Estyn report finds basic skills development failings in Welsh schools
15 May 2012
Many schools in Wales are failing to plan well enough how to develop the basic skills at Key Stage 3 according to schools' inspectorate Estyn. It found that many schools do develop literacy and numeracy skills in English, Welsh, maths and IT lessons, but not in other subjects. It also found that around 40% of pupils cannot read as well as they should as they start secondary school and some never catch up.
Estyn's chief inspector Ann Keane said:
We found that although nearly all schools have someone with overall responsibility for the development and implementation of skills, only a few schools successfully plan the progressive development of pupils' skills across the curriculum.
Read the full story at the BBC.
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When educational cuts are made, music and art are amongst the first subjects to go. Unfortunately, it means that parents, educators and even board members are overlooking each subject`s importance. Music education is more than just introducing students to beats, notes and songs. Instead, it completely transforms a child`s mind and opens up endless possibilities to their learning potential.
One of the most notable studies on music and the brain, the Mozart Effect, began as a college research experiment. College students were given the chance to listen to ten minutes of a piano sonata before completing a test. The assessment involved tasks such as finding the patterns in both numbers and objects. The result showed that with just ten minutes of music, their skills were improved greatly.
After seeing these results, the study was extended to pre-schoolers. Some were given the opportunity to listen to ten minutes of similar music before completing a puzzle. Again, those listening to music before the task tended to perform better. Each of these examples suggests that music can have a direct effect on a person`s learning.
These studies are not unusual. Several studies and surveys have demonstrated that students` academic scores in subjects, such as math, were greatly improved when they were able to participate in some form of music education program. In other subjects, it was noted that students are less likely to draw conclusions that were completely unfounded.
While listening to music is beneficial, music education provides even more benefits to students. The ear is not the only part of the body used in music class. From tapping out patterns of sounds with their hands to testing out an instrument, students are working on hand-eye coordination. This becomes even more pronounced as students look to read music and perform the notes with various instruments.
While there are several different subjects offered in school, few can compete with the creative element offered by music education. Students have an outlet in which they can express themselves. They can relate to the words, notes or instruments they are experiencing. Many teachers, students and parents would admit that music, along with the traditional means of education, gives a good feeling they carry with them throughout the day.
Besides academics and specific subjects, students with music education tend to completely change their outlook on education, learning and their own performance. They see the experience as more beneficial and even see themselves as more successful because of their newfound skills. In one study, students who worked on a musical instrument were less of a discipline issue than those that did not.
With all the evidence pointing to the benefits of music education, it is difficult to see why this subject continues to be downplayed and in some cases completely removed from education today. If you, or someone you know, is looking into musical education as a college major, consult a college advice blog to get the latest information on your options as an educator and advocate for music.


This is the first time for me to write an IEP for a student that is functional living or lifeskills and I'm not sure how to find the goals. My student is 6th grade, nonverbal, and seems to be functioning on a 2 year old level. He can sort and match things but doesn't write, trace, or show "academic" progress. I have to use the core subjects instead of just a functional living format. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
Can you give us an indication of his current performance? What does he do in reading, writing, and math? How does he participate in those subjects in your class? Also, how does he communicate? I understand that he doesn't verbalize, but what does he do? Gestures, picture communication symbols, voice-output device . . . .
I'm not sure about his IQ because he's never been tested since he's so low, nonverbal, visually impaired, and unable to complete testing. He acts similiar to a 1 1/2 to 2 year old by pulling you and moving your hand toward things he wants. He loves the computer and plays several games activated by the keyboard or clicking the mouse. He will move my hand over to the mouse when he wants a different program or game. He had a communication device (say it sam) but it broke the 3rd week of school but he really didn't seem to be able to manipulate it while we had it. We've used picture cards, a Go-Talk, and visual schedule with him. Academically, he can match and sort by color and sometimes shapes. He works simple puzzles, listens to short stories, can make vertical marks on paper independently. We hand-over-hand trace numbers, letters, and his name but he doesn't attempt any of this independently. In the past, we've used functional living skills and the goals were based on fine motor, gross motor, and necessary to living skills. Recently we changed to a new form due to STAAR testing in Texas. I think that's why we have to choose goals that are more similiar to academics rather than functional living. I have things like tracing but realistically is he going to write his name independently ever? I'm all for using things like that but our VI thinks that is a waste of time for him. What do you think? Thanks again for your help!
like "attend" to the reading of a simple story-then have three simple picture cards representing beginning, middle, end to demonstrate sequencing skills. He wouldn't have to necessarily manipulate all 3--maybe you could ask him what came first or last...what happens next kinds of questions.
Maybe read a simple story and have sample characters on cards where he picks who was in it and who was not. Or put his name on a flashcard with one or two similar words near and see if he can pick it out [like have Steve, Stamp and Slick all on cards and he chooses his name.]
For math, it sounds like activities with the shapes, colors and puzzles would work.
For writing, see if he can make the marks on purpose. Have vertical, horizonal, crosses [plusses and x's] and right-left slant lines to trace, copy or otherwise imitate. If he can't do it on paper, can he use a marker board, smart board, shaving cream?
Message me so that I can email you. I can send you a couple of sample IEPs for kids at that range. If it makes you feel any better, he is quite a bit higher than most of my kids and they all address academics - even the two that score at 0-2 months on the developmental assessments. And, not only do they address academics, they benefit from those lessons even if they will never develop conventional academic skills. They learn tons of communication, social, motor, and self-help skills through our academic lessons.
Thank you so much for your responses! Lottalove, you're on the right track and gave some great ideas. I'm definitely going to try it with him and see what he can understand and if he can make choices. SDT, I wish I had gotten a special ed degree instead of just elementary education. It would have given me so much more info and help in my current job. If you come up with more, please pass them along Thanks so much!!
I have a similar non verbal child I am trying to write goals for. He is 7 but probably at a scattered 3 year old cognitive level. He is able to use an Ipad with a PECS type software to communicate simple sentences such as wanting, seeing, etc. Knows his numbers 1-10, 10 colors, 10 shapes, identifies all 26 letters of the alphabet and can type his first and last name with prompting.
Do you think you can send me some sample goals? What I read earlier sounds very interesting and could be helpful.


|This biography from the Archives of AskART:|
|Arthur Burdett Frost, Jr., a modernist painter, was the son of Arthur
B. Frost, the well-known illustrator, from whom he took his first art
lessons. In 1905, Frost studied in New York City in the studio of
William Merritt Chase and also studied with Robert Henri, the latter
whom he credited as being the more influential. |
In 1906, the
Frost family moved to Europe so that nineteen-year old Arthur Jr. could
benefit from available academic art education. He enrolled in the
Academie Julian in Paris and became friends with future well-known
abstract painter, Patrick Henry Bruce. They both were influenced by
modernist artists including Impressionists and Henri Matisse and his
revolutionary Fauvist style that emphasized bright coloration.
Bruce introduced Frost to Matisse, and Frost then took a class from him
as well as from Robert Delaunay, another non-traditional French
painter. Bruce and Frost became close friends of Delaunay and
worked together in his studio.
Frost became especially
interested in Synchromism, the colorful relationship-based style of
Morgan Russell and Stanton MacDonald-Wright. Along with these
artists and Patrick Henry Bruce, Frost became one of the first American
artists to focus on the relation between color theory and abstract art.
returning to New York in 1915, Frost continued with his color
abstractions and used Bruce's method of working from photographs and
black and white drawings. He was especially influential on James
Daugherty and Jay Van Everen, noted colorist painters.
some works from the New York years survive, only one painting from his
Paris color-painting period is known to survive. "It is believed
that Frost's father destroyed much of his son's work in distress over
the young man's death, which occurred due to illness just days before
his thirtieth birthday" (Falk).
Peter Falk, Who Was Who in American Art
Matthew Baigell, Dictionary of American Art
|** If you discover credit omissions or have additional information to add, please let us know at registrar@AskART.com.|
Arthur Frost is also mentioned in these AskART essays:


12 Hue Color Wheel: Free Lesson Plan Download
Grade Level: 3-5 Art Education Lesson Plan
Art Elements: Color
Art Skills: Color Mixing
Making Connections: Science
* Get more free lessons like this, on our Lessons Page
Students are graded on their ability to mix the secondary and intermediate colors, using only the three primary colors. First, we plan out our square and divide it into 12 sections. Then, we label the sections. Then, I give the students the primary colors and they go to town!
Tip: Instead of a true blue, I use a blue/green or aqua color for my blue. It helps the greens and purples to look especially bright! Once they are dry, students cut them into symmetrical shapes (essentially cutting off the edges and their labeling) and mount them on black paper. They sure look sharp!


