By Oscar Odena
Robert Owen’s vision of education for all outlined the importance of arts education for personal development as well as for community cohesion. His vision of education comprised not just reading and writing but aesthetic appreciation, music and dancing, in order to achieve everybody’s holistic development and a sense of inclusion.
His New Lanark experiment provided new hope for working class communities and placed holistic development at the centre of social change. This vision, which advocated for a minimum working age so children’s early years could be devoted to education, was very advanced for the early 19th century and was not accepted by mainstream society during his lifetime.
Two centuries after the New Lanark experiment, music education activities are currently used to develop social inclusion in a number of contexts internationally.
Music in dance in international classrooms
For example, in Australia, activities involving music and dance are being used to cultivate the feelings of belonging of newly arrived migrant children. In Spain, school music festivals have been used for reducing the absenteeism of Roma children and for promoting the inclusion of disaffected school learners. And in England, music education projects have been used to re-engage disaffected students – for more information see my chapter on ‘Musical creativity as a tool for inclusion’. In these international contexts there are different aims and approaches to using music as a tool for inclusion.
Important practical implications from the literature are that new initiatives would need to focus on disadvantaged contexts and focus on younger people, as this appears to maximise their impact.
A number of issues remain which would merit further research. What are the effects of such educational activities on the children’s later development of identity and civic values? What may be their effectiveness when implemented across a number of settings? And what is the degree of transferability of ideas across different countries, regions and contexts?
To study the above questions comprehensive enquiries are needed that engage all actors involved, including the children. Owen’s vision of social change through holistic education for all is now part of mainstream thinking. However, in a globalised society experiencing increased inequalities, there remains much applied research to be done if we are to promote more equitable education systems.
For an updated version of dance in educational use, see the article Dance as a way of teaching other subjects.
Oscar joined the University of Glasgow in January 2013. Originally from Spain, he has conducted educational research in a range of contexts nationally and internationally, including in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Catalonia and The Republic of Ireland. More information on Oscar can be found on his Glasgow University webpage. You can contact him at email@example.com


Ugandan art has produced a host of famous artists in recent generations, despite experiencing a political rollercoaster and huge social upheaval. How did they do it?
Uganda has a long history of formal art education. Under British colonial rule as a Protectorate, it was seen as being of less strategic importance than Kenya and this allowed the establishment of art as a school subject. By contrast, art was only taught in white-only schools in Kenya.
Art was extended to degree level through the efforts of Margaret Trowell, who founded the Fine Art school at Makerere University in Kampala. Her courses emphasised the importance of building on existing artistic practices, but introduced new techniques such as silkscreen printing. This echoed the British style of administration in protectorates, that of ‘indirect rule’ where colonial power structures used existing forms of government. Students came from all over eastern and south-eastern Africa, from the Sudan to Zimbabwe.
Early students at the Margaret Trowell Fine Art School include the sculptor Francis Nnaggenda, a Kenyan, and the painter Sam Ntiro from Tanzania. Exhibitions of outstanding students‘ work were held in prestigious London galleries. Some went on the study at London art schools or the Royal Academy. Many such students became lecturers at the school and helped nurture the talents of younger artists.
When the East African countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania achieved independence in the early 1960s, they formed the East African Community. Part of this structure involved sharing university facilities. Uganda, with its fine art school, continued its tradition of providing art education for much of East Africa.
However, all this changed in 1971 when a coup d’état brought Idi Amin to power. Kampala had been the centre of Uganda’s intellectual life, but in a very short time this fertile artistic environment had evaporated and all public debate was stifled. Many prominent artists went into exile and those that remained lived a very precarious life indeed. The University lost many outspoken tutors, included its Vice Chancellor who ‘disappeared’. An entire generation was traumatised by fourteen years of civil war.
The Fine Art school miraculously stayed open throughout this dreadful time. The old patrons of Kampala’s élite and middle-classes were replaced with new patrons from the military, producing not only medals and insignia but commissioned sculpture and paintings for those rising fast through the army ranks. It managed this by employing recent graduates as lecturers. In a way, this gave the school a new lease of life by providing opportunities for innovative young artists and breaking links with those whose training was based on the colonial system.
Current resident artists and lecturers include the sculptors Lilian Nabulime and Rose Kirumira and painters Godfrey Banadda and Paul Lubowa. Their work has been featured in definitive texts on African art such as ‘Contemporary African Art’ by Sidney Littlefield Kasfir, and also in ground-breaking exhibitions such as ‘Seven Stories of Modern Art in Africa’ (1995-6, London, Sweden and New York). Guruve has developed excellent relationships with such senior artists, and with many of their most promising students. We promote these artists and their work as part of our mission to raise the profile of contemporary African art in the UK.
This text is copyright (please see statement on our homepage) and is the intellectual property of Guruve Ltd and must not be reproduced without our permission and attribution to www.guruve.com
Gallery artist: Godfrey Banadda


The subjects you study in an online bachelor’s in special education degree program are varied. Typical programs include studies in types of disabilities and strategies of teaching students who have these conditions, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These courses often fall into categories of general teacher preparation, disabilities and special education.
Special education teachers are educators first, and specialists in teaching children with disabilities second, according to Global Teacher Prize. It’s essential that they develop general skills in teaching and classroom management as well as the specialized skills needed to work effectively in a special education classroom. Many of the subjects you study in an online bachelor’s in special education degree program are related to developing a strong background in education in general. These courses include educational philosophy, educational psychology, classroom management for teachers, early childhood curriculum, instruction planning and assessments at the elementary school level, child development, learning theory, methods of teaching elementary mathematics for elementary teacher candidates, social justice for educators and embracing diversity.
Courses in Disabilities and Developmental Disorders
Children with special needs don’t necessarily have the same needs. Different disabilities and developmental disorders have different effects on learning and behavior. For this reason, the subjects you study in an online bachelor’s in special education degree program often include courses such as children with exceptionalities, learning and behavior problems and typical and atypical language development. Some online bachelor’s in special education programs also include in-depth coursework on specific conditions, such as introduction to autism spectrum disorders.
Special Education Courses
Other subjects you study in an online bachelor’s in special education degree combine teacher preparation with a focus on helping children with disabilities and disorders. Introduction to special education is often one of the first foundation courses students take in an undergraduate special education program.
Some of the best online bachelor’s in special education degree programs in the nation also included classes in subjects such as teaching strategies in special education, developing curriculum for the mentally disabled/emotionally disabled student, behavioral analysis and management, literacy facilitation for special education and special programs, differentiating instruction, theories and methods for sheltered instruction, observing special needs in children and special education assessment.
At some of these degree programs, students can take classes focusing on trends in special education, laws in special education and substance abuse services and intervention. Often, special education teachers take coursework that helps them focus on the foundational skills that students in special education classes typically need additional help attaining. These classes include foundational literary skills and phonics and laying the foundation of reading.
In a special education classroom, teachers need to be able to understand the challenges children face, manage behavioral issues and educate students with disabilities effectively. The subjects you study in an online bachelor’s in special education degree program will help you achieve these goals.
- 30 Best Online Bachelor’s in Special Education Degree Programs
- Should Aspiring Special Education Teachers Pursue a Specialized or General Education Degree?
- What is the Difference Between a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Teaching?
- What Type of Education Degree Program is Right for Me?
- Do I Still Need to Do Student Teaching if I Earn My Bachelor’s in Special Education Degree Online?


Developing Language & Literacy with Young Children, Third Edition, gives parents, teachers, and other professionals who work and play with young children a confident understanding of communication and language development for children from birth to age eight. This resource examines the range of elements that are typical of communication and language activities: thinking, feeling, imagining, talking, listening, drawing, writing, and reading.
The author emphasizes the importance of children's relationships and communications with the people who care about them, spend time with them, and share in the excitement of their developing languages and their investigations of literacy.
This guidebook covers:
- Early communication and language
- Achievements of young bilinguals
- Stories, narratives, and language play and their significance in literacy development
- Emerging literacy in homes, early years settings and classrooms


Mix of skills
In many workplaces there are intelligent and motivated employees who are held back by low literacy and numeracy skills. When these employees receive literacy and numeracy training they become an asset to their team and organisation. They also often see positive changes in their personal lives and become more active members in their communities.
The skills employees need to be successful in the workplace may include:
- verbal and written communication
- doing maths, such as counting money, taking measurements, or inventorying stock
- understanding policies and procedures
- using technology
- solving problems
- making decisions.
Adults need to be literate and numerate in a number of areas to navigate our modern society. These areas include:
- Digital literacy comprises the technical ability to use, at basic level, a computer and the internet; understand and critically evaluate digital media; and create content and communications.
- Financial literacy is the ability to make informed judgements and effective decisions on the use and management of money. It covers everything from having financial knowledge to having the understanding, confidence and motivation to make financial judgements and decisions.
- Health literacy means the capacity to obtain and understand basic health information and the services needed to make the appropriate health decisions.
Building competencies in any of these areas will assist employees not only in their work, but also in their personal lives.


