Do I have to stay with my child in the classroom?
Parents are provided an environment to learn with their child in the Parent & Child program, which is for the youngest children. Overall the decision to have parents in the classroom, made by the conductor team includes several factors, such as the age of the child and the child’s/family’s needs.
What can I expect my child to achieve in the program?
The program works with the whole child; that is, the child’s developmental needs are addressed from a cognitive, psychological, emotional and physical perspective. After the child is assessed by a conductor, parents, the child and the conductor decide on specific goals for the child. Each child’s route and timeline toward maximum independence depends on many factors, including the support of the family, the child’s motivation, the type and severity of the disability and the age of the child. At the end of the session extensive reports are produced detailing methods and strategies used with the child. Each activity is described and photo documented. These reports are sent home for use with all care givers involved with the child. This helps insure continuity and continuation of CE principles even after the child is discharged from the program.
Why does the program use a group setting?
Conductive education uses the dynamics of group interaction. This setting provides the opportunity for children to motivate and learn from each other, while in an age appropriate setting that allows social interaction.
Do I have to continue with the exercises while at home?
Parents should encourage the child to use the movements learned in class that improve the everyday functioning of the child. An example of these life skills would be for parents to give the child the opportunity to use silverware when eating, instead of a parent feeding the child.
What type of disability does this program best help?
Conductive education works best with about 80-90% of the child population that has cerebral palsy, spina bifida or traumatic brain injury.
What keeps children motivated for 3 to 6 hours a day?
The program is planned daily with age appropriate academic themes and motivation techniques of repetition, music, singing, and game-like activities in a group setting. A child’s educational environment includes daily living skills of eating, toileting, putting on shoes and socks, etc. Children respond positively to these activities.
What specialized training do the conductors have? Are they therapists?
Conductors have been trained at Aquinas College in a POHI teacher program or at the International Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. These teachers all have elementary education and special education credentials, which are recognized in the U.S. While the conductors are not credentialed therapists, the training received at Aquinas and the Peto Institute parallels many parts of what physical, occupational and speech therapists receive.
Are there parents available who can give specifics about their child?
Yes. Please go to the “Success Stories” area of the web site. This section provides a series of letters from parents speaking about their child and the program.
Is the program available in other states?
Yes, there are other programs in the U.S., but the Conductive Learning Center has the only program directed and supervised by the International Peto Institute.
Are any doctors supporting this program?
Yes, there are doctors in the U.S., who have provided written support for conductive education. Locally, the Conductive Learning Center collaborates with Mary Free Bed Hospital in providing services to children enrolled at Conductive Learning Center.
If I don’t live near Grand Rapids, can I still participate in the program?
Yes, many of our out-state and out-of-state parents stay at the local Ronald McDonald House or area hotels, offering discounted rates, while their child attends a scheduled intensive session of four to eight weeks in length.


Laura Schulz, an associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, has always been interested in learning and education. At the age of 6, she tried teaching her 3-year-old sister to read, an effort that met with limited success.
“She did eventually learn to read, wrote a book, and is now even a book reviewer, but I think I had very little to do with it,” Schulz recalls. “It went swimmingly at the letter A, and by the time we got to the letter B she wanted to go play in the sandbox, so that was the end of that.”
Schulz has devoted her academic career to investigating how learning takes place during early childhood. Starting in infancy, children are quickly able to learn a great deal about how the world works, based on a very limited amount of evidence.
Schulz’s research, much of which she does at a “Play Lab” at Boston Children’s Museum, reveals that children, and even babies, inherently use many of the same strategies employed in the scientific method — a systematic process of forming hypotheses and testing them based on observed evidence.
“All of these abilities that we think of as scientific abilities emerged because of the hardest problem of early childhood learning, which is how to get accurate abstract representations from sparse, noisy data,” she says.
Exploring the world
Schulz became interested not only in how children learn from observed evidence, but also how they generate evidence through exploration. She has found that many of the components of the scientific method — isolating variables, recognizing when evidence is confounded, positing unobserved variables to explain novel events — are in fact core to children’s early cognition.
In one recent study, she investigated infants’ abilities to determine, from very sparse evidence, the properties of sets of objects. In the study, babies watched as an experimenter pulled a series of three balls, all blue, from a box of balls. Each ball squeaked when the experimenter squeezed it. The babies were then handed a yellow ball from the box.
When most of the balls in the box were blue, the babies squeezed the yellow ball, suggesting that they generalized the squeaking to the entire box of balls. However, if the balls in the box were mostly yellow, the babies were much less likely to try to squeeze them, showing they believed that the blue, squeaking balls were a rare exception.
Another recent experiment explored the value of offering lessons versus allowing children to explore on their own. In that study, Schulz found that children who were shown how to make a toy squeak were less likely to discover the toy’s other features than children who were simply given the toy with no instruction.
“There’s a tradeoff of instruction versus exploration,” she says. “If I instruct you more, you will explore less, because you assume that if other things were true, I would have demonstrated them.”
Although Schulz hopes that someday her work will lead to development of new education strategies, that is more of a long-term goal.
“We’re just trying to understand what fundamental principles govern learning and how children represent information and how they make inferences. I don’t think that we have yet the kinds of things where we can say, ‘Because of this, you, the classroom teacher, should do this,’” she says. “It really is basic science.”


Details about Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents:
We know that literacy is the key to learning in school, yet millions of middle and high school students lack the literacy skills they need to succeed. What can educators do? In Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents, authors Gay Ivey and Douglas Fisher make a compelling case that all teachers--across the content areas--have a role to play in students' development of literacy, which they define as reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. Rather than focusing solely on reading instruction and the cliché that says "all teachers are teachers of reading," they urge teachers to incorporate rich literacy-based learning experiences into their classrooms, with the goal of helping students to learn and think across the curriculum. With research-based findings, engaging examples, and extensive lists of resources, Ivey and Fisher encourage readers to * Reexamine the materials, experiences, and expectations of the English/language arts classroom;
* Use strategies to improve literacy in all the content areas and seek alternatives to the traditional textbook;
* Make independent reading an important part of students' ongoing literacy development;
* Design and use interventions that really work for struggling students; and
* Consider the schoolwide elements--professional development, peer coaching, leadership, and assessment--that should be in place to support teachers and students. Essential questions provide the focus for each chapter, and Quality Indicators for Secondary Literacy help readers gauge where they are on the continuum of providing a meaningful literacy experience for students. Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents will inspire educators to take up this challenge in their own school with new confidence that the work is worthwhile and achievable.
Back to top
Rent Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents 1st edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Gay Ivey. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
Need help ASAP? We have you covered with 24/7 instant online tutoring. Connect with one of our tutors now.


BOSTON — Oct. 6, 2014 — In classrooms across the country, instructional focus tends to lean more towards intervention rather than prevention—with teachers spending much of their time counteracting the effects of instructional gaps that their students face. In her recently released white paper, Elizabeth Brooke, Ph.D., Vice President of Education and Research for Lexia Learning, a Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) company, examines best practices for monitoring students’ reading progress and targeting skill gaps in grades K–2. Titled “Three Critical Success Factors for Reading Intervention and Effective Prevention,” the white paper also reviews critical instructional strategies that accelerate literacy development for on-level and struggling students in grades K–5.
The strategies described in “Three Critical Success Factors for Reading Intervention and Effective Prevention” are:
- Establish systems to help support students before they fail
- Utilize the appropriate assessments to identify which students may need help
· Structure effective intervention to target individual student needs
Dr. Brooke explains how the application of frameworks such as Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) can seem to put an emphasis on struggling students, while emerging skills gaps for “on-level” students go mostly unnoticed. Dr. Brooke also discusses universal screening, progress monitoring and diagnostic assessment as effective methods to identify and regularly monitor student performance. Lastly, she examines crucial aspects of intervention that affect the structure and intensity levels of educators’ targeted instruction.
“Successful prevention and intervention requires a true understanding of student progress and the skills gaps that emerge throughout the year,” said Dr. Brooke. “With this knowledge, teachers can personalize instruction and target specific needs for each student—spending instructional time achieving and maintaining grade-level proficiency—rather than playing catch-up.”
A complimentary copy of “Three Critical Success Factors for Reading Intervention and Effective Prevention” can be downloaded at http://lexialearning.com/go/whitepaper-prevention-intervention-pr
Dr. Brooke hosted a related webinar on September 18. To view the one-hour recorded session, interested educators can go to http://lexialearning.com/go/webinar-prevention-intervention-pr
About Lexia Learning
Established with a promise to improve student literacy through the use of technology, today more than 1.6 million students are improving their reading proficiency with Lexia. A Rosetta Stone company, Lexia’s programs have been nationally recognized and proven effective in six peer-reviewed, research-based outcome studies published in scientific journals such as The Journal of Reading Research and the Bilingual Research Journal. For more information, visit www.lexialearning.com or call 1-800-435-3942.
# # #


Details about Social Studies in Elementary Education (with MyEducationLab):
This new edition of the most popular elementary social studies methods text on the market houses a wealth of content, strategies, tools, and resources for teaching K—8 social studies. Writing with the same clarity, friendly tone, and solid content of previous editions, Parker details the mission of social studies education and explores the many ways this mission can be made to serve the full complement of learners in a diverse multicultural society. He lays out the elements of a strong social studies curriculum, explains effective teaching methods, and presents a wealth of field-tested examples, exercises, activities, and lesson plans that will enliven every social studies classroom.
Back to top
Rent Social Studies in Elementary Education (with MyEducationLab) 13th edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Walter C. Parker. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Pearson.
Need help ASAP? We have you covered with 24/7 instant online tutoring. Connect with one of our Social-Sciences tutors now.


Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), MSTBRIDGE CULTURAL BORDERS IN THIS IN-DEMAND EDUCATION FIELD
TESOL is a high-demand field for both ESL teachers and general education and content area teachers with promising career opportunities domestically and internationally. English Language Learners (ELLs) are students who speak a language other than English at home and represent a growing population in public schools. These students score below proficient on English language and related assessments when they enter the public school system.
With the 30-credit MST in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), students gain knowledge of the multifaceted approach to successfully teach ELLs, including the specialized study of language and literacy development, and differentiated instruction methods for students at all grade levels. The program’s focused exploration of the theory, research, and methods for teaching ELLs gives degree candidates an awareness and understanding of the sociocultural and sociolinguistic issues that impact the acquisition of English as an additional language among ELL students.


Ice Cream Everywhere Lesson Plan
Students read and discuss this fun rhyming book before participating in three related activities.
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2
Subject Area: Language Arts
This Rhyme Time Reader, celebrating the joys of eating ice cream, will appeal to children while reinforcing essential literacy skills that lead to reading success. A note to parents from an education specialist gives specific examples of how to use the book with children to support literacy development.
Children will engage in activities to hear and identify rhyming words, read familiar words on their own, relate personal experiences to the text, and develop creative-thinking and writing skills.
Show the children the book Ice Cream Everywhere. First ask your students if they like ice cream. Do they have a favorite flavor? Next, ask them to describe their favorite ice cream treat (E.g., ice cream cone, sandwich, sundae, banana split, etc.). Record their comments on chart paper. Review the list with them. Can they think of any more ice cream treats to add to the list? Tell them that they will read the book and compare their favorite ways to eat ice cream with those depicted in the story.
Ask the children to share their favorite part of the story. Did the story remind them of an experience they have had? Compare their ice cream list with the book to see if their favorite ice cream treats were depicted.
Time to Chime!
- Reread the story several times so the children become familiar with the text. Read with expression to emphasize the rhythm, rhyme, and joyous mood of the story. As you reread the book encourage the class to chime in. Leave off the last rhyming word of each rhyming-word set so they can complete the sentence. Encourage them to read familiar words like I, you, and, we, all, in, and the.
- Now invite the children to read the story together without a teacher. Encourage them to read with expression. They can even add hand movements to dramatize the different ways to eat ice cream as they pretend to slurp a float, make ice cream soup, or lick ice cream on a stick.
Rhyming Words for Writing Words
- Index cards
- Small basket or index card holder
- Lined writing paper
- Ask the children to identify the rhyming-word sets in the book. Have them take turns reading each page. Then ask the child who just read to identify the two rhyming words. Write both rhyming words on an index card. Leave space so additional rhyming words can be added later.
- After they have recorded all of the rhyming words, ask them to notice which words have similar spellings and which words are very different. Invite them to discuss the differences and similarities.
- Divide the cards among the children during small-group time. Ask each group to think of additional words that rhyme with the words listed on the cards and add them to the list.
- Place the rhyming-word cards in a container in the writing area. Include additional index cards with high-frequency words. Invite the children to use the word cards to compose their own stories. Encourage them to try and develop sentences that use rhyming words. Provide time for them to share their stories with their classmates.
Ice Cream Dream Treat
- Construction paper, drawing paper, and lined paper
- Glue sticks
- Child safety scissors
- Pencils, crayons, and markers
- Provide the children with a variety of art materials and ask them to design an ice cream dream treat. It can be a drawing or collage of a dream ice cream cone, sundae, or something very imaginative such as a bathtub filled with ice cream. Encourage creativity and individuality.
- After they have completed their art project, provide them with writing materials to create a story about their ice cream dream treat. Schedule a day for children to share their work with classmates. Celebrate their accomplishments with an ice cream party.
Other Books About Ice Cream
Ice Cream Bear by Jez Alborough
This bear loves ice cream so much that he dreams it is snowing ice cream.
From Cow to Ice Cream by Bertram T. Knight
Nonfiction photographic book shows the process of how milk is made into ice cream.
Simply Delicious by Margaret Mahy
This rhythmic story, using repetition and onomatopoetic language, describes the humorous adventure of Mr. Minky, who brings home a double-dip-chocolate-chip-and-cherry ice cream cone for his little boy.
Teaching plan written by Risa Young


Technology • State awards $375K for innovative proposals.
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One Utah school will use the money to buy iPads for kindergartners.
A school district will use the cash to develop an electronic math textbook for ninth-graders.
Another school will use it to develop a podcast library for teachers, students and parents.
The State Office of Education announced Tuesday that it will award seven grants totaling $375,250 to schools and districts this year based on their proposals to develop innovative uses of technology. The winners were chosen from more than 400 proposals for the cash, which is part of the state superintendent's discretionary money.
The idea is that the winners will spend the rest of this year trying out their ideas, and state education officials might make recommendations to the Legislature in 2012 on which projects should be expanded or continued.
"The superintendent is convinced that technology will play a key role in helping to keep Utah ready to compete, especially when you consider technology is a part of students' lives in their homes, but it isn't as much in schools," said Brenda Hales, state associate superintendent. "They have good ideas and we're going to try them out."
One winning idea, for example, came from Viewmont Elementary kindergarten teacher Jennifer Lightfoot. She hopes to use $16,035 to buy 27 iPads for kindergartners to use in class. She plans to load the iPads with apps that students can use to practice reading and numeracy skills. Students will rotate through several centers where they will practice different skills with the iPads. She said kindergartners might use the iPads twice a week for about 40 minutes at a time.
Lightfoot said the iPads will give students at all levels the opportunity to participate in activities geared toward their individual needs.
"They can access the games easily, they're motivating, and I can use it on any level," she said. "We are raising students who will compete in a worldwide environment so they need to be able to be using the latest skills and technology."
Another winning proposal came from the Jordan district, which plans to use $150,000 largely to develop and pilot an electronic math textbook for ninth-graders next school year and to buy equipment for students to access it. The district hopes to develop the electronic textbook, or e-book, with the Utah Education Network using district-created material and open-source material, which anyone can use for free, said the district's Janene Bowen. The e-book will be based on new Common Core math standards, which all Utah schools will be implementing in the next few years.
The district still is working on the details of who will use the e-book and how, but it is something that eventually could go statewide depending on how it works in Jordan.
Bowen, who helped work on the grant application, said the idea was to get a start on implementing Common Core standards for ninth-graders by developing a textbook that reflects them.
"An electronic textbook is very innovative, especially in our current economic situation where we don't have a lot of money for professional development and materials," Hales said. "They do the work to develop it, and the rest of the state benefits."
Jennifer Lightfoot, kindergarten teacher at Viewmont Elementary in Murray • $16,035 to buy iPads for kindergartners to use in class to practice individual literacy and numeracy skills.
Alpine Elementary and Traverse Mountain Elementary • $43,532 for an initiative in which regular and special education students will share, edit, compare and practice math and reading skills. Parents will be able to use the same technology at home that students and teachers use.
Parkside Elementary School in Murray • $50,000 to create a library of video podcasts of effective teachers demonstrating quality instruction. The podcasts could be used by teachers, students and parents.
Piute High School in Junction• $43,000 to move to technology-driven classrooms. The district also will put money toward the project until all students have individual access to technology.
Canyons School District • $48,120 to use data to make decisions to help students at risk of academic failure. Educators will use technology to keep assessment data, give students immediate feedback and adjust instruction.
Iron County School District and Southwest Educational Development Center • $24,563 to use technology to enhance math instruction for at-risk students, focusing on third-graders at three schools.
Jordan School District • $150,000 to work with the Utah Education Network to develop an electronic math textbook for ninth-graders reflecting the new Common Core standards; to buy equipment so students can access the electronic textbook; and for educator training.


NASA Science for Kids,National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Center Description
Since its inception in 1958, NASA has accomplished many great scientific and technological feats in air and space. NASA technology also has been adapted for many nonaerospace uses by the private sector. NASA remains a leading force in scientific research and in stimulating public interest in aerospace exploration, as well as science and technology in general. Perhaps more importantly, our exploration of space has taught us to view Earth, ourselves, and the universe in a new way. While the tremendous technical and scientific accomplishments of NASA demonstrate vividly that humans can achieve previously inconceivable feats, we also are humbled by the realization that Earth is just a tiny "blue marble" in the cosmos. Check out our "Thinking About NASA History" folder online as an introduction to how history can help you.


