English Language Arts
The comprehensive literacy model in the Tri-Town elementary schools incorporates instruction in reading, writing, and word study using research-based practices. Instruction is delivered through a combination of whole group, small group and 1:1 instruction during Reader's Workshop, Writer's Workshop and the Word Study block.
Reader's Workshop provides a structure where students engage in authentic reading experiences with explicit instruction and modeling, guided practice, and an opportunity for independent practice daily. Students are exposed to a wide variety of genres in both fiction and nonfiction as they progressively move through reading units of study in grades K-6.
The workshop model includes the following components:
- Mini Lesson
- A mini lesson is a brief whole group lesson that focuses on a specific reading strategy or skill.
- Guided Reading/Strategy Groups
- Guided reading is small group reading instruction that helps children access text at their instructional reading level. Strategy groups provide instruction for small groups of students who have a similar need to learn a specific reading strategy or skill.
- Independent Reading
- Students read independently and are given choice in text selection during this time to promote a love of reading. Depending on the grade level, students will write in response to their reading in various ways.
- The teacher meets with students individually to check-in on their progress during independent reading.
- Group Wrap Up/Share
- During this time the mini lesson focus is recapped and solidified and students have the opportunity to share their learning within their reading community.
Writer's’ Workshop replicates the Reader's Workshop model including many of the same components.
- Mini Lesson
- A mini lesson is a brief whole group lesson that focuses on a specific writing strategy or skill.
- Guided Writing
- The teacher gathers a small group of students to provide instruction on a specific writing strategy or skill.
- Independent Writing
- Students work through the writing process during this time applying newly learned skills into their piece of writing. The teacher typically assigns the mode of writing (narrative, argument/opinion, or informational/explanatory) but the student should have choice about the topic.
- The teacher meets with students individually in a writing conference to confer about the status of the student's piece of writing.
- Group Wrap Up/Share
- During this time the mini lesson focus is recapped and solidified and students have the opportunity to share their writing within their writing community.
Experts agree that there are certain characteristics or "traits" that make up quality writing. These traits provide a clear instructional map for writers and diminish the level of subjectivity when assessing writing. They are are explicitly taught through mini lessons and reinforced in small guided groups and individual conferences.
These characteristics, or “traits” are:
- Good writing has clear ideas, a purpose, or focus. It should have specific ideas and details.
- Good writing should have a beginning, middle, and an ending and be well organized and easy to follow.
- Good writing connects with the audience, fits the purpose for writing, and reveals the voice of the writer.
- Word Choice
- Good writing has specific nouns and verbs and strong words that deliver the writer's message.
- Sentence Fluency
- Good writing has sentences that vary in length, with a variety of sentence beginnings. The writing flows smoothly from sentence to sentence.
- Good writing is edited for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling so the writer's ideas are easily understood.
Fundations® provides research-based materials and strategies essential to a comprehensive reading, spelling, and handwriting program. This program is used in grades K-3 in the Tri-Town elementary schools.
Students in grades K-3 receive a systematic program in critical foundational skills, emphasizing:
- Phonemic awareness
- Phonics/ word study
- High frequency word study
- Reading fluency
- Comprehension strategies
- Handwriting (print and cursive)
In grades 4-6 students continue to develop their knowledge about language focusing on higher level skills such as multisyllabic decoding, vocabulary development, word roots, and spelling. A variety of resources are used in grades 4-6 to address these concepts and reinforce these skills.


The American public education system is, undoubtedly, a machine. Many would argue its efficiency, but it is a machine nonetheless. Educators and School leaders are the cogs that keep it afloat. Often, this comes at a great deal of expense to those who are on the front lines, serving in our school buildings on a daily basis. What is the nature of this understanding for black educators, considering the historical context of racial inequities in our society? What does this mean for black students? Furthermore, what are the implications for a black male educator who is a product of the public school system himself?Cedric Scott, Jr. is an educator who has served in the District of Columbia Public Schools as a teacher, instructional coach, and Assistant Principal in the elementary education sector. Being a product of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the author offers his account of matriculation through school as a student and progression as a professional educator, all while navigating life’s challenges and what it means to be a young, black male in America. “Grade 3 to AP: Memoirs of a Black Male Educator,” presents a narrative composed of self-realization, opportune circumstance, and deep reflection.
FOR EBOOK, VISIT: https://www.amazon.com/Grade-AP-Memoirs-Black-Educator-ebook/dp/B08H5LXKZ6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1603037370&sr=1-1-a14f3e51-9e3d-4cb5-bc68-d89d95c82244


What a discovery when babies are able to grab their little feet! This is an important motor skill development! Have fun with your little one with a game!
Bring her feet together as if they were clapping together. When they come together, make a big facial expression to show your excitement and describe what you are doing. Continue to open and close her feet all while talking to her and making facial expressions so she knows you like what she is doing. You can even touch her hands and bring them towards her feet so she grabs her own feet. Giving her positive feedback while touching her hands and feet brings her attention to these sensations and increases her awareness of these body parts.


Early literacy development is a fundamental component of your child’s overall development. It helps children learn how to communicate and socialize with others, how to read and write, and more – plus helps set them up for success in school and life.
So… what are activities you can do at home with your little one to help develop these important skills?
1. Create a Literate Home Environment
According to PBS Parents, a literate home is an environment that encourages children to learn to read and write and become lifelong readers and writers. Transforming your home into a more literate environment is not only simple but also inexpensive! The goal is to create an environment where everyone – adults and children - read and write, and that provides children with opportunities to see and experience the joys of reading and writing. Ensure you have plenty of books for all ages, writing and art materials, and toys. Simple props for pretend play, foam letters and numbers, and videos can also help encourage your child’s engagement with literacy!
2. Create a Comfortable & Welcoming Reading Space
Set aside space in your home designated just for a reading area! Ask for help from your little one and ask what they would like to include in it. Perhaps they would like a canopy hanging in a corner alongside some of their favorite stuffed animals and books. Letting your child design and give you input on what they want in the creative space will make them feel that this is truly their special area. Creating a comfortable reading area will also allow your child to feel more secure and imaginative while reading!
3. Start a Book Club for Children & Parents
With the recent rise of Book Clubs over the last few years, did you know that mother-daughter, father-son and parent-child book clubs have also become popular? Starting a Book Club with other local parents and children is a great opportunity to not only enhance early literacy skills – but also social skills. By joining or creating a Book Club, you and your child can meet and make new friends while reading and discussing books together. In addition, you’ll be creating classic memories your little one will treasure for the rest of their life in addition to developing a deeper love and appreciation for reading!
4. Read Aloud To Your Child
When you read books out loud to your child, you are modeling fluency, accuracy and expression so that they can learn to read like you do. It’s important for parents to use fun voices for different characters and have fun with the rhyming or pattern-type books. Getting into character while reading will spark your child’s imagination and creativity, exciting them about the wonders held within stories, books and reading itself!
5. Focus on the Pictures as Much as the Words
Illustrations convey so much of the story in children’s books. As you read with your child, take time to explore the pages and take a ‘picture walk’ through the book. Doing this with a new book is a wonderful way for children to engage with the story by describing what they see and making predictions along the way. What a wonderful way to build excitement for a new book and help your child see how the words and images are connected!.
We hope these tips are useful as you think about ways to support early literacy while at home. From creating a home that encourages a love for reading, to engaging in fun reading activities with family, friends, and neighbors, you can easily support your child’s early literacy skill development and joy of reading!


