Effective modeling and teaching of reading strategies to secondary content area teachers
This Capstone examines research on how to train secondary teachers to use reading comprehension strategies in their content area classrooms, with the goal being to increase students' reading comprehension. It uses the four-step process of explicit instruction to train teachers in the use of before reading, during reading and after reading strategies. The teachers in turn used the same process to teach their students how to use the strategies with their textbooks. The appendix includes master copies of five before reading strategies, nine during reading strategies, and three after reading strategies for classroom use. It also includes some helpful tools for teacher training.
Pulju, Brenda, "Effective modeling and teaching of reading strategies to secondary content area teachers" (2008). School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 2116.


Foundation phase: Grade RR to Grade 3
In the foundation phase, we focus on teaching the foundational skills, concepts and knowledge which are required for further learning. We offer a vibrant, invitational atmosphere where the learners enjoy coming to school and where they acquire a love for learning, that will sustain them throughout their school years. We acknowledge the potential in each learner to reach optimum ability; therefore, there is less emphasis on competitiveness and more emphasis on individual achievement. We encourage opportunities for growth in independence and responsibility so that learners can take up the challenge of being personally responsible and accountable for their actions in the intermediate phase.
The three main learning areas in the foundation phase are:
A reading programme is followed intensively, and continuous assessment in all subjects is conducted. We encourage participation in cultural and sports activities. We embrace 21st century learnig and incorporate technology with computer literacy.
Language and literacy
English home language and Afrikaans first additional language.
In the literacy subject, we have incorporated the latest global trend of matching learners to book levels and of teaching guided reading and writing. This develops conceptual understanding at the learnersâ own pace. Literacy skills are also taught using structured text types.
The curriculum has been written with a learner-centric, problem-solving approach leading to an individualised, well-developed number concept in young learners. This facilitates the successful learning of Mathematics as an abstract subject from Grade 4 to Grade 12.
Developing skills which focus on personal, social and physical development and the promotion of good health.


Toys donât have to be high-tech to teach kids how to code.
Take, for example, the toys from startup Learning Beautiful, featured at the newly redesigned Thomas Hughes Children's Library at the Harold Washington Library Center. Available for on-site play and being used in programming, they were designed by a group at the MIT Media Lab to teach coding to those as young as 3 years old.
But you won't find any circuitry in these toys: Theyâre made of wood and glass, designed around concepts like binary numbers and pixels. One group of toys is a set of wooden pieces on hinges that can be flipped to show either a one or a zero; another is a set of boards with different-sized grids that illustrate image resolution.
The toys are part of an effort to use more technology in early childhood learning to match efforts in schools, said Chicago Public Library Commissioner Brian Bannon â. Public schools around the country are increasingly teaching programming to their youngest students, he said.
"We thought if our education system sees this, then we should be making the same kinds of things available, at scale, through our neighborhood libraries and in our programs," Bannon said. "These kinds of programs are linked back to what we're trying to do as a city, which is building â¦ curiosity in the children that we have in our city today in the careers that will drive our economy.â
Bannon came across the Learning Beautiful tools when he and other staffers visited the MIT Media Lab, which housed a group that created the company. The Chicago Public Library system is Learning Beautifulâs first library customer.
The nondigital toys are stripped-down learning tools that are made to teach computational thinking, design and mindfulness, said CEO Kim Smith, who designed the sets along with her co-founder Yonatan Cohen.
"When you think about children at the age of 3, they're developing so many important observations and understandings of the world around them," Smith said. "Their learning at that time is very much connected to how they interact in the world in a very physical way."
Other toys at Chicago Public Library being used to teach tots coding include BeeBots, Finch Robots and Lego WeDo robotics kits. Another is Cubetto, a wooden-wheeled robot that teaches the basics of computer programming without a screen. It got $1.6 million in a 2016 Kickstarter campaign for its basic $225 playset, and last month raised another $781,823 from a Kickstarter Gold campaign. Its investors include Randi Zuckerberg.
"At a time when all languages are developed â math, literature, etc. â we also introduce â¦ the building blocks of programming,â said Valeria Leonardi, chief operating officer of Primo Toys, the London-based maker of Cubetto. âComputational thinking â How do I fix a problem? How do I break it down into small bits? How do I really make the small bits as simple as possible, so it can be put together in a sequence and create the solution?"
Such companies said the exposure they get in a library system like Chicago's is good for business. Because the library ordered the toys when Smith was still a student and Learning Beautiful wasnât a company, the library was only charged the cost of materials â about $863.
"It gives us more visibility. It's great advertising," Smith said, "And it's also validation; and a way to reach a really wide audience."
Learning Beautiful plans to distribute to other libraries and museums before targeting homes. The toys have also been tested in a handful of Montessori schools in Cambridge, Mass. Once production starts, Smith said full sets will likely cost about $1,500 each, with individual modules available for $50 to $75 each.
Cheryl V. Jackson is a freelance writer.


Many universities have performance choirs, but the one at Morley College, an adult- education school in London, has an unusual caveat: Itâs a chorus for people who canât sing.
For the past 15 years, the school has run both choirs and special classes for people who want to learn to sing better (or at all).
But what about the truly tone-deaf, you ask? Those who couldnât carry a tune in a basket?
Less than 2 percent of the students the choirâs director, Andrea Brown, encounters are actually tone-deaf, she told the BBC. The rest simply have âtheir own unique voice.â
Brownâs experience tracks with the findings of a new study out in the journal Music Perception, which suggests that singing is not so much a natural ability as it is a skill that withers away if not practiced.
For the study, researchers Steven Demorest and Peter Pfordresher compared how well a group of kindergarteners, sixth graders, and college-aged adults performed on three tasks that involved singing a series of notes.
The kindergarteners, unsurprisingly, couldnât hit the notes very accurately, but the sixth graders were markedly betterâperhaps because the children had been receiving music education in the intervening time.
However, the college-aged participants performed only as well as the kindergarteners on two of the three singing tasks.
Errors Made While Singing
âThough considerable improvement was found among the two groups of school-aged children, from grade six to college we observed an almost complete reversal of these gains,â the researchers wrote.
That suggests, to the authors, that singing ability is subject to a âuse it or lose itâ effect. Only about a third of American middle-school children take elective music classes, and their ranks thin further as students enter high school.
The researchers caution against labeling people as âtone-deafâ or telling them they âcanât sing.â Only a small percentage of people, about one in 20, suffer from true tone-deafness, condition called amusia. Past studies have found that most bad singers can discern musical notes perfectly well, and they have similar vocal ranges as good singers.
What they lack, however, is training: People feel so discouraged by being told theyâre poor singers that they rarely try to singâand they never get better. Demorest and Pfordresher said in a statement that adults should seek out âlow-stakesâ opportunities for singing without feeling judged.
"Singing badly in a group is great fun,â Morley College Can't Sing Choir member Ian Gorman said. âIt's football crowd syndromeânot a single person hits the right notes, but it sounds good.â
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.


Kindergartners at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic School not only acquire core academic skills, they also develop social skills fundamental to success throughout life. These foundational skills include getting along with others, taking turns, listening and following directions, and working as a group.
The Core And More
At the heart of what happens each day in kindergarten at St. Max is the belief that kindergarteners learn best through play, discovery, and creativity. Hands-on activities, dramatic play centers, songs, stories, rhymes, actions, finger plays, and art projects make learning fun.
A literature-based language arts program builds kindergartenersâ listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills. Kindergarteners at all levels, from pre-readers to those reading, are engaged to improve their reading ability.
Kindergarteners use a variety of manipulates to gain an understanding of number concept, identification of numbers 0 â 31, and exploring addition and subtraction.
To round out their kindergarten experience, students visit specialists in art, library, music, physical education, and technology at least once per week. They also learn through exciting field trips to the post office and the Old Log Theater.


State Hermitage Museum is a museum of art in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Hermitage is the largest public museum in Russia and home to one of the greatest art collections in the world. Russian empress Catherine the Great founded the Hermitage in 1764 as a museum for the royal court. The holdings originally consisted of Western European works of art that she purchased from private collections. These were housed in a private gallery called the Small Hermitage that was connected to the Winter Palace, the vast, ornate winter home of the Russian tsars. The tsars who succeeded Catherine substantially increased the collections, which expanded into the Old Hermitage, another private gallery adjoining the Winter Palace. The buildings comprising the Hermitage were rebuilt after a fire in the Winter Palace in 1837. The museum opened to the public in 1852 and became public property known as the State Hermitage Museum in 1917, following the Russian Revolution.
The collections are now housed in five magnificent interconnected buildings, including the Winter Palace. The lavish exteriors and interiors of these buildings are of architectural and historical importance in themselves. They provide a rich setting for collections that cover virtually every aspect of the fine arts, from classical antiquity to 20th-century painting. The collection also includes examples of Russian art, artifacts from non-Western cultures, Oriental art, coins, and jewelry.
The Hermitage`s collection of Western European art is particularly strong in Italian, Spanish, Flemish, and Dutch paintings and includes major works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Caravaggio, Diego Velazquez, El Greco, Rembrandt, and Pieter Paul Rubens. The Schukin and Morozov Collections of impressionist, postimpressionist, and modern paintings contain many of the finest works by Henri Matisse, as well as major paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, and Pablo Picasso.
Pieter Paul Rubens, Henri Matisse, Hubert Robert, Pablo Picasso, Maurice Denis, Joseph Stevens, Paul Gauguin, Albert Marquet, William Allan, Francisco Goya, Charles White, Simon Saint Jean, Thomas Lawrence, Claude Monet, Gerard Dou, Simon de Vos, Jan Both, Edgar Degas, El Greco, Paul Cezanne, Georges Michel, George Dawe, Nathaniel Dance, Anthony van Dyck, Hans Thoma, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Alfred Stevens, Thomas Couture, William Hastie, Paulus Potter, Frans Snyders, Francois Boucher, Marguerite Gerard, Jan Miel
Art History Resource On The Web by Dr. Christopher Witcombe|
Art Education Links - Princeton Online
(use contact form if you want to add your own reprocial link)


