M.S. in Teaching
Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education
College of Education
Fourth grade (Education)--New Jersey; Learning--Graphic methods; Social sciences--Study and teaching (Elementary)--New Jersey
Elementary Education and Teaching
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that graphic organizers have on the academic achievement of fourth grade students. The sample was a fourth grade classroom in an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The researcher taught the students two different social studies chapters. The researcher collected data by giving the students two tests for each of the two chapters taught. There were a total of four tests given. These tests were similar in that they were the exact same difficulty level. However, in each chapter there was one test that was constructed using graphic organizers, and a second test that was constructed using a question-answer format. The researcher then compared the four data sets to determine if the students scored higher on the tests that were constructed using graphic organizers. The researcher concluded that graphic organizers do not have a significant effect on the academic achievement of fourth grade students.
Kirschbaum, Stephanie, "The effect of graphic organizers on the academic achievement of fourth grade students" (2004). Theses and Dissertations. 1177.


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By showing that learning really matters to them, countries can realize education’s full promise. Beyond being a basic human right, education—done right— improves social outcomes in many spheres of life.
Education Improves Social Outcomes in Many Spheres of Life
For individuals and families, education boosts human capital, improves economic opportunities, promotes health, and expands the ability to make effective choices. For societies, education expands economic opportunities, promotes social mobility, and makes institutions function more effectively. In measuring these benefits, research has only recently focused on the distinction between schooling and learning. But the evidence confirms the intuition that these benefits often depend on the skills that students acquire, not just the number of years in the classroom. Economies with higher skills grow faster than those with schooling but mediocre skills; higher literacy predicts better financial knowledge and better health, beyond the effects of schooling; and poor children are more likely to rise in the income distribution when they grow up in communities with better learning outcomes.
Many Countries Struggling with the Learning Crisis
Taking learning seriously won’t be easy. It’s hard enough to work through the technical challenges of figuring out what will promote learning at the level of the student and school in any context, let alone tackle the political and technical challenges of working at scale. Many countries struggling with the learning crisis may be tempted to continue with business as usual. After all, they may reason, the development will eventually improve learning outcomes: as households escape poverty and schools take advantage of better facilities, more materials, and better-trained teachers, better learning outcomes should follow.
Where is the Need to Wait for Learning?
But waiting out the learning crisis isn’t a winning strategy. Even though national income and learning are somewhat correlated at lower levels of development, higher incomes do not invariably lead to better learning outcomes. And to the extent that development does bring better learning and skills, it is partly because development has been accompanied by a willingness to tackle the political impasses and governance challenges that hamper learning. Ultimately, then, those challenges are not avoidable. Furthermore, there’s no need to wait for learning. At every level of income, there are countries that not only score better than others on international assessments but also— and more important—show from the quality of their education systems and their policy-making that they are committed to learning.
The future of work will place a premium on learning. Rapid technological change has led to major shifts in the nature of work, leading some to declare this a new era—the Second Machine Age or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the extreme versions of this vision, all but a few jobs could disappear, decreasing the value of skills for most people. But the seismic changes predicted have yet to permeate the high-income countries, let alone the low- and middle-income ones. More importantly, no matter how the demand for skills changes in the future, people will require a solid foundation of basic skills and knowledge. If anything, the rapid change will increase the returns to learning how to learn, which requires foundational skills that allow individuals to size up new situations, adapt their thinking, and know where to go for information and how to make sense of it.
Lucubrate Magazine January 2020
The article is from the report: Learning to realise education`s promise, World Bank 2018 (Page 27: “Learning to realize education’s promise”
The picture on the top of the article: Businesswoman holding a laptop, coworkers hold a meeting in background, Photo: Jono Erasmus


The Elementary Education Department supports teachers and schools in providing a quality program for every elementary student in Union County Public Schools. The department helps schools develop a quality curriculum and researched-based instructional practices in order to establish a solid educational foundation for every student.
Support of teachers and schools include:
- Creating curriculum and support guides
- Delivering professional development
- Reviewing and providing materials and resources to support instruction
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Creating benchmark and other formative assessments
- Supporting the implementation and delivery of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study
The Elementary Education Department works collaboratively with schools to ensure students have equal opportunities to an educational program that provides the academic development, knowledge, and skills necessary for success in the 21st Century.


GRADE 1–6 CURRICULUM
Grades 1–3: Lower Elementary Curriculum
Focus and Outcome
Lower Elementary students solidify their understanding of addition, multiplication, subtraction and division that began in Primary. Montessori math materials allow for a physical exploration of the underlying concepts. They explore fractions and equivalencies, measurements, squaring and cubing, geometry and more. Each child’s individual ability is monitored and continuously challenged by the teachers.
Building on the Primary cultural studies materials, Lower Elementary students extend their skills to include research, report writing, and presentation skills.
Each week, students have art, music, physical education, Spanish, woodworking, drama, keyboarding, and library instruction in addition to classroom-based activities.
Reading fluency and comprehension skills are a focus of the language curriculum in Lower Elementary. The work is individualized and appropriate for each student. The students work to improve their handwriting skills and move on to learning cursive. There are physical materials to teach parts of speech, sentence analysis, and grammar.
Grades 4–6: Upper Elementary Curriculum
Focus and Outcome
Upper Elementary students broaden their language skills through continued use of Montessori grammar and word study materials. Written expression skills are taught and developed through Writers’ Workshop classes. Literature Circles provide opportunities for application of reading comprehension strategies and lively group discussions.
Upper Elementary students continue to work at their own pace under the individualized guidance of the teacher. They learn about decimals, square and cube roots, percentages, properties of numbers, algebraic equations, and more geometry. At this level, an increased emphasis is placed on the application of previously learned skills to solve more complex problems.
This innovative curriculum blends the study of history and science content with skill-building and practice in note-taking, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, public speaking, collaboration, and independent research.
Each week, students have art, music, physical education, Spanish, Latin, woodworking, and drama in addition to classroom-based activities.


Marine Education and Awareness
Mahonia Na Dari’s marine education and awareness program has proven to be a powerful tool in building support for conservation, increasing environmental awareness and inspiring local action to protect reefs, waterways, turtle nesting areas, sea grass beds, mangrove areas and cultural sites. It has three main components:
• The Marine Environmental Education Program (MEEP)
• Field excursions
• Outreach activities
The Marine Environmental Education Program
The Marine Environment Education Program (MEEP) was first developed in 1997 and targeted secondary school children in the Kimbe area.
Today it runs as four programs targeting secondary school students (Intensive MEEP), Grade 9 primary school students (Junior MEEP), primary school teachers, (Teachers MEEP) and Elementary school students (Baby MEEP).
Sections of the MND MEEP manual have been incorporated into the mainstream provincial primary school curriculum and developments are underway to make this a digitally downloadable resource.
9 - 10 day program for secondary school students.
Classroom and extensive practical sessions covering a wide range of subjects including marine biology, conservation, scientific survey methods and coral reef ecology.
Adapted MEEP for primary school students.
Students aged 6 - 10
1 day session
Content includes reef walks, storytelling, artwork, videos and puppet shows.
5 - 10 day workshop to equip teachers with the skills they need to deliver effective environmental education in schools and communities.
"Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world."
Field excursions run by Mahonia Na Dari, based at Walindi Nature Centre, take many forms depending on the specific requests from the community and schools. Community groups sometimes want those placed in positions of responsibility regarding marine resources to have the opportunity for hands on experience of coral reefs and their inter-relationship with reef inhabitants.
Similarly, secondary school students with a particular interest in the marine environment can request a Biology Field Excursion or Intensive MEEP. Students then have practical hands on sessions in subjects and issues of their choice.
Primary and elementary students are also catered for along with other interested groups. The participants can come from anywhere in the country or overseas for up to five days at a time. The groups are accommodated in the dormitory style facility at Walindi Nature Centre with options for catered or self catering available. Mahonia Na Dari staff conduct the program with input from visiting scientists and researchers.
Contact us to discuss your community, school or other group visit.
In order to deliver its educational message to as many people as possible, Mahonia conducts outreach activities, visiting schools and villages both in West New Britain and further afield.
These outreach activities are suitable for adults and students and are conducted by Mahonia Na Dari staff and trained marine educators.


