As your child advances through elementary education, math concepts–even the basics–can become confusing, even frustrating to some. At ages 6-9, kids are not only fine-tuning basic addition and subtraction and continuing with multiplication and division, they are also learning time, measurements, fractions and more. It’s not merely important to supplement their math learning at this point in their education, it’s crucial. Here are some excellent math activities from around the web for making math fun and exciting!
Math Lines – at different levels this teacher’s basic math equations, but in a cool, fun way. You shoot a canon with a specific number ball at the number balls moving around the canon in a line, making sure the balls add up to the target number.
Lemonade Stand – helps teach number recognition, addition and counting money. You create the lemonade based on reading a recipe, set up and manage your stand, and sell lemonade for a profit. Come to think of it, you could just set up a real lemonade stand!
Fraction Beach – use your knowledge of fractions to build awesome sandcastles at the beach.
Chalk Clock – use the kids as the hands of the giant clock to work on telling time.
Skip Counting by Hand Outlines – hand outlines are perfect for teaching how to count by 5’s, plus they make for wonderful turkey-themed math activities around Thanksgiving time.
Water Balloon Number Target Practice – learn number recognition through play with water balloons and a chalk target board.
Props and Manipulative Ideas:
Golf Tee Math – use golf tees and play dough to work on creating and solving addition and subtraction equations
Addition Number Family Eggs – put leftover plastic Easter eggs to use by building numbers and solving equations
Coin Value File Folder Games – these file folder games are quick, easy, and cost nothing to make.
Fraction Bars – practice fractions with these color-coded strips.
Kimberly Mueller is the “me” over at bugaboo, mini, mr & me, a blog that highlights her creative endeavors. She especially likes to share kid crafts, sewing attempts, recipes, upcycled projects, photography and free printable gift tags/cards. When she’s not enjoying being married to her best friend, chasing after the natives (AKA her three kids) and attempting to keep the house in one piece, you can find her with a glue gun in one hand and spray paint in the other. Aside from DIY pursuits, she also enjoys writing, reading, music, singing (mostly in the shower) and the color yellow. Kimberly recently published a craft book entitled Modern Mod Podge. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’ and Instagram. Email her at: bugabooblog(at)yahoo.com


Click here to view and listen to episodes of
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Resources to get you started reading, playing and talking with your child
Britannica Learning Zone
A complete online solution for early childhood learning in reading, numbers, time, sounds, geography and more provided by Mesquite ISD and the state of Texas. Requires a username and password unless accessed through the MISD SSO.
Bookworm For Kids
Not sure what books kids will enjoy? Here's a list of recommendations for babies through age 4.
Get Set 4 K
Help your young child prepare for kindergarten with the library's FREE month-by-month guide to kindergarten readiness. Tips and ideas include skills development, getting ready to read, health and wellness and lots of book recommendations!
What are you wondering?
Doing activities with your child allows you to promote their reading and writing skills while having fun at the same time. These activities for pre-readers, beginning readers and older readers includes what you need and what to do for each one.


This unit applies to those whose job role includes managing the production of agricultural crop.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Develop agricultural crop establishment program
1.1. Production targets for each crop type are established, consistent with marketing and enterprise objectives.
1.2. Plant varieties are selected that are best suited to soil, climate, seasonal conditions and marketing goals.
1.3. Irrigation schedules, where required, are determined for each soil and crop type based on assessed water requirements, rainfall and evapo-transpiration data.
1.4. Nutrient requirements for crops are assessed to determine appropriate fertiliser program.
1.5. Budgetary constrains are identified and maintained according to enterprise requirements.
1.6. A crop establishment program is developed to meet the production targets and enterprise objectives specified in the crop production plan.
2. Manage crop maintenance
2.1. Strategic grazing may be planned to reduce or eradicate areas of weed infestation.
2.2. Fertiliser applications and rates are determined appropriate to crop type and applied accordingly.
2.3. Crop nutrient requirements are determined to ensure sustainability and achievement of yield.
2.4. Soil moisture is monitored and watering schedule adjusted if appropriate.
2.5. Processes to minimise waste and soil degradation are introduced and implemented according to environmental procedures.
3. Monitor an agricultural crop through to harvest
3.1. Longer term trends in weed, pest and disease incidence are determined, and any necessary changes to control measures are implemented.
3.2. Soil structure and erosion are monitored and necessary changes to cultural practices, grazing management and drainage are determined.
3.3. Irrigation and drainage systems are checked regularly and maintained if appropriate.
3.4. Grazing management is monitored to ensure crop production levels.
3.5. Crop maturity is monitored and harvesting is undertaken to meet marketing and production targets.
4. Record production level and review cropping strategies
4.1. Crop yields are monitored and evaluated against forecast production levels.
4.2. Grazing and cropping programs are evaluated for efficiency and effectiveness, and documented for future best practice.
4.3. Evaluation of production performance is undertaken and documented for use in reviewing and revising management program.
4.4. Physical and financial records of production are maintained for analysis and evaluation of production performance.
apply environmental protection strategies in land use
set objectives and milestones for a cropping program
determine soil quality and land use capability
determine crop nutrient requirements and fertiliser requirements
measure and assess quantities of fertiliser to meet plant requirements
predict patterns of weed infestation
design irrigation processes to avoid soil degradation if applicable
assess financial strategies and prepare budgets
use literacy skills to fulfil job roles as required by the organisation. The level of skill may range from reading and understanding documentation to completion of written reports
use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record complex workplace measures
use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.
land and soil conditions
effects of soil characteristics on nutrient availability
financial analysis techniques
environmental protection strategies
cultivation requirements for different types of crop
safe handling processes for fertilisers
infestation patterns for different types of weed
integrated strategies for the management of pests, weeds and diseases
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislative requirements
environmental legislation and codes of practice, relating to farm production.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:
develop a cropping program for an enterprise
plan for crop establishment
monitor growing crops, provide inputs and carry out cultural practices as required
develop a plan for the crop harvest
monitor crop yields and evaluate production performance.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.
Agricultural crops include:
wheat and coarse grains
temperate and tropical pastures.
This unit contains employability skills.


18-03-2020 at 3pm to 5pm
Location: CA B403, ATriuM, University of South Wales, Cardiff
Improvisation: what is it good for?
Improvisation is a process whose time has come and, in recent years, there has been an exponential growth of interest in improvisation around the world. Improvisation is now recognised not just as a defining feature of jazz, but as an accessible, unique, spontaneous, social and creative process that can facilitate collaboration between many musical genres and across disciplines. This presentation will highlight how improvisation can be utilized as a contemporary approach to creative engagement within educational, therapeutic and artistic contexts that can facilitate the development of musicality and creativity. This paper sets out a framework, based on psychological findings, for understanding improvisation as a universal capability and an essentially social behaviour, with implications for education, contemporary artistic practice, therapy and the psychology of social behaviour. In attempting to offer some defining features a number of paradoxes and problems will be also be considered. The presentation will highlight some problems with the term improvisation – can it be defined? What is it? Is improvisation and composition a false dichotomy?
A number of research projects that investigate the fundamental features of improvisation will be outlined. Musicians’ critiques of their own improvisations are discussed and key links with music education therapy are made.
A model is presented for the process of choice that individuals undertakes when improvising, with examples provided to illustrate how the model functions. The presentation also outlines a comprehensive set of options children, or any improviser, may take over the course of a musical collaboration to allow a group to generate music. This way of conceptualising improvisation has utility across all forms of music and across different art forms. It also offers a less daunting challenge to the novice improviser, and a potential way round a ‘block’ for creative practitioners. The implications are discussed in relation to broader social issues and cultural change.
University of Edinburgh, Scotland email@example.com
Raymond MacDonald is Professor of Music Psychology and Improvisation at Edinburgh University. His ongoing research focuses on issues relating to improvisation, musical communication, music health and wellbeing, music education and musical identities. He studies the processes and outcomes of music participation and music listening and has a particular interest in collaborative creativity. His work is informed by a view of improvisation as a social, collaborative and uniquely creative process that provides opportunities to develop new ways of working musically. He published over 70 peer reviewed papers and has co-edited five texts, Musical Identities (2002) and Musical Communication (2005), Musical Imaginations (2012) and Music Health & Wellbeing (2012), The Handbook of Musical Identities (2017) He was editor of the journal Psychology of Music between 2006 and 2012 and was Head of The School of Music at Edinburgh University between 2013 and 2016. He is also a saxophonist and composer has released over 60 CDs and toured and broadcast worldwide.
Community and Improvisation.
When a group of people come together to improvise music for the first time together what is actually happening? What are the rules and etiquette of such performances. Have they ever heard each other play together? If so what difference does it make to the outcomes in terms of sonic output (the music) and communication amongst musicians and audience.
On the other hand, how about communities of musicians who improvise together often, even regularly. How do they keep the music fresh and improvised? How do they negotiate their changing relationships? What effect does improvising together regularly have on interpersonal relationships; how does it affect trust, friendship, self-esteem and any sense of belonging in a musical community.
In answering some of these questions I will be drawing upon data from my PhD research with Wonderbrass, but looking at the experiences of musicians in the New Berlin Silence (echtzeitmusik) scene and of listeners in John Corbett’s book A Listeners Guide to Free Improvisation. I am primarily looking at ways in which people express personal identity and a sense of community – to some these seem like opposites but they may not be so - through improvised music.
Rob Smith is a Senior Lecturer and course leader in Performing Arts at the Faculty of Creative Industries at the University of South Wales. Apart from being musical director of Wonderbrass he also composes, improvises and performs music throughout UK, Europe and, occasionally, USA. He has also creatively collaborated with musicians from Gambia, South Africa and South India. He is a founder member of Community Music Wales.
The Seminar will be followed by a performance of improvised music upstairs in the Flute and Tankard pub on Windsor Place, Cardiff CF10 3BX as part of a monthly improvised music night called Banshee Therapy Session organized and run by Joe Northwood and Aeddan Williams. (8.45 pm – 11.00)


