Teaching Landmarks - Middle School Curriculum Unit
The Education Institute and the Getty Conservation Institute are proud to present an interdisciplinary curriculum unit that encourages students to explore and celebrate local, national, and global communities. Each of the three lesson plans include activities and worksheets for students and can be easily integrated into art, social studies, and language arts classes. Web links and a reading list also accompany the unit.
Learning in and Through Art
Learning In and Through Art, the latest Education Institute publication, introduces and provides a basic background and understanding of discipline-based art education. This book, now available online in its entirety, traces the evolution of DBAE and includes an extensive bibliography of books, articles, dissertations, and videos.
Trajan's Rome: the Man, the City, the Empire: An Interdisciplinary Middle School Curriculum Unit
This unit contains six lesson plans focused on Trajan's Empire. Created by the Education Institute and the National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA, Trajan's Rome offers an interdisciplinary approach to teaching ancient art and history. Each lesson includes activities and worksheets for students to explore aspects of life in the Roman Empire during the reign of Trajan. This unit also includes additional Web resources, image galleries, and a glossary.
Art and Ecology Image Galleries
Check out the new and improved image galleries for Art and Ecology, an online exhibition of contemporary ecological art with online resources for teachers. The redesigned galleries include thumbnail images of each artwork for easy access to the images.
Arts Education for Life and Work
The online version of the proceedings from Educating for the Workplace Through the Arts, a national conference sponsored by the Education Institute in cooperation with Business Week, is now available on ArtsEdNet. Find excerpts from presentations by leaders and experts in the field of education and art education.


Written especially for parents, Growing Readers (formerly Ed Extras) provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers. Schools and PTAs can add these preformatted briefs to their parent newsletters. Growing Readers is also a great resource for libraries and community literacy organizations. The one- or two-page articles are available as a PDF in both English and Spanish.
Sign up to have Growing Readers delivered monthly to your inbox!
Download and print the latest Growing Readers article:
Got a newspaper? You've got learning!
We've archived all of our past Growing Readers articles by topic:
Nursery Rhymes: Not Just for Babies!
Finding and Sharing Great Kids' Books
Rediscover Your Public Library
Early literacy development
Tips for Teaching Your Child About Phonemes
Simple Yet Powerful Things to Do While Reading Aloud
Good Night, Sleep Tight: Preschoolers and Sleep
How to Read With a Squiggly Baby (or Toddler!)
Does My Preschooler Have Delayed Development?
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Math and Literacy for Preschoolers
Building Your Child's Vocabulary
Handwriting: What's Normal, What's Not
Beginning Readers: Look! I Can Read This!
Emergent Readers: Look! That's My Letter!
Families and schools
Supporting the Common Core Writing Standards
How Parents Can Support the Common Core Reading Standards
Children and Digital Media: Rethinking Parent Roles
Flipped Classrooms and Flipped Lessons: What Does It Mean for Parents?
When to Call Your Child's Teacher
Choosing a Preschool
Listen and Look at Back-to-School Night
Preparing Your Child for Testing
The Parent-Teacher Conference (Pre-K)
The Parent-Teacher Conference
Literacy activities for the family
Getting the Most Out of Nonfiction Reading Time
Mission Critical: Reading Together to Build Critical Thinking Skills
Use a PEER When You Read Aloud
Picture This! Using Mental Imagery While Reading
Playing with Word Sounds: Stretch and Shorten
The Night Before the Museum
Grocery Store Literacy for Preschoolers
Grocery Store Literacy
Developing Writing and Spelling at Home
Reading for Meaning with Your Child
A Fresh Look at Your Home Library
Playing with Words
Creating a Home Library
The Role of Fathers in Their Child's Literacy Development: Pre-K
The Role of Fathers in Their Child's Literacy Development: K-3
Developing Writing and Spelling at Home: Pre-K
Making Reading Relevant: Read, Learn, and Do! (K-3)
Making Reading Relevant: Read, Learn, and Do! (Pre-K)
Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
Writing and Spelling Ideas to Use with Kids
Back-to-School, for Parents!
Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Easing Into Preschool
Easing Back Into School
Ready to Read
Five Literacy-Based Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Your Child
Start the New Year Off Right: Resolve to Raise a Reader!
Creating Holiday Learning Traditions
Learning That's Hands-On Holiday Fun (Pre-K)
New Year's Resolution: Help Your Kids Do Great in School
Summer Learning, Side-by-Side
Use Summer Fun to Build Background Knowledge
Take a Break, but Bring a Book!
Struggling readers and learning disabilities
Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Vision
Successful Transition to Kindergarten for Learners Who May Be at Risk for Learning Disabilities
Recognizing Reading Problems
Common Signs of Dyslexia
Developing Research and Information Literacy
Share What You Discover! Publishing Your Work
Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Recording Observations: Capturing and Sharing Images
Recording Observations: Journals and Field Notes
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[click images for larger versions]
In his time Joachim von Sandrart (1606-1688) was the most famous artist in Germany. He trained in engraving and painting and travelled extensively in Italy and England and was accompanied by Peter Paul Rubens on a tour of Holland.
Although he concentrated on portrait painting, he is best remembered for his art history writings, chief among them being a 2 volume work:
Der Teutsche Academie der edlen Bau-, Bild- und Mahlerey-Künste
('German Academy of the Noble Arts of Architecture, Sculpture and Painting') -- usually known as 'Teutsche Academie'; published between 1675 and 1683.
"The Teutsche Academie is an illustrated compendium of art education and of artist biographies compiled from a variety of sources as well as descriptions of Roman antiquities, inventories of famous private art collections and libraries"It remains a significant primary art history source mostly because of the original material included about Sandrart and his contemporaries. Beyond the artistic and architectural illustrations, Teutsche Academie has large numbers of medallion engraving of Gods, artists and philosophers and includes a german translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses.
The University of Heidelburg has what appears to be the complete work divided into 9 or 10 website sections. There are no thumbnails unfortunately so it is a laborious task flicking through them all for signs of outlandish baroque illustrations between the extensive text. There must be around 250 engravings in total. It took me a long time to cull down the 40 or so images I had saved. The top picture reminds me of Boillot/Sambin and 2 of them near the centre seem to be depictions of Wunderkammer. The final image is a map of


6045 Strings for the Non-String Major
Strengthen your confidence in teaching string instruments by transferring your present knowledge of music performance to string techniques. Specific objectives will focus on a sequence for teaching posture and fingerboard geography, the foundation of advanced techniques such as shifting, and vibrato in a heterogeneous string class setting. Explore the physical requirements of successfully performing on each instrument, the kinesthetics of the bow arm, and the logic of navigating the fingerboard.
Instructor: Dr. Laurie Scott
Dr. Laurie Scott is Associate Professor of Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, she serves as the director of The University of Texas String Project. Previous to this appointment, Dr. Scott served as professor of violin and viola and director of music education studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. As a music educator in Texas, Dr. Scott has served as an officer of the Texas chapter of the American String Teacher's Association, taught middle and high school strings for the Austin ISD and was co-conductor of the Austin Youth Symphony. Dr. Scott was awarded the Teaching Excellence Award for the School of Music and the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a teacher trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and is on the editorial board for the American String Teacher. She is a guest clinician and conductor at state and national conventions speaking on string pedagogy, public school music education, orchestral bowing techniques and character development through the arts. She is co-author with William Dick of the textbooks, Mastery for String, Level One and Two. Her latest publication, Learning Together: Sequential Repertoire for Solo Strings or String Ensembles is co-authored with William Dick and Winfred Crock. The book "From The Stage to the Studio: How Fine Musicians Become Great Teachers" a collaborative effort with cellist and author Cornelia Watkins, was released by Oxford University Press in April 2012.