Play is the language of children. They have a natural motivation to use play as a means to understand the world around them. Play allows young children to explore their surroundings, identify shapes, sounds and textures, listen to others, negotiate with their peers, take risks and create meaning from their world. Because of the importance of play in early childhood, it is our responsibility as educators to use play to encourage children’s learning.
At our Berry Patch Preschool and Long Day Care Centres, play-based learning is at the forefront of our philosophy on child care and early childhood education. What sets Berry Patch apart is our play-based curriculum that puts emphasis not only on what children learn but also how they learn it. We believe that play has an important role in every child’s overall development.
What is Play-Based Learning?
According to the Early Years Learning Framework, play-based learning is “a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations.” Play-based learning enables educators to create opportunities for children to play on their own and play with one another. Children will develop a positive attitude towards the things they are learning if it piques their interest and engages their curiosity.
5 Benefits of Play-Based Learning
Here are five different ways young children benefit from play-based learning.
1. Language and literacy development
Research has found, play can promote literacy development. Play-based activities such as imaginary play provides a great setting that encourages the development of literacy skills, helps children build connections between oral and written modes of expressions and helps them to understand the structure and meaning of words.
2. Social development
Play-based learning involves social interaction between the child and the educator as well as between them and their friends. Children develop social skills as they cooperate, negotiate, share their ideas and solve problems with their peers. Educators play an active role in guiding this interaction.
3. Positive attitude towards learning
A program that is based on children’s interests can help develop a more positive attitude towards learning. Encouraging their curiosity, as opposed to just letting them remember facts through memorisation, can improve retention and motivates them to explore new ideas.
4. Imagination and creativity
Play is where imagination and creativity are nourished. These skills are vital traits that help children find solutions to problems and conflicts. Developing these skills early on will help them tackle issues and solve problems creatively in the future.
5. Emotional development
As children engage in play-based learning activities, they learn more about their emotions and how to control them. Empathy and emotional competence come naturally as they learn about their feelings and the feelings of others.
To learn more about the benefits of play-based learning and how The Berry Patch Preschool and Long Day Care Centre incorporates it in our preschool program, call us today or visit us in the following child care centre locations.


Informatics is about intersections
It’s about using technology to solve problems by creating unique approaches and strategies to improve healthcare, battle poverty, protect the environment, and so much more.
Analyze customer data to present a better experience for users or offer opportunities for businesses to become more efficient. Construct health information systems that will study the needs of doctors, nurses, patients, and health care organizations. Take technology into the natural world to help map the human genome or develop ways to create clean, renewable energy.
From music to mathematics, from psychology to security, informatics will give you the foundational skills needed to bridge the gap between technology and people. Our programs provide students with the technical and practical knowledge needed to prepare you for a career in a high-demand field.


A study was released finding that music education, specifically piano, in young children produces changes in the brain which enhance children’s abstract reasoning skills. These skills are needed to learn math and science, to play chess and to master many concepts of engineering.
Dr. Francis Rauscher of the University of Wisconsin and Dr. Gordon Shaw of the University of California linked piano keyboard lessons to having a direct effect on the development of the brain’s neural circuitry – actually improving intellectual development.
In other words, research points out that early piano training helps to create and maintain certain “connections’ in children’s brains that may not otherwise form. It has long been known that musically educated children develop skills they carry into adulthood.
"I highly recommend Marsha as a piano teacher. I have had the pleasure of attending her students' recitals and never cease to be amazed by their level of expertise. They obviously adore her and truly enjoy the recitals and instruction.
I studied piano for several years myself and appreciate Marsha's careful and patient style. She is one who truly cares about each and every student while sharing over 20 years of experience.
Thank you." ~


The Ottawa Public School Board’s submission to the Jones Commission made it clear that its boundary should be the outer edge of the greenbelt.
- 101 -
CITY OF OTTAWA PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD
The students' interests and school planning efficiency will be best served if public elementary education within the outer limits of the Greenbelt is the responsibility of the Board, with the later formation of a Board of Education once public elementary and secondary school systems in this area are established.
The Greenbelt contains the the central Ottawa region and prevents the extension of built-up urban areas; it divides the County into two distinct parts or administrative areas of dissimilar functions. The area within the outer greenbelt limits provides a compact region for easy school administration.
Although all Ontario communities can provide a good elementary education for their students, a more diversified education can only be provided by a large system with technical knowledge, experience and personnel. For instance, the Intermediate or Senior system (Grades 7 and 8) with its social, psychological and academic benefits cannot be adequately provided by the smaller school area but could be provided for the suggested enlarged area as it has been in the Ottawa school system since 1929.
The pupils of this enlarged administrative area like Ottawa public school pupils would be provided with special classes for the mentally, emotionally and physically disabled with psychological, medical and dental services and with qualified instruction in a broad and diversified curriculum. Such an area program would be impossible under several units of school administration.
The present cooperative relations between the Public School Board and the Collegiate Institute Board are of a high
- 102 -
standard; students and educational standards alike would not benefit additionally from the formation of a Board of Education until the problems of amalgamation are solved. It is however likely that such a public school administrative board for kindergarten to Grade 13 will come eventually.
The brief was presented by Mr. W. T. MacSkimming, Chief Inspector, Mr. Kenneth A. Murchison and Mrs. W. Ambridge, members of the Board.
It was explained that the outer Greenbelt limits were chosen as an administrative boundary since it was felt that the scattered Greenbelt settlements might present an administrative problem and that the larger central authority might be in a better financial position to assume the responsibility. This organizational system could be expanded to provide central educational facilities in areas of substantial development outside the Greenbelt.
To explain further, it was felt unrealistic to incorporate Torbolton students into the Ottawa system just because they are County residents; they are much closer to Arnprior facilities. For the present time, the Greenbelt seems the obvious boundary for the creation of administrative regions.
The suburban areas cannot afford to provide all the educational services of the Ottawa schools. Yet, and Ottawa standard of eduction was provided to the 1950 annexed portions with about a 4 mill increase to taxpayers; adequate representation has never been a problem and now 6 of the 9 Board members are from the 1950 annexed portions.
It was felt that a Board of Education would not necessarily benefit the area's school system but that such administration
- 103 -
was inevitable; the Board's "intermediate" schools assist in the smooth student transfer from elementary to secondary level.
It was suggested that an elected body might not be appropriate over a larger area as present problems arising from a poorly informed electorate would be compounded with the right sort of candidate being little known. The capable appointed members of the Collegiate Institute Board are removed from the political aspects and the ordeals of election. Further, many good men unable to communicate with the public are lost to elected Boards.
It was not considered essential that a centralized government be a prerequisite for a centralized school system, rather the system might take the form of a union school district with several areas participating on a designated basis.


Copyright Qizhen Deng.
Simple Mnemonics For Learning Vocabulary: The Keyword Method The keyword method mnemonic is a very simple way to help you remember foreign language vocabulary. It goes like this: You encounter a foreign language word that is difficult to remember. You find a word or phrase in your language that has a similar sound.
You create a visual image for the keyword the word or phrase in your language and then connect the image with the foreign language meaning. When I was learning Indonesian a few years ago, I used a mnemonic to learn the word for coconut, which is kelapa in Indonesian. Then I thought of an image: Finding a phrase in English that sounds like this was easy: So I created an image: How to create an effective keyword mnemonic You can make the best keyword mnemonics when the keyword the word in your language sounds close to the foreign language word, and the keyword is something concrete that you can easily create an engaging visual image and experience for.
A falling coconut is something you can easily visualize, and getting hit on the head by it is something that incorporates your body and its sense of touch your kinesthetic modality. If you visualize that and feel the coconut hitting your head and feel annoyed by it, or alternatively you watch someone else get hit on the head by a coconut and laugh your ass off at them, then you are both seeing and feeling something.
The too-big water is similar. I could imagine trying to lift it to take a sip, and almost losing my balance trying to lift it. Looking at this word I struggled to find anything in English that sounds similar.
So I just hacked it out and did the best I could with approximations: Well, BAD eating habits! That one was hard.
But, often the more effort you put into a mnemonic the more it will stick, even if the image is bizarre or unintuitive.
That would be very time intensive and in a lot of cases unnecessary. There will always be vocabulary that your brain just takes in and assimilates with little conscious effort on your part, for whatever reason.
Usually I load new vocabulary into Anki, both in isolation and in a phrase or sentence, and test myself, and when I have trouble remembering certain cards then I target those vocabulary items and create mnemonics for them.
This is for a Tagalog word I learned this week: I had trouble remembering it, so I tried to think of a similar-sounding word in English to create an image with.
I read an article on a man named Kimani Maruge, an illiterate old man in Kenya who started going to elementary school when he was 84 years old. And yes I know he actually went to school in Nairobi.
So… There are lots of other more advanced mnemonics, but this simple type is possibly the most useful.
The important thing is that the keyword helps you remember the foreign language word, and that the image you create is vivid enough to recall easily.
The more of a reaction it gets out of you the better!that my own and other people’s attitude and motivation for learning English grammar has been different through time and by different teacher personality. This is previous research about motivation and learning English grammar.
Teaching with variety Ruin () presents a study of learner’s attitude towards grammar, how important. Building reading vocabulary is a challenge for students with dyslexia, who have a hard time learning new words in print and in word srmvision.com often have a discrepancy between their spoken vocabulary, which may be strong, and their reading vocabulary.
Learner autonomy is a great relief for students in vocabulary learning because it provides the learner with many privileges as: x Learner autonomy enhances the learner's motivation and leads to more effective vocabulary learning.
The introduction of learning technology and the changing workplace recently increased the importance of adult srmvision.comr, there comes the problem of motivating adult srmvision.com are a few things that stand in the way to motivating adults to start learning.
Motivation plays a significant role in the process of learning a language. Language teachers cannot effectively teach a language if they do not understand the relationship between motivation and its effect on language acquisition.
Dec 17, · Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education is a comprehensive textbook for pre-service and practising educators. Focusing on language and literacy development and learning in children from birth to the age of eight, the book encompasses four main early childhood settings: the family and community, childcare, the preschool years, and the early years of school/5(3).


