Evan-Moor materials are based upon current research and best practices in education. Our editorial team
is constantly investigating new trends and developments in educational pedagogy to effectively meet
the needs of today's students. Read the research behind our materials:
Most teachers understand the diverse needs of students within their classrooms but have difficulty providing the range of materials needed to consistently support their varying needs. This whitepaper reviews current research on lesson differentiation and modalities of learning, and how Evan-Moor’s TeacherFileBox resource effectively supports teachers’ access to meaningful lessons and students’ access to engaging standards-based content-area instruction.
By supplying a set of specific criteria for thinking and communicating about writing, the Six-Trait Writing model offers a practical and successful technique for teaching, implementing, and assessing effective writing. This paper reviews selected research studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of using the Six-Trait Writing model to enhance student achievement in writing and language arts.
Most research on vocabulary instruction has focused on teaching general use vocabulary. More recently attention has been given to a special class of vocabulary called “academic vocabulary.” This paper reviews selected research studies that demonstrate the importance and value of teaching academic vocabulary through direct instruction.
As differentiated instruction has gained momentum in 21st century classrooms, both teachers and school administrators have come to understand the importance of providing multiple opportunities and formats for students to acquire skills and understand concepts. This paper reviews how Evan-Moor’s Daily Centers support the three critical elements of differentiation—content, process, and products.
The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence from research studies that support frequent, focused practice as an effective strategy for teaching elementary school children language arts skills. This paper explores Daily Language Review in context of the research: “frequent, focused practice leads to mastery and retention of the skills practiced.”
To ensure solid skill acquisition, effective phonics instruction should provide multiple practice opportunities for students to use what they have just learned by decoding and encoding words and, gradually, connected text. Daily Phonics provides teachers with a systematic and explicit format to teach students fundamental phonics skills.
The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence from research studies that support frequent, focused practice as an effective strategy for teaching elementary school children mathematics skills. This paper reviews Daily Math Practice and Daily Word Problems in this context.
In order to develop reading comprehension, students need sufficient practice in research-based strategies and skills. This paper presents key reading comprehension strategies and skills, and examines how Daily Reading Comprehension builds and reinforces strong reading habits that will generalize to any core curriculum.
According to recent research, a holistic approach to science and reading instruction results in improved student achievement in both areas. Daily Science helps teachers effectively integrate science instruction into the reading curriculum. This paper reviews the effectiveness of using engaging content-area instruction of scientific concepts and direct instruction of science content vocabulary.
High-interest reading materials are designed to motivate and facilitate learning, particularly among struggling and unmotivated readers. The purpose of this paper is to review relevant research studies that support the view that high-interest materials taught in the manner prescribed by Hot Topics: High-Interest Reading will have a positive effect on student learning.
Nonfiction writing is an important part of authentic lifelong learning and is therefore a crucial component of elementary curriculum. Evan-Moor’s Nonfiction Writing series provides teachers with the instructional materials they need in order to support students’ skill development in the above areas, as well as in daily activities to build and reinforce written language skills that generalize to any core curriculum.
Evan-Moor’s Everyday Literacy: Science helps PreK through 1st grade teachers effectively integrate foundational science instruction into the reading curriculum. This white paper reviews current research on developing science literacy, overall literacy skills, and standards-based science instructional practices.
Evan-Moor’s Everyday Literacy series provides teachers with the instructional material they need to support students’ skill development in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This white paper reviews the most current research on instruction that develops skills across the language continuum and the effect of daily practice on the development of language skills.


No skill is more fundamental to learning throughout life than reading. Students who don’t develop a love for and proficiency in reading by 3rd grade are likely to struggle in their future lives.
In Philadelphia, that’s a large group. Last year, 60 percent of District 3rd graders failed to meet proficiency standards on the state reading test. Among Blacks and Latinos, only one in three was proficient.
By 4th grade these students’ learning challenges are likely to extend across the curriculum. Ultimately, they are four times more likely than proficient readers to drop out of high school. As they fall further behind, the effects spill over to their classmates.
While this is a national problem, Philadelphia ranks near the bottom among big cities on the national reading test given to 4th graders.
And so it is heartening that a citywide campaign has come together to tackle the city’s early literacy crisis, with the ambitious goal of doubling the percentage of 3rd graders reading on grade level by 2020. Nearly 50 organizations have made formal commitments to this READ! by 4th campaign; dozens of other groups are involved. The Free Library of Philadelphia is anchoring the effort. The School District is at the table. There is foundation and corporate support, and growing understanding of the impact of illiteracy on the city. More nonprofits, charter schools, and businesses should join in.
Philadelphia has seen what a coherent, cross-sector collaborative can accomplish. Project U-Turn, a campaign involving the District, the city, and the nonprofit sector, has been able to drive up the city’s graduation rate slowly but surely. Illiteracy is a similarly multifaceted problem, with room for improvement on many fronts. Recognizing that, the campaign proposes to work simultaneously on engaging parents as teachers, improving classroom instruction, boosting attendance, and preventing summer learning loss.
Some words of advice at the outset:
Keep kids and their interests at the center. Offer children books at the right level that they are interested in – and comfortable, engaging spaces for reading – and they will take to it. Children bring energy and curiosity into the classroom; a good reading program taps that. Some students need extra help, but the solution is not boring test-prep drills.
Give teachers support. Teaching reading is complex. Good instruction is critical. An effective reading teacher must have classroom management skills, a deep understanding of literacy development, and the flexibility to diagnose and respond to each student’s individual needs. Teachers need professional communities where they can hone these skills.
Start early, the earlier the better. More quality pre-K slots are desperately needed, so children come into kindergarten ready to read. Early diagnosis and support for students with learning issues is also vital. Outside of school, a citywide campaign can foster a book-rich, literacy-rich environment – and support and engage parents, who, more than anyone, can help children develop oral language and literacy skills.
Secure more resources. We cannot gloss over the challenge of launching this campaign at a time when resources are bare-bones; for instance, few schools have functioning libraries or librarians. Politicians sometimes question whether school funding gets to the children who need it. But there is no excuse to withhold support for substantial new investments in ensuring that children learn to read. We can pay now – or pay later.


Formal music learning is a privilege. This is firstly because a lot of people are not capable of funding their music tuition. Secondly, people very often tend to be interested in musical styles and traditions that were developed and popularized outside their cultural boundaries. Thus, the presence of knowledgeable and specialized teachers is often highly improbable. These two facts impose great difficulties on the prospective music learner. As a consequence, a lot of people resort to self-tuition or other forms of informal learning.
All learning processes in music are really mixtures of individual effort, as well as help and influence from other people. In that sense, providing a definition of ‘formal instrument tuition’ is risky. For the Western world and the principles that govern its educational fabric, self-tuition is defined by the absence of musical institutions, systematic lessons and exams. Formal tuition however is largely culturally defined, and is strongly related to the dominant values and principles among different societies. For some cultures like the Balinese and many African musical traditions there is no philosophical or practical separation between ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ modes of learning. The learning process may take place within a particular social context in which everyone is responsible for his own musical development always in strong interaction with the social environment.
There is no analogy between academic interest and research, and the number of people that become interested and involved in music through self-tuition. The biggest part of the academic world is concerned with institutional education matters while vast numbers of people perform, learn and create music outside the world of institutions. Peter Cope in his article ‘Informal learning of musical instruments: The importance of social context’ in Music Education Research, (2002) puts it rather ironically: ‘(…) one could be forgiven for missing this aspect if one relied entirely on the research literature’.
Self-taught musicians exist in the practice of all musical styles. Although the way people get involved in music depends on cultural and musical contexts, every music tradition has benefited from the presence and creativity of self-taught musicians. The desire to be involved in music knows no musical boundaries.
Many philosophers and important philosophers of education like Dewey, Neill, Godwin and Freire have stressed the importance of self-education and the importance of recognizing that ‘Man is a creature that loves to act from himself’ and people internalize knowledge through excitement and pleasure. These writers have often been suspicious of the role of teachers and instructors, without however always underestimating it. They have unfolded the dangers of extensive moral, psychological, practical and systematic guidance. These views do not neglect the significance of the social factor, but also recognize that human nature is too complex to be guided by the narrowness of educational and guidance methods invented by others.
Even more so today, with all this kind of information readily available on the internet, with people sharing their ideas, knowledge and experience on websites and youtube, and with vast amounts of information being uploaded and downloaded all the time, we can definitely say that the future historian will be very strict with people who are privileged to have access to all that information. There are no excuses anymore. All we have to do is grab that knowledge marching in front of us.