Children start school in Reception in the year in which they turn five. In their first year they follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. There are seven areas of learning that follow on from the children's preschool experiences.
- Personal, social and emotional development involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities.
- Physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
- Communication and language involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
- Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest.
- Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures.
- Understanding of the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
- Expressive art and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.
Children engage in learning primarily through first hand experiences and each of the seven areas is implemented through planned and purposeful play with a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. The children experience this exciting, creative and play-based curriculum both indoors and outdoors. Children are encouraged to become independent and active learners. We ensure that there is a balance of activities to inspire the children to gain a curiosity of the world around them, develop their social skills and be motivated and confident to try new activities. Learning and teaching is planned to enable the majority of children to achieve the Early Learning Goals for each area of learning by the time they move from the Reception into Key Stage One.
Assessment is ongoing throughout EYFS and is made through observation of children's learning and development as they take part in everyday activities and planned observations, where adults spend time on a specific task with an individual child or small group. At Biggin Hill we use Tapestry, which is an online learning journal, to record these observations together with supporting photographs. Parents and other carers can also contribute to the child's assessment profile and add comments and photographs. This is then a record of achievement comprising photos, pieces of work and observations about the child's development during their first year at school.
In EYFS at Biggin Hill we use the Learning Challenge Curriculum as a basis for our planning as it is built around the principle of giving children greater involvement in their work and their essential skills are developed, alongside Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. For example this year one of our questions was Is it always cold in winter? From this initial beginning we learned about migration and hibernation, animals that live in the Antarctic, ways to keep warm, freezing and melting and even thought about where Father Christmas might live using books as a basis for our work.
From September 2015 we will be introducing the new required ‘baseline check’ is to assess each child's level of development at the beginning of their formal schooling in order to measure how they've progressed by age 11. This will give us a picture of each child's initial skills, and indicate a child's ‘baseline’ abilities in very basic literacy, mathematics, reasoning and cognition (how a child understands and acts in the world). The check will be supplemented by teachers' broader assessments and observations of a child's development. By giving each child a baseline assessment when they first start primary school, we will not only have a clearer idea of how much progress the children are making but will also help us identify which children are likely to need most help to achieve their full potential.


Unemployment and Earnings for College Grads Vary by Field
College graduates in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math have the best chance of getting a job and making a high salary compared with those with nontechnical degrees, a report released today from Georgetown University says.
As the country recovered in 2010 and 2011 from the recession, about 9 percent to 10 percent of people older than 25 without a college education were unemployed compared with about 4.6 percent of those with a degree. Overall, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 7.9 percent and 3.3 percent for graduate degree holders.
Yet there was great variation in the jobless rate when looking more closely at the recent graduates and their chosen majors, according to the report Hard Times: College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings from the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce.
Unemployment for new college graduates ranged from 4.8 percent to 14.7 percent depending no their field of study.
Majors with the lowest unemployment rates:
Nursing (4.8 percent)
Elementary Education (5 percent)
Physical Fitness/Parks and Recreation (5.2 percent)
Chemistry (5.8 percent)
Finance (5.9 percent)
Majors with the highest unemployment rates:
Information Systems (14.7 percent)
Architecture (12.8 percent)
Anthropology (12.6 percent)
Film, Video, and Photography Arts (11.4 percent)
Political Science (11.1 percent)
The jobless rates were also low for those in engineering (7 percent) and health and the sciences (4.8 percent). About half of degree holders in psychology and social work found work in health care or education, helping keep their unemployment rates to 8.8 percent.
Getting a job was particularly challenging for students in the arts (unemployment rate of 9.8 percent) and law and public policy (9.2 percent).
People in technology-related fields fared well in the job market. The jobless rates among computer-science majors was 8.7 percent and for math majors just 5.9 percent.
Median earnings among recent college graduates range from $54,000 for engineering majors to $30,000 for those studying arts, psychology, and social work, or life and physical sciences. Americans with graduate degrees typically earn between $60,000 and $100,000.
Georgetown researchers used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Community Survey in 2010 and 2011 in their analysis.


Who Should Join?
Intermediate to Advanced learners looking to apply their existing
programming knowledge and skills to game development project work.
Perfect for those who enjoy playing games or simulations and are looking for an opportunity to start building more advanced skills to help bring their ideas into reality.
What Will You Learn?
Principles of Game Design
Applications of Knowledge
Advanced Programming Fundamentals
Professional Grade Tools
Before any code is even written, game concepts go through early planning and prototyping phases. Students will learn about game design throughout the entire development cycle, from the very beginning on how to evaluate a good project, to building good levels that support their games' core design, to case studies on the various successes and failures of design in popular games on the market today.
You've learned the basics, now it's time to flex your coding muscles! Students taking their first steps into and exploring the world of game development will have the chance to use existing Scratch/Python/Java/JS/C# skills to solve advanced challenges that not only push their skills further, but also give a deeper understanding of the design principles important to making successful games.
Time to step up your game! Students will learn to use Industry Level tools called game engines, such as Unity and the Unreal Engine. Students will also have the opportunity to learn web-focused game engines such as Phaser and embed their games directly into their websites!
What Learning Materials Are Included?
Our method of instruction is succinct and feeds personal motivation: Course + Challenge + Badge
Learners will engage learning pathways providing guidance and options for self-led learners. Courses may be engaged based on interest of learner at any pace desired. Challenges initiate an unlimited mentor feedback loop whereby learners demonstrate understanding of concepts and mentors provide personal guidance where needed. Micro-credentials, or badges are them earned and evidence of skill mastery is attached to badge for documenting skills over time.
12 Learning Paths
+ Interactive Peer Learning
Community-tools such as a public wall with @referencing of peers and mentors enables direct communication between peer learners. Students can mentor each other, as well as receive help from kidOYO’s best mentors!
+ Mentor Feedback
At kidOYO, we’re innovating how direct virtual learning works, and we have years of research and practice backing up our best methods. Mentor Tokens empower students to drive their own learning opportunity directly with kidOYO certified mentors. Every interaction produces an opportunity for mentor engagement, and incremental feedback from mentors allows students to make real progress in building foundational skills as they choose. Learners will be challenged to add efficiency to their learning curves by adopting effective methods of self-led iterative development and testing. Game Development is challenging, kidOYO mentors are here to help!
What’s The Price?
The initial cost of joining this community is visible below.
After the initial 1 year subscription ends, future years will renew at only $75.
Community + Content
Includes 5000 Mentor Tokens
1st Year Total
You Will Also Get …
Personal Website Hosting
Custom Website Domain
kidOYO Shop Discount