Help students improve foundational reading skills at every level with Guided Reading for first and second grades.
The Guided Reading: Synthesize resource book for first and second grades features 36 readers—six sets of two each for below-, on-, and above-level student readers. Filled with photos and charts, this nonfiction resource features informational text about caves, soccer, Hawaii, and more.
Ready to Go Guided Reading: Synthesize is an effective guided reading resource for first and second grades. This reading comprehension resource book includes:
- discussion guides
- prompts to encourage students to work with the text and text features
- leveled readers with high-interest topics
- graphic organizers and an observation sheet
The readers are separated into below-, on-, and above-level reading skills. This reading comprehension resource contains callout boxes to direct students to apply guided reading strategies to the texts, such as scanning for meaning or word work. Each reader concludes with a writing prompt so students can show what they learned.
The Ready to Go: Guided Reading series for first to sixth grades includes everything you need for guided reading organization. Each 80-page book is essentially a guided reading set, containing 36 total readers, six discussion guides, and three reproducible pages. Each grade span includes 8 books, focusing on the following reading comprehension strategies:
- Determine Importance
Each nonfiction reader contains short nonfiction texts, vocabulary banks, photographs, charts, and maps.


How to Use OpenOffice to Write a Book
Writing and formatting a book correctly can be a tedious and often frustrating task. There are many programs aside from Microsoft Word that can be used to format a novel and they range from affordable to quite expensive. OpenOffice is free open source software that you can use to write and format your book professionally, particularly helpful if you are considering printing your book or submitting it to a self-publishing company.
Open OpenOffice and start a new text document. Go to "Format" and select "Page." Enter the height and width you want (paperback books are usually 6 in. by 9 in., but follow the guidelines of your publisher if you are self-publishing).
Create your title page on the first page of the document. Enter the title, your name and the name of the publisher, each centered. The title and your name should be near the top of the page with the publisher's name several spaces beneath. Explore OpenOffice's fonts to find one that fits your title and book best.
Create a title page "verso" on the next page, next to the title page. Type any warning about copying or reproducing your book, copyright information, your book's International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and Cataloging in Publication (CIP) numbers, and which edition of the book this is, all centered on the page. Some self-publisher's include ISBN and CIP numbers as part of the package, but in other cases you may need to purchase the numbers separately.
Left-justify the document starting on the next (third) page by clicking the left align icon in the toolbar near the rich text options (the icon will say "Align Left" if you let the mouse hover over it). Enter a dedication on this page if you want to include one.
Go to "Insert" and click "Header," then select "Fields" and click "Page Number." Click "Left," "Right" or "Center" and click "Okay" to set page numbers automatically on each page of your book.
Double-space five or six times down the first page of text, keeping a blank page between this and the dedication, and enter "Chapter 1" or the name of the first chapter. Enter your book's ext. The entire manuscript should stay double-spaced and you should choose a regular font in 10- or 12-point size such as Times New Roman, but check if your publisher has any specifications.
Start a new chapter by going to "Insert" and clicking "Page Break." Be sure to double-space five or six times down before writing the chapter name and starting your next chapter text.
Export your file as a PDF before printing, as OpenOffice documents save as ODT files, which are not always recognized by printers. Go to "File," click "Export as PDF" and then click "Export."
- Export your file as a PDF before printing, as OpenOffice documents save as ODT files, which are not always recognized by printers. Go to "File," click "Export as PDF" and then click "Export."
Kara Page has been a freelance writer and editor since 2007. She maintains several blogs on travel, music, food and more. She is also a contributing writer for Suite101 and has articles published on eHow and Answerbag. Page holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas.


Most simply, Literacy Tutoring involves specialized tutoring in the areas of reading and writing.
There are many different skills involved in literacy that all work together to help a child become proficient in reading and writing. I believe in a comprehensive and balanced approach to literacy development.
Below is a chart that has just some of the main literacy skills that might be worked on during tutoring sessions.
Although presented as a staircase of progression, skills are not taught in that manner. A child working on basic phonological awareness in the lower part of the staircase will still be working on appropriate skills in comprehension and vocabulary at the higher end of the staircase. Whenever possible, skills will be taught integrated together and not in isolation.
Specific lessons will be tailored to the unique needs of your child.


ERIC Number: ED394924
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1996-Feb-22
Toward an Integrated Curriculum: A Music Education Perspective.
Kelly, Margaret M.
This project was designed to develop a model for teaching general music methods for elementary/early childhood education majors using musics of diverse cultures as discrete and infused entities, integrated across the curriculum. The proposed model's primary goal was to develop student awareness of sources of culturally diverse music and related materials. A second goal was to develop student awareness of how to infuse diverse musical material into both the musical and non-musical curriculum. Two groups of preservice teachers, 30 elementary education majors and 29 early childhood education majors, took the music education course. Six core musical activities were introduced and illustrated with examples from African and African-American, Latin American, Native American, and Asian cultures in addition to standard American folk song material. Students completed an "Integrated Model" form for each example, which included focus on both the musical and non-musical understandings to be developed from the experience. The second half of the course focused on the discrete musical cultures of sub-Saharan Africa, Native America Latin America, India, and Japan. In a final assignment, students developed a modified 10-entry, annotated bibliography. When these bibliographies were evaluated for cultural diversity, results indicated that 73 percent of the elementary education majors and 65 percent of the early childhood education majors included one or more culturally diverse entries. (JB)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (48th, Chicago, IL, February 21-24, 1996).


Why is it called carpentry?
The word “ carpenter ” is the English rendering of the Old French word carpentier (later, charpentier) which is derived from the Latin carpentarius [artifex], “(maker) of a carriage.” The Middle English and Scots word (in the sense of “builder”) was wright (from the Old English wryhta, cognate with work), which could be
What is the meaning of a carpenter?
A carpenter is a person who makes things out of wood. You could hire a carpenter to build you a dining room table and two long benches. Carpenters specialize in woodworking, making furniture and buildings from wood and repairing various wooden things.
What do carpenters actually do?
Carpenters – What They Do . Carpenters construct, erect, install, and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and other materials. Carpenters are involved in many different kinds of construction, from the building of highways and bridges to the installation of kitchen cabinets.
What are the types of carpentry?
Some of the different types of carpenter include: Rough carpenter: Framing, formwork, roofing and other structural work. Joister: Lays floor joists onto which a floor surface is fixed. Trim carpenter: Specialises in mouldings and trims, such as mantles, skirting boards), and other ornamental work.
Is carpentry hard work?
Carpentry can be hard heavy work as it often involves lots of lifting and serious manual labor , so yes becoming and staying a carpenter can be very hard . Carpentry can be hard heavy work as it often involves lots of lifting and serious manual labor , so yes becoming and staying a carpenter can be very hard .
Was Jesus actually a carpenter?
Now obviously, eventually Jesus’s chosen profession was of a “Rabbi” or teacher; so in that sense he wasn’t a carpenter regardless of translation. However, in his early years, it is supposed from Mark 6:2-3 that he was, like his step-father, a “ carpenter ” as commonly translated.
What is the verb for Carpenter?
: a worker who builds or repairs wooden structures or their structural parts. carpenter . verb . carpentered; carpentering ˈkär-pən-t(ə-)riŋ
What’s another word for Carpenter?
In this page you can discover 24 synonyms , antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for carpenter , like: craftsman, woodworker, artisan, mason, cabinetmaker, builder, laborer, worker, carpenter -ant, framer and joiner.
Do carpenters build houses?
Carpenters do many jobs in construction , building or repairing structures, which can mean anything from framing a house to building stairs and door frames to putting in cabinetry or drywall. Carpenters typically work with wood, but often work with drywall, fiberglass, or other materials.
Is carpentry a dying trade?
it is not a dying trade by any means. it is the original trade .
What are basic carpentry skills?
Here’s a list of some basic skills you would do well to develop. They are the foundational skills every woodworker should know. Understand How Wood Works and Behaves. Sharpen Saws, Planes, and Chisels. Use a Hand Plane. Prep Lumber With Hand Tools. Cut a Mortise and Tenon Joint. Cut Dovetail Joints. Finish Your Furniture.
What is the most important skill in carpentry?
Most carpenters need several skills to be successful in their positions, including: Math skills. Physical strength . Communication. Attention to detail. Problem-solving. Dexterity. Mechanical skills.
What is level 3 carpentry?
This level 3 qualification is a technical vocational qualification which focuses on the development of the underlying principles and practical skills required in the Carpentry sector. It is designed to deliver a high level of occupational skills and provide a sound platform from which to progress.
Which country has the best carpenters?
What is the highest level in carpentry?


