How Timing of Parenting Tips Boosts Their Effectiveness for Children
The challenges of the workweek make it difficult for parents to make effective use of tips sent by text on weekdays.
"Point out the first letter in your child's name in magazines, on signs and at the store. Have your child try. Make it a game. Who can find the most?"
That tip is an example of parenting advice offered by an educational program that sends text messages to parents of preschoolers. The program has proven effective at boosting children's literacy and math skills.
But when should the messages be sent? On weekends, when parents typically have more time to spend with their children? Or on weekdays, when working parents may be more receptive to outside help to make the most of their limited time with their children? Does it matter?
In When Behavioral Barriers Are Too High or Low — How Timing Matters for Parenting Interventions (NBER Working Paper 25964),
Kalena E. Cortes,
Hans D.U. Fricke,
David S. Song, and
Benjamin N. York studied this issue. They recruited a sample of pre-kindergarten students from the Dallas Independent School District, the 14th largest public school district in the nation. They found that on average, sending the text messages over the weekend had a larger impact on student performance, but that the results varied depending on the baseline skills of the students.
Participating families were nearly all economically disadvantaged; more than two-thirds were Hispanic. Parents had their choice of receiving texts in English or Spanish. Only 28 percent of the parents had completed at least some college.
The text-messaging program was developed at Stanford University. Offered over an eight-month period coinciding with the school year, it sends three types of messages: "FACT" — information on child literacy development and best parenting practices, "TIP" — specific examples of parent-child activities, and "GROWTH" — aimed at reinforcing earlier messages and offering encouragement. Most of the activities can be worked into family routines readily, turning daily activities such as commuting and meals into learning opportunities.
Parents were randomly divided into three groups that differed only in the timing of messages. The weekday group received FACT texts on Monday, TIP texts on Wednesday and GROWTH texts on Friday; the weekend group received messages in the same order, but on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. To tease out the impact of sending texts on consecutive days, the third group, midweek parents, received messages on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Student competency was measured using the Circle Assessment System at the start, middle, and end of the school year. Language and literacy skills were based on timed assessments, such as rapid vocabulary, a one-minute task gauging a child's ability to name common objects, and phonological awareness, a five-minute drill of a child's understanding of sounds like alliteration and rhyming. Math skills were assessed through such exercises as counting and identifying numbers and shapes.
Overall, the researchers found that the challenges of the workweek were too great for parents to make effective use of the text-messaging program. This was especially the case for parents of children who scored in the lower half of the Circle assessment at the outset of the study. The researchers conclude that it is important to factor in parents' outside demands and their children's skill levels when attempting to optimize learning programs.
— Steve Maas
The Digest is not copyrighted and may be reproduced freely with appropriate attribution of source.


A new study on early childhood education finds that African American preschoolers are suspended at higher rates than their white classmates. African American children make up 42% of preschool suspensions but only 18% of enrolled children.
“At the same time that many states and communities across the country are committing to expanding high-quality early learning opportunities, alarming statistics suggest that early childhood learning environments are a point of entry to the school-to-prison pipeline, particularly for African American children. Preschoolers—children ages 3 to 5—are especially vulnerable to punitive and non-developmentally appropriate disciplinary measures. A national study by Walter S. Gilliam found that preschoolers are expelled at a weighted rate of more than three times that of K-12 students. Furthermore, while African American children make up only 18 percent of preschool enrollment, they account for 42 percent of preschool suspensions. Comparatively, non-Hispanic white preschoolers make up 43 percent of enrollment but 28 percent of preschool suspensions.
The practice of suspending and expelling children—particularly those younger than age 5—from early childhood settings can have profound consequences. These punitive measures come at a time when children are supposed to be forming the foundation of positive relationships with peers, teachers, and the school institution. Instead, they are experiencing school as a place where they are not welcome or supported, which serves as a troubling indicator of what is to come. Research shows that when young students are suspended or expelled from school, they are several times more likely to experience disciplinary action later in their academic career; drop out or fail out of high school; report feeling disconnected from school; and be incarcerated later in life.”
The study makes the following recommendations:
- Prohibiting suspensions and expulsions across early childhood settings
- Improving teacher preparation and education with an eye toward cultural responsiveness and racial equity
- Expanding access to in-school behavioral and emotional support services, including early childhood mental health consultation, or ECMHC
- Increasing funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, or MIECHV
- Supporting a diverse teacher workforce and pipeline
- Promoting meaningful family engagement strategies
Check out the full report at: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/08000111/PointOfEntry-reportUPDATE.pdf


Second graders spend lots of time building skills for telling time. You can expect plenty of worksheets with clocks to identify; but it's also important for kids to get a feel for time. What does a minute feel like? An hour? This fun game helps children learn to estimate the most basic unit of time--a minute--without a clock. Instead, they will use repeated activities that each last a minute to truly understand what fits into 60 seconds!
What You Do:
- Start this activity by letting your child know you will be playing a game with time. Review with him how many seconds are in one minute. Tell your child you'll be timing him to see how many activities he can do in a minute, including jumping jacks, hopping on one foot, counting to ten, and clapping his hands.
- Using a clock or watch, time your child for one minute as he counts how many jumping jacks he can do. Be sure to tell him when to begin and stop counting.
- Repeat Step 2 with each of the following activities: have your child hop on one foot, count to 10, and clap his hands. As your child becomes more used to the amount of time elapsed with these activities, have him guess when one minute has elapsed as you time him.
Variation: Switch roles, and let your child be the timer while you count how many of the above activities you can do in a minute. Your child will love learning time this way with you!
Carrie Ann Cain has been teaching second grade for three years. She is certified in elementary education, special education, Spanish, and ESOL (teaching english to speakers of other languages).


Bilingual Bicultural Education. Multicultural Education. Assessment of Bilingual Students. English as a Second Language (ESL). Linguistics. First and Second Language Acquisition. Bilingual Early Childhood. Advocacy and Immigration Reform. Politics and Language Policies in the World. Biliteracy Best Practices. Equity and Social Justice.
BLBC 338: Foundations of Teaching English Learners
BLBC 339: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Schools
BLBC 340: Methods of Teaching English Learners in Diverse Classrooms
BLBC 341: Methods of Teaching in Bilingual Classrooms
BLBC 342: Assessment of Bilingual Students
BLBC 328: Clinical Experience in Elementary Education
BLBC 329: Student Teaching in Elementary Education
BLBC 438: Foundations of Bilingual Education
BLBC 439: Multicultural Education as Responsive Pedagogy
BLBC 440: Teaching English Learners in Diverse Classrooms
BLBC 441: Methods of Teaching in Bilingual and ESL Classrooms
BLBC 442: Assessment in Multilingual Classrooms
ELED 429: Internship in Elementary Education
Preparing pre-service and in-service teacher candidates. Language policies and politics in the European Union and the United States. Bilingual Bicultural Education. Multicultural Education. Assessment of bilingual students. English as a second language (ESL). Linguistics. First and second language acquisition. Bilingual early childhood. Advocacy and immigation reform. Politics and language policies in the world. Biliteracy best practices. Equity and social justice.
Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction.
Master in Applied Linguistics.
Bachelor in Education with a major in Spanish.
Yturriago, J.K., & Gil Gacia, A. (2011). Preparing teacher candidates: A linguistic conundrum in a changing political landscape. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IJHSS), Vol. 2, No.1.
Yturriago, J. (2010). Transformiong Early Childhood Programs for Young English Language Learners: A Creative Vision for Change. IAMME Bulletin, Vol XXXIV, No. 1.
Yturriago, J.K. (2006). How do you use evidence on program effctiveness to inform policy? In E. Hamayan & R. Freeman (eds.). English language learners at school: a guide for administrators (pp. 27-28). Philadelphia: Carlson Publishing.
Yturriago, J.K. (2006). What do parents of English language learners contribute to your school? In E. Hamayan & R. Freeman (eds.). English language learners at school: a guide for administrators (pp. 50-51). Philadelphia: Carlson Publishing.
Yturriago, J.K. (2006). What can you tell parents of English language learners about language use at home? In E. Hamayan & R. Freeman (eds.). English language learners at school: A guide for administrators (pp. 51-53). Philadelphia: Carlson Publishing.
Kwiat, J. (1996). Variation in expectations among teachers for Hispanic students. UMI Dissertation Services. Ann Arbor, MI (Doctoral Dissertation).