Search results for: Lim Christina
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In this study, the authors were interested to understand how lesson study (LS) protocols were adapted to suit local school conditions and contexts and the kinds of problems and constraints the schools faced in the implementation process. The Sixty-four schools responded to three survey questionnaires. The findings reveal that 56 schools implemented LS. Twenty-nine schools indicated that they would definitely continue implementing LS. The results show that in 22 schools LS was initiated by school leaders such as principals and vice-principals.
Updated: Jan. 21, 2013
Understanding Singaporean Preschool Teachers' Beliefs about Literacy Development: Four Different Perspectives
Investigating teachers' beliefs may shed light on their activities in the classroom, and in turn, on the pedagogical process itself. A study involving Q-methodology was conducted in Singaporean preschools to investigate some teachers' perceptions of early literacy development and instruction. The study revealed four viewpoint groups among the 30 preschool teachers who participated in the study, and possible teacher characteristics that distinguish the viewpoints from each other.
Updated: May. 09, 2010
The article examines a study into early childhood education in Singapore regarding language and literacy development, given its importance to subsequent academic achievement. 79 teachers of 4-6 year-old children were surveyed. Findings indicate that almost all teachers viewed their primary goal as fostering the children's ability to communicate and express themselves.
Updated: Jan. 09, 2008


In recent years, school curricula in the United States have shifted heavily toward common core subjects of reading and math, but what about the arts? Although some may regard art education as a luxury, simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child development. Learning to create and appreciate visual aesthetics may be more important than ever to the development of the next generation of children as they grow up.
Developmental Benefits of Art
Motor Skills: Many of the motions involved in making art, such as holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon, are essential to the growth of fine motor skills in young children. According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with…
View original post 586 more words


Dramatically Increase Your Child's Love for Reading
The introduction of Daily 5 to our curriculum repertoire and especially the concept of ‘good fit’ books has dramatically increased our students’ love for reading – just ask Grant and Lisa in the library, who have been positively overwhelmed by this growing culture!
Students’ literacy development is not based purely on what happens in the classroom. It’s well-documented that reading to children at home can have a positive and lasting impact on literacy development. But did you know the conditions required for this to take place? It’s quite simple, really: read with your children, not to them. Rather than your son or daughter passively staring at pictures while you read, actively involve your child in order to engage him or her with the text. Depending on the age of your child, you might have him/her turn the page, point to relevant pictures, or point to and name the first letter of each page. Or you might ask questions such as, ‘What do you think will happen next?’, ‘What do you think the character is feeling at this point?’ or ‘What would you do the same or differently if you were in the same situation as this character?’. Keep in mind that the goal in reading is not to simply read words on a page, but to be able to understand, synthesise and critically analyse the content.
Reading should be fun. Make it a special adventure, if you can. Maintain the fun by allowing your child to select the material (yes, even if it’s the same book you’ve been reading for the past 3 months!), taking regular trips to the local library, and engaging in regular discussions about what different family members have recently read (don’t limit this to large texts – street signs, cereal packets, magazines and blogs count, too).
Most importantly, don’t stop reading to your child once he or she is able to read independently. Your continued role modelling and the bonding that is created through this intimacy will prove valuable in the years to come.
There are many ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Don’t just teach your children to read. Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything. George Carlin
I’m reticent to recommend unofficial blogs however, I’ve found Jenae Jacobson’s 10 Steps to Teaching Your Child to Read a valuable read for those seeking further inspiration. Enjoy!
- Jane Mueller (Principal)Register for our Next Open Event!


The revelation that Pakistani scientists have transmitted knowledge about atomic weapons to Iran and Libya refocuses our attention on this troubled ally. President Pervez Musharraf, a survivor of many assassination attempts, is despised by those who desire to impose a Taliban-type regime on the nation. If a military junta armed with nuclear weapons and sympathetic to radical Islamists took over, the outcome could be disastrous.
President Musharraf's most implacable enemies are fundamentalist Islamic groups whose members are found in parliament, the army, the intelligence services (SIS), the intelligentsia, and government. Indeed, the Pakistani army and SIS were instrumental in the Taliban's coming to power in Afghanistan.
The hostility toward President Musharraf stems from his cooperation with the United States and his policies toward India and the Kashmir region. His enemies hope to undermine him by fanning the flames of dissatisfaction. We can help Pakistan achieve stability by discouraging policies that create unrest and encouraging policies that will benefit the struggling population.
Some policies should be immediately dropped, including the president's well-intentioned land reform program. Although half of Pakistan's population is engaged in rudimentary agriculture, in country after country, government redistribution of private property has failed.
The government ought to also abandon attempts to impose Urdu as the official language. Only 8 percent of Pakistanis were Urdu speakers in 2003, with surveys indicating that more than half the population prefers to have their children taught in English because it is the lingua franca of the government and the elite. Pakistan should take a lesson from India, which has shown that allowing linguistic groups greater autonomy creates a stake for these provinces to stay within the union.
The government also needs to raise the level of literacy. Less than half the population is currently literate, in part due to policies that favor higher education at the expense of wider availability of elementary education. A better-educated public would make Pakistan much more attractive for direct foreign investment—thus bettering the lives of ordinary citizens.
The United States must encourage Pakistan to divert a greater portion of its GNP toward elementary and secondary education for women. Among many benefits, educated women tend to have fewer children and those children are healthier and attain higher levels of education than do children of uneducated women.
Poor economic prospects have forced university and high school graduates to migrate to the gulf countries, Western Europe, and the United States. That trend must be slowed and eventually reversed. Economic prospects at home would improve if Pakistan liberalized its economy. The United States can help by extending its program that provides credit and business development services to micro-entrepreneurs to Pakistan.
Lastly, Pakistan and other countries, including the United States, must convince Saudi Arabia to support secular schools instead of funding radical Islamic schools—these madrassas have been hotbeds for terrorism.
Reform and stability will not come easily. But we must help President Musharraf create a more open economy, a freer political system, a broader educational system, and greater respect for provincial authority. If he does not succeed, we will likely face very unpleasant consequences.


Hobbies Playing Music How to Learn the Note Names on the Bass It's easy to learn your musical ABCs Share PINTEREST Email Print Drbouz / Getty Images Playing Music Playing Guitar Basics Tutorials Tab, Chords & Lyrics Music Education Playing Piano Home Recording By James Porter James Porter is a freelance writer specializing in bass guitar tutorials who is also the bassist for a band called Locust Street Taxi in Seattle, Washington. our editorial process James Porter Updated August 16, 2018 One of the first lessons for a beginning bass guitar player is how to learn the names of the notes on a bass. You can play by ear, follow bass tabs, or mimic a lead guitarist, but at some point, you really need to know the notes to advance your skills. Fortunately, they are very easy to learn. Note Name Basics The vast range of musical pitches is split up into units called octaves. An octave is the distance between two notes that have the same pitch (such as A and the next A). For example, play an open string on your bass, and then play the note you get from putting a finger down on the 12th fret (marked with a double dot). That note is one octave higher. Each octave is divided into twelve notes. Seven of these notes, called the "natural" notes, are named with the letters of the alphabet, A through G. These correspond to the white keys on a piano. The other five notes, the black keys, are named using a letter and a sharp or flat sign. A sharp sign, ♯, indicates one note higher, while a flat sign, ♭, indicates one note lower. For example, the note in between C and D is called either C♯ (pronounced C-sharp) or D♭ (D-flat). As you may have noticed, there are too many natural notes to have a sharp/flat in between every pair of neighbors. B and C natural have no note in between them, and neither do E and F. On the piano, these are the places where two neighboring white keys have no black key in between. So (except in advanced music theory) there is no such thing as a B♯, C♭, E♯, or F♭. To recap, the names of the twelve notes in an octave are: A, A♯/B♭, B, C, C♯/D♭, D, D♯/E♭, E, F, F♯/G♭, G, G♯/A♭, A... Note Names on the Bass Now that you know the note names, it's time to look at your instrument. The lowest, thickest string is the E string. When you play it without any fingers down, you are playing an E. When you play it with your finger down on the first fret, you are playing an F. Next is an F♯. Each consecutive fret raises the pitch by one note. The simplest way to learn note names is to continue playing the note on each fret and naming it aloud as you go up. Notice that when you reach the fret marked with a double dot (12th fret), you've come back around to E again. Try this on all the strings. The next string is the A string, followed by the D string and the G string. You may have noticed that certain frets are marked with single dots. These are good reference points to memorize first. For example, if you are going to play a song in the key of C, it will be useful to immediately know that the first dotted (3rd) fret on the A string is a C. Work out what notes the dots are on each string. The dots up past the double dot are the same notes as the ones below, only an octave higher.


The results of an international study into reading skills offer reason for optimism for Australian students. But tragically, too many children are still being left behind.
Many young children can give the false impression that they are learning to read, when in fact they are mostly guessing words from pictures or context. This test will help to identify these students.
Phonics instruction gives children letter-sound knowledge, a skill that is essential for them to read unfamiliar words by themselves.
A focus on phonics may be the cure to Australia's literacy woes.
Being able to sound out letters in words doesn’t mean you can understand them. There is no clear evidence that a new phonics screening test for children in Year 1 will help improve reading levels.