This is the third of a five-part article series by Dr David Smawfield, an international expert on technical and vocational education and training, exploring different dimensions of youth skills development for jobs and employability. This discourse leads to the ADB International Skills Development Forum in Manila from 10-12 December 2013. Edited, Shanti Jagannathan, ADB.
The 2012 Global Monitoring Report on Education says that: ‘People need foundation skills to stand a chance of getting jobs that pay decent wages and becoming a productive force in the economy’. It argues that these skills are best acquired through formal education and policies and practices should encourage young people to stay longer in formal education. Foundation skills usually refer to language literacy and numeracy.
In developing countries in Asia, the lack of adequate foundation skills makes vocational training less effective. As per UNESCO, in East Asia and the Pacific, over 28 million people aged 15 to 24 have not even completed primary school and need alternative pathways to acquire basic skills for employment. It is well known that South Asia is home to the world’s largest numbers of adult illiterates. When the attainment levels of the work force are below secondary or even primary education, skills development institutions are challenges to remedy the lack of adequate foundation skills. This is not only a matter of concern for developing countries.
A recent report by the Australian Industry Group finds that 93% of surveyed employers identified a wide range of impacts on their businesses from low level literacy and numeracy skills. Raising the levels of workforce foundation skills is identified as an urgent national priority to life the Australian economy’s productivity.
Yet, strengthening foundation skills are not included as an important priority in skills development institutions. This despite findings in skills audits that the technical skill associated with a vocation is rarely more than half of overall skill requirements required: both in terms of effective performance in the work place, and with regard to what employers are looking for when recruiting.
Lack of adequate of foundation skills combined with poor life skills (referred to in a number of ways such as transferable skills, 21st century skills, soft skills – problem solving skills, creativity, work ethics, inter-personal skills and ability to work in teams and so on) further impede skills development on a continuum and at the work place. Specific examples of the types of attributes in high demand among employers include: the ability to think critically and creatively, process information, make decisions, manage conflict, and work in teams. Furthermore, in many vocational and professional contexts, competences associated with the following are gaining ground in importance – management, leadership, information and digital technology management, negotiation, selling, marketing and public relations.
An Asia Society Report on partnership for global learning suggests that students are not learning 21st century skills because they are not explicitly taught, the traditional method of teaching is not suited for teaching such skills and adequate methods to assess learning of 21st century skills are not universally available.
What are the implications that skills development and training institutions need to consider?
- The teaching of foundation skills in a remedial context. This can be through separate programs or through opportunities to practice and further develop literacy and numeracy skills that have supposedly been already acquired. This will help to strengthen the uptake of higher order skills development. At the same time, efforts need to be made to strengthen language and mathematics teaching in secondary schools
Diversification of content. The explicit inclusion of transferable and life skills in a systematic way to the basket of foundation+ skills would help to maximize returns
Use of modern pedagogies. Emphasis on active learning, cooperative learning and group work, constructivist and communicative approaches are far more conducive to the development of foundation skills than traditional classroom teaching.
ncreased use of ICT. At one level, ICT competence is increasingly regarded as a life skill in its own right. In addition, modern and contemporary approaches to training can be facilitated through ICT. skills can again be developed through two different strategies, neither of which needs to be mutually exclusive. The first option is to offer a separate ICT module as a mandatory part of any more narrowly defined vocational training programme. The second option is to increase the use of ICT as part of the way the vocational content is itself transacted, in order that hands on experience is gained and skills and knowledge to do with ICT are developed.
- Vietnam’s Workforce Needs New Skills For Continued Economic Modernization – Report (eurasiareview.com)
- Tackling The Skills Gap In Labor Market (eurasiareview.com)
- Boost skills education say employers (bbc.co.uk)
- Learning and skills – Can they better match employer needs? (libraryeuroparl.wordpress.com)
- Germany’s vocational system keeps its youth on the job (jsonline.com)


Students today are spending a significant amount of time engaged in media activity, yet even with an increase of e-reader compatible smart devices, reading has not increased in popularity among elementary school age children. It is critical that students spend time engaged in meaningful reading activities to become proficient readers. Thus, as educators of these 21 st century learners, we must find a way to increase reader motivation and bridge the gap between home leisure activities and school activities. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of reading enhanced e-books on the iPad vs. traditional storybooks with regard to motivation to read, reading comprehension and fluency. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used, over a period of four weeks with 22 first grade student participants. The results of this study suggested that e-books are more appealing than traditional print books and as equally appealing, if not more appealing to students than educational apps. By the end of the study, all students were fluently reading books at least one guided reading level higher. The results from this study showed that students benefited from the combination of e-books and traditional storybooks, with this method resulting in increased fluency and comprehension among readers.
|School:||The William Paterson University of New Jersey|
|School Location:||United States -- New Jersey|
|Source:||MAI 54/03M(E), Masters Abstracts International|
|Subjects:||Elementary education, Literacy, Reading instruction, Educational technology|
|Keywords:||Comprehension, E-books, First grade, Fluency, Motivation, Reading|
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Share and Take Turns (Learning to Get Along®)
* Individual store prices may vary.
Sharing is a social skill all children need to learn—the sooner the better. Concrete examples and reinforcing illustrations help children practice sharing, understand how and why to share, and realize the benefits of sharing. Includes a note to teachers and parents, additional information for adults, and activities.
Praise For Share and Take Turns (Learning to Get Along®)…
Learning Magazine’s Teacher’s Choice Award Finalist
“A good choice for teachers seeking books that reinforce familiar classroom messages.”— Booklist
Free Spirit Publishing, 9781575421247, 40pp.
Publication Date: March 15, 2003
About the Author
Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed., has her master’s degree in elementary education and gifted education. A former first-grade teacher, she has taught education classes at Utah State University and has supervised student teachers. Cheri and her husband, David, have six children. They live in Laurel, Maryland.


This course helps you learn the key principles and practices of trauma-informed care and can help you find new, more impactful ways to work with children who have experienced trauma. This course is designed for people that interact with children frequently – foster parents, adoptive parents, teachers, school counselors, social workers, volunteers, children’s ministries, etc. and focuses on digging deeper into four of the 7 foundational skills of trauma care and practical tools for application.
- Focus on complex developmental trauma
- Delivers applicable tools & strategies
- Shares 4 of the 7 Essential Skills of trauma-informed care
- 3.5 hour video-based training broken into 13 short modules for easy access
- Downloadable resources and bibliography
- Simple quizzes/knowledge checks included
- Certificate of Completion available
Discounts are available for large groups. Please email firstname.lastname@example.org.


Every citizen of India has the right to education. Some of the basic principles which guide us are –education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages; elementary education shall be compulsory; technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
The Education for All movement is a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults. The movement was launched at the World Conference on Education for All in 1990.
Many years later, many countries are far from this stated goal. Representatives from various countries met again in Dakar, Senegal and affirmed their commitment to achieving Education for All by the year 2015. They identified six key education goals which aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015.
As the lead agency, UNESCO is mobilising and harmonising the international efforts to reach Education coordination for All. Governments, development agencies, civil society, non-government organisations and the media are but some of the partners working toward reaching these goals.
The drive to achieve the EFA goals also contributes to the global pursuit of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially MDG 2 on universal primary education and MDG 3 on gender equality in education, by 2015.
Achieving the Education for All goals is critical for attaining all 8 MDGs—in part due to the direct impact of education on child and reproductive health, as well as the fact that EFA has created a body of experience in multi-partner collaboration toward the 2015 targets. Simultaneously, achieving the other MDGs, such as improved health, access to clean drinking water, decreased poverty, and environmental sustainability, are critical to achieving the education MDGs. Although there has been steady progress towards achieving many EFA goals, challenges remain. Today, there are many children of school age, who are still not in school due to financial, social, or physical challenges, including high fertility rates, HIV/AIDS, and conflict. Access to schooling in developing countries has improved since 1990—some 47 out of 163 countries have achieved universal primary education (MDG 2) and an additional 20 countries are estimated to be “on track” to achieve this goal by 2015. However, huge challenges remain in 44 countries, 23 of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa. These countries are unlikely to achieve universal primary education by 2015 unless domestic and international efforts are accelerated substantially. Although the gender gap in education (MDG 3) is narrowing, girls are still at disadvantage when it comes to access and completion of both primary and secondary schooling. Despite recent gains in girls’ enrolment at both the primary and secondary levels—particularly in low-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia—24 countries are unlikely to achieve gender parity at either the primary or at secondary level by 2015. The majority of these countries (13) are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poor learning outcomes and low-quality education also remain overriding concerns in the education sector. For example, in many developing countries, less than 60 percent of primary school pupils who enrol in first grade reach the last grade of schooling. Additionally, pupil/teacher ratios in many countries exceed 40:1 and many primary teachers lack adequate qualifications. More on Education for all..
Source : Education for all


Reading (and being read to) makes you a better reader. And that means reading anything and everything from signs on the road to comic books and novels. The more you read, the better reader you will become and the more fluent reader you will become.
As young children read, they become more familiar with patterns in the text and in words themselves. They begin to notice the words that appear more frequently (sight words). When they listen to someone read to them, they learn about expression and how words and sentences should sound.
Many people tell me that their child (of all ages) doesn't want to read and they show no interest in reading. It is important to figure out what inspires or interests your children no matter what age. If they like sports, give them sport magazines or books. If they like cartoons and comic books, let them read those. Another option if they aren't confident readers is to buy books on tape.Let them read along in the book with a tape. They will be able to hear another reader using expression while they track the text on the page. A great series on tape is Harry Potter. The reader on the tape does a great job changing his voice to match the characters. It is a fun read on tape. My son started with that and began reading the rest of the series on his own.
Books on tape are great for older children (middle school and older) as well. Many older children claim they are too tired to read and there may be truth to that. They do sleep a lot. Or, they are just not interested in reading. So a book on tape is great on the go or while laying in bed while they read along. Be sure it is not the abridged edition if they are reading the full-length book. Hearing someone else read it can make it a little more interesting. I think it is important for the reader to have the book in hand when they can to read along. This strategy may be helpful by opening them up to books they didn't know they would like. Obviously, the best option is for them to read on their own, but we are trying to inspire those kids who don't have an interest in reading.
Give your child a recipe to read to you while you are cooking.
Find an (short) article in a magazine or newspaper that they might be interested in like about
an athlete they like, an event you might attend or a place to visit.
Have your child read to a younger child (make them feel like they are helping not practicing reading).
Have your child read directions for building something or putting a toy or game together.
Let them choose the books they are comfortable with and offer them opportunities to read all day.
Let me know if this was helpful to you. Feel free to ask questions. I have degrees in Early Childhood, Elementary education and a Masters in the Art of Teaching. I taught preschool through 2nd Grade for many years. I have been trained in Orton Gillingham.
More reading advice in future posts... When should I start teaching my child to read? Is it ok if my child wants to read the same book over and over?
The more you read, the better reader you become. So, READ!


