Spring 2014 quarter
- Kristina Ackley Native American studies , Zoltan Grossman geography
- Fields of Study
- American studies, Native American studies, community studies, cultural studies, education, geography, history and international studies
- Preparatory for studies or careers in
- Native American studies, American studies, immigration studies, geography, elementary and secondary education, law and humanities.
This program repeats the fall quarter content of the fall-winter program American Frontiers, Homelands, and Empire. Students who take the fall quarter program may not sign up for the spring repeat program.
Students will explore the juxtaposed themes of Frontier and Homeland, Empire and Periphery and the Indigenous and Immigrant experience. We will use historical analysis (changes in time) and geographic analysis (changes in place) to critique these themes, and will turn toward cultural analysis for a deeper understanding of race, nation, class and gender. We will take as our starting point a critique of Frederick Jackson Turner’s “Frontier Thesis”—that the frontier is "the meeting point between savagery and civilization"—as a racist rationale for the colonization of Native American homelands. We will consider alternative histories of Anglo-American expansion and settlement in North America, with interaction, change, and persistence as our unifying themes.
We will study how place and connection is nurtured, re-imagined and interpreted, particularly in Indigenous and recent immigrant communities. We will connect between the ongoing process of "Manifest Destiny" in North America and subsequent overseas imperial expansion into Latin America, the Pacific and beyond. The colonial control of domestic homelands and imperial control of foreign homelands are both highlighted in recent patterns of recent immigration. These patterns involve many "immigrants" who are in fact indigenous to the Americas, as well as immigrants from countries once conquered by the U.S. military. The American Empire, it seems, began at home and its effects are coming back home and will be contested again.
We will track the historical progression of the frontier across North America and overseas and the territorial and cultural clashes of immigrant and colonized peoples. We will hear firsthand the life stories of local individuals and communities to understand their narratives of conflict, assimilation, resistance and survival. In particular, we will examine the overlapping experiences of Native Americans and recent immigrants, and Indigenous territories and migrations that transgress or straddle the international border as defined by Homeland Security. This program offers ideal opportunities for students to develop foundational skills in writing, research, and analysis.
- Online Learning
- Hybrid Online Learning < 25% Delivered Online
- Greener Store
- Required Fees
- $120 for a field trip to the Quileute and Makah nations.
- Offered During
|January 29th, 2014||This program is now offered to Freshmen and Sophomores only.|
|October 9th, 2013||New opportunity added.|


By Ann Harman, GCFP
For at least half a century, the prevailing idea of childhood development has been that the basic sequence of infant and child development, which includes learning to roll, reach, sit, creep, crawl, stand, and walk is genetically predetermined. The “normal” sequence, with only minor variations, is relatively consistent from one child to another. However, the dynamic systems approach developed by Esther Thelen brings an alternative viewpoint that challenges this established theory.
Part of the established theory is that developmental sequences are controlled by the maturation process of the brain. In this concept, there is a central controller in the brain (which has never been identified) that leads the infant through a process beginning with primitive reflexes. With maturation, the primitive reflexes are suppressed, and more mature movements develop.
One of these primitive reflexes is the stepping reflex. A young infant, when supported upright, makes stepping movements that appear to be a precursor to walking. This reflex disappears after about two months, supposedly due to the maturation of the brain.
Dr. Thelen, a professor of psychology and cognitive science at Indiana University, noticed that babies older than two months make kicking movements, while lying on their backs, that resemble the stepping reflex. She became curious and did an experiment of supporting the infant in a tub of water, so that gravity was less of a factor. The stepping reflex returned! Then she took infants who still had a stepping reflex, put weights on their legs, and saw that the stepping reflex was inhibited! She theorized that the stepping reflex was not inhibited by the maturation of the brain, but by the weight of the infant’s legs. (Babies double their weight within six months of birth, and a two-month old normally has a great deal of fat on the legs.) This was only one in a series of experiments done by Thelen and her colleagues that brought doubts to established theories of development.
Dr. Thelen also observed that the developmental sequences of children are more variable than was previously believed. Yet, almost all children arrive at certain milestones such as crawling, standing, and walking, although by way of different routes. She theorized that certain movements are “attractors”, but the paths to these attractors are variable. Children are drawn to these attractors, but each finds his or her own pathway through trial and error. In other words, the process depends more upon experimentation, curiosity, and learning than was previously thought.
Eventually, Dr. Thelen summarized the system by which children learn by the acronym EVASO:
V: Variations: Experiment with variations in moving.
A: Attend to how new systems self-organize.
S: Select patterns that are better
O: Optimize for functional effectiveness and movement quality.
When Dr. Thelen was exposed to the Feldenkrais Method® of movement education, she was astounded to find that this system not only used these principles of infant learning, but also applied them in a practical manner to adult education and rehabilitation, and was already well-established and developed! She undertook the four-year training to become a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner(cm). If it had not been for her untimely death from cancer, she would have retired from research to apply these principles in the context of a Feldenkrais® Practice.
When we think of early childhood learning, this is the period of life in which learning is faster than at any other time. A newborn has a very limited movement capacity, does not know language, and cannot even recognize what s/he sees or hears. Within a few years, the child learns to identify sights and sounds, walk, run, climb, and speak the native language. This is a truly amazing amount of learning that happens within a few years, and this rate of learning slows in later life. (In fact, past concepts of maturation have included the idea that maturity means having learned all that we need to know!)
Does this evoke your interest about how to learn better and faster? To learn by using curiosity, and to explore and choose elegant solutions? If so, consider studying the Feldenkrais Method.
Ann Harman is an osteopathic physician as well as a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.


Now that I teach full time, a lot of my best “parenting’” work happens with other people’s children. I’m not sure what that might mean for the future of homeshuling (school-shuling just doesn’t have the same ring to it) but I thought I’d share a blog post from my Gan blog. I think this activity could be just as successful at home as it was in my classroom.
When I began teaching young children I made a vow that I wouldn’t do “cookie-cutter” art projects – those notorious items that kids tote home from pre-school and kindergarten that all look exactly the same. I’m not the least bit artistic. However, I had the good fortune of taking an art education class in graduate school with Cathy Topal, co-author of the amazing book Beautiful Stuff, and to take a two-day teacher workshop in the art studio at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, both of which helped me figure out how to set up a classroom and design activities that would support creative, open-ended art-making.
Sometimes, of course, cookie cutter projects are designed that way in order to reinforce a particular teaching point, and are a perfectly good use of student’s time and energy. One example is the pasta rendition of the life cycle of a butterfly. Yes, every child’s looked more or less exactly the same, but it was a fun way to assess their understanding and recall of the central idea of our monarch butterfly unit, and to send them home with an artifact of the unit. I just didn’t consider it art, really.
This Hanukkah, I wanted to create a lesson that was both open ended but also reinforced one of the learning goals for Kindergarten – understanding that the definition of a kosher hanukkiyah – that a Hanukkah candelabra has eight branches of equal height and one, the shamash, that is either higher or lower that the rest. (While children make and decorate their own salt dough hanukkiyyot, that activity isn’t really suitable for concretizing the “all the same height” idea, because it’s almost impossible for Gan children to acheive this result with salt dough. Which, of course, begs the question – should I rethink the medium for that activity?)
I decided to have the children make collage hanukkiyot, drawing from some of the wide range of materials that live on our art shelves. However, instead of making the collages completely open-ended, I draw pencil lines for each of the eight branches, in order to ensure that they would, in fact, be even. I also drew a tall shamash, but let children know that it was fine to make their shamash lower, instead of higher, if they preferred.
I was really delighted with how the project turned out. We started with these materials
Children visited the materials table, and chose items to explore. I set very few parameters – they had to use at least two materials, and no more than 9 pom poms (simply because I didn’t want to run out and suspected they would be very popular.) Also, they couldn’t have glue until they had tested out a few arrangements on their cardboard.
Children could choose between Elmer’s glue in a tube and our mini-tubs of glue with brushes. They worked independently to attach the materials. Some students finished in half an hour or so, and some worked for close to an hour. I think you can see how hard they are concentrating!
And I loved the end results – don’t you?
In an ideal world (or a world with 4-5 extra hours a day) the children would also discuss and perhaps write about or draw their own collages. Even without these follow up activities I think both the project and the display accomplished what I set out to do – teach a lesson using art without any cookie-cutting.


Early and Middle Childhood Education Specialization
Do you have a bachelor's degree in early childhood or elementary education and are you interested in enhancing your interdisciplinary content knowledge? This specialization is designed for educators working with children in Preschool – 8th grade settings who are eager to attain a graduate degree while developing the latest knowledge in curriculum and instructional strategies.
The Early and Middle Childhood Education Specialization program is for:
- Current educators teaching in early childhood, primary, elementary or a middle school setting who are looking for professional development to become curriculum specialists or interdisciplinary instructional leaders.
- Individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree (in early childhood or elementary education) who want to become teacher leaders in their educational communities.
- Substitute teachers, career changers, retired military personnel, school paraprofessionals, and others with bachelor's degrees in content areas or related fields who want to teach and need to develop their expertise in the area of curriculum design, development and pedagogy.


