During the lockdown period, many South African parents and caregivers have been left feeling worried and confused. The absence of the usual daily routines can be disorienting and frustrating. And without the safety net of school and work, family members are required to spend an unusually large chunk of time with each other.
For both adults and children, it is normal to experience a range of emotions about it – fear, anxiety, loneliness, boredom, sadness and even anger. During times of stress and anxiety, however, babies and children are directly influenced by their parents’ responses. They are as sensitive as adults to the changes and pick up on their parents or caregiver’s emotions — often subconsciously internalising these reactions.
During this time, adults and children alike form their own narratives to better understand crises. Children, like adults, seek to make sense of their world using stories. All human beings are innately storytellers. From the question: “How was your day?” to “Guess what the neighbour did?”, we arrange our days in the form of a narrative to help ourselves, and others, connect with our experiences. Using narratives is not only a powerful way to express ourselves, but also to learn about our relationship with the world around us. Stories are thus an easy and fun way to talk to children about difficult topics and are useful in piquing their curiosity and interest about the world.
Setting aside time every day to read aloud and share stories with children exposes them to a wide vocabulary and provides them with verbal and visual stimulus — an important exercise that they would be missing since the closing of schools. The Vygotskian principle of mediated learning is a psychological theory that suggests that children have a limit to what they can learn alone. If they are guided and supported by a parent or caregiver, however, they are able to learn more, and at a faster rate.
An incredibly important effect of reading together with your child is the powerful bonding that occurs between adult and child during this activity. Paired, interactive storytelling where the parent and child engage in a story is an easy way to inspire conversation, curiosity and bonding – whether a written story, radio story or an oral story that you tell your child yourself. Each home and each child will require their own routine – whether it is fifteen minutes a day, or an hour or more of reading and telling stories. The key aspect is ensuring that your reading and storytelling space is safe and fun, helping children feel comfortable to ask questions, absorb information and engage in the content. This activity serves as a potent tool for child and parent to engage meaningfully in a time of uncertainty.
Parents and caregivers may wonder about the benefits of reading to children who cannot yet speak or read at all — perhaps you are at home with a baby, new-born or child below the age of six. It’s very important to note that reading to children does not only include children who are of school-going age. The first few years of a child’s life is a foundational period for both cognitive and emotional development. Children’s brains grow at a rapid pace at this stage of their life and they absorb not only what they see and hear, but the relationship between themselves and their caregiver.
Research has shown that this sets down the psychological blueprint for how the child may interact with the world and others later. The more positive engagement and stimulus a baby receives, the better for their overall development. Using stories as a tool for interaction with a baby — making faces, creating character voices, and showing pictures — helps to create a healthy attachment, as well as provide stimulus for cognitive development.
Today, adults and children are bombarded with stories of the crisis in the media and on their phones. This can be overwhelming and distressing for the best of us. Setting time aside to reconnect with your children and family members during this time may help alleviate your and their stress and loneliness. Ensuring a set routine in which reading aloud together and sharing different stories not only helps children maintain their literacy development but creates a playful space in which you and your child are able to connect and de-stress using narrative power.
A good resource for parents looking for free children’s stories in different South African languages, as well as tips and ideas on how to share them, is the Nal’ibali reading-for-enjoyment campaign’s website, SABC radio stories and newspaper supplement. This way, families can access a range of stories (with low-data usage) on their phones and other devices, in the safety of their homes.
Malini Mohana is a clinical psychologist based in Gauteng, working with adults and children in community clinics. For more information about the Nal’ibali campaign, or to access children’s stories in a range of South African languages, visit www.nalibali.org


Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Walk and Use Other Motor Skills
Children with Down syndrome have reduced muscle tone, which can delay development of their motor skills. Children with delays may roll over, sit up, pull up, stand, and walk later than other children their age.
Encourage motor skill development through active play.
Place toys just out of your child's reach and encourage him or her to get them. But do not frustrate your child by moving the toy when he or she almost reaches it.
Play pat-a-cake with your baby.
Place your baby's legs so that they are touching when you are carrying or holding him or her. This will encourage the normal leg positioning that is needed for sitting and walking.
Ask other members of the family to play games with your child so that your child moves around. For example, play ball games or chasing games.
Let your child bang pots and slap his or her hands on the table at times.
Guide your baby in playful exercises, which helps him or her learn to walk.
Move your baby's arms and legs in swimming motions.
Gently bounce your baby on your lap while holding him or her in a standing position.
Help your baby roll over so that he or she can become stronger and more mobile.
Support your baby in a sitting position, but let him or her lean forward for balance.
Medical Review:John Pope MD - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Louis Pellegrino MD - Developmental Pediatrics


The Rocky Mountains in the western United States are pretty tall, but they’re nothing compared to the mountains found in the Himalayan Range in Asia. These mountains tower above the Rocky Mountains and any other ranges in the U.S. All 10 of the world’s tallest mountains are found here. They are:
- Mount Everest, on the border of Tibet and Nepal, rises 29,029 feet.
- K2, on the border of Pakistan and China, is 28,251 feet.
- Kangchenjunga, on the border of Nepal and India, sits 28,169 feet.
- Lhotse, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, sits 27,940 feet.
- Makalu, which also sits in Nepal and Tibet, rises 27,838 feet.
- Cho Oyu, on the border of Nepal and Tibet rises 26,864 feet.
- Dhaulagiri, in Nepal, is 26,795 feet tall.
- Manaslu, also in Nepal, is 26,781 feet tall.
- Nanga Parbat, in Pakistan, is 26,660 feet tall.
- Annapurna, in Nepal, is 26,545 feet tall.
All of these measurements refer to how tall a mountain range is above sea level. To put this in perspective, the Rocky Mountains are just over 14,000 feet above sea level. Mount Everest is double that height. You could stack almost 20 Empire State Buildings in the height of Mount Everest!
Learn All about the Tallest Mountains in the World
Check out this cool video about the tallest mountains in the world for kids:
A visual countdown all about the tallest mountains in the world.
Map of the Himalayan Range in Asia
Here’s a map of the Himalayan Range in Asia and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see countries around the Himalayan Range! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities near the Himalayan Range , as though you are actually there!
Enjoyed the Easy Earth Science for Kids Website all about the Tallest Mountains in the World info? Take the FREE & fun quiz all about the Tallest Mountains in the World and download FREE all about the Tallest Mountains in the World worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.


Early Childhood Preparation Policy
The state should require early childhood teacher candidates to meet appropriate academic requirements. Starting in 2020, this goal is now graded.
Virginia requires that candidates for the early childhood education PreK-3 earn a bachelor's degree and have "completed coursework that covers the early/primary education preK-3 competencies." However, it is unclear whether this constitutes an early childhood education specialization. Candidates for the PreK-6 license are required to have a bachelor's degree, but the coursework requirements mentioned above are not required.
8 VAC 20-23-150, -160
Require preschool teaching candidates to complete a content specialization in early childhood education or otherwise demonstrate competence in this area.
Virginia should require that preschool teachers have a specialization in early childhood or demonstrate that they have the knowledge needed to teach preschool-age children. Narrowly targeting a candidate's preparation to the early childhood grades is more likely to provide the specific content knowledge and skills needed by preschool teachers, including emergent literacy, oral language, and developmental stages of children birth through age eight.
Virginia indicated that individuals seeking an Early/Primary Education PreK-3 endorsement are required to meet the competencies for the endorsement in a program. The focus of the preparation is early childhood education through grade 3. For both the Early/Primary Education PreK-3 and the Elementary Education PreK-6 endorsement, the requirements/competencies must be covered for the endorsements. In addition to the content requirements, professional studies in the area of early childhood are required.
The available research finds mixed results on whether having at least a bachelor's degree makes preschool teachers more effective. However, these conflicting results may be more indicative of the fact that current training programs that certify teachers to teach preschool (and often cover a wide span of elementary grades as well) pay too little attention to the requirements for teaching preschool. Despite the inconclusive research, the National Academies of Sciences, the National Institute for Early Education Research, and a number of other organizations support requiring at least a bachelor's degree for preschool teachers for several reasons. These reasons include that teaching preschool should be considered a career as important and complex as teaching K-12 classes, and so this role is deserving of the same educational requirements; this degree requirement would create greater consistency between the preschool and K-12 workforces; and preschool teachers would benefit from a foundation in liberal arts coursework that gives them a firm grounding in a range of content that they will teach, much like what elementary teachers need.
However, to make a training program meaningful, it needs to be narrowly targeted to the early childhood grades. As the grade span of a teaching certification broadens, training programs are less likely to provide the specific emergent literacy and oral language skills that preschool teachers need.  To support this focus and to make training for teachers more meaningful, the state should require that preschool teachers have a specialization in early childhood (rather than, for example, a bachelor's degree in K-6 teaching), or can demonstrate that they have the knowledge needed to teach early childhood.


