New York, New York (PRWEB) June 26, 2014
Queens Library in New York is providing a groundbreaking way for children as young as five to improve their reading skills with Reading Eggs, an interactive virtual world designed to turn reading into a fun and challenge-based game for young children.
Since 2012, the library has incorporated Reading Eggs into its before and after school programs for neighborhood children between the ages of 5 to 14, many of whom come from low income immigrant families with limited access to technology and the internet at home.
Reading Eggs, which can be easily accessed on computers and tablet devices, is designed to make learning essential literacy skills fun and motivational for children between the ages of 3 and 13. Developed by experienced elementary educators, the program features scientifically-based lessons that engage children with game-like activities, animations, vibrant characters and music.
Saroj Sami and her daughter Ashira have been excited over Ashira’s progress since using the online reading program.
“I did not have to help her with anything at all. She just did it all by herself. She is so excited that she can read. She has started sounding out words and spelling them,” says Sami.
Popular children’s librarian Sofia Zambrano, noted significant improvements in the literacy skills of children using Reading Eggs at the library.
“Reading Eggs facilitated English language acquisition to our children, who after persevering in the program not only improved their literacy skills considerably but developed a love for reading and learning as well.”
Ms. Zambrano says that parents, many of whom speak little or no English, have also used Reading Eggs at her library to help improve their own language skills.
The success comes after similar initiatives in South Africa, where Reading Eggs has been used by schools to teach children English. In the eastern province of Mpumalanga, schools in which students used Reading Eggs for a three to six month period were found to perform 27% better in literacy tests than students in schools who weren't using the program.
Following the success of Reading Eggs at the Queens Library, Matthew Sandblom, CEO of Reading Eggs says there are now plans to introduce Reading Eggs into the library’s learning centers located across the United States.
Ms. Zambrano is fully supportive; “Reading Eggs is a superb program for children whether they are English proficient or not. I strongly recommend this program to librarians and other educators.”
To find out more about Reading Eggs and the Queens Library, please contact Edward Howard at edward(dot)howard(at)readingeggs(dot)com or Joanne King via jking(at)queenslibrary(dot)org at the Queens Library.
About Reading Eggs
Developed by educators with over 30 years of experience, Reading Eggs online lessons instruct children in the five areas crucial to literacy development – phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Reading Eggs focuses on a core reading curriculum of skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success and is suitable for children ages 3 to 13. Since launching in the United States and Canada in 2011, Reading Eggs has signed on more than 500,000 subscribers and presented more than 15 million lessons in North America. The program has now been purchased in over 169 countries.


Carla Hogar teaches math and science to grade 5 and grade 6 students in a level 9 NANS school in Québec. She studied Elementary Education at McGill University. She has been teaching for six years and has taught abroad.
With international teaching experience, Carla Hogar has seen a broad variety of learning and teaching resources. Two of her favorite are Reflex and Gizmos. With ExploreLearning’s best-of-breed products, “learning is interactive and students can explore concepts on their own, so learning isn’t so teacher-directed. Also, Gizmos and Reflex take pressure off the teacher because you don’t have to develop extra materials.”
In Carla’s math classes, she uses stations. Her stations include Reflex on laptops, a strategy station, and a manipulative station. Students travel between stations, spending fifteen minutes at each. Carla shares, “The students really enjoy the Reflex station, and they just get so excited to go on it. It’s not like I am throwing them in front of a website that throws facts at them. They can play games, they can purchase things, they are intrigued… and they are learning at the same time! Even with students that have demonstrated mastery, I just find that I have such smoother classes because they already have the facts in mind.” She is working on including Gizmos as part of her math stations soon, too.
In Carla’s science classes, she uses Gizmos that complement each of the themes she teaches. Once she selects an appropriate Gizmo, she models how to use it. She explains, “All the kids sit in front of the interactive whiteboard and experiment together for 5-10 minutes.” Then she lets the students work independently. “For younger grades, they explore the Gizmo in pairs, for grades 5-6 they do it on a laptop and complete it on their own.”
In addition, if the vocabulary is too difficult for some of her students, she says “it’s easy to change because all the Gizmo Lesson Materials are customizable,” which is great for her English Language Learners. Although she is in an Anglophone school board, she still has many bilingual students primarily from French speaking families. “ESL students have special requirements,” she explains, and “Gizmos are able to bridge the gap in vocabulary.”
One of her students’ favorite Gizmos is the Weight and Mass Gizmo because they can compare the weight of objects on earth and measure the mass of objects on different planets including a pumpkin, a flower pot, a baseball, and even a puppy. “They really like that part, and I like that it’s a cross-curricular concept.”
Carla is always sharing new Gizmos with fellow teachers because the simulations are “such great tools that go along with our curriculum guidelines. It is not like Gizmos are something extra, they complement what we’re supposed to be teaching.” Carla is always looking for new and exciting ways to integrate Gizmos, and shares, “as with any good teacher, I am always in the process of learning and improving my practice.”


Fundamentals of XAML and Microsoft Expression Blend (cours 10553)
Cours disponible en français ou en anglais - Training available in French or in English
Durée: 3 jours
Objectifs du cours :
This 3-day course covers core and essential XAML skills. The learner will gain valuable experience developing XAML code in both Visual Studio 2010 and Expression Blend 4.
The course teaches the beginner and intermediate tasks that enable the learner to build the foundational skills required to develop professional Silverlight 4 and WPF applications (for the Web, Windows desktops, and Windows Phone 7 devices). The course will include hands-on labs that comprise approximately 50% of the classroom time and enable the student to learn the essential XAML programming tasks that are the building blocks of real-world applications.
Compétences acquises :
Les stagiaires seront à même d'effectuer les tâches suivantes :
- Describe the benefits of XAML-based applications.
- Explain the tools that can be used to create XAML-based applications.
- Describe the structure of a XAML-based application
- Create Vector Graphics with Expression Blend 4.
- Create Vector Graphics with Expression Design 4.
- Import Vector Graphics into Expression Blend 4
- Organize the controls used in the user interface of a XAML-based application.
- Add and manipulate the controls used in XAML-based applications
- Develop WPF applications.
- Develop Silverlight applications.
- Host a Silverlight application in an HTML web page.
- Debug a XAML-based application
- Create and use controls programmatically.
- Work with media files
- Use Resources in a XAML-based application.
- Work with Styles and ControlTemplates.
- Add and configure behaviors by using Expression Blend 4
- Apply transforms in your XAML-based applications.
- Create different types of animations in your XAML-based applications.
- Provide visual feedback to users based on the state of a control or a group of controls
- Implement property binding in XAML-based applications.
- Implement binding to external data objects in XAML-based applications
- Create application prototypes by using SketchFlow.
- Package prototypes for distribution to your customers.
- Review feedback on your prototypes from your customers
Connaissances requises :
Pour suivre ce cours, les stagiaires doivent disposer des connaissances suivantes :
- 1-3 months of professional programming experience with Visual Studio 2010.
- Some professional experience in developing either ASP.NET Web applications or Windows Forms desktop applications.
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Tel : +41 21 661 1675 - Fax : +41 21 661 1673 - Email : email@example.com


Literacy development with English learners : research-based instruction in grades K-6
- New York : Guilford Press, c2009.
- Physical description
- xvi, 271 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Solving problems in the teaching of literacy.
PE1128 .A2 L532 2009
- Unknown PE1128 .A2 L532 2009
- Helman, Lori.
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Helman, Factors Influencing Second-Language Literacy Development: A Road Map for Teachers. Au, Culturally Responsive Instruction: Application to Multiethnic, Multilingual Classrooms. Dutro, Helman, Explicit Language Instruction: A Key to Constructing Meaning. Garcia, DeNicolo, Making Informed Decisions about the Language and Literacy Assessment of English-Language Learners. Bear, Smith, The Literacy Development of English Learners: What Do We Know about Each Student's Literacy Development? Helman, Emergent Literacy: Planting the Seeds for Accomplished Reading and Writing. Helman, Opening Doors to Texts: Planning Effective Phonics Instruction with English Learners. Montero, Kuhn, English-Language Learners and Fluency Development: More Than Speed and Accuracy. Brock, Youngs, Oikonomidoy, Lapp, The Case of Ying: The Members of a Teacher Study Group Learn about Fostering the Reading Comprehension of English Learners. Templeton, Spelling--Meaning Relationships among Languages: Exploring Cognates and Their Possibilities. Pennington, Salas, Examining Teacher Dispositions toward Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students. Helman, Effective Instructional Practices for English Learners. Helman, Literacy Development with English Learners: Concluding Thoughts.
- (source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publisher's Summary
- An indispensable course text and practitioner resource, this teacher-friendly book puts the needs of English language learners (ELLs) front and center. Leading authorities connect current research to effective instructional practices for elementary students with varying degrees of English proficiency. Key components of literacy instruction are addressed, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Chapters also explore how linguistic, sociocultural, psychological, and educational factors shape ELL literacy development, highlighting practical implications for the classroom. Reflection questions and a wealth of illustrative examples enhance the utility of this engaging, tightly edited work.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publication date
- edited by Lori Helman.
- Solving problems in the teaching of literacy


