Curriculum – The Liverpool Counts Quality Mark
The District CE Primary School is working towards achieving the Liverpool Counts Quality mark.The Liverpool Counts Quality Mark is part of a varied programme of strategies targeted at improving maths results for the children.
The specific remit of the Quality Mark is to tackle the negative attitudes towards numeracy and mathematics which are prevalent in many areas of our society.
We aim to challenge these widely held views and promote a culture where people readily understand the impact good numeracy skills and mathematics qualifications can have on the social, financial, health and employment aspects of their lives.
We also aim to support teachers and other adults in our schools to encourage pupils to make connections in their numeracy and mathematics lessons to real life contexts and with other areas of their school experiences.
Recommended Maths Websites and Games
• Primary Games You’ll find all sorts of maths content here, all presented as engaging games and challenges.
• Maths Zone Another collection of games and activities across the full range of curriculum content, mostly appropriate to our KS2 pupils.
• Topmarks Lots of fun games to play with children of all ages! https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Internet-based Activities relating to Number and Place Value
• Chinese Dragon Ordering Numbers Learn to order numbers by playing this fun Chinese Dragon game!
• Underwater Counting Game Learn to count up to 10 sea creatures accurately with this fun underwater themed game!
• Give the Dog a Bone Explore the 100 square. http://www.primarygames.co.uk/pg2/dogbone/gamebone.html
• Spin to Win Create the highest number to win the round. http://www.primarygames.co.uk/spintowin/wheelres.html
• Eggs to Order (KS1) Ordering numbers according to place value. http://www.primarygames.co.uk/pg3/orderegg/ordereggsKS1.html
• Eggs to Order (KS2) The extended version that includes decimal numbers too. http://www.primarygames.co.uk/pg3/orderegg/ordereggsKS2.html
• Super Sid’s Decimal Challenge Can you match the decimal numbers to create the target number?
• Splat Square Splat the numbers in different colours. Play games, look for patterns and learn your numbers to 100!
Internet-based Games relating to Times Tables Practice
• Times Table Rock Stars Times Tables Rock Stars is a carefully sequenced programme of daily times tables practice.
• Teaching Tables A collection of little games from the Primary Games website.
• Multiple Wipeout Burst only the balloons that are multiples of the given table. http://www.ictgames.com/rhoodbeyond10.html


Literacy has traditionally been thought of as reading and writing. Although these are essential components of literacy, today our understanding of literacy encompasses much more. Alberta Education defines literacy as the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with language to acquire, construct and communicate meaning in all aspects of daily living. Language is explained as a socially and culturally constructed system of communication.
From the moment child is born, his or her literacy journey begins. Children’s literacy abilities are nurtured through their families and communities. Examples are
As children enter the school system, there is a strong focus on the development of reading and writing skills. Children engage in learning opportunities that have them interacting with many different forms of text, in print and digital forms, using words, visuals and graphics. Students begin to learn
As students move through the school system, they continue to refine all of their foundational skills as they explore a wider variety of texts and technologies. The vast amounts of information that are available through both print and the Internet and the ability to communicate with wide and varied audiences around the globe have expanded the ways our students read and communicate. Literacy for our students today also means preparing them to be critical and ethical consumers of information.
Literacy development does not take place in just the Language Arts classroom. It is a shared responsibility among all educators. Although specific knowledge and skills are taught primarily in Language Arts, every subject area teacher is responsible for further developing, strengthening and enhancing literacy. Every subject area has its own unique literacy demands. Content area teachers know their subject matter and their programs of study. They are aware of the literacy requirements of their subject and understand that it is through literacy that meaning is made within their subject area content. Students need to be taught how to read different kinds of text, write and express themselves in the formats associated with each subject, and use content-specific vocabulary.
Literacy development occurs not only in school but in every aspect of daily life. We interact with others when we have a conversation. We read maps, advertisements, newspapers, recipes, manuals and websites. We analyze and interpret vast amount of media information. We write poems, songs, reports, blogs, and emails. Literacy opens the door to the world.