NWCS approaches academics through embracing a biblical worldview with a focus on Scriptural Enduring Understandings that provide a solid foundation for a vibrant learning environment built on Christ-centered relationships among students, teachers and families. Our rich K-5 elementary program educates the whole child and utilizes the most effective curriculum tools and methods for each subject area in the hands of highly trained, effective teachers.
The Kindergarten and primary program(K-2) at Northwest Christian Schools build a solid foundation for learning by fostering a strong academic focus through age-appropriate themes and activities. Children experience academic learning while developing basic skills of reading, written language, and math and engage in activities, songs, and Bible lessons to grow their love of learning.
*NWCS offers both ½ Day and Full Day Kindergarten 5 days per week as part of our elementary school program.
As students reach Intermediate 3rd-5th grades, our goal is to develop life-long learners and prepare them for middle school by building upon well-established, foundational skills in every subject area. The balance of using traditional teaching methods alongside of innovative instructional practices often includes incorporating student technology application through a strong STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The core subject areas taught through the lens of enduring biblical Truth include:
Reading/English Language Arts:The fundamentals of reading are taught through a balanced literacy approach which includes Fundations, a solid phonics program (K-2). Our goal is also to instill a love of reading as we develop comprehension and critical thinking skills, spelling and grammar through Houghton Mifflin (K-5) curriculum and many pieces of classic and Christian literature. Most of our kindergarten students read before the end of the school year.
Step Up to Writing (3-5th Grades) fosters valuable writing and critical thinking skills through student created narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive pieces. NWCS engages in an annual “NWCS Writes” writing rally where students create and share their own original stories with others around a school-wide theme.
Mathematics:Math concepts focus on building basic skills and fact fluency alongside developing strong problem solving and critical thinking skills. We utilize Houghton-Mifflin as well as other curriculum resources including technology applications to provide a solid through a variety of traditional math methods as well as visual and active learning approaches.
Social Studies: Comprehensive instruction including US History, geography, and social studies including multiple experiential opportunities for learning throughout the elementary grades are taught through a biblical worldview lens.
Science: Taught within a biblical context and incorporating Next Generation Science Standards through our Mystery Science Curriculum as well as our Apologia series, our science curriculum emphasizes an inquiry model of learning science alongside of developing scientific vocabulary and problem solving STEM initiatives.


Rapid Literacy Development
Want to keep ahead of the pack on literacy and numeracy? How is your school doing?
While Australian literacy data are fairly positive compared to many countries and are improving under some measures, the fact remains that approximately 20% of children are failing to achieve levels of literacy sufficient for them to be able to succeed in the modern society. For indigenous children the rates are close to 80% failing to read, and 50% for children from other language countries. It has been estimated that approximately 10% of students in year 9 are functionally illiterate, with very bleak employment and life prospects as a result. Moreover, if children are not ‘turned on’ by reading and do not choose to read for pleasure, the difference in practice to a child reading for pleasure by the end of primary school has been estimated at 3 million words.
In research carried out over several years, Include and colleagues have been able to teach children with defined disabilities such as ‘autism’ to read from as young as age 2 (with the parents as teachers), and have been able to accelerate the learning rate of mainstream high school children to 250% on average. That is two and a half years development in literacy for 1 year of teaching by regular high school teachers when the same children had been learning at the rate of 8 months for every school year prior to intervention. Similar results are achievable with spelling and numeracy.
To achieve this, there is no magic wand. What is required is a dedicated and inspired teacher or other leader to coordinate the program; a supportive school administration; good in-service training of the teachers implementing the intervention; powerful research-backed teaching materials; family involvement wherever possible; monitoring of program outcomes and the quality of the teaching with support where required, and a graduation possibility so that students who rapidly improve sufficiently can move back into the mainstream class or a more challenging group. Consistently applied reward systems are also a key to ongoing success.
While not easy to organise a broad-based ongoing program at the school, the results can be life changing for individual students and very rewarding for the teachers involved. It is why most of us went into teaching – to make the lives of students better as a result of our efforts.
- Assess precisely the literacy levels of children and determine where specific additional teaching is needed.
- Train teachers in reading assessment so it can be done within the school.
- Assist in setting up appropriate class groupings for rapid teaching and advise on curriculum materials.
- Provide in-service training and in-class demonstration and support for teachers to learn to accelerate literacy development.
- Assist in data analysis and reporting, and train teachers in these skills.
- Assist in writing reports for publication so the achievements of the school can be publicised.
- Provide advice on spelling and mathematical programs to accelerate development and assist with implementation.
Numeracy and spelling
While we recommend literacy as a higher priority to numeracy, we can also advise on bringing numeracy skills up rapidly. Similarly, we can advise on means to dramatically improve student spelling.


Yoga has become increasingly popular in the health and wellness world. The true core of yoga is its benefits of relaxation, stress relief, and physical improvements in the body. Even with this influx of popularity, not many have considered that this ancient practice can benefit children in a way that virtually no other physical movement can. Read on for some physical and mental benefits of yoga for children.
A Decrease in Stress and Anxiety
Many children feel anxious in today’s society. That anxiety can be tied to biological factors, but there are also environmental factors that can increase the opportunity for anxiety to manifest in children.
Through a yoga practice catered towards children, they are given the tools and guidance they need to understand their feelings and how to cope with them. Practices vary by age range and are focused around the learning styles and preferences for activity level. The children will be guided through varied poses that are relaxing and restorative, this teaches the children how to feel and focus on their physical body, and in turn, they are able to get out of their minds.
An Increase in Body Awareness
Yoga is a physical practice, and many children aren’t yet aware of their bodies in space. By guiding them through poses that use different body parts they become aware of things like how their arms, legs, and trunk move through space.
This awareness helps children understand how to relate to other objects and other people that they spend time with. By developing body awareness, motor skill development is more easily accomplished, and further down the line, they will be better equipped to develop all-around self-awareness.
A Better Ability to Focus Attention
Yoga is a practice that allows us to focus on simple occurrences in the present moment, like our breath. This is an especially difficult task for children. Teaching children how to focus on the present at a young age gives them a head start on skill development. Skills like adaptation, and how to be non-reactive in overwhelming situations. A child’s inability to focus often stems from anxiety. That anxiety manifests in the form of tummy aches and lethargic feelings. Getting to the root of the problem is incredibly important.
Our upcoming Yoga for Kids workshop helps children learn how to root out the cause of anxiety while reducing stress in the body. Learn more about this workshop HERE.
Source: Mira Binzen


'Plan a project' is a weekly, project-based program that develops language, literacy and numeracy skills as well as 'Resilience – Stories of Adult Learning'.
ACE stories Check out our #lifechanger stories. a · ACE shop Check out our teaching resources, totes & apparel. a · ACE learning centres Find a course or class.
Results from the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies ( PIAAC) survey found that around 1 in 7 Australians (14%) have very poor literacy .
Literacy National Project by the Australian Government, through the to 2006 the Australian Government funded the Adult Literacy Research Program (ALRP).


Elementary Education in Pinellas County Schools embodies:
The principal as the leader of the school and the teacher as the leader in the classroom where specific grade level academic, social and behavioral expectations and procedures are clearly defined and regularly communicated.
A culture of collegiality and professionalism where Professional Learning Communities at all levels work together to improve teaching strategies that will positively affect student achievement.
A cohesive, guaranteed, and viable curriculum where grade level curriculum maps of the essential learnings and common assessments in reading and mathematics are aligned to the Sunshine State Standards.
Challenging goals supported by data and feedback used continuously to shape and revise instructional strategies.
Research-based instructional strategies involving remediation and enrichment as keys to mastery of the material presented.
A safe and caring environment where teachers establish clear expectations for behavior and implement well-defined processes and procedures to ensure that students live up to these expectations. These processes and procedures will emphasize the importance of building relationships, developing self-discipline, and increasing student responsibility.
In addition, we know that in order for all students to be successful, three critical elements must be in place in all classrooms. These include:
An environment that is physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe, where students feel comfortable learning. This environment must include a balance of cooperation and governance between the teacher and student where the teacher is clearly identified as the leader in the class.
Students, teachers, administrators, and parents must have clearly defined instructional expectations. Student progress will be measured through the use of common assessments.
Instructional strategies must be implemented that produce success. The teacher and the instructional strategies selected (including intensive remediation strategies) have a profound effect upon student learning. The art of teaching is becoming the science of teaching.
In Pinellas County, much work has been done to assure the emotional, intellectual, and physical safety of students in our elementary schools.


