Text and photography by Marvin Bartel , Ed.D., Professor of Art and Art Education , Goshen College Other essays in Art Education by this author can be found at this link .
Can I teach art in a ways that makes my students take pride in their own cultural identity while gaining respect and appreciation for the art of other cultures? Those teaching in international schools are likely to have students with more diversity or at least more understanding of cultural diversity than an art teacher in a national school.
In North America, I frequently see school displays of projects based on tribal art of Native American Tribes. Some of these are dolls that are felt to have magic powers in their traditional settings. Some are totem pole projects that are copies of Native American Totems.
Is it right to imitate what might be sacred or at least traditional in another culture? How do I teach art in a way that makes my students take pride in their own culture while gaining respect and appreciation for the art and customs of other cultures? Is imitation really flattery? Might there be more authentic ways to be creative while developing appreciation for the art forms and artworks of another culture? What does imitation teach about the role of artists? What should be the role of artists in today’s world? What is critical thinking in art? Shouldn’t we teach that artists interpret and create meaning rather than copy that which is already created?
WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING CONCEPTS?
May I suggest some ideas about how we might teach about multicultural attitudes while teaching art with integrity? As a teacher, I must first familiarize myself with the intention of the “other” artist. In the case of the Northwest Native American Totem Pole maker, I must understand the role of the Totem pole as an identity symbol for the family or tribe that it represents. I must have some appreciation for the Totem’s cultural role in helping tell the spiritual stories of the tribe’s interdependence on nature, animals, and their deep respect for their ancestors. If I know the artist’s intentions, I have prepared myself to motivate my students to create art based on similar intentions related to the culture of the students in my class.
Many art lesson are started by the teacher employing what is called image flooding. In image flooding the teacher shows many examples of completed work by artists and former students. I do not think much of image flooding because it works by giving many answers to the problem before the students have even considered the problem or worked at their own solution finding skills. Image flooding results in skillfully produced imitations, but does not teach much about problem finding and problem solving. Teachers who depend on image flooding may pride themselves on achieving skillfully slick student artwork, but I wonder whether students are learning how their art can create visual meaning and feeling in response to their own lives.
For the art projects each group could work together to develop an assembled sculpture that would represent the important aspects of their particular set of interests, values, or beliefs. Media might be heavy paper or card stock that is cut, folded, and glued into three dimensional forms to represent the symbols. Their colors, sizes, textures, shapes and their juxtapositions would help produce dominance and subordination of various inclusions. Artistically and aesthetically they should strive for unity with interesting variety.
THINKING AND CREATIVITY
When the groups complete the artworks, they could be given a writing guide and asked to write a statement or viewer’s guide articulating the work’s intentions. Other class members should be asked to respond without seeing the statement to point out what they first notice and explain why they notice it.
Better yet, a group of students does research. They then
and present a drama they have written about being members of the
Their roles include art-makers and art-users in the selected culture.
education research has shown that this method of learning art history
multicultural art is one of the favorites among high school
We live in an age of spectator sports and spectator culture. There is too much indiscriminate learning by imitation. By learning to be creators with integrity about ourselves and our own identities, we can better understand, empathize, and respect the honest efforts of those other than ourselves.
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Other essays in Art Education by this author can be found at this link .
Haida Tribe Information and Images can be found at these links
An essay on the life of the Haida Tribe
Some images and infomation about the making of Haida Totems. This is a Washington State University site.
about the Haida Tribe
Links to other essays by Marvin Bartel
They are located at: http://www.iteachnet.org/
Permission to copy for non-profit classroom use may be secured by e-mail from the author. Contact


Third through sixth grades
Jacqueline Loumaye has written several books for children on artists. This book is part of a series called Art for Children, in which an artist is spotlighted. The text information matches the chronology at the back of the book.
I could not locate any awards for this book.
This is a book about the life of artist Vincent Van Gogh. The characters in the story, an uncle his niece and nephew, set out to authenticate a family painting as an original Van Gogh. Through the course of the book, they speak with experts and visit museums displaying his work where more information about Van Gogh is revealed. They travel to different parts of Europe, visiting different homes of the famous artist. During their travels, they learn more about Van Gogh’s childhood, and the different stages his art went through. At the end of the story, the painting is not authenticated, but the family is happy to have learned more about Vincent Van Gogh and his work.
National Art Education Standards:
Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and culture
Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
The illustrations in this book consisted of a mix of watercolor illustrations by Claudine Roucha, reproductions of Van Gogh’s paintings, and photographs. At the back of the book is a listing of locations of Van Gogh’s work featured in the book. Photographic credits are also listed at the back and are varied in source. The illustrations are simple in this book, perhaps to not detract from the reproductions of Van Gogh’s work throughout the book.
Important access features in this book include a table of contents, glossary, chronology of events in Van Gogh’s life, a location guide to Van Gogh’s paintings in the story, and photographic credits.
The writing style is informal. The story is told from the grandfather’s point of view, which I found to be confusing to follow at times.
Use in My Classroom:
I would use this book during a study of famous artists, biographies, or a study of impressionialists artists.
My Response to the Book:
It took me awhile to get into this book. I was very interested in the subject matter so I kept reading. The format of the book threw me off some. I can appreciate the author’s attempt to make the book more interesting by having fictional characters learn more about Van Gogh in the search to authenticate their uncle’s painting as an original Van Gogh. After reading the book I found Van Gogh to be interesting enough on his own that just telling his story would be interesting enough. Van Gogh was quite disturbed and it is sad that he never lived to see his own fame. I think that may have helped with some of his problems.
Other books about Vincent van Gogh:
The Yellow House: Vincent van Gogh & Paul Gauguin Side by Side by Susan Goldman Rubin
The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford
Van Gogh (Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists series) by Mike Venezia
Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars by Joan Holub
In the Garden with Van Gogh by Julie Merberg


Early childhood education is the foundation not only for children’s mental development, but is an indication of the possible contributions they can make to society, says an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank.
“One of the key ingredients of economic growth is the quality and quantity of the workforce,” Rob Grunewald, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, told the Academic Distinction Fund on Thursday.
Grunewald pointed to numerous studies showing that early childhood education programs have a direct effect in improving a child’s mental capacities. This leads to improved school performance and higher earnings over the course of a lifetime. Also over the long-term, those children exposed to pre-kindergarten education were much less likely to be involved in criminal activity or depend on welfare programs, Grunewald pointed out.
“All of this research means, you get your money back,” he added.
Despite the healthy body of empirical evidence linking early childhood learning with educational achievement and an improved workforce, many states have been slow to respond to this call, say researchers. For one, the results take longer that the standard election cycle.
“The lion’s share of that return comes down the road,” Grunewald said. “And the investment tends to be less tangible.”
Regardless, the idea of investing in early childhood development, from an economic and job creation perspective, seems to be gaining momentum, Grunewald said.
“The business community is getting more and more organized about this,” Grunewald told a room Thursday filled with not only teachers, but business and civic leaders as well.
In 2007, the Louisiana Legislature passed a package of tax credits known as the School Readiness Tax Credits program as part of Quality Start, a program administered through the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services to improve the child-care industry.
Under the program, businesses can earn a refundable state tax credit based on a percentage of “eligible expenses” incurred in support of child-care centers, as well as a refundable state tax credit for donations made to child care resource and referral agencies.
Child-care center staff members can also qualify for tax credits under the program, and parents are also entitled to the tax credit when their children under the age of 6 are enrolled in a Quality Start program.
“These are all tied to accountability,” said Geoffrey Nagle, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at Tulane University and director of the Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. “It’s all tied toward rewarding quality, which is what we want.”
All indications seem to suggest improved early childhood development is needed in Louisiana. A recent 2011 Manufacturing and Logistics National Report by the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Indiana gave Louisiana a failing grade in the important area of “human capital.”
Michael Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and the author of the report, pointed out that the quality of education children are exposed to — particularly in kindergarten through 12th grade — seemed to greatly influence the quality of worker they become.
“I think 30 years from now, I think 20 years from now, our country will be very different in terms of the investments we make for young children and what opportunities there are,” Nagle said. “We’re beginning to see these changes happen on a federal level and I think the states that approach this aggressively are going to be the leaders in our country in terms of an educated and successful workforce. And the states that lag behind, are going to lag behind in our economy into the next century.
“It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of people demanding that we change directions,” he added.


The UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees(the Refugee Convention) is the primary international legal document relating to refugee protection. It defines who is a refugee and outlines the rights of refugees and the legal obligations of states towards refugees and asylum seekers.
The Refugee Convention was adopted at a United Nations conference on 28 July 1951 and entered into force on 22 April 1954. The Refugee Convention was originally designed to respond to the needs of European refugees in the years following World War II. As such, it applied only to persons who had become refugees as a result of ‘events occurring before 1 January 1951’ and allowed signatories to only protect refugees originating from Europe.
In 1967, the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees removed the geographic and time limitations of the original Convention, broadening its scope to create capacity to respond to new refugee situations. The protocol entered into force on 4 October 1967.
The Refugee Convention defines a refugee. A recognised refugee must satisfy the following criteria:
- the person must be outside their country of origin;
- the reason for their flight must be a fear of persecution;
- this fear of persecution must be well founded (ie they must have experienced it or be likely to experience it if they return);
- the persecution must be due to one or more of the five grounds listed in the definition; and
- they must be unwilling or unable to seek the protection of their country.
The definition also includes a qualifier which excludes any person who has committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a serious non-political crime outside their country of refuge or any other act contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
The five grounds for persecution listed in the Refugee Convention are race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Rights of refugees
The Refugee Convention also recognises that refugees hold certain rights. Some of these are universal human rights recognised in other treaties. For instance, the Convention requires States parties to accord to refugees:
- the same rights as citizens in relation to freedom of religion, intellectual property, access to courts and legal assistance, rationing, public relief, access to elementary education, labour rights and social security;
- treatment which is as favourable as possible and at least as favourable as that accorded to foreign nationals, in relation to the acquisition of property, self-employment, practising as a professional, access to housing and access to secondary and tertiary education; and
- treatment which is at least as favourable as that accorded to foreign nationals with respect to freedom of association, wage-earning employment and freedom of movement.
The following Articles are the most relevant in the Australian context:
Article 31: Refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge
This Article prohibits States from imposing penalties on refugees who, when coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened, enter or are present in their territory without authorisation, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and can show good cause for their illegal entry or presence. According to UNHCR, this includes both refugees coming straight from their country of origin and refugees coming from any other territory where their protection, safety and security cannot be assured.
This Article recognises that refugees have a lawful right to enter a country for the purposes of seeking asylum, regardless of how they arrive or whether they hold valid travel or identity documents. As such, what would otherwise be considered illegal or unlawful actions (eg entering a country without a visa) should not be treated as such if a person is seeking asylum.
Article 31 also prohibits State parties from restricting the freedom of movement of refugees who arrive without authorisation, with the exception of restrictions necessary for regularising their status. Australia’s Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) denied people the right to re-enter Australia if they left, no matter what the reason or destination of their travel.
Article 33: Non-refoulement
This Article outlines that State parties must not forcibly expel or return (refouler) any person to a situation where their life or freedom may be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. The principle of non-refoulement has become part of customary international law and is considered to be binding on all states, even those which have not signed the Refugee Convention.
States parties to the Convention
The Refugee Convention currently has 147 States parties. This includes three States which are party only to the 1951 Convention and three States which are party only to the 1967 Protocol. All other states are parties to both instruments. (See more information about the Refugee Convention on the UNHCR website.)
Australia was among the earliest States parties to the Refugee Convention, acceding to the treaty on 22 January 1954. Australia ratified the 1967 Protocol on 13 December 1973.


One of the big projects that the Office of Literacy and many of our districts in the southeast region have been developing lately is the District Literacy Action Plan. It is a rigorous and rewarding process. The district forms a team of truly representative staff members. The team meets about ten times to participate in a brief but thorough self-study and the courageous conversations that will lead to a narrow set of measurable and actionable goals. The goals are intended to be accomplished within several months to a year. This is not "your typical three-to-five-year strategic plan".
Using a process developed by the Office of Literacy and one of its partners, Public Consulting Group, districts define literacy, assess the current conditions K - 12, and set goals in four major, interrelated areas. The four areas are assessment and data use, standards-based curriculum, tiered instruction, and family and community involvement. A goal map outlines the resources and time needed to accomplish that goal. The process is designed to integrate the aligned plan with every existing district initiative. The literacy vision matches the district's vision and those expressed by each of its schools. It is because the plan matches existing goals and initiatives, that it immediately lives and requires action.
The District Literacy Action Team not only shepherds the development of the plan but the members of the team assume the responsibility for checking-in periodically to monitor the progress needed to accomplish its goals. In addition, they create a Public Service Announcement that provides a message alerting everyone in the community to the importance of literacy learning to every student's life and to the responsibility that we all have in supporting the education of all of our students.
The goal that supports community and family involvement can be especially challenging. It requires a mindset of partnership rather than invitation. One of the books that I recommend is Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships by Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, and Davies. The book makes the case for partnerships, reports on those places that have made partnerships work, and provides many tools and resources to help schools start to develop the relationships needed for true partnerships with families and the community.
November is Family Literacy Month. You may want to think about some activities that will begin or forge even stronger partnerships with families around literacy. Visit our resource page at http://www.doe.mass.edu/familylit/month/ for partnership ideas and ways to help you get the word out that successful literacy development depends on collaboration. All learning is served on the literacy plate!


Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects the brain in newborns. It can develop in the womb or during birth or early infancy. This condition affects body movement, reflexes and balance. Although the brain damage associated with cerebral palsy does not progress, the symptoms affect function throughout life. Cerebral palsy is not always obvious in newborns.
The exact cause of cerebral palsy, or CP, is not known. However several risk factors have been identified. Certain infections during pregnancy increase the unborn baby's risk of having CP, including rubella (German measles) and herpes. Health problems in a pregnant mother may also increase the risk for CP, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and thyroid disorders. Placental problems that reduce or disrupt blood flow to the developing baby may interfere with brain development and potentially lead to CP. A premature or complicated delivery is another risk factor for CP. Serious health problems experienced by a baby shortly after birth may cause brain damage that manifests as cerebral palsy. Examples include bleeding in the brain, serious infections, seizures and head trauma.
Cerebral Palsy in Newborns
A newborn with CP may have difficulty nursing or sucking on a bottle due to weak, uncoordinated mouth muscles. Weakness can also cause the baby to have difficulty holding his head up. Some newborns with CP are less active than healthy newborns. Spastic CP is the most common form of this condition, causing muscles to be excessively tight. Newborns with spastic CP may seem usually stiff due to increased muscle tightness. This can cause difficulty with dressing and bathing the baby. Other types of CP cause low muscle tone, making the newborn seem unusually floppy. Involuntary movements, such as jerking of the arms or legs, may also occur in a newborn with CP. Cerebral palsy may not be obvious in newborns, especially if the baby has a mild form of the illness. This condition affects body movements, and newborns do not move a lot.
Motor Development and Growth
Muscles that are affected by CP do not always develop normally. Increased muscle tightness can also cause bone and joint deformities as the baby grows. The spine can develop abnormal curves called scoliosis. A newborn may have difficulty lifting her head briefly and turning it to the side, a skill that usually develops within 1 to 2 months. Other early developmental milestones, such as rolling over, lifting the head or arms while lying on the stomach and crawling, may also be delayed.
Physical and occupational therapy are usually prescribed when a newborn is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Physical therapy includes stretching tight muscles and strengthening exercises to improve motor skill development. Parents or caregivers are taught how to position the baby to encourage use of weak muscles. "Tummy time" is encouraged to strengthen muscles in the back and neck. Occupational therapists use adapted bottles for feeding and specialized seats to position the newborn to support weak muscles.
- Pediatrics: Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in the Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy
- Journal of Child Neurology: Cranial Ultrasound Lesions in the NICU Predict Cerebral Palsy at Age 2 Years in Children Born at Extremely Low Gestational Age
- Pediatric Research: Microbiologic and Histologic Characteristics of the Extremely Preterm Infant's Placenta Predict White Matter Damage and Later Cerebral Palsy -- The ELGAN Study
- International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience: Umbilical Cord Blood Biomarkers of Neurologic Injury and the Risk of Cerebral Palsy or Infant Death
- Center for Cerebral Palsy at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare: Cerebral Palsy -- A Guide to Understanding
- Cleveland Clinic: Children's Hospital -- Cerebral Palsy
- CerebralPalsy: Cerebral Palsy Risk Factors
- Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images