Mother Goose Time Preschool Learning Program
Mother Goose Time is a high quality research-based early childhood educational curriculum designed for preschool-aged children. It has been around for almost 30 years and has been designed by early childhood educators. ISPS will be implementing the Mother Goose Time Curriculum as the backbone of educational content. Teaching methods will generally involve a thematic unit every month with sub units weekly. There will be supplementation through other educational resources throughout the school year depending on the need and interests of the children. Please click on the link below to learn more about the Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum. You will find it to be very high quality with several resources for parents and teachers of preschool-aged children.
Little passports is a social studies subscription service for children. Each month we will learn about a new country on our global adventures of pre-k at Imagination Station Preschool. We will learn about specific cultures, languages, traditions, and foods.
Going on these adventures will help children to understand that our world is vast place with many different kinds of people, places, landscapes, traditions, and cultures. Implementing this curriculum in a pre-k classroom will allow children to value the differences between people within our classroom, neighborhoods, communities, and the world.
ABC Mouse Online Preschool Learning Program
At Imagination Station Preschool, your child will be given access to the award winning online preschool curriculum. This program has content for 3 yr old children up to kindergarten. The students at ISPS will be given time to work on the computer program and will be given access to it at home as well in order to extend the curriculum from the classroom. This program is available on handheld devices as well. ABC mouse includes curriculum in literacy, math, science, and social studies. It includes over 7,000 learning activities for your child and allows parents to easily track the progress of their children. This is a fantastic program that my three children used throughout preschool. My children loved ABC Mouse and, I believe it had a significant impact on their learning.
Other Curriculum Resources
Other curriculum resources that will be implemented at Imagination Station Preschool include KidSoup, Story Twiggles, and ABC Twiggles. KidSoup is a resource library for lesson plans, activities, printables, crafts and games. Story Twiggles is an online and printable resource for books which includes alphabet books, letters of the alphabet stories, storybooks, and EarTwiggles books that are engaging stories with appealing plots featuring the Story Twiggles characters. ABC Twiggles is a multi-sensory approach to teaching the letters of the alphabet. It includes letter games, crafts, worksheets, activities, books, and snacks ideas.
The Story Sack Family Reading Program at Imagination Station Preschool
We will also have a monthly book club for our students at Imagination Station Preschool. Children will take home a “story sack” and be given the opportunity to read the story with their families. The “story sack” will include extension activities that can be completed at home with help from a parent. This may include literacy, math, science, and social studies activities, creative arts, and fine motor skill development etc. Each month there will be a different story with different activities. The children will bring the story sack home with them and then share their learning experiences with the class during a designated circle time.
For more information about KidSoup, Story Twiggles, and ABC Twiggles please click the links below:


The other day I was trying to work out how experiential and academic learning interact. In the process I also found myself assuming things about fundamental learning skills that don't necessarily exist in many modern classrooms:
|Foundational skills are changing now that information is no longer scarce|
It used to be that literacy and numeracy were the student skills we felt they needed to succeed. Information fluency was less important because the gatekeepers of knowledge (teachers) and the limited nature of published paper meant you didn't have access to what you needed to know so you needed an expert to direct you. In a world with limited information having a guide direct you to a scarce resource is invaluable.
When I was in high school information was hard to come by. You needed access to a limited number of books and if you had a question a teacher would provide you access to that information. Because of scarcity, verbal transmission of information (teacher's mouth to student's ear) made sense. Many teachers still cling to that model because it's the only one they've ever known and they identify their profession through that process. In 2014 they they are trying to sell sand in what has become the Sahara.
Information is abundant and accessible with only a basic understanding of the technology that provides it. A modern student who looks to a teacher to give them facts has been conditioned by teachers to be helpless. Teachers who jealously guard and distribute knowledge in predigital ways are the ones crying about how technology lets students plagiarize or collaborate with each other, or share information - it's really all the same thing. Students who are able to find, critically assess and organize information are the ones modelling 21st Century skills. The ones who have been taught to be passive receivers in a sea of information are a failure in an education system set on maintaining traditional habits.
Considering how information fluency has changed from a passive to an active pursuit (in much the same way that passive TV watching has evolved into active video game participation), it would behoove the education system to recognize the need to integrate information fluency into early education in order to produce self-directed, empowered learners who are able to leverage the ocean of information that surrounds them. Ignoring this new fundamental skill is producing whole generations of digital serfs.
There is no doubt that literacy, numeracy and the basic socialization of early school is still the foundation, but upon that foundation we should be building information fluency in order to produce people who are not overwhelmed or habituated into a dangerously simplistic relationship with information technology. By the time a student reaches secondary school they should be sufficiently skilled in literacy, numeracy and information fluency to be able to self direct many aspects of their learning. In that environment a classroom teacher would very much be a facilitator rather than a traditional teacher, but it's never going to happen if we don't take information fluency as seriously as we do literacy and numeracy.
|Building foundational learning skills should result in empowered, self-directed learners who can|
survive and thrive in an information rich world.


The goal of this design and development project is to address the critical need for innovative resources that transform the mathematics learning environments of preschool children from under-resourced communities by creating a cross-context school-home intervention.
Far too many children in the U.S. start kindergarten lacking the foundational early numeracy skills needed for academic success. This project contributes to the goal of enhancing the learning and teaching of early mathematics in order to build a STEM-capable workforce and STEM-literate citizenry, which are both crucial to our nation's prosperity and competitiveness. Preparation for the STEM-workforce must start early, as young children's mathematics development undergirds cognitive development, building brain architecture, and supporting problem-solving, puzzling, and persevering, while strongly impacting and predicting future success in school. Preschool children from low socio-economic backgrounds are particularly at risk, as their mathematics knowledge may be up to a full year behind their middle-income peers. Despite agreements about the importance of mathematics-rich interactions for young children's learning and development, most early education teachers and families are not trained in evidence-based methods that can facilitate these experiences, making preschool learning environments (such as school and home) a critical target for intervention. The benefit of this project is that it will develop a robust model for a school-based intervention in early mathematics instruction. The model has the potential to broaden participation by providing instructional materials that support adult-child interaction and engagement in mathematics, explicitly promoting school-home connections in mathematics, and addressing educators' and families' attitudes toward mathematics while promoting children's mathematical knowledge and narrowing opportunity gaps.
The goal of this design and development project is to address the critical need for innovative resources that transform the mathematics learning environments of preschool children from under-resourced communities by creating a cross-context school-home intervention. To achieve this goal, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies will be employed, integrating data from multiple sources and stakeholders. Specifically, the project will: (1) engage in a materials design and development process that includes an iterative cycle of design, development, and implementation, collaborating with practitioners and families in real-world settings; (2) collect and analyze data from at least 40 Head Start classrooms, implementing the mathematics materials to ensure that the classroom and family mathematics materials and resources are engaging, usable, and comprehensible to preschoolers, teachers, and families; and (3) conduct an experimental study that will measure the impact of the intervention on preschool children's mathematics learning. The researchers will analyze collected data using hierarchical linear regression modeling to account for the clustering of children within classrooms. The researchers will also use a series of regression models and multi-level models to determine whether the intervention promotes student outcomes and whether it supports teachers' and families' positive attitudes toward mathematics.


Construction Mathematics is an introductory level mathematics text, written This book will help my students improve their numeracy skills to achieve their. Unlike the majority of basic level maths texts available, this book focuses exclusively on mathematics as it is applied in actual construction practice. As such. Taking a starting point below that of GCSE level, by assuming no prior mathematical knowledge, Surinder Virdi and Roy Baker take the reader step by step through the mathematical requirements for Level 2 and 3 Building and Construction courses. Unlike the majority of basic level.
Unlike the majority of basic level maths texts available, this book focuses Construction Mathematics addresses all the mathematical. Construction Mathematics addresses all the mathematical requirements of of this popular textbook is fully updated to match new curricula, and expanded to. This book is intended to provide the essential mathematics required by construction craft students. It covers the learning outcomes of the math- ematics part of.
Unlike the majority of basic level maths texts available, this book focuses exclusively on mathematics as it is applied in actual construction practice. As such, topics specific to the construction industry are presented, as well as essential areas for Level 2 craft NVQs — for example, costing calculations, labor costs, cost of materials and setting out of building components. End of chapter exercises cover a range of theoretical as well as practical problems commonly found in construction practice, and two project-based assignments give students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained. Answers to all exercises are included at the end of book. A chapter detailing the use of a scientific calculator for performing construction calculations will prove invaluable for students with no prior experience of their use. Additional coverage of the core unit Analytical Methods from BTEC National Construction, Civil Engineering, and Building Services courses makes this an essential revision aid to students who do not have Level 2 mathematics experience before commencing their BTEC National studies, or any reader who wishes to refresh their mathematics knowledge. You must be registered and logged in to view this tab.