Bracken, Seán and Clerkin, Áine and Mc Donnell, Brieta and Regan, Nell (2008) Teaching and Learning in Plurilingual Schools: Lessons from Classrooms in Dublin 15. In: Challenging Perspectives: Teaching Globalisation and Diversity in the Knowledge Society. DICE, Dublin, pp. 51-65.Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)
Primary school teachers working in contexts of multilingualism have used their experiences of a book project to reflect on linguistic diversity and inclusion. The research illustrates how children’s lives in a globalised society can be linked to language learning and literacy development in the primary classroom. The chapter also explores how European and Irish policies on plurilingual and pluricultural education may be realised in a practical way within schools and classrooms.
|Item Type:||Book Section|
The electronic full-text cannot be supplied for this item. Please check availability with your local library or Interlibrary Requests Service.
|Uncontrolled Keywords:||multilingualism, plurilingualism, intercultural education, primary teacher education, language policy.|
|Subjects:||L Education > L Education (General)|
|Divisions:||Academic Departments > Institute of Education|
|Depositing User:||Sean Bracken|
|Date Deposited:||22 Sep 2011 12:55|
|Last Modified:||30 Apr 2012 06:45|
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expert advice MORE
Should My Son Take the SAT or the ACT?
Q: My seventh-grade son has been nominated to the Duke University Talent Search. He can take either the SAT or the ACT. How do I know which test is appropriate for my child? I know the SAT tests verbal and math skills, while the ACT includes science and social studies as well. Is there something else I should know before we make the choice?
A: The SAT and the ACT are the two standardized tests used by colleges in admissions decisions. They can also be used to identify highly gifted students as early as fifth or sixth grade.
The SAT I: Reasoning Test measures verbal reasoning, math problem-solving, and critical reading. It is not designed to measure motivation, creativity, or specialized talents.
The American College Test or ACT measures general educational achievement in the areas of English, math, reading, and science, and assesses the ability of students to complete college-level work. The ACT is also unlikely to identify students who are gifted in specific areas, such as creative thinking, leadership, or the visual arts.
Both the ACT and SAT also have supplementary tests that are designed to assess advanced achievement in specific subject areas. Some colleges prefer one test or the other in their admissions processes, but both tests are good for selecting students for accelerated content-based programs, such as Talent Search. Schools also can compare scores on the two tests. The American College Testing Program, which produces the ACT, and the College Board, which is associated with the SAT, provide excellent websites with additional information about their testing programs. Both have specific links for parents and students. The ACT website is act.org. The College Board website is collegeboard.com.
More on: Expert Advice
Rita Culross is Associate Dean, College of Education, and Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Curriculum and Instruction at Louisiana State University. Culross has served as the consulting school psychologist for a public school elementary gifted program, and has written a book and several journal articles on gifted education.


The rule of thumb is that children typically lose
ONE MONTH of developmental skills for every
three months they live in an institution.
The Early Intervention program is WWO’s innovative efforts to combat the devastating effects of institutional life on orphans. The program has four components:
The One-to One Program
At-risk and developmentally delayed children are matched with retired women in the community (“grannies” or “aunties”) who have a background in health care, childcare, or elementary education. For many children who have been institutionalized since or shortly after birth, this is their first opportunity to develop an intimate, trusting and loving relationship with a consistent adult figure. The adults work with one or two children for five days a week under the direction of a psychologist who shapes a strategy for each child.
Learn more about One-to-One Program, Bulgaria
Learn more about One-to-One Program, Vietnam
Physical / Occupational Therapy
Physical and occupational therapy address many developmental issues, including language delays, behavior, fine and gross motor delays, and/or cognitive issues, including vision and hearing delays.
WWO’s volunteer therapists identify children who are at-risk and create individual therapeutic programs for each child. They train orphanage caregivers in simple therapeutic principles and help them establish routines that support and reinforce the work of the one-to-one adults and psychologists.
Toys help children develop their social awareness, imagination, visual motor capabilities and thinking processes. Play is a very serious activity for children worldwide and often represents a primary and valuable means of learning. Since many toys are important learning instruments, children should have easy access to appropriate toys in order to explore and choose those which interest them. A Toy Library provides such access to children in orphanages.
Learn more about Toy Library, Bulgaria
WWO is committed to data-based results for its Early Intervention Program. To that end, we have permission from Pearson Publishing to translate the Bayley III, the most respected assessment tool for children from 1-42 months, so that we may establish baselines for children’s development. Local psychologists are trained by WWO’s volunteer consultants in the administration of the Bayley III, thus building in-country capacity as we document our work.


Learn Art: Be Unique and Let Your Creativity Flow
Art is an important facet of society, it allows us a constructive outlet for our emotions and energy. The ability to create artwork is very empowering and allows the artist to embrace and explore their talents; but before running for the pastels and paints, it is important to understand the different elements that go into a piece of art. Learning about the fundamental elements, principles, and theories of art and composition is important to one’s art education, the following is your guide to learning about art, and how different elements of art can be combined to create an artwork that is unique and special.
Elements of Art
- Art & Design Elements – Learn more about the elements of art and design and how they are incorporated into art.
- Elements of Art – Detailed information about the elements of art, including color shape, and texture.
- The 7 Formal Elements – Understand the seven traditional elements of design and why they are important to art as a whole.
- Element Examples – Gain a better understanding of the elements of art with these examples.
- Art and Design – Explore the elements of art through this easy to follow website.
- Formal Elements – An introduction to the formal elements of art is an important foundation for further art education.
Principles of Art
- ABCs of Art – Learn about the basics to better “read” a piece of art.
- Balance – Discover the importance of balance in art with this basic information and examples.
Other Art Concepts
- Art Glossary – Use this art glossary to familiarize yourself with art terminology.
- Analogous Colors – Basic information about analogous colors and how they can be incorporated into art.
- Symbolism of Colors – Learn the meaning behind different colors and what type of emotion each color sparks.
- Color Theory – Explore the use and importance of color in artwork.
- Color Wheel – Discover the color wheel and its many variations. The color wheel is an important tool of art.
- Printable Color Wheel – Information and examples of primary, secondary, and color schemes using the color wheel.
- Complimentary Colors – Examples of complimentary colors and how to identify complimentary colors on a color wheel.
- Color Principles – Detailed information about the use of hue, saturation, and value in art.
- Additive Primaries – Information about additive color and how it is used in art and graphic design; this also covers information about shade and tint.
- The Primary Colors – Basic information about additive and subtractive primary colors and how they can be combine to achieve new secondary colors.
- Primary & Secondary Colors – Elementary information about primary and secondary colors and how they work together to influence art.
- Emphasis – Information and insight into how to guide the focus and emphasis in an artwork.
- Perspective – A detailed explanation of perspective and how it is used in art to direct the viewer.
- Art Safety Guide – Learn how to use different media and the precautions that you should be aware of when using a particular media.
- Glazes – Information about different media and how they can be used on a surface.
- How to Make Paint – Homemade paint allows the artist total control of the color and the media they are working with.
- Painting Guide – Learn how to master the art of painting with this easy to follow guide.
- Oil Painting – Detailed information about oil painting and how it has evolved and been used throughout art.
- Painting – Information about the origins of painting and its impact on the art community.
- Tempera Painting – Learn about the tempera painting and what is needed for tempera work.
- Pastel Painting – Detailed information about what pastel painting is and how it is used.
- Basics of Pastel – Brief information about the use of pastel and famous artists who have used the media.
- Drawing – Student artwork and information about drawing with pen and pencil media.
- Abstract Art – Detailed information about abstract art and some of the artists who helped to make it famous.
- Baroque – Basic information about the Baroque style.
- The Baroque Style – Information about the history of the baroque style and those who made the style acceptable in the art community.
- Byzantine Art – Examples and information about the Byzantine style.
- Cubism – Learn about analytical cubism and how it influenced art of the 20th century.
- Greek & Roman Art – information and samples of Greek and Roman art, as well as subsections of both art genres.
- Impressionism – Basic information about impressionism and popular impressionist artists.
- Realism – Basic principles of realist art and insight from famous realist artists.
- Renaissance Art – Understand what renaissance art is and how it impacted art history.
- Romanesque Art – Detailed information about Romanesque art and its common characteristics.


The study, released Dec. 8, ranked nearly 128,000 schools across the country for emissions of hazardous chemicals. Field Elementary and Benton Elementary were ranked in the eighth percentile, meaning that only seven percent of the schools surveyed were ranked lower.
However, the results might not be cause for alarm, said Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control spokesperson Rebecca Birke Scheuler.
"The data and how they used it was a little bit flawed," she said.
Chlorine from the Columbia Municipal Power Plant was listed as the main air pollutant in the schools' vicinity. However, the power plant emitted a total of zero chlorine in 2007, according to Jeff Bennett, Air Quality Modeling Chief for the DNR air pollution control program.
The USA Today study was conducted over two years in collaboration with researchers and scientists at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of Maryland at College Park. The researchers used data collected in 2005 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxics Release Inventory program.
Bennett said the flaw probably occurred because the study does not distinguish between chlorine emissions and chlorine stored on the power plant's site. He said the air toxicity in the study was not determined by estimating chlorine emissions but by estimating the chlorine stored in the power plant, where it is used to treat water. The water treatment emits hydrogen chloride, which Bennett said is "not nearly as toxic as chlorine gas."
Although errors have been found in the study, the DNR is still taking it seriously. Bennett plans to investigate air quality in the southeastern part of the state, where schools were also found to have high levels of air toxicity.
Jack Jensen, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, said the news that Columbia-area elementary schools had scored poorly "came out of the blue." He said the school district has made a concerted effort to improve indoor air quality, adding air conditioning to five elementary schools and upgrading the air conditioning in thirty trailers.
Midway Heights Elementary was in the 83rd percentile, the highest ranking among Columbia schools.