Here at Raddlebarn music plays an important part in school life. We believe that a high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. Linked to their topic, the children are taught a broad and balanced music curriculum which helps develop their listening skills and encourages them to develop their creative and expressive abilities. The emphasis is on practical experiences through singing, playing, composing and listening. The children love the opportunity to use the percussion instruments and glockenspiels to take part practically in music lessons. All these activities give pupils the opportunity to work individually, in pairs, in groups and as a class.
Music is a universal language which embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high- quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
We aim to ensure that all pupils:
– perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
– learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
– Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations
At Raddlebarn the intention is for pupils to gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating and composing across a range of styles, traditions, musical genres and historical periods. We are committed to ensuring that pupils understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and encourage them to use their skills, knowledge and experiences to involve themselves in music in a variety of contexts.
To support our music teaching and provide engaging opportunities for our pupils, we often invite guests into school. Many children also receive music lessons outside of the curriculum taught by specialist teachers from The Music Service. There is a wide choice of instrument teaching from djembe drums, strings, woodwind and brass, as well as guitar. Our school orchestra rehearse weekly and regularly perform in concerts. The children also enjoy the opportunity to take part in workshops and concerts at Symphony Hall and Birmingham University, playing alongside other primary schools in Birmingham.


We are proud to offer the following specialist facilities:
Our music department seeks to achieve a high a profile as possible within the school as a whole. The philosophy of the department is to aim to develop a child’s self-confidence and personal expression. The music department’s premise is that music is for all regardless of gender, race, or ability. We aim to build success into every lesson and extend curricular opportunities for every student.
The visual and expressive arts subjects are concerned with the development of many aspects of a child’s personality: intellectual, perceptual, physical, emotional, and aesthetic. Music and the arts utilise the right side of the brain with its propensity for dealing with the sensuous, intuitive and spatial elements of perception and action.
The value of musical experience is many sided. It offers enjoyment and recreation; emotional satisfaction; and opportunities for individual and group activities; therefore, promoting creativity and expression.
Music involvement should be immediate and for everyone therefore this will lead to a development of musical imagination. Our department sees students as musical inventors, composers, and improvisers. We as teachers move from the role of a director to a facilitator who stimulates students thoughts and imagination and advise rather than show and tell. However, no credible theory of music education can be sustained without an insightful analysis of music.
Music education is, however, more than just having experiences or about acquiring a repertoire of skills. It is about developing insightfulness, understanding and quality of mind.
Please use this link for an overview of the curriculum content for year 7 and year 8 Music.
We study Music to build confidence through performance and to develop self-discipline through rehearsal and preparation. We study Music to push ourselves to refine and improve our creative responses. We study Music to gain an appreciation and understanding of the rich and varied history of music from all around the world. We study Music to develop transferable skills that we will inevitably use in all other areas of our learning, tapping into multiple skill sets often simultaneously.
Performing Music (instrument or voice)
Area of Study 1:
Area of Study 2:
Area of Study 3
Area of study 4
Course Link: AQA Level 1 / Level 2 GCSE (9-1) in Music
Home Learning Intent:
We set home learning in music because we want students to engage with music on a regular basis outside the classroom, to further their experience of unfamiliar sounds and deepen their understanding of key theoretical concepts.
Home Learning Expectations:
In music, we expect students to engage enthusiastically in home learning. Where listening tasks are set, students will need to access the internet.
Where tasks are set to embed and extend theoretical concepts, we will provide quality resources and clear instructions for presentation that must be followed. Homework is will be complete and handed in the following lesson.
Links are provided in the relevant home learning policies per year group


Felix Mendelssohn Biography, Life, Interesting Facts
Died On :
Also Known For :
Birth Place :
Childhood And Early Life
German composer Felix Mendelssohn was born Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy on the 3 February in 1809 in Hamburg, Germany. In 1811, the family moved to Berlin. He was the son of Abraham Mendelssohn and Lea Salomon. His grandfather was the Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. He displayed his musical genius at a very young age. His sister Fanny was also artistic and was a pianist and composer. He also had two other siblings. As well as music, he also showed an interest in art, literature, and mathematics.
Felix Mendelssohn's music education began at an early age when with piano lessons with Marie Bigot and instruction in composition from Carl Friedrich Zelter. At the age of nine, he was a pre-teen when he made his first public appearance, and his first published work appeared when he was 13. In 1820 he was enrolled at the Sing-Akademie.
Rise To Fame
From 1822 Felix Mendelssohn gave weekly concerts at his family home. In 1824, when he was 15, he wrote his first full symphony for orchestra. He finished the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in late 1826, and it was performed in Poland in early 1827. He visited England for the first time and spent time with Moscheles who was part of London’s musical elite.
He found appreciation for his work in England and played at a number of private and public concerts. His early work includes Strong Octet (1825), the overture to A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream (1826) and String Quartet in A minor (1827) which exhibited his musical genius at a young age.
Felix Mendelssohn visited England a number of times during the course of his career where he met Queen Victoria and her German husband Prince Albert who were fans of his music. He was made a conductor at the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in 1935 and in 1843 he founded the Leipzig Conservatory. After visiting Scotland, he wrote the concert overture The Hebrides - Fingal’s Cave (1830). One of his most famous compositions is his Violin Concerto in E Minor, op. 64 (1844).
In March 1837, Felix Mendelssohn married Cecile Jeanrenaud, and they have five children. He died in Leipzig on November 4, 1847.
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Franz Peter Schubert


Luigi Loir was born December 22, 1845 in Goritz, Austria and died February 9, 1916 in Paris. He began his first formal art education in 1853 at the Beaux-Art Academy.
Upon finishing his studies in 1865, Loir had his debut in the Salon of Paris with “Paysage a Villiers-sur Seine” for which he received the highest acclaim. Loir then enrolled into studies under Jean Amable Amedee Pastelot (1810 – 1870) to become a mural painter. One of Loir’s first commissions was to paint the murals and ceilings at the Chateaux de Diable in 1866.
Many of Loir’s works, which include oils, watercolors, and lithographs, were acquired by the city of Paris and by French museums. During the Salon des Seienees at the Hotel de Ville, Loir exhibited “Les Preparatifs de la fete foraine.” The painting overwhelmed the museums. Loir had finally received the recognition he was due. Their response would also influence the Municipal Council of Paris to purchase to “Le Marehe a la Ferraille”, the city of Paris would acquire “La Rue de la Pitie, vue du Val de Grace” and The Empress of Russia to purchase the watercolor entitled “The Celebration of the Throne”.
In 1870, he was commissioned into the military to record the battles of Bouret. Loir concentrated exclusively on painting views of Paris. In these works, Loir caught and expressed the many faces of Paris, at all hours of the day. Though some thought him excessively methodical, he was undeniably endowed with exceptional powers of observation and craftsmanship. It was because of his work during this campaign of 1870, that Loir was elected to be the official painter of the Boulevards of Paris. This boosted his career and reputation. In 1879 he was awarded the Bronze medal from the Exposant Fidele des Artistes Francais. Loir was also elected into the Legion of Honor in 1898.
- E. Benezit, Dictionnare des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Paris, 1976, Vol. 6, p. 717
- Auxerre Museum, France
- Avranches Museum, France
- Bordeaux Museum, France
- Moscow Museum, Russia
- Nantes Museum, France
- Nice Museum, France
- The Palais-Royal in Paris, France
- Wein Museum, Austria
- Saint Louis Museum, U.S.A.
- Museum of Prague, Czechoslovakia