What kinds of writing assignments can I expect in upper-division music courses?
Currently music students may fulfill their DSW requirements by successfully completing the writing-intensive History of Music in the Western World and World Music sequence. As part of these courses students engage in formal and informal writing assignments, in and out of class, such as the following:
- essay exams (short and long)
- reflective essays
- reviews of musical performances and recordings
- program notes
- music analytical essays
- music critical essays
- historical contextualization essays
- performance practice essays
- research proposals
- sentence outlines
- original, thesis-driven research papers
In addition to the sample writing assignments above, assignments in other music courses may include, among a wide variety of other assignments, the following:
- teaching philosophies
- professional development proposals
- curriculum development
- lesson plans
- music pedagogical essays
How is my writing evaluated?
Your professors may weigh criteria differently depending on the nature of the assignment. In general, assessment of your writing assignments may take the following into account:
- clear presentation of the topic or question at stake
- clear organization, with beginning, middle, and end
- significance of ideas and examples that clarify and support the main point(s) of your paper
- critical response to primary and secondary sources
- use of correct grammar
- maturity of writing style, starting with control of standard written English
- appropriate and correct citations of references
Why write about music?
We write about music to help ourselves and others better understand music: its histories and contexts, its styles and forms, its composers and performers, its practices and meanings. In writing about music we explore musical coherences and express, refine, and support the musical judgments that we make.
As many have noted, writing about music can be challenging. Music is sometimes thought to bypass human linguistic processes and interact directly with the emotions; many have espoused music's ability to "say" what words cannot not say. Even when music accompanies a text, it can be difficult to convey exactly what the music adds. And, most of us have little experience writing about music. As Robert Wingell points out, "our culture thinks of music as comforting background noise, an atmosphere one creates for oneself, a sort of sonic wallpaper….In this atmosphere, it is difficult to argue logically and convincingly about issues of musical style or quality" (Writing about Music, 3). Through writing about music, we might help others heard music as more than sonic wallpaper, indeed, as a subject of critical inquiry, as are the other arts, humanities, and sciences.
General tips for writing about music
- Carefully consider the nature of the assignment: respond to the question posed; engage in the purpose set forth; choose research questions that can be addressed given the scope of the project
- In general, mere description is not enough; attempt to connect your musical observations to interpretations. Avoid "play-by-play" commentary.
- Make significant value judgments worth justifying. Avoid clichés such as "the piece was beautiful": instead, convey to your reader what made the piece beautiful and what sort of beauty it was.
- Be savvy in drawing connections between a composer's presumed intentions and his or her musical compositions: how might you ascertain a composer's feelings? how might music be expressive of certain ideas?
- Avoid frequent shifts in verb tense. In general, we write about the history of music in past tense and music itself in present (but occasionally past) tense. Aim for a flowing style.
- Use active voice constructions: straightforward prose is stronger prose.
- Revise, revise, revise: prepare a paper as you would prepare a recital performance.
- Do your own work. Do not plagiarize. Cite material you use even if you paraphrased (APA for music education; Chicago/Turabin for music analysis, history, and performance).


Education is the stepping stone for high flying Career. Education system in India is of dates back where the children’s were taught in Gurukuls and the Guru-Shishya system was the means of education. Indian education system was improved when universities like Nalanda, Takshashila, Ujjain and Vikramshila came into existence. Education system in India is managed and controlled government well, providing education to all without any discrimination had become the priority of the government.
Indian constitution has committed to provide free and compulsory education to the children’s upto the age of fourteen. Right to education is the fundamental right of the citizen where education is mandatory for the all children’s of age group 6-14 years.
As per the world bank report in India there are more than 7,40,000 formal schools; more than 3.6 million teachers are working on full time basis; there are more than 175 Universities offering under graduate level and post graduate courses and about 6000 colleges affiliated to these universities.
Education is designed by the state where government is responsibility for quality education. Presently India is blessed with various schools, colleges, universities and other institutions in India which are providing quality education to the students. From the past several years India is producing many talent professional who are best in the world and working hard for the Nations growth and are in great demand. This shows the strength of Indian education system.
Indian education system is divided into different levels such as pre-primary level, primary level, elementary education, secondary education, under graduate and postgraduate level. The foundation of education in India is primary or elementary education later to it the students get into secondary level, undergraduate level and post graduate level are the higher education levels.
In modern days woman literacy as become an important task. Without any discrimination woman are provided education since they make half of the population. To bring woman at par with man government of India is doing at a lot good work. Certain measures are taken by government of India to provided equal education to woman.
In various languages education is provided in India as per once mother tongue one can opt for preferred language. Second language is acting as the tool to gain deeper understanding of language and to use it effectively. Thus, second language is helping the students to learn more then one language.
Some of the educational institutes in India which can compete with the best educational institutes in the world are Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) , Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) ), Indian Institutes of Science, National Law Schools, Jawaharlal Nehru University are some such institutes.
The professional who are engaged in job or personal life and due to various reasons who were not able to complete their education Distance Education is the well liked education in India for working people and house wife’s.
The financial aid in the form of Scholarship is provided to the candidates at different level of education such as under graduate, Post graduate, doctorate or post doctorate level through which economically backward candidate can gain their aimed Career. Scholarship not only acts as the source of financial aid to the students, but also act has awareness about education among various people.
StudyguideIndia will provide you the information as required by you. Information which is provided here is correct. If at all you come across any errors you are requested to kindly let us know.


Scholastic FX Books is a collection of 24 high-interest, age-appropriate texts for struggling readers and English-language learners in middle and high school who need to practice and review essential phonics concepts.
Practice Essential Decoding Skills
Scholastic FX Books target important phonics patterns in sequential order. These patterns — called the FX Factor — are listed on the inside front cover of each book. As students engage in the text, they practice the FX Factor, build fluency, and vocabulary.
The Teacher’s Guide provides supplemental activities to help students practice the targeted phonics patterns while building fluency, vocabulary, and confidence.
Easy-to-Use Instructional Support
The Teacher’s Guide provides comprehensive support for phonics instruction, student activities, and other valuable resources.
Teacher materials include:
Student Activity Sheets
Teaching Routines for Vocabulary Instruction
High-Frequency Vocabulary Word List
Download Entire Scope and Sequence (PDF)
A teaching plan for each FX Book presents instructional support for teaching the targeted phonics patterns.
Teachers can use this proven-to-work teaching routine for introducing new vocabulary to students.
300 High-Frequency Words
The Teacher’s Guide includes a list of high-frequency words that teachers can use with students to build and assess fluency.


Art Education Technology: Digital Storytelling
Chung, Sheng Kuan, Art Education
Advances in computer technology dramatically transform modern society into an arena where digital devices are indispensable. Collectively, technologies create a new genre of contemporary art forms (Roland, 1994) that challenge art educators in search of meaningful practices. Teachers must know how to use computer technology to prepare students to function in this rapidly-changing world (Heise & Grandgenett, 1996).
Increasing concerns about promoting multilitcracy,1 aesthetic sensitivity, and a critical faculty in future citizens lead many art educators to a reconceptualization of art education as Visual Culture Art Education (Duncum, 2004; Freedman, 2003). The application of digital storytelling to art education offers tremendous potential for teaching contemporary visual culture to the digital generation. Digital storytelling is "the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling.... Digital stories derive their power through weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, and insights" (Digital Storytelling Association, 2002, para. 1-2). Digital storytelling not only addresses art education's current concerns with visual culture, computer technology, and interdisciplinary pedagogy, but also allows learners to cultivate and apply their multiple literacy, artistic, and critical skills to give voice to greater issues of importance to a worldwide audience. This article describes the implementation of an innovative course in art education technology at the University of Houston that teaches pre-and in-service art teachers how to apply digital storytelling to art education. The article proposes that digital storytelling is a powerful and relevant way to teach visual culture and art in the age of computer technology.
A story is a narrative account of an incident, person, event, or position (Lambert, 2002). Stories vary in nature-they may be biographical, familial, ethnic, commercial, or instructional. A story is a restructured everyday experience through which we come to know, remember, and understand (Livo & Rietz., 1986). Through stories we explain, interpret, and assess situations, experiences, and ideologies, leading in turn to the creation of new meanings. As an intrinsic form of human communication, Storytelling is prevalent in all aspects of human interaction. It connects generations of the past with the present and future to form, pass on, or reformulate wisdom, values, and beliefs.
In this article, digital Storytelling refers to the practice of incorporating digital text, imagery, video, and audio into the presentation of a computer-mediated, multimedia story. Digital stories are presented in a variety of formats, for example, an all-text web page or a nonlinear interactive website (Paul & Fiebich, 2002). liana Atchley is often credited with initiating digital Storytelling over a decade ago (Lambert, 2002). He and his followers founded the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley, California, where workshops are held to produce digital stories. Meadows (2003b) considered digital stories to be "short, personal multimedia tales told from the heart." He maintained that "digital storytelling isn't just a tool; it's a revolution" (Meadows, 2003a, p. 192). With Internet technologies, digital storytelling makes it possible for individuals to produce their own meanings. It allows students to develop and present their own ideas to the real world.
Integrating Digital Storytelling with Art Education
In the summer of 2005, pre- and in-service art teachers at the University of Houston learned about art education technology through a graduate-level course, which focused on the application of digital storytelling to art education. This course explored the potential of digital storytelling for visual culture art education through the expansion of technology skills and knowledge for teaching art in a digital age. …


- Elementary Education
- Hot Dots® Science Review Cards - Grade 2
Hot Dots® Science Review Cards - Grade 2
Large View | View Related Items
For your Common Core curriculum.
An entire year of review with lights and sounds to engage students! These standards-based science question cards are perfect for reinforcing the science skills that students need to master at the second grade level. Set includes 600 self-checking questions covering 25 important science skill areas. Box features sturdy, full-color question cards, 25 skill-area tabs, reproducible student progress sheet, and a teacher’s guide. Hot Dots® Pen not included (1506621(X)B).
CCSS Product Alignment
ELA Grade 2
RL.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.