Most of the goals have been organized into 8 groups
|Play Group||One and a Half to Two Plus years old|
Academics Early Year program
Our Daily Activities
We concentrate on developing confidence and building relationships as they begin to wonder about their world.
Developing a child’s motor skills in a safe environment. With your child’s natural curiosity and eagerness to explore the world, our facilities are designed to discover, build motor skills and improve coordination.
Building a child’s sensory and mental skills by participating in a variety of fun and interactive activities such as matching and sorting, colours, counting and categorizing objects.
Introducing the child to books and language for early literacy development.
Improving a child’s self-esteem while gaining awareness of others and realizing a sense of group identity.
Participating in music, dance and drama while exploring art activities to develop your child’s sense of creativity.
At kindergarten, the child is ready to participate in more complex activities.
- Portfolio for your child’s creative activities
- Small group participation
- Theme-based activities that enhance language and speech, music and arts
- Regular parent-teacher communication to keep you informed about your child’s day-to-day activities.
Greater participation in activities that enhance cognitive development, such as counting and improving his/her mathematical skills.
Language and Literacy:
Establishing your child’s love of reading at an early stage by exposing him/her to a variety of books and helping them develop reading and writing skills.
Social and Emotional Development:
Talking, listening, sharing and interacting with a group to develop your child’s self-esteem and confidence.
Helping your child to express themselves through artistic and creative activities such as dancing, painting and pretend plays.


Print your own sight words flash cards. Create a set of Dolch or Fry sight words flash cards, or use your own custom set of words.
Follow the sight words teaching techniques. Learn research-validated and classroom-proven ways to introduce words, reinforce learning, and correct mistakes.
Learn what phonological and phonemic awareness are and why they are the foundations of child literacy. Learn how to teach phonemic awareness to your kids.
A sequenced curriculum of over 80 simple activities that take children from beginners to high-level phonemic awareness. Each activity includes everything you need to print and an instructional video.
Sightwords.com is a comprehensive sequence of teaching activities, techniques, and materials for one of the building blocks of early child literacy. This collection of resources is designed to help teachers, parents, and caregivers teach a child how to read. We combine the latest literacy research with decades of teaching experience to bring you the best methods of instruction to make teaching easier, more effective, and more fun.
Sight words build speed and fluency when reading. Accuracy, speed, and fluency in reading increase reading comprehension. The sight words are a collection of words that a child should learn to recognize without sounding out the letters. The sight words are both common, frequently used words and foundational words that a child can use to build a vocabulary. Combining sight words with phonics instruction increases a child’s speed and fluency in reading.
This website includes a detailed curriculum outline to give you an overview of how the individual lessons fit together. It provides detailed instructions and techniques to show you how to teach the material and how to help a child overcome common roadblocks. It also includes free teaching aids, games, and other materials that you can download and use with your lessons.
Many of the teaching techniques and games include variations for making the lesson more challenging for advanced students, easier for new or struggling students, and just different for a bit of variety. There are also plenty of opportunities, built into the lessons and games, to observe and assess the child’s retention of the sight words. We encourage you to use these opportunities to check up on the progress of your student and identify weaknesses before they become real problems.
Help us help you. We want this to be a resource that is constantly improving. So please provide us with your feedback, both the good and the bad. We want to know which lessons worked for your child, and which fell short. We encourage you to contribute your own ideas that have worked well in the home or classroom. You can communicate with us through email or simply post a response in the comments section of the relevant page.


Music Lesson Plans, Kids - (regular beat. Substances: • recording of “within the hall of the mountain king” from peer gynt suite through edvard grieg • space for motion series: 1. Concentrate.: ?? responding to a extensive sort of track ohio requirements: • studying and responding (display/perceive contrasting elements of song. ??permit’s preserve the beat of the song with our ‘spider arms’ very lightly.?dr. Cultural and social contexts (sing. Listening grades ok–2 lesson plan #1: flow to the beat & its pace country wide std. Expressive features moving. The pace (velocity) of the beat can exchange. Shape (word). #6: • paying attention to. ?classics for children® 2012 . Kay edwards 2012 . Start right now with the aid of pronouncing. Demonstrate. And describing track prek– okay nat’l std. The principle topic starts offevolved at zero:04 at the recording. Describe/talk/specific. Examine conceptual gaining knowledge of: tune could have a steady beat. After the class sits down in a circle.
Music Lesson Plans, Kids Perfect Home Lesson Plans, Preschool Awesome Summer Camp Calendar 2017 I Ideas
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Unit length there are three training in this unit for grades ok-2. Lesson plans are designed for class durations of approximately 35-40 mins. Teachers will want to conform the lesson plans to match their faculty assets and the person needs of their students. Lesson use the 3 training are designed to be used by using fashionable tune teachers, but, quantities of the classes could be used by lecture room instructors or homeschool teachers as well. Requirements national requirements for track (1994) are indicated on each lesson. The three training mixed cope with 7 of the 9 national standards (all besides #4 and #five). [Note: new standards are currently being developed by the national association for music education] the ohio requirements for song are indicated on every lesson also. Song teachers in other states can effortlessly suit their standards to those in this unit. The three training mixed address all of the five ohio content material standards. [Note: new standards are currently being developed by the ohio department of education] multiple intelligences the classes as a group facilitate musical, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic– verbal, logical–mathematical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence, 6 of the 7 intelligences at the start diagnosed by howard gardner. Due to the fact this is applicable to the totality of the three classes, those intelligences are not indexed one at a time at the lesson plans. Critical questioning the lessons offer observable, measurable verbs from bloom’s taxonomy of wondering capabilities. It's far regularly left as much as the teacher to assess these talents in an age–appropriate and realistic manner suiting the magnificence.


The number one cause of death and disability for children in the U.S. is from injuries. Most injuries are preventable AND predictable.
A new online Safety and Injury Prevention Curriculum for Early Care and Education Settlings developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It is an educational tool for child care providers with all levels of understanding about safety issues. The tool helps providers: learn how to prevent injuries, recognize potential safety hazards and understand how to create a safe environment.
This curriculum includes PowerPoint presentations (with video clips), quizzes, activities, and links to forms. There are six modules that can be completed in 30 to 60 minutes each, plus a seventh that is a compilation of modules one through six.
The modules are:
- Introduction to Safety and Injury Prevention in Early Care and Education Settings (includes choking, drowning, falls, etc.)
- Fire and Burn Prevention
- Transportation Safety: In and Around Cars
- Playground Safety
- Medication Safety and Poison Prevention
- Helmet Safety
- Compilation Module
You can find Safety and Injury Prevention Curriculum for Early Care and Education Settlings on the NCECHW portal of the Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC).


Dramatic Play and play-based learning is a great way to develop oral language skills, cooperation, content vocabulary and social skills in your early childhood classroom!
This is BUNDLE 2 and includes a set of five dramatic play printables!
The bundle includes the following individual resources:
Each set includes posters, labels and printables ready to print and use straight away in your dramatic play areas! You’ll find photographs of each area all set up and a list of suggested resources and materials to collect, many of which you probably already have!
Check out the preview images – you’ll see that there is a lot included!! Use all of the printables included or select just a few that will really suit your own little learners. You may even encourage your Little Learners to help create additional items for your imaginative play areas depending on their age!
As your students play and imagine, they will be building fantastic content-specific vocabulary! Your little learners are going to absolutely love these sets!
“I just love your dramatic play centres, so I was so pleased to find this bundle! I especially love to see the photos on your blog of your children using them – so great for early language and literacy development and so creative!” Kylie
Happy playful learning!


Please enjoy the following PDFs as games, activities and ideas that you can do at home.
These two documents include snack and lunch ideas, ways of being physically active at home, some tips for parents, sample newsletters and more. Remember to explore the “For Fun” tab to see even more games that promote motor development and recipes that are good options for the whole family.
- Healthy Eating and Healthy Beverage Ideas for the Family
- Physical Activity and Screen Time Ideas for the Family
Single pages of the Family section in each manual are also available here for easy viewing.
Healthy Eating and Sugary Sweetened Beverages:
- Canada’s Food Guide Tips
- Go for Grains
- Lunch Ideas for the Whole Family
- Making Healthy Food Choices And Being Aware Of Unhealthy Advertising
- Parents as a Healthy Role Model
- Snacking on Vegetables and Fruit
- Sugar is Sweet – And Drinks Are Too?
- Super Snacks
- Tips for Packing Healthy Snacks and Meals
Physical Activity and Screen Time:
- Active Parent Role Modeling
- Chickens Bark and Tree Huggers
- Coloured Flashlights
- Fundamental Motor Skill Development
- Herding Sheep
- Homemade Track Race
- Kite Flying
- Less Screen Time for More Fun Time
- Physical Activity and Socialization Skills
- Physical Activity Definitions
- Physical Activity Intensities
- Ring the Bell
- Touch That
- What Are Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviours?