Posts Tagged stem
ScratchJr is a new, innovative software program to support integrated STEM learning in early childhood education. The program is designed specifically for K-2. ScratchJr will work to teach children through three main strategies: discipline-specific knowledge, foundational knowledge structures and complex problem-solving skills.
ScratchJr is a project led by Professor Marina Umaschi Bers and her DevTech Research Group at Tufts University and by Professor Mitch Resnick from the Lifelong Kindergarten at the MIT Media Lab. The project is being funded by the National Science Foundation.
Watch the video below for more information on this ongoing project:
The Tufts Elementary Education Program released a new video that talks about their new emphasis on teachers who focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in elementary schools. This program aims to equip these new teachers with the best tools in the STEM areas, so that when they start in elementary schools they can become useful resources for the other teachers.
Check out this video and for more information, visit their website.
Max Goldstein, E14, writes a blog called “Dethroning STEM,” which he calls “a reminder that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics won’t prick your finger.” In a recent post, he explored the use of technology in education:
I am little concerned with handing over our youth’s education to a machine. Isn’t the transfer of knowledge from generation to generation one of the core ideas that make us human?


Offering children optimal opportunities for developing and reaching their full educational potential is a challenge that we must all face together. Inadequate education has grave consequences, both for individuals and society as a whole, which means that cost-saving measures can be expensive over the long term. Different living conditions lead to disadvantages and inequality, and investing in education at the earliest learning stages can thus provide better opportunities across the board. The Effective Investments in Education program is therefore dedicated to ensuring all children have access to high-quality education and to opportunities for participating proactively in society, regardless of their social or cultural background.
The program's Social Costs of Inadequate Education project, for example, makes clear how expensive cost-saving measures can be for society. It identifies the follow-on costs and reduced levels of public funding that result from inadequate education, while demonstrating the key role education plays in many areas of communal life.
In order to develop appropriate approaches to improving educational outcomes, all stakeholders must first be provided with a comprehensive overview of the current situation. The Bertelsmann Stiftung's print publication "Länderreport Frühkindliche Bildungssysteme" (State by State: Early Childhood Education Systems) and its "Ländermonitor" (State Monitor) Internet portal provide insight into the activities currently being carried out by Germany's early childhood education and childcare facilities. Both the publication and the portal offer facts, figures and other information on each of the country's 16 states, thereby allowing state-by-state comparisons.
The project KECK: Community Development -- Opportunities for Children provides information at the district level on the social, educational and health situation of children up to 10 years of age. In a second stage, the project will also be providing information at the community and sub-community levels. The project's online atlas provides users with a clear overview of the situation in each geographical area while also facilitating a comparison with other areas. The project supplies parents, educators and policymakers with background material for discussing and developing new approaches.
To ensure that educational activities can be geared toward each child's individual background, childcare facilities must have resources at their disposal commensurate to the situation at hand. The Financing Elementary Education project is testing innovative ways of funding education. The goal is to distribute financial resources in such a manner that all children can be assisted in accordance with their individual needs.


Education Department :
Education is the only way to promote economic improvement, social change, modernity and integration on a national scale. The National Policy came to being in 1986 and was later changed in 1992 to ensure that education was provided to all students. It was irrespective of which caste they belonged or their gender. The aim was to promote a sense of having one nation with strong valued integration. Light was thrown on the need to under a metamorphosis when it came to the system of education in the country. The need for giving more attention to Science and Technology was highlighted. Children are must be provided education free up and until the age of 14. It is the Directorate of Education efforts to have this policy be implemented on the ground. The facilities to be provided are explained to be like stage, namely – pre-primary, primary, middle, senior secondary and university education levels. The first two levels are to be provided by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi came to being in early 1958 when the Delhi Municipal Commute and all other existing local governing bodies were merged into one. The Corporation’s existence was a created under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The jurisdiction of which, covers the whole of Delhi except some areas which are taken care of the New Delhi Municipal Committee and the Delhi Cantonment committee.
Mission / Vision
The National Policy on Education was revised in 1992 and made elementary education a top priority. The Children have a right to compulsory education for free under the Children to free and compulsory education Act of 2009. This Act too stresses upon the imperative nature of implementing this and holds the Education department responsible for the same. There is pressure to ensure all children up to the age of 14 to enroll themselves;
- Vast strides of improvement when it comes to education quality;
- Making provision for those kids with special requirements;
- Imparting training for children who are out of school and a conscious effort to allow them to merge in with the mainstream; and
- Prepare and ensure maintenance of records of each and every child under the age of 14.
The RTE Act aims are being pursued under the MCD. Many schemes and welfare projects have come up to achieve goals of education. This also acts like an incentive for kids coming from economically weak backgrounds to reduce the drop-out rate and avoid absenteeism.


Promoting Engineering Education in Elementary Schools and Clubs — The PEEESC Program
Teaching Engineering Design in Elementary and Middle School Science Education Courses
NEW!! Middle School Engineering Design Course
Dr. Lottero-Perdue and Dr. Barreto-Espino have co-authored a syllabus and course documentation for a new 2-credit course, SCIE 355: Teaching Engineering Design in Elementary and Middle School Science. The course is in the process of going through curriculum approval to become part of the new middle school education program at Towson University.
Geotechnical Engineering for ELED Majors
Dr. Pamela Lottero-Perdue has modified and integrated two Engineering is Elementary (EiE) units to extend and enhance instruction within PHSC 303 Earth-Space science, a required science content and methods course for elementary education majors. Students enrolled in her course engage in and learn the value of the engineering design process as an extension of their science learning. In spring of 2009, Dr. Lottero-Perdue's Elementary Education (ELED) students investigated the EiE geotechnical engineering unit,
to extend their geology instruction. This unit is being extended, enhanced and taught in many 6th grade earth science classrooms in HCPS.
Chemical Engineering for EESE Majors
In the fall of 2009 and 2010, Dr. Lottero-Perdue taught a different EiE engineering unit to her students who are Elementary Education / Special Education (EESE) majors at the Harford County satellite campus. This EiE unit,
links concepts about solids and liquids to chemical and process engineering. The central character in the storybook for the unit, Michelle (who has Downs Syndrome), learns to engineer play dough to solve a problem. This unit is well suited for EESE majors learning to teach science, and is a central part of the first grade STE unit in the SySTEmic Project, States of Matter and Chemical Engineering.
An elementary education major tests the stability of a model ‘TarPul’ bridge by determining the amount of weight that the cup can hold before it drops below the soil level.


Move the Beehive Gently (1960)
Take a moment to step back from the ongoing media blitz of commentary on the ultimate fate and effect of the Common Core State Standards to read “Move the Beehive Gently” (PDF) from the January 1960 Educational Leadership.
This article, by Oregon Director of Elementary Education Florence E. Beardsley, looks at the effect of school standards in Oregon 12 years after their passage by the legislature.
- Read the article: Move the Beehive Gently (PDF)
Unlike the Common Core standards, the standards under review here are far broader in scope than merely curriculum. In fact, the majority of Beardsley’s examples describe the standards’ positive effect on the physical environment of schools: whether children have access to hot water under pressure or must clean their hands in a nearby cold mountain stream, how quickly leaky roofs are fixed so that children aren’t soaked while sitting at their desks, and whether playgrounds are available.
She cites several studies conducted since the standards’ passage and finds almost unanimously positive feedback on their effect on schools. By one study’s account, inservice programs are more readily and consistently available, instructional materials are more up-to-date, and attitudes have improved across the school community.
Although state standards on items such as the conditions of schools are a different beast than national curriculum standards, it’s worth considering their effect in this case in light of today’s discussions, which often hinge on broad feelings about standardization itself. In this case, did standards work, and if so, why?
Beardsley writes, “It would be presumptuous to attribute all progress to standardization, but it has seemed to provide the broad base,” and speculates that their success has depended on flexibility and input from the education profession in their design.
In “My Back Pages,” we look at important issues through the historical lens of the Educational Leadership archives. ASCD members can access EL issues from 1943 to the present by logging in.


Play With Your Music
Starting November 1, anyone with an internet connection can learn the basics of audio production through a free 6-week online course. “Play With Your Music” is a unique collaboration between NYU Steinhardt and MIT Media Lab, bringing greater access to the world of creative music production.
“Play With Your Music” is a Mechanical MOOC production from P2PU and it is being taught by Associate Professor of Music Education and Music Technology, Dr. Alex Ruthmann and Research Assistant, Ethan Hein.
Using the latest music education tools available on the web, “Play With Your Music” will use the Echonest API to group cohorts based on musical taste. Participants will have access to Soundation’s web-based production space to learn the basics of mixing and sound editing. After making their own music, students will post their tracks to SoundCloud’s listening community and collaborate with each other via Google+.
Signup is open now.


