In a recent NY Times article, Before a Test, A Poverty of Words , the single greatest challenge facing young children as they enter kindergarten is “word deficit” (NY Times, October 5, 2012). This observation is foundational to understanding the “achievement gap” that too many of this nation’s students experience, especially those impacted by poverty, when they fail to meet 4 th grade reading benchmarks. In truth, the earliest evidence of these academic differences should more accurately be identified as a “preparation gap” caused by children’s limited access to high-quality early learning experiences.
A growing consensus in cognitive research points to the critical nature of the first five years of life. The National Research Councils’ landmark report, Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (2000) demonstrates how the brain develops in direct response to learning experiences that occur during the earliest stages of development. “Skill begets skill as brains are built in a hierarchical fashion…increasingly complex circuits and skills build on simpler circuits and skills over time” (Shonkoff & Bales, 2011, p. 23). But, as Hart & Risley (1995) demonstrated, children living in families impacted by poverty heard 30 million fewer words before the age of four, than their more affluent peers. This difference is more chasm than deficit; and without intentional effort to build children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary, this chasm grows wider with each passing year. Vocabulary learning is cumulative and a sensitivity to word learning needs to be established early if it is to support children’s reading proficiency by third grade.
The effects of poverty on children’s lives must not be underestimated, but “poverty itself appears to have no direct effect on children’s intellectual functioning” (Neuman, 2008, p. 4). Poverty can certainly constrain the resources a family can provide to influence children’s learning, such as books and writing materials. Poverty can also limit family outings to a museum or zoo to stimulate language and cognitive development. But, poverty does not alter children’s ability or desire to learn (Neuman, 2008).
So how do we improve children’s early language development? In a recent evaluation of a federally funded Early Reading First project, children who were enrolled in urban classrooms supported by literacy coaches that implemented an evidence-based language and literacy curriculum, and provided individualized classroom learning experiences informed by progress monitoring, demonstrated statistically significant gains in receptive vocabulary, as well as other key areas of literacy development (Zoll, 2012). Classrooms were infused with language, vocabulary was highlighted in all domains of learning, dialogic reading or multiple readings each with a specific purpose were implemented into the classroom schedule. Science experiences were integrated into the curriculum and academic language was promoted in all domains of learning. In other words, children previously identified as being “at risk” were now enrolled in high quality early childhood education – and in a single academic year the intervention markedly closed the vocabulary chasm prior to the children entering kindergarten.
Inequality begins early and it extends into the very beliefs we have about young children who live in poverty and their ability to learn. Lisa Delpit (2006) points out that we are flooded with research linking school failure to socioeconomic status, cultural differences, and single-parent households, encouraging assumptions of deficits in students. “What happens when we assume that certain children are less than brilliant? Our tendency is to teach less, to teach down, to teach for remediation (Delpit, 2012, p. 6). Instead of viewing children as “at risk for failure” we who are engaged in the education of young children must see them as “a promise” for academic success (Swadener, 2000, p. 118). As policymakers, educators, and citizens of a democratic society, we carry the responsibility of providing all children with an equitable, high-quality early childhood education. “If we intend to have a democracy in this country; we must educate well. If we are committed to one America for all people…we must give every child equal access to a real education” (Cananda, 2005, p. 144).
Susan Zoll specializes in early childhood education and children’s language and literacy development. Her experiences range from classroom teacher and school administrator to her most recent work as a literacy coach and Director of Professional Development for four US Department of Education grants: Early Reading First (ERF 2004, 2006, 2009) and an Early Childhood Educators Professional Development grant (ECEPD 2006) awarded to Ready to Learn Providence. You can reach her at firstname.lastname@example.org.


A Metronome is a vital tools in music education. Guitarists, pianists, violinists, and bass players, all use metronomes during their practice, therefore it’s not surprising that drummers, the “time keepers” of music, do too. In order to be a good drummer, you’ll need to keep good time, and practice with a metronome can help you do that.
The very basic drum practice is simple left, right, left, right… drum strokes. Start very slowly to develop good technique. You can set your metronome at 80 beats per minute, and strike the drum every other beat. This pace will give you enough time between strokes to concentrate on your form. Try to land on the drum exactly with the metronome’s beat. This will require you to lift your stick a bit before the beat.
Once you feel comfortable with your technique at the speed you’re going, adjust your metronome and increase your speed a bit. As you practice, never go much faster than you feel comfortable, or your form and technique will go to hell, and if you practice with bad technique, you’ll learn bad technique. Not good! Once you start going really fast, instead of having the metronome go crazy, you might want to do several drum strokes for every one metronome beat.
You should also practice any drum beat you play with the metronome. You’ll probably find that keeping up with the metronome beats is a little more difficult than playing it “free style”. When you practice a beat, make sure the metronome’s accented sound starts the beat’s measure.
Practicing with a metronome will improve your time keeping almost by magic. You might not feel your sense of rhythm improving while you work with a metronome, but you’ll sense it when you later play without one.


synthesized the most important points for policy makers and teacher educators and highlighted questions that have yet to be answered.
There has been an extraordinary amount of work, from a variety of fields, on questions about the factors that influence the effectiveness of teaching, but this work is only a starting point. There is little firm empirical evidence to support conclusions about the effectiveness of specific approaches to teacher preparation. However, we found no reason to question the recommendations professional societies have made about what is important for teachers to know. Moreover, those recommendations integrate well with the relatively small body of empirical work. The research base is strongest for reading and least strong for science, and our conclusions about preparation in the three fields reflect these differences.
In general, the evidence base supports conclusions about the characteristics it is valuable for teachers to have, but not conclusions about how teacher preparation programs can most effectively develop those characteristics. For all three fields, we conclude that both strong content knowledge (a body of conceptual and factual knowledge) and pedagogical content knowledge (understanding of how learners acquire knowledge in a given subject) are important.
For teachers of reading, it is important to (1) understand that students must master the foundational skills of reading (which include a firm grasp of phonics and comprehension strategies), and (2) possess a range of approaches for helping all students develop this mastery.
In mathematics, it is important for teachers to be able to foster students’ understanding of the core elements of mathematical proficiency (which include conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and capacity for reasoning and problem solving). This capacity requires not only mathematical knowledge, but also understanding of how mathematics learning develops and of the variation in cognitive approaches to mathematical thinking.
In science, the key points are similar to those for mathematics teachers: a grounding in college-level study of the science disciplines suitable to the age groups and subjects they intend to teach; understanding of the objectives for students’ science learning; understanding of the way students develop science proficiency; and command of an array of instructional approaches designed to develop students’ learning of the content, intellectual conventions, and other attributes essential to science proficiency.
This was the picture we found of the evidence relevant to teacher preparation. There is very little systematic research regarding the specific ways teachers of reading, mathematics, and science are currently being prepared that we could use to make comparisons with that picture. The limited information we found does not support conclusions about the current nature and content of teacher preparation programs.


SAS Curriculum Pathways has launched an Algebra add-on to its science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects offering.
Aimed at 11-19-year-olds, the Algebra 1 course launches at a time when the national curriculum is under fire for not providing a well-rounded programme in key skills – particularly mathematics. The Algebra 1 course is designed to tackle some these issues through an interactive learning platform.
Relevant to secondary-level maths, key stages three to five, Algebra 1 guides students though basic equation solving, exploring functions, systems of linear equations, and solving and graphing quadratic functions.
Focusing on core Stem subjects, SAS Curriculum Pathways is free for secondary school teachers and students. Designed for both GCSE and A-level students, the online resource includes interactive tools, web lessons, enquiries and audio tutorials. More than 150 UK schools have signed up for SAS Curriculum Pathways since it was launched in March 2012.
Read more about IT in education
- Students back to school for new e-skills ICT curriculum
- Teachers share concerns and ideas for ICT in 2014 curriculum
- Commission condemns government removal of school ICT curriculum
- If the popularity of ICT is on the rise, why are we scrapping the curriculum?
- Report urges national curriculum include computer games
- Getting school children excited about learning IT
- Can IT investment in schools keep pace with change?
- Schools must replace ICT lessons with business IT
An estimated 15 million adults in the UK have numeracy skills equivalent to or below those of an 11-year-old, according to a study by KPMG. The lack of numeracy skills in this country is costing the UK up to £2.4bn a year, the survey revealed.
Geoffrey Taylor, academic programme manager at SAS UK and Ireland, said the figures were concerning.
“With the growing amount of big data being generated, a strong numerical understanding is vital for providing the basis for many careers within the growing business analytics sector, an area where SAS is a market leader," he said.
“Algebra 1 is providing students with the building blocks to develop a key understanding of maths, which may help to produce the analysts of the future for SAS and its clients.”