Despite hurricane Dorian's best efforts to put a damper, literally, on the start of our year, we were back at school this week and our TAB class is up and running. There is a lot going on.
Our Beginner Art students have completed the media fair and have started their first Nine Unit, the Object. Our other classes, went through the week using the Modular Method. This includes starting with an Artistic Behavior Unit. This week's units introduced proportion and repetition. We also opened the first Table of the year with marbling.
Above, Max is working on a suit of armor. The piece shown is part of the helmet he's working on. The images below show the process he's been working through.
AP Art is back for the third year at South Brunswick and it's our biggest class ever. 16 students are enrolled with 13 taking 2D and three students in 3D. However, its all new this year. the AP class no longer has a Breadth section and to be honest, we're glad. TAB lends itself perfectly to working a sustained investigation.
Our motto for this year: It's the Journey: Question - Experiment - Grow
Brooke is starting the year by asking how she can use her art to open a dialog about anxiety. This first piece, which is digital, is a work in progress and not finished yet. Below, you can see her process as she moves from sketch to finished product.
Natalie's investigation consists of her starting with a drawing from nature. The flower pictured here is one example, though she plans to incorporate other types of plants and trees as she works through the process. She starts with a drawing that she creates in traditional media. The drawing of the flower below on the left was created in charcoal. She then imports her traditional work into Photoshop were she creates many new designs and compositions.
Artists Consider Proportion
Meanwhile, in the other art classes, we are introducing new concepts each week. Some of these are in the form of Artistic Behavior Units such as Artists Steal and Artists Solve Problems. Other units ask the student to consider more traditional topics such as elements and principles of art. One of the units we are currently exploring is Proportion. We looked at proportion and the figure, as well as foreshortening, exaggeration and distortion. The students then have the option to create a work of art that incorporates proportion in some way.
The Nine: The Object
Meanwhile, over in Beginning Art, we have started our first of the Nine with The Object. To kick off the unit, the students were given the Tantamounter challenge. Groups of students try to recreate an object using art supplies available in the room. The replicas are created tantamount to the original though often in clever and whimsical ways.
Our Intermediate class follows a Modular system. Each day, they are introduced to a new module of a unit. These modules cover a Concept, an Artist and a Technique. There is also an optional module called the Table that is offered to students each Tuesday. The Table projects are usually hands on, craft type work that gets students out of their seats.
This week we offered our first table, marbling. We used shaving cream and watered down tempera paint to create the marble effect. After students marbled sheets of paper, they were encouraged to take the marbling to the next level. Some made cards, others found images in the marbling. One student turned his marbled paper into a walking, flying paper airplane.
The Art of South B: displaying the art from students at South Brunswick High School, NC
Art of South B
Artwork by students at
Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) is a student-directed art education pedagogy that directs students to think and work as artists.
Making Artists picks up where The Open Art Room left off, covering issues and situations choice teachers encounter as they design their program.
The Open Art Room provides a student-centered approach to art instruction that is inspirational, practical, and classroom-tested.
Click Here to read the March SchoolArts Article, Student-Directed Answers to Five Frequently Ask Questions
Click Here to Read the April SchoolArts Magazine Article Tracking Student Progress with the Burn Book!
Click Here to Read the February SchoolArts Article, Build A Dynamic Art Program with Modular Teaching!
Art Teacher : Ian Sands


Paradise Harbour is located near Lemaire and Bryde Islands on the Antarctic Peninsula’s west coast. It is one of the two mainland harbours that are used as a stop for cruise ships. The other one is Neko Harbour.
This bay’s name was coined by whalers in the early 1920s. The harbour is filled with glaciated mountains. It is famous for its icebergs, glacial mountains and the gentoo penguins that live on the island.
Quick Facts: –
- The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986 in Paradise Harbour, although the ban is opposed by some countries.
- There are two scientific research bases located in this area which are Argentina’s Almirante Brown Antarctic Base and Chile’s Gonzalez Videla Antarctic Base.
- People use lightweight inflatable boats called ‘Zodiacs’ to get from one place to another.
- These boats are used instead of regular cruise ships because it is easier for small boats to maneuver in tight narrow passages.
- The glaciers in Paradise Harbour have beautiful reflections when the light bounces on water.
- This harbour is the one of the windiest and coldest place on earth.
- It is so cold that no life forms exist except for rock formations, snow-capped mountains and ice fjords.
- There are many icebergs that calve off the glacier at the harbour’s head providing various shades of blue.
- This harbour is a stunning area for whale spotting and panoramic views.
Cite This Page
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This paper is an attempt to analyze systematically the two music syllabuses for junior secondary schools, recommended by the Curriculum Development Committee of Hong Kong in 1975 and 1983. They are published as the Provisional Syllabus For Music and Syllabus For Music respectively. Supplemented to these two syllabuses are the Chinese Music Appreciation Course (1981) and An English-Chinese Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in the Teaching of Music in Secondary Schools (1989). In addition, the List of Reference and Resource Materials for Music in Secondary Schools (for Secondary 1-5) (1989) will also be examined. The purpose for the examination of the above official music syllabuses and publications is to have an overview of the post syllabuses including their rationales, philosophies, teaching methodologies, range and depth of subject content, standard of assessment, etc. Changes and differences between the two syllabuses will also be analyzed in order to have an understanding of the development of the trend of thinking and vision of the government concerning the place of music education in Hong Kong. An overview of the past syllabuses, supportive and positive recommendation for improvement and changes in the future will be made especially with reference to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Arts Education Policy (1996) and trends and issues of international music education frontiers. Copyright © 2000 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.
|Title of host publication||Proceedings of International Conference on Teacher Education 1999: Teaching effectiveness and teacher development in the new century|
|Place of Publication||Hong Kong|
|Publisher||Hong Kong Institute of Education|
|Publication status||Published - 2000|


In combating pandemics, more can be gained by changing citizens’ behaviours than by relying solely on the medical route. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, the struggle to contain the outbreak and push back new infection figures will ultimately be won by training citizens how to avoid creating secondary transmission chains. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the relationship between individual behaviour and group risk. Mass training of all social strata of a country’s entire population is therefore critical in mitigating the pandemic. The authors of this article argue that adult learning and education (ALE) can play a pivotal role particularly in countries where average literacy levels are low, as these are usually the same countries in which healthcare systems are more fragile. This article explains why ALE, especially the promotion of health literacy as part of ALE (which is itself part of lifelong learning), is necessary to enable individuals to make informed health-related decisions. Research has shown that low- or non-literate individuals are less responsive to
health education, less likely to use disease prevention services, and less likely to successfully manage chronic disease than literate citizens. The authors refer to the evaluation of the health literacy aspect of a large-scale adult literacy campaign launched in South Africa in 2008 which has yielded measurable outcomes and proved that the intervention had enabled adults to better understand health messages. They stress the importance of populations having at least a basic level of literacy and numeracy skills to enable them to receive and act on vital information during a pandemic or disaster. They argue that ALE should in fact be understood as an inherent element of every national emergency strategy, both in terms of prior preparation for possible future emergencies (such as pandemics, earthquakes, tornados, flooding, bushfires etc.), and in terms of reaction to a given emergency such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.


At the start of every new school year, HCISD teachers attend a week-long training that provides them with ideas, tools, and other resources to be better prepared for the following year. The topics covered at these training events change depending on current needs. This year, the focus will be to ensure that teachers are familiar with the online learning platform that they will be using when school begins.
Seesaw, a digital learning platform that can be used with students in or out of the classroom, will be the training focus at the elementary level.
“Before, we did cover a little bit of digital every year, but our training’s focus was a lot more on content,” Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, Lori Romero said. “We are going to get into content this year because we are going to show them how to create lessons on this app and what they should look like, but with Seesaw, the training will be more about how to use the application.”
More than 400 teachers across our elementary schools are already using Seesaw. However, Harlingen CISD has more than 600 elementary teachers, and the district wants to make sure that all teachers are ready to implement Seesaw into teaching and learning.
“A lot of our teachers are already very familiar with this app, but we want to make sure that everybody is well-versed on the same platform,” Romero said. “Seesaw has a free version and one that you can buy for the district. We bought the paid version, and along with that we have also purchased training for all of our teachers.”
Teachers will be going through four modules to learn how to use Seesaw, both at a beginning and advanced level. Each training will be a two-hour session that will take place online.
“One of them is Seesaw 101, which is kind of an introduction,” Romero said. “It tells you how to use everything. Then they have a Seesaw 201, which is a little bit more advanced where you get into specifics like how to upload and grade lessons using Seesaw.”
Another two lessons teachers will cover through these modules will focus on students and families. They will learn how to connect students to the application. The family component will cover how to connect the student’s family because a big part of Seesaw is family engagement.
Teachers at the elementary level will also receive training on how to use their textbook online curriculum and resources.
“Another thing they will be training on is Pearson online,” Romero said. “Reading and math have an online component. Our teachers got a little bit of training, but not enough last year. Now that some students are going virtual, we want them to be very aware of how to use these resources.”
Along with training teachers over digital platforms and content for the subject they teach, the school district will also be providing health and safety training to better prepare educators for whatever the next school year will bring.
“Overall we want our kids learning from home to have the same experience as if they were in the classroom face-to-face,” Romero said.


