Sometimes parents and teachers have a tendency to split kidsâ time into play and learning. But thereâs no reason they canât do both at the same time. So many of the ways that children play help them to learn and develop at the same time. They could be stretching their imagination with make believe or improving their counting with a board game. There are lots of games you can play with your kids to stimulate their minds and to keep you entertained too. From puzzles to word games, try these fun activities to enjoy with your children and help them learn without them knowing.
Playing games involving words with your children doesnât just help their vocabulary and language skills. It can also encourage them to be creative and imaginative. There are also lots of word games that are excellent for playing wherever you are, whether itâs in the car, waiting at a bus stop or in your living room. You can play games that strengthen their memory, such as taking in turns listing all the things youâve packed for your vacation. Simple games like I-spy help with learning the alphabet, while you can also use word games to make up stories. You can play classic games like Scrabble too, or try puzzles such as word searches and crosswords.
Math can be super boring for many children. It can be fun, but school lessons donât always make it so. If theyâre tired of learning their times tables, some number games might be a better approach to numeracy skills. You can try board games that involve money, such as Monopoly, or even set up a grocery store to practice addition and subtraction. Card games can also be a fun way to practice numbers, from Go Fish to Blackjack. They might like number puzzles too, such as Sudoku, but theyâre often better for older children.
Jigsaw puzzles are excellent for improving spatial awareness and dexterity. They also help to develop childrenâs cognitive skills. Most kids start off with simple puzzles in big wooden blocks, but they can work on more complicated ones as they get older. Jigsaws are great to work on as a family, especially when you start working on deviously challenging puzzles. If your children are bored on standard puzzles, try a 3D one or a more complicated concept. If you view the Stave Puzzles on their website, you can see smart designs, like puzzles with pieces that fit in more than one place. Give yourself and your kids a challenge by choosing more difficult jigsaws that will take longer to complete.
Education isnât all about words and numbers. Music can help children develop lots of skills, from creativity to empathy. If youâre a family that doesnât mind a bit of noise now and then, musical games can be incredibly stimulating. Try singing songs with actions, putting together a band or even creating your own instruments out of what you can find in the house.
Learning doesnât have to be boring, and playing can be intellectually stimulating. Encourage your kids to use their brains by joining in with these fun games.
Photo Credit: Kei Noguchi


Development of children in their early years happens at multiple levels and is largely influenced by the people in their environment. Global evidence suggests that irrespective of whether or not children are enrolled in a formal setting, involvement of parents in their education plays a critical and positive role on their overall development. Learning activities performed in a home environment such as shared reading and storytelling not only improve childrenâs literacy skills but also provide the right stimulus they need for school readiness.
However, recent studies that tracked Mongolian young childrenâs development have shown that less than 10% of children aged 3-4 years meet the expected standards for literacy-numeracy skills and that a mere 58% receive responsive care from adults (source). These numbers clearly indicate that the culture and practice of engaging children in learning activities at home from a very young age are not common. Lorinet Foundationâs study on Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Mongolia has identified similar gaps that impede the holistic development of children.
Therefore, Lorinet Foundation is supporting the Asia Foundation âLetâs Readâ programme in Mongolia â a multi-year intervention started in mid 2021 and aimed at promoting reading as a critical tool for early childhood education.
The programme has four objectives:
- Increase the availability of high-quality Mongolian language childrenâs books
- Build awareness on the importance of reading with preschool-aged children among parents, caregivers, and teachers
- Increase the availability of reading events that model effective reading techniques and provide access to children in disadvantaged situations
- Support policy change to emphasize reading with children.
Letâs Read is aligned with Lorinet Foundationâs ECE Country Programme priorities. This entire theme is very close to our founder Bolor Lorinet, who developed a love for books at a young age and wishes that âevery child grows up reading books so that they can dream about the world they want to live in and the people they want to become.â


30.1. The report cards for elementary education and the first or second cycle of secondary education must be consistent with the report cards in Schedules V to VII, as applicable. They must contain all the information shown in sections 1 to 3 of the report cards in the schedules; for the last report card of the school year in elementary education or the first cycle of secondary education, the report cards must contain the information shown in section 5 of the report card in the applicable schedule.
A studentâs results in section 2 of the report cards must include
(1) a detailed result per competency for the language of instruction, second language and mathematics subjects;
(2) a detailed result per component, theory and practical, for compulsory and elective science subjects, other than mathematics, such as Science and Technology and Applied Science and Technology;
(3) a subject mark for each subject taught and the group average.
At the end of the first 2 terms of the school year, the detailed results, for the subjects for which such results are required, are detailed only for the competencies or components that have been evaluated.
At the end of the third term of the school year, the results consist in a report pertaining to the program of study, indicating the studentâs result for the competencies or components of the programs of studies for the subjects in subparagraphs 1 and 2 of the second paragraph as well as, for each subject taught, the studentâs subject mark and the group average.
The last report card of the school year includes the studentâs final mark for the competencies or components of the programs of studies established by the Minister for the subjects in subparagraphs 1 and 2 of the second paragraph as well as the studentâs final subject mark and the final group average for each subject taught. In secondary education, the credits earned for each subject passed are also indicated.
O.C. 488-2005, s. 11; O.C. 699-2007, s. 9; O.C. 712-2010, s. 7.


LITERACY DAY 2018- ILLITERACY IS SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCLUSION AND POVERTY. WE MUST TURN THIS AROUND
SEPTEMBER 5, 2018
More than 300 representatives of key stakeholders, literacy facilitators, trainers, women organizations, national and international orgnaizations of literacy education celebrated the âInternational Literacy Dayâ at the Chief Executive Meeting Hall in Kabul on September 4, 2018. H.E. Dr. Mohammad Mirwais Balki opened the gathering.
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, an advocator of literacy education programs since many years, appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders to reduce illiteracy among men and women. He calls to volunteer âeach one should teach oneâ.
In his persuasive speech the Swedish Ambassador, H.E. Tobias Thyberg, underlined that âdespite the positive and admirable strides made in education throughout the past decade, adult literacy education has been one of the most neglected areas of intervention throughout the country. There remain at least 11 million Afghans above age 15, suffering from lack or low levels of reading, writing and numeracy skills. Female literacy levels are on average 12% while male literacy rates average about 40%.â In rural areas where some 74 per cent of all Afghans reside, the situation is acute: an estimated 90 per cent of women and 63 percent of men cannot read, write or compute. These women and men, boys and girls, on the edges of the global village, receive none of the benefits of globalization but suffer all its costs. They are more vulnerable to ill heath, exploitation and human rights abuse. They are more likely to be unemployed, and to be paid less if they do find work. Unable to read or write, they are held back from their full potential, and whole communities are locked into vicious cycles of poverty that create the conditions for violence and strife.â
The event concluded with a call for sustainable action: âIlliteracy is synonymous with exclusion and poverty. We must turn this around. This is the promise of the Agenda 2030, which sets forth a new global vision of prosperity, sustainability and peace. Among its 17 clear goals is to âensure quality education and lifelong learning for all.â


Thereâs no disputing that Chinese classes are appearing more often on school curriculum around the world. There are many reasons why Chinese â especially Mandarin â is a great language to learn; including the fact that Chinaâs economy has exploded in the last 20 years. However, itâs not just Chinaâs growing economy and global status that makes Mandarin a good language to learn, it also has lots of other benefits, that can be especially advantageous for kids.
Improves cognitive ability â Learning and becoming proficient in Mandarin has been proven to increase a personâs cognitive strength. This is because, unlike most other languages, Mandarin requires the use of both sides of the brain (Wellcome Trust UK, June 2003), especially if you learn how to both read and write it! That means that Mandarin speakers tend to be proficient at both logical and creative thinking, giving them a head start in almost every school subject.
Improves problem-solving skills â Chinese characters can seem like random lines on a piece of paper to those who have never studied the language however, all the components of the characters each have their own meaning or significance. Learning to differentiate between the different radicals, sound particles and meaning particles of a character to establish its meaning and pronunciation requires excellent problem-solving skills.
Improves mathematics skills â The reason for this one might not be immediately obvious but, according to research done in 2001 by White et al, people who are able to read and write Mandarin have better all-round mathematics skills than those who can only read and write Roman languages. The researchers stipulate that this is probably because numeracy skills are deeply embedded into Chinese character writing. If you learn to write characters correctly, you need to be able to know or count the number of strokes, be aware of the correct stroke order, be able group characters and sections of characters into similar meanings and become proficient at recognising the similarities and differences between the different characters â all transferable skills to mathematics.
Improved motor skills â Not only does character writing improve numeracy, it also improves motor skills and spatial awareness. This is because, unlike in languages that use the Roman alphabet where you write left to write, writing Chinese characters correctly requires hand movements in all directions â up, down, left and right. You also need good spatial awareness to make sure that each character is around the same size, no matter how many strokes it takes to write it.
Better health in old age â One of the biggest benefits to anyone learning Chinese, not just kids, is the effects it has on brain health in later life. Because learning and speaking Chinese is such a great work out for almost all areas of the brain, it has been proven to reduce the chances of developing dementia, Alzheimerâs and other related illnesses in later life.
So, not only will learning Chinese give your kid a head start when it comes to finding a job once theyâve grown up, becoming proficient in the language also benefits their education and their health in later life. If you didnât have a good reason to send them to learn Mandarin before, you certainly do now!
Donât forget, if you think an immersive Chinese language experience in China would be beneficial to your kidâs development, we have Chinese classes for kids all year round at our campuses in Beijing and Shanghai. We also have action-packed summer and winter camps where you kid will experience the excitement of Chinese culture, visit some amazing places, make friends from all over the world and, of course, learn Chinese!