12:41 27 February 2017
While most people listen to music for the sheer pleasure it brings them, many people find a number of other, less obvious, benefits to be found from music appreciation. Whether studying music for therapeutic reasons or listening to specific genres for the therapy it provides, there is one aspect of music therapy that really bears further study from an almost ‘non-musical’ perspective. The art of improvisation is currently being studied for a number of benefits, but in fact musicians and psychologists have known for years that jazz, and specifically improvisation within that genre, have far-reaching benefits if applied correctly. Are you a student seeking a masters in music education from an esteemed school like Kent State University? If so, you may be interested in doing your thesis on the art of improvisation as it applies to music therapy!
According to jazz trombonists, Joel Yennior, improvisation helps to improve mood. He says it has a way of awakening joy, which reminds him of the words of Albert Einstein. As a music educator, he takes these words to heart. This famous mathematician said that it is the duty of educators to “awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” And, that’s just what Yennior does through jazz, and most especially through improvisation, which is a core component of the genre.
Anyone who has been a serious music student, not necessarily studying for an online MME degree, but at least a sincere student of the art, knows that improv brings joy to the heart. Instead of following a pre-written series of chords and melodies, the jazz musician improvises on what had been there before. It’s the art of taking that which is known and improvising until it becomes something similar, but not the same. In fact, similarity may not even result from true improve, but it’s a way to add levels to a foundation and that, in and of itself, brings joy to the person devising the improvisations. Think of it like a journey with the roads on the map never being the same.
Besides the fun and joy to be had improvising, think of the life skills this one aspect of music education can bring to a person who has learned to improvise. Sometimes the skills learned through improvisation help students to learn the art of multitasking. Why stay on a direct path when you can get more done by allowing your mind to move in alternate directions?
Yennior is absolutely correct when he says that improvisation brings joy. Beyond joy, improvisation teaches the student to think on his or her feet and understand that sometimes there are many, many roads that lead to Rome. There is no need to stay on the same boring path in life if you can improvise along the way. Who would have ever thought that music theory could so easily evolve to music therapy? But, if there were any skills well suited to seeking a healthy emotional state, it would be improv. There’s no doubt about it.


Click on the
above menu to see details of the latest homework for
your child's year group.
to see your child's class teacher if you have
any questions about your child's homework, or
any other aspect surrounding their education.
can I help my child with their reading at home?
By far the most important home reading experience,
particularly for young children, is being read to
on a regular basis. View our exciting self-help
Flash Files to discover additional ways in which
you can support your child's literacy development...
You'll need sound too - so make sure your speakers
are turned up!
Practice When Reading at Home
Wise Owl show you important things to remember
when reading with your child at home.
to Tackle New Words When Reading
Nellie the Ellie never forgets the prompts you
can give young readers in order to encourage them
to solve unknown words by themselves!
for a leaflet summarising these prompts.
Fox will explain how to help your child word-build
Clever Cat will help your child practise their knowledge
of phonemes - essential for early reading and writing
Super Sentence Machine
Our famous Super Sentence Machine will help scaffold
your child as they learn how to write increasingly
more grammatically complex sentences towards the
end of Year 1 and within Year 2... all linked to
familar texts studied within lessons.
If you are unable to open the above files, you might
need to click
here to download Adobe Flash Player. We thank
the staff of Ripple Infants School for the inclusion
of some of their resources within these pages.
If you are still unable
to view these files or they appear to be blank you might
need to click
here to download Adobe Shockwave Player.


Art comes in various ways. It can either be through music, drawing, dance, sculpture, design, and photography or even in crafts and filmmaking. Collectively, this study is called visual arts or creating works that are primarily visual in nature.
Generation today are inclined into arts that it’s no wonder, a number of them decided to pursue higher learning related to it. If you’re interested in arts, this article will provide you with an overview on what to expect when pursuing Visual Arts Education.
Objectives of Visual Art Studies
To understand and apply various techniques and processes
Because of the variety of techniques, materials and processes available in creating an art work, students of visual arts must be able to familiarize themselves with these and use it in a safe and responsible manner.
To understand visual arts and relate it to history and culture
The world is blessed with diverse culture and history. As a student of art, s/he should be able to familiarize and distinguish certain artworks that belong to a specific culture, time and place and at the same time, show how these works influenced the study of art. Further, s/he must be able to analyze and justify the relationship of an artwork in terms of history, culture and aesthetics.
To be able to use structures and functions in conveying ideas
There are certain characteristics and purposes of art using various forms and structures that will help convey an idea. Also, a student should be able to integrate and understand visual, spatial and temporal concepts in relation to their works. Using these, s/he should be able to identify the differences among these concepts in order to fully express the subject matter and effectively convey its meaning.
To make connections between visual arts and other areas of study
When a student studies art, it doesn’t mean that his or her learning should be confined with the art alone. Oftentimes, art can be related to various disciplines such as Humanities or other Social Science courses. As an arts student, s/he must be able to identify and relate the importance of art in various fields.
Field under Visual Arts studies
Visual arts can be divided into further studies which include:
Drawing or the creation of image using various tools and techniques;
Painting or the use of different tools in combination with drawings;
Printmaking or the transfer of images by means of ink;
Photography or taking of artistic pictures;
Filmmaking or the process of making a motion picture;
Computer art or creating images using computer software and rendering it through printing;
Sculpturing or creating something out of metal, glass or wood.
Although the number of credits and hours may vary, most universities that offer Visual Arts education follow a certain curriculum in educating their students. Core curriculum subjects such as English, History, Social Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Science courses must be taken up. Visual arts students are also taught Art History, Visual Arts studies and fundamentals of art education.
Possible Careers in Visual Arts
As a visual arts graduate, there are a lot of job opportunities waiting for you. You can be a graphic designer, an animator, special effects artist or web designer. You can also be an art consultant or art restorer in museums, photographer, cartoonist, printmaker, sculptor, painter, film or TV director, designer and school teacher among many others. (Editor: Read more about art business ideas)
So if you’re thinking of pursuing further studies in Visual Arts, then pursue your dream. There’s nothing wrong with going after what you’re passionate about.
Chris Wilson is the Sales Executive at Madison Art Shop. Madison Art Shop is online art Supply Company in USA and they are totally focused on giving the widest product selection of art at the most competitive prices.


Restricted Access Thesis
This study explores how the use of teaching reading comprehension strategies with poetry might affect ELLs' reading comprehension. Five participants read a poem each day of the study for five weeks and used one of five reading strategies to gain a deeper understanding of the text: visualizing, making connections, questioning, summarizing, and evaluating. Students wrote meaningful responses to each poem daily and shared them with the class. After the five-week study, students took the NWEA MAP reading test. Results were mixed for both grade-level reading and narrative comprehension scores. Findings show that 1) students can learn to apply reading comprehension strategies to comprehend poetry 2) evaluating and questioning were the strategies preferred by most students and 3) standardized reading tests might not reflect students' gains in comprehension. To conclude, poetry can be used to teach reading comprehension strategies but whether its use transfers to better test scores is inconclusive.
Norris, Jennifer M, "Using poetry to teach reading comprehension strategies to English language learners" (2011). School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 451.


Six Ways to Use the Flip Flop Math Teacher Toolkit
The Flip Flop Math Teacher Toolkit is so versatile, teachers can use it in a multitude of ways. Here are six ways to get started:
GAME TIME-Do you need differentiated activities to meet the needs of individual students during game time? We have directions for seven games to differentiate for students. Once students learn a game, any of our 550 playing cards can be used depending on students' needs. The Game Mat makes it easy for students to play. I just created ten differentiated game decks and 22 Sequencing Sets all from one Teacher Toolkit. To see how, click here or go to the BASE tab on the menu bar.
CENTERS-Do you want to provide your students with valuable explorations while you are working with other students? You can create many differentiated centers using the Teacher Toolkit materials. You can find ideas on the Intervention page, the Game page, and the BASE page to help you create differentiated centers or learning stations for your students.
TRANSITIONS-Do you need ideas and materials for quick numeracy practice during short transitions during the day? Use our 550 Flip Flop playing cards and 32 Quick Tips to help students build numeracy skills throughout the day. Our Flip Flop playing cards have a variety of quantitative values such as dot patterns, finger patterns, tallies, dominos, money, base-ten blocks, etc., as well as numerals. Plus, they have a special coding system for ease of organization.
INTERVENTION-Do you have students who struggle with number sense? Our Flip Flop Teacher Toolkit has ALL the materials you need to work with small intervention groups right at your fingertips. Check out the Intervention page on our website. You will find many ideas and videos to help you get started. The Idea Booklet and Game Booklet are additional resources.
SEATWORK TIME-Do you struggle to keep your students actively learning with valuable activities during seatwork time? Students can be taught how to explore numeracy with the variety of Flip Flop Frames and Frog Counters. The frames and counters are just one way for students to explore numeracy. I also have a variety of resources on Teacher Pay Teachers including my packet, K-2 Math Path for Structuring Numbers 1 to 20. This packet includes activities, shared readings, and recording sheets for students to explore combining and partitioning numbers 1 to 20.
VOLUNTEERS-Do you have volunteers who come into the classroom on a regular basis? Teach your volunteer to play one of the games with students. You can differentiate by choosing the appropriate cards for various students and only have to teach the volunteer and students how to play one game. It's fast and easy! Just what a busy teacher needs when a volunteer is coming.
OMG! Is this just TMI for you? Should you implement all of these ideas at once? OF COURSE . . . if you want to make yourself CRAZY!
Here's my suggestion . . . START SMALL. Choose one idea and get started. You will find many great ideas and videos on our website at www.flipflopmath.com to help you get started. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at email@example.com. I always have time to talk about FLIP FLOP MATH.
If you have an activity that you do with the Teacher Toolkit and would be willing to share it with this Flip Flop Math community, please share with us in the comment section. I would love to hear what you are doing with these materials! Thanks!