Guest Post: How Reading and Writing are Related to Each Other by Sophia John
I would like to welcome Sophia John to the backwoods! She will share some thoughts about how reading and writing are related to one another. Enjoy!
There were times when reading and writing were taught separately. Over the last decade research has shown that reading and writing are largely interdependent. An interesting comparison says the relationship between reading and writing is like the relationship between chicken and egg. Which comes first is indeed an intriguing question.
The Relationship between Reading and Writing: Reading influences writing and writing influences reading. Both should harmoniously co-exist for the successful academic development of all. Reading instruction becomes for fruitful when coupled with writing instruction for students. It is said that writing once is equal to reading something ten times. This clearly indicates the importance writing has in our lives. The fact that children who read extensively become better writers is proved by researchers.
By wide reading children get to understand different genres, styles of writing, text structures etc. One of the basic reasons why we read is to learn. During school days most of what we know comes from what we read, most of those books would be our textbooks in school. We should have knowledge or information in mind before we venture to write. Writing is the conversion of phoneme into grapheme which means speech sounds are realized as some other forms used for writing, which are graphemes. Writing practices help young children to nurture their reading skills. Phonemic awareness increases when children read and try to write new words. Phonic skills also develop by which children are able to link sounds together to construct more words.
Parents and teachers should introduce reading and writing habits in children quite early in life. Teachers would have to find out a level to begin the courses of literacy development. Literacy development is a vast area where what exactly one has to do needs to be chosen quite carefully. Parents and teachers should at the first place study some genres and then teach them to children. Short pieces of writing could be given to children to read and comprehend. Practicing exercises on those writing would develop their writing skills to a great extent.
The two prerequisites for reading are phonemic awareness and phonic skills. One has to understand the connection between sounds and letters to be able to read. Children should be guided to consult dictionaries whenever they come across unfamiliar words. This helps them to build a good vocabulary and comprehend what they read. Parents and teachers should educate the young learners on reading and writing skills which always complement each other.
I am Sophia John, writer and blogger, mainly focusing on new innovative thoughts and ideas. I like to help students who lack good writing skill and self confidence by providing best custom essay writing tips to achieve good grade in their academic life.
About the Author
AK Taylor is an award winning YA author who has been writing novels since age 16. Beekeeper, outdoor sportsman, avid adventurer, and animal lover. Taylor lives in the backwoods of Middle GA where she continues to write stories.


By Jensen, Randy on June 3, 2020.
A strange school year is coming to an end, giving way to an uncertain summer. It is a summer that most staff, students and parents are anticipating with great eagerness, not necessarily for the normal reasons of vacations and trips, but an end to a very complex and stressful school year.
At this time of year I usually write about the importance of maintaining reading and numeracy skills over the summer to ensure students are ready for the next school year. While these practices and skills are still important to maintain over the summer, this year it’s also valuable to discuss that final push through the end of June and how to survive the last few weeks of a trying time.
Normally at this time of year, students are busy finishing up final assignments, writing exams, participating in field trips, celebrating graduations and, of course, dreaming of the summer break. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all the normality that schools are accustomed to and have thrown teachers, students and parents into a turmoil unlike anything we have experienced. Over the last few months, we have all navigated through new learning processes and experiences that have been both interesting and challenging.
All of a sudden, on March 15, teachers were working on designing and implementing ways to ensure students continued to learn from a distance. Students, meanwhile, had to adjust to a whole new realm of being at home, away from friends and learning through means that may not have been familiar to them when the school year began. As teachers became more adept at providing learning materials and lessons via a distance learning model, students also adjusted to learning in this format. Some days things went great and others, well, not so great. Through all of this, teachers and students persevered to find ways to ensure learning continued. Students also found means to have virtual hangouts with friends and, of course, ways to “miss” a few lessons due to technical glitches. Teachers learned to ask that cameras be turned on, to remind students to dress appropriately for their virtual classes, and to finish their breakfast before starting their online class. All this occurred over the months we have been away from our traditional classrooms and environments.
As staff and students went about their daily business finding ways to learn and explore, the other party in this adventure was there to make sure it all came together. The other linchpin in all of this has been the parents. As students and teachers struggled to adapt and figure out this new world, parents were there to provide support, a reassuring word or, at times, a stern word for all parties. Parents were thrust into a role that made them an even more crucial figure in the success of their child and the teacher. As their child struggled, so did the parents. As success came, many parents were able to join in celebrating each new concept learned.
Without a doubt the past three months have been filled with many highs and lows. As we close in on the end of the school year everyone is hoping it will be done soon. Between the stress levels, nice weather and a strong desire to “wrap things up,” many would like to end sooner than later.
It is important, however, that we all remain engaged as long as possible. The academic part of the year may be winding down and there’s a desire to shut the books and turn off the computers, but it’s important to stay engaged with the school and each other. While the conversations may not be about a particular subject, the contacts between the school and student can provide a sense of support and normalcy. It might only occur every second or third day these last weeks of June, but the opportunity to have some fun and share experiences with each other prior to the start of summer holidays will allow everyone to depart with some positive interactions and memories.
We will be back to learning and teaching in September. What that will look like has yet to be decided, but whether it’s face-to-face, online or a mixture of the two, one thing is certain: the relationships that have been nurtured this year will foster a stronger start for everyone, no matter what the classroom looks like.
So as we prepare to end our strange school year and you hear the computer “bing” or the phone ring with inquiries from the school, we hope you don’t wonder “why won’t they leave me alone?” Instead, we hope you join in and enjoy the last few weeks of building relationships and having fun.
Dave Driscoll is Superintendent of The Palliser School Division.


Keeping young children safe is a priority for child care providers. But safety practices vary, depending on a child’s age and developmental stage. Keeping an infant safe can be very different than keeping a toddler safe.
Tips for Keeping Children Safe: A Developmental Guide is a tool that offers safety tips for early childhood staff working with young children in classroom environments.
The tool is divided into four sections, one each for:
- Young Infants
- Mobile Infants
Each section includes information on developmental milestones typical for children of that particular age, and a collection of safety tips organized by daily routines. For example, the Young Infants section describes – among other things – the movement and feeding skills infants develop from birth through 12 months. Those skills can present safety issues. For example, a baby that learns to grasp objects must be surrounded by materials that are safe to minimize the risk of choking.
The safety tips for Young Infants are organized by daily routines: diapering and toileting, feeding, napping and play. Each tip offers suggestions on what providers should do during a routine, and then explains why the tip works from a developmental perspective.
One of the tips for Preschoolers recommends that providers teach children how to eat safely using cups, spoons and forks. The explanation: Preschoolers love imaginative play, and it may cause them to want to use a utensil as a toy, possibly leading to unsafe behaviors at the table. In addition, providers or staff should sit with children during family style eating so they can promote health and safe mealtime behaviors.
Tips for Keeping Children Safe: A Developmental Guide can be found on the website of the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECKLC).


Music and Imagery for Children
with Linda Powell, MA
Linda Powell offers individual and group Music and Imagery sessions for seven to 19 year-olds who need to develop self-awareness, build self esteem, and find creative solutions for life’s stresses and challenges through natural healing. Sessions may include imaging to a short piece of music, sharing about the experience, and creating artwork. As a result of this experience, participants have healed past trauma and loss, learned how to relax, and expanded self-understanding.
How Guided Imagery Works
Linda uses the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), which is designed to help children discover their inner wisdom. In individual sessions or small groups, children find and express their unique qualities through the natural healing power of music, imagery, and stories.
What is Orff Music?
Named after German composer Carl Orff, Orff music is an innovative way for children to explore and create music. Children move and dance to rhythms, sing and accompany their songs, and improvise, using both pitched and unpitched instruments and child-size mallet instruments—xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. The emphasis is on experiencing music in ways that are fun and exciting.
The children develop musical and listening skills, enhance coordination, build self-confidence, expand Creativity, and learn to work cooperatively in groups. Through this natural healing process, the children become aware of their own character traits, such as Honesty, Joy, Creativity, Honor, through rhymes, songs, and stories.
About Linda Powell
Linda Powell shares Creativity, Play, Healing, and Wisdom in her Music and Imagery sessions and Orff Music sessions with young people. Linda taught in public and private schools for 30 years where she expanded her knowledge of the natural healing properties of music.
Her formal music credentials are extensive, including a Master of Music Degree from University of Michigan, Bachelor of Music Education from Boston University, Orff Music Level 3 Certification at Memphis State University, and completion of a three-year training program in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music with the Southeastern Institute for Music-centered Psychotherapy in 1992.
Linda is an independent practitioner not in the employ of the Adawehi Healing Center.


The Canadian Reader / Nos Nouvelles is a classroom-ready current events resource for students in grades 3 and up. This publication, available in English and in French, combines current Canadian events and issues with geography to expand students' knowledge of Canada while enhancing their ability to read and understand informational text.
Published eight times during the school year, each issue focuses on one of six key reading comprehension strategies – making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, summarizing, and synthesizing/transforming – and includes:
- three news stories, written at a level students can understand;
- detailed literacy-based lesson plans, including ready-to-use graphic organizers and criteria for assessment;
- a map assignment featuring a region of Canada highlighted in one of the articles;
- Did You Know? – a non-fiction comic strip featuring background information related to one of the news stories, accompanied by a lesson plan and supporting material.
A full-year subscription (8 issues) costs $198.
All teachers and students within one school can access the resources. Subscriptions are delivered via Internet download. Subscribers receive a password each month to allow them to access the publication on our website as soon as it is posted.