This is a sponsored post compensated by Entertainment One and Scholastic. As always, opinions remain 100% my own. The next time your kids want to pretend play- wherever that adventure may take them â leverage it for higher learning, including problem solving, early literacy and beginning writing skills.
How often do you participate in your childrensâ pretend play? Play is a critical part of early childhood development. It contributes to healthy brain development, social skills, and overall happier children. And you should absolutely provide an environment that fosters as much independent, pretend play for your kids as possible.
But sometimes, I encourage you to get involved in the act too. Note I said get involved; donât takeover. You will learn so much about how your kids think, interact, and you can also help guide their play for higher learning purposes.
Leveraging Pretend Play for Learning
It was yet another rainy day. The kids were bored and begging to watch a showâ¦ but I didnât want them to spend another day parked in front of the television. So instead, I told them to pretend play and create their own show and guided them in getting started.
Guided Pretend Play
Do your kids every say they are so bored, as they stand in the middle of a room full of toys? Sometimes it helps to give a little guidance â you can do it with simple set-ups, like sensory bins or centers like you often see in a preschool classroom.
Or you can ask leading questions â where should we pretend to go today? What will need for our trip? What should we do when we get there?
Pretend Play Trip to the Moon
On this rainy day, my 4 year old said she wanted to build a rocket ship and go to the moon. I helped them use a multi-purpose construction set to build the rocket ship. Then, we covered it in paper for them to decorate.
They decorated it for over an hour over the course of two days. When the kids declared it complete, pretend play fully took over. They dressed in costume and planned different space missions. They put other toys inside the rocket ship and pretended âto work on their computersâ from space. And just when the rocket ship seemed to be at the end of itâs useful pretend play life, I leveraged it for even more learning.
Document Your Pretend Play
Preschool aged children and older may be ready to extend their pretend play to early literacy. This printable Mission to the Moon set allows them to do just that. I helped my 4 year old document our pretend play â we brainstormed a list of what to pack for the moon, activities we could do when we arrived, and then, let her illustrate and dictate her own stories of her moon adventures to me. All in the name of play.
How Much Learning Can You Create from Pretend Play?
What started out as a boring rainy day, turned into a weekâs worth of pretend play. We used problem-solving and engineering skills to build our own rocket ship. My 2 and 4 year old freely explored their creativity as they decorated it. They used team work to plan adventures on the moon. And for my emerging reader/writer, we even used it for early literacy development. Now, they are more excited than ever to learn about the moon and space!
For more awesome Moon-inspired activities for kids, check out the Mission to the Moon website, featuring playtime activity ideas and crafts .
Mission to the Moon Sweepstakes
Follow Scholastic Parents Facebook page for a daily space-themed trivia question every day from July 1 â 30, 2018. Answer the questions with your kids and enter your response on the Scholastic sweepstakes website.
All submissions will be entered for a chance to win a trip to New York for a family of four to visit New York City science museums. Runners-up will receive age-appropriate Scholastic books and space-themed toys.
Disclaimers: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 US & DC. 18+ with at least one child who is currently 12 years of age or younger at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. Click through for Official Rules.
What is your kids favorite thing to pretend? Do you ever join in their pretend play? For more pretend play inspiration, be sure to follow my Pinterest board, Imaginative Play.
Love it? PIN THIS!


In the St. Louis King of France Little Crusaders Early Childhood Program, your child will begin to create the building blocks of learning through developmentally appropriate teaching. We are preparing our children to become successful, life-long learners.
As young learners, children will need the ability to:
- Communicate with and respect others, accept diversity and perform as members of a group
- Examine situations, make judgments and solve problems
- Process information through spoken and written language
- Continue to learn new approaches, skills and knowledge as needs change
- Work cooperatively with peers and teachers in a variety of settings
Research shows that children learn by doing, and they need many opportunities to explore and grow. Preschool activities foster creativity and promote emotional, cognitive, social, language and physical development. These appropriate activities build self-esteem and enthusiasm for learning.
Our program curriculum is based on current research and sound educational theories of early childhood learning and development. We provide a wide range of hands-on, interactive materials allowing children to explore their surroundings.
- Provides consistency and a predictable routine, which is comforting to children. Children learn best when they are relaxed and can anticipate what will happen next.
- Allows for changes necessary to the varying developmental ages in a group. Even though the children are the same chronological age, their skill levels may vary.
- Encourages children to work together, share and be successful at their individual skill level.
- Encourages participation in reading, listening, Spanish, art, music, dramatic play and creative movement.
- Provides multi-sensory experiences that allow children to learn through touch, smell, taste, vision and sound. Children learn best when information is provided through all senses.
- Invites exploration and discovery by including open-ended questions to promote thinking and problem solving.
- Encourages independence while following instructional and classroom rules.
Children learn and grow at different speeds, sometimes slowly and other times by leaps and bounds. We strive to provide a safe and loving environment for your child to learn and grow at their own pace and feel confident doing so.
Skills and curriculum are introduced in order to aid each childâs ability to successfully learn and transition in a classroom setting. Parents are kept abreast of schedules, curriculum and activities to extend learning time at home and beyond the classroom.


The information in this section offers ideas and strategies for you to support the physical literacy development of your child.
What to know
Physical literacy is moving with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities in multiple environments that benefit the healthy development of the whole person.
- Understand how physical activity, recreation, sport and physical education relate to physical literacy (Physical Literacy.ca and PHE Canada Physical Literacy).
- Recognize the wholeness of the child and his or her socio-emotional and mental needs (like feeling, thinking, and interacting) rather than only his or her physical needs (like fitness and movement skills).
- Know the many benefits associated with regular physical activity (the Benefits Hub).
- Know your physical activity values and why you hold these values. Try to learn more about how and why these values vary in other individuals and cultures.
- Be aware of local parks, recreational programs and facilities and how to access them. If applicable for your school and location, become familiar with safe active transportation routes to school so your child can safely walk or bike to school.
- Recognize and manage how much your child is engaged in screen time (e.g., use of cellphones, video games, computers, television) particularly during the critical after-school hours. During that time of day, many children and youth could be particularly active but are prone to engaging in sedentary activities (such as screen time). Physical activities that incorporate screen time (âexergamingâ) are not recommended because these activities fail to provide the necessary benefits (need for Vitamin. D, interaction with nature and other people) that relate to children maintaining a lifestyle of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
- Recognize that short periods of boredom may be what some children must âwork throughâ to creatively decide on activities that are engaging for themselves and others.
- Ensure your child has access to a Quality Physical Education program. Ask questions. Is there adequate time (at least 150 minutes per week) and resources in the school curriculum for physical education? Is the teaching staff delivering the program qualified and enthusiastic? Is the school fully delivering the physical education curriculum? Are the school and its physical education program part of the Healthy School Program or something similar?


For our music education students who are steeped in the culture of Western schoolbased music teaching practices, there is a large learning curve when approaching the teaching of music outside the traditional large ensemble paradigm. Several new pedagogy classes were developed to foster an informal, collaborative, participatory approach. Among the goals was to create a Service Learning component for students to put into practice making music with participants who have a diversity of musical interests and abilities. Through these changes they are becoming more aware of the role music can play beyond the preK-12 classroom and across the lifespan.
Greher, Gena R.
"Music and Well-Being: Teaching Nontraditional Music Learners With
Compassion and Empathy,"
Visions of Research in Music Education: Vol. 35, Article 8.
Available at: https://opencommons.uconn.edu/vrme/vol35/iss1/8


Access helpful literacy resources to distribute to families over the summer â download the new HSBC Family Literacy First Numbers & Cents module from ABC Life Literacy Canada.
Available in English, French and Simplified Chinese on FamilyLiteracyFirst.ca, the activities in Module 11: Ailey Buys a Scooter cover topics such as counting money, making change, and adding and subtracting. Two more modules covering budgeting, expenses and saving for the future will be added by the end of the summer.
Try a few sample activities:
Workbooks are ideal for families with children aged six to 11. For facilitators, thereâs also free training materials available for download as well.
These free materials are ideal for students to keep their literacy and numeracy skills sharp over the summer break, and also make for great activities for families visiting libraries.
This message comes to you from ABC Life Literacy Canada, a national charitable organization that develops free programming and resources for learners across Canada.
We hope you found this information helpful! Please sign-up to receive ABCâs free monthly e-newsletter for future updates.


