Voices From the Field
Reading and Writing About the World, Ourselves, and Others
The publication Voices From the Field contains personal essays written by returned Peace Corps Volunteers, accompanied by standards-based language arts lesson plans and workshops that
- Stengthen students' reading comprehension and writing skills.
- Engage and inspire students to respond to the text and create original narratives
- Broaden students' perspectives on the world and themselves.
Read the full introduction to Voices, which explains how the book is organized and how best to use it. This publication is only available on the World Wise Schools website.
Reflections on the Peace Corps
- "At Home in the World," by Bill Moyers (pdf–153 KB)
Heroes and Friends
- "I Had a Hero," by Mike Tidwell (Central Africa: Zaire/Congo)
- "'Magic' Pablo," by Mark Brazaitis (Central America: Guatemala)
- "Cross-Cultural Dialogue," by Roz Wollmering (West Africa: Guinea-Bissau)
- "On Sunday There Might Be Americans," by Leslie Simmonds Ekstrom (West Africa: Nigeria)
No Easy Answers
- "Ilunga's Harvest," by Mike Tidwell (Central Africa: Zaire/Congo)
- "The Talking Goat," by John Acree (West Africa: Liberia)
- "The Extra Place," by Susan Peters (Central Europe: Poland)
- "A Single Lucid Moment," by Robert Soderstrom (Oceania: Papua New Guinea)
The Appendix (pdf–207 KB) contains background information on the Understanding by Design educational framework, as well as reading comprehension strategies, tips on the use of journals, a list of references cited in Voices From the Field, credits, and acknowledgments.
Download Voices From the Field
Download Voices from the Field as a pdf file here. (pdf–2.3 MB)


Find Ginyanga literacy development: a survey of attitudes and strategies on the new SIL International website.
SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2008-020
Ginyanga literacy development: a survey of attitudes and strategies
This paper presents results of a sociolinguistic survey of language attitudes concerning the Ginyanga language (Guang language family) of Togo. The survey was designed to determine a strategy for possible Ginyanga literacy development.
Community and individual interviews were used to investigate contact patterns between Gikyode and Ginyanga speakers, Ginyanga speakers’ reported attitudes toward Gikyode, and their attitudes toward the development of their own language. General information concerning population, language use in the Ginyanga language area, and current literacy efforts was also gathered.
Results were used to consider three possible literacy development scenarios: 1) the prospect of the Anyanga using Gikyode materials as they are, 2) the possible standardization of Gikyode and Ginyanga, or 3) the establishing of a CARLA (Computer Aided Related Language Adaptation) project for literacy development.
The survey shows that there is frequent contact between Ginyanga and Gikyode language speakers. Anyanga attitudes toward both the Gikyode language and ethnic group are not negative and reported attitudes toward the development of their own language are positive. Based on the results of the survey, efforts for the standardization of Gikyode and Ginyanga are recommended.
|Ginyanga literacy development: a survey of attitudes and strategies|


The decade of the 1950s in the United States can seem eerily familiar to us now. It was also a period of unparalleled prosperity for most Americans, a time when America seemed the unquestionable master of the world. Americans showed little interest in international affairs or in politics generally, preferring to live comfortably in their suburbs, to upgrade their cars and other possessions regularly, and to enjoy the continual display of sports and entertainment on their television sets.
When it comes to issues of education, what we are hearing today also recalls the Fifties. At the beginning of that decade, there was harsh criticism of the “progressive approach” that had seeped its way into elementary education. The historian Arthur Bestor blasted American schools in his much-cited Educational Wastelands (1953), and Rudolf Flesch seized the attention of millions of concerned citizens with his explanations in Why Johnny Can’t Read (1955). Today we read analogous denunciations—by polemicists such as Lynne Cheney—of “whole language” approaches to teaching reading and “fuzzy” approaches to the teaching of mathematics. In 1957, the quality of American education was thrown into further doubt by the unexpected launching of Sputnik; today, anxiety is raised by the poor test performances of American children when compared to children in Europe and East Asia.
A far more obscure incident in American education occurred in 1955. That year, Milton Friedman, a rising star among American economists, wrote an essay entitled “The Role of Government in Education” (more widely circulated in his 1962 volume Capitalism and Freedom). Reflecting a widespread view among academics about the generally mediocre quality of American public education, Friedman contended that the schools, sluggish and monopolistic, were inherently incapable of reforming themselves. Friedman called for the opening of education to market forces. If energized groups of citizens were given access to public funds, he argued, they would establish schools that were distinctive and that embraced high standards. Competition among the new schools would serve to elevate their overall level and also stimulate the remaining public schools to reform themselves or risk oblivion. The upshot would be a healthier society, and, not coincidentally, profits for the most enterprising. A half-century before its time, Milton Friedman had written a charter for the changing educational landscape that we are witnessing in America today.
Nearly thirty years later, in 1983, a presidential commission on education issued a deservedly influential report called “A Nation at Risk.” Chairman David Gardner, then at the University of Utah, and his fellow commissioners argued that American public schools were mediocre at best, and in too many cases, disgraceful. They indicted curriculums that were unchallenging and covered too many subjects too superficially. They drew sharp and unfavorable comparisons with the sober, hard-working, high-achieving students in other industrialized countries, both in Europe and in East Asia. In an apt if somewhat hyperbolic passage, the panel declared, “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have …
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Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics
Baldwin City Campus
As a major in mathematics, you will use logical reasoning, problem solving and complex situational analysis as you develop the skills to succeed in a variety of fields. Mathematics provides tools used by scientists to explore the universe, used by engineers to design devices that shape our society and used by scientists and engineers to describe their results and designs.
To understand our society and help shape its future, one must understand the influence of science and technology. This requires understanding mathematics and its uses.
A fundamental component of a liberal arts education, mathematics is an important ingredient of many careers in science, engineering and technology. You can also work closely with advisers from the Department of Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics and the Department of Education to pass on this necessary skill to future generations. Baker offers teacher licensure in math at the middle and secondary levels, and math composes a portion of the elementary education degree.


MagniS Perceptual Trainer Short Description:
Educational, Game boosting Memory, Attention, concentration, maths, Logic
MagniS Perceptual Trainer Long Description:
What is MagniSmart?
MAGNISMART is a resourceful and stimulating activity for children and produces phenomenal results in enhancing the fundamental skills of reading, writing, spelling and mathematics. It is both fun and easy to use for teachers and students.
5 sections, 20 games
150+ Movable characters, Great graphics
Letters. Arrows, Shapes, Numbers
Large help menu
How can MagniSmart Help?
MAGNISMART uses a multi-sensory and logical approach with systematic exercises which are introduced in stages.
Academic skills such as reading and writing require a myriad of foundation skills which begin to structure themselves from birth. The Magnismart Activities and Games attempt to exercise the perceptual skills necessary for Literacy and Math. These neurological pathways, unfortunately only establish themselves if they are exercised or stimulated. It is essential that the foundational skills are established before the formal instruction of reading and writing to prevent learning difficulties.
The magnets used on the three tiered work board are appealing to young children and the skills are taught through exercises, which are perceived to be games, children are therefore learning through play.
The software programme Perceptual Trainer is very popular amongst students and is based on the same concept, the graphics and the three tiered grid are the same, but eliminates the kinesthetic or tactile aspect of using the magnets on the grid. Special Offer Available Now The best results are using an interactive approach between the two systems.
Coloured arrows are introduced before the abstract form of graphics (letters) to set the foundation and expectations upon which all other skills are built.
Unique to the MAGNISMART programme, is the work board with the three tiered grid. The vocabulary associated in using the spacing and positioning on this grid orientates and facilitates the pupil in conceptualizing the sizing, position and placing of letters, numbers and later words.
The trial sample produced excellent results.
It has therefore been decided to copyright this grid system to ensure protection.
When should the Magnismart Program be introduced?
Ideally the program should begin at the pre-school level where the fundamental or pre-reading/writing/arithmetic skills are introduced. The software programme may be used at any stage as it is designed to enhance and stimulate memory and vital perceptual skills.
It is accepted that pupils who are slow to make progress in reading and spelling and later develop learning problems can be attributed to the fact that they were not ready when formal instruction of reading and later spelling were first introduced.
MAGNISMART may also be used as a part of a support programme for students who encounter difficulties in learning to read, to spell or are slow to grasp number concepts. There is a manual available for parents to encourage parental involvement in their childrens education.


The Best Start Kindergarten assessment helps teachers identify the literacy and numeracy skills of each student at the beginning of Kindergarten.
The assessment helps teachers develop effective learning programs to build upon what students currently know.
Each child's achievement and progress in class is assessed by their teacher(s). Teachers use a variety of ways to assess their students including observing their work in class and looking closely at the work they produce. They make assessments of their students' progress throughout the year.
Teachers will also make judgements twice a year of each student's achievement compared with the expectations described in each key learning area (KLA) syllabus. In Years 1-6, their judgements are made on a 5 point achievement scale, using A-E or the word descriptors; Outstanding, High, Sound, Limited and Basic. Schools have the option to use either A-E or these words.
The written report to each child's parents provided by each school twice a year, will also include a written comment with strengths and areas for improvement for all KLAs. Kindergarten students' progress will be reported through the descriptions provided by teachers in their comments.
The policy in public schools for Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents, K-12 is on the DET policies website.
The expectations for each learning stage (Early stage 1, Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3) are summarised in the NSW Board of Studies Foundations Statements. The Board of Studies provides information about assessing and reporting student achievement in each KLA against the common A-E scale through the Assessment Resource Centre.
Reporting software is available for schools whose testing authority is the NSW Department of Education and Communities through the School Measurement and Reporting Toolkit (SMART).