Pfac's Art Education Department seeks to provide balanced and stimulating programs of exhibition-based art appreciation that appeals to both children and adults. Inquiry-based and participatory learning coupled with related hands-on art making components help to instill aesthetic values found throughout the artwork on view. The extensive lessons in looking at art are facilitated by a strong docent program that provides tours for each exhibition series.
We offer the following educational activities for individuals. Click on the links below to learn more about a specific educational opportunity.
- Studio Art School - The Arts Center's Studio Art School offers classes for budding artists of all ages and skill levels. Ranging from one day to ten weeks, they cover everything from oriental watercolor to sculpting with clay. Often, the artist exhibiting in our galleries lead special workshops on their particular technique. Register Today
- Hands on for Kids - Interactive gallery for hands-on fun. Open daily for children of all ages. Always free to Pfac members, included with admission for non-members.
- Picturing the Civil War: Wood Engravings by Winslow Homer and Other Artists - For $400 for four weeks, Pfac is lending wood engravings by the great American artist Winslow Homer. Bring a piece of the Civil War to your classroom, business, or other facility today! Click HERE for more info.
- Seeing Mali - A traveling photographic exhibition from PFAC - Download information on this resource that is available to schools and other venues. Flyer | Teaching Guide | Exhibition Checklist | Installation Instructions
- ARTreach: Experience Mali - This is an exciting distance-learning initiative designed to enhance Standards of Learning-based education. These 50-minute programs on the West African country of Mali include storytelling and dance demonstrations, a visual arts workshop and a presentation by a collector and scholar on Malian art.
- Discovery Baskets - These contain hands-on and didactic materials to enhance student learning about the historic cultures of Mali and Egypt
- Virginia Department of Education's Standards of Learning - Incorporating the visual arts into teaching core curriculum.


Youth and Beauty: The Cleveland Museum of Art and the 1920s
At the dawn of the 20th century the city of Cleveland was famous throughout the nation and world as the quintessential example of the American dream in action. During the 1920s the Cleveland Museum of Art demonstrated the vitality and energy of a recently founded city landmark. Clevelanders flocked to the many exhibits, programs, and classes held both at the museum and throughout the city. The museum provided many outlets for local artistic and musical exuberance. Frederick Allen Whitingserved as the museum’s first director. An authority on handicrafts, he strongly believed in the museum as an educational institution. This fervent belief led to the early establishment of the education department and a wide variety of programs for children and adults. Saturday morning classes literally burst at the seams. The Children’s Museum bustled with activity. The education art collection was exhibited in libraries and schools. Teachers from local school systems came to the museum for conferences and training on incorporating art education into the schools.
Musical arts were an important component of the museum’s educational mission and CMA was the first museum to elevate performing arts to equal status with the visual arts. The installation of a pipe organ in 1922 allowed for weekly organ recitals which were broadcast to the community through the new medium of radio. The musical arts department also held classes in music literature and appreciation, adult and children’s singing events, and lectures by such prominent musicians as Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók, Ottorino Respighi, and Nadia Boulanger.
The museum was constructed on land donated by Jeptha Homer Wade II. Prior to construction of the museum the park was a popular recreation area that included a lake for boating and skating, walking paths, and picnic facilities. However, construction of the museum decimated the landscape surrounding the building. For several years after the museum opened in 1916 the park was minimally maintained by the city. The unsightly bit of land between the museum and Euclid Avenue was the subject of much criticism. In 1923 the Garden Club of Cleveland, whose library was housed at the art museum, appointed a committee to study the problem of beautifying the area. Through various fund raisers garden club members were able to hire the firm of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York City, to design the Fine Arts Garden. In addition, benefactors donated funds to commission artist Chest! er Beach to sculpt the “Fountain of Waters” and signs of the zodiac statues. Funds also were donated for the purchase of marble benches, terraces, and other pieces of statuary. All of the funds to establish the garden came from private donations. The garden was formally presented to the city of Cleveland by the Garden club at a dedication ceremony on July 23, 1928.
One of the first annual regional exhibitions in the country, the May Show emerged as one of the largest and most successful. The entire spectrum of fine and applied arts were represented by both individual artists and businesses. Many well known Cleveland School artists including George Adomeit, William Sommer, Paul Travis, August Biehle, and Viktor Schreckengost exhibited annually. Throughout the decade of the twenties most entries were traditional, reflecting the local community (and its enthusiasm for crafts) and the techniques and skills taught in local art schools.
--- Leslie Cade Archivist and Records Manager
5 days 5 hours ago
1 week 5 hours ago
1 week 5 days ago
2 weeks 8 hours ago
2 weeks 2 days ago


Nokia has teamed up with Sesame Street to create an interactive reading experience that can involve grandparents and grandchildren no matter how far apart they may find themselves. The Storybook research project melds the tactile and visual pleasures of reading a real book with video conferencing technology which allows distant relatives to take an active part in a child's literacy development.
As well as having the most time to invest, young children and grandparents also tend to have a strong desire to communicate with each other. Unfortunately, as families spread out over the country or beyond, time with loved ones can become infrequent or even awkward. Often hampered by complicated technology (such as online video-conferencing software) or limited by the kind of simple language inevitable in telephone conversations with young children, families separated by distance need a 21st Century solution that's stimulating for the youngsters and easy to use.
Researchers from Nokia's Research Center have been working with the Sesame Street Workshop to develop an interactive learning experience that grandparents and young children can enjoy no matter the distance between them. The Storybook features a wooden frame that opens out like a book. The frame contains sensors that detect the title and open page of a real story book placed on it.
Above the book placement area are two touchscreen, Linux-powered Internet tablets. These house a webcam, speakers and a microphone. They're connected to each other via Bluetooth and to the page sensing hardware via USB. The left screen is for Sesame Street character Elmo and the right screen features a "custom GUI video conferencing application built with PyQT and the open-source telepathy stack."
The system automatically logs a user into the video conferencing system but includes limits on who can be contacted so that a toddler won't be able to accidentally contact the White House for an impromptu reading session with the President. Contacts are displayed as image icons on the screen and calls are made by touching the icon. Calls are received by opening the book and touching the icon of the incoming caller.
Elmo is on hand at all times, initially to get things started by offering instructions on how to operate the system and then as a listener and story dialogue catalyst and a means of keeping the young child focused. When two Storybook's are connected, the child (with the aid of an adult) follows what the reader is saying in the real book. The screen indicates what page the reader is on and alerts the listener when a page has been turned.
At various points throughout a story, a thought bubble will appear in Elmo's window. Touching this will generate a discussion point, Elmo might remark "Woah! Look at how big those letters are! How do you think Grover feels?" and the reader and listener can exchange dialogue.
The adult version of the reader includes special coaching material to help get the most out of the experience and help the child develop, including a video from Sesame Street's Maria and special reading tips in the story book itself.
Edutaining the young ones
The Storybook concept combines elements of learning and play in much the same way as tried and tested edutainment teaching methods such as those offered by TV programs like Sesame Street. It's offered in an easy-to use interface which should engage, entertain and happily fit in with the normal family reading rituals involving 2-3 year-olds, such as reading before bed.
A limited trial of the prototype concluded that child participants preferred the experience offered by the Storybook format while adults found the large screen possibilities offered by computer-based video conference suited them better. So future incarnations of the concept would likely look towards developing interactive desktop software to complement the Storybook that will enable both parties to fully enjoy the experience.
Whether the Storybook concept will ever reach the marketplace is not known. The project has yielded some interesting results and no doubt given Nokia lots to think about: "This initial study with Sesame Workshop helps us better understand these interactions particularly with family communications," said John Shen, lab director at the Nokia Research Center.


Creator: Nancy Ratzloff
Title: "Something Fishy," adapted from Art Education,
Medium used in production activity: clay
Target Age: Grades 3-5
Students will be introduced to cultural differences in artistic
style and develop their critical skills by examining four artworks
with a common subject: fish. They will create their own clay fish
sculptures using their knowledge of fish anatomy from science class,
and natural bilateral symmetry of color and form found in nature.
- reproductions of "fish" art
- Chinese scroll with swimming fish (A.D. 1068-1085
- Clan Hat from the Northwest Coast of North America
- Roy Lichtenstein's 1978 sculpture, Goldfish Bowl II
- Frank Gehry's 1929 sculpture, Standing Glass Fish
- lots of images of fish ( freshwater and tropical )
- chart of fish anatomy
- earthenware clay or any of the new air-dry clays or wet-set
- rolling pins, slab sticks
- clay tools
- glazes or paints
- collect visual images (reproductions)
- prepare information and discussion questions concerning the
- prepare materials for demonstration
(three or four 50-minute art classes):
- Introduce the four artworks to the students. Have them guess
where the art may have come from. Ask them what the art could
tell us about the artists who created it. Ask if perhaps the art
may have any purpose. (10 minutes)
- Briefly explain the origin, artist intent, and purpose of each
piece. Explain what a scroll is. Discuss the difference between
a painting and a sculpture. Discuss why fish were used as subjects
for all these artworks. Discuss the importance of fish to the
represented cultures and artists and to the student's own cultures.
- Demonstrate the method for creating a clay fish sculpture using
the slab method. (15 min.)
- Roll out two oval-shaped clay slabs using rolling pin and
- Form a clay "pocket" by pinching the edges of the two slabs
together and stuffing with a wad of newspaper for support.
- Turn the pocket of clay with newspaper stuffing over and
form the fish shape by squeezing the clay to form a tail and
the mouth. Pinch out the dorsal fins, pectoral fins, and anal
fins. Keep the bottom of the fish open so it's easy to remove
- This lesson works well in collaboration with a classroom
teacher as an interdisciplinary lesson with science and art.
The students may create their own interpretations of a fish,
real or imaginary, but still include the basic fish parts
studied in science (mouth, tail, gills, eyes, dorsal fins,
anal fins, pectoral fins, and scales). Students should also
keep in mind the bilateral symmetry of fish.
- Details and texture can be added with various objects or
clay tools pressed into the wet clay. end of first class period)
- Second class period. Students create their fish. (50 minutes)
- Third class period. Fish have air dried or have been bisque-fired
and are ready to be glazed or painted. This could take one or
two class periods.
Each student is responsible for his or her own workspace and assigned
art helpers put away materials and clean off art tables.
Students will prepare their fish sculptures for an art show by
creating a labels. Each label will show title and artist's name.
The teacher will evaluate each sculpture by observing its sculptural
qualities and checking for bilateral symmetry and the inclusion
of the basic parts of a fish.
Students will reflect on the meanings of the four introduced artworks
and write a short paragraph on the meaning or "story" of their own
Minnesota student with
scroll--A portable art object usually made of
paper or cloth that tells a story as it unrolls.
bilateral symmetry--When objects on one side of
a center line are identical to those on the other side.
culture--For the purposes of
this unit, culture is the values, customs, language hustory, and
traditions of a group of people. This term includes, but is not
exclusive to, ethnic origin.