Literacy Face to Face
Written for volunteer tutors, but with useful practical ideas for classroom teachers also. Covers areas such as Assessing your student’s needs and progress; Does your student have a disability?; Is your student from an non-English Speaking background?; Everyday numeracy; Getting started on the computer.
Tips for teaching reading, writing, numeracy and speaking /listening in the workplace context but widely applicable to a range of contexts. Developed by Service Skills Australia.
The Smith Family – Home Tutor Scheme
Tutor information, lesson plans and resources developed for migrants and refugees that need further assistance to develop their English language skills for successful settlement in Australia
Give it a go! Help a literacy Learner
Funded by the Commonwealth and produced by TAFE Oten in 2009. Call the Hotline on 1300 655 506 to obtain a copy.
Online Volunteer Literacy Tutor Training Course
This is an online course covering all aspects of becoming a Volunteer Literacy Tutor including: legal and ethical requirements, mentoring skills, self-assessment for literacy tutoring, information about reading, writing, strategies to work with adults, children, speakers of languages other than English and members of local Aboriginal communities.
The Volunteer Literacy Tutor Training course was developed by North Coast TAFE in conjunction with Great Lakes Libraries to train their volunteer tutors.
Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults
This training manual from USA has some useful sections, although much of it does not reflect current Australian practice. The useful chapters are Chapter 5 on Fluency Development, and Chapter 7 Comprehension-Strategy Instruction, both of which contain a number of good practical strategies. There is a chapter on Phonemic Awareness Training and Phonics Instruction which may be of some interest to those who are interested in this approach to dyslexia and similar learning disabilities. However, the sections on assessment are not reflective of most Australian concepts of best practice.


Kodable gives K-5 schools the tools they need to teach computer science successfully.See it in action
Videos explain new concepts before each unit.
Students practice new skills after each lesson with fuzzy aliens in space.
Stay on track with CS standards and weekly updates.
Create a culture of learning that prepares students academically and personally.
I am for the new lesson plans offered in the classrooms. They seem absolutely perfect for Kindergarten and I love that I will actually have some guidance to understanding and knowing how to teach coding! So stoked!
Fairfield-Suisan Unified School District created a culture of learning for their teachers and students.
Kodable has partnered with CodeHS to provide districts with a comprehensive course pathway spanning grades K-12.
Learn to identify code as a language and how to apply algorithms to complete computational tasks.
Solidify logical thinking and problem solving skills, while transitioning to typing-based coding.
Students learning computer science through the Kodable and CodeHS K-12 pathway will learn foundational skills in computer science preparing them for the next step in their learning, whether that is taking an additional course or pursuing computer science in college or career.
|Kindergarten||Kodable||Core Concepts: Introduction to code as language|
|1st Grade||Kodable||Core Concepts: Algorithms and logic statements|
|2nd Grade||Kodable||Core Concepts: Apply, Describe, Debug!|
|3rd Grade||Kodable||Core Concepts: Algorithms with Multiple Coding Concepts|
|6th Grade||CodeHS||Introduction to Programming with Karel the Dog|
|7th Grade||CodeHS||Web Design|
|8th Grade||CodeHS||Computing Ideas|
|10th Grade||CodeHS||Intro to Computer Science in Python|
|11th Grade||CodeHS||AP Computer Science Principles|
|12th Grade||CodeHS||AP Computer Science in Java|
CodeHS is a comprehensive teaching platform for helping schools teach computer science. We provide web-based curriculum, teacher tools and resources, and professional development. By leveraging CodeHS’ web-based platform, teachers can access all of the tools they need to teach great middle school or high school computer science courses, all in one place. CodeHS also provides tools to help districts scale course pathways across grades 6-12, helping administrators track data and gain insights needed to manage large scale rollouts.


Ten million young people enter the global workforce every month, according to the World Economic Forum. This population alone intensifies the competitiveness of job markets. While some get the jobs they want and studied for, more end up underemployed if not unemployed.
Young people today have no choice but to be competitive, and they need to learn the ropes as early as possible. Is your child ready for what’s ahead?
A Global Mindset
The world is noticeably in turmoil because of clashes in culture, politics, ethics, and personal beliefs. Young people today are witnessing the repercussions of ethnocentrism, and that ignorance of what’s happening beyond one’s national borders can be just as harmful to peace as blatant refusal to accept and respect racial differences.
Primary and secondary schools are crucial to the future global landscape because the bulk of children’s formative years happen there. It’s not an exaggeration to say that students are a reflection of a school, and this drives home the necessity of choosing an institution that will prepare your children for the future.
Some schools place significant emphasis on academics, implementing a rigorous curriculum that focuses on maths and science. International schools, on the other hand, have a more holistic approach to education. High school programs in international schools focus on extra-curricular activities, the arts, sports, music and other mediums of learning. Students get to choose one or two languages to learn in their four years in school.
Since many international schools’ enrollees are children of expats and foreigners, they are exposed to different cultures and beliefs. Diversity is the norm, which can help young people acclimate better in diverse environments when entering the global workforce years later.
The World Economic Forum cites the following skills as crucial for young people to be competitive and become capable, competent contributors to society in the future:
- Foundational Skills – Literacy and mastery of numbers covered in the first 12 years of formal education, are the cornerstones of the skill sets that young people need for the future.
- Transferable Skills – These are the skills useful to all employers across the board, no matter the industry or position’s rank. Examples of these skills are leadership, organisational adeptness, the ability to work well with a team, effectiveness in communication, and reliable problem-solving. Employers value these skills almost as much (sometimes more than) job-specific skills.
- Job-Specific Skills – Skills exclusive to a job or position are crucial for young people who want to become specialists like surgeons, doctors, accountants, lawyers, computer programmers, pilots, and engineers.
- Digital Skills – We have entered the Information Age; people who refuse to acknowledge the fact or adapt to it will be sorely left behind. Teens who are adept at using technology and digital tools will have a distinct advantage over their less knowledgeable peers.
Equip your children for the future. Start by exposing them to an environment where they can grow vastly in academics while developing practical skill sets and qualities that would help them find success in whatever career they choose.


The SPMA Music Education Program
The Music Program exposes students to a variety of styles, artists, instruments, and music history. Students are encouraged to explore the creative process and experience.
Students in Preprimary through Middle School are offered opportunities to participate in group music instruction.
The School Musical
Every year students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 participate in a school musical. They are involved in all aspects of the production, including set design and construction and costume creation.
The musical provides students with the opportunity to develop their public speaking and theatrical skills.
Students are able to pursue studies in violin. Violin is taught using the Suzuki method.
Students are able to pursue studies in piano. Piano is taught using the Suzuki method.


Words like fake news, misinformation and echo chambers have dominated conversations about digital media over the past five years. The COVID-19 crisis proves once again that they have serious consequences: misinformation and ‘fake news’ can cost lives.
It is more important than ever for people to be equipped with tools to navigate the increasingly polarised and potentially misleading content they encounter online. This is especially true for young people, who rely heavily on social media for information.
Free Press Unlimited launched the research project Keeping It Real. Together with experts, we investigated how seven groups of 13 and 14-year-olds with different socioeconomic backgrounds and nationalities engage with information they encounter on social media.
“If we want to better support the critical media and information literacy skills of young people, it is vital that we understand their current behaviour and attitude towards the information they encounter online,” says lead researcher Tim Schoot Uiterkamp. “This means understanding in which situations they are already critical towards a post or other piece of information they see on social media, but also what makes them care or not about whether the information they see is reliable.”
Published on 25 May the report contains recommendations for teachers, trainers, practitioners, policymakers, media and media development organisations who work with and for your people.
“It’s very important to get the kids themselves involved. Many children already fact check some forms of information, but not all and not always consciously. One approach to media literacy development is asking them to make this internal fact-checking process explicit,” says project leader Peter van Lier.
Free Press Unlimited will use the study’s findings for the development of pilot projects in different countries. These are aimed at boosting critical thinking, the ability to distinguish misinformation from reliable, fact-based news and information, as well as foster an understanding of the value of reliable information.
Questions regarding the research can be send to email@example.com.