It is good news that the new education system designed to replace the 8-4-4 system might start being implemented come May 2017. But it is disappointing that it does not introduce any new elements and it even appears more academic than the one it is replacing.
The new system rearranges the years to a 2-6-3-3-3 pattern aimed at âensuring learners acquire competencies and skills to meet the human resource aspirations of the Vision 2030 blueprintâ.
But look at what children learn:
- By the time learners complete early yearsâ education, they should be able to demonstrate basic literacy and numeracy skills and communicate appropriately using verbal and/or non-verbal modes.
- In upper primary, learners will have been exposed to a broad curriculum and given an opportunity for exploration and experimentation.
- At Grade 4, learners will be introduced to the optional subjects offered at upper primary so as to make informed choices at Grade 7.
- âGraduates of primary school Grade 6 shall join lower secondary at Grade 7.
- Lower secondary will expose the learners to a broad-based curriculum to enable them to explore their own abilities, personality and potential as a basis for choosing subjects according to career paths of interest at the senior school.
- In the senior school category, learners in the age bracket of 15 to 17 years, will spend three years. This level lays the foundation for further education and training at the tertiary level and the world of work.
- Students in secondary school will also specialize in the subjects they wish to pursue in tertiary institutions. A student will take two core subjects irrespective of the pathway identified.
If you look at this sampling of learning objective, you can see for yourself the developer are unclear about what skills they are planning for the children.
A rationale, which I am looking at as I write this, for the colonial education spells out clearly what students will acquire at every stage. Exit points for students are clearly marked out showing what academic and life skills they will have acquired. For example, Standard 8 was exit point. It is clearly shown what competences the student will have and other paths they could take to improve themselves.
Sure, the proposed system emphasizes continuous assessment tests (CATS), and that is a good point. But do you have to overhaul a whole system just to do what you could have done as a footnote? Given a choice, I would revert to the colonial system, as the basis upon which make improvements.


Conscious Concepts Prove Perfectly Fruitful for Elementary School Science Club
In 2008, the principal at Pine Grove Elementary School (PGES) signed off on a petition to start a âScience Clubâ that would reach out to the 3rd, 4th and
The clubâs goal was to teach the students basic gardening techniques and expose them to different types of agriculture.
In 2013 we became the first elementary school in the nation to get certified by the University of Floridaâs IFUS Agriculture Extension office as a U-Pick Farm.
Today, we start each year with ten 4th and ten 5th grade students with the concept of taking on a new aspect of agriculture as well as maintaining those that have endured throughout the years. We have built and maintained for two years environments for breeding, raising and selling rabbits and chickens as well as an aquaponics system. We have been successful in the past with raised beds and vertical (stackers) gardening with over 1,000 strawberry plants. A long-term mixed fruit garden was established that has five varieties of Muscadine grapes, ten Brown Turkey fig trees, and three Florida Peach trees.
None of these projects would be possible without the support of Dr. Maria Scunziano-Singh and Dr. Pariksith Singh through the Auroveda Foundation. With their support, we have gone from six small raised bed gardens to commercial quality infrastructure in all our projects. They have been an integral part of the clubsâ ability to touch the lives of hundreds of club members and thousands of students here at PGES over the past eight years.
With the support of the University of Floridaâs Agricultural Extension office, Hernando County native plant association, PGESâ Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and a hand full of private donors, we removed an aging pond and its surrounding overgrown garden and replaced it with a 3,100 sq. foot Florida Friendly garden. This garden was designed by club members one year and installed by members the following year. This garden is a no water, no fertilize garden and has been utilized by thousands of students, other local clubs, and community activities throughout the years.
Currently, we have been given the task to establish a school farm that will be able to grow green leafy crops. The crops will be harvested, cleaned and delivered to our cafÃ© for students to enjoy two to three times a week. We hope to take the âFarm to schoolâ concept to a new level. This new concept will cut the lunchroom produce costs drastically and transform the slogan âFarm to Schoolâ to âFarm in Schoolâ.
About the Author:
Auro Community Garden Co-Manager
Pine Grove Elementary School Science Specials Teacher
Doug was born, raised, educated and trained in elementary education along with agriculture on the islands of Hawaii. For the past 17
More From the Pine Grove Elementary Science Club
Auro Community Garden
4095 Broad Street
Brooksville, FL 34604


Starting in Preschool (age 3), students enjoy weekly 45-minute classes with experienced educators for each of these âSpecialsâ:
During this visual arts class, students will learn the essentials of art and design, and how to use art tools and materials safely; develop fine motor skills and gain knowledge of the elements of design. They advance to use these skills in creating artwork, identifying various art forms, and appreciating a variety of artists.
St. Isidore is a technology integrated school and continues to enhance classroom technology. In the computer lab, students are instructed according to their grade and skill level. Starting with introductory (e.g., using a mouse, log onto a computer with a one word password), developing (e.g., type using two hands, save a file), applied (e.g., create basic presentation) to advanced (e.g., building a website).
With the constant changes in the 21st century library environment, students start with basics of visiting the schoolâs library: understanding how to handle print materials, borrowing books, demonstrate reading skills, and how to locate books. Then in collaboration with classroom teachers, students learn how to acquire, evaluate, interpret and apply information using print materials and electronic devices.
As part of the St. Isidore curriculum, all students are involved in performing and producing two concerts each year: one before Christmas and one in the Spring. Music class starts with developing basic skills in singing, playing instruments, moving and listening to music then focuses on enhancing skills to create music, develop chorus skills, and explore variety of musical styles.
We believe children that participate in regular physical activity can focus better and be more productive during their other subject areas. Physical Education class includes developmentally appropriate activities in motor skill development, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving skills utilizing the schoolâs indoor and outdoor facilities.
Students develop positive attitudes and excitement towards learning a language and cultural experience within the context of the Catholic faith. Students start with responding to simple commands and reciting simple prayers and songs.


ERIC Number: ED440359
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1999
Reference Count: N/A
Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures for Kindergarten through Eighth Grade.
Consortium on Reading Excellence, Inc., Emeryville, CA.
This book contains a collection of formal and informal reading assessments for use with students in Grades K-8. These assessments assist the teacher in targeting areas of strength and weakness, in monitoring student reading development, and in planning appropriate instruction. The book's assessments (some in both English and Spanish) range from phonemic awareness and phonics to spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension. Clear and concise instructions in the book, along with reproducible record forms, make each assessment easy to administer and score. According to the book, unlike large-scale achievement tests, the majority of these assessments can be administered individually. Each assessment was selected because it measures an important research-based reading skill quickly and reliably. Some of the assessments included in the book are formal assessments that have been refined through rigorous field testing and validation studies; others are informal curriculum-based assessments designed to measure specific skills critical to successful reading. The book points out that, in an effective reading program, assessment informs instruction. An appendix contains the reading assessment profile forms, a focused resource list, and an article, "Assessing Reading and Spelling Skills" (R. Malatesha Joshi). (NKA)
Descriptors: Curriculum Based Assessment, Elementary Education, Informal Assessment, Performance Based Assessment, Phonemic Awareness, Reading Achievement, Reading Comprehension, Reading Diagnosis, Reading Instruction, Reading Skills, Reading Tests, Spelling, Student Evaluation, Vocabulary
Arena Press, 20 Commercial Boulevard, Novato, CA 94949-6191 (order no. 8120-7, $25). Tel: 800-422-7249 (Toll Free); Fax: 415-883-3720.
Publication Type: Books; Guides - Classroom - Teacher; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Teachers
Authoring Institution: Consortium on Reading Excellence, Inc., Emeryville, CA.