By Liana Heitin
September 2, 2014
Elementary students who participated in a music enrichment program for two years showed improvement in their ability to process speech sounds, according to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
The study adds to the body of research suggesting that playing music helps students' cognitive development.
Forty-four students, ages 6 to 9, who attended music training through the Harmony Project, a nonprofit music education program serving low-income students in Los Angeles, participated in the study. At the beginning of the after-school program, students received two hours per week of instruction on pitch, rhythm, notation, and other fundamental music skills. Several months into the program, or more, depending on the availability of instruments, students began receiving at least four hours per week of instruction and learned to play music.
The researchers, led by Nina Kraus, a principal investigator at the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University, used a neural probe to test the speed of students' auditory processing when hearing two consonant-vowel pairs: \ba\ and \ga\. "What we want to know is, how does the brain automatically respond to speech sounds?" Kraus said in an interview. "We're able to capture neural timing on the order of microseconds. It's very precise." Students were tested before the program began, and at the end of one and two years.
After two years of participation in the program, students "showed a marked improvement in the neural differentiation of the syllables," according to the published study. Researchers also found that students with more hours of instrumental training showed larger improvements. "Certainly, it is the act of making music that is important for these changes," said Kraus. "Just listening to music, you won't see these kinds of changes in people."
Those students who only participated in the program for one year—and therefore got less instrumental training—did not demonstrate similar neural changes.
Another recent study of primary students in Germany found that faster auditory processing was associated with better spelling and reading skills, my colleague Sarah Sparks wrote in December.
The new study "has shown us it is possible to see some fundamental biological changes that are tracking with music experiences that were delivered in a group and community-based environment," said Kraus.
Below is a segment PBS NewsHour posted in January about the Harmony Project and Kraus' preliminary research.


Every year our Kindergarten students participate in an art appreciation and immersion program with the Hecksher Art museum. It is always a highlight both for our students who spend time with Art education specialists both in their NSHA classrooms and in the Hecksher galleries, as well as for our faculty who take so much pride in their students creativity and self expression.
On Tuesday, education specialists from the Museum came to our school and spent time with each Kindergarten class, educating the children on various artistic techniques including abstraction. The children saw examples of animals portrayed using different colors and details. Each child then had an opportunity to create their own “masterpiece.”
Today we visited the museum. The children examined firsthand original works of art with different themes such as windows, landscapes, and abstracts hanging in the museum. We created our own landscapes by layering elements on the Art Action Board with the Action Brushster and then created our own landscape as seen through a window. We also had the opportunity to create our very own “abstract״ work of art.
The Hecksher program perfectly reinforces the focus we place on art, imagination, self expression and creativity.


Relationships and Health Education
Relationships and Health education becomes a compulsory part of the Primary School Curriculum in September 2020. The Government guidance aims to ensure that all schools promote equality, foster pupils’ respect for themselves and others, and help pupils to look after their own health and wellbeing. It also aims to meet the needs of all pupils, supporting their developing identity and prepare them for life and work in modern Britain. At St John Baptist School, this curriculum will be incorporated into our existing Values Education and will require very little change to the content that children are taught in School.
However, as required by law, we will be holding a parental consultation as we develop and review our policy for Relationships and Health Education and before any new content is taught to pupils. This will be an opportunity for you to explore the content that is in the curriculum, ask questions and share any concerns. We will be sharing information about how and when this will take place in due course.
Due to the unexpected closure of schools last year, the Department of Education has permitted schools to take a phased approach when introducing these subjects, with the full curriculum being introduced by May 2021. We will be using some of this additional time as we are yet to have had our parental consultation. Throughout the Autumn term, all classes will be teaching Health Education, prioritising content on mental health and wellbeing, with Relationships Education starting in 2021 after the parent consultation has taken place.


What is the theme for International Literacy Day 2019?
2019-09-08 | Team PendulumEdu
A. Literacy and Health
B. Literacy and Multilingualism
C. Literacy and Peace
D. Literacy and Empowerment
International Day of Literacy is celebrated every year on 8th September since 1967. The day is celebrated to highlight the importance of literacy in an individual’s life and also for the society as a whole. The theme for International Literacy Day 2019 is “Literacy and Multilingualism.” Acceptance of Linguistic diversity in education and literacy development is key to address the literacy challenges.
617 million children and adolescents lack minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics. Also, more than 262 million children and adolescents remain out of school. One in five adults is still not literate (2/3rd of them are women). Therefore, the purpose of the celebration of literacy day is to grab the attention of governments and civil societies in addressing this issue together at each level.
The issue of literacy is also focused upon in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal -4 (SDG-4) that aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Hence, (B) is the correct answer.
Important National/International Days are significant for the candidates preparing for various exams like UPSC CSE, UPSC CDS, State PCS, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, RRB NTPC, etc. Try and attempt free mock tests at PendulumEdu to keep yourself updated with Important National and International Days.


What is FOPL?
Simply put: Ontario’s Public Libraries. Now more than ever before, they play a critical role in the social, educational, cultural and economic success of the communities in our province. Public Libraries are an essential investment in the future of our communities and are essential drivers of success in school preparedness, reading readiness, economic and employment success, and social equity. As the development of the knowledge economy progresses, public libraries are a vital link for every resident and every community to ensure success of all Ontarians, regardless of location or background.
The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries represents Ontario’s over 400 public library systems exceeding 1,000 branches in virtually every Ontario community. Over 5 million Ontario residents make hundreds of millions of visits to the library, in person and virtually, every year. Libraries are trusted, accessible community hubs providing freely accessible professional service, technology, programs, and resources to a more diverse range of residents than any other cultural institution. Ontarians have voted with their library cards and passionate support for public libraries continues to grow in the digital age.
Ontario public library services have evolved to be much more than books and buildings. Today’s libraries have a measurable and valuable impact on the quality of life and the success of our communities – economically, socially, educationally, and culturally. FOPL ensures that funders and decision-makers know the full breadth and depth of the role of public libraries in Ontario, and advocates for the needed support, programs, and resources to continue to make a difference for all Ontarians. The Public Library value proposition is strong and includes (but isn’t limited to):
Return on Investment: many studies show that public investment in libraries delivers a measurable, positive return on investment economically, socially and for the capacity of communities to attract businesses and residents.
Economic Development: supporting small business and entrepreneurs who will drive local economic recovery, growth, and job creation by providing them with resources such as databases on market trends and information on regulatory obligations;
Employment Support: providing services and resources for career planning, job search, education, and upgrading skills;
Welcoming New Canadians: helping newcomers to Canada succeed through settlement support; language acquisition including ESL programs, accreditation and employment support and maintaining cultural connections;
Early Literacy Development: supporting success in life and reading and school readiness through a vast array of pre-school and children’s literacy programs;
Support for Formal Education and Homework Help: professional help and collections to support learners of all ages to develop advanced information fluency competencies, do research and complete projects. Open longer hours than school libraries, public libraries are also critical support systems for adult distance education and home schooling. Across the province, libraries are busier than ever with students at all ages and stages;
Serving the whole community: public libraries ensure that the whole community of Ontarians – including those with visual or physical limitations, from any cultural or language community, natives, and more – receive equitable access to the resources of our society for success.
Equitable access to community resources: public libraries are often the only place where all residents can access free computing resources, the internet, peripherals, training, and assistance to accomplish their goals as citizens, workers, and more.
Access to Government Services: providing professional support services, accessible locations, and technology infrastructure to serve as a major access point for e-government. Public Libraries provide cost-effective opportunities to reach Ontarians to deliver government services for everything from forms and information to advice;
Questions Deserve Quality Answers: Ontarians have important information needs and deserve quality answers regardless of their economic status or location. On issues of health, parenting, finance, life choices, and more, libraries go beyond Google to improve the quality of questions and answers.
Cultural Vitality: a critical piece of a community’s cultural framework, public libraries are essential to a healthy and sustainable society as social equity, environmental responsibility and economic viability; and local history heritage.
Affordable Leisure Activities: offering free borrowing of books, music and movies and exciting library programs for children, families, seniors, and people of all ages and tied directly to community needs and demand.