we promote chess education with fun activities. Children can develop character through learning chess. Chess training helps children improve their problem solving skills, as well as train them to stay focus and concentration, respect and confidence. They can also learn from mistakes and challenging oneself. The skills that have developed are life-long.
Chess is one of the oldest rivalry games in the world. Chess can be regarded as a game integrating art, science, knowledge and inspiration as a whole. When analyzing chess games, we practice logic. When playing the game and utilizing strategies, we need a creative inspiration. The rules of playing chess are changeful and fun. It is good for the intelligence development of the youth. Therefore, there are many countries that have placed chess on the primary school curriculum.
Suitable for children aged 5 or above.
Chinese chess is quite different from modern international chess. The board is different, there are different pieces, and they have different moves.
Xiangqi is a chess game for two people to play. Each player has 16 pieces to move on the board. One player's set is red, and one is black. The way to win is to kill the other player's Jiang (Shuai). Each kind of piece has different ways to move. Xiangqi is one of the most popular chess games in Asia.
Suitable for Children aged 5 or above.
Go is an abstract strategy board game for two players, in which the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent.Go begins with an empty board. It is focused on building from the ground up (nothing to something) with multiple, simultaneous battles leading to a point-based win.
The game was invented in ancient China more than 2,500 years ago and is believed to be the oldest board game continuously played today. It was considered one of the four essential arts of the cultured aristocratic Chinese scholars in antiquity.
Despite its relatively simple rules, Go is very complex. Compared to chess, Go has both a larger board with more scope for play and longer games, and, on average, many more alternatives to consider per move. Despite its widespread popularity in East Asia, Go has been slow to spread to the rest of the world. Go can help with is learning respect for others, humility, and control of emotions.
Suitable for Children aged 3 or above.


The purpose of this course is to introduce and educate participants to the concepts of energy sustainability, the goals of energy technology assessment, and the promotion of sustainable energy technologies at community level.
The aim of the course is that participants will gain the knowledge and skills required to manage and assist in future Dingle SEC community awareness and information events and the proposed weekly Energy Clinic.
The course is directed at those who are interested in becoming more familiar with the subject areas of renewable energy and sustainability.
It should be of particular interest to the following groups: –
- Voluntary sector individuals who wish to upskill and support community transition to a low carbon society.
- Individuals who have an interest in pursuing careers in the area of energy sustainability and will progress to further education on completion of this course.
This course is provided by Kerry College – Monavalley Campus, in association with Dingle Sustainable Energy Community (SEC)
- Understand the key concepts of energy sustainability.
- Be introduced to and develop awareness of SEAI initiatives and processes.
- Use community engagement techniques to communicate energy sustainability
- Sharing information and providing access to resources to affect behaviour change
- Ability to coordinate community events and workshops.
- Understand tracking of environmental, social and financial metrics and use these to evaluate the effectiveness of engagements.
- Develop critical thinking and evaluation skills
- Understand mathematical concepts and data to provide insight into contexts arising from energy management.
- Use mathematical analysis to provide financial estimates.
- Understand basic construction types and insulation requirements
Instructor Led Training
- Must be 21 years of age, or older.
- Good written and spoken English language skills.
- Good numeracy skills.
- Willingness to actively participate in group activities and to get involved in community events.
- Irish language skills would be an advantage for working in Gaeltacht areas


Some executives use the term constructive criticism in place of the word feedback, but the reality is that criticism is criticism. By its nature, it is not constructive.
Consider, for example, a manager who tells an employee, “You are never on time. This is really irresponsible. Unless you get your act together, you’ll be gone from here.” This comment is certainly not productive. In fact, it would put cracks in the foundations of the team the manager is building.
Employees receiving such criticism are not motivated to support the goals and efforts of the person delivering it.
Feedback versus criticism
How do the two differ? Here are several ways:
- Feedback is designed to improve a team member’s performance, whereas criticism is too often a means of unloading anger. The delivery of the comments often reflects this difference.
- Feedback is tough talk about an issue, while criticism often is tough talk about the person.
- Feedback is a form of coaching in which there is a search for underlying causes and solutions. Criticism is solely finger-pointing and a search for a scapegoat.
Perfecting feedback skills is comparable to perfecting coaching skills. So if you want to improve the quality of your feedback, take these simple steps:
Watch your timing. Whether your feedback is positive or negative, deliver it as close to the incident as possible.
Be specific. Discuss not only the behavior in question, but also the impact it has on work output and co-workers’ performance.
Look for the positive. Identify opportunities to offer positive feedback to employees as well.
New managers need foundational skills—in performance management, communication, coaching, delegation, and more—to lead a team to success.