Nakba, in Arabic, simply means, Catastrophe, or Tragedy; for Palestinians, it is the most tragic nightmare to happen to a whole nation in modern history.
The irony is that while Palestinian commemorating the 68th anniversary of their Catastrophe, the Palestinian exodus, Israelis celebrate what they call “independence day”.
The wonder is how people can celebrate what they call independence while they know that this was on the account of others people tragedy, a celebration that reflects the sick and twisted minds of such celebrators.
This independence was achieved only after expelling Palestinians from their lands. Over 750.000 citizens were forced out of their homes, at least 450 cities, towns and villages were evacuated, dozens of towns and villages were demolished and more than 24 massacres were committed against innocent people. Thousands of people were killed.
On May 15 1948, after decades of oppression by the British forces and confrontations between Palestinians and Zionist gangs, who were fully supported by the British mandate government, Israel was founded.
The United Nations partition plan, resolution 181 was adopted on 29 November 1947. The resolution stated that Palestine must be divided between the Zionist gangs and the Palestinian people, 56.47% of the land would be given to the Zionists, and 42.88% for the state of Palestine, while Jerusalem and Bethlehem would be placed under special international protection.
The resolution also called for the withdrawal of the British mandate forces by the 1st of August1948, while the two independent states would be established by the 1st of October 1948.
However, war broke out; and the partition plan was never implemented, Zionist gangs – well-equipped with weapons, supported and backed by the British Mandate government– succeeded to occupy more than 20% of lands assigned to the Palestinians in the partition plan.
On the14th of May 1948, some of 500.000 Zionist immigrants, announced “the Israeli Declaration of Independence”.
Since then, Palestinians have faced ethnic cleansing, deportation, and massacres. It was obvious that the world chose Palestinians to pay the price of the Holocaust committed by the Nazis.
After 68 years, the Nakba still continues, all bets on the Palestinians to forget their plight were unheeded. New Palestinian generations prove that they stick more to their right to return and to have their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
New Palestinian generations, inside and outside Palestine, when asked where they come from, they answer with the town or village their ancestors were born, not the place they are living. They believe that they will return no matter how more years this will take.
After 68 years of Nakba this is a reminder to the Free and Democratic World, that there will be no peace in this region if Palestinian Nakba continues, and if this conflict will not have a just end.
By:Rashid Shahin …… a Bethlehem based Palestinian writer.
- Last Lunch—Reflecting on Aljazeera’s Documentary of Yemen’s President Al-Hamdi - October 21, 2020
- The Novel Coronavirus is a Challenge to All of Us - April 7, 2020
- Gaza hosts Edward Said Institute for Music Education festival - October 15, 2019


A raft of early childhood education research suggests that school readiness may be a predictive indicator for a child’s academic success in school. For preschoolers, school readiness covers a wide range of skills, from understanding that certain behaviors have consequences to the ability to solve a simple problem with peers. Luckily, there are many ways to support children’s language skills, number sense, social skills, self regulation, and executive functioning through play-based learning.
Play-based learning is an engaging and fun way for parents to bond with their children while supporting their preschoolers’ intellectual development, curiosity, and kindergarten readiness! Foundational math skills, such as learning about patterns, counting, and numbers, easily lend themselves to quick and impactful activities for parents and children.
Below are four of our favorite fun and engaging ways to teach numeracy to preschoolers:
- Cooking can be a wonderfully rich educational experience for young children! Counting the number of ingredients added to a dish, ordering the measuring cups or spoons required by the recipe by size or type, or recognizing patterns in the types of ingredients added to the dish are all great ways to support and augment your child’s early numeracy skills! Additionally, reading the recipe with your child before the cooking begins strengthens children’s pre-reading and writing skills, as well as their ability to recognize integers and fractions.
2. Arts & Crafts
- Arts and crafts help children develop and improve their fine motor skills while exploring their creativity through a multimodal and sensory experience. Incorporating numeracy into arts and crafts with your child is also a great way to develop their observational and coordination skills. Ask your child to identify how many colors they’ve used in their painting. Can they add up the number of primary color crayons in front of them? Are they able to invent a game for you and explain the rules? Additional arts and crafts activities can be found here!
- Singing with your child is not only an incredibly engaging experience, it may also have mnemonic benefits and help children become more competent speakers by increasing their phonemic awareness. Singing has been associated with numeracy benefits as well. The neurocortical region of the brain, associated with reading music and lyrics, is responsible for our ability to decode symbols, and children’s ability to differentiate and identify symbols has been positively linked to numeracy development and acquisition of numeracy skills in early childhood!
- The numerous benefits of reading, particularly with young children, has been well documented in normative literature. Parent-child reading is tremendously important for early vocabulary development and may also inspire a lifetime love of learning.
Reading a book about counting with your young child is a great place to start developing their numeracy competencies. Go on a shape hunt with your child as you read through a picture book! Challenge your child to find patterns, numbers, letters, or ordering in the books you read together. Make sure to select a book that is developmentally appropriate and of interest to your child!


Parents of children with learning disabilities (LDs) know that math can present some of the greatest hurdles in their academic careers, yet building math skills is necessary for succeeding in everyday life. We use math for cooking, shopping, playing games, sports and so much more. Math is everywhere and parents play an important role in supporting children’s math learning. This video explains how LDs can affect math learning, offers suggestions for collaborating with your child’s school, and includes resources to support your child in building math skills at home.
Parent Resource Kit
This parent resource kit is a companion to the video Building Math Skills at Home and provides parents with information and activities to do with their children to support math learning.
Webinar: Seeing the ‘Fun and Games’ in Math
About the webinar:
This webinar focuses on activities that parents can use at home to support their children’s math learning. Some activities offer tools and strategies to help build general numeracy skills (i.e. addition and multiplication) using visual models and games. The webinar also feature tools that can help children with LDs better understand, document, and communicate what they are learning in school.
About the presenter:
Jeff Richardson has been in education for over 25 years. He has enjoyed various roles including four years as a Curriculum Coordinator for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, a three-year secondment to Sagonaska Demonstration School (a provincial school for students with learning disabilities), and most recently teaching grade 9 math to students with developmental delays. Jeff has led numerous workshops on assessment and evaluation, mathematics education, and technology with a recent focus on sessions exploring strategies that help students with learning disabilities be more successful in Math. He’s also featured in a Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario video on math manipulative and technology.
Understanding Learning Disabilities: How Processing Affects Mathematics Learning, by the York Region District School Board. Click here to access the resource.
A Teacher’s Journey with Student Self-Advocacy – A Strategy for Parents, by Julia Osborne, Special Education Resource Teacher, York Region DSB. Click here to read the article.
This resource was made possible through a Parents Reaching Out Grant from the Ministry of Education.