Over the last century the global community has been focusing on increasing access to education across the world and significant progress has been made. That said, much remains to be done to achieve universal access from pre-primary to secondary education - and access to education is only the beginning. UNESCO has declared that we are going through "a global learning crisis" because even after going to school, 250 million children globally cannot read, write or count. In India the situation is dismal to say the least. Educational attainment levels are disappointing.
of school children in the four-eight age group do not have age-appropriate cognitive and numeracy skills (ASER 2020)
children in class two cannot read a text meant for class one (ASER 2020)
children below age six cannot do additions (ASER 2020)
During my studies at Harvard University I was immersed in decades of research showing that the way we have traditionally run schools conflicts with how people learn, and I became convinced that we need to change our approach to education if we hope for students to thrive both personally and professionally in the 21st century. But what does a good learning experience look like? How do we help children acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to fulfilling lives in which they can contribute meaningfully to their own and their community's development.
Based on my studies of education, my personal learning experiences and the advice from countless experts and mentors, some fundamental learning principles have emerged. When I set out to create a place of learning - The Northstar School - I thus had a few guiding ideas in mind. In collaboration in with our dedicated team of passionate educators we developed The Northstar Approach, a guiding framework designed to ensure that our school becomes a place where:


The Jadis Blurton Family Development Center provides mental health support and services to children in Hong Kong, with the aim of ensuring they’re equipped with the tools to live happy, healthy and productive lives. We asked the centre’s Dr Jacqueline Wolf about their psycho-educational assessment process for children.
What is a psycho-educational assessment and how is carried out?
It’s a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s cognitive, academic and social-emotional functioning that aims to illuminate strengths and identify patterns of difficulty that may be interfering with academic success. The assessment is conducted by a team of child development experts. Information is gathered from a combination of testing, parent interviews, teacher and academic reports, and in person observations by a trained psychologist.
What is the outcome of an assessment?
The collected data is compiled into a report that presents a complete picture of your child’s functioning. Building on your child’s unique set of strengths we provide specific recommendations to parents and teachers detailing strategies that will best support academic and personal success.
What types of difficulties can an assessment help to identify?
- Developmental difficulties impacting the ability to learn foundational skills in reading, writing, mathematics (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia)
- Difficulties with language in bilingual and multi-lingual environments
- Difficulties with attention and focus
- Heightened levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity
- Executive function challenges
- Difficulties with social skills and communication Emotional problems (depressed mood, anxiety)
- Underperformance, low motivation and poor homework compliance
When’s the best time for an assessment?
Consider an assessment when you first notice a pattern of difficulty that is impacting your child’s ability to learn or demonstrate their capabilities. Early identification is essential for putting strategies in place to promote a successful learning pathway. Our assessment team can discuss the process in detail and help determine if your child will benefit from a psycho-educational assessment.
The Jadis Blurton Family Development Center
19/F, Kennedy Town Center, 23 Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town
This article first appeared in the 2017 edition of Expat Living’s City Guide. Get your free copy now!
Want to get the family outdoors for the day? Check out these parks, playgrounds and outdoor centres for the kids


Addressing the latest changes in the curriculum, The Child in Focus incorporates the full range of the early years from birth to age 8 while linking to specific subject areas. It provides an all-round introduction for students beginning an early childhood education program.Part 1 is an introduction to childhood and the concepts which form early childhood education. Part 2 covers discrete subject areas along with curriculum and pedagogy. Part 3 focuses on professional practice and teaching skills, providing students with the grounding knowledge to continue in their degree.The Child in Focus recognises the important role early childhood educators and teachers play in society and focuses on providing the foundational skills and knowledge for students to succeed in these roles. It is filled with contemporary content and has a strong emphasis on the development of critical reflection and adaptability to respond to increasingly complex social and family issues.KEY FEATURESAddresses the national Graduate Teacher standards described by the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), the Australian Curriculum, and the National Quality Standard (NQS) of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)Each chapter begins with an introductory vignette to illustrate theory and engage students' interest. These include interesting, historical facts relating to the concepts/topics covered by the chapterIndividual chapters link to specific subjects in early education programs - these chapters are clearly tabbed for easy reference`Stop and reflect' sections encourage students to reflect on their own experiences and education, while `Stop and think' sections consolidate learning by asking students to answer questions based on the textCase studies showcase real-life education experiencesEach end of chapter includes a summary, further reflection questions, a class activity and discussion questions.


Quality after-school programs provide a safe, stimulating environment for children. The after school hours have an increased rate of crime and drug, alcohol and sex experimentation for juveniles, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Marketing your after school program means more children stay off the streets and safe while parents are still at work. Take advantage of community resources to promote the program.
A market plan guides your advertising and other activities to spread the word about the after school program. Whether the program is new or established, there are likely parents and children within the community who don't know about it. Marketing the program makes the community more aware and potentially increases your enrollment numbers. This keeps more kids off the streets and gives you more options for activities and funding for the program. A marketing plan helps you track the marketing efforts you make and make changes to your approach as necessary to increase effectiveness.
Develop your marketing plan based on your goals for the program. Deciding what you want from your marketing efforts helps you narrow your approach. Common goals might be to increase awareness, increase enrollment, receive community support or secure funding for the program. Use those goals to decide on your target audience for the marketing campaign. For example, if you're interested in funding or support, local and state government officials might be your target audience. If you want to increase enrollment, parents, students and teachers in the community are likely on the receiving end of your efforts.
Most after school programs lack funding for advertising so the most beneficial campaigns are low cost. An open house is a way to invite the community into the program to see what you do. Parents and students who attend might decide to enroll in the program. Teachers and school staff might recommend the program to parents in the school district. Consider inviting community leaders and elected officials if they are included in your target audience. Displays of projects and presentations by currently enrolled children allow guests of the open house to learn about the program.
Another option is to go into the community to raise awareness of the program. Volunteer or set up a booth at a community event to share information. March with the kids in a community parade and throw candy. Make a large sign or banner to display.
Direct marketing is also an option. Create a newsletter or flier about the program. Distribute the flier to all of the students in the school. If your budget allows for postage, you might also mail the information directly to the parents to ensure they receive it.
Maintaining the Marketing Plan
Part of the marketing plan purpose is to determine what works well and what doesn't. After trying a specific marketing campaign, assess how well it helped you reach your goals. If you're trying to increase enrollment and hold an open house, analyze how many new students enrolled based on the open house. Try new marketing strategies to replace the ones that weren't effective. Your goals might also change over time. Revisit your marketing plan to see if it still matches your vision for the program.
Based in the Midwest, Shelley Frost has been writing parenting and education articles since 2007. Her experience comes from teaching, tutoring and managing educational after school programs. Frost worked in insurance and software testing before becoming a writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a reading endorsement.


Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon. (National Curriculum, 2014)
At Chaddesley Corbett, we believe strongly in the benefits of musical education and opportunity. So much so that in the design of our school building, a dedicated music room was built, linked to an outdoor auditorium. Thanks to a very generous grant of £12,000 from Douglas Clark, our music department has significantly developed. We have purchased a wide range of resources including a class set of djembe drums, offer children high quality resources to engage and inspire them in their learning.
“One of the most beautiful things we can give our child is music education.” - Gloria Estefan
All children experience music through the curriculum developing their skills and abilities to perform, listen to, review, evaluate, sing and compose music. In partnership with Severn Arts, we also offer tuition to Key Stage 2 pupils in violin, guitar, and keyboard. In Early Years and Key Stage 1 we offer tuition in violin. We can also access further instrumental tuition if request in instruments such as brass, flute and drums. In addition to this Year 2 are receiving whole class violin lessons and Year 4 whole class dood (a cross between a clarinet and recorder) lessons as part of the Severn Arts FAME programme.
Our school choir offer children another opportunity to express their musical abilities and talents. Throughout the year they participate at local events including singing Christmas Carols at Rowberry Garden Centre, at Youth Makes Music and as part of Chaddesley Music Festival.
At Chaddesley Corbett our children develop a positive attitude towards music so they have enthusiasm towards and passion for the subject. Through music develop their self-confidence, communication skills, collaborative skills and thinking skills as well as they musical skills required.
Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.