Dyscalculia is a difficulty understanding mathematical concepts and symbols. It is characterised by an inability to understand simple number concepts and to master basic numeracy skills. There are likely to be difficulties dealing with numbers at very elementary levels; this includes learning number facts and procedures, telling the time, time keeping, understanding quantity, prices and money. Even if the child produces a correct answer or uses a correct method, he/she may do so mechanically and without confidence.
Difficulties with numeracy and mathematics are also common with dyslexia.
Does dyscalculia also affect people with dyslexia?
- Research suggests that 40-50% of dyslexics show no signs of dyscalculia. They perform at least as well in mathematics as other children, with about 10% achieving at a higher level.
- The remaining 50-60% do have difficulties with mathematics. Not surprisingly, difficulty in decoding written words can transfer across into a difficulty in decoding mathematical notation and symbols.
- For some dyslexic pupils, however, difficulty with mathematics may in fact stem from problems with the language surrounding mathematical questions rather than with number concepts – e.g. their dyslexia may cause them to misunderstand the wording of a question.
- In summary, dyscalculia and dyslexia occur both independently of each other and together. The strategies for dealing with dyscalculia will be fundamentally the same whether or not the learner is also dyslexic.
Typical symptoms of dyscalculia.
- Counting: Dyscalculic children can usually learn the sequence of counting words, but may have difficulty navigating back and forth, especially in twos and threes.
- Calculations: Dyscalculic children find learning and recalling number facts difficult. They often lack confidence even when they produce the correct answer. They also fail to use rules and procedures to build on known facts. For example, they may know that 5+3=8, but not realise that, therefore, 3+5=8 or that 5+4=9.
- Numbers with zeros: Dyscalculic children may find it difficult to grasp that the words ten, hundred and thousand have the same relationship to each other as the numerals 10, 100 and 1000.
- Measures: Dyscalculic children often have difficulty with operations such as handling money or telling the time. They may also have problems with concepts such as speed (miles per hour) or temperature.
- Direction/orientation: Dyscalculic children may have difficulty understanding spatial orientation (including left and right) causing difficulties in following directions or with map reading.
Dyscalculic children may be particularly vulnerable where teachers follow an interactive, whole-class method of teaching as recommended by the National Numeracy Strategy. Asking dyscalculic children to answer apparently simple maths questions in public will inevitably lead to embarrassment and frustration.


Training your ear is the first step in music education, as it is very valuable for all musicians as more advanced repertory is learned. When your ears are well-trained, it's much easier to memorize music, and to know exactly where you are and what might have gone awry in a memory slip if you understand how the parts relate to each other and to what has gone before and comes after. The most basic ear training is recognizing the relationships between two notes, also called intervals. See how well you can recognize these intervals in our interval game! To advance further in music education, it’s recommended that you obtain a formal education from a teacher.
From a mathematical standpoint, the musical possibilities remaining are incomprehensibly vast. There is so much music of explosive caliber left to be made. What has been created so far is just the tip of the iceberg, and we must study and respect the history of music. The underlying compositional power that fueled the best musical works in musical history is still intact in people today.


Emma Minnie Boyd
'The quail shooter' 1884
Emma Minnie Boyd was born into the privileged à Beckett family in 1858 and became known to family and friends as Minnie. While it was rare for women in late-nineteenth-century colonial Victoria to receive an art education, Minnie's family nurtured her artistic talent and she studied at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. She would eventually become one of Australia's most significant women artists of the late nineteenth century.
In the 1860s the à Beckett family moved to Harkaway near Berwick, east of Melbourne, where they established their property The Grange. The surrounding landscape was to provide much joy and inspiration for Minnie and it was where she painted The quail shooter.
In the late afternoon light a diminutive figure stands mid-ground in a flat, scrubby landscape. In the background, against the low blue hills and soft sky, tall gums rise like sentinels on the skyline, their presence overshadowing that of the quail shooter. Painted outdoors, this lyrical study has a sense of emotional engagement with a familiar landscape. In this period of strong nationalistic sentiment, the tiny human figure does not dominate the landscape; rather he is represented as a part of it.
Text © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 2010
From: Ron Radford (ed), Collection highlights: National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2008
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By the time many kids get to second grade they're already wondering whether they'll ever be "good at math." Yet researchers at the University of Michigan say all kids understand a lot more math than adults usually give them credit for. Last week they published results suggesting that children are capable of learning and understanding basic mathematical concepts and operations at a much earlier age than previously thought.
Does this mean 5 year olds can do calculus? Not quite. But it does suggest states could step up math instruction for preschoolers — and offers further proof that well-designed pre-K programs serve a much more important educational function than simply providing free day care for busy parents. Helping children develop a stronger sense for numbers early on could even reduce the embarrassing gap in mathematical ability between U.S. students and their foreign peers that international standardized tests have revealed.
The recent study by the Michigan researchers found that children as young as 3 can understand the meaning and value of multi-digit numbers and manipulate simple mathematical concepts. The finding was surprising because it contradicted decades of previous research based on the assumption that very young children do not have the capacity to fully understand place values or to add and subtract multi-digit numbers, both of which are crucial prerequisites for learning higher order math.
Maryland may be ahead of the curve in seeking to make the new view of children's mathematical abilities part of its early education curriculum. State Superintendent Lillian Lowery is urging educators to take into account the new research indicating that not only can very young children can grasp basic principles of counting, sorting and sequencing numbers, they're also capable of recognizing geometrical relationships and performing some mathematical operations.
Now that the state is moving to adopt the more rigorous math and reading requirements to meet the new Common Core standards, Ms. Lowery wants to incorporate the new findings regarding childhood brain development into Maryland's early education curriculum as quickly as possible, starting in child care centers, Head Start programs and other early childhood learning centers. She says it's past time teachers freed themselves from preconceived notions of what children can or can't accomplish because all the evidence points to even very young children being ready to absorb far more instruction in higher-level, critical thinking than the state's schools have been delivering up to now.
As a result, educators are looking to expand the tools they use to assess the math skills of students in preschool. For example, Ms. Lowery wants all pre-schoolers to be able to count to at least 20, be able to put numbered cards on a table in sequence and to know how to perform simple operations regarding quantities, such as adding and subtracting blocks. Schools have long used blocks and other objects children can hold in their hands to help them understand the concept of numbers. Surprisingly, the latest research suggests that can also learn as fast or faster from manipulating abstract quantities such as numerals. One of the more fascinating ideas to come out of the University of Michigan study was that for some reason children found it easier to manipulate Roman numerals than their Arabic counterparts.
Ms. Lowery also believes even very young children can be taught how to sort and classify various objects using numbers — for example, how many students are wearing hats or something red today? Likewise, the curriculum needs to address children's capacity to recognize geometrical shapes and properties — not just whether something is a triangle or a square but also why one is fundamentally different from the other. For instance, if a teacher puts three triangles on a table and two are oriented one way while the third is differently, the child has to understand that all three are nevertheless still triangles.
All children come to school with different degrees of development and ability. But Maryland's approach is based on the principle that its always better to accelerate their instruction than wait for everyone to reach the same developmental level before moving on. It turns out that accelerated instruction benefits even those who are less developmentally ready because the faster students help them catch up.
Poor children often come to school with underdeveloped language skills and smaller vocabularies than their middle-class peers; some studies have suggested that poor children hear fewer than half as many words spoken at home during their first five years as children from more affluent families.
But almost all children are continually exposed to multi-digit numbers, which they hear from adults in the form of phone numbers, calendar dates, street addresses, bus routes and the like. It turns out they're constantly processing that information and as a result develop a surprising familiarity with numbers long before they arrive at school. It's the job of early childhood educators to build on those experiences so kids develop the solid skills they will need to expand their knowledge later on, and Maryland's children need to start that process as early as possible in quality kindergarten and pre-K programs.
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Beyond Skill Instruction: Promoting Literacy Acquisition in Kindergarten
It is well-known that kindergarten teachers provide diverse opportunities for early literacy development; however, there are many aspects to literacy instruction at the kindergarten level that have not been thoroughly researched (Harris, Loyo, Holahan, Suzuki, & Gottlieb, 2007). Moreover, a diminutive amount of evidence exists about the role of contextual variables related to the classroom teacher (Richman & Colombo, 2007). As a result, an in-depth investigation was designed to study one successful kindergarten teacher, her behaviors, and her effect on students as they developed early literacy skills.
By describing one highly regarded kindergarten teacher, this research investigation supplies valuable insight into classroom teaching with implications for schools seeking improvement in their development of early literacy skills for kindergarteners. Through examining each aspect of this teacher’s behavior, instructional practices, and her classroom environment, pertinent information regarding promoting early literacy acquisition can be revealed.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
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The Australian Institute of Art Education has formulated a national policy
on Child Art Exhibitions and Competitions. The policy has been
endorsed by each State and Territory Art Education organisation.
Here is the policy:
The Australian Institute of Art Education (AIAE) encourages the exhibition of children's art,
craft and design activities for the following reasons.
. An exhibition, by the very nature of its attractive and visual presentation,
communicates quickly and easily, a wide variety of ideas related to media,
concepts and teaching strategies.
. Exhibitions encourage child participation in art activities and programs.
. For parents, teachers, educational administrators and the general public,
exhibitions are visible proof of the achievement of children in art,
craft and design.
The Institute believes that exhibitions should form a regular and positive
component of all art programs, and that explanations of educational purposes
and resultant child learning should always accompany the exhibited works.
AIAE discourages child art competitions for the following reasons.
. Art educators are concerned for the learning processes of all children,
but art competitions are concerned with only a select few.
. Art competitions may assist and encourage some children. However,
the vast majority are discouraged by this activity. Art competitions
are therefore inconsistent with the ideas of comprehensive primary and
. A fundamental aspect of art education involves a co-operative sharing of
thought and emotions, resulting from wanting to participate in a
communicative activity. Art competitions are at variance with this philosophy.
. There are occasions when child art competitions fail to recognise the intended
educational objectives of art programs. Instead, winning children are often
judged on the basis of arbitrary criteria, derived from the qualities of adult art.
This is contrary to sound educational practice.
. Art competitions can work against the most appropriate development of
children learning in art, as they often impose adult motifs, concepts and
standards upon the child.
. Art competitions tend to encourage plagiarism and, since they rarely require
any real proof that the entrant produced the work entirely unaided, are open to
. Promoters of child art and youth art competitions are often commercial
organisations more concerned to promote their own interests than to foster art
Although worthy charities and causes sometimes seek to raise funds or
publicise their concerns by sponsoring art competitions, it is clear that both art
education and worthy causes would be better promoted in other ways.
For these reasons, the policy of AIAE is that fund raising, or publicity of
worthwhile causes, through children's art is best promoted by exhibitions.
There are alternative ways of achieving the same educational or community
service objectives through more positive learning activities.
It may be appropriate for children to
* participate in small discussion groups or debate significant issues in a large forum
* participate in cross-curriculum projects
* respond to open-ended problem solving which may require personal research
* exhibit art works on specific themes. Instead of competing for prizes, each
participating child could be given a certificate. If prizes are considered to be
necessary, then they could be awarded to the class or school that records the
most visitors attending the exhibition.
* consider, as an alternative to poster competitions (which are often arranged
as publicity gimmicks), a workshop at which parents, children and teachers
work co-operatively to produce posters.
Organisations who wish to promote exhibitions of children's work would be
encouraged. Instead of offering prizes to individual children, sponsors could
* donate art books to the school library
* donate original works of art or reproductions to the school
* sponsor an artist-in-school program
* provide quick change frames for display of children's works around the
school and community
* establish a slide library to assist the school art appreciation program
* sponsor an excursion to an art gallery
* assist the school to hire art appreciation films
* organise artists to visit the school.
Exhibitions should form a regular and positive component of all art
programs and explanations of their educational purposes should always
accompany the exhibited works.
Anyone wishing to have a hard copy of the policy could write to me:
Dr Phil Perry
Faculty of Education