Come Play Preschool is a nurturing and relaxed enriching environment specifically designed for 18-24 month toddlers.
Each area in two dedicated classrooms will be structured for a particular purpose, supporting the range of activities to provide the richest pre-preschool experience for your little ones and promote development of their social, emotional and motor skills.
Through cross-curriculum learning, Come Play Preschool will establish daily routines and procedures for a smooth transition to independence in preparation for our 2’s program. Teachers will provide opportunities for parents to help foster their toddler’s independence through modeling and interactive play. Parents attend and participate alongside their toddler and have the opportunity to learn and grow together guided by caring and nurturing teachers.
How will an ordinary day in Come Play Preschool look like?
Each day in Come Play Preschool will begin with a Hello! welcome song and a Circle Time with a brief introduction to set the tone for our day. There will be a time to enjoy your favorite snack from home with your new friends and number of activities guided by the teacher, such as:
- Music & Creative Movement: Through music and movement your toddlers will begin to learn and further develop balance, coordination, body awareness, rhythm and muscle strength. We will use a variety of interactive/follow along songs as well as props including scarves, beanbags, shakers etc. At times this portion of the class will focus on developing skills individually with the help of a parent, and at other times we will work together as a large group to complete a task.
- “Parent and Me” Arts: During this interactive multisensory experience children engage in painting, building structures, and sensory activities all with the guidance of their parent. This portion of the day will help children to learn and follow a routine alongside their teacher and classmates, developing skills in cooperation, listening carefully and letting their creativity shine.
- Story Time: Each day, time will be set aside to read a story and begin to invite toddlers to actively participate in reading. We believe that it is never too early to model and aid literacy development and are excited about making story time a staple in our daily routine.
- Play Time: Developmentally appropriate centers including sensory tables, blocks, books, play kitchen and more will allow toddlers safe environments to learn and explore through imaginative play and creativity. These centers will be set up in a similar way to those found in our 2’s and 3’s classrooms, providing another means through which your toddler will find familiarity when transitioning into his/her next classroom.
- Gym/Yoga for Tots: This portion of the day will focus on building skills such as foot/hand coordination, eye/hand coordination, and social skills as well as promote the development of cognitive thinking skills such as counting, sorting, matching and colors.
Each day will conclude with a Goodbye song at the end and a short Circle time to go over all the fun things the kids have done through the day.
Mon, Tue, Thur (9am-12pm)
Two days a week – $500 /month – 8 classes
Three days a week – $750/month – 12 classes


“Why use multimedia in classroom setting in teaching art education”?
In my point of view, using multimedia in classroom setting can help student to enhance the learning facility and can attract student attention in learning. Using multimedia in classroom setting is the way of fun learning method than using the traditional method. Besides that, multimedia offer a good benefit in education, it can show picture, text, sound, video, animation and graphic. As we know the painting by famous artist like “Pablo Picasso” are in overseas and as a Malaysian student, it need much cost to go oversea to look at famous painting by Pablo Picasso. So, this is one of benefit using multimedia in art education which is we can see a famous painting using a multimedia (picture).


Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- ISBN: 9780807753477 | 0807753475
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 6/29/2012
Extraordinary K12 teachers show us what social equity literacy teaching looks like and how it advances children's achievement. Chapters identify six key dimensions of social equity teaching that can help teachers see their students' potential and create conditions that will support their literacy development. Serving students well depends on understanding relationships between race, class, culture, and literacy; the complexity and significance of culture; and the culturally situated nature of literacy. It also requires knowledge of culturally responsive practices, such as collaborating with and learning from caregivers, using cultural referents, enacting critical and transformative literacy practices, and seeing the capacities of English Language Learners and children who speak African American Language.


Formula For A Safe School
Open Heart + Open Mind =
Empathy + Security
Students who feel like their school provides a supportive, encouraging environment.
"The great gift of human beings is that we have the power to have empathy." ~Meryl Streep
Here's a quick read!
Do you listen, really listen to your children? Take 5-10 minutes out your day and build that relationship.
There's so much to learn!
Rigor or Compassion?
You CAN have both!
Are we sacrificing teaching
humanity and ethics in order to
achieve academic and
Believe in students,
give them hope,
and restore the learning environment for all.
While the statement is simple, the consistency and work behind it is complex. It takes genuine effort, a true heart, and requires the education of the entire community. Key to success is Social Emotional Learning and teaching practices starting in the earliest grades.
Follow through and strength in restorative practice for the intermediate and middle grades allow for discipline with hope and compassion, without any compromised values or academics.
Dena Albergo is a former Detroit area school administrator, with over 15 years of experience in that capacity. Currently completing an Education Specialist degree while teaching center-based high school age students with autism, she received her undergraduate degree in elementary education from Eastern Michigan University and a graduate degree in Education Administration from Madonna University. She currently resides in Livonia, Michigan with her 3 children. She consults with
individual schools and districts, both public and private. Her services can be contracted through this website or through the Center for Educational Improvement (see link on Services page). She has authored one children's book on grief and how to assist young children through its challenges.
Average scoring gain on academic standardized tests for students enrolled in
Purchase a copy & preview the book
from Amazon.com here:
Current Research & info
Students making academic gains when supported by
For 20+ years, I have devoted energy and research into helping students succeed in school. A basic human need to be accepted and loved. Generally, if that need is met, we are capable of accomplishing great things. By focusing on students' social emotional needs beginning at a young age, schools and families can work together to create an emotionally safe, empathetic, kind, and cooperative global society.


The Hanson Method is an innovative penmanship program which makes cursive writing easy to teach and learn. This method was developed and streamlined over a period of 14 years. It has proven to be efficient and highly effective for all students. It is the best way to teach and to learn cursive writing.
The Teacher's Manual contains 40 logically sequenced daily lessons that take only ten minutes each to complete. The letters of the alphabet are designed to ensure legibility and proper connection from one letter to the next. The Student Workbook contains practice pages for both classwork and homework. In just 8 short weeks, students will be able to write legibly.
Give students the vital lifelong cursive writing skills they need. Order The Teacher's Manual and The Student Workbook—Cursive Fluency Now! I look forward to being of service and helping preserve the art and skill of cursive penmanship.
Sincerely, Ms. Hanson
Former Consultant U. S. Department of Education, Author, Creator of The Hanson Method, B. A. Elementary Education, M. A. School Administration, Educator.
Teacher's Manual $21.95 • Student Workbook $23.95. For large quantities, email or call to request discounted shipping cost. Hanson@CursiveFluency.com • (323) 333-1756
What is cursive?
Cursive is the joining together of the printed letters. It sounds simple, but without The Hanson Method it can become very complicated and challenging for most students. There is a best way to teach and learn cursive—The Hanson Method!
Why learn to write cursive?
A person can be identified by their writing. One’s signature on a document is legally binding. Writing in cursive is faster than printing. Writing personal cards and letters is a pleasure, a symbol of an educated person, and with cursive comes a sense of etiquette.
Why learn to read cursive?
Valuable cultural resources and historical documents such as the United States Preamble, Constitution, Gettysburg Address and many other valuable historical documents are written in cursive. With the disappearance of cursive writing skills, who in the future will be able to read our country's most historic documents in their original form? What will become of historical letters, and documents like private communications from historic leaders? writings of great public importance?
Also wills and land deeds are recorded and filed in our public records offices throughout America; millions have been written in cursive. Many of those records will remain legally significant for a very long time. Additionally, many towns, villages, and counties maintain record books of public meetings, and public business over the decades and centuries, all written in cursive. Who will keep, maintain, and interpret those irreplaceable records?
Experienced Teachers Say:
• These books make learning cursive fun! • Now all of my students love penmanship!
• Each daily lesson makes so much sense! • It's thorough, effective, simple, and fun! • It is a revolutionary handwriting system! • I wish my son's teacher had these books!


See a list of Music Programs by Clicking Here!
Music is the area of study and employment that deals with the combination of sounds in order to produce a response, be it emotional, professional or otherwise. Musicians work alone or in groups in order to construct harmonies and melodies that achieve a desired result, with many different types of music and instrument available for study and exploration.
Education and Schools
Individuals who wish to study music will learn explore a variety of subjects related to it. Such education includes theory, notation, simple and complex construction, experimentation, as well as how to harmonize various sounds, and depending on one’s specialization, further insight into a given instrument or group of instruments, or how to arrange and compose music, which is often the case for conductors. Musicians trained in this fashion may earn varying levels of degrees, though the most common are bachelor or master degrees.
A curriculum may include:
- Music Theory
- Music History
Students who wish to study music should choose schools that have specialized programs, particularly if they plan to study a specific instrument, rather than broad theory. Schools that have modern music departments, or conservatories that specialize in music education are typically the most ideal for student. Additionally, renowned schools that have graduates of note, or connections to various music outlets and groups may also be preferable.
Music has seen an increase in employment due to changing technology and distribution. As a result more music of all types is able to make its way into the homes and ears of individuals. Educated and trained musicians will be able to seek employment in a variety of venues, including symphonies, studio sessions, pick up for bands, and other similar areas. Additionally, composers of quality and experience can find opportunities working for film, games, television and more. Employment is expected to increase over the next decade.