How Much Should We Review After a Break?
This week we received the following question from a customer. She is using Foundations B, but her question applies to Essentials and the rest of Foundations as well.
My daughter is in the middle of Foundations book B. Would you be willing to share your thoughts on how much we should go back and review at the beginning of a new school year? Thank you!!-Becky
You should plan to spend 2-4 weeks reviewing what she has learned so far in
One simple way to do this is to plan to review Foundations A and the first half of B at a pace of about four lessons per day. Review the content for all four lessons, and then choose a sprinkling of the games, practice activities, and spelling analysis words to practice with.
Then adjust that pace faster or slower depending on how quickly she's taking it all in.
Thanks for the question!
What about other points in Logic of English curriculum?
If you are starting at a different point in Foundations, or continuing Essentials after stopping partway through before a vacation, use a similar approach: Review all the language skills you have taught thus far, including handwriting if it is a new skill for the student. In particular, be sure to review all the phonograms taught thus far, the spelling rules, segmenting and blending skills, and the application of these concepts in words through spelling analysis, before moving forward from where you left off to introduce new content.
Both Essentials (for 8 and up) and Foundations (for ages 4 through 7 or 8) introduce concepts and build mastery in a systematic, carefully designed progression. So while each new lesson continues to review and build on previously taught concepts, students do need to be explicitly taught and given enough practice to become comfortable with the material in each lesson before moving forward. When you've taken a break, this means providing time for reteaching and review.
In Essentials, which has longer units designed to be spread over a week or more, try starting your review at a pace of one whole unit's concepts per day. Play at least one phonogram game and teach several spelling analysis words in addition to reteaching the unit's content. The next day, review a new unit. Increase or decrease your pace depending on how quickly students remember and relearn the concepts they covered before the break.
The big picture
Do not expect a student to return to lessons at the same level of mastery he or she ended at if you have taken a break of a few weeks or more. This is not a realistic or fair expectation, particularly for foundational skills that need to be learned to the point of automaticity. Review and reteaching after a break is a normal, healthy part of the learning process, and you will find your students moving forward much more successfully if you provide adequate time for review. In a school setting, this will also provide an opportunity for new students to learn the the concepts for the first time and for you to gain a sense of how quickly they are catching on and what additional support and instruction in the material may be needed.


Factors critical to the success of the project approach
The design of the project provided an attractive learning opportunity for music students, and the use of the music audition as a learning setting was immediately relevant to all students. Students were invited to participate in a listening masterclass, with a music industry expert as guide, and to experience the ‘audition’ process as both auditionee and auditioner. Students were familiar with the concept of a music audition, from their initial application to university, and were starting to think about the audition as the next gateway in their pathway to the music profession.
Participants’ interest was piqued by the prospect of taking part in blind and sighted auditions. Before the session started, students were asked what they expected to learn from the experience. Both auditionees and auditioners identified the value of this novel experience to learn:
- ‘how to approach my own future auditions’
- ‘the difference between auditioning experience with and without a screen’
Students were keen to experience the different settings of auditions (blind and sighted) to
- ‘experience an audition from both sides of the screen’
- ‘understand ‘how auditioners make decisions in these situations’
- ‘[experience] how to make objective evaluations when listening – and whether this is entirely possible…’
The greatest impediment in recruiting students to participate in the project was their tendency to prioritise practice and rehearsal over extra-curricular experiences in the context of a demanding music program. It would be essential to any future program success to embed learning opportunities in existing course structures so it is an integral component of music learning.
Possible implementations in different institutions
In the age of the ‘portfolio career’ musician (Bennett, 2008), performance students will be likely to be future performers as well as teachers and assessors of music. As such, music institutions must think creatively about how to prepare performers for the challenges of the music profession, not only in the craft of playing their instrument, but as critical thinkers and expert evaluators of musical sound. The extent of this seed project in two institutions and working with four discrete cohorts has demonstrated the applicability and transferability of the simple project design focused on active or experiential learning for music students. Future iterations will continue to focus on equipping music students with the tools to expand their traditional aural perception skills by developing a more sophisticated aural and performance literacy in order to understand how professional and expert listeners assess music performers.
There is a growing need to prepare tertiary level performers to think creatively, beyond the craft of performers, to be critical thinkers about musical ‘sound’. The music domain relies on expert musicians to make the most important music judgements about music performance but there is a growing body of empirical music evidence to suggest even expert musicians are unable to judge the sound and sight of music performances in the same way (eg Thompson, Graham, & Russo, 2005; Tsay, 2013). Traditional music training at tertiary level rarely includes promotion or awareness of these recent findings, and more importantly, has not incorporated them into effective training for music students to equip them for their musical careers, when they will face tasks as auditioner or auditionee.
This purpose of this seed project was to design and develop a pilot study to develop students’ listening acuity for music performance evaluation investigate the way in which students can experience and reflect on evaluation practices needed for the music profession. This pilot study was designed to mimic an authentic assessment setting, namely the music audition, which requires both blind and sighted presentations by music performers, and evaluation by listeners. This music training setting was prompted by key cognitive research in music which suggests that sight is more important than sound in evaluating music performance (e.g. Thompson et al., 2005; Tsay, 2013).
This project is the first to challenge students’ listening acuity for performance and performer evaluation by developing knowledge from recent empirical testing to a practical and familiar music setting. It will enhance music students’ critical listening skills for performance evaluation, and has the potential to redefine the way in which the music profession critically evaluates performers.
This study appropriated audiovisual strategies from the empirical literature, to allow music students to experience performer evaluation in a variety of sensory presentations, and to develop their own understanding of how they listen to performers. Crossmodal sensory information has been examined for its role in expressivity and overall evaluation but now must be considered to enrich musicians’ frames of reference to perceive, evaluate and communicate sound and expand music education and pedagogy. Future educational studies will seek to develop an evidence-based and holistic educational experience to prepare future music professionals to become critical thinkers about music performance.


This is a title text element. Double-click to edit.
Our tennis skills are the foundation of our tennis game, this is what defines tennis players from other
athletes and is the base level of self-mastery in the game.
Our skill abilities determine our shot selection and point
structure, this is the driving force behind advanced skill
training – shot development.
In Sporting terms, Skills are split into
Fine Motor Skills (grip changing, racquet balance in hand)
Gross Motor Skills (running, jumping, squatting etc)
Fine Motor Skills (FMS)
Tennis has conventionally used the term ‘technique’ to link both fine and gross motor skills at the same time.
This is detrimental to fine motor skill development as FMS requires a greater level of focus and progression based learning.
At school of tennis we have set progressions in our programs that enable the individual to learn intrinsically and store muscle memory faster.
It is not uncommon for professionals to have Fine Motor Skill deficits and have created subordinate shot choices to cover for these weaknesses, this is why tennis players have point structure limitations.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skill development for tennis is to progress general athletic abilities – balance, strength, range of motion, power etc
And to also tailor specific movements for tennis eg Lateral movement, hip rotation, internal rotation of the shoulder.
Our muscles work in a set kinetic chain and all our bodies, despite their differences all work to the same commands.
Our ‘Tennis Athletic’ program is based on researched biomechanical principles and progresses separately to our Fine Motor Skill program.


The value of a university education has been called into question by a new international study which found that almost one in three graduates are overqualified for their jobs.
In England, 28 per cent of graduates have jobs which do not require a degree, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
This is double the average proportion for OECD countries (14 per cent), and second only to Japan (29 per cent).
The report notes that percentage of British 25-34 year-olds going to university has surged from 43 per cent in 2007 to 52 per cent last year. 2016 was the first year that more than half of the population went to university.
Andreas Schleicher, OECD's director of education and skills, said that while young people in England are increasingly entering the jobs market armed with a degree, many graduates remain unable to cope with even “basic” maths.
"Some people with degrees don't have the right skills - numeracy and literacy,” he said.
"You would label them as overqualified, but they may not be overskilled." Mr Schleicher went on: "I am not talking about somebody doing advanced mathematical analysis or reasoning, these are pretty basic numeracy skills.
"And you ask yourself a: how people could leave the school system with those skills, and b: then how can they make their way not only into, but even out of, higher education with a degree."
The OECD study also found that 70 per cent of all graduates – the highest out of any country - fail to repay their loan in full after 30 years, leaving the taxpayer to pick up the outstanding amount.
The report notes that this represents an “additional cost for the public sector, which extends and guarantees the loans”.
It comes as data presented to the British Sociological Association suggests that for some female students, going to university is only worth it if they attend a top Russell Group institution.
Women from wealthier backgrounds were less likely to find a secure job if they had gone to a "non-elite" university than if they had no degree at all, the analysis found.
Survey data from 4,281 women in England from the Next Steps study, which tracks a group of young people born in 1989 and 1990, suggests that these graduates were less likely to be in a permanent job and more likely to be doing shift work or on a zero-hours contract at the age of 25 than their peers who did not have degrees.
Maria Holcekova, who carried out the research at Essex University, said the same pattern did not apply for men.
However, the data did show that men from privileged backgrounds were more likely to be doing shift work at age 25 than those without a degree, and those who studied arts and humanities were less likely to have a full-time or permanent job than their equivalents without a degree.
Ms Holcekova said: "Graduating from non-Russell Group university increases the probability of insecure employment, such as shift work or zero-hours contracts, compared to those without a degree".
He said that while students should be encouraged to "follow their passions" when deciding which university course to study, they need to be aware that the choice will lead to huge variability in their potential future income.