There has been considerable research and studies done on the pedagogical methods and early education but few have been as successful and applied as the Waldorf and Pikler approaches when it comes to preschools.
The Waldorf Education that is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner has been developed in early 20th century garnered considerable popularity in the 20th as well as the 21st century. With the emergence of preschools in India and, increased importance given to preschool education for early childhood development, Waldorf education has seen reinterpretations and wide span of application. It has been characterized as the philosophy behind the independent school movement, most successful in the world.
The Waldorf education centers itself on developmental stages that correspond to early years of human life. In the preschools, the Waldorf method is used along with other popular methods such as Montessori Method. The method emphasizes the holistic development of children and is not limited to preschools. However, its relevance for preschools and elementary schools is relatively high as the schooling post early years tends to become conventional curriculum based.
It will not amount to discounting the mainstream relevance of Waldorf education system if we classify it as an alternative preschool education system as its importance in early childhood development is particularly significant. The method is dynamically child-centered and emphasizes on the sensory-motor development of the child and reinforces the importance of enhanced interaction with the environment.
The preschools have spawned across the country and a suitable theorized pattern for engaging with the child in those early years before the teaching-learning phase of education begins is strongly advised. If a well-researched and organized way of conducting the preschools is not popularized the preschools tend to become disorganized and random totally dependent on the individuals’ skills of interacting with the child. The Waldorf method provides much-needed structure for the preschool curriculum. It helps the teachers to use the time to promote an environment which does not impede the natural development by overemphasizing the need for “order” within the preschool. The play spaces are designed more scientifically and provide enough opportunities to the child to learn to integrate with the environment and to manipulate it besides developing communication and early social skills. It establishes the ground for meaningful interaction with the children and can also instruct teachers and parents on how to foster spaces for children to help them develop an interest in learning which comes as an immense help in elementary education stages.
Originally meant and widely applied by day care institutions, Dr. Emmi Pikler’s method of child pedagogy is the most recognized education method for toddlers. Dr. Pikler was a Hungarian pediatrician who, drawing on her experience, developed a set of principles that inform parenting for ideal development of children. The Pikler methods have several distinctions to its credit. Pikler methods of engaging with infants have been recognized by the World Health Organization. The objective of Pikler methods is to ensure regard for the children that go beyond mentoring. It emphasizes on a developmental partnership between children, parents and preschool teachers.
The Pikler method combined with the Waldorf education philosophy produces an efficient preschool curriculum. It brings together the well-being of the child with early intellectual and physical development. The preschools would fare more organized and dependable if these methods are relied upon. Adept preschool consultants can be approached for designing a structured preschool curriculum based on Waldorf and Pikler child development methodologies.
Founder & Consultant - School Serv
Vinod Kakumanu heads a team of school services professionals and is an independent commentator on Indian school education scenario. Vinod has assisted school promoters establish 35+ schools besides providing ancillary services to over 1000 schools across India. He envisions a future where quality education is made available to every child of the country. The focus he places on the quality of the deliverables and customer satisfaction has made him renowned in the field of K-12 school education.


Pablo Picasso, arguably 20th century's most important artistic figure and one of the most popular artists of all time, can make his success look easy. Picasso didn't start out painting in the cubism style that he is known for today, but throughout his life, moved effortlessly between an incredible range of styles, making him well-respected in his lifetime (unlike many other, less fortunate artists, such as Van Gogh who was mostly ignored throughout his painting career).
By age 14, young Pablo was already turning out impressive realism paintings, like the "Portrait of Aunt Pepa" (below), said by Juan-Edwardo Cirlot to be "without a doubt one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting." Again, this is a painting by a FOURTEEN year-old.
Clearly an artist soaking in talent from birth, Picasso was not lacking in confidence in his own abilities; he is quoted as saying, "My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso."
But Picasso doesn't only credit his superior talent or skill. Dedicated whole-heatedly to his art, many of his quotes directly credit the importance of hard work in a creative field, like the featured one at the top of this blog. He is also credited with saying the following:
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working."
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
"Work is a necessity for man. Man invented the alarm clock."
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
Jumping forward to the 21st century, Malcom Gladwell's somewhat-recent book, "Outliers," examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success, studying cases from pro ice-hockey players in Canada, to the Beatles to Bill Gates. He concludes in the book that geniuses are not simply born into existence, but they are made through a combination of lucky circumstances and a massive amount of time and effort practicing the skill.
What were Picasso's "lucky circumstances"? First of all, he was born into an artistic family; his father was a painter and professor of art who recognized Picasso's skill and gave him ample amount of time and instruction until the student surpassed the master. His father then convinced the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona (where he was a professor) to let 13 year-old Picasso take an entry exam to be enrolled into the advanced class. Picasso was admitted and by age 16, he was sent to Spain's premier art academy in Madrid, where he spent his days in and out of the art museums there, becoming familiar with Spain's earlier painters of El Greco and Francisco Goya.
But beyond all of Picasso's helpful life advantages, he worked hard to develop his skill, his creativity and to fight for his inspiration.
What's our #MondayMotivation lesson here? Even one of the most gifted artists of all time worked his skill to the bone. Picasso became Picasso not simply because of who his father was, or where he went to school, but because of his intense dedication and passion for his art.
Are you not where you want to be yet? Recognize your own lucky circumstances and work your skill to the bone; don't wait for opportunities to come, but as the master says, "Action is the fundamental key to all success."
Get out there this week and ACT on your goals, friends!
Sharing our love of art education, one post at a time.


The nature of digital manufacturing and design (DM&D), and its heavy reliance on creating a digital thread of product and process data and information, makes it a prime target for hackers and counterfeiters. This course will introduce students to why creating a strong and secure infrastructure should be of paramount concern for anyone operating in the DM&D domain, and measures that can be employed to protect operational technologies, systems and resources.
Acquire knowledge about security needs and the application of information security systems. Build the foundational skills needed in performing a risk assessment of operational and information technology assets. Gain valuable insights of implementing controls to mitigate identified risks.
Main concepts of this course will be delivered through lectures, readings, discussions and various videos.
This is the seventh course in the Digital Manufacturing & Design Technology specialization that explores the many facets of manufacturing’s “Fourth Revolution,” aka Industry 4.0, and features a culminating project involving creation of a roadmap to achieve a self-established DMD-related professional goal. To learn more about the Digital Manufacturing and Design Technology specialization, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://youtu.be/wETK1O9c-CA
Introduction to Digital Manufacturing Security
-The purpose of this module is to introduce you to the information security need, framework and processes, as it applies to creating a strong and secure Digital Manufacturing and Design infrastructure.
Guidance on Securing Digital Manufacturing Operations
-The purpose of this module is to introduced you to the various components of the digital manufacturing operation and the basic security concepts that can be used to protect these components.
Protecting Operational Technologies and Intellectual Property
-The purpose of this module is to describe how the various operational steps of digital manufacturing – that includes - supply chain, shipping process, mobile device usage and the associated communication – can be protected, along with the Intellectual Property (IP) items that arise during digital manufacturing and design.
-The purpose of this module is to teach you how to respond to security breaches when they happen. We will start with the threat landscape and system failures and investigate the interplay between security and reliability, which are essential for building dependable systems. The mechanism of continuous monitoring to detect security breaches, and strategies for forensics, breach response, and recovery will also be described.


Most entrepreneurs have characteristic signs that are visible from their elementary education. Enough research has been done on entrepreneurial traits across geographies. A study by the Harvard Business School recognised some of these traits in 5 buckets: Openness to experience (describes the breadth, depth, originality, and complexity of an individual’s mental and experimental life), Conscientiousness (describes socially prescribed impulse control that facilitates task- and goal-orientated behavior), Extraversion (implies an energetic approach toward the social and material world and includes traits such as sociability, activity, assertiveness, and positive emotionality); Agreeableness (contrasts a prosocial and communal orientation toward others with antagonism and includes traits such as altruism, tender-mindedness, trust, and modesty); and Neuroticism (contrasts emotional stability and even-temperedness with negative emotionality, such as feeling anxious, nervous, sad, and tense).
In spite of personality trait based classifications, corporate organisations & institutions fail to recognise these traits hidden behind their heap of processes & structures. They try and push performers in general to try harder or achieve better grades. Without realising that intrinsic motivations might be skewed against the herd processes. And that’s usually the inflection point for an entrepreneur to branch out independently into the world, either after a cushy corporate job or straight after an education institution that failed to recognise and nurture the mindset.
But once you enter the world of entrepreneurship, with an idea or while trying to set up your venture, there’s little experience you have about the challenges, pitfalls and opportunities that can unfurl. While easy to say, it’s not always possible to learn from the visionaries and successful businessmen, because geographical mindsets, venture ideas, social pressures, financial stability and individual acumen vastly differ. And so a first time entrepreneur needs to make his own mistakes and learn from them.
If education systems around the world started focusing on entrepreneurship as a mindset rather than a subject, the level of preparedness would be much higher. And it would end up creating more success stories than failures. The resilience and grit it asks for would significantly increase, by practicing entrepreneurship as a student, just like medicine. It’s a field where institutions and families start aligning your mindset from a very early age. And then it takes years to finally practice by yourself and become a doctor. The ecosystem around plays a crucial role, especially from your families and your educational institutions. But nobody prepares you for the mindset of an entrepreneur. And hence, the startup mortality rate is high.
Once you start your venture, right from having conversations with prospective customers or while hiring your first team member, there’s immense sub-conscious pressure on your performance. Probably arising from the society around, the expectation to get everything right, every single time is very high. There’s no rehearsal, no script or no preparedness for any situation. You are the last line of defense for almost everything that the business throws at you.
It’s like LIVE television - there’s no scope for a retake. You gotta give it all you have, every single time.
And that pressure to perform, while protecting the sanctity of your vision, is brutal. It either teaches you to fail and get back up on your feet, or it breaks you to not want to go any further. And that’s where mindset kicks in. The relentlessness it asks for, is like a gaping pit. You have to learn how to fly on your way down.
The ones who have the right mindset to take on challenges, succeed. And the definition of success is vastly different for every entrepreneur. Smaller instances of daily life that help you get better than who you were yesterday, is what you get used to. And that’s what most entrepreneurs silently thrive on. It’s like an addiction you get out of micro-instances of success. Like a dopamine shot straight into your cerebral cortex. And then it becomes a habit. There’s enough literature on how ‘winning’ is a mindset and how neuroscience has a huge role to play in individual success. But in spite of scientific data and business successes, there’s little that one gets exposed to during early days of childhood, about entrepreneurship. It’s almost as if you have to stumble upon it in life and preserve hard to stay out there, amidst all the eyeballs looking at you, for your next successful move.
But it’s the adrenaline rush that most entrepreneurs get, out of being on the LIVE television of life, that sails them through.