By Maddie Pelkey
The voice is an instrument, just like a trumpet, a violin, or a piano. There are certain technicalities that every vocalist has to master in order to control their instrument. But in order to be a good musician, not just a good singer, there are many concepts you need to be familiar with. These are just a few of the concepts Iâve found itâs important to understand in my first semester as a freshman vocalist.
1. Know your terms.
Hopefully your high school teacher taught you solfÃ¨ge â which, by the way, is totally underrated in high school. But you also need to know the more complex terms that pertain to your craft, like âpassagioâ and âtessitura.â And you also might want to start familiarizing yourself with Italian words that describe the mood of music, like âgraziosoâ and âpesante.â
I know that learning vocabulary like this sounds boring, but your college professors will throw these around in lectures, lessons, and rehearsals and expect you to know what they mean. Of course itâs okay to ask if you donât know a term, but itâs nice to have the background knowledge beforehand so you understand the context of what youâre working on that much faster.
2. IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
My high school chorus teacher taught our chamber chorus, and later his entire program, the basics of IPA. At the time, I thought it was cool, but I wasnât really sure when I would use it besides writing the pronunciations of words in my music â which is handy, but not really ground-breaking.
Imagine my surprise when I realized that the first semester of my English/Italian diction class was literally learning the basics of IPA. Thanks to my high school teacher, that class is a breeze. Iâm so grateful he taught me IPA before I came to college, because now Iâm just getting reinforcement of what I already know. Thus the IPA will stick with me longer, and the prior knowledge certainly helps my grades, too. Learn basic vowels and consonants before you come to college â youâll be glad you did.
3. Know the notes on the piano.
When I signed up for Piano 1, I was expecting to be able to play all my scales and a few songs by Thanksgiving break. Instead, I was assigned scales and a few songs in the first week. Knowing the notes on the piano is probably the most important thing you can do before you go to college for music: not only will it refine your theory skills, it will also make sure you donât cry in the practice room every time you try to do your piano homework.
In all seriousness, learn which note is where. Knowing where middle C is and finding everything from that just doesnât cut it. If your teacher is expecting you to play major scales with both hands in your first week, you need to know every single note. Flash cards are a beautiful thing.
4. Be familiar with the Circle of Fifths.
Again, knowing the circle of fifths is great for piano class, but youâll really want it so you can pass theory with flying colors. Theory revolves around intervals, scales, and key signatures. When it comes down to it, thatâs all Theory 1 really is: arranging intervals in succession in a way that doesnât break the all-important (but sometimes malleable) rules of composition. If you know your circle of fifths, then youâll start your first weeks of theory strong, which is super important in understanding the rest of the course.
The unfortunate tendency for high school vocalists is to think of yourself as solely a vocalist, not a musician. Avoid this pitfall by studying up on these things before college: take a theory class at your high school, or learn some basic scales on the piano. And if your music teacher goes off on a tangent during class about theory or the International Phonetic Alphabet, take note of what theyâre saying. You never know how itâll help you in the future.
About the author: Maddie Pelkey is currently a first-year vocal music education major at the State University of New York at Fredonia. In addition to her interests in music, she is an avid writer and loves the French language. She is a regular guest blogger @ stanpelkey.com.


KNOXVILLE â Schools are back in session and students (and parents!) may be facing that often-dreaded evening activity: homework.
How can you successfully get back into the homework habit?
Here are five suggestions from Amy Broemmel and Kristin Rearden, both associate professors in UT Knoxvilleâs College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Broemmel teaches elementary education and reading education; Rearden teaches elementary education and science education. In addition, each woman is the mother of three children age 13 and younger.
1) Boost Brain Power â Make sure children have the fuel they need to do their work. Do homework after dinner or give kids a high-protein snack before they begin. Good snacks include apple slices with peanut butter, graham crackers and milk, cheese cubes or granola. Also, Rearden said, break up long stretches of homework with some exercise. âFor instance, you might say, âDo your math homework and then come outside with us for a while,â she said.
2) Secure a Space â Find a good spot for children to do their homework. âSome kids can focus no matter what; others need quiet,â Broemmel said. âYou have to know your child.â You also may need to limit possible distractions, including the TV, cell phones and iPods. Also, whether kids do their homework at the kitchen table or in their bedroom, make sure you check in periodically to ensure the work is getting done.
3) Advise without Answering â Remember, itâs their homework; not yours. Look over your childrenâs homework and, if you see theyâve made mistakes, coach them â but donât just give them the answers. When it comes to reading, donât always insist the child read to you. âFifteen minutes of you reading aloud beats 15 minutes fighting to get your child to do the reading,â Broemmel said.
4) Look Long-term â In addition to tackling tonightâs homework, make sure your children are keeping track of whatâs due at the end of the week and at the end of the month. Parents have to help their children learn how to organize âeven if it takes sitting down together and plotting assignments out on a calendar,â Rearden said.
5) Monitor the Minutes â The National PTA suggests that the appropriate amount of homework is 10 minutes per night per grade. That means a first-grader should have about 10 minutes of work, a second-grader should have about 20 minutes, etc. âIf your child is spending significantly more than that on homework, have a talk with your childâs teacher,â Broemmel said.
For parents who have more than one young child, the experts suggest trying to get one working independently on an assignment while you work with the other â and then switch. Staggering bedtimes can give you one-on-one time with children. And having an older child read to a younger one can help them both.
And, when youâre on the go, have your children log some reading time by listening to one of their favorite chapter books on CD.
C O N T A C T :
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, firstname.lastname@example.org)


PUBLISHED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 4:32pm
UPDATED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 4:32pm
Last summer, the American Academy of Paediatrics issued a new policy statement for its members, recommending that paediatricians advise parents of young children about the importance of breastfeeding, vaccinating and reading aloud.Until that moment, reading to children was just another fun and enriching educational experience, on par with playing in the park and attending live theatre performances.
When educators extol the virtues of reading to children, parents interpret its importance in terms of language skills and literacy development. But the academy's pronouncement shows that the importance of reading goes beyond educational value. Parent-child read-alouds have a vital impact on children's cognitive, social and emotional development. A child who is read to, breastfed and vaccinated will have a better chance for good health and brain development. The AAP policy statement also recommends its members to counsel parents on how to read aloud, and what books to read.
To make reading fun, and to cater to the short attention span of infants, parents can start with short nursery rhymes and point-and-name picture books. The readings can be incorporated into a daily routine. A short story at breakfast, or even on the potty, can take advantage of those precious few minutes when a toddler is your captive audience.
In this way, the "five R's of early education" - reading, rhyming, routines, rewards and relationships - are strengthened.
As infants grow into toddlers, and progress to kindergarten and primary school, their vocabulary and comprehension advance at a faster rate than their reading ability. Picture books that celebrate language can help to encourage greater literacy development, and what better way to celebrate language than to go to its source: the ABCs. So here is a selection of alphabet books that can be enjoyed by both growing children and the parents who are reading to them.
Two classics are Dr Seuss' ABC and Maurice Sendak's Alligators All Around. Both use alliterative sentences such as "a lazy lion licking a lollipop", with illustrations in the authors' signature styles adding to the enjoyment.
For a contemporary take on the ABCs, Steve Fiffer cleverly created a single sentence comprising words that begin with all the letters, in alphabetical order. The result is Arctic Bears Chase, a witty word puzzle with humour-filled illustrations.
Alphabet concept books are experiencing a rebirth, with some recently published picture books that combine the alphabet with beautiful storytelling and art design.
In Ah-Ha to Zig-Zag, artist Maira Kalman presents a quirky alphabetical guide to objects from the Smithsonian Design Museum. Kalman opts for unconventional choices including a ceramic dog, a 13th-century silk thinking cap, and a pair of 19th-century tin slippers.
Elizabeth Schoonmaker brings back her much-loved feline in Square Cat ABC. Her original book Square Cat, introduces Eula the square cat, who bemoans her life in a world of round cats. In Square Cat ABC, Eula meets a blue mouse, and their tale leads readers from A to Z, as the characters work through everything from the mouse's fear of porcupines to Eula's disdain for spinach.
Primary school children will love the short interconnected stories that explore the alphabet in Oliver Jeffers' Once Upon an Alphabet. The illustrations are droll, dark and slightly odd. Some of the stories can be morbid, akin to the style of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket. But in general, they are funny and original, contain rich vocabulary, and push the boundary of our expectations for a children's picture book.
Dr Pamela High, lead author of the AAP policy statement, writes: "Books are a useful tool, but we also want parents to understand that reading to their children is so powerful because children think their parents are the most important people in their world."
Annie Ho is chair of Bring Me A Book Hong Kong bringmeabook.org.hk a non-profit organisation advocating family literacy


Mathematics, in its purest form, is an art concerned with the exploration and expression of ideas.
In its practical form, mathematics is a symbolic language and is concerned with the application of mathematical ideas and tools to the sciences and other areas of human endeavor.
The study of mathematics is grounded in problem solving and includes the ability to think in a certain, organized way. It is fundamental to a number of disciplines and careers, including computer technology, business, and the social sciences.
Housed in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, the BSU Mathematics program helps students of all majors better prepare for successful careers in a number of fields. We not only equip them with strong math skills, but we teach them the practical applications for those skills.
- Mathematics BS
General, Applied or Actuarial Emphasis
- Mathematics Education, Teacher Licensure BS
- Mathematics Elementary Education BS
- Mathematics Minor


ERIC Number: ED273445
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1986-Jun
Reference Count: 0
Ecology: A Teaching Module. Occasional Paper No. 94.
Brehm, Shirley; And Others
Designed to address conceptual problems associated with ecology, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing opportunities for application and practice. This module contains: (1) an introductory section (discussing the misconceptions related to the understanding of ecology and how to use the module to overcome these barriers); (2) diagnostic test and commentary (designed to be used as a pretest and/or posttest); (3) materials for lecture or discussion (consisting of a series of copy-ready masters for use as overhead transparencies and student handouts on the topics of matter and energy, energy flows and matter cycles, food webs and trophic levels, food and energy pyramids, carbon and nitrogen cycles, and succession); (4) field activity (providing guidelines and suggestions for a field trip on succession); and (5) problem sets and commentary (presenting problems associated with energy flow, matter cycles, succession, and habitats and niches). (ML)
Descriptors: College Science, Ecology, Environmental Education, High Schools, Higher Education, Learning Modules, Misconceptions, Preservice Teacher Education, Science Activities, Science Education, Science Instruction, Science Materials, Secondary School Science
Institute for Research on Teaching, College of Education, Michigan State Univeristy, 252 Erickson Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824 ($4.50).
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Teachers
Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing. Inst. for Research on Teaching.