The children will be exposed to a comprehensive phonics instruction program that is effective for the students and just plain fun!! The publishers at Hampton-Brown have developed wonderful instructional materials for the early childhood classroom. The program entitled Phonics and Friends, easily transitions students from phonics to literacy.
The program builds phonemic awareness, introduces sound-letter association, models decoding strategies and helps build emergent reading skills. The program also provides a wide range of strategies for meeting individual needs as well as user- friendly assessment tools for the teacher. To build phonemic awareness the program includes sing along songs, Big Books and CD's. To introduce sound-letter association, 26 letter Rhyme Cards are provided. The front side of the card is a memorable rhyme and the backside demonstrates letter formation. To model decoding strategies, 26 Big Phonics Storybooks are provided. The Storybooks include predictable, patterned text with many words representing the target sound and letter with fun characters in a delightful story. To build emergent reading skills the program has 26 Sound and Letter Packs, each pack containing six copies of the Phonics Storybook in small format. The children try out newly acquired phonics skills in these leveled pattern books. The stories promote instant recognition of high-frequency words. A Sing-Along Song and Story Tape with Picture Word Cards are also included.
St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary School has always maintained high academic standards for their curriculum and provides the best quality instructional materials to meet these standards. Reviews are conducted regularly of the school's instructional materials in all subject areas. It gives us great pride to strive to provide the most innovative and challenging programs available.


We talk a lot about literacy here. The ability to read and write. Math literacy. Science literacy. But what does it mean to be artistically literate? A document issued last week by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards takes a stab at this question.
The coalition has drafted a framework for forthcoming arts education standards. And one of the central issues it tackles is defining artistic literacy. At the heart of it is a belief in the need to "do" art, or to make it.
"Artistic literacy is the knowledge and understanding required to participate authentically in the arts," the document says. "While individuals can learn about dance, media, music, theatre, and visual arts through reading print texts, artistic literacy requires that they engage in artistic creation processes directly through the use of materials (such as charcoal or paint or clay, musical instruments or scores...) and in specific spaces (concert halls, stages, dance rehearsal spaces, arts studios and computer labs)."
The framework identifies four fundamental "creative practices" for the arts: imagination, investigation, construction, and reflection. And as you might imagine, it makes the case that these activities come in handy not just in artistic enterprises, but in plenty of other realms, such as math and science.
In the forthcoming arts standards, these four creative practices are "a springboard and bridge for the application of the artistic practices" across disciplines.
The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards is composed of nine arts and education organizations working to develop a "next generation of voluntary, research-based arts education standards" that build upon an earlier set created in 1994. Those organizations are the:
• American Alliance for Theatre and Education;
• Arts Education Partnership;
• College Board;
• Educational Theatre Association;
• National Association for Music Education;
• National Arts Education Association;
• National Dance Education Organization;
• State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education; and
• Young Audiences.
Scott Jones, a senior associate at the Arts Education Partnership, a member of the coalition, highlighted a few things for me over email about the framework to help better contextualize and understand this work.
First, unlike the earlier voluntary standards, he said the new ones are "designed to provide teachers and school leaders with concrete guidance on how to authentically assess arts learning." To that end, "sample cornerstone assessments" will be embedded within them, he noted. The framework notes something we've all heard often: "If [something] is not assessed, it will likely be regarded as unimportant." And so these sample model cornerstone assessments will be provided throughout the standards to illustrate the type of evidence needed to show attainment of learning. Such assessments are "embedded" in the curriculum rather than external standardized tests that "drop in," the framework notes. They're intended to engage students in applying knowledge and skills in "authentic and relevant contexts."
Second, Jones said the standards writers are mindful of not creating the arts standards "in a vacuum." Rather, NCCAS is working with the College Board and many of its partners to ensure the standards reflect work being done in other disciplines, especially the Common Core State Standards. (For more on the intersections of the arts with the Common Core, check out this recent EdWeek story.
Third, he said the standards will include a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to express oneself, skills that "support educational goals outside the arts classroom."
In addition to defining artistic literacy and outlining the creative arts practices, the framework document guides readers through the historical context for arts education and standards and the foundational research and philosophical basis for the work, notes a press release issued last week.
The framework promises that the standards are designed to serve the "eminently practical purpose" of improving teaching and learning in the arts. They also are being written "with one eye on the realities faced by our nation's ... school districts in the 21st century. Key among those realities is increased attention to accountability for instruction and the outcomes [that] should be expected of instruction in the arts."
You can finds lots more information about the arts-standards project here.
A public draft of the standards is expected to be issued in June.


- Part I: Severed Ears
- Part II: Getting the Teams Wrong
- Part III: Fun With Memorization
- Part IV: Opinion vs. Fact
- Part V: Misinterpreting Research
- Part VI: The Homestretch
In the comments, TMAO defines BL as "balance of phonics instruction, instructional reading, authentic reading at an independent level, vocabulary instruction, comprehension skill development, response and H.O.T. development, and finally writing."
I think many teachers would agree with this definition. But, I think it includes things that are typically included in any good phonics program (vocab, comprehension, reading of authentic texts reading at an independent level, response and H.O.T.) and doesn't sufficiently specify the all important interplay between phonics, intructional reading, and use of authentic texts which determine whether the program is really phonics or whole language.
Anyway, I want to write about this later this week, but for now I'd like to hear how others, especially early reading teachers, define Balanced Literacy.
Anyway, onto Part I of the Reading Wars.


Free Uniforms and School bags:
Provision of free and compulsory Primary Education to all children up to 14 years of age is one of the Directive Principles of state Policy of the Constitution of India according to Article 45.Most importantly, the National policy on Education has given unqualified priority for achieving UEE by shifting the central thrust from mere enrolment to all three dimension of UEE namely enrolment, retention and quality in learning. In line with the constitutional directive, the successive plan of both the center and the individual state have given overriding priority for Universalisation of Elementary education subsequently, such plan efforts have resulted in some improvement in access at primary level.
Poverty and economic deprivation are those factors that are responsible for children’s non-participation in school. Those factors demand special governmental interventions to promote better participation of such children. Increased access to the schooling facility has increased number of children from even lower income families. Their retention in schools until compulsory stage depends upon effective programmes like mid day meal scheme, free supply of school uniform, text books, regular health check up etc,.
The main Objectives of distribution of Uniforms is :
- To provide free and compulsory education to all children up to age of 14 yrs.
- To retain the children enrolled in the schools until compulsory stage.
- To bring equality among all children in the schools.
The scheme of supplying free uniforms to children attending school existed even before independence. However deliberate and concerted efforts to introduce free uniform supply as an incentive system began in the year 1961, when the State Government promulgated the compulsory Primary Education Act.
Free Uniforms are distributed to all boys and girl students from class 1st to 10thstudying in Govt and Govt aided school. Uniforms with different size –size 1 for class 1st and 2nd std boys and girls, size 2 for 3rd and 4th std boys and girls, size 3 for 5th, 6th and 7th std boys and girls, size 4 for 8th,9th and 10th std boys and 8th std girls and next size for class 9th and 10th girls are distributed.


> . . . Copying a drawing that is projected upside down is a good activity
. . .
IS COPYING A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE?
They grow up visually handicapped as compared to those who learn and become
competent under the instruction of a good drawing teacher. If you do not
have an art teacher, you do the best you can. You learn by copying and you
learn from drawing books that give the formulas from drawing experts
who are trying to sell books.
Our brains develop quite differently when we learn to compose flat pictures
from things that are three dimensional than when we merely imitate a
picture. Also, our brains develop quite differently when drawing from
formulas out of drawing books than when learning to figure out our own
conclusions from our own observations and experimentations.
I hope for brains that can think on their own based on their own
observations, experiences, and experiments. I honestly fear a world in
which brains that have been taught to believe in and depend on experts.
Ok, before I start I just wanted to tell Marvin that I respect his thoughts
and ideas. I quite often use his web site to get ideas- thank you, Marvin. I
understand what you say about copying vs. observational drawing, however,
not all students are spatially intelligent. These students need other ways
of learning to draw. Some students find it difficult to know where to start
in an observational drawing, because they caught up in all the details. In
order for these students to enjoy drawing they must experience a sense of
achievement or success. This is where copying comes in. Copying a 2D picture
or drawing is easier than drawing from life. Plus, copying a drawing that is
upside down is a way to shut down the critical side of the brain and
hopefully activate the creative side. The goal is for the student to feel
confident about his or her work. Once confidence is built then you can move
on to observation of real life.
I am an artist and a certified art educator. I was a self-taught copier
until high school. I copied anything that interested me. It was the only way
I knew to be artistic. Was this wrong? No, it was not. It was a huge part of
my art education. Throughout school I was considered a talented artist. In
high school I was introduced to observational drawing and my realistic
drawing abilities greatly improved. In college, observational drawing was
extremely important, but we also went to the Museum of Fine arts weekly to
copy from the Masters.
Observational drawing may the preferred way to teach drawing skills but
please do not discriminate against copying. It does have its place in art
education. Having said that I tell my high school students who are serious
about improving their artistic abilities to draw, draw and draw some more