The job of high school art teachers is to teach art concepts to 9th through 12th grade students, whether in public or private schools. They foster students' creativity and independent thinking by utilizing an art-based curriculum that introduces a range of artistic mediums and forms of expression. Some high school art teachers may also choose to teach digital art or graphic design. Art educators need at least a bachelor's degree and a teaching license to begin their careers in this field.
Individuals who wish to become high school art teachers must first enroll in college. The first two years are typically spent completing the core curriculum requirements, which usually include coursework in math, science, humanities, fine arts and English composition. Most college students also take elective courses that count toward their major. Many complete these requirements at the community college level.
Studio Art vs. Art Education Programs
Future art teachers have several options in terms of their education. Some individuals pursue a bachelor's degree with a major in art education, while others earn a bachelor's degree in art and complete a teacher preparation program after graduation. The coursework varies depending on the major. A student who pursues a degree in studio art, for example, might specialize in printmaking, painting or ceramics, among other areas of study. On the other hand, an art education major might take a wider range of course offerings -- such as watercolor, photography, ceramics, sculpture and drawing -- thereby affording her some proficiency in a variety of artistic mediums.
Students who major in art education often take classes on curriculum and instruction, technology, art criticism, and art history, as well as art theory and practice for children and adolescents. Some schools also require novice art teachers to spend time working in an actual art classroom with students while they are still in school themselves. Texas State University - San Marcos, for example, requires students to obtain at least 10 hours of field experience in an art classroom before they can graduate. At New York University - Steinhardt, an individual who graduates with a bachelor's degree in studio art and is interested in pursuing a certificate in teaching must complete a 36-credit teacher-preparation program. Students who go this route take classes in curriculum and instruction, human development, and special education and disabilities studies.
Novice art teachers are expected to complete at least one semester of student teaching in a school setting, working under the supervision of an experienced art instructor. Initially, the student teacher will spend the majority of her classroom time observing and getting to know the students, but her responsibilities will increase as the semester continues, until she is able to prepare and teach lessons on her own as well as manage the classroom.
Obtaining a Teaching License
According to the Degree Directory website, all 50 states require public school teachers to have a teaching license. Teachers must pass a rigorous examination before this license is granted. Many states also require art teachers to take an additional test, such as the Praxis test. The Praxis is a multiple-choice exam that tests a teacher's knowledge in art criticism, design, architecture, aesthetics and methods of creating art; it takes approximately two hours to complete.
- Education Portal: How to Become an Art Teacher - Step-by-Step Guide
- Degree Directory: Art Teacher - How to Become an Art Teacher in 5 Steps
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: High School Teachers
- Tarrant County College: Basics - Core Curriculum
- Texas State University San Marcos: Art Education Degree/Certification
- New York University Steinhardt: Art Education
- New York University Steinhardt: Art Professions Programs - 36-Credit Initial Certification Program
- Teacher Certification: What to Expect from Student Teaching
- ETS Praxis Series: Art Content Knowledge


Wednesday, March 12, 2003
This follows my post from Monday March 10:
John Gardner Low's plastic sketches were not the only ceramic ware exhibited at the September 1879 Cincinnati Industrial Exhibition. Low's products were joined by "the first large display of ceramics decorated in the city" of Cincinnati. Unlike Low, the Cincinnati ware was mainly produced by women working together with men in embryonic professional relationships. Events, of course, are murky. Was this birth of an native American art form, as some have said, because of a catfight between the two female giants of American ceramic history? Or, was it a serious artistic competition such as the recent press touted friction between Picasso and Matisse? 1879 was the explosion. The fuse had been lit during Philadelphia's 1876 Centennial Exhibition. In particular, the Cincinnati Room of the Women's Pavilion, "with its impressive carved furniture, furnishings, interior architectural elements, and its painted china and stoneware, created a sensation" in an otherwise unexceptional showing of American products before a world audience. It was a triumph for the gregarious Benn Pitman, the man who gave friends of Maria Longworth Nichols' their first china painting sets in 1874, and his lady craftsmen from the University of Cincinnati's School of Design . It was also a triumph for Longworth's husband Colonel George Ward Nichols and her eccentric philanthropist father Joseph. As far as Maria Longworth Nichols and Mary Louise McLaughlin were concerned both "would in later years confess that the Centennial was a turning point in their lives."
In 1873 a boy who lived near the Longworth's Rookwood Estate, and who sketched people in pencil and ink for pocket money, gave Maria Longworth Nichols some of the china painting colors he had received as a gift from an uncle in Frankfort, Germany. Mrs. Nichols and a friend were soon enthralled by this new form of artistic expression and later joined with the boy, Karl Langenbeck, to improve their art and to import more china paints from Germany.
Through 1875 interest in china painting as a "promising field for the lucrative employment of women" spread throughout Cincinnati. A "Women's Executive Centennial Committee" was formed to raise funds for participation in the then upcoming Exposition in Philadelphia. This committee held an exhibit and sale of some of these decorated pieces of china on May 25, 1875. Some of the unsold pieces along with others were then shown at the Centennial one year later.
In 1877 Mary Louise McLaughlin discovered that she could mix mineral paints with a liquefied clay called slip to achieve successful underglaze painting in a range of colors. Later that same year her historic book, A Practical Method for the Use of Amateurs in the Decoration of Hard Porcelain, would be published. Also in 1877, Colonel Nichols would publish Art Education as Applied to Industry and Pottery, How It is Made in 1878. As a writer, speaker and advocate of design reform Nichols would join Pitman to influence many with a concept of culture as a commodity by striving to end the "indefinite repetition of the forms adopted by other people and periods" and having as a goal "pure American art, that is an art expression representing the thought and culture of this age and nation."
Then, within the first five months of 1879 McLaughlin would form the Pottery Club, Longworth Nichols would begin serious potting at the Frederick Dallas Pottery on what is now McMicken Avenue and Patrick Coultry and Thomas Wheatley would form a partnership to produce "faience" using a process Coultry had observed McLaughlin using when her pieces were fired in his kiln. Swirling controversies, giant personalities and, I'm sure, staggering sexual tension. I wonder if Mr. Low quite knew what he was walking into with his ceramic sketches that first day in the Art Hall of Cincinnati's 1879 Exhibition?
Sources: The Longworths: Three generations of Art Patronage in Cincinnati by Denny Carter Young 1982 Toward a Correct Taste: Women and the Rise of the Design Reform Movement in Cincinnati by Kenneth R. Trapp 1982 American Art Tile by Norman Karlson 1998 The Book of Rookwood Pottery by Herbert Peck 1968


John Severinus Conway was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1852. His early art education was conducted at the Art Institute of Chicago before he moved to Paris, studying at the Ecole Julien and Ecole des Beaux-Arts. As well as becoming an accomplished sculptor, Conway studied painting.
After Paris, Conway moved spent time in both Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Italy. While in Italy, he met and married a woman named Agata Meloni, with whom he had four children. Conway's most famous work, the Victorious Charge, was completed while he was in Rome and sent to Milwaukee. Upon returning from Italy in 1902, the family settled in Tenafly, New Jersey. Tenafly became his professional center, and much of his work can still be found there. Conway died on Christmas day in 1925.
Sources mainly from Wikipedia and American Art Medals, 1909-1995 by David Thomason Alexander.