ISBN : 9780199391912
In recent years, academics and professionals in the social sciences have forged significant advances in quantitative research methodologies specific to their respective disciplines. Although new and sophisticated techniques for large-scale data analyses have become commonplace in general educational, psychological, sociological, and econometric fields, many researchers in music education have yet to be exposed to such techniques. Design and Analysis of Quantitative Research in Music Education is a comprehensive reference for those involved with research in music education and related fields, providing a foundational understanding of quantitative inquiry methods. Authors Peter Miksza and Kenneth Elpus update and expand the set of resources that music researchers have at their disposal for conceptualizing and analyzing data pertaining to music-related phenomena. This text is designed to familiarize readers with foundational issues of quantitative inquiry as a point of view, introduce and elaborate upon issues of fundamental quantitative research design and analysis, and expose researchers to new, innovative, and exciting methods for dealing with complex research questions and analyzing large samples of data in a rigorous and thorough manner. With this resource, researchers will be better equipped for dealing with the challenges of the increasingly information-rich and data-driven environment surrounding music education. An accompanying companion website provides valuable supplementary exercises and videos.
List of Illustrations; Acknowledgements; About the Companion Website; 1. Prelude; 2. Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry; Part I. Foundational Concepts for Quantitative Inquiry in Music Education; 3. Descriptive Research Design; 4. Descriptive Analysis; 5. Inferential Analysis; 6. Correlational Design and Analysis; 7. Causation and Causal Claims; 8. Design and Analysis of Experimental Research I; 9. Design and Analysis of Experimental Research II; 10. Regression; Part II. Advanced Concepts for Quantitative Inquiry in Music Education; 11. Analyses of Complex Survey Data; 12. Multilevel Models; 13. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis; 14. Structural Equation Modeling; 15. Advances in Quasi-Experimental Methods; 16. Postlude; Appendix: Inferential Analysis with Non-parametric Tests; Index


Aqueduct Primary School Curriculum Statement
Aqueduct’s curriculum offer is broad, balanced and rich. We ensure that it is underpinned by our whole school values and we promote and foster a love of learning in all children. Our teachers plan exciting and engaging lessons, supported by the Cornerstones Curriculum, developing subject-specific knowledge, skills and understanding as set out by the National Curriculum. We ensure that children are engaged: we offer exciting opportunities for children to be enthused by their topics. We aim to develop our children’s inquisitiveness so that they are life-long learners with a thirst for information and creativity, as well as ensuring our learners have high aspirations for their futures. We nurture innovative, resilient children to enquire, hypothesise and test their ideas and deepen their learning. We maintain high expectations in speech, language and communication which strengthen pupils’ ability to express themselves and articulate their learning with confidence and clarity. Both physical and mental health and well-being are explored and embodied within our curriculum offer, allowing children the opportunity to demonstrate their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding of the world in which they live.
Our curriculum leader works together alongside subject leaders to create long-term curriculum maps which roll over a 2-year cycle. These plans are based around half-termly or termly topics and carefully balance all of the curriculum subjects whilst embedding high standards and rich opportunities for reading, writing and numeracy. Monitoring throughout the year gauges the impact of the curriculum design. We focus particularly on: reviewing learning and progress over time as well as ensuring that our curriculum offer is accessible to all learners; evaluating pupil voice, acting on feedback from the children where possible; and celebrating our positives with staff and pupils in addition to highlighting areas for development.
Our whole school team strengthen our ethos and vision as we work together to reflect upon our curriculum, share outcomes and drive forward to ensure next steps are met. We understand that creating life-long, secure learners is not about covering every subject and every topic, but developing careful thinkers who can reason and explain their thoughts as well as children who ask questions and seek answers independently, using the skills and resources available to them. Class teachers assess learning against subject-specific success criteria and monitoring ensures that these assessments are accurate.
As a diverse and inclusive school community, we believe our children possess the right to be successful, to see themselves as learners with different talents and skills, to recognise their own greatness and have the right to develop who they are in a respectful and nurturing environment. Aqueduct’s ethos and values are deeply rooted in our curriculum provision, with a love of learning being the foundation of everything we do, so that we really are ‘Building Tomorrow, Leading the way.’
Our curriculum offer balances the national expectations whilst providing experiential learning and a diverse range of subjects, allowing our children to flourish, develop their individuality and maintain positive attitudes to learning. Long and medium term planning ensures that our curriculum is exciting, balanced and accessible for all learners, adapting to the needs of the children and linking to our school values. Age-related expectations fuse the teaching of knowledge and information with the development of key skills to create a rounded and purposeful learning journey for each and every child. Much of our learning is based around a ‘theme’ and this is interwoven through literacy and reading lessons, helping to demonstrate and develop a breadth of cross-curricular links with high levels of vocabulary and transferable skills. Our classrooms are inviting and our effective use of working walls ensure that children are stimulated and can develop independent learning skills and reasoning. Staff are supported with planning and their understanding of the curriculum, ensuring that they are confident in their curriculum pedagogy and that we are providing the best classroom practitioners possible for our pupils. Marking is used cohesively and consistently, allowing children the opportunity both to reflect on and deepen their learning.