BIG Maths is a teaching approach that makes progress in maths easy and fun. BIG Maths has been extremely successful both nationally and internationally with thousands of children learning through daily BIG Maths ‘CLIC’ sessions and the weekly ‘Beat That!’ challenges.
BIG Maths answers the question, ‘How do we get children properly numerate as they journey through school?’ through its highly effective CLIC (Counting, Learn its, Its nothing new & Calculation) framework and accurate steps of progression (Progress Drives) that make new learning easy and obvious to children by cashing in on the timeless laws of maths.
In addition to this, BIG Maths is perfectly aligned with the new (September 2014) National Curriculum’s heightened focus on core numeracy skills such as learning tables securely, applying existing knowledge to new contexts and developing both mental and formal calculation skills.
Our delivery of BIG Maths provides the school with a clear sequence of progression for every aspect of number, daily dynamic basic skills sessions, a weekly assessment tool and engaging, child friendly resources.
BIG Maths is therefore a rigorous, systematic and structured approach that provides children with a fun and lively experience as they learn through jingles, songs, games and the BIG Maths characters.
What do our pupils think of BIG Maths?


Life in modern Britain is extremely exciting. However, there are also challenging times in young people’s lives. At Wombridge Primary School we believe that teaching children to grow up with the skills to keep themselves ‘safe and happy’ is as important as equipping them with literacy and numeracy skills. At Wombridge Primary we work hard to ensure that every child takes responsibility for their own actions and develops a strong awareness of how what they do and say can affect others.
We expect the children to develop a concern and consideration for each other and we teach them how to overcome challenges.
The staff work closely together to demonstrate consistency and a firm but fair approach. Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated, where it occurs firm sanctions are implemented and parent’s support is expected.
The school has received national recognition by being one of the first 30 schools in the UK to be awarded the Bullying Intervention Group (BIG) Award for excellence in challenging bullying.
Keeping Happy & Safe Online
At Wombridge Primary school we take e-safety seriously. The school works closely with Telford and Wrekin Council to continue to provide safe and secure access to the internet within school. The wireless network is filtered to prevent access to unsuitable websites, whilst enabling the children to benefit from the very best educational resources possible. We pride ourselves on our vigilance in taking every possible and practical step to minimise the risk within school of inappropriate internet use, in close partnership with Telford and Wrekin Council.
However with new technologies emerging all of the time we recognise that it will not always be possible to eliminate the risk of inappropriate internet use completely through filtering and restriction. With this in mind we place great importance on educating the children on taking their own e-safety very seriously. We expect the children to actively learn responsible use of the internet through our ongoing work on being safe and happy and ensure that the children have the opportunity to gain an age appropriate understanding of the potential risks as well as the advantages of using modern technology as they progress through the school.
We gave a brief to the children in key stage 2 to produce a start up video that was current enough to engage a 14 year old but accessible enough that our reception teachers could use it to support their work on how we stay safe and happy online.
As a result of this, we expect each child to demonstrate safe and responsible use of the internet. You can help support your child at home by being aware of potential risks, and regularly talking to your child about how they use the internet at home. If you require more information you may find these links helpful, or by all means talk to your child’s teacher.
Educating our pupils on e-safety has always been a priority for us, especially as we integrate Technology so extensively into our curriculum and have worked so hard to engage the children with the wider world.


A focus on health in schools is an important part of enabling all students to reach their full potential.
Renfrew County and District Health Unit supports school boards, teachers, students and parents at 42 elementary schools and 11 high schools with health related programs and services that are congruent with the expectations of the Ontario Health and Physical Education elementary and secondary Curriculum and the Ontario Public Health Standards.
A Health Promoter or Public Health Nurse is assigned to each elementary and high school to assist with implementing components of the four pillars of Comprehensive School Health:
- Social and Physical Environments
- Teaching and Learning
- Healthy School Policy
- Partnerships and Services
Health Unit staff also provides:
- Immunization Clinics
- Dental Screening
- Food Safety Consultations and Tobacco Control
Student Health Centres
Public Health Nurses are available for confidential health advice and counselling. High school students are encouraged to drop in. See the Student Health Centres schedule.
All children attending school between the ages of 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario’s immunization schedule. Immunization protects children from many serious diseases that are easily spread in schools. For more information see our immunization page.
The Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act lists over 70 communicable diseases that must be reported to local health units. Directors of many institutions, including schools, are responsible for reporting suspected cases of reportable diseases to the local Health Unit. All reports are followed up by a Public Health Nurse or Public Health Inspector.
The Communicable Disease Guidelines for School and Child Care Facilities is intended to provide you with general information about communicable diseases commonly experienced by children, and to help you identify and prevent the spread of illness. Within this guide, you will find a description of 36 common childhood diseases including information on how they are spread; incubation periods; periods of communicability; prevention; and facility reporting requirements. There is also information on general infection control practices that any facility can implement to prevent the spread of disease.
How to report communicable diseases
- See the list of Reportable Diseases
- For diseases which need to be reported immediately, call 613-735-8653 during office hours, and 613-735-9926 during evenings, weekends and holidays.
- For all reportable diseases, complete the Communicable Disease Reporting Form for Child Care & Schools and fax to 613-735-3067 by the next business day.
Health for All Schools E-Newsletters
Health and Physical Education Teaching Resources
Teachers in Renfrew County and District can borrow teaching resources from the Health Unit for a two-week period.
Healthy Eating in Schools
The Renfrew County and District Health Unit Dietitian works in partnership with Health Unit school contacts to promote healthy eating in schools.
Formerly called ‘Nutrition Tools for Schools’, BrightBites is a free, non-profit program created by Registered Dietitians working in public health units across the province.
Students and teachers need to eat well to be at their best, physically and mentally. Boosting school nutrition can be challenging. BrightBites makes it easy and rewarding! Win badges, receive recognition and watch your school transform – one bite at a time.
For support to create a healthy nutrition environment in your school contact Carolyn Froats-Emond, RD at 613-735-8651 extension 527.


By Martin Hughes
The significance of studying arithmetic is consistently under pressure by means of educationalists and employers alike. but survey after survey indicates that enormous numbers of kids go away university missing either competence and curiosity in arithmetic. what's going fallacious and what could be performed approximately it?
In Children and Number Martin Hughes proposes a brand new point of view on kid's early makes an attempt to appreciate arithmetic. He describes the unusually big wisdom approximately quantity which young children collect certainly earlier than they begin college, and contrasts this with the problems offered by way of the formal written symbolism of arithmetic within the school room. He argues that youngsters have to construct hyperlinks among their casual and their formal figuring out of quantity, and indicates what occurs while those hyperlinks aren't made.
Children and Number describes many novel ways that childrens might be helped to profit approximately quantity. the writer exhibits that the written symbols kids usually invent for themselves are extra significant to them than the symbols that they're taught. He provides uncomplicated quantity video games for introducing teenagers to mathematical symbols in methods they could take pleasure in and comprehend. Dr. Hughes additionally describes how the pc language emblem will be tailored for youngsters, and indicates the dramatic impression that brand could have on their mathematical understanding.
Read or Download Children and Number: Difficulties in Learning Mathematics PDF
Best Elementary Education books
Every little thing mom and dad have to support their young ones achieve social reviews the one complete social reviews skill-building sequence on hand, the prepare! For Social experiences sequence equips proactive mom and dad with the instruments they should support their childrens increase the center talents required to accomplish at grade point in social studies-related matters.
Gretchen Owocki we could different academics in on one of many best-kept secrets and techniques of early youth schooling: play is a digital goldmine for facilitating literacy studying. whilst teenagers play in a purposefully designed, literacy-rich surroundings, academics can detect and capitalize on a few really very important, hugely teachable moments.
Monitoring Our type backyard, by way of Rena Korb.
Chapter 1: the recent backyard, #2:The backyard within the iciness, #3:Spring Arrives, #4: catastrophe moves! , In again of booklet are instructions on the best way to indoor gardening with an egg carton.
An exploration of the way play aids studying the second one variation of this bestselling publication discusses the important value of play as a device for studying and instructing. it's been generally revised to hide the numerous adjustments that experience taken position within the box of early youth within the final decade.
Additional resources for Children and Number: Difficulties in Learning Mathematics


Choral Music at River School offers students an opportunity to enhance their musical ability by providing an outlet for expression through singing. Students will learn the importance of dedication, teamwork, musicianship, poise and self-worth. It’s my hope that we will create a familial atmosphere in the rehearsal classroom, which will provide students with a safe environment and allow each person to feel comfortable in sharing their innate talents with the ensemble.
Choral classes are divided by grade and not by skill or ability. Students of all levels in our programs will establish fundamental vocal techniques, pitch and tone, and will perform alone and with others. Students are expected and encouraged to practice at home and/or with a private instructor. Students will be given opportunities to perform several times during the year.
6th Grade Choir – trimester
7th/8th Grade Choir – year
Music is: science, math, foreign language, history, physical….
all of these things, but most of all, music is art.
It speaks to our emotions, our passions and our desire to be creative. In addition, music making is a shared human endeavor that bonds us together; connecting us to one another in a communal experience. Music education is humanistic education, because as scholar David Elliott puts it, the primary values of music education are the same as those we share as humans beings (self-growth, self-knowledge, self esteem, and a desire for the optimal experience.)