Gifts to develop social communication in the age of technology can be a challenging task with all the electronics options available. More and more electronic toys and gadgets are being geared toward kids who are younger and younger. It is wonderful that we have the technology, but it is not always good news for child development.
Children need to play with toys and explore the world around them because that is how crucial skills are developed. When children play, all areas of their brain are developed. Not to mention, children are built to play! It is their job to play. They are supposed to get messy, make mistakes, explore, and learn the “rules” of the world.
All children learn important lessons and develop skills by playing with non-electronic toys such as:
- Language skills
- Conflict resolution
- Academic skills
- Emotional regulation
- Motor skill development
- Sensory regulation These are just a few but there are so many more! It is fascinating how play can target so many skills at one time, yet it is becoming less common among children.
Here are some ideas for gifts to help kids get back to play!
Choose any toys that promote imagination such as action figures or characters from their favorite TV show. Dress up toys and pretend play activities are also wonderful at developing imagination and symbolic play.
Preschoolers can play board games! Be sure it is not too difficult or they may lose interest quickly! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Don’t Break The IceⓇ
- Yeti in my SpaghettiⓇ
- Honey Bee TreeⓇ
- Memory Games (I love to use the thematic memory games that use current popular character)
- Let’s Go FishingⓇ
Building activities are great for this age. LegoⓇ bricks now cater to girls and boys with wonderful themes that target imaginative play skills. These toys build fine motor skills, executive functioning skills (planning, organizing, and problem-solving), spatial awareness, and of course STEM.
Simple board games are considered “novel” activities now that everyone is playing games with their devices, which make them great gifts! I love simple games that teach turn taking and problem-solving. Here are some ideas for elementary school-aged kids:
- UnoⓇ (Uno DareⓇ is fun too!)
- Connect 4Ⓡ
- Guess WhoⓇ
- 5 Second Rule Jr.Ⓡ
Middle and High School:
While this age group will likely be more interested in electronics as this is the way of the teenager, you can still pique their interest in board games. Many game companies have versions that correlate with the latest craze in video games or movie series. Find your teens interest and search for a board game that has a collaboration with that interest. Here are some great games for teens:
- 5 Second RuleⓇ
- Apples to ApplesⓇ
- Heads UpⓇ
- MonopolyⓇ (they now have a Fortnite version)
For more gift ideas, check out Let’s Play: the speech and language way’s post: https://letsplaythespeechandlanguageway.com/2016/11/18/best-toys-speech/?fbclid=IwAR0C1neDpfdTVVqb8Z79wg82kLrRN-iMF8g4vETQ8Amr7RX_1uV7vTxxHQk


Nurturing children’s life skill through swimming
Swimming teaches life skills that are not limited to the pool. As a child reveals in their progress and success, they will gain confidence within themselves that continues even when they step out of the water and move into other aspects of their lives. Swimming lessons are also great for promoting teamwork, trust in others and bonding with parents or siblings.
There are many great life-long benefits of childhood swimming, and plenty of wonderful reasons to start early. Research has shown that early swimmers perform better socially and academically, and that swimming from an early age:
enhances gross motor skill development and coordination
promotes personality development
leads to greater happiness, health, and development of the ‘whole’ child.
Here are some more details on developing a ‘whole child’ through swimming:
1. Nurtures Attachment
Encouraging positive attachment is one of the reasons why swimming can nurture attachment between parent and child. When your child feels secure, they feel comfortable exploring and learning new skills, like doing a flip turn or floating on their backs.
2. Neurological Development
Studies show that children who swim early in life tend to do better in school and have improved problem solving abilities. As a child moves and interacts with their world, the neurons in their brain develop connections or synapses. The more communication there is between neurons, the more capable the child becomes of learning. A child’s brain can be molded by the growth of these new connections. Learning swimming skills early on can impact your child for years to come!
3. Social Benefits
In swimming,children learn to try new things with their parents as they bond with each other while continuing to develop water safety and swimming skills. Teaching little swimmers how to overcome frustration with perseverance and a positive attitude is such an important life lesson.
4. Spatial Awareness
Children gain spatial awareness by exploring their surroundings and discovering their relationship to them. Good spatial awareness is often linked to artistic creativity and success in Math. Some of the activities in swimming can helpdevelop spatial awareness including letting your child move hand-to-hand around the pool walls, climbing in and out of the pool, allowing them to swim to and from the wall at various distances, and floating on their back.
5. Self-Discipline & Perseverance
Mastering a new skill takes time and practice. Little swimmers learn that working toward a goal takes determination and patience. Parents can offer positive encouragement and help swimmers work through their lessons to listen, absorb, and think about how they will tackle the next task and how they’ll overcome the obstacles. This helps develop great learning skills, and the discipline needed to persevere in the face of adversity.
6. Language Development
Research has shown that swimming helps with intellectual skills, like counting and following instructions. Little swimmers can make a connection between language and action sometimes even before they are able to verbally communicate. When little swimmers hear instructions such as “kick, kick, kick” they link the instruction to language and it furthers their comprehension.
7. Injuries and Pain
Exercise can be frustrating for those who suffer from injuries or illnesses. But swimming is a great activity for individuals with asthma, arthritis, and certain types of aches and pains. Swimming uses all of the major muscles and reduces joint pain without putting weight on the joints.
8. Builds Trust
Having fun and games helps little swimmersto build trust and develop a connection with their parents. The ability to trust can help your child in the future by allowing them to engage in more fulfilling and rewarding relationships.
9. Physical and Emotional Health
Simply being in the water can be soothing for your children. They experience a physical and emotional freedom from this. Being able to move your body in water, in ways it can’t otherwise, is liberating. Imagine being able to move your limbs freely in a way you never could before. Teaching children healthy exercise habits now impacts them as an adult. For adults and children, participating in regular physical activity prevents or delays the development of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity and promotes overall health.
10. The only sport that can be potentially lifesaving
Should your child ever find themselves in a tricky situation in the water— whether it’s at the beach or a friend’s pool party—they will have the confidence to swim towards the edge of the pool, or tread water until you reach them.
Retrieved from https://www.hamptonswimschool.com.au
Retrieved from https://www.seaotterswim.com


Improving adults' confidence and competence with math
Challenging adults to maintain their math knowledge could improve productivity, the economy and quality of life. Many adults are ill equipped to make key financial decisions, even ones involving simple math. In the long term, this reveals the critical need for financial literacy to be taught in schools and beyond to ensure everyone is equipped for the complex financial decisions they will face in the real world.
The National Numeracy Challenge is a UK-wide initiative aimed at developing the numeracy skills of adults. The challenge is presented as an online resource which breaks down numeracy skills into bite-sized sets and allows users to slowly build up their understandings of basic maths and numeracy.


Supplemental Guidelines for Children’s Face Mask Policy
To keep our children and staff safe, we are implementing the following face mask guidelines for children enrolled in our Early Childhood Learning Center programs ages 2 ½ and older. Below are the steps we will take (beginning November 2, 2020) to complete this new process:
- Children will not use masks during these times/activities:
- Outdoor playground (masks will be placed in cubbies before leaving classroom)
- Large group active play (when children can be easily spread throughout the room)
- Lunchtime and snack (we will space children out when serving food)
- Naptime (children will be spread out at least six feet apart)
- Children will primarily wear masks whenever social distancing is difficult. Examples: circle time, activities when children are in close proximity, and small group table activities.
- Children will not be forced to wear masks.
- Teachers will make wearing masks fun and a daily learning experience. We will give the staff guidance and resources on how to incorporate wearing masks into their curriculum.
- Teachers will help children put masks on and off and keep them separated from other children’s masks when not in use. Example: we will put in a child’s cubby or individual bags while outdoors.
- Please make sure to label masks with your child’s name. Please do not put cords around your child’s mask as it is a choking hazard. Your child may wear the JCC mask that will be provided, or any one you provide (including disposable masks). There will be additional children’s masks available in the Welcome Center for sale.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation while we strive to keep everyone as safe as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Phyllis Bochman, Sr. Director of Children’s Programs, at PhyllisB@www.rosenjcc.org.


What is MELC?
Most Essential Learning Competencies or MELC, according to DepEd, “are defined as what the students need, considered indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to building skills to equip learners for subsequent grade levels and subsequently, for lifelong learning. On the other hand, desirable learning competencies were defined as what may enhance education but may not be necessary in building foundational skills.”
Moreover they added, “The MELC’s will enable the Department to focus instruction to the most essential and indispensable competencies that our learners must acquire, as we anticipate challenges in learning delivery.”
DOWNLOAD: MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES (MELC)
- K12 MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES w/corresponding CG CODES: DOWNLOAD
- MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES GUIDELINES: DOWNLOAD
NOTE: These are official MELC documents from DepEd Commons
- BOW based on MELC for all subjects: DOWNLOAD
- Alphabet Handwriting Workbooks: DOWNLOAD
- A-Z Coloring Workbooks: DOWNLOAD
- Modules for learning the Human Organ Systems: DOWNLOAD
More premium learning materials at Education PH, your reliable partner for learning and success. Sa halagang P499/year, makakadownload ka na ng mga premium learning materials para sa iyong anak o estudyante.