Division of Education
Whether youâre interested in teaching preschool children or teenagers, this division offers bachelor of science degrees in 10 different programs that meet the Alabama Department of Education teacher certification requirements. Along with content mastery courses and teaching pedagogy, youâll pursue a liberal arts curriculum that cultivates the diversity and creativity essential to the teaching profession.
This interdisciplinary program will prepare you for careers in environments ranging from hospitals and Head Start programs to childrenâs museums and state agencies. Or, you can continue your studies in related fields, such as speech pathology, special education, early intervention, and counseling.
Want to work with children from preschool through grade three? This major will prepare you with courses ranging from psychology to Spanish, algebra to the performing arts. In addition to classroom observation and student teaching, youâll also take coursework for certification in elementary education (grades kindergarten through six).
The Early Childhood Education curriculum leads to the Bachelor of Science degree with Class B teacher certification from the State of Alabama.
This major will prepare you to work with children from preschool through grade three, with courses ranging from psychology to Spanish, algebra to the performing arts. In addition to classroom observation and student teaching, youâll also take coursework for certification in elementary education (grades kindergarten through six).
The Elementary Education curriculum leads to the Bachelor of Science degree with Class B Teacher Certification from the State of Alabama.
The secondary education programs lead to the bachelor of science degrees (or bachelor of music education) and to Class B Teacher Certification from the State of Alabama. Candidates seeking certification in two or more related fields (e.g., chemistry education and general science education) may be divided between the two teaching fields. The programs are designed to prepare teachers of grades 7â12, and include classroom observation and teaching practicums in local schools.
The following Secondary Education programs are available:
Get a thorough grounding in biology and related science courses such as chemistry and physics. Then, learn how to facilitate learning with courses that cover everything from technology to on-site teaching practicums. See course catalog
Biology/General Science Education
Coursework includes biology, psychology, zoology and microbiology, and extends to environmental science. Youâll learn how to translate this knowledge for young learners through teaching-focused courses and real-world practice. See course catalog
Coursework covers the discipline from every angle, as well as pedagogical practices. Supervised student teaching sets you up for a successful career in education. See course catalog
English/Language Arts Education
Bring literature and language to life with coursework that runs the gamut from African American literature to creative writing and theater. Youâll also have practical pedagogy classes, classroom observation and teaching in local schools. See course catalog
History/Social Science Education
Examine human history from multiple viewpointsâAfrican, womenâs, ancient European and moreâas you prepare for an important role in young peopleâs lives. The program includes classroom observation and teaching practice in local schools. See course catalog
This major offers effective strategies to engage learners in mathematics, as well as coursework in advanced math. A solid liberal arts curriculum combines with practical classes and student teaching to build your skills. See course catalog
Strings and sight-reading. Basic conducting and the brass method. Keyboards and voice diction. This major touches every aspect of instrumental music. The curriculum culminates in 12 weeks of student teaching. See course catalog
Clubs & Organizations
Student Alabama Education Association
If youâre seeking a teaching certificate in the early childhood, elementary or secondary programs, you must maintain active membership in SAEA throughout your time as an education major.
Kappa Delta Phi
Candidates with GPAs of 3.0 and higher may be invited to join this prestigious international honor society, which provides opportunities for enrichment and lifelong resources for professional growth and renewal.
Internship: Observation and Student Teaching
All education majors enroll in this intensive practicum, where youâll interpret and synthesize theory in classroom settings. This is your opportunity to assume increasing responsibility for guiding the experiences of a group of learners.
Laboratory and Field Experiences
Before taking on an internship, youâll spend at least 150 hours observing classroom environments. These extended field experiences have specific purposes and assessments.


By Jenny Wise
The arts have long been linked with improving childhood learning. From increasing cognition to making the classroom more enjoyable, the arts expand minds through creativity while sharpening motor skills and visual learning abilities. For children with learning disabilities, there are several benefits of incorporating arts education at school and in the home. Furthermore, hobbies involving arts and crafts are another way for children to live a fulfilling life they love.
Different types of learners
There are several different ways to learn. Teachers can pass on knowledge by having children visualize concepts. Some children are visual learners who best comprehend things when they are diagrammed or listed. Others learn best when something is explained to them verbally. These auditory learners benefit from slow repetition, repeating concepts out loud and listening to lectures. Some students thrive through reading and writing. These children may be the type to highlight passages in a book or make copious notes on every subject. Finally, some only learn through a hands-on approach. These kinesthetic learners remember their actions better than what theyâve read or heard.
Different types of learning disabilities
There are several types of learning disabilities, and each come with challenges for parents and educators. These can include:
- Dyslexia, which affects reading and other types of visual learning.
- Dyscalculia, where students have difficulty with numerical concepts.
- Auditory processing disorder, which affects how sounds are heard and processed.
- Dysgraphia, which affects handwriting and fine-motor skills.
- And more, including related disorders such as attention deficit disorder.
Children with certain learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, struggle with concepts that are primarily taught in ways other than through kinesthetic learning. Children learn the arts through appreciation and creation more than books and worksheets. Itâs difficult to learn how to paint by listening to a lecture. Painting is learned with a brush and the risk of a mess. Because of the prevalence of kinesthetic learning in the arts, those who struggle with certain learning disabilities may be able to more easily approach difficult subjects through art education.
Arts help children understand the world around them
Because the arts are taught in a hands-on manner, children who have hurdles to other types of learning can thrive in fine arts, music and drama. But learning through the arts is not limited to artistic subjects. Music education also helps develop math skills through time, rhythm and pitch. General art education helps children develop in other areas such as:
- Decision making. Problem solving is enabled through creative thinking.
- Creativity helps in more than just drawing and playing piano. The ability to create helps students conceptualize concepts that may be abstract.
- Cultural awareness. Children can learn concepts related to our increasingly diverse society. Art often questions and challenges people to question.
Arts provides a foundation for all learners to thrive
Since the arts are multi-sensory, more kids, including those with disabilities, are able to benefit from instruction. As a result, children with disabilities are presented an entirely new world of skills, concepts, and ideas. This democratization of education allows knowledge to reach those who may otherwise be marginalized by traditional learning methods.
Bringing arts education home
The hands-on learning benefits of the arts should not be limited to the classroom. Children with learning disabilities can thrive with homework and an area at home to be creative. A hobby room or corner can be set up in a home where a child is permitted to explore and create, messes and all. With a designated area such as this, there can be less concerns over making a mess with paint or being loud with music, resulting in unrestrained learning. Donât be afraid to join in on the fun. If you know a skill, like sewing, teach it to your child. (Donât worry if youâre a little rusty. There are tutorials on the internet!) Doing a hobby together is a great way to bond, and it has benefits for adults too.
Kids with learning disabilities can use the world of art as a passage to knowledge. Through school and home activities that encourage hands-on learning and play, education can focus less on reading and writing and more on doing.
***Author Jenny Wise created âSpecial Home Educatorâ as a forum for sharing her adventures in homeschooling and connecting with other homeschooling families. She has four children. Her youngest daughter has autism.**


An education based in the core disciplines and humanities
Our belief in a loving, gracious God who became incarnate and atoned for the sins of the world by His sacrificial death as our substitute for sin seems to be a distant matter from the academic disciplines and subject areas. However, at Peace Lutheran Academy, we pursue âcore disciplinesâ like reading, writing, mathematics, we investigate areas of science, and we study âhumanitiesâ like, geography, history, literature, music and art because our faith provides the grounding and the freedom for wonder, imagination and discovery of the world.
To be able to think is a human aptitude, but to think well is a skill which begins in the training of the mind. The training begins with the âcore disciplines,â or âthe three Râsâ of reading, writing, and ârithmetic. These basic skills allow the student to begin to learn how to think. They allow a way for information (knowledge) to be received so that it can be used and processed and communicated. In the case of reading, we begin with letters and their sounds (phonics). Then, we move to how these sounds form words, and words into sentences (grammar) and ultimately, into paragraphs and stories (literature and rhetoric). However, without instruction and repetition in the foundational skills which train the mind, the student has more difficulty succeeding in higher level thinking. Similarly, with arithmetic, the student must practice and drill addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts until fluent in order to begin to understand higher mathematics and its expression in biology, chemistry, and physics. (Science, with its method of observation and inquiry, is considered a subset of mathematics, not an area of the humanities.)
Having the fundamental core disciplines, the student may then engage in subject areas that are concerned with man and his culture: what we do, where we live, and how we live. These âhumanitiesâ include philosophy and religion, history and geography, literature, music and art. So why study the humanities? Simply put, itâs because thatâs who we are. People are important, and to gain knowledge about people, we study everything about them: their past, their stories, and their art. By doing so, we are able to understand ourselves: our lives, our stories, and our culture. However, mankind cannot long sustain the pursuit of knowledge without a foundation for truth which is rooted in faith.
Since we believe that the world has been created by God and redeemed by Christ, man can touch it and handle it. Man can study it and wonder about it. We can truly learn all there is to know about it as the creation of our Creator. As the work of the Creator who is the Word, Truth, and Reason, we approach study with a tenacious yearning for truthfulness. We do not abandon knowledge and learning, thinking that it is irrelevant to the study of the Word and Scripture. On the contrary, we diligently apply ourselves to subject areas so that we may better understand, but we are always governed by the love of Christ.
We create and work as men and women made in the image of God, and then give the fruits of labor as cultural gifts to our neighbor in love. If the area is mathematics, then as discoverers of calculus; if science, then as honest researchers; if language, then as poets and philosophers; if music and art, then as composers and designers.
Belief in truth provides the foundation, motivation, and purpose for the study of academic disciplines and the humanities. Faith does not constrict our study, but it constrains us to think deeply and to wonder about the God who was so moved by love to redeem and to create.