- This event has passed.
Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain
Tuesday, April 18, 2017 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Presented by Marcia L. Tate, CEO, Developing Minds, Inc.
Sponsored by Frog Street Press
If you attended the live session, you’ll be emailed a CE certificate within 24 hours of the edWebinar. If you view the recording and would like a CE certificate, join the Early Childhood Learning Solutions community and go to the edWebinar Archives folder to take the CE quiz.
Many years ago a book was written titled, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. When it comes to teaching and learning, this title is so accurate. In this edWebinar, experience at least ten of the 20 strategies that all teachers should use to deliver instruction, regardless of the grade level or content area of the student. These brain-compatible strategies are used most often in kindergarten but should be used by all teachers to maximize memory and minimize forgetting. When teachers provide visuals and storytelling and students have opportunities to draw, sing, and move, content is remembered. PreK-12 teachers, teacher leaders, curriculum specialists, teacher assistants, and administrators will benefit from this webinar. Learn the names of the 20 strategies and the research behind why these strategies work for PreK through 12th grade and college students, as well as adults. This edWebinar has been called professionally and personally enlightening and so much fun!
About the Presenter
Marcia Tate, educational consultant and CEO, Developing Minds, Inc., has presented to over 500,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and business and community leaders at local, state, national, and international conferences. Previously, she was the executive director of professional development for the DeKalb County School System in Decatur, GA. During her 30-year career, she was a classroom teacher, reading specialist, language arts coordinator, and staff development director. She is the author of eight best-sellers: Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain; Preparing Children for Success in School and Life: 20 Ways to Increase Your Child’s Brain Power; Science Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain; Reading & Language Arts Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Literacy Strategies that Engage the Brain; Mathematics Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Numeracy Strategies That Engage the Brain; Social Studies Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain; Shouting Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Techniques to Detour Around the Danger Zones; and “Sit and Get” Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Professional Learning Strategies That Engage the Adult Brain; and her latest book, Formative Assessment in a Brain-Compatible Classroom: How Do We Really Know They’re Learning?
Join the Early Childhood Learning Solutions community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, view past edWebinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past edWebinar, and access free resources.


Class 4 celebrated their learning journey about the Ancient Greeks by having a Greek Day. We dressed up, had a Greek feast and made Greek clay pots
British Museum Trip
We went to the British Museum in London with Class 3, to learn more about the Romans and Greeks on 11 October 2012
VSA Science Day
Year 5 went to Buxted School to take part in a Science Day. We were set a task to build a battery operated robot with wireless control. We worked with the students from the other village schools, as a bonding exercise, which was cool!
We were set 3 challenges. Our robot had to:
- compete in a race against other teams
- play football
- play a wrestling competition to see which robot was the strongest.
OUR ROBOT WON!
VSA Maths Trail
Year 6 went to Wilderness Wood to complete a Maths Trail. We tried a variety of different challenges to test our numeracy skills.


HODGES, JAMES, engineer; b. 6 April 1814 at Queenborough, Kent, Eng.; d. 28 May 1879 on his estate of Penny-Hill at Bagshot, Surrey, Eng.
In Queenborough James Hodges received only an elementary education, and he took advantage of the industrial revolution to carve out a place for himself. He was apprenticed to a Brompton contractor at the age of 17, and soon turned to railway construction, taking part in some ten important projects and becoming works manager of the South-Eastern Railway Company. After that, as Sir Samuel Morton Peto’s agent, he worked at the building of the suspension bridges at Norwich, Needham, and Somerleyton, accepted a post as engineer, and then undertook the construction of 50 miles of track for the Great Northern Railway.
With this valuable experience to help him, Hodges arrived in Canada in 1853 to represent the firm of Peto, Brassey, and Betts, which had just signed a contract with the Grand Trunk Railway Company. Until 1860 he directed the gigantic task of building a bridge (Victoria Bridge) over the St Lawrence near Montreal. He had to tackle numerous technical problems resulting from the speed and strength of the current and the intense cold of the winters. Furthermore, he could not count on a stable work force. The fitters and labourers, dissatisfied with the wage offers made them, periodically went on strike; some were signed on by other contractors who offered them better wages. Drownings occurred; cholera and blindness due to the reflection of the sun on the ice affected a considerable number of workmen. However, thanks to the assistance given by five doctors, the number of deaths among the 3,040 men employed during these six years was kept down to 26. The workers lived on the banks of the river, and had the advantage of a chapel, a school, and a library of some 1,000 volumes.
The Grand Trunk Railway Company wanted to do away as soon as possible with the ferry linking the two banks, which would lighten its annual budget by about £2,500. The contractors therefore decided in June 1858 to try to open the bridge to traffic by the following year. To meet this objective, Hodges used the support of the ice to place in position during the winter of 1858–59 the central deck of the bridge and its tubular structure, which measured 330 feet in length and weighed 771 tons. By this daring operation he completed his task before the time provided for in the contract. This achievement earned him the honour, on 25 Aug. 1860, of welcoming the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII, who had come specially to open the bridge, named Victoria after the reigning sovereign.
His work ended, Hodges returned to England. But he soon found himself alone once more, as a result of his wife’s death. In 1863 he came back to Montreal as the agent of the Grand Trunk, and endeavoured to obtain a cheap form of fuel for Canadians, who lacked coal. He developed a peatbog on a 25,000 acre tract of land near the railway in the township of Bulstrode (Arthabaska County), which had been granted to him in May 1869. He met with little success and shortly before 1871 he returned to England to his estate in Surrey, where he died in 1879.
James Hodges, Construction of the great Victoria Bridge in Canada (2v., London, 1860). Langelier, Lands granted in Quebec, 1763–1890, 65, 1465. Le Courrier du Canada (Québec), 31 août 1860. Morning Chronicle (Quebec), 27 Aug. 1860. Morgan, Sketches of celebrated Canadians, 706–8. Notman and Taylor, Portraits of British Americans, I, 267–92. A. W. Currie, The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada (Toronto, 1957), 51. Raphaël Bellemare, “Inauguration du pont Victoria,” BRH, V (1899), 189–90.


Bright Futures Music Lessons - Music is defined as vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion. Making music involves more than our voice or fingers on an instrument; one must tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. Music learning supports all learning. There is a distinct relationship between music and language development. Neuroscience research has proven that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training. At Bright Futures, our professional musicians and vocal coaches teach the students how to play an instrument as well as how to sing as a four part choir and soloists. The intrinsic benefits to music education include being disciplined, learning a skill, managing performance as well as respecting the process of learning an instrument, which is valuable on its own.


Songs To Educate thematic "Kits" create opportunities to learn songs with bright tie-ins to standards in literacy, math, social studies and science.
(PRWEB) March 06, 2014
Songs to Educate, a leading provider of Arts Integrated Education resources, wishes to promote Music in Our Schools Month by providing parents and teachers with the most extraordinary arts integrated toolkit for the classroom. In celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, Songs to Educate is offering a 25% discount off all orders during the month of March. This offer includes song and dance kits, albums, as well as single downloadable songs.
There are so many ways teachers and parents can use Songs To Educate to benefit children:
-Get everyone up on their feet singing and moving to a simple, fun and engaging call and response song.
-Start the day with the "Hello Hello" song traveling through 15 languages across the world.
-Start any part of the day with a wonderful brain and body tune-up song like "We've Got The Rhythm", "Hand Dance" or "Planet Wonderland".
-Explore varied subjects using a broad range of learning songs like the beloved "Water Cycle Story Dance", "Human Body Operator's Manual" or "Riddle of the Planets".
-Songs To Educate thematic "Kits" create opportunities to learn songs with bright tie-ins to standards in literacy, math, social studies and science.
-Play innovative and engaging songs during snacks, transitions and open times to create a warm, content rich environment in the classroom.
-Show Songs To Educate videos to share what other children are doing with these songs and to spark ideas.
- Teachers can create beautiful curriculum based performance programs with the natural ingenuity and facilitation of this substantial resource.
Music in Our Schools Month was launched by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and has become an annual event – a time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation.
About Song To Educate:
The founders Paul and Melanie Zeir have been working directly with thousands of children since 1997 to inspire and educate through music and movement. Interactive songs with dances and lesson plans are now available online at http://www.SongsToEducate.com.
Songs To Educate provides a full supplemental library of curriculum based songs with movement accompaniment for children ages 2-12.
Songs To Educate is about loving learning and satisfying the curriculum requirements.
Services include curriculum-based performing arts programs, conference presentations, professional development, and tech support for public, independent and homeschooling environments.
Any teacher can integrate music and movement into the classroom…Songs To Educate is here to help!