Don’t draw a blank this summer! Be ready when it comes time to create activities for summer students or daycare children. Jonti-Craft, maker of quality preschool and daycare furniture, has put together a jazzy presentation with ideas for arts and crafts projects to keep little ones engaged. These tips are to help supplement one of their many preschool art room easels.
Jonti-Craft has identified several developmental goals that can be reached by the use of art education. Strengthening hand-eye coordination, fine-motor skills and following directions are skills that students can implement in any academic arena. When working on group art products, students practice cooperation and can convey creative ideas and preferences through art.
Several projects are detailing in the presentation that work great with their See-Thru Easel. One titled “Listen to the Music”, invites the student to translate sounds into paintings.
Play a musical recording near the easel and give the students a variety of paint colors. Have the students use the paint to reflect the dynamics of the music.
Be sure and view the entire presentation by Jonti-Craft.


This book presents a unique range of interdisciplinary work on questions of language development and evolution. It makes visible the significant contribution which meaning-oriented linguistics is making to debates about the origins of language - from the perspective of language evolution in the species as well as language development in the child. As well as linguistics in the systemic functional, or Hallidayan, tradition, the book offers contributions from primatology, psychiatry, sociology and education. The authors are able to address major questions of deep social significance, including:
• the roles grammar in the emergence of consciousness. • the dynamics of language variation in children's development. • children's learning in and about a second language. • the significance of different ways of talking about language for school literacy development. • understanding borderline personality disorder from the perspective of language development.


Music in the Eighteenth Century
Series edited by Walter Frisch
Eighteenth Century Music in its cultural, social, and intellectual contexts.
John Rice's Music in the Eighteenth Century takes the reader on an engrossing Grand Tour of Europe's musical centers, from Naples, to London, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, and St. Petersburg —with a side trip to the colonial New World. Against the backdrop of Europe's largely peaceful division into Catholic and Protestant realms, Rice shows how "learned" and "galant" styles developed and commingled. While considering Mozart, Haydn, and early Beethoven in depth, he broadens his focus to assess the contributions of lesser-known but significant figures like Johann Adam Hiller, Francois-André Philidor, and Anna Bon.
Western Music in Context: A Norton History comprises six volumes of moderate length, each written in an engaging style by a recognized expert. Authoritative and current, the series examines music in the broadest sense—as sounds notated, performed, and heard—focusing not only on composers and works, but also on broader social and intellectual currents.
Presents music in context
Like the other volumes in the series, Music in the Eighteenth Century brings a fresh perspective to the study of music by emphasizing social, cultural, intellectual, and political contexts of the music. John Rice looks far beyond the notes on the page or the details of composers’ lives to embrace audiences, performers, institutions, and social settings. For example, the text transports us to London in the 1790s, where Joseph Haydn, having spent his life as a salaried court musician on the Continent, discovered his music's true value on the "open market."
Engaging, coherent themes
Numerous themes unite the entire Western Music in Context series into a rich yet coherent narrative and help students tie together what they learn about music history, including:
• The role of gender, race, and class in musical culture
• Music and national identity, including the Americas and eastern Europe
• The role of technology in composing and disseminating music from the advent of notation to the digital age
• Music for public and private consumption
• Relationships among composers, performers, and audiences
• Music education for composers, performers, and the general public
Flexible and affordable
Along with the other volumes in the series, Music in the Eighteenth Century is designed for maximum flexibility in the classroom. The text may be packaged with the accompanying 29-work anthology, with Strunk’s Source Readings in Music History, or with Norton Critical Scores, all at a significant discount. The text is also available as a low-priced ebook.
1. The Encyclopedic Century
2. Learned and Galant
4. Carnival Opera in Rome and Venice
5. Instrumental Music in Italy and Spain
6. Paris of the Ancien Régime
7. Georgian London
8. Vienna under Empress Maria Theresa
9. Leipzig and Berlin
10. Courts of Central Europe: Mannheim, Bayreuth, and Eisenstadt/Eszterháza
11. Galant Music in the New World
12. St. Petersburg under Catherine the Great
13. Foreigners in Paris: Gluck, Mozart, Salieri, Cherubini
14. Mozart’s Vienna
16. London in the 1790s
17. Vienna in the Napoleonic Era


Early Number, Addition, and Subtraction
Focus on: Grades K - 4
Course Number: TEED650N
How do children develop computational strategies to help them add and subtract? This course explores how children make sense of these operations. Through video clips and student work samples, we'll examine effective, efficient, and accurate problem-solving strategies that children can use to master addition and subtraction. We'll discuss the role of the standard algorithm in a standards-based mathematics classroom and consider the teacher's role in helping children develop computational fluency. In addition, you will examine mathematical ideas central to addition and subtraction, thereby deepening our own mathematical content knowledge.
Summer II 2015
July 20 and 21
Monday and Tuesday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
1 CEU $405/ 1 credit $1,444
Materials fee $30 (includes required text)
Registration Deadline TBD
"I have helpful information- materials and resources to support my 2nd graders developing numeracy skills."
—Teacher, 24 years
"This class and Eliza were wonderful! I found it so insightful and packed with information. It went by so quickly."
—Teacher, 4 years
"A whole new way of thinking about how young children acquire and learn to understand math concepts."
—Teacher, 20 years


News & Policies >
Policies in Focus >
The Need to Improve Teacher Quality and
Enhance the Teaching Profession
Recent studies offer compelling evidence that confirms what parents have always known the quality of a teacher is one of the most critical components of how well students achieve. Studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective teachers. For example, in the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective.
The Challenge of Improving Teacher Quality
Teacher Preparation: Many new teachers do not feel ready for the challenges of todays classrooms. Fewer than 36 percent feel "very well prepared" to implement curriculum and performance standards, and less than 20 percent feel prepared to meet the needs of diverse students or those with limited English proficiency.
Teacher Retention: New teachers are often left to "sink or swim," not receiving the nurturing and support they need. Not surprisingly, about 22 percent of new public school teachers leave the profession in their first three years.
Mastery of Content: Teachers in 35 States are required to pass a test of subject area knowledge. Often the passing scores are set so low that a candidate can pass the test by getting fewer than half of the test items correct. Low expectations such as these do not address the realities of higher academic standards. Research has demonstrated a clear connection between a teachers subject matter preparation and student academic achievement. Teachers with strong preparation in the subject matter they teach have the knowledge and ability to help their students meet the challenges of new and more rigorous standards.
Teacher Recruitment: Over the next decade, school districts will need to hire 2.2 million additional teachers. But States and school districts face the challenge of attracting a greater quantity of people to the teaching profession while also increasing teacher quality. While States and educational organizations have begun to pursue different ways to recruit high quality individuals into the field of teaching, more help is needed.
Starting Early. Research has shown the importance of children acquiring pre-reading and numeracy skills early on in life. The more prepared children are when they enter school, the more likely they will be able to read and perform on grade level by the end of the third grade. Teachers need specific training to enable them to successfully teach young learners.
The Need to Enhance the Teaching Profession
As we expect more and more of teachers, we have an obligation to ensure that they are treated like the dedicated professionals they are. Unfortunately, fewer than 20 percent of public school teachers report that they are "very satisfied" with the level of esteem society accords them. Teachers also report that they have problems maintaining order in the classroom and face the threat of being sued when they enforce reasonable standards of discipline. Additionally, low pay and the burden of student loans and other expenses related to teaching can contribute to teachers feeling dissatisfied with their work environment.
The No Child Left Behind Act and Teachers
Every child deserves highly qualified teachers. The No Child Left Behind Act requires States to have a highly qualified teacher in every public school classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. For example, all new teachers will have to be licensed or certified by the State, hold at least a bachelors degree, and pass a rigorous State test on subject knowledge and teaching skills. Existing teachers will also have to meet similar criteria.
Reaching this goal will require reform of traditional teacher training, which is usually conducted in colleges of education, as well as through the innovative expansion of alternative routes to teacher licensure. It will also require more effective in-service training and professional development for teachers currently in the classroom.
The historic No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President Bush in January 2002, provides a variety of new tools to enable the Federal Government, States, and local districts to improve teacher quality and elevate the teaching profession. These needed reforms are backed up with historic levels of funding for teacher quality initiatives in President Bushs FY-03 budget. These reforms are the foundation of the Bush Administrations agenda to improve teacher quality and enhance the teaching profession.