"Kodály had a vision of what music could mean to humanity, and it was realized in the case of those who worked closely around him" (Bacon 1978,44). Zoltán Kodály's concern with "the creative, humanizing enrichment of life through music" was fundamental to that vision (Mark 1986, 123). The guiding principle of his life's work was his belief in the significant role which music played in the development of humankind. Kodály, therefore, wanted the treasures of music to belong to the greatest number of people (Zemke 1977, 10).
This capstone project demonstrates the understanding and application of implications Kodály intended for educators to realize as they bring the treasures of music to children (Kodály 1974, 205). It developed out of an interest in Kodály-based music education and elementary choral development. Furthermore, it reflects an interest in developing music programs for culturally diverse student populations.


From the Wires
March 2013 Is Sing with Your Child Month
International childhood program Music Together emphasizes importance of music in children's lives
By: PR Newswire
Feb. 25, 2013 06:30 AM
PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- March is Sing with Your Child Month, a time to commemorate the importance of making music with children. The initiative, created by Music Together LLC a leader in early childhood music education, emphasizes that music-making is integral to development, supporting their growth into healthy adults
According to Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Founder/Director of Music Together LLC, "Five years ago we developed Sing with Your Child Month. We chose March because it is a time that symbolizes rebirth, which reminds us of our most precious resource: our children. As parents and grandparents, we have only a finite amount of time to connect with our children. When we sing and make music as a family, we form everlasting bonds, which ultimately allow children to feel secure as they grow, putting them on the road to success."
Research shows the impact early music education and participation can have not only on musical growth, but also on academic skill development and achievement. Some recent findings include: music instruction can promote key school readiness skills; music education in early childhood can have a profound impact on developing the areas of the brain integral to reading ability; and participation in music activities is associated with child and adolescent achievement outcomes in math and reading.
Guilmartin explains, "All children are born with the ability to learn music from birth. And, music learning supports all learning by promoting creativity, personal expression, and social interaction. Many adults may not realize they can contribute to the enrichment of their child's music development, even if they don't consider themselves 'musical.' A goal of Sing with Your Child Month is to remind parents that it is not important that they sing perfectly; it is important that they model the enjoyment of making music. Singing together doesn't cost a dime, it requires no special skills, and it can have a tremendous impact on development in many areas — not to mention the joy it brings to families. The impact of singing with your child is immeasurable, and the rewards will help make the world a better place."
Here are ways Music Together is celebrating Sing with Your Child Month:
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary this academic year (2012-2013), Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for children birth through seven. The curriculum, coauthored in 1987 by Guilmartin and Rowan University Professor of Music Education Dr. Lili M. Levinowitz (Director of Research), is based on the recognition that all children are musical: all children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.
Music Together offers programs for families; schools; at-risk populations; and children with special needs, in over 2000 communities in 40 countries around the world. The company is passionately committed to bringing children and their caregivers closer through shared music-making and helping people discover the joy---and educational value---of early music experiences.
SOURCE Music Together
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Instructor: Dr. Michelle Tillander, Assistant Professor
This course provides an overview of qualitative and quantitative research methods and explores research literature in the field of art education. Research design, data collection, analysis, validity, and report writing will all be covered.
This course is structured to introduce you to various qualitative and quantitative approaches to conducting research in the field of art education. Course emphasis will be on identifying and evaluating prospective research problems and questions in art education, examination of related research literature, and development of a research project proposal. At the completion of this course, you will have an advanced knowledge of:
- selected qualitative and quantitative research methods as they apply to art education
- research literature in the areas of art education, education, and related fields of study
- the procedures and steps involved in planning a scholarly research project
Your ultimate goal in this course is the preparation of a detailed plan (proposal) for a master’s thesis or research project in art education. As part of the process, you will clarify and refine your research topic and questions. You will focus on the context within which your topic is important through the development of an annotated bibliography that establishes precedents for each part of your project. You will choose a set of procedures and techniques that will allow you to carry out your study, and create a viable work plan/time table. All these parts will be synthesized in a high-quality, well-written document, and a short presentation via the web of your proposal to the class.
The primary instructional methods of this class include lectures and group discussions of assigned readings. Extensive outside research will be required to help students achieve the course objectives. Education is an ongoing process of self-reflective synthesis of course content, individual research, and future paths. You should take every opportunity to extend the class in a direction that is most valuable to your unique needs in pursuing your art educational career goals.
To achieve the objectives of the course, you will:
- read and synthesize selected readings in art educational research
- construct an annotated bibliography on a subject of research in the field of art education
- conduct a pilot-study/case study based on a researchable question(s) of personal interest
- complete a written proposal for an independent research project
- make a short presentation via the web of his/her semester’s research proposal and/or pilot study
Last revised on: March 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm


Educating For Life
The mission of the General Education Program at the University of the District of Columbia is to provide all students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that will serve them in their efforts to become lifelong learners, community leaders, and fruitfully engaged professionals in rewarding and evolving careers and endeavors.
General Education Program
UDC’s General Education Program is rooted in both the classical ideals of undergraduate liberal education and UDC’s unique history, mission, and student population. It gives students a solid foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, helping them develop the intellectual tools they need to excel in any endeavor they pursue. It exposes students to the wisdom and perspective of a variety of disciplines, and it builds fundamental skills that they will be able to use no matter what their ultimate major or career. In a rapidly-changing, increasingly complex world in which our graduates may change careers multiple times, a strong general education is needed more than ever.
The GEP is built on three values that are fundamental to UDC:
Freedom is at the heart of the GEP. UDC traces its roots back to the antebellum era, when abolitionist Myrtilla Miner challenged the conventions of her time by founding the “School for Colored Girls.” For Miner and her teachers, education and freedom were inextricably intertwined: education offered hope for the future and provided a solid foundation for a fruitful life of freedom. At UDC today, we embrace the idea that education broadens our world and makes us more free – free to think and act, to analyze and question, to explore and discover. Through interdisciplinary courses that build foundational skills and encourage intellectual inquiry, the GEP helps students appreciate the opportunities and confront the challenges of freedom.
The GEP supports UDC’s mission to serve the city. As the only public university in our nation’s capital, UDC has a special responsibility to the people of the city and to the country. We expect our students not only to excel academically and professionally, but also to become community leaders. With courses that foster ethical awareness, global engagement, and civic responsibility, the GEP challenges students to take responsibility for themselves, participate fully in civic life, and contribute meaningfully to our democracy.
The GEP encourages our students to be lifelong learners who pursue educational opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. UDC students come from a variety of backgrounds and arrive on campus at varying stages in their lives, and their needs and interests change over time. By offering a broad array of interdisciplinary courses that emphasize independent inquiry, the GEP helps students learn to ask relevant questions, find and evaluate answers to those questions, and use the answers to make informed intellectual, social, and ethical decisions about local, national, global, personal, and professional issues throughout their lives.