Este elemento no está disponible en español. Está disponible actualmente soló en inglés y francés.
The First World Conference on Arts Education was heralded as a success by the international community. It was the first global gathering solely devoted to arts education, bringing together 1200 participants from 97 UNESCO Member States. The main outcome from Conference was the Road Map for Arts Education, a policy-guiding document aimed at providing advocacy and guidance for the strengthening of Arts Education at country level.
Furthermore, the Government of the Republic of Korea proposed to host the next edition of the World Conference on Arts Education in Seoul, providing a coherent follow-up for the First World Conference.
In addition, an alliance was formed between the three participating NGOs INSEA (International Society for Education through Art), ISME (International Society for Music Education) and IDEA (International Drama/Theatre and Education Association), in order to form a stronger coalition in the promotion of Arts Education.
Finally, the Conference established a stronger basis for the exchange of ideas, practices and knowledge to encourage future developments in the field of Arts Education, gathering the main actors involved in Arts Education: Ministries of Culture and/or Education, representatives from NGOs, researchers, artists, practitioners and specialists in the field of arts education.Principio de la página


“Expertly crafted music games that challenge, delight, absorb and teach”
The Interactive Classics series of music games was put together by music professionals who know what kids want in a game, and what parents and educators need in a lesson.
Each game in the series features:
Below are just a few examples of the games created for the Interactive Classics series. Each has multiple levels of difficulty, and each teaches a particular discipline. All are fun and addicting!
Learn the sound of each instrument
Children learn the sound each instrument makes. This feature is part of each title in the series, and acts as a primer and reference that children draw on when playing the various games.
Improve sound recognition
Discern complex melodies
Some games teach children to recognize melodies regardless of the instruments used or the tempo and arrangement. In this scene from Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
Build musical memory
each time seeing and hearing a different instrument. They must remember what was under each lily pad, for a mismatch costs them a 'life". If all are matched correctly before all lives are used up, the game advances. If not, the player must start all over.
Improve pattern recognition
Children must identify the instrument and move it into the correct position before it hits the ground. Careful! If you make a mistake things pile up fast.
Write a melody "on the fly"!
They must help Alice catch various objects, each of which is a musical note each time choosing a note/shape. In the end you hear the melody they've uniquely created, with Vivaldi providing the accompaniment!
Dozens of other puzzles and games within Interactive Classics series titles both teach and excite!
We can't show you everything on this page, but as you can see the music games of this series are comprehensive, original and fun. They're all part of larger stories and unique worlds of imagination and adventure.
"Stories and worlds created by the masters, and brought to the video gaming world with unique features"
The puzzles and games play out within original narratives — based on the original masterworks but adapted to the video game environment. For instance:
In Mozart's Magic Flute, children play as young 'Wolfie' who follows Mozart's storyline to get past obstacles and rescue Princess Pamina from the Queen of the Night.
In addition to 'Wolfie', in the Magic Flute game, we offer the Cheshire Cat, as both helper and narrator, in Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
We've composed both prose and poetry to teach, amuse and cajole!
The games offer ways for children to learn more, add context and advance their music education through music encyclopedias, biographies, histories and more. For instance, in Mozart's Magic Flute children must correctly answer trivia questions to win the game.


Improving early literacy is essential to increasing high school graduation rates allowing students to be successful in postsecondary education and ensuring the prosperity of all Americans, according to a report released by the National Governors Association (NGA).
A Governor’s Guide to Early Literacy: Getting all Students Reading by Third Grade examines the gap between research and policy and describes the five policy actions that governors can take to ensure all children read at grade level by the end of third grade.
States can increase the number of children who are proficient in reading by third grade by including three major and widely embraced results of educational research in their efforts:
- Differences in literacy and language development in early childhood can lead to achievement gaps as early as kindergarten;
- Reading proficiency requires a focus on interrelated skills and knowledge taught over time; and
- Parents, primary caregivers and teachers have the most influence on children’s language and literacy development.
To learn more, please visit http://www.nga.org/cms/center/edu.


Links verified on 5/30/2016
- Blank Bookmark Template - [scroll down to find the blank bookmark link] let your students express their creativity using pen, pencil, or crayon with this blank bookmark template [3 to a page - .pdf format]
- Bookmark Forge - create your own western style bookmarks.
- Bookmarks from Primary Games - In just a few minutes you can make your very own bookmarks. Just print, cut out, and enjoy!
- Bookmarks from Dositey - bookmark cut-outs
- Bookmark from Professor Garfield - Three bookmarks
- Book Wiggles - cute segmented worms (five to a page) that students can decorate with pencils or crayon [links to more bookmarks and ideas for using the wiggles can be found at their book wiggles page ]
- DLTK's Custom Bookmarks - The bookmark can be the same on front and back or you can add a verse of your own and customize the back of the bookmark.
- Earth Day Bookmarks - six bookmarks are in this collection
- Exclusive Bookmark Designs - six designs are available from John Fisher
- Harry Potter Bookmarks - three bookmarks [This expired link is available through the Wayback Machine Internet Archive. If the page doesn't load quickly click on Impatient? at the bottom right of the page.]
- Jan Brett's Bookmarks - many free printable bookmarks from a children's book author
- Photos of Animals bookmarks - almost three dozen animal bookmarks from BillyBear4kids
- Reading Strategy Bookmarks - two double-sided bookmarks on a page, at Jefferson County Schools
- Scarecrow Bookmarks - four bookmarks on this page from abc Teach
- Sue Ellen's Bookmarks - eight designs are available from the PBS site devoted to Arthur (they also have a text to Braille translator)
- Train your Brain to Read Bookmarks - reminder of the reading comprehension strategies associated with Reciprocal Teaching
Don't Miss These!
- Early Learning HQ - hundreds of foundation stage/phase and key stage one resources that are all free to download; resources to assist early years practitioners and to inspire and educate the children whom they teach
- Printable Resources For SEN (Special Educational Needs) - Here you will find many, many tools for helping all of your students succeed!
- Personal Educational Press - Create free educational worksheets such as flashcards, game boards, and quizzes to print directly from your browser. Make tracing sheets, quizzes, study sheets, word lists, bingo cards, word scrambles, word searches and more!