The human brain: is there anything more fascinating? Even though we have the benefit of extensive medical advancements these days, there remains so much of the brain’s intricate complexities that we’ve yet to fully comprehend. One thing we are sure of, unfortunately, is the decline in memory our brains encounter as a natural result of aging. But it’s also been discovered that this decline in memory can also be overcome to some extent through neuroplasticity – the development of brand new brain pathways and improvements to existing ones, resulting in the ability to improve memory and cognitive abilities.
Although it might seem like a challenging prospect, the reality is, there are several steps that are quite simple to implement that can bring about these positive changes:
- Activities to strengthen the brain. Forego those memory-enhancement programs you see on the Internet, and opt instead for activities that provide the opportunity to master a new skill, that are challenging, that offer ongoing development, and that are personally rewarding. Options to consider: learn a new language, pick up a new musical instrument, or try your hand at the arts.
- Regular exercise. Aerobic exercises enhance the brain’s level of oxygen, and are even more effective when paired with motor skill development and hand-eye coordination activities.
- Better sleep habits. Although the majority of us would probably admit to getting less than a healthy amount of sleep each night, we might reconsider our sleep habits if we realized the impact it has on our brain health. 8 – 9 hours of sleep is optimal for most adults every night.
- Enhanced socialization. Staying social can greatly affect our brain health. And since isolation is often a concern for seniors, it’s important to find creative ways to stay social: volunteering, joining a class, or seeking out the services of a companion through a professional senior care agency, such as those at Enhanced Home Care.
- Lower stress. Ongoing stress can damage not only brain cells but also the hippocampus – the area of the brain in charge of our memory. Help your senior loved ones (and yourself!) to make it a daily priority to engage in relaxing activities: read a book, meditate or pray, listen to soothing music, etc.
For more resources and tips that can help seniors improve memory and enjoy a better quality of life, call on the experts in memory care in Leawood, KS at Enhanced Home Care. We can help older adults in a variety of ways – through transportation to fun events and activities, by participating in exercise programs with the senior, by offering cheerful companionship to reminisce, play games and cards, share in favorite interests together, and more, according to the individual’s particular interests. Call us any time at 913-327-0000 to learn more about memory care Leawood, KS seniors need!


Literacy has been identified as a basic human right (Coomans, 2007; "Literacy," 2016).
Successful literacy development is founded on language skills that originally develop in the oral modality.
Literacy development, in turn, further enhances and extends oral language abilities across the lifespan.
Speech Pathology organisations around many parts of the globe (including Australia, New Zealand,
Canada and the USA) are unified in the statements regarding the role that speech pathologists have in
the literacy domain. This is driven by the theoretical principles regarding the intimate relationship between
acquiring oral language and communication, and learning to become literate.
This clinical guideline has been developed to provide guidance to speech pathologists working in the
The aims of the clinical guideline are:
To document the scope of practice for speech pathologists working in literacy from infancy to
adolescents (upper high school);
To provide recommendations on applying speech pathologists’ knowledge and expertise in the
To provide evidence based approaches for speech pathologists in the field of literacy.
The Speech Pathology Australia Association:
endorses the critical role of speech pathologists in prevention, identification, and management of
literacy difficulties from infancy to adolescents;
advocates that speech pathologists work collaboratively with the education team to provide literacy
asserts speech pathologists should use evidence-based approaches;
asserts speech pathologists should engage in continuing professional development activities
relevant to their area of practice.
This guideline demonstrates speech pathologists have the knowledge, skills and competencies to be
providing services across a broad scope of practice in the literacy domain. This includes promotion of oral
language and emergent literacy skills, early identification and intervention for at risk children in the
beginning years of school, and assessment, management and intervention for students in mid and later
years of school.
The guideline provides recommendations derived from the best available research evidence on how
speech pathologists may apply their knowledge and skills across the scope of practice.
The recommendations are situated in an Australian context but are applicable to international speech
Hyperlinks have been used throughout the document to assist with navigating the various sections and


This baby really enjoys music. His dad playing guitar and singing Bon Jovi’s massive 1986 hit “Wanted Dead Or Alive” really gets this baby fired up. His reaction is priceless. Enjoy it!
Children of all ages express themselves through music. Playing music for infants proves that, even at an early age, children sway, bounce, or move their hands in response to music they hear. Many preschoolers make up songs and, with no self-consciousness, sing to themselves as they play. Kids in elementary school learn to sing together as a group and possibly learn to play a musical instrument. Older children dance to the music of their favorite rock bands and use music to form friendships and share feelings.
A fine arts education — including music, theater, drawing, painting, or sculpture — whether in practice or theory, has been a part of any well-rounded curriculum for decades — but that may be changing. Many schools today are cutting back or eliminating their art programs due to budget constraints. Numerous studies done over the past decade have demonstrated the amazing benefits of such an integral education facet. Students who don’t have access to art classes may not only miss out on a key creative outlet, but might also face greater difficulty mastering core subjects, higher dropout rates and more disciplinary problems.
Creative art activities can help children in all areas of development. Child care providers should plan creative activities with the child’s overall development in mind. Here are some ways that art activities can support young children’s development.
Whether your child is the next Beyonce or more likely to sing her solos in the shower, she is bound to benefit from some form of music education. Research shows that learning the do-re-mis can help children excel in ways beyond the basic ABCs.


The influence of sign language comprehension on reading has been well-documented in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary-aged deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HOH) children and adults. There is limited research into the predictive nature of sign language comprehension on literacy outcomes in D/HOH children in preschool and early elementary school, however. This research addressed this gap by investigating group differences between D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign language alone and D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign supported spoken language on measures of American Sign Language (ASL) comprehension, sign supported English (SSE) comprehension, letter/word recognition, and reading comprehension. The relationship between ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension on word identification and reading comprehension was also examined. A longitudinal design was utilized and data analyzed with linear mixed models. Participants were D/HOH children 4-6-years-old at the beginning of the study and followed for two years.
Children who communicated primarily through sign language alone had significantly higher comprehension of ASL than children who communicated primarily through sign supported spoken language. There were no significant group differences in growth of ASL comprehension, however. There were no significant group differences in comprehension of SSE, letter/word recognition, passage comprehension or growth pattern in these skills. Both ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension predicted letter/word identification and passage comprehension final status whereas only SSE comprehension predicted growth pattern. When word identification was examined in addition to the language predictors, the random effects of the model could not be estimated so statistical inferences for the predictive utility of ASL comprehension on reading comprehension above SSE comprehension and word identification could not be drawn.
Implications for service delivery in early intervention, progress monitoring of language skills, instruction, and personnel preparation are discussed. Because of the significant variation in language development initial status, further research is recommended into sources of individual variation in language outcomes. Future longitudinal research is needed to examine the age range from early childhood through elementary school, include multiple measures of linguistic competence, and identify the influence of new hearing technology and language experience. Furthermore, intervention studies aimed at improving language development are warranted given its relationship with literacy.
|Advisor:||Freund, Maxine B.|
|Commitee:||Dardick, William R., Garrido-Nag, Karen|
|School:||The George Washington University|
|School Location:||United States -- District of Columbia|
|Source:||DAI-A 79/12(E), Dissertation Abstracts International|
|Subjects:||Disability studies, Early childhood education, Elementary education, Special education|
|Keywords:||ASL, Deaf, Early childhood, Literacy, Sign language|
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SEG Measurement conducted a national study of nearly 300 preschool children, aged three years through five years, to test the ability of Kindermusik International’s curriculum ABC Music & Me to affect students’ literacy development.
During the study, students in both the treatment and control groups were tested with the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) Pre-K Assessment at both the beginning and end of the school year. Results indicated that students in the treatment group showed a 32% higher gain in PALS scores over the control group.
ABC Music & Me is an early childhood literacy and language curriculum from Kindermusik International that uses music and movement to engage young children, while teaching a variety of skills. Activities are designed to develop and strengthen each student’s early literacy skills, fine/gross motor skills, and social-emotional skills through theme-related songs, poems, stories, dancing, and instrument play.
Click here to view entire research study and learn more about ABC Music & Me.