I think traditionally what many music education programs have been - and I say this because it seems that music education hasn’t really evolved much since I was in high school. And I think what happens is that you tend to teach the way you were taught. And people who are music educators came through, you know, a K-12 system and early on were in all the bands, all the choirs. So they’ve been involved with a very particular model of teaching. So when they think about teaching, they think about emulating their high school music teacher or high school band teacher or high s - you know, elementary music teacher. And that’s not necessarily the best role model.
So when we think about theory, we first have to kind of come to grips with the assumptions that we made about our beloved choir teacher and band teacher, and that’s very difficult. To ask someone who succeeded quite well and was rewarded all those years for doing well, and these particular paradigms that aren’t necessarily reaching every student. I think we need to start looking at music education for everyone. I know we all say that, but it still tends to be if you play well, you get to be in the band and orchestra. If you play well, you’re going to be in choir. And if you don’t, that’s the end of your musical engagements.
And so the theory is, for me, is well we look at educational theories. But trying to - the challenge is blending theory and practice, and asking them not to just rely on practice but to consider that there is, there are philosophical paradigms and there are educational theories, and there are mindful ways of looking at pedagogy and there are less than mindful ways of just saying okay, trumpet players, not so loud. That’s - you’re a trumpet player. Yeah. How many times in your life have you heard that? “Trumpet players, don’t play so loud!” “Drummers, pay attention,” right?
So we have to figure out different ways of looking at that system and looking at how it might not have worked, and looking at theories of education and looking at why they might not have worked. And then coming to grips with that, and then looking at how we can - how we can be better educators by the theories that we’ve read and compared to our experience.
So if we look at the different schools of philosophical thought in music education, I think an important part of any program is not to take one on particularly, but to address that there are different ways of looking at particular philosophers and music education. And that it’s, we are - it is incumbent upon all of us to look at both of these models and all models, and think about how they relate to our own practice and to our own goals.
[End of Audio]


Rationale: Children with a good foundation of phonemic awareness need explicit and systematic phonics instruction in order to be able to read. Beginning readers need to know that words are made of sounds. They also need to know the correspondences between written letters and their phonemes. Because all words contain vowels, it is usually best to begin teaching vowels. Short vowels are the easiest to teach because they are most commonly found in words with only one vowel. This lesson will focus on e = /e/. Students will review the short e sound, and then they will move on to learn that the letter e, when by itself says /e/. Then the students will practice spelling and reading words with the /e/ sound.
Class set of Elkonin boxes
Class set of letter manipulatives
Overhead Elkonin boxes and letter manipulatives (e, d, s, t, b, n, h, l, f, r)
Class set of A New Bed by Joy Cowley
Sentence strip with tongue twister
1. Introduce the lesson: "Today we are going to be learning about the short vowel E and the sound that it makes. Every time you see an /e/ in a word, you will make the sound like your opening a creaky door. I want everyone to open a door, ready, eeeehhhhh, Good! We need to know about this sound because we use it to write different words and read lots of books."
2. Introduce the tongue twister to the students. Hold up the sentence strip: "Ok, now lets say the tongue twister together: Ester brought excellent eggs to Edwin.Good!"
3. Using the overhead and the letter manipulatives, ask the students to name words with that sound in them and model the way to sound out the sounds in the words to the class. "Who can give me a word with our creaking door sound in it? Good, bed. Now, if I was going to spell that word, I would listen to the sounds, /b/, /eeeee/ (there’s our sound), and /d/." Practice more words using the Elkonin boxes.
4. "Now I want all of you to get out your boxes and letters and we are all going to practice a few words." Have the students leave their letters on their boards until the spelling has been checked. Start with three phoneme words, then move to four and five phonemes.
5. "Now I am going to spell back a few words to you. If you know what word I’m spelling, raise your hand and I’ll call on you." Without using the boxes, spell out some of the words to assess their ability.
6. Using the book, A New Bed, get into small groups with children and have the students read the book aloud.
7. For an assessment, have a picture sheet made out with lots of different pictures using different sounds and have the students circle the pictures with the /e/ sound in their name.
Eldredge, J. Lloyd. (1995) Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classrooms. New
Murray, Bruce and Lesniak, T. (1999). The Letterbox Lesson: A Hands-on
Approach to Teaching Decoding. The
Cowley, Joy. A New Bed. (1997) Sunshine Readers.
Anna Ludlum : "E-e-e-egg-s in Be-e-e-ed?"
Click here to return to Guidelines


Color Theoryby Robert H. Zondag
Part of being an art educator is introducing color theory to students both from the perspective of creating art and from the perspective of appreciating art.
What is color theory? Color theory is the concept of color mixing and the visual impact of using specific color combinations. The concepts of color theory first appear in the writings of various artists beginning in the 15th century, including Leonardo da Vinci. However, color theory as we know it begins in the 18th century, most notably with Sir Isaac Newton who developed the first circular diagram of colors (a color wheel). A color wheel is a circular diagram that represents the sequence of colors in an artistís palette.
Standard color theory starts with the three primary colors. Primary colors are the three pigment colors that cannot be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these three colors: red, yellow and blue.
To these three primary colors we add the secondary colors of green, orange and purple. These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors. These form the basic color wheel. We can continue mixing colors to produce tertiary colors and increase the palette of the color wheel.
How does an artist use a color wheel? The artist uses the color wheel to help plan a painting (a color scheme). For example, the artist may use analogous colors. Analogous colors are any three colors which are side-by-side on the color wheel, such as red-purple, purple, and blue-purple. Generally when using analogous colors the artist will choose one color to dominate the color scheme. In this example, purple may dominate.
Or an artist may choose a complementary color scheme. Complementary colors are any two colors that are directly opposite each other, such as red and green or orange and blue. Using opposing colors creates strong visual contrast for the viewer.
When talking about color theory it is important to talk about color harmony. How does the artistís choice of colors impact the viewer? When art is harmonious it engages the viewer and delights the eye. The wrong choice of color may unintentionally produce a visual experience that the mind rejects. (Of course, this is provided the artist did not intentionally wish to produce this effect on the viewer!)
As an art educator, I ask my students to analyze several paintings for color harmony. This allows me to discuss the color wheel and color theory. It is helpful to have a color wheel available for your students. You may want to have your students create a simple color wheel in your classroom using crayons, color pencils, or watercolors.
As an artist, Robert H. Zondag has turned his passion into teaching children and adults to both create and enjoy the visual arts. He continues to act as a catalyst and consultant for administrators, educators and parents to design and assess art education programs. As a Regional Program Director for Young Rembrandts, Robert works with various districts, community education programs, private institutions, and home educators to incorporate successful drawing courses into schools, early education programs, and summer enrichment sessions.
Robert is available for consultation with your home schooling group or to speak at state or local conventions and meetings.
Robert H. Zondag
Regional Program Director
729 Summit Ave
St. Paul MN 55105


Grant creates accelerated program for Cape fifth-gradersGrant creates accelerated program for Cape fifth-graders
A $58,000 grant will give fifth-graders in Milton and Rehoboth a chance to put their smarts to work.
Cape Henlopen received a state accelerated learning grant and will use the money to create a science, technology, engineering, art and math - STEAM -program for fifth-graders with good grades, said Donna Kolakowski, supervisor of elementary education for Cape Henlopen school district.
Cape fifth-graders will use Lego robotic kits and iPads to find solutions to real-world problems such as coastal erosion, she said.
“Legos would be used to create something to help them solve the problem,” she said.
Rehoboth and Milton elementary schools will pilot the program for fifth-graders who scored in the top 15 percent on the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System tests, Kolakowski said.
“We're going to make sure we have the students who would be the most successful,” she said.
Kolakowski said the district is acquiring the materials needed to start the STEAM program; officials hope to begin classes in February.
Superintendent Robert Fulton said the grant is a great opportunity for students to apply what they learn.
“I think the future is really challenging kids,” he said.


Elementary Education Foundations
Do you enjoy helping children reach their potential? Elementary education may be the career path for you. The elementary education foundations program lays the groundwork for a separate licensure degree that can lead to a successful, meaningful teaching career. You'll learn the basics that will prepare you to guide future generations of learners.
Graduates who meet program and grade requirements receive preferred admission to the college's master of education/initial licensure program in elementary education.
- Learning abroad programs that expose you to new cultural experiences in Spain, Senegal, or India
- Discover if teaching is the right path for you while pursuing study across multiple content areas
- Develop a solid foundation across disciplines while building the framework for learning to teach effectively
Careers with meaning
Potential employers include:
- Elementary schools
- Day-care centers
- Social service agencies
- Educational publishers
Explore careers in elementary education.
Major courses: Teaching methods, psychology, linguistics, special education, and teaching technology
Content area courses: Communications and literature, mathematics, science, and social studies


Music plays an important role in a child’s growth and development.
Children enjoy the playful interaction with music. Successful experiences in music help children bond emotionally and intellectually with others.
Learning to play music is very rewarding and it is a hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone. We believe that both the young and the old can benefit from an excellent music education that seeks to holistically nurture an individual’s aural skills, cognitive abilities, and sense of empathy.
Learn More »
Suzuki Cello Class
The Suzuki Method is premised on the belief that since every child acquires his or her home language with ease, the principles of language acquisition can also be applied to music learning.
Encore Music Education
Encore Music Education adopts a multi-sensory approach to the teaching and learning of music by actively stimulating and engaging the learner’s visual, aural, and kinesthetic domains.