Buddies, Leaders, and Greeters
Our unique focus on elementary education lets our 4th, 5th, and 6th graders be the “older” students. This allows them to learn to be leaders and assume responsibilities that build self-confidence and personal accountability long before their peers at larger K-12 schools have that chance.
The second most common personal fear is the fear of public speaking.
Now imagine your 5th or 6th grader standing in front of 175 students, faculty, and parents calmly leading the twice-weekly school assemblies and confidently reading the school announcements. How calm would you be?
Beginning in the Early Childhood Education Program, Meadowbrook students learn to find their voice and be comfortable presenting and speaking before their schoolmates and teachers. That is what a small, supportive setting like Meadowbrook can do.
Students learn to help one another and take pride in each other’s accomplishments through our buddy programs.
The popular buddy program pairs a 4th, 5th, and 6th grader with younger children to be their buddy to mentor throughout the year. Regular activities like reading books and doing in-class art projects build lasting friendships and benefit every student.
Our older students are our school leaders… helping younger students… greeting students each morning at the front door… leading assemblies and school events. By the time they leave Meadowbrook, their poise and public speaking skills are ones most adults could admire.


Develop an understanding of computer technology within the context of the cyber domain in our connected world. Learn about the basic structure of hardware, software, and network systems, the threats these systems face, and how to defend them. Use hands-on lab experiences to develop the foundational skills needed to maintain and protect computer systems. Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 101/ENG 101A. Note: This is the first course in computing for students majoring in cybersecurity, networking, and digital forensics or who would like to expand their knowledge of information assurance and cybersecurity.
Term: Fall 2020
Course Type: Credit - 3 Credits
Section: 203 (Closed)
Ways to take the class: Online
Start Date: 10/26/2020
End Date: 12/19/2020
Instructor: Gregory C Wagner
Class Size: 20
General Education Requirement: Technology
Section Info: This section is participating in the Direct Digital Access program. A course materials fee of $79.40 will be charged to your student account when you register. Your course materials will be accessible in Canvas on or before the first day of class. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/AACC-DDA.


Copy Of Music Teacher
Under the general supervision of the School Principal, to develop students' understanding, appreciation of the art of music, including listening a wide range of musical genre, periods and styles.
- Develops and administers music education curriculum consistent with school district goals and objectives.
- Promotes a classroom environment that is safe and conducive to individualized and small group instruction, and student learning.
- Develops balanced music program and lessons to organize class time so that students have adequate time for preparation, rehearsal, and instruction.
- Conducts ongoing assessment of student musical learning and progress, and modifies instructional methods to fit individual student's needs, including students with special needs; conducts individual and small group instruction as needed.
- Utilizes repertoire of all types of music literature, as appropriate.
- Plans, coordinates rehearsals for, and directs students in musical programs and performances outside the classroom
- Continues to acquire professional knowledge and learn of current developments in the educational field by attending seminars, workshops or professional meetings, or by conducting research.
- Organizes and maintains a system for accurate and complete record-keeping, grading, and reporting for all student activities, achievement and attendance as required by district procedures and applicable laws.
- Encourages parental involvement in students' education and ensures effective communication with students and parents.
- Ensures that student conduct conforms to the school's standards and school district policies, and establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to ensure a productive learning atmosphere during practice, rehearsal and performances.
- Coordinates with other professional staff members, especially within grade level, and participates in faculty meetings and committees.
- Selects and requisitions appropriate music supplies and instrumental equipment, maintains inventory records, and ensures equipment is in good working order.
Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Principal and other central office administrators as designated by the Superintendent.
Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task or responsibility.
Uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, printer, copy and fax machines, and telephone.
Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, as well as differentiated instruction based upon student learning styles.
- Knowledge of English grammar, word usage, word denotations and connotations, spelling, literature and other content areas taught.
- Knowledge of data information systems, data analysis and the formulation of action plans.
- Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws regarding education and students.
- Ability to play an instrument or instruments, conduct students in playing instruments as needed.
- Ability to instruct students in singing, harmonization, and chorus as needed.
- Ability to use computer network system and software applications as needed.
- Ability to organize and coordinate work.
- Ability to communicate effectively with students and parents.
- Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards
Works in standard office and school building environments.
Note: Also see the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Functions for this position.
- [State] State Certification as a Music Teacher.
- Motor Vehicle Operator's License or ability to provide own transportation.
- Bachelors from an accredited college or university in education discipline applicable to teaching assignment.
- Masters Degree preferred.
- Successful prior teaching experience in music for the appropriate grade level preferred.
FLSA Status: Exempt


In response to demand from teachers for screening tests tailored to the needs of an Irish school population, the Centre has developed two screening and diagnostic tests:
Each test has two main components. The Screening test is group-administered, and designed for use with pupils at the end of Senior Infants or the beginning of First Class. The Diagnostic test is individually administered to a subset of pupils who do not reach a threshold score on the screening element of the test.
While other screening tests of numeracy and literacy tests are available, most have been developed abroad. The DTEL and DTEN combine international best practice in early assessment, and standards and procedures based on an Irish sample, to provide appropriate screening and diagnostic tests for Irish pupils that are linked to the Irish Primary School Curriculum for Junior and Senior Infants.
Both manuals include information for teachers about recent research in early literacy and numeracy development, and advice for helping pupils at risk of numeracy or literacy difficulties. Click the links to see a sample of the text on helping at-risk readers and on addressing early numeracy difficulties.


In my previous series of reports on the 44th International Horn Symposium, I mentioned purchasing several publications, one of them being this interesting collection of rules for horn playing and general musicianship. Here’s a quick recap from the earlier post.
One other publication I picked up is a reprint of a short handbook by Christopher Leuba called The Rules of the Game. I’ve only thumbed through it a few times today, but it appears to be similar in some ways to The Art of Musicianship by Philip Farkas: i.e. it uses excerpts from the standard orchestral and solo repertoire to set out some basic principles of music making.
Chris Leuba is former Principal Horn of the Chicago and Minneapolis Symphonies, and has numerous articles and other publications to his credit. Having read his earlier book, A Study of Musical Intonation, I was very excited to see that The Rules of the Game was being made available again by Faust Music. The content is laid out in two broad sections; the first presents guidelines for good musicianship, and the second focuses on principles of good brass playing. Mr. Leuba’s writing style is to the point and easily understood, and often filled with good natured humor. In his introduction he points out what he considers should be the main focus in one’s musical education: listening.
Were there to be a fundamental overhaul of our music education in the schools, as well as in private teaching, I would suggest that the skill of listening would be the one on which I would place the greatest emphasis. The traditional French and Italian methods of solfeggio training address this succinctly, helping train the performers’ ears and eyes to cooperate towards a common concept. Solfeggio combined with Suzuki might be an ideal.
Part I contains 28 separate rules, each with written explanations and musical examples. Of those, here are a few I found particularly helpful and/or interesting.
- 1) Any music which can be subdivided must be subdivided.
- 6) Staccato means separated, not short.
- 20) “High Notes” High notes are not louder than lower ones. Harmonic progression and rhythmic flow dictate the relative degree of loudness…
- 28) Any music which can be subdivided must be subdivided. SUBDIVIDE AND CONQUER !!!
Yes, rules 1) and 28) are repeated, obviously to emphasize their importance. There are many other great one-liners in this section, but my favorite has to be “Subdivide and Conquer.” Don’t let the humor fool you, though, because these are all tried and true principles of great musicianship. Part 2 is equally valuable, but geared more towards brass players. Here are some excerpts from this section, which contains 20 more rules.
- 3) Posture…Sit, or stand, “around” the spine, and not in front of it.
- 14) FAULTS…The source of a fault is usually to be found in the note preceding it.
- 18) REPETITION REINFORCES! Do not repeat errors.
If you want to find out what the rest of the “rules” are, you’ll have to buy the book yourself. Informed by years of experience as a high level performer and teacher, Chris Leuba’s The Rules of the Game is highly recommended to teachers and performers of all levels.