Being a preschool teacher can take much patience and hard work. In the end, however, you will be satisfied with your work and maybe get a pat on the back by your employer (or maybe even a raise).
1Make sure that you are good with kids. Do not underestimate their power; they might have some rude things to tell you, just kindly tell them to stop it.Ad
2Get an early childhood learning certificate or qualification. Check with your jurisdiction as to what is required.
3Make sure that you have many activities prepared. For example, the first day you teach ABC'S, second day you teach how to color, third day you teach 123's. That way you will have less pressure if you do not have any assignments. (Even reading a book to the class can be easy and a little time consuming!)
4Sleep healthy! If you go to your class half-asleep, some kids might get away with doing bad things, so if you sleep more you will be more alert!
5Have much patience with little kids. They may not understand what school is yet since their just simply little 4 or 5 year olds. Kindly and patiently teach them the concepts of school and maybe have a questionnaire of what they hope to be when they get older (it influences them to do better in school if you tell them that you need a good education).
6Bring a healthy lunch and make sure the children do too! If the children do not bring healthy lunches, this could bring them into obesity; a child at a younger age is more vulnerable to obesity. If you bring a healthier food such as salad or even an apple, this could influence them to bring healthier foods too. (Give them a lesson some day about how a healthy food turns them into a healthier person).
7Have fun! Having fun is the primary thing to do in preschool, it stimulates the children to learn that school does not have to be boring and all about lounging around all day! A more fun class period can make the children WANT to go to school!Ad
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We are a bit smarter today because of you.
- When school is over, do not leave the school. Greet the parents and make sure they all get home safely.
- Tell them to go to the bathroom and hurry back so they do not miss anything. If possible, have an adult go with them.
- Make the children learn the primary basics of school.
- If you have to, ask the principal for an assistant (schools usually already have assistants for preschool teachers).
- Make sure the children's hygiene level is high too; if they have to go to the bathroom let them, but make sure to pick decent times!
- If you ever have any criers in your classroom (such as when their parents drop them off), comfort them and tell them that they will be home!
Recent edits by: Scuttles, Kara Moonfire, June
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Unlike the French Impressionists, there was really no formal group that called themselves “American Impressionists”; this is a label writers have applied to American painters who adopted elements of Impressionist style and technique to their work.
There was however, “The Ten American Painters”, a group of painters from New York and Boston who withdrew from the Society of American Artists in protest of that group’s commercialism and restrictive styles, and devoted themselves to new styles of painting, largely influenced by French Impressionism. The group includes John Henry Twatchman, Edmund Charles Tarbell, William Merritt Chase and J. Alden Weir, among others.
One of the founding members of that group, and along with Tarbell and Chase, one of the most important of the painters referred to as “American Impressionists”, was Massachusetts painter Childe Hassam (pronounced “child HASS-em”).
Hassam started as an illustrator and worked primarily in watercolor. He went to Paris in search of a formal art education (as was common for American artists at the time) and studied oil painting at the Académie Julian. He later discounted that teaching but returned from Paris dramatically impressed (if you’ll excuse the expression) with the daring new style of those radical upstarts from the Salon de Refusés, the Impressionists.
His own work showed that influence in many ways, there are numerous paintings of flower gardens bursting with dabs of pure color, street scenes with finely dressed gentry awash in dappled sun and landscapes blanketed in brightly lit snow. But he also diverged in may ways from the Impressionist path.
His work would often dwell on themes of rain-drenched streets, late day sun and misty twilight, more in keeping with the muted whispers of Whistler’s nocturnes than the mid-day kaleidoscopic dazzle of Monet. He would break his color into rough chunks and patches, very different from the individual dabs of “pure color” favored by Impressionist theory, and explore the rich darks of room interiors, like his fellow member of “The Ten”, Edmund Tarbell.
Hassam was also a superb etcher, again more akin to Whistler than the Impressionists. There are excellent examples of his work in major museums in the US, particularly, as you might expect, on the East Coast.
Like the French Impressionists, the American Impressionists are popular subjects for publishers and there are numerous books on Hassam and his explorations of brilliant color and subtle light.


This week we are learning about short i. I loved using my Short a Word Work packet last week, so I am just as excited to use my Short i packet this week. The best thing about it is my students are now familiar with the format and they are able to do many of the activities this week independently during centers.
You can check out my Short i Word Work packet by clicking on the pictures below.
I had quite a few people say that they were a week ahead of me in their phonics instruction and were ready for short o. Thanks to the 3 day weekend, I was able to get my Short o Word Work packet finished as well.
I'm working on completing the Short e and Short u packets and hope to have them available soon.


Teach reading with hands on activities...
Kindergarten reading - Although literacy is a developmental process, skillful, step by step instruction is necessary.
Children involved in hands on activities related to the stories have an enriched understanding of the stories and relate to the characters.
The ability to listen, speak, read and write begins to develop before children go to school and continues throughout their school years.
Areas of literacy are:
- Listening and speaking
- Phonemic awareness and reading skills
- Writing skills
- Responding to literature
Kindergarten reading and writing, speaking and listening and responding to literature come about as children are given opportunities to hear quality literature, to play with letters and words, to engage in activities and experiences about literature, and as they receive specific instruction that increases their awareness of language.
Emergent Literacy - What is it?
Kindergarten and preschool literacy begins early. Children are said to be emergent readers and writers when they start to develop reading and writing skills.
Reading and writing begins when children begin to:
- pretend to read
- "write" with lines of scribble or letters
- point to words from left to right
- use vocabulary like "letter" and "words"
- recognize a few words and names
- start to understand what rhyming words are
- can name letters and beginning sounds of words
Children need instruction to:
- develop an awareness that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language
- acquire reading comprehension strategies and apply them to the reading of text
- develop and maintain a love of reading during the learning process
Reading books on Environmental Print in the Classroom will help you set up your classroom to best benefit your students' reading progress.
Simple beginning assessment for kindergarten reading
Exposure to literature varies with families. Check children individually to evaluate if they:
- can recognize the front and the back of a book
- can identify - what is the title of a book
- can identify- what is a word
- can identify - what is a letter
- can identify where you begin reading on a page
- can identify where you finish reading on a page
Beginner book sets
Christmas story map
Hands on literacy activities
Listening and speaking
Make your own worksheets software
Math and literature section
Mini-books - tips for using
Outside activities that encourage reading and writing
Picture books - criteria for choosing and suggestions
Picture books 2
Picture book illustrators
Picture book videos (DVDs)
Responding to literature
"Theme" - check out this section for more literacy ideas
Busy Bee Kids Printables for fun, free kids printables! Find ABC coloring pages, word searches, mazes, dot to dots and so much more! Suitable for preschoolers on up!


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- For Customers
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5 Reasons Why Reading Habits Are Important
Reading is one of the most fundamental skills a child needs to learn to succeed in life. Developing good reading habits is vital to your child’s future not just academically, but in everyday life as well. What can good reading habits do for your child’s development? Here are five reasons you should develop reading habits young, and why they are so important.
Reading develops vocabulary: The more your child reads, the more new words will find their way into his vocabulary. Reading allows for exposure to words and phrases that you might not use as part of normal speech. “When you read aloud to your child, you are not only helping to prepare her to learn to read, you are also exposing her to rich language she otherwise might not hear,” states Susan Canizares, Ph.D, a specialist in language and literacy development.
Reading increases attention span: Encouraging good reading habits from an early age develops your child’s attention span and allows them to focus better and for longer periods of time. Reading combats the epidemic of poor attention span in today’s children.
Good reading habits prepare children for school: Children who spend a lot of time reading prior to attending school will have an easier time adapting to the reading-focused learning environment in their future classrooms.
Developing reading habits early leads to a lifelong love of books: Children who start reading regularly from an early age are more likely to enjoy reading later in life. This will serve them well throughout their education and beyond.
Reading encourages a thirst for knowledge: Children with good reading habits learn more about the world around them, and develop an interest in other cultures. Reading leads to asking questions, and seeking answers, which means children learn more every day.
You can teach your child good reading habits and motivate them to read by:
- Reading to them from a young age, as early as possible
- Modeling good reading habits by taking the time to read yourself
- Encouraging conversations about content of what your child has been reading.
Encouraging good reading habits and modeling them as well sets up a parent as a role model for the love of reading. Susan B. Neuman, Ph.D, director of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement at the University of Michigan, says teaching motivation is key. “Children develop motivation to read by being read to often, learning firsthand the pleasures that reading can bring.”