Elementary Teacher Preparation Policy
The state should ensure that new elementary teachers have sufficient knowledge of the mathematics content taught in elementary grades. This goal was consistent between 2015 and 2017.
Mathematics Content Test Requirements: Missouri requires all teacher candidates to pass the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA) Elementary Education Multi-Content test, which includes a separately scored mathematics subtest.
MEGA Test Requirement www.mo.nesinc.com Mathematics Competencies https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/math_1-6_4-23-03_.pdf
As a result of Missouri's strong mathematics teacher preparation policies, no recommendations are provided.
Missouri recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.
2B: Teaching Elementary Mathematics
Required math coursework should be tailored in both design and delivery to the unique needs of the elementary teacher. Aspiring elementary teachers must acquire a deep conceptual knowledge of the mathematics that they will teach, moving well beyond mere procedural understanding. Their training should focus on the critical areas of numbers and operations; algebra; geometry; and, to a lesser degree, data analysis and probability.
To ensure that elementary teachers are well trained to teach the essential subject of mathematics, states must require teacher preparation programs to cover these four areas in coursework that is specially designed for prospective elementary teachers. Leading mathematicians and math educators have found that elementary teachers are not well served by courses designed for a general audience and that methods courses also do not provide sufficient preparation. According to Dr. Roger Howe, a mathematician at Yale University: "Future teachers do not need so much to learn more mathematics, as to reshape what they already know."
States' policies should require preparation in mathematics of appropriate breadth and depth and specific to the needs of the elementary teacher. Reports by NCTQ on teacher preparation, beginning with No Common Denominator: The Preparation of Elementary Teachers in Mathematics by America's Education Schools (2008) and continuing through the Teacher Prep Review, have consistently found few elementary teacher preparation programs across the country providing high-quality preparation in mathematics. Whether through standards or coursework requirements, states must ensure that their preparation programs graduate only teacher candidates who are well prepared to teach mathematics.
Many state tests offer no assurance that teachers are prepared to teach mathematics. An increasing number of states require passage of a mathematics subtest as a condition of licensure, but many states still rely on subject-matter tests that include some items (or even a whole section) on mathematics instruction. However, since subject-specific passing scores are not required, one need not know much mathematics in order to pass. In fact, in some cases one could answer every mathematics question incorrectly and still pass. States need to ensure that it is not possible to pass a licensure test that purportedly covers mathematics without knowing the critical material.
The content of these tests poses another issue: these tests should properly test elementary content but not at an elementary level. Instead, problems should challenge the teacher candidate's understanding of underlying concepts and apply knowledge in nonroutine, multistep procedures. The MTEL test required by both Massachusetts and North Carolina remains the standard bearer for a high quality, rigorous assessment for elementary teachers entirely and solely focused on mathematics.


This arts integrated lesson leads children, families and teachers through the joy of “singing a story” as Deborah and her daughters share a musical story time with you. The five stories recorded were created for PreK through 2nd grade and explore relationships between reading comprehension strategies and introductory elements of music with colorful and fun picture books. The lessons are meant to be interactive for the whole family – gather round and sing your story time!
The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen, Illustrated by Dan Hanna
To lean more about Arts Education at Chautauqua Institution visit artsed.chq.org
This VSA program is presented in 2019-2020 under contract with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
About Chautauqua Institution: Chautauqua Institution is a community on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York state that comes alive each summer with a unique mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs, and recreational activities. As a community, we celebrate, encourage and study the arts and treat them as integral to all of learning, and we convene the critical conversations of the day to advance understanding through civil dialogue. CHQ Assembly is the online expression of Chautauqua Institution's mission.


Saxon Phonics and Spelling provides the extra boost students need to develop the necessary foundational skills for a lifetime of reading success.
An incremental approach to phonics instruction, reading, spelling, and writing - Saxon phonics is a complete research based curriculum with solid methodology that is known for quality of instruction, supporting materials and ease of use. Saxon Phonics prepares children to be successful, independent readers and spellers. Supported by research on effective reading instruction, Saxon Phonic's programs are appropriate for all children, including those with learning difficulties. Saxon Phonics and Spelling is widely used in pubic, private and homeschool classrooms. Saxon delivers phonics instruction that really works!
If you are looking for Saxon Homeschool products, click here.
To view Saxon Phonics and Spelling Program Overview Brochure, click here.
To view Saxon Phonics and Spelling K-3 Scope and Sequence, click here.
To view Saxon Phonics and Spelling Research Highlights Brochure, click here.
To view Saxon Phonics and Spelling Research Pedagogy Matrix, click here.
To read about Saxon Phonics and Spelling Research Base and Program Efficacy Studies, click here.


Why Play Piano
WHY PLAY PIANO?
Music is the international language of life. The beauty of a piece of music can elicit emotions like no other art form. Making music excites the senses, has scientifically been proven to make the brains of children create more neurotransmitters, and has been proven to lower blood pressure and aid in relaxation for adults. If every parent understood the value of music education for their children there wouldn’t be a parent in the country who would not give their children the gift of music. As for adults, if adults understood the relaxation and meditative effect of learning piano we would not have enough hours in the week to teach all of those interested in learning. The beauty of the sound of the piano is unmatched by any other instrument and creating music at the piano is a joyful experience for adults and children of all ages.
Children today are rarely taught such niceties as etiquette, penmanship, and literature. The result? Our future leaders lack the trappings of academia and a sense of their place in the World. They no longer appreciate the importance of complex thought, articulation, beauty, courtesy – or any number of other things that can’t be adjusted on an LCD screen. In addition, kids today spend so much time isolated across the internet or the latest video game system that the complexities of social behavior have become a mystery to them – with disastrous results.
The concept of culture is not extinct yet, however. Though the sitting room days of musical gatherings, book readings, home and hearth may seem provincial in the Digital Age, our salvation may come from an unlikely source: Science.
Science and the Piano
Recent scientific studies have determined that such simple disciplines as piano lessons can not only bump our IQ (an attractive goal in any age), but can also give us a better understanding of our emotions and how we interact with others. Widely-publicized findings in such major periodicals as Forbes Magazine and USA Today have helped to inform the general public that listening to music (especially complex music like jazz, ragtime, or classical) actually increases our cognitive capabilities. Other credible organizations like the National Association for Music Education and Neurological Research Magazine have published documentation that music training not only makes us smarter – it makes us happier and more social people. These (and many other) organizations have done such a tremendous job promoting this simple truth that most of us have at least heard that music makes us smarter. What we haven’t heard, however, is that listening to music is only the first step. While the famous “Mozart Effect” study did conclude that listening to music can improve test scores in school, later studies have concluded that this effect lasts for less than two hours. Listening to good music is only the first step in a smarter, happier you. To be of permanent benefit to us, our musical experiences require our participation.
Regular piano lessons will not only help you “buff up” your brain, they will also help you reduce stress, enhance your immune system, improve your mood, interact with others, and even help to prevent cancer. The benefits of learning piano are endless!
So Play the Piano!
Whether you have a child – just beginning their cognitive development – or an adult who can still remember walking “uphill both ways” to school, you’re a prime candidate for piano lessons. Science has shown us that the very discipline we’re dropping from our schools and schedules is THE key to our future development as human beings. …so stop this trend in your home. Give your family the benefit of culture. People of all ages, styles, or skill levels can gain permanent benefits to body, mind and soul by taking piano lessons. The results may not be “instant,” but the benefits will last a lifetime.