L-CYR Seminar Series: The MORPH Project
- Date: Wednesday 9 May 2018, 16:00 â 17:00
- Location: Coach House
- Cost: Free
Dr Danielle Colenbrander (University of Bristol) presents a study which looks at the effectiveness of a morphological instruction method for improving childrenâs reading and spelling skills.
Dr Danielle Colenbrander (University of Bristol) presents 'The MORPH Project: A randomised controlled trial of morphological instruction for children with reading and spelling difficulties' as part of the Leeds Centre for Interdisciplinary Childhood and Youth Research (L- CYR) Seminar Series.
This seminar will discuss the findings from a study which looked at the effectiveness of a morphological instruction method for improving childrenâs reading and spelling skills.
In this study, the effectiveness of a morphological instruction method called Structured Word Inquiry (Bowers & Kirby, 2010) was compared to a comparison training programme in which children were taught word meanings and reading comprehension strategies (Motivated Reading). Two-hundred and seventy children in Years 3 and 5 took part. Instruction was delivered to small groups by teaching assistants for 24 weeks. Preliminary results suggest that Motivated Reading Instruction was more effective than Structured Word Inquiry for the children with the weakest reading and spelling skills, while the opposite was true for children with the highest pre-test scores. Possible reasons for this finding will be discussed.
Dr Danielle Colenbrander is a Research Associate at the University of Bristol. She trained as a speech language therapist before completing her PhD exploring the role of oral vocabulary in reading comprehension difficulties. She is interested in relationships between oral language, reading aloud and reading comprehension, and in how difficulties in these areas can be remediated.
All welcome, no registration required.
School of Education
University of Leeds


What is the best learning approach for my child?
Is Montessori the Right Choice?
This is the question many parents may ask, especially in a time where a myriad of educational methodologies and approaches are available. As the early years are fundamental to a childâs development, making the right decision for your child may be daunting.
Founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori method is a structured approach that builds a strong foundation in language, literacy, mathematics and more, through hands-on experiences and practical application in daily life. Carefully tailored to suit each individual child, Montessori helps them learn at their own pace and grow to love the process.
Research has shown that through this approach, children:
READ: Sign up for a FREE Science Centre Galaxy Rewards Membership by 29 Jan and Get Bonus Points and Perks
â¢ Are better prepared academically, socially and emotionally later in life
â¢ Exhibit better concentration
â¢ Become more pro-active, confident and
â¢ Are able to adapt to new situations more easily.
To find out if Montessori is the right learning approach for your child, come on down to Brighton Montessori with your little ones for an exclusive Montessori Preview Session, at no cost! As a leading Montessori preschool with over 20 years of experience, let us take you through the Montessori philosophy, and see for yourself how our specially designed Montessori materials can pique your childâs curiosity and encourage learning, all in a homely environment under the guidance of our dedicated educators.
Hello and Welcome!
Children learn to assimilate into a group setting and practise social interactions with each other and educators. Encouraged by a safe environment with their parents, children will be more at ease with one another.
Watch as our educators captivate children through storytelling, and find out how your child can develop early literacy and a love for reading that will follow them through life.
Children learn literary, language, and numeracy skills through the Montessori method guided by our educators. Find out more about the different Montessori materials and how they have each been specially designed to help your child grasp a solid foundation on Phonics, Mathematics and more, all at their own pace.
Washing hands, eating together and cleaning up â eating with their peers provide opportunities for children to practise discipline, social graces and practical life skills.
The freedom to explore and play are important moments for children to exercise not just their motor skills, but also their curiosity about the world around them.
Music time and Goodbye!
We end off our day of fun on a good note with action songs, movement and a cheery farewell!
An opportunity for parents to share feedback with our educators and ask any questions you may have.
Date: Any Saturday between 25 April to 30 May 2015
Time: 10.00 to 11.30 am
Open to: Ages 18 months to 3 years
Venue: Brighton Montessori at 125 Frankel Avenue, Singapore 458235
RSVP at: 6588 3883
With only 10 slots available per session on a first-come, first-served basis, RSVP for your childâs place today. We hope to see you soon!
This feature is contributed by Brighton Montessori.


The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) are a consensus set of skills for the broad practice of public health, as defined by the 10 Essential Public Health Services. Developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council on Linkages), the Core Competencies reflect foundational skills desirable for professionals engaging in the practice, education, and research of public health.
Levels of Public Health Practice Competency
LPHI Competency Report
Local public health agencies in Massachusetts and across the U.S. provide a wide range of services to protect the publicâs health. To ensure consistency across local public health agencies, in March 2006, LPHIâs Advisory Committee established a subcommittee to develop a competency model and set of competencies.
The subcommittee was tasked with producing a competency report that identified:
- the work being done by local public health entities across Massachusetts
- the individuals who are doing the work
- the legal and regulatory climate in which they were operating
Additional support was provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) via the New England Alliance for Public Health Workforce Development and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH).
Blueprint for Public Health Excellence: Recommendations for Improved Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local Public Health Protections
The Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health was established in August 2016 to âassess the effectiveness and efficiency of municipal and regional public health systems and to make recommendations regarding how to strengthen the delivery of public health services and preventive measures.â The Commission concluded its work with the release of its final report, Blueprint for Public Health Excellence: Recommendations for Improved Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local Public Health Protections in June 2019.
10 Essential Public Health Services
Health departments and community partners around the nation organize their work around the 10 Essential Public Health Services framework. Schools and programs of public health teach according to the framework, and the framework informs descriptions and definitions of practice. The 10 Essential Public Health Services was updated in Fall 2020. .


What would happen if education did not exist?
Without the education of people, a society cannot flourish or grow because it does not have the intelligence to build and maintain the society. Society must understand how easily the government can take advantage of the people, and if there no is foundation of education, their society can not flourish and grow.
Why does year-round school cost more?
More often than not, year-round schedules do not add days of instruction to the approximately 180 days typical in a traditional school year. Schools may find this model favorable because it allows schools and districts to increase capacity without incurring additional capital or building costs.
How does year-round school affect the economy?
So the potential economic cost of year-round schooling is two-fold: the individual student may suffer financially, and the local businesses may have to pay out more for jobs that are better-suited for high school students who do not have the time off to work them.
How many year-round schools are in the US?
|Selected school characteristic||Total number of schools||Percent of schools with a year-round cycle1|
|All public schools||90,760||4.4|
|Less than 100||7,600||7.6|
Does year round school improve grades?
A sociologist found that, over a full year, math and reading test scores improved about the same amount for children in year-round schools as they did for students whose schools followed a traditional nine-month calendar. â¦
Does summer school improve grades?
Summer school will give your teen the chance to raise his grade point average. While letting an elective class go and not retaking it is an option, summer school grades replace the failing grade already earned. That will raise your teenâs GPA.
How many schools are in the US?
How many schools are there in the U.S.? There are 130,930 K-12 schools in the U.S., according to 2017-18 data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Hereâs how they break down: All: 130,930.
Why traditional school is better than year-round school?
allows time for children to have authentic experiences outside of the classroom. more summer camps and summer activities available to students. more family time away from demands of school. teachers get a real break from teaching and lesson planning.
Is year-round school beneficial?
Benefits of Year-Round School in the U.S. For low-income students who regularly lose much of their literacy development during the three months of summer, year-round schooling can be quite beneficial. Shorter breaks between school terms mean that students are able to avoid gaps in learning.
Why is a year round school bad?
One reason for year-round school is to eliminate long breaks, which cause students to forget lessons they learned during the school year. The on-again, off-again schedule can disrupt learning for some students. Also, short-term child care may be difficult for families.
Which country has the most school days in a year?


So thereâs plenty of ways to improve your phonics instruction, but this post is just about one of those ways. I kind of look at it as the cherry on top. As students learn spelling patterns, theyâre becoming more familiar with the alphabetic principle. With that understanding, being able to label those patterns gives students an extra layer of knowledge when decoding and encoding words.
The alphabetic principle is the understanding that written letter and letter combinations represent spoken sounds. An understanding of this principle is indicative of good phonics instruction.
The best way to build upon the principle is by introducing skills and building on those skills that were previously taught. For example, once youâve instructed on short vowels, you would probably begin teaching digraphs. So the words you would have your students decode would include short vowels, but not long vowels since that had not been covered.
Phonics Instruction and the Alphabetic Principle
Decoding is an important piece of phonics instruction. For our students to truly understand why letters and letter combinations make specific sounds, they must understand the alphabetic principle.
Looking back at the word rainbow, students can see that the word has 7 letters. But with the alphabetic principle, they understand that it only has 5 sounds because the ai and ow make one sound each.
A great way to practice this skill is to use sound, or Elkonin, boxes. While a box may include more than one letter, those letters represent one sound.
As students become familiar with the types of sounds theyâll hear in words,âshort vowels, long vowels, digraphs, blends, r-controlled vowels, vowel teams. . . â they can begin labeling the letter and letter combinations they find in words. The purpose is to keep your students aware of the various spelling patterns theyâll come across in reading and writing.
Get your word labels in The Nook and keep building your studentsâ understanding of the alphabetic principle.