Individuals learn in a variety of ways (Felder & Spurlin, 2005). One method for educating is storytelling. Storytelling is a way of communicating and processing events and information; taking away the lessons that life has to offer (McKee, 1997). Understanding that people learn in a variety of ways, and that storytelling is tradition of humankind, it makes sense to tell stories using a variety of media. Hence, transmedia storytelling (Jenkins, 2007).
An example of how transmedia storytelling can teach children is Monster High. Monster High began as a web series; short 3 minute videos which tell the story of a group of students in high school. The catch is that they are all the children of famous monsters (e.g., Dracula, the werewolf, zombies, the Mummy, etc.). From there, Mattel created dolls, games on both computer and DS, art projects on their website, teen paranormal novels, kits to create your own dolls, a wiki, and a whole host of other media telling different parts of the Monster High story. Tim Kring (2008) notes that transmedia includes a central world (he calls in the ‘mothership’) from which all other media branch and to which all other media reconnect. Part of the educational aspects inherent in Monster High come not only from the facilitation of media literacy development, but from the history which is included in the creation of its world. If a child wants to know more about Cleo de Nile’s background, personality traits, habits, and interests, they must research her father (aka the Mummy) and his origins (i.e., Egypt). The same goes for every character. Children who are immersed in this story are guided to topics such as steampunk, French cathedrals, musical theatre, and mythology.
Another aspect of transmedia storytelling which Monster High accounts for is collective intelligence and user-generated content. Countless YouTube videos feature tutorials on recreating the makeup looks of the characters, creating custom dolls, and fan fiction. Monster High has also supported pre-teen focused social marketing content, allowing social issues to be addressed first via web video, then via wiki.
Because of the expansive ways in which transmedia storytelling reaches its audience, it can be harnassed for education as well as entertainment. Monster High is an example of that combination, though many other examples may be found throughout history (MIT, 2006).


It’s March and that means it’s YAM!
No, not those yams...Yams are delicious, but we are talking about Youth Art Month!
As many of you know, I am an art teacher by day so I want to get everyone on board with YAM! Throughout this month, I’ll be blogging about some ways you can celebrate art with your children in March and all year long!
Council for Art Education, Inc. The aim is to increase awareness about the value of arts learning and to encourage support of art in our schools. Youth Art Month is a time for us to think about why art is an important part of our children’s lives, education and development.
What’s the big deal? Art is just supposed to be fun, right?
I sure do hope my students have fun and share the joy of creating art with me! But there are some seriously important reasons why art education has a huge impact on kids. As a matter of fact, there are 10 really good reasons we need to teach about the arts according to art education expert Elliot Eisner! Read this list below, and remember that arts programs in every community need our support so children can have a complete education.
10 LESSONS THE ARTS TEACH
from Elliot Eisner’s book The Arts and the Creation of Mind (2002, Yale University Press)
1. The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.
2. The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.
3. The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.
4. The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem solving purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.
5. The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor numbers exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.
6. The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects. The arts traffic in subtleties.
7. The arts teach students to think through and within a material. All art forms employ some means through which images become real.
8. The arts help children learn to say what cannot be said. When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.
9. The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.
10. The arts' position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important.
SOURCE: Eisner, E. (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind, In Chapter 4, What the Arts Teach and How It Shows. (pp. 70-92). Yale University Press. Available from NAEA Publications. NAEA grants reprint permission for this excerpt from Ten Lessons with proper acknowledgment of its source and NAEA.


Camp Paw Print Benefits Future Educators
As Well As Youngsters
A group of elementary age students are attending college this summer at Sam Houston State University.
Well, sort of.
They are enrolled in Camp Paw Print, a two-week program from July 9 through July 20, coordinated by university students majoring in elementary education and held in the Teacher Education Center on campus.
This is Camp Paw Print's third year of existence. Each camp has featured a different theme, and "Waltz Across Texas" is the designation for 2001. Previous years have seen themes relating to Hawaii and the Olympic games in Australia.
SHSU students who are preparing to student teach in the fall are teaching elements of mathematics, science, social studies, reading, writing, art, music, movement, and even cooking to the youngsters.
The best part, according to Bill Edgington, assistant professor of education, is that the learning is so much fun for everyone involved.
"The camp provides a wonderful opportunity for our university students to plan lessons for children in grades one through six," said Edgington. "Our students teach the classes, which means they have to plan age-appropriate, TEKS-oriented lessons, including decorations, visual aids and materials."
Edgington explained that TEKS stands for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which are curriculum guidelines mandated by the Texas Education Agency and the state legislature.
"It is vital that our students are familiar with the TEKS in planning lessons in all content areas," he said.
The university students are enrolled this summer in an elementary education methods class. Camp Paw Print allows education students to interact with school age children, something that traditionally takes place only during the school year.
Along with Edgington, professors John Huber, Kimberly Arp and Terry Contant are supervising the SHSU education students.
The rooms where the children spend their time at Camp Paw Print are decorated to highlight all things "Texas." A huge paper oil derrick is placed in the center of an even larger outline of the state. On a board nearby are facts about Spindletop and the significance of oil in the state's economy.
The Space Cowboys room is dedicated to science. Pictures and information about Texas plants, animals, insects, and aquatic life are placed throughout the room.
The art center features branding designs that the elementary students were able to create for their own imaginary ranches. The First Bank of Texas offers math lessons dealing with money.
Snacks are provided every day at the village's Road Kill Café, with menu items such as "Center Line Bovine," "The Chicken That Didn't Cross The Road," "Guess That Mess," and "Awesome Possum."
The Rio Grande runs through the center of the room, and students must swim across the imaginary water when it is time to change activities. Instead of a traditional classroom electronic bell to notify everyone that it's time to change, students are alerted by the sound of a cowbell.
The popular camp has increased in enrollment every year. According to Edgington, the original group had approximately 25 elementary students two years ago. This year, almost 60 children are participating.
- END -
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
July 16, 2001
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu


The purpose of the research is to assert whether Department of Music Education Student's communication skills levels differ by determined variables. In the research, “ Communication skills Scale”, which had been developed as a data collection tool by Ersanlı and Balcı in 1998, has been used. The sample group of the research is composed of 127 students of the Department of Music Education in N.E.U. A.K.E.F. In the result of the research,female, under 20 years old and undergraduate 2nd and 3th grade students "communication skills" level is higher than male, older than 21 years old and 4th grade students. Results of the research have been argued comparing with previous studies; and, accordingly some suggestions have been put forward.
Key Words: Communication Skills, Music Education, Scale of Communication Skills.


Here's a Small Sample of What You'll Learn When You Download Your Copy of Children Learning Reading Today:
- The proven 2 stages of lessons for developing outstanding reading skills contained in two volumes of books complete with a total of 50 step-by-step lessons:
- Stage 2 lessons are more advanced and are designed for further reading skill development.
- Stage 1 lessons are for developing phonemic awareness and reading skills, and to develop a solid foundation for fluent reading for your child.
- Revealed: The most effective method to teach your child to read, develop phonemic awareness skills, and improve reading comprehension.
- Mistakes to avoid when teaching young children to read. And important "Dos and Don't Dos" when teaching your child to read.
- Interesting stories and rhymes contained within the lessons that are matched to the reading skill level of your child to make reading fun and engaging
- How to properly sound out letters, read words, and read sentences when teaching your children to read.
- Effective strategies for encouraging your child to really get into reading, and book recommendations for young readers.
- Discover the one most crucial skill to help your child develop, which will help them become exceptionally fluent readers
- Discover the best practices from our years of research and experience to achieve phenomenal results.
- Discover practical tips on how to best adapt our program to meet your needs and fit your schedule.
Believe me.. this is just the tip of the iceberg. The incredibly simple and effective step-by-step lessons will take your child from not knowing how to read, to reading words, sentences, and books. This is possibly the most comprehensive learning how to read system ever developed.
What Can Children Learning Reading Do For You and Your Child
- Your child will develop critical foundational skills in reading which will put your child's reading and literacy skills leagues above their peers
- Your child will develop a higher level of self-confidence and self-esteem; develop a keen ability to explore independently, and enhance future academic success
- Your baby's future learning abilities will be enhanced by nurturing brain development during the early stages of life
- Your baby will gain a powerful advantage that becomes apparent almost right away, and lasts a lifetime
- You will instill within your child, a genuine lifelong love for learning and reading, setting the stage for future success in life
- You will help your child unlock imagination, develop social skills, and stimulate communication skills through close parent & child interaction and bonding
- You will develop a real respect for your child's learning abilities, and experience a truly unique and rewarding journey in teaching your child to read
- Through the process of reading and learning to read, your child can become smarter with enhanced intellectual development