Real reading progress in K-3
The research-based system trusted nationwide
How can K–3 teachers identify struggling readers early, deliver data-informed instruction targeted to students’ needs, and make sure their interventions are really working? Now there’s a simple answer: TPRI®, the research-based system that helps teachers teach and helps ensure that students make real reading progress.
Shaped by the feedback of thousands of educators and used successfully in more than 75,000 classrooms across the country, TPRI® solves key challenges for everyone:
- teachers are empowered with everything they need to link assessment data with targeted interventions and solve their students’ reading problems.
- students who may be at risk for reading failure get individualized help before problems escalate.
- schools get a detailed overview on every student and classroom, so they’ll have the accurate data they need to make critical decisions about instruction and professional development.
TPRI® and Tejas LEE® are registered trademarks of The Texas Education Agency. Monitoreo del progreso para lectores emergentes™ is a trademark of The University of Texas System and The University of Houston System. Progress Monitoring for Beginning Readers™ and Monitoreo del progreso para lectores principiantes™ is a trademark of The Texas Education Agency.
Administer the screening section to your students. (Classroom teachers should administer TPRI to their own students; if there are multiple teachers, the teacher most responsible for reading instruction should administer TPRI)
Once you identify children who may be at risk, conduct a more in-depth assessment of struggling students’ skills in key areas
Target instruction to your students’ needs with the Intervention Activities Guide, which gives you hundreds of activities linked to the reading skills assessed with TPRI
With the brief, effective progress monitoring assessments, monitor student progress and make any necessary adjustments to their instruction
Administer TPRI at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year to catch reading problems before they become chronic—and help all your students make real reading progress!
At a glance
Who is TPRI® for?
K–3 students receiving primary reading instruction in English
What does it assess?
TPRI® assesses student progress in critical reading domains, including phonemic awareness, graphophonemic knowledge, word reading, comprehension, accuracy, and fluency.
What are the steps of TPRI®?
There are 4 steps: screen, diagnose, intervene, and monitor progress
How long does it take per student?
Approximately 10-30 minutes in kindergarten, 10-45 minutes in Grade 1, and 10-15 minutes in Grades 2 & 3
Who’s using TPRI®?
More than 75,000 classrooms nationwide have successfully used TPRI®.
Does TPRI® align with the new Common Core State Standards?
TPRI® helps teachers assess and improve the foundational skills for reading identified by the Common Core State Standards Initiative, including print concepts, phonological awareness, word recognition, and fluency.
Does it fit with response to intervention?
Yes—TPRI® perfectly complements your RTI efforts. It was specifically developed to help teachers target and differentiate instruction.
Can TPRI® be used with my current reading curriculum?
Yes. Because TPRI® targets all of the foundational reading concepts and skills, it can work successfully within any reading curriculum.


Ensuring Literacy Skills for Beginning and Struggling Readers
Reading Horizons wants to ensure every emerging reader (ages 4-9) has the foundational skills to become a strong, proficient reader. We understand that giving your children the right type of instruction now is a preventative measure, safeguarding them from struggles in the future and ensuring their success.
- 60-day money back guarantee
- Free customer support
- Detailed student evaluations and reporting
- Scripted teacher instruction for parents and tutors
- Engaging games and activities that support the skills that are learned
- Free parent phonics training that gives you the confidence to instruct your child
If you are looking for a proven solution that will ensure your child’s success, Discovery At Home can help. Discovery is based on the research-based Orton-Gillingham approach, which provides explicit, systematic, and sequential literacy instruction through multisensory activities that reach every type of learner.


The Bottom Line
The Leap Frog Learn and Groove Musical Table is learning at its best designed for your curious little one. It offers a wide range of features from songs to real instrument sounds plus lots of things to spin, roll, slide, open, and close. When babies turn the page of the book in the center, the activity table switches modes and transforms musical discoveries into learning activities where each instrument plays a learning song. The activities can be enjoyed in English as well as Spanish. A must have in your child’s collection, the Leap Frog Learn and Groove Table gets two thumbs up from this reviewer.
- Learn and Groove offers 15 activities and over 40 songs and melodies
- Features legs to attach to table as baby grows
- Activities provide opportunities for baby to explore with a roll, tap, slide or spin
- Can be switched from English to Spanish mode with the flip of a switch
- Can be hazardous once your child learns to climb
- Is a little too top-heavy
- A great toy which features 15 activities to keep your child occupied for hours
- Auditory, sensory and motor skills are developed with this toy
- Adjustable legs make it easy for kids to play while sitting or standing up
Overall Review of Leap Frog Learn and Groove Musical Table
With so many baby activity toys on the market, it can be quite difficult to choose the right one. The Leap Frog Learn & Groove Musical Table is a great choice. This awesome toy combines musical fun with lots of learning activities. Designed for children ages six months to three years, the Leap Frog Musical Table provides visual and auditory stimulation and motor skill development, as well as opportunities to learn about colors, the alphabet, and so much more.
Toys these days are way more advanced and innovative than their predecessors and the Leap Frog Learning table is no exception. Parents and kids alike will be enthralled with the various features that this toy table has to offer. The Learning table is designed with sturdy plastic that can withstand rough usage. The adjustable legs ensure that toddlers can play either in sitting or standing position.
The activities included are many. You can spin the maraca to hear a fun ABC song or play the colored piano to learn all about colors. You can move the trombone’s slides to count till ten, learn the concept of "up" and "down" via the sliding scale of the cello, and pick up information about the primary shapes and colors by playing the colorful drum. Then, by flipping the pages of the "book" to go from the Learning Mode to the Music Mode, kids can hear more than 40 songs and melodies.
Another plus in this activity table is the dual language option. You can simply switch the mode from English to Spanish, causing the songs and voices to be heard in Spanish. This is a great way to introduce your child to different languages.
All in all, this is a fantastic, entertaining, and educational toy for your little one.


By Reading Horizons Curriculum Director & ESL Specialist, Heidi Hyte
The other day I had the opportunity to participate in an online training to discuss the role phonics plays in the ESL classroom. Following are a few of my thoughts regarding the implications of phonics for ESL students learning to read and speak English:
1) How many times do our ESL students ask, “Teacher, how do you say this word?”
We tell our students how to say the word, but we don’t often know why we say it that way. We can help our ESL students develop autonomy by teaching them strategies to help them pronounce words on their own. This approach better prepares them for “real-life” experiences that occur outside the classroom (where their teacher isn't available).
2) Incorporating phonics instruction in the ESL classroom provides focused training on the sounds of the English language.
Such training provides an opportunity to analyze and dissect the English language in new ways. With this focused and conscious practice, pronunciation improves.
3) When ESL students learn the meaning of the word along with the sound of the word simultaneously, it “sticks” better.
Students are able to remember the word more effectively when they associate the meaning and the sound with the written word.
4) Who couldn't use a little help with their spelling?
Phonics instruction helps ESL students' improve their spelling since encoding (putting sounds together) is an integral part of explicit phonics instruction.
5) ESL students’ confidence increases when they are empowered with skills that help them successfully read and pronounce and spell English independently.
I saw this first hand. One of my students who I had taught in a previous semester approached me one day in the hallway of the school and was very excited to report that he could decode and pronounce vocabulary better than his friend who was in a higher-level English class who had not had phonics training. His confidence empowered him. To witness this first-hand helps me realize that although this was simply anecdotal feedback, the effects of teaching phonics to ESL students is not only effective, but powerful.