Taborsky, Christopher. (2007). Musical performance anxiety: a review of literature. Applications of Research in Music Education, 26 (15), 25-15.
Summary of the Article: The article begins with the author explaining that students that are going to perform often end up with performance anxiety. They tend to forget words and miss notes on top of sweaty palms and having dry mouth. Taborsky says that telling a student that an incredibly prepared piece will make the anxiety go away is not the best thing to say. It is often really uncontrollable and can make a performer physically not able to play. Researchers have found that the increased number of hours of practice before a performance does not guarantee success upon that performance. Researchers have compared the effects of musical performance on amateurs, high school, college students, and professional musicians. They had found that the anxiety level and heart rates in a jury setting was higher than in a non-jury setting. They also did research with different groups of people. Gender, race, and instruments were a variable in terms of these studies. They found that females performed significantly better than males in a high anxiety setting. The most anxiety was given during a solo performance than a group performance. They believe that social phobia is a trait that can lead to higher anxiety during a performance. The peak of anxiety is often when the performer is walking on stage. Based on the findings, music teachers should encourage students to play in front of people at a younger age so that it becomes comfortable for the student to perform in a high anxiety setting. Adaptive anxiety, for example, a professional musician that has been playing on stage for many years had “less maladaptive anxiety, and less cognitive and emotional anxiety than amateur musicians.” String players were often found to have the most anxiety out of all instrumentalists and their gender or age had no effect on this study. Age is often a more important factor when it comes to amateur musicians. Younger children often have higher anxiety than an older child. Music teachers should prevent debilitating effects on students at a young age so the effects will not be so significant at an older age. A study of drugs during a musical performance was done with thirty one string instrumentalists from colleges in London, England. They used a beta-blocking drug and a benzodiazepine drug. Each subject performed a recital twice. The first drug was given before one of the recitals and after having been given a placebo, the second recital was given. Researchers found no major differences in physical symptoms between the active drug and placebo in either group. However, there was a significant decrease in pulse rate and higher bow control scores after the beta blocker, but not in the benzodiazepine group.
Research method: The author used research, case studies and questionnaires to research the topic of anxiety in musical performers. Taborsky used mixed research in order to carry out the article. This included: basic research, applied research, quantitative research, and qualitative research. He used students of different ages, genders, and different numbers of them to provide as close to accurate results.
Author’s findings: Taborsky found that further study must be used in order to investigate existing issues with performance


Challenge: Lack of communication was severely impacting mining operationsMy client, who operates in the mining industry, experienced challenges communicating with a group of eight employees at a site located in Matatiele in KwaZulu-Natal because the community in this small rural village does not speak any English. The lack of communication was severely impacting mining operations.
Solution: ABET Level 1 Basic – a special level to bridge illiterate learners into English CommunicationAdult Based Education and Training (ABET/AET) aims to provide basic foundational skills such as reading, writing, understanding and listening (communication) thereby addressing literacy in the workplace which enables further development in an organisation. One of the key learning areas offered by Triple E Training is Communication in English and this is the ABET programme I recommended to my client. Over the last two decades we developed a special level to bridge illiterate learners into English Communication and over 200,000 learners have to date successfully completed ABET Level 1 Basic. We offer this, and all other learning areas, from ABET Level 1 through to ABET Level 4. A skilled facilitator, chosen from our network of over 400 facilitators, who is fluent in the vernacular language of the Matatiele community will be appointed to facilitate the ABET programme to this group of eight employees. The staff training will be taking place at my client’s operations in KwaZulu-Natal, making use of one of its own training venues.
Expert opinion: Skills development is one of the most important contributors to an organisation’s overall BEE ScorecardSkills development is, and has been for the past two decades, a crucial element in building and sustaining economic growth for the country. It is a main focus point of many industries but in the mining sector there is a particularly strong focus on the training of low skilled staff. Not only will ABET (or AET as it is also known by) help my client to comply to the Mining Charter’s Social and Labour Plans (SLP) but it will also contribute to the other programmes put in place by government such as the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and the Annual Training Plan (ATR), both important processes in an aim to implement Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). This means that the ABET will also contribute to the skills development element when my client goes through the annual BEE audit. Skills development is one of the most important contributors to an organisation’s overall BEE Scorecard. Not only will ABET contribute to a possible higher score on the BEE Scorecard but also result to an enhanced claim of 125% which means the actual value of spend is less than the value claimed on the BEE Scorecard.
Call to action: Triple E Training – Your partner in skills developmentWith Triple E Training as its partner my client in the mining industry will not only be able to solve its immediate challenge of communication in the workplace due to illiteracy but also contribute to its BEE strategy and overall BEE Scorecard result.
SummaryBased in the small rural village Matatiele in KwaZulu-Natal, my client in the mining sector, will be embarking on ABET for a group of eight learners in a bid to address the lack of communication due to illiteracy. Commencing the training on ABET Level 1 Basic in the learning area Communication in English the group of learners have embarked on a journey to develop new skills over the next couple of years until they are literate in both English and Mathematics.
Magda ~ Quick Contact Form


Korean pre-service teachers' perceptions of parent-teacher partnerships: The effects of motivation and teaching beliefs
Date of Original Version
This chapter examined early childhood pre-service teachers' perceptions of the parent-teacher partnership, especially for the interaction effect between motivation and teaching beliefs on the parent-teacher partnership among Korean early childhood pre-service teachers. The participants for this study included 265 preservice teachers in two different types of childhood teacher education programs (early childhood education and elementary education) in Seoul, Kyunggi, and Busan in Korea. The results from t-tests and ANOVA showed that pre-service teachers' perceptions of the parent-teacher partnership were differentiated by student status in the teacher education program with discrete differences depending on subfactors. Constructivist teaching beliefs were the most significant variable to predict the preservice teachers' perceptions of the parent-teacher partnership. Even though there were no statistically meaningful interaction effects between intrinsic motivation and constructivist teaching beliefs, two-way interaction plots implied interaction effects between these two predictors. Based on the results, we discussed the implications of the results in regard to curriculum development and educational policy for future endeavors to enhance teacher education quality and educational effectiveness.
Home-School Relations: International Perspectives
Kim, Hyunjin, and Soo Jung Lee. "Korean pre-service teachers' perceptions of parent-teacher partnerships: The effects of motivation and teaching beliefs." Home-School Relations: International Perspectives , (2018): 245-265. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-0324-1_14.


Alternatives to phonics instruction can include Whole Language methodology. the Natural Approach, and Whole Word. These all place less importance on the explicit teaching of phonics and look on English acquisition in a broader context. These include practices such as memorization and reading for context.
Phonics skills are an acquired language skill that takes both time and practice to master. Teaching 10-15 minutes a day of dedicated phonics is optimal.
These games are made to be easily accessible, fun and most importantly effective in motivating and allowing students to practice English past tense
Sight words, together with phonics provide the bedrock of children’s reading. Playing games with flash cards, online or in the classroom will allow students to practice and recognize these words by sight. This allows them to try independent reading as the majority Children’s literature is made of sight words.
Teaching left-handed students to write can be achieved with a few adaptations. Using techniques like mirroring, paper positioning and grip training will help left-handed students develop writing skills. Resources specifically designed for left handers are also available like pens, binders and notebooks.
One of the hardest and most important things you will ever do as a parent is providing your children with a good education. No matter your socioeconomic status, you want your child to have the best possible education and in todays competitive world that can can mean a kindergarten interview. We want to make sure…
The most effective way to distinguish between a countable or uncountable noun is to check if it can be used in plural forms.
As a general rule guided reading focusses more on reading level than age of students, however there are certain phonics and decoding skills that students require before being able to tackle a guided reading leveled book.
The difference between action verbs and linking verbs can be described as the difference between an action and a state.
Sounds that enter English from these languages may not have a clear pronunciation in English. Often the letters that don’t fit in with English patterns are then, over time, turned into silent letters


English As A Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)
The OCSB offers English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) programs to support students who are English language learners at the secondary level. English language learners are students whose first language is one other than English, or a variety of English that is significantly different from the one used for instruction in Ontario’s schools, and are students who may require focused educational supports to assist them in attaining proficiency in English.
Our ESL program is intended for English language learners who have age-appropriate first language literacy skills and educational backgrounds. Our ELD program supports English language learners who, due to various factors, have had limited opportunities to develop age-appropriate language, literacy and numeracy skills in their first language. Students taking ELD courses receive support for both language acquisition and academic upgrading.
ESL and ELD credit courses
At the secondary level, schools offer language learning programs to students who are English language learners. ESL credit courses (ESLAO to ESLEO) are available to students on the ESL credit pathway at the following sites: Holy Trinity Catholic, Lester B. Pearson Catholic, St. Francis Xavier, St. Mother Teresa, St. Patrick’s and St. Pius X High Schools. ELD credit courses (ELDAO to ELDEO) are available to students on the ELD credit pathway at the following sites: Holy Trinity Catholic, Lester B. Pearson Catholic, St. Francis Xavier, St. Patrick’s and St. Pius X High School.
Up to three ESL or ELD courses can be applied to the four compulsory English credits required for diploma purposes. These courses are designed to support students as they develop cognitive academic language proficiency in various content areas. These courses are credit bearing for diploma purposes.
Factors affecting second language acquisition
There are many factors which influence second-language acquisition including level of first-language literacy; previous educational experience and exposure to English; language(s) spoken at home; stage of acculturation; possible effects of trauma; length of time in Canada; possible presence of learning exceptionalities (both giftedness or learning disabilities); and past educational experiences. All of these factors are of equal importance.