What is blood made of A hands-on science demonstration
Human Body: Learning About the Heart - Spell Out Loud
Human Heart on crayola.com
Cute video (too bad it is just a preview) but does tell about the atria and ventricles in a cute way.
Learn about the Heart | ScienceWithMe!
Activity to teach how the heart beat: Inflatable heart
Human Body: Learning About Blood blood-model = Jar of water dyed yellow: plasma Cheerios: red blood cells. I squirted red food coloring on them while dry and put in a small ziplock bag. Then when they were added to the plasma, they turned the water red (which is why blood looks red—because of the red blood cells) Marshmallows: white blood cells Purple pom poms: platelets the human body, science activities, food coloring, purple classroom, learning, human bodi, teacher, gross science for kids, human body homeschool
Human Body: Learning About Blood - Spell Out Loud
My Montessori Journey: Montessori--Science


What to Do
Ready to take action to support music education in public schools?
NAfME members and staff work together to preserve and expand access to music education for all students. We strive to ensure that schools, legislators, policy makers, parents, and the media understand the critical role that music plays in a world-class education.
In 2014, NAfME introduced our new advocacy brand and campaign, Broader Minded. Broader Minded is a new approach to music education advocacy that articulates the intrinsic, unique benefits of music study. Today’s educational environment emphasizes quantifiable achievement measures, and gauging student progress and learning is clearly important. At the same time, the true mission of education lies in shaping the students behind the scores. Even data that indicate positive links between engagement with music and academic achievement only show a part of the bigger picture. Music also shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them. It allows for deep engagement with learning; and nurtures assets and skills such as creativity, discipline, curiosity, and motivation that contribute significantly to success after school. In other words, music helps develop the student behind the score.
This is the broader-minded argument for music education. Click here to learn more about Broader Minded, and what you can do to help preserve music programs where you are and nationwide.
Click here to see Broader Minded brochures and merchandise–all proceeds directly benefit NAfME’s advocacy mission!


Dr. Neil J. Anderson, professor of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University, recently presented at the Reading Horizons distributor seminar in Salt Lake City, Utah. He shared some interesting information about how English Language Learners (ELLs) benefit from systematic phonics instruction. Two of the reasons he cited include the following:
- reading fluency increases as students learn to decode words; and
- oral reading improves when students can decode words correctly.
Reading fluency, as defined by Dr. Anderson, is "reading at an appropriate rate with adequate comprehension" (Anderson, 2008, p. 3). This definition of reading fluency is important as teachers consider what an "appropriate reading rate" is for their students. Remember that reading at a quick pace (an "appropriate rate") without comprehending what is being read is not fluent reading. Additionally, reading super slowly and understanding everything being read ("adequate comprehension") likewise is not fluent reading. The balance between the two--reading rate and comprehension--is important to fluency.
So what constitutes an "appropriate rate"? During the presentation, Anderson referenced national averages for optimal silent and oral reading rates by grade level (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006). Since I've talked to several people who were interested in having access to this information, I thought I would include the information in this blog post below:
Silent Reading Rates & Oral Reading Rates | Words Per Minute [WPM]
Notice that oral reading rates beyond the 8th grade level are not listed. This is due to the fact that when we read aloud, we generally do not read faster than what we can read at an 8th grade reading level.
These silent and oral reading rates can be used as a guideline when discerning appropriate reading rates for students. Adjustments to these reading rates could be made to accommodate English Language Learners and students with reading difficulties.
Anderson, N. J. (2008). Practical English language teaching: Reading. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hasbrouck, J., & Tindal, G. A. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for teaching teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59, 636-644.


Learn to Read With the New MonkiSee “See and Say Story” Books
These two new books, Know Your Monkey and Monkeys Like the Color… are short and simple stories, written for babies from birth to 3 years old. These books familiarize babies with their body parts and the wonderful world of color while at the same time, teaching them to rhyme, recognize and read many words. Each book features the loveable and playful characters, Howie and Skip.
What is a 'See and Say Story'?
'See and Say Stories' are simple books designed to teach children to read while being read to. The stories are written for children from birth to 3 years old. These books are specifically arranged to display large text while keeping the illustrations separate, so attention is naturally directed toward the written word. By pointing to the words as they are being read, babies learn to read effortlessly on the laps of their parents. The pages that feature illustrations also include text alongside the pictures. By showing the isolated words and then repeating them next to the pictures, children are able to match words with images in order to help them better understand what they are reading.
Each 'See and Say Story' includes an alphabetical word list of every word that appears in the book. The word list can be used as another medium to point out written language to small children prior to reading the story or as a review after reading each book.
The large text appears in a clean format, making it natural for young children to focus their attention on the words they are hearing. If all books were designed this way, children would be able to read long before entering school. Parents that use the 'See and Say Stories' find that reading to their child is truly an interactive experience. An act as basic as reading to a child now becomes an enjoyable journey into literacy.
Why Use See and Say Stories?
'See and Say Stories' encourage young children to read as they are being read to. The large fonts and easy to point to text naturally allow babies and toddlers to interact with the books they are reading, rather than passively listening to a story. Each brightly colored illustration also includes text in order to further explain what is being taught. Readers are prompted to say the words once again as they look at each stimulating, full color illustration.
How do 'See and Say Stories' Teach Very Young Children to Read?
'See and Say Stories' teach babies to read using sight reading, also called the whole word method. The 'See and Say Stories' are carefully designed to encourage children to see the words and then say the words. The large fonts and isolated text teach babies to read in a natural and organic way. When babies learn to read using this system, they will read in a smooth and fluid manner, unlike older children that learn to read phonetically in a more broken way.
Although babies are learning to read by sight, they are able to break down the rules of phonics and continue on reading words phonetically with little or no phonics instruction. This phenomenon is a gift all babies possess when they are introduced to reading during the first 3 years of life.
When Should I Introduce See and Say Stories?
You can begin reading the 'See and Say Stories' to your child at any time. Children are able to learn to read while being read to. No lessons are required prior to reading these books. Babies will quickly learn to read the stories if parents regularly read the books to them. So get your baby, grab a story and have fun reading while your baby learns to read.


Science and Art Department
The Science and Art Department was a British government body which functioned from 1853 to 1899, promoting education in art, science, technology and design in Britain and Ireland.
The Science and Art Department was created as a subdivision of the Board of Trade in 1853, expanding the existing Department of Practical Art. Its first Superintendent was Henry Cole, and it supported not just science but also "practical arts" - i.e. technology and design. The Department benefited substantially from the Great Exhibition of 1851, part of the profits of which were distributed by the Commissioners of the Great Exhibition for educational purposes. That donation funded a large site in South Kensington accommodating the Science and Art Department, the South Kensington Museum, and other bodies. In 1856 the Science and Art Department was absorbed by a new Education Department, but retained considerable autonomy in promoting artistic and scientific higher education, especially for teacher training.
The Science and Art Department took over the Government School of Design, founded in 1837, which became the National Art Training School in 1853, and finally in 1896 the The Royal College of Art, under which name it still flourishes. It developed what became known as the South Kensington system in art education. The Headmaster until 1875 was Richard Burchett. On the science side it ran classes in South Kensington in the 1870s, which led directly to the formation of the Normal School of Science, a constituent college of Imperial College London. From 1859 the Science and Art Department had offered examinations for prospective science teachers, and promoted evening classes in science across Britain. From 1872 the Science and Art Department began offering scientific higher education directly through evening classes at the South Kensington site. In 1880 these classes acquired formal recognition as the Normal School of Science.
During the 1880s a number of Royal Commissions considered the question of technical education, and their recommendations led to an increasing role in scientific training for other branches of government. The increased attention paid to education led to the formation of the Board of Education in 1899, into which the Science and Art Department was fully integrated.


Early Childhood Education Degree
Whether you are a child-care professional, teacher, aide, student, or parent, we can help you achieve success in one of the most rewarding careers. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program addresses the development of today’s children and focuses on the aspects you’ll need to become an effective child-care professional.The Early Childhood Education (ECE) curriculum is developed by child-care professionals and prepares you to deal with a child’s emotional, social, physical, and educational needs.
If you love working with young children, and are patient and helpful, an early childhood degree online would be a great start to making that difference. With early childhood education classes online you can get your accredited Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree program in elementary education or early childhood degree. Early childhood education is particularly important because these are the formative years of a child’s life, and this is often a predictor or their future academic success as they get older.
New career opportunities have evolved for educators with a strong background in the early childhood field of education. This degree will enable the early childhood educator to meet the specific needs of children and work with parents and other adults to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth n a child development framework.