Reading comprehension strategies can be confusing for students. Here are some free printables which are quick views (or cheat sheets) useful for reviewing homework and for small group. It also has a book review of 7 Keys to Comprehension. The book is for the adult person who reads aloud to children.
I enjoyed wonderful memories of reading to my children as I read this book and realized how reading aloud helps teach the seven simple thinking strategies that proficient readers use. We develop reading compression for children when we select a broad range of books for read aloud time, and discuss the books before, during, and after reading. Reading straight through a book will not help the child engage and discover the meaning of the text. It is tempting to do that when time is short, but when we have time it is best to discuss the pictures and text.
Reading Comprehension Strategies
• Connecting reading to their background knowledge
• Creating sensory images
• Asking questions
• Drawing inferences
• Determining what’s important
• Synthesizing ideas
• Solving problems
This book provides question prompts to ask while reading, book titles, and information about book conversations between adults and children. This is a great book for parents who read to children and are wondering how to make the experience more worthwhile. Also, if like me, you have read many books to children, you will find this book to be an affirming trip down memory lane.
Printable Strategy Guide
The 7 Keys to Comprehension book covers reading strategy questions commonly used in school. Parents and teachers can print free printable PDFs quick view one page reading strategies pages at this link is for a free printable PDF reading strategy with prompts and suggested titles.
Happy reading, Carolyn


District leaders seek to give students the best possible opportunity to read on grade level.
Eight campuses kicked off their school year with a Literacy Boot Camp specifically designed to focus on Aldine ISD’s new literacy initiative. The schools will be launching a literacy program in 2019-2020 using the American Reading Company® literacy resources and framework. The focus will be on early phonics instruction and complex text while maintaining a balanced literacy structure.
Griggs Primary, Goodman Elementary, Worsham Elementary, Marcella Elementary, Carroll Elementary, and Harris Elementary are taking part in the program. Two middle schools — Grantham Academy and Hoffman Middle — are also participating. In addition to third-grade reading levels, the district seeks to increase eighth-grade reading proficiency to increase readiness for high school.
During the boot camp, school staff reviewed the ARC® Core literacy framework and unpacked the state’s new English and Spanish language arts TEKS. They also received classroom set-up and instructional planning support from ARC® Core literacy coaches.
Studies show that students who read on grade level by the end of the third grade are more likely to succeed in school and their future careers. Unfortunately, 2019 preliminary results show that only 29 percent of Aldine ISD third-graders scored proficiently on STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness).
That means that less than 30 percent of third-graders are reading on grade level.
“We can — we must — do better,” said Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney. “We are piloting a new way to provide literacy instruction that includes how we train teachers. This group of schools will be the first to experience the new materials and approach. The effort is only a piece of the larger puzzle designed to increase reading scores and improve literacy.”
The larger puzzle, outlined in the district’s new strategic plan, addresses student achievement. It does so by building strong literacy foundations, providing quality resources, and improving support for instruction. The plan also includes a focused group of district staff that will design a comprehensive plan that outlines the specific programs and training that need to happen.
This summer, the Teaching and Learning Department, in partnership with The New Teacher Project (TNTP), launched the Aldine ISD Literacy Task Force. Over the next nine months, the group, led by Chief Academic Officer Dr. Todd M. Davis, will develop a shared vision and strategy to improve reading across the district with a specific focus on grade-level mastery.
“The overarching goal of our team is to increase student outcomes,” said Davis. “Students must master literacy at an early age to ensure they are successful not just now but in the future. We know that the ability to read and comprehend and the love of reading are so important to everything. To reach our goal, we will look at how we teach literacy at every grade level. We will propose bold changes to instruction that we believe will impact student outcomes immediately.”
The first task at hand is reviewing the district’s literacy resources and ensuring align materials at every level. Another responsibility is ensuring resources are available to assist those learning to speak English. The team will also ensure that schools not participating in the pilot are supported.
Additionally, the district held literacy boot camps for schools not involved in the pilot. The professional development was designed to unpack the new ELA standards. The “non-pilot” boot camps also provided training on foundational literacy skills, text complexity, and planning for balanced literacy.
According to Davis, the sessions were extremely informative and helpful.
“It was easy to see just how important literacy is to all content areas. It is more than about increasing levels but ensuring students can read, listen, speak and write,” said Davis. “Once students and teachers master that thinking, academic achievement is bound to increase.”


By Teachers, For Teachers
Around the time when a child is the age of 6 or 7, they start to seriously develop their reading skills, so reading comprehension and decoding strategies are at the top of the list for these youngsters.
Decoding is an essential skill, because it is the foundation on which all other reading is built. Primary students (in grades K-2) will need to know how to decode basic words and text in order to read and comprehend what they are reading.
However, for some students, even the simplest of words can be a struggle. This is when tools and teaching strategies must be used.
Here are six decoding teaching strategies all young readers should learn and memorize. The more they become familiar with them, the easier it will be for them to read fluently.
Teach your students to break the word up into more manageable parts. For example, the word "remember" may look difficult to a young child, but when chunked up into "re-mem-ber," it will almost certainly be more manageable. Tell students they can even clap the syllables to help them learn how to chunk a word. For the example “re-mem-ber,” they can clap three times, and this will help them break the word apart.
If a student is stuck, tell them to get their mouth ready by taking the word letter by letter. Instruct students to get their mouth ready to say the word but slowly take the word letter by letter.
Students need to think about the meaning of the text in order to gauge an unfamiliar word. Instruct students to read the sentence and think about what it is trying to say. Then have them go back and re-read the word. This brings us to our next strategy.
Some students will have to re-read a word several times in order to make sense of it. Teach your students that this is okay, and it’s a good thing to be persistent while reading. Even if they have to re-read a word 10 times in order to understand it, they will reap the benefits of it, because once they learn that word, they will always know it.
If a student is really struggling with reading a word, have them skip the word and continue reading the sentence. Sometimes after reading a little bit further, the meaning will become clear and the student can go back to the skipped word and re-read the sentence knowing the proper meaning.
Pictures can be a lifesaver for struggling readers. If a student cannot read a word, they can look at a picture to give them a clue of the meaning. This is usually the students’ favorite strategy, because it is the easiest and most effective way to figure out a word’s meaning. It’s important, however, to encourage students to use a variety of reading strategies. This should not be their only go-to strategy when they come upon a difficult word.
Here is a quick tool that is very effective and popular with many teachers. Print this out, laminate it, and give it to your students to reference in school and at home.
Get my mouth ready to read the word.
Stretch out the sounds in the word.
Look at the pictures for clues.
Skip the word, read to the end of the sentence, think about what makes sense, and then try reading the sentence again.
Try another vowel sound if the first one does not sound correct.
Find smaller parts within the word.
Give these reading strategies a try in your classroom. Make sure to keep them posted in the classroom for easy reference and print out the simple, fun tool “sticky words.” You can add a photo of each animal to each strategy if you’d like.
Remember, in order for children to have full reading enjoyment, they need to first learn how to decode and comprehend what they are reading. Once they have mastered those principles, they are sure to flourish.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, or on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators.


Commonly, "early literacy" refers to the language and communication skills kids develop in the preschool years. Babies and toddlers who have been exposed to plenty of talking and reading start school with much better chances of success. The UNC Child Development Institute edited a list of good practices that parents and teachers can use to help young children's literacy development. Discover UNC's 10 tips.
1. Get chatty
Have a lot of conversation with your babies and toddlers, even if they seem to have little to say themselves.
2. Be a commenter
Give constant descriptions of the objects and events around you and your child.
3. Mix it up
Mix up your words by using different verbs and grammatical structures.
4. Label it
Provide your infants and toddlers with a deluge of (new) names and words.
5. Tune in
Look for activities or events that may be be interesting to your child. When your baby is captivated by something, comment about it.
6. Read interactively
Read books everyday with your children. Tell the story, talk about the pictures, ask all kinds of questions.
7. Read it again
Read the same books again and again. Infants and tots are able to recognize complex phrases very early. Much early than you may think.
Introduce new objects to your children as early as possible, giving them all possible descriptions and explanations.
9. Listen to and make music
Listen to music and sing along with the radio and play instruments with your children. You do not need exceptional musical talent to bond with your child and boost early learning.
10. Sign it
When you talk to your child, use gestures to communicate, like waving goodbye, clapping or pointing to objects. Those are critical elements of language learning.
From the first days newborns begin to develop their literacy skills and their parents, grandparents, caregivers and preschool teachers play a key role along this essential process.
Picture: Mother Goose reading written fairy tales, by Gustave Doré (Wikimedia Commons)