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


Article posted by PBS Parents - Experts Speak Out - "Clicking with Children"
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an organization that sets standards of excellence for programs for children from birth through age eight. Their research shows that computers can have important benefits for even very young children, including language development, literacy development, social development, and the development of important problem-solving skills. However, computers are most beneficial when parents and teachers provide appropriate guidance, when computer use is related to other kinds of learning, when high-quality software is used, and when children work on the computer with peers or adults.
The following specific recommendations from NAEYC about the use of computers with young children are based on both current research in child development and the professional opinions of early childhood educators.
- Computers should supplement--and not replace--activities and materials such as art, sand, water, books, music, outdoor exploration, experimenting with writing materials, dramatic play, and socializing with other children.
- Parents should guide children's use of computers. Be on hand to help your child, answer questions, and interact with your child as she works on the computer.
- Take the time to observe and participate in computer activities to gain an understanding about how your child thinks and learns. Observing children at the computer can reveal much about the way children are thinking and solving problems.
- Work with your child on the computer, and encourage him to work with a sibling or friend whenever possible. Using computers with others encourages important social skills, such as turn-taking and cooperation, and helps build your child's ability to speak and listen.
- Learn more about software for young children, and carefully preview the software your child uses. While there are many high-quality products available, some software is not appropriate for young children because it is difficult to use, highlights violent themes, or does not foster language or learning.
Posted by Aparna Datta: (www.aparnadatta.com)


Education In Asia
( Originally Published 1912 )
Prior to 1905 there was no system of elementary education. In that year China began the foundations of a modern system based upon occidental models. The imperial decree of September 3, 1905, abolished the historic system of State examinations and outlined a series of four grades of schools: (1) primary, of five years; (2) common, of four years; (3) middle, of five years ; and (4) provincial college, of two or more years. Overtopping all is the University of Peking, an imperial institution with a large proportion of western instruction. " China went into this great work of the education of a quarter of the population of the globe without proper prevision or provision."Nevertheless, elementary and secondary schools are magically springing up throughout the Empire. In the province of Chefu there are a dozen middle schools and colleges at Tientsin, Shantung, and other centers.
Infant Education. — The first kindergarten was established in Tokyo, in 1876. Although there are some 40,000 children in kindergartens, these do not form part of the national educational system. Says Professor Kikuchi : " The kindergarten is still a question with us, some educationalists contending that it is prejudicial to the development of children, while others contend that there can be no such prejudice if it is properly conducted."
The elementary schools are of two grades (1) the ordinary schools, taking children over six, and covering a six-year course; and (2) the higher schools with a course of two, occasionally three, years. The first school for the blind and the deaf and dumb was established in Kyoto, in 1878. Today there are several of these institutions, both public and private.
The secondary schools are of two grades, the middle schools and the higher schools. The middle schools follow the six years of elementary, and give a course of five years — a few add a year to this. The higher schools follow the middle school course and add three years, preparing for the university.
The universities are two Tokyo and Kyoto, both imperial, comprising several separate colleges with three- or four-year courses. There are also post-graduate courses. Tokyo enrolls about 6000 students.
Vocational education is given much attention. There are many technical supplementary or apprentice schools, enrolling pupils who have completed the ordinary elementary curriculum. By far the greatest number of these specialize in agriculture, the others dealing with fisheries, commerce, and technological subjects. Of secondary grade there are two groups, known as class A and B. In agriculture, these give to farmers a scientific and practical training in class A, and in class B a more elementary course of instruction. Technological and commercial schools are similarly classified. The courses are of three or four years, and the admission requirement is the completion of two years of the higher elementary or of the middle school. Vocational instruction of higher grade is given to graduates of the middle schools in three special colleges. (These are not to be confused with the colleges of the university, two in commerce and one in agriculture.) Over one quarter million students are enrolled in the vocational institutions of all grades.
In the elementary schools coeducation is usual.
Beyond that point the education of boys and of girls becomes separate and distinct. There are high schools for girls, giving graduates of the ordinary schools a four-year course with supplementary courses of one or two years in some schools. Beyond this there is no governmental provision for the higher education of women. There is one " so-called " women's university at Tokyo.


|Teasing a Butterfly, Richard Doyles illustration from Princess Nobody by Andrew Long, 1884, London. The story was written to fit the pictures of fairyland. Photo of illustration by Marcia L. Ledford, U-M Photo Services|
The themes of childrens classics, like the themes of adult fiction, are valid through generations, says Denise Schoene, resource coordinator for the Social Sciences Library.
Why does a university library have a childrens book collection? Originally, the collection was organized to support the Universitys studies in elementary education and library sciences. Through purchases and donations from private collections, the holdings have grown and evolved into an extensive and expansive collection numbering into the thousands and include historical works, works available for circulation and those designated to the Universitys Special Collections. Studies can be made by considering illustrators, bindings, printers, correspondences and original artwork, as well as authors.
Early childrens books began with a flurry of publications in England in the mid-1700s. Innovations in the printing press made publishing cheaper and allowed more illustrations, explains Marilene DeRitis, a technical library assistant. A 1742 publication of a rhyming alphabet encouraged children to cut out the letters. The first collection of nursery rhymes appeared in 1744, the same year John Newbery published the Little Pretty Pocket Book, which set a standard for publishing popular childrens books with its great commercial success.
The exhibition also includes some modern books, and Schoene notes that, The importance of reading as a key to scholastic success is one of the catalysts to a broadened and enhanced childrens book market. Schoene also attributes some of the success of childrens books to various themes such as diversity, problems of modern life, interesting non-fiction, as well as film tie-ins, and books in the form of toys.
The concept of what is suitable for children has changed quite a bit, Schoene says. But the idea is not so differentthere should be books for children that entertain and educate. With this has come the attempt to sell books to children as consumers, as parents probably are aware.
Known as an author of adult novels, short stories, essays and poetry, John Updike also wrote an award-winning childrens book and adapted for children other works such as Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Wagners The Ring. New Yorker cartoonist William Steig also has written for children, writing and/or illustrating nearly 30 childrens books for which he has received numerous awards, including the Caldecott Medal.
From the beginning of the 20th century until well into the 1960s and 70s, hundreds of popular juvenile mysteries and adventure stories were published each year by Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon, as well as other writers from the Edward Stratemeyer Author Syndicate. The authors were paid about $125 per volume, notes Librarian Rebecca Dunkle. Writing under collective pseudonyms, they produced such series as Tom Swift, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins, among many others. Updated Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series are still being produced today.
John Steptoe was amazed that there were no books being written in the dialogue of Black children. He changed this with his first book Stevie, published when Steptoe was only 19. Before his death at age 38, Steptoe wrote and illustrated more than a dozen well-liked and award-winning childrens books.
What makes a popular or award-winning childrens book? Most awards recognize either contributions to literature or illustration, says Gene Alloway, a senior librarian. The Randolph Caldecott Medal, first awarded in 1938, is presented for illustration in the United States, he says, while the John Newbery Medal is given for literature.
Other U.S. awards include the Coretta Scott King Award for books promoting the American dream, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Pura Belpre Award for Latino literature and the Jane Addams Book Award for peace. The Carnegie Medal is given for a children's book by an English author, and the Kate Greenaway Medal for children's picture book illustration in the United Kingdom.
Michigan awards two prizes each year. The Thumbs Up Award is presented by the Michigan Library Association to single out excellence and uniqueness in young adult literature. The other award, begun in 1999, is the Mitten Award, with recipients determined by childrens librarians of the Michigan Library Association.
"Potter to Potter" will continue through August and is located in the north entrance to the Graduate Library. The exhibition can be viewed 8 a.m.midnight MondayThursday, 8 a.m.10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m.midnight Sundays.