Music is a large and diverse profession, with a wide variety of disciplines and ways of conducting business. Music differs from other professions in its points of entry. For many performing musicians, a formal audition is the only way to be hired. The business side of music can sometimes be approached through informal apprenticeships or a period of unpaid service that leads to employment. Regardless of one's specific career interests, there is no substitute for deep and detailed knowledge of that specialty.
Read books about the music business. Go on the Internet and visit music business websites such as the Berklee College of Music career page. No book can unlock all of the secrets of finding a career in music, but the better publications do give an idea of the standards of professional qualifications and behavior in the field. Magazines exist to cover virtually every area of music and are especially useful in keeping up with month-to-month developments and innovations.
Decide on a career focus that follows one's interests and aptitudes as closely as possible, whether in performing, studio recording and production, legal and contract work, promotion, artist management, record companies, radio, teaching or other disciplines. While one's future path may depart from expectations in unforeseeable ways, it is important to develop a plan for moving forward.
Talk to musical professionals. Contact people working in the specific area of interest to ask for guidance. This may be done via e-mail, phone, letter or in-person encounter -- for instance, choosing the right moment to approach a musician who is packing up after a performance. There is nothing wrong with appearing confident and ambitious as long as one is also polite and respectful. Most professionals, if approached in the correct way, are happy to share their experience, knowledge or contacts with a sincerely interested person.
Learn the skills and qualifications needed for success. For music education, music history, music therapy or classical music performance, a formal education at a university music department or conservatory is essential. Other jobs, such as becoming a music promoter, are best approached through personal contacts, internships, or unpaid apprenticeships. It is vital to read the trade publications in one's area.
Develop a broad skill set. For instance, a music producer needs to have a working knowledge of instruments, notation, recording technology, music writing software, arranging, scheduling, contracting, budgeting and marketing. To make ends meet, a freelance performer may need to learn related skills such as instrument building and repair, private teaching, conducting or public speaking. Versatility is all-important.
- Read biographies of successful music professionals to learn how they rose to prominence; recognizing, however, that a person whose career started decades ago may have followed a path that no longer exists today.
- Music is a competitive business. If it were easy to make it in the field, everyone would be doing it. One must be persistent in the face or rejection and denial and alert to alternate or unanticipated opportunities.
- Keep up with rapid changes in the business, as once-important skills can become irrelevant overnight. One reason for this can be technological advances; for example, the decline of retail record stores due to Internet downloading. Orchestras are absent from many touring dance or Broadway shows because they use recorded accompaniment. Changes in public tastes also make music extinct; for instance, Dixieland jazz, which is barely heard today even in New Orleans.
- Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images


A masters in elementary education is a masters degree that explores teaching further in-depth. Curriculum may include teaching techniques, administration and counseling. Many who pursue a masters in elementary education have a background in teaching and education and want to move on to become part of the school or district’s administration. For most schools, to serve as a principal or assistant principal, one must posses a masters degree. This applies to public schools, as most private schools create their own rules when it comes placement. In some states in the United States such as New York, you must have a masters degree to have a teaching license. It is common for those who want to work in education administration to go straight from undergrad to graduate school.
There are different areas of study when obtaining a masters in elementary education. Most of the time, a student focuses on one or a couple of these topics. This will become the student’s area of expertise when they enter the work force. Instruction and curriculum is an area where students learn how to apply curriculum mandated by the state or district to various teaching techniques. This involves hands-on work in classroom the majority of the time. Counseling education deals with counseling at the elementary school level. This can also include diagnosing children with learning disabilities or honing in on special needs. Those working in counseling education often have a background in psychology or developmental learning. Specializing in counseling education is a natural step for those with a psychology background who do not want to go on to earn a PhD. Licensing is required to become a counselor in the majority of school districts in the United States. Internet hours are completed under the guidance of a practicing school counselor or child mental health counselor.
A student can also focus on academic enrichment. This is more often for post-primary school levels, but in recent years has become a growing area for elementary teachers as well. Academic enrichment revolves around teachers who specialize in one department of study such as math, Spanish or writing. With many standardized tests in most states, teachers who focus on these areas are used for enrichment programs to enhance a child’s development in the respective subject. This also opens doors of opportunity for creating curriculum or textbooks for that subject at a state level.
What can I do with a masters in elementary education?
There are many career paths a person can take with a masters in elementary education. An obvious choice is to become a teacher or administrator. Having a masters in elementary education qualifies you for more teaching positions such as an enrichment teacher focusing with small groups of students to improve standardized test scores. These positions command higher than average teaching wages. The average teacher earns about $35,000 per year and teachers specializing in a certain area can earn as high as $50,000. In some areas such as Texas, New Mexico and California, there’s heavy demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) program teachers and bilingual teachers who speak Spanish.
A teaching certificate must be obtained in your state to work as a teacher regardless of whether or not you have a masters degree. At this time, teaching does not appear to have any substantial growth in the coming decade unless you are a special education or bilingual teacher. Those are the two areas that have the most job openings throughout the United States. Teaching is set to grow at about 13% through 2018, which is average for most industries. With budget cuts happening in many states, teachers and schools can expect to see stagnant wages and possible layoffs. Teachers in some states are hired on a contract basis. Some may be part of a union, but most are not.
With a masters in elementary education, you are most likely going to have a job outside of the classroom since you will be qualified for many positions. Writing curriculum for a textbook publishing company is a job path that pays well and gets you involved in what’s happening in the classroom. You may also work at the district level create curriculum that each grade will follow. This is typically conducted by a tight group of people who write the curriculum for all elementary schools in one district. Another job possibility for someone with a masters in elementary school is working as a principal, assistant principal or superintendent. In these positions you are overseeing the school or district’s development and helping students excel by mandating the proper protocol for a successful school.


Welcome to another Science Invitation Saturday where we explore science for kids! Last week we played with bubbles and even made our own bubble wand and bubble solution. This week are going to explore fingerprints!
- ink pad
- magnifying glass (optional)
- fingerprint record sheet
Everyone’s fingerprints are different. Let’s see what your fingerprints look like!
- Press one of your fingers onto an ink pad.
- Gently and slowly roll your finger onto your fingerprint record sheet or a blank piece of paper.
- Make a print of each finger.
- Compare your prints. What is similar about your prints? What is different? (Optional: Use a magnifying glass to make the comparisons).
Lucy’s Comments: “I see lots of hills and swirls.” “How many lines are on our fingers, Mom?” “What do yours look like, Mom?”
– Our ink was coming out very dark in the prints. What worked for us was to press our finger in the ink, then press it once on scrap paper to get of excess ink, and THEN make our print to keep on our record sheet.
– This is a messy activity. Have your sink ready for hand washing!
Question to Spark More Curiosity & Critical Thinking:
What patterns do you notice in your prints? Do your prints look similar to your family’s prints?
What are any benefits you can think of to everyone having different fingerprints?
Want to go even further?
Even more activities to inspire creativity and critical thinking for various ages:
- Fingerprint patterns are divided into different groups. With a parent, search online or in a book to discover what group your fingerprints fall into. Compare the results to that of other family members for friends.
- Make a fingerprint using the ink pad onto a deflated balloon. Wait for it to dry. Then blow up the balloon until you can see your fingerprint in more detail!
- Collect a fingerprint record of everyone in your family. Then, without you seeing, have one person leave a fingerprint on some paper. Try to figure out whose fingerprint it is by comparing it to your fingerprint record.
- Turn your fingerprints into art! We put our fingerprints on blank paper. Then we used colored pencils to add details.
Don’t forget to join the Buggy and Buddy community on Facebook where there’s even more ideas for creating and learning!


The breathtaking majesty of equine power and grace has given horses a storied place in the lives and legends of human beings. Now, a new study from Ohio State University has found that horses can also have a near-magical effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Instead of engaging in their usual crafts and exercise classes at an adult day center, eight adults with Alzheimer’s volunteered to feed, walk, paint and groom horses at a local farm once a week for a month. The horses were specially-selected for their calm, easygoing dispositions and participation in a prior therapeutic riding program for children with physical and developmental disabilities.
The effect on the older adults was almost instantaneous, according to Holly Dabelko-Schoney, lead author and associate professor of social work at Ohio State. “The experience immediately lifted their mood, and we saw a connection to fewer incidences of negative behavior,” she says in a university news release.
The benefits of equine interaction
Increased isolation, pain and stress often accompany advancing age; a fact which has led to a rise in the use of animal-based therapy in elder care settings. The science-backed benefits of interacting with animals—reduced anxiousness, enhanced feelings of calm—endure, regardless of an individual’s age.
Animal therapy for the elderly has traditionally been the purview of smaller animals—dogs, cats, rabbits, geese, etc. (One study even found that watching fish swim around a fish tank and eat could convince a reluctant elder with Alzheimer’s to eat.) These animals are easy to transport to a variety of locations and typically don’t pose a serious threat to an aging adult’s health or safety.
Due in part to the success of therapeutic riding programs for children with Autism and other conditions marked by difficulty with mental and motor skill development, Alzheimer’s care specialists are now beginning to branch out, using bigger animals such as horses (both miniature and regular-sized) and llamas to enrich the lives of aging adults with dementia.
As the Ohio State study demonstrates, these interventions could potentially have major positive implications for seniors and their caregivers.
After the older adults interacted with the horses, mouth swabs were used to determine the amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the senior’s saliva and a modified version of the Nursing Home Behavior Problem Scale—a test commonly used to monitor behavioral issues in people living in long-term care settings—was used to measure their emotional response. Across the board, those seniors who interacted with the horses scored better on the behavior scale than those who participated in the normal activities at the adult day care center.
Surprisingly, individuals with Alzheimer’s who worked with the equines had higher levels of cortisol in their saliva—indicating that they were more stressed. Due to the fact that these patients were smiling and engaging positively with the animals, study authors attribute this finding to increased levels of “good” stress that can arise when a person is exposed to a new situation where they feel in control and accomplished.
Despite various mobility limitations—which, for some, included being in a wheelchair—helping the horses motivated the men and women with Alzheimer’s to become more physically active. Even the most inhibited patients opened up in a positive way with the animals.
Even if the effects didn’t last long, researchers were heartened by the possibility of equine therapy leading to true enhancement of the lives of people with Alzheimer’s. As Dabelko-Schoney says, “Our focus is on the ‘now.’ What can we do to make them feel better and enjoy themselves right now? Even if they don’t remember it later, how can we help in this moment?”
The Healing Power of Pets for the Elderly
What Happens When a Senior Can No Longer Take Care of Their Pet?
4 Tips for Visiting the Zoo with a Senior
Dogs Change the Lives of People with Alzheimer’s
Why a Visiting Pet Program Would Be Perfect for Seniors
Coconut Oil for Alzheimer’s: A Miracle Cure?
By Anne-Marie Botek, AgingCare.com Editor


Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) December 07, 2013
ArtSchools.com responds to an article published by The Western News, which details the importance of teaching students about fine art and the impact is has on a student’s education.
According to the The Western News article titled “Art education develops a student’s mind in so many ways,” the state of Montana requires high school students to take an art course. Students must learn the fundamentals, including basic terminology, basic tools and understanding why art is essential to the education system.
For example, the article says some high schools in Montana teach students about how art affects the right and left side of the brain. Learning about this can actually supply students with a “wider latitude in their creative artistic endeavors” and can “enhance a student’s ability to problem-solve in math and science as well as in creative writing.”
Andrew Girard, a representative from ArtSchools.com, a directory of the best art schools in the country, says art education is more than just pretty pictures and ornate paintings. It has become an essential part of the education system with cognitive benefits. “Art education stimulates certain portions of the brain to allow people to think deeper and enhance their creative abilities,” Girard says. “Having a good art education is of the utmost importance. Art encompasses everything from music to fashion to video game design. It is in everything we do and finding a school with a renowned art program has never been easier with our directory.”
ArtSchools.com is a comprehensive directory of art degrees, art schools and art-related programs listed and maintained by Monster.com, the leading platform for job seekers. ArtSchools.com is dedicated to assisting prospective artists, teachers, and students find schools, jobs, and programs best suited for their preferences. Whether you’re looking for a new job, a new school or a new direction, the ArtSchools.com directory offers insight into top degree programs in a variety of fields, including graphic design, fashion design, interior design, game design, web design, photography and film.


ERIC Number: ED273444
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1986
Reference Count: N/A
How To Teach Perimeter, Area, and Volume.
Beaumont, Vern; And Others
In order to assist elementary and middle school teachers in teaching the skills associated with the concepts of perimeter, area, and volume, this addition to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics "How to..." series is intended to supplement a text with practical information written in nontechnical language. Each chapter includes: (1) basic information about the concept; (2) instructions on the use of measurement equipment commonly used in calculations relating to the concept; (3) photographs of students using the equipment; and (4) a set of worksheets (including an answer sheet), intended to be reproduced and used with students. Specific grade level recommendations were not included with the worksheets in an effort to be nonrestrictive. (TW)
Descriptors: Area, Elementary Education, Elementary School Mathematics, Geometric Concepts, Instructional Materials, Learning Activities, Learning Modules, Mathematical Concepts, Mathematical Formulas, Mathematics Education, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematics Skills, Measurement Equipment, Teaching Guides, Volume (Mathematics)
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091 (Price $5.00; 10 or more, 20% discount).
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Teachers
Authoring Institution: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc., Reston, VA.
Identifiers: Perimeter (Geometry)


Tried and True: September 1997--The information in this publication was current as of September 1997, and has not been updated since. Some services described in the publication may no longer be available.
A Language Arts Framework for Kindergarten Through Eighth
Grade Integrating Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, and Reasoning
||Developed and tested by|
the Mid-Regional Educational
What is the idea behind Literacy Plus?
Literacy Plus is a program that takes a holistic, integrated approach to teaching language arts, including reading, writing, vocabulary, and reasoning. It is based on the stages of literacy development and provides a framework for instruction that supports student-centered learning. A Resource Guide provides teachers with over 180 strategies that are appropriate to different stages of literacy development, organized in such a way as to support the instructional framework. Literature units are available at all K through 8 grade levels and are based on various genres and themes. Although Literacy Plus is a literature-based approach to reading, it can also be used in conjunction with a basal reader.
Unique to Literacy Plus is a semantic cluster approach to vocabulary instruction. Individualized word books contain words in semantic clusters that provide an incidental learning situation, as well as a way for students to collect new words from literature, basal readers, and the content areas. Literacy Plus also shows how to bridge the gap between spelling and word meaning, and provides a framework from which individual spelling lists can be created with words from students' writing, reading, and work in the content areas.
What does research say about how this idea can help teaching and learning?
Literacy Plus is strongly supported by research that suggests that individual language arts should not be taught in isolation of each other nor should skills necessary for reading and writing be taught in isolation of actual reading and writing experiences. Literacy Plus thus attempts to blur the choice between a skills, or phonics, approach to instruction versus a whole-language, or literature-based, approach.
Although current research on vocabulary development supports wide reading and language-rich activities along with direct vocabulary instruction, there is a strong need for a structure that allows direct instruction to reach beyond words taught directly, allowing students a place to store and learn new words within a context. Literacy Plus provides this structure within the classroom for the students.
How was this program tested?
Initially, a pilot site was established in a particular district. Data were collected to determine if student learning improved as a result of the implementation of this program. Studies included assessing student growth in reading comprehension and writing, including a measure of vocabulary growth in both areas.
Subsequent studies in various states have assessed student growth using a variety of measures, including pre- and post-standardized achievement tests, writing samples over designated periods of time, reading and writing performance assessments, teacher observations, running records, student self-assessments, and surveys.
What communities and states are using this program?
Literacy Plus is used in 43 states with the heaviest use being in the states of Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
What's involved in using this program in my school and community?
Literacy Plus literature units can be used with little or no technical assistance or training as they are a fairly prescriptive approach to integrating the language arts. Each unit focuses on specific knowledge and skills and is composed of workshops which contain a mini-lesson, activity, and sharing period. Although each unit is supported by specific pieces of literature, other pieces of literature within the genre can be substituted.
The organizational structure of the Resource Guide is fairly straightforward, and it can be used in a variety of ways. The need for staff development or support will depend on how it is used. Many of the individual strategies can be used in the classroom without further explanation while others are more complex and require additional assistance. For example, the integration of thinking and reasoning skills requires more thought and training and tends to make the planning of units more complex. Similarly, Literacy Plus' approach to vocabulary instruction varies greatly from a traditional approach and therefore requires an initial in service to explain both the philosophy behind the approach as well as the use of the individual student word books.
Costs associated with implementing this program vary, depending on the components of the program being used.
2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500
Aurora, CO 80014-1678
Phone: (303) 743-5543
Fax: (303) 337-3005
[Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP)]
[SEDL Follow Through Program]


Is this painting similar to the other paintings that we have looked at? The artist of this painting, Henri Rousseau, had a very individual style. Different from his Post-Impressionist contemporaries, Rousseau did not paint with large, visible brushstrokes. Instead, he painted long, smooth lines as seen in the grass and leaves in the foreground of this painting.
Rousseau did not receive a formal art education; he worked as a customs officer in Paris. Rousseau, unlike many of his contemporaries, did not paint Parisian cityscapes or the French countryside. Similar to Gauguin and Cézanne, Rousseau wanted to escape the bustling, modern world. Unlike these painters Rousseau did not leave Paris to find inspiration. Rousseau found inspiration within his imagination. Rousseau expressed his individual vision of the world through dreamlike paintings composed of flat forms and saturated color.
The Snake Charmer was inspired by the artist’s dreams and frequent trips to the botanical gardens in Paris. Rousseau once spoke of his love for the botanical gardens in Paris to the art critic Arsene Alaxendre, “When I go into the glass houses and I see the strange plants of exotic lands, it seems to me that I enter a dream.”1
1Stabenow, Cornelia. Henri Rousseau, 1844–1910 (Cologne, Germany: Taschen, 2001), 7


“No one expects a beginner on violin to sound good right away; it takes practice, but everyone is supposed to be able to sing,” Steven Demorest, the lead researcher behind the study, told Northwestern University. “When people are unsuccessful, they take it very personally. But we think if you sing more, you’ll get better.”
The study: Using three age groups — kindergarteners, sixth graders and college-aged adults — researchers asked each person to listen to a pitch and then sing it back. Researchers noticed a significant increase in accuracy from kindergarteners to sixth graders, likely because most kids that age have regular musical training at school.
Surprisingly, the adults performed at a level closer to the kindergarteners than the sixth graders; researchers now think that’s because singing has a “use it or lose it” quality to it. It’s like a muscle. And all that off-pitch singing only helps strengthen it.
“It’s a skill that can be taught and developed, and much of it has to do with using the voice regularly,” Demorest explained to Northwestern. “Our study suggests that adults who may have performed better as children lost the ability when they stopped singing.”
Just keep singing: According to the study, only 34% of kids in the U.S. past the eighth grade choose to participate in music classes of any kind; that percentage decreases as kids near high school graduation. Those dire statistics, combined with anecdotal evidence that many kids stop singing when they’re told they’re simply “tone deaf,” have convinced researchers that kids are dropping out of music education because they’ve been shamed into believing they’re simply no good.
That’s a real problem — and it’s depriving kids of important cognitive benefits. Music education has loads of scientifically proven benefits: It improves reading and verbal skills, raises IQ, helps in learning new languages, slows the effects of aging, betters memory, enhances self-confidence and so much more. Singing in particular has great physical benefits too. It’s an aerobic activity that increases blood oxygenation, improves heart health and exercises core muscles.
In short, singing — no matter how bad — is a good thing. In fact, it might just make you better. Don’t let the haters keep you down.
Kate Beaudoin (Music.Mic) / February 18, 2015