Jan 15, 2020
Condition of Career Pathway Readiness in the United States 2019
The Condition of Career Readiness in the United States
What’s Important for Success in Future Jobs?
Navigating the landscape of career exploration can be daunting, especially for high school students or adult learners who know what skills they have, but may not know how those skills relate to various career paths. New research from ACT, The Condition of Career Readiness in the United States 2019, can aid career navigation for counselors, students, or individuals looking for a job change. The report uses data from WorkKeys testers and offers empirical benchmarks of career readiness for 16 different career clusters.
Highlights From This Year’s Report
- Achieving a score of Level 5 or higher on each of the three WorkKeys NCRC assessments is associated with being qualified for almost all jobs in the US.
- Overall average wages for jobs in the US increase with higher foundational skill levels.
- Career pathway readiness benchmarks (provided for 16 career clusters) can help students to explore careers and teachers to align programs with skills demanded by employers.
Using the Data
Use this report to help high school students and adults understand their career options based on their skills and determine the types of jobs available to them.
Use this dashboard to navigate career opportunities, including future job openings and salary information, alongside the benchmarks for each of the top occupation openings.
Measuring Career Readiness in the United States
The skills measured by the ACT WorkKeys Assessments, specifically Workplace Documents, Applied Math, and Graphic Literacy, have been consistently identified as important for success in a broad range of jobs, making them “essential” foundational skills for career readiness.
Career Readiness Benchmarks
Career readiness benchmarks for the three WorkKeys assessments—Workplace Documents, Applied Math, and Graphic Literacy—were determined by the percentage of jobs in the US for which an examinee is qualified based on WorkKeys level scores.
Meeting a career readiness benchmark score of Level 5 or higher on each of the three WorkKeys assessments is associated with being qualified for almost all jobs in the US. Overall average wages for jobs in the US increase with higher foundational skill levels.
Cumulative Percentage of Jobs in the US for Which an Examinee is Qualified Based on WorkKeys
|Skill Level||Applied Math||Workplace Documents||Graphic Literacy|
Source: ACT Occupational Profiles
Career Readiness – knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) and level of KSAOs needed to succeed in a typical job at a typical organization
Career Pathway Readiness – KSAOs and level of KSAOs needed to succeed in a typical job within a career pathway
Work Readiness – KSAOs and level of KSAOs needed to succeed in a specific job at a specific organization
Policies and Practices to Increase Career Readiness
Help students and job seekers prepare to enter the workforce with these recommendations:
- Use career readiness and career pathway readiness benchmarks to set goals for students and programs
- Value college readiness and career readiness equally
- Encourage career awareness and advisement activities to begin earlier in a student’s educational pathway
- Offer authentic work-based learning experiences and training in state education policies and programs
- Recognize the importance of foundational and nonacademic behaviors along with an individual’s academic and technical skills in state education policies and programs
Looking for a Different Solution?
ACT provides an array of products and services that help people and businesses achieve college and career readiness, from K-12 to Higher Education and all phases along the way. Find what works for you. Discover more ACT Solutions >


To ensure a successful catering event, the dietary requirements must be included in the function brief. In addition to this, a little bit of mathematical thinking is required. This video demonstrates the thinking processes involved in calculating different quantities of food for a set menu. Exploring multiplication, division, subtraction and percentage calculations, the video contains clean, clear graphics show multiple methods and working out to assist learners at every step. A valuable resource for vocational learners interested in joining the hospitality industry but needing to practise their numeracy skills.
Production Year: 2020
Duration: 4 min
Series: Numeracy in Hospitality
Printable Resources: Yes
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"Run, fat rabbits! Run, run, run! That fox wants to eat you, one by one! Dinnertime!"
Children lean forward on the floor of Bothell Library, enthralled as children's librarian Mie-Mie Wu brings to life Sue Williams' tale of a hungry fox on the prowl.
After singing a counting song and listening to Wu read Eve Merriam's "12 Ways to Get to 11," the children are joined on the floor by their parents. Together, children and parents cut out pictures of rabbits and then group them in different ways to add up to 11.
Wu, a children's librarian for 17 years, understands how an engaging story can capture the interest of a young child.
"When you read aloud a good story to children, you're getting a response," Wu said. "There's humor, there's rhyme and rhythm and narrative suspense so children are eagerly anticipating what comes next."
A new University of Washington project is tapping the power of storytelling to get children thinking and talking about math and science in everyday life.
"We want to support young learners in finding joy and wonder from mathematics and science," said Allison Hintz, an assistant professor of education studies at University of Washington Bothell who is helping lead the Partnerships for Early Learning (PEL) project.
Hintz, along with UW Bothell Associate Professor of Educational Studies Antony Smith and the UW College of Education's INSPIRE initiative, are collaborating with Highline School District, King County Library System and the YMCA Powerful Schools program through the Boeing Corporation-funded project. The partnership's goal is to connect math, science and literacy through storytelling in integrated and meaningful ways.
"Nearly all stories offer mathematical potential," Hintz said. "When we approach a story with a mathematical lens, it can open up opportunities to understand the story more deeply."
In "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," for example, an understanding of counting helps children see that the caterpillar consumes a large amount of food before going into its cocoon and transforming into a butterfly.
"There's tremendous potential in this well-loved children's story to think mathematically," Hintz said. "We're working toward a broader understanding of what counts as mathematics. We want to help bring out the mathematics in the everyday world through children's literature."
Over the past year, the partnership team has designed, piloted and refined learning resource kits that present math and science concepts through storytelling activities such as Wu's weekly read alouds at Bothell Public Library.
The team selects books that have an engaging story and also offer meaningful science, math and literacy concepts around the themes of water, food and plants. For each book, the toolkits include a guide for teachers, parents and other educators on the math and science concepts that are present and highlight opportunities to pause during read alouds and talk with children about those concepts.
Many teachers and parents are already comfortable with the practice of shared reading experiences focused on literacy development, Hintz said. The PEL project aims to support them in gaining a similar comfort level for engaging children in lively discussions about math and science within the context of exploring books.
"The guides are not a curriculum but a way of thinking about how teachers and parents can bring mathematics and science to life through children's books," Hintz said.
During the coming year, PEL will implement the learning toolkits more broadly in King County libraries, Highline Public Schools and YMCA and continue refinements based on feedback from educators and parents. The research team also will assess both children's and educators' learning.
“PEL is an example of the kind of collaboration between practitioners and researchers that INSPIRE is trying to foster," said Elham Kazemi, INSPIRE director and Geda and Phil Condit Professor in Math and Science Education. "Everyone has expertise to offer, and we can design better educational resources when we create, try out and revise ideas together.”
As the project continues to develop, Wu is excited about how storytelling can connect with children's inherent curiosity.
"Math and science are about discovery, mistakes and trials," Wu said. "I think we have a powerful opportunity to see children connect math and science to their world and know it's not something that's just done on a worksheet."
Allison Hintz, Assistant Professor of Education Studies
Elham Kazemi, Geda and Phil Condit Professor in Math and Science Education
Dustin Wunderlich, Director for Marketing and Communications


“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”—John Lennon
A fundamental principle of Believe in Music is to help as many kids as possible. We envision our curriculum being utilized as a national model for music education. Our aspiration is to represent a reform in arts education, turning the focus of instruction toward the power of emotional expression and the importance of creating a personal narrative.
As Believe in Music grows, we aim to cultivate our existing partnerships with community leaders and continue songwriting collaborations between our students and musicians from all over Baltimore. Students in the Believe in Music program have benefitted greatly from the influence of professional musicians during their collaborations. They have refined their social skills, developed better scholastic habits, and gained the tools necessary to create their own career pathways. We wish to advance these accomplishments for more students.


What Is The Delta Music Academy?
Music and creativity are critical to the overall development of a child. In a post by dosomething.org, they listed several important facts regarding music:
- Children who study music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons.
- Children with learning disabilities or dyslexia who tend to lose focus with more noise could benefit greatly from music lessons.
- Music programs are constantly in danger of being cut from shrinking school budgets even though they’re proven to improve academics.
- Children who study a musical instrument are more likely to excel in all of their studies, work better in teams, have enhanced critical thinking skills, stay in school, and pursue further education.
- In the past, secondary students who participated in a music group at school reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs).
- Schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2% graduation rate and 93.9% attendance rate compared to schools without music education, which average 72.9% graduation and 84.9% attendance.
- Regardless of socioeconomic status or school district, students (3rd graders) who participate in high-quality music programs score higher on reading and spelling tests.
- A Stanford study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in our memory.
- Much like expert technical skills, mastery in arts and humanities is closely correlated to a greater understanding of language components.
- Young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year, compared to children who do not receive musical training.
We believe that the arts are important to the creative development of a child. The goal is to take the indigenous musicians in our community and provide them with a platform to teach kids about music and the arts. Kids from all ages would be able to apply.