This list of psychology/mental health resources is part of the EBSS Reference Sources & Services Committee's statistical directory, which you can view here:
Child and School Psychology
Administration for Children & Families. "Prevalence." U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,. http://www.childwelfare.gov/can/prevalence/ (accessed June 18, 2007).
National and State statistics on the prevalence of different types of maltreatment, abuse and neglect in out-of-home care, and recurrence. Also includes statistics by state and region.
Childstats.gov. "Parental Reports on Emotional & Behavioral Difficulties (Forum)." Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. http://childstats.gov/americaschildren/hea2.asp (accessed June 18, 2007).
Data on emotional and behavioral difficulties of children by age group, ethnicity, economic status, and family structure.
Annie E. Casey Foundation. "Kids Count Census Data Online." Annie E. Casey Foundation. http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/census/ (accessed June 18, 2007).
Basic census data on children, including income, family status, language, disabilities, neighborhoods, parental employment, and living arrangements.
Institute of Educational Sciences. "National Center for Education Statistics." U.S. Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/index.asp (accessed June 18, 2007).
Features numerous data tables on elementary education, early childhood education, and secondary schools. Includes fast facts on standardized testing results, early childhood programs and a broad variety of social and economic issues that impact elementary and secondary education.
National Center for Learning Disorders, Inc. "Fact Sheets." National Center for Learning Disorders, Inc. http://www.ncld.org/content/view/447/391/ (accessed June 18, 2007).
Fact sheets on different types of learning disabilities.
Research & Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. "Summaries of Current Research Findings in the Children’s Mental Health Field." Research & Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. http://datatrends.fmhi.usf.edu/ (accessed June 18, 2007).
Includes summaries, which detail recent, published articles on systems of care for children with emotional and behavioral disabilities and their families, and news briefs, which highlight related items or events of interest to the field.
US Census Bureau. "Childcare: Survey of Income and Program Participation." US Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/childcare.html (accessed June 18, 2007).
Provides detailed summaries of current research findings on child mental health issues. Reports go back to 1999.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Counseling." U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos067.htm (accessed June 18, 2007).
Statistics on earnings and employment data for counselors with different specialties.
Office of the Surgeon General. "Surgeon General's Report: Mental Health: Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity." http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/toc.asp (accessed June 18, 2007).
Basic data on the prevalence of mental illness among African Americans, Native American, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
Office of the Surgeon General. "Epidemiology of Mental Illness." United States Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter2/sec2_1.html (accessed June 18, 2007).
Summary of prevalence rates of types of mental illnesses by age group.
Mental Health Work Group. "Data and Statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/data.htm (accessed June 18, 2007).
Mental health data by state and subgroups. Covers the years from 1993-2004.


Hitler’s war in the East was intended to release ‘Lebensraum’ or living space for the German people. Nazi documents show they were prepared to see as many as thirty million people die in order to make space for the Germans settlers. The Einsatzgruppen death squads were already shooting thousands of Jews as they progressed eastwards through Russia. The long term plan was that the inhabitants of these areas that survived starvation and maltreatment were to provided with only an elementary education – that was all that they would need to be slave labourers for the Germans.
On the 17th July 1941 Alfred Rosenberg was appointed to co-ordinate the ‘exploitation’ of the eastern areas now falling under Nazi control:
With his appointment as Reich Minister for Occupied Eastern Territories on 17th July, 1941, Rosenberg became the supreme authority for those areas. He helped to formulate the policies of Germanisation, exploitation, forced labour, extermination of Jews and opponents of Nazi rule, and he set up the administration which carried them out.
He took part in the conference of 16th July, 1941, in which Hitler stated that they were faced with the task of “cutting up the giant cake according to our needs, in order to be able: first, to dominate it, second, to administer it, and third, to exploit it,” and he indicated that ruthless action was contemplated. Rosenberg accepted his appointment on the following day.
From the Nuremburg judgement against Alfred Rosenberg in which he was sentenced to death.


Teaching Parents How to be Better "First Teachers" for their Kids
There's a great need in this region of Texas to provide children with the tools they need to help with their language and literacy development and officials say it starts with books.
Both reading and holding open ended conversations with children about the books they're reading or really anything will help foster these necessary skills.
A national organization, Reading is Fundamental, provided training Wednesday for over a dozen educators from literacy centers and other agencies here in the lower valley.
"We are trying to provide the trainers with the skills and knowledge they need to train families in the community on how to be better first teachers for their children," said Caroline Gonzales, a trainer for Literacy Service with Reading is Fundamental.
While some parents themselves may not be the best readers, Gonzales says they can still promote learning and be good first teachers for their kiddos.
"Whatever happens in the home before the age of five is very important in having a child that is well prepared for school in order to read and write," added Gonzales.
Skills to help those parents with that huge task is what these trainers will take back after today's session.
According to Gonzales research has shown that talking and reading to children from the time they're born can improve their chances of being better readers and writers by the third grade.
On top of educating community leaders on language and literacy skills, the program also provides books to children and families who may not have any in the home. However, congress has recently cut funding for this program and they're now operating off of private contributions.
It's expected that these trainers will take what they've learned and pass it on to families who will then implement and hopefully pass the skills obtained on to other families.


2001 – Grades 1-3 workbooks and teacher guides first hit the shelves, much to the relief of music teachers everywhere.
2002 – Grade 4 released due to popular demand
2003 - Grade 5 released due to popular demand, complete with Aural CDs for Musicianship. Also released in 2005 were two great reference books, The BlitzBook of Harmony Rules and How to Blitz Key Signatures.
2004 - The BlitzBook of Theory Games and The BlitzBook of Musicianship Games hit the shelves, and revolutionised exam revision!
2006 (May) – new edition of Theory Grade 1 released. The other grades followed at 6-monthly intervals.
2006 (September) - Blitz for Beginners stormed onto the market. An exciting note-reading book designed for musicians of any age, it has been a huge success and is widely used in schools and private studios across the country.
2008 – BlitzBooks branched out from Theory texts to release the Sight Reading and General Knowledge books, which have proven immensely popular and are helping students get so much more out of their music education.
2009 - 2011 – Sight Reading Books 2 and 3 released, after much anticipation from teachers everywhere!


Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced a policy urging parents to read aloud to children from birth onward. The policy emphasizes multiple benefits, including enhanced brain development in children and closer parent-child relationships.
According to a national study, one in three American children enters kindergarten without the proper language skills. It may be difficult for those children to catch up to their peers as they continue in school. Early literacy development can prevent some of this deficit.
However, we have also learned that the child’s educational development depends to a great extent on the parents’ skills. The parent is the child’s first and most important teacher, and the child looks to his or her parent as a role model. We need to view literacy as a whole-family matter rather than teaching kids only.
Last November, we helped arrange a hearing of the state House Education Committee on adult literacy. There we heard that one in seven parents in Pennsylvania lacks the skills and confidence to read to a child. This is one reason why we advocate adult literacy programs.
What a shame that adults who want a basic education in our state often have not been able to acquire it. Reduced support for adult literacy and General Educational Development programs in Pennsylvania has caused enrollments in these programs to drop from 52,000 students in 2007 to 24,000 today. This is not because there is less need. In fact, 6,000 adults are on waiting lists for these programs. When parents can’t be educated, their children suffer direct consequences.
Talk to adult literacy students, as we have done, and you will find that the impact of their classes on the next generation is tremendous. When children see Mom or Dad doing homework, planning to attend college and taking education seriously, they take school seriously as well. Values are formed and shared in the context of a family.
By contrast, we have learned of many families where there is no history of any member completing high school, so children grow up believing that graduation is not important and that they have tacit permission to drop out. Families in poverty may not possess the same values around literacy as better-off families. To address this situation, we need to begin with the parents. Nothing less than direct instruction of skills for the parents will suffice.
So when we learned of the Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement, we wanted to say that the policy is missing one important piece of the puzzle. Doctors can hand out free books to children, they can encourage reading aloud, but they are forgetting the parents who don’t have good reading skills and can’t use these free materials.
Improved adult literacy would help not only the educational attainment of our children, but it also would improve the health and well-being of their families. Adults who gain literacy skills and receive a high school diploma or GED make more money and provide more opportunities for their children than peers who don’t gain these skills. As a side benefit, they save taxpayer dollars by leaving the welfare rolls, finding jobs and reducing unemployment compensation.
According to the National Center for Families Learning, parental involvement is a more significant factor in children’s academic performance than the qualities of their school. True parental involvement is possible when a parent has the advanced skills needed to understand homework assignments given to children and the confidence to communicate with teachers.
Another fact shared by NCFL is that a single year of parental education has a greater impact on the likelihood of a son or daughter attending a post-secondary institution than does $50,000 in annual parental income.
So, yes, parents should read to their children beginning at birth — and all parents who don’t have the skills to do so should have opportunities to learn them. Both of these are needed to ensure the success of Pennsylvania’s children.
Hal English, R-Hampton, represents the 30th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and is a member of the House Education Committee. Don Block is executive director of Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (www.gplc.org).