Learn More about the Orchestra
All About Instruments
The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall has created a new interactive game. Join Violet as she embarks on an instrument safari, guided by her venerable Uncle Ollie, collecting all the instruments of the orchestra to the accompaniment of Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.
Listening Adventures at The Weill Music Institute
Keeping Score Lesson Plans & Website: San Francisco Symphony's Teacher Resources
For fantastically fun and interactive games and a composer's gallery...check out the wonderful New York Philharmonic Kids' Site!
Learn about composers, musical instruments, and music theory through online games.
Dallas Symphony Kids' Site
For links to Internet radio stations for children, email newsletters, and more information about using the internet for music education, visit the Children's Music website.
This website introduces all the instruments of the orchestra, gives examples of their sounds and introduces music from each historical period. All in the format of an interactive baseball game.
Kennedy Center: ArtsEdge
From the folks who produce NPR's popular From the Top, this website is geared towards high school students. It has information on youth orchestras, an advice section, information on performers and composers, and an insider's look at how concerts are put together.
Teachers and Parents
Find information on ways to incorporate the arts into your classroom. Includes lesson plans online and an idea exchange.
Kennedy Center Artsedge
Links to use at home or in class
The Dallas Symphony provides information on composers and instruments, theory lessons, staff paper templates, and interactive activities for kids. Includes lesson plans and activities to do at home.
The Dallas Symphony Kid's Site
In partnership with WUOT 91.9 FM, the KSO is proud to endorse Classics for Kids. Each broadcast explores a different classical piece and offers insights on the music and the composer.


Shanghai Conservatory of Music
|Established||November 27, 1927|
The Shanghai Conservatory of Music (simplified Chinese: 上海音乐学院; traditional Chinese: 上海音樂學院; pinyin: Shànghǎi Yīnyuè Xuéyuàn) was founded on November 27, 1927 as the first music institution of higher education in China. Its teachers and students have won numerous awards both home and abroad, thus earning the conservatory the name "the cradle of musicians".
The Shanghai Conservatory of Music is a music institute famous both at home and abroad. It grew out of the Shanghai National Conservatory of Music, which was established by Mr. Cai Yuanpei on November 27, 1927. Dr. Xiao Youmei (Shio Yiu-mei) was the director of the new school and curriculum. His teachings were based on the Leipzig Conservatory of Music, where he graduated. It was one of the first institutions of higher learning of modern music in China. It was considered the premiere institution for western music learning. Professors came from as far as Russia and France.
It was renamed several times: National Training School of Music (1929), Branch of National Conservatory of Music (1943), Shanghai National Training School of Music (1945), Shanghai and Huadong Branches of Chinese Conservatory of Music (early 1950s). It received its current name in 1956.
The Shanghai Conservatory of Music consists of thirteen departments. It involves six disciplines and twenty-three sub-disciplines, some traditional, the others newly developed.
The conservatory supports a high-level music research institute, a specialized music library with a large collection, a first-class museum of oriental instruments, and a unique music publishing house.
A six-year secondary school and a three-year elementary section were established separately in 1953 and 1956 to prepare better candidates for tertiary education, thus forming a self-contained system with a complete curriculum of music and academic education.
Three art centers integrate teaching, performing and scientific research: Zhou Xiaoyan International Opera Center, International String Academy, and International Piano Art Center. The Conservatory has established six performing groups: Symphony Orchestra of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, New Ensemble, String Quartet, Percussion Ensemble, National Music Orchestra and Choir.
Shanghai Conservatory of Music maintains close relationships with many first-class conservatories and famous musicians, including collaborations with schools in the USA, France, UK, Russia, Netherlands, Australia, Austria, Germany and Japan. Many internationally well-known musicians such as Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Yuri Shishkin, Leon Fleisher, Pinchas Zukerman, Seiji Ozawa, Simon Rattle, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Yo-Yo Ma have served as honorary or guest professors.
- Arts administration
- General Education
- Modern Instruments & Percussion
- Music Education
- Music Engineering
- Orchestral Instruments
- Traditional Instruments
- Voice Opera
- Secondary Professional Music School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music
Faculty and student body
The Conservatory has 50 professors and 120 associate professors. There are approximately 1,200 students.
- Lü Ji, composer of revolutionary music
- Hai-Ye Ni
- Muhai Tang
- Yuan-Qing Yu
- Li Wei Qin
- Liu Fang
- Jian Wang (cellist)
- Zhou Yi (musician)
- Jiaxin Cheng
- Rui Shi Zhuo
- Yang Erche Namu
- Liang Geng
- Jampa Tsering
- Wang Jianzhong, composer and pianist
- Min Huifen, erhu master
- Poeluev, Alexander. "Shishkin Held Concert at Shanghai Conservatory of Music".
- "Shanghai Conservatory Website".
- Shen, Sinyan. Chinese Music in the 20th Century (Chinese Music Monograph Series). 2001. Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464-04-7.


earning to critique
I. Course Format
II. State Standards
Assignments are described
in this Syllabus. Please read it carefully. Ask for clarification on
items you are not sure about.
that you have
had or are now taking Art 309: Art for Children. Secondary School Art
intended to complement Art for Children. During class you are asked for
brief reports based on your experiences, observations, and
for Education 314: Senior High and Middle School Curriculum and
during the same term. Field work, journals, and assignments are to be
all work handed
in for Education 314 is also turned in for this class. See Field
Off Campus below for additional field work for Education 314
top of page
course is a
major part of student preparation for the Indiana State Standards for
Standards for Teachers of Fine
Arts at this Internet location.
At this site you
the proposed Indiana Certification Standards explained.
III. Additional Course
Growth and Development.
Teachers are expected to master:
-in each of the Standards
for Art in High
School, Junior High School, and Middle School.
The Curriculum. Ways to
what to include
in a secondary art curriculum.
E. Management styles in art
to work with people, especially adolescents
IV. Reading expectations
by Simpson. et. al.
and what knowledge are important?
are actually learned
in an art course?
theories and methods
needed to plan and teach a DBAE (discipline based art education)
C Questions to guide
and discussion about Art Instruction and Student Learning.
are the attributes of a
good art assignment? Integrating art history, criticism, and aesthetics
with creative production.
critique (discuss) student
artwork with them?
motivates secondary students?
evaluate and grade students.
Assessment in Art
What attributes can be graded in student work?
What else is graded by an art teacher?
Learn about the use of rubrics for grading art students
and their work.
- The teacher
and compare art teacher
styles, approaches, personalities, attitudes, and motivations.
parents, and the pubic.
by practicing art, exhibiting, research, continuing education,
in art education professional organizations, and relating to other art
F Other components of
about exhibits and contests?
What are their benefits and problems.
politics and getting
what is needed. See Hatfield's book and other more current sources for
ways to advocate for better art education support.
B. Library books
Select topics related to Jr. and Sr. High Art.
C. Find and
teaching resources available on the World Wide Web. E-mail these to the
whole class and the instructor
Turn in reading cards with 14 or more sources by mid-term and 28 by the
end of term. List author, title, (c) date, and publisher. Include your
own informative response to the authors’ ideas, descriptions, some
quotes and list pages read. Some of the cards must be based on web page
URL locations. Reading cards may be in the form of a computer file
in on a disk or attached to an e-mail message. For each source, include
your own interpretation and evaluation of how the reading seems
or useful to you now or in the future as an art teacher.
V. Teaching Display
Prepare a display
use as a reference while learning a new process or concept in
Something like an
web site or Powerpoint looping presentation that can be running on its
own in an art class may be an alternate to this assignment.


Types of Degrees
There are Different Types of Degrees
A.A., B.F.A., M.S., Ph.D - having trouble making sense of college degrees? Most US colleges and universities offer a variety of options and it’s important to determine which degree program is the best fit for you. Use this guide to filter through what each degree type offers.
An associate degree is typically awarded to graduates of community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and some four-year colleges and universities. An associate degree takes two years to complete. Associate degrees can be awarded in vocational or non-vocational disciplines. Students who choose a non-vocational degree often transfer to a four-year institution after completing their program. Students usually earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.), or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.).
The most popular associate degrees are:
- Liberal Arts/Science
- Health Professions
Bachelor’s degrees are typically awarded at four-year institutions. Requirements include minimum grade point averages and minimum credit hours completed, and often a declared major or course of study. In some disciplines, colleges and universities allow students to choose which type of bachelor’s degree they want to earn.
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) is a type of bachelor’s degree awarded for courses in the liberal arts or sciences. B.A. programs often focus more on liberal arts general education courses and are often required to take a foreign language.
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) is a type of bachelor’s degree awarded for courses in a scientific or technical discipline. To earn a B.S., institutions often require a certain number of lab hours.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) is a type of bachelor’s degree awarded for courses in the visual or performing arts. In B.F.A. programs, the majority of the program is studio or conservatory work. The most popular bachelor degrees are:
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Elementary Education
- Political Science
A Master’s degree is the most basic advanced degree. It was awarded to students who have completed their graduate coursework in a particular area of study. Master’s degrees are awarded in hundreds of disciplines. Master’s degrees typically take two or three years to complete.
Master of Arts
Master of Arts degrees are usually awarded in humanities or liberal arts disciplines. It is often awarded after passing exams and completing independent research.
Master of Science
Master of Science degrees are usually awarded in the technical, natural or social sciences disciplines. It is often awarded after passing exams and completing independent research.
Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration degrees are usually awarded in two years. They give a comprehensive education on all aspects of business administration, including accounting, finance, economics, management, marketing, and operations. Students can often choose to concentrate in one discipline.
The Most Popular Master’s Degrees are:
- Social Sciences
- Health Science
- Physical Sciences
A doctorate is the highest academic and terminal degree in most fields of study. It is most often awarded for original research, but can also be awarded in a professional discipline.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
The most common research doctorate is the Ph.D., which can be awarded in most science and liberal arts disciplines. It usually takes seven years to complete a Ph.D. At most universities, it is required for professors to hold Ph.D.s.
Doctorates can also be awarded in professional disciplines. For many professions it is required to hold a doctorate in the field. Some of the most popular professional doctorates are Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T), Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) and Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
The Most Popular Doctorate Degrees are:
- Biological Sciences
- Social Sciences