Working Title: Developing Effective Problem-Solving Strategies and Enhancing Creativity Through Video-Gaming
Main Topic: The goal of this paper is to review the existing research on how using Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) and other collaborative video-gaming platforms could be utilized as a means to develop problem-solving strategies and enhance creativity in the elementary classroom setting. Another goal is to provide examples of currently available software and applications that promote creativity and problem solving.
As the amount information available to humans increases exponentially, students will not only be required to learn more at younger ages but also understand how to access and manipulate information rather than just memorize facts. Because of this, students will need to develop creative solutions to complete the task at hand while they absorb the required content.
An education system which requires children to meet the minimum qualifications on an objective-based assessment is producing children who cannot develop solutions on their own because the answers are given to them and their job is to pick the correct one out of the available options. What if the best solution is not any of the answers provided? Children are being evaluated and judged based upon the results of these assessments when this is not at all what they will experience in the real world after they have finished school.
Elementary education must transform to reflect what people will experience as adults: creation of products and collaboration with peers. Some growing trends in education are product-based learning and small-group learning, and these can both be enhanced with technology, especially through video-gaming.
Taking ownership of learning processes which requires critical thinking and the creation of final products can result in a deeper understanding of the content. Combining these ideas with a high-level of collaboration and motivation can result in the learning process seeming more like playing and having fun rather than just learning.
Accessibility to a multitude of non-technology-based creative outlets is not always possible fiscally, so technology can allow the impossible due to lack of resources to transform into a world of creative experimentation on a global scale.
Audience: My intended audience is educators and instructional designers interested in developing product-based-learning software and applications requiring a combination of problem-solving skills and creative processes while learning content.
Point of View: Teachers have an unwillingness to move away from the tried and true teaching methods they have been using for years, but technology is changing at such a rapid pace that it will inundate our lives so much in the future we must be willing to allow technology to teach critical thinking and creativity more and more. We must become facilitators rather than instructors. I often say that I am preparing my students for jobs that don’t even exist yet but I do know they will involve technology. Why not use technology now to create graduates who will know how to develop creative solutions because that is exactly what they have been doing in school. My goal is to find research to support that teaching problem-solving and creativity through video-gaming is not only possible but necessary. I also want to show educators and instructional designers practical examples of video games as well as both empirical and anecdotal evidence to support them.
Problems: I fear my vision of “playing to learn” will be too difficult or costly to program, which could be why so few programs are available, so I may have difficulty finding examples much less research to support my thesis. Aside from preschool and kindergarten, adults appear to be unwilling to allow children to “play,” which is exactly what is necessary to develop problem-solving abilities and creativity. I also fear the research I do find may be too critical and unsupportive to substantiate my thesis.
Addressing the Problems: While I’m sure I can find research on developing problem solving skills and separate research on using gaming in the educational setting, I may not be able to find research that combines these ideas, so I may have to make some major leaps in the available research. I will also need to spend some time seeking examples of technology already in use that teaches problem-solving and allows for creativity. I must also take any criticism of using video-gaming in the classroom in stride as well as address those criticisms.
Questions: Can any of my classmates offer examples of games or research on this topic? Do any of my classmates have children in elementary school?


English translation: cultivate the artistic sensitivity
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
Explanation: I think this is what it actually says:
the work with its illustrations was conceived as training/teaching material to help form students' tastes
- there were many periods in art education in which the absoprtion/emulation of 'perfect examples' was considered an important part of an artist's training; our present emphasis on originality/creativity is fairly recent (in the grand scheme of things)
Teresa Reinhardt United States Local time: 17:18 Native speaker of: German, English PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: Dear Teresa, This is an excellent suggestion, but I think that Johanna's is more concise. I am very grateful because you helped me see the whole sentence in a different way. All the best,


A. Lead advocacy for music education in Wisconsin; B. Attract and retain quality music educators; C. Provide music educators with meaningful opportunities for professional development; D. Promote lifelong learning in music.
Wisconsin State Music Conference
Each year over 7,000 of Wisconsin’s music educators, students and music education supporters come together in Madison for the Wisconsin State Music Conference. The four days during the conference are filled with sessions on music education, performances from students of all ages, exhibits and much much more.
iListenWI is an affordable program that provides students with an exposure to a wide array of musical genres, to develop life-long intelligent music listeners and consumers, by encouraging higher level thinking and listening skills. This outcome based program can be utilized by teachers for grades K-12 and meets both Wisconsin State Standards and National Music Standards for Music Education.
Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance (CMP)
The Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) Project was initiated in Wisconsin in 1977 as a means of assisting teachers with the development of performance with understanding in school music programs. This training equips teachers with an in-depth process for planning instruction that enhance students’ classroom experience. This enables students to have a deeper understanding and more meaningful musical experience, as well as connect music to all aspects of their students’ education.


Elementary education is one of the most important primary educations. Without primary education students can not understand and use the knowledge that will be obtained and learnt. Thus primary education is the main education for student future.
One of reason why elementary education is important because teaches writing, reading and math. Quoted article that is written by Otto Lilienthal about Wright brothers said ”reading ability opened their mind to be the first flight and their elementary school teachers have contributed in the future of aeronautics”. The basic skill which is obtained from elementary school, today invention and progress of all fields of knowledge can be achieved in the future.
Elementary school teachers play important role and help students a lot with learning process of basic knowledge. The basic knowledge that students got can help them to broaden their insight.
In elementary education students should sharpen a lot, learn all skills and basic knowledge that can help their future life.
All of it is important so when facing the next level of education, students are so ready and confident.
How the elementary education form the child’s life? When a child enters the elementary school, the child is entering important change in his life. Slowly they start to release their independence from parents. A child should learn to be independent. During elementary school they have other people in their life. Class teacher is another important people in their elementary school life. Teachers have certain responsible to the children’s future. Teacher and student interaction can influence the ability and love in learning and knowledge.
Teacher is motivator in many learning aspect of a child. Teacher should give a lot supports to students and help students by reminding them when they commit mistakes or wrong. It is important for students because elementary school is not only learning about skills and basic knowledge but also learn to handle with mental attitude, manners, and moral. Students also being taught not to despair easily learn unyielding spirit and learn to think creatively. Learn to appreciate one another, work together in a team as well as interact with friends and many people. It is also the basic things that become essential preparation in their life later in society.
For parents also need to understand the heavy duty which is taken by an elementary school teacher. Never think that a duty of elementary school teacher is an easy job and sometimes not really appreciated by others. Big responsibility of a teacher sometimes makes teacher’s life a bit stressful because dealing with children of different backgrounds. Challenge of a teacher as well as challenges of students. Teachers should keep on spirit facing challenges for helping future of students. Give encouragement and motivation when there is a student who has lost motivation without complaining and despair. Elementary education is a challenging education.


knowing, learning, aesthetic education
Children are biologically wired to experience their world through rich sensory, affective, aesthetic, and imaginal experiences. Children thirst for art, music and movement, and these modes are utilized widely to learn the varied languages of literacy: the alphabet, numbers, vocabulary, body-sense and more. Yet, in response to meeting higher and more prescribed standards at the elementary and secondary levels, there is a tendency to narrow the curriculum, to consider art and music expendable, to view social-emotional development as external to the schoolhouse. This narrowing is happening just as our global culture is moving again toward multiple kinds of communication: toward oral language, pictures, sounds, diagrams, videos – a world that increasingly requires creative and collaborative problem solving, imagination, and multicultural competence. To be successful –academically, emotionally and socially – in our rapidly changing world, children need opportunities to nurture their imaginations and connect emotionally through drama, athletics, art, music and dance. Integrating the arts throughout and within the curriculum at all levels supports the development of broad-based literacy.
Howzell-Young, Laura and Daniels, Susan
"Aesthetic Knowing: Essential to the Development of Heart and Mind.,"
Wisdom in Education: Vol. 2
, Article 1.
Available at: http://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/wie/vol2/iss1/1
Art Education Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Gifted Education Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons


Quality indicators for childcare
We all know that early education can provide academic and social benefits that last well beyond preschool. However, researchers have also repeatedly demonstrated that for children – especially those from low-income backgrounds, to benefit from preschool, it must be of a high quality
BestStart’s Chief Operations Officer, Fiona Hughes explains how to recognise quality:
“You can usually tell a high quality preschool or child care the minute you walk into the centre, you’ll see learning occurring and you’ll hear happy and excited voices” she says.
“There are three other indicators of a high quality child care programme: people, place and programme.
In your preschool you want to know that the early childhood teachers and assistants are expert, well-trained and that the majority of them hold qualifications in early childhood education.
It takes three years to get qualified and then teachers need to do professional development for a further year. At a BestStart centre you will find teachers also get on-going professional development to ensure they are up to date with the latest teaching practices.
We also ensure there is plenty of time for teachers to reflect and work on children’s individual learning programmes so that they can observe, consider and track how best to encourage and motivate children’s learning.
It’s important too, for a centre’s teachers to reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the children and families.
The learning environment should make all children feel welcome regardless of the cultural, ethnic or language background. Look for lots of supplies, materials, equipment and play activity arranged to entice children to learn.
A stimulating outdoor environment that challenges and motivates children to explore, run and play is also important.
A quality learning programme will provide lots of learning opportunities in a wide range of areas (reading, water play, sand play, dress-up, science, social play). A variety of whole class activities, working in small groups and individual interactions with teachers are something else to look for.
Ask the teachers how they intend to build on your child’s interests and natural curiosity. Find out how they integrate learning opportunities across children’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. And most important, how are they preparing your child for school.
Finally a quality preschool or child care centre builds trusting relationships with parents, including respecting and supporting different families cultures and languages.
At a BestStart centre, Fiona adds, we encourage parents to exchange a lot of information about their child’s strengths and successes, favourite activities and learning progress. We often run parent evenings and other events to help parents see the progress their child is making and appreciate the learning their child is doing to ready them for life.
Finding Quality Childcare
At any one of our quality childcare centres your child will be nurtured and cared for in a warm, friendly and positive environment. We have qualified and caring teachers, quality equipment and toys and safe, attractive learning environments. Children will learn early literacy and numeracy skills, social skills, build confidence, develop a love of learning and be well prepared for school.
According to the Rand Corporation in the United States when you look for childcare focus your search in three areas – people, programme and place. Here are a few of the things you should look for:
- What kind of training and education do the teachers have?
- Are the teachers and children engaged in conversation?
- Can teachers tell you not only what they are doing, but why?
- Does the programme use a curriculum to guide learning?
- Does the programme welcome and involve families?
- Does the space have separate learning centres (reading, art, dramatic play, writing, etc.) and a well-equipped playground?


Read It Once Again Benefits Preschool
Children with Special Needs
Other early childhood curriculums may touch on beginning basic skills, but Read It Once Again uses rhyme, rhythm and repetition in our Level 1 units as a strategy to ensure that there is an intentional, extended focus on the most basic skills necessary for children with special needs to retain information. Research has proven that having a firm understanding of these basic essential skills is necessary to achieve educational success in higher academic learning.
Language skills are embedded into the activities found in the domains of Speech and Language, Cognitive, Motor, Daily Living, and Socialization. Read It once Again ensures that your child will be constantly immersed into a language rich environment.
Repetition is an important factor in the teaching strategies offered within the Read It Once Again curriculum units. Our Level 1 activities reinforce basic fundamental concepts and are systematically offered and repeated in a variety of literacy based lessons throughout every unit and in each domain. Young children learn best when the environment and teaching strategies are solidly predictable with elements of creativity and exploration woven into each day. Read It Once Again uniquely provides a flexible structure that promotes creativity and exploration.
Reading + Repetition = Language Development
Goals and objectives for activities provided in each domain of every unit are designed to fulfill the requirements of many Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) for children with special needs. This feature enhances the probability of mastering IEP goals and objectives.
Most of the concepts in our activities are offered in multiple levels of difficulty. This allows teachers to work on a particular skill individually or in a small group setting with children functioning at different levels. Every child has the opportunity to be successful which promotes a “can-do” attitude and fosters positive self-esteem.
Which units would you recommend for my children with special needs?
We suggest using Level 1 units for young children first entering your program to ensure that your children have solidly mastered the most basic foundational skills. Activities in Level 2 units can be introduced later in the year if your children are ready to comprehend higher levels of learning. Click here to see our Level 1 Skills and Concepts matrix. Click here to view our Level 2 Skills and Concepts matrix.
Read It Once Again offers units for 30 different storybook titles. That ensures teachers will have a three year rotation of units so that children who stay with your program for three years do not need to repeat a unit or story.
We offer several different money saving package deals where you can purchase nine units for the price of eight. Package 1 Easy Readers, is great for classrooms with 3 yr. olds or those who require books with minimal text. Package 3 features books with rhyme, rhythm and repetition for young children or children with autism.
Click here to view Package 1
Click here to view Package 3
Click here to view other options for package deals available at discounted prices.


Preparing for Middle School
Preparation for middle school truly begins in the early elementary grades as we work to instill a deep love of learning in our students and intentionally focus on skills such as cooperation, self-reflection, and the ability to set realistic goals all of which help ensure future success long after students leave The Raleigh School.
Introduction to concepts
More focused preparation for middle school takes place in the upper elementary grades, when teachers strive to expose students to the concept of grades, how to study and prepare for tests, and the importance of developing strong organizational skills while remaining true to our own mission and values. In fourth grade, for example, as students become adept at converting fractions to decimals and percents, they also learn the grade equivalent of their numerical scores on teacher made tests and quizzes. Grades are explained and students come to understand the role grades may play in future experiences. Discussions with students begin to focus more on the importance of time management and organizational systems and teachers scaffold long term projects to help students internalize these valuable skills. These intentional efforts on the part of teachers combined with our school’s mission allow students to leave us well prepared for what they will face in middle school and beyond.
Feedback from sixth-graders
Results of our annual middle school survey, administered in a student’s sixth grade year, consistently indicate that students and parents alike believe that The Raleigh School well prepared students both academically and socially for the experience of middle school. Comments such as this from TRS parent Edie Cagle are not uncommon: "I can't imagine a preparation better than what we received at TRS. Her elementary education was worth every penny. Thank you for making her education so fulfilling to her."
Anecdotal information gathered from families, graduates, and faculty at various middle schools also indicates that our graduates perform well academically and often take on leadership roles within their new environment.
Finding the best match
While preparing students for middle school is an ongoing process, we also work closely with families of fourth and fifth grade students as they explore different options for their child’s middle school years. We believe that it is important that each family and graduate finds a middle school program that best fits their individual needs. Each year an informational evening is held at the school to provide parents with details regarding the range of choices that are available to families. Former graduates and their parents are invited back to serve on panel discussions, sharing their personal experiences with families. Finally, teachers and administrators meet with parents offering input and guidance to help ensure a smooth transition for all students. Our goal is that each of our graduates meets with continued academic and social-emotional success as they continue their educational journey.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS ATTENDED
The Exploris School
Martin Middle School
Daniels Middle School
East Cary Middle School
Centennial Middle School
St. Timothy's School
High Meadows School (Atlanta)
BEYOND MIDDLE SCHOOL
In high school and beyond, The Raleigh School graduates continue to excel. Just in the past two decades, our graduates include:
- Three Morehead Scholars at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- A Robertson Scholar at Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill
- A Park Scholar at N.C. State University
- Two Fulbright Scholars
- A Presidential Scholar at Appalachian State
- Members of NCAA championship sports teams and athletic scholarship recipients
- Graduates of Harvard University, Williams College, Duke University, Cornell University, the U.S. Military Academy and a wide array of colleges nationwide


Dozens of Music Technique Books Donated to Young Detroit Musicians
Detroit, MI – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation donated dozens of Hal Leonard’s Standard of Excellence instrumental method books!
“Excitement, eagerness, and anxiety, are some of the many emotions my students experienced as they first walked in to my band room as Beginning Middle School Band students,” Ms. Stokes explains. ” ‘I can’t play an instrument, I don’t know how to read music, and this is too hard’, soon turned into smiles, giggles, and eyes full of awe like little children when they made their first sound on their instrument. They are also beginning to show confidence on their instruments as they explore science, math, foreign languages, history, and physical education all wrapped in one subject called Beginning Band.”
In Detroit, there are many different socioeconomic issues at work. As businesses are beginning to come back to the metro and homes and condos are being bought again, there is a strong need for more arts and music programs to keep kids in school and off the streets. By providing more opportunities and exposing students to more activities and new experiences, schools have the upper hand in developing young minds and preparing them for the future. That is why it is so important to aid schools that are supporting or wish to support music education in their school!
“Along with providing an education to my students in which many receive free lunches and live in or are bussed from economically challenged neighborhoods, my school also provides the families and community with many resources (food, clothing, social services, etc.) which helps to ease many of the everyday challenges that can prevent families from keeping education a priority,” Ms. Stokes says.
“Many of my students also participate in the after school program which includes tutoring, a STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), cooking class, and physical education. All subjects that my students enjoy to help them become successful.”
Having the availability of method books in the classroom allow students to not only work on material in class, but also when they go home. Standard of Excellence method books are literally a standard for many music programs. In order to help these 68 students, they would need books covering instrumental methods for the flute, clarinet, alto sax, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone, tuba and percussion.
“Also, because many of my students are using Xerox copies that are easily damaged, lost, or forgotten, I will have to use valuable instructional time copying more music. My students want me in front of them, not the copy machine,” Ms. Stokes adds.
Thanks to the donations of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, this classroom will receive the music instruction they deserve.
Ms. Stokes expresses her gratitude:
Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc.,
Thank you so much for your support of our school band program. I can’t wait to see the looks on the students faces when they hear that someone they don’t know, cared enough for them to donate funds to buy their band books so they can continue on their musical journey. Once again, a big thank you for helping to give my students the tools needed to be as successful as possible in the wonderful world of music through playing in band.
Every week, Keeping the Blues Alive donates to a school in need.
To help us continue this good work in schools across the country, make a small donation here!