Have The Franklin Institute come visit you!
We bring our signature brand of science to you with hands on science activities for kids, bringing you engaging activities designed specifically with elementary and middle school kids in mind. These Traveling Science assemblies provide fun science experiments for kids, complete with interactive learning that creates infectious enthusiasm that spills over into the classroom!
Many exciting topics are covered in the Franklin Institute’s traveling science programs. Developed with support from NASA, Eye to Sky teaches you all about astronomy and how our eyes can see things from light-years away. The Scientific Method puts you into the mind of a scientist to learn the thought patterns responsible for so many amazing discoveries. Experience the training that is used to prepare astronauts for space exploration with the Life in Space show.
The Franklin Institute also provides traveling science shows for kids age 3 to 5. These special preschool shows provide fun science education activities about lights and colors, water, motion, and gravity.
Traveling Science events, presented by Sunoco, Inc., are ideal for schools, scout events, parties, community events, and any other occasion that calls for some interactive and fun science for kids. The Traveling Science shows also serve as a perfect supplement for in-class science education.
You’ve visited us, now it’s time we pay you a visit!
Energize your students with science! We bring exciting hands-on, engaging science fun to your school, with programs both large and small.
Choose from these specially-designed programs for ages 3 to 5, featuring song, dance, puppetry, and hands-on activities.
Maximize the educational value of your Traveling Science Show and find out about discount opportunities.


With all the budget cuts and art-hating affecting schools so drastically, kids get an average of 2 1/2 minutes of art education per week, with 2 of those minutes spent cleaning up.
Adults need to step up and fill in a lot of these gaps where our children are being cheated. To help you ensure that the special child in your life learns some of the basic rules of art-making, I have prepared a little guide. (Homeschooling parents: feel free to use this as part of your curriculum.)
1. Always lead in with praise. When your kid brings home a finished project for your perusal, they’ll expect you to hang it on the refrigerator, so throw them a bone. Hang it for the afternoon, then you can start correcting it when they go to bed.
2. It’s important to be thorough, but not overly harsh when correcting each mistake. They need to know they’ve done something wrong, but still feel free enough to use their imagination to correct the mistake.
3. Kids need to learn that line quality is king. If their drawings are all shaky and not well-placed, their drawing will fail, and no one will take them seriously. I like to use this catchy acronym when teaching this concept to my kids: MS. DLOYWF or, make strong deliberate lines or you will fail.
4. Color choices. They need to be shrewd and really bring their drawings to life through their color schemes. Nothing says amateur faster than misuse of complementary colors- or worse- overuse of tertiary colors! KWIM?
5. Composition is king. Time and time again, these kids don’t pay attention to how their subject matter fills and interacts with the space, and they simply must put more forethought into these decisions. It makes me sick when I see- yet again- a drawing of a cute little puppy- crammed onto the left side of the paper. The white space will swallow your subject up, people! Not cool.
6. Making the drawing isn’t enough. Kids should realize that they will have to not only explain the reasoning and intentions behind their drawings, they’ll also need to defend those choices to critics. Urge them to really delve into their subconscious to discover the driving forces behind their art-making.
I hope this has helped even a little bit with helping to hone your children’s art skills. Sometimes it’s tough to be the one to point out their shortcomings, but after all, you are your children’s first, and most important teacher.


Technology is everywhere in our lives these days and it’s finally becoming integrated with education as well. Sharing with us today is Eugene Cantera of the Dallas School of Music, Inc.
Technology in Music Education
Now more than ever music educators have the opportunity to expand the horizons of the profession.
I recently read a blog that argued ‘technology in music education can never replace the care and nurturing of a great educator’.
That’s like saying ‘the microwave oven will never replace an executive chef’. It’s an invalid argument and moot point at best. The microwave will not make anyone a great chef but most all great chefs have one in their kitchen and know how to use it to their advantage. Technology is only as good as those using it – it won’t make a poor teacher any better.
But what technology can do is allow educators to share their thoughts and ideas easier and allow us to reach new markets and encourage more learning at all levels. Technology can create a sense of community among learners and better communication between students, educators, and peers. Technology can also help keep learning materials, practice notes, and digital files neatly organized and accessible 24-7 in one location.
On of the best reasons for adopting
tech in music education is that it gives educators an opportunity to share our expertise with more potential music makers than ever before. And more people playing music and enjoying its benefits means a boost for instrument manufacturers, print music publishers, recording artists, concert halls and yes… teachers both in and outside of the traditional classroom! We believe that more people (especially adults) becoming
interested and involved in music making will undoubtedly lead to more passionate support for the music in our schools.
Technology is here to stay. An entire generation has accepted tech as ‘normal’ and have come to expect tech to be part of nearly every aspect of their lives. As music educators, we need to be open to using technology to present our ideas in current and relevant formats. Let’s not be the last profession to ‘come around’!


Multimedia informational resources have been a boon for learners across disciplines. Witness some of the apps we’ve reviewed: Pyramids 3D, Bobo Explores Light, Al Gore’s Our Choice and Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy.
Now there’s The Orchestra, which brings the sights and sounds of London’s Philharmonia to readers and listeners everywhere. Don’t miss it.
For those who didn’t grow up immersed in orchestral practices, trying to understand the art and its ensembles may seem daunting. Even a seasoned musician may open The Orchestra (Touch Press, $13.99; Gr 3 Up) and wonder, where do I begin, for the options are vast. Starting with the commentary of the conductor, Esa-Pekka Salonen, will give listeners a flavor of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, and open their minds to the complexity of Salonen’s task. His level of thought and his narrative are deep; as the engineer and artistic guide for the orchestra, he speaks at a level suitable for high school or college students. But there is plenty in this app that will have a place with students as young as the elementary grades; for example, the individual showcases for each orchestral instrument.
Each showcase consists of a photo of the instrument that can be enlarged and rotated 360 degrees; a video narration and demonstration of the sounds that instrument produces; a written entry; a “Did You Know?” fact; a keyboard (showing the range of the instrument); and an orchestral excerpt performed by the artist during an ensemble performance. Percussion instruments have touch pads to mimic the sounds made by drums. Many of the musicians’ video narratives are endearing (particularly the brass section, notably Katy Wooley’s French Horn video and Alistair Mackie’s on the trumpet), which make the instruments instantly accessible. This section would be also useful for young people trying to determine which instrument to study, for each video explains the working of the instrument and depicts a musician playing it. The snare drum excerpts are wonderful and worth a special mention.
Continuing through the app, users have a choice of orchestral pieces that highlight specific instruments. Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird are two examples, but the real joy in listening to these pieces comes from the commentaries provided by the musicians and the conductor. There are also opportunities to to listen (with or without full score) to thoughtful conversations amongst orchestral members concerning the expression, technique, and even conducting style while watching the orchestra perform. It is fascinating. When principal flutist Samuel Coles confesses, “I spend whole days practicing flute so that I can forget technique…(in concert)” viewers will gain a new appreciation for the work that goes into creating art.
The text is no less engaging than the audio-visuals. Penned by Mark Swed (chief classic music critic of the L.A. Times), it covers the history of the orchestra, makes suggestions on how to listen to orchestral music and interpret a score. Of special note in the introduction is the mention of El Sistema, the Venezuelan music education program, which has created a moral and social system based on its 125 youth orchestras.
The power of orchestral music is compelling; this app provides unique and rich experiences that can be appreciated by both beginners and professionals.—Pamela Schembri, Newburgh Enlarged City Schools, Newburgh, NY
Eds. note: You’ll hear from the conductor and the musicians on the trailer for this app.
For more app reviews, visit our Touch and Go webpage.


Music is a vital component of humanity and culture, and every human being has an aptitude for music. Music is one of the most accessible and universal languages, spanning all cultures and ages. It is a mode of expression that captures what is inexpressible through words in a meaningful and positive way. Because of this, music education is essential in the school curriculum, teaching students a combination of life skills in a way no other subject can emulate.
As a teacher, I hope to inspire a love for many different types of music in my students, foster critical thinking skills that apply to the music they play and to which they listen, facilitate the acquisition of lifelong learning skills (developing confidence to overcome obstacles, discipline, and basic coordination), and prepare my students to function effectively in groups.
In order to fulfill my philosophy, I hope to incorporate learning through a variety of methods. I will treat each of my students as individuals, tailoring my instruction to their needs. I will try to consistently remain animated and enthusiastic, offering motivation and encouragement rather than constant criticism. Also, I will maintain an organized and stimulating classroom environment. By giving clear, simple instructions (embedded with repetition) and respecting my students, I hope to foster relationships through music. Overall, I will support my students’ musical efforts and emphasize the process more than the product, and through doing so, I hope to dispel an intimidation of music so that students can learn to study music, discover its value, and find it to be fun and meaningful.
During private lessons, I focus on improvement in technique, tone, and expression as a foundation for musical understanding. My goal is to increase students’ appreciation and understanding of musical concepts and performance, inspiring them to become independent musicians.
Tunes for Tots is designed to prepare children to become musical in three ways, according to the First Steps in Music curriculum:
- “Tuneful” – to have tunes in their heads and learn to coordinate their voices to sing those tunes.
- “Beatful” – to feel the pulse of music and how that pulse is grouped in either twos or threes.
- “Artful” – to be moved by music in the many ways music can elicit an emotional response.