Mural depicting labor history being torn down
Kevin Barlow | The Pantagraph (AP)
BLOOMINGTON (AP) — For 33 years, the Bloomington-Normal labor history mural served as the backdrop for union meetings, rallies and political gatherings. On July 21, local artist Kari Sandhaas and her husband, local labor leader Mike Matejka, shared their memories of the wall that will soon be coming down with the demolition of the Laborers’ Local 362 old hall in Bloomington.
“It’s my hope that those who see this mural will be reminded of the union struggles of the past and their impact on workers today,” Sandhaas said. “A union, indeed any community, is only as good as its members’ determination to stand together and willingness to look out for one another. This combination of courage and solidarity is found in the stories depicted in this mural.”
The mural, done in acrylics, features local labor history scenes. These include the Bloomington Chicago & Alton Railroad Shops, Mary “Mother” Jones and the 1917 transit strike, the 1922 national railroad Shops strike, the 1937-38 Beich Candy (now Ferraro) strike, a 1930s to 1970s unemployment bench, the 1978 Normal Fire Fighters’ strike and a construction scene.
“This is a piece to bring pride to people,” Matejka said. “To have this piece in this room is very significant. It wasn’t just people going to their union meeting. This piece has a significant story. It gave context as to why they were meeting here and what the building represented. Of course, this was a hiring hall and construction laborers who were out of work could come and sign up to find work. In the spring, there could be 70 people out here during the day.”
The mural is painted directly on the wallboard at the old union hall, making saving it in its entirety a difficult challenge. Local photographer Ken Kashian has documented the mural to enable a smaller, printed version to be produced for the newer Local 362 hall.
Sandhaas was an Illinois State University art education major when she began the mural. It took four years and about 600 hours of work to finish the project. A college degree and birth of a baby slowed her progress after her start. But, she always worked toward the goal of finishing the project.
Much of the mural was taken from photographs to make them more “true to reality.” In many instances, union members brought in pictures of their own families, which she used. There is even a younger Mike Matejka depicted sitting on a bench.
“The combination of courage and solidarity is found in the stories depicted in this mural,” Sandhaas said. “Whether working day to day, side by side, or holding strong to ideals and rights amid times of crisis, these scenes represent significant local labor history events of the past, while recognizing a strong community and labor force in the present.”
Veronika Burger, an artist from Austria who is studying in Chicago, made the trip down to see the mural after she saw it was going to be destroyed soon.
“I just wanted to take a look at it in real life,” she said. “It’s a very good work.”
Matejka and Sandhaas said they will miss the mural once it is gone.
“In nearly 40 years, there hasn’t been one incident of graffiti or any type of vandalism to it,” Matejka said. “It is a little bit yellowed, because for a time, you could smoke in here, but it is still in great shape, besides that.”


Art allows you to process and appreciate the world around you. Whether you are the artist themselves or the viewer appreciating the art, you are essential to the back and forth of visual communication. Especially in this day and age, we are surrounded by images -- it seems one of the quickest ways to communicate. We want our students to be able to digest these images, to be able to interact with them intelligently. We also want students to be able to create this art themselves, to expand the ways they can “speak” to others.
There are unique ways of thinking in art, ways to think outside of the box, ways to invent something new, or to slow down and process this quick-paced world. Art can also act as historical reflection -- art is not created in a vacuum, but is relevant to the artist’s experience at that time. This unique way of thinking helps problem solve in other core courses.
Art encourages students to develop an understanding of their real and imagined worlds. Because making art is so personal, a student has to take charge of their own message. They have to reflect and decide about what is important to them and what they want to say.
Through art education students learn to create, to interpret, to critique or judge as well as become exposed to art created in different times and places. Students learn a few tricks and techniques to practice, and through discipline and hard work, they experience success. That success helps develop confidence.
Visual Arts Department Faculty:
Click here for Visual Arts Department Course Descriptions


For an important part tests in art education take place on the basis of evaluation and feedback. It is the result of a nuanced procedure aimed at the artistic learning process that you follow as student. During this process periods of growth and development are alternated with periods of reflection and assimilation.
Depending on the work form, tests can be held in different ways. Most study programmes rarely hold written tests but assess your development instead.
In certain technical and theoretical subjects, learning, practicing, training and tests are closely related. In such cases making (written) assignments, giving presentations or writing a paper are obvious test forms . In many other subjects that focus on presentations and performances, assessment takes place via observation and analysis of the development you have undergone. The rehearsal process before a performance or presentation is a period of training, learning, acting/ dancing, improvisation and rehearsing which is intensively supervised by a teacher who gives continuous feedback on what you do and how you do it. You are told how you could do certain things better or differently. This is how you learn: by doing, in practice, during the creative process. On stage everything comes together. You are assessed through the continual feedback you receive which also stimulates you to learn more and explore your potential.


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Levy: Renaissance begins in school
Kids need what the arts teach, and the upcoming school levy will continue to provide it. Art education is essential to the growth and development of the creative capabilities of all students. It has its roots in the discipline of visual communication and production, cultural and art history, judgment and aesthetics.
To a young child, it means learning how to apply concepts to communicate ideas. As a child learns to develop and use skills to solve problems, they are more successful in all areas of study. Students love to work with art materials and create products. Their work provides direct evidence of understanding and ability to apply basic concepts. Young children often need to learn kinesthetically to develop their understanding and memory.
Throughout human history, an appreciation of art, music, literature and science has been considered the hallmark of a well rounded citizen. I have taught elementary art for 20 years in the public schools. I work with elementary school students as they mature and graduate from very simple activities to very complex projects in six short years. They create and respond as they discover the world around them. Young children need and deserve a rich dimension to their education.
Thank you for supporting the upcoming school levy election this March. I know hundreds of students that are benefiting immeasurably from art education, physical education and the support staff who offer their expertise.
Elementary Art Specialist
Olympic View Elementary


How many times have we heard a person say, “I don’t do math” or “I’m not good at math” and walk away honestly believing those are acceptable statements? Would we look differently at an individual who made similar statements that involved reading or writing? We are generally pretty quick to judge those with poor literacy skills but those with poor numeracy skills are far more accepted because you know, “I’m just not good at math!”
It is easy to get mesmerized into thinking only about the importance of literacy. How many children don’t love to be read to, especially at bedtime and how many parents don’t love to read stories to their children? Those are extremely important bonding moments that hopefully foster a love of reading. But working on numeracy with your child can also support those parental/child bonds. So often, numeracy can be enhanced through games or simple questions. Pull out a deck of cards and play cribbage or Crazy 8s or any other game that involves counting or patterns. I can remember with great delight the hours my grandfather and I would play cribbage growing up. Simple questions can elicit some powerful numeracy learning in the home. Here’s some simple questions that can be asked as the table is being set for dinner:
- How many forks, knives or spoons are there on the table?
- If we had two more or two less people eating at the table tonight, how many forks, knives or spoons would we need?
- If we had “X” number of people eating at home tonight, how many forks and knives combined would we need?
- Each person eating tonight requires a fork, knife and a spoon. If we have a total of 18 utensils, how many people will be eating at the table tonight?
The possibilities are endless on how we can incorporate numeracy into our daily lives. And, we must do so whether at home or at school since the evidence suggests that numeracy is a better predictor of school success than literacy. “Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health” says Andreas Schleicher from OECD. Further research from the UK emphasizes the importance of possessing adequate numeracy skills.
- People with poor numeracy skills are more than twice as likely to be unemployed
- There is a strong correlation between poor numeracy and poor health and depression
- 14 year olds who have poor math skills at 11 are more than twice as likely to be truant
- A quarter of young people in custody have a numeracy level below that expected of a 7-year-old, and 65% of adult prisoners have numeracy skills at or below the level expected for an 11-year-old
It can no longer be acceptable to say, “I don’t do math!” Students need to possess both strong literacy and numeracy skills. While this certainly starts at home, schools must continue to carry the torch by ensuring that numeracy is as much of a focus as literacy from the early grades onward.
So, how are you going to encourage numeracy learning tomorrow or in this next school year?


Pre-K and Kindergarten Overview
In a mixed- age classroom, our Pre-K and Kindergarten students spend some time learning together through play and experience, and some time learning separately at appropriate levels for their age. Pre-K students have mentors to look up to as they learn school-readiness skills like sitting attentively, classroom jobs, and school routines. Kindergarteners are asked to be leaders and mentors, setting a good example for their younger classmates.
There are different expectations for the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students. All students are challenged to function at their highest level of proficiency and to take the next steps in their developmental acquisition of skills. Each student is uniquely held in the light as they progress through the curriculum.
School Readiness Skills
In Pre-K and Kindergarten at Cambridge Friends School, students develop foundational skills in academic areas and begin to understand that they are members of a classroom, local, and global community. They develop understandings of and respect for different identities and cultures and are empowered to stand up for justice, equity, and their beliefs. The Quaker value of continually seeking truth creates the backbone for student’s deep analytical approach to asking interpersonal, academic, practical, and philosophical questions. This thoughtful approach is also applied to conflict resolution and learning in mathematics and literacy.
Different ways of learning
In the early childhood program, children have opportunities to learn in different ways, including measured and developmentally appropriate amounts of explicit instruction (in mathematics, literacy, and social studies), projects, and self-directed, teacher-supported activities and play. The classroom environment is a key element of the curriculum and is carefully planned and stocked by teachers with specific developmental goals in mind in response to children’s interests and needs. It’s design, offerings, and the organization of materials address the needs of students, inspire creativity and inquisitiveness, and scaffold the development of ideas and learning.
Materials are chosen that are interesting, welcoming, and engaging. Spaces are designed for students to move their bodies, use large muscles and coordination, and accomplish fine motor challenges. There are swings, climbing walls, and gym mats that provide opportunities for students to develop gross motor skills and coordination, use energy, and develop ways to soothe themselves and self-regulate their physical and feelings. Spaces are created, materials provided, and experiences facilitated to foster children’s intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual selves. Students take ownership of the classroom space by taking on weekly classroom jobs and acting as environmental stewards through multi-grade composting and recycling programs. Students’ artwork, signs and projects fill the classroom and change over time as interests and academic subject foci shift. Young children’s excitement in communicating their thinking is channeled into skill building activities (such as journal writing, storytelling or dictating, and note writing) and integrated into academic subjects.
In combined Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, our experiential program allows our youngest students to learn classroom routines and expand their curiosity.Learn More
Kindergarten at Cambridge Friends School focuses on emerging literacy and math in a vibrant classroom designed to spark creativity and wonder.Learn More