This course is designed for students majoring in elementary education and to give mathematical understandings and skills necessary to teach in elementary schools. Logical developments and structure are emphasized throughout. Topics included are sets, natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, numeration systems, calculator applications, and selected topics from number theory. Students are recommended to have a scientific calculator. Specifications will be discussed by the instructor. Lab Fee
A study of selected Shakespearean plays designed to increase the reader’s appreciation and understanding of Shakespeare’s art.
This course is the second of a two-course sequence that is designed to develop the mathematical understandings and skills required to teach effectively in elementary schools. Logic, formal reasoning, and the use of mathematics software are emphasized throughout. Topics include statistics, probability, geometric shapes, congruence, geometric construction, and measurement. Students are recommended to have a scientific calculator. Specifications will be discussed by the instructor. Lab Fee
This course offers a critical study of the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha, and the Christian Bible as distinct but related literary and theological traditions.
This is a liberal arts mathematics course designed primarily for students whose programs of study have no further mathematics requirements. Its purpose is to develop an awareness of the use of mathematics in the world around us. Emphasis will be on the communication of mathematical ideas, problem solving, applications, and the historical nature of mathematics. Specific topics for this course include: Logic and Reasoning, Mathematics of Finance and Investment, Probability, Statistics, Graph Theory, and Geometry.
A survey of African-American literature from 1600 to the present.
This course includes the following topics: scientific notation, review of basic algebra, solution of linear equations, graphing of algebraic functions, introduction to trigonometry, solution of right triangles, vectors, graphs of trigonometric functions, solution of oblique triangles. Laboratory experiences will be used in this course to show direct applications. Students are required to have a graphing calculator. Specifications will be made by the instructor. Designed for students in technical, occupational fields. [48-16-64] Lab Fee
An exploration of the background major themes and types, authors, and influences of science fiction. The goal is to become acquainted with the inter-relationship between science fiction as an art form and the cultures from which it develops as a mode of perceiving and defining reality.
This course is a continuation of MATH 118 and includes the following topics: complex numbers, trigonometric identities, solution of trigonometric equations, solving systems of linear equations, rational expressions, solution of rational equations, solution of quadratic equations, logarithmic and exponential functions. Students are required to have a graphing calculator. Specifications will be made by the instructor. Course designed for students in technical occupational fields. [48-16-64] Lab Fee
Studies in the relationship of literature and literary study to a second discipline: science, philosophy, psychology, social science, or fine arts. The literary genre and period and the second area vary from semester to semester. Course may be repeated for credit toward graduation up to six credit hours.


10/04/2017 - 10:53
Kris Van de Poel
When students make the transition from secondary to tertiary education, they make the transition from a (more or less) controlled environment to an environment where they are expected to take responsibility in adjusting to new academic and social expectations. Students who fail to successfully make this transition will under-achieve throughout their studies or maybe even drop out. Teachers play a pivotal role in preparing and supporting students to adapt to the new environment, and in helping them bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education. In this workshop we will highlight the different challenges which students experience and exchange tips and tricks – paying special attention to social learning, autonomous learning and collaborative learning.
Filling the social learning gap: Who’s afraid of social (media) talk?
Due to growing student numbers, creating time and space for peer interaction in every-day teaching practice is often considered a challenging task. We, therefore, have to look for new ways to facilitate peer interaction and collaboration beyond the classroom walls. We will first explore the concept of social learning through social media talk, with a focus on how to build an effective network for learning online and what implications it has for learners of a foreign language, as well as for those who teach it.
Filling the autonomous learning gap: Supporting students’ self-reflection and self-regulation skills
One of the greatest challenges that students face when transitioning from secondary to tertiary education is the demand to be more autonomous. In this segment, we will report on the challenges associated with supporting students in developing (more) independent learning skills and L2 academic literacy. We will pay special attention to the pedagogical implications of this approach, relevant for secondary education teachers who search to create (more) autonomous learning opportunities for their students.
Filling the collaborative learning gap: Keeping learners focused in “The flipped classroom”
The classroom is a reflection of ‘real life out there’. Teachers can build on and benefit from what learners are good at. We will ask ourselves: What can we learn from social talk and how can learning benefit from it? How do we support the development of autonomy? How do we ensure proper collaboration, even when students do not want to collaborate? We will exchange some strategies, tips and tricks to make classes more interesting by making learners co-owners of the learning process. We will facilitate reflections and experiences based on examples from an academic writing class.
Kris Van de Poel is an applied linguist (University of Antwerp & Edinburgh University) with a background in teaching and research in, among others, Scandinavia, Scotland, England and South Africa. She has coordinated and audited projects in Eastern and Central Europe, Asia and Africa and has coached many generations of young and mature language students.
Kris’ research is data-driven and firmly embedded in the domain of Language for Specific Purposes with a primary focus on academic and professional contexts.
Ward Peeters is a PhD researcher in applied linguistics at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and is a teaching assistant at the department of English Studies at Ghent University (Belgium). He studies social network impact in foreign language learning and has conducted research projects in both Belgium and South Africa as part of an extensive study on computer-supported collaborative work. As part of his teaching experience, Ward teaches courses in linguistics at Ghent University, as well as courses in academic English and Dutch at the University Language Centre (UCT) at Ghent University.
Marina Vulovic originates from Montenegro. She is a graduate of the University of Belgrade and, currently, she is doing a PhD in applied linguistics at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). Her research interests include raising first-year students’ awareness of reading and writing in the context of their academic literacy development in L2. Moreover, Marina is interested in needs analysis, course design, and metacognitive development. She has presented papers at conferences held in Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Marina has experience in the fields of both foreign language teaching and translation.
Elke Ruelens is doing a PhD in Applied Linguistics at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). Initially, she trained to become a language teacher, and pedagogics remains one of her major interests. Elke’s current research relates to the relationship between self-regulation and language learner autonomy; she is examining whether strategy-based instruction can be integrated in academic literacy courses to target both students’ literacy skills and their autonomy.


Contribution to Book
Teaching Metaphor: Teacher as FarmerThose Who Can, Teach. Those Who Can't, Go into Some Less Significant Line of Work. Monograph (1992)
AbstractMuch of what teachers know about how to teach and how to conceptualize specific academic content is learned from their undergraduate professors. In 1990, California State University, Fullerton, received a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), Project Teach, to improve the quality of instruction which prospective elementary school teachers experience in undergraduate academic coursework. Project Teach has engaged junior and senior faculty from three schools at the University (Human Development and Community Service, Humanities and Social Science, and Natural Science and Mathematics) in a discussion of effective teaching and of the relationship of their own teaching to the preparation of teachers. In this monograph, participants representing such diverse fields as child development, elementary education, health, physical education and recreation, psychology, English, political science, linguistics, anthropology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology explain their views of the teaching process through the use of metaphors and describe teaching strategies found to be effective in their own classes.
Publication DateAugust, 1992
EditorC.P. Barnes & K. Goodhue-McWilliams
PublisherFIPSE: Project Teach, Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education
Citation InformationEllen N Junn. "Teaching Metaphor: Teacher as Farmer" Those Who Can, Teach. Those Who Can't, Go into Some Less Significant Line of Work. Monograph Vol. Record # ED352352 (1992)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ellen_junn/30/


Course on Discourse Analysis
Scholars have conceptualized various theories and methodologies for studying talk and text including discourse analysis. This course will focus on how these approaches have been used in social science research. In particular, we will examine how representations of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and immigration are constructed through discourse. Students will have the opportunity to collect language-in-interaction and other kinds of texts and apply discourse analytic techniques to analyze these data.
The goals of the course are:
1. To examine theories, concepts, and methods used in the study of discourse analysis.
2. To examine the relationship between language, representation, and action.
3. To apply the techniques of discourse analysis to naturalistic interactions.
Course on Bilingualism and Biliteracy across Multiple Contexts
This course will examine approaches to the study of bilingualism and biliteracy across multiple contexts including home, school, church, and other community settings. We will focus on the contributions that qualitative methodologies, particularly ethnography, have made to current understandings of the language and literacy learning of bi/multicultural and bi/multilingual students. We will look at the ways that researchers conceptualize and operationalize notions of language, culture, and learning in empirical studies that focus on diverse groups of learners. In exploring research on bilingualism and biliteracy, we will interrogate the sociocultural, historical, and political factors that affect the language and literacy learning of culturally and linguistically diverse students. In addition, the course will consider how language and literacy learning is never neutral but always embedded in ideological contexts that are shaped by power and privilege.
Metropolitan Regions and their Schools
Suburban cities have become the most dynamic areas of metropolitan regions. They are quickly becoming more diverse than their central-city counterparts. Yet, educational frameworks regarding diversity and equity have little to say about American suburbs. This course takes an interdisciplinary (i.e., sociology, education, regional planning) approach to examine metropolitan regions by putting suburban cities into play in educational frameworks. We will explore the history of suburbs and their relationships to central cities, the contemporary demographic landscape of American suburbs, historical and contemporary patterns of segregation, as well as the interwove and dynamic institutional relationships of schools and municipalities.
Home, School & Community Relations
• Learn promising methodologies of community engagement in K-12 educational settings.
• Develop and implement teaching and research projects in collaboration with students and families in Rose Park Elementary.
• Section has an Elementary Education Emphasis and 25 hours of fieldwork requirement.
• On-campus face-to-face classes will only be held five dates during the semester. All other class instruction will occur online through Canvas.