Applications to this funding programme are now closed.
Music education hubs are groups of organisations who are passionate about delivering excellent music education for children and young people. The Arts Council is committed to making sure that they deliver this. On behalf of the Department for Education, we are investing more than £171 million of funding between August 2012 and March 2015 in a network of 123 Music education hubs across England.
New investment announced
The Department for Education recently announced it will increase the funding it gives to the Arts Council to deliver music education by £18 million, bringing the total amount of funding available to Music education hubs in the next financial year (2015-16) to over £75 million.
Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said:
'We're delighted that the Department for Education has backed the Arts Council’s leadership and championing of the network, and we value their support in developing the Arts Council’s work with arts and culture. We’ll continue the work we’ve done over the last four years to progress hub development so that children and young people everywhere can benefit from these invaluable opportunities'
for the full statement go here.
You can download a list of the hubs and funding allocations using the link on the right.
About the hubs
Music education hubs include schools - from primary to further education institutions - professional music organisations and arts organisations. They work in local areas to bring people together to create joined up music education provision for children and young people.
We expect every child to have the opportunity to sing, play instruments, solo and in groups and to be able to take these skills further if they have the talent or inspiration.
The hubs are a new way of organising music education, and have now been in place for two school years. Already, these hubs are working with 80% of schools in England, meaning that around one million children and young people are learning a musical instrument.
Music education hubs: in action
Greater Manchester Music education hub
- this Music education hub is a ground breaking new partnership, made up of nine local authority services and 15 regional and national partners
- the new ‘Greater Manchester Ensembles’ offer music opportunities of distinction for some of the most advanced young musicians in the region, working with world-class conductors, teachers and composers
- examples include the Greater Manchester Youth Brass Band, Youth Jazz Orchestra, Youth Strings Orchestra and the massed Youth Choirs, which see children and young people from across the region singing and learning together
- the ensembles have taken part in performances in The Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Jazz Festival, and are looking forward to performing at The Royal Albert Hall in November
Engaging children with special education needs
Telford Music education hub
- working with Southall Special Needs School, Telford Music education hub engaged in a bespoke, special needs version of their Whole Class Ensemble Tuition programme, over a 30 week period
- music tutors received training, including Makaton sign language, to use specialist music assistive technology to help engage young people with physical, mental and communication needs with musical education
- the hub provides young people with access to music technology, brass, singing, ukulele, samba and folk whistle
- teachers from Southall Special Needs School commented:
“The confidence that some of the special education needs children develop, performing individually flows into other areas of the curriculum: they are more prepared to have a go independently”
First Time Live - youth project
Luton Music education hub
- this project resulted in 2000 children and young people playing and singing an original composition with the City of London Sinfonia
- this was made possible by the Luton Music education hub, working with the local Bridge organisation and the National portfolio organisation Orchestras Live
- the project also included a programme of workshops and rehearsals, allowing young people to engage directly with orchestral musicians and contribute to the programming and production of concerts
- the City of London Sinfonia toured Luton, performing pieces chosen by young people, for young people
- 70% of project participants had never previously attended an orchestral concert
Explore the links on the right of this page to download documents and resources for Music education hubs.
Explore our advice and information on the following topics:


Welcome to the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign
What is the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign?
It is a new and exciting reading programme for Oxfordshire primary schools which will improve children’s confidence in reading and encourage them to develop a love of books. Aimed at Year 2 pupils (7 year olds) the campaign also seeks to significantly improve pupils’ reading levels in Key Stage 1. Alongside the school-based programme, volunteers from the local community will work with pupils on a one-to-one basis to boost reading confidence and enjoyment.
Why do we need this campaign?
Currently, reading standards for some Oxfordshire primary-school children, particularly those in Key Stage 1, are not as high as they should be. Oxford County Council is therefore investing in the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign to help local children raise their reading standards and give them a better chance of future success in life. Good literacy skills underpin success in future life, including in relationships, education and employment.
Who is delivering the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign?
The National Literacy Trust, an independent charity dedicated to raising literacy levels in the UK, has been appointed to deliver the campaign, which will run from September 2012 to July 2014. Edge Hill University will be providing specialist training to schools participating in the campaign, and Oxford University Press have designed the learning resources.
To read tips on helping your child’s literacy development, click here.
For more campaign news click here


Montessori is an approach to working with children that is carefully based on what has been learned about children’s cognitive, neurological and emotional development. The Montessori approach has been acclaimed by some of America’s top experts on early childhood and elementary education as the most developmentally appropriate model currently available. The Montessori method focuses on teaching for understanding. Active learning through hands-on activities and exercises rather than “book learning” is emphasized in order to encourage the development of the creative and analytical mind.
At SMMS, our primary goal for the child is to cultivate his/her own natural desire to learn. In the classroom this is approached in two ways. Each child is able to experience the excitement of learning through his/her own choice of lesson rather than being forced to do something. Secondly by helping the child to perfect his/her natural tools for learning, which can be used in future learning situations.
Dr. Montessori always emphasized that the hand is the chief teacher of the child. In order to learn how to concentrate, the best solution is to fix the attention of the child on a task performed by his hands. All equipment in a Montessori classroom allows a child to use his hands in the learning process. The tactile and kinesthetic system of learning permanently reinforces the skill to be learned – ‘muscular memory’ is a strong tool in the learning process.


Books are For Talking, Too! Third edition
Gebers, J. Austin, TX. Pro-ed: 2003.
It Figures: Fun Figures of Speech
Terban, M. & Maestro, G., Boston, MA: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993
Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms
Terban, M, New York, NY: Scholastic Reference, Scholastic: 1998
Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten!
Part of the Let's Get Ready Series of workbooks
Deismowich, L., Kannenberg, S., Babel-worth, Fredonia, WI, J. Cedar Valley Publication: 2006
Organizations and Websites
The Hanen Centre
The mission of the Hanen Centre is to provide the important people in a young child's life with the knowledge and training they need to help the child develop the best possible language, social, and literacy skills. They create programmes, train speech-language pathologists, develop learning materials and conduct research. Some resource materials are available in French, Spanish, and Dutch.
www.linguisystems.com or 1-800-776-4332
The Linguisystems catalogue contains games and other materials for developing all aspects of language.
Learning Horizons is a company that offers a range of workbooks and other interactive teaching materials for families and teachers. They are widely available in bookstores.
Books for parents, teachers, and children
It Takes Two to Talk: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Language Delays. Third Edition
by Jan Pepper and Elaine Weitzman
Publisher: Hanen Centre, Toronto, ON. (2004)
This handbook is part of a comprehensive family-focused programme that also includes videotapes and may be ordered directly from the Hanen Centre at the web address given above.
Learning, Language, and Loving It: A Guide to Promoting Children’s Social, Language, and Literacy Development in Early Childhood Settings. Second Edition
by E. Weitzman and J. Greenberg
Publisher: Hanen Centre, Toronto, ON, (2002)
This guidebook is part of a programme that includes posters and instructional videotapes. All materials may be ordered directly from the Hanen Centre at the web address given above.
The Speech and Language Classroom Intervention Manual
by Jacquelyn S. Hagan, Steven B. MacDonald, and Jacqueline Meyers
Publisher: Hawthorne Educational Services (1990)
Order at www.hes-inc.com/hes.cgi/01120.html
Childhood Speech, Language, and Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know
by P.M. Hamaguchi
Publisher: John Wiley & Son, Mississauga, ON. (1995)
The book contains information regarding normal language development, warning signs, and how to make sense of what professionals tell you.


Calixa Lavallée, (born Quebec, 28 December 1842; died Boston, 21 January, 1891), was a Canadian-American composer. For many years he was a travelling musician. Later he worked hard to improve music education in Canada. He is famous for composing the music for the Canadian national anthem "O Canada".
Life[change | change source]
Lavallée was born into a French-Canadian family. Originally his name was Calixte Paquet. His father made musical instruments and played in a band. He learned to play the piano, violin and cornet. He went to the United States and played in a band during the American Civil War. For many years he travelled, playing and teaching. He became artistic director of the New York Grand Opera House which put on minstrel shows rather than proper operas. When the theatre closed in 1872 he went back to Montreal. His friends got enough money together to help him go to France to study at the Paris Conservatoire. There he studied under famous teachers including Boieldieu.
When he went back to Canada he wanted to help to improve the state of music education there. He set up a small music school in Quebec but it was always difficult for him to get money from the authorities. He composed the music to “O Canada” which soon became the Canadian national anthem.
Shortly after that he went to the United States again. He became music director of the Roman Catholic cathedral in Boston and became very active with the Music Teachers’ National Association. He died of tuberculosis in 1891. In 1933 his remains were taken back to Montreal where they were buried in the cemetery.
His music[change | change source]
Besides the tune to O Canada, Lavallée wrote many works, including some comic operas: Loulou, Tiq and The King of Diamonds. Most of the music that was published consists of his lighter pieces, including a short piece for piano called Papillon (Butterfly) which became extremely popular in North America as well as Europe.
References[change | change source]
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie, 1980; ISBN 1-56159-174-2