Give families postcards to mail to friends in other states and countries. Learning from teacher modeling Children benefit from teachers modeling writing and from opportunities to interact with others on writing projects. Jackson provides time in class every day for students to write or draw in their journals and encourages their use throughout the day.
Invite children to respond to the morning message and write their names and some words in their dictated sentence. Bridging the gap to conventional reading.
Jackson will support Jayden by continuing to work on both long and short vowel sounds in other simple words.
Also, children at this stage tend to focus on the beginning and ending sounds in words before they grasp the middle sounds. Jackson begins, "Children, we are going to write the words to our message so we can read them.
Conceptual play These kids like to focus on materials and their properties. As indicated by Table 1, the key goal for Carmen is beginning to hear and represent additional sounds in words in her writing, in particular identifying both initial and final sounds in words.
The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the U. Today, children sign in as they pretend to visit the doctor in one learning center and sign for a package delivery in another. Most children who enjoy reading will eventually memorize all or parts of a book and imitate your reading.
Promoting literacy development, however, is not confined to young children. From Scribbles to Signatures: National Institute for Literacy. Invite children to share their books with the class and then add them to the library.
G is at the beginning of goat; T is at the end of goat. Encourage parents to establish routines that include writing lists, messages, stories, and letters. In terms of vowels, he is most familiar with the long sounds, which match the names of those letters.
It feels light and I can hear it sloshing around in there. Salient and Beginning Sounds To write beginning and ending sounds in words Provide play activities in which children write words e. The theory evolved from the concept of "reading readiness" or the notion that before children can learn to read, they must possess a certain mental maturity.
Developing conceptual, procedural, and generative knowledge of writing Children gain knowledge of and interest in writing as they are continually exposed to print and writing in their environment.
At this point in their development, children create pictures which represent things, not words. Is there something for everyone or are we leaving some kids out? National Early Literacy Panel Journal of Literacy Research, 39 137â Much more than other kids they like to categorise their play materials, they like to compare and contrast their toys.
Jayden is a diligent writer of words, working very slowly and carefully sounding out words. Remember to obtain more than just name-writing samples! This activity is followed by a discussion of spiders.
She decides to introduce the children to Chester a stuffed teddy bear. There are some early signs that may place a child at risk for the acquisition of literacy skills.Alphabet Knowledge, Comprehension, and Emergent Writing Â©Project REEL: Sandefur, Warren, Gamble, and Hicks () 2 shared writing, and guided writing with young children model the sound-symbol relationships with letters so that children know that Bryan and Alphabet Knowledge, Comprehension, and Emergent Writing.
Children who have difficulty grasping emergent literacy games and activities may be referred for further assessment so that intervention can begin as early as possible to foster growth in needed areas and increase the likelihood of successful learning and academic achievement.
Understanding and supporting emergent writing Noella Mackenzie VCAA Twilight Seminar: Wednesday 17 September culturally embedded human activities which encompass the many codes and symbolic systems humans use for constructing and childrenâs emergent writing helping.
Emergent writing activities don't have to be formal. Children can understand the purpose of writing through imaginary play. You can provide pencils and paper so that kids can take orders while playing restaurant, write grocery lists while playing house, write research notes while playing scientist and whatever other imaginary games your.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download Emergent writing is dependent not only on a childâs exposure to literacy activities from birth, but how they engage with those activities on a day-to-day basis.
Emergent writing is young childrenâs first attempts at the writing process. Children as young as 2 years old begin to imitate the act of writing by creating drawings and symbolic markings that represent their thoughts and ideas (Rowe & .Download


PDF pending restoration
ERIC Number: ED108483
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1973-Jul
Reference Count: N/A
Forming an Estudiantina and Symbols of Music Notation.
This guide for music teachers in Spanish/English bilingual education is an attempt at gathering the basic musical vocabulary and presenting it in English and Spanish, and is adaptable to all levels. The units cover: forming an estudiantina, including cost ssand method of instruction; symbols of musical notation and definition of musical terms, in English and Spanish; simple songs for beginners, also in both languages; and costume sketches. (Author/AM)
Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Curriculum Guides, Instructional Materials, Learning Activities, Music Activities, Music Education, Music Reading, Resource Materials, Spanish, Teaching Guides, Teaching Methods, Vocabulary
Dissemination Center for Bilingual Bicultural Education, 6504 Tracor Lane, Austin, Texas 78721 ($2.50)
Publication Type: Guides - General
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Dissemination and Assessment Center for Bilingual Education, Austin, TX.
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Bilingual Education Act 1968; Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII


Two Year Program
TWO YEAR PROGRAM
Two-year-olds are busy, active, energetic children. They are naturally curious about their surrounding environment and ready to absorb new vocabulary words, develop fine and gross motor skills, and begin to understand the concept of cooperative play.
The two-year-old program is often a studentâs first school experience. Our qualified teachers gently guide these early learners in a creative learning environment. The classrooms are designed to offer young children exploration opportunities and social play with friends. Age-appropriate materials in well-designed play areas foster social growth as children move from independent to cooperative play.
In addition, a variety of opportunities are available for language development in the two-year-old classroom. Thematic units and hands-on activities provide a framework to enhance fine motor development, eye-hand coordination, visual tracking, spatial developments, and language growth.
Each child is gently challenged, and individual activities are modified to meet the developmental level of each child laying the foundation for future academic success.
our two-year old curriculum includes the following elements:
- Multisensory activities
- Fine and gross motor skill development
- Hands-on art activities
- Music appreciation
- Language enrichment
- Alphabet Puppets
- Cooking adventures
- Thematic learning centers
- Self-help skills
- Cooperative play and social skills
5-STAR COMMUNITY RATING ON GREAT SCHOOLS
Lean how to enroll your child today!
TAKE A TOUR
Schedule a tour or our campus today!


Date of Award
Action Research Project
Master of Arts in Education
Montessori Early Childhood, Montessori Elementary Education
Abstract In the early academic years, read aloud time is frequently incorporated in the daily classroom schedule. For our investigation, we wondered if certain strategies (interactivity, scaffolding, and modeling enthusiasm) would help to foster deeper connections, conversation, and literary skills when used during read aloud time. We observed teacher-directed read aloud time in two Montessori environments, one with toddlers ages 2-3, and one with elementary children ages 6-9. We used various sources of data collection methods to help us track student engagement and focus, with and without the strategies implemented. The results of the study showed that more children stayed focused and engaged longer during read aloud when the teacher used scaffolding, showed enthusiasm and was interactive while reading. When these strategies were not implemented during a read aloud time, children became more easily distracted and were less inclined to make related comments or ask questions. Interactivity, enthusiasm, and scaffolding helped the children to make insightful connections within the text and to their own lives. In order to make read aloud time a more effective learning experience in the classroom, these strategies can be practiced regularly. To continue to help foster early reading skills and maintain an interest in literacy, interactivity, scaffolding and enthusiasm can be implemented during every classroom read aloud time.
Agnello, Sara and Yengle, Mary. (2015). The Effects of Interactivity, Scaffolding and Modeling on Childrenâs Attention and Engagement During Read Aloud Time. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/113


By McGraw-Hill Education
A balanced method of technological know-how in every one level
Glencoe technology: point purple is the 1st ebook in Glencoe's three-book built-in technology sequence. point pink offers scholars with exact and complete assurance of existence, earth, and actual technological know-how. The powerful content material assurance integrates quite a lot of hands-on studies, critical-thinking possibilities, and real-world functions.
Read Online or Download Glencoe Science: Level Red, Student Edition PDF
Similar science for kids books
Books within the instructing English Language rookies (ELLs) around the Curriculum sequence are written particularly for pre- and in- carrier academics who won't were educated in ELL ideas, yet nonetheless locate themselves dealing with the realities and demanding situations of modern diversified study rooms and rookies. each one publication offers basic and simple suggestion on the best way to educate ELLs via a given topic region, and the way to coach content material to ELLs who're at diversified degrees of English language talent than the remainder of their classification.
"Turning issues: the character of Creativity" discusses theories and strategies concentrating on a severe idea of highbrow turning issues within the context of severe pondering, medical discovery, and challenge fixing regularly. This ebook introduces a unique analytical and experimental approach that gives not just new methods for retrospective experiences of clinical switch but additionally for characterizing transformative potentials of potential medical contributions.
A necessity exists for larger types of what contributes to alterations within the time that scholars take to accomplish doctorate levels. using a number of information assets, On Time to the Doctorate offers a brand new version to provide an explanation for alterations in either overall time to the doctorate and within the a number of parts of time to the doctorate.
This publication enhances fact-drive textbooks in introductory biology classes, or classes in biology and society, via concentrating on a number of small print: (1) Biology as a means of doing technology, emphasizing how we all know what we all know. (2) It stresses the function of technology as a social in addition to highbrow approach, person who is usually embedded in its time and position in heritage.
- On Meaning and Mental Representation: A Pragmatic Approach
- Science Safety in the Community College
- Chemistry Education and Contributions from History and Philosophy of Science
- Elektrotechnik fur Ingenieure 2
Additional info for Glencoe Science: Level Red, Student Edition
Taking a Guess âI think itâs a pair of scissors,â said Marcus. â asked Isabelle, while shaking the box. â asked Ms. Clark. âWell, staplers are small enough to fit inside a shoe box, and it seems to weigh about the same,â said Isabelle. âWe can hear metal when we shake it,â said Enrique. â âYes,â they agreed. âYou just stated a hypothesis,â exclaimed Ms. Clark. â asked Marcus. Biologist Some naturalists study the living world, using mostly their observational skills. They observe animals and plants in their natural environment, taking care not to disturb the organisms they are studying.
They also might attend meetings where they make speeches about their work. Like the science-fair student in Figure 13 demonstrates, an important part of doing science is the ability to communicate methods and results to others. Why do scientists share information? Figure 13 Presentations are one way people in science communicate their findings. Make a Data Table SEASONAL TEMPERATURES Suppose you were given the average temperatures in a city for the four seasons over a three-year period: spring 1997 was 11Â°C; summer 1997 was 25Â°C; fall 1997 was 5Â°C; winter 1997 was Ïª5Â°C; spring 1998 was 9Â°C; summer 1998 was 36Â°C; fall 1998 was 10Â°C; winter 1998 was Ïª3Â°C; spring 1999 was 10Â°C; summer 1999 was 30Â°C; fall 1999 was 9Â°C; and winter 1999 was Ïª2Â°C.
Not all models are for scientific purposes. You use models, and you might not realize it. Drawings, maps, recipes, and globes are all examples of models. Thinking Like a Scientist Procedure 1. Pour 15 mL of water into a test tube. 2. Slowly pour 5 mL of vegetable oil into the test tube. 3. Add two drops of food coloring and observe the liquid for 5 min. Analysis 1. Record your observations of the test tubeâs contents before and after the oil and the food coloring were added to it. 2. Infer a scientific explanation for your observations.