Today the Scottish Government have launched the new Read, Write, Count campaign, which aims to spread the message that parents, carers and families have a key role to play in children’s development of both literacy and numeracy.
Children in the first three years of Primary School will receive a gift of books and literacy and numeracy learning materials through their school. Follow this link for more information:
This is an ideal opportunity to build links with home and reinforce the message that maths and numeracy are an important part of our everyday lives! Have a look at the website for lots of ideas to share with children and parents on how they can learn important numeracy skills as part of daily routines, games and fun activities:
Why not go through some of the activities included in the pack with your class if you have a Primary 1-3? Or include some of the ideas for home learning? Just talking about how we use numeracy in our lives at home is a great way to encourage children to go home and share their learning with their parents! Have a look at the Parents page too for lots more links and ideas:
It would be great to hear comments on how you have supported parents in your setting to develop their child’s learning!


Volcano science for kids from The Curious Kid's Science Book.
Animal Movement Activity Dice | fun Silhouette project the kids will love!
Activity Dice Free Printable - Great for preschoolers and toddlers.
Enhancing Learning With Movement | Montessori Nature Blog | Gross Motor Activities in Preschool Classroom
10 Free Fall Playdough Mats
FREE printable fingerprint counting activity. This is such a fun playful kids activities to help kids practice counting in a fun, hands on educational activity. (preschool, prek, toddler, math, math activities)
Fun & Simple dinosaur activity for kids!
Make this and your kids will think you’re a-maze-ing. | 23 DIY Projects That Will Blow Your Kids' Minds


Study: Family Dogs Benefit Children With Disabilities
New research from Oregon State University has found that the family dog can make a big difference in the lives of children with disabilities in their health and activity levels.
Research based on the relationship between a 10-year-old boy and his family’s Pomeranian shows that there may be more to having a family pet than just a loving and affectionate relationship. In a study that included the collaboration of veterinary researchers from Oregon State University, Norwich University, and Massey University in New Zealand, a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy benefitted from an intervention program where he used his dog for assistance.
The study looked to see if intervention that included the family dog could lead to improvements in the physical activity, motor skills, and quality of life for a child with disabilities. This could possibly lead to more studies that look at improving quality of life for children with disabilities.
According to Megan MacDonald, assistant professor at Oregon State, the initial findings of the study show that not only can the family dog help improve a child’s quality of life, but help them to be more active, when they otherwise might not have the opportunity to be so.
Children who have physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy don’t spend as much time participating in physical activities compared to their non-disabled peers, which generally leads to greater health concerns for those children.
The study incorporated an adapted physical activity that was assisted by the family dog in a partnership to encourage physical activity and motor skill development, as well as strengthen the human-animal connection and quality of life. Researchers believe the family dog, though untrained as a therapy dog, is a great resource because there is already a bond between the pet and his human, and both can benefit from the adapted intervention.
The child in the study participated in activities like playing fetch, brushing the dog, and marching on a balancing disc. The researchers said that the boy in the study saw the dog do some of the activities like balancing on the wobble board or balance disc, and was inspired to try himself. MacDonald said that they formed a partnership from which both benefitted.
In addition to the 60-minute sessions, the child and his dog had homework that incorporated activities such as playing fetch and walking daily. The researchers measured the activity levels with an accelerometer the boy wore. They found at the end of the interventions that the parents of the child said his quality of life had significantly increased in many areas, and his physical activity level had increased dramatically as well. These results led MacDonald to surmise that some day, health officials may encourage parents to adopt a family pet for the health benefits for their child, and MacDonald is excited about that possibility.
While this study only looked at one child and his dog, the team plans to look at several families who have children with disabilities and their dogs as part of a larger project designed to test the methodology of the initial experiment.
Though the case study features only one child, the research team recruited several families with children with disabilities and their dogs to participate in the larger project, which was designed in part to test the design and methodology of the experiment and determine if it could be implemented on a larger scale. They hope that they can examine what other benefits the family dog can bring when used as part of intervention with the child.


Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) will provide you with current skills and knowledge for being an excellent ESL teacher. If you want to teach English abroad, this program will help open doors for you all over the world. Please see the objectives and courses below.
The Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language provides specialized training to students desiring to share their faith in closed door nations or in their homeland with the immigrant community in the context of TESL and to thus contribute to the building of the Body of Christ. This program combines a strong Bible and theological foundation with studies in education, anthropology, and cross-cultural communications. Graduates of this program will be prepared to serve as tent maker missionaries in closed door nations as well as TESL teachers as traditional missionaries in developing nations or among immigrant communities in North America, or to pursue graduate study in TESL .
1. Know, understand and use the major concepts, theories, and research related to nature and acquisition of language to construct learning environments that support ESOL students’ language and literacy development and content area achievement.
2. Know, understand and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to the nature and role of culture and cultural groups to construct learning environments that support ESOL students’ cultural identities, language and literacy development, and content-area achievement.
3. Know, understand and use standards-based practices and strategies related to planning, implementing, and managing ESL and content instruction, including classroom organization, teaching strategies for developing and integrating language skills, and choosing and adapting classroom resources.
4. Understand issues of assessment and use standards-based assessment measures with ESOL students.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the history of ESL teaching, keep current with new instructional techniques, research results, advances in the ESL field and public policy issues, use such information to reflect upon and improve his or her instructional practices, and provide support and advocate for ESOL students and their families and work collaboratively to improve the learning environment.
6. Integrate Bible and the teaching of spiritual truth into an ESL program.
7. Teach English, Bible, and the message of redemption in a skillful, caring and professional manner to speakers of other languages.
Cultural Anthropology (3 cr. hours)
Structure of the English Language (3 cr.)
Theories of Second Language Acquisition (3)
College Level TESL (3)
Methods of TESOL (3)
Language Program and Curriculum Design (3)
TESL Internship (3)–This course is 3 one credit sessions because students need more than 8 weeks to complete the required on-site hours.


March 13, 2007 Bilingual learning can provide substantial benefits for second and third generation children whose families speak a language other than English, according to ESRC-funded research by Goldsmiths, University of London. Even when children have grown up with English as their stronger language, using both languages aids cognitive development and strengthens their identities as learners.
A conference has been called on Friday 23 March 2007 to consider the implications of the research. Lid King, Director of the National Languages Strategy, and Jill Catlow of the Primary National Strategy are amongst the speakers. The conference is jointly organised by Goldsmiths, University of London and London Borough of Tower Hamlets Children's Services, who are partners in the research.
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Dr Charmian Kenner of Goldsmiths explains: “Children who live their lives bilingually can access the curriculum through both languages. Learning a mathematical concept in Bengali and English, for example, deepens understanding as ideas are transferred between languages. Or children can compare how metaphors are constructed in a Bengali poem and its English equivalent. The children in our project expressed a strong desire to use their community language in school and teachers were able to tap into their pupils' full range of cultural knowledge.”
The research was conducted with children from Years 2, 4 and 6 in two Tower Hamlets primary schools. Children were observed learning their mother tongue in community language class. The research team then worked with community language teachers, mainstream teachers and bilingual assistants to develop bilingual activities as part of the primary school curriculum.
Children who were particularly successful at mainstream school were found to also have a strong background in mother tongue. They showed a high degree of linguistic awareness and could translate rapidly between languages. Tower Hamlets' own statistics demonstrate that pupils who attend mother tongue classes perform better in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two national curriculum tests than pupils who do not. However, the research discovered that many second and third generation children are in danger of losing these skills if they do not have opportunities to develop their mother tongue through academic work at school.
Charmian Kenner comments: “It is crucial that schools support children's mother tongue through bilingual learning activities connected with the mainstream curriculum. Now that the National Languages Strategy promotes early language learning and the Primary National Strategy recognises the value of bilingualism, policymakers need to encourage good practice in schools. Otherwise the potential benefits of bilingual learning will be lost to future generations.”


