If there are issues in your community or anywhere in the world you'd like to address, like poverty and hunger, racism, the cutting of music education in public schools, the dangers of texting and driving, etc . . . Check out dosomething.org.
Do Something will give you ideas and that kick you may need to get active with issues that matter.
Here are some first steps to take when becoming an activist:
First decide what makes you upset.
Learn the issue
You have the passion. Now you need the facts.
Talk to your friends. There's a high chance that someone you know feels the same way you do. Collaborate, there is power in numbers!
Make a plan
Time to take action. Start with something small. Something you can do in your school or community, or even on your computer. Draft a petition. Make a newsletter and post it at school. Write an article for your school newspaper. Run a drive. Check out projects others have done. Join a DoSomething campaign.
Ask for help
It never hurts to ask other for help. Talk to your parents, teachers, and coaches. Contact community organizations or your religious institution.
Spread the word
Go public with everything you and your club are doing. Use the school paper. Contact your local paper or TV station. Go crazy on social media. Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr are your best friends.
Stay in the know
Follow the local and national news. See what similar organizations are doing. Contact them. Organize with them. Emulate them. You're all on the same team.
Celebrate small victories
Don't expect to end hunger or cure cancer - at least not yet. Make workable steps and small goals. Pat yourself - and your team members - on the back every time you achieve one.
Don't give up
Something, small or big, will go wrong. Someone will tell you no. At times it will feel like you're not making progress. But you are. Be patient - and persistent. Just keep going. You will and are making a difference.


With budgets cut to the bone, music education programs in many districts have been trimmed and even eliminated. Student interest in them, however, has never been higher. A new study released by the National String Project Consortium (NSPC) indicates that, just prior to the economic meltdown, the number of students playing string instruments had increased from 18 percent in 1997 to 29 percent in 2009. While the study confirms promising news for interest in music education, it also predicts a national shortage of string teachers for 2010 through 2013—a loss of 1,000 teachers each year. Other music programs showed no significant increase or decrease.
"The Status of String and Orchestra Programs in United States Schools," released in February 2010, is the result of a May 2009 survey of almost 9,000 string and orchestra teachers. According to the study, between 2002 and 2009, racial minority enrollment increased to 35 percent, a 7 percent increase from 2001.
The future of string programs remains to be seen. Although string programs have generally been growing, 66 percent of programs had reduced funding between the 2003 and 2008 academic years.
"The general trend has been up. As expectations around the country are going up, playing a string instrument has been helpful," says Robert Jesselson, executive director of NSPC and distinguished professor at the University of South Carolina. "With the economy the way it is, it's going to be a whole new ballgame. The odds are up on the chopping block."
Jesselson cautions administrators not to cut music programs—in particular string programs—during these difficult financial times. String instruments, he says, lead to a number of benefits, including higher SAT scores, increased selfdiscipline, reduced absentee rates, and improved math skills. According to the study, over 95 percent of string programs are taught during school hours. Jesselson notes that eliminating the programs would only create a demand for other teachers during those periods.
"Building a string program takes a number of years and would be difficult to rebuild," says Jesselson. "It's easy to chop down a tree, but the tree takes a long time to grow."
To read the full NSPC report, visit www.stringprojects.org.


The Clarinéo is a beginner's instrument with a professional sound, designed to make playing a serious woodwind instrument easier than ever before.
Modern materials and technology have reduced the weight so that even a 6-year-old child can play comfortably. These benefits are not at the expense of tone or tuning.
For decades elementary schools have taught our children the rudiments of music on the recorder. This has proven to be an incredible success, but the transition from recorder to band class has never been addressed with a real wind instrument that 6 to 10 year olds can play.
The Clarinéo bridges this critical stage in music education. It is a real instrument, fully chromatic with a band quality sound and the only instrument in the world that can truly prepare a young child for the clarinet, saxophone and other woodwind instruments.
Being in the key of 'C', the Clarinéo is a general music instrument, it can be played easily alongside the piano, guitar or other non-band instruments and sounds incredible, it really has to be heard to be believed. Although designed for children, sized for childrean and taught to children, the Clarinéo is a serious instruemtn that is being used by adult players and even professionals all around the world.
- 9oz (252g)
- Right-Hand holes small enough for small fingers
- Pinky keys within reach of small fingers
- Range: E below middle C to 3.5 octaves above. Covers the range of flute, violin, recorder, oboe, and all treble clef vocal music.
- Fully chromatic: every note in its range is fully fingered using basic Boehm system fingering. Pitched in C.
- Three-piece assembly: body, mouthpiece and bell. No corks to wear out, o-rings connect mouthpiece to body and bell attaches via a 'bayonet' snap fit.


Anton Rubinstein (born Vikhvatinets 28 November 1829; died Petershof 20 November 1894) was a Russian pianist and composer. Rubinstein and Franz Liszt were thought to be the greatest pianists of the 19th century. He was very important as a teacher and influenced many Russian musicians. He composed lots of music, although hardly any of it is heard nowadays. As a composer he is best remembered today by a little piece of piano music called “Melody in F”.
History[change | edit source]
First concert[change | edit source]
Rubinstein gave his first piano concert when he was ten. Between 1840 and 1843 his piano teacher took him on long concert tours of Europe. He met Chopin and Liszt and was received in London by Queen Victoria. Between 1844 and 1846 the family lived in Berlin. His friends there included Mendelssohn and Meyerbeer.
Lessons[change | edit source]
In 1846 his father died and Anton went to Vienna where he gave piano lessons to try to earn some money. When he returned to Russia in 1848 the tsar’s sister-in-law let him live in her palace. He played for lots of parties. Often the tsar came.
Tours[change | edit source]
In 1854 he toured Europe again. Then he returned to Russia. He wanted to improve music education in Russia so he started the Russian Musical Society and then he started the St Petersburg Conservatory. During his long career he spent many years as director of the Conservatory as well as conducting concerts.
Compositions[change | edit source]
He wrote a lot of music, but although his compositions often started off with good ideas they often become rather boring. His opera Tom the fool was not a success. He was annoyed and wrote an article in a music magazine saying that it was not possible to write operas using Russian stories. He criticized several composers who were writing music which used Russian folktunes. This included the composer Mily Balakirev and his friends who were called The Mighty Handful. He said that they had not learned how to compose properly.
Rubinstein very much wanted to be famous as a composer as well as a teacher, but this made him very narrow-minded. However, it was as a pianist and conductor that he was important. He helped to improve the standard of music making in Russia by teaching and performing, and by starting the conservatory in St Petersburg.


Use regards in a sentence
- I think that when we all see one thing alike, it is evidence that, as regards that one thing, our minds are perfectly sound.
- My kindest regards to Mrs.
- The shipper in the little ship It effects with woe sad might; He does not see the rocky slip, He only regards dreaded height.
- Captain Archer also regards this matter in a different light from that in which Smith represents it.
- And particularly as regards Science and Health.
- It is well known that no person who regards his reputation will ever kill a trout with anything but a fly.
- Please present my kind regards to your afflicted mother.
- It carries me back to her Plague-Spot and Poetry days, and I just dread those: Desert vacancy, as regards thought.
- Outside, the Honourable Giles is telling them how seriously he regards the responsibility of the honour thrust upon him by a great party.
This page helps answer: how do I use the word regards in a sentence? How do you use regards in a sentence? Can you give me a sentence for the word regards? It may also be related to elementary education find a school, homework, student, school uniforms write, and students.
Example sentences with the word regards, a sentence example for regards, and regards in sample sentence.