Ballet Dancing is a long-standing form of classical arts with a rich history. It began in the early 1500’s in Italy as an entertainment of the noble courts and quickly became popular as an elegant dance ranging form France and the entire European continent.
The term Ballet means ‘Dance’ in Latin. There are four different levels of dancing and each of which handles different roles. The male equivalent of a ballerina is a Danseur.
Fast Facts: –
- One performance of Ballet Dancing lasts on average four hours and it can take up to 5,000 hours of practice.
- A male dancer lifts over 1-1/2 tons worth of ballerinas during performances.
- The buns into which ballerinas style their hair require a combined 400 hours of styling per performance.
- Professional ballet dancers wear Pointe shoe so that they can dance on their toes.
- Dancing in new Pointe shoes can be really dangerous. Every dancer figures out how they like to adapt their shoes to better fit their foot.
- They also run a yellow crystal substance called rosin on their pointes and flats to prevent slipping.
- A professional Ballet dancing class is accompanied by a live pianist.
- A ballerina’s Tutu is essential for the performance. All these tutus are handmade and if high-quality is maintained, a single one can cost around $2000.
- An average ballet dancer wears 50 to 150 tutus in her lifetime.
- A male dancer wears approximately 4,000 pairs of tights over a dancing lifetime.
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Brute art or art brut is often confused with the so-called art of outsiders. But if art brut is rather “art of the crazy”, then outsider art is a broader concept.
It can be the art of people without special art education, the work of those who find themselves in difficult life situations. The term art – brut was introduced in 1972 by art critic Roger Cardinal. Similar phenomena are marginal art, naive art, visionary or intuitive art, folk art, new fiction.
Perhaps the main difference between the creators – “outsiders” from other artists, is the conditions in which they work. Diseases, loneliness, severe external circumstances, such as war, push artists – “outsiders” to amazing creative impulses. A striking example of outsider art, of course, are the work of Henry Darger. Continue reading
Currently, many believe that the computer has replaced the work of engineers and artists. But this is not so. Many authors use paints, pencils and other attributes to create drawings, models and sketches.
One of the most popular graphics tools was and remains a rapidograph.
What kind of beast is this?
Experienced engineers and artists do not need to explain what a speedograph is. But for those who have just begun their journey in this direction, the information will not hurt. Continue reading
It is known that the samurai estate in Japan appeared at the turn of the 7th-8th centuries A.D. The word samurai itself means a servant-analogue of the Russian word warrior.
Samurai – armed servants, became peasants, family members of the lower or middle aristocracy. The fee was simple – housing and food. Instead, it required a willingness to fulfill military duty, if necessary, to die for his master. Gradually, the number of samurai increased, and these were absolutely professional warriors, who transmitted military traditions in a hereditary way.
With the increase in the number of troops, the accumulation of forces and power, central power began to weaken in Japan, and in the second half of the 15th century feudal feuds on land redistribution developed into a civil war (1467–1586), known as the “Age of the Warring Provinces”. Continue reading


The Limits Of Science
by Nicholas Rescher
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press 1999
Number of pages: 280
Perfected science is but an idealization that provides a useful contrast to highlight the limited character of what we do and can attain. This lies at the core of various debates in the philosophy of science and Rescher's discussion focuses on the question: how far could science go in principle - what are the theoretical limits on science?
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by James Burke, Jules Bergman, Isaac Asimov - NASA
Science and technology have had a major impact on society, and their impact is growing. The authors cover the impact of science on society from the time of man's first significant scientific invention to that of expected future scientific advances.
This book serves as a guide for elementary teachers to effectively teach science in their classrooms. It is also intended to provide elementary education majors with the science background they need for their qualifying exams.
by Paul Budnik - Mountain Math Software
A book about mathematics, physics and spirituality. Spiritual instincts have evolved to connect us with the creative aspects of biological evolution which are crucial to long term survival. The book integrates spirituality and science.
by Henry Chase Hill (ed.) - John C. Winston Company
The marvels of modern industry and invention; the interesting stories of common things; the mysterious processes of nature simply explained. This book is presented to those who wish to have a non-technical account of the wonders of the modern age.


The National Center for STEM Elementary Education (NCSEE) was launched in 2010 with the vision to transform the way STEM education is delivered at the elementary level.
Students in classrooms with teachers who have completed the NCSEE STEM Certificate demonstrate increased interest and abilities in STEM content.
Leaders in Promoting and Expanding STEM Education
We are the first institution of higher education in the country to
- Require that all elementary education majors complete a STEM certificate program to receive a teaching license
- Develop an engineering course specifically for elementary education majors
- Focus on the intentional content enrichment and rigor of the STEM courses being taken by our licensure candidates
Teaching K–8 Teachers
Our programs help practicing K–8 teachers and teacher candidates become confident, competent and comfortable in teaching STEM subjects and integrating them into their daily classroom activities.
Women and STEM at St. Kate's
Headquartered at St. Catherine University, we are uniquely positioned to foster girls’ and women’s proficiency in — and comfort with — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. At the heart of the University is the nation’s largest undergraduate college for women. We are experts in how women learn best.
Master's and Graduate Certificates in STEM
If you are an elementary teacher, you know that soon you may need to be teaching your young charges engineering and technology concepts. Some states already include these concepts in their state education standards. Others are in the process of adding them. Are you ready?
Custom Programs of Study focusing on STEM and Computational Thinking
One size fits all doesn’t work for students in P-12 schools—why would it work for the schools and teachers within? That is why St. Kate’s has developed a flexible program that offers our learners a choice to build a program of study that meets their unique learning needs. Components that can be customized in our STEM or Technology Integration programs of study include
- Courses at the graduate or PD level, for individuals or cohorts
- 12-credit certificates that can be completed in two terms, as well as stand-alone course options
- Certificates that align perfectly with our MAED options for students who want to continue their learning
- Fully online courses, as well as hybrid options that include four bi-weekly Saturday meetings on the St. Paul campus
- Hands-on STEM activities for students at all levels integrated throughout our curriculum in courses that focus on science, engineering, makerspaces, computer science, and digital video production
- Highly scaffolded learning experience for teachers—we have a 97% retention and completion rate, yet our program reviews emphasize the rigor of our coursework. We expect our students to grow deeper content-specific knowledge, as well as to learn how to learners with pedagogy aligned to disciplinary practices.
For schools wanting to develop a cohort model additional STEM integration practices are available.
- We can review your program’s existing STEM curriculum and teacher practices to identify optimum ways to improve your school’s STEM success, given what's already in place
- Options for support and mentoring from St. Kate’s faculty throughout the academic year
- On-site PD or coursework


Countdown to Kindergarten
Fort Worth ISD, under the direction of the Early Learning Department, has just released a new “Countdown to Kindergarten” booklet for parents of infants and young children. Parents can use this resource to better understand the importance of the time they spend with their children from birth until they enroll in Kindergarten.
The booklet is in English and Spanish and will help parents get their child ready for school one year at a time. It begins with a letter from Superintendent Dr. Kent Scribner that tells parents how important the first three years of life are to a child’s brain growth and development and how parents play a vital role as their child’s first and best teacher.
“Unfortunately, parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual. So, we created this booklet as the next best thing,” he said.
“Countdown to Kindergarten” provides information about the important milestones in social skills, emotional development, language acquisition, and motor skill development that are part of children growing up and getting ready for school. It features a description of skills children need to be ready for Kindergarten. There are also sections for Birth to One-Year-Old and sections for each year from age 1 to age 5.
Each section of the booklet includes helpful examples of what children may be able to say and do at each age, such as “Birth to three months, your child may listen to sounds.” There are also suggested activities in each section to encourage development at each stage of a child’s life. By the time parents read the section called “Five-Year-Olds,” the examples of development will include “Your child may understand past and future tense” and “Your child may recognize very small details.”
The booklet features pages for parents to keep notes and record special moments, including a place to record age, weight, height; favorite activities; funny moments; and things to try. There is also a pocket to keep documents, records, photos and other keepsakes, as well as a page of “Helpful Online Resources.”
The Early Learning Department is focused on providing children from Pre-Kindergarten through second grade with high quality, engaging learning experiences that ignite in every child a passion for learning. The “Countdown to Kindergarten” booklet is one example of the valuable resources provided by the department.
Dr. Scribner also explained this booklet is a great support tool for 100x25 FWTX, which sets a goal of 100 percent of third-graders reading on grade level or above by the year 2025. The superintendent is partnering with Mayor Betsy Price and BNSF Executive Chairman Matt Rose to lead the community-wide Read Fort Worth initiative. This collective impact strategy engages parents, grandparents, and caregivers as well as volunteers from the city’s business sector, higher education, non-profit organizations, and the faith-based community.


1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Achenbach, Andreas
ACHENBACH, ANDREAS (1815–), German landscape painter, was born at Cassel in 1815. He began his art education in 1827 in Dusseldorf under W. Schadow and at the academy. In his early work he followed the pseudo-idealism of the German romantic school, but on removing to Munich in 1835, the strooger influence of L. Gurlitt turned his talent into new channels, and he became the founder of the German realistic school. Although his landscapes evince too much of his aim at picture-making and lack personal temperament, he is a master of technique, and is historically important as a reformer. A number of his finest works are to be found at the Berlin National Gallery, the New Pinakothek in Munich, and the galleries at Dresden, Darmstadt, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Leipzig and Hamburg.
His brother, Oswald Achenbach (1827–1905), was born at Dusseldorf and received his art education from Andreas. His landscapes generally dwell on the rich and glowing effects of colour which drew him to the Bay of Naples and the neighbourhood of Rome. He is represented at most of the important German galleries of modern art.