- Our intent is to provide a high-quality music education that engages and inspires pupils to develop a love of music.
- Our curriculum ensures pupils experience and understand what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.
- Our music sessions teach pupils to sing in tune, to understand how music is created, produced and communicated, and enable them to develop their curiosity for the subject by creating and composing music on their own and with others.
- Pupils are also given every opportunity to develop their skills and appreciation of music through instrument workshops, clubs and performances both in and out of school.
- Our music curriculum ensures pupils are provided with opportunities to sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom through weekly music lessons as well as our singing assemblies and various concerts and performances.
- We teach the Music National Curriculum, supported by clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all pupils.
- Every child has the opportunity to learn to play the Steel Pans in Year 4 and various singing projects are undertaken throughout KS1 and KS2.
- We have a large and very talented choir led by our music subject lead.
- Our peripatetic teachers who come into school to teach instrumental lessons provide opportunities for pupils to learn and develop their skills from an experienced specialist teacher. These achievements are celebrated through our annual Summer Music Concert.
- Pupils develop a love of music. Exposure to high quality teaching means pupils enjoy music, both from the performing and participation point but also through appreciation and evaluation of the work of others.
- Pupils demonstrate their understanding of key vocabulary through pupil voice evident during lessons and class books.
Please find available for download the Music Primary National Curriculum.


Study: Training Improves Brain Performance of Students in Poverty
Dr. Jacquelyn Gamino
The cognitive effects of poverty can be mitigated during middle school with a targeted intervention, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas.
In a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, researchers examined the efficacy of cognitive training in a large and diverse group of seventh- and eighth-grade public middle school students as compared to students who received no specific training.
“Previous research has shown that growing up in poverty can shape the wiring and even physical dimensions of a young child’s brain, with negative effects on language, learning and attention,” said Dr. Jacquelyn Gamino, director of the Center for BrainHealth’s Adolescent Reasoning Initiative and assistant research professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at UT Dallas. “What this work shows is that there is hope for students in poverty to catch up with their peers not living in poverty.”
The research team studied 913 middle school students from varying socioeconomic backgrounds, accounting for any diagnosed medical or learning differences. Of those students, 556 received cognitive training and 357 served as a comparison group. The protocol included pre- and post-training assessments, in which all adolescents were asked to read several texts and then craft a high-level summary, drawing upon inferences to transform ideas into novel, generalized statements and recall important facts.
“What this work shows is that there is hope for students in poverty to catch up with their peers not living in poverty.”
The students who received the Center for BrainHealth-developed cognitive training called SMART (Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training) completed 10 45-minute sessions over a one-month period. The SMART program was provided by research clinicians and consisted of hierarchical cognitive processes that are explained and practiced through group interactive exercises, and pen-and-paper activities using student instructional manuals.
“Much focus has been put on early childhood learning and brain development — and for good reason,” Gamino said. “However, extensive frontal lobe development and pruning occurs during adolescence, making middle school a prime opportunity to impact cognitive brain health.
“Existing studies show that a large percentage of students in middle school are not developing inferential thinking entering high school,” she said. “The cognitive gains demonstrated after short-term, intensive training in this research suggest that middle school is an appropriate and beneficial time to teach students strategies to enhance understanding and the ability to infer global meanings from information beyond the explicit facts.”
Cognitive tests indicate that students living in poverty showed as much as a 25 percent increase in gist reasoning, or the ability to derive abstracted meaning from information presented, after training. Those results were comparable to the gains made by their peers living above the poverty line. Additionally, the SMART-trained group, regardless of socioeconomic status, showed significant generalized gains and as much as an 18 percent improvement in increased memory for facts, even though this skill was not specifically targeted in training.
“The ability to use inference to abstract meaning from incoming information as trained in the SMART program is a skill crucial to future life success. It applies to both academic and informal learning activities such as reading a school assignment, listening and taking notes from a lecture, watching a movie or television program, or having a conversation with a friend,” Gamino said.
Findings also revealed gender differences among the students. Seventh- and eighth-grade girls showed significant improvement after receiving the SMART training, as did eighth-grade boys, regardless of socioeconomic level. After training, seventh-grade boys showed improvement in fact retention but not gist reasoning.
The Center for BrainHealth’s Adolescent Reasoning Initiative has provided training to more than 300 teachers and 30,000 teens across the country. The research team is planning to expand its study to determine whether cognitive training closes the academic achievement gap by conducting longitudinal research and comparing standardized test scores.
The research was funded by the state of Texas, the AT&T Foundation, the Meadows Foundation and the Pickens Foundation.
Media Contact: The Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected].


“You Be You”, by Linda Kranz, is the book Mrs. Alisa Morgan, Kindergarten Teacher at Art City Elementary School based her lesson on. The students had an opportunity to read the book, write about a prompt, and create their own fish. Students shared their thoughts about, “We all have something special that only we can share.” The objective of the lesson is to help students know that we are all different and that “You Be You”. Mrs. Morgan had the opportunity to attend a BYU Arts Express Conference with Christine Palmer (Art Education teacher at BYU) who presented the idea of the "You Be You" book.
121 N 900 E Springville, UT 84663


Speakaboos is a library of over 200 interactive stories and songs designed to make reading your child's favorite activity.
Speakaboos opens up a world of possibilities, whether it be reading and listening for enjoyment or allowing teachers to focus on comprehension skills, vocabulary development skills, or other foundational literacy skills. Some stories may be used simply to add to a classroom theme or unit of study.
Speakaboos educational methodology is based on the research results of the National Reading Panel and other literacy experts, including the approach of educational psychologist Dr. Alice Wilder, one of the world's leading experts on learning through media and formative research. Every aspect of Speakaboos content and product design is anchored in fundamental principles of literacy development and the child's point of view.
- Capture Interest and Motivate Kids to Read
- Focus on Comprehension
- Grow Vocabulary
- Scaffolded to Build Confidence and Mastery
- Kid-Tested Content
Access Speakaboos from the Limitless Libraries Elementary "Research Tools" and "Database" pages to learn more!


About Gilbert Public Schools Art Education Programs
The Gilbert Public Schools elementary art curriculum acknowledges that involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Involvement in an art program can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. Our highly experienced team of Art teachers create a choice-based learning environment where students are encouraged to develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills while following a scope and sequence of learning that meets both objectives and standards.
Our mission is to offer an environment that fosters student independence and creative thinking. Students are provided with encouragement to plan and problem-solve in order to develop confidence and motivation with an overall pride in their artwork.
Our vision is to promote student artists to achieve the ability to develop and implement a visual idea. Our goal is to develop a grade-appropriate continuum of artistic behavioral expectations.
The elementary art education program provides instruction for kindergarten through 6th-grade students and utilizes an assortment of mediums and techniques including drawing, painting, clay/ceramics, 3D art, collage, fibers, and printmaking.


Delmare Yasmine July 14, 2020 worksheets
Homeschool worksheets are a vital part of the student’s homeschool experience. They allow the child to test his or her knowledge, and they offer them a practical application for their learning. Worksheets also, when used properly, provide both the students and parent / tutor immediate feedback as to the child’s progress. This means they can be used to point out areas where the student needs further reinforcement.
Homeschool worksheets fortunately will not over-tax your budget. There are many places where you can get them at extremely low costs. In fact, several websites offer printable worksheets for free.You can find worksheets for a wide range of courses–almost any course you want to teach your children. These include spelling, writing, English, history, math, music, geography, and others. They’re also available for nearly all grade levels. There are printable middle school, high school, elementary school, and even pre-school worksheets.
There are many ways you can choose to obtain budgeting worksheets for yourself or for your household, and the best way is through the internet. Also, you have the option whether you like to purchase highly optimized worksheets that are designed and distributed by certain companies or you would like to simply get free worksheets. You must know that just because some worksheets are free does not mean they are not credible and reliable. In fact, if you do not really need the specialties of advanced and complicated budgeting, you don’t have to buy worksheets at all. Then again, the decision is on you.
So what can you expect from budgeting worksheets in general? Their basic functions include being able to store data. With their organized sections, you can just write down the necessary information on your finances and the amounts of allocations of your expenses. With these data input, you can have your worksheets automatically compute everything and set out a budgeting plan for you and your entire household to follow. In some worksheets, you can even have additional features, such as planning for future purchase. For instance, if you dream to buy a new car or a new home by the end of the year, you can set your worksheet to have a clear and thorough plan in order for you to have the necessary amount you need when the year ends.
– Are my lesson plans based on worksheets? (The answer should be no.)
If you home school your children, you will quickly realize how important printable homeschool worksheets can be. If you are trying to develop a curriculum for your home-schooled child, you may be able to save a lot of time and money by using free online home school worksheets. However, while they can be a helpful tool and seem like an attractive alternative to a homeschool, they do have a number of limitations.
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