Luther Burbank Birthday (March 7th)
Luther Burbank was a pioneer in the field of agricultural science as he developed not less than 800 varieties of flora in his long stretched career of 55 years. This famous American horticulturist has not only developed flowers, fruits,grains and vegetables but grasses as well for the betterment of life on the earth.
Luther Burbank Early days
Luther Burbank was born on 7th March, 1849 inLancaster in Massachusetts and grew up in a farm.He was not able to get higher education as Luther Burbank had 17 more brothers and sisters who were responsibility of Luther Burbank parents. The thirteenth child of his parents he enjoyed the company of plants of his family garden which was a large one as well. After elementary education he started working in that garden and really liked the work. His father died when Burbank was only 21 but this incident matured him as a person. In next very year, He bought a plot of 17 acre which was near Lunenburg. His birthday treated among famous birthdays of march.
Luther Burbank Career
Luther Burbank started his works and experiments there and he took no time to come up with Burbank potato. In 1875, He sold rights of this potato to travel Santa Rosa and this journey was really fruitful for his life as for as he next experiments are concerned. Burbank bought a land of 4 acre in Santa Rosa and it became laboratory for his works as he was much inspired by Charles Darwin and his book The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication. After few years he bought another land near Sebastopol which had area of 18 acre and later became famous as Gold Ridge Farm.
"O-Yes" is latest operating system which invented by Indian Tamil Guy, which challenged the Bill gate's WINDOWS OS in all areas.
Luther Burbank Accomplishments
Luther Burbank developed more than hundred plum and prunes, ten cherries, 16 blackberries, 35 fruiting cacti, 11 quinces, 13 raspberries, ten strawberries and ten apples. Not only this, He also developed nine types of grains and grasses, 26 types of Vegetables and more than 90 types of ornamentals. He is well liked for the development of a spineless cactus which is very useful for feeding the cattle.
It is not easy to list all the accomplishments of this great agriculturist in words as he had numerous inventions through his experiments. Most successful varieties include Shasta daisy,July Elberta Peach, Fire poppy, Flaming Gold nectarine, Freestone peach, Wickson peach, whiteblackberry and Burbank potato. The large sized potato with reddish-brown skin and whitish flesh is renowned as Russet Burbank potato and it is world’s most used processing potato now.
The wizard of agriculture died in year 1926 and his relatives buried him under Cedar of a Lebanon tree which was planted by Burbank himself in 1893. To memorize his accomplishments for society, his birthday is celebrated as an Arbor Day in California.
Famous Birthdays by Month
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- » Morgan Tsvangirai Birthday (March 10th)
- » Carrie Underwood Birthday (March 10th)
- » Marcello Malpighi Birthday (March 10th)
- » Sir Malcolm Campbell Birthday (March 11th)
- » Captain Walter M. Schirra Birthday (March 12th)
- » Joseph Priestly Birthday (March 13th)
- » Albert Einstein Birthday (March 14th)
- » Alan Bean Birthday (March 15th)
- » Eva Longoria Birthday (March 15th)
- » James Madison Birthday (March 16th)
- » Roger Taney Birthday (March 17th)
- » Kurt Russell Birthday (March 17th)
- » Vanessa Williams Birthday (March 18th)
- » Queen Latifah Birthday (March 18th)
- » Grover Cleveland Birthday (March 18th)


Avatars, Virtual Classroom Aid in Teacher Preparation
Source Newsroom: Southeastern Louisiana University
SOUTHEASTERN USING AVATARS, VIRTUAL CLASSROOM AS TEACHER PREPARATION TOOL
Newswise — HAMMOND – Teacher candidates at Southeastern Louisiana University are working in a virtual classroom before having to experience the real thing, gaining the opportunity to practice what can sometimes be a daunting exercise.
The university is one of a handful of institutions nationwide to tout the innovative program designed to help in the formation of future educators.
The software gives teachers in training the opportunity to respond to multiple situations within the classroom environment through the use of avatars, the virtual, computer-generated “students” who populate the simulated classroom.
“It is a virtual classroom filled with real-time avatars,” said Associate Professor of Education Nicki Anselmo-Skelton. “The students in our lab can talk to the avatars and the avatars respond.”
Researchers at the University of Central Florida control the avatars, which represent sixth grade learners of diverse ethnicities and personalities that are typically encountered in a middle school classroom, Skelton explained. Their behaviors reflect everything from those in a “perfect” classroom to the other extreme where the students may be completely out of control. The virtual classroom and its avatar middle-schoolers are projected from a computer via Skype onto a screen or SmartBoard.
Anzelmo-Skelton brought the technology to the Department of Teaching and Learning through a Louisiana Department of Education grant to be a part of the TLE “TeachLivE” program. The initiative began as a pilot project at UCF in Orlando.
“Our young teacher candidates are able to work on behavior management skills; they are able to work on the pedagogy or the ‘how’ of teaching, and they’re able to implement various instructional strategies,” Skelton said. “The research indicates what you can do in just 10 minutes with the avatars takes an hour to do face to face.”
“The avatar experience was absolutely amazing,” said Ashley Lee, a senior elementary education major from Watson, who is also pursuing a dual certification in special education. “I loved the interaction between myself and the avatars and the fact that the avatars had different personalities, which presented some real challenges. This was just a glimpse of what is yet to come when we get into our own classrooms and good practice on handling behavior problems in students.”
Skelton described the most “powerful” part of this technology as the opportunity for students to refine their instructional skills without impacting real students.
“Young teachers can make the mistakes new teachers are prone to do without affecting the ‘students’ at all,” Anselmo-Skelton said. “It allows for a nice progression. Our young teachers can reflect on their practices and then build their knowledge and confidence with the avatars before moving into the classroom.”
In addition to working on a grant extension for Southeastern from the Louisiana Department of Education, Skelton is also documenting the student teachers’ experience with researchers from UCF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“Soon we’re going to have research under our belts that I believe will say the avatars and the virtual classroom make a real difference in teacher behaviors and in student outcomes,” Skelton said.
Photo available online at www.southeastern.edu/news_media/news_releases
TEACHER PREPARATION IN SIMULATED CLASSROOM – Laurie Leake, a Slidell junior in special education at Southeastern Louisiana University talks to her “class” of five avatars or simulated students as preparation for working in a real classroom. The avatars represent sixth grade learners of diverse ethnicities and personalities that are typically encountered in a middle school classroom.


What is the Impact of Technology on Learning?
Research literature throughout the past decade has shown that technology can enhance literacy development, impact language acquisition, provide greater access to information, support learning, motivate students, and enhance their self-esteem (ACT, 2004; CEO Forum, 2001; Boster et al., 2004; Mann et al., 1999; Tracey & Young, 2006; WestEd, 2002). Indeed, researchers have affirmed that computer technology provides abundant opportunities for students to build or modify their personal knowledge through the rich experiences that technology affords.
Technology and Content Area Learning
Kinzer and Leu (1997) demonstrated positive effects of technology on both learning in a content area and learning to use technology itself. They studied the potential of multimedia and hypermedia technologies. One study, The Reporter Project, used multimedia technology to enhance sixth-grade students’ information gathering and writing skills. The Reporter Project was developed and tested in sixth-grade classrooms for two years and showed that students made statistically significant improvement in their recognition and use of elements such as main ideas, supporting details, and cause and effect relationships. Their writing was also more cohesive than their control-group peers who were taught using similar materials and sequences but without the use of technology.
Technology and Reading Comprehension
Findings consistent with these emerged from a meta-analysis conducted by Pearson et al. (2005). The authors reviewed 20 research studies related to using digital tools and learning environments on middle-school students in the following areas:
- Strategy Use
- Reading Motivation
- Reading Engagement
- Reading Comprehension
They defined digital tools to include a wide range of media forms: images, video and audio clips, hypertext, hypermedia, and Web pages. The majority of studies they found dealt with reading comprehension and vocabulary development. Pearson et al. concluded that a wide range of digital tools enhance reading comprehension and vocabulary development by providing students access to word pronunciation, word meaning, contextual information, and comprehension scaffolds to guide an individual’s reading. Thus, a strong research base supports the conclusion that technology can enhance all aspects of literacy development.
Technology and Language Acquisition
There is also a large body of research that supports the benefits of technology for language acquisition (O’Hara & Pritchard, 2006; Pritchard & O’Hara, 2005; Leu, 2005; Cummins, 2005; Zhao, 2005; Duran, 2005; Egbert, Chao, & Hanson-Smith, 1999; Pennington, 1996; Zhao, 2003). Numerous other studies demonstrate that students who learn in existing multimedia and/or hypertext environments show greater gains in areas of language development than students who learn in more traditional environments (Ayersman, 1996; Boone & Higgins, 1992; Charney, 1994; Martinez-Lage, 1997). Studies investigating the impact of student construction of hypermedia environments on language development came to similar conclusions (Goetze, 2000; Lehrer et al., 1994; Nikolova, 2002).
In a review of studies that focused on technology’s impact on language acquisition, Zhao (2005) examined studies that researched the use of digital multimedia and language. Zhao concluded that technology can be used to enhance language acquisition in the following ways:
- Enhancing access efficiency through digital multimedia. Multimedia presentations (video, images, sound, text) can create stronger memory links than text alone. In addition, digital technologies allow instant playbacks, which provide the learner with quick and easy access to different sections of instructional materials than when they are using a textbook.
- Enhancing authenticity using video and the Internet. The Internet provides learners with access to authentic materials, like news and literature, while video can offer context-rich linguistic and culturally relevant materials to learners.
- Enhancing comprehensibility through learner control and multimedia annotations. Video materials online can be enhanced with full captions, key-word captions, and speech slowdown, allowing the reader to more easily digest the information. Digital reading materials can be hyperlinked to different media, which students can choose to help their comprehension of the material.
- Providing meaningful and authentic communication opportunities. Students can engage in authentic types of communication through e-mail, chat rooms, and other digital means. (p. 16)
© ______ 2009, Allyn & Bacon, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The reproduction, duplication, or distribution of this material by any means including but not limited to email and blogs is strictly prohibited without the explicit permission of the publisher.