Bad news for parents itching to turn their babies into geniuses.
In addition to the blow that Baby Einstein videos won't make your kid any smarter, it appears music lessons won't either.
An intriguing new study suggests the belief that music education improves children's intelligence is a myth.
"More than 80 percent of American adults think that music improves children's grades or intelligence," says lead researcher Samuel Mehr from the education department at Harvard University. "Even in the scientific community, there's a general belief that music is important for these extrinsic reasons. But there is very little evidence supporting the idea that music classes enhance children's cognitive development."
The myth can be traced to a single study from 1993 that was later debunked. At the time, researchers identified what they called the "Mozart effect," coined after participants who listened to music were believed to have performed better on spatial tasks.
Also see: The best children's booksRead More »from Music won’t make your kid smarter, research finds


You don’t have to be a young child to enjoy LEGOs. The brightly colored blocks are an irresistible toy. Whether you’re putting together an elaborate building or spaceship, or are deconstructing someone else’s creation, these ubiquitous blocks have brought many of us hours of entertainment. Not only do LEGOs have a long history in the realm of play, they also offer endless creative opportunities and hold quite a bit of teaching and learning power. And many teachers are already harnessing that in their own classrooms.
The handy infographic below takes a look at why LEGOs are so awesome, some of the skills that Legos can develop, and how they can be used in educational settings. So if you don’t have a pile of blocks in your classroom yet, maybe you should? Keep reading to learn more!
What Can LEGOs Teach Us?
- LEGOs were first created in Denmark in the 1940′s.
- They have since become so popular that Lego has designed educational products and curricula using them!
- The word Lego comes from the Danish phrase “leg godt” which means “play well”. It is also loosely interpreted in Latin as “I put together”.
- If all the Lego blocks ever produced were evenly distributed to all the people in the world, each person would have 62 bricks.
- About 18 bricks out of every million produced fail to meet the standard required.
- Lego factories recycle all but about 1% of their plastic waste per year.
- About 36 billion LEGOs are produced every year, or 1140 elements per second.
- The Lego Learning Institute has developed play sets for a large variety of learning levels, including preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, and university.
- LEGOs develop lateral thinking skills in a hands-on environment.
They help teach:
- Three dimensional thinking
- Literacy skills (as kids work with instructions)
- Problem solving, organization, and planning by construction
- Communication and critical thinking
- Improved creativity
- Fine motor skill development
- Hand-eye coordination
- Mathematics, Geometry, and Engineering
- Duplicate complex patterns
- Develop scientific and technological solutions
- Follow directions with logic and reasoning
- Learn to plan and evaluate problems


Gibbs, Graham R. (2007) Mathematics and statistics skills in the Social Sciences: dealing with deficits. In: Addressing the Quantitative Skills Gap: Establishing and Sustaining Cross-Curricular Mathematical Support in Higher Education, 25th – 27th June 2007, University of St. Andrews, Scotland. (Unpublished)
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The quantitative/numeracy skills issues for social scientists are somewhat different from those affecting many of the natural sciences and technology. In general students do not need a facility with abstractionism and symbolic systems (the equations) but they do need a good sense of number (scale, size etc) and an understanding of some of the logical principles and thinking that underlie mathematical proofs. The main area of application of these skills is in research methods and statistics.
Dealing with the quantitative part of research methods is always a struggle for teachers, but there is a range of different approaches that have been adopted: teach statistics with formulae; teach statistics using step-by-step instructions and teach statistics use without calculations and formulae.
QAA benchmarks, the BPS and the ESRC Training Guidelines for postgraduates are very clear about the importance of methods and statistics in the subjects. These guidelines will be outlined and their implications for student teaching and student recruitment examined.
Such numeric and statistical skills are important for work after graduation. A survey of recent graduates in sociology and psychology undertaken at Huddersfield in the 1990s showed that the topic from their degree that they found most valuable after graduating and in work was the research methods and statistics.
The paper will conclude with a look to the future, first in terms of possible impacts on the nature of the disciplines and secondly on some of the ways that students may be supported to overcome the hurdle of poor maths and statistics skills.
|Item Type:||Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)|
|Subjects:||H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)|
Q Science > QA Mathematics
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
|Schools:||School of Human and Health Sciences|
|Depositing User:||Graham Gibbs|
|Date Deposited:||19 Oct 2009 10:36|
|Last Modified:||28 Jul 2010 19:48|
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Your search for Comets in Weather returned 9 articles
ARTICLES ABOUT WEATHER
Two Harvard studies show that early music education has no discernible effect on cognitive abilities, and East Antarctica records a record low of minus 134 to minus 137 degrees.December 17, 2013, Tuesday
Bottlenose dolphins with "names," observing comet breakups and more.May 16, 2006, Tuesday
Just when you thought scientists had pretty well explored the far reaches of this planet and found everything significant worth knowing, along comes a discovery so startling and so potentially important that it seems hard to believe it was overlooked. At a scientific meeting this week,...May 30, 1997, Friday
LEAD: CATASTROPHIC collisions with asteroids and comets have played a major role on Earth in shaping geology, climate and the evolution of life, a growing number of scientists assert.November 01, 1988, Tuesday
Halley's comet has arrived. After much ado by astronomers and sellers of telescopes, T-shirts, books and excursions to exotic viewing places, the comet has now emerged from the dim recesses of space and, displaying an unexpected early brightness, is coming into increasingly clear view for those...November 14, 1985, Thursday
To the Editor: You constructively identified shortcomings of the hypotheses suggesting extraterrestrial causes for the extinction of dinosaurs. The method of testing these or other hypotheses is critical. It must recognize that extinction is a biological phenomenon.April 14, 1985, Sunday
World-wide scientific survey of the upper atmosphere, with rockets and balloons, to obtain better weather forecasts was urged last week by Dr. Aristid V. Grosse at a meeting of the Metropolitan Long Island Group of the American Chemical Society's New York Section.February 01, 1948, Sunday
THE WEEK IN SCIENCE: NEW CHEMISTRY OF SURFACES; Experirments With Films One Molecule Thick Promise Aid in Important Fields Effects of Metal-Salts Artificial Cell Walls Elasticity of Protein Films Making "Color" Gauges WELDING STEEL TOWERS Process Now Permitted Would Eliminate Noisy Riveting Questions on Welding SUNSPOTS DISAPPEAR Only Two Groups Are Known .to Have Been Larger COMET VISIBLE IN NORTH All Eyes of the Astronomical World Turned Toward It
A SELECT group of scientists, headed by Dr. Irving Langmuir of the General Electric Company's research laboratories, is blazing the trail in a new field of science which promises to become a powerful aid in biology, medicine, physics, physiology and chemistry.August 08, 1937, Sunday
DON'T BLAME THE COMETS.; They Have Nothing to Do With the Heat of These Days. Commercial Aviation. Consideration for Foreign Residents. The Prices of Sundaes. Would Let Others Fight for Ireland.
lr on cause of heatJuly 28, 1921, Thursday
SEARCH 9 ARTICLES ABOUT WEATHER:
- Op-Ed | Timothy Egan: Paul Ryan’s Irish Amnesia
- Science Times: Detection of Waves in Space Buttresses Landmark Theory of Big Bang
- Op-Ed Columnist: That Old-Time Whistle
- The Science of Older and Wiser
- Opinion: The Rise of Anti-Capitalism
- Billionaires With Big Ideas Are Privatizing American Science
- Opinion: Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?
- For Starters, the Upper East Side
- West’s Drought and Growth Intensify Conflict Over Water Rights
- The Stone: What Would Plato Tweet?
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TED330A Reading and Lang. Arts Methods
Lead Faculty: Dr. Mary Anne Weegar
Includes content, methods and materials for teaching reading in an integrated elementary classroom. Teacher candidates will learn strategies for managing classroom instructional activities to enhance student achievement. Teacher candidates are required to complete five hours of observing and assisting in a public school classroom as directed by the instructor.
- Demonstrate the background and skills necessary to assist with reading instruction and develop instructional materials to create a learning environment that promotes reading in the cross-cultural, linguistically diverse elementary classroom. a) phonics instruction, and concepts about print and letter recognition. b) comprehension strategies (e.g., note taking, outlining, cause and effect, compare and contrast, etc.) to develop lifelong independent readers. c) instruction and guided independent practice using a variety of literary genres.
- Demonstrate understanding of the domains of literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing.
- Acquire techniques to effectively use technology to access the core curriculum.
- Properly identify students' prior knowledge, select appropriate instructional objectives, and measure student growth.
- Compare and contrast formal and informal methods to assess students' needs and achievements, as well as an awareness of cultural and linguistic limitations of assessment practices and instruments.
- Acquire skills to foster the ability of students to evaluate information found in a variety of texts, to think analytically, and to reach sound conclusions.
- Recognize the importance of fostering a positive self-esteem in all students by providing suitable reinforcement and feedback.
- Demonstrate familiarity with the current practices in assessment.
- Demonstrate classroom management strategies such as organizing and arranging a classroom, managing student work, and maintaining accountability as it relates to the teaching of reading.
- Select and use appropriate discipline models to manage student behavior.
- Establish positive parent/teacher communication.
- Identify a list of web sites that could be used to enhance reading instruction.