In the first year, the Core Curriculum is taught in four workshops spread across the year, matching the developmental trajectory of children’s growing skills.
The first workshop is two sequential days with a focus on Tools’ theory and practice that typically takes place before the school year begins. Each of the remaining three workshops is a one-day session. The second workshop takes place in the fall, the third in the winter, and the fourth and final workshop takes place in the spring. Each workshop builds on the one before it, and teachers attend all of the workshops as part of their Year 1 Core training.
In addition to the Year One Core content, our four-workshop series is supplemented by Technical Assistance support, and a school year long subscription to our innovative app based learning system for teachers, iScaffold. Teachers have ongoing support and a range of ways to learn with Tools of the Mind.
What will teachers learn?
- Cutting-edge research and the underlying Vygotskian theory that will unify and guide their teaching practice and help teachers meet the needs of all learners
- How to embed self-regulated learning into all activities
- Research-based core curriculum content aligned with state standards as well as with commonly used observation and assessment tools (e.g. ECERS, CLASS, or Teaching Strategies Gold)
- How to plan instruction using make-believe play themes to build background knowledge, self-regulation development and incorporate authentic math and literacy learning experiences
- Classroom management techniques to maximize time, facilitate productive interactions and increase and maintain student engagement
Who can register?
This workshop series is designed for preschool teachers, paraprofessionals and related support staff in programs seeking a research-based, innovative approach to curriculum that impacts children’s self-regulation development at the same time as it builds foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
We encourage programs to send lead and assistant teaching teams to our workshops together. Programs that wish to add additional specialists providing support in Tools’ classrooms can be added for an additional cost.
The cost is $3,750 per classroom which includes:
- 5 days of in-person professional development––this includes the lead teacher and one assistant or support teacher
- Technical Assistance from a Tools of the Mind Partnership Development Manager or Specialist assigned to your program
- Curriculum manuals–– 1 print manual set per registered classroom; additional print manual sets can be ordered, and each registered participant has access to our electronic manual edition via their iScaffold subscription
- PreK Year 1 Core Binder with workshop activities and resources for each participant
- School year long iScaffold and eTools subscriptions for each participant
Additional TA may also be purchased. Individualized Technical Assistance helps coaches, administrators, and teachers build a deeper understanding of the Tools of the Mind approach. In TA sessions, Tools of the Mind partners with sites to reflect on children’s engagement in Tools’ activities and provides feedback on next steps using Tools’ tactics to support children’s development.
Are you registering 2 or more classrooms? If so, you can receive a free seat at our professional development workshops for your program administrator or coach, and they will receive a free school year long iScaffold subscription.
Thank you everyone who registered for our regional PreK Year 1 Core workshop series in New Jersey. We are filled to capacity for this series but have created a new PreK Year 1 Core series beginning in October at the same location, and would love to have you join us then! This new Year 1 PreK workshop series will be located at:
Robert Woods Johnson Conference Center
3100 Quakerbridge Road
Mercerville, NJ 08619
- October 2-3
- December 3rd
- February 19th
- April 22nd
If you have any questions, specific needs, or would like to register for this workshop series, please email email@example.com or register by clicking the link below.


INTERESTING ARTICLES/VIDEOS ABOUT MUSIC
- The El Sistema Music Revolution: Jose Antonio Abreu
- How music saved Venezuela’s children
- El Sistema USA – A National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs
- Time to embrace arts education as a priority
Music & the Brain
- Children’s Brains develop FASTER with Music Training
- What playing a musical instrument does to your BRAIN!
- This is your brain. This is your brain on music.
- Hearing The Music
- Music Makes You a Better Reader
- Music Lessons Were the Best Thing Your Parents Did For You
- Music Education Could Close the Achievement Gap
- What does the inside of your head look like when you sing?
- Music Education is the KEY to raising literacy and numeracy standards
- 10 Reasons Making Music is Good for your BRAIN
- National SAT Score Comparison (students in Fine Arts vs. students NOT in Fine Arts)
- String players’ brains
- Music & Language Skills
- Scientific reasons to teach music in schools
- How playing music changes the learning brain
- Music in the brain
Social & Emotional Behavior
- Boys Town Education Model
- Music spurs emotional/behavior growth
- What’s Grit?
- Five ways to teach GRIT
- Teaching through relationships
- Music education requires kids to invest in themselves
- Emotional learning is as important as the ABC’s
Benefits of Music
- Benefits of Playing Music
- The Benefits of Music Education
- Why Listening to Music is Good for your Health!
- Why children should be exposed to classical music…
- Long term benefits of music lessons
- 20 Important Benefits of Music in our Schools
- Music boosts auditory processing
- Music as a language
- Why MUSIC?
- Seven amazing things science has discovered about music
- Why making music matters!
- Why I’m glad I participated in my school’s music program!
Music Infusion / Arts in the Classroom
- Educators want to pair MATH and MUSIC
- Arts in the classroom
- Project Based Learning
- Expeditionary Learning
- Creating a learning community
- How integrating arts into other subjects makes learning come alive
Miscellaneous Music Musings
- Is Music the KEY to Success?
- New Research Shows Listening to Music Actually Alters Your GENES in Surprising Ways
- Conducting with Marin Alsop
- How to read music
- When to clap at the symphony
- An illuminated visualization of Bach’s The Well Tempered Clavier
- The Power of Music
- 10 reasons musicians are more successful
- Pipe Dream Animation
- Music instrument using 2000 marbles
- Starship Groove Animation
MUSIC GAMES & RESOURCES
- Classics for Kids
- Speed Note Reading Game from Vic Firth
- Music Tech Teacher – fun music games for everyone!
- Super Duper Note Name Game
- Ultimate list of online music games
- Chrome music lab
- Guess the animal represented by the music
- Kidzone – NY Phil
- Lines & Spaces Games
- Making Music Fun
- Piano Education Resource Guide
- Musical Playground for Kids!
- The Wide World of Music: An Interactive Guide to 100 Musical Instruments
B SHARP SOLO CONTEST LINKS
FOR WOODWINDS & BRASS:
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE KJOS MULTIMEDIA LIBRARY
Once there, follow these steps:
1 – Click on BAND
2 – Click on Festival Solos Book 1 for all wind solos except Rondeau. Click on Festival Solos Book 2 for Rondeau.
3 – Make your instrument selection and scroll down to find the appropriate solo
“MELODY” IN G
“SPRINGTIME WALTZ” IN G
“WOODEN SHOE DANCE” IN D
“CAPRICCIO” IN G
“DANCE SONG” IN C
“COUNTRY GARDENS” IN D
GRASSHOPPERS & POLLYWOGS
RECORDING COMING SOON!


By Teachers, For Teachers
Collaborative learning is an essential part of 21st-century education. If your state is one that has adopted the Common Core State Standards, then you already know this. If you have not been informed, then collaborative learning strategies are based on the idea that learning is a natural act that involves students working together to solve problems or complete a task. As experts discover the many modalities on how students learn, more school districts are implementing collaborative learning strategies as part of their everyday curriculum.
Ideally, collaborative learning is a process where students work together using each others’ strengths. Students get the opportunity to actively engage with their classmates, and learning flourishes through conversations. Students are challenged both socially and academically as they work together, listen to their peers’ perspectives, and articulate their thoughts. Creating an effective collaborative learning environment takes a lot of planning. Here are a few tips on how to make it work in your classroom.
In order to set up students for success, you must understand that this will not be a quiet classroom. Collaborative learning is all about students discussing and sharing their thoughts. If students are used to the traditional classroom where their desks are in rows and they are unable to work together with their peers, then you must get students used to this new learning style. Start by experimenting with small groups. Put students’ desks into clusters so they can easily speak to one another. As students get used to this new style of learning, increase the amount of time spent in the group as well as the group size.
Effective collaborative learning groups are successful when everyone in the group is accountable for their work. Oftentimes students that are born leaders tend to overpower the group with their knowledge and strengths, leaving the others feeling like they can’t contribute. Or, you may have a situation where a student is lazy and doesn’t want to do the work, then the other students feel like they have to carry all the weight of the group. Whatever the case may be, be sure to create an environment where all students are accountable, not just a few. Try cooperative learning strategies where each student has a specific role for their group, or where groups work in pairs within the group.
Really take the time and think about how you want to put your groups together. In order for students to work well together, there needs to be the right balance. You can choose to group students by varying skill levels, gender, personality, you name it. Just be aware of what works and what doesn’t work. You can change groups as much or as little as you want to. Just make sure that you check in with students and see how they feel about the groups too.
The key to successful collaborative groups is all about the discipline. If you have rules set in place, then the odds of you having a positive classroom atmosphere are much greater. Before you even put students into groups explain your behavior expectations and consequences. Closely monitor each group to see if they are working well together. Stop any disruptions or inappropriate behavior as soon as you spot it and be sure to stick to your consequences. When you enforce the rules and procedures then you will find students will behave and enjoy the collaborative learning environment.
Collaborative learning take a lot of time and effort. Don’t’ get discouraged if it doesn’t seem like it’s working right away. Give it some time, let students adjust, and look and see what is working and what isn’t working. Once you get the groups situated, you will find that the students will really enjoy them.
Do you implement collaborative learning in your classroom? What makes it work for you? Please share your tips in the comment section below, we would love to hear your ideas.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a master's of science in education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the elementary education expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators, or visit her website at Empoweringk6educators.