- Buzzle.com - Types of Dinosaurs
- India Parenting - Dinosaurs: Walking with Titans
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Dinosaur
- Kidipede Science for Kids - Dinosaur
- Buzzle.com - Dinosaurs
- Fact Monster - Science - Dinosaur
- Animal Planet - Dinosaur
- Dinosauria On-LineResource on dinosaurs featuring glossaries of anatomical and generic terms, guidelines for writing articles on topics related to paleontology and other sciences, a listing of geological time periods, and maps showing the positions of the continents from 510 million years ago to 50 million years ago. Includes a picture gallery, and articles from its Journal of Dinosaur Paleontology.
- The K-8 Aeronautics Internet Textbook - Dinosaur Model Lesson
- Enchanted Learning - DinosaursLearn about dinosaurs, dinosaur extremes, how dinosaurs are named, and dinosaur myths. Includes print out dinosaur information pages.
- British Broadcasting Corporation - DinosaursInformation on the extinction of dinosaurs. Covers the reptiles of late Cretaceous period. Includes descriptions of some species with interactive images and audio clips. Also provides links to games and quizzes.
- United States Geological Survey - Dinosaurs - Facts and Fiction"E-text of this pamphlet on dinosaurs. Provides question and answers on their appearance, physical features, nature, food habit, and causes of extinction. "
- National Geographic Xpeditions - Lesson Plan: Those Fussy Dinosaurs!
- Official Site of Planet Dinosaur
- Dinosaur Giants of AfricaResource for teachers and students on paleontology provided by National Geographic Society, Washington D.C. Features photographs and video clips of skeletons of these prehistoric creatures. Provides short descriptions of the reptiles. Also includes lectures from scientists on their projects.
- University of California, Berkeley: Museum of Paleontology - The Dinosauria
- Dann’s Dinosaurs Extensive information on dinosaurs and marine reptiles of Australia. Provides details on fossils, and dinosaur trackways. Also includes data on animals from mesozoic era.
- Exploring the Environment - Dinosaur Floor
- Fact Monster - Dinosaur
- National Geographic - Science and Space - Dinosaur Quiz
- Crystallinks - Dinosaurs
- Genesis Park Exhibit Hall - The Dinosaurs
- KidsDinos.com - Dinosaurs For Kids
- University of California - DinosaurExtensive information about the dinosaurs from the University of California Museum of Paleontology.
- DinotrekerInformation on Dinosaurs and Paleo art. Includes their paintings, detailed 3D drawings by paleoartists, their habitat diromas, bronze sculptors, and model kits of dinosaurs, saber tooth cats and mammoths. Also contains latest news, and a store house of sc
- The Why Files - Science Behind the News - Going, Going, Gone - Sue
- The Paleontology Portal
- Auburn University - Late Cretaceous Dinosaurs of the Southeastern United StatesInformation from a class called Alabama Dinosaurs at Auburn University.
- DesertUSA - DinosaurDinosaur hunting adventures in the North American deserts. Includes descriptions of, dinosaur fossils, dinossaur trace fossils, plate tectonics, the geologic time table and Pangea.
- Southwest Educational Development Laboratory - Dinosaurs LessonsGrade school lesson plans covering dinosaurs and extinction. With Spanish translations.
- Learning From the Fossil Record - Dino Facts
- National Geographic - Science and Space - Dinosaur Extinction
- Rareresource - Dinosaur
- Wayne State University - Dinosaur Discovery Unit PlanAn overview of prehistoric creatures for early elementary students
- Michigan State University College of Education and Ameritech - Dinosaurs and Us UnitElementary and middle school exercise
Britannica Web Sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- dinosaur - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Dinosaurs were the main animals on Earth for more than 150 million years. They were lizardlike reptiles. Some of them were the largest and scariest creatures that ever walked on land. The word dinosaur comes from Greek words meaning "terrible lizard."
- dinosaur - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
To see the fossilized bones of ancient dinosaurs, go to a museum. To see living descendants of dinosaurs, just find some birds. Some scientists consider birds to be the feathered crown of the dinosaur family tree. While a bird may not fit the common notion of a dinosaur (the word dinosaur means "terrifying lizard"), many scientists are certain that all birds are directly descended from these extinct, lizardlike animals.


Our Site Has Moved...
Day Care Course Description
Weight: 1.0 Credit: 0.5 – semester
This course is open to juniors and seniors who have successfully passed the Child Care course with a “B” or better or with teacher approval. If you like working with children, then this course is for you! The course provides valuable experience for those students furthering their education in early childhood or elementary education, and also provides skills for the future role of parenting.
The course of study includes child care options, health and safety concerns, infant and child CPR certification (fee involved), and skills such as learning games, craft activities, storytelling, children’s songs, and planning nutritious snacks. Students “work” in a 10 week preschool setting with 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children.
The Lion’s Den Preschool Experience
The Lion’s Den Preschool is a lab-type experience for students who are motivated, have demonstrated effective work habits in the Child Care course, and have an interest in a possible career related to working with children.
This experience involves students in the Day Care course planning lessons for the preschool children that include mini lessons, snacks, games, songs, stories and crafts based on weekly themes that are age appropriate.
Students are divided into groups of two or three to develop lesson plans, observe the children and create eye-catching bulletin boards in the preschool room.
The goal for each teacher is to help the children in the preschool program develop into learners who will be ready for kindergarten by the age of 5. The teachers help the children develop acceptable social skills and behaviors that will enable them to succeed in a school setting and have a positive sense of self.


Principled Practices for Adolescent Literacy
A Framework for Instruction and Policy
By Elizabeth G. Sturtevant, Fenice B. Boyd, William G. Brozo, Kathleen A. Hinchman, David W. Moore, Donna E. Alvermann
Routledge – 2006 – 216 pages
This book presents an evidence-based framework for understanding the literacy needs of adolescents. The premise is that educators and other critical stakeholders need to understand evidence-based principles in order to develop effective curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners. Recommendations are provided for middle and secondary education, professional development, teacher education research and policy.
At the center of the book are Eight Guiding Principles developed by the authors through a process that included an extensive review of research and policy literature in literacy and related fields, a comparison of National Standards documents, and visits to the classrooms of 28 middle and high school teachers across the United States. The Principles are broad enough to encompass a variety of contexts and student needs, yet specific enough to offer real support to those involved in program development or policy decisions. They provide an overarching structure that districts and teachers can use to develop site-specific curriculum that is both research-based and designed to meet the needs of the learners for whom they are responsible.
Important Text Features: Organized to help readers understand empirically supported principles of practice that can be used to address literacy concerns in today's schools, each chapter that addresses one of the eight Principles follows a similar format:
* The Principle is presented along with a brief explanation of the research base and a sample of national standards that support it.
* One or more case examples spanning a wide variety of disciplines, grade levels, and local conditions - provide an in-depth look at the Principle in action.
* A well-known adolescent literacy expert offers a response to each case example, giving readers an informed view of the importance of the Principle, how it is enacted in the cases, and examples of other work related to the Principle. Discussion questions are provided that can be used for individual reflection or group discussion.
Principled Practices for Adolescent Literacy is intended as a text for pre-service and in-service upper-elementary, middle and high school literacy methods courses and graduate courses related to adolescent literacy, and as a resource for school district personnel, policymakers and parents.
Contents: R.T. Vacca, Foreword. Preface. Why Principled Practices? Research on Youth's Literacy Development: An Overview. Principle 1: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Participate in Active Learning Environments That Offer Clear and Facilitative Literacy Instruction. Principle 2: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Participate in Respectful Environments Characterized by High Expectations, Trust, and Care. Principle 3: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Engage With Print and Nonprint Texts for a Variety of Purposes. Principle 4: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Generate and Express Rich Understandings of Ideas and Concepts. Principle 5: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Demonstrate Enthusiasm for Reading and Learning. Principle 6: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Assess Their Own Literacy and Learning Competencies and Direct Their Future Growth. Principle 7: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Connect Reading With Their Life and Their Learning Inside and Outside of School. Principle 8: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Develop Critical Perspectives Toward What They Read, View, and Hear. Supporting Principled Practices. Appendix: Additional Resources.


2011 CREATE ConferenceEducating Middle School English Language Learners for College and Career Readiness
|2011 Conference Materials
|Conference Agenda||Materials by Presenter||Recommended Readings|
The 2011 CREATE capstone conference, held in Austin, Texas on November 3-4, 2011, highlighted current research on methods for building literacy skills and oral language development for English language learners across the content areas. CREATE researchers described their work on a school-wide intervention targeting 7th grade English language learners in science, social studies, English language arts, and math. Other top scholars discussed the implications of their research on supporting English language learners' language and literacy development across the curriculum.
This conference was attended by leaders in state and regional agencies, school districts, schools, and colleges of education. The conference supported participants’ learning with essential readings on the central themes of the conference, keynote presentations, question-and-answer sessions with presenters, and small group interactions with colleagues.
PowerPoint presentations and handouts from the conference are now available.
Explore the materials using the navigation bar above. Browse by type (handout or PowerPoint presentation), by the order of presentation at the conference, or by presenter name.
Note about permission
These materials were provided by the authors for the convenience of our web visitors. If you would like permission to use any of this material, CREATE will be glad to help you contact the author.