The Pros and Cons of Teaching Moral Values at School
Morals and values differ from child to child. Each child has different values instilled at home. Some children have good role models at home and are taught high moral values while others do not have good role models to follow. Schools should not teach personal values and morals but it is the responsibility of every adult in a child’s life to teach value and moral education.
The most important tool in helping student’s moral growth is to be a good role model. Students look up to their teachers. They value them and model themselves after them. Teachers begin moral and value education by modeling good values such as honesty, loyalty, compassion and justice. Teachers are always honest with students, loyal to them, show them compassion and are fair and just treating them equally. Character education is another way for educators to teach students morals and values.
There are several lessons available to teach values, one of those is Have You Filled a Bucket Today The objective of this activity is to teach students respect, responsibility, and caring. To complete the activity, students are given a cup which is their bucket. They label their buckets responsibility, respect, and caring. Then each student writes something on a small piece of paper about each other and places it in their bucket. After all students’ buckets are full they reflect and discuss what was placed in their bucket.
The school where I worked had character education. One of the projects they had was the High Five. Students received a hand which was the High Five when a teacher or other staff member noticed them doing something respectful or caring, or when they behaved properly. For example, one student loaned a classmate a pencil. The teacher gave him a High Five for helping his fellow classmate. Another child who had disciplinary issues received the High Five for sitting quietly in his chair when he was told to do so. This practice works great for students with behavior issues and it also promotes good value behavior for many students.
The drawbacks of the High Five and many other character education activities are that the students who already possess good values and behaviors become upset because they see classmates rewarded for behaviors that they do all of the time. These students rarely get recognized for their good behavior because it is a part of who they are and how they act. They do become upset and sometimes wonder why they should bother doing good and behaving because their behavior never gets noticed. I overheard one student make a statement after a classmate received a High Five for loaning a pencil to his classmate, he said, “so what is so special about that, I loan pencils to classmates all of the time.”
Teachers should help teach child values the lessons mostly comes from modeling good values themselves. There are ways to teach character education but it is important that schools don’t ignore the students who already possess good character in recognizing those who are learning good behavior.
Picture by Flickr
About Kim Miller
I am a single mom of two sons, 15 and 18 years old. I also have an 8 month old grandson. I recently earned my BA in Elementary Education and am working toward an MA in Elementary Education. I love working with children and watching them learn.


Listen Imagine Compose
Listen Imagine Compose
Listen Imagine Compose is a partnership project between Sound and Music, Birmimgham Contemporary Music Group and Birmingham City University. It investigates how composing is taught and learned in secondary schools and draws on the expertise of teachers and their pupils, composers, music education academics and arts organisations. Since 2010, it has been undertaking action research, holding symposia and running CPD. The project continues to develop.
Phase 1 comprised a series of symposia and six action research questions that look at six key questions. These ranged from examining strategies for creative learning in music, to ways of evaluating pupils' work, the role of listening, and on the importance of introducing students to music they did not know. The project also studied how expert performers and composers can best be used and how ICT can be used creatively in composing and performing.This culminated in the publication of a major report by Lead Academic Professor Martin Fautley detailing ways that every school can support young people learn to ‘Listen, Imagine, Compose’.
Drawing on the recommendations of the Phase 1 report, the Listen Imagine Compose team designed a Continuing Professional Development course for secondary teachers which was piloted during the 2014/15 academic year. This was delivered in Birmingham and in London in partnership with Teach Through Music.
Here is the video about the CPD course in London.
The Listen Imagine Compose partners are offering the CPD from September 2016. It will be available across the country and can be delivered locally in response to demand. It will have an option for accreditation by Birmingham City University as a Diploma or MA in Teaching and Learning. The CPD offers secondary music teachers the opportunity to develop skills in teaching composing with KS3, GCSE and A level students. More information is available here.
FREE Listen Imagine Compose resources
Some of the resources on offer to teachers attending the CPD are available free of charge. The resources include:
1. Schemes of work and lesson plans: Each of the 6 Listen Imagine Compose action research projects were written up in the form of a Scheme of Work and a set of lesson plans so that teachers can replicate the projects with their own pupils. Each SoW and series of lesson plans addresses one of the Key Questions but all projects are a useful source of ideas for composing, including starting points, compositional activity and assessment.
2. Information on Action Research and how it can be used as a tool for professional development by teachers.
3. Information on creativity and creative learning.
4. The Listen Imagine Compose reports.
5. References and reading lists to support professional development and reflection on teaching practice around composing at KS3 and KS4.
Click here to access the resources.
You can also contact Judith Robinson at Sound and Music if you wish to be kept informed about Listen Imagine Compose as it enters its next phase.


If you think you can or you think you can’t, either way, you will be right.”- Henry Ford
Another session I attended at PMEA 2011 was entitled “IEP’S and What Do They Mean to Music Teachers” presented by Carol Burgman of Pace School. As most educators would agree IEP’s can be a daunting document to have to sift through and follow. This is especially true for music educators as we often think there is not much valuable information for us in a student’s IEP. Through this session I learned what exactly an IEP contains, what parts of an IEP are most useful for music educators, and how can music teachers best include special education students in their classrooms. Hopefully this blog post will help music educators (especially newer teachers) know which parts of a students IEP is the most important and give ideas for how to help these students succeed in the music classroom.
What is an IEP?
- IEP= Individualized Educational Plan
- An IEP starts by the student being identified by a teacher, administrator, or principal
- It is a document that specifies a year-long comprehensive educational program designed for an individual student to help them succeed
- The IEP drives the educational process and the IEP mandates must be done in the time frame allotted and described in the document
- An IEP is a legally binding document between the educational system, teachers, school therapists, and the parent or guardian
- The document can be challenged through a legal procedure known as due process
- It is usually written by the special education teacher, but the regular classroom teacher bears primary responsibility
- Must be re-written yearly by a specific team
- Rarely mentions music class except indirectly as an opportunity for inclusion
- Includes academic or behavioral goals. Some of which may apply to the student’s entire program (including music class)
- An IEP contains specifically designed modifications that are useful for all the students teachers. Modifications listed as “throughout the school day”, or “at all times during student attendance” apply to the music classroom.
What Matters to the Music Educator
- Communication Plan– describes the students communication needs. This sections specifies the challenges and interventions for the student. It will state if the student has an alternative reading plan
- Positive Behavioral Support Plan– an accompanying document that supports the IEP if the student has specific behavioral issues. It specifies triggers, the student’s process when in crisis, methods to intervene, and recovery information
- Present Levels of Achievement and Function– gives specifics of the student’s academic abilities, strength, weaknesses, and overall function of the student.
- Goals and Objectives– Review this section to determine your role in assisting with objectives implementation
- SDI (Specially Designed Instruction)- Special methods or modifications to help the child. Modifications indicated as constant or cross-curricular are your responsibility
- It is important to read the IEP because there is a lot that we can learn about the student that may help us better serve them even though it doesn’t specifically mention music
- The special education classroom teacher or resource room should be your contact for specific information on adapting activities
Tips for Successful Inclusion
- Treat all students with utmost respect no matter of their disability or ability level
- Keep your focus on the objective- functional inclusion
- Modifications should be simple and transferable
- Present your lessons in a structured, well-organized, appropriately paced manner. Allow enough time for students to respond
- Remember to consider your sub-skills and prerequisite skills when students struggle. Back up and then move forward
- Make sure your classroom expectations, rules and consequences are clear and concise
- Keep expectations high and allow students to rise to the occasion. NEVER settle and use the excuse that they have an IEP so they can’t do it
- Think outside the box, be creative, and think quickly on your feet
- Remain positive!!
Where is Music Education Highlights Heading?
Unfortunately due to job searching, starting to substitute teach and a recent death in my family I have been unable to post as much as I would like. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be able to post more regularly again. After I finish a few more PMEA recap posts I will begin a new series on Music Education Highlights. I am planning on starting a series of posts covering the job search process, application process, interview process, common interview questions, applying for substitute teaching, and tips to succeed as a substitute.
If you have any suggestions for posts that you would like to see at Music Education Highlights please let me know. Also if you would like to write a guest post please contact me. I am always looking for post suggestions and new voices!