Yale Joins With Fourth-Graders to Put Music to Story
By Mark Brackenbury
By Alexandra Sanders Special to the Register
NEW HAVEN — Trumpet-carrying Yale University students and crayon- wielding fourth-graders may seem like an unlikely combination, but when they get together, lives are changed.
Lincoln-Bassett elementary school recently held an innovative performance in which Yale University music school students put music to a book that the school’s two fourth-grade classes wrote.
The students worked with Yale graduate and composer Jay Wadley to find fitting music for their story, titled “When the Brothers Unite.”
“It was exciting because this presented an opportunity for them to explore music from different parts of the world,” said Wadley.
The plot is about Spain and Algeria at war and includes assassinations of kings and evil henchmen.
The music, which has a Middle Eastern influence, punctuates shocking sentences with blaring notes, as long, low notes slowly snake around the story line until a resonating sound of jubilation at the end of the story when Spain and Algeria unite.
Students illustrated pictures to accompany the book. Detailed pictures of kings and boats surrounded by crayon scribbles depicting the sky were displayed on an overhead screen.
The performance was made possible by the Yale class of 1957. The class contributed more than $6 million to the music education program to help the New Haven public school system’s music curriculum thrive.
The program has been brought to 20 different schools and has enabled the schools’ music department expand its learning and teaching tools, said John Miller, project manager.
“We are so pleased they adopted us,” said Ramona Gatison, Lincoln- Bassett principal.
“I have data to prove that this has changed the students,” said Gatison. “It carries over into academics and social development. I realized I could really change some of the kids’ behavior.”
All fourth-grade students played a part in the project, but six students in particular wrote and illustrated the book. They stayed after school with art teachers and worked hard on it, Gatison said.
The six will receive a copy of the score and a CD.
“The kids who got involved really have a desire to write, a desire to create,” said Gatison.
The kids described the performance with words like “cool” and “nice,” and said that they learned something from the show.
“I thought it was good and I learned to always unite with siblings,” said Ruth Escorbort, a fourth-grade student.
The students’ excitement was clear when the composer gave them a pop-quiz where they had to match music to a scene in the story. Nearly 100 hands shot up in excitement.
“The kids really liked it and that’s what is important,” said Gatison, who ended the presentation dancing down the aisle to the beat of Lincoln-Basset students clapping along to the string quartet.
Alexandra Sanders is a New Haven Register intern.
(c) 2008 New Haven Register. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.


San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) October 24, 2013
Reading Eggs, the online program for 3–13 year olds, is available to download as an app from iTunes. Children can now learn to read on the go with the Reading Eggs app compatible on iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4 and iPad mini with an operating system of IOS 6.0 or later.
The Reading Eggs App for iPad adds a new hands-on dimension to the program, where children complete lessons and activities using the intuitive ‘tap’ and ‘touch and drag’ interactivity of the iPad. The app includes all 120 one-on-one reading lessons from the original version, plus many other great features, including the Arcade, Reggie’s Store, and a range of rewards.
The Reading Eggs App is available as a free download from iTunes. To use the app, a trial or subscription to Reading Eggs is required, as well as a wireless internet connection. Reading Eggs also continues to be accessible on the iPad through Google Chrome or Safari.
Launched in 2008, Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive range of online reading lessons and ebooks that teach children ages 3–13 the literacy skills needed for lifetime reading success. Children progress through the one-on-one lessons at their own pace and parents can track their learning with regular progress reports and assessments.
There are also a range of Reading Eggs educational apps available for both iPad and Android devices. Mathseeds, the online math program for 3–6 year olds from the creators of Reading Eggs, is also available for use on the iPad and Android phones.
Reading Eggs will be available for Android late 2013.
Download the Reading Eggs app from iTunes.
Sign up for a FREE trial of Reading Eggs today at http://www.readingeggs.com.
About Reading Eggs
Developed by educators with over 25 years of experience, Reading Eggs online lessons instruct children in the five areas crucial to literacy development – phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Reading Eggs focuses on a core reading curriculum of skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success and is suitable for children ages 3 through 13. Since launching in the United States and Canada in 2011, Reading Eggs has signed on more than 500,000 subscribers and presented more than 15 million lessons in North America.


Education is an extremely important part of your child’s development and does not have to wait until he or she enters elementary school. Preschool education is very beneficial for young learners and gives them the foundational skills they need to succeed later in life—both in and out of the classroom. At A Child’s World, a daycare center and preschool in Doylestown, our curriculum centers around the 4 Brain Essential Learning Steps (also known as the 4 B.E.L.S.), which encompass all learning styles and encourage cooperation among our young students. In this infographic, you’ll learn about this unique approach to learning and how it includes all students in the collaborative learning process. Every child’s unique abilities and strengths can grow and improve through this approach. Please feel free to share this infographic with fellow parents!


dwsnews | by jane gardner, labor market information specialist
Training Opportunities for Green Careers
Utah is emphasizing four green career sectors:
1. Alternative fuels
2. Energy management
3. Green construction
4. Renewable energy production and transmission
Green careers are critical to Utah’s continued quality of life and in diversifying Utah’s vibrant economy. Data from Utah’s Green Jobs Survey approximated 1,100 green job openings per year—which accounts for 3.3 percent of all total job openings.
In January 2010, the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) was awarded a $4.6 million State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) grant by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. The grant’s purpose is to support state’s roles in building a national green economy.
The project will provide no-cost training to 1,400 individuals who can obtain skills required to work in emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Training started in January 2011 and will be provided through July 31, 2012. Currently 202 participants are enrolled in training courses.
Training participants work with Energy Career Development Specialists located at the schools who determine their individual needs and eligibility for the program. The specialists also coordinate with the schools to develop class schedules and materials needed for classes and assist with job placement upon completion.
The average class length is six months and participants initially complete core training that provides the foundational skills needed for any of the specific training areas. Core training includes energy essentials, computer skills, applied math, technical writing, and safety regulations. Upon completion of the core training, every participant will obtain OSHA and First Aid/CPR certifications. In the near future, core training courses will be available online.
Success Story #1: A Box Elder County participant owns a repair shop and wanted to add CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) installation to his existing services. Not only did the training (CNG certification) increase his business revenue but the school asked him to become a CNG instructor--win for the participant and win for the program.
Success Story #2: This summer, Utah State University-Workforce Education Division and SESP partnered to teach Navajo youth building skills. This collaboration made it possible for the DWS Youth Employment Program to reach students in the remote location of Monument Valley and made it feasible for SESP to offer the course outside of the regular school year. The program provided youth with an internship opportunity building octagons, which is a version of the traditional Navajo hogan. Participants gained valuable work experience in addition to high school credit.
Upon completion of the program, training participants will have the potential to improve their earnings and be marketable in an energy sector career, obtain employment in an energy sector occupation or maintain/retain employment in their current position. To find out if you may be eligible for the no-cost training, go to jobs.utah.gov and click on the State Energy Sector Partnership Grant link or contact Melisa Stark, DWS Program Specialist (801) 628-4051, firstname.lastname@example.org or Kelly Thornton, DWS Program Specialist (435) 719-2630 email@example.com.


Chapter 3 Reflection
I think it's interesting how our voices reflect us...who we are and where we come from. It's also very interesting how you can listen to people around you, family members and friends and you all have some kind of vocal connection. The section on personal voice perceptions reminded me of reading something similar to the personal perception when you play an instrument. The sound I hear coming out of my horn from up close is much different that what it sounds like out in the hall or farther away. I'm beginning to realize more connections that I thought with singing and playing an instrument.
I'm excited to be in voice class. I'm not really sure what to expect but I'm trying to go into it with an open mind. It's a required component to the instrumental music education degree. That is the main reason I'm in the class. I think it will be a good opportunity to learn some new things relating to music that will make me a better teacher someday, and probably even a better horn player. I know one of my issues with horn playing is phrasing, and I've been told that I should listen to some opera singers because they are the best at phrasing and using air to create it. I don't exactly expect to go that deep into singing during my first semester of voice class though, but I'm sure it won't hurt!
Singing better myself will help me immediately in teaching private horn lessons. I always sing parts and have the kids sing their music and I'm sure that having a better sound coming out of my mouth will only help them as well.


The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association (LA Phil), the USC Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI) and Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) announced a research collaboration to investigate the emotional, social and cognitive effects of musical training on childhood brain development.
The five-year project will give USC researchers an opportunity to provide new insights and add rigorous data to an emerging discussion about the role of early music engagement in learning and brain function.
Through a collaboration with the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles at Heart of Los Angeles (YOLA at HOLA) program, a partnership between the LA Phil and HOLA, which provides free instruments and musical training to children from the Rampart District of Los Angeles, researchers with the BCI — led by neuroscientists Hanna Damasio and Antonio Damasio at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences — will track how children respond to music from the very onset of their exposure to systematic, high-intensity music education.
Starting when the children are between the ages of 6 and 7, to ages 11 and 12, the researchers will use standard psychological assessments and advanced brain imaging techniques to track brain, emotional and social development. The group of children involved in the YOLA at HOLA program will be compared to a control group of children matched in age, socioeconomic status and cognitive abilities but with no musical training.
All children will be followed for five consecutive years, providing a rare chance for researchers to discover the effects of musical training on emotional, social and cognitive aspects of development as they actually occur, rather than inferring later-life effects. The BCI team began working with YOLA at HOLA students last month.
USC University Professors Hanna and Antonio Damasio, directors of the BCI and the Dornsife Neuroimaging Institute at USC, and professors of psychology and neurology at USC Dornsife, will supervise the study. The BCI’s Assal Habibi, herself a musician and a neuroscientist, and Beatriz Ilari of the USC Thornton School of Music, a musician and music educator, along with graduate students and research assistants, will work with YOLA children and their families, collecting data for the assessments.
Research results and summaries of findings will be reported to the scientific community and will be made available to the public.
More stories about: Music