NAPLAN is not a test of content. Instead, it tests skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time through the school curriculum. Excessive test preparation using previous tests is not useful.
NAPLAN tests identify whether all students have the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for their learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community. Students are assessed using common national tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
NAPLAN tests broadly reflect aspects of literacy and numeracy common to the curriculum in each state or territory. The types of test formats and questions are chosen so that they are familiar to teachers and students across Australia.
ACARA provides example tests so that teachers and students can get a sense of the ‘look and feel’ of the tests and to understand what types of questions are asked. NAPLAN tests are not tests students can ‘prepare’ for and previous NAPLAN tests are not available on this website. Students should continue developing their literacy and numeracy skills through their school curriculum because the tests contain questions similar to those that are undertaken in regular classroom learning and assessment.
From 2013, practice questions will not be included in any of the Year 7 and 9 tests. Feedback indicates that practice questions for Year 7 and 9 students are unnecessary as these students are already very familiar with the types of questions used in the tests. Practice questions will continue to be included for Year 3 and 5 tests.
Year 3 example NAPLAN tests
Year 5 example NAPLAN tests
Year 7 example NAPLAN tests
Year 9 example NAPLAN tests


Details about Creative Thinking and Arts-Based Learning:
“Why should educators be concerned about creative thought and artistic expression at a time when tough talk about academic standards, teacher accountability, and international ranking on tests dominates the educational scene?” Creative Thinking and Arts Based Learning, Fifth Edition , argues that the ability to think in innovative and productive ways is a survival skill in a world where we are inundated daily with information. The authors’ vision for this book is that it will equip practitioners in the fields of early childhood and elementary education to influence schools and communities to regard the creative processes and artistic products of children’s minds with a new appreciation and respect. In order to achieve this goal, the authors have grounded their content with the very latest theory and research on creative thought and play. They have provided case studies in every chapter where real teachers describe how they have integrated play and the arts into their curriculum. They have included opportunities for self-reflection in their Teachers Reflection feature and their Your Reflections feature. They have offered a collection of self-expressive activities and suggestions for teachers to use that are grounded in child-centered practice. Yet, while encouraging the incorporation of play and the arts, they have also acknowledged the importance of meeting the benchmark standards at the local, state, and national levels through the Meeting the Standards feature in every chapter and the Chapter by Chapter Cross Referenced Appendix of National Standards. New To This Edition: NEW! Provides research, tips, and specific suggestions for diverse learners--In the section on Curriculum Accommodations for Diverse Learners (Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). NEW! Shows how to integrate play and each of the art forms across the curriculum in the easy to read charts throughout the book–Charts are done by content area. NEW! Connects the text to MyEducationLab–Features video clips and artifacts that illustrate the key points. NEW! Includes a Chapter-by-Chapter Cross-Referenced Appendix of National Standards–Shows how and where the content of each chapter meets national standards in the arts, the content areas, and in early childhood teacher education.


NO Hard Study, NO Trying to Remember Anything, and NO Translating Inside Your Head! Learning to speak English or any language used to be hard work, with hard study, trying to remember so many new words and how to say them, a long period of time taking so many really boring lessons, taking a long time to learn very little. That has all changed with iMagicEnglish. This new method is easy and funny, and you will speak and understand English very quickly without any hard study, memorizing or translating! Difficult to believe, but TRUE!
This study of Anglo-American legal discourse is the first comprehensive discourse analysis of American legal language in its prototypical setting, the trial by jury. With ethnographic data gathered in a civil jury trial, the book compares the discourse processing of the legal participants and the lay jurors in the trial.This study, examining an entire trial, finds that it is constraints at the level of a Foucauldian discursive formation that prevent lay understanding.
50 Studies Every Internist Should Know presents key studies that have shaped the practice of internal medicine. Selected using a rigorous methodology, the studies cover topics including: preventative medicine, endocrinology, hematology and oncology, musculoskeletal diseases, nephrology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, cardiology, pulmonology, geriatrics and palliative care, and mental health. For each study, a concise summary is presented with an emphasis on the results and limitations of the study, and its implications for practice.
Computer Classroom at Home: Maths 5 - 6 This title introduces children to Maths concepts, including data and graphs, fractions, angles and problem solving. It includes a full instruction manual. This Australian program will help children practise and improve key learning skills that will assist their understanding of Maths taught in the primary classroom. Features interactive lessons with colourful characters who introduce topics and act as study partners when children need assistance.* Developed from the Primary School Curriculum* Monitors child's progress* Ability to print lesson content
Speak English or What?: Codeswitching and Interpreter Use in New York City Courts
This book presents a study of interpreter-mediated interaction in New York City small claims courts, drawing on audio-recorded arbitration hearings and ethnographic fieldwork. Focusing on the language use of speakers of Haitian Creole, Polish, Russian, or Spanish, the study explores how these litigants make use of their limited proficiency in English, in addition to communicating with the help of professional court interpreters.
Based on the latest research available, INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR, 4e equips students with a clear introduction to the basic principles of learning and behavior. Designed to apply learning theory and principles to the presentation of learning, it vividly illustrates how learning principles work in both animals and people. The authors clearly demonstrate how the study of learning helps solve practical problems, such as improving study skills, improving relationships, raising children, and effectively stopping smoking.
Paul Lancaster & MaryAnn Coull, "Life in the UK Test - Citizenship study guide and audio CD-ROM" Valid for all British citizenship and settlement tests taken from 2 April 2007. Updated to reflect changes in study materials provided by the Home Office. Life in the UK Test: Study Guide is the only book you need to study for the Life in the UK Test. This comprehensive study guide contains everything needed to study for and pass the Life in the UK Test


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Music in early childhood development has long been theorized to have a strong correlation with numerous cognitive functions. It has been proven through many studies of the past century to have a great impact on spatial reasoning, creative ability, and other aspects of cognition. For this reason, music in early childhood development has seen an increase of inclusion in scholastic programs.
The early childhood years, namely birth to the age of six, represent an extremely impressionable time in the ears and minds of young people. The young mind is like a malleable sponge, absorbing any type of information thrown its way and able to be molded in a number of ways. This is not the same as the way that adults process music. Many other disciplines, aside from music, such as language, are much more difficult to learn after the window of childhood closes.
Researchers call the period until age six the music babble stage, deeming it a critical opportunity for music in early childhood development. This is similar to the language babble period and is a chance for the young to unscramble aural images of music and put them into cultural context. The youngest infant who may seem incapable of seemingly simple tasks is even able to identify changes in frequency, melody, and stimuli, suggesting an acuity for music from birth.
In terms of music in early childhood development having an effect on other areas of the brain, there is some research suggesting a truth to this. Many creative regions of the brain overlap, so stimulation by musical development is thought, in turn, to promote healthy development of related cognitive tasks. Intuitively, it also promotes musical ability later in life. This may also work negatively, as negative musical influences can not only prevent development but can also impair baseline ability.
Other research suggests that there is also an academic link between positive exposures to music in early childhood development and success in school. One such study, which examined the self-claimed Mozart Effect, suggested evidence that physical and mental health are positively impacted through music. This impact is illustrated both in children and adults, explaining the creation of many therapeutic programs that associate music into a strategy for individual well-being.
Due to the somewhat intangible nature of studying music in infants and young children, there are always doubters and those who question researchers of the validity of linking music in early childhood development and success in other endeavors. That being said, the overwhelming majority is in support of such early education, genuinely believing in the benefit and trusting the integrity of studies that prove these points. There is little harm that music can do in these early phases of life, giving another substantial reason for the integration of music education into the early years of a person's life.
It is never, ever too early to start introducing children to music. I don't remember when I didn't hear music growing up. My mom had an extensive record collection and played it for us, so I grew up on 50s standards and big band music. I could sing "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" when I was five.
I think music does for small children what nothing else can do. It engages every part of their brains. I mean, think of how many kids learned The Preamble from singing it with the "Schoolhouse Rock" cartoons on Saturday morning! I was singing it was I was four or five, for sure. I also learned grammar, math and history because of that series.
Music should be an integral part of every child's environment.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