Contact the Director of Special Collections for more information:
Information for Faculty: The award winning project TeachArchives.org offers exercises, ideas, and more for using primary sources in your classes. The Society of American Archivists also hosts a useful site, Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research.
- NEW FOR SCIENCE FACULTY: A possible treatment for MRSA (serious antibiotic-resistant infection) was found in a 1000 year-old manuscript. Special Collections has a number of old medical treatises and “household remedy” books. Mine these and test some of the recipes for efficacy.
- World War I started in 1914 and the US entered the war in 2017, so the centennial of the war in being memorialized throughout these years. How did the war effect Southwestern and her students? Create an exhibit (online or actual) or documentary related to the war and SU. Online resources related to SU and WWI are found here: digitalcollections.southwestern.edu.
- Take advantage of the “One Book/One Case/One Exhibit” venue to select a work from Special Collections and showcase it. Staff will be happy to provide more details and help.
- 18th century English imprints - curate an exhibit. How is William Hogarth’s Analysis of Beauty reflected in his own engravings?
- Add to the Zenas Matthews Diary mapping project. This 1846 US-Mexico War diary kept by a young soldier has been transcribed and location-mapped. Add value to the map by tagging flora, fauna, and other environmental features that Matthews records. Write a paper about how the landscape has changed. OR - study Matthews mention of food - how does the diary illustrate the saying “an army travels on its stomach”?
- Use Senator Tower’s papers to research the Republican stance on national health care in the 1970s. FYI: Senator Tower and the Republicans supported a national health care plan!
- The history of Texas Young Republicans. The Tower Library has a number of collections of Young Republicans who were mostly active in the transitional years of the 1960s and 1970s as Texas became increasingly Republican and decreasingly Democratic.
- A cursory examination of Senator Tower’s campaign voter attitude studies from the mid 1960s through the 1970s seem to have NO questions from the survey takers asking about abortion. When interviewees are asked what they see as the state/nation’s most pressing issues, abortion does not seem to appear. Why? Roe vs Wade was 1973; the Hyde Amendment 1976. When and how did abortion become a hot political topic that could make/break candidates?
- Curate an online exhibit using Special Collections resources. Just a few possible topics: Civil War; changes in student rules and regulations at SU; changes in curriculum (both at SU and in elementary education); Texas environmental history, oil and gas industry, ranching; history of magazines. Lorenzo Dow (only the Bible sold more books than he did - now who has heard of him?)…
- Create an online historical timeline using free online tools. Suggested resources can be found here: http://libguides.utk.edu/dhtools


Video embedded · Easy Science for Kids All About Galileo Galilei. Learn exciting fun facts about Galileo with our Kids Science Online Site on the world around us. Mar 17, 2016 · The Galileo mission consists of two spacecraft: an orbiter and an atmospheric probe. Launched during the STS 34 flight of the Atlantis orbiter, the two. Galileo was the first to measure Jupiter's atmosphere with a descent probe and the first to conduct long-term observations of the Jovian system from orbit.
The Intel® Galileo Gen 2 board is the first in a family of Arduino*-certified development and prototyping boards based on Intel® architecture and specifically. Gallagher-Galileo Fellows; Board Members;. Visit Working With Math Fair Problems to read about how to introduce these math problems to students. Number Concepts.
Project Galileo. DDoS attack protection for at-risk public interest websites. The Internet is a powerful tool for spreading and expanding ideas. However, websites can. Welcome to Galileo Galileo Project, LLC is an Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) specializing in Project Management Assistance … This is the login page of the Interactive Learning Toolkit (ILT), part of the ILT-BQ software package. The Interactive Learning Tollkit helps you implement. Mar 04, 2005 · Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) has always played a key role in any history of science and, in many histories of philosophy, he is a, if not the, central.
Welcome to GALILEO. Through GALILEO, Georgia citizens have access to authoritative, subscription-only information that isn't available through free search engines. The Galileo Project is a source of information on the life and work of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). Our aim is to provide hypertextual information. Galileo Educational Network is dedicated to improving student, teacher and leaders learning through creating and researching 21st century learning environments.
Project Galileo is an educational astronomy project, based at Clifton College in Bristol, in the United Kingdom. Project Galileo. Name: Bob Lazar, independent contract scientist and businessman Claim: To have worked as a propulsion-system engineer in late 1988 and early. The Galileo mission consists of two spacecraft: an orbiter and an atmospheric probe. Launched during the STS 34 flight of the Atlantis orbiter, the two spacecraft.


Reading to Children Has Long Impact, Says OECD Study
Children whose parents frequently read with them in their first year of school are still showing the benefit when they are 15, says an international study.
BBC reports that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development analysis examined the long-term impact of parental support on literacy. Discounting social differences, the study found children with early support remained ahead in reading. It found a strong link between teenage reading skills and early parental help. Click here to read the entire article on the BBC website.
Literacy Advice, Tips, and Resources
For authoritative and practical tips on making literacy a priority at home and helping your kids become life-long readers, check out these articles provided by the NCBLA:
"I Will Read to My Kids...If I Ever Find the Time!" by Mary Brigid Barrett
"Kids See, Kids Do! Become a Literacy Role Model" by Mary Brigid Barrett
"Creating a Home Atmosphere That Supports Great Writing" by Mary Brigid Barrett
"Parent Tips for Encouraging Reading and Literacy Development" by Melanie Walski


Students at San Francisco International High School (SFIHS) come to us from all over the world. They come from the megalopolises of Hong Kong and Mexico City, from the deserts of Yemen and the high steppe of Mongolia. They come speaking the ancient indigenous languages of Central America, as well as the cosmopolitan slang of bustling cities of Asia, Europe, and South America.
Some students come to us alone, without parents or family to support them in their new lives in the United States. Some come after attending prestigious schools in their home countries, while others enter school for the first time in their lives the day they walk through our doors.
SFIHS has served hundreds of immigrant and refugee students over the past eight years; even though each brings their own experience from their distinct corner of the world, they have one thing in common: they come to us to learn English and to graduate from high school.
As educators at SFIHS, we’re tasked with teaching high school content while supporting students’ growth in the English language. Additionally, we’re keenly aware of our students’ social-emotional needs. Our students not only face the normal challenges and obstacles of adolescence, but also are adjusting to a new country, culture, and language. Often this transition period is marked with other hardships such as reunification with parents, homelessness, poverty, and working through past trauma. Keeping all of this in mind, we must then design a curriculum that meets the vast needs of our unique student population and is relevant to our students’ lives. We also work hard to teach language skills in context because we believe that language emerges most naturally in purposeful, language-rich, interdisciplinary study.
In each classroom, every day, we work to make sure our students are engaged in rigorous academic tasks that reflect the following principles, which are present in the lesson videos of teachers Kyle Halle-Erby and Christopher Maldonado. We also use these principles to create shared structures across the school.
Heterogeneity and Collaboration
Diverse groups of students work together and with their teachers to optimize learning. Meaningful work with those of different backgrounds, academic preparedness, and language skills helps each student to develop socially, academically, and linguistically.
Student growth and outcomes are enhanced through experiential learning. Lessons are designed so that students are at the center of rigorous content work and not the teacher. Additionally, significant experience outside of the classroom motivates students and enhances their capacity to participate in society by extending their language base and developing their social and cultural sophistication.
Language and Content Integration
Language skills develop most effectively in context and emerge most naturally in a purposeful, language-rich, experiential, and interdisciplinary study. Consequently, each teacher acts as a language teacher within the context of his/her curriculum, and there are no stand-alone ESL or bilingual classes.
These founding principles serve as a starting point from which our teachers collaborate and create curriculum. The principles also inform best practices that support language and literacy growth for all of our students irrelevant of their previous schooling.
Our students are coming to us to learn high school content, to learn English, and to thrive in a new culture. Because of this, we don’t give them four different structures to learn vocabulary or to learn reading comprehension strategies. Shared structures allow our students to focus on learning the content and the language while not being confused by the process. Two of the most important shared structures that we have at SFIHS are Reading Guides and Literature Circles.
These literacy structures can be seen across all grade levels and content areas. If you walk into a Biology classroom or a Literature classroom you will see students engaging with each other and the text in a similar way. This is a deliberate practice to build consistency and repeated practice for our students. Once they learn the process, then they can focus on the content and the language no matter the classroom in which they find themselves.
Giving students similar and repeated structures to write, to read, to speak, and to listen is one move that teachers can make to support English Learners. Shared structures provide a clear and purposeful point of collaboration and will lighten the cognitive load for students, allowing them to focus on content and language learning.
The videos in this series were produced thanks to the generous support of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.
Jacqueline Fix is an Instructional Coach at SFIHS and was the founding ninth and tenth grade English teacher. She also taught literacy and served as a coordinator for Students with Limited or Interrupted Schooling (SLIFE). Before SFIHS, she taught middle school in east San Jose and taught English in Japan.