Call for tougher GCSE tests on literacy and numeracy welcomed
Employers' leaders in Wales have welcomed proposals to improve the reading, writing and maths abilities of teenagers.
A review into qualifications says "more challenging" GCSEs should explicitly test literacy and numeracy skills.
It was responding to concern from businesses and universities that standards are not high enough.
The CBI said the report's emphasis on literacy and numeracy was critically important.
The independent review into qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds says GCSEs are not reliable indicators of skills in the so-called 'three Rs'.
"Some employers and universities consider that grade C, or even above, does not guarantee sufficient literacy or numeracy," it says.
Only 13% of the marks in GCSE English language this year were for spelling, punctuation and grammar. Students could still get an A-C grade without those marks.
The report says Welsh first language GCSE places more emphasis on the three core skills, but in both languages weaknesses in some areas can be compensated by strengths in others.Practical skills
It says introducing "more challenging GCSEs, which more explicitly assess literacy and numeracy, could improve the relevance of core GCSEs and help increase public confidence in these key subjects".
There should be "significantly more emphasis" on the quality and accuracy of writing, it says.
And it calls for two maths GCSEs - one on numeracy and the other covering aspects of mathematics techniques.
CBI Wales director Emma Watkins said: "The emphasis on literacy and numeracy is critical. First and foremost businesses need young people with functional literacy and numeracy skills, and it is crucial that there is an understanding of how to practically apply these skills in context, as well as reforms to GCSE English and maths."
End Quote Angela Burns Conservatives education spokeswoman
We need robust qualifications to restore confidence and drive up standards to meet the best in international comparisons”
She also welcomed a recommendation that pupils receive the same Welsh Baccalaureate qualification at each level, regardless of whether they do academic or vocational subjects.
The review says vocational courses should give pupils a general introduction to an industry, rather than training them for a specific job.
The recommendations on GCSEs follows a row between the Welsh and UK government over this summer's English exams.
Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews ordered the WJEC exam board to re-grade papers, saying the way that grade boundaries were set had been unfair to Welsh pupils.
The qualifications review recommends setting up a new body to regulate exams.'Restore confidence'
Elaine Edwards, general secretary of teaching union Ucac, said: "In the wake of the highly politicised GCSE English debacle this year, there is a very serious need to renew the credibility and integrity of the regulatory systems."
In a statement, the WJEC said the proposals on regulation "merit further evaluation and detailed discussion, however these must not distract from the urgent need to develop 14-19 qualifications and learning programmes which fully meet the needs of young people in Wales".
The board also endorsed the idea that qualifications in Wales should diverge from the system in England.
For the Conservatives, shadow education minister Angela Burns said: "After a series of damning league tables and statistics laying bare failings in the Welsh education system, we need robust qualifications to restore confidence and drive up standards to meet the best in international comparisons."
Welsh Liberal Democrats education spokesman Aled Roberts said: "The mess that unfolded this summer highlighted that it shouldn't be left to the education minister to be the sole decider on the way exams are awarded.
"It is crucial that this new regulator is very much independent from the Welsh government."
Plaid Cymru spokesman Simon Thomas said: "In the past, I have raised my concerns about the growing marketisation of the exam system, and have advocated a single exam board structure as a means creating a fairer playing field.
"It is vital that Welsh students can have their abilities measured through a unified, standardised and above all, fair system and I therefore welcome the review's recommendation to establish a single regulatory body."


goal of all elementary schools is to provide a rigorous and balanced
education for their young students to prepare them for future education
and life experiences.
Only when music education is included as a
part of the curriculum is the school truly making the total commitment
to providing the opportunity for each child to develop their full
Children’s Music Workshop is the program many Los Angeles
area schools use to include this essential musical training.
music classes have been shown to be a key to opening the child’s
mind to not only the joy and thrill of making music, but music is
a conduit to understanding science concepts, improving math skills,
and developing reading and listening skills.
All these benefits are combined into an activity that
appeals to young children. Active music making enhances the child’s
enthusiasm for school and stimulates their vivid imagination.


Whether kids are jumping in front of Microsoft’s Kinect, tapping on an iPad, building worlds on Minecraft, or sending tweets in kindergarten classrooms, the ways they use technology are sparking new teaching methods in elementary education—and providing some cautionary tales. As interactive media become an animating force in children’s lives, how can teachers and schools make the most of its educational value? How can we tell the difference between technologies that belong in the classroom and those that are best suited for afterschool entertainment? And what might young kids’ use of media teach us about the ways they learn?
On Thursday, Aug. 9, Slate, the New America Foundation, and Arizona State University will host a Future Tense event titled “Getting Schooled by a Third Grader: What Kids’ Gaming, Tweeting, Streaming and Sharing Tells Us About the Future of Elementary Education” in Washington, D.C.
Our speakers will include Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: How Electronic Media—From Baby Videos to Educational Software—Affects Your Young Child Annie Murphy Paul*, author of Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives and the forthcoming Brilliant; Joel Levin, the famous “Minecraft Teacher”; Scott Taylor, founder of 360KID; Alice Wilder, co-creator and head of research and education for Super Why! on PBS; and Reed Stevens, a learning sciences professor at Northwestern University.
For more information and to RSVP, visit the New America Foundation website.
Correction, Aug. 3, 2012: This post originally misidentified Annie Murphy Paul as Annie Paul Murphy.
TODAY IN SLATE
The Most Terrifying Thing About Ebola
The disease threatens humanity by preying on humanity.
I Bought the Huge iPhone. I’m Already Thinking of Returning It.
Scotland Is Just the Beginning. Expect More Political Earthquakes in Europe.
Students Aren’t Going to College Football Games as Much Anymore
And schools are getting worried.
Two Damn Good, Very Different Movies About Soldiers Returning From War
Lifetime Didn’t Think the Steubenville Rape Case Was Dramatic Enough
So they added a little self-immolation.
Blacks Don’t Have a Corporal Punishment Problem
Americans do. But when blacks exhibit the same behaviors as others, it becomes part of a greater black pathology.


“These scrappy little books are to historians among the most interesting productions of the sixteenth-century printing press. But they were no immediately thought of as worthy of a place in a respectable collection; often we owe their survival to the interest of collectors who in their own day would have been thought of as distinctly eccentric. Now these small books are very precious, but four centuries of hard living has dispersed them throughout the thousands of libraries around the world. This fact – that much of the output of the first age of print was seen at the time as being of no consequence – has meant that it has until now been very difficult to write the whole history of the first age of print. The books we now know best are those that were collected into libraries. On the whole these were the largest, most scholarly and most valuable, the sort cherished by scholars and rich collectors, then and now. Scholars who have written of the print revolution of the sixteenth century have likewise tended to concentrate on the most eye-catching achievements of the new art: the great multilingual bibles, notable achievements of scientific publishing, milestones of scholarship, the most richly and lavishly illustrated texts.
The more mundane productions of the press inevitably attracted less attention and admiration. But such books – almanacs and calendars, prayer books and pamphlets – were the bedrock of the new industry. They also offer the most eloquent window into the thought world of the sixteenth century’s new generation of readers.
How can one access the full extent of this trade, when so many of these publications have been almost completely lost? Happily this is one respect in which the new technological revolution of the twenty-first century has come to our aid. Tracing the sole surviving copy of these little books has been an almost impossible task. Now through, the sudden proliferation of online resources, catalogues and search engines allows us to gather together a vast amount of data that will permit us to match and compare information on almost all the books known to have been published in the first age of print – wherever they may be. This book presents a first attempt to take advantage of these global searches. The results are profound. We can for the first time chart a coherent narrative of print, from the first experiments of the 1450s to the dawn of a mass information society. For all the twist and turns, reverses, disappointments and misunderstandings, it is an arresting story.”
Andrew Pettegree, Prelude, The Book in the Renaissance, 2010.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Comics, Creativity, and Culture: Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives
October 6-8 Fall 2011
Partners: The Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, International Programs at the University of Iowa, and the University of Iowa Museum of Art.
Comics, Creativity and Culture: Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives, will take place on the University of Iowa campus October 6-8, 2011. This event, which has already received generous support, seeks to explore the historical, cultural, and artistic role of comics by bringing prominent creators together in dialog with teachers and students. In addition to the planned symposium, a series of linked events will offer participants a diverse range of activities that together seek to emphasize the significance of this always popular but once critically dismissed or ignored area of international cultural production and consumption.
June 22, 2011- One day training opportunity for k-12 teachers about using comics in the classroom hosted by Belin-Blank and the UI Art Education Department
September 24-December 11, 2011
Graphic Language: Comics, Creativity and Culture an Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives
Exhibition at the IMU Black Box Theatre
Featuring the private collections of Adam Mix, Corey Creekmur, Ana Merino and Felix de la Concha
October 6-8 2011-Symposium at various locations in Iowa City and around the UI campus
October 5, 2011 Mini conference for high school and middle school students hosted by the University of Iowa Museum of Art
Who: Phoebe Glockener, Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, Joe Sacco, Jessica Abel, and James Sturm as well as comic scholars such as Jeet Heer and Charles Hatfield.
Neda Barrett at the UI Obermann Center for Advanced Studies (Nedaemail@example.com)
Heidi Vekemans at International Programs (Heidifirstname.lastname@example.org)
Professor Corey-Creekmur -Coreyemail@example.com
Professor Ana Merino- Anafirstname.lastname@example.org
Professor Rachel Wiliams- Rachelemail@example.com
Posted by The Teacher at 1:24 PM