Dyslexia Training Program
The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children has been conducting a very successful dyslexia training program, which is a reading intervention program providing phonics instruction to dyslexic children.
For students afflicted by dyslexia, the progress of reading and spelling skills is delayed in spite of instruction. It is believed that three inputs assist reading development in such children:
- a phonetic training program which is highly structured, with strong emphasis on the alphabet
- repetition and drill to make up for verbal memory deficits
- the use of multisensory methods to stimulate mental representations without using language
These qualities are contained in the Dyslexia Training Program, a corrective reading program developed from the Orton Gillingham method.
The Dyslexia Training Program is of two years’ duration, at the end of which dyslexic students have demonstrated much improved reading comprehension and recognition compared to their previous levels. There was no difference in the improvement achieved by students who were given the Dyslexia Training Program live from instructors and those who received it by videotape.
This dyslexia training program, which comes as a video instruction series, has helped thousands of children improve their reading and overcome dyslexia related problems over the past twenty years. This dyslexia training program is best suited to school children in the 2nd to 5th grades.
The dyslexia training program is a two year, comprehensive course that fills in the gap in school districts where a properly trained teacher or a dyslexia therapist is not present. The series provides classroom instruction and an onsite facilitator takes care of individual needs and monitors the progress made in the classroom.
Because of the presence of the facilitator who is trained in dyslexia instruction, the dyslexia training program can be conducted successfully every year irrespective of any changes in the teaching staff.
Structure of dyslexia training program
For students, the training program provides 336 lessons on DVD and instructions by two dyslexia therapists on DVD.
For the staff and educators, the training program provides five training and orientation modules and additional teaching strategies to make the programs more effective.
What the dyslexia training program is about
The program teaches spelling and reading with a particular emphasis on alphabetic code knowledge and phonemic awareness through systematic and direct instructions. The lessons are multisensory and address five components: Phonics, Phonemic awareness, Vocabulary, Fluency and Reading comprehension.
The dyslexia training program consists of daily lesson plans which introduce the students to opportunities and new concepts to practice their skills in Reading, Alphabet knowledge, Spelling, Handwriting and Listening & Reading comprehension.
The dyslexia training program is based on clinical research done by leading educators and clinicians, and continues to be used more and more extensively not only in Texas, the US, but all over the world. The effectiveness of the dyslexia training program has been supported by a study conducted in 1998 by the Journal of Learning Disabilities.
Information on the dyslexia training program and order form are available on the Internet, and supplemental materials and workbooks may also be ordered.
Am I Dyslexic


On October 23rd, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute hosted an event, entitled “Common Core & Curriculum Controversies,” it featured a series of discussions regarding Common Core math myths, Common Core aligned texts, and Common Core implementation. During one session Dr. Tim Shanahan, Professor of Urban Education at the University of Illinois Chicago, noted that most teachers (roughly two-thirds) place students according to reading levels and not grade levels. Furthermore, he elaborated that students’ rankings are often decreased by one or two levels.
Far too often, students are assigned to reading levels that are below their current grade levels and are rarely given the opportunity to catch up with other students who are consistently progressing within the areas of literacy and reading comprehension. Due to this phenomenon, countless students are not offered opportunities to interact with challenging materials and concepts that they may be capable of learning and understanding, because most of them are promoted throughout the years without gaining the necessary basic literacy and reading comprehension skills (for examples, look at the New York City Department of Education, the Saint Louis Public Schools, or a new law in Florida). Ultimately, this practice brings about issues within the spheres of workforce development and education which lead to further problems pertaining to employment.
Students who graduate high school lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills are likely to encounter difficulties when entering the workforce– in fact, many individuals with low literacy skills are more prone to drop out of school prior to graduation. Concerning unemployment, studies show that approximately 27 million American are unable to complete forms necessary for employment, such as job applications. In addition, people with literacy-related deficiencies are more likely to have limited job options and lose their jobs.
Many workforce development and education organizations, while directly assisting individuals with low literacy skills in obtaining employment, are tasked with the responsibility of helping individuals to improve their literacy and reading comprehension skills as a means of helping them to effectively and efficiently join the workforce. Due to funding structures and reporting requirements that emphasize impossibly quick gains, organizations with the goal of catching individuals with low literacy skills up to sufficient literacy levels are finding that their objective is hampered from the start.
In many cases, even when individuals with low literacy skills do obtain jobs, they are often categorized by employers as individuals of lower qualification and skill levels, therefore often earning lower wages. This is partly a result of the fact that individuals with a limited number of qualifications and skills are often hired to perform low-paying jobs that don’t revolve around complexity and skillfulness. Furthermore, in the long run, people with low literacy skills are 16.5 times more prone to rely on welfare and other forms of income support. They are also more likely take on jobs that lack social benefits, to experience more barriers when attempting to exercise socio-economic mobility, and to be victims of poverty. In fact, 43% of adults who live in poverty are of low literacy.
Many of the potential issues that individuals face, in regards to employment, could have been avoided in the early stages of their adolescence. It is no secret that one’s life is often decided for them by their educational placement in elementary, middle, and high school. In order to prevent the future generation from experiencing these reoccurring dilemmas, it is pivotal that parents, teachers, policymakers, and other organizations work together to ensure that every student is able to reach their full potential and showcase their abilities before they are assessed and placed incorrectly.


Scope and Sequence
In this section of the curriculum website you will find some information about how to scope and sequence learning and why developing a scope and sequence is important.
|The breadth and depth of content to be covered in a curriculum at any one time (e.g. week, term, year, over a student’s school life).All that you do in a given period.|
|sequence||The order in which content is presented to learners over time. The order in which you do it.|
|Together a scope and sequence of learning bring order to the delivery of content, supporting the maximising of student learning and offering sustained opportunities for learning. Without a considered scope and sequence there is the risk of ad hoc content delivery and the missing of significant learning.|
The new curriculum framework is a scope of learning. You might want to add to that scope in terms of the worthwhile learning your school wishes to include.
The framework also offers a sequence of learning developed across four bands of development.
The task of schools is to decide which part of the scope of learning happens at what point within a band of development, i.e. what content is for what year level or group of students. Teachers must decide the sequence of the learning within years, courses and units of work.
The scope of learning in a school (all the content to be learned and
experienced) is usually organised into what we call ‘curriculum
organisers’ – e.g. KLAs, or integrated themes.
· Do the ELAs fit into your curriculum organisers?
· Do you need to evaluate your curriculum organisers?
Once there is agreement on appropriate curriculum organisers you need
to map where the ELAs sit. Examples and
templates of different ways to map your curriculum are included
in this section. Doing this ensures that the essential content is embedded
into your school documents and that all areas of learning sit in the
appropriate place in terms of scoping and sequencing learning.
Are the curriculum principles addressed in how you sequence learning?
Having established where the ELAs sit the next step is to look at the essential content for each band of development and year group within your school. The reason this work is important is because much learning depends on prior learning e.g. in order to understand a concept in geography or science it may be that some particular numeracy skills are needed. In order for effective learning to occur, this content must be in the right sequence. This involves careful sequencing across KLAs as well as within them.
Schools approach the process of creating a scope and sequence of learning differently depending on the sector, structure and school size.
Template for Scope and Sequence - Later Adolescence (Word, 177kb)
Template for Scope and Sequence - Primary (Word, 69kb)
Sample of ELA Mapping - Melba High (Word, 774kb)
Sample of ELA Mapping - O'Connor Cooperative School (Word, 755kb)
Sample of ELA Mapping - Torrens Primary (Word, 60kb)


The Resource Centre contains practical material about good teaching and learning in the tertiary sector. The Resources can come from the Communities and Project Groups on the site. The Resources are high-quality, well-presented, evidence-based, and relevant to New Zealand.
Learning Designs and Teaching Strategies includes teaching and learning resources/materials and teaching activities that seek to facilitate learning.
An independent UK inquiry into the strategic and policy implications for higher education of the experience and expectations of learners in the light of their increasing use of the Web 2.0 or Social Web technologies that enable communication, collaboration, participation and sharing.
This Australian project developed an advanced immersive learning environment for engineering students to deepen and enhance their knowledge and understanding of the design, operations and risk management of complex process systems. The environment provides virtual access on the desktop to major industrial operations that serve also for improved industrial operator training.
This pilot study sought to improve the vocational learning and literacy development of learners through the making of their own digital stories. The findings were that digital story telling supports vocational learning and literacy development, reflective conversations encourage deep learning, and collaboration fosters empathy and transformative learning.
This report presents the outcome of an experimental design to investigate the impact of persuasive and affective SMS text messages on students’ self-regulated learning strategies while attending an introductory information systems course, with a focus on supporting Māori and Pacific learners.