Music Academic Emphases
Students who pursue a major in music can select from six academic tracks.
The music education track, either in choral or instrumental music, is designed to equip, develop, and certify candidates for teaching general music (grades K-12) and choral music (grades 6-12) or instrumental music (grades K-12) programs in Wisconsin public school systems.
The church music track equips students with the skills and knowledge useful for serving as a church musician.
The music history/literature track provides the student with a historical understanding of music while expanding the student's repertoire.
The music theory/composition track stimulates creative composition and arrangement through intensive analysis of scores and original composition.
The music performance track, either in vocal, keyboard, or instrumental, is designed to give students the opportunity to pursue the highest standards of artistry and professionalism of performance and instruction on their chosen instrument or voice.
The piano pedagogy track is designed to prepare students to teach piano at the pre-college level, to students of all ages.
All emphases can prepare students for graduate studies in the respective fields.


Do I have to stay with my child in the classroom?
Parents are provided an environment to learn with their child in the Parent & Child program, which is for the youngest children. Overall the decision to have parents in the classroom, made by the conductor team includes several factors, such as the age of the child and the child’s/family’s needs.
What can I expect my child to achieve in the program?
The program works with the whole child; that is, the child’s developmental needs are addressed from a cognitive, psychological, emotional and physical perspective. After the child is assessed by a conductor, parents, the child and the conductor decide on specific goals for the child. Each child’s route and timeline toward maximum independence depends on many factors, including the support of the family, the child’s motivation, the type and severity of the disability and the age of the child. At the end of the session extensive reports are produced detailing methods and strategies used with the child. Each activity is described and photo documented. These reports are sent home for use with all care givers involved with the child. This helps insure continuity and continuation of CE principles even after the child is discharged from the program.
Why does the program use a group setting?
Conductive education uses the dynamics of group interaction. This setting provides the opportunity for children to motivate and learn from each other, while in an age appropriate setting that allows social interaction.
Do I have to continue with the exercises while at home?
Parents should encourage the child to use the movements learned in class that improve the everyday functioning of the child. An example of these life skills would be for parents to give the child the opportunity to use silverware when eating, instead of a parent feeding the child.
What type of disability does this program best help?
Conductive education works best with about 80-90% of the child population that has cerebral palsy, spina bifida or traumatic brain injury.
What keeps children motivated for 3 to 6 hours a day?
The program is planned daily with age appropriate academic themes and motivation techniques of repetition, music, singing, and game-like activities in a group setting. A child’s educational environment includes daily living skills of eating, toileting, putting on shoes and socks, etc. Children respond positively to these activities.
What specialized training do the conductors have? Are they therapists?
Conductors have been trained at Aquinas College in a POHI teacher program or at the International Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. These teachers all have elementary education and special education credentials, which are recognized in the U.S. While the conductors are not credentialed therapists, the training received at Aquinas and the Peto Institute parallels many parts of what physical, occupational and speech therapists receive.
Are there parents available who can give specifics about their child?
Yes. Please go to the “Success Stories” area of the web site. This section provides a series of letters from parents speaking about their child and the program.
Is the program available in other states?
Yes, there are other programs in the U.S., but the Conductive Learning Center has the only program directed and supervised by the International Peto Institute.
Are any doctors supporting this program?
Yes, there are doctors in the U.S., who have provided written support for conductive education. Locally, the Conductive Learning Center collaborates with Mary Free Bed Hospital in providing services to children enrolled at Conductive Learning Center.
If I don’t live near Grand Rapids, can I still participate in the program?
Yes, many of our out-state and out-of-state parents stay at the local Ronald McDonald House or area hotels, offering discounted rates, while their child attends a scheduled intensive session of four to eight weeks in length.


Make numbers concrete and boost must-know counting skills with this charming collection of 16 illustrated, read-aloud storybooks.
- Teach the numbers 1 to 10, 30, 100, skip counting, simple addition, and much more.
- Each tale focuses on a different number or skill, enabling children to explore it in the form of an engaging story, an interactive hide-and-seek page, and a chant-along poem.
- The teaching guide reinforces essential numeracy skills with whole-group activities, fun practice pages, plus reproducible mini-book versions of every storybook.
- Content meets the NAEYC and NCTM Standards.


What Is Mirror Writing?
Mirror writing is a form of reversal. It means that the person is writing backward, from right to left, the letters or words appearing like ordinary writing seen in a mirror.
While mirror writing is considered to be normal during the preschool phase, it should alert parents and teachers if it continues after formal reading and writing instruction has begun. If it continues it indicates a severe visual perceptual deficit, especially with visual discrimination of position in space. More specifically, the person is unable to discriminate between left and right, has a problem with the reading direction, and might also be unable to cross the midline. Deficits in other foundational skills might contribute to this problem.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter, most popularly known for his fresco The Last Supper and his painting Mona Lisa, was also a sculptor, engineer, architect, inventor, scientist and naturalist. And he is the most celebrated mirror writer to date. He usually used mirror writing, starting at the right side of the page and moving to the left. Only when he was writing something intended for other people did he write in the normal direction.
No one knows the true reason Leonardo used mirror writing, though several possibilities have been suggested:
- He was trying to make it harder for people to read his notes and steal his ideas.
- He was hiding his scientific ideas from the powerful Roman Catholic Church, whose teachings sometimes disagreed with what Leonardo observed.
- Writing left handed from left to right was messy because the ink just put down would smear as his hand moved across it. Leonardo chose to write in reverse because it prevented smudging.
Edublox programs are effective in overcoming letter reversals, number reversals, and mirror writing problems by addressing the underlying shortcomings that interfere with reading, spelling, and writing performance.


Have you heard about The Mozart Effect?
Although this particular study was shown to be exaggerated by the media, other research studies show the positive effects of music education on wellness, brain power and academic performance. The effects are especially beneficial when children are exposed to music education at an early age.
For example, the journal Neurological Research has reported that
Students who were exposed to music-based lessons scored a full 100 percent higher on fractions tests than those who learned in the conventional manner.
Learning how to play an instrument can boost a child’s confidence, too. A McGill University study found that students given piano instruction over a three-year period experienced improved self-esteem.
In our efforts to continue developing educational apps for all musicians, we were inspired by the potential of combining app technology with music for younger audiences. In this current economic climate, the arts and music education are continually at risk of being cut. What better way to supplement your child’s existing musical education than with a fun, accessible app? For example, do your children know what a piano sounds like or what a trumpet looks like?
Our newest release, A Jazzy Day, is an educational tool that showcases music instruments using jazz music, including how sections work together in a jazz ensemble. It’s a great way to help kids learn about music and musical instruments. Hand drawn characters and instruments, along with recordings of live music are animated to help children recognize musical instruments both by sight and by how they sound.
Our goal is to encourage children’s interest in music, and to inspire them to pick up a music instrument and play!


Ms. Owen's students are diverse, both economically and racially. Almost half are English language learners . While the class is conducted in English, Ms. Owen encourages her students to use their first language as a bridge to English language learning. "I encourage the children who come to school with another language to use that language. It's a great window, or a door, actually, for me to reach them." She is assisted part-time by a bilingual aide.
Sheila Owen starts her school year with undecorated walls. But they don't stay undecorated for long. From day one, her students create their own literacy-rich space. "They put the art on the walls; they put the writing on the walls.... They have access to the whole classroom, because really it's theirs. So I want them to have ownership of it."
With words and literacy activities readily available in the classroom, Ms. Owen follows a literacy routine built around the idea that reading lessons should happen in context, not in isolation. "The purpose for reading is to gain meaning from text. And I believe children can only really comprehend and only really enjoy reading if it is in an authentic experience in a real piece of literature, in a real activity, not just a segmented component of a program."
Ms. Owen's literacy routine, modeled after the California Early Literacy Learning (CELL) Program, includes the following literacy instructional practices: read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, interactive writing, and independent writing. In each practice, Ms. Owen addresses one or more of the Essential Components of Literacy Development such as oral language, phonics, and comprehension.