It is no secret that there is a gap between quality education and low-income communities. When factors such as financial status and residential location determine the options for education, it leaves much room for inequality. But shouldnât all children have access to quality education? After all, children are the future, and limiting the opportunities for success due to circumstances out of their control is unfair, especially in terms of education.
Fortunately, charter schools like Rocketship Education are becoming more prevalent, giving children and families of low-income communities better options for education. By providing access to quality education without restrictions, Rocketship Education is slowly breaking down the barriers between students of low-income communities and their opportunities for academic achievement. Taking a different approach than traditional public schools, Rocketship greatly values and encourages parental involvement. They believe that by working together they can create the best learning environment for all Rocketship students.
The schoolâs personal approach proved to be one of the most significant factors in San Jose, California mom, Dulce. When she and her family lost their home of eight years in a flood, Dulce, along with 30 other families received food, clothing, and an overwhelming amount of support from the school her son attended. Going far beyond providing food and clothing, the network of schools formed the âRocketeersâ, a group of volunteers within the organization. Along with Catholic Charities, they earned nearly $62,000 to help communities throughout the U.S. with disaster relief.
Rocketship is on a mission to transform elementary education. Unlike the traditional hiring process for educators, Rocketship requires potential teachers to participate in interviews in addition to interviews with the schoolâs administration. Once hired, teachers are required to periodically visit the home of their students to gain a better understanding of their history and family life. Their untraditional approach to education gives their students an immeasurable amount of advantages and great opportunities for learning.


In addition, he directs a full studio of low brass students at Evanston Township High School and Elk Grove High School.
Music Education Philosophy
Taking music and instrumental lessons is the most efficient way for musicians to improve their performance ability and musicianship skills. They can then incorporate these new music skills into rehearsals and concerts at school, which will bring their entire musical experience to the next level.
Trombone/Euphonium/Tuba Lessons and Workshops
Include low brass technique, breathing, posture, note-reading, performing a variety of musical styles, lip slurs, legato playing, intonation, performing challenging low brass repertoire, theory, ear-training, and sight reading.
Jazz and Improvisation Lessons and Workshops
Include improvisation, ear-training, listening, jazz style, solo transcription, ensemble playing, the art of learning jazz standards, jazz theory, composition, and jazz history.
To book a lesson or workshop, please firstname.lastname@example.org


Itâs imperative that we make tools for creativity ubiquitous. Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank consistently among the highest for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
The Power of a Blank Canvas
Gallup, Inc and The Knight Foundation collaborated to conduct a three year study aimed at exploring how an individualâs attachment to their community affected the communities economy. They found that cities with the highest levels of attachement also had the highest level of GDP growth. According to the research, the three things that drive attachment are: social offerings, aesthetics and openness. If people are more attached to the community they live in, they are more likely to engage and make it a better place.
Imagine what the simple act of securing blank canvases around a community can do. Through it, we not only empower a community, but we can also create the potential to understand that community in a way never before possible. A blank canvas can change everything.
âAll art intuitively apprehends coming changes in the collective unconscious.â
Cultivating innovation to
move our world forward
âSo many of us are casualties of 21st century culture â consumerism and frivolous conversations through a computer. But the harsh reality is weâre not really connected with anyone or anything. But thereâs a way we can change. Art. Art and culture are intrinsic to our lives whether we create or experience it. It can bring us together for a moment in time, it can ignite real conversations between people, it can cross borders and boundaries. Art can be the change that reconnects us as human beings.â
â Charlotte Church


Students move their racecars along the 36-step Raceway that leads them to becoming fluent readers. This complete program uses carefully sequenced, systematic, explicit phonics instruction to build fluent independent readers.
It is effective because it engages students in singing phonics songs and playing games to reinforce the skills that stimulates the senses and appeals to all learning styles. Its approach requires total participation on the part of the learner and is strongly supported by current research.
The Level 1 program has been working across the country and around the world for over 35 years. Colorful, interactive charts, phonics songs, and games provide the repetition that allows students to master the skills quickly and easily.
Student books Off We Go and Raceway Book are sequenced to assure success along the way. Students apply new skills to the 17 connected Phonetic Storybooks, and the Assessment book measures progress along the way.


Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was also a violinist and strong advocate for music education. Family and holiday gatherings, solo performances, or as a way to have some time alone, the violin was important to him throughout his life.
His violin studies as a young man paid off during his courtship of his future wife, Martha Skelton. While she sang and played the harpsichord at parties, he would often join in, playing his violin and singing. Christmas celebrations at the White House and in his home, Monticello, included him playing the violin for family and guests.
According to Jefferson family tradition, as recorded by biographer Henry S. Randall, Jeffersonâs musical ability dispelled the hopes of other suitors:
Two of Mr. Jefferson's rivals happened to meet on Mrs. Skelton's door-stone. They were shown into a room from which they heard her harpsichord and voice, accompanied by Mr. Jefferson's violin and voice, in the passages of a touching song. They listened for a stanza or two. Whether something in the words, or in the tones of the singers appeared suggestive to them, tradition does not say, but it does state that they took their hats and retired, to return no more on the same errand!
Jefferson and Martha Skelton were wed on January 1, 1772.
When time permitted, Jefferson played at least three hours a day. While he was a law student, he gave weekly concerts with other musicians. His music library at his home, Monticello, contained violin works by Corelli, Handel, Vivaldi, and other composers. His selected works by Corelli required an advanced level of skill due to advanced bowings and techniques for the left hand. He also had a violin technique book by Francesco Geminiani (1680-1762), The Art of Playing on the Violin, which further indicated his level of proficiency.
Jeffersonâs Music Technique Book
Music, according to Jefferson, was his âfavorite passionâ and the violin his preferred instrument. Jefferson was schooled in music at an early age and cultivated his love of music throughout his life. As an accomplished violinist and music aficionado, Jefferson owned four violins, including a so-called âkit,â an instrument small enough to fit neatly into a coat pocket. He was known to take his kit along on his travels to practice while away.
Many violinists in the eighteenth century used kits because of their portability. Thomas Jefferson owned at least two kits.
At home, he could play his other instruments as well as consult his personal copies of contemporary musical treatises such as this one by Francesco Geminiani. Jefferson rarely wrote in his books, but this book includes Jeffersonâs inscription of Charles Burneyâs discussion of violin technique.
Jefferson insisted that his daughters and granddaughters learn to play the violin. He hired Frances Alberti, an Italian immigrant, as a music tutor. Jefferson felt that a music education was âinvaluable,â especially pertaining to young women, and that it provided ârecreationâ and ârespiteâ from the concerns of the day, which would last through the rest of oneâs life.
Monticello has several instruments on display that reflect the Jefferson household. In addition to violins, daughter, Martha, played harpsichord, and his other daughter, Maria, played guitar. He encouraged them not to neglect their music.
|A violin owned by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States|


Junior InvestiGators is a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate curriculum designed for Transitional Kindergarten. TK classrooms are offered for older four-year-old children and younger fives who are not able to attend kindergarten due to birthdates and state guidelines for enrollment. TK offers a modified curriculum that is developmentally appropriate, bridges the gap between preschool or pre-K and kindergarten, and provides young children with a strong foundation for learning.
Junior InvestiGators systematically combines The InvestiGator Club Prekindergarten Learning System with kindergarten literacy and STEAM skills. The integrated program offers a transitional year of purposeful play and participatory learning focused largely on childrenâs social and emotional development, with the foundational skills needed to transition to either kindergarten or first grade at the end of the additional kindergarten year.
The Junior InvestiGators curriculum offers intentional instruction in 274 skills in ten domains of learning, including kindergarten foundational skills in literacy and math.
- The InvestiGator Club Prekindergarten Learning System
- 100 Leveled Readers A-E
- STEAM and Literacy Challenge Teacher Guide