This was written by Pedro Noguera, Peter L. Agnew professor of education at New York University.
By Pedro Noguera
While it might seem encouraging for education and civil rights leaders to assert that poverty isn’t an obstacle to higher student achievement, the evidence does not support such claims. Over 50 years, numerous studies have documented how poverty and related social conditions — such as lack of access to health care, early childhood education and stable housing — affect child development and student achievement.
The research never suggests that poor children are incapable of learning or that poverty itself should be regarded as a learning disability. Rather, research suggests that poor children encounter obstacles that often adversely affect their development and learning outcomes.
To ignore this reality and make bold assertions that all children can achieve while doing nothing to address the outside-of-school challenges they face is neither fair nor a sound basis for developing public policy, as I wrote in a recent issue of the Phi Delta Kappan Magazine.
Despite compelling evidence that education policy must at least mitigate the harmful effects of poverty on student achievement and child development, most state and federal policies have failed to do so. However, there is growing awareness among a number of educators, mayors, and policy advocates of the need to do so based on the realization that a great deal can be done to counter the effects of poverty on children’s lives and their education. Mitigation is not the same as solving a problem, but it’s nonetheless an important strategy.
In Newark, N.J., for example, the Broader, Bolder Approach (BBA) reform plan is developing a comprehensive school reform strategy.
Operating in seven schools in Newark’s Central Ward (six kindergarten through 8th-grade schools and one large comprehensive high school), BBA has introduced school-based interventions that are responsive to the issues and challenges.
BBA is working to:
• Expand learning opportunities by providing quality early childhood education and extending the school day;
• Enrich the curriculum through enhanced literacy development in all content areas and greater emphasis on project-based learning;
• Build critical partnerships that will strengthen the capacity of schools to respond to student needs and enable community interests to come together so parents and their allies can hold schools and their leaders accountable for academic outcomes.
The BBA strategy draws on research that suggests a more comprehensive approach is needed to increase academic outcomes for poor students and to improve schools that serve them. Specifically, the BBA strategy aims at combining research-based education strategies with school-based social services, after-school programs and interventions to increase the capacity of schools to respond to issues that are endemic to the social and environmental context, such as the need for health, nutrition, jobs and safety.
The BBA strategy is based on the theory that improving the schools could spur economic development and improve the quality of life for a greater number of residents. Though this proposition has never been tested at such a large scale before, the theory behind BBA is based on the recognition that education is both a cause of many of the problems that plague the city and a potential solution.
BBA seeks to transform schools by creating a series of strategic partnerships between schools, businesses, universities, hospitals, local government and an array of neighborhood-based service organizations.
The BBA strategy also seeks to change how urban public schools typically serve low-income children of color and their families. In many low-income urban communities, complacency, low expectations, disorder and dysfunction are endemic to the public schools. In such schools, failure has been normalized, and change often seems impossible.
American policy makers and reformers must be willing to accept the obvious: School reform efforts can’t ignore the effects of poverty on children’s lives or on the performance of schools. We need a more holistic strategy, one that enables schools that serve the most disadvantaged children to meet their academic and social needs so that they can overcome a track record of failure.
As promising as it is, the BBA strategy can’t do this by itself. It must be combined with state and federal reforms that promote enriched learning environments, that make it possible to attract and retain excellent teachers, and that create clear criteria for accountability of all stakeholders in the education process — educators, parents and students.
Follow The Answer Sheet every day by bookmarking http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet. And for admissions advice, college news and links to campus papers, please check out our Higher Education page. Bookmark it!


Lay the foundation for literacy development by providing your baby with visual stimulation.
Hover over each Learning Benefit below for a detailed explanation.
What you need:
- empty plastic bottles (shampoo, baby powder)
- washcloths with interesting designs
- baby socks
- fabric paint
- magazine pictures
- contact paper
What to do:
Try these creative and easy ways to provide visual stimulation for your baby.
- Changing-table toys. Collect a variety of items such as a small, clean, empty baby powder container or empty lotion bottle, which an older baby will enjoy holding during changing time. Let your baby select an item, and, as she holds it, name it for her. As baby gets older, she will begin to associate the shapes of the bottles and print designs with the name of the item.
- Washcloth books. Collect several washcloths that have interesting designs on them and sew them together at one end to make a fabric book. Cuddle with your baby and "read" the book together. Describe and point to what you see. Your baby can use the book in her crib, in her car seat, and, of course, in the bath.
- Sock puppets to wear. Babies love to kick up their feet and grab their toes. Use brightly colored fabric paint or fabric markers to paint bright colors and funny faces on the front of your baby's socks. Sew small yarn pom-poms onto the ends of the socks.
- Highchair visuals. Cut out a variety of interesting pictures from a magazine to affix to the highchair tray — pictures of children eating and favorite food items are especially appealing. Cover the tray with clear contact paper. While your baby eats, point to and describe the pictures. Eventually baby will be able to point to the pictures herself and use words to identify what's in them!
Recommended Products for Your Child Ages 0-2


The task of elementary education is to give children an understanding of humanity and the world they live in, to offer them knowledge so rich and warm as to engage their hearts and wills as well as their minds. Such an understanding is the basis of all real learning in later years. With the completion of the eighth grade the students should have a well-rounded general picture of human life and universe. This last year of elementary school should not only bring all previous experiences to a new peak, but enable the students to enter fully and potently into the life of their own time.
The Grade 8 history curriculum strives to span the time from Elizabethan England through the 20th century by looking at the social, political and economic climates surrounding revolutions through individual biographies, art, literature and pertinent readings. Aspects of American history (The Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, Civil and World Wars) become familiar territory. The history of revolutions and its world-wide impact is also explored. Geography takes up the same theme, showing the role played by every part of the earth in modern industrial civilization. A comprehensive picture is given of the relation of mineral resources and plant and animal life to the life of human beings in various regions of the world (world economic geography).
Physics lessons complement these historical and geographical surveys. The practical uses made of man’s new knowledge of all the physical sciences are thoroughly explored. In addition to further studies in acoustics, thermodynamics, mechanics, climate, electricity and magnetism, the students are now introduced to hydraulics, aerodynamics, and meteorology and ecology. Chemistry is also considered in relation to industry. Organic chemistry includes an overview of the nature of and experiments with sugars, starches, proteins, fats and oils.
Mathematics also emphasizes the practical applications of arithmetic, algebra and geometry. Demonstrations in plane and solid geometry lead to problems in the measurement of surfaces and volume. The study of graphs is introduced. Man is again the subject of nature study through anatomy and physiology of the human organism, observed from the standpoint of form and movement (skeleton, muscular systems, and the senses). The anatomy of the ear and the eye are also often brought at this time.
In Language Arts eighth graders learn to edit their writing, summarize written work, and solidify their grammar skills (passive and active verbs, direct and indirect objects, clauses and phrases, pronouns). The spoken work continues with more oral reports including biographies, modern history, and geography. Poetry continues to be a lively part of the main lesson. The class play is often Shakespeare or a modern play with rich use of language. Each individual now begins to understand a point of view and the dramatic themes used in acting. In Spanish students continue to review vocabulary, conjugate verbs, and accomplish some sophisticated reading in English of the political geography of Latin America. The hope is to present in the future more sophisticated understanding of Latin America, the Moors in Spain, the Irish in Mexico, and slavery in the Caribbean.
Music takes up Elizabethan music, American music, symphonic form; eurythmy complements other studies with exploration of poems with contrasting moods. In chorus and orchestra, the students learn more complex and challenging vocal and instrumental arrangements, demanding attention in the lesson and more instrument practice outside of class. Eighth graders are usually invited to join the high school chorus, which provides them the opportunity for an even greater awareness and experience of vocal music. Recorders continue to be played in main lesson, with the bass recorder added in 7th or 8th grade to the already proficient soprano and alto players, allowing for four-part harmony.
Painting concerns itself for the first time with studies of highlights and shadows in portraits and landscapes. Machine sewing, darning, artistic hand-sewing projects, soapstone carving, and carpentry devoted to big projects requiring real skill and imagination culminate eight years of handwork.
The Middle School Dance Program is intended to bring to the students a measure of proficiency, confidence, and cooperation in movement when dancing and offers a Fall and Spring Middle School Dance. The dances taught include swing, cha cha, waltz and foxtrot. These dances require partners, which promote a socially healthy exchange between the boys and the girls. The 8th grader has the opportunity to perfect his or her abilities in movement and rhythm, learning how to lead and follow a partner with expanding confidence. In gym additional sporting activities are introduced, while attention is given to perfecting technique and learning through practice. Emphasis is on sportsmanship.