The Importance of Reading Aloud to your Child
Reading is a wonderful habit and a hobby that must be pursued not just by grown-ups but also by children. Reading stands anyone who takes to it in good stead as it has the power to mould one’s intellectual and cognitive abilities, and life in entirety.
Inculcating the habit of reading in children is one of the best gifts parents can give them. It is a proven fact that children who pursue reading do better at school, turn out to be sharper and in due course of time attain success in life. One of the most effective ways to get children to develop interest in reading is by reading aloud to them, which is known to do wonders and make a positive difference in several ways.
Understandably, parents of small children feel greatly concerned and worry whether their child will develop the habit of reading. They are more than willing to take every measure to get their child to take interest in reading. Well, they need not worry so much, as reading aloud to children effectively helps them cultivate the habit of reading in them. To know the importance of reading aloud to your child and when and how to get started, read on…
Why you should Read to your Child
Reading aloud to your child nurtures several foundational skills in them right from a young age. It provides a conducive ambience to develop the following abilities by working at multiple levels:
Stimulating Creativity and Imagination:
Reading aloud to children kindles curiosity and develops their imaginative powers. It is a wonderful shared activity that initiates exchange of views and explore things together. It also develops a close bond among the parent and the child as together, they enter a new world of fantasy, information and learning that good books offer.
Developing Fluency in Language and Building Vocabulary:
Reading aloud generates more opportunities to develop language skills and learning new words for children. It is concerned with active listening, which is one of the most important aspects of effective communication. It is also a great way to develop pronunciation, voice modulation and expressiveness as parents naturally infuse reading with soulfulness into what they are reading with their children.
Its’ a fact that we remember what we hear better as there’s involvement of a higher level of sensory perceptions; it goes beyond just recognising words with eyes and involves recognition of sounds.
Developing Love for Reading:
Parents who read aloud to children demonstrate their love and interest in books, which inspires them to read actively as well. They also appreciate their parents for taking out time for them and putting the effort they put in for them.
Improving Speaking Skills:
Children who listen attentively to their parent while reading become better at speak They also become more familiar with the right pronunciation and intonation which enhances their speaking abilities.
Reading aloud to children .helps them overcome stress and anxiety they may be experiencing as the presence of the parent is reassuring for them. They can also find solutions to their problems as reading broadens their thought process.
Encouraging Audio Learners:
Those who learn more through listening are audio learners. They tend to understand and learn things better as they are better with comprehending things through listening.
How to Read Aloud to your Child and When to Begin
There’s no bracket you have to confine yourself to while deciding when it is the right time to start reading to your little one. Babies can recognise words and comprehend sound patterns before they are six months old. Therefore starting early is definitely a plus point as there’s no limit to what and how much they listen from you.
Also, reading to your child every day is highly recommended. It also inculcates a sense of discipline and punctuality in them, and they look forward to being read to daily by you.
As your child grows older, ask questions based on what you read to gauge their level of understanding and to explain what they do not understand. It will be like groundwork for studies they are going to pursue in the coming times. Of course, you will have your own experiences and discoveries too as you proceed, which indicates that reading aloud to your child is enriching for you as well.
You will also build a better bond with your child by reading aloud to them as you’ll be sharing various slices of life together.
So make sure you keep some time aside for reading aloud to your child. You’ll surely find your reading aloud time very relaxing and rejuvenating at the same time!


The Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) Series supports teachers and recreational leaders in teaching fundamental movement and sport skills in an effective, fun and interactive manner.
Providing instructional tips, movement descriptions, assessment checklists, and activities to utilize the motor skills under focus, the FMS Series provides a developmentally appropriate teaching aid to support motor skill development within your children.
The Series Includes:
- FMS Active Start & FUNdamentals
- FMS Active Start & Fundamentals – Activity Card Set
- FMS Active Start & FUNdamentals – For Children with Physical Disabilities
- FMS Active Start & FUNdamentals – For Children with Developmental and/or Behavioural Disabilities
- FMS Learning to Train
- FMS Beyond the Fundamentals – A Games Approach
- FMS Alternative Activities and Pursuits
- FMS An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Fundamental Movements


A recent post-observation meeting with one of my administrators got me thinking more about choice in art education being evidence of best practice. Obviously, I have been wrestling more with this concept and how it relates to my own in-class experience. Therefore, expect to read more about it as I work my way through this issue. Having said that here are some additional take-aways.
For me, educational research is a soft science. You take a Psych 101 class and, at the end, the ponderous number of modalities used to understand and ‘help’ people will make you dizzy. Education as a whole, including art education, does not always do a good job of taking that concept to heart. Pedagogy is not a hard-and-fast science. The unpredictable nature of children, the homes they come from, and the communities they live in make it all the more challenging to say we know for certain what is best for every kid everywhere.
Passionate Soft Speaking
Speaking softly when it comes to figuring out where you are on the choice-in-art-education spectrum does not mean you are not passionate about what you do. It means you seek to understand and be understood.
So, speak softly and:
- Strive for excellence regardless of your pro-choice, anti-choice or somewhere-in-between proclivities.
- Monitor your language as you speak about your own camp and those ‘on the other side’. Words can create dichotomies that cause people to get their guard up and feel backed into a corner.
- Be open to challenge your own preconceptions about what is best for your students (and yourself!). Try something new. Take a project and flip it on it’s head: teach it as you believe ‘the other camp’ would.
- Share your challenges (and successes!) when you try something new. There are art education blogs, Pinterest boards, and other forums across the Web that promote all different approaches to learning in an art space. Do some exploring and you will find people with insight to help you overcome that hurdle or help you know that you are not alone because something didn’t work quite right. Then, introduce yourself! Email opens us up to a world of help.
The Art of Education offers an online class aptly titled, Choice Based Art Education.


Our online human rights education library is a curated, resource-rich collection of HRE materials.
Our library includes curriculum, lesson plans, documents, manuals, articles, books, and more. Whether you are seasoned veteran or just getting started, you can be sure to find something useful and relevant to enhance your HRE learning and practice.
Not sure where to begin? Check out Getting Started in Human Rights Education for all the basics on what to teach, how to teach, making connections, resources for program design and implementation, and comprehensive curriculum materials.
HRE USA’s Curriculum Integration Guide provides model lessons to help social studies and other educators implement human rights in their curriculum. Each lesson is tied to Common Core curriculum standards and contains suggested modifications for ESL populations and classified students, as well as suggestions regarding how each lesson supports literacy development.
Also see our news updates for the latest in human rights education materials and resources.
HRE USA offers these human rights education materials based on the following criteria:
- Overall usefulness, relevance, and quality;
- Relates directly to human rights documents and principles;
- Reflects methodologies appropriate to human rights education;
- Offers a variety of approaches, subject areas, and age levels;
- Is easy to access;
- Originates from a transparent source.
To submit a resource to the HRE Library, please send the name and description of the resource with a copy to review at firstname.lastname@example.org.


Focuses on exercises, techniques, and steps of classical ballet with an emphasis on terminology and correct body alignment. Develops an aesthetic awareness of the art of classical ballet. Includes a warm-up at the barre with center floor work and combinations.
Covers the basics of ballroom dance favorites like the Fox Trot, Tango and Waltz along with Latin styles such as the Cha Cha, Salsa and Rumba.
Fun and games that explore creativity and self-expression and develop dance skills that prepare students to move into other movement disciplines. Focuses on coordination, rhythm and creativity.
Start your child on his or her way to a life-long love of movement and music. Includes simple movement that helps parents and caregivers increase flexibility and model healthy exercise habits. In this class children will learn to recognize body parts along with colors, directions, and counting while also learning basic rhythm. Through fun and games this class will develop motor skills and stimulate brain development.
This class will teach young students basic hip hop movements while instilling rhythm and precision, preparing them for the faster pace of a hip hop technique class. Each class will include a warm up that promotes cardiovascular activity and strengthening, as well as an upbeat dance combination.
A high-energy dance form using the latest music mixed with movements that are influenced by some of today’s top video choreographers. Hip Hop is a broad collection of urban street dance styles including breaking, popping, locking, turfing, jerkin and krumping and often incorporates elements of freestyling. Classes will provide a structured method of learning various styles of movement in a fun and vibrant environment. Each class will incorporate dance combinations and routines and will encourage individual expression and personal style.
Jazz dance is an exploration of style and presentation. Rooted in the rhythm of jazz music, jazz dance is a true American art form. Includes a warm-up that develops strength, flexibility, coordination, and dance techniques specific to jazz dance. Includes dynamic choreography set to popular music and encourages individual expression and development of personal style.
Designed to build coordination, strength and body awareness through a range of creative techniques. Introduces basic ballet terminology, positions, movements, and ballet class discipline.
Sharpens reflexes and improves memory skills and coordination. Establishes fundamental tap movements, vocabulary and works on basic rhythms and steps that progress into fun and lively dance combinations. Develops musicality, timing, balance and quick weight shift.
Introduces basic rhythm using simple tap steps along with coordination and movement skills that encourage creativity and prepares students or other movement disciplines. This class will cultivate a love for dance in a nurturing and fun-filled environment.
Covers the basics of ballet and tap with an emphasis on correct technique and terminology and dance class discipline.
Drawing from many dance styles, theater dance incorporates elements of acting combined with dance as it pertains to musical theatre. Classes will focus on proper technique and musicality and will include upbeat choreography from popular musicals.
This class focuses on creativity in motion, imagination and motor skill development. Our faculty will guide students in a way that makes exploring movement and learning fun! Tiny Dancer is a great introduction to an independent class.
Questions? Contact Amy Brinkman-Sustache, Director of Education, at 414. 277. 8480 x6002 or via email.


