melodies, and harmonies. The interface is very user friendly and gives the option for drag and drop to its users. Even novices can manage to create music with it.
The Guitar Hero – Fun Way to Learn Music
It has been produced by RedOctane and Activision. It was launched with PS 2in 2005. Revised versions namely Guitar Hero 2,3,4 5 and World Tour were subsequently released.
The game basically comes with a pre-formatted console that resembles a guitar-shaped console. The user is required to make hand movements similar to playing the guitar. The software was a huge hit on release and has a strong fan base. As it is the case with GarageBand, users with no knowledge of music can easily use The Guitar Hero to make their own music.
Sibelius – Compositions Made Easy
The producer of this software is Avid Technology Inc. This software can be used for arranging and composing music.
The program primarily focuses on writing music in its purest notation and is supported by features like playback, templates, and other audio output features. Due to its technical detailing, it is ranked at number two in the market for music composition, by professionals.
It comes with a WYSIWYG interface that gives the user a load of editing options. There are templates for voice, instruments, and assembly. The composition can even be converted to PDF before its distribution. The program can also convert files into music notations.
Music education in Singapore or elsewhere is likely to become more advanced (and effortless) as more of these technologies, tools, and applications hit the classrooms.


Initiative part of ministry of education's new Learn at Home program
TVO has launched a new learning initiative designed to provide enhanced access to a host of digital learning products during the current school closures.
Launched as part of the Ontario ministry of education’s Learn at Home program, the initiative provides online, easy access to learning tools for students from K-12.
Through direct online links, students will be able to engage a host of learning tools on demand, free of charge and barrier free.
TVO Mathify offers free, one-on-one online math tutoring with Ontario certified teachers for students in grades 6-10. During school closures, tutors are available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for students wishing to build their math understanding and confidence with a personalized math coach.
TVO mPower offers more than 65 free online games that help students master tough-to-learn K-6 math, STEM and social science concepts. All games are Ontario curriculum-based and designed to bolster foundational skills and inspire a love of math.
TVOkids is well known for the 13 hours of award-winning educational content it broadcasts every day, as well as its educational videos, games and online content supporting the Ontario curriculum. As part of the Learn at Home initiative, TVOkids has added The Power Hour of Learning to its broadcast schedule every day from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30am, providing school aged kids with stimulating curated educational content each morning.
In addition to the popular TVOkids YouTube channel, three new subject-specific channels have been launched:
– Mathematics: A YouTube channel carefully curated with content to support JK-Grade 3 core math curriculum, helping kids learn math in a way that is intriguing and fun. Visit the TVOkids Mathematics channel.
– Science and Technology: A YouTube channel supporting JK-Grade 3 core science curriculum where kids can learn from fun science experiments — and even try some of them at home. Visit the TVOkids Science and Technology channel.
– Language: A YouTube Channel where kids join an imaginative world where learning language is paramount. These videos are designed to promote the growth of language skills and a love of reading. Visit the TVOkids Language channel.
Beginning on Monday, TVO ILC also invites students to join our free online TVO ILC Open House, where they can keep up with their studies or deepen their understanding through an open preview of all our 144 Grade 9 to 12 courses.
“The COVID-19 emergency has changed how Ontarians live, work and play in a matter of weeks, and TVO services are evolving along with the needs of the people we serve,” Chris Day, TVO’s board chair, said in a release. “Making digital learning products more widely available will hopefully be welcome news to learners and their families, and our current affairs programming will continue to keep Ontarians informed.”
“TVO is proud to be part of this important initiative by the Ministry of Education,” added Jennifer Hinshelwood, TVO’s acting chief operating officer. “TVO’s suite of digital learning products is designed to stimulate and engage young minds in learning — a mission that seems doubly important at times like this when many of our traditional learning environments are not accessible.”
As a digital learning and media organization, TVO is committed to supporting learning for Ontarians of all ages. We are poised to continue serving Ontarians with our impactful digital learning products, in-depth current affairs, thought-provoking documentaries, and innovative TVOkids content.


What we achieved
Before we participated in this process, parents were not involved in the planning and decision making at school. During meetings I would often read off a piece of paper informing people about our decisions, not involving them. Now we take a whole new approach to improving our schools; parents are becoming more involved because they feel that their voices and opinions are valued, and this translates beyond the classroomHeadteacher
With strong political commitment to gender parity, Rwanda is ahead of many other African countries in promoting gender equality in education. In the Nyaruguru district, girls’ enrolment at primary level is around the same as that of boys.
However, at secondary level girls tend to be admitted to lower quality schools and are more likely to drop out.
Barriers include poor teaching quality and school management, community expectations of girls’ roles, economic hardship, and low level sexual and reproductive health resulting in poor menstrual management and increased risk of teenage pregnancy.
Many Parent Teacher Associations have plans to improve schools and make them more girl-friendly but lack knowledge about literacy, teaching methods and school governance to achieve their goals.
Aims and objectives
The purpose of this project was to support school improvement in the Nyaruguru district through a holistic, partnership-based approach, in turn supporting girls (as well as boys) to complete their education and enter employment.
We brought our school performance review to Rwanda for the first time, engaging with and empowering communities to work with school stakeholders towards improvement. This involved working with the Rwanda Education Board to develop and pilot tools to evaluate:
- Teaching and learning
- Leadership and management
- Community engagement
- School governance
- Gender responsiveness
District education staff were trained in how to assess schools using these criteria, and schools were supported to share the results with parents and the wider community. As a result, plans for whole school improvement were developed to meet the needs of all children, including the most vulnerable girls.
We introduced community study groups led by Link-trained volunteers who used fun, game-based exercises to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills for those most at risk of falling behind and dropping out.