by: Claire Haas, Vice President of Education, Kiddie Academy
As parents, we know the power of music. We sing to our children to make them smile, to help them go to sleep, and to get them to clean up their toys. But, the impact music has on cognitive and social development in young children is staggering.
Several studies by the American Association for the Advancement of Science based at Brown University explored the effects of music education on young children’s learning. The conclusions of these studies support the theory that music instruction can help build intellectual and emotional skills, facilitate children’s learning and strengthen other academic areas, such as reading and math.
At Kiddie Academy educational childcare centers across the U.S., music is used not only as a successful transition and cross-over activity, but also as a vehicle to promoting school-readiness skills like literacy and listening acuity in preschool age children.
In fact, we see the power of introducing music to children every day, in hundreds of classrooms across the country. Music, especially when paired with movement, can improve a child’s gross motor skills and improve her listening skills. In addition, music can play a strong role in boosting a child’s social skills and can also help to teach diversity. Kiddie Academy teachers utilize a wide range of music styles in our classrooms, from classical to jazz, often giving children their first introduction to a new music style they may love.
Here are a few ideas for adding more music to your child’s daily routine:
- · Visit your local library and borrow a selection of music CDs from artists or genres you’ve never experienced. Listen to them with your child and discuss what you like or don’t like about each.
- · Choose music over television whenever you can. We often use TV as “background” during other activities. Switch to music instead.
- · Make music a habit in your home. If you have an iPod, place a docking station with speakers in your family room or kitchen. Turn on music while preparing meals, doing dishes or sweeping. Allow family members to create their own playlists.
- · Play classical or other soothing music in your child’s bedroom at naptime and bedtime.
Kiddie Academy recently announced a new partnership with Kindermusik, a leading provider of early childhood music programs, to offer the Kiddie Academy Music & More program. Beginning in early 2013, many of our academies will add the music enrichment program to their education-based curriculum.
To learn more about Kiddie Academy, including our new music instruction programs, please visit our website at www.kiddieacademy.com.
Claire Haas is a mom of two who also serves as Vice President of Education for Kiddie Academy, a national network of education-based childcare learning centers.


“W-sitting” is a position that is too commonly used by children when seated on the ground. In this position, a child sits on their bottom, with knees bent, feet tucked under, and legs splayed out to each side in a “W” configuration. Because this position is so common, most adults do not realize that use of this position can have negative ramifications on children’s growth and development.
Negative Effects Of “W” Sitting:
The reality is that this position can cause orthopedic problems, delay development of postural control and stability, and delay development of refined motor skills. For these reasons, its use is strongly discouraged.
Excessive use of a “W-sit” during the growing years puts undue stress on the hip abductors, hamstrings, internal rotators and heel cords, leading to the possibility of orthopedic problems in the future. “W-sitting” can lead to hip dislocation, and for children with pre-existing orthopedic conditions, these conditions can worsen when major muscle groups are placed in shortened positions. The muscles begin to tighten, and this can lead to a permanent shortening of the muscle, which can affect coordination, balance, and development of motor skills.
The “W-sit” widens a child’s base of support, resulting in less need for weight shifting, postural control and stability as they are playing, moving and reaching than in other seated positions. In addition to resulting in decreased trunk control, the “W-sit” does not require as much trunk rotation, which helps develop midline crossing and separation of the two sides of the body needed for bilateral coordination. Good trunk control and stability, midline crossing and bilateral coordination are needed to develop refined motor skills and hand dominance. Children require the opportunities to develop more mature movement patterns in order to develop higher level skills.
How to prevent W-sitting:
It is best to prevent children from developing this habit. However, we all know children who have already established this as a preferred seated position. When possible, anticipate and catch it before you see your child move into a “W-sit”. If and when you do see your child in a “W”, consistently encourage her to adjust to a different position by saying, “Fix your legs.”
Consistency is key. Make sure children know what some of their other options are so they can choose an alternative. Functional seated positions that will allow the child to develop trunk control and mature movement patterns include “tailor sit” (also called “criss-cross”), “long sit” and “side sit”. It is important for parents to teach and encourage alternate seated positions at home, and teachers to teach and encourage their students to use alternate seated positions at school. This encouragement will have positive effects on a child’s growth and development of foundational skills.
When playing with a child on the floor, hold his knees and feet together when kneeling or crawling – it is impossible to get into a “W-sit” from there. The child will either sit to one side, or sit back on his feet, and from there he can be helped to sit over to one side. Try to encourage sitting over both the right and left sides to promote bilateral development. Using various patterns of movements and positions demand trunk rotation and lateral weight shifting.
If a child is unable to sit alone in any position other than a “W”, talk with an occupational therapist about supportive seating or alternative positions such as prone and side-lying. Sitting against the couch while playing may be one alternative, as well as using a small table and chair. A therapist will have many other ideas based on each individual child.


Ready to Learn Reading
What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ready to Learn Reading is jam-packed with videos and games that can help kids on the verge of reading literacy develop core reading skills. Still, this site can be a bit overwhelming and may require parental involvement for kids to make game choices appropriate to their current ability. This site is part of the PBS Kids Raising Readers program and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. It also provides resources to parents and teachers. Ready to Learn Reading provides fun and engaging ways for kids to learn reading skills.
What kids can learn
Language & Reading
- letter or word recognition
Thinking & Reasoning
- problem solving
- applying information
- academic development
Engagement, Approach, Support
Plenty of fun-filled games and opportunities to interact with well-loved PBS kids characters. With multiple ways to use the site, kids will have lots to do. Massive site can be overwhelming though.
Games, videos, contests, adventures, books, and more focus around the central theme of reading. Activities are tailored for beginning readers learning their ABC's through more advanced readers reading and interpreting stories.
There are links to sites for a writing contest, the SOAR with Reading program, the Scholastic summer reading program, and parent and teacher pages with extension activities and reading tips.
What's it about?
The research-based programs at READY TO LEARN READING guide kids through different literacy-building levels, including rhyming, letter identification, alliteration, phonics, letter sequencing, phonemic awareness, and vocabulary. Emerging readers can watch videos and engage in dozens of different games with familiar characters from Sesame Street, Word World, Electric Company, and Super Why! Kids can earn tickets as they navigate their way through the games and choose prizes as they go.
Is it any good?
It's hard to find an educational website for children that's safe, free, and entertaining, but Ready To Learn Reading is something both parents and kids will appreciate. With the help of familiar characters, kids can independently explore new adventures all while increasing literacy development. Your kids will have fun, and won't even realize it's good for them.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about whether the Internet is a good place to learn to read. When is it OK for young children to be on the Internet?
Should all ages have parental supervision, even on educational websites?
Should preschool-age children even have access to the Internet?


How to Help Prevent Summer Regression
by KIRSTEN MYERS
Executive Director of Special Services
Rockford Public Schools
While summer vacation is a highlight for any child and family, it is also a time when students forget a good deal of what they learned the previous school year. As a result, the first several weeks of each new school year is spent on assessing where students are in relationship to where they should be coming into the next grade level. This can be challenging to both parents and teachers alike as many weeks are spent reviewing and recouping literacy and numeracy skills lost over the summer vacation.
Helping your child to retain what they learned last year doesn’t mean a summer vacation full of hours spent crying over worksheets, tutoring or taking classes. There are several ways, noted below, in which parents can help prevent their child from losing information that they learned during the previous grade. It is as simple as spending 20 to 30 minutes per day on a few mathematical equations coupled with time spent reading high interest books.
Tablets or Computers—An easy and motivating way to retain skills is to have your child play educational games on a tablet or computer. The Educational Freeware website, www.educational-freeware.com, provides users with reviews of the best free learning games, software and websites. Additionally, Kahn Academy, offers over 3,200 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics and offers hundreds of skills to practice. With Kahn Academy, students can review previous skills and prepare for the next school year while working at their own pace.
Free Worksheets—There are several numeracy and literacy websites online that offer free printable worksheets. You can find specific skill worksheets by typing your child’s grade followed by the term “free math/literacy worksheets” into your search bar, and you will have a plethora of worksheets to choose from. Simply print the worksheets and allocate a small amount of time each day to work on them.
Workbooks—One of the easiest ways to help a child retain the information they learned last year is to purchase a skills workbook at your local bookstore. Educational workbooks are easy to find as they are nearly always labeled by grade level.
The Library—Reading is critical for students as it is the gateway to all learning. To help your child retain their reading skills over the summer, visit your local library and choose books that are of high interest to your child. Additionally, most city libraries have a Summer Reading Program where children fill out forms to show how much they’ve read which may make them eligible to win small prizes from the library.
Parents, teachers and students can agree that when regression occurs, it makes moving forward in their academic subjects that much more challenging when the new school year starts. With a little family time and dedication, you can help your child retain the material they learned last year in preparation for the 2012/2013 school year.