These word problems are designed to foster an understanding of time and an appreciation for the practical application of time skills in everyday life. These are essential foundational skills that form the basis of Scheduling and Time Management skills we use throughout our lives in school, at work and in our personal lives.
"TIME" WORD PROBLEMS, has exciting and stimulating word problems designed to develop time perception and time calculation skills in elementary school children.
Leveraging the portability of the Kindle device, this exclusive Kindle eBook is a wonderful way to sneak in some productive time while waiting at the doctor's office or riding in the car.
The BrainChimp series of books are designed to stimulate the minds of kids and empower them with the skills to be more successful in school and beyond.
Answer Key is included to measure progress and guide practice.


Just Words® supports states’ rigorous college- and career-readiness standards, including Common Core State Standards, by providing struggling readers—those who have not mastered the foundational skills of language structure typically learned in grades K-3—with strategies that will allow them to independently read and spell words and build the skills necessary to access and master grade-level standards.
As a word-level intervention program for students in grades 4-12, the alignment of many of the skills presented in the program fall outside of the standards outlined for those grades. Students identified for a Just Words class often are not able to engage in complex grade-level reading and writing tasks because they are not yet fluent readers or writers. Just Words provides these students with the foundational and language standards that are absolutely necessary to be able access grade-level text. In this regard, Just Words aligns to these key foundational and language standards:
- Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
- Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Combining a synthetic phonics approach and explicit instruction in total word structure, students learn all English language letter-sound correspondences, syllable patterns (single and multisyllabic), and common prefixes, roots, and suffixes. They also engage in skilled practice with high frequency sight words (irregular words). Just Words instruction includes some aspects of reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students are provided with opportunities to practice proper phrasing in oral reading and focus on reading for meaning.


- Band is a co-curricular class, sanctioned by Regina Public Schools. Band class operates as a pull-out program during the school day from September to May.
- Students participate in the band program for approximately two hours per week. Students receive one 30- to 45-minute small group lesson per week, as well as an additional one-hour, full-band rehearsal with all Grade 6 band students from schools in the area. Typically, students are bussed to the full-band practice.
- Instruments in a concert band include woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, and alto and tenor saxophone), brass (trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone and tuba), and percussion (all drums, bells and other auxiliary percussion instruments).
- The band program begins in Grade 6 and continues through to Grade 12.
- To enrich the student’s experience, some special activities such as festivals or workshops may occur outside of the regular school day/week.
- Teachers in the band program all hold a Bachelor of Education degree and have specialized in teaching music.
Goals and Benefits
- Playing in band can be one of the most enjoyable experiences a student will have in school. It is an excellent means of developing instrumental technique; reading, listening, and memory skills; and concentration. In addition, the band experience develops discipline, confidence, creative expression, social skills, group responsibility and leadership, and adds a unique richness to one’s quality of life.
- Child development researchers have identified music as one of seven intelligences equal in significance to linguistic and logical-mathematical skills.
- This is one of the most cost-effective ways to secure quality music education for your child.
- Students are expected to take independent responsibility for attending rehearsals and completing regular class work.
- To ensure success, home practice on a regular basis is required.
- Because this is a performance-based program and the band is a team, each member of the team is vital to the performance. It is an expectation that when the band performs, all students are in attendance. Typically, the band will perform two evening concerts per year (usually winter and spring).
- Unless there are extenuating circumstances, it is expected that the student will complete the entire school term.
- There is a registration fee for band which is outlined in the Regina Public Schools band registration form.
- If your child demonstrates a keen interest in learning to play an instrument and finances are a concern, please approach your school principal.
- Your band director will go through an evaluation process to ensure your child is placed on the instrument best suited for him/her.
- There are several options to consider when obtaining an instrument for your child. As you consider these options, please note that the success of your child is directly related to a properly working instrument.
1. Buying new or used from a music vendor or private party.
2. Renting from a music vendor.
3. Renting from Regina Public Schools. Tubas, baritones, bass clarinets and French horns are available through the school division. If your child is interested in playing one of these instruments, please discuss this option with the band director.
4. You may have access to an instrument by some other means such as a friend, a relative, or a newspaper ad. Please make sure the quality of these instruments is checked so that your child will have a successful experience. The band director would be happy to consult with you.
Your director will indicate the method book your child requires, as well as any small items (such as oil, reeds and cleaning supplies) that may be required for his/her instrument.


Encouraging participation in regular physical activity is an essential factor in promoting an overall healthy lifestyle for your children. Routine physical activity increases lean body mass, muscle, and bone strength, and promotes physical, mental, and psychological health. It can also increase a child’s overall self-esteem, their ability to respond to stress, and maximize their capacity for learning. This is a habit that should be established early on. In fact, parents can begin establishing daily physical activities with their children before they are even a year old. It is important for parents to set the right standard for the amount of physical activity their child should be getting daily. Doing this forms a healthy lifestyle habit they will carry with them well into adulthood. So how much physical activity is needed? And what types of physical activities are recommended for children? Read on to see how physical activity recommendations change as your child ages.
Physical Activity Recommendations For Infancy (Birth – Under 1 year old)
Babies love to explore the environment around them. They also like to take part in activities that explore different types of movement. When your baby is very young, you will have to help them move around. But as they continue to grow, they will roll over, hold their head up, sit-up, crawl, and walk. All of these things are considered physical activity for this age group. Infants should be placed in a setting that encourages and stimulates movement and active play for short periods of time. This should be done several times throughout the day. Infants should also have supervised “tummy time” incorporated into their daily play-time. Tummy time should last for as long as the infant shows enjoyment. Some children do not immediately enjoy tummy time. When this happens, you may have to start out with very brief periods and build-up to longer periods over time.
Physical Activity Recommendations For Early Childhood (1 – 5 years old)
In the early childhood years, children should engage in a minimum of 60 minutes and up to several hours of unstructured physical activity each day. They should have at least 30 minutes (ages 1 – 3) or 60 minutes (ages 3 – 5) of structured physical activity each day. Unstructured physical activity is activity in which the child engages in freely. This activity should not be prompted by an adult. Structured physical activity is planned and intentionally directed by an adult. Children in this age group should not be sedentary for any period of time greater than 60 minutes at a time, unless they are sleeping. Toddlers (ages 1 – 3) should be given opportunities to develop movement skills. These movement skills will act as building blocks for motor skill development and bone development. Young children (ages 3 – 5) should be encouraged to develop competence in fundamental motor skills. These skills will act as the building blocks for future advanced motor skills and physical activity.
Physical Activity Recommendations For Middle Childhood, Adolescence, & Young Adults (6 – 21 years old)
Children, adolescents, and young adults between the ages of 6 and 21 should engage in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Most of this time should be comprised of either moderate- or vigorous- intensity aerobic physical activity. Children should engage in vigorous physical activity at least 3 days per week. They should also engage in muscle- and bone- strengthening physical activity at least 3 days per week. During this time, it is important for parents to encourage physical activity that is age appropriate, enjoyable, and offer variety. For example, children under the age of 7 should engage in activities that focus on fundamental motor skills such as running, jumping, skipping, throwing, kicking, and catching. Children between the ages of 7 and 9 years old should engage in activities that focus on fundamental transitional motor skill development such as throwing for distance or accuracy. Children 10 years or older should engage in activities that focus on transitional complex motor skills being developed such as playing soccer, basketball, and baseball.
Schedule Your Child’s Annual Well-Child Visit Today
Besides getting plenty of physical activity, routine annual wellness visits are important to maintaining your child’s overall health and well-being. Annual wellness visits also ensure they are not taking part in physical activity that may be a risk to them. To schedule your child’s annual well-child exam with one of our board-certified pediatricians, contact Children’s Medical Center today. We have four convenient office locations in Palm Harbor, Westchase, Trinity, and Lutz. We also have extended hours and are open 7 days a week! We look forward to meeting you and your child!