In a highly populated country like India, the masses have an undisputed need for education. To ensure a better education for its people, The Parliament of India enacted The Right to Education Act 2009, also known as the RTE Act 2009, on 4 August 2009. This article mainly describes the importance of free and compulsory education for children and makes the necessary provisions. This act especially concerns children aged between 6-14 under Article 21 (A) of the Constitution of India. On 1 April 2010, this act was brought into effect, making India one of 135 countries that have made education a fundamental right for every child.
Under this act, some minimum norms have been declared for elementary schools and private institutions. Unrecognized schools have been prohibited from practicing and advocating against donation fees and interviews of children at the time of admission. RTE helps the government keep a check on all the children in the neighborhood by conducting surveys and also allows the children to get all the help and support they can get from the government. All the children that are identified with willingness and potential are further supported as well. Sarkari result also helps the children to seek all the government related notification earlier.
There have been a lot of gaps in the education system in the whole country as well as in the states individually. RTE helps identify and map out these shortcomings region by region for the state to take care of. The state guides and gives direction while the local government takes all the necessary action to fix the problems and improve the overall quality of education.
Among several other provisions of the Right to Education Act, here are some;
1. Compulsory and free education for all
The government is obliged to give free and compulsory elementary education up to class 8 in a neighborhood school to every child living within 1 km of that region. No child must pay fees or charges for at least pursuing their elementary education. Among other free provisions under this act are free textbooks, uniforms, stationery items, and unique educational material that has also been available for children with disabilities.
2. Pupil-Teacher-Ratios, Bathrooms, Working Days, Drinking Water Facility
The Right to Education Act determines several other norms and standards relating to Pupil-Teacher-Ratios, classrooms, separate toilets for girls and boys, drinking water facilities, number of school working days, working hours of teachers, etc. Every elementary school (Primary school + Middle School) in India has to comply with this set of norms to maintain a minimum standard set by the Right to Education Act.
3. Special provisions for exceptional cases
The Right to Education Act mandates that there should be proper provisions for an out-of-school child. They must be admitted to an age-appropriate class and provided with special training to ensure an age-appropriate learning level similar to that of their peers.
4. Qualified teachers that make the cut
The Right to Education Act firstly ensures an adequate number of teachers keeping in mind the teacher-student ratio. It also makes it compulsory to hire trained teachers, i.e., teachers with the required entry and academic qualifications.
5. Absolutely against discrimination
The Right to Education Act 2009 prohibits all kinds of physical punishment and mental harassment, discrimination based on gender, caste, class, and religion, screening procedures for admission of children, capitation fee, private tuition centers, and the functioning of unrecognized schools.
Acts like the Right to Education Act are made to ensure minimum regulation for all young children deprived of opportunities just because of financial constraints. By putting such acts into effect, the government gives all children a fair chance to explore and learn about education and its slight uses in the real world. Although this act mainly affects and concerns young children and their elementary education, the opportunities are limitless in our country.
Any child willing and hardworking will find his way to even higher education through scholarships and concessions. The key here is hard work, skills, and consistency. For the rest, our country provides its students with so many opportunities that they can take advantage of them and reach such great heights.


Canada's labour force has become more diverse, but visible minorities as a whole still struggle to achieve parity in the labour market. Even accounting for differences in individuals' characteristics, the data show that the slow process of integration for immigrants merits special attention.
More than one-fifth of Canadians are visible minorities â non-Indigenous and "non-Caucasian" in race or non-white in colour â according to the 2016 Census. Visible minorities earned only 81.2 per cent of what non-visible minorities earned in 2015 â a gap that has widened by 2.6 percentage points since 2000.
Education, work experience and occupation play important roles in earning outcomes, but they are not able to fully explain the earnings gap experienced by visible minorities.
Discrimination is often blamed for the remaining part of the gap. However, that answer is too easy. When we examine the economic outcomes of visible minorities in more detail to identify the root causes of the gap, we see that these outcomes depend more specifically on place of birth as well as race.
The 2016 census shows 63 per cent of visible minorities are immigrants, who earn less than both white non-immigrants and Canadian-born visible minorities. Immigration will continue to be a major contributor to the growth of the visible-minority population: Eighty-two per cent of immigrants who arrived in Canada during the period 2011-16 were visible minorities.
Visible minority immigrants face challenges such as language barriers, absence of Canadian work experience and lack of recognition for foreign education and experience that can affect their earnings. Immigrants' literacy and numeracy skills in Canada also lag non-immigrants', despite the large proportion of immigrants with university degrees. My recent study identified language ability as a major factor in immigrants' skills gap.
Further, a C.D. Howe Institute study showed that foreign-education quality affects the earnings outcomes of immigrants in Canada. Many studies fail to account for skills gaps and quality of foreign education in explaining part of the racial earnings gap, even among immigrants, because of lack of sufficient data. Thus, they may tend to interpret the results as the outcome of discrimination.
Mikal Skuterud at the University of Waterloo found that the process of integration among visible minorities is a long one, often involving multiple generations. But earnings do increase across successive generations of visible minorities, which is not the case among white males. Some non-immigrant visible minorities, black Canadians in particular, experience a pay gap after three generations while the rest achieve parity after the first or second generations.
Further, the geographic distribution of visible minorities can affect earning outcomes differently. Most visible minorities (56 per cent) reside in Canada's three largest metropolitan areas: Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. The recent census reveals that visible minorities together represent "visible majorities" in some municipalities, such as Toronto (51.5 per cent), Markham (77.9 per cent) and Brampton (73.3 per cent). A study suggests that the growth of visible minority residents in a city has positive impact on their earnings. Conversely, however, another study shows visible-minority enclaves in a neighbourhood slow the integration process.
The overwhelming majority of visible minorities are South Asian (25 per cent), Chinese (21 per cent) and black (16 per cent). Labour market disparities also vary among these ethnic groups. Chinese employment earnings, on average, are 91 per cent of non-visible minority earnings while black earnings are about 73 per cent, according to the 2016 Census.
The visible-minority population will grow faster as Canada admits more migrants â most of whom will be visible minorities â in the coming years to maintain long-term economic growth in light of a rapidly aging demographic.
A strong economy needs a strong labour force with full participation of visible minorities. But this will require speedy integration of visible minority immigrants into the Canadian labour market. Without eliminating the barriers facing marginalized ethnic groups, combined with well-designed selection and settlement policies, such as stricter language screening and more accessible skills and language training, Canada will fail to capture all the potential benefits of a diverse labour market.
Parisa Mahboubi, PhD, is a senior policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute.


The first major revision of this groundbreaking book in 10 years!
Learning Sequences in Music: Skill, Content, and Patterns is a milestone in music education. This book is perhaps the most provocative exploration ever written of how we learn music, from infancy to adulthood, and what we should do to teach music more effectively.
Revised, expanded, and completely rewritten for this eighth and final edition, Professor Edwin E. Gordon's continued research reaffirms his place as perhaps the world's principal thinker and researcher in music education. Early controversial ideas championed by Gordon have now been widely accepted in the field: the importance of standardized tests, the crucial role of early childhood music education, and the fundamental need to teach audiation as a precursor to music reading.
Professor Gordon continues to present a feast of ideas in this new edition, combining the latest experimental and observational research in music learning with his own experience teaching students of all ages. Topics covered include: the state of music today, audiation, individual differences, aptitude, readiness, and measurement and evaluation.
This book is a monumental achievement sure to be read and reread by generations of music educators to come.
Edwin E. Gordon is known throughout the world as a preeminent researcher, teacher, author, editor, and lecturer in the field of music education. After receiving bachelor's and master's degrees in string bass performance from the Eastman School of Music and a second master's degree in education from Ohio University, Gordon attended the University of Iowa, where he earned a PhD. As a professor of music, he held the Carl E. Seashore Chair for Research in Music Education at Temple University, where he was presented with both the Lindback and Great Teacher Awards. Gordon also taught at the University of Iowa and the State University of New York at Buffalo. At the University of Iowa, he became general editor of Studies in the Psychology of Music, and the school has honored him with their Distinguished Alumni Award. He has also been named a Herb Alpert Visiting Scholar at the Berklee School of Music.
Gordon's five most well-known books are The Psychology of Music Teaching, Learning Sequences in Music, Introduction to Research and the Psychology of Music, Rhythm: Contrasting the Implications of Audiation and Notation, and A Music Learning Theory for Newborn and Young Children. Among the seven standardized tests he developed are the Musical Aptitude Profile; Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced Measures of Music Audiation; Iowa Tests of Music Literacy; Instrument Timbre Preference Test; and Harmonic and Rhythm Improvisation Readiness Records.