Students who struggle with reading get an extra benefit from a supplemental reading program when its content is aligned with the students' core reading curriculum, according to a study published in the December issue of the Elementary School Journal.
The findings suggest that supplemental reading programs work best when they mirror core curricula in scope and sequence rather than simply being "layered on top," write the study's authors, Carla Wonder-McDowell, D. Ray Reutzel (Utah State University), and John A. Smith (University of Texas-Arlington).
The study focused on 133 second-graders who had scored in the lowest quartile of a reading assessment test. The students were divided in two groups, with one receiving supplemental instruction that was aligned with the core curricula and the other receiving unaligned supplementary instruction. Both groups were given a pre- and post-test to assess their progress.
"Lesson activities in the aligned group were designed to reinforce classroom core reading instruction content, delivery, sequence, and pacing," the researchers write. For example, the classroom curriculum specified that phonics instruction begin with short vowel sounds. In the aligned group, the supplemental program was altered to start with short vowels, mirroring the core instruction. In the unaligned group, the students followed an unaltered supplemental program, which started phonics with a mixture of long and short vowels.
Students' test scores showed that while both groups showed significant improvement in reading skills, the aligned group did better. Sixty percent of students in the aligned group scored above the 40th and 50th percentiles, while less than 50 percent of students in the unaligned group scored that high. The aligned group showed greater skill in reading comprehension, fluency, and word decoding.
"This study points to small but consistent advantages for aligning supplementary reading instruction with the classroom core instruction provided to struggling grade 2 readers," the researchers conclude. "To do so requires significant collaboration of classroom teachers and other school service providers to unify the educational experiences of students learning to read."
Explore further: Intensive interventions boost at-risk first-graders' reading development
Carla Wonder-McDowell, D. Ray Reutzel, and John A. Smith, "Does Instructional Alignment Matter?" The Elementary School Journal 112:2 (December 2011).


|This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2008)|
|Constituency||Belize Rural North|
|• Type||Village Council|
|Elevation||14 m (46 ft)|
|Time zone||Central (UTC-6)|
Gardenia stretches from mile 20 to 23 on the Northern Highway and includes the Grace Bank Community for administrative purposes. The village of May Pen, one of the Belize River Valley Communities, is accessed by land via a detour from Gardenia. In terms of waterways, the Belize River passes through Grace Bank, while the Mexico Creek/Lagoon flows through huge culverts across the Northern Highway and empties into the river at Grace Bank. The village is 13.92 meters or 45.669 feet above sea level.
History of Gardenia
In 1985, a group of senior women decided to form a Women's group. After approaching the Ministry of Rural Development with their idea, Mrs. Ann Olivera and her Associates decided on the name “Gardenia” for the village.
With the current population of 350, residents primarily focus on farming. They commute to other urban centers for employment and education, taking elementary education in the nearby Sandhill and Biscayne villages.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Gardenia is part of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary for birds and other endangered species.
- Belize District Milages. Government of Belize. Retrieved on 2008-04-19.


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Change the World with Service Learning
How to Create, Lead, and Assess Service Learning Projects
Change the World with Service Learning is clear, direct and easy to use, and was designed for busy teachers integrating Service Learning into their existing curriculum. This book guides teachers from all content areas and grade levels to create outstanding Service Learning projects with students like no other book does. Change the World with Service Learning is a no-fluff, step-by-step, teacher-to-teacher description of how to create, plan, teach, and celebrate Service Learning projects that meet and exceed local, district, and national curricular expectations.
Size: 6 1/2 x 9 1/2
978-1-60709-695-5 • Hardback • January 2011 •
- Currently out of stock. Copies will arrive soon.
978-1-60709-696-2 • Paperback • January 2011 •
978-1-60709-697-9 • eBook • January 2011 •
Education / Curricula
Education / EDUCATION / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects
Education / Professional Development
Education / Testing & Measurement
For access to these
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then email us at
Katy Farber is a fifth and sixth grade teacher from Vermont. Her first book, Why Great Teachers Quit and How We Might Stop the Exodus, was published by Corwin Press in July 2010, and she writes a popular parenting blog about green living called Non-Toxic Kids (www.non-toxickids.net).
Chapter 1 Chapter One: What is Service Learning?
Chapter 2 Chapter Two: Why do Service Learning with Your Students?
Chapter 3 Chapter Three: Gathering Ideas
Chapter 4 Chapter Four: Planning Considerations, Step by Step
Chapter 5 Chapter Five: Partnering with the Community
Chapter 6 Chapter Six: Working in Teams
Chapter 7 Chapter Seven: Authentic Assessment
Chapter 8 Chapter Eight: Powerful Reflection
Chapter 9 Chapter Nine: Securing Funding
Chapter 10 Chapter Ten: Voices from the Field: Inspiration, Advice and Guidance from Teachers Currently Leading Service Learning Projects
Katy Farber's book,
Change the World with Service Learning
, is an important contribution to this dynamic field of education. It clearly articulates the current research that supports the academic, personal, social, and civic values in our current drive to quantify education. Farber provides practical recommendations for teachers in approaching service learning and especially the role of community members, a significant consideration of many valuable stakeholders that are often not included in this important community work. Filled with inspirational teacher voices, the resources in this book can be easily adapted to classroom teachers across grade levels.
Mary Whalen, Rowland Fellow 2010?2011 and history teacher, Twinfield Union School
With this book, Farber guides teachers from beginning to end in their quest to set up service learning projects. From how to pick topics, set up groups, and generate local support, to class handouts, assessment rubrics, and thought-provoking questions, Farber has written a thorough how-to guide for teachers. She provides meaningful advice for both new and veteran teachers and a convincing stance on how service learning benefits all students.
Julie Smart, special educator at Rumney Memorial
Farber has successfully combined the practical real experience that can only come from a classroom teacher with the inspiration and enthusiasm that service-learning projects create in students. And she has made it so easy to use. The book is filled with templates, talking points, stories, and lots of ideas. This book should be on every teacher's resource shelf and required for every pre-certification teacher in college. It is an easy step-by-step guide to introducing, implementing, and assessing service learning projects in upper elementary to high school classrooms of any subject. Bravo Farber!
Dana Hudson, Shelburne Farms ? Vermont FEED, Northeast regional lead for the National Farm to School Networ
Rights and Permissions
National Book Network


You may remember last year my daughter went from half day kindergarden to all day, bilingual kindergarden. I was concerned at how she would adjust to the all day experience and the added effort of learning a second language. She is doing great and is learning all her other essentials quickly. Here is a guest post on just that subject:
The Best Time for Bilingual Education- Early Childhood Learning
Of course, nobody knows what the future will hold – but if current trends continue, your child will grow up to enter a workforce in which the competition for decent-paying jobs will be nothing short of cut-throat. Despite the calls for greater co-operation and “interdependence,” human nature being what it is, it’s a good bet that the economy of the the future will operate according to the Law of the Jungle. It goes without saying that a good education is one of the best ways to prepare that child for survival in that economic jungle of the future.
The Bilingual Future
One of the future trends that has become certain is the existence of a diverse, global society. Nowhere is this more true than in the United States. Almost from the beginning, the U.S. has been a land of immigrants, and while the “melting pot” has been an interesting theory, it has not happened in practice. On the contrary, most major U.S. population centers have become more of an ethnic and linguistic checkerboard; Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese speakers represent some of the fastest-growing segments of the immigrant U.S. population.
In addition, with the rise of China, English may very well lose its preeminence as the international language of business; at best, it will have to share that top status with Mandarin in decades to come.
Traditional wisdom has been to start teaching a second language in middle school, or even high school. Yet numerous research studies clearly demonstrate that the optimal period in a child’s life for multilingual education is during the preschool years – at exactly the same time they are learning their first language. Yes, it is possible to learn a second and third language later in life, but it is more difficult, because that neurological “window of opportunity” – when the brain is most malleable – has passed.
According to Dr. Fred Genessee, Professor of Psychology at McGill University in Montreal, it’s as easy for young children to learn two or three languages as it is for them to learn one. He’s not alone; educators throughout the world (in countries that often have two or even three official languages) have understood this for decades.
The way a child learns a second language is by actually speaking it in a total immersion environment. You may recall an episode of the animated series The Simpsons in which young Bart gets trapped on a farm in France – and by the end of the episode, finds he’s actually speaking the language. While this was a fictional scenario, the phenomenon is real; anyone who has taken young children abroad to stay with relatives in a foreign country for any length of time has observed this happening.
Enrollment in a preschool program that offers immersion in other languages is the best way to get your child started. This investment will make him/her much more competitive in the job market later on.
Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas
Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for thefacility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.