Flushing Town Hall Teaching Artist: Suzanne DeMarco
Suzanne DeMarco is an educator and artist. She has more than twenty years of teaching experience, including ten years of service at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, in the Santa Monica, Malibu Unified School District. Suzanne has taught art for both mainstream and children with special educational needs. The National Standards and Common Core Curriculum are integrated into each art lesson. She is an accomplished workshop and program presenter and the developer of a unique system, “just do art 4 kids”, www.justdoart4kids.com. This program is proven as it has demonstrated success in schools across the country and internationally. Her system was adopted in Botswana, Africa, as a primary tool for art education. Most recently Suzanne personally brought “just do art” to Jacmel Haiti, where she had the fortune to teach art to over 250 children, none of whom spoke English. Suzanne believes that the language of art transcends the spoken word.
Turkish Tiles: Bringing Together Communities Around the World (For grades 3 & 6)
In this workshop, participants will learn about the history of Iznik Pottery, which received its named from the town in Turkey where it was originally crafted. Turkey is bordered by eight countries and has always played a strategic role within European and Asian trade, culture and politics. Here, students will create individual tiles with a traditional Iznik design; gain a deeper understanding of the history of Turkey and the connection to art through the Silk Road trade in Asia, Europe and the Middle East; develop their fine motor skills through the art of tracing; and learn about different types of pattern making.
Back to the Beginning (all ages)
Cave paintings depicted scenes from the lives of early humans, often focusing on animals and hunting. Since they did not have a calendar and written language had not yet been invented, they used cave paintings as a way to share what they learned. They drew pictures of their livestock and hunting techniques on the walls, to teach future generations how to find food and shelter. Cave painting is one of the early examples of “collective learning”, which means the sharing of knowledge that is passed on. For instance, if a person came up with an idea that was a new and easy way to make a spear, the knowledge could be drawn onto their cave walls and passed forward so everyone wouldn’t have to figure it out again for themselves.
Frida’s Faces Collage (all ages)
Frida Kahlo, born Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderon, was a Mexican painter who lived from 1907 to 1954. Kahlo’s many paintings represent collages of her dramatic life and passion for her Mexican culture. She used bright colors and animals in her paintings to tell her story. When she was 18, Kahlo was in an accident, which required her to stay in bed for extended periods of time. While recuperating, she started painting to overcome her boredom. She had never received any formal training in art, but the countless hours practicing granted her great recognition to this very day.
Under the Tables, to Up in the Starry Night Sky (all ages) 1-2-3 week residency
Study of the Masters; inspired by artists such as Michelangelo. The students will have the opportunity to draw on the underside of their table to recreate a piece of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy. Second week, learning about master artist, Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Starry Night, incorporating the feeling of movement into their drawings, plus the real look of a nighttime scene. Third week, learning how to draw Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, by just starting with an oval shape. In this da Vinci lesson, the students will learn how to draw perspective, negative spaces along with cast shadows, so they can create their own interpretation of the Mona Lisa.
The power of U and yoUr portrait (all ages)
After this lesson, students will learn that they can draw any person’s portrait they want. Whether it is one of a political person, like Martin Luther King, a famous artist’s portrait, or of a celebrity like Elvis, it all begins with the letter U. The U enables one the ability to use different styles of hair and also proper placement of all facial features. Although they will be looking at the same examples provided, the end results are great, as each student, through their own rendition, will tell their story through visual art.


History of the New Directions Conference…
In 1997 Michigan State University inaugurated a series of conferences on emerging trends in music education.
Our musical world has changed rapidly in recent years. So rapidly in fact that it is often difficult for music teachers and scholars to keep up with the latest advances in music technology, methods, and research.
The New Directions in Music Education Conference is designed to provide a stimulating environment for sharing and learning the latest scholarly advances and best teaching practices from some of the world’s foremost teachers, researchers, and musicians. Join us on the beautiful campus of Michigan State University for three days of ear-opening presentations and clinics, exploring new ways to teach composition, improvisation, music technology, and performance.
This is a conference for elementary, middle school, and high school music teachers, and for collegiate faculty and students.
The purpose of New Directions in Music Education is to facilitate the sharing of information and ideas among eminent scholars, teachers, and musicians in new and developing areas of music education.
1997 – early childhood music education
2000 – teaching composition and improvisation
2003 – instrumental music education
2005 – teaching composition and improvisation II
2007 – elementary and secondary general music
2011 – revitalizing middle and high school music
2014 – teaching composition, improvisation, and the new musicianship


Immigrant Latino Parents' Values & Beliefs About Education
The concept of educación: Latino family values and American schooling.
Mexican immigrants in urban California: Forging adaptations from familiar and new cultural resources.
Using Mixed Methods to Explore Latino Children's Literacy Development
Immigrant Latinos' cultural model of literacy development: An evolving perspective on home-school discontinuities
Longitudinal analysis of the antecedents of emergent Spanish literacy and middle-school English reading achievement of Spanish-speaking students
Cause or effect? A longitudinal study of immigrant Latinos’ parents aspirations and expectations and their children's school performance
Gender difference in factors leading to college enrollment: A longitudinal analysis of Latina and Latino students


Two years ago the NB2026 Roundtable identified literacy, education and training – under the rubric of learning – as one of the principal roadblocks to New Brunswick’s development and prosperity and set out to do something about it.
A two year citizen’s engagement was started that ended up reaching out to nearly 5,000 New Brunswickers through a series of public sessions across the province and direct discussions with learning and education related stakeholders.
This engagement culminated with a provincial forum held in November where 70 different learning-related stakeholders got together and crafted a vision for the province. They want to make New Brunswick “the learning province of Canada”.
This is an ambitious vision. According to the International Adult Literacy Skills Survey, more than half of New Brunswick’s adult population can’t read, write or do math well enough to meet the challenges of everyday life and work. Further, a significant percentage of young people are exiting the education system (either prematurely or with a diploma) without sufficient literacy and numeracy skills.
Some people may be rolling their eyes right now. What makes this initiative any different? New Brunswick’s literacy problem has been well known for decades and successive governments have at least nominally made it a priority.
This initiative is different. The normal way for New Brunswick to tackle collective problems is by citizens complaining and governments promising to do something. This initiative has taught us that literacy is not a ‘government’ problem. Addressing it will be a ‘projet de société’.
At the provincial forum over 60 initiatives were identified involving a range of public sector, private sector and non-governmental organizations across the province.
By Grades 2-3 we can identify with almost 100 percent accuracy which kids will go on to do well in school and which will fall through the cracks. Imagine enlisting an army of retired teachers, nurses and other public servants in every community around the province as tutors and mentors for these ‘at risk’ young people.
Imagine thousands of small businesses around the province committing to a learning agenda in the workplace and putting programs and incentives in place for staff to upgrade their skills.
Imagine thousands of young people engaging with senior citizens to help them learn how to use the Internet and build their 21st century literacy skills.
Imagine provincial and federal governments making a serious commitment to the tens of thousands of New Brunswickers who collect Employment Insurance each year that are stuck at the lowest skills and literacy levels. We spend a huge amount of taxpayer dollars on ‘training’ every year. Imagine if we tied that spending to the learning agenda.
Imagine mayors and municipal councils all across the province vying to win the ‘Learning Community of the Year’ award by taking deliberate steps to promote literacy.
In short, imagine a learning agenda that engages the broadest possible coalition of New Brunswickers from all corners of society. Then, as my father says “you are cooking with gas”.
The learning agenda is being led by Andy Scott, Marie-Paule Thériault and the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Jody Carr. It has also been wholeheartedly endorsed by Premier David Alward.
I’m a big fan of Andy Scott. He has tackled some of the most complex public policy issues over the years. Having him at the helm gives the initiative much greater chance of success. Minister Carr has a lot on his plate these days. He looks a little frazzled but he has made this a key priority for him and his department. It will be crucial to align the enormous resources of government with the initiatives developed through the learning agenda.
The learning agenda is one of those initiatives that could transform the province. Or it could go down in flames. For the sake of our future, I hope it takes off.