- FOR FAMILIES
- FOR EDUCATORS
- FOR COMMUNITIES
- REGISTER FOR TRAINING
- SPARK OHIO
- GET INVOLVED
The academic journal Child Development Research recently ran an article entitled Economic Disparities: SPARK Ohio and Narrowing the Kindergarten Readiness Gap. The authors examined assessment scores of new kindergarteners to gauge the school readiness of SPARK and non-SPARK children from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. Their conclusion? "Children living in economically disadvantaged environments perform better on a kindergarten literacy readiness assessment when they participated in...the SPARK Ohio program compared to peers who did not participate in the program." The authors further suggest that supporting SPARK may be a way for schools to use their Title I funds to reduce economically induced disparities in readiness.
What Difference Are We Making?
In the Ohio Business Roundtableâs latest assessment of the state of early learning in Ohio, the Roundtable declares that âThe case for investing in young children has been clearly made,â and discusses how implementing programs like the SPARK kindergarten readiness program can help the state of Ohio âgo boldâ to help our youngest children succeed.
The International Journal of Early Childhood Learning is a peer-reviewed journal offering an international perspective on early childhood care and education. The journal recently published an article entitled SPARK Ohio: An Early Childhood Intervention Program Description and Evaluation.
The article, written by current and former members of the team that has independently evaluated the SPARK program, discusses how SPARK addresses the educational challenges faced by Ohioâs at-risk children. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the programâs positive influence on school readiness, as evidenced by the significantly higher kindergarten readiness assessment scores of SPARK children versus their non-SPARK peers.
Because of SPARKâs strong positive influence in preparing children for kindergarten, the authors suggest that policymakers and school district administrators might wish to investigate funding SPARK as an early investment that leads to long-term academic gain.
At the start of 2016, we were thrilled to hear SPARK sites across the state would receive $1 million over two years to serve even more Ohio families. Funds will flow through the Early Childhood Resource Center, which handles SPARK management and operations.
In addition, $200,000 of the state funding will be used to help get three new SPARK sites up and running, in Ross, Ashland and Ottawa counties.
With its increased funding, SPARK expects to serve more than 1,700 Ohio families in 2016. On behalf of Ohioâs families, the Early Childhood Resource Center is truly grateful for all of SPARKâs supporters and advocates.


Find free music writing software and read user reviews on available songwriting and music education software.
You will find links to available free software sites as well as information on other helpful tips on using software for music education and songwriting.
The musical instrument digital interface, M.I.D.I.
Back in 1985 when the only people using the internet were government agencies and geeks, and the CD was the latest thing, electronic musical instrument manufacturers wrote the M.I.D.I. specification to give hardware and software developers a way to talk to each other musically.
For the most part it was used for small on or two person bands to add back up tracks to fill out the sound.
The M.I.D.I interface is still used today providing a great tool for students to learn and composers to write songs.
Most electronic keyboards still have a M.I.D.I interface as well as newly added USB technology that will allow you to use your instrument in concert with you computer to perform a wide range of musical tasks.
Since those early days a wide range of music writing software has been developed that can help you get more out of you musical experience and help you to achieve your musical goals.
Music software falls into several different categories. Although today the lines between these categories is blurring as many programs now attempt to handle multiple musical functions.
Music writing software
This type of software is used primarily to write music on the staff to be printed for performance.
Rather than sitting with pen and ink and tediously hand writing charts, you are now able to use your mouse, and instrument or computer keyboard to make this task much much easier.
You can also audition and edit your compositions and hear them before they are ready to be printed.
Music sequencing software
Sequencing software allows note information from you keyboard or other sound source to be recorded, edited and played back allowing you to have an entire orchestra at you fingertips.
Music composing software.
These programs offer the ability to create and hear your music very quickly using internal computer sound sources and prearranged musical patterns. Programs such as Garage Band and Band in a Box wold fall into this category.
Integrated MIDI and audio.
More and more programs fall into this category as the search for all in one solutions in the recording studio became necessary. These programs allow you to create and edit entire performance, add digital audio effects and mix down to any standard audio playback format. Pretty impressive and can be expensive as well.
Best Home Study for "Ear Players"
After checking out dozens of home study courses that teach you to play by ear and focus on chord progressions I am convinced that the folks at Hear and Play have the best, most well rounded program available for just about all styles of music from Gospel to Jazz. Read my review or visit Hear and Play for more information.
The Best Home Study Course for Learning Jazz and Blues Piano
Have you always wanted to learn to play jazz & blues on the piano but never had the time or money?
Or couldn't find the right person or course to teach you the "real" stuff?
If so, I've definitely found someone who can help you.
I'm talking about James Wrubel, an amazing musician and expert instructor. He's been there and back as a professional jazz musician and has played with some of the top names in the industry.
In two dvds and over 2 hours of step-by-step instruction, he takes you by the hand and shows you how to master tons of jazz & blues tricks and techniques as well as signature soloing secrets that'll have you sounding like you've been playing for years.
Here's some highlights.
Discover: * How to quickly and easily form tons of chord patterns and runs that'll have you sounding pro almost overnight.
* How to accelerate your jazz learning curve by combining 3 secret elements pros don't want you to know!
* How to pack every chord and voicing with just the right amount of flavor to get the job done.
* 7 secrets to playing signature solos without hesitation or even thinking about anything.
* And much more.
Check out the ink below for more information on this great program
If you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for future lessons feel free to Contact Me.
Write a software review!!
While I use and review quite a number of great programs and will share my reviews here, there are dozens and dozens of programs out there that I know little or nothing about. Help our readers and share your favorite program and become a contributor to this site!
Do you know of a helpful music writing software program of other helpful music related programs?
Help out our readers and let us know what it is and how you make use of it.
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...


Creative Minds Make Art!
Todayâs children are growing up in a world of increasing complexity, highlighting the need to develop 21st century skills like creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and presentation.
Art education allows students to capitalize on their natural curiosity and readiness to learn, preparing them for success as they grow.
Training for the 21st Century
Through a hands-on professional development opportunity, educators learn to use the Creative Minds curriculum to support the development of childrenâs art understanding and extend school day learning through hands-on creative experiences.
Culminating Events - Celebrating Creative Minds
Each Creative Minds curriculum unit culminates in a group activity that celebrates the student artwork. These "culminating events" also help parents and the community see the power of art in children's lives.


Young learners just discovering the mathematical world are not limited to learning early number sense skills, such as counting. We can offer even our youngest learners opportunities to gain deep understandings of various mathematical concepts through hands-on activities and discussions.
I've compiled a list of math activities for use with students in first grade, kindergarten, and pre-kindergarten that help them explore concepts such as number sense, measurement, patterns and geometry. As learning is typically an integrated experience for young learners, these activities also promote development in other domains, including physical development (motor skills), language and literacy. Pairing these hands-on activities with the ST Math digital games makes a powerful learning combination.
All of these activites are printable and can be modified for small or large classroom groups, and students at different levels of understanding. Some activities require craft supplies, such as scissors, paint or other materials that are noted in the instructions.
ST Math Curriculum Connection: Geometry, Counting and Cardinality
The Jigsaw JiJi activity helps students develop and reinforce number sense skills, including numeral recognition and one-to-one correspondence skills. Students are asked to put together JiJi, the penguin from ST Math. By putting together different shapes to make new shapes, students build their understanding of shape characteristics and properties. In addition, this activity helps students learn letter formation and develop other important skills such as problem-solving skills, fine motor skills and artistic skills.
Jigsaw JiJi printable activity
Graphing with JiJi
ST Math Curriculum Connection: Measurement and Data
Paper JiJi focuses on early exploration of the concept of orthogonality. It is one of the precursors for content areas including coordinate planes, equations, functions, and data representation and interpretation. In this activity, students learn that two orthogonal, straight lines will always intersect at a point in space, at a 90 degree angle.
Paper JiJi is also a digital game found in the 1st grade ST Math curriculum.
Patterning with JiJi
ST Math Curriculum Connection: Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Patterning with J-i-J-i teaches students to recognize, extend and create repeating AB patterns. Students can draw the pattern elements, write the name of the elements, or adhere materials such as foam shapes or stickers to extend the patterns. More Patterning with J-i-J-i offers additional opportunities to practice these patterning skills. Repeating Pattern Strips is a printed paper manipulative students can use to create their own color or shape AB, ABB, AAB, or ABC patterns. For struggling students, first ask them to duplicate or extend a pattern you have made. Once they are ready, encourage them to create their own patterns! Lastly, in Identify the Missing Caterpillar Parts activity, students continute to build their understanding of patterns by identifying the correct color elements that will satisfy and complete each pattern.
Printable manipulative to create repeating patterns
Recognizing patterns, differentiating types of patterns and manipulating patterns are foundational skills for algebraic reasoning. Activities that foster creativity, such as forming their own repeating patterns, can engage students in rich mathematical thinking!
Geometry and Measurement with JiJi
ST Math Curriculum Connection: Geometry, Measurement and Data
The Shape Hunting with JiJi activity helps reinforce students' understanding of geometric shape characteristics and the attributes of squares, rectangles and triangles. Students can make deeper connections such as recognizing that squares are a type of rectangle and that a polygon (square, rectangle or triangle) is made up of stright line segments and must be a closed shape.
Anything can be a unit of measurement, including bugs!
In Measuring with Bugs, students learn to identify length as one of the measurable attributes of line segments and shapes, and that any length can be measured with a nonstandard unit, laid end-to-end. Depending on which units they use, the same length might result in different values!
I hope that these hands-on activities will spark ideas for engaging your young students in rich and meangingful math explorations and learning with JiJi the penguin!
Interested in further engaging your students in math through digital software? The ST Math game-based learning program is designed by experts in neuroscience and early learning to give young students a deeper understanding of math concepts.
About the Author
Delicia was an educational content designer at MIND Research Institute. As a true believer of game-based learning, she and her team started the K-12 Game-a-thon initiative, which challenges students to design and build their own math games.