Ignite your practice with eurhythmics training
Capture the pulse of modern music pedagogy and discover how to bring your classroom to life with a sense of play. This progressive, student-centered course — affiliated with, and based on, the American Eurhythmics Society (AES) curriculum — gives you the skills to infuse your practice with dynamic, purposeful education.
While a variety of perspectives on this method of music education are presented, a focus is given to the following areas to unlock creativity, nurture imagination, and open doors to enriched musical experiences:
- Eurhythmics – Train the body in beat, rhythm, meter, phrase, form, nuance, affect, aesthetics, and Plastique Animée.
- Solfège – Train the ear, eye, and voice in pitch, melody, and harmony.
- Improvisation – Bring all elements together according to the student's own interpretation, including movement, voice, and instrument.
- Pedagogy – Learn techniques that enable you to adapt what you have learned to your own work.
- Teaching demonstration with children – observe faculty leading children in eurhythmics activities and learn through discussions and coursework.
Designed for music educators of all varieties
The mission and vision of this course is to support music educators who teach in schools where all students have access to music education. This training is designed for:
- K-12 classroom music teachers.
- Music educators, dance educators, and other music education specialists.
- Students currently studying music education, or dance.
- College professors and graduate students looking for a more embodied approach.
- Those interested in starting their own music programs or businesses.
- Music therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and recreational therapists.
Learn to adapt to face challenges
Course content is specifically geared to challenges faced by classroom music teachers, among them:
- Oversized/large classes;
- Classroom spaces that are not optimal;
- Sparse/varying weekly instructional time;
- Special needs learners;
- Differentiating instruction;
- ESL learners;
- Grade-level programs;
- Lack of instruments/materials;
- Interdisciplinary curriculum planning;
- Collaboration with classroom teachers;
- Fostering parent involvement;
- Advocating within public school community.
Access state-of-the-art facilities on campus
This eurhythmics training course is delivered in the inspiring setting of the Rocky Mountain foothills, on campus at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Here students have access to state-of-the-art facilities for music and movement, including:
- Two full size professional dance studios;
- The University dance theater, complete with Marley floor, stage lights (for Plastique Animée), and sound;
- Runyan Choral Hall;
- A 4,800 square foot Instrumental Rehearsal Hall with wooden floors;
- Program rooms equipped with SMART board technology;
- Piano labs;
- An extensive eurhythmics library;
- More than 40 practice rooms.
Prepare for certification through the American Eurhythmics Society
This course prepares you to earn your certification through the American Eurhythmics Society. Many students choose to pursue certification to help advance their music education careers and to potentially receive salary benefits. Course faculty are Master Teaching Artists, which makes our training program one of the strongest in the country, and enables students to test on site for their Eurhythmics Certificate. Learn more at the AES website.
Meal and lodging coordination is available for those travelling, a service not available through many other programs.
You have the option of completing this program for personal enrichment by taking the noncredit option, or to enroll in the academic three-credit course to receive transcript credit for the eurhythmics course.


My grandfather used to say that most of the work a parent puts into the salvation of a soul and the development of the person happens in the first three years. Later, the study of brain growth and anatomy would reveal that the most of a child’s brain is hardwired by the age of three. He simply observed his eleven younger brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and his own three children to come to this conclusion. As an early childhood music specialist and homeschooling parent, I have researched this topic extensively. In the end, we can spend a lot of time teaching children many things, but it is the first few years of life that establishes the brain synapses that set up a child’s aptitude for language, music, math, art, physical and psychological achievement.
We also now know that the brain is integral in religious and spiritual experience, with evidence that the frontal lobes are utilized in spiritual exercise. So it is safe to assume that the brain will also respond to spiritual stimulation in its development, allowing a child to develop a proper aptitude toward the eternal. Studies have shown that atheists tend to have heavily developed parietal lobes and less developed frontal lobes, while the deeply spiritual have unusually strong frontal lobes. Keep in mind that the frontal lobes connect intimately with our physical movements and are responsible for much of our personality and identity, so it is vital to introduce the faith to our children as the brain is hardwiring.
With this heavy on my mind, my husband and I spent several years developing the Making Music Praying Twice program, bringing early childhood music practices together with a curriculum that integrates the Catholic faith. We found, as parents, that our parish had programs for children and adults of all ages, but not much for children and their parents in this key time of development. We soon discovered that there were other parishes with the same challenge, unsure of how to reach out to the youngest parents and youngest children. I continually ponder the Biblical metaphor warning us that a proper foundation is vital to the success of a building. We need to invest the foundations of our families, marriage and the earliest years of parenthood and childhood, if we expect to grow strong, healthy Catholics for the future of our Church.
Over the past two years, we have revised and streamlined the Making Music Praying Twice program to an affordable and device-friendly digital edition. We hope to bring the gift of faith-integrated early childhood music education to as many families and parishes as possible. There is a parish kit to help parishes offer a program for littles with a parent or caregiver or for use with playgroups, co-ops, or parish preschool and daycare programs. There is also a version for families to use at home or with friends.
While I encourage families, ministers and teachers to explore what we created, I also challenge you as parents, grandparents, and faithful Catholics to consider how important being a part of Church and a living faith is for children in the very earliest years. I challenge you to consider how you can help increase the culture of faith in the lives of these children in our families and communities.
Please share your ideas or success in this area you’ve seen in the Catholic Church so we can all learn from these models and reach out to this important demographic.
Copyright 2017 Kate Daneluk


There’s No Place Like Home
(Image by Sarah Pflug from Burst)
Many parents wonder what they can do at home to motivate their children to read and support their literacy development. There are some surprisingly easy and fun ways to integrate reading and writing skills into your daily lives. It starts by creating a home library and helping children make the connection between everyday life and literacy.
Every home should have a comfortable and quiet place that encourages children to relax and unwind with a good book. This home library should have a variety of books and magazines that are easily accessible. It's always fun to add a colorful rug, soft pillows, and an open-faced bookshelf or baskets to help organize and store the books. Kids often feel more ownership of the area and are more likely to use the space if they are allowed to help design and decorate it. Children should be encouraged to use the library every day by setting aside time for everyone in the house to read every day/night independently, together or a mixture of both. Remember it is ok to read the same books over and over because repetitive reading builds confidence and increases sight word vocabulary. Parents should make sure to take advantage of the local library so that they can introduce their children to new genres and topics.
Children's literacy skills grow when they understand that reading and writing have a purpose so it is important to help children make the connection between everyday life and literacy. One of the best ways to do this is by modeling reading not only for pleasure but also for practical purposes such as reading a newspaper, magazine, email or information from a blog or website. In addition, it can be as simple as talking to children about their day or what interests them as often as possible. Never underestimate the impact of a good conversation. While running errands together, parents can talk about what they are doing, point out signs around them, make lists and help their child find the items. Parents should take advantage of time in the car together by singing songs, playing games (i.e. the alphabet game, I spy, twenty questions, etc.) or listening to a book on tape. When at a restaurant, families can complete the activities on the Kids Menu together. Not only does this help keep everyone entertained while they are waiting for their food, but it’s also is a perfect opportunity to practice reading and writing.
As you can see, these ideas are not expensive or even very time-consuming so they can be incorporated easily into everyday life. In fact, children may not even realize that they are actually learning anything because they will be too focused on the fun quality time they get to spend with their parents and families!


Websites for Parents - Tips and Links
- “A ten-year study, tracking more than 25,000 students, shows that music-making improves test scores. Regardless of socioeconomic background, music-making students get higher marks in standardized tests than those who had no music involvement.” Read more about the impact music makes in kids!
- In 2006, 2013 and 2014, the Fort Atkinson Music Department was named one of the “Best Communities for Music Education!” by the NAMM Foundation. This is a very prestigious honor!
- Top 10 Reasons for your child to participate in Band or Orchestra.
Helping with At Home Practice :
- So how do we approach this whole “practice” thing? Here are some helpful tips for you and your child to read regarding practice.
- Some parents feel unable to help their child practice their instrument because they have no musical experience themselves. Don’t feel intimidated! When your son or daughter first begins playing, the main thing they need from you is your support. Show interest in their music by taking a few minutes to sit by them when they practice. Make sure they set-up a practice schedule at home. Take a look at their beginning book - it is actually very easy to follow and you will probably be able to help them! When a beginning musician first successfully plays a note or two, it is an incredible experience. Be there to celebrate their success with them.
Additional Websites for Parents and Students :
- Three “P’s” to help learn an instrument faster.
- DSO Kids - a fun site for kids!
- SFS Kids - more fun for students!