Besler looks on as the elementary school student peers intently through the
microscope at the test plate. Besler, a junior majoring in elementary
education, helps the student adjust the lenses, and the pond water sample—complete
with microorganisms too small for the eye to see—comes into focus.
moment, the child is captivated; but then, like most of the other first through
eighth grade students, she finds herself distracted by the next station over,
where another group of kids are digging for worms. Besler and her Northern
Arizona University peers observe as these 40 students from the STAR (Service to
All Relations) school spend the day on campus learning from future teachers.
teaching the students, the education majors in the ECI 306 class
are learning, too.
trying to think like kids,” Besler says. “Their thinking process is so much
more broad then ours, so it’s our goal to try to connect with them on that
students Besler worked with came to visit the College of Education from the
STAR School. Twenty-five miles east of Flagstaff, this school is located on the
southwestern corner of the Navajo Nation, and primarily serves Native American students
from preschool through eighth grade. The curriculum is innovative in its approach,
combining traditional Navajo values and a community-based outlook with
sustainability – for example, the school is run entirely on solar-powered
single-day event is only one component of an ongoing partnership between the
university and the STAR School. Many education majors go to STAR for their
student teaching experience, and STAR students benefit from a variety of
activities offered on campus.
day, STAR students were engaging in inquiry-based activities, which involved
having them take an active role in their education. Jeffrey Bloom, a professor
in the College of Education who helped organize the trip, noted that for many of
the STAR students, the university visit itself was educational.
plants a seed,” Bloom says. “There’s an opportunity for them, post-high school.
These kids get to see the possibilities for themselves.”
and a fellow instructor, James Manley, tried to teach the Northern Arizona
University education majors that great learning requires a guiding hand, not an
really want to engage kids and see the magic of their brilliance as a teacher,
you have got to let them go, and let them have the experiences,” Bloom explains.
Fun in learning
experiences, like digging for worms and using the microscope to examine microorganisms,
were designed to be both fun and engaging. For example, Tayla Swaw, a junior
majoring in special and elementary education, took her group of students
outside to participate in an activity that might have drawn a harsh glare from
a teacher in a traditional classroom setting: the folding—and flying—of paper
make them all the time, so when they hear about paper airplanes, they get
really excited and just want to go and play with them,” Swaw explains. “Sometimes
the classroom management is difficult, but it teaches you that you have to do
hands-on work for them to learn this stuff.”
activities were seemingly less straightforward. One area of the classroom had
been set aside for several mind puzzles and building constructs for students to
work with. With very little prompting from their older mentors sitting amongst
them, the STAR students took initiative, teaming up and working together to
solve the puzzles – one of which involved adjusting weighted objects to get a
piece of cardboard to balance on a tennis ball.
children are really thinking and trying to figure things out for themselves,”
Tomko, a junior elementary and special education major, worked with the
students. She explains the activities with the STAR School students mimic new
teaching techniques being administered in the classroom.
opinion, and in the opinion of a lot of other teachers, the U.S. is going
toward a very conformative way of teaching, where all students learn in a very
traditional, guided manner,” Tomko says. “But, if you were to walk into a
classroom that was inquiry-based, there would be students all over. It will
look like chaos, but there’s control in there.”
other words, Tomko says, elementary students can learn the same way that many
students at Northern Arizona University are taught.
teaches them a lot of responsibility by having to learn on their own,” Tomko
explains. “It's amazing to see them get motivated and start talking to their


If your child walks on his or her toes or the ball of the foot, often referred to as toe walking, Good Shepherd is here to help.
Toe walking can be part of natural development, and is fairly common in children who are pulling to stand, walking along furniture and early stepping. Children often experiment with walking on their toes in their toddler years; however they shouldn’t exclusively walk on their toes.
Early diagnosis of toe walking is important to identify the underlying cause and treat the impairments to prevent future issues with balance, flexibility and motor skill development.
At Good Shepherd, toe walking is typically treated by a physical therapist. Therapy may include stretching, strengthening, serial casting, orthoses, desensitization activities and instruction in a home program
Levels of care:
If your child is toe walking exclusively (or most of the time), it may be caused by:
For more information on the Good Shepherd’s toe walking rehabilitation services or the Good Shepherd Pediatric Rehabilitation Program , contact us , call 610-776-3100 or Request an Appointment .


From video games to cell phone apps, making sign language easier to learn.
Put on the gloves. Turn on the camera and...action!
Nine-year-old Thomas Nelson is playing a video game called "CopyCat," which is a unique and fun way to learn sign language. Thomas was 2 years old when doctors determined he was profoundly deaf. His mother, Cheryl Nelson, says he couldn't hear the sound of a honking horn from an oncoming truck.
"My first thought when I found out he was deaf was I was never going to hear my son tell me that he loved me," recalls Nelson.
Six years later, Thomas not only signs "I love you" to his mother, she signs back. Nelson is in the minority in her ability to sign with ease. American Sign Language (ASL) is not an easy language to learn. It's equivalent to an English speaker learning Japanese. Studies show as many as 75 percent of hearing parents of deaf children never become fluent signers.
"So that means only 25 percent of the kids are really getting good sign language at home," notes computer scientist and Georgia Tech professor Thad Starner. "They're so behind in learning the language that they're not really learning the lessons in school."
Alarmed by these statistics and with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, Starner began to develop interactive tools, such as "CopyCat," to make sign language easier to learn for both the deaf and the hearing communities.
For example, Starner and his team are developing a cell phone app called "SmartSign" to help hearing people, such as Nelson, who get stuck on a word. So, let's say she doesn't know how to sign the word "careless." She picks up her cell phone and says "careless" into the speaker and up pops a person signing "careless." It takes seconds to do.
"It gives you the sign," exclaims Nelson. "Wow! That's a huge help. We carry our cell phone everywhere."
There's even a fun quiz that helps parents practice signing almost anywhere. Starner's colleague, Jeff Wilson, is reviewing and practicing sign language while he waits for the bus. "You speak the word you want, it uses voice recognition and it'll just bring up the video right for you," he says.
And, even though his son, Wyatt, can hear, Wilson started teaching him simple signs months before Wyatt could talk.
"Whenever we gave Wyatt a bottle of milk, we would do the America Sign Language sign for milk. Eventually, he would start doing it without any prompting. You don't have them crying. They tell you what they want," explains Wilson. So instead of crying for his bottle, Wyatt knows the sign. Wilson says it makes for less cranky kids when they can communicate their needs.
"CopyCat" is being developed primarily for classrooms. A child like Thomas will put on special gloves with motion sensors and sit in front of a large computer screen. The screen is divided. In one section, there is a person signing a phrase for the child to emulate. A camera tracks the child's hand movements and when Thomas signs correctly, he earns points and moves to the next level. The center of the screen is where the animated action takes place.
"So 'CopyCat' is an educational game where children have to help Iris the cat find where evil monsters have stolen something. Iris is a blue-eyed white cat. Blue-eyed white cats are mostly deaf. Iris is the mascot of the game," explains Starner.
"We've tested 'CopyCat' in three different schools and each time, we're seeing significant results in just two weeks," continues Starner. "The children actually were able to improve their ability to understand sign, be able to generate sign and to repeat sign phrases. This is very exciting. It's a great way to learn."
Starner's team is also developing an English-to-American Sign Language dictionary. And, they're even adding sign language to classic cartoons, such as "The Three Bears," and more recent children's animated literature, such as "Danny and the Dinosaur," to enhance language and literacy development in a fun, enjoyable manner.
Explore further: New research says Anne Frank likely died a month earlier
More information: For more information about "SmartSign," "CopyCat" and other ASL tools and resources, go to the Center for Accessible Technology in Sign (CATS)


Introducing your child to music education at a young age offers an incredible array of developmental benefits. more
How to deal with bullying
Bullying is a highly emotive subject for children and parents. If you think your child may be being bullied, the next step is encouraging them to open up to you about it. Many children will need some help from their parents to open up and talk about any bullying or issues. For expert tips on broaching the bullying subject with your child, read on?
Many kids who are being bullied (one in five, suggests research) will not voluntarily talk to their carers or teachers about what's happening. They will need some coaxing and to feel they are safe to reveal what they're going through.
Try these tips when broaching the subject of bullying with your child:
- Take time to genuinely listen to what's happening, making it clear they are not to blame.
- Acknowledge and show you understand their negative and painful feelings, taking care not to be dismissive.
- Offer comfort, empathy and support.
- You will also likely feel anger or sadness about the situation - try not to show these feelings, instead staying strong in front of your child, being careful not to over-react or under-react.
- Resist the temptation to rush out in anger to immediately try to solve the problem.
- Many children actually believe what the bully says about them - or somehow believe they deserve it. Talk to them about the situation and tell them that there is never an excuse for bullying, that no one deserves it.
Talk to your child about a plan of action - for example, talking to the school and seeking solutions.
Find more bullying solutions and information
- 15 solutions to bullying and cyber bullying
- Helping when your child is bullied
- How bullies pick their victim
- My child is a bully
- What makes a bully
- What is bullying
- Bullying definitions
- Is your child being bullied
- How to deal with bullying
- What parents can do about bullying
- When your child is a bully, here's what to do
- How to talk about bullying and cyber bullying
- Cyber bullying: here's what it is and how to tackle it
- How parents can prevent bullying
- School policies on bullying
- 10 signs your child is being bullied
This article was written by Fiona Baker, former editor in chief of Mother & Baby, Pregnancy & Birth and Wondertime magazines, for Kidspot, Australia's leading parenting and pregnancy resource. Sources include Bullying No Way, National Centre Against Bullying, Raising Children Network, and Bullying Hurts.