The power of the Supreme Court of India to enforce these fundamental rights is derived from Article 32 of the Constitution. It gives citizens the right to directly approach the Supreme Court for seeking remedies against the violation of these fundamental rights.
This entitlement to constitutional remedies is itself a fundamental right and can be enforced in the form of writs evolved in common law – such as habeas corpus (to direct the release of a person detained unlawfully), mandamus (to direct a public authority to do its duty), quo warranto (to
direct a person to vacate an office assumed wrongfully), prohibition (to prohibit a lower court from proceeding on a case) and certiorari (power of the higher court to remove a proceeding from a lower court and bring it before itself). Besides the Supreme Court, the High Courts located in the
various States are also designated as constitutional courts and Article 226 permits citizens to file similar writs before the High Courts.
With the advent of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in recent decades, Article 32 has been creatively interpreted to shape innovative remedies such as a ‘continuing mandamus’ for ensuring that executive agencies comply with judicial directions. In this category of litigation, judges have also imported private law remedies such as ‘injunctions’ and ‘stay orders’ into what are essentially public law-related matters.
Successful challenges against statutory provisions result in reliefs such as the striking down of
statutes or even reading down of statutes, the latter implying that courts reject a particular approach to the interpretation of a statutory provision rather than rejecting the provision in its entirety
The court has also recognized access to free education as a justiciable right. This decision prompted a Constitutional amendment which inserted Article 21-A into the Constitutional text, thereby guaranteeing the right to elementary education for children aged between 6-14 years. The Courts have
also pointed to Directive principles in interpreting the prohibitions against forced labour and child labour. The enforcement of these rights leaves a lot to be desired, but the symbolic value of their constitutional status should not be underestimated.
Source : http://www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in/speeches/speeches_2009/judicial_activism_tcd_dublin_14-10-09.pdf
THE CONSTITUTION (EIGHTY-SIXTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 2002
[12th December, 2002.]
2. Insertion of new article 21A.- After article 21 of the Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-
Right to education.-
"21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such
manner as the State may, by law, determine.".
Source : http://indiacode.nic.in/coiweb/amend/amend86.htm


Careers & Employment Outlook Possible programs students could transfer into at a four-year institution include the following: Studio Art (e.g., painting, sculpture, photography, and ceramics); Art Education; Art Therapy; Studio Assistant; Art History; Graphic Design; Industrial Design. Artists held about 221,900 jobs in 2008. About 60 percent were self-employed. Of the artists who were not self-employed, many worked for advertising and related services; newspaper, periodical, book, and software publishers; motion picture and video industries; specialized design services; and computer systems design and related services. Some self-employed artists offered their services to advertising agencies, design firms, publishing houses, and other businesses. Employment of artists and related workers is expected to grow 12 percent through 2018, about as fast as the average for all occupations. An increasing reliance on artists to create digital or multimedia artwork will drive growth.Median annual wages of salaried craft artists were $29,080. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,730 and $39,120. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $16,290, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $54,550.Median annual wages of salaried fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, were $42,650. The middle 50 percent earned between $29,230 and $60,650. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,780, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,410. Earnings for self-employed artists vary widely. Some charge only a nominal fee while they gain experience and build a reputation for their work. Others, such as well-established freelance fine artists and illustrators, can earn more than salaried artists. For more information you can visit the U.S Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook.


Early childhood development
The first two years of a child’s life are critical to the development of the brain – if a child is under-nourished and under-stimulated the negative impact on physical, emotional, cognitive and intellectual advances is considerable.
In Tanzania approximately 60 percent of 0-2 year olds are stunted, this means that many young children do not have the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
Providing young children with stimulating educational and social experience in pre-school strengthens their later school adjustment and achievement. It is not only right but smart to invest in young children.
A recent study analysing the impact of Early Childhood Development (ECD) interventions in 73 countries found that developing countries that invest in ECD and increase pre-school enrollment by 50 percent can see up to a 17-fold return on that investment.
Around 42 percent of five and six-year-olds were enrolled in pre-primary schools in 2011.
Other children attend informal community based child care centres. The majority of pre-school classrooms lack supplies and play materials.
There is a serious shortage of well-trained teachers and most adopt didactic teaching styles that give too much emphasis to literacy and numeracy skills and not enough to learning through play and discovery.
In 2011, only 15 percent of government pre-primary teachers had a pre-school certificate.


Menu of Opportunities
Audience Needs and Challenges
|About Future Teachers|
Considerations are dependent on the grade level that the pre-service educator will teach, their level of science preparation (e.g., education major or science major), and their access to resources and opportunities. The majority of pre-service educators are elementary education majors, who need to be prepared to bring hands-on science activities into the classroom, that meet grade-specific state-mandated science content standards. In general, the curriculum for elementary teacher preparation does not include extended study of science and many elementary teachers lack confidence in science.
Other pre-service teachers may specialize in a particular field of science as they prepare to teach middle school or high school science subjects. Throughout their science coursework, there is a significant chance that all future teachers will not be exposed to teaching models that reflect the best education practices or the standards-related content for which they will be responsible. In short, their own experience with science learning may include little authentic inquiry, broad, shallow coverage of far more content than they need to master, and models of teaching that falsely separate science and education. It is left to the teacher to integrate content and pedagogy, often after they enter the classroom where they are confronted with the realities of classroom management.
It also is important to understand that the majority of pre-service teachers, whether education or science undergraduate majors, do not participate in authentic scientific inquiry; true scientific research traditionally is not experienced until graduate school, even by science majors. Thus, entry-level teachers of science may not have a strong understanding of the process or nature of science. There is a disparity in the opportunities and resources available to pre-service teachers, dependent to some degree on the training institution. While some universities may have a plethora of faculty, classes, resources, and research opportunities (whether or not they are well-leveraged in the preparation of teachers), other institutions, such as minority serving institutions and community colleges, are unable to provide these resources for their students and faculty.
|About Education Faculty Involved in Teacher Preparation|
There is tremendous variability in the depth of understanding of science and the process of science among education faculty responsible for preparing pre-service teachers. Education faculty often include science education faculty who have received strong science content but that content may be restricted to a specific field in science, often biology, and may not include much exposure to Earth and space science. Many faculty have had limited exposure to authentic science experiences, either through coursework, internships, or research. Likewise, there is tremendous variability in the construct of courses about how to teach science. These courses model to different degrees teaching practices informed by educational research and current scientific content.
Many faculty identified a need for continued exposure to current science content, as their research focuses primarily on education issues. Faculty also noted a lack of access to, and funding for, varied professional development experiences. In addition, they often are not aware of current Earth and space science resources, and thus cannot prepare future teachers in the use of these resources to support the content and process skills that K-12 educators will teach in the classroom environment.
|About Science Faculty Involved in Teacher Preparation|
Most science faculty who instruct undergraduate students at 2- and 4-year colleges are helping to prepare future teachers, as many of their students will eventually become teachers. Despite the fact that these courses represent a significant component of a future teacher’s science background and capability to teach science, the traditional content and practices of introductory science courses do not align with content and pedagogy that the future teacher must employ in the classroom. Introductory courses often cover broad content through lecture that does not humanize science; classroom teaching requires standards-aligned content explored through hands-on, inquiry based learning experiences that illustrate science as a human endeavor. For a variety of reasons, science faculty face a variety of obstacles should they choose to seek professional development that focuses on teaching methodology.
Science faculty may need greater access to the broad range and interconnected nature of science to teach introductory courses that may be expected to cover all of physical science, for instance. They may be unaware of their students’ needs and abilities—such as misconceptions, some students’ fears of science, or a belief that science consists of memorizing facts. Some science faculty may have expertise in fields completely unrelated to the topic that they are responsible for covering.
For comments and additional suggestions, please contact email@example.com.


Working with students with autism appealed to Kelsey Haines ’13 the first time she volunteered to work with special needs children.
“It’s always been something I loved,” Haines says.
When Haines, a special education/elementary education major, had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research, it made sense to focus her studies on children with autism.
She spent three months working with two students with autism at a Piedmont elementary school. Haines shared her research, “Teaching Single Digit Addition to Students with Autism: A Kinesthetic Intervention,” at Elon's Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.
A misconception about children with autism fueled her research choice. Some people assume children with autism are mathematics savants, she said. Often, that is not the case.
“There’s a portion of students with autism—especially moderate to lower-functioning students—who struggle with math,” Haines says. “And there’s not a lot of research out there to help them.”
Haines used kinesthetics, which she defined as “moving one’s whole body through space,” to help the students with math. She created a special carpet for the two elementary-aged children she worked with that had two footprints at its base. Blocks numbered one to 10 extended from the footprints. The blocks got continually larger as the numbers ascended.
Students started by standing on the footprints. If the problem was two plus six, the students would jump forward two times and then count aloud one through six until they were standing on the eight. The students who used the carpet showed improvement in their math skills, Haines says.
The results weren’t identical for each student, but they were significant enough for her to feel she made a difference.
“That’s why we teach,” she says. “That’s why I want to do this – to help them grow as people and students. To be able to do that through teaching and research has been awesome.”