Quality Care and Education
Each child develops in his/her own way. However, every child needs certain skills to successfully function in the world. The goals of our program are:
- To provide children with an environment in which they learn to express their ideas and feelings.
- To provide children with opportunities to become self-regulating, self-directing and self-confident.
- To provide children with a love of learning through exploration and discovery.
- To provide children with appropriate social skills through interactions with peers and adults.
- To promote respect for self and others.
- To build strong bodies and promote habits of a healthy lifestyle.
The Jefferson College Child Development Center (JCCDC) is committed to pursuing "constructivism" as a model educational approach that has dramatically expanded teachers' understanding of how young children grow and learn. Missouri's "Project Construct" is a research-based curriculum that stresses problem solving skills, knowledge of the physical world, and independence. This curriculum framework is adapted and utilized by lead teachers for planning with all age groups.
In this educational philosophy, children are viewed as eager learners who "construct" their own knowledge, continually building on what they already know. All lead teachers complete Project Construct curriculum training.
Teachers in Project Construct classrooms strive to:
- Use students’ interests to motivate and engage them in learning.
- Encourage children to collaborate and work together.
- Allow children to take initiative, express opinions, and make choices.
- View children’s errors as learning opportunities.
- Assess children’s thinking, as well as their work, in order to teach more effectively.
The Missouri Early Learning Standards include the areas of literacy, math, and science, social-emotional and physical development. Teachers access and utilize these standards which align with the Project Construct goals to prepare a well-rounded, developmentally appropriate program for your child.
As educators, we accept the responsibility to model respect, kindness, cooperation, humor, a love of investigative learning, and a joy for community interaction.
The daily schedule provides a balance of free and directed play, as well as active and quiet, large and small group play both indoors and outdoors. The daily schedule allows for long periods of time for center-based activities that focus on math, language, writing, art, science, blocks, sensory exploration, music, reading, and dramatic play. The daily schedule, individualized class schedules and lesson plans are posted for parents in each classroom.
The JCCDC staff members include educators with extensive, but diverse educational backgrounds and experience in the field of early childhood. The Center’s director has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child Development and a Master of Science degree in Education. The Center employs a Curriculum Coordinator who assists in the office and oversees curriculum among classrooms. The Coordinator has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science degree in Education. Lead teacher education ranges from a minimum of 60 college credit hours toward a degree in early childhood/elementary education to a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Administrative staff and lead teachers complete Project Construct curriculum training and are in a continuous process of building teaching strategies and skills by attending classes, workshops, and conferences concerning the care, development and education of children.
Students (high school and college), enrolled in the early childhood instructional program, utilize the Center as a laboratory facility for training in early childhood care and education. During the course of their educational path they learn observation methods and are assigned specific classrooms where they learn to plan, prepare and guide appropriate activities. These students work under the supervision of regular staff members at all times.
College students are employed as classroom assistants and must meet the health, safety and education requirements of state licensing and accreditation. Their degree of classroom involvement is determined by their level of experience and education.
Employees must meet the health and safety criteria established by Missouri licensing regulations. Such employees are registered with the Family Care Safety Registry, meaning that they have been screened for child abuse/neglect and have had a criminal record check/background screening. The screenings are filed in the office and may be viewed by the parents.


Aborigines in white body paint danced and sang traditional songs yesterday in Australia's national Parliament, a day before the prime minister offers a formal apology to the country's indigenous people for past wrongs.
The ceremony yesterday was the government's symbolic recognition, for the first time, that the land on which Australia's capital was built was once owned by Aborigines and was taken away without compensation by European settlers.
Today, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will offer a formal apology to thousands of Aborigines who were taken from their families as children under now discredited assimilation policies abolished in 1970 -- an act that many people view as a vital step toward reconciling Australia.
Rudd has refused indigenous demands to pay compensation to members of the so-called "stolen generations." But his government's agenda, outlined in a speech by Governor-General Michael Jeffery to Parliament yesterday, included bold targets to lift living standards of Aborigines.
The government plans to close the 17-year life expectancy gap between Aborigines and other Australians within a generation and halve the difference in infant mortality within a decade, the speech that was drafted by Rudd's office said.
Aboriginal children are three-times more likely to die under the age of five than other Australian children.
The government also plans to halve the differences between reading, writing and numeracy skills within a decade.
With faces and bodies white and traditional didgeridoos blowing a deep drone in the background, Aborigines of the Ngunnawal tribe called on their ancestor spirits to welcome newcomers to Parliament in a ceremony held in a hall of the national legislature.
Rudd accepted the gift of a traditional "message stick" of welcome from Ngunnawal elder Matilda House.
"A welcome to country acknowledges our people and pays respect to our ancestors, the spirits who created the lands," said House, who crossed the hall's marble floor barefoot and draped in a kangaroo pelt cloak to give her speech. "This allows safe passage to all visitors."
Former prime minister John Howard had steadfastly refused to apologize on behalf of the government for the policies, arguing that today's generation should not be made to feel guilty for mistakes of the past.
"Today we begin with one small step to set right the wrongs of the past and in this ceremonial way it is a significant and symbolic step," Rudd said at the ceremony.
Aborigines and their supporters protested outside Parliament House yesterday, though many welcomed the gesture inside as a start to correcting a long litany of wrongs that Aborigines have suffered since British settlers arrived in 1788.
"I think it's fantastic that they've for the first time acknowledged the Ngunnawal traditional owners," local Aborigine Dave Johnston said. "It's a new government, a new era and a spirit of good will."
"With this welcome comes a great symbolism," House said. "The hope of a united nation [that] through reconciliation we can join together the people of the longest living culture in the world and with others who have come from all over the globe."
Rudd has invited more than 100 Aboriginal leaders to attend today's apology speech and other dignitaries, from business leaders to former prime ministers.


According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children Curriculum Guidelines, an exceptional early childhood learning environment:
Read, Play, and Learn!® meets these requirements and more, creating a supportive environment that nurtures children and their learning process.
Realistic and Attainable Goals
Read, Play, and Learn!® respects and supports the developmental levels of all students. The curriculum is flexible enough to provide for modifications to all class activities to meet special needs. The Teachers Guide and each module booklet are filled with suggestions for modifying each activity to meet the needs of children at diverse levels of development and help them move to the next level. During all activities and projects, children are provided with tasks and challenges that are developmentally appropriate. Each child is given the opportunity to access the curriculum at his or her level and is able to benefit from all class activities. Teachers can follow the modifications to meet the needs of students with a range of abilities using the same activities.
A Wide Variety of Experiences
In each story module, children partake in a variety of educational activities that stretch across many disciplines. Reading, dramatic play, science and math, art, and sensory, motor, and outdoor play are all incorporated into the school day. Children have the opportunity to learn through self-expression and exploration, experiment with materials of a variety of textures, manipulate objects, climb and swing, and participate in numerous literacy games.
Through song, experimentation, self-expression and knowledge-sharing, children are constantly learning new skills. In addition to suggested activities and materials for each classroom center, module booklets offer suggestions for fingerplays, songs, games, computer software, and supplementary storybooks. Every activity is a chance for children to gain new skills by creating, experimenting, listening, talking, and moving.
Accommodations for Differences
In addition to accommodating children with differing developmental levels as mentioned above, Read, Play, and Learn! respects and celebrates diversity of culture and thought.
Module storybooks have been carefully selected for their attention to diverse cultures. For example, Abiyoyo is an African folktale. A Rainbow of Friends discusses diversity of all types and encourages children to think and talk about how people may be similar, but have different strengths.
In all class activities, children are encouraged to express their opinions. After they read each story, teachers and children discuss characters feelings and make predictions about what they think will happen next. Dramatic play allows the children to express their feelings about the storys events. Science experiments, art projects, sensory and motor activities, and outdoor games invite children to express themselves, represent their thoughts and knowledge through what they create, and share their knowledge with others as well as listen to their peers.
Opportunities for Exploration and Interaction
Exploration and interaction are the core of Read, Play, and Learn!®. The curriculum recognizes young childrens need to explore their world and interact with their peers. They are invited to partake in the classroom centers of their choosing during daily Choice Time. During Book Time, children can explore books at their own level of development with their peers and teachers in the Literacy Center. Even structured class activities, such as designing a mural, building a castle, or conducting a science experiment, allow children to experiment with materials, props, and equipment. In a Read, Play, and Learn!® classroom, children are constantly learning new concepts and discovering new facts about their world.
In addition to inviting exploration, the activities and activity centers in a Read, Play, and Learn!® classroom invite and encourage social interaction. Children work together to run science experiments, design story settings, dramatize the story, prepare the snack, play indoor and outdoor motor games, and experiment with sensory materials. Children are involved in the retelling of stories and are also encouraged to read storybooks to each other during Book Time. The Teachers Guide helps teachers make the activity centers as interactive as possible (by placing chairs close together or putting materials on a lazy Susan at the center of a table, for example).
Support for Childrens Psychological Needs
Read, Play, and Learn!® classrooms are active and nurturing places. Children are constantly engaged in games, songs, experiments, reading, dramatic play, and projects. In the Sensory Area, children can explore and manipulate various textures and noisemaking devices. Children can play on the floor with blocks and puzzles, work on art projects at tables, climb and swing outdoors, and enhance their motor skills through a variety of indoor activities. The module activity books offer multiple suggestions for adapting activities to meet diverse physical and developmental needs. In addition to activities and projects, snack (which the children can help prepare), rest time, and bathroom breaks are integral parts of the school day.
Many story themes serve to comfort the children. For example, The Kissing Hand helps children adjust to leaving home for the first time. Family involvement components help children incorporate materials and favorite items from home into their day.