Posted by Corrine, Zoe, Eunice & Cindy
The modern century has entered an increasingly networked, electronic, and globalized age. Students are involved in virtual communities, mediated by tools like emails, blogs and online forums, on a more frequent basis. An increasing number of researchers pay attention to the impact of digital literacy practices on L2 learning. Wan Shun Eva Lam (2000) points out that using L2 to communicate on the Internet has a positive effect on identity formation and L2 literacy development. In her case study, she conducted interviews with a Chinese immigrant student called Almon in the United States. Almon experienced a dramatic improvement in his English and a positive change of his life attitude after he started to run his personal home pages, conduct on-line chat and have e-mail exchanges with his pen pals.
Now, let’s see what Almon did on the Internet:
1. Setting up Personal Home Page
Almon located his home page in “Tokyo” on Geocities, where he provided information about a Japanese popular singer – Ryoko Hirosue. He used multimodal resources for meaning making on his home page, including setting background music, writing a profile of the star, presenting an animated cartoon, inserting useful links and providing space for fans to comment and exchange ideas. Being the owner of the home page, he adopted certain types of language choices – first and second pronouns, imperatives and the modal verb can – to show his new identity as a knowledgeable and valued member in this particular J-pop community.
2. Chatting Online
Almon was regularly in touch with people from all around the world sharing their common interests via chat or e-mail. Many of his pen pals were female and were considerate and supportive. Meanwhile, Almon adopted certain language choices, such as hedges, qualifiers and emoticons to act in a nurturing and supportive role. In this way, gender lines in the virtual community are blurred, which is different from the gender role in reality.
What do we think of this case?
Previously, Almon was a low-achieving student studying in a high school. Due to his non-native like English, he revealed a sense of his marginalized position in society and depression about his future. However, after he started to run his personal home pages, conduct on-line chat and have e-mail exchanges with his pen pals, he overcame his fear about the future, gained a sense of belonging in the country and developed better competence in English.
Almon’s experience reminds us of our participation in Douban and Baidu Forum. In these websites, we can post our comments on a book or a movie and discuss our favorite character with people who share similar interests. By doing so, we often gain a sense of belonging as we act as a contributor in this forum. Although we might use Internet language, like 4u and lol, when chatting with web users, we can speak a more native-like language and better participate in the networked environment. However, the use of Internet language may lead to poor performance in formal English learning, like misspelling and incorrect grammar.
The new literacy experience of Almon and our own experiences suggest that teachers might consider encouraging students’ interaction through CMC, since students can practice their English in a supportive and collaborative environment. They can make appropriate linguistic choices and utilize a certain discourse to perform particular roles in various communities.
- How can teachers incorporate the use of virtual spaces in and out of language class?
- What are the positive and negative effects of this practice in language teaching?
Image credit: Chrls Potter


The one who has problem with numbers would be more likely to feel negative about bowel cancer screening, found a study supported by Cancer Research UK, published today (Monday) in the Journal of Health Psychology. Some of these people may fear abnormal result, while some others may think the test is disgusting or embarrassing.
The researchers sent information about bowel cancer screening to patients aged from 45 to 59 along with a questionnaire which assessed their numerical skills and attitudes to the screening test, which looks for blood in stool samples.
Almost 965 people - registered with four GP practices in the North of England returned the questionnaire which asked: 'Which of the following numbers represents the biggest risk of getting a disease: 1 in 100, 1 in 1000, 1 in 10'. Nearly half (46 per cent) got this question wrong.
These people, considered to have low numeracy skills, were also more negative about the bowel cancer screening test, and these attitudes made them less inclined to take part in screening than those who got the question right.
They were more likely to think taking the test was disgusting, embarrassing or 'tempting fate', and to be more afraid of an abnormal result. They also tended to know less about bowel cancer and were more likely to avoid or ignore cancer information, even when other factors such as education and ethnicity were taken into account.
Lead study author Dr Samuel Smith, based at Queen Mary University of London, said: "People's comprehension of numbers may have links with how well they understand and use information about bowel cancer screening. Our findings could help to improve how we discuss screening with the public. That might be through targeted campaigns in deprived areas where low numeracy and literacy skills are more common, or through health workers discussing screening with people who might be inclined to ignore written information or think they don't need to take a screening test."
"More research is needed but changes to the test itself, that make it quicker and easier to use, might also help to increase the number of people with low numeracy skills who take part in screening, by reducing barriers such as disgust or embarrassment."
Those with low numeracy skills were more likely to have a defensive attitude to cancer information, such as saying they did not need screening because their bowel movements were regular, they ate healthily, or their GP had not told them that the test was important.
The study was part of a project which aims to find ways of getting more people, whoever and wherever they are, to consider using the bowel cancer screening test when it's offered to them. Researchers say that using results from the study to specifically target those with low numeracy skills could help to achieve this.
Around 41,600 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year and around 16,200 die from the disease. It is estimated that bowel screening could save more than 2,000 lives per year in the UK by 2025. The national screening programme, called faecal occult blood testing (FOBT), allows the disease to be detected before symptoms become apparent. It is offered to people aged 60 - 74 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 50 - 74 in Scotland, all of whom are sent a stool testing kit every two years.
Sara Hiom, director of early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, said: "It really is worth using this little kit when you're sent it, even if you do feel a bit uncomfortable about it. The test can pick up early stage disease in people who are otherwise fit and healthy, even before you develop symptoms. Detecting bowel cancer at an early stage means treatment is more likely to be straightforward and successful, so it's well worth a bit of extra effort to take the test when you're sent it in the post."
"This study adds to our knowledge of why some people don't take part in screening, and could help us to come up with new ways of helping people overcome these barriers and protect their health."


Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/5/2014 (1187 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
"How do we cut and fold this wing quicker?"
"Does it matter which way the resistor goes in?
"Is the leash part of the cost?
"Do you really need the nuts in a banana split?"
"How do I make a punch line?"
These curious questions emerged during CareerTHINK, a unique workshop at Archwood Elementary-Middle Years School back on Feb. 21 — an event created to promote student engagement in school.
A variety of research studies point out that, despite the best efforts of teachers, many students become disengaged in school as early as Grade 3.
CareerTHINK occurred in the Archwood gym for an entire morning. Organizers designed the event to show students the importance of Workplace Education Manitoba’s 9 Essential Skills for Work, which include reading, writing, speaking, doing math, problem-solving and collaborating in teams.
The students were immersed in some very diverse activities — airplane manufacturing, entrepreneurial start-ups, L.E.D. series circuits, computer flowcharting and cartooning. All hands-on. All related to skills and careers.
The stations were facilitated by Grade 12 students from Windsor Park Collegiate and by professionals from Winnipeg’s business community.
Demetre Balaktsis, from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, who ran the entrepreneurship station, was impressed with the students’ ingenuity.
"Kids were quickly able to produce the bones of business plans for services and products. Greatness is locked up within them... with a bit of guidance, their potential as entrepreneurs can be liberated."
At first glance, talking careers and skills may seem a little premature for elementary students, but Principal Nicholas Kelly doesn’t think so.
"We work hard at developing literacy and numeracy skills in our students but we also need to make school more engaging and relevant, and we think this is one way to accomplish this goal."
The morning was not a one-stop activity. Teacher Krista Labossiere followed up the busy morning in the classroom with discussion and writing activities about careers and skills.
She believes connecting students to the world beyond school walls is important:"By exploring additional careers, conversing about skills, and writing about future goals , students realize the skills you learn at school help you in life."
The students completed exit sheets that revealed overwhelming support for the morning of hands-on learning and Essential Skills development.
The event was so well-received by Archwood students and teachers that the school is planning another career event with the Manitoba Trucking Association in June. This little school on Archibald Street is working hard to make academic content and learning engaging, relevant and fun for its students.
Contact Mr. Kelly at 204-233-7983 or through the school website, www.lrsd.com/schools/archwood to inquire about the CareerTHINK initiative or to lend your professional expertise to a future event.
If you’d like to learn more about the 9 Essential Skills for Work, check out www.wem.mb.ca/the_9_essential_skills.aspx.
Adriano Magnifico is a community correspondent for St. Boniface. You can contact him at firstname.lastname@example.org