High School Art Teacher: Job Description and Education Requirements
High school art teachers instruct students on drawing, art history and painting. They use class time to help students build skills and show personal expression through art. At the bachelor's degree level, candidates for this job study the arts, art history and education. Public high school art teachers must be state-licensed; the following article explains this process in further detail.
Job Description for High School Art Teachers
High school art teachers oversee basic, intermediate and advanced art classes for teenage students. These courses include basic drawing, painting and ceramics projects that allow participants to build a portfolio of work. High school art instructors might also teach art history lessons and critical thinking skills. In addition to teaching their elective, high school art teachers might be called on to monitor hallways and lunchrooms or to oversee homeroom classes.
Becoming a high school art teacher requires completing a bachelor's degree program in art or art education along with classes on general education. All secondary school education programs, regardless of the major, require the completion of a teacher assistant internship. They often allow students to specialize in the grade levels they wish to teach, such as K-8 or 5-12. Participants study human development, learning issues, classroom management, curriculum development, pupil assessment, critical thinking and teaching resources. In an art or art education program, students take studio classes to practice in areas such as sculpture or painting. They are expected to develop an art portfolio.
All teachers working in public schools are required to be licensed by the state in which they intend to teach. Prerequisites vary by state, but common requirements for teacher licensure includes completing an accredited teacher education degree program and taking skill-assessment tests. Candidates must typically take the PRAXIS I test and submit those scores as a part of the licensure process. Scores from the PRAXIS II test, which is taken upon graduating from a teacher-education program, must also be submitted for licensure. Aspiring high school art teachers commonly take the PRAXIS II-Art Content Knowledge exam; some states might also require licensee prospects to pass the PRAXIS II-Art Content, Traditions, Criticism and Aesthetics exam.
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
In 2013, secondary school teachers, including art teachers, earned an annual median salary of $55,360, in general. At that time, the highest paying states included New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Alaska. The BLS predicts that employment growth for high school teachers will be slower than other areas of education, with only a 6% increase from 2012-2022. The best opportunities may be found in the West and South of the U.S., and in rural or urban areas, the BLS suggests.
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Students as young as kindergartners are learning computer programming as Massachusetts schools join a growing national movement to prepare students for 21st-century jobs.
Once considered an extracurricular activity for geeks, coding increasingly is being seen as both an essential life skill and a potential pathway toward becoming the next Mark Zuckerberg.
“The coding craze is the biggest uptick in education in years,” said Elliot Soloway, a professor of computer science at the University of Michigan. “What we’re seeing is a new content area being incorporated into the curriculum at lightning speed, faster than any other content area has been assimilated into teaching. Schools are desperate for the new, and coding’s not just any new; it’s one that has currency.“
Since December, 1 million students have enrolled in an online computer science course offered by Code.org, a nonprofit founded by Harvard graduate Hadi Partovi and backed by Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Bill Gates. The group recently announced partnerships with 30 school districts, including Andover, Arlington, Ashland, Brookline, Littleton, Milton, Needham, Newton, Reading, Waltham, Wayland and Wellesley.
Newton Public Schools is using Code.org to help teach the foundational skills for coding in grade 2 and build on that in middle school, said Leo Brehm, the district’s director of information technology.
This summer, a Newton North High School teacher also will undergo training through Code.org to teach basic computer science in grades 9 and 10 and more advanced classes in grades 11 and 12, Brehm said.
“Computer science is a natural outlet to exercise critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and it enhances mathematics, engineering and robotics,” Brehm said. “There’s also a shortage of people in the workforce who can code.”
Boston Public Schools expects to become a formal district partner of Code.org within the next year or two, after it prepares its schools from an infrastructure and staffing standpoint — work that is well underway, a BPS spokesman said.
Article from The Boston Herald


Games - Activities - Students will be introduced to games that date
back to pioneer children and will improve certain skills.
Physical Education contains a wealth of resources and activities for
the physical education or health teacher.
Applications for Educators. WebQuest Activities for Physical Education
Kids Play This is a site you're going to want to bookmark. Games
Kids Play is a site that lists the "official" rules for games like:
Crack the Whip; Dodgeball; Red Rover; Kick the Can; Sardines; and Picking
Who is "IT."
Physical Fitness Challenge Homepage
How You Play the Game - Examining the Ethics of Gamesmanship
Name Game (all, Games) - For those of us in secondary classroom, this
is great for having to learn 120 - 150 names per semester:
and whales (all, Games) - Divide your class evenly into fishes and
whales. choose 3 or 4 kids to be fishermen and women. Make a large square...10
Name Is (all, Games) - Name games can be played at any time of the
year but are especially important at the first. They are also useful when
- This is elementary physical education lesson on parachutes. We all enjoy
playing with the parachute, well this is a lesson with a few fun activities
to use with your class. I used this in a class, and the children loved
Relay Game could be used in PE and a variety of grade levels - This
is a simple game that makes learning to spell words fun. Add On Relay:
Directions: Students are divided into 2 teams. The students need to stand
in a single file line. The teacher calls out a word. The first student
in each line walks to the board a...
and Barracudas: Chasing and Tagging Activity - An AskERIC Lesson Plan
- The activity called the Sharks and Barracudas is a fun children's phys.
ed. game involving tagging and chasing. This activity is geared for children
at the 1st or second grade level. Their are two teams, one is the Sharks
and the other is theBarracudas.
Activities - An AskERIC Lesson Plan - The objective of these activities
is to allow students to explore the gymnastic equipment, develop basic
mobility skills, and to improve a variety of other skills.
Line Ball - An AskERIC Lesson Plan - This game helps students develop
throwing and catching skills along with basic mobility skills.
Practice Program- Special events, Fitness nights,
PE Central Challenge 4th & 5th grade motor skills challenge.
Educational Lesson Plans
Trail Teacher's Guide
These games may be helpful
in planning activities in physical education classes
Lesson Plans and Activities
Elementary Education Physical Activity Area


Written by Jeff Kraakevik, M.D.
The video included with this post is eleven minutes and forty-one seconds long. It’s a little on the long side for a web-distributed video, but I think it is well worth the investment of your time.
The video was first posted in 2010, and is by Sir Kenneth Robinson. In it, he outlines how our education system as a whole has been shaped by the forces of history which were around when the modern education system was formed. He then outlines why this paradigm doesn’t work as well 100 years later.
He is using the elementary education system as an example, but I think the principles apply to medical education as well. I’d like you to watch it, and think about how what he is talking about applies to medical education. If you are pressed for time, skip to the 6:33 mark as that is where the most applicable bits start. (A note to anyone who may have a stake in the ADHD debate: please don’t get distracted by this sub-point in his talk–that is not why I’m asking you to watch this.)
After you’ve watched it, I want you to think about how this “old” paradigm of factory-processed students being put into separate silos to learn for standard amounts of time is a really great description of most of the current medical education.
Remember that divergent thinking skills are critical for clinical problem solving. How is our current model of training either impairing or empowering those divergent thinking skills in our current curriculum?
Now, step outside that model, and dream about what could it look like as changes are made. We have the technological tools to make a competency-based education with real-time collaboration across teams and across disciplines a reality. What would the first two years of the medical school curriculum look like without set time-frames for students to complete a course on neuroscience look like? What would it look like if students moved on to the next subject or course after demonstrating they have mastered the skills necessary to move forward, and not because the 8-10 week course is done? What would a curriculum look like if there were no walls between the courses?
Now, I want to assure you this is not likely where OHSU in particular will be when the curriculum reform process is completed. I really think it is not possible to get to this level of learner-centeredness within one curriculum reiteration. But, I do put this up as a model worth considering, and it is a worthwhile discussion to debate its relative merits and risks as we do come up with our actual model of educational curriculum.
For further reading, read this recent blog post by leaders within the AAMC titled “Competency-based Medical Education: The Time is Now.”
[Special note to OHSU School of Medicine faculty, staff and students: consider attending the curriculum transformation retreat on Oct. 9. More details on the intranet (log-in required).]
Jeff Kraakevik, M.D., earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa and his fellowship in Movement Disorders from Oregon Health & Science University. He joined the OHSU movement disorders faculty in 2006 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Neurology. Dr. Kraakevik holds the unique distinction of being a former high school teacher. He has followed this trajectory of educator and currently heads up the development of medical student and resident education for the OHSU department of Neurology and VA Medical Center where he holds a joint appointment. Dr. Kraakevik’s research interests include gait and balance problems of Parkinson’s disease as well as research that explores the best teaching practices for medical education.