Learning & Development
Booki is ideally suited to supporting your child's langugae and literacy development at home and at school. Here's an overview of some of the benefits of Booki observed by English Langugae Teaching (ELT) expert Paul Dummett.
Reading while listening (RWL) is known to:
- Yield better comprehension results than either reading or listening in isolation
- Increase reading speed
- Aid word recognition (both written and spoken)
The idea that each individual has a preferred sense for learning â a more auditory or visual or kinaesthetic learner â has been debunked as a neuro-myth and replaced by the view that we are stimulated by multi-sensory learning â more of a kind of learning experience, if you like. So combining sound with text and images (and, say, acting out stories) makes for deeper learning. Images are a key component in this multi-sensory approach, since images are the principal means by which we store memories.
Intensive and extensive
Intensive reading (and listening) involves being given a text to read and then answering comprehension questions about it. Extensive reading means reading simply for enjoyment: the reader chooses what, when, where and how much to read. Both are necessary to acquire reading and listening skills, one more explicitly the other more implicitly (Dornyei: âthe challenge for language teaching methodology is the maximise the cooperation between implicit and explicit learningâ). As a reading resource, the Booki app gives opportunities for both intensive and extensive reading.
Techniques for parents
- Use the title and the pictures to speculate about the story. You can also do this page by page with a picture story.
- Talk about similar stories or subjects (e.g. Elmer the Elephant, ask them if they know any elephant stories, what they know about elephants etc).
- After they have heard the text on a page, ask the child to find an individual word on it.
- Pause the audio and try to prompt the next (key) word from the child.
- Get the child to read and listen in the other room; then periodically to run through to you and update you on what is going on in the story before going back to listen to more.
- Pause the audio after a piece of dialogue, and get the child to imitate the voices of the characters.
- Ask general, open questions about the story: Did you enjoy it? Why? Did you like the ending? etc.
- Get the child to write a one sentence summary of the story or a very short comment on it.


eed400 | undergraduate
Assessment In Elementary Education
topic title goes here
Using Objective Tests in the Classroom
- Construct an objective test.
- Differentiate between formative and summative assessment.
- Recognize the different types of objective tests and their appropriate uses.
- Examine reliability and validity of objective tests.
- Examine the appropriate and inappropriate uses of objective test results in instructional planning.
Overview of Assessment in Elementary Education
- Identify what assessment is and how it is used.
Historical Perspective of Assessment
- Describe assessment in education prior to 1900
- Analyze assessment for competence and accountability
- Summarize influences on assessment policies
Definitions and Purposes of Assessment
- Examine the appropriate relationships between instruction and assessment to meet student needs
- Define assessment, evaluation, and curriculum
- Identify the purpose of assessment, curriculum, and assessment alignment
Using Performance Assessment in the Classroom
- Develop an appropriate performance assessment.
- Examine the appropriate and inappropriate uses of performance assessment results in instructional planning.
- Examine reliability and validity of performance assessments.
- Recognize the different types of performance assessments and their appropriate uses.
- Describe the elements and utility of rubrics.
- Define the vocabulary used to explain student results in a standardized test format.
- Examine reliability and validity of standardized assessments.
- Explore the purpose of standardized assessment in the classroom.
- Compare and contrast norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests.
- Examine the appropriate and inappropriate uses of standardized assessment results in instructional planning.
- Explore the critical issues related to standardized testing.
The Influence of Diversity on Assessment
- Recognize the influences of student diversity on assessment.
- Describe best practices for assessment modifications and accommodations for special education students and English Language Learners.
- Examine methods of differentiating assessment based on student needs.
- Differentiate between effective and ineffective assessment feedback.
- Examine grading policies and appropriate use of grades.
- Analyze ethical issues in assessment.
- Demonstrate appropriate documentation of resources.
- Examine the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it relates to assessment.
Please ask about these special rates:
Teacher Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for current, certified P-12 teachers and administrators. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
Military Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for active duty military members and their spouses. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the studentâs responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the studentâs choice.


A new report from leading international researchers highlights that appropriate levels of funding are important for good student performance, but whatâs more important is how that funding is used.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the OECDâs 2016 Education at a Glance report highlighted that Australia has a world-class education system with world-leading funding but that there is clear room for improvement.
âFrom primary school to post-school learning, Australia ranks as spending the fifth highest amount on total public spending in education across the OECD but in several indicators weâve seen our results slipping backwards,â Minister Birmingham said.
âThese new statistics highlight what the Turnbull Government has been saying: that there is not a clear relationship between education spending and the level of student performance.
âHigher levels of expenditure on education cannot automatically be equated with better performance by education systems. This is not surprising, as countries spending similar amounts on education do not necessarily have similar education policies and practices.â
Source: OECD Education at a Glance 2016, page 267
âIn Australian schools for example, the Turnbull Government is committed to a strong and growing level of funding for our school system distributed according to need, but we want to ensure the money supports students in ways the evidence shows are proven to lift outcomes.
âThe OECD statistics are the latest in a bank of evidence that supports the Turnbull Governmentâs moves to link our funding increases for schools to more than a dozen practical, âback to basicsâ reforms in our education system that evidence shows will lift the performance of our schools.
âOur funding for schools will grow from $16 billion this year to around $20.1 billion in 2020 but those increases are complemented by a range of initiatives that have been proven to boost studentsâ literacy and numeracy skills, that will reward teachers for their competency and achievement not just their length of service, help us to identify and intervene with Year 1 students who need additional help and give families more transparency so they can monitor their childrenâs progress and better support them.
âFrom the high chair to higher education, it is our responsibility as policymakers to ensure Australiaâs world class investment in early education and care, in schooling, vocational and other post-school education supports initiatives that are proven to boost outcomes for students.â
The OECDâs 2016 Education at a Glance Report is available at: http://www.oecd.org/edu/education-at-a-glance-19991487.htm


MILWAUKEE COUNTY LANDMARKS
St. Francis Seminary Complex
3257 South Lake Drive
Landmark Designation: 1976
Bishop John Martin Henni had long dreamed of establishing a seminary to train priests to serve German-speaking Catholic immigrants in his Milwaukee diocese. In 1853, architect Victor Schulte was commissioned to design a seminary building at the south inlet of Milwaukee Bay. Lay brothers and other laborers and craftsmen were housed on the grounds during the construction period.
At least 5,000 persons attended the laying of the cornerstone July 18, 1855 and the first students arrived in 1856. They found that the building housed classrooms, a dormitory, a dining room, and a temporary chapel. Later, as enrollment at the seminary increased, wings were added to the main building in 1869 and 1871 and the temporary chapel was replaced by Christ King Chapel in 1861. A gold cross extended eleven feet above an octagonal cupola on the Italianate-style main building announcing its presence to travelers. When Archbishop Henni died in 1881, he was buried in a crypt in the chapel. It was not until the cemeteryâs centennial, however, that his name was given to its original building. Saint Francis de Sales Seminary began its academic collaboration with Sacred Heart School of Theology in 2006. Today the seminary again focuses solely on priestly formation.
3195 South Superior Street
Designation includes Convent, Motherhouse and Marian Center (Formerly St. Maryâs Academy)
Landmark Designation: 1980
The first Sisters of St. Francis arrived in Milwaukee in 1847 and established a convent south of Milwaukee. They cared for the orphans of St. Aemilianus Asylum and when St. Francis Seminary opened in 1856 on adjacent land, they became housekeepers for that facility. The Motherhouse was temporarily removed to Jefferson and then to La Crosse. It was returned to Milwaukee in 1878 and a new structure was dedicated in 1888.
The Sisters then became active in Catholic elementary education and soon had charge of twenty parochial schools as well as the students at the orphanage and St. Johnâs School for the Deaf. Their first high school for girls, St. Maryâs Academy was dedicated in 1903. Additions to the Academy were made in 1922 and 1931. The Sisters of St. Francis also established Cardinal Stritch College, located in Fox Point.


The literacy program began out of a need for some of our students who could not read or write. The first part of 2015 we had several students who could not read or write and we wanted to help them to be able to do this so they could excel in their perspective vocational schools as well. So this is how the literacy program began. It has since expanded into a program as well for those who want to finish their elementary school. They can complete their elementary education in 3 years.
Health Education/Medical Program
This program both educates our students on health and hygiene issues as well as trains pregnant moms on how to take care of themselves and their babies during and after their pregnancies. Through this program, we have 2-3 medical teams that come down and serve pregnant moms and kids in the community and we have a staff nurse that does follow up on these patients.
This initiative addresses the malnutrition problem in Magdalena and surrounding areas. We feed 50 kids 2 times per week with a goal of expanding this.