Gloss: you go-to home how?
English translation: How do/did you go home?
you go-to class how?
How do/did you go to class?
Gloss: you come-to class how?
English translation: How do/did you come to class?
Enter a keyword in the field box below to search or filter the new topic list and click on the link.
New to sign language? "Where do I start?" or "How do I start learning sign language?" This ASL Rookie guide lists some selected links to the tutorials for ASL beginners to get started and keep rolling. It may be a useful review for intermediate-level learners and ASL students as well.
Some tutorial pages are a mix of free and premium versions. Access to premium content and links below are available in the PatronPlus subscription. More links/posts will be added from time to time.
Are you able to carry everyday conversations in ASL? Are you a student in the intermediate levels and beyond, who wishes to boost up your signing skills? You've come to the selected tutorial series. (Some premium content are available to PatronPlus membership.)
Stories, poems, performance arts, etc. in sign language.
This documentation project follows a child's language acquisition, literacy development, and phonological acquisition in sign language, specifically ASL, from newborn to age five in a natural native-ASL environment and visual culture.


If you donât see your question here, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org
Q: Who can participate in the Read to Me Project?
A: Children in 4th, 5th and 6th grades. The full class of students participate and those will young siblings to read to at home are coached on Read to Me Projectâs â9 Best Ways to Read to Young Children.â
Q: What about the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders without young siblings?
A: These children receive the same training on reading to young children and are encouraged to read to a younger child as often as possible. If the school has a âreading buddyâ type program, the training is applicable to any reading situation.
Q: Who benefits from the Read to Me Project?
- Children 6 months to 5 years acquire kindergarten readiness skills.
- Teachers report improved reading fluency among the students participating in Read to Me Project. Proven by a third-party impacts evaluation.
- Siblings develop positive family bonds with siblings.
- Families will have children who are likely to grow up to be literate and successful adults and parents.
- Teachers see students who are ready to learn and excited about reading.
- Communities and businesses will benefit socially and economically from a literate population.
Q: How is the Read to Me Project different from other reading programs?
A: Read to Me Project empowers thousands of elementary-age students each year to help their infant, toddler, and pre-k aged family members to develop early literacy skills. The program uniquely reaches the little ones the home. It is simple, accessible, low cost, and child led â sibling-to-sibling. It builds nurturing family relationships, and provides literacy enrichment to children as young as 6 months old.
Q: What kind of books do the children take home to read?
A: Read to Me Project has an inventory of thousands of books, curated for each age of early development: baby, 2 yrs. old, 3 yrs. old, and preschool. The books are very carefully selected for readability by an emerging reader attending school. Most books do not exceed a 2nd grade reading level. Whenever possible, multi-lingual books are included in Spanish speaking communities.
Q: Does the Read to Me Project involve the parents in the home?
A: Read to Me Project is focused on the children in the home helping each other. That said, we recognize the importance of the parentâs role in enabling a culture of literacy and learning in the home which is why we also conduct Parent Education Sessions. The multi-session series are presented through schools and collaborations with other organizations with built-in access to low literate families. Parents learn about early brain development and how easy it is to incorporate learning and literacy development experiences with their children during day-to-day activities and interactions with and without a book.


The report also showed that, based on learning patterns, it would take roughly 20 years for adults with low literacy or numeracy skills to participate in learning. The study estimates that 9 million adults based in England and of working age alone lack basic skills in literacy or numeracy. 5 million of these adults lack skills in both subject areas.
The Stats Speak for Themselves
18% of 19 to 64-year-old adults do not possess level 2 qualifications. These qualifications are likely to help boost employability, as well as job prospects, such as pay options and job security. They are also considered necessary for those looking to progress in further education, such as completing A-levels and going to university.
Itâs estimated that by 2030, 5 million workers may not have basic digital skills. Together with numeracy and literacy, these are skills that are needed in most workplaces. This adds to their importance.
Low participation in accumulating basic skills is something that the education industry is keen to change. Itâs highly recommended that adults ensure they have the key maths and English skills needed for everyday life and work tasks.
The Solution to the Problem
When it comes to studying, finding the time and motivation can be tricky. We spoke to Tom Hollins, Head of Department for English and social sciences at distance learning education provider, Oxbridge, to get some tips. Tom is also the published author of two revision guides for English students, so heâs helped many individuals on their path to upskilling.
Youâve heard the saying nothing ventured, nothing gained. Well, gaining these skills will require effort and studying. However, when you think of how much it could improve your job prospects, itâs worth it.
How to Stay Motivated
So, how can you stay motivated in order to gain these qualifications? Hereâs Tomâs 10 tips:
Do you know when you work best? Find the times that you're more productive and try and keep to a routine of working during those hours.
When it comes to memory, try different techniques until you find the right one for you. Are you a mind map person? Do you like lists? Perhaps you have to write and re-write something over and over again to remember it?
Set yourself various task deadlines before the deadline to stay on track.
Take regular working breaks and do something you enjoy in them.
Donât try to cram too much in the night before an exam, meeting or presentation: just recap the key points.
Set yourself ambitious goals and work hard to aspire to them.
It's important to stay energised: whether thatâs grabbing a cup of tea or taking a few minutes to watch a programme on your break.
Rewarding yourself for hitting goals is just as important as hitting them. The sense of completion from completing a module or crossing a task off your list is a positive feeling.
Don't stress about trying to take everything in at once - small and manageable sections of information or tasks can be far more digestible.
Make your workspace comfortable. If youâre cold and your workspace lacks light, youâre focused on that as opposed to the task at hand.
Are you looking to gain GCSE or functional skills qualifications? Or perhaps youâd like to upskill with another course. Browse our full range of courses or speak to one of our experienced learning advisers on 0121 630 3000.


Kindergarten teachers teach five to six years old children in order to facilitate their development. They guide the childrenâs interpersonal and intellectual growth through educational tools, play and instructional activities in the classroom. An undergraduate degree and state certification are the minimum requirements for kindergarten teachers to pursue their profession. To obtain certification, aspiring kindergarten teachers need teaching experience; in addition, take any prescribed state exam. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has listed some requirements that need to be satisfied by prospective kindergarten teachers. The following is a step-by-step guide that needs to be followed by students planning a career in this field.
Stage One: Learning How to Work with Young Children
Experience in teaching young children is required of applicants in some elementary education degree courses. Prospective candidates can volunteer to work as teacher assistants (TAs) in local daycare facilities or schools to garner such experience. Patience is a highly desirable characteristic for a prospective kindergarten teacher who must be able to relate to a young child attending school for the first time in their life. Visiting a live kindergarten classroom will benefit an aspiring kindergarten teacher by helping them decide whether or not they have an aptitude for the job. They would also benefit by observing, talking to and learning from the experience of a kindergarten teacher at the school.
Stage Two: Completing a Bachelor Degree Program
Typically, kindergarten teachers hold bachelor degrees in early or elementary childhood education. The selection of the concentration area of study is largely influenced by state licensing norms and the school that the candidate attends. Coursework in such programs includes writing, reading and basic math alongside courses in childrenâs art and literature. There is also a focus on teaching children with special needs, learning technology and multicultural classrooms. Aspiring kindergarten teachers can improve their career prospects by creating a professional teaching portfolio that includes lesson plans, professional development activities, certifications, resumes, references and statements of teaching philosophy. The portfolio will serve to attract the attention of employers toward the competence of the aspiring teacher to perform their job.
Stage Three: Satisfying Student Teaching Requirements
Majority of teacher preparation programs require trainees to participate in classroom internships spread over one or two semesters. During such internships, experienced educators mentor prospective kindergarten teachers in subject areas such as parent-teacher interaction, student evaluation, effective lesson plans and classroom management. Their classroom performance is part of the evaluation performance. Getting to know the parents of students during classroom internships can benefit an aspiring kindergarten teacher who will have to communicate frequently with parents during their career.
Stage Four: Acquire Teaching Certificate
Aspiring kindergarten teachers need state certification to be able to teach in the respective state; however, each state may have its own licensure norms. The stateâs Board of Education will be able to inform an inquiring kindergarten teacher about the exact norms. Usually, such norms require candidates to graduate from a teacher training program approved by the state. They would also need to pass basic tests devised to assess instructional methods and exams to test proficiency. In some states, kindergarten teachers are required to obtain a master degree after earning a certificate.


Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
We follow the Charanga Music Scheme which provides teachers with week-by-week lesson support for each year group in the school. It provides lesson plans, assessment, clear progression, and engaging and exciting whiteboard resources to support every lesson. The Scheme supports all the requirements of the national curriculum.
In line with the curriculum for music and guidance from Ofsted, this Scheme moves away from the previous levels and learning objective/outcome concepts to an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to musical learning.
Each Unit of Work focuses on the strands of musical learning which correspond with the national curriculum for music:
In Years 5 and 6, children have the opportunity to learn a brass instrument (cornet, baritone or trombone) and our aim is to rival the RAF Central Band! We buy into the Oxfordshire County Council's Music Service and have Mr Brown come into school each week to work with the children to turn them from novices into master music makers!