About Us — History
Reading Assist Institute (RAI) is dedicated to children with significant reading challenges, teaching them the foundational skills of reading and empowering them to succeed academically. We help struggling readers learn the basic mechanics of reading, and train tutors, parents and teachers in an evidence-based, multisensory, structured approach to literacy education.
The evidence-based training that RAI provides is grounded in our over 25 years of experience working with struggling readers, and informed by the latest advances in cognitive neuroscience and reading research.
Through the years, RAI has helped thousands of struggling readers, establishing a regional and national reputation as a leader in literacy support to students, teachers and parents.
In 1979, motivated by her 12-year old son’s struggles to read, Reading Assist Institute Founder Virginia Biasotto developed a multi-sensory, phonics-based, systematic reading curriculum based on her studies of the Orton-Gillingham methods. Determined that other children would not suffer as her son had, Ginger taught the method to friends and neighbors, many of whom worked with their own children before volunteering to work with students in area schools. Success followed success, and Ginger began training more volunteer tutors.
Today, Reading Assist Institute has thousands of graduates who learned to read through the program Ginger created. RAI community volunteers and members of the RAI Reading Corps work with hundreds of students every year, inside more than a dozen schools, while our private service program offers parents the option of intensive, personalized, after-school tutoring for struggling readers.
Reading Assist Institute is a recognized authority in reading intervention for elementary students. In 2013, as the state legislature debated the specifics of new teacher requirements, the State Board of Education turned to RAI for guidance about what literacy education minimums prospective teachers should meet. The Board of Education used that guidance to help craft the law that governs teacher training in Delaware today.
In 2015, Reading Assist Institute created the RAI Reading Corps, in partnership with the AmeriCorps Delaware and the Colonial School District. For the first time in Reading Assist's history, full-time AmeriCorps members went into schools to provide reading intervention to struggling students, one-to-one, 45 minutes a day, five days a week.


In this series we’ll explore how to improve schools in Australia. Some of the most prominent experts in the sector tackle key questions, including why we are not seeing much progress; whether we are assessing children in the most effective way; why parents need to listen to what the evidence tells us, and much more.
The next cohort of five-year-olds are just starting school. While parents will be proud and excited about this important step in their child’s life, some will also have concerns.
Will my child be happy at school? Will they make friends? Will they do well? And is my child even ready for school?
What is school readiness?
This question may sound simple, but school readiness is a complex construct with varying definitions across cultures. Some emphasise children’s skills, others the family, school and community relationships around the child.
For Indigenous families, culturally responsive practices are especially important during the transition to school.
But regardless of background, the transition to school life is more likely to be a smooth process when a child:
is supported by a favourable home learning environment, which includes reading with a child, playing games that support numeracy skills, counting, and visiting libraries
has experienced high-quality early education
is able to manage their emotions and be attentive, understand and follow directions, and play and learn together with other children
enters a school that is prepared to provide for the particular needs and interests of the individual child, such as learning or behavioural difficulties.
A child might not experience all of these, but even some of these things can help.
Early interventions by teachers or parents that build confidence and skills can also be effective.
This can include promoting a child’s language skill by reading to the child often, and using opportunities to encourage the child to think about and regulate their own behaviour. This can be done through taking turns, taking part in conversations, asking questions, and giving children time to be heard.
Learning how to interact with others and seek help when it is needed supports smooth transitions.
How parents can help
A child’s cognitive competencies, especially vocabulary, letter and number knowledge, phonological awareness and counting skills, are key for being ready to start school.
And parents can help support children in this area and strengthen their understandings.
Children who know and use more words, letters, shapes and numbers, and who enjoy and are good at counting or rhyming, often do better later in school.
Families – who are the primary influence on children’s learning – can help by drawing a child’s attention to words, letters, shapes and numbers in the everyday environment, and giving time for the child to express what they notice.
Importance of attending early years education
Attending good early childhood programs can help get children ready to start school.
In early education, children have the chance to expand their vocabulary and conceptual understandings through listening to others. They can also learn social practices that are useful at school.
This is especially true for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
This may be for many reasons. It could be because too few places are available; the fees are out of reach for families; or the quality of teaching is not strong enough to deliver greater learning gains than if the children had not attended at all.
Providers and government can do more to ensure early educators are well equipped to promote children’s learning during these important years of development.
Supporting a child’s transition to school
Successful transitions rely on families and teachers working together, promoting the learning and development of young children.
Policymakers, practitioners, researchers and communities together build the ecosystems that influence and support children’s long-term development.
Progress in meeting early learning and development challenges requires:
families to realise the value of excellent early childhood programs
teachers and families who work together to ensure smooth transitions to school
teachers who make sure each child’s program reflects their interests and enhances their learning
professional learning for early childhood and school teachers to help them boost and support children’s attention, motivation, emotional and cognitive abilities – and to design programs to strengthen these
government programs that target and reduce the causes of disadvantage for children who do not encounter positive starts to school learning
sufficient government investment to ensure all children can participate in excellent early childhood programs.
• The authors explore this theme further in a new book called Educating Australia: Challenges for the Decade Ahead.
Authors: Frank Niklas, Developmental and educational psychologist, University of Melbourne


ARCY2004 Archaeology of Rock Art
- 6 points
Availability Location Mode Semester 1 UWA (Perth) Face to face
- Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 2 option in the Archaeology major sequence
- The area of knowledge for this unit is Society and Culture
- Category A broadening unit for Bachelor of Arts students where relevant according to the broadening requirements for each student
- Level 2 elective
- This unit investigates rock art as a global but culturally diverse phenomenon over the past 100 000 years that defines us as modern humans. The unit is taught by world experts from UWA's renowned Centre for Rock Art Research + Management. Topics cover: rock art dating, pigment analysis, interpretation of rock art, Indigenous perspectives, symbolic behaviour, conservation, and intellectual property issues.The unit provides students with the skill to understand visual communication cross-culturally and the ethics of images. This unit is a prerequisite for the ARCY2005 Rock Art Field School, which provides essential hands-on skills.
- Students are able to (1) demonstrate an understanding of the theories and methods archaeologists use to identify, record and interpret rock art in scientific and culturally appropriate manners, as well as recognising the emerging role of digital technology in this process; (2) demonstrate an understanding and ethical appreciation of rock art, the antiquity of rock art and its cultural heritage value in a global context; (3) explain current conservation practices used in the management of rock art and their implications for archaeology; (4) comprehend archaeological literature, specialised terminology and data, and communicate this in an appropriate manner both orally and through written expression; and (5) demonstrate critical reading skills and source criticism.
- Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) essay; (2) test; and (3) tutorial assignments. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 overall and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Professor Jo McDonald
- Unit rules
- 12 points of Level 1 study
- Contact hours
- Lectures: 1 x 1 hour per week
Tutorials: 1 x 1 hour per week
- Note that this Unit is a pre-requisite for ARCY2005 Rock Art Fieldschool. ARCY2005 places students in live fieldwork situations working with archaeologists, Indigenous partners, Industry partners and the public and is a great Work Integrated Learning experience.
Optional but recommended:
McDonald, J. & Veth, P. 2012. A Companion to Rock Art. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Smith, B. W., Helskog, K. & Morris, D. 2012. Working with Rock Art: recording, presenting and understanding rock art using indigenous knowledge. Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
Whitley, D. S. 2001. Rock art and rock art research in worldwide perspective, in Whitley, D. S. (ed.), Handbook of rock art research: 7–51. Lanham, CA: Altamira Press.
Copies of these books in the Reid Library
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary reading', 'Recommended reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available via the Booktopia Textbook Finder, which has the functionality to search by course code, course, ISBN and title, and may also be posted or available at the appropriate school's administrative offices. Where texts are listed in the unit description above, an asterisk (*) indicates that the book is available in paperback.


broadening the creative and cultural development of every boy
According to Diane Ruble, professor of psychology at New York University, in single gender environments, without the constraints of gender stereotypes that prevail in coed settings, boys have a greater freedom to be themselves. They become more engaged in art, music, drama, and foreign languages.
The purpose of the fine arts program at Fairfield Country Day is to broaden the creative and cultural development of each student. We recognize the importance and value of this experience and its role in regard to education, personal growth, aesthetic appreciation, critical thinking, social interaction, and judgment. Our curriculum is based on the national standards of art education, and we maintain age-appropriate goals and artistic experiences for all the boys.
Included in the curriculum are a variety of art history experiences allowing the boys to assimilate the artists’ work with their own. In addition, the boys complete a variety of cross-curricular projects that support the work done in their academic classes.
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.