What parents can do to learn how teachers handle your child's behavior
How a school and its teachers handle student behavior is key to how well classrooms and a school operate.
Parents and community members can find out information such as how often a school suspends students or how often it uses restraint or seclusion by visiting the Kentucky Department of Education's school report card page. (The report cards have not been updated for last school year as the state works to transition to a new reporting system.)
Jefferson County Public Schools also publishes data on suspensions and other metrics on its website.
JCPS has a handout with tips for parents who want to learn more about how a school handles student behavior.
It makes several recommendations, including:
- Asking your child's teacher how he or she educates children on behavior expectations;
- Reading JCPS' student handbook;
- Asking about progressive discipline;
- Finding out how a school uses suspensions;
- Finding out how to communicate with the school regarding any issues.
Parents can also find out Kentucky's rules regarding when school staff can physically restrain or seclude students. Kentucky regulation says that physical restraint or seclusion may only be used if a student’s behavior poses imminent danger of physical harm to self or others.
More headlines: Bloom Elementary teacher changing the tune of music education
Parents who have concerns about how a student is being disciplined or how behavior is being handled should speak with the teacher, and, if necessary, school administrators.
If a parent or other person suspects a child is being abused or neglected, they should not hesitate to reach out to the proper authorities.
In Kentucky, the child protection hotline number is 1-877-597-2331.
In Indiana, the child abuse and neglect hotline is 1-800-800-5556.


Cedar Park School
At Cedar Park School we plan our school curriculum with the intention of promoting learning, personal growth and the development of all pupils regardless of their starting point, ability or individual need. We strive to help children to become confident, motivated and independent learners. We want children to grow into positive, responsible adults, who understand how to collaborate and cooperate with others. We want the children to develop their knowledge and skills, and achieve their potential. We are working together to be the best we can.
Our intention is:
- To provide a rich and varied curriculum which has its roots based in developing a Growth Mindset and the use of Habits of Mind for successful learning.
- To promote our school values of excellence, respect, responsibility, co-operation, kindness, and perseverance, helping the children to engender a sense of personal pride in achievement, and provide a purpose and relevance for learning.
- To support the children’s understanding of British Values, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, ensuring that children are well prepared with the attitudes and qualities which enable them to become confident, caring, respectful and responsible citizens who recognise diversity and demonstrate acceptance of all.
- To support all children to reach a high standard of literacy and numeracy skills through specific teaching and application of these skills to learning across the curriculum.
- To ensure staffing has maximum impact on good progress and learning alongside a commitment to the vision and values of the school.
- To provide a challenging, broad and engaging curriculum which is planned to empower children to build on previous learning and secure strong foundations for future learning.
- To inspire children to want to learn more and to enjoy learning through the use of enrichment opportunities that are relevant to them.
- To extend learning beyond the classroom through the effective use of resources including the school grounds and local area and through planned use of visits and visitors.
- To promote a sense of community, ensuring that our curriculum celebrates diversity and utilises the skills, knowledge and cultural wealth of our local and wider community as well as our link school in Kenya.
- To ensure that learning offers children opportunities that create high levels of enjoyment, helping them to be happy, safe and successful.
How we will implement our curriculum:
- Teachers will have good knowledge of the subjects they teach and will be encouraged to refine their knowledge and skills through attending training, sharing best practice and undertaking relevant research. Subject leaders will provide colleagues with effective support for planning, resourcing and teaching.
- Lessons will provide frequent opportunities for cross curricular links, discussion to extend thinking, check understanding, identify misconceptions and provide clear and direct feedback.
- High quality texts will be used in all year groups to promote reading skills. This will support the development of a high level of vocabulary and extended sentence structures. Phonics teaching will take priority in Early Years and Year 1. Reading will be promoted by building phonic skills, confidence and enjoyment.
- Teachers will use assessment effectively to check understanding and inform next steps so that knowledge is gained, applied and consolidated. Pupil progress meetings will be held termly, linked to agreed data drop points, to discuss the progress of every child and to agree additional interventions as required.
- Curriculum maps will be used across the curriculum to support teacher planning and to ensure that knowledge and skills are taught in a logical and progressive order.
- The impact of the curriculum is evaluated through: end of year assessments; Key Stage statutory tests; through pupil progress meetings; data monitoring and evaluation; Senior Leadership Team review; moderation; staff meetings; governor visits; learning walks and pupil voice.
- Children achieve well by developing knowledge and skills as they progress through the school. This is reflected in the results that are achieved at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
- Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, always try their best and model our school values. They show an understanding of the importance of good behaviour and staying safe.
- The children leave the school in Year 6 with an established love of learning and are ready to take on the challenges of secondary school.
Senior Leadership Team December 2019
For further information and to see our curriculum in action please visit our class pages.
What does your child learn at school each day? Find information about our curriculum subjects here.


Presentation on theme: "Dramatic Play A means children can use to understand or interpret a story or book by acting out the action, either with each other or with toys and props."— Presentation transcript:
Dramatic Play A means children can use to understand or interpret a story or book by acting out the action, either with each other or with toys and props.
Learner Objectives Participants will identify the purpose for dramatic play and why it is important. Participants will describe the four stages of play: solitary, parallel, cooperative, and socio-dramatic. Participants will identify the benefits of play. Participants will describe the teacher’s role in dramatic play. Participants will discuss how to plan for dramatic play. Participants will practice writing a dramatic play lesson plan.
Dramatic Play What did you like to do during pretend play when you were a child? Why was it fun? Why was it important?
Stages of Play Solitary Play Playing by your self, exploring nature and gathering information
Stages of Play Parallel Play Typical of two year olds Children play beside each other, but not with other
Stages of Play Cooperative play Play between 2 or more children Play with peers for short periods of time Children learn to respect others property Children learn that permission is needed to use others materials Children learn to share
Stages of Play Socio-dramatic play As children take part in cooperative play they become more interested in social relationships. They learn how to develop and maintain peer relationships From this grows socio- dramatic play
Benefits of Dramatic Play Social and Emotional Development Math Development Language and Literacy Development Social Studies and Science Development
Teachers’ Role in Dramatic Play Resource person and planner Provide interesting, real materials and planned space that reinforce your learning objectives Change materials often to maintain interest Model Show children how to talk, act out ideas, play, and appropriate behavior to use Coach Provide children with new ideas and problems to act out and dialogue to use Reinforcement Provide verbal guidance and reinforce children’s positive behaviors
Dramatic Play and Standards Early Learning Standards Social Emotional Self Awareness and control Recognition & expression of feelings Social interactions with others Approaches to learning Social Studies Rights, responsibilities & roles of citizenship Family identity/human systems Language and Literacy Oral language development Vocabulary development Comprehending stories Academic Kindergarten Standards Reading Vocabulary Comprehension strategies Elements of literature Writing Functional Literary response Language Art Listening and speaking Viewing and presenting Social Studies Rights, responsibilities & roles of citizenship Human systems Arts Beginning theatre Collaboration Acting
How Do You Plan for Dramatic Play? Review your teaching objectives and Early Learning Standards/Arizona Academic Kindergarten Standards for the week? What vocabulary do you want children to use? What is the theme of the week? What books are you reading? What are children especially interested in? What field trips will you take soon?
How Do You Plan for Dramatic Play? Make space in the dramatic play area Change out furniture and print from last theme Set up in both indoor and outdoor play spaces Collect your props and put them in a box labeled with the theme. Include books that reinforce the play ideas Recruit materials from families and the community Set the stage for the WOW factor Children will notice it right away when they come into the classroom