"The authors embrace the constructivist paradigm as a natural teaching and learning response to the specific needs of ELLs. A unique and remarkable contribution to the theoretical and research-based literature."
âKaren C. Evans, Principal
David Walker Elementary School, Evanston, IL
"Reyes and Vallone invite readers on an exciting journey inside classrooms where knowledgeable, caring, advocacy-oriented teachers effectively engage English Language Learners through culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy."
âCarlos J. Ovando, Professor
Arizona State University
Combine constructivist methods and culturally responsive instruction to improve educational equity.
As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) grows, educators need new strategies to effectively promote second language acquisition and literacy development in all content areas.
By linking constructivist pedagogies to ELL instruction, Constructivist Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners provides a culturally responsive approach that builds on students' experiences and strengths. Sharon Adelman Reyes and Trina Lynn Vallone supply in-depth classroom examples and grade-level connections to help readers apply constructivist methods in teaching ELLs. Designed for inclusive classrooms with diverse student backgrounds and abilities, this hands-on guide examines:
- Perspectives on second language acquisition and learning
- Program models for ELLs
- Instructional practices informed by critical pedagogy
- Examples of constructivist classroom programs
Mainstream and bilingual teachers, ESL specialists, principals, and teacher leaders will find the conceptual foundation and practical methods needed to promote academic success for ELLs.


Jim Gill's Music Play With Purpose Workshop
Posted By: Heather McNeil
Date Posted: 9/24/2013
Jim Gill, children's musician and author, will conduct a workshop for adults on using music to teach literacy and personal skills. Based on graduate studies in child development and 20 years of experience leading play programs for families , Jim demonstrates how active music play provides a context for children to develop abilities, such as self-regulation, essential to school success. Jimâs clever word play and rhymes also provide broad opportunities for literacy development.October 26, 2013 - 3:00 PM
Downtown Bend Library
Brooks Meeting RoomRegistration is recommended and can be completed online at the link above.
Early childhood professionals and librarians will leave the session with a repertoire of music play activities that can be put to immediate âand purposeful- use in their programming. Best of all, they will leave the session understanding the power of play to inspire, in children, agility in thought and a love of learning.


A ârhymeâ is a repetition of similar sounds (or the same sound) in two or more words, most often in the final syllables of lines in poem and songs. Rhyming consists of rhythm and repetition, and through being exposed to songs or poems that rhyme, a childâs language skills begin to develop even before theyâre able to verbalise actual words.
Rhymes have such a great positive impact on a young childâs language and literacy development. Some of its benefits are:
- They are good for the brain â in addition to teaching children how language works, rhyming also helps them experience the rhythm of language. They also learn to anticipate the rhyming word, which prepares them to make predictions when they read.
- They help develop listening & writing skills â rhymes are a great way into learning early Phonics skills (ability to hear, identify and manipulate letter sounds). It also helps children understand that words that share common sounds often share common letters. (For example: the rhyming words âmanâ and âranâ both end with â-anâ.)
- They are a fun group activity â nursery rhymes allows all kids to build up their self-confidence, and they can do so through singing, dancing, and performing because they are fun and easy to pick up.
- They follow a clear sequence of events & improve vocabulary â Nursery rhymes often tell a story (which contains a beginning, middle & end). Through the engagement of a sequence of events (i.e. the story), your child will pick up the skill of following and understanding, which they need when they start reading. Through rhymes, children will also hear and use new words that they might not come across every day.
Here is a site featuring an impressive list of common & popular nursery rhymes that you can download (+ print out)!
Hope you have fun rhyming with your kids â work on fostering that closer & stronger bond today! ð
To read more of Ms Lizâs awesome tips for your child, check out our list of Educational Materials!


Our Philosophy, Mission and Goals
All Day Montessori follows the American Montessori Societyâs education method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, based on childrenâs scientific observations from birth to adulthood. Dr. Montessoriâs Method has been time tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures worldwide.
It is a view of the child as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It is an approach that values the childâs developmentâphysical, social, emotional, cognitive.
Dr. Montessori discovered that children learn from each other across a spectrum of ages and skills, and it is this kind of learning fosters teamwork and empathy. The Montessori approach is about a childâs emotional, social development as it is his academic skills. Using this approach, our students learn to think critically, work collaboratively, and make good choices.
Our Vision: To empower students to build life skills and embrace their full potential. âThe child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.â â Dr. Maria Montessori.
Mission Statement: To provide a full-day, Montessori based early childhood learning experience that is nurturing, educationally rich, and developmentally appropriate.
Core Values: We provide a welcoming, diverse, and peaceful learning environment where all children are respected and loved as unique individuals. We engage children in purposeful work that engenders a love of learning. We foster the skills necessary to help our students work autonomously and collaboratively.


Music therapy assists a childâs learning in multiple domains including cognitive, motor, social, emotional, and communication skills. Music therapists provide individualized treatment according to each childâs need.
Music Addresses Developmental Needs
Children with intellectual disability, visual or hearing impairments, autism, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses all have specialized needs. Music therapy provides treatment goals that are both developmentally appropriate and child-specific.
Cognitive Skills. Putting academic concepts (like labeling items and sentence structure) to music can help your childâs motivation in learning! Music therapists can tailor songs to address your childâs particular needs!
Motor Skills. Instrument playing can be an excellent way to increase gross and fine motor skills! Does your child love to play the drums or piano? Sensory feedback during instrument playing is naturally reinforcing and assists in maintaining attention to increase motor skill development.
Music Supports Social-Emotional Regulation
Music can help children regulate their emotions and express themselves through both verbal and non-verbal communication. Songs that help children label emotions receptively and expressively can assist in self-awareness and responsiveness toward peers.
Music Addresses Behavioral Needs
Music therapy can assist with self-help tasks at home and in the school environment. Does your child seem to have difficulty with teeth brushing or getting ready in the morning? Songs can reinforce following one and two-step instructions for daily routines. Use songs learned from your music therapy sessions throughout the day at home!
Music Supports Children With Medical Considerations
Many children with special needs need to adapt to frequent and long hospital stays, using medical equipment at home, and maintaining prescribed medications. Music therapy can offer positive stimulation, developmentally appropriate social interaction, and self-expressive opportunities for children who experience these things. Music therapists are trained to be informed, aware and sensitive to the medical considerations of their clients.
Looking for the science behind it?
Check out these articles:
Krikeli, V., Michailidis, A., & Klavdianou, N. (2010). Communication improvement through music: The case of children with developmental disabilities. International Journal of Special Education, 25(1), 1-9.
Does your child respond to music? Know for sure with this FREE checklist.
Get the FREE 12 question checklist and find out instantly!


A school is an educational establishment designed primarily to offer learning centers and learning spaces for children under the guidance of qualified teachers. Most states have systems of public elementary education, which may be mandatory. In these systems, children progress through a sequence of elementary schools. A school system also includes grade schools and secondary schools, as well as vocational or technical schools, for both children who are physically developed enough to attend school and those who require a more gentle introduction. Some states allow parents to home school their children.
Most children live in a community with an adequate school system before entering into kindergarten, primary, middle school, or high school. The schools that these children attend depend on the academic needs of the individual child, as well as the special needs and desires of the childâs family. A child who will enter kindergarten ready to learn can be successful in traditional public or private elementary schools; however, some students need more specialized training or the guidance of experienced teachers in order to succeed in this highly competitive environment. The schools that secondary school children attend depend largely on the requirements of the studentsâ families. The most popular grades attained by students in junior and senior high school are Aâs, Bâs, Câs, and Dâs.
In the United States, there are many publicly funded schools that provide a formal education to children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Many of the public elementary schools are funded through the United States Department of Education. In addition, most colleges and universities have various programs for young children who are enrolled in the elementary school system. Private institutions such as day care centers, preschools, and private schools are other options available for formally educated children.