A recent poll on Nanny Magazine‘s Facebook Page revealed that many nannies read to their children everyday and sometimes even 4 TIMES a day! One thing is clear Nannies are reading to the children in their care, but how can we add new skills to make reading more fun and a true time for learning? In This week’s podcast, in our last podcast of the year, we spoke with Cathy Day who is dual certified in reading and elementary education about the read aloud. The book for today is a favorite for both Cathy and myself: the Polar Express!
In the podcast, Cathy led us in a discussion about reading tips to add to a nanny’s tool belt. Lastly Cathy stated (and we love this!), “Read everyday and instill that true love of reading in the little ones.”
What are the biggest misconceptions about raising readers?
4:15 Reading is so much more than finding and reading words on a page. Children should slow down and not just be word callers. Find out how Cathy describes a word caller.
5:50 What does Cathy mean when she says: every child has a developmental yardstick?
What are ways to bring up readers? How do nannies help develop out that yardstick?
6:35 Cathy talks about ways to motivate children and allow them to expand on their natural curiosity of the world around them through reading. She offers ideas of how nannies can do just that.
7:45 Cathy explains how literacy routines can make reading an enjoyable everyday activity. She tells a story of her friend’s daughter as an example.
How do nursery rhymes help facilitate the whole literacy process?
13:08 How can you involve children in rhyming with you as you read nursery rhymes?
14:45 Cathy shares her excitement about phonological awareness. She explains what it is and how nannies can practice it through games with the children.
Tell us about read alouds.
18:13 Cathy shared a quote from an article, “Research has demonstrated that the most effective read alouds are those where children are actively involved asking and answering questions and making predictions rather than passively listening.” What can nannies do to scaffold learning?
20:55 Close reading is when you help children understand what is happening on the page and hold an engaging conversation.
Polar Express Read Aloud with suggestions from Cathy.
24:50 Tell the children the title and ask them about the cover of the book. Can a child make a prediction about the book
27:00 Talk about vocabulary on the page that first shows the steam engine. There are great descriptive words. “What do you think that means?”
28:00 Ask questions about emotion. Feelings aren’t always clearly stated, so ask them, “Look at the faces on the train. Are they happy? How would you feel if you were on the train?”
29:28 Play on words: The hot cocoa was described as thick. Help the children understand the context of words.
31:37 Talk about the peaks and valleys in the mountains. Build concepts that they can relate to later on in school, even in fiction books.
33:30 Ask questions that will allow children to make connections to their own lives.
What are your thoughts on iPads and some of the technology out there?
34:48 Personally Cathy likes to cozy up with a real book. However, in classrooms today there are e-readers. There are great apps for phonological awareness. Pioneer Valley has some free books for ipads. Starfall.com is a great early literacy website that Cathy recommends as well.
36:29 Cathy tells us you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get children excited about learning. She shares a few more games we can play with children to promote reading.
Cathy Day is an Early Intervention Reading Specialist at the Byam School. Prior to joining the Byam community, she was a certified Reading Recovery Teacher and a Grade 2 classroom teacher. Mrs. Day is a member of the adjunct faculty team at Southern New Hampshire University. There, she is able to share her literacy knowledge and experiences with future educators. Mrs. Day earned her masters degree in Reading from Rivier College. In Cathy’s words, “the reward is great when she is able to see her Kindergarten and First Grade students build a strong literacy foundation which is so important for future success.”


A University of North Georgia research project that started with just a simple idea of collecting heirloom seeds from the surrounding communities has grown far beyond the scope originally intended. The next phase moves into local schools, as art education majors teach high school students about the tradition of keeping seeds.
Heirloom seeds are those that have been passed down from one generation to another, usually because of some desirable trait in the plant such as taste, hardiness, production or uniqueness. Some heirloom seeds have been harvested and saved for 100 years or more.
Last semester, students pursuing the new minor in Appalachian studies collected heirloom seeds and the stories behind them from gardeners throughout Lumpkin County. The project, Heirloom Seed keepers & their Stories: Growing community and sustainability through arts-based research, aims to preserve Appalachian culture and heritage and connect students with the community.
Rather than present their findings in a typical research paper, UNG students created a "communograph" — a piece of artwork that serves as a collective memory bank, artistically representing the seeds, the stories, and the people who save them. It is a map of Lumpkin County, with photos of seeds, plants and community members transferred onto large pieces of fabric. The sections of the map are stitched together with red string depicting community boundaries and the areas where seed collectors share their produce and their seeds.
The communograph — its final size so large that displaying it and moving it created challenges a local hardware store helped students figure out — was presented in Washington, D.C., recently for the Appalachian Teaching Project. UNG was one of only 16 institutions in the Appalachian region invited to take part.
"Our students presented the most relevant, dynamic, community-engaged and professionally articulated research project of all 16 institutions," said Rosann Kent, director of the Georgia Center for Appalachian Studies, which is located in the Vickery House on the university's Dahlonega campus. "Our multidisciplinary team members included majors from art education, biology, criminal justice, history, nursing and political science. We could not be more proud of their success and representation of their programs and our university."
Chris Dockery, an assistant professor in UNG's Department of Visual Arts and the center's teaching fellow, said the scope of the project has expanded as community interest has increased.
"We realized after D.C. that what was so special about the whole project, all the art-making and the research, was that it wasn't the university doing some project for the community and educating the community. It was an opportunity for the community to educate our students. So the roles were completely reversed," Dockery said.
The communograph will be on display in several locations throughout the community in February. Beginning Feb. 8, it will be on display at the Wagon Wheel restaurant, then at Lumpkin County High School beginning Feb. 18, and finally at the Lumpkin County Library beginning Feb. 25.
The next phase for the project involves art education majors, who will be working with Lumpkin County High School students on a series of art projects related to heirloom seeds. Over the next several weeks, UNG students will help high school students make seed packets, create a journal to record their own family's gardening traditions and weave baskets to use in the high school greenhouse.
Sydney Dye, an art education major from Elberton, is among those students who also helped facilitate the communograph. Last semester, Dye and her fellow students wrote a curriculum unit to take into the high school. This semester, they're getting ready to teach the unit.
"Our job was to write a curriculum unit that could be implemented in the school system that would teach the practice of heirloom seed keeping and ways of preserving seeds," Dye said. "Ultimately, it's all about preserving the seeds, preserving the stories and preserving the traditions."
Dockery said her students aim to do more than just "make art."
"Our students are involving the high school students not just in making some art with them, but they are actually involving them in this community-based project. They are going to be doing part of the work with us," she said. "Hopefully, we're going to make some connections with the high school students and their families who have been saving seeds for generations."


In past posts, I have discussed the value of emotional intelligence, commonly called EQ or EI. Daniel Goleman developed a theory of emotional intelligence in the mid-1990s, and it’s applicability for both education and business. People with a high EQ are:
- self-aware, monitoring and regulating their own motivations;
- adept at reading and responding to the emotional needs of others;
- and are able to learn from mistakes.
While all of these are important, they are not all a leader needs to succeed and have the highest level of communication and engagement among their team members. Social intelligence also plays a role, and sometimes an even more important one than EQ.
“You can be the most brilliant innovator, problem-solver or strategic thinker, but if you can’t inspire and motivate, build relationships or communicate powerfully, those talents will get you nowhere,” says Goleman, pointing out how crucial social intelligence is for leaders. Leaders need to coordinate people with resources, to understand needs, motivations, boundaries, reactions, and limits, and none of this can be accomplished without keen social awareness.
What are the basics of social intelligence? Being able to talk to people is one key trait—and not just people who will be useful to you, either, or who will stand still while you talk about yourself. Another ability that is a large part of social intelligence is being able to actively listen, in a way that allows you to understand another person’s feelings and patterns of thought. With these foundational skills, continually developed, you can navigate your way through difficult negotiations and important team collaborations successfully. All these skills are learned and developed throughout everyone’s life, but not everyone makes the most of naturally occurring opportunities to grow their social intelligence.
Without social intelligence, even the smartest and most competent leader will not advance, because without the strength of social bonds on a team, employees can often become frustrated with the lack of communication or the poor method in which information is delivered. Even worse, their frustration can even cause them to mirror a leader with low social intelligence, bringing down the efficiency of the entire team. A leader low in social intelligence will be critical to others in non-constructive ways, or display a lack of interest in others’ projects, thus unraveling morale. A leader who does these things won’t remain at the top for long.
Social intelligence is something that everyone improves upon throughout their lives. And, good leaders develop social intelligence as they progress in their careers. Ways to accomplish this include the simple act of paying more attention to how social interactions work, obtaining an executive coach to develop behavioral techniques to strengthen social intelligence, and formal assessments, such as StrengthsFinder, which allows individuals to identify thematic strengths of character that they can then build on in their day-to-day interactions.
What steps do you plan on taking to continue to develop your social intelligence?