- The multi-linguistic coding of spelling errors made by children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- The frequency of basic concept vocabulary use by preschool and primary school teachers.
- The importance of basic concept vocabulary to literacy acquisition.
- Spelling error patterns in adult misspellings.
- Literacy development and children in poverty: Linguistic deficits seen in spelling errors.
- The development of reading comprehension: Deficits associate with children in poverty.
- Executive function and literacy acquisition of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Language and Literacy Lab (L3)
Dr. Ilsa Schwarz
Dr. Jillian McCarthy


This June your child can celebrate Dairy Month by making baked cheese curds! And, you don’t have to live next to a dairy farm to enjoy this cheesy snack.
Cheese curds are the fresh, squeaky (no, really!) form that cheese takes early in the cheese making process. The curds are then pressed together forming the cheese we love to eat.
The entire family will love this wonderful treat!
What You Need:
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese
- Paring knife
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 3 bowls
- Waxed paper
- Sheet pan
- 1 tablespoon oil
What You Do:
- Invite your child to research the cheese-making process for her favorite cheese!
- Invite your child to help cube cheddar cheese for making her own baked cheese curds. If you happen to have actual cheese curds already, great!
- She can measure and place the flour in the bowl and then add the cubed cheese.
- In another bowl she can add and whip the egg, and in the last she can measure and add the breadcrumbs.
- Now she can dredge the cubes of cheese in the egg and then the breadcrumbs and then place them on a plate covered with waxed paper. She can keep coating and putting the coated cheese on the plate until all the cheese has been coated.
- Invite your child to put the cheese in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Now she can pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While she's waiting for the oven to heat up, she can position the frozen coated cheese on a sheet pan that’s been coated with the oil.
- Invite your child to put the cheese curds in the oven—but don't walk away! They bake fast! She can use a spatula to flip the cheese so they are browned on both sides. Make sure to use oven mitts!
- Once the cheese starts melting, she can carefully remove the baked cheese curds from the oven and share with friends and family!
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
To become a clarinet teacher, it is necessary to have experience and skill with the clarinet in addition to training in musical pedagogy. The requirements to become a clarinet teacher vary, depending on how and where someone wants to teach. A career in teaching music requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as music teachers work with a variety of different people in the course of their work. A love for music is also, of course, critical whether someone chooses to focus on classical or modern music.
If one's interest lies in private instruction, the primary qualification needed is skill. Private instructors are skilled clarinet players who usually have positions with bands or orchestras, or have experience in such positions. People with credits, such as recordings, are more likely to find clients and can charge higher fees for their services. Private instructors may offer instruction in their homes and studios or travel to the homes of students for sessions. A person who wants to become a clarinet teacher offering private lessons may pursue a degree in music or music theory along with professional experience in order to be appealing to students.
Music teachers who teach in public schools are also required to have teaching certificates. If someone intends to become a clarinet teacher who works in a school environment or thinks that such an environment might be of interest, a bachelor's degree in musical education is required at a minimum. Obtaining a master's degree will provide more job opportunities, as well as more in-depth training. Since music education programs require students to complete auditions, experience and skill with the clarinet is also required.
Once a prospective clarinet teacher has graduated from college, an examination can be taken to receive a teaching certificate. This qualifies the teacher to work in the schools. People who are qualified in the schools can also provide private instruction. The primary benefit provided through certification is job flexibility. Once someone has become a clarinet teacher with a teaching certification, it is possible to teach anywhere.
The most qualified clarinet teacher in the world will not succeed without networking and establishing a client base. Teachers who want to work in the schools need to be able to successfully complete interviews and maintain a high standard of behavior and teaching quality to retain their jobs. A clarinet teacher who offers private instruction needs promotional skills in order to reach clients. A person who wants to become a clarinet teacher should think about how to attract and retain students in order to make the job sustainable.


Three English courses comprise the Rhetoric and Composition Program at the University of Southern Indiana. Choose a course to view its description in the USI Academic Bulletin:
English 100 is a developmental class designed to provide students who are not yet ready for English 101 with additional help in focusing, organizing, developing, revising and editing their writing. However, English 100 is also a course that must help students improve as readers as well. Many of the students placed in English 100 have had very little direct and pleasurable experience in reading on their own.
In order to offer students tools to succeed in writing, revising and editing, they are introduced to computer-assisted writing, and one regular class period a week is scheduled for student writing in the Liberal Arts computer labs. Thus, students are expected to have basic keyboarding skills prior to enrollment.
Students in this course should also be expected to write at least three, two- to three-page typed essays with at least one revision of each. These essays plus midterm and final self-evaluations should be included in a class portfolio.
English 101 is the regular first-year course in rhetoric and composition. This course is specifically designed to support the University Core 39 goals of expanding foundational skills in communication and critical thinking. John Chaffee in Thinking Critically defines critical thinking as "an active, purposeful, organized cognitive process we use to carefully examine our thinking and the thinking of others, in order to clarify and improve our understanding" (51). This is also what we might call "the art of rhetoric." That is, rhetoric and critical thinking are synonymous to the degree that they are both about the relationship between claims and evidence, what's possible and why, what folks are generally willing to believe as true and how they've come to believe it.
English 101, then, focuses on thinking as a process of examining and developing knowledge and as a process that can be improved through reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students in this course should also be expected to write at least four, three- to four-page essays, with at least one revision of each.
English 201 is a course in research writing with a focus on argumentation. The course is required to complete the University Core 39's Foundational Skills category. In this course, students investigate questions that are at issue for themselves and their audience and for which they do not already have answers. In this sense, the course should help student write about what they've learned through their research rather than simply write arguments supporting one side of an issue over another. "Argumentation" in this context, then, should be understood to mean "the study and analysis of claims and evidence" rather than "writing to win."
Students should compose at least three essays in this class with at least one revision of each. One of these essays should be an eight- to ten-page research paper.


MC students help elementary schools prepare for ‘Read Across America Day'
February 27, 2003
The National Education Association (NEA) began a “Read Across America Day” on March 2, 1998, to encourage reading in schools across the country.
Some MC students will help elementary students “get in the spirit” a little early by reading library books to them in their classrooms.
WHO: Maryville College students (including members of the football team), elementary students.
WHAT: Classroom readings.
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 28, from 8 until 8:30 a.m.
WHERE: Foothills Elementary School in Maryville, Tenn.
CONTACT: Dr. Rebecca Lucas, assistant professor of elementary education, has coordinated the activity. She can be reached at 865.981.8107.
Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state's third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for offering its students a rigorous and highly personal experience that includes an undergraduate research requirement, Maryville College is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning that successfully joins the liberal arts and professional preparation. Total enrollment for the fall 2014 semester was 1,213.