Summer 4th of July Activities for Kids
By Debbie Scaccio, Arts & Crafts Specialist
With July 4th rounding the corner, many families are getting prepared for BBQ's and fun activities. While the parents cook, the children can have some outdoor fun! Here are a few red, white, and blue summer activities you can do with your kids.
Activity - Straw Painting
Red, white and blue tempra paint
Large construction paper
Paper towels for clean up
Place construction paper on ground outside.
Pour paint into small dishes
Put end of straw into paint, then hold straw over paper and blow paint.
Allow to dry before hanging.
Increased attention and focus to task
Following step by step directions
Color recognition and identification
Oral motor skill development
Perceptual motor skill development
Increased art appreciation
Development of positive self esteem through success of completing project.
Activity - Chalk Shadow Drawing
Red, white and blue chalk
Hose connected to water supply
A sunny day
Paper towel towels for clean up
Show child their shadow on the ground on a sunny day
Have child trace outline of your shadow and fill in body spaces
Use sprinkler or hose to wash off sidewalk when finished.
Increased awareness of self and body parts
Recognition and identification of body parts
Receptive and expressive language skill development
Concept of shadow
Improves focus attention to task
Sensory motor skill development
Perceptual Motor skill development
About the Author:
Debbie Scaccio, Arts & Crafts Specialist at Block Institute in Brooklyn, NY, has some suggestions of fun crafts that special needs children and their families can partake in. Block Institute is a New York educational facility dedicated to serving the needs of children and adults with disabilities.


Drawing on talent ... Ebonnee Annabel, 5, and kindergarten teacher Raelene Rolliro go through the one-on-one Best Start assessment. Photo: Kate Geraghty
FOR 30 minutes Kaitlyn Nash, 4, sat with the woman soon to become her first teacher at Blacktown South Public School and looked at pictures of street signs, pointed out the letters she could name and counted pieces of coloured plastic.
As part of the NSW Department of Education's Best Start first-year diagnostic testing program, kindergarten teacher Raelene Rolliro told Kaitlyn that she would say three words, and she wanted Kaitlyn to tell her which two rhymed.
"Hat, cat, cup?" Ms Rolliro asked. "Tail, gate, whale?"
There was a look of intense concentration on Kaitlyn's face.
"Do you know what a capital letter is?" asked Ms Rolliro.
Kaitlyn was a little shy but let slip a proud smile as she pointed out the capital on the laminated card on her desk.
She opened right up when the pencils were brought over and she got to draw one of the characters from the story they had just read. It was clear she wanted to keep drawing rather than move to the counting table to assess her numeracy skills.
Kaitlyn's mother, Katherine, and Wendy Annabel, whose daughter Ebonnee was to meet Ms Rolliro next, waited outside the classroom.
The two women are both teachers at the school, and said they did not feel nervous but understood why other parents might. "This would definitely be scary for parents who aren't also teachers because they don't know the day-to-day workings of a school," Ms Annabel said.
As a kindergarten teacher, she knows how the information her daughter's teacher will take from the one-on-one session will be used in the classroom.
"The test helps teachers to identify students' abilities so we can develop programs that are effective for them," she said. "Without the test it would take us at least half a term to find out what their abilities are, especially if they're shy."
More than 63,000 children starting kindergarten in NSW public schools this year will have their reading, writing, English language and communication skills assessed over the next few weeks under the Best Start program.
About 3700 teachers have been trained to assess students' skills in counting, numeral recognition and working with numbers, groups and patterns. They apply a consistent set of literacy and numeracy tasks for all children.
The $126.4 million program was implemented throughout the state last year after a pilot in 2009.
A spokesman for the Education Department said Best Start would provide 200 extra reading recovery teachers over four years, making 1100 teachers available to help students struggling with literacy this year. There were 500 teachers available this year to help students improve numeracy skills. Last year there were 265.


Websites for linguistic literacy theory
Link to full article: Can the Linguistic Interdependence Theory Support A Bilingual-Bicultural Model of Literacy Education for Deaf Students? -- Mayer
This knowledge includes the interrelationships between and among theories , including how language and literacy processes are fostered by and function in diverse
Language , Literacy , and Sociocultural Studies. Office: Hokona Hall 267 applications of literacy theory in the classroom Courses: Teaching of Writing;
Literacy Theory . Literacy theorists analyze the social, cultural Language , literacy and learning in educational practice. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Bakhtinian Perspectives on Language , Literacy , and Learning Intertextualities: Volosinov, Bakhtin, literacy theory , and literacy studies; 4.
A SAGE Publications journal: Linguistics , Literary Theory , Language and Literature is an invaluable international peer-reviewed journal covering the latest
Language , Literacy , and Cognitive Development addresses the impact of language and literacy on cognitive development. Issues in the Theory of Language Acquisition
Because critical literacy theory focuses on the relationships between language , power, social practice, "Teaching about language , power, and text:
Language & Literacy Development . The theories of language acquisition and the stages of oral langauge development are very important to know as a reading
Language , Literacy and Learning Theory Professor Patrick L. Courts Department of English State University College of New York at Fredonia. Although I enjoy all the
understand and apply theories of second language literacy development to support ELLs’ learning. Performance Indicators 2.3.a.
Heritage Language Literacy : Theory and Practice - Joan F. Chevalier, Brandeis University
An essay or paper on Literary Criticism and Linguistics . Literary criticism is an endeavor that can be approached from a wide Literary Theory : An Introduction
Schema Theory and Cultural Literacy . proponents of schema theory point out that language does embody a significant part of reality and cognitive processes
The Linguistic Turn. Peter Berger argues that "reality is socially constructed, and therefore that truth over and beyond these social constructions cannot easily be
Language and Literary Theory Author: itadmin Last modified by: reception Created Date: 12/7/2007 8:28:00 PM Company: UNCG Other titles: Language and Literary Theory
Prof. Gee’s work over the last decade has centred on the development of an integrated theory of language , literacy , and schooling
Child Language ; Cultural Influences; English; Language Research; Linguistic Theory ; Literacy ; Oral Language ; Phoneme Grapheme Correspondence; Reading Failure;
linguistics and literature linguistic criticism literary semiotics literary stylistics speech-act literary theory
Linguistics and literary theory : The revolution in modern linguistics consists in regarding language synchronically rather than diachronically.
literacy theories : by goldfish: Wed Aug 25 2004 at 4:05:29: Literacy is not simply reading. (expressing and understanding spoken language , computer literacy
Language and Literacy Development: Demonstrate knowledge of psychological, Defining a Vision for Language and Literacy Development: Theory Into Practice
Folk Theories of Literacy To politicians and government language and literacy policies that assume broader social effects of classroom practices?
Language , Linguistics , and Literacy . It incorporates literacy theory I believe is important in teaching H.S. students by asking them to brainstorm their own forms
Journal of Advanced Composition 13/2, 1993, 423-448. Closing the gap between linguistics and literary study: Discourse analysis and literary theory


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


Play and Literacy in Early Childhood
Research From Multiple Perspectives, 2nd Edition
Edited by Kathleen A. Roskos, James F. Christie
Routledge – 2007 – 264 pages
This volume presents studies and research syntheses on the significance of play in the literacy development of young children and pushes the study of play and literacy into new areas. Children’s play is under serious attack that puts it in a precarious position in today’s brave new world dominated by early learning standards and achievement outcomes. Reflecting this paradigm shift that has taken place since the publication of the first edition, this edition is organized around a different set of focal perspectives on the play-literacy interface:
Looking both back and ahead, re-visiting previously reported studies and also introducing new inquiries into the role of play in early literacy development and learning, especially as these shed light on school readiness, this volume mines studies that directly focus on play-literacy links as well as new studies and syntheses that take these links in new directions and to new starting places for research. It challenges play-literacy researchers to use their imaginations to overcome persistent methodological problems, to break from the past into new territories of study (such as neuroscience), to strive for multi-disciplinary perspectives, and to push harder for the incorporation of play into the literacy education of young children.
Play and Literacy in Early Childhood is intended for researchers and practitioners in the fields of early childhood education and early literacy development and as text for upper-level courses in these areas.
Contents: K. Roskos, J.F. Christie, Foreword. Part I: The Playful Mind. P.K. Smith, Pretend Play and Children’s Cognitive and Literacy Development: Sources of Evidence, and Some Lessons From the Past. R.K. Sawyer, S. DeZutter, Improvisation: A Lens for Play and Literacy Research. D.W. Rowe, Bringing Books to Life: The Role of Book-Related Dramatic Play in Young Children’s Literacy Learning. A.P. Pellegrini, M. Van Ryzin, Commentary—Cognition, Play, and Early Literacy. Part II: The Play-Literacy Instructional Environment. K. Roskos, J.F. Christie, Play in the Context of the New Preschool Basics. L. Dunn, S.A. Beach, Supporting Literacy and Play in Early Childhood Programs: Promising Practices and Continuing Challenges. M. Han, Individual Differences in Play Style and Literacy: A Bio-Ecological Perspective. J. Johnson, Commentary—Play, Literacy, and "Theories of Instruction". Part III: The Play-Literacy Social Context. S.B. Neuman, Social Contexts for Literacy Development: A Family Literacy Program. N. Hall, Literacy, Play, and Authentic Experience. E. Bodrova, D. Leong, Play and Early Literacy: A Vygotskian Approach. P. Hannon, Commentary—Play, Learning, and Teaching. J.F. Christie, K. Roskos, Afterword.