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Chiming fork science experiment
Science for kids is always fun and the chiming fork brings sound science experiments to a new level. Kids enjoy science and sounds, so combine the two in this fun activity and see if they can record what happens without you letting them know what will happen.
Number of Players:1+
What You Need:
- piece of thread
Step 1. Cut a piece of thread that is about as long as your arm.
Step 2. Tie the middle of the thread to the bottom end of the fork.
Step 3. Wind the ends of the thread around your index fingers.
Step 4. Using your fingers, swing the fork so that it knocks against the edge of the table. Notice the sound you hear.
Step 5. Now touch the flaps just in front of your ear holes with your index fingers and repeat Step 3.
What did you notice?
The sound of the clunk should sound different. Why? Because when your fingers near your ears, you bring the thread closer to your sounds sensors which allows you to hear the vibrations much more clearly.
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George William Louis Marshall-Hall (1862-1915), composer, conductor and professor of music, was born on 28 March 1862 in London, son of Marshall Hall and his wife Mary Eliza, née Mammatt; he was a...
View the full record at
Australian Dictionary of Biography
G.W.L. Marshall-Hall was a significant figure on the Australian opera and orchestral scene, and in music education at the turn of the twentieth century. His public life was rather controversial.
Between appointments in England as an organist, choirmaster, and teacher, Marshall-Hall attended the Royal College of Music, studying organ with Walter Parratt, composition with Hubert Parry and counterpoint with Frederick Bridge. In 1888 he became director of the orchestra and choral society and teacher at the London Organ School and College of Music. He launched himself energetically into London musical life as a composer of operas and orchestral works. By 1890, an excerpt from his opera Harold had been performed by Charles Santley at the Crystal Palace, and his first published work, A Song Cycle of Life and Love had been enthusiastically reviewed by George Bernard Shaw.
In 1891 Marshall-Hall emigrated to Australia to become the first Ormond Professor of Music at the University of Melbourne. He composed prolifically in Australia, his works including several overtures and symphonies, concerti, operas, string quartets, and music for stage works. He founded the Marshall-Hall Orchestra in 1892, which inherited the standards, scores and some of the personnel of previous Melbourne orchestras, the 1888 Centennial Exhibition Orchestra and its successor, the Victorian Orchestra. The orchestra gave first performances of many of Marshall-Hall's instrumental and vocal compositions, as well as Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Wagner and the latest French and German works, at a standard hitherto unknown in Melbourne.
In 1894-1895 with W.A. Laver, Marshall-Hall established the Melbourne University Conservatorium, which later became the Albert Street Conservatorium. A charismatic teacher, his championship of Wagner and Schopenhauer soon attracted comment, and his outspoken views on every issue from religion to politics created trouble. A man of bohemian tastes and habits, he became associated with Arthur Streeton and other Heidelberg painters. Following the publication of his collection of poems Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1898, the press accused him of lewdness, lasciviousness and anti-clericalism. As a result, he lost his appointment as Ormond Professor in 1910, but since he was the lessee of the Conservatorium, he continued to teach. The University set up a rival teaching programme.
The Marshall-Hall Orchestra became unfinancial and last performed in 1912. Disillusioned, he returned to Europe to promote his own music. A production of his opera Romeo and Juliet was scheduled for production in Nuremberg, but was cancelled. Stella, an opera first performed in Melbourne in 1912, was produced at the London Palladium in 1914. The Ormond Chair of Music again fell vacant in 1914 and, despite controversy, Marshall-Hall resumed the position in January 1915. He died of appendicitis soon after.


According to the child development experts at Kids Health, by 4 years of age, most preschoolers can write some letters, name the letters that begin some words, match sounds with letters and even write short words. While it's unlikely that your little learner has the ability to write a book report or read a book by herself, she can begin developing early literacy skills. Keep in mind that teaching your 4-year-old to read and write won't happen overnight. Instead, it is a gradual process of skill building.
Items you will need
- Lined paper
- Thin white paper
Teach your budding reader who to recognize the letters. Chances are that your 4-year-old already knows the alphabet. If that's not the case, use a rhyme or the "Alphabet Song" to help him remember the letters.
Make an alphabet strip out of cardboard and markers, writing each letter in a bold color to ensure that your little one has mastery of letter recognition. Point to each letter and say the name. Have your child repeat the letter name. When she gets the hang of that, add in a lesson on sound recognition. Say the letter name and have your preschooler make the sound.
Read age-appropriate books together. Choose a variety of books that feature pictures and words such as "Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book" by Dr. Seuss, "Beach Ball" by Peter Sis or "Farm Alphabet" by Jane Miller. Ask your child to point out specific letters and match the sounds, such as "B" is for "ball."
Continue reading the same books repeatedly. This will give your child the opportunity to become familiar with short words such as "cat" or "dog." While your preschooler most likely won't have the skills to read all of the words in the picture books, he might have the ability to repeat words that he sees regularly and say the beginning sounds of the words.
Continue the literacy development with a writing lesson or two as you are helping your preschooler read. Make a deck of alphabet cards that she can trace as she is beginning to learn how to write.
Write each capital letter of the alphabet on separate pieces of cardboard. Make the letter bold and thick enough for the child to see easily. Place a thin piece of white copier paper over the cardboard. The letter will show through. Give your child a pencil or crayon and have him trace the letter on the white paper. Repeat this step with new pieces of paper until your child gets the hang of the letters.
Give your child lined paper and help him write the letters with a thin marker, crayon or pencil. Continue with this exercise until your child feels comfortable writing at least some -- such as five or six -- letters. It's not likely that your 4-year-old will master writing the entire alphabet right away. Start with simple words or her name.
- Give your little one plenty of opportunities to engage in writing and reading related play. Stash notepads, notebooks, pencils and crayons around the house on play tables or the kitchen table. Encourage your child to write, or scribble, to his heart's content.
- Keep your home library full of picture books. make reading part of play time by having her take a break from the piles of toys and pick up a book. While reading to your child is invaluable, he can browse the pages by himself as well.
- Talk to your child regularly, introducing new vocabulary words as you do.
- Avoid dumbing down early literacy activities. Don't use baby talk or overly juvenile versions in lieu of the real vocabulary.
- Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images


READ 6300 Foundations of Reading and Writing (3 hours). The elements of emergent literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension, are explored. Assessment techniques and the reading/writing needs of all learners, including the exceptional and culturally diverse are also examined. Research based approaches, practices and materials are emphasized, as well as the importance of professional development, modeling, and leadership.
READ 6315 Teaching Content Area Literacy (3 hours). This course focuses on literacy in the content-area subjects. The importance of reading and writing literacy in the content areas is emphasized as well as the integration of literacy into a variety of instructional areas. The development of speaking and listening skills is also included as a part of literacy development. A variety of literacy strategies and skills is presented and examined. Approaches for developing and applying these strategies in various subject-matter areas are explored. PREREQ: READ 6300.
READ 6320 Psychological, Sociological, and Linguistic Factors in Reading and Writing Ability (3 hours). This course provides an overview of the psychological and social factors that affect reading ability. Focusing on reading as a linguistic process, the course helps teachers understand how cognitive processes, motivational factors, and brain mechanisms interact to contribute to success in reading. PREREQ: READ 6315.
ENGL 6360 Literature and Response (3 hours). Examines literature for children and adolescents and their responses to it. Students investigate the types of, and influences upon, response patterns such as motor, oral, written, and expressive-art. Students will learn to use authentic assessment of the various responses. Literature in all genres will be read. PREREQ: READ 6320.
READ 6330 Diagnosis and Correction of Reading and Writing Difficulties: Reading Practicum I (3 hours). Interpreting psychological, sociological, and educational factors affecting the reading process. A case study will be developed for identifying and analyzing reading disabilities. PREREQ: ENGL 6360.
READ 6340 Diagnosis and Correction of Reading and Writing Difficulties: Reading Practicum II (3 hours). Focuses on procedures and materials for correction of reading difficulties, evaluation of pupil progress, and differentiation of instructional techniques. PREREQ. READ 6330.
READ 6370 Administration and Supervision of Reading/Writing Programs (3 hours). This course provides an overview of the challenges that reading specialists face in their roles as administrators and supervisors of reading/writing programs. Students will come away from this course with guidelines and tools that will help ensure the creation and implementation of strong reading programs at the classroom, school, and district levels. PREREQ: READ 6340