I can multiply a fraction by another fraction.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
Students learn how to multiply fractions.
It is important to be able to multiply fractions so you can determine, for example, how large each slice of apple is.
Ask students to solve the problems in which they must multiply a whole number by a fraction or a fraction by a whole number.
Remind students that a fraction is made up of a numerator and a denominator. Show the problem 2//3 x 3//4. Show the fraction bar divided into 4 units. 3 of the units are colored. Explain that this fraction bar shows 3//4. Then show that you will divide each unit into 3 smaller units, and two of them have been colored dark blue. This is 2//3 of the fraction. Now show the large table and emphasize that 2//3 x 3//4 is the same as 2//3 of 3//4. Now count the number of dark blue squares and the total number of squares. The total table has 12 squares, of which 6 are dark blue. So 6 of the 12 squares are dark blue which makes the fraction 6//12. The final step is to simplify the fraction. 6//12 = 1//2. Ask students to solve the following problems and explain their thinking. Next show students the problem 2//5 x 3//6. Explain that you first multiply the numerators (2 x 3 = 6). Next you multiply the denominators ( 5 x 6 = 30). The fraction is 6//30 which simplified = 1//5. Ask students to solve the following problems and explain their strategy. Show students how to multiply a mixed number by a fraction. Explain that you first multiply the whole by the fraction. Then you multiply the fractions (1//2 x 1//5). Then you set the whole and fraction together to create the total (1 1//10). Have students do the next problems individually. Show the problem 2//4 x 1//4 x 3//5. Explain to students that you multiply from left to right. First you solve 2//4 x 1//4. You then use the answer 2//16 to multiply by the next fraction (2//16 x 3//5 = 6//80 simplified to 3//40). Ask students to solve the next problems individually. Then explain to students how to solve a fraction story problem- first determining which numbers are needed to solve, saying or writing the problem, and then solving by multiplying the fractions. Two more fraction word problems follow for students to practice individually or in pairs.
Check that students are able to multiply fractions by asking teh following question:
- Which steps do you take to multiply fractions together?
Students are given fraction multiplication problems, first with visual support, then in the abstract and then students also get fraction word problems to solve.
Discuss the importance of being able to multiply fractions. To close, ask students to spin all four dials to create a fraction multiplication problem. Students must then solve the created problem. You can choose to have the first student with the correct answer come up to spin the dials for the next problem.
Students who have difficulty multiplying fractions can first practice visualizing fractions. Try to make it visible (or tangible) that a fraction is a portion or unit of a whole, like the apple example. Have them create a table for each fraction, drawing in the lines and coloring in the boxes.
Optional: a fraction chart or worksheet with blank tables for students to use for fraction multiplication.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzyâs Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


When young citizens grow up in creative and imaginative environments, they may be able to respond with creativity and innovation to society's future needs and challenges. If they grow up with an appreciation of ideas and emotions conveyed through the universal languages of music and arts, perhaps they will have greater empathy and appreciation for diverse cultural traditions throughout the world. Music after all, is a mode of understanding. What begins as pure joy for young children can lead, down the road, to a more creative and compassionate world. And the is something we all need. Susan Haig, The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra
A Musical Note from Ms. Janet; Lower School Music Teacher
Music plays a powerful role in the lives of young children. In a quality early childhood program, music activities simultaneously promote development in multiple domains. Music shared with others in singing, dancing, and playing instruments together, is by its very nature a social experience. Music lends itself to cooperation, building relationships, sharing feelings and helps build social and emotional skills.
Most importantly, sharing music with the people they love makes very young children feel cherished and important.
I am so happy that I have this opportunity to play with your children in music. Together, we will explore the different aspects of music: singing, moving expressively and rhythmically, playing classroom instruments, creating music, listening appreciatively and learning to value music as a part of everyday life. Most importantly we have fun!
Directed choral singing and hand bell lessons are part of the Primary curriculum, with traditional concerts and recitals mid-year and year-end. A significant difference between the lower school and primary curriculum is the introduction of reading music. The end result is to perform music from written notation.
Exposure to unusual rhythm and tone is critical to music development; this is achieved by interjecting songs from different cultures throughout the year. Jazz, Blues, syncopated rhythms, classical and contemporary music are included as part of the overall exposure. Movement continues to be a part of every class.
The following formal concepts are introduced during the Primary school years:
Understand that music notation moves from left to right
Identify sound and silence by reading music rests
Understand the difference between beat and rhythm
Begin to read simple rhythm patterns
Understand and use whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes
Identify music staff, measures, time signatures and repeat sign
Understand that notes on the treble clef demonstrate high and low pitches
Identify clef lines and spaces
Identify the use of accompaniment and no accompaniment in the piece
Identify different vocal sounds-singing, talking whispering and shouting
Performing, creating, and responding to music are the fundamental music processes in which our students engage. Singing, playing instruments, and creating music enable them to acquire musical skills. Music is a basic expression of human culture. Our music education program provides every student with access to a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential curriculum in music study.
There are separate Instrumental and Vocal classes each taught by different instructors. Formal weekly violin and string lessons having both mid-year and year-end recitals. Chorus and musical theater performance classes having both mid-year and year-end concerts. The following concepts are developed into more secure skills:
Introduce harmony, drone, ostinato and singing in rounds
Solo in the classroom as well as in performance
Sing and perform with the use of accompaniment, no accompaniment and recorded accompaniment
Sing with expression, using good posture, diction and breath control
Dr. Ted Schlosberg 'Doc', The Westfield Workshop for The Arts Artistic Director and Master Teacher, has been our Sundance Artist in Residence for over 15 years! Each Thursday, he teaches violin, percussion, and beginning band classes to our 2nd-5th grade students.
Our students perform in a Winter and Spring Instrumental Music Concert under Doc's expert direction.


What is a pediatric occupational therapist (OT)?
Occupational therapy is concerned with promoting independence in activities of everyday life â or âoccupations.â Childrenâs occupations include: reaching developmental milestones, play, self-care (eating, sleeping, dressing, grooming, bathing), academic tasks (handwriting, fine motor skills, attention/focus), and socializing.
Pediatric occupational therapists evaluate a Childâs Strengths & Weaknesses
Pediatric occupational therapy evaluates a childâs strengths, as well as difficulties, in critical developmental areas and design interventions that promote the healthy development of skills needed for success with daily activities (occupations). They evaluate the environment, muscle functioning, positioning, coordination, and other areas when determining the cause of decreased skill. Once the cause is identified, the therapist works on these underlying areas of need so that they improve the foundational skills, not just a âsplinterâ skill or a skill that is beneficial at this time and may not be beneficial in the future.
Itâs About Skills & Development
Having a solid foundation of skills allows for the development of self-confidence. Developing a skill and using it successfully encourages children to continually try new activities that expand their skills and build success, and being successful is the foundation for continued learning. Through meaningful activities and play, pediatric occupational therapy facilitates the development of age-appropriate skills and instills this confidence in children to help them play, learn, and grow. When skill and strength cannot be developed or improved, occupational therapy offers creative solutions and alternatives for carrying out daily activities. Pediatric OTs work on childrensâ gross motor skills, visual motor skills, play skills, social skills, basic tasks and sometimes help with language skills and school skills. Many people reach out to occupational therapists for educational purposes and even to work on life skills. Some children receive care for challenges with motor planning, children with developmental delays and chronic illness, birth injuries and kids having challenges with school performance. Sometimes specialized equipment is utilized, and other times no equipment is needed at all.
Pediatric Occupational Therapy Helps With
Pediatric OTs work with babies, very young children, and school-aged kids, and young adults in collaboration with the childâs family, teachers, and other health professionals, in a clinic setting, and within the childâs home or school community, as well as in hospitals as needed. It helps kids with developmental delay and other chronic illnesses.
What education does an OT have?
A masterâs degree is required to become an OT. Many OTs earn an associateâs degree or undergraduate degree in a related field, like biology or physiology, before advancing to a masterâs program, or they can apply for a combined bachelorâs/masterâs program.
Toronto Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN)
Individuals can self-refer for therapy in the home, school, or community. This care is funded by OHIP.
Pediatric Physiotherapy Associates
Provides excellent physical and occupational therapy in the home or virtually.
Toronto Early Childhood and Family Resource System
There is a wide range of services for children in Toronto compiled on this website.


This statement comes from a brief from the Common Core State Standards on application for English Language Learners, or, ELL students. While one might assume the most attention for ELLs would come in the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom, the authors of CCSS indicate, âRegular and active participation in the classroomânot only reading and listening but also discussing, explaining, writing, representing, and presentingâis critical to the success of ELLs in mathematics.â
How can school and classroom environments support differentiated instruction for ELL students? Teachers can begin to support ELLs while engaging the rest of the class by making their classroom environment suitable for English Language Learners. The emphasis of writing across content area means that ELA teachers are not solely responsible for ELL learners. Teachers can work together across disciplines to encourage consistency in visual learning and classroom practices for ELL students.
An example of an integrated approach comes from Laurel Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, where more than 60% of its student populations are classified as English Language Learners. Principal Frank Lozier explains how Laurel Streetâs leadership team works to integrate Common Core standards in both math and ELA classrooms. Lozier says that the old state assessments ârewarded math students with good memorization and pattern recognition skills in ways that the new standards and assessments will not.â Now, Common Core âemphasizes complex word problems, in part so kids realize mathâs usefulness in everyday situations. âWe had our big âAha!â moment when we realized we needed to shift from an emphasis on teaching isolated math skills to integrated skills because of the tasks that would be thrown at themâ by the Common Core, said Lozier. âThe intent is to get the kids to have a deeper and crisper understanding of how math can be used to solve real-life problems.ââ Fourth grade math teacher Angel Chavarin emphasizes the importance of vocabulary in the math classroom: âVocabulary is the pillar to all of this.â
Because language is a key aspect of every subject and assessment, it is also important that ELLs are immersed in literacy-rich school environments where students are immersed in a variety of language experiences that develop foundational skills in English. Check out this great infographic on elements of a literacy-rich classroom and its impact created by Dr. Kimberly Tyson on www.learningunlimitedllc.com.
What is the best way to differentiate instruction for ELL students? Should the Standards be differentiated for learners of all abilities? We anticipate this valuable conversation will be a lasting one.
Was this article useful, valuable, or interesting to you? You may be interested in our eguide on School Environment and the Common Core which has an entire section dedicated to differentiated instruction for learners of all abilities. Click below for a free download!