Books for FE and HE education-related courses
Contemporary issues in primary schools
A practical guide to a range of key contemporary issues in primary schools, with summaries of legislation and policy, and workable strategies to embed them in the classroom.
Supports both primary and secondary trainees and teachers with understanding the links between social media use and children and young people’s mental health.
Comprehensive guidance and workable, evidence-informed strategies to support the mental well-being of all those teaching in schools and colleges.
Provides you with a sound knowledge and understanding of what to expect, and what will be expected of you as a university student. Also covers teaching and assessment methods within education and hints on how to manage your education / teaching studies in an effective way and make the most of the resources available to you.
A fully up-to-date guide to the Numeracy Skills Test for Teachers, providing support and guidance plus hundreds of sample questions and full practice papers to ensure success.
The complete and up-to-date guide to the Professional Skills Tests for Teachers, providing support and guidance plus hundreds of sample questions and full practice papers to ensure your success.
A Guide for Classroom Teachers
For all trainees and teachers, this handy guide provides an understanding of and strategies for building resilience and emotional intelligence to improve classroom behaviour, promote stress-free teaching and so enhance learning.
A key text for all those studying on Foundation Degrees in supporting primary and early years teaching and learning, and particularly those working at levels 4 and 5
Workable evidence-informed strategies and interventions for higher education staff seeking to improve student mental health and well-being.
A practical guide to helping with mental health problems
An accessible guide for those wanting to help and support children and young people with, or at risk of developing mental health problems.
Essential reading for your year as a primary newly qualified teacher (NQT), providing support through advice, reassurance and practical strategies, and encouraging you to critically reflect on your experiences to get the most from your induction period.
Provides teacher educators with an understanding of the issues around mathematics anxiety and a framework of teaching strategies to support trainees and teachers in primary settings in developing confidence in learning and teaching mathematics.
- ForthcomingPaperback Pre-order
- Currently not availableKindle
- Currently not availableEPUB£20.00
- Currently not availablePDF£20.00
A new and updated third edition of this essential text for the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training, tailored to meet the demands of the qualification and latest ETF Standards.
Helping children rise to the challenge of learning
In the Zone argues that challenge is an essential element of true learning, without which there can be no progress. It brings together supportive materials to encourage teachers to reflect on their present practice, take sensible risks with their teaching, and understand the importance of enjoyment and engagement for both teachers and pupils.


Are you searching for on-line science training assets to assist instructing K-12 science? Multidisciplinary perspectives also enhance from the topic-matter requirements to the usual on the historical past and nature of science, offering many alternatives for integrated approaches to science educating. For middle-grade college students, JASON’s actual-time, interdisciplinary science expeditions provide a singular alternative to take part in real, requirements-primarily based, multidisciplinary analysis directed by leading scientists.
This normal describes some of the integrative schemes that may convey together college students’ many experiences in science schooling throughout grades Ok-12. So to reply what is knowledge mining – it is basically the method of exploring information in depth, for spotting valid and useful patterns hidden inside consumer knowledge gathered over time from numerous sources.
College students want stable knowledge and understanding in bodily, life, and earth and area science if they’re to use science. Further, it is all the output of the skilled academics who perceive the issues confronted by college students who pursue schooling along with their jobs or cannot afford to go to an everyday faculty.
The craziness amassed within the wild aspect of the human conscience is immense and untameable. For educators, JASON gives the content and instruments to successfully teach middle-grade science. The JASON Challenge is headquartered in Ashburn, VA. Its mission is to encourage in students a life-lengthy passion for studying in science, math, and expertise by palms-on, actual-world scientific discovery.
Science Education In India
Science schooling has recently been the supply of much heated debate, largely because of the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed featuring Ben Stein. The personal and social facets of science are emphasised increasingly in the progression from science as inquiry requirements to the history and nature of science requirements. These embody the use of net sources, online simulators, WebQuests, real-time data bases, on-line interactive websites, and lots of more choices.
Along with the award-successful JASON Science curricula, the JASON Skilled Growth presents educators a full array of on-line programs and onsite workshops to increase content knowledge. We should prevent this harmful content to invade the human conscience or to remove its domination when it already started to destroy the human conscience after invading it.
10 Interactive Science Education Web sites For Grades Ok
After years of touting the STEM (science, expertise, engineering, and mathematics ) educational applications, many teachers are discovering that by including an “A” -for ART- scholar studying will choose up STEAM! Subsequently, if we need to develop our human conscience, change into more clever and extra in a position to solve our problems and stay happily, we have to first remove the anti-conscience and remodel this harmful content material right into a optimistic a part of our human facet.
Also, that the expertise based assets on the web site meets nationwide know-how and science requirements. If you are on the lookout for K-12 science lesson plans, web sources, and references to help inquiry based educating and studying, you might have most likely discovered this search troublesome.
As science lecturers put together to go back to school for the next faculty yr, some have already returned, they’re all the time trying to find good on-line resources to supplement their classes. The fervor that propels folks to excel at mathematics and science education or engineering and art education are pushed by the same want: the desire to discover the intricacies and beauty in a single’s world and chosen work. This large half whose features are ignored is the part that belongs to the wild aspect of the human conscience.
Multidisciplinary views also improve from the topic-matter standards to the usual on the history and nature of science, offering many alternatives for built-in approaches to science teaching.


ParentCorps helps children do better in school
Researchers at the NYU Child Study Center demonstrated that a brief program for families of Pre-Kindergarten students attending schools in disadvantaged urban communities improved children's behavior at school. The study, called "Promoting effective parenting practices and preventing child behavior problems in school among ethnically diverse families from underserved, urban communities," was published in the February 2011 issue of Child Development.
Dr. Laurie Miller Brotman and her colleagues spent several years developing ParentCorps, a program for families of young children as they transition to school. ParentCorps includes a series of 13 group sessions for parents and children held at the school during early evening hours, facilitated by trained school staff and mental health professionals. The program is unique by reaching parents through public schools in underserved communities to help them learn a set of parenting strategies. For example, parents can learn ways to establish routines and rules for the family, reinforce positive behavior and provide effective consequences for misbehavior. ParentCorps helps each parent to select from a portfolio of scientifically-proven strategies that will work for them based on their own family goals, values and culture. By bringing families and early childhood educators together to support and learn from each other, the ParentCorps program helps young children succeed.
"Rich or poor, urban or rural, every parent wants their child to succeed " said Laurie Miller Brotman, PhD, the Corzine Family Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Child Study Center. "There are hundreds of studies that show that parenting under stress can lead to negative outcomes for children. Parents who are struggling to make ends meet, parents who experience depression, parents who are raising children on their own all need extra support in their important role as parent."
Using a rigorous experimental design, where some schools were assigned to receive ParentCorps and some receive school services as usual, the study examined the impact of ParentCorps among 171 children enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten across eight public elementary schools in a large NYC school district, representing an ethnically diverse population.
Despite multiple demands and stressors, parents made the time to come to the 13-session family series to share with and learn from other parents. "We saw great enthusiasm for and commitment to a program that helps young children do well in school, and this was true for parents and teachers from all different backgrounds," said Dr. Esther Calzada, one of the study co-authors.
In schools that offered ParentCorps, parents had improved knowledge of evidence-based parenting strategies, reported using more effective discipline strategies and were observed in the home to be more responsive to their children during play interactions. Most importantly, by the end of the Pre-Kindergarten year, relative to control schools, children in schools with ParentCorps, were rated by their teachers to be better behaved in the classroom and to show more social and emotional competencies, foundational skills for learning.
Based on the very promising findings from this study, Brotman and her team are conducting a second study that examines the long-term benefits on classroom behavior and academic achievement in over 1000 children. "All families deserve to have access to resources and services that will help their children succeed," Brotman said.


Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year with Mrs. Berman!
As an elementary reading interventionist, I am committed to inspiring a love for learning and literacy in the children I am privileged to work with. Together, we will work in small groups to hone our reading skills. We will build the foundation first as we learn to correclty form and identify and uppercase and lowercase letters and their corresponding sounds. Then we will discover how to build and decode phonetic words with the letters and sounds we know. Soon enough, we will be tackling books together, transforming text on a page into vivid pictures in our minds, and constructing meaning from printed words. Our confidence will grow as we experience success in reading. We will be smiling from ear to ear because over the course of this school year, we will have grown into independent readers!
Our small group reading lessons will consist of multisensory phonics instruction, word attack strategies, and vocabulary and comprehension building. I will reinforce phonics skills taught in the homeroom Fundations program and comprehension strategies and reading behaviors taught in the Reading Workshop. Explore my webpage to discover fun and interactive ways to build phonemic and phonological awareness, practice trick words, and enhance comprehension skills at home.
Please look for books, word rings, and parent letters sent home in students' Reading binders. If at any time during this school year you wish to communicate with me about your child and his or her progress in reading, feel free to e-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.org. I look forward to working with you and keeping the home-school connection strong to ensure student success. Let's make it a great year!
Yours in education,


Digital record of American history and creativity through written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience.Contains the former American Memory collection as well as many other collections.
Covers a broad range of related subjects from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design. Provides 600 full-text journals, 220 full-text books, and over 63,000 images.
ARTstor is a searchable repository of over 2.5 million images (and growing) covering the arts, architecture, humanities, as well as the social and natural sciences.
Users may view, present, and manage images for research and teaching purposes
Videos showing how to use ARTstor available here. NOTE: You may access the Digital Library remotely for up to 120 days by registering for an ARTstor account while on-campus.
Combines Communication and Mass Media Complete and Communications Abstracts (formerly published by Sage). Full text for more than 630 journals, and indexing and abstracting for over 1,100 core titles.
Offers full-text content pertaining to communication studies, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language pathology, media studies and related fields and includes many unique sources previously not available.
Provides access to the entire print DLB, including nearly 10,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres, including historians, journalists, publishers, and screenwriters.
Based on Charles Evans’ renowned “American Bibliography”, this database contains virtually every book, pamphlet and broadside published in America in the 17th and 18th centuries, over a 160-year period.
Covers all aspects of American art and architecture from Native American art to Colonial art to contemporary American art. Includes biographies of major artists, architects and patrons, architecture, painting, new media, photography, sculpture, installation art, performance art, new media art, art education, and more.
Drawing upon the expansive scholarship in The Dictionary of Art (DOA) it adds hundreds of new entries not previously covered in the DOA.
Consists of over 29,000 pieces of American popular music, from the years 1780 to 1980, but strongest in of nineteenth-century American popular music.
From the Special Collections at the Sheridan Libraries of the Johns Hopkins University. The collection is especially strong in music spawned by military conflicts from the War of 1812 through World War I, and minstrel music is also well-represented.
Indexes 700+ periodicals, plus books, research reports and proceedings. Covers librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Mid-1960's -- present.