In addition to Tom Au's answer on the Meiji Restoration above, is the break down of the central coordinating mechanisms of the Tokugawa or Edo Era that preceded the Meiji Era. In ca 1600, Japan was unified under a military regime (bakufu or Shogunate) led by the supreme military leader, the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu who had his castle in Edo (now Tokyo). The system set up by the Tokugawa regime functioned for ca 260 years as a strict caste society. There were four castes (with the shogun and his top leaders above all four): samurai, peasant, craftsmen, merchants. There was one caste below, the untouchables or eta, who dealt with anything related to death including tanning.
Peasants comprised the vast majority of the population (ca 80%) and owned the land; the economy was based on rice production. Other commodities (barley, millet, soy, etc) were traded but rice was like gold today. Merchants were essential to moving goods around the country (including seeds and new technology for improving harvests) and developed skills in handling / storing commodities (including sake, silk, soy sauce, dried fish and items made by the skilled craftsmen). A money economy developed in the merchant caste and many of them became skilled in banking and a small futures market developed in Osaka. Over time, merchants accumulated wealth while many a high-class samurai went hungry. The Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa's 1956 film) depicts some aspects of the life at that time including the rigid caste system and masterless samurai (ronin).
By the mid-1800s the Edo system was increasingly strained: the top samurai caste (and those above them) owed massive debts to the bottom caste (merchants). In today's world, it is not unlike the power (that is money) that multinational corporations have/control vis-a-vis many national governments. In short, the Edo Period was ready to breakdown, and the arrival of Matthew Perry's Black Ships from the USA helped it along that path.
During the Tokugawa / Edo Period, high-ranking samurai became skilled at bureaucratic management of the complex rice economy. At the same time, many low-ranking samurai seized opportunities in the money (gold and silver) economy such as schemes to create more land through landfill so they then could become land owners and gained the option to become wealthy peasants. Some of the more impoverished samurai relinquished their samurai status altogether and became bankers and traders. Some of Japan's early zaibatsu (financial cliques organized as family-owned holding companies) were founded with a strict code of honor, such as the House of Mitsui, patterned on samurai society.
Skilled samurai and merchants became essential to the early organization of the Meiji Era. (In the mid-1800s, educated males were ca 50% of society, females ca 15%.) Many former samurai with bureaucratic knowledge created the new government and naturally the modern military. Many leading merchants helped create a modern financial system including a new central bank, the Bank of Japan. Edo Period Japan had been closed off to trade and influence from outside, and so to remedy that gap, various missions to learn about the world were initiated. The most famous of these was the Iwakura Mission lasting from Dec 23, 1871 until Sept 13, 1873. The main aims of the missions were to renegotiate the unequal treaties that Japan had been forced into with the US and many European countries and to learn about the technology, science, social and economic structures of those modern countries. The learning that was brought back to Japan influenced how the country was modernized over the coming decades. By 1900, for example, 90% of the population was enrolled in elementary education.


1 Kindness has an amazing ability to increase happiness, self esteem and optimism, improve mental and physical wellbeing, lower stress and anxiety levels, create better social and academic outcomes, and reduce bullying in schools and the community.
Sounds good, doesn’t it!
That’s because kindness is a natural remedy for a multitude of ailments!
Our primary school curriculum has gained International attention as a positive
alternative to traditional anti-bullying programs. We aim to inspire generational change with lessons and activities for the classroom, home and community
to take kindness outside the school gate.
A need for change within school communities is evident, so it’s time to rethink our approach and stop the negative talk about bullying. Blaming and shaming isn’t the answer and asking children to be kind to their peers isn’t enough to stop anti-social behaviour. Students need to be shown how to be a good friend and kindness taught on an on-going basis so that it becomes a natural and instinctive part of life.
Our school curriculum is a positive step towards changing cultures in schools by promoting a healthy outlook at an early age and building an armour of goodness that encourages happy, positive, well rounded individual who care for others.
“There is substantial empirical evidence that systematic, on-going, and fully infused emotional learning programs are essential to nurture mental health and reduce bullying in a sustainable way. There must be a long-term commitment to teaching emotional literacy as a priority in every classroom. The research is clear that teaching kindness, and other emotional content, has significant positive effect on mental health, academic accomplishment, and overall well-being.” – Patty O’Grady, PhD, Professor at the University of Tampa
Our community project motivates people to make changes in their lives to enable growth through positivity, an awareness of self, compassion for others and the addictive feel good emotions that being kind generates.


We are all naturally drawn to music. We sing the nursery songs to our baby that we learned as kids. We play music to lift our mood as we drive in the car.
“Nothing activates as many areas of the brain as music,” according to researcher Donald Hodges, Covington Distinguished Professor of Music Education and director of the Music Research Institute at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Music is probably already a part of your life in one form or another. But music research give us even more reasons to intentionally incorporate music and song into our child’s world!
Your Child’s Brain Benefits from Music Exposure and Music Education Because…
Some Musical Capabilities are Acquired Through Mere Exposure to Music
Just listen and learn! By simply exposing our children to quality music we can help develop in them an aptitude for music. Don’t you love it when giving our children a love and talent for one of the best things in life is that easy! (A study at the University of Amsterdam in 2008 concluded the above statement.)
- TIP: Expose Your Children to Exceptional Music
Give your children the best! Of course, we play the music we love. But be sure to expose them to a variety of music from classical to folk. Stretch yourself! There are many CDs for children on the market that are poorly produced. Just like with literature, aim for original works and renowned musicians.
“When children learn rhythm, they are learning ratios, fractions and proportions,” says Professor Gordon Shaw, University of California, Irvine, after his study of seven year-olds in Los Angeles. We are giving our children a boost in math comprehension when we make music a part of their lives.
Music Enhances Your Child’s Intellectual Development
Dr. Frances Rauscher, from the University of Wisconsin, says that music “helps improve children’s ability to reason abstractly by strengthening neural firing patterns of the brain that are relevant to both musical and spatial cognition.”
“The Mozart Effect,” the term trademarked by Don Campbell, makes claims that listening to Mozart’s music may induce a short-term improvement on the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks like spatial-temporal reasoning.
Experiences with Music Reinforce Language Mastery & Future Reading
“Even the youngest infant is wired to receive music and discriminate among differences in frequency, melody, and stimuli,” states Lili M. Levinowitz, Ph.D, a professor of music education at Rowan University of New Jersey, Glassboro. Spoken language has its own rhythm. Early music exposure helps to establish some of the building blocks for strong language skills and literacy.
Higher Academic Achievement
Higher academic achievement scores resulted for students who participated in formal music education than for those who did not, studies concluded. I’m not a big believer in the ability of standardized tests to accurately measure intellect. However, these findings continue to support the idea that music education has a positive affect on a child’s scholastic development.
Music and Singing Have Advantages for Mom Too
Singing has physical benefits because it is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the bloodstream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, even when sitting,” sites Professor Graham Welch of the University of London, who has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years. So sing! You may burn some extra calories and strengthen your lungs!
Singing Reduces Stress Levels
“Singing reduces stress levels through the action of the endocrine system, which is linked to our sense of emotional well-being,” notes Professor Grahm Welch again. What mom couldn’t use that!
Singing Brings Joy & Can Change the Atmosphere of Our Homes
Especially when the music involves praising God! When I feel a heaviness around the house, playing worship music breaks right through it and lifts my eyes to heaven!
No wonder the Bible says, “Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; praise is becoming to the upright.” (Psalms 33:1). He knew we’d benefit! Having a heart filled with praise is one of God’s beauty secrets!
There is no prerequisite to carry a tune! Sing away and expose your kids to exceptional music!


On July 8th, the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, launched “Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life - The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020“, a wide ranging new strategy aimed at ensuring that every child leaves school having mastered literacy and numeracy. This National Strategy to improve literacy and numeracy among children and young people is seen as a key pillar of the Programme for Government for the new Fine Gael / Labour coalition. Speaking at the launch, Minister Quinn said, “It is the government’s belief that no child should leave school unable to read and write and use mathematics to solve problems. We know that there is currently much room for improvement and this strategy sets out the road map with concrete targets and reforms that will ensure our children, from early childhood to the end of second level, master these key skills.”
The Strategy aims to ensure that teachers and schools maintain a strong focus on literacy and numeracy skills, within a broad and balanced curriculum. It sets out a wide-ranging programme of reforms in initial teacher education courses, in professional development for teachers and school principals, and in the content of the curriculum at primary and post-primary levels in order to achieve these vital skills. Schools will be required to make greater use of standardised tests of reading and mathematics in second and sixth class in primary schools and introduce these tests for 2nd year students in post-primary schools. They will be required to report the findings to parents, Boards of Management (BOM) and the Department of Education and Skills (DES). Schools will be required to develop and implement school improvement plans in accordance with guidance from the Department’s Inspectorate. A circular will be issued to primary schools shortly, requiring them to increase the time available for literacy to 90 minutes per day and for mathematics to 50 minutes per day (up from 36 minutes currently) from this September.
Given the financial constraints facing the country, Minister Quinn said that the Strategy had been developed in a way that keeps additional costs to a minimum. “This means that we will have to find the necessary resources for literacy and numeracy by re-prioritising existing spending, by cutting activities that may be desirable but less important, and by ensuring that we get the very best outcomes from whatever financial and human resources we have,” stated the Minister. The Minister concluded that he wanted a “concerted national effort to achieve world-class literacy and numeracy skills among our children and young people.”
Sheila Nunan, General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), said the union would consider the plan carefully, discuss it with teachers, see what bits of it were worthwhile and what parts could be implemented. However, her initial reaction to the strategy could only be said to be “lukewarm”. She remarked that this plan was being introduced at a time when many teaching jobs were being lost. “You cannot on the one hand demand higher standards and then cut teacher numbers, reduce funding, decrease supports for special needs and disadvantaged children and increase class size”, Ms Nunan said. She said that these cutbacks would compromise the ability of schools to deliver on the plan. “The government’s commitment to literacy and numeracy will be seen in the next budget. If teacher numbers are cut then this plan is not worth the paper it is written on,” said Ms Nunan. “The challenge for the Minister is to ring fence front line staffing and find the resources to support a rise in standards. If he doesn’t do this, then this plan will be a pointless exercise.”
This sentiment was broadly backed by Pat King, General Secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI). Commenting on the launch of the plan by Minister Quinn, Mr. King said, “Literacy skills have a significant influence on a young person’s future life chances. The ASTI welcomes this focus on literacy. However, it is important to point out that quality learning requires a quality learning environment. The learning environment of schools is significantly affected by resources such as the number of teaching staff, access to specialist staff and the availability of educational resources including new technologies and reliable broadband connection. In this context, we are appealing to the Government not to impose further cuts on our under-resourced schools. Further cuts will militate against the effective delivery of the Minister’s literacy plan and on the delivery of a range of other plans, programmes, and projects which are currently being implemented in schools.”
The 88 page Literacy and Numeracy Strategy can be downloaded from the DES website HERE.
View the Wordle of the text of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy HERE.