REFERENCE: Staff. (1993). "Preparing the Preschool Computer Environment." ACCTive Technology, 8 (1), 1, 3, 4-6. [Originally published as a chapter in Building ACTTive futures: ACTT's Curriculum Guide for Young Children and Technology. ]
Description of article:
CONTEXT: The authors stress the importance of the learning environment in ensuring a child's success in developing skills on the computer, including aspects such as:
More specifically, for the preschool child with special needs, the Building Active Futures program uses a problem-solving approach to stimulate general thinking skills. In designing the ideal environment so that the child discovers ideas and develops theories on his own, it is recommended:
Practice: Problem-solving strategies and teaching techniques are presented, and
the benefits of computer and computer-related activities are discussed regarding the
Physical Considerations: Numerous aspects of environmental design are important to consider when setting up the computer center. For example, adjust the height and angle of the monitor, making special adjustments for the child in a wheelchair or adaptive seating device.
Accessibility: It is important to view the computer as another classroom learning tool; its use should not be based on reward or punishment, but as an integral part of the curriculum.
Physical Design and Support Materials: Provide an interesting and approachable environment for children in a defined area in the classroom. Choose support materials which will contribute to the transfer of concepts into different dimensions and environments. Suggestions include:
Ways to Introduce the Computer Center: Children need to share the responsibility
for generating and keeping the rules; working in small groups encourages peer cooperation.
Organizational Patterns: Using the computer in group situations makes most effective use of computer time, but also requires a great amount of initial planning. Curriculum objectives to facilitate using the computer include:
Problem Solving Strategies and Teaching Techniques: Problem solving strategies and teaching techniques include:
Computer and Computer-Related Activities; Computer and computer-related
activities can be developed which encourage the transfer and generalization of skills and
concepts to other areas of the curriculum. For example, children with multiple
disabilities who are candidates for alternate input or switch control can learn to use a
switch with battery-operated toys. Such activities facilitate movement to computer
activities and offer an opportunity for instant success. The child can make a successful
transition, for example, from a switch operated toy to a program that responds to a single
switch or any key press.
The authors conclude that while the integration of computers in the pre-school classroom is challenging, the results of creative efforts are rewarding. They also suggest that many of the activities currently in use will probably adapt easily to the computer.
CONTACT(S): ACTTive Technology, Project ACTT, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455
Macomb Projects, under the direction of Patricia Hutiner, Ed.D., professor of Early Childhood in the Department of Elementary Education/Reading at Western Illinois University, 27 Horrabin Hall, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455. (309) 298-1634
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This material was developed by the National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP), located at Education Development Center, Inc. in Newton, Massachusetts. NCIP was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs from October 1, 1992 - September 30, 1998, Grant #H180N20013. Permission is granted to copy and disseminate this information. If you do so, please cite NCIP. Contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by NCIP, EDC, or the U.S. Government. This site was last updated in September 1998.
ŠEducation Development Center, Inc.


Analyst, Skills Beyond Schools Division, Directorate for Education
While this is certainly true, the problem is by no means limited to poorer countries. Indeed, even in countries at the forefront of the developed world and consistently at the top of the PISA rankings, skills shortages can plague the economy.
Two such countries are Australia and Canada.
The Canadian Council on Learning says there is a clear “gap between the demand for workers with strong literacy and numeracy skills and the supply of Canadians who possess them.” They point out that the growth in the information communication technology industries, coupled with the reduced demand for unskilled workers due to foreign outsourcing, has only served to intensify the need for skilled workers. The question is why there is such a gap when Canadian teenagers do so well on tests such as PISA's. The answer, they posit, lies in the failure of adults to keep up with the “demands of the emerging knowledge society and information economy”. In other words, lifelong learning is as essential to a strong economy as successful schools (as can be seen in the OECD’s Education at a Glance statistics on adult participation in education and learning, job-related training is comparatively low in Canada).
Australian companies are also hard hit by the skills gap. The Australian Institute of Management recently released a study that found 82% of organisations admit to a skills shortage in their workplace, with middle management lacking particularly in leadership and technical skills.
Brian Schmidt, Australia's 2011 Nobel Prize winner for Physics, feels that a key problem is the lack of skilled teachers, particularly in maths and science. He points to the OECD’s Education at a Glance statistics on teacher salaries, which indicates that there tends to be a correlation between well paid teachers and students that excel.
The country's mining industry is suffering, in Mr Schmidt's opinion, from a direct consequence of this. He says that the industry's lack of highly trained engineers threatens the resource boom currently under way in Australia. He relates how the chair of the mining company BHP Billiton told him the biggest problem his company faces is finding highly skilled employees competent in mathematics.
The consequences could be dire for Australia. BHP Billiton predicts that the mining industry alone will require an additional 150 000 workers over the next five years.
Furthermore, Chris Evans, Australia's Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, estimates that Australia will need over 2 million additional workers by 2015 with higher vocational education and training (VET) qualifications. To meet this challenge, Australia drew up ambitious plans just last year to improve its existing VET system (which, as Learning for Jobs: OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training shows, is already quite strong) by investing up to €15 billion by 2020.
In Latin America, an altogether different region of the world, the economic pain from the skills gap – evocatively known in Spanish as “la brecha”, or the breach – is also acutely felt. According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), youth unemployment has increased across Latin America more than any other region in the world, and this can be directly attributed to young people lacking the skills required by the labour market. Not surprising when time and time again the research shows that poor skills go hand in hand with economic hardship.
In a study released earlier this month, the IDB stated that the youth in Latin America have a long way to go in developing the “interpersonal skills the market requires, such as responsibility, communication and creativity”. Its research shows that the majority of young workers across the region have informal jobs and lack social benefits.
One thing that is common to all these countries is that children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds are disadvantaged when it comes to foundation skills in reading, mathematics and science (see OECD’s Education at a Glance statistics on equality in educational outcomes and opportunities). However, countries with the very best scores in PISA tend to have schools that are more inclusive. In other words, students can score well regardless of their socio-economic background. This in turn benefits the economy and society as a whole.
For if knowledge and skills are the global currency of the 21st century, countries will do well to stock up on their reserves. They can do so by encouraging people to learn, enticing skilled people to enter their countries, encouraging people to use and build their skills at work, retaining skilled people, matching skills to demand, and finally increasing the demand for high-level skills. That goes for economic heavyweights and flyweights alike.
Interested in learning more? Watch out for the OECD Skills Strategy, coming in May 2012, where we will lay the land for bridging the skills gap, turning brain drain into brain exchange, coping with ageing societies and declining skills pools and more.
OECD Skills Strategy
Education at a Glance 2011: OECD Indicators
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
Photo credit: © olly / Shutterstock


Teacher Education is a continuing process and its pre service and in service components are inseperable. To strengthen the two dimensions of teacher education: Pre-Service and In-service-area, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) was established across the nation. More precisely to provide academic and resource support at the grass-roots level for the success of the various strategies and programmes with special reference to Universalisation of Primary/Elementary education. The vision of the institutes is to provide better academic input for teachers in service as well as prospective teachers. These Institutes are closer to the field and hence more aware of its problem and needs.
About teachers, the Education Commission (1964-66) had observed, "of all the factors that influence the quality of education the quality, competence and character of teachers are undoubtedly the most significant". In a view to strengthen the teacher education, the National Policy on Education (NPE 1986) and Programme of action (POA 1992) envisaged a District level Institute in the shape of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET).
Prior to the adoption of NPE, National level and State level Institutions like NCERT, NUPEA and SCERT provided support to the elementary Teacher Education particularly in the area of pre service teacher educaion. As per the guidelines of NPE, a Centrally sponsored Scheme of Restructuring and Reorganization of Teacher Education was approved in October 1987, thereby a third-distric-level-tier i.e. District Institute of Education and Training Institutes were formed throughout the country in all districts.
Notice and form for D.El.Ed. Course