People either have musical talent or they donât, right?
Wrong, says Matthew Charboneau, chair of the Center for Music at the Music Settlement, music education, music therapy and early childhood centers at two locations and through dozens of outreach programs.
âWe think that everybody has some kind of artistic talent and it just needs to be nurtured. The appropriate experience has to be offered for someone to grow as a musician,â says Charboneau, whose center has about 500 private lesson enrollments and 350 group class or ensemble enrollments annually.
Try these programs to help cultivate inner talent:
Dalcroze â Think of it as the marriage of music and movement for ages 3 and older. The children use their whole body as an instrument.
Suzuki â At age 4 and older, children can start to learn the piano and string instruments, including guitar, violin, viola, cello and base (all fractionally sized to match them physically) with this proven method that teaches music in much the same way you learn a spoken language.
Band and orchestra instrument lessons â In grades four and five, kids begin to have the physical ability and the lung capacity to start to learn brass and woodwind instruments.
11125 Magnolia Drive, Cleveland, 216-421-5806,


Low-Income Students Need More Than Just a College Degree, Report Says
Getting low-income students into and through college isn't enough to position them well for success in the workplace. They need programs that give them strong mentors and real-world work experience, and help them build their science, math, and technology skills, according to a new report.
Released this week by the GE Foundation, "New Dimensions of College and Career Readiness" argues that five strategies are particularly important in making sure that low-income students are ready to thrive in the workplace:
- Fostering mentorship programs;
- Offering internships, apprenticeships and jobs;
- Turning up the focus on technical science skills;
- Building their skills in science, technology, engineering and math; and
- Developing "essential skills" such as higher aspirations, teamwork, grit, perseverance, and adaptability.
The white paper arose from a summit in May that the GE Foundation sponsored with College For Every Student and Trinity College Dublin. Education and philanthropy leaders gathered in Essex, N.Y., to talk about strategies for increasing the success of low-income students. The report outlines the discussions there.
One of the key ideas to emerge from the meeting was the importance of ensuring that students have not only access to postsecondary education, but "multiple points of entry" into the workforce, through training programs, internships, jobs, and other such options.
Creating systems that do a better job at offering real-world work experience and emphasizing nuts-and-bolts science skills doesn't mean downplaying the kinds of learning that have been a mainstay in higher education for generations, however, some summit participants argued.
Dean Garfield, the president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, a trade group, told the participants that it's not the time for colleges and universities to "ease up on the traditional material they've always taught."
"The foundational skills that have made Middlebury great or Princeton great or Harvard great or any institution great&mash;the analytical skills that are a core part of the curriculum at those institutions are as critical now as they've ever been," Garfield said, according to the white paper. "The key is for them to be supplemented by the additional competencies that are necessary to compete in today's and tomorrow's world."
At the same time, the postsecondary education system has to be able to provide training for young people who will fill a key niche in the marketplace: the middle-skill jobs that don't require bachelor's degrees. That case was argued by Robert Schwartz, a senior research fellow at Harvard, and co-author of the 2011 report that sparked controversy by arguing that perhaps not all students should aim for four-year colleges.
So it's not an either/or; It's a both/and scenario. Helping students aim high and secure some kind of postsecondary education or training, but also making sure that they have the nitty-gritty work experience, and specific skill sets, to thrive once they're working.
For more stories about the skills students need for success in college and the workplace, see:
- College Readiness Needs to Go Beyond Content to Skill Sets, Researcher Says
- College-Readiness Assessments: Be Careful What You Wish For
- California Struggles to Define Career Readiness
- The 'Career' Part of College and Career Readiness
Get High School & Beyond posts delivered to your inbox as soon as they're published. Sign up here. Also, follow @cgewertz for news and analysis of issues that shape adolescents' preparation for work and higher education.


Blog #215 DS-ASD Independent Work Activity Ideas
Task bins and binders are a great way to teach academic, vocational and independent living skills. The sky is the limit when creating activities to develop fine motor skills, letter, number and object recognition, sorting, assembly and sequencing. My son Nick is 24 years old and has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (DS-ASD). Iâve created many TEEACH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children) inspired activities for my son. The TEEACH method is a structured learning environment that is visual based to help cue a student to working independently.
When introducing task bins and binders, begin with one or two at a time. Create a visual schedule that you can build upon that includes something to work for (a highly preferred reward).
Once your child or student is successful with the First-Then schedule, begin to increase the time on task and introduce new task bins and binder activities.
Expanded Work Schedule:
So, what type of work activities should you include for your child or student? My first suggestion is to look at their strengths and build around those. My son, Nick is good at sorting and sequencing. Over the years in his IEPâs (Individual Education Plan), we have built goals and jobs around this strength. Secondly, pick activities that the child or student can do with success and minimal prompts. This will help them stay motivated and be less frustrated. Finally, once skills are mastered independently, begin to add in new tasks one at a time. The new tasks should always be paired with the mastered skills, to encourage confidence and minimize frustration. Note that point prompting and hand-over-hand may be necessary to assist them in the new task.
Examples of Fine Motor Skill Development Activities:
Puzzles and Matching games can foster academic and speech development:
Be sure to include puzzles and activities that your child or student enjoys, whether itâs Thomas the Tank Engine or Disneyâs movie Frozen; this will peak their interest in working. ð
These binder activities were made by a speech therapist, grouping like sounds together to work on articulation in addition to matching:
Color matching binder activity:
Teaching matching and pairing them with holidays and season changes binder activities:
Teaching emotions matching binder activity:
(Does the child or student respond and understand better to actual photos or icons? Build the activities around what works best for them)
Assembling and sequencing activities can build skill development for future vocational work:
Silverware sorting and rolling could lead to a job in a resturaunt:
Currently, my son Nick is working for 30-45 minutes on task bins and binders. Hereâs how Iâve set it up at home:
Depending on how he is feeling, I gauge what to put in each work bin. On this particular day, he was not moving as swiftly through the tasks; so I only put one in each bin. However, there are other times when he flies through the work, so Iâll put in a several in each bin. Bottom line, listen to your child or student, and look for cues if they seem tired or frustrated and ease off on the demands you are placing on them.
School support teachers/case managers, speech, occupational and ABA therapists are great resources to ask for ideas and materials. There are plenty ideas on Pinterest. Many of the materials can be bought at dollar or Five Below stores as well as garage sales and resale shops.
Task bins and binders help children, students and adults like my son, Nick to develop academic, vocational and independent living skills. Be consistent in the delivery with visuals, task and rewards, introducing the work in small increments. Alternate the activities with easier or personal interests, (EX/ Disneyâs Frozen or Thomas the Tank engine puzzles and matching). New activities and skills may require hand-over-hand assistance and point prompting. If the child or student becomes distracted, or bored remind them what they are working for by pointing to the reward (which has been pre-selected). During the work session, listen to signs and cues of distress or frustration. Offer encouragement (good job, you got it, yay, uh oh-try again) and back off on the amount of work and time spent before behavior escalates to anger. Choose activities that promote academic, future employment (whether itâs paid or volunteer work), and functional living skills.
Task bins and binder activities done both at home and school, will help your child or student become confident, more independent and productive in society. Thatâs what is in my noggin this week. ð
Follow Nick on Social Media and view videos of Big Guy in action:
Facebook and Pinterest @Down Syndrome With A Slice Of Autism


Last month also saw the publication of an essay on the role of Benedictines in the creation of songbooks in early 15th-century Italy, with three case studies from late medieval Bologna, Florence and Padua. My chapter started life as presentation given at the memorable Sources of Identity Conference convened by Lisa Colton and Tim Shephard at the University of Sheffield in 2013. In its final, more extended version, my study recognises that in addition to composing secular polyphonic songs, several Italian Benedictines (i.e. Benedictines from the Italian peninsula) were instrumental in the collection and preservation of secular songs and related polyphony around the year 1400. (Under Benedictines I include several reformed Italian orders too numerous to name here.) The essay includes further art historical evidence in support of my argument for the completion of the famous Modena A manuscript (Modena, Biblioteca Estense, ms. alpha.M.5.24) manuscript at Bologna in 1410-1411, and the early findings of a computer-assisted approach to music script analysis that supports expanding the role of Paduan Benedictine monk, Rolandus de Casale, in the copying of the so-called Paduan fragments (now in the University Library at Padua, and the Bodleian Library, Oxford) between 1406 and 1409. (Rolandusâs signing of his manuscripts is a curious feature from which I infer another conclusion about the nature of the Paduan fragments.) I also discuss Don Paolo Tenorista da Firenzeâs position as a senior ecclesiastic and public figure in Florence, and his possible sponsorship and ownership of several books of Trecento polyphonic song in the first few decades of the 15th century. I intentionally avoid discussing (but list) other known Benedictine composers in any detail, although at Sheffield I spoke at some length on Bartolomeo da Bologna, composer and organist at Ferrara cathedral in the first two decades of the 15th century, and his possible role of in the cultivation of ars subtilior song. I hope to expand on this last topic in a future publication, along with further research into advanced music education in late medieval Italy: questions remain about where those Benedictines mentioned or discussed in my essay received their education, particularly in the craft of polyphony. In the monastery? The cathedral? Or elsewhere?
Stoessel, Jason. 2017. âThe Makers and Owners of Early Fifteenth-Century Song Books in Italy: The Benedictine Contribution to the Courtly Musical Culture of the Late Middle Ages.â In Sources of Identity, edited by Lisa Colton and Tim Shephard, 77â96. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN: 978-2-503-56778-5. Available for purchase from Brepols.
Iâm delighted to be part of this collection of essays by a fantastic group of musicologists examining similar themes of music book production, ownership and use in the middle ages and early modern period. My chapter is dedicated to John Stinson who inspired my interest in the music of the ars subtilior more than a quarter century ago.