As I’ve said previously we are currently working on developing a signal-split device: that is, we want something that takes one input and creates a copy of it. Or in other words one marble in, two marbles out. Below is the design we settled on for our first physical prototype of the signal split toggle.
We cut one out and mounted it. Here is video of it at work.
It works pretty well! It’s not perfect, we’ll have to keep working on it. The tough part at this point is that we don’t know whether faults in our prototypes are due to faulty craftsmanship or faulty design. We will have to make several prototypes and carefully observe them in operation to figure this out. My lack of any schooling or experience in engineering and woodworking is becoming a hindrance at this point.
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The Rembrandt Project and Content Area Standards
We have designed the case studies and the lessons contained in them with an eye on national standards. It is our intent to align these standards with the instructional activities found on the web site. We have decided to use standards from the National Council of Social Studies and the National Art Education Association since many school districts also use these standards as well.
Fortunately for us, there is a preexisting framework built into Rembrandt’s oeuvre to permit us to use these standards coherently. His works are generally subdivided into Portraits, Histories, and Landscapes. We have structured the web site around these same categories while also focusing on works accomplished using a variety of media, namely: oil painting, etching, and drawing.
In an extensive review of Rembrandts located in American collections, which is the focus of this site, we found that many of the subjects reference these five themes:
- Culture and Civilization
- People, Places and Environments
- Power, Authority, and Governance
- Individual Development and Identity
- Time, Continuity, and Change
All strands found in the National Council of Social Studies (NCSS) Standards. Our art standards are based on National Visual Arts Standards published by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and focus on the goals of understanding and applying media, techniques and processes, using knowledge of structures and functions, choosing and evaluating a range of symbols, and understanding the visual arts in relation to history, among others.
In all of the lessons, these standards form a framework around which the activities are designed. It should be noted that both the NCSS and NAEA are in the process of reworking their standards for those who wish to upgrade the references.
Here are the links to both NCSS and NAEA Standards:


Richmond, BC September 01, 2009 – Students of lower socioeconomic status who took music lessons in grades 8-12 increased their math scores significantly as compared to non-music students. But just as important, reading, history, geography and even social skills soared by as much as 40%. These numbers highlight the need for early and constant music education.
Unfortunately, the majority of children lose interest in music lessons during the first eighteen months. Tatiana Bandurina, author of Voices of Our Children: Stories of Music Education, states that 80% of children quit music education because of their parents. The remaining 20% go to unprofessional music teachers and extra family surrounding of the child. In many cases, parents can’t find the necessary information about what their part is in the music education of children.
Your child can learn music with pleasure and not under pressure! Tatiana reveals the mysteries of parents’ strategies in music education and shows you simple examples from the lives of other families. She describes advantages of music education and helps parents avoid the many difficulties they often face when first starting children in music classes.
1Gardiner, Fox, Jeffrey and Knowles, Nature, May 23, 1996
Tatiana Bandurina is an inventor, a professional writer and a member of the Canadian Authors Association. For more than twenty years she worked in several children’s musical academies and schools as a teacher and a principal. Tatiana is now the director of Quintecco Educational Products, Inc., the website is www.quintecco.com, a company that develops and markets new media education products to the consumer and business education markets.
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Quintecco Educational Products, Inc., the website is http://www.quintecco.com, a company that develops and markets new media education products to the consumer and business education markets.


Strategies from K-12 schools, districts, and programs that are dramatically improving the learning process.
We share evidence- and practitioner-based learning strategies that empower you to improve K-12 education.
Martin Scorsese champions a visual-literacy curriculum, available free to teachers for use in middle school classrooms.
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a recording studio on wheels that brings music education to schools across the country.
The Facing History School doesn't sugarcoat our past. It confronts it.
For more than 12 years, Seattle's John Stanford International School has been a model for international schools, immersing its elementary students in global awareness and achieving academically as well.
A high school hatchery protects endangered species and demands academic excellence.
Combine a school, a museum, and a global corporation, and you get a learning environment like no other.
At this STEM high school, integrated project-based learning and real-world internship experiences build the crucial link between academic achievement and future economic success.
In their second year of shifting to High Tech High-style project-based learning, two Whitfield County Schools share their advice, and lessons they've learned through their efforts.
Mesquite Elementary School developed a teaching strategy that turned the school around in just six months and that continues to prove its effectiveness.
Since 2002, Ariel has consistently outperformed their district, Chicago Public Schools, on the percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards in math, reading, and science.
At Bravo High School
Where Students Go After Graduation
49.8% Four-year College56.9% Community College1.5% Military1.7% Vocational School
Every teacher at Wiley H. Bates Middle School, is committed to weaving the arts and standard curricula together to create a richer and more lasting learning experience for students.


Carl Orff (1895 - 1982)
The German composer Carl Orff is widely known for his work in music education, particularly in exploration of the connections between music and movement.
In his compositions Carl Orff found a similar connection between the dramatic and the musical, couched in his very personal style of writing, with its insistent, repeated patterns of notes and compelling rhythms. Carl Orff studied at the Munich Academy and later, in 1920, with Kaminski.
In 1924, with Dorothee Günther, he founded a school for gymnastics, music and dance, and out of this came his later activity in providing materials for young children to make music, using their voices and simple percussion instruments.
Carl Orff's adult works also seek to make contact with primitive kinds of musical behaviour, as represented by ostinato, pulsation and direct vocal expression of emotion; in this he was influenced by Stravinsky ("Oedipus rex", "The Wedding"), though the models are coarsened to produce music of a powerful pagan sensual appeal and physical excitement.
All of Carl Orff's major works, including the phenomenally successful "Carmina burana "(1937), were designed as pageants for the stage; they include several versions of Greek tragedies and Bavarian comedies.
The best known of all Carl Orff's works the "Carmina Burana", is a large scale work making use of the medieval Latin and Old German lyrics found at the monastery of Benediktbeuern.The work has become even more familiar to unmusical audiences by use of elements from it in advertising and in films.
"Carmina burana " is generally performed only as a form of secular oratorio, in the concert-hall, rather than on the stage, as is "Catulli carmina "("Songs of Catullus"), again intended for theatrical use.


Hi! It’s Tuesday, March 20, 2012 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!
Science For Kids
Age Range: 6-18 (grades 1-12, with parental supervision)
This New Zealand based website offers all kinds of fun and interactive games that teach science and technology.
When you get to the ad-supported site, you’ll see a brief introduction and a menu of science games sorted as follows:
*Living Things – Learn about food chains, microorganisms, the life cycle of a plant, animals, and human anatomy and health.
*Physical Processes – Explore electricity, magnets and springs, light, forces, sounds, friction, and more.
*Solids, Liquids, & Gases – Discover the matter that makes up our earth. Experiment with water, melting points, rocks, minerals, and more.
Just click on a game to get instructions and begin play.
When you’re through playing all of the science games, explore the rest of the menu including:
*Experiments – Get interesting facts about nature, dinosaurs, famous scientists, forensic science, and more.
*Quizzes – Test your knowledge of space, chemistry, biology, physics, atoms, states of matter, and more.
*Projects – Get instructions for making a string phone, a robot, stalactites and stalagmites, a microscope, a rain gauge and much more.
*Lessons – Try these lesson plans designed to teach students the basics of science.
*Videos – Watch animations and film clips that explain weather, physics, chemistry, sports science, video game technology and more.
This is a remarkable science resource you can refer to again and again.