The Art of Teaching Music takes up important aspects of the art of music teaching ranging from organization to serving as conductor to dealing with the disconnect between the ideal of university teaching and the reality in the classroom. Writing for both established teachers and instructors on the rise, Estelle R. Jorgensen opens a conversation about the life and work of the music teacher. The author regards music teaching as interrelated with the rest of lived life, and her themes encompass pedagogical skills as well as matters of character, disposition, value, personality, and musicality. She reflects on musicianship and practical aspects of teaching while drawing on a broad base of theory, research, and personal experience. Although grounded in the practical realities of music teaching, Jorgensen urges music teachers to think and act artfully, imaginatively, hopefully, and courageously toward creating a better world.
|"The particular strength of the volume is its usefulness across all levels of music education. Jorgensen offers not only artistic fundamentals unique to those involved in music but also material that will cause readers to reflect on personal characteristics. Detailed notes and references add to the book's value as a study tool. . . . Recommended." —Choice
"The beauty of this book lies in its embrace and discourse of the ways in which people become music educators, develop their craft over the course of their lives, and influence those around them." —Music Educators Journal
". . . offers sound advice for the new teacher or the student who is about to become an in-service teacher. However, the veteran music teacher will also find 'The Art of Teaching Music' to be refreshing, in that it affirms and validates much of what good music teachers know through experience and have been doing by connecting to philosophers and pedagogues inside and outside of music education." —Frank Abrahams, Westminister Choir College, Rider University, Princeton, NJ
". . . foremost a book about wisdom: a direct albeit thoughtful attempt to capture the profession for those who, by virtue of time or the nature of their work, may not have a full sense of the music education field. Jorgensen presents us Music Education." —Patrick Schmidt, Westminister Choir College, Rider University
"I have had the pleasure of reading the book manuscript, 'The Art of Teaching Music,' by Estelle Jorgensen. The content explores a variety of ideas that are covered in the myriad of courses experienced by undergraduate students and introduces new ones that are critical to the development of musicians and prospective teachers. Some of these ideas might be alluded to or briefly discussed in methods classes, but not at the level of thoughtful detail as they are entertained and examined in the book. This level of depth would require students and teachers to discuss, dialogue, debate, and reflect over time within and across semesters and courses." —BETTY ANNE YOUNKER, University of Michigan, Philosophy of Music Education Review
"The Art of Teaching Music is a meditation on a lifetime of experience in teaching. What makes it special for music educators is its resonance with idealism and experience." —The British Journal of Music Education , Volume 27/1 - 2010
"As an experienced teacher and teacher educator myself much of this book came as a
welcome refresher, with new insights along the way to allow for more reflection on my own practice. For every beginning music teacher this should be compulsory reading, going a long way beyond advice for a particular sector, and presenting a picture of music teaching that can be adapted to suit any situation." —Diana Harris, Music Education Research
"Few books about teaching manage to fill the reader with the sense of things being possible, but Jorgensen eloquently achieves this in prose that is clean, clear, concise and coherent such that it culminates in a manifesto that attempts to 'open wide the conversation on teaching that is waiting to happen'. In that, and in much more, The Art of Teaching Music succeeds and can be warmly and enthusiastically recommended for the novice, the veteran, and the yet undecided music teacher in waiting." —Music Teacher
"Attempting to understand Jorgensen's words and work, as well as the paradigmatic
notions that envelop them, has been a learning experience. . . Hopefully, this has resulted in a critique centred not upon the discrepancies of our worldviews, but on the challenges of viewing the world through someone else’s lenses. Jorgensen's are bright and hopeful, care-full and caring, demanding and plural. One will discover much about music education by reading The Art of Teaching Music." —Patrick Schmidt, Music Education Research
"This book will turn heads and quite likely deepen the thoughts of working musicians who teach. I do not doubt that it will, as Jorgensen declares, open wide the conversation on teaching that is waiting to happen." —Patricia Campbell, University of Washington
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Table of Contents


Parents Urged to Track Motor Development Skills at 9,18,30 Months of Age to Detect Delays: AAP
Each child is unique in how long it takes to develop motor skills including sitting, walking, and speaking. A new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), said Monday that early recognition of delays can help optimize positive outcomes.
The report published in Pediatrics, medical experts say pediatricians need to thoroughly evaluate young children who are considered to be experiencing an obvious delay in motor skill development. The guideline report suggested developmental screenings at 9, 18 and 30 months of age, and again at four years of age. The AAP said treating any developmental issues early on may ultimately improve the child's ability to catch up and help families gain additional support.
"Identifying children with delays and motor abnormalities, theoretically or hopefully would set them on a better trajectory," said Meghann Lloyd, who studies motor development at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Canada, according to Reuters Health.
This is "a really big step forward for the field," added Lloyd, who was not involved with the report.
A motor skill is any action that involves a child using his muscles. Gross motor skills are larger movements a baby makes with his arms, legs, or feet, or his entire body. This includes crawling, running and jumping are gross motor skills. Meanwhile, fine motor skills are smaller actions which includes picking things up between his finger and thumb or wriggles his toes. This also includes using his lips and tongue to taste and feel objects which develops fine motor skills. The report authors said that both parents and their pediatrician should be involved in looking for signs of developmental motor skill delays, and that it is important for pediatricians to address concerns of the child's family.
During well child checkups, pediatricians should measure head size and look at muscle tone, reflexes and eye movements, which can be signs of motor skill delays, the authors urged. Children who are diagnosed with a developmental disorder should have access to early intervention and special education resources.
Having poor motor skills in general "sets you on a trajectory for low levels of physical activity, which of course is related to obesity," Lloyd said. "The prevention of these delays or the promotion of motor ability can actually impact your health for your lifespan."
Below is an average checklist of motor skill developments:
- 6 months - can sit straight
- 12 months - takes first steps
- 24 months - can jump
- 36 months - can cut with scissors; runs on toes
Click here for a detailed list of motor skill development with an age breakdown.


How to Make a May Day Basket
Kids can celebrate May 1 by leaving a flowery surprise for neighbors, teachers, and friends.
May Day is an ancient tradition that celebrates the Earth's fertile season, when flowers bloom and crops begin to grow. The Romans held the festival of Floralia, honoring Flora, the goddess of flowers. On the British Isles, Beltane—later called May Day—was celebrated on May 1. The story goes, that the night before May Day festivals, mischievous fairies came out and tried to lure humans away to their fairy land.
As part of Beltane, children created small baskets filled with flowers and placed them on the doorknobs of homes of people who were unable to attend the village's festivities. Traditionally, the giver would hang the basket, knock on the door, and then run away so no one would know who left the basket.
Delight your neighbors or teachers with tiny May Day baskets, made from just a few simple items that you are likely to have around the house.
What you need:
- Watercolor, construction, or white printer paper
- Watercolor paints, colored pencils, markers, or crayons
- Clear tape or stapler
- Ribbon or string, cut into 18” lengths
- A hole puncher
- Any flowers or pretty greens that are growing outside*
- Paper towels or napkins and aluminum foil to wrap the stems of your flowers and greenery
* Stick to flowers that are in obvious abundance such as buttercups, clover, dandelions, or flowers from your own garden to avoid picking rare or endangered wildflowers.
What you do:
Fold a piece of paper into quarters, and cut it along the lines to make four small pieces.
Decorate each cut piece of paper with watercolor paints, colored pencils or markers.
Shape the paper into small cones, and tape in place. Make sure the bottom of each cone is closed into a point.
Punch two holes on either side of the top of each cone, about an inch from the top edge.
Tie a ribbon or string through the hole of each basket to make handles.
Go outside and gather some flowers and greenery.
Wet paper towels or napkins, squeezing out the excess water.
Place each wet paper towel on top of a piece of aluminum foil.
Lay a small bunch of flowers on each of the paper towels, with the tops sticking up above the edges.
Wrap the wet paper and foil around the stems of the flowers. This will keep them moist and prevent them from wilting. The foil will prevent water from soaking the paper baskets.
Put your small bouquets inside your May Day baskets.
Your children can hang the baskets on the doorknobs of your neighbors or friends or on the doorknobs of their teachers’ classrooms at school. They can ring the doorbell or knock on the door, then quickly run away before each receiver of the basket knows who left it. Hmm...maybe they'll think it was fairies!
Elizabeth Scholl is a New Jersey-based writer of children's books and magazine articles, with a background in elementary education. Specializing in nature and environmental topics, her books include Organic Gardening for Kids, Grasshopper, Praying Mantis and Animals Attack: Wolves. When she isn't writing, Elizabeth enjoys working in her garden, bicycling and and exploring nature in her neighborhood.
Get Outdoors with Your Family


Musical Theatre Research
Most research material for musical theatre can be found in the Music Collection, but some materials that are slanted more toward theatre studies than music are located in the General Collection. DVDs are in the Educational Resources Collection.
When searching CardCat , you can specify the format in Advanced Search. Choose “books,” “compact discs, audio,” “DVD videos” or “Score, musical.” (Note” “score, musical” means any printed sheet music in CardCat.)
Music scores include vocal scores (all songs from a musical in their original keys), vocal selections (the important songs, sometimes transposed), and anthologies (songs from different works). The Singers Musical Theatre Anthology is the best-known of these. To find the words of a musical, also known as its “book,” use the subject term “musicals -- librettos” in CardCat .
You can use MultiSearch to search several databases for music simultaneously, or select from the following databases individually:
For reviews, use the News databases available through Ball State Libraries, which include these historical resources:
The following reference books can help you get started in your research:
See the Subject Guide for Music & Music Education for more guidance.
Ball State’s Music Librarian, Amy Edmonds, offers one-on-one research consultations in person or via e-mail.
For assistance in locating books or other music materials, contact Music Collection staff at 765-285-8188, or the music librarian at 765-285-5065.