Easter egg hunts are always fun, but plastic eggs are so versatile that we try to use them as many ways as we can before they get put back into the seasonal box. We have 3 different sizes of eggs: mini, medium and large, and look for ways we can use each size in our daily activities.
Here are 5 Ideas for Plastic Eggs:
1. Put them in a Sensory Bin, a bin of rice or a big bowl of oats! Plastic eggs are great scoopers and opening and closing them helps fine motor skill development. Filling the eggs with oats and rice and shaking them is another fun sound activity!
2. Use them for sorting and matching activities. For some reason opening and closing plastic eggs never gets old for Sweet P. She loves discovering what is inside of each egg and also likes matching the colors when she puts them back together. Sort the eggs by color, size, or into containers using an ice cream scoop or egg tongs. Put numbered stickers on both sides of the eggs for a fun math and counting activity.
3. Stack them or use them for patterning activities. The round shape of the eggs allows them to fit into each other pretty well. Sweet P discovered stacking while gathering the eggs to put them back into a bag after she finished a tray they were on. She thought it was pretty neat and said, "Look at this, mama!" If you have various colors, you can also create patterns with the bottoms/tops of each egg.
4. Sound eggs: Use your plastic eggs to create sound boxes. Read more about this activity on our Sound Eggs post. These keep Sweet P interested for quite awhile.
5. Put them in the bath! Some of our plastic eggs have holes in the tops so they are fun to fill and pour out again and again! Sweet P loved watching the bubbles come out of the little holes when she held them under water. We also had fun seeing them float and sink when she filled them with water! Then, she built towers by stacking them all along the side of the bathtub.


Full-Day Kindergarten in the States (2012) reported by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) will be updated annually.
Transition Practices from Preschool to Kindergarten (2011), a Research Brief published by the Curry School of Education (CASTL) at the University of Virginia describes pre-kindergarten teachers' use of kindergarten transition practices. (posted 05/13/2013)
Preschool-to-Kindergarten Transition Patterns for African American Boys, Snapshot January 2014
Ready Freddy Pathways to Kindergarten Success website, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development offers related articles:
The National Early Childhood Transition Center (NECTC) formerly funded by OSEP investigated and validated practices to enhance the early childhood transition process and support positive school outcomes for children with disabilities. NECTC maintains a searchable database of transition research, policy and practice.
Building the Foundation for Bright Futures: A Governor's Guide to School Readiness (2005) by the National Governor's Association. See Supporting Ready Schools starting on pg. 11, Facilitating the Transition to Kindergarten. Also available from the National Governor's Association, but not available on online is their document Transitions to School by Elizabeth Stief (1994). See Relevant Research Findings on page 4. ISBN # 1-55877-197-2.
The Pre-elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) funded by the National Center for Special Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences is a multi-year study examining preschool special education transition to kindergarten. (posted 2/17/12) The report entitled Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities: Selected Findings from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (2009) provides selected findings from the first three waves of data collection.
Planning for Terrific Transitions: A Guide for Transition-to-School Teams. This training tool is designed to help teachers, principals, parents, and other stakeholders improve their transition processes through more effective planning, implementation, and evaluation. The training package includes a trainer's guide, a participant's guide, a CD with all the transparencies needed, and a copy of all the handouts necessary for the training.
Terrific Transitions is a Web site developed collaboratively between the SERVE Regional Educational Laboratory and the National Head Start Association to support children's transitions into kindergarten.
W. K. Kellogg Foundation's initiative entitled SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) (2009)


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
Robert Beeching wrote:
>"Critical" DRAWING involving "careful judgement or judicious evaluation"
>>neither of which are consistently employed in the public school system,
>>especially in grades K through 8. Children are continually allowed to
>draw and >paint in any fashion they wish under the guise of "creativity."
Bob Fromme wrote:
>I (and probably others who teach drawing as part of our instruction in the
>public schools) appreciate that the original statement has been qualified
>somewhat as Robert Beeching explained the use of the terms "critical"
>drawing. Indeed, learning "critical" drawing is not usually very high on
>the list of priorities in the majority of our contemporary elementary
>schools. The situation has probably existed from the earliest days of
>education in this country (well beyond the past 40 years)....major snip
Taking a walk down memory lane (if my memory serves me well), art education
began in this country in the 1870s as a program in what is often referred
to as "industrial drawing," but would seem to have some of the
characteristics of what
Beeching calls "critical" drawing. For those that are up on their Art
Education history, the name of Walter Smith (and before him Horace Mann)
might ring a bell here.
Horace Mann (Supt. of Instruction, Mass.) believed that drawing developed
better hand-eye coordination and was a way to keep "idle hands busy." He
published 24 lessons with illustrations to copy.
Walter Smith was the 1st State Art Director of Mass. He established the
first Normal school for teachers of art (drawing) (these were classroom
teachers by the way). Smith believed the art of drawing and the art of
writing had certain parallels, i.e., both have an alphabet and grammar to
learn (straight line, curved line, angle, etc.,) Like Mann, Smith published
a manual of pictures and exercises for copying. Lessons emphasized sharp
pencil points, clean hands, practice for skill development, and exacting
performance -- even for the early grades.
For me, I see certain similiarities in what Smith was doing over 100 years
ago and Mona Brookes' method of drawing instruction.
What goes around, comes around?
P.S. On an unrelated note, I recommend the movie Contact for everyone.
It's a wonderful visual and mindful tribute to Carl Sagan. Go see it!
CRAIG ROLAND. Associate Professor-Art Education.
Department of Art, FAC 302, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida.
32611-5801. (352) 392-9165 - Art Ed Office (352) 392-8453 - Fax


Kelly Moss '14, Kelsey Hainley '15, Natalie Saunders '15,
Lindsie Blaylock '14
Randolph-Macon College Elementary Education
students are already preparing for their own future classrooms by designing lessons,
gathering information, and exploring community resources.
Four Elementary Education students recently took advantage of the MathScience Innovation
Center’s Open House. The Center, located in Richmond, Virginia, provides engaging,
futuristic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs through
lessons at the Center as well as in K-12 classrooms in Central Virginia.
During the Open House, R-MC pre-service teachers, accompanied by Education Professor
Diana Yesbeck, explored classrooms equipped with lessons on weather, chemistry,
spiders, aquariums, and the Challenger Space Center. As they visited the classrooms,
students explored a weather simulation activity; discovered the effects of droughts
during a farmland activity; observed spider habitats and their feeding behaviors;
handled aquatic specimens in an aquarium touch-tank, and learned how Mission Control
assists with a space voyage to Mars.
“During the Elementary Education Minor Program of Study, R-MC students participate
in many activities outside of the traditional classroom,” says Yesbeck. “The MathScience
Innovation Center is just one more way to reinforce critical concepts through student
Kelsey Hainley ’15, a women’s
studies major and education minor, says the Open House was a great learning
opportunity. “The MathScience Innovation Center opened my eyes as a pre-service
teacher to the different types of hands-on experiences and activities that my future
students can and should experience,” says Hainley.
The R-MC Education Department
With a strong tradition of preparing outstanding teachers, R-MC’s education minor
is a Virginia Department of Education approved educator preparation program and
is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The teacher preparation
program at R-MC creates reflective, passionate educators who are highly qualified
in their content area and in 21st-century teaching skills. Inspired by R-MC’s own
dedicated teaching faculty, our graduates bring to their own classrooms a commitment
to children, youth, and families and to embracing and celebrating diversity.
With the first course in R-MC’s teacher preparation program, students are in the
community, working with real students and teachers in local school classrooms. R-MC
education courses fully integrate classroom and experiential learning, opportunities
for collaborative research, civic and global engagement, personalized guidance,
and leadership development.


About the Author
has written over 55 books and activity kits, most of which encourage hands-on science for kids. She is a frequent speaker at writer's festivals, as well as at schools, libraries, and teacher/librarian conferences. Shar and her co-author of more than 15 years, Leslie Johnstone, previously collaborated on Scary Science: 25 Creepy Experiments
for Scholastic Canada.
Leslie Johnstone is the Department Head of Science at a high school in Vancouver, British Columbia. Leslie and her co-author Shar Levine received the Eve Savoury Award for Science Communication from the BC Innovation Council for their book Backyard Science. The both live in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Patricia Storms is an illustrator who has created editorial cartoons, comic strips and magazine cover for Chirp and KNOW magazines. She has enhanced many a picture book with her lively illustrations, including The 13 Ghosts of Halloween for Scholastic Canada. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
From the Canadian Children's Book Centre
Try these simple experiments to brighten up a cold winter day! Learn how to make ice cream, create an indoor avalanche and more! Plus, find out all kinds of cool facts about wintery stuff, like icebergs, frost, windchill, glaciers and orange snow! Gain more knowledge about the weather, climate change and the environment. A glossary of terms is included.