In my last blog on diction I discussed the three rules for omitting r when singing. If you have been implementing the rules in your singing then you should notice a change in your sound and how clear your words are. In this blog I want to focus on diphthongs. This word is derived from the Greek di – twice and phthongs- sound. A diphthong is a word consisting of two consecutive vowels in the same syllable. An example of a diphthong is the word fight. You have the first vowel sound ah and then I as in it at the end. So the first vowel sound is sustained the second one follows at the end. In reading this keep in mind that we are talking about being understood clearly when you sing. As a singer it is your job to tell a story through your voice. In order for the story to be conveyed is has to be understood.
The chart below shows in phonetic form all of the vowels we use when we sing.
Now I would like to point out the diphthongs in this chart. If you say the word pat slowly you will notice that the a is elongated and the e is pronounced right before the t. Notice all the words that consist of diphthongs they all follow the same pattern. In singing gospel music we tend to utilize rifts and runs, so we have to remember that the first vowel is sung longer and the second one comes right before the consonant. Another thing that is important to remember is that there should not be a break between the two vowels so that the first one can blend with the second. The shifts from one vowel to the next needs to be smooth the same as when you speak the word.
There are two common errors that singers make when singing diphthongs. One is the distortion of one of the vowels, which is done by starting with the wrong vowel. When this happens the singer has made the word unclear (ie. though for thou). The other error is the omission of the second vowel. Normally in speaking we wouldn’t forget the vowel, but singing is done at a different pace and that second vowel is sometimes left out. I know this blog seems a little shorter then normal, but I don’t want to give you too much info and scare you off. However I feel that it is important for singers to know and understand their craft. My goal is to get the average singer to start putting more focus on the way they sing their words. Stay tuned!
Shena Crane is a Classically trained professional vocal coach. She graduated from University Of Texas At Arlington. Shena holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education as well as an Associates Degree in Music/Performance. Book Shena for private vocal training through The Music Ministry Coach.com


Delmare Yasmine July 14, 2020 worksheets
In 1986, mimeograph machines were (for the most part) replaced by digital copiers in elementary schools. Those of us teachers who experienced using mimeograph machines will forever remember the distinct smell of the still-damp, purple-ink worksheets that we handed out to our students – by the ream full. (If you’re like me, you can remember that smell right now!)
Other activities for kindergarten include jigsaw puzzles. There are also worksheets that teach children about some biblical characters, and how to help a community. These activities are not limited to individual work. There are also worksheets that require a group effort to finish the task. This way, children learn to work in a team. This is a very effective group activity in helping them realize the importance of cooperation and teamwork.At a young age, kids are first taught to write letters in print only. When kids reach the age of eight to ten, they are taught how to write in cursive. They may find this quite difficult and boring at first. But one fun way to teach them this is to use worksheets also.
Then along came digital copiers and the purple-ink mimeograph machine disappeared. But the teaching tool that the mimeograph machine spawned – the worksheet – has lived on… and on… and on. For decades – literally decades – teachers have been enamored with worksheets. So what is the bottom line? Are worksheets a serious teaching tool or an over-used form of busy work? The answer, of course, is both.
If your goal is to provide learning opportunities for your child, you will want more than a few pictures to color in, although this is an important skill to practice. Between the ages of 3 and 7, the so-called formative years, your child is ready and willing to learn. This is a great time to start introducing the basic skills that your child will use for the rest of their lives such as counting, reading and writing. With your help and supervision, your child can do math worksheets, alphabet worksheets and much more.
2. To Pay or Not to Pay?
Of course, when it comes to picking out the type and design of worksheet you would want for you and your family to use, always consider your needs. Just because availing of a free worksheet will be more practical for you now does not mean that your finance management plans will be better off. But also, budgeting worksheets are not enough if you want to succeed with budgeting, you must have the right mindset too.
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Building communities of engaged readers: reading for pleasure
Cremin, T., Mottram, M., Collins, F., Powell, S. and Safford, K. 2014. Building communities of engaged readers: reading for pleasure. London Routledge.
|Authors||Cremin, T., Mottram, M., Collins, F., Powell, S. and Safford, K.|
Reading for pleasure urgently requires a higher profile to raise attainment and increase children’s engagement as self-motivated and socially interactive readers. Building Communities of Engaged Readers highlights the concept of ‘Reading Teachers’ who are not only knowledgeable about texts for children, but are aware of their own reading identities and prepared to share their enthusiasm and understanding of what being a reader means. Sharing the processes of reading with young readers is an innovative approach to developing new generations of readers.
Examining the interplay between the ‘will and the skill’ to read, the book distinctively details a reading for pleasure pedagogy and demonstrates that reader engagement is strongly influenced by relationships between children, teachers, families and communities. Importantly it provides compelling evidence that reciprocal reading communities in school encompass:
•a shared concept of what it means to be a reader in the 21st century;
Written by experts in the literacy field and illustrated throughout with examples from the project schools, it is essential reading for all those concerned with improving young people’s enjoyment of and attainment in reading.
|Keywords||Language & Literacy English & Literacy/Language Arts Primary/Elementary Education Literacy Research|
|20 Jun 2014|
|Publication process dates|
|Deposited||09 Dec 2014|
|Place of publication||London|
|Funder||Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and UKLA|
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In Guiding Literacy Learners, Susan Hill discusses different approaches to guiding literacy development and offers procedures for selecting texts and preparing the student for the text. She emphasises the importance of talking through the book before the student starts to read the book. Topics such as modelling, coaching, scaffolding and talking are outlined, and there are many practical and varied suggestions for activities.
In A Closer Look at Guided Reading David Hornsby describes clearly and succinctly what guided reading involves, and gives practical and authoritative advice on how to incorporate guided reading into a literacy program. In a guided reading session, the teacher helps students to use strategies they already know to enable them to read an unfamiliar text.
In Phonics, Susan Hill provides a clear theoretical background to the principles of phonics teaching, and shows how this can be applied in a constructive and relevant way in the classroom. The book discusses the alphabetic principle and phonological awareness, and looks at the different approaches to teaching phonics. It includes practical ideas for phonics instruction such as using everyday print and jingles, raps and rhymes.
Literacy Activities for Small Groups is an invaluable resource for teachers who want to manage a differentiated literacy program. Managing a reading program where you work directly with small groups – as in guided reading – is challenging. You need reading practices that allow you to work without interruption with one group, while the rest of the class is involved in relevant and carefully selected activities in literacy learning centres.
Readers Theatre presents a simple, informal and motivating way to involve students in the study of literature through group storytelling, shared reading, improvisation and performance of a favourite story.


In today's information age, book reading habit plays a key role to gain of knowledge, the inquiry of thought, and for social skills. Teachers have important roles to be a role model for their students in the way of reading habits. The Teaching Turkish Education Program published by the Ministry of National Education in 2005 is aimed to be gained "the habit of reading and writing" to the students. In this context, the General Directorate of Teacher Training and Development has recommended 37 books and 30 films to the teachers to read during the summer vacation and critically discuss with their colleagues. The purpose of this study is to analyze teachers attitudes towards reading recommended books by the Ministry of National Education. The survey was conducted to collect data and, 164 teachers completed the survey. The findings show that a significant difference was found between the Turkish/Social Sciences teachers and the Elementary Education teachers and Computer Educatıon and Instructıonal Technology teachers about the time spending for reading books in daily life, and reading of recommended books by the Ministry of National Education. Also, there was not a significant difference for gender and experience for the time spending for reading the book in daily life between the daily reading time and the sex of the participants.
Book Reading, Book Reading Habit, General Directorate of Teacher Training and Development


What the experts say
"Initial String Sprouts research results show great promise. The program builds connections between children and parents; motor skills; receptive vocabulary; and the executive function skills of initiative, flexibility, and attention. All of these skills will provide an advantage to young children in school and beyond."
Jovanna Rohs, Ph.D.
Director of Early Learning and Head Start
Mid-America Regional Council (MARC)
Why String Sprouts?
Research shows children living in poverty are more likely to start Kindergarten a full year behind their more well-off peers and nearly a third will be unable to read at grade level by the time they are halfway through elementary school. (Starting School at a Disadvantage: The School Readiness of Poor Children, Julia B. Isaacs, Brookings Institution, 2012)
Research shows that music education accelerates brain development improving language and mathematical skills as well as social and emotional skills, all of which are critical to academic success.
There is a wealth of studies demonstrating Early Childhood education can have lasting effects on cognition, socio-emotional development, school readiness and progress, that work to reduce the cycle of poverty.
A 2015-16 program evaluation by the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute showed that Sprouts significantly improves:
• student vocabularies
• academic skills (letters, numbers, comparisons)
• executive function (attention, emotion regulation, planning, working memory)
• parent-child relationships
"My children are more focused and much more resilient."
- K.C. String Sprouts parent