By Sydney R. Walker
How to make personal connections in artmaking
Built upon a constructivist philosophy of learning, this book explores ways of fostering inquiry and discovery in the studio classroom. The works of contemporary artists are used to help explain the role of big ideas and personal connections in artmaking.
Available individually or as part of the Art Education in Practice Series. 160 pages, softcover
Table of Contents
- Examples of artists’ practices in artmaking
- Tips on designing meaningful studio instruction
- Problem solving strategies
- Ideas about what it means to teach and to understand
- Questions and practical strategies on “unpacking” the artmaking process
- Big Ideas and Artmaking
- Personal Connections
- Building a Knowledge Base for Artmaking
- Problem Solving
- Setting Boundaries
- Designing Studio Instruction
- Ways of Working: Artist’s Practices
ORDERING INFORMATION: Please allow one to two business days to process your order. After processing, you will receive your login credentials to access your online copy of Teaching Meaning in Artmaking DIGITAL.
Learn about the print edition of Teaching Meaning in Artmaking.


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


Teachers use Saxon Phonics in kindergarten through third grade. Saxon Phonics is a scripted program used to teach children how to read. We spend 30 minutes a day doing our Saxon phonics lesson. I had a 2 Kindergarten teachers who have taught for many, many years tell me that this. Because it was originally constructed for classrooms, the Saxon Phonics.
Publisher Saxon Publishers Developed by Lorna Simmons To order call 800-284-7019. ESL; Leveled and Guided Reading; Mathematics; Phonics. Explicit instruction in critical foundational skills: The Saxon Phonics K Homeschool Kit includes: Kindergarten Teacher’s Manual 9781565771734; Literature Extensions; Kindergarten Teaching Tools 9781565771741 The Saxon Phonics 2 program picks up right where the Saxon Phonics 1 regimen leaves off, which builds upon the skills learned in the kindergarten level program. Saxon Phonics is an explicit, systematic phonics program for kindergarten, first, and. Saxon Homeschool Developed by Lorna Simmons to remedy her own son’s reading difficulties, Saxon Phonics is.
Saxon Phonics “>
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King, Bernard J. (2011) Poverty and literacy development: challenges for global educators. In: PAMA 2011: Global Educators for Contemporary Learning Communities, 30 May-10 Jun 2011, Toowoomba, Australia.
PDF (Published Version)
This paper investigates the links between poverty and literacy development, a topic of great concern for many who work to help low-income children develop early literacy competencies. Underscoring the importance of developing, implementing, and promoting early literacy development among these at-risk children, the paper will assist global educators to enhance parental support for children’s language and literacy development, rethink teaching practices within literacy programmes or language arts lessons, improve understanding of issues related to language and literacy development among low-income children, and help to create and maintain better learning environments.
|Item Type:||Conference or Workshop Item (Commonwealth Reporting Category E) (Paper)|
|Additional Information:||Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.|
|Uncontrolled Keywords:||early childhood education; disadvantaged families; literacy|
|Depositing User:||epEditor USQ|
|Date Deposited:||11 Jul 2012 01:29|
|Last Modified:||03 Jul 2013 01:14|
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Port-of-Spain, April 8: Nearly 167 years after Indians arrived here, the sounds of the tabla, dholak and harmonium will be heard in over 550 primary schools of Trinidad and Tobago which will now teach the Indian musical instruments to students.
According to Education Minister Tim Gopeesingh, the cabinet has agreed to introduce a multicultural form of music in the primary school curriculum, representative of the country’s diverse culture.
The current music programme in primary schools is based on the Western musical tradition. According to the minister, the instrument of choice so far has been the steel pan or drum because of its origin.
Guitar, cuatro, xylophone and African drums will also form part of the new programme, he said. This programme will be called the Multicultural Music Programme, instead of the Pan-in-The Classroom Unit.
Indians arrived in Trinidad and Tobago between 1845 and 1917 to work on sugar plantations.
The Indian High Commission has been holding classes in Indian music and dance through the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Exchange.
(Paras Ramoutar can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org)


Fine Arts Programs in Elementary Schools
Elementary school students experience music by listening, speaking, chanting, singing, moving, playing, reading, writing, and arranging. Leaving out even one element shortchanges student learning. These basic elements provide a foundation for advanced development when students interpret, compose, improvise, and evaluate music and musical performances.
Elementary music students listen, identify, describe, and categorize a myriad of sounds. They listen to short musical selections and distinguish between like and unlike passages. Through a carefully planned sequence of activities, students learn to look at a passage of notes and replicate it with accurate pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and tempo.
Elementary students also learn to listen to a melodic line and identify its visual representation. This exercise enables students to use both ear and eye to identify forms such as AB, ABA, theme, variations of a theme, and rondo. With more experience, children learn to hear the difference between two very similar phrases, for instance those having the same melodic line but different rhythms or vice-versa. From simple learning processes that begin at primary levels, students advance to analyzing longer and more complicated musical works in which harmony and texture also create form.
Music specialists and classroom teachers who are responsible for music instruction have a challenging task. To enable all students to realize their musical potential, elementary schools must implement a solid music program based on scaffolded course content. To build a foundation for musical achievement, activities must be sequenced and TEKS-based. Class musicals do not substitute for the ongoing, well-rounded instruction necessary for the development of content knowledge and skills. Excursions to concerts and performances do not constitute, and should not supplant, quality music instruction.
Districts and campuses make decisions about time allocations, meeting patterns, and class size. In class, time is used to teach music concepts and skills and distribute and collect the materials. In addition to the content taught, the facility and staff availability help determine maximum enrollment in music classes. Final scheduling considerations include the number of class meetings per week, the time of day, the length of the class, and the number of students in the class.
The music specialist should have no more than five to six classes per day and a total of no more than 150 students. Strong music education relies on both group and individualized instruction; large numbers of students reduce both the effectiveness of teaching and the quality of learning.
Elementary specialists have one duty-free planning and preparation period per day and scheduled intervals between classes. Classroom teachers may escort students to and from the classroom, providing security for students and time for the music specialist to set up for the next class. Specialists may require additional assistance when a class contains students with special needs. In small school districts where specialists are assigned to multiple campuses, an additional period is needed for travel, record keeping, materials management, and preparation of multiple music laboratories. An additional benefit of having a music specialist on the faculty is the added flexibility in scheduling teachers’ conference periods.
The range of class activities determines the specific space allocations for elementary music courses. Playing classroom instruments, movement, singing, and games require adequate room for safety and instructional effectiveness. Other space considerations include:
- Secure storage for equipment and materials (e.g., tapes, compact discs, VCR/TV, classroom instruments, computers)
- The number of chairs, risers, and/or desks needed to accommodate the largest class. (If classes scheduled in the room include students from kindergarten through grade five, several desk and chair sizes are needed.)


Music Education is an integral part of core curriculum. Formal instruction in music provides students with unique experiences not taught in other core areas. Music, as a discrete discipline, offers powerful tools for expression. These tools make it possible to connect the intellect and emotion and bring meaning and beauty into our lives.
The study of music contributes to awareness and respect for the global community and the pluralistic society in which we live. The study of music in the context of historic and cultural perspectives provides a foundation for understanding the present as well as the future.
Performing music enhances self-esteem, builds self-discipline, and reinforces societal values such as cooperation, commitment, and working towards a common goal. These are all fundamental qualities that serve as the basis of our education system.
Music Education in the Arlington Public Schools provides students with instruction in all aspects of music: singing, playing, moving, reading, listening, analyzing, creating, and performing. In Arlington, music educators enhance instruction through various uses of technology, involvement in continuing education, and the pursuit of improved pedagogical methods. The rich and varied talents in our community are tapped through the visiting artists from the Humanities Project. Arlington Public Schools strives to educate all students to the highest level of musical skill and knowledge commensurate with talent and ability.
This page contains links to one or more websites that are outside of the Arlington Public Schools network. APS does not control the content or relevancy of these links.