Music, Strings, Orchestra & Band
Meaningful Study & Joyful Music-Making
We consider music the art of thinking with sound and as vital a subject as mathematics.
Music faculty at Black Pine Circle are all conservatory-level musicians dedicated to their own music making in folk, jazz/funk, baroque, classical, and musical theater. Our repertoire is culturally diverse and is often linked to subjects that the students are studying in their classrooms.
We offer a music education that employs a range of teaching methods including those drawn from Kodály and Orff pedagogies.
|Kindergarten - Grade 3||Find the joy in making music together|
|Grades 4 & 5||Build a strong foundation in musical concepts|
|Grade 6 - 8||Bring forth the music that lives in every student|
All students develop rhythm and coordination through singing games, chants, body movement, and percussion. All classes (K-8) perform choral repertoire for school music events including Generations Day, the Winter Concerts, and the Spring Concert.
Over the course of a K-8 education at Black Pine Circle, every child experiences many instruments in a thoughtful progression: voice, Orff percussion instruments, violin or cello, xylophone and recorder, piano, ukulele, and guitar.
Many students join one of the extra-curricular musical ensembles, which meet before or after the school day.


Music remains a statutory subject of the National Curriculum in Key Stages 1-3. Information about the programmes of study and attainment targets can be found on the .gov website - Music Programmes of Study
There are lots of free resources and toolkits available online to help schools plan and map their programmes to ensure they meeting the requirements of both the National Curriculum and the needs of their students:
- Primary Music Toolkit - Online toolkit for Primary Schools created by Dr Alison Daubney
- TriBorough Music Hub - Curriculum Guidance. Created by the Tri Borough Music Hub in London, this document contains information about:
- The new Ofsted Inspection Framework – Sep 2019;
- Writing a School Music Policy;
- Using the Self Evaluation Tool for Music in Schools.
It covers all phases from Early Years to Post-16 with specific SEND content.
- ISM National Curriculum Guidance - Guidance on the new National Curriculums for Primary and Secondary schools plus the ISM Assessment and Progression Framework (updated for 2019)
- New Music Curriculum - Secondary - The National Curriculum Expert Subject Advisory Group (ESAG) for Music has developed materials and guidance to support all primary and secondary schools in England in understanding and implementing the new National Curriculum and to provide a basis for their own curriculum planning.
- Successfully implementing the new primary music curriculum - Guidance produced by Music Mark
- A framework for progression - a framework to help teachers plan to support the musical progression of their students
Resources to help with delivering the Music Curriculum
- BBC Bring the Noise - Lesson plans and teaching tips for KS1 and EYFS
- BBC Bitesize Resources - short film clipls to explain key musical concepts and discuss topics such as composing and jazz
- BBC Ten Pieces - Primary - resources developed by the BBC to engage students with classical music
- BBC Ten Pieces - Secondary - resources developed to engage secondary students
- BBC Ten Pieces - Inclusive Films and Resources - to support students with Special Educational Needs or visually or hearing impaired students
- Sing Up - extensive bank of resources to develop singing in your school. Schools participating in Hub projects such as Songfest receive free Sing Up membership
- The Philharmonia Guide to Orchestral Instruments - detailed descriptions, with supporting videos, of the instruments which make up an orchestra.
- Musical Bridges - resources and ideas to support musical transition from primary to secondary school
- The Short Guide to Accessible Music Education - a short guide compiled by Drake Music which signposts to useful organisations and resources
- How to make music activities accessible for deaf children and young people - This resource provides clear guidance and information to ensure that professionals can design and deliver music activities in which deaf children and young people can fully participate.
Training and Development for teachers
We recognise that many teachers are not music specialists but are expected to deliver a subject with which they do not feel confident. The Hub is commited to supporting teachers with the planning and delivery of music in the curriculum and offer a number of training opportunities. Information about forthcoming opportunities can be found on our Training and Support Page


Do you think art has education? Many people think art is just a way of expressing yourself. Yes, art expresses yourself but art also helps with language arts and math skills. Some schools have short art classes, other schools don’t even have art. Those schools should have at the most 50 minutes of art once a week.
I think every school should have art because art has math like fractions, geometric shapes, symmetry, and measurement. Modern art is mostly geometric shapes, such as the art by Piet Mondrian. Students all over the world study and copy his work.
Art is like language arts. It describes adjectives, explanations, and vocabulary. When an artist creates their work, they usually have an explanation for it. One of my favorite artists is Romero Britto. He is a pop culture artist. The New York Times described his work as, “exudes warmth, optimism and love.” Many people use descriptive words to tell about art.
But most of all art has creativity like using your imagination, mental thinking ( plans for idea), and inspiration. Kids need that creativity for a better future.
How you can help
You should persuade friends ( like a team) and then convince others for art or, if you are an adult you can persuade even a principal or friends that art education should be in all schools.
These are other people that agree for more art.


A scale is a consecutive listing of the 7 pitches within a diatonic key. In our previous lesson on key signatures, we discussed that a diatonic key is a selection of 7 of the 21 possible pitches in music. The selection is limited to 7 because each letter in a diatonic key is limited to one type (either flat, natural or sharp). The listing of pitches within a scale always starts and ends with the tonic pitch. The purpose for practicing scales on our instrument is to familiarize ourselves with the 7 diatonic pitches of a given key.
Every diatonic key signature results in one major and one minor tonic. Major scales are the consecutive listing of the 7 pitches within a major key. These scales are classified as major because of the intervals formed between the tonic and each of the other pitches. Both major and minor scales contain a perfect 4th and 5th. However, all the other intervals (2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th) within a major scale contain major qualities.
This sequence of major 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, major 6th and major 7th from the tonic can be used to determine the pitches of any major scale. Another way to determine the pitches of a major scale would be to use one’s knowledge of the circle of fifths. The circle of fifths lays out the keys signatures of every major tonic by either increasing sharps or flats. There are many diagrams of the sharp and flat key signatures available in literature and on the internet. A musician can determine the pitches of a major scale by starting on the tonic and applying the given key signature of that key while ascending or descending in stepwise motion until he/she reaches the repeat of the tonic in the next register.
A third way to determine the pitches of a major scale is to examine the whole and half step relations from pitch to pitch within the scale. Major scales are composed of two major tetrachords that are connected by a whole step. A major tetrachord is a group of four pitches in which the distance between pitches follows the sequence of whole step – whole step – half step. The entire sequence of a major scale is shown in this included figures. The first figure labels the tetrachords and the connecting whole step between them. The second figure displays the two tetrachords within a C major scale. The scale is displayed both in musical notation and across a piano keyboard.
Musicians can employ many methods when practicing scales. We should realize the specific focus we wish to instill in our playing and use a method that supports that skill. For example, practicing scales in order through the circle of fifths is an effective method for memorizing the key signatures. Since key signatures increase by one sharp or flat as we progress through the circle of fifths, we are provided with a helpful reminder of each tonic and its corresponding key signature. Practicing by ascending or descending chromatic tonics is an effective method for quizzing ourselves on rapid recall of the key signatures. Finally, practicing varied patterns can help to solidify the pitches of the key signature in our minds and fingers. Traveling up and down a scale the same way every time can become a repetitive and thoughtless activity. This can be avoided by varying the sequence in which the pitches of the scale are played. We can play extended "scale like" lines that change direction at destinations other than the tonic pitch. In addition, we can create various repeating diatonic patterns such as 123-234-345-456... or 13-24-35-46-57-68-79-8. These types of patterns help to test our ability to apply the key signature to musical content with varied melodic motion.
I recently had a discussion with someone about the use of the term “perfect” when labeling the intervals of a fourth and a fifth. As mentioned in my last post, these intervals are perfect consonances. However, unlike octaves and unisons, fourth and fifths can be altered. The label “perfect” is used to distinguish the consonant form of these intervals from the diminished or augmented forms.
Ray Melograne received his BA and ME in music education from Queens College. He is currently teaching music in the NY public schools. He also teaches privately on the Zoen.com network.