In this article, you’ll find answers to questions like:
1. What are the benefits?
2. How to make it fun?
3. What are some tips?
You already know that reading is important for learning, but it’s also a great way to show your toddler love and attention. If you spend a few minutes every day with your children and a book, they will remember it their entire lives.
Even when your child is still crawling, you can look at picture books together and talk about what you see.
Singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes are other ways to learn words by hearing them, says Catherine Tedesco, Palm Beach County School District’s former literacy manager for Elementary Education. Later, when we see words on the page, we remember them from the songs and rhymes: “Three blind mice!”
1. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
“When my mother read 'The Gingerbread Man' to me, she couldn’t skip anything because I knew all the pages,” says Debbie Battles, former director of Elementary Education at the school district. “I still know every word: ‘You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!’ It’s a memory of my mother that I will always have.”
Just like Battles’s infatuation with the gingerbread man, children often want to read the same book over and over. You may get sick of it, but children memorize words by their sounds even before they start reading by themselves, Battles says.
2. HOW TO MAKE IT FUN?
Build reading through your child’s tendencies and interests. “At the zoo, my favorite part was seeing the monkeys,” Battles says. “Let your child dictate a simple sentence. It’s their words.”
Also, let your child see you reading. Don’t forget local libraries offer free activities for all ages, such as play groups. Not sure where to start? Visit the Palm Beach County Library System website.3. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS?
• Set aside a quiet, cozy place to spend a few minutes reading with your toddler every day.
• Start with picture books and talk about each picture before you read.
• Your child wants to be like you, so let your child see you reading.
• Read with expression and take time to ask your child questions about what you are reading.
• Debbie Battles, former director of Elementary Education, School District of Palm Beach County
• Catherine Tedesco, former literacy manager of Elementary Education, School District of Palm Beach County


|Dimensions||7.5 × 7 × 3.6 cm|
3 AA Batteries
Choose from five brightly colored books to read with Buddy.
Press Buddy’s light-up tag button to hear him talk and sing.
Answer reading comprehension questions from Buddy.
Press the Nighttime button twice for Brahms' Lullaby and a nightlight.
Buddy will quietly read a story, then play 10 minutes of a soft lullaby.
Sing along to happy learning songs.
Explore letters in the story and words that start with those letters.
[“Numbers”,”Colours”,”Shapes”,”The Alphabet”,”Music & Rhythm”,”Feelings & Emotions”,”Opposites”]
The Learning Difference
“From reading aloud to reading along, Storytime Buddy™ reflects best practices in early reading instruction with prompts designed to foster key reading comprehension strategies and introduce story elements like characters and settings.” – Carolyn James, PhD, LeapFrog Literacy Expert


Vision services are coordinated by the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI), a full-time position within the education department. Vision services include initial screenings and Functional Vision Assessments, teaching of visual and compensatory skills, and assistance in environmental adaptations.
Screenings and Functional Vision Assessments are conducted with input from family and/or residential staff, classroom and therapeutic team, and community vision professionals (optometrists and ophthalmologists). Based on these findings, recommendations for vision services are put forth to a student’s Committee on Special Education.
The delivery models and strategies for vision services vary with the wide range of needs within the identified students. Some sessions are conducted in the controlled environment of the vision room. Other sessions are “push-ins”, meeting with the student in the classroom, gym, playground, or at the lunch table. Whenever possible, functional skills are addressed in their natural settings.
Environmental accommodations and adapted materials like iPads, environmental control units adn switches, tape playback machines, and other technology are necessary for some students to participate in classroom academics. Compensatory skills such as Braille instruction, keyboarding and abacus skills are provided as appropriate. Many students have a diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment. These students often require stimulation of the visual pathways via opportunities for viewing and interacting with specific materials in a setting that is free of distractions.
The TVI meets regularly with the classroom team and related service therapists to ensure continuity in student programming. Cognitive, language, and motor skill development is incorporated into vision session instruction. Orientation and mobility skills, including human (sighted) guide technique and the use of a cane/Adapted Mobility Device, are reinforced during sessions with the TVI.
Additionally, the TVI oversees and orders materials from the Federal Quota Account and interfaces with the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped to meet the students’ needs. Consultation regarding adult consumers with vision impairments served by the agency is available upon request.


The Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer Worksheet – Download this interesting fun science activity for kids.
This FREE worksheet on Leif Eriksson has a find the hidden words game as well as a find the hidden missing words game for children.
This fun yet educational printable Geography worksheet on Leif Eriksson is freely available for you to download and use at no cost and you are permitted to use this Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer Worksheet as many times as you need at home and in school!
The fun activity sheet for kids about Leif Eriksson is a fun way to gain your child’s attention a science enrichment class, homeschooling, distant learning lessons, regular school science classes or while partaking in early learning activities.
Our FREE Leif Eriksson kids science activity sheet is suitable for Primary school kids in Grades One to Five. Additionally, kids in Kindergarten as well as Preschool kids will also enjoy this Leif Eriksson word search worksheet.
Children can enjoy while learning fun facts on Leif Eriksson while playing the word seek puzzle.
Elementary school kids from 1st Grade to 5th Grade can enjoy the Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet as a reading comprehension tool.
Children shall learn very well due to the fact the kids will probably have to read a few times the fun facts about Leif Eriksson to discover what the missing words are. This free Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet for kids is not only a great way to improve their science knowledge, but also increases the memory and also enhances their reading comprehension skills.
Pre-K kids and Kindergarten kids who haven’t yet learned to read can use our free fun facts Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet as an exciting listening comprehension game.
Parents and Educators can read out loud the Leif Eriksson fun facts. Next, they ask the children to answer what they think were the missing words. Finally, the child learns to identify words and find them in the Leif Eriksson fun science for kids activity sheet.
Parents doing homeschooling activities with their kids can use the Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet to awaken their kids in interest in science.
Teachers and private tutors can use our FREE Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet to enhance traditional science classes at school and interest children in learning all about Leif Eriksson. Particularly advantageous is for you to make use of our free earth science worksheet for children on Leif Eriksson in combination with the free interactive online quiz with score on Leif Eriksson.
Our Free Science Website offers many additional FREE printable fun earth science worksheets for children and kids science worksheets. Download and use our fun science word puzzles to make learning science fun for your children!
What do you know about Leif Eriksson?Who is Leif Eriksson? Which places was he able to visit in his expeditions? What happened to Leif Eriksson in 1000 A.D.? Who convert Leif Eriksson into Christian?
Learn more fun facts about Leif Eriksson by downloading our free fun Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer worksheet for children!
FREE Fun Leif Eriksson Viking Explorer Worksheet


Elementary School Curriculum
Primary teachers (K-2) have the important job of teaching students to read. The main focus in grades K-2 is reading and math. Teachers are using short formative assessments to monitor student progress and Response to Intervention (RtI) within each grade level. Special classes for grades K-2 students include technology, music, art and physical education.
The intermediate grades (3-5) consist of three to four teachers per grade level. Each teacher is responsible for a core subject area of reading/language arts, math, and science/social studies. Students have three 80-minute blocks per area. Student progress is monitored by the use of short formative assessments and tracked on OASIS. Special classes include technology, music, art and P.E. Some 5th grade students have band instead of music.
Middle School Curriculum
Grades 6-8 consist of a three-person teacher team at each grade level, structuring the school day around the core subjects of math, language arts, science, and social studies. Math and language arts are each taught in a 90-minute block and a third block is devoted to science and social studies. Special area classes for 6th graders include technology (Google applications), art, music, health and physical education, and band. Special area subjects for 7th grade include technology (coding), art, music, band, and health/physical education. 8th grade special area subjects include technology (keyboarding and computer applications), band, health/physical education, and vocational agriculture.
High School Curriculum
Eastern High School also utilizes a nine-period schedule and provides a curriculum selection that puts our students on a pathway to graduation, meeting state standards and local board expectations. In recent years, options have increased to include the following in each subject area:
Business & Technology – Coding I, Coding II, Web Design, Personal Finance, and Digital Photography
Foreign Language – American Sign Language I, II, III, and IV
Language Arts – English I, II, III, and IV, AP English*, and Creative Writing/Contemporary Literature
Mathematics – Algebra I and II, Geometry, College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Dual Credit Algebra & Trigonometry**, Dual Credit Statistics**, Dual Credit Calculus**, and Applied Math
Music Education – Marching and Concert Band and General Music/Chorus
Physical & Health Education – Health, Physical Education (P.E.), and Advanced P.E.
Science – Biology I, Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics, Anatomy, Earth Science, Integrated Science, AP Biology*, Conservation Science, and Zoology
Social Studies – American History, Government, Psychology, World History, World Geography, Economics, Current Events, AP U.S. History*, AP Government*, and AP Psychology*
Visual Arts – Art I, II, III, and IV, Yearbook, and Digital Photography
Vocational Education – Vocational Agriculture, Forestry/Woodland Ecosystems, Animal and Plant Science, and Greenhouse/Nursery Management
* Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer college credit to students who pass an AP exam at the end of the school year.
** Dual Credit (DC) courses offer college credit to qualifying students.