22 July 2013
KOKOMO, Ind. — Laura Brown did not spend her seven days in Hawaii surfing, sunbathing on the beach, or eating delicacies at a luau.
Instead, Brown, and two of her Indiana University Kokomo classmates, worked on a documentary, interviewing Japanese American veterans of the 100th Battalion, about their U.S. military service during World War II — when Japan was the enemy.
This is critical work, as most of the veterans are in their late 80s and early 90s, and time is running out for them to tell their stories.
"We lose so many World War II veterans every day," Brown said. "These men gave us a whole different perspective on the war, one that won't be available much longer. They are full of history and information, but they are losing their ability to communicate effectively as they age. You could feel there was a sense of urgency to have their experiences documented, so they are not lost when they pass."
The trip was part of a summer class, "Asian American Literature: A World at War," focusing on the experiences of Japanese Americans during the war.
Brown was most impressed by the veterans' patriotism, despite the discrimination they faced.
"They fought for the U.S willingly, even though they were not treated the same as the other soldiers," she said. "They were bullied and mistreated because of their heritage. You have to think how hard it would be to leave behind their lives, and not be accepted among their Army peers. I was blown away by their love of their country."
Karla Stouse, lecturer in English, led the trip. She learned about the all-Japanese American 100th battalion while doing research about the internment camps the U.S. government sent many to during the war, fearing they would aid the Japanese military.
"I despise injustice, and this is a topic still relevant to us today," she said. "We researched the era, examining government propaganda about the relocation camps, and about the fear that permeated society after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We also drew parallels to the atmosphere post 9/11, and the current situation at Guantanamo Bay."
Stouse said some of her students were shocked they didn't know about this aspect of American history, and noted they were the ones who drew the parallels to the detainment center.
Holly Manns, 22, an elementary education major from Macy, was among those who learned that lesson.
"I don't know why it took me going to Hawaii to figure it out," she said. "We really need to hear these stories. It was humbling to realize we might be among the last to interview them. Most of them are 90 and older, and a lot of them are fading."
As a future teacher, she personally feels a sense of responsibility to share those stories.
"I like history, but I never really appreciated it until this trip," she said.
After reading and studying, three of the students met and interviewed surviving members of the 100th Battalion in Hawaii, and were special guests at their 71st anniversary banquet. They also talked to people at the Japanese Cultural Center about internment.
"We are examining cultural attitudes and discrimination. We want to make people aware of how fear can turn to hate, which can then lead to the kinds of injustices experienced by innocent American citizens," Stouse said. "Also, they have interviewed veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, in addition to speaking with internment victims and others with knowledge of the topic."
They also learned that individuals can make a difference, and were amazed by the Japanese American soldiers' patriotism.
"They met genuine American heroes," Stouse said. "These are men who carry no bitterness about having to fight for the right to fight in World War II because of their ancestry, men who have led lives of distinction, and were instrumental in bringing Hawaii to statehood. Being able to talk with those men and with their children about what their experiences signify will stay with these students forever."
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.


Apr. 6, 1999
It was on this day five years ago that the GENOCIDE IN RWANDA began a 100-day campaign in which 800,000 to one million people were murdered by Hutu extremists, mostly by machete in churches and villages and on the run, and prompting an exodus of over 1.5 million refugees. Rwanda had been in a civil war since 1990 and a peace accord had been signed in 1993, but the killing was sparked on this day when a plane carrying the Rwandan president crashed. Hutu government officials blamed the incident on their Tutsi opponents and used public radio to urge the killing of Tutsis.
The composer and conductor ANDRÉ PREVIN was born on this day in 1929, in Berlin. His family came to Los Angeles where he got his music education on the job, arranging and playing studio piano for MGM while still a teenager. He started writing film scores, (Gigi, Porgy and Bess, Irma La Douce, and My Fair Lady) and playing classical as well as jazz concerts.
It's the birthday of geneticist JAMES DEWEY WATSON, in Chicago, 1928, the man who helped discover the molecular structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, and that it is the base of heredity. He and Francis Crick won the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology.
It was on this day in 1909 that Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson became the first men to reach the NORTH POLE. Peary was a surveyor before joining the Navy, and had gotten interested in the Arctic after reading about the exploration of Greenland. He and Henson made their first voyage together in 1886, into Greenland's interior. For the next two decades they made five trips across Greenland, each time further north, then began trying to reach the Pole. In March 1909, Peary and Henson set out with four Eskimo guides whose survival techniques are credited with getting the expedition safely to the Pole on April 6.
It's the birthday in Woodington, Ohio, 1892, of LOWELL THOMAS, the radio broadcaster who for nearly fifty years signed on every night at 6:45 with "Good evening, everybody," then read America the news and signed off at 7:00 with, "So long until tomorrow." In the years before television, his was probably the most recognized voice in America.
It's the birthday in 1866, San Francisco, of journalist JOSEPH LINCOLN STEFFENS, a journalist for whom President Teddy Roosevelt coined the term "muckraker." In the 1890s Steffens moved east and went to work for New York City newspapers, then became editor of McClure's Magazine and began a series of articles on how politicians were being bought out by businessmen. He earned a national following when he published the collected articles as the book The Shame of the Cities.
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®