Mission Statement of the Preparatory Program
The goal of the Preparatory Program of the University of Miami is to develop your child’s individual interests and abilities in music from music appreciation to preparation for music conservatories.
Why Study Piano?
For years, arts advocates have argued that music education develops the concentration, coordination, and self-confidence necessary for children to excel in other facets of their lives. Recent studies support this claim. A 1989 study conducted using 282 second graders in Greenwood, Mississippi concluded that by the end of two semesters of piano study, children in the piano class scored an average of seven percentage points higher on Standard Achievement Tests as compared to those who did not study piano. The piano group demonstrated a greater ability to concentrate and showed marked improvement in coordination and self-confidence. This is only one proven example of what piano study can do for your child.
Can Children Learn Piano in Groups?
Group learning has long been recognized as one of the most efficient ways to teach children academic subject matter. A group environment has the added benefits of using positive peer pressure as an incentive to learn and the interaction between students that encourages and promotes understanding. These benefits are multiplied when studying piano. The opportunity to make music together with friends and classmates who share common goals and skills adds additional incentives for progress and success. In group lessons, the children participate in activities that are fun, thus instilling positive lifetime attitudes toward music and learning.


New York, New York (PRWEB) January 24, 2014
In the annals of music education, there are landmark textbooks. Modern examples would be Nicolas Slonimsky’s “Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns” and the “Harmony Book” by Elliott Carter, Nicholas Hopkins, and John F. Link. Rather than being instructional in the mechanical sense (telling a student to “do this”) they are compendiums of possibilities, aimed at the advanced musician and providing information and insights into new ways of looking at music. Now Muse-Eek.com presents the “Sonic Resource Guide” a book that explores the possibilities of Pitch Class Sets, which reduce note relationships down to two hundred and twenty prime forms.
Endless combinations of notes can be derived from these prime forms. To tackle the dizzying task of writing out each one, Bruce Arnold enlisted the help of the open source program SuperCollider, “an environment and programming language for real time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition.”
“If I had attempted writing a book like this 10 years ago, I would still be writing it” says Mr. Arnold “But because I had access to this amazing and deep free program, I was able to organize the concepts, and translate what I wanted into a code and let the application chew on it.” In keeping with its origins, the book is not only available in hard copy, but in a digital download.
What sets the "Sonic Resource Guide" apart for the other books mentioned, is that even though the theoretical material presented could be thought of as “modern classical” it is geared toward the jazz improviser and composer. The book uses concepts familiar to most jazz musicians, like “what chords will fit over or are derived from a given scale” and thus bridges a gap in music education by balancing between the highly mathematical approach to pitch class theory and the often limited scope of jazz improvisation methods. The numerous musical relationships the “Sonic Resource Guide” sets forth can greatly expand the musical palette of the improviser or composer.
Various melodic and harmonic relationships of each pitch class set are listed, along with a listing of possible related jazz chords for each pitch class set. Where appropriate, a listing of all three and four note chords can be found to aid in creating varied and unique harmonic palettes, as well as three, four, six and eight note subset relationships to help in exploring subset based musical ideas.
All musicians will find the information in this book easy to apply because all pitch class set (scales) relationships are listed as both pitch names and scale degrees. Set theory students will find each pitch class set is also expressed in its prime form.
“I’ve been using the concepts I based this book on for years, in my own music. I expect some really fresh sounds to come out of anyone who uses them.” says Arnold. “It may just look like tables, but no other book of this kind is as user friendly.” The "Sonic Resource Guide" will also be used in the upcoming Guitar Intensive Workshops which will start in the summer of 2014. These Workshops will include top educators such as: Bruce Arnold, Stuart Hamm, Mimi Fox and Alex Skolnick.


> What Brookes DOES advocate is
> teaching children to draw. In other words, giving them drawing
> instruction, like teaching them to look for, identify and draw the
> basic shapes. Or teaching children shading and/or modeling techniques,
> perspective devices, etc. I know that this particular topic has in the past
> been somewhat controversial, as some feel that this stifles the child's
> creativity and is contrary to the child's natural developmental stages in
> Perhaps this issue still is controversial and others on this list could
> speak to it? I would be interested in such a discussion.
> What do you think?
This interests me also Ruth. Eisner says kids learn "inside out and
outside in." As teachers, we are the outside part trying to smoosh
stuff into students' brains. I think we have to balance what the
students bring to the classroom (as far as their abilities) with what
we want to share, introduce, and teach. We have to balance the
inside and the outside.
I think some students are ready to be taught certain drawing
techniques and skills while others might not be. As the teacher you
have to know the students well enough so that you can decide if they
need to grow "inside out" some more or if they are ready for some
I was showing a film about the developmental levels of children's drawings
to my elementary education majors the other day and the narrator noted the
negative effect a big sister had on her little first grade brother's
drawing (she instructed him on the correct way to draw girls). I
didn't think it was such a big deal. I think the brother was ready
for some "outside in" learning, otherwise, he would have ignored her
completely and kept drawing the way he had been.
I think Marjorie and Brent Wilson did research on children's drawings
and the images they incorporate. I think they found that kids learn to draw on
their own, from their friends, from their siblings, and probably a
little from their teachers.
University of Central Arkansas


A new study adds another interesting wrinkle to the debate about income inequality in the United States. “Returns to Skills around the World: Evidence from PIAAC” by Eric Hanushek, Guido Schwerdt, Simon Wiederhold, and Ludger Woessmann examines the actual literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills — rather than completed education years — of workers across advanced economies and how those cognitive and workplace abilities affects earnings. Here are the results:
Existing estimates of the labor-market returns to human capital give a distorted picture of the role of skills across different economies. International comparisons of earnings analyses rely almost exclusively on school attainment measures of human capital, and evidence incorporating direct measures of cognitive skills is mostly restricted to early-career workers in the United States.
Analysis of the new PIAAC survey of adult skills over the full lifecycle in 22 countries shows that the focus on early-career earnings leads to underestimating the lifetime returns to skills by about one quarter. On average, a one-standard- deviation increase in numeracy skills is associated with an 18 percent wage increase among prime-age workers.
But this masks considerable heterogeneity across countries. Eight countries, including all Nordic countries, have returns between 12 and 15 percent, while six are above 21 percent with the largest return being 28 percent in the United States. Estimates are remarkably robust to different earnings and skill measures, additional controls, and various subgroups. Intriguingly, returns to skills are systematically lower in countries with higher union density, stricter employment protection, and larger public-sector shares.
I find particularly interesting the finding that (a) the return to skills is highest in America and lowest in Nordic-land, and (b) returns are higher in economies with more open, private-sector based labor markets. Wouldn’t this seem to argue that higher US inequality — based on pre-tax, pre-transfer market incomes — reflects 21st century market forces rewarding ability rather than some sort of breakdown in social norms? If so, shouldn’t the policy response favor creating, as much as possible, a labor force better and more broadly capable of flourishing in this environment rather than artificially lowering the return to skills and America’s growth potential?


Revised Guidelines for implementation of The ‘National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL)’ as a component of the scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
- The Government has approved a new programme called ‘National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL)’ as an amendment to the scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for providing additional components for education of girls at elementary level. The NPEGEL will form part of SSA and will be implemented under the umbrella of SSA but with a distinct identity.
- The scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was started in the year 2001-02 with the objective of universalisation of elementary education. It is an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children including the girl child, through provision of community-owned quality education in a mission mode. However, as SSA has limited financial provisions for girls’ education in the form of “innovations” at district level and free textbooks, and thus there is a need for an additional component.
- Accordingly, NPEGEL has been formulated for education of under privileged/ disadvantaged girls from class I to VIII as a separate and distinct gender component plan of SSA. The gender component is necessary to achieve UEE for girls in educationally backward areas
The scheme would be applicable in the following areas:-
- Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) : EBB means a block where the level of rural female literacy is less than the national average and the gender gap is above the national average.
- Blocks of districts which have atleast 5% SC/ ST population and SC/ ST female literacy rate below 10% shall also be taken up under this programme
- Selected urban slums.


In November 2010, only 78 percent of economically disadvantaged third graders in Winnebago County scored proficient or advanced on reading achievement tests compared to 87 percent of other students according to the recent Southern Winnebago County Leading Indicators for Excellence (LIFE) study. In addition, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in Southern Winnebago County school districts increased to 39 percent, a 7 percent increase from 2008-2009 numbers.
While highlighted by the study as an area of concern, the Oshkosh Area United Way is already working to close this reading achievement gap for economically disadvantaged children through a literacy program made available through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which sends children from birth to age five one book to their home each month.
While anecdotal information from parents suggests the program is showing successful results, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Education and Human Services Reading Department, in partnership with the United Way, the Wisconsin State Reading Association and the Oshkosh Public Library, is in the process of conducting a formal, multi-year research study on how the program affects a child’s literacy development and family literacy interactions.
“In general, we believe that the younger a child interacts with language and literature, the better off the child will be academically and throughout life,” UW Oshkosh reading professor Michelina Manzi, who along with assistant reading professor Elizabeth Alderton is leading the study.
“We are gathering data on family literacy to show the impact of what parents and guardians do with their children in terms of literacy,” Alderton said. “One year into the study, the findings appear positive.” A second major data collection point will occur spring 2012, and again will engage UWO pre-service teachers in the research process.
“We believe the program can not only improve the language skills of all children, it can provide additional opportunities for parents and children to spend quality time together, thus reinforcing the child/parent relationship,” said Sue Panek, executive director of the Oshkosh Area United Way.
One key to the program is the excitement of getting something at home. Oshkosh resident Lorianna Schmidt, whose son Dylan has participated in the program since February, confirms that excitement. “Dylan really looks forward to receiving the books. Once we receive them, he asks us to read them over and over again. After reading through the books a few times, repeats the words in everyday situations, so it is helping with his vocabulary and expression.”
Currently the Imagination Library program serves about 1,300 children in Oshkosh. “There are approximately 4,200 more children who we could enroll in the program if we had additional funding,” said Panek. “This would go a long way toward helping these children excel in reading.”
- Anyone interested in supporting the Imagination Library can learn more by contacting Oshkosh Area United Way, 36 Broad Street, Suite 100, Oshkosh, WI 54901. www.oshkoshunitedway.org.
- The Southern Winnebago County LIFE Study is sponsored by the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Oshkosh Area United Way and the U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs. For more information visit http://www.lifestudy.info/life-studies-local/southern-winnebago-life-study.