The purpose of this research was to study an effective elementary school principal in order to determine what characteristics were present that resulted in effective school operations. The result was a case study of a school in the metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona. The principal studied was the founding principal of the school, and she has been the principal at this site for eight consecutive years.
This study focused on characteristics used in daily interactions by the principal. Information was gathered through a combination of observations, interviews, focus groups, and conversations. Data were collated and common themes identified. The common themes were then explored and identified in greater detail to create a list of skills necessary for effective school leadership.
A set of six recurring characteristics were identified by the researcher as those characteristics necessary to lead a school effectively. The identified characteristics included: relationships, culture and climate, leadership, curriculum, philosophy, and commitment. The information contained within this dissertation informs current leadership literature by providing additional research into effective school leadership characteristics.
|School||ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY|
|Subjects||Educational administration; Elementary education|
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Teaching diverse learners : principles for best practice
- Mazur, Amy J.
- Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin, c2010.
- Physical description
- vii, 190 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.
LC1201 .M375 2010
- Unknown LC1201 .M375 2010
- Doran, Patricia Rice.
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 178-183) and index.
- Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction 1. Who Are Our Diverse Learners? New Definitions, New Responses 2. The Impact of the Law: Policies and Diversity 3. What a Difference a Room Makes: Classroom Setup and Management for Learning 4. Really Seeing Your Students: The Importance of Behavioral Observation 5. Mental Wellness and Students' Resiliency: Making School an Emotionally Safe Place 6. Curriculum and Language: Making Texts and Materials Accessible 7. Literacy Development: Factors Impacting Diverse Learners 8. Assessment: How Do You Know What Your Students Know? 9. Collaboration: Working Together for Student Success 10. Family Involvement: Forming Rich and Lasting Partnerships References Index.
- (source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publisher's Summary
- This book provides an easily accessible, user-friendly guide to issues of cultural and linguistic diversity, particularly as they impact the identification, instruction, and assessment of students with special education needs. The authors present practical explanations of important concepts, strategies, and case studies, making information accessible to busy primary and secondary teachers while also drawing on current research. This book includes: - Ready-to-use activities for observation, assessment, and/or planning - Flow charts, tables, and bulleted lists to make key concepts accessible - Guiding questions at the beginning of each chapter to provide teachers with concrete ways to begin reflecting on, and implementing, culturally responsive teaching practices for students within their school communities - A list of key concepts at the beginning and a glossary at the end of the book for easy access to core terms and concepts.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publication date
- Amy J. Mazur, Patricia Rice Doran.


We’re winding down on Fascinating Science for Kids experiments…we only have two left! Today we’re learning how to make a compass using water, a bowl, a needle, and a piece of craft foam or waxed paper!
Here’s what you’ll need: a small dish of water, a sewing needle, a bar magnet (without coating, preferably with the poles labeled), and craft foam or waxed paper.
1. Take the “North” side of your bar magnet and place it perpendicular to your needle. Starting at the top of the needle, slide the side of the bar magnet along the length of the needle. Do not slide back and forth, but rather slide from one end to the other. Stop and start back at the end you began with. Repeat several times (like fifty).
2. Turn the needle upside down and use the opposite end of the magnet and repeat the same process until the needle is magnetized.
3. Have an adult thread the needle through the waxed paper/foam circle. This will cause the needle to float on top of the water
4. Place the needle on top of the water. Watch as the tip of the needle spins to point northward! (I did it backwards…the side of the needle with the hole was the one that ended up being north.)
The Science Behind It:
When you rub the needle with your magnet, a little bit of magnetic material will end up being left behind on the needle. This creates a magnet! In order for the needle to act as a compass, it needs to be placed in an environment with less friction, which in this case is the water. But first it needs to be able to float, which is why we use the waxed paper/foam. Once the needle and waxed paper/foam are placed on the water, the opposite poles of the needle are attracted to the Earth’s magnetic field!
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Teacher Resources by Grade
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|9th - 10th||11th - 12th|
Hey Diddle, Diddle! Generating Rhymes for Analogy-Based Phonics Instruction
|Lesson Plan Type||Standard Lesson|
|Estimated Time||Three 30- to 75-minute sessions|
In this lesson, shared reading, guided reading, and small, cooperative-group instruction are used in a first-grade classroom to informally assess students' ability to demonstrate awareness of rhyme or other visual similarities in words. Students practice matching rhyming words using picture cards and apply phonological awareness—hearing rhyme—to analogy-based phonics (i.e., an ability to decode unknown words by identifying words with similar visual structure). Students use online resources to increase phonological awareness through rhyme.
Interactive Construct-a-Word: Students will use this interactive tool to create rhyming words by adding a beginning consonant to a word ending.
Murray, B.A., & Lesniak, T. (1999). The letterbox lesson: A hands-on approach for teaching decoding. The Reading Teacher, 52, 644–650.
- Identifying individual sounds of words, phonemes, in "sound boxes" and noticing that the visual similarity of an ending cluster of letters in known words may help students decode a new word. It may rhyme if the ending cluster is the same visually. Sound boxes will help increase students' visual sensitivity to clusters of phonemes, but they should also be used for more than just initial consonant manipulation in other lessons.
- Phonemic awareness is increased by helping students identify and manipulate phonemes.


My College Guide has pointed out the unique trends affecting education majors before, and when we watched this education video, we knew we had to share! It’s no secret that here in the US children are lagging behind when it comes to anything STEM related (that’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
But education majors at St. Catherine’s University have a unique opportunity to regain a comfort level with math, science, etc. that, for many of them, they’ve never even had before – and afterward, they will be able to successfully pass that confidence and enthusiasm along to the children they teach in an effort to turn around the current trend.
The National Center for STEM Elementary Education at St. Kate’s is changing the way elementary teachers will teach! St. Catherine’s University is the first to create an engineering course for elementary education majors, to let any student have a STEM minor, and, of course, to require all elementary education majors to complete the three course STEM certificate!
Watch St. Catherine University’s National Center for STEM Elementary Education on YouTube or below. St. Kate’s is treating education majors a whole new way. My College Guide is excited about the prospect!
Special thanks to JCMichener on Twitter for bring this fabulous video to our attention.
Who We Are: Information you can trust. For 20 years My College Guide has produced an annual magazine chock full of free college info for high-achieving high school sophomores. Check out our participating colleges. If you’re a student, enter for a chance to win an Apple iPad or iPhone or cash!


Poisonous Fish: Blow Fish, Stingrays, Rabbit Fish, Stonefish
You don’t hear much about poisonous fish, but there are actually more poisonous fish in the world than venomous snakes. These fish usually release their venom through spines on their fins and tails. If you step on them or brush up against them, watch out! You’re in for a painful – and sometimes deadly – surprise.
Fun Facts About Poisonous Fish for Kids
- Puffer fish, or blowfish, are covered with spines. When they feel scared, they blow up to more than twice their size. The spines stick out, making the fish look like porcupines. The spines aren’t the only part that’s toxic. Some puffer fish release poisons into their bodies when they die. If an animal eats them, the animal becomes sick. Some chefs in Korea and Japan are specially trained to prepare puffer fish so it’s not dangerous. One mistake, though, could mean big trouble.
- Stingrays have poisonous barbed spines in their tails. They have a rounded ray shape. A sting from one of these animals can kill a person.
- Rabbit fish, scorpion fish and zebra fish all have venomous spines on their tails and fins. A sting probably won’t kill you, but it is very painful.
- Stonefish are tricky creatures. They’re usually brown, tan or gray and they’re covered with lumps. They hide on the ocean floor, where they look like a rock or sand. If you step on them, they inflict a painful or even fatal sting.
- Toadfish, like the stonefish, hides on the ocean floor. It won’t kill you, but if you step on it, it causes a nasty sting.
Poisonous Fish Vocabulary
- Spines: sharp, needle-like quills or points
- Toxic: poisonous
- Chef: a professional cook
- Inflict: cause, give
- Fatal: causes death
Learn More All About Poisonous Fish
Watch an awesome episode of Blue World about deadly poisonous fishes in the Pacific Coral Reefs:
A documentary about the different poisonous fishes in the Pacific Coral Reefs.
Poisonous Fish Q&A
Question: Where do poisonous fish live?
Answer: They can be found almost anywhere, but most of them live in warm, tropical waters.
Question: Should I worry about poisonous fish when I’m at the beach?
Answer: Fish are shy and won’t intentionally attack you. Wear water shoes if you’re swimming in an area with stonefish or toadfish.
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Poisonous Fish info? Take the FREE & fun all about Poisonous Fish quiz and download FREE all about Poisonous Fish worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
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Mr. Michael Delahunt
Graphic Design 1 & 2
The "Absence of Ugliness"
Before you begin designing as a graphic designer using industry standard software, you need to cultivate a proper mind set.
In an editorial titled "Absence of Ugliness", Rick Altman has described the mind set a student needs to maintain while learning to design.
Rick Altman is editor-at-large for Corel Magazine. Corel, with Adobe, is among the leading software companies producing tools for graphic designers.
Rick Altman's article can be found on the Web. Please read this article at least twice before you write the assignment:
Here's your link to this article http://desktoppublishing.com/altman/absence.html,
published on a set of five short Web pages.
To be announced, or as announced in class.
Return to Graphic Design Course
ArtLex has thousands of articles about art terms used in art production, art criticism, art history, aesthetics, and art education. I created ArtLex for my students, to help them increase their understanding of art concepts, readings, writings, and conversations. Some of the hyperlinks found on the pages about my elementary art program will take you to ArtLex articles about terms on these pages.
I have taught art at three elementary schools in the Paradise Valley Unified School district (northeastern Phoenix and north Scottsdale) from 1986-. I began publishing information about my classes on the Web in 1995. I taught at Pinnacle High School during the 2001-2002 school year, and posted these lessons that year. I will maintain them as time permits.
Please send your comments to
Copyright © 2001 -Michael
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