Education is the key to progress. It empowers the individual. It enables a nation.
It is the belief of our government that if we nurture our children and young people with the right education, India’s future as a strong and prosperous country is secure.
These words, part of the Indian Prime Minister’s address to the nation today, put into effect the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The Act will provide for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in a neighbourhood school till completion of elementary education. No child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which may prevent him or her from pursuing and completing the elementary education. This means no school fees or indirect costs such as uniforms or textbooks need to be borne by the child. The student teacher ratio is pegged at 30 to 1.
School management committees consisting of local administration, parents/guardians and teachers will be responsible (with 50% women and disadvantaged parents reserved participation) for monitoring the utilization of government funds and the operations of the school.
Sukanta Chaudhuri makes some interesting comments in a Telegraph article. And the Times Of India, a leading newspaper, cites the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2010 and compares (under the not so subtle caption – “how others secured their future“) the duration of compulsory education implemented by countries worldwide.
According to the news item, the total requirement for implementation works out to a whopping USD 38 billion. India’s GDP (@market prices, estimated value) for 2009-10 stands at USD 1.4 trillion with a 7.2% rate of growth. More than a million new teachers need to be hired and trained while about 0.75 mn existing teachers need to get certified.
Basically, Indian education has a large problem. The largeness of the problem is shared by other areas such as healthcare in terms of sheer numbers and the infrastructure to manage these large numbers. But India has also an extremely large manpower advantage in the first half of this century, which if utilized well, can really boost its place in the global scenario.


Special education is the process of making educational provision to meet special needs of children which cannot be satisfied by the present arrangements available in ordinary schools
Provides for the unique needs of each child
Provides for individual attention to each child
Develops basic living skills for personal independence
Provides a variety of experiences to the child according to age and functional level
Provides a structured learning programme for the child in accord with his deficit skills
Enables the child to gain social, emotional, and intellectual development
Conducted for the child by especially trained teachers certified in special education
Arranges for professionals to assist the child if needed
Identifies problems of children and suggest ways and means to manage them
Helps and guides parents
"Specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage.
Learning disability refers to a group of disorders that affect a broad range of academic and functional skills including the ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason and organize information. Learning disability is not included in the PWD Act, 1995. It is a commonly found problem in school children.
The specific types of learning disabilities are:
Dyslexia is a reading-based learning disability, which results in children having difficulty with word recognition and decoding print. They may have difficulty identifying and comprehending words from a book or with spelling.
Dysgraphia is a writing disability, which means a child may not have the complex set of motor and information processing skills to be able to write his or her own thoughts down on a piece of paper. They struggle with writing complete and grammatically correct sentences, and often have poor handwriting.
Dyscalculia refers to a wide range of lifelong learning disabilities involving math. There is no single type of math disability. Dyscalculia can vary from person to person. And, it can affect people differently at different stages of life. Dyscalculia is a math-based learning disability, which results in your child having trouble recognizing numbers and symbols and understanding basic math concepts. For older students, they often have issues related to reasoning.
Dysphasia (or, as this learning disorder is also commonly referred to, aphasia) is a learning disorder marked by impaired ability to speak and to comprehend speech. Some dysphasic students have trouble naming certain objects, while others have a complete lack of speech. Testing for dysphasia often involves evaluating a student’s ability to speak with some level of fluency, to comprehend spoken words, to repeat words that have been spoken, and to name selected objects. Children who suffer from language-based disorders such as aphasia, dysphasia or global aphasia have a hard time expressing themselves using words as well as understanding spoken or written language.
Dysnomia is a learning disability where the affected person cannot remember words correctly. Dysnomia symptoms are not clear-cut as they overlap with those of other common learning and development disorders. Dysnomia is a word finding problem. People with Dysnomia often have an auditory memory problem. They are than not able to remember what they hear. Some have a problem with remembering what they see or experience.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also called dyspraxia, is a neuro-developmental condition which means it is part of the make-up of the brain. It is characterized by specific difficulties with coordination, motor planning and motor control which can affect any or all movements, including those required for speech (verbal dyspraxia). Dyspraxia is a disorder that affects motor skill development. People with dyspraxia have trouble planning and completing fine motor tasks.


Royal Conservatory of Music research showed that the brains of musically trained individuals had more grey matter, had stronger neural connections, higher IQ, better memory, better attention, and better motor coordination.
Benefits of music education included
- improved language abilities
- increased emotional resilience
- increased empathy
- increased attention span and focus
- increased self-confidence
These are some great reasons to advocate for music instruction in public schools. Keep the music programs going! There’s plenty of research to show this is a good idea.
Royal Conservatory of Music Paper on the Benefits of Music Education https://rcmusic-kentico-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/rcm/media/main/documents/about%20us/rcm_musiceducation


- from Leonardo da Vinci
Artist, engineer, scientist, inventor, musician—Leonardo da Vinci did it all. And he did it well.
As a painter, he created the Mona Lisa. It’s the most famous artwork in the world. As an inventor, he made sketches of tanks, planes, submarines, and helicopters. Yet those machines weren’t actually made until centuries after his death. Leonardo was highly skilled in architecture, sculpture, biology, botany, anatomy, geology, optics, and city planning. He’s been called one of the greatest thinkers and creators of all time. Those who knew him said he sang beautifully and was a fine musician. And that’s not all—people said he was kind, generous, and charming.
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in or near the town of Vinci, in central Italy (da Vinci means “from Vinci”). Not much is known about his early life. His father’s elderly parents brought him up. He probably had only an elementary education.
So, how did this son of a peasant woman and a law clerk grow up to be a brilliant man and one of the world’s top artists? Read on.


A recent longitudinal research study led by Tutrang Nguyen, School of Education, University of California at Irvine found preschool numeracy abilities to be the strongest predictors of later mathematics achievement, with advanced counting competencies more predictive than basic counting competencies.
The research team, including members from the University of Denver and Florida’s Saint Leo University, set out to investigate whether the kind of mathematical knowledge promoted by the various pre-established standards documents such as the National Research Council Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity actually predict later mathematics achievement.
The study focused on associations between preschool mathematical competencies and mathematics achievement at the fifth grade level. Specific domains cited in standards set forth by state and national panels, such as early geometry, patterning and measurement, spatial thinking, and data skills were examined…as well as counting and numeracy competencies. Many of these domains were significantly predictive of later achievement, indicating that children may rely on multiple domains of early mathematics knowledge as they progress through the grades. However, the researchers found that counting and numeracy skills – especially advanced counting skills – were most predictive of later math success.
Summarizing the study, the researchers write “our results imply that understanding the principles of counting beyond mere rote memorization may give students an advantage when they encounter more difficult mathematics later in school.” Preschool-aged children “need to be deliberately supported through classroom instruction with focused time and practice to foster their mathematical development.” Counting strategies in appropriate games can help facilitate learning both at home and in school, the study found.
Children from low-SES backgrounds were a primary focus of the research. Assessing basic competencies as children start school can help researchers and educators identify children likely to struggle with math so that more services can be targeted toward those children. If strong predictors can be successfully targeted by teachers early in school, “then perhaps the education system can prevent at-risk children from falling further behind,” the study concludes. With “strong theoretical reasons to believe these skills are important, then we may be able to design interventions to teach these skills.”