Literacy Development in the Derivational Relations Stage
The term derivational relations refers to the type of word knowledge that more advanced readers and writers possess. Spelling and vocabulary knowledge at this stage develop primarily through processes of derivation in which new words result from the addition of prefixes and suffixes to a single base word or word root. Exploration of words at the derivational relations stage prompts more extensive experience in reading and writing skills. There is a close correlation between growth in vocabulary, spelling knowledge, and the amount of reading and writing that occurs in the derivational relations spelling stage.
The derivational relations stage can be composed of students in upper elementary, middle school, and high school, as well as adults; therefore, most mistakes made will be at a “high level” of spelling competency. These mistakes will require a more advanced foundation in spelling and vocabulary to correct. It is imperative that individuals at the derivational relations stage explore the logic underlying the correct spellings of these words not only to help them learn and remember their correct spelling but also to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of how words work. Vocabulary development progresses through this understanding and appreciation of words and how they work.
The Upper Level Spelling Inventory (USI) is a valuable tool for collecting spelling errors in the derivational relations spelling stage for closer examination. Errors in the derivational relations stage generally occur at the juncture of syllables and with the vowel in unaccented or unstressed syllables. The following three categories are comprised of specific spelling errors that occur during the derivational relations stage: (1) In polysyllabic words there are often unstressed syllables wherein the vowel is reduced to the schwa sound; (2) Suffixes like the -tion in opposition also cause challenges for spellers because they are easily confused with -ian and -sion, which sound the same; (3) Other errors take place in the feature known as an absorbed or assimilated prefix. For an example of these spelling errors please review the chart on the Key Features page.
Derivational Relations Stage: Reading and Writing
An ever-expanding conceptual foundation and the addition of words that represent this foundation underlie the type of word knowledge that transpires through advanced reading and writing. Advanced readers have the capability to explore the Greek and Latin word elements that are the essential morphemes from which thousands of words are assembled. Linguists estimate that 60% to 80% of English vocabulary is built through the grouping of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Comprehending these processes will allow students to analyze and understand the unfamiliar words that they will encounter in the content area reading materials of middle school and high school. Students gain access to these words primarily through reading experiences. The advanced reader picks up morphemic chunks as well as syllabic chunks in polysyllabic words.
The Spelling-Meaning Connection
Words that are related in meaning are often related in spelling, despite changes in sound. Therefore, if you are uncertain how to spell a word, try to think of a word that is comparable in meaning that you do know how to spell. This concept presents a tremendous opportunity to integrate spelling and vocabulary instruction. In a group of related words a number of sounds may change, while the spelling remains the same. For this purpose, students need to be guided to first notice particular changes may that represent an increasing order of difficulty and abstractness. Please review the Word Study Instruction page of this blog to learn more about this sequence of difficulty in the derivational relations spelling stage.
Donald Bear, M. I. (2008). Words Their Way. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.


In the UK, and in many other countries across the world, it is a necessity that a child receives primary education. Primary education is considered to be the first vital stage of an individual’s compulsory education. It is also sometimes referred to as elementary education and is followed by secondary education.
Teaching in a Richmond primary school could be somewhat of a feat. The subjects that are usually taught to Richmond school children at primary level are basic-level English and maths for introducing the alphabets and numbers to young learners. Foundations in history, science, geography, and social sciences are also taught in primary schools.
A Richmond primary school may adopt several methods and techniques for teaching small children. Although the techniques that are used by the primary schools depend on their missions and objectives, some of the methods that are commonly used by them include, fun games, songs, and interactive activities. Primary schools largely make use of interactive teaching methods as young kids find text books and class-room lectures difficult to grasp and also boring in nature. Games and songs make learning interesting and effective for young kids.
If you are living in the UK, there are two choices available in primary schools. You may get your child admitted to a state school or government funded Richmond school that provides education free of charge or to a private, independent Richmond school that charge a fee for providing primary education. Both state primary schools and private primary schools offer a complete programme of studies based on the National curriculum and are equipped with the best facilities and learning opportunities for shaping your child’s future in the best possible manner.
But since a Richmond primary school would play an important role in preparing your little one for admissions to Richmond secondary schools or to private secondary schools or state grammar schools, as well as for future studies and higher learning, you must be very careful in choosing the Richmond primary school for him/her. Your one right decision can have a strong and favorable impact on his future.
Before getting involved in Richmond school admissions, do a thorough research about the school, their teaching staff, teaching tools and methods used by them, and their past exam results.
To provide your child the best primary education, log on to http://www.maharishischool.com The website offers complete details about Richmond school admissions to make things easy and quick for you.
Those looking for the best Richmond secondary school can also visit the website.


Classroom teachers are trained to use rhythm and simple musical instruments to aid in teaching core curriculum. When music is used as a learning tool, students are more engaged in the learning process.
Music programs are being cut across the country - just as the educational community is coming to understand that music is a key to learning and creativity, helping children make connections in math, science and other curricula, thus increasing grade point average, increasing self-esteem and building life skills. The benefits of learning through music are especially important for the under-served children we serve, who may not be good at sitting still.
Just one teacher training followed by four visits from a musician throughout the year is enough to transform a classroom into a music room with its own set of rhythm instruments. By partnering with school districts, we are able to stretch every dollar.
Music in Schools Today is finding solutions at this time of devastating budget slashing that will increase the amount of music in schools, improve California music education, and serve as a model for other districts nationally.
This project has been retired and is no longer accepting donations.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
This project is no longer accepting donations.
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Perth, Western Australia (PRWEB) November 19, 2012
In a controversial blog post, Monster Music proprietor Danny Achurch compiled information from government surveys about participation in music, and made a very compelling case that favours private lessons over public school music programs when it comes to keeping students interested enough in music to continue playing during the years they are most likely to quit.
The information came from a series of surveys from a government website called “Artfacts.” In one survey, almost every Australian who answered agreed that playing an instrument is positive and worthwhile. 95% agreed that music is good for a hobby, and 91% saw it as enabling a sense of accomplishment. 86% said music is fun, while 83% said that it is relaxing.
75% didn’t play an instrument but wished that they had learned how to. 49% said they would still like to learn how to play, while 26% thought they were “too old” to pick up an instrument now. Another survey showed that 20% of kids eventually learn how to play music, while 70% of adults who didn’t play said they wished they had.
Of kids who start playing in school, 30% give up at various points between Year 3 and Year 12. According to another survey, 30% stop playing by the time they are 12 years old, and 30% more stop by the time they are 15 years old. That is a total of 60% who quit before they graduate high school. Most kids who give up say it is because they lost interest.
Also, school music participation has declined steadily for the last twenty years. In 1991, 16.4% of students participated in music, and it dropped to 14.6% by 2004. An NSW survey of Year 10 enrolments counted 6,800 in 2011 after 7,300 in 2010. This means enrolments dropped 7% in one year.
Another survey said that approximately 20% of kids play an instrument outside of school, and 31% play it at least one time a week. 19% of boys play outside of school, which made playing an instrument the leading cultural activity among boys.
Danny Achurch, Proprietor of Monster Music, a network of music teachers and music lessons in Australia, suggests the poor attrition rate might point to the curriculum taught in public schools: “It’s obvious to anyone who wants to look that the school system may not be doing as good a job as they might in keeping students interested in music. There are plenty of reasons for that, but perhaps they are failing to make it fun for students to play music.”
Achurch continued, “Kids want to play songs they know; schools often teach songs they don’t know and can’t relate to. Kids want to play what they have on their iPods, but schools want them to play music that almost nobody listens to anymore.”
Achurch concluded, “At this point, Monster Music’s private teachers are far superior to traditional education, because they teach kids how to play the songs they want to learn. In today’s society, why expect kids to put so much effort into something they don’t like? The schools need to put more thought into the direction of music education.”
Monster Music is a music tuition agency and online directory with a wide network of Australia’s best music teachers. They provide guitar lessons, piano lessons, and singing lessons in Perth, Melbourne and other parts of Australia. They also provide lessons for other popular instruments.
For more information, please visit their website: http://www.monstermusic.com.au/ or call them at 08 9335 8881.