Family Literacy and Tumblebooks
By Amy Shropshire, Reference Department
Parents tend to want the best advantages for their children, and early literacy is one excellent advantage. That’s the idea, but getting a squirming toddler to sit still long enough to read a picture book demonstrates the difficulties involved. Even the best behaved children tend to struggle at some point with early literacy skills. Learning new skills is always difficult. The library is here to help.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, literacy is intergenerational. Parental involvement and expectations are directly linked to a student’s success in school. Family literacy programs often focus on building literacy skills in both parents and children. Parents that read regularly are more likely to have children with an interest in reading, since children like to emulate what their parents do. However, before a child can begin picking up a book, they need to gain pre-literacy skills, and be exposed to concepts that help develop literary skills.
We tend to think of reading as a singular activity, but in reality it’s a skill developed from assorted other skills as a child grows. Focusing on the little squiggly symbols we call letters is a step just as much as understanding how language works is. Learning to verbalize and consider abstract concepts through imaginative play and frequent communication are important building blocks to figuring out that squiggly symbols represent words. The more a child interacts and plays and expands their overall mental abilities, the quicker they will likely learn to read especially if play is already associated with words.
More than that, associating play with words is more likely to make a child enjoy reading (and want to learn more). Play is serious business for children. It may seem contradictory to learn using resources that don’t seem precisely educational, but the more fun the activity is the more information a child will absorb. Educators use a variety of resources to help children learn through play. One such resource is Tumblebooks. The library subscribes to this resource so that parents can log in and give their children access to a wide variety of books and games to aid in literacy development.
Many of the books on Tumblebooks play videos, sing songs, or animate highlighted words to allow children to follow along with the story on the screen. It may seem counter intuitive, but a child’s attention is often better with learning how to read by watching a video rather than simply reading a story, which develops early pre-literacy skills. The resources grow with the child using quizzes, book reports, and games for more developed readers, and even lesson plans for teachers and parents alike. There are also playlists of various lengths and subject areas to keep a child intrigued and entertained in a way that’s educational.
Tumblebooks is excellent for helping the youngest child gain early literacy skills before learning how to read. The library has multiple similar resources for various ages and literacy levels available in our collection databases. To access these resources, simply go to http://wcpltn.org/ Tumblebooks can be found in “Children’s Electronic Resources” which is located in the Children’s Department section under the “Main Library” tab on the website. If you can’t find it, just ask a librarian at (615) 794-3105. Tumblebooks does require a username and password to sign in. If you have any questions, call the library and we will gladly help you.
Library-based family literacy projects R 027.6 MON
Early literacy storytimes @ your library: partnering with caregivers for success 027.6251 GHO
Growing a reader from birth: your child’s path from language to literacy 372.4 MACG
Art across the alphabet: over 100 art experiences that enrich early literacy 372.5 CAM
The garden classroom: hands-on activities in math, science, literacy, and art 635.083 JAM


In the high stakes testing environment prevalent in today’s American schools, two areas in education that are too frequently overlooked are the psychological and social development of students. To be sure, school districts have provided social workers, psychologists, and teachers trained in educational psychology and child development, but apart from planning developmentally appropriate instruction and handling kids who are in crisis, psychological and social development has often been made an integral part of what students learn about and learn to self manage in school. With instances of school violence and bullying continuing to be a problem, attention to these two areas may be the very thing students need most.
Before anyone proposes new laws and new spending on new programs to start a new initiative that addresses these needs, we would all do well to take notice of something that is already in place, already funded (if often under funded) and is more cost effective and just plain more effective than anything the political powers that be could impose. I am referring to music education. Dr. Rubino, senior director of the College Board, said that “it is clear form the research the arts provide the type of emotional, creative and expressive development that students can benefit from throughout their lives.” Politicians, in House Congressional Resolution 355 (EH), wrote that “students who participate in school music programs are less likely to be involved with drugs, gangs, or alcohol and have better attendance in school.” These are all indicators of superior psychological and emotional development, because they suggest healthier ways of coping with psychological and social challenges. Humans were made to be creative, expressive, and enjoyers of beautiful, pleasing, good things; music education provides the context for learning how to create and enjoy the art and artistry of music. Hargreaves & North (1999). (The Functions of music in everyday life: redefining the social in music psychology, Psychology of Music, 27 (1), 71-83) found that music has social functions in everyday life that include self-identity, interpersonal relationships and mood.
Self-identity and music are more closely associated where the performer and creator are the same, or at least of the same culture or tradition, and where the things expressed are specific to that culture or tradition. A general love song is much less of a factor in developing self-identity than one that speaks specifically to men or women, or to African Americans or Latinos. Music created within a religious context has strong ties to self-identity, especially when the music encapsulates rites or traditions of worship. Self-identity can also be found in certain musical genres that some relate to more strongly than others. This can be seen in the differences in audiences between hip-hop and jazz music. Our self-identity has a lot to do with the environment and culture we grew up in, and these are frequently evident in the music we create and preserve, less so in music created, or perhaps produced would be a better word, for the mass media which is designed to appeal to many but consequently is truly meaningful to few.
Inter-personal relationships are essential to music making in the traditional sense, but less so in more technologically dominant methods of performance and production. When groups of people assemble for the purpose of making music, inter-personal relationships are increased many times over. There is a natural power to bring people together, even strangers, once they are engaged in the act of making music. This is readily apparent at popular music concerts, where crowds of people will sing along, clap along, and dance along to the music as it is performed; people who are total strangers high fiving each other and intuitively sharing the joy of music making. This musical community is all but lost in production studios where collaborating musicians may be hundreds of miles away, and never united until they are heard performing “together” in the finished recording. Because of this, the need for continuing to provide live music experiences to students, both performing and attending concerts, has never been more crucial.
Mood is perhaps the most self-evident of the functions. Music is by its very nature expressive, and mood is a natural component of its expressiveness. Research has shown that teens use music to modify their mood regularly. Most of us have experienced being cheered up or pumped up by music we chose to listen to for that purpose. Athletes often use music to motivate them before a competition, and runners frequently listen to music as they go to help them keep a steady cadence at the tempo they have chosen for their run. All of this music in peoples lives is helping them develop socially and psychologically, as their self-image and interpersonal skills are advanced through music education.


Despite having average or above average intelligence, people with dyslexia (or developmental dyslexia or specific reading disability) have difficulties with accurate or fluent recognition of words (or both) and poor spelling that cannot be attributed to another cause, such as poor vision or hearing or a lack of teaching or motivation. As a consequence of their difficulties, children and adolescents with dyslexia may experience early academic failure. Some studies suggest that reading skills and musical abilities might be related and that musical training may be able to help in the development of language and literacy skills. As information about the effectiveness of musical learning for children and adolescents is lacking, we searched widely for high-quality evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials. We did not find any and so it is not possible for us to reliably assess the advantages (or even disadvantages) of music education for improving the reading skills of dyslexic children. Well-designed research with a large number of participants is required to evaluate potential benefits of musical education for children and adolescents with dyslexia.
There is no evidence available from randomized controlled trials on which to base a judgment about the effectiveness of music education for the improvement of reading skills in children and adolescents with dyslexia. This uncertainty warrants further research via randomized controlled trials, involving a interdisciplinary team: musicians, hearing and speech therapists, psychologists, and physicians.
Dyslexia (or developmental dyslexia or specific reading disability) is a specific learning disorder that has a neurobiological origin. It is marked by difficulties with accurate or fluent recognition of words and poor spelling in people who have average or above average intelligence and these difficulties cannot be attributed to another cause, for example, poor vision, hearing difficulty, or lack of socio-environmental opportunities, motivation, or adequate instruction. Studies have correlated reading skills with musical abilities. It has been hypothesized that musical training may be able to remediate timing difficulties, improve pitch perception, or increase spatial awareness, thereby having a positive effect on skills needed in the development of language and literacy.
To study the effectiveness of music education on reading skills (that is, oral reading skills, reading comprehension, reading fluency, phonological awareness, and spelling) in children and adolescents with dyslexia.
We searched the following electronic databases in June 2012: CENTRAL (2012, Issue 5), MEDLINE (1948 to May Week 4 2012 ), EMBASE (1980 to 2012 Week 22), CINAHL (searched 7 June 2012), LILACS (searched 7 June 2012), PsycINFO (1887 to May Week 5 2012), ERIC (searched 7 June 2012), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1970 to 6 June 2012), Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Social Sciences and Humanities (1990 to 6 June 2012), and WorldCat (searched 7 June 2012). We also searched the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and reference lists of studies. We did not apply any date or language limits.
We planned to include randomized controlled trials. We looked for studies that included at least one of our primary outcomes. The primary outcomes were related to the main domain of the reading: oral reading skills, reading comprehension, reading fluency, phonological awareness, and spelling, measured through validated instruments. The secondary outcomes were self esteem and academic achievement.
Two authors (HCM and RBA) independently screened all titles and abstracts identified through the search strategy to determine their eligibility. For our analysis we had planned to use mean difference for continuous data, with 95% confidence intervals, and to use the random-effects statistical model when the effect estimates of two or more studies could be combined in a meta-analysis.
We retrieved 851 references via the search strategy. No randomized controlled trials testing music education for the improvement of reading skills in children with dyslexia could be included in this review.


At Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School Creative Arts within the ‘Learning Challenge Curriculum’ provides exposure to and study of a range of art forms that include music, art design and crafts, drama and dance. The main purpose of the subject Creative Arts is to develop our children as creative, imaginative individuals who appreciate the arts and who have the knowledge and skills to participate in arts activities. Ghyll Royd School enriches the Creative Arts provision through a range of extra curricular learning opportunities. Pupils take part in drama, dance and art workshops and school productions that allow pupils of different ages to work together, thus enriching their skills, experience, enthusiasm and sense of community.
The children at Ghyll Royd School have a vibrant, dynamic and ultimately meaningful music education experience in school and in the wider community. The children take part in a one hour weekly music lesson and a separate singing lesson. Throughout the year the children take part in Key Stage Productions, School Services, Assemblies, Competitions and represent the school by supporting local events and community projects and charities. Peripatetic teachers enhance the children’s musical education by offering Singing, Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Accordion, Violin and Drum lessons.
We aim to introduce the children to the many different ways of generating and developing ideas, from looking at artists, drawing from observation to using their imagination as a starting point. Building confidence and enjoyment in the subject is vital and we work hard to deliver projects that provide them with scope to develop as artists. A wide range of materials and techniques are taught, including drawing, painting, computer graphics, printmaking, ceramics, card, wire and plaster sculpture and collage. Looking at art from different cultures and times is also an important aspect of our curriculum and the children will be challenged into thinking about why artists work in the way they do, taking into consideration the historical context. Sketchbooks and folders are provided and used for short preps and classwork and ipads are used in a variety of ways to extend, support and generate art.


File Name:Question Everything.zip
File Size: 4.35 MB
How AVID levels the playing field, helping underserved students come out ahead
In Question Everything, award-winning education writer Jay Mathews presents the stories and winning strategies behind the Advancement Via Individual Determination program (AVID). With the goal of preparing students for the future – whether that future includes college or not – AVID teaches students the personal management skills that will help them survive and thrive. Focused on time management, presentation, and cooperation, the AVID program leads not only to impressive educational outcomes, but also to young adults prepared for life after school. This book tells the stories of AVID educators, students, and families to illustrate how and why the program works, and demonstrates how teachers can employ AVID's strategies with their own students.
Over the past thirty years, AVID has grown from a single teacher's practice to an organization serving 400,000 middle- and high-school students in 47 states and 16 countries. Question Everything describes the ideas and strategies behind the upward trajectory of both the program and the students who take part.
Learn which foundational skills are emphasized for future success Discover how AVID teaches personal management skills in the academic context Contrast AVID student outcomes with national averages Consider implementing AVID concepts and techniques into current curricula
As college readiness becomes a top priority for the Federal Government, the Gates Foundation, and other influential organizations, AVID's track record stands out as one of success. By leveling the playing field and introducing "real-world" realities early on, the program teaches students skills that help them in the workplace and beyond.


Beyond "Sesame Street": Early literacy development in educational television programs from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
AuthorSandefur, Sarah Jo.
KeywordsEarly childhood education.
Committee ChairShort, Kathy G.
MetadataShow full item record
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
AbstractThis study addresses the potential of preschool educational television programs to contribute to the literacy development of young children. Unlike the vast majority of television-related research undertaken in the United States, this examination is not limited to nationally-produced programming, but looks to other English-speaking countries for an international perspective on the problems and possibilities of literacy series developed for young children. Ten preschool educational television programs from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States are examined via a videotape content analysis to determine the literacy potential of these program "texts." The literacy potential of children's broadcast texts has been determined within a broad framework of holistic language and learning theories developed by such researchers as Cambourne, Dewey, Eisner, Goodman, Harste, Holdaway, Rosenblatt, Smith, Vygotsky, and others. By composing a narrative of each sample episode; analyzing each program's use of visual, formic, and linguistic codes; constructing an argument for the applicability of holistic theories to television texts; and ultimately examining each sample episode through a holistic lens, a view of literacy-directed programming as it presently exists in four English-speaking countries is developed. The findings suggest that holistic learning principles applied to television texts hold great potential in providing valuable literacy-focused television events to children. Elements in the sample programs such as thematic integrity, explorations of ideas and concepts through sign systems, emphasis on child participation, language and ethnic diversity, regular inclusion of print on the screen from a variety of quality children's literature, and frequent inclusion of literacy events with children and adults demonstrated holistic principles in the sample episodes and contributed to the literacy potential of preschool programming. Characteristics of the episodes such as randomness, isolation of language subsystems from language wholes, failure to present literacy demonstrations, and exclusion of children from the visual text suggested ineffective television texts from which children had little opportunity to construct meaning. Concluding remarks explore the development of a prototypical holistic television program for preschoolers and suggest the benefits of such broadcast programs for children, their parents, media researchers/producers, and educators.
Degree ProgramLanguage, Reading, and Culture


Children learning to read must acquire a number of complex skills that enable them to make the necessary links between the sound that words make and the way that they appear on the page. Phonics is one of the five key areas in reading instruction, which also include phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.
The main aim of phonics instruction is to help beginning readers understand that letters are linked to particular sounds. In English, there are 26 letters used to represent 44 speech sounds. Armed with the knowledge of how letters sound, beginning readers are able to then recognize letter-sound correspondences, and spelling patterns, and use this knowledge in their reading.
It is particularly important that beginning readers recognize the relationship between written letters and their sounds, as English spelling is based on the alphabetic principle, the notion that letters of the alphabet, or letter combinations, represent speech sounds. Whereas phonemic awareness allows a child to hear these individual sounds as part of spoken words, phonics instruction enables young readers to recognize that these smaller units of sound correspond to written letters.
A thorough understanding of phonics and this alphabetic principle is crucial for a child learning to read. Insufficient or inaccurate phonics instruction can detour a young reader from making the necessary links between the written word and the spoken word that it represents. Failure to make these links can result in reading delays.
Systematic phonics instruction, which offers young readers plenty of opportunities to make the necessary links between letters and sounds, helps young readers along the way to reading success. There are, however, different types of phonics instruction, the main two being synthetic phonics and analytic phonics.
With analytic phonics, also known as implicit phonics, children are taught to recognize whole words by sight, and later to break down the word into the smaller units of sound.
In contrast, synthetic phonics is a more accelerated form of phonics. Children are taught letter sounds upon first starting school, before they learn to read, and even before they are introduced to books. They learn the sounds of the letters in their smaller units, and then learn to put them together, or, synthesize them, as it were, hence the name “synthetic” phonics. For example, they first learn the sounds ‘c’, ‘a’, and ‘t’ before the letters are put together to form the word ‘cat’.
The ABC Reading Eggs program uses a systematic, synthetic phonics approach in its instruction. With the Reading Eggs program, children begin by learning the appropriate sound for each letter of the alphabet, including letter combinations. Each letter of the alphabet is featured in its own lesson, and lessons build on one another, systematically, so that within a handful or two lessons, children are able to read their first book.
In the first 60 lessons, all the books are highly decodable, using words that have been introduced and reinforced by the lessons. The program responds to readers at their level of ability, making it possible for children to consistently read at their level, which is the most beneficial for their learning. If the lessons are too easy, children lose interest; if they are too hard, children lose motivation. But, pitch a lesson right at a child’s level, interest and motivation is maintained, and reading comprehension grows along with reading success.
As well as working through the alphabet, and the sounds that each letter (or letter combination) makes, Reading Eggs also includes lessons on phonics skills such as working with beginning and end blends of letters, the variety of sounds that vowels make, diphthongs, consonant letter sounds such as soft c, g, and y, silent letters, double letter sounds, word families, and how to work through words with more than one syllable. The ABC Reading Eggs program helps young readers develop these phonics awareness skills; lessons build on one another, and reading skills improve upon the completion of every reading activity.
By using the ABC Reading Eggs program, children enjoy learning to read. All of the lessons, including the lessons on phonics, are embedded in game-like activities that encourage the children to play as they learn. When children succeed at the activities, they are rewarded with prizes, such as the Golden Eggs they receive at the end of each short activity they complete. With the lessons being so enjoyable, young readers enjoy spending time in the Reading Eggs programs, and the more time they spend in the program, the more that they learn!