How to Become an ESL Teacher: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to become an ESL teacher. Research the job description and the education and licensing requirements, and find out how to start an ESL teacher career.
Requirements for Becoming an ESL Teacher
English as a second language (ESL) teachers instruct students whose first languages aren't English to read, write and converse effectively. These professionals are also called English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers. ESL teachers approach English skills from a real-life perspective, often focusing on conversational and job-related communication skills. They can help students function in an environment built upon the English language, or they may work abroad to introduce students to English. The table below outlines the main requirements needed to become an ESL teacher:
|Degree Level||Bachelor's degree*|
|Degree Field||English as a second language or adult education*|
|Licensure/Certification||Teaching license required*|
|Experience||Teaching experience is helpful when looking for work*|
|Key Skills||Excellent communication skills, patience, ability to relate to students of diverse backgrounds*|
|Computer Skills||Knowledge of computer-based training software, desktop publishing software, Microsoft Excel**|
Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **O*Net Online.
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree
A bachelor's degree is the minimum educational requirement for a professional ESL teacher. Most workers earn degrees in education, English, writing or teaching English as a foreign language. Students may also earn education degrees that come with a bilingual concentration. Applicable coursework includes using technology to teach, motivating adult learners, working with learning disabilities, developing lesson plans and teaching diverse cultures.
- Learn a second language. While being fluent in a language other than English is not necessary for employment as an ESL teacher, it is useful to have foreign language skills for this job. Training specific to acquiring a second language may be earned through certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs.
Step 2: Obtain ESL Training
Upon completion of a bachelor's degree, aspiring ESL teachers typically must complete an ESL training program. For example, a certificate program in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) can provide the basic skills needed to teach ESL and attain licensure. Individuals will learn how to assess students' language skills, teach grammar lessons and practice conversational skills. While many certificate programs do not require prior teaching experience, some ESL certificate programs are designed for working teachers who have already earned their teaching licenses.
Step 3: Get Licensed
Like other teachers, an ESL instructor needs a teaching license (sometimes called certification) to work professionally. Requirements vary by state and internationally, so it's beneficial for aspiring ESL teachers to research the steps necessary to teach in a specific geographic area. Common requirements include holding a bachelor's degree and completing an approved teacher training program. Some states have specific license requirements for adult education teachers, which an ESL teacher might fall under. Aspiring teachers may also need to pass a teaching test and a background check.
Step 4: Gain Experience
ESL teachers may apply for employment in diverse learning environments, such as elementary and high schools, international education programs, intensive English language programs, adult schools, community colleges and corporations. ESL teachers with prior experience are particularly sought after, especially for overseas jobs. Patience, empathy and a desire to work in a multicultural environment are also essential for working as an ESL instructor, and experience can help workers sharpen these skills.
- Consider a master's degree. Licensed ESL teachers who want to increase their employment opportunities might consider earning a graduate degree in ESL or teaching English as a second language (TESL). Classes can include a number of research seminars and cover topics like linguistics, literacy development and academic English. The program often ends with the completion of an original thesis.
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Get FREE Info From Schools
Teaching forensic science for kids is a great way for children to learn without them knowing. Learn some fun forensic science experiments & activities for kids
A great introduction to forensic science to kids is to show them a few experiments that they can do on their own that directly relate to the crime scene investigation field.
Kids love mysteries and great detective stories. And what's cooler than reading those or watching them on TV?
Being a part of one!
Below, I'll show you a couple of great forensic science experiments for kids that'll keep them entertained while teaching them something cool and new.
So, what is forensic science anyway?
Forensic science is a term that covers an enormous number of criminal justice employees (from number crunchers, to scientists, to doctors, to great thinkers) that all work together to solve a crime.
Forensic science covers all of these departments and more:
Working together, people in these fields look at, study, compare, and eventually interpret pieces of evidence from a crime scene to find out what happened, where it happened, who it happened to, how it happened, and, if they've done their work well enough, whodunit.
So, let's take a look at some forensic science for kids activities that'll better help you and your children to understand what it's all about.
Here are two great forensic science for kids experiments that will help develop the skills necessary to one day become a great forensic scientist!
Forensic Science Experiments for Kids #1
The Family Room Crime Scene
For this activity, the first thing you want to do is block off the doorways to your family room. No one gets in except for you. Because this is a crime scene!
Your job is to go over this room inch by inch to discover just what went on in here.
The clues that you gather will help you to create a story of who did what, when and where.
Pick up anything you may see that will help to tell this story, including:
Collect all of your evidence in plastic baggies, carefully label them, and set them aside for further investigation in your crime lab (aka, kitchen).
What you find out from the crime scene entirely depends on how closely you look at the details. So be alert!
(Note: The Family Room Crime Scene could just as easily be called The Kitchen Crime Scene or The Bathroom Crime Scene. You can play this game anywhere!)
Forensic Science Experiments for Kids #2
One of the most important duties of a forensic scientist is to collect fingerprints at the scene of a crime.
There are two types of prints that may be collected:
Everyone has different fingerprints, which is why it's important to find them at a crime scene--they can be used to arrest a suspect.
In your house, in your school, at the playground, or anywhere you want, collect all of the fingerprints you can find.
To do this, you'll need:
Sprinkle the talc on dark surfaces and the cocoa on light ones, and then use the brush to lightly dust away the powder. What's left will be a fingerprint outlined in powder.
Pick it up with the clear tape, affix the tape to the opposite colored paper, and then make sure to label where you found it and when.
Begin your collection of evidence by playing Fingerprint Hunt today!
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For many of the Pakistani educators who visited classrooms during a recent study tour in the United States, the most powerful experience was seeing the pivotal role that reading plays in every subject and teachers’ ability to teach reading in an interactive, hands-on fashion. Touring Eastern Michigan University and classrooms in Fairfax County (Va.), they also observed the interactive learning, collaborative group learning, and peer review that are common practices in U.S. education.
“After this visit, I have a new vision,” Rafaqat Ali Akbar of the University of the Punjab told the school hosts. “I will go back and focus on reading and literacy skills. In Pakistan, we are really deficient in student-centered learning.”
Aniqa Mumtaz, who represented a government college in Rawalakot in Azad Jammu and Kashmir province, echoed his comments. “There is so much focus here on reading and literacy,” says Mumtaz. “In Pakistan, we just focus on language, teaching by memorization. We need to focus on the basic skills of language—the art of using a language.”
Literacy instruction is sorely needed in Pakistan, where about a third of the population cannot read or write. Pakistani schools and teachers face many barriers, including a lack of reliable electricity, few resources, large classes, students who are sometimes poorly nourished, and a constant demand to fulfill bureaucratic requirements. By embedding reading into every school subject and developing a “culture of reading,” says Mumtaz, “we will create a new generation that will benefit the entire country.”
The 24 educators were selected by the government of Pakistan to join the USAID Teacher Education Project’s tour of U.S. teacher education programs and public schools. Implemented by EDC, the USAID Teacher Education Project is the largest education initiative in Pakistan. The project has worked with about 100 colleges and universities to develop degree programs that meet international standards—a two-year associate’s degree and a four-year bachelor’s degree that prepare students for careers in teaching.
In Pakistan, public school classrooms average about 60 students but may have as many as 100. Teachers instruct by rote and recitation. “Ninety-nine percent of schools have the same old system: write on the board, recite again and again,” says Sanat Ullah, who is from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), a semiautonomous tribal region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
What Ullah saw on the tour was eye-opening for him. “I discovered that any subject can be taught by activity-based learning,” he says. “I was impressed at how friendly the relationship can be between a teacher and a student.”
For Abid Ali Naeem of the Gilgit-Baltistan region the opportunity to interact with the U.S. teachers was inspiring. “When you have high caliber professionals, you have high caliber institutions,” he says.
Shaista Gul is a faculty member at a government college for elementary education in the volatile region of Balochistan. She was particularly interested in the way student-teacher or practicum programs are operated in the United States. “I saw practicums in the field, observed classrooms, and talked to teachers. Coming here has raised my confidence.”
Some of the educators came from areas where girls’ education is discouraged. While enrollment among girls is up, the challenge is to make sure those girls stay in school and graduate, says EDC’s Nadya Karim-Shaw. Many of the new enrollees in the teacher education program are women, who may serve to inspire the girls they teach. “It’s a paradigm shift,” adds Akbar. “The future of the nation is in the hands of the women teachers.”
Rana Hussain, who works for EDC on the project’s curriculum development activities, acknowledges that profound change in education and teacher training will take a long time. “I have hope in this project,” she says. “It’s national. It’s not piecemeal. It is the government’s own decision. We’re using the right medium: the teachers.”
Originally published on December 4, 2012


What is a Major?
In many ways, a major is like a contract between you, the student, and the school you attend. By declaring a major, you agree to perform certain work (i.e. classes) in exchange for a college degree. In looser terms, a major is simply an organized collection of classes, either revolving around a subject (e.g. mathematics), theme (e.g. media studies), or professional field (e.g. pre-med, pre-law, engineering, etc.) Northern Michigan offers more than 180 different majors from which students can select.
Do you know what the most popular college majors are around the U.S.? Last year's top ten included:
- Business management
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- English Language and Literature
- Computer Science
- Political Science


'Increasing government spending on education to 6% of GDP can do wonders for our education'. This is a common refrain, heard from people — educationists, NGOs, politicians and the ilk — concerned about education, even the more knowledgeable ones.
Even if they don't genuinely believe that 'wonders' would happen, they still fervently believe that with a budget like 6% of GDP, they can set about correcting the malaise that afflicts our education system.
None take cognisance of the facts that several countries that achieved high literacy rates in the post-war era rarely spend anywhere close to 6% of GDP on education.
South Korea spends about 3.2%; Japan spends around 3.8%, and China 2.6%. Student expenditure in the US is one of the highest, but student performance is far below world standards. International evidence suggests that it is not how much governments spend but how they spend that determines the quality of education systems.
An European Commission study by Sajitha Bashir (Government Expenditure on Elementary Education in the Nineties in India) sheds interesting light on the way government spends its budgets. Before looking at the findings, one must know how budgets are framed in India.
The unit of budget-making is a scheme, which is a department's responsibility. Not surprisingly, the success of a scheme is often accounted for in terms of meeting the quantitative targets that have been set up for the scheme. The incentives of the government machinery are hence dedicated to meeting those quantitative targets. The focus is on outputs rather than outcomes.
A few back-of-the-envelope calculations based on Dr Bashir's account throws up interesting findings. Assume that a state's budget is Rs 100. Usually about Rs 20 of it is devoted to the cause of education.
Again, about Rs 10 of the Rs 20 goes towards elementary education. Of it Rs 8.50 is approximately devoted to the salaries of teachers and administrative staff.
The remaining Rs 1.50 is spent on three items primarily: paying salaries of additional teachers hired during the Plan period; construction of new buildings and classrooms and incentives for attendance of students (uniforms, textbooks etc).
Throw in Rajiv Gandhi's admission that only 15 paise out of every rupee reaches the intended beneficiaries, and you start wondering about the actual amount of spending on core learning-relevant items. Studies show that quality improvements/ learning materials arguably do more for learning outcomes than any other input.


Jump on the Creativity Express
Art Education is sadly not a priority in our country’s school system, yet it is essential for a child’s academic success. How can a parent bring art into their child’s life if it is not in the curriculum? How can teachers battling budget cuts use art to engage and educate?
The answer is a polar bear named Furnace, and two penguins named Ruby and Tickles. Welcome to MadCap Logic’s Creativity Express.
Created by animation heavy weights from Disney and Dreamworks, Madcap Logic brings a renaissance to art education, drawing from some of the most revered forward-thinking educational model and making ground-breaking, innovative use of today’s’ technology for this “digital generation”
• Creativity Express teaches visual literacy skills through art education.
• Art education enhances cognitive skills.
• The arts focus on enjoyment of the process, not only the product, and this develops self-directed, creative thinking.
• Using art in education improves student performance in cross-curricular areas.
In a time when budgetary cutbacks are impacting the visual arts programs in schools, Creativity Express offers a reasonably priced outlet for parents, schools, after-school and home school programs, addressing this vital educational need.
You may think “I’m not artistic so how could I advance my child’s art education?” Creativity Express makes it simple.
• You don’t need an art education to use Creativity Express.
• No stress: our animated Art Guides – Tickles, Furnace and Ruby - do your job.
• Creativity Express is customizable to work at any pace.
• Creativity Express curriculum is designed with children in mind.
• All materials are age-appropriate for children with no offensive images.
Some people don’t think art education is important to many career opportunities, however as it turns out you need to learn art and creativity to be a graphic designer, animator, scientist, web designer, architect, photographer, and really anything computer-oriented.
Give your children the beauty of an education in art they can take with them throughout their life!
See all the wonders of MadCap Logic’s Creativity Express featured on the on The Balancing Act® November 13th and 20th at 7am (ET/PT) highlighting the Balance Your Life Tour™ where The Balancing Act® on Lifetime TV hits the road and travels across the country as part of the Southern Women’s Show.
Check out their website at www.madcaplogic.com.