Our language arts program is the vehicle that ensures students develop the strategies and skills they need to comprehend and communicate effectively. Reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and presenting are addressed within our curriculum under the language arts content standards provided by the state of Connecticut. All strands are active, constructive processes and taught as interrelated and interdependent.
Literacy development is greatest when written, spoken and visual communication are taught in context. Students are expected to be active learners who are flexible and prepared to grow as they organize, analyze, revise, evaluate and synthesize information. Students are also encouraged to develop an appreciation and respect for all forms of literacy.
The purpose of the language arts curriculum is to foster life-long learners, thinkers, collaborates and communicators. Our goal is to prepare students to use the language arts proficiently as productive members of a global society.
Standard 1: Strategic Reading
Overarching Idea: Students students apply strategies to recognize words, to read fluently, to monitor and correct reading, and to comprehend text.
Guiding Question: How do we understand what we read?
1.1 Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct meaning.
1.2 Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation.
1.3 Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text.
1.4 Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts.
Standard 2: Exploring and Responding to Text
Overarching Idea: Students respond to a variety of texts (literary, informational and persuasive) presented in a variety of multimedia formats.
Guiding Question: How do a variety of texts (literary, informational and persuasive) enrich our lives?
2.1 Students recognize how literary devices and conventions engage the reader.
2.2 Students explore multiple responses to a variety of texts (literary, informational and persuasive).
2.3 Students recognize and appreciate that contemporary and classical literature has shaped human thought.
2.4 Students recognize that readers and authors are influenced by individual, social, cultural and historical contexts.
Standard 3: Communicating with Others
Overarching Idea: Students produce written, oral and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences.
Guiding Question: How do we write, speak and present effectively?
3.1 Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes.
3.2 Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task.
Standard 4: Applying English Language Conventions
Overarching Idea: Students apply the conventions of standard English in oral, written and visual communication.
Guiding Question: How do we use the English language appropriately to speak and write?
4.1 Students use knowledge of their language and culture to improve competency in English.
4.2 Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task.
4.3 Students use standard English for composing and revising written text.


In 1764 the first printing press was established in the French Caribbean colonies, launching the official documentation of operas and plays performed there, and marking the inauguration of the first theatre in the colonies. A rigorous study of pre-French Revolution performance practices in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Powers's book examines the elaborate system of social casting in these colonies; the environments in which nonwhite artists emerged; and both negative and positive contributions of the Catholic Church and the military to operas and concerts produced in the colonies.
The author also explores the level of participation of nonwhites in these productions, as well as theatre architecture, decor, repertoire, seating arrangements, and types of audiences. The status of nonwhite artists in colonial society; the range of operas in which they performed; their accomplishments, praise, criticism; and the use of creole texts and white actors/singers a visage noirs (with blackened faces) present a clear picture of French operatic culture in these colonies. Approaching the French Revolution, the study concludes with an examination of the ways in which colonial opera was affected by slave uprisings, the French Revolution, the emergence of "patriotic theatres," and their role in fostering support for the king, as well as the impact on subsequent operas produced in the colonies and in the United States.
An important and exciting new work, David Powers's "From Plantation to Paradise? "engages the nexus between art and society, documenting not only the elaborately staged, eighteenth-century performances of French opera in the Caribbean colonies but also the participation of enslaved and freed blacks as musicians (singers and instrumentalists) in this repertoire-even as the operatic texts supported colonialism and racial stereotypes. Through her entwined examinations of the music education offered by Jesuit missionaries to the enslaved, the importance of ceremonial music within the racially segregated military units of whites and free coloreds in the maintenance of colonial authority, and the lavish productions of French operas that embodied the accepted racial and social hierarchies, Powers makes signifi cant contributions to African-Caribbean studies, French colonial history, and French baroque opera.--Ellen T. Harris, Class of 1949 Professor Emeritus, Music and Theater Arts, MIT
Audience: Tertiary; University or College
Number Of Pages: 218
Published: 22nd July 2014
Publisher: Michigan State University Press
Country of Publication: US
Dimensions (cm): 25.4 x 17.8 x 1.8
Weight (kg): 0.55


The Power of Diversity:
Increasing Ethnic Diversity in Elementary Education Cohorts at CWU's West Side Centers
As Washington State's schools become ever more diverse, this is an exciting and important time to increase the diversity of teachers - from preschool all the way through the elementary grades. The teaching profession is one of the most satisfying and rewarding careers choices someone can make, and it is imperative that this pathway is open, smooth, and attractive to all future educators, especially students of color who reflect the exciting diversity of K - 6 classrooms. Across the nation, the education system still has a long way to go in breaking down the barriers that stand in the way of a genuinely pluralistic teaching corps. National and state demographic data indicate our public schools are staffed by 85% white teachers while children of color are 50% of the student population - and significantly higher in major urban areas (Banks, 1999).
Our sponsors have joined with Central Washington University in a yearlong initiative to increase ethnic diversity in the education cohorts at the west side centers. The goal of this project is to have well trained teachers who are capable and competent to teach diverse student audiences. This goal is achieved by pursuing the following objectives:
Reading in a classroom
- High School Students
Objective 1: CWU faculty delivers information about teaching careers to high school students in Highline, Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Renton, Tacoma and Seattle School Districts.
- Community College Pre-Cohort
Objective 2: Establish strong and enduring relationships with South King County community college faculty, staff and students.
- Central Washington University Cohort
Objective 3: Advance diversity in the teacher education program at Central Washington University-Des Moines.
- Cohort Graduates
Objective 4: Recruitment and lifelong services for student graduates. Cohort graduates receive job placement services before and after graduation.
PO Box 13490
Des Moines, WA 98198-1007
Des Moines Center


Introducing your child to music education at a young age offers an incredible array of developmental benefits. more
Age to start:Golf Australia conducts a program entitled Go-Go Golf aimed at introducing children aged 9 to 15 years to golf. This is a common age bracket for children to begin learning and playing the game of golf. It is recommended that children start golf at upper primary to early secondary school age.
Rules of the game:
The basic rules of golf are:
- A round of golf consists of 18 holes by which each hole is assigned a par score as to how many shots should be taken before getting the ball in the hole.
- A player begins by taking a tee shot. A tee shot is taken from between but not in front of the tee markers.
- A player must play the ball as it lies.
- When on the putting surface you must putt the ball at the hole with the flagstick removed
- Once you successfully putt the ball in the hole you mark down how many strokes it took for you to do this. This will give you an indication as to whether you are playing the course better or worse than par.
- Find a full list of golf rules
Golf is a game suitable for both boys and girls. Ideally children can begin to learn the basic skills of golf when they are in their upper years of primary school or early years of secondary school.
Golf is a non contact sport that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for children. Risk of injury is low with golf promoting physical fitness and mental application.
Sign up dates for joining a golf club or booking a golf lesson can occur at any time throughout the year. Contact your local golf club to enquire about membership fees or how to book a golf lesson from the club professional.
In order to successfully participate in golf you require;
- Excellent hand/eye coordination
- Mental strength and the ability to work through difficult situations
- A sound level of physical fitness
Find golf clubs in your area:
Find more relevant information and articles:
- Softball is another ball-and-stick sport your kids may enjoy
- A healthy snack for active kids, get the recipe for Muesli Biscuits
- Find fundraising ideas for the kids' sports teams at Kidspot Social
- Find information on all year round sports for kids
- Sports-mad kids will love a sports camp during the next school holidays


On January 8, 2002 the No Child Left Behind Act was officially signed into law. This federal legislation required states to create standards identifying their exact learning content for reading and math in grades 3-8. State governments responded as directed by constructing official standards to guide classroom instruction and promote student achievement.
Recently, the Common Core Standards were developed to provide a more consistent understanding of what students are expected to learn.
Teachers can bring this website into their classrooms with the confidence that their curriculum is being strengthened in regards to state standards. Addressing these standards, in turn, prepares students for the high-stakes, standardized tests that are ever present in elementary education.Standards For Our Games
When I've done flash cards, they aren't in to it. This is more fun and colorful for them. I can tell they are wanting to learn their facts faster as a challenge.Mrs. Breedlove
Success Story in Olathe, KS
Aligning the joy of gaming with practicing math transforms the experience and invites students to learn in an environment they are comfortable with.Mr. Sprankle
Success Story in Wells, ME
Many of the students play video games all the time at home. This was a way to let them enjoy their playing time but to practice a skill at the same time.Mrs. Smeltz
Success Story in Lititz, PA
The math games have improved the student's grades in timed tests and have boosted the student's confidence in their math abilities.Mr. White
Success Story in New Baltimore, MI


AJEC Vol. 35 No. 3 September 2010
In this issue:
- Family day care is for normal kids: Facilitators and barriers to the inclusion of children with disabilities in family day care
- Findings from an evaluation of an intervention targeting Australian parents of young children with attachment issues: The ‘Through the looking glass’ project
- Exploring transition through collective biographical memory work: Considerations for parents and teachers in early childhood education
- What will my teacher be like? Picture storybooks about starting school
- Early childhood teachers’ understandings of and provision for quality
- Curriculum implementation: Decisions of early childhood teachers
- Early childhood professionals as a source of social support: The role of parent–professional communication
- Culturally strong childcare programs for Indigenous children, families and communities
- Promoting children’s social and emotional wellbeing in childcare centres within low socioeconomic areas: Strategies, facilitators and challenges
- The Effects of the Art Education Program on Drawing Skills of Six-Year-Old Gifted Children in the High Socio-Economic Status in Turkey
- Constructing leadership in child care: Epistemological beliefs and transformational leadership
- Influences of the family and childcare food environments on preschoolers’ healthy eating
- What does being an early childhood ‘teacher’ mean in tomorrow’s world of children and family services?
- Gender and leadership styles in children’s play
- Exploring engagement at ArtPlay: What factors influence the engagement of children and families in an artist-led community-based workshop?
- ‘I want to play when I go to school’: Children’s views on the transition to school from kindergarten.