With the recent discovery of offshore oil, São Toméans will soon face the challenge of reconciling rapid economic development with preserving their natural heritage. Young Explorer Rayna Bell will return to the island with a team of expert scientists to discover just how many species occupy the habitat and how rare and irreplaceable they might be.
For most biologists that work in poorly explored parts of the world, there is nothing quite like the thrill of finding a plant or animal that is undoubtedly new to science. Bob Drewes and his colleagues at the California Academy of Sciences are no exception to this rule and so far they have described several new species of frogs, lizards, fishes, mosses and barnacles from the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. These species join a growing list of plants, animals, and fungi that are found nowhere else on earth but after over a decade of extensive field surveys and over 20 scientific publications, Bob realized that the results of this work weren’t reaching the people who need this information most: the islands’ inhabitants.
To start spreading awareness about the uniqueness of the islands’ plants and animals, Bob and science educators Roberta Ayres and Velma Schnoll distributed hundreds of posters in 2011 that feature well-known local species with the heading “Somente Aqui” (Only Here). They also met with educators to design biodiversity teaching materials that would complement the primary school curriculum. The end products are simple, but brilliant: lesson plans that build from a coloring book and deck of cards that feature endemic species.
Bringing Together Biodiversity Research with Education
As a graduate student with interests in evolutionary biology and biodiversity conservation, participating in Bob’s research and education expeditions has been an incredible experience for me. Although my main goal for these expeditions is to find two species of treefrogs I’m studying, in 2012 I tagged along with the education team to help distribute coloring books to over 2000 third-graders. This year we distributed playing cards to the same students and taught them how to play the game “memory”. Everyone wanted to try their luck at finding a species match, (including the deputy director of primary schools!) and I’m convinced that the card game, and biodiversity awareness, will spread to friends and family for years to come.


Saturday, July 2, 2011
Growing up I learned how to multiply only one way, column multiplication. As I work in a school and finish my elementary education degree, I am learning many new ways of how to teach students multiplication. One method that I found interesting, yet I am still unsure of, is lattice multiplication.
Lattice multiplication is algorithimically the same as regular long multiplication. This method breaks the process into smaller steps. Some students find this method easier to use for multiplication. The lattice method can also be used for decimals. This method can be used for students who have a hard time grasping place value with the column method.
I am excited to find alternate algorithms for math so that all students can find a way to grasp math concepts. This way students can find a method that works effectively and efficiently for them. As a future teacher, I will continue to investigate alternate algorithms that will help students.
Here are two websites that has more information and problems for students regarding lattice multiplication.


Analyst, Skills Beyond School Division, Directorate for Education and Skills
A few decades ago young people in the United States were among the most educated in the world, but other countries have caught up. Today, despite still being relatively highly educated, the skills of adults lag behind those of adults in many other countries. This has been revealed by the new international Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), which measured the skills of adults in 24 countries.
A newly published report, Time for the U.S. to Reskill?, looks at the U.S. and draws some challenging policy conclusions. One in six adults in the U.S., about 36 million people, has weak literacy skills – they can, at best, read short texts and understand basic vocabulary. In Japan the comparable figure is one in 20. In the U.S. nearly one in three have weak numeracy skills against a cross country average of one in five.
These results are not impressive, but what is really worrying is that there are few signs of improvement. In fact the average basic skills of young adults are not very different from older persons, but if you look around the world you see a very different picture – while the overall results of the U.S. are similar to that of Poland, young Poles have better skills than their U.S. counterparts. That means that if nothing else changes, the basic skills of the Polish workforce will progressively leave the U.S. workforce behind.
Unsurprisingly, the school system appears to be one of the roots of the problem. PISA assessments show U.S. teenagers have mediocre basic skills and these are now reflected in the skills of young adults. Dramatic improvements in initial schooling are needed to turn this around. But the millions of adults have already slipped through the net also need help through effective learning opportunities for young adults, policy measures linked to employability and adult learning programs adapted to diverse needs. Not least, it is crucial to build awareness of the implications of weak basic skills, the costs of inaction and the need to tackle the challenge in the interests of all.
More encouragingly, some of the results point to pathways of opportunity. Participation in adult education is relatively high in the U.S. and many of the low-skilled who for one reason or another did not participate in learning activities express an interest in learning. The results of the survey provide much food for thought and show that this moment is also an opportunity for the U.S. – an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of adult skills, take action and change course for the better.
Time for the U.S. to Reskill? What the Survey of Adult Skills Says
OECD Press release: Concerted Action Necessary to Address U.S. Adult Skills Challenge, says OECD
Presentation: Time for the U.S. to Reskill? What the Survey of Adult Skills Says
OECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills (2013)
Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
For more on skills and skills policies around the world, visit:
Photo credit: American construction © Shuttersctock


Note: this is the first of a series of posts investigating the leadership style of John Wooden and its applicability to choral music education.
John Wooden made INDUSTRIOUSNESS the first cornerstone of his Pyramid of Success.
Call it hard work if you want, but “work” in Wooden’s mind had lost its meaning by the time he completed the Pyramid in 1948. For too many, work means the routine exertion of assembly-line jobs, assembly-line education. Mindless labor.
Wooden defines industriousness as high-capacity work: engaged, focused, absorbed. He writes “You can work without industriousness, but there is no industriousness without work.”
We might define it as “mindful work” rather than “mindless work.”
Industriousness is indeed a cornerstone of success in the choral classroom just as completely as on the basketball court. It is our challenge to cultivate this industriousness – a pervasive work ethic – in the face of an industrial education system that increasingly rewards mindless work.
How many times have you been in a choral rehearsal that hums along with no significant progress being made? That is work without industriousness. On the other hand, can you remember a rehearsal where everyone is eager to continue, to get better? I watched a tenor 1 sectional last week that defined mindful work: all four singers engaged and eager to address issues and make improvements as a team. This is industriousness.
The ways to develop industriousness in your students are as clear as they are challenging:
EXAMPLE: Let them see your industriousness in preparation for rehearsal, in your energy during rehearsal, and in the way you behave between rehearsals.
EXPECTATIONS: Be clear in rewarding industriousness and in not accepting mindless labor during your choral rehearsal.
EXPLANATION: Communicate with your students about industriousness, about how it feels, what it looks like, and why it’s important.
I agree with John Wooden that mindful work–INDUSTRIOUSNESS–is at the heart of success. As my own mentor Steve Zegree often said:
The shortcut to success is hard work.


The adage that “parents are a child’s first teachers” applies to learning to tie shoes and ride a trike. But parents also can be crucial when it comes to learning to read and write – especially if they get some guidance along the way, according to recent research.
The nonprofit research organization Child Trends looked at nearly two dozen evaluations of Raising A Reader, a California-based program that teaches parents how to be reading mentors to their kids. The Child Trends report found that parents who received training in the most effective ways to encourage kids’ reading were more likely to report positive changes in their children, such as improvement in spoken language skills, ability to ask questions and turning pages in a book.
With help from workshops that Raising a Reader offers, parents can learn how to deeply engage with their kids around books, by asking questions and helping kids make connections between the stories they read and their own lives.
Parents who completed the training showed a stronger connection to their kids’ literacy development, the Child Trends study found. They were more likely to read together, more likely to have an established routine for reading and to recognize the importance of reading to children at an early age.
Family involvement in kids’ education has been shown to have an important positive effect on young children as they develop literacy skills. A 2013 report from the nonprofit policy group MDRC summarizes what is known about the importance of parents. One of the key findings is that parents from diverse backgrounds can be taught how to engage more effectively with their kids to support early learning.
The findings point to the importance of parental involvement, a stated priority of California’s Local Control and Accountability Plans, districts’ three-year plans, updated annually, that describe how they will meet their goals for school improvement and student success. School districts are trying new ways to engage parents in reading, including a text messaging initiative in the San Francisco Unified School District.
The Raising A Reader program is offered in a variety of settings, from libraries to schools to after-school programs. In California, it is offered in 1,400 sites reaching an estimated 57,000 children. Its national offices are in Redwood City. The program targets low-income families who may not have the tools or knowledge to encourage reading at home with their youngsters.
Raising A Reader will participate next in a large-scale formal evaluation of its programs.