Search for Health Lesson Plans
Find Lesson Plans With ERIC
to the Articles & Guides page, click on the letter "E" and click
on ERIC Simple Search.
a search in the search form.
the searching instructions in the paragraph below the search form with the
opening sentence, "We use the Webscript search engine."
search that would be appropriate is:
(health, nutrition) "lesson plan*" "elementary education"
Lesson Plans By Browsing Web Directories
to Yahoo! and type in lesson plans
or be more specific by adding another word or phrase to the search such
as health lesson plans.
searching with other Web directories listed on the Search
the Internet page.
Lesson Plans Using Education Lesson Plan Pages
Lesson Plans With the Library Catalog
to the Library Catalog
a keyword search in the search form.
appropriate search would be:
(health or nutrition) and lesson plan?
Lesson Plans With Internet Search Engines
Choose a search engine from the Search
the Internet page and construct a search for health lesson plans.
If you do not know how to build a search in a particular search engine look
at the Search Engines Features
instance, a search that would be appropriate in AltaVista Advanced Search
looks like this:
(health or nutrition or wellness) and "lesson plan*"
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The obesity epidemic among youth today only continues to escalate. Due to the increase in modern technology, more forms of entertainment involve sitting rather than moving. Children are exposed to more computers, video games, movies and television than ever before, which in turn decreases the overall time spent expending daily calories. The resulting weight gain among our youth heightens their risk for possible heart disease, cancer, diabetes and more. This makes it all the more important for children to start exercising as early as possible. Besides physical benefits, such as improved bone and muscle strength, exercise is also shown to also improve one’s emotional and psychological state.
By taking up physical exercise early in life, children have the advantage of a leaner, stronger figure, with lower risks of obesity. Running, bicycling, skating and swimming are several simple options that allow for aerobic activity, which improves overall heart strength. Stretching exercises will foster a student’s flexibility and improve the functioning of joints. Push-ups and pull-ups help build muscle strength, as well as weightlifting workouts at the school gym. Kids can get a head start in managing their physical health by choosing from a wide selection of exercise options, which will only prove more beneficial as they mature.
Students spend the majority of their school day in the classroom with limited time for physical activity. As important as it is for children to be well-rounded on subjects that increase class performance, there is another type of education that is just as important for their overall well-being. Physical education is a chance for children to put down their pencils and have fun as they work toward staying fit. It can also be the ideal outlet kids need to let loose, while providing them with lifelong benefits unlike any other in their schedule. Studies show that children who have physical outlets coupled with academics perform better in other areas of their life as well.
More schools are sharing the responsibility to encourage student fitness with their enhanced physical education programs. For example, SPARK, a well established and award-winning public health organization, is combating obesity through providing educators with research-based physical activity programs for Pre-K – 12 grade students. SPARK focuses on assisting teachers with implementing school games related to aerobics, jogging, sports and more. Teachers receive curriculum, training and equipment that outlines how to get the most out of each physical activity that their classes participate in. Emphasis is placed on proper nutrition for students, as well as the positive effects activities have on academic performance.
Schools that provide physical education for youth with an emphasis on the positive instill a lifelong motivation to stay fit. The American Heart Association recommends that children engage in a minimum of one hour of physical activity per day, and schools can easily assist in meeting that goal by providing just half of that important time. In addition, such classes help build teamwork among students and help participants find interests that they may choose to further pursue. It is important to note that studies have demonstrated that kids who are physically fit also perform better on standardized testing.
To offer the best physical education possible, schools should provide quality equipment, safe facilities and trained supervision. Teachers must be aware of the best, new teaching methods available to maintain student interest and enthusiasm. Variations of traditional games, as well as creating new athletic diversions can be introduced on a vast scale depending on age level and ability. Success and diversity are key to keeping the children involved. Skills developed during school activities may form the basis for additional physical pursuits. Most importantly, when schools make physical education a requirement for graduation, kids are guaranteed the chance to be exposed to a better sense of how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Many parents look to enroll their children in after school activities and search for the option that best suits their son or daughter’s interests. One common question is how old a child should be before engaging in certain sports or exercise. Games like flag football, soccer and t-ball are usually appropriate starting at age four, whereas gymnastics is accommodating of all age groups. Competitive activities should be reserved for the older, extroverted child. Both individual and team sports allow for motor skill development as well as promote self esteem. Starting sports at an earlier age will decrease the childhood tendency toward sedentary activities inside the home when physical alternatives are not readily available.
Establishing lifelong healthy exercise habits begins in childhood. Lack of physical activity has been correlated with the ongoing surge in obesity, as well as the development of chronic health problems. On the contrary, involving youth in both physical education as well as extracurricular sports programs is associated with increased academic success, as well as psychological and physical well being. Educators and parents alike must set the example and offer appropriate, safe programs that encourage all children, regardless of ability. The opportunity to strive towards a healthy future that includes exercise as part of the normal, daily routine will then be anticipated with ongoing enthusiasm amongst today’s youth.


HUMAN (CULTURAL) GEOGRAPHY (4 credits)
The human population is incredibly varied. In this course, we study population distributions, variations, processes of change and migrations; cultural characteristics (ethnicity, language, religion) and the resulting landscapes; economic processes and land uses; and the architecture and complex features of towns, cities and metropolitan regions. You will be introduced to valuable concepts and perspectives of geography and learn about patterns and processes around the world. Offered annually. Also offered in Weekend College. Required course for elementary education majors and social studies majors seeking secondary education licensure. Open to all students.
REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED STATES: AMERICA’S PEOPLE AND PLACES (4 credits)
Explore the diverse places and regions of the United States and learn about interesting and important patterns and processes. Through virtual (photographic) tours, maps and readings, as well as some art and music, we examine selected characteristics (cultures, towns, national parks, environments, etc.) of each region and tour many interesting places (e.g., New England villages, New York City, Cajun and Creole Louisiana, New Mexico pueblos, desert canyons, the California wine country). These are illustrated in conjunction with explanations of their historical and geographical dimensions.
TOPICS (4 credits)
The subject matter of the course is announced in the annual schedule of classes. Content varies but does not duplicate existing courses.
INDEPENDENT STUDY (2 or 4 credits)
Prerequisites: Faculty supervisor and department chair permission. Recommended: GEOG 2000 or 2500.


Music therapy proven to help heal body, mind
Though some believe laughter is the best medicine, others will argue music does the trick, too.
Music can be used to promote wellness and to treat those afflicted with certain diseases through music therapy, during which a patient listens to and creates music with the goal of treating the symptoms of an illness or for physical rehabilitation.
"Music therapy has been shown to have an appreciable effect in the treatment of dementia and stroke victims," Central Michigan University Director of Music Education Randi L'Hommedieu said.
Music therapy has been used to treat patients with neurological and mental disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and autism, as well as physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease. It has also been known to reduce stress, alleviate pain and improve self-esteem in healthy individuals.
It wasn't until around the turn of the 20th century that the field of music therapy began to develop. According to the American Music Therapy Association, the first educational program in music therapy began at Michigan State University in 1944.
"Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people's motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings," according to the AMTA website.
The healing potential of music is backed by solid scientific evidence, though not much was known about how music therapy worked in the past. In recent years, doctors have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines to determine which areas of the brain respond to music.
L'Hommedieu said there is a definite correlation between music and brain function, and science has made advances in using music as a form of therapy.
"It's been established that there's a neurological connection between attending to music and brain function," L'Hommedieu said. "People are using that to make some really significant advances in the advocacy and practice of music therapy."
Music therapy activates particular parts of the brain associated with listening to and making music. Stimulating these areas of the brain can shift the balance of chemicals in the brain and reduce the symptoms of certain diseases.
Music therapy has also proven effective in aiding the recovery of people with severe brain injuries. A prime example of its success includes former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who suffered a gunshot wound to the head in 2011 and lost the ability to speak.
With the help of music therapists, she first learned how to sing again and eventually regained her speech.