No Copies, No Prep Work
Brought to you by One of Long Island, New Yorks MOST successful Preschools.
Proven by Teachers, Children and Parents to help children learn and grow.
All of the Drawn2Learn Learning Programs DO NOT REQUIRE dittos or copies to be made and little to no prep work for our teachers.
Children will embrace letter writing and recognition, identify and draw shapes, numbers and pictures.
The Drawn2Learn teacher guide will help teachers direct the children with the tools necessary for further educational success and how to develop the skills of cutting, pasting and crafting.
Our Mindfulness portion of each lesson will allow children to develop the tools necessary to focus, boost self-esteem, learn the power of choice, empathy, kindness and gratitude.
This amazing way of teaching allows children to learn that making a mistake is how we all learn and grow.
Lessons incorporate STEAM into each lesson as well as fine and large motor skill development games.
Our Teacher Guides Include:
A complete 10 month Lesson Plan with EXTRA FILL-IN ACTIVITIES ALL YEAR LONG!
- Prepared Teacher Lesson plans
- Room set up guide
- Along with a time table of events
- Songs and Fingerplays
- Craft Ideas
- Shapes and Colors – Writing and Recognition
- Letter Recognition and Writing lessons
- Weekly mindfulness exercises
- Games, songs, breathing exercises
- Self regulation skills for emotional growth.
- Sharing techniques
- Positive affirmations, Acceptance and Kindness crafts
- Experiments, and Nature
- Suggested reads
- Holiday craft ideas, songs, finger plays and Games.
- Indoor and Outdoor Color Matching Games
- GAMES: All within the Children’s Drawn2Erase Workbooks and Teacher Guide.
Children will use their fine and large motor skills to join in on fun games, mindfulness exercises, finger plays and math games.
- Sensory Wall and Bin Lessons
- Fire Safety lessons
- Dental Hygiene Lesson
- Spanish/English Speaking Lessons
- Earth Day Lesson
- Election Day Voting games and learning
- Party Ideas for almost any celebration
- Tips and Ideas for an Amazing Graduation or Moving Up Ceremony!


About eight-in-ten Latino children face at least one difficult childhood experience and have fewer resources for nutrition, exercise and early childhood learning, especially pre-K, according to a report by Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. These early roadblocks affect future health and personal development, but researchers say there are solutions that work.
The study, released Tuesday is “a comprehensive research review on what is the current state of early Latino childhood development,” said Rosalie Aguilar, project coordinator for Salud America! and an author of the new research review.
Around 78 percent of Latino kids face at least one adverse childhood experience, which can include poverty, divorce, neglect, abuse or even violence.
“That number was really high and that was quite surprising to see,” Aguilar said.
These experiences have a profound effect on the development of children and can lead to health problems like obesity, anxiety, and aggression.
Learning about the long term impacts that this has on health outcomes such as heart disease, obesity and even cancers were an eye opener for Aguilar.
When it comes to health, researchers say part of the problem is that Latino children tend to live in neighborhoods with less access to healthy foods. They also have limited spaces where they can be active, like parks and recreational facilities.
On the educational front, many Latino children are not on par with their peers when they begin kindergarten. Around 40 percent live in “child care deserts” with few preschools. And largely due to lack of access and because of costs, only 42 percent of Latino kids attend preschool, which makes them unprepared when they begin Kindergarten.
“We actually did find in our research that spending on education that goes towards early childhood development is really important and it seems that there is only room for improvement,” Aguilar said. Only 14 percent of funding toward education goes toward early childhood.
The good news is that there are solutions that mitigate many of the setbacks that young Latinos face.
On the education front, the study found that for every dollar spent on early childhood education, there is a $7 return on investment.
“We really do believe that by working early on to impact the education of these children and to stimulate their minds, we can start seeing some great returns on investment,” Aguilar said.
Other solutions that communities can promote to increase kids' well-being is access to "medical homes" or community health centers that provide care from birth to adulthood, as well as expanded access to good grocery stores and farmers' markets in Latino neighborhoods. Another tool is to encourage access to parks and childhood spaces.
In addition, home visits by qualified health professionals and early childcare from birth to age 5 that is stimulating and educational improves a child's chances of better physical and educational attainment.


Updated: Sep 26, 2020
developmental learning is...
Mr Rodgers was a pioneer in early childhood learning And an inspiration to many Kindermusik educators. From his use of music and pretend play to his understanding of trauma and inclusion to his pioneering work in the virtual work (that is tv). He lead the way and we follow.
Below I have some interesting stuff...
X-ray comparison of hands in different stages of development
the reason this is important is because a child’s body & brain especially under 3 has a lot of development to do!! it matters what skills are taught and when- it’s a process. So although we explore pianos and other adult instruments we do not teach traditional sit for a half hour classes to children under 5 (actually 8 is a better time to start). Instead we move our whole bodies around the room, move our hands & fingers in all kinds of ways, pretend, learn impulse control, and yes explore the pianos but also a bunch of other instruments too.
And just because an instrument is designed for smaller hands doesn’t mean you can’t express your skills.
Check out this young man‘s mad skills but on a developmentally appropriate ukulele instrument.
Again a couple of reminders of what Kindermusik’s developmental approach can do...
If you want them to do it... do it with them because imitation is the highest form of flattery- and it’s one of the ways children (especially babies) learn.
Rituals and routines help provide stability, predictability, make connections, and practice skills
social skills are learned through doing it’s like on the job training
Music is perhaps the original language of the brain. And it helps with all language development from sounds to vocabulary to grammar to expression.
Music has a long history of helping children learn to practice, handle direction, and take pride in their accomplishments.
The arts also help with emotional awareness, empathy, and expression.
Our group and relationship based instruction teach the give & take of so much of our human experience.
We link music with another basic tool of the human body... movement! Movement of the smallest and the largest parts of the body and their link to the brain.
And when all those little muscles and senses and brain connections come together we create. We create song, dance, sport, story, invention, ideas.


Embed Books Across the Curriculum with Read, Write, Count
Read, Write, Count is a national campaign to improve literacy and numeracy skills, which includes a gifting programme for P2-3 children with books, numeracy and writing resources included in their own Read, Write, Count bag. The books are specially chosen to help support cross-curricular learning, making them an excellent tool if you're trying to build a reading culture in your P2 or P3 class. This resource provides tips and ideas for before, during and after gifting to help you harness the potential of the bags and integrate them into your wider reading journey.
Authors Live is a series of world class children’s author and illustrator events brought directly to your classroom, library or home for free, live on the web. It's a fantastic tool if you're trying to get children and young people more engaged with reading. This resource provides tips and ideas for before, during and after the broadcast to help you harness the potential of Authors Live and integrate it into your wider reading journey.


Mario Paci was a well-known Italian pianist and conductor in the early 20th century. He is one of the most important contributors to the development of Western classical music in China. Paci was born in Florence on June 4, 1878 and came to Shanghai in December 1918 to give a piano recital. Because of his successful performance, the Municipal Council Government of the Shanghai International Settlement engaged him to revitalize the city’s orchestra. From 1919 Paci served as conductor of the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra (now the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra), a position he held for 23 years until 1942, when the occupying Japanese took control of city’s cultural organizations. Paci was also a renowned piano teacher; he taught piano to many Chinese students from his arrival until his death in Shanghai on August 3, 1946.
Mario Paci devoted the golden years of his career to Shanghai. He elevated the playing level of the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra to unprecedented heights, and under his tenure the orchestra became known as “the best orchestra in the Far East." Paci’s contributions to the development of Western classical music in Shanghai are so significant that this period is sometimes known as “the Paci Era.”
The presence of Paci and the Municipal Orchestra made Shanghai the center of China’s burgeoning Western classical music scene in the first half of the 20th century. Beginning in 1925, Paci insisted that Chinese should be allowed to attend the Municipal Orchestra’s concerts. Beginning in 1927 he permitted Chinese musicians to join the all foreigners’ orchestra; Tan Shuzhen, Huang Yijun, Chen Youxin, Xu Weilin, and many others became the first generation of Chinese orchestra musicians. In the 1930s, Paci began to invite Chinese soloists to collaborate with the orchestra, including Ma Sicong, Dong Guangguang. He also premiered and recorded the first symphonic composition ever written by the Chinese composer Huang Zi.
Paci also made many important contributions to music education. Because of the presence and excellence of the orchestra, Chinese music educator Xiao Youmei decided to found the national music school in 1927 under the support of Cai Yuanpai which is now the Shanghai Conservatory. Many of Paci’s own students, including Fu Cong, Zhou Guangren, Wu Yili, Wu Leyi, Dong Guangguang, and Yang Jiaren, among others, went on to become the first generation of Chinese pianists, conductors, and music educators.
Paci lived and worked in Shanghai for 27 years. His influence on the development of Western classical music performance and professional music education in China is great and profound. The year 2016 is the 70th anniversary of Paci’s death. To mark this anniversary and commemorate Paci’s contributions to music in Shanghai, this exhibition has been jointly organized by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and Stanford University. The exhibition was presented in the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall in October 2016.