By Wangechi Thuo and Andrew Carlson
The Community Eye Health Journal announced in November that the National Blindness Prevention Programme (PNLC) in Mali, established in 1998, is on track to eliminate trachoma as a cause of blindness by 2015.
Trachoma is a bacterial disease that is transmitted through flies that come into contact with infected people or person to person contact. In areas where people live in close proximity, the disease spreads at an alarming rate, and can quickly infect entire communities. Repeated infection causes eyelids to turn inward and scratch the cornea, leaving an infected individual one unbelievably painful step closer to blindness with every blink they take, a process called trachomatous trichiasis. In 2011 the WHO estimated that 7,260,960 people around the world had this form of trichiasis.
Just before PNLC’s inception, Mali bore a generous portion of the global burden: during a national survey conducted in February 1996-May 1997, an estimated 85,700 people needed trichiasis surgery.
Since then, thanks to a strong commitment by the government of Mali, the PNLC has consolidated support from various partners, including The Carter Center, Helen Keller International (HKI), the United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID) managed by RTI international, The END Fund, and the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI). The PNLC has set a high standard in trachoma elimination that similar national initiatives throughout sub-Saharan Africa strive to emulate.
Three important benchmarks help explain how Mali has achieved this success:
- Distribution of antibiotics: Through district-level mass drug administration, the PNLC has reduced active disease well below the recommended threshold in 84% of the districts in which the disease is present
- Surgical Efficiency: Since 2009, the PNLC almost halved the surgical backlog throughout the country; in 2011 alone, 8,510 trichiasis surgeries were conducted by only a handful of surgeons
- Preventive sanitation: Since 2009, 53,090 latrines have been constructed allowing safer disposal of waste
To foster community awareness, the PNLC has developed a primary school curriculum on trachoma, trained community leaders in trachoma prevention and ensured the dissemination of health messages through radio broadcasts with help from HKI.
PNLC’s successes are even more laudable as they were achieved in spite of the military coup d’état in March 2012, which elicited a considerable decrease in financial support to the Malian government.
With support from partners, Mali is less than one year away from achieving the goal of trachoma elimination and is positioned to celebrate this achievement, five years ahead of the global elimination date. Mali’s success story and lessons learned can provide can also be example for more countries throughout the world.


by Roger Sams and Beth Ann Hepburn.
"Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Room, Book 1" is an extensive collection of developmentally sequenced lessons for learning about music by making music. This collection incorporates strategies from Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Kodály and Orff Schulwerk. Each of the thirty lessons included is actually a collection of lessons or pathways, giving teachers many choices for how to work with the material. The possibilities in this book can be selected and shaped to work effectively in diverse situations. The teacher chooses which pathways will be explored and in what sequence they will be used. This flexible design makes this resource helpful to all teachers, first-year to seasoned educators!
|'Hover' for a look inside book 1 lessons
Electronic visuals (SMART Notebook files, which can be used even if you don't use a SMART Board with free downloadable software) are available on CD-ROM as an optional additional purchase.
Purposeful Pathways is endorsed by leading experts in all three pedagogical approaches utilized. Here's what the experts are saying:
"This book is a collection of music lessons to introduce beginning students to the excitement of discovering and learning music by making it. The variety of musical pathways presented becomes a road to rhythmic and melodic literacy, with clearly mapped goals and objectives. The journey is enriched by the variety of musical elements and behaviors included, providing many choices for exploring each of the 30 examples in the collection. Movement ideas enhance opportunities for students to actively explore musical material.
The expert guidance of two experienced author/teachers is evident on every page, and is highlighted in special inserts called Teacher Talk. Icons, charts, and drawings add to the playful presentation of the material – many of which are available in an optional CD-ROM. The carefully selected collection of songs and rhymes provides artful early encounters with music, establishing a solid foundation for future musical experiences."
Founding Director, Graduation Programs in Music Education, University of St. Thomas
Past President, American Orff-Schulwerk Association
"Purposeful Pathways provides the music specialist with valuable tools to integrate singing, playing of instruments, and creative and purposeful movement. While these lessons can be used across many elementary grade levels, Roger and BethAnn have created movement ideas for young children to imitate animals or characters and explore rhythmic pathways, and movement for later grades that coordinate specific durations or rhythmic ostinato patterns with the text and music. This book would be helpful not only for new teachers, but for experienced music educators interested in learning how to integrate our learning approaches."
R. J. David Frego, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Music, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Past President, Dalcroze Society of America
"Whimsy all but leaps off the pages of this wonderful collection of creative activities for developing music reading, improvisation, composition, and instrument playing skills. Fresh melodies composed to time-honored rhymes are paired with clever ostinati leading to simple and effective instrumental arrangements incorporating movement and song. The Teacher Talk sections contain gems and jewels of advice that can only come from extensive experience with children. I am excited to use many of the ideas with my education majors! You will certainly be successful with these pathways in your classroom!"
Jill Trinka, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Coastal Carolina University
Past President, American Association of Kodály Educators


Drawing On Science For Kids
OK, the above title isn't as bad as you think. You'll see why as you read on. Water is a part of every living thing (about 90 percent of your body is water) and it covers about 97 percent of the earth's surface as ocean water. Ocean or salt water is a solution of many different salts. The remaining 3 percent is fresh water containing no dissolved salts. Fresh water is found in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, creeks, glaciers, reservoirs and aquifers (=underground containers that hold water, which has seeped into the ground). Only one-half of 1 percent of fresh water is potable (=safe drinking water). And of this usable fresh water a very small fraction is found on the surface in lakes, ponds, and streams. Most of it is stored in the aquifers. All water found on, under and above the earth makes up what is known as the hydrosphere (hydro=water, sphere= globe).
Less than 3 percent of Earth's water is fresh water. Only 1/3 of this fresh water is available to us as liquid. The remaining 2/3 is frozen in glaciers and ice caps.
In nature water moves in a number of circular paths called the water or hydrologic cycle. This water cycle is powered by the sun's energy. Water on the surface evaporates (=changes from a liquid into a gas) when the sun warms it. This evaporated water comes from oceans, lakes, ponds, streams and land. Plants release water into the air by a process known as transpiration (=release of waste water through small openings in leaves called stomates- see Drawing on Science 9/17/04). Evaporation and transpiration is combined and called evapotranspiration.
Winds carry the water vapor from the oceans over the continentents. In the high atmosphere the water vapor cools and condenses (=changes from a gas into a liquid). This results in cloud formation. When the clouds become full with water, the water is released. Water will then return to the surface as rain or snow. (Aren't you glad that your nose points down? If it pointed up and you got caught in a storm you would have to cover your nostrils to keep the rain out.) Water that falls into rivers and streams is carried back to the oceans as runoff. Water forming puddles on land evaporates back into the atmosphere. Water on the surface that does not evaporate seeps into the ground settling in aquifers. And the cycle continues.
Another path of the cycle involves animals. Animals obtain water by drinking or eating. As a natural process the body accumulates excess water. This excess water must be gotten rid of. Depending on the animal, this is accomplished in two ways: perspiration or sweating and urinating. This getting rid of waste water along with its dissolved substances is the life process,
excretion. Eventually your sweat evaporates and enters the atmosphere as pure water. Urine is flushed down the toilet. The water in sweat and urine eventually evaporates and is recycled. Now I know what you're thinking. No, urine and smelly sweat are not falling on your head when it rains. When water evaporates, any dissolved substances in the water remain behind- only the water vapor rises into the atmosphere. When sweat evaporates, dissolved waste remains behind. Urine flushed down the toilet travels to a waste purification plant where it is treated and purified before being released back into the environment. What results, then, after evaporation and purification is pure water. Distillation is a process involving evaporation. When a mixture of water and dissolved substances is distilled, only the water is collected. The dissolved substances remain behind. Astronauts drink pure, distilled water produced from their own sweat and urine.
To Do: If you'd like a simple experiment on distillation via email, please contact me at the email address below.
Something to Think About: 1. What happens to rain when it falls on the Earth's surface? 2. How much of Earth's fresh water is frozen in glaciers? 3. Where is most of our useable fresh water located? 4. What powers the water cycle? 5. What is evapotranspiration? 6. Droughts and dry spells have been a problem for centuries. How can we conserve water during such times?
In the News: 1. Why was water released from Lake Mead into the Colorado River? 2. What problems have been found in our drinking water?
Questions/comments? E-mail Steve: Drawingonscience @aol.com