Indeed, why should we as a community encourage our youth to study music? Certainly, music is a fun group activity, and one that can build up a student's self-confidence and self-esteem through positive performance experiences. But we must look more deeply to understand why it is so important for our youth to study the arts, and why the study of music has been valued by all cultures throughout history.
Musical intelligence is a bridge between the left and right hemispheres of the human brain, and musical connections developed through music education and musical performances enhance brain function at every level of musicianship. Musical growth equates to intellectual growth at every level of cognitive development. But don't take my word for it... do your own research. It's all there, in study after study, linking arts education with higher student achievement and enhanced critical thinking skills.
Some people may think that arts educators are motivated to speak out for the arts because they are fearful of losing their jobs due to cuts in education budgets. Let me assure you that is not the case here. Hey, I could teach history for a living, I have the necessary credentials. But I choose music because that is where the need is greatest. Not all music students go on to have musical careers; that is not the point of music education. The point is, they will become more sensitive, deeper thinking and more compassionate people because of their experiences in music at San Mateo High School. That is what we truly celebrate, and any joyful sounds my students make are simply by-products of their open-minded approach to the study of music.
2013-2014 Jazz Band audition materials are available here


Sheridan, Mark and Byrne, Charles (2003) Music education. In: Scottish Education. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 575-579. ISBN 074861625X
Prior to the 1980s the music curriculum consisted of class-singing, sol-fah deciphering and music appreciation. Typical resources were the piano, the Curwen modulator, numerous sets of song and sight-reading books (to suit single gender class groupings) and a record player. More enlightened teachers would have some percussion instruments or recorders in the classroom and, from the 1970s, the odd guitar. The Scottish Examination Board 'O' Grade examination at the end of year 4 was designed to be overtaken by pupils who had expertise on an instrument or voice to the equivalent of Associated Board Grade 5, tuition on which was given outwith the classroom while the teacher concentrated on historical study, rudiments and analysis. Such elitism fuelled growing disillusionment in pupils and many teachers who experienced a different world of music in their private lives (Witkin, 1974). Significant and effective change came in 1978 with the publication by the Scottish Education Department of the highly controversial Curriculum Paper 16, Music in Scottish Schools. This was the dividing line between past practices and future developments which radically changed the way in which music was taught and which clearly focused music teachers' and educators' energies and ideas. It encapsulated many of the ideas and innovations which had been forming in Britain through the work of Paynter and Aston (1970), Witkin (1974) and in the USA since the 1960s (Choksy et al., 1986) and placed them into a Scottish context. This provided the impetus for a root and branch overhaul of the curriculum which would reshape music in the classroom into an action-based experience, open to all children, regardless of their musical or academic ability. In the contexts of both primary and secondary schools, Curriculum Paper 16 recommended syllabus content and teaching and learning strategies, the review of assessment approaches and most significantly, staffing, resource and accommodation requirements to enable 'music for all' to be implemented. These recommendations gave teachers and headteachers the tools and impetus to make demands on local authorities to fund the developments appropriately.
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School may be out for summer, but that doesn't mean knowledge gained during the year need be lost forever.
Summer brain drain is a real phenomenon and a lurking threat for school age children, experts say.
According to the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education, most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in math computation skills over the summer months.
Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than the same tests taken at the beginning of the summer months, the center's Web site states.
But parents can help prevent their kids from losing lessons learned by making a few simple changes to their summer activities, said Susan Canizares, publisher for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's K-12 division.
It's important not to change the summer months into a school environment either, she said.
Rather, one of the best practices is to take activities the family is doing anyway and find lessons within them.
"We all play, we all shop, we all eat," she said during a phone interview from her Austin office. "It's about how you can take some of those activities and get some educational value out of them."
Canizares, who has a doctorate in language and literacy development from Fordham University, provided the following ideas for parents:
• Follow a favorite sports team - Help children track scores and favorite player statistics. Keep a chart with each family member's prediction on scores and game outcomes and at the end of the season, analyze to show who had the highest percentage of winning predictions.
• Plant a garden - Children can research what grows best in the neighborhood, chart growth and experiment with different watering cycles.
• Go shopping - Challenge kids to buy food to feed the whole family lunch or dinner for $12 and have them try to decorate the table for under $2.
• Get cooking - Have children find recipes in cookbooks or online and have them plan a family dinner where they'd have to double or triple the recipe.
• Read aloud - It's a myth that some children are too old to be read to, Canizares said. Even children in middle school like hearing a story from a parent. "To listen to someone read to you is a relaxing, enjoyable experience," she said. Hit the library for new-to-you children's books.


Reading Roots 4th Edition
Reading Roots 4th Edition is a ninety-minute comprehensive program that targets the needs of beginning readers. Reading Roots is a research-based beginning-reading program that provides a strong base for successful reading through systematic phonics instruction supported by decodable stories, along with instruction in fluency and comprehension. Reading Roots also fosters students’ love of reading by providing rich literature experiences, extensive oral-language development, and thematically focused writing instruction. These objectives are embedded in a fast-paced, engaging, and highly effective instructional process. Students are assessed and regrouped according to their reading level every quarter to ensure that they receive the most focused instruction.
How is Reading Roots 4th Edition structured?
Reading Roots is built around forty-eight lessons. Separated into four levels, it supports concept development in oral-language development, phonemic awareness, phonics, word skills, fluency, and writing. Second and third grade nonreaders can be regrouped into Reading Roots classes.
Reading Roots provides a strong base for successful reading due to its emphasis on systematic phonics instruction through FastTrack Phonics. This phonics instruction is supported by decodable stories, and instruction in fluency and comprehension. In addition to providing the necessary basis for strong reading, Reading Roots fosters students’ love of reading by providing rich literary experiences, extensive oral-language development, and thematically focused writing instruction. Click here to learn more about these components.
What teacher supports are provided?
Reading Roots 4th Edition includes all the elements needed to ensure success: teacher manuals, student materials, initial training for teachers, intensive onsite and telephone coaching, and tools to monitor students progress.
In addition, the following award-winning videos are included to help engage and motivate students:
The Animated Alphabet – Cartoons that teach letter-sound correspondence
The Sound and the Furry – Skits starring Alphie the Alligator and his puppet friends help your students hear and say sounds in words, blend words, spell, read fluently, and comprehend what they read.
Word Plays – Video skits that teach the vocabulary from the Success for All Shared Stories; they are particularly helpful for English language learners.
for a sample Reading Roots 4th Edition lesson.
Reading Roots 4th Edition–Interactive
In addition, Reading Roots 4th Edition–Interactive is available. It includes a CD with interactive lessons for use with a whiteboard*. Highlights of Reading Roots 4th Edition–Interactive include:
All media traditionally used with the Roots program (letter key cards, picture cards, word cards, animations, puppet skits, word plays, etc.) are tightly integrated into lessons so they can be managed and presented by the teacher simply by tapping and dragging on the whiteboard.
The ability to independently choose a lesson from the CD to reteach a reading lesson.
New computer activities such as Break-It-Down, Stretch and Read, and Quick Erase ensure student motivation and engagement.
Brief professional-development clips that model each lesson segment are provided.
for a sample Reading Roots 4th Edition–Interactive lesson.
Professional Development and Coaching
One key to Reading Roots success is the in-depth professional development
provided by the SFAF point coaches to support teachers' daily implementation.
The two-day initial training prepares teachers to implement Reading Roots. The training focuses on:
phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, word-recognition strategies, fluency, and comprehension;
elements of the lessons that provide engaging images, routines, and the practice needed to ensure success for each student;
tools for assessing students’ progress and adapting lessons based on assessments to meet individual and group needs;
cooperative-learning strategies that provide the practice and repetition beginning readers need;
support for administrators to monitor and improve program administration; and
a one-day training for school leaders in assessment tools and regrouping strategies. In addition, there is training in program monitoring and coaching.
Goal-Focused Achievement Planning
Goal-focused achievement planning sets the stage for success. School leaders and your SFAF coach develop specific goals and monitor student progress. every quarter, Reading Roots teachers, schools leaders, and your SFAF coach review student progress data. Goals and interventions for the following quarter are planned based on this data.
Ongoing Coaching and Support
As the year progresses, you will have a variety of ways to work with your SFAF coach to review your progress and refine your goals.
Scope and Sequence
Reading Roots 4th Edition is aligned to the Common Core State Standards
targets phonemic awareness, phonics, and oral language development beginning in first grade. Click here
to find out more about the Reading Roots scope and sequence.
* Reading Roots-Interactive will work with any interactive whiteboard systems.