The paper "Colorado Visual Arts" is an excellent example of an essay on visual arts and film studies. Visual arts in Denver and the of Colorado is booming. The museums are numerous. One reason for the massive amount of visual art centers, museums, and other art exhibits is the landscape of the Rockies. The economy has hit a rough patch, but since the wealthy flock to Colorado to ski, Colorado is fairing better than other states. This is another reason for the number of visual art centers. Finally the rich history taught by the universities in Colorado make this state a popular place for artists to flock in the Midwest. The landscape of the Rocky Mountains is a perfect visual art subject.
From Denver, the mountains loom over the city with a beautiful majestic presence. Many artists, especially Anita Mosher, John K. Harrell, and Kit Hevron Mahoney, use the backdrop of the mountains as subjects. Not only do the artists draw landscapes with mountains, but the luscious forest, fields, and streams as well. The beautiful background of Colorado has inspired many artists, not only local artists, but visual artists coming from other states as well.
The magnificent landscape is hard to ignore. Colorado also has the rich cowboy history of the Wild West. This gives visual artists, painters and sculptors, themes dealing with the Wild West. Cowboys, Native Americans, and rural America are depicted in these visual arts. Horses, cows, and other Western themes are favourites among artists in Colorado. Pictures of dogs playing poker, wild mustangs, stampedes, and fierce Native American warriors are created by the local artists. These subjects are distinctly from Colorado.
Visual art that is from Colorado, or is even inspired by Colorado, cannot be compared to other states due to the individuality of the visual art. Skiing is a big business in Colorado during the winter. In the summer, film festivals draw the jet set from around the world. The wealthy flooding Denver and Colorado have helped the visual arts do better than in other states like Iowa or Ohio. Not only do the wealthy patronize art galleries and museums, but they purchase art. This allows the artist to continue their work, instead of finding a regular job.
Artists can also be found by art dealers and collectors from other states when the wealthy visit. There are over one hundred visual art links on the Internet for Colorado and Denver. This shows the popularity of the visual arts in Denver and Colorado. The number of museums and galleries show that not only out-of-towners appreciate art. Locals enjoy art just as much as the wealthy jet set. The support of the Colorado Citizens helps visual art galleries and museum in business year round, not just when the wealthy come to town.
Without this support, there would not be as many visual art centres in Denver or Colorado. Not only do local and out-of-state artist flock to Denver and Colorado for subjects, but for an education as well. The Art Institute of Denver and Colorado Denver College of Arts & Media are just two of many schools that teach local and non-local artist the trade, history, and appreciation of the visual arts. Qualified professors pass on knowledge to future artists, sculptors, art dealers, and collectors.
Colorado has a high standard that can match any state in reputation. The schools have the best professors, great subject matter, and a community that supports the visual arts. Not many education institutions can claim the same accolades as the ones in Colorado. The amount of visual art centres makes Colorado a first-class visual art centre. With the Rockies, Wild West themes, and other beautiful landscapes, Colorado has a never-ending supply of subjects. The wealthy jet set and locals support the art community, giving the visual arts a boost in this sagging economy.
Finally, the fine visual art education institutions draw artists from worldwide. All of these are the reason the visual arts in Denver and Colorado are better off than in most states.


Babies babbling away in their prams. Toddlers playing in the sandpit. Busy kindergarten children on the climbing frame and getting arty with their paintbrushes.
These scenes are all part and parcel of everyday life where babies and children are growing up and starting to explore the world around them. But did you know that kids also learn friendship skills from a very early age?
A squabble over ‘ownership’ of a plastic toy, a group game school, playing dress-ups or even just sitting quietly in the classroom figuring out a puzzle with a teacher are all important activities that shape the way children develop friendships and trusted bonds.
And whilst the link between friendships and a choice of an early childhood school may not seem obvious at first glance, it can be a crucial decision that affects a child’s ability to develop enduring friendship qualities and social skills.
Kids learn the foundations of empathy, trust, appreciation, consideration and self-control from a very early age and if a child is in a caring, nurturing and trusting learning environment, they will start to develop strong friendship qualities that will form the foundation for their future relationships.
In early childhood, the key ingredients for forming friendships are opportunity and similarity. Like adults, children are drawn to those who share the same interests and they need constant opportunities to spend time together, play and interact together. A skilful teacher can also stimulate the development of relationship skills by coaching and supporting children to become more confident, respecting their abilities and encouraging dynamic communication.
An important aspect is the environment in which children forge those early bonds of friendship.
A child’s learning experience will be greatly enhanced if the child is supported by the physical, intellectual and social and emotional environment at school - and first prize is where educators actively encourage children to develop the following friendship skills:
- Self control
- Positive interaction
- Welcoming approach
- Consideration for others
- Participation and play skills
- Dynamic communication
- Thinking about others
- Coping with disappointment
- Conflict resolution
Of course, these are all complex skills which many of people are still developing well into adulthood but early childhood interactions (even as early as a baby and its parent or primary carer) sow those crucial first seeds of learning.
Developing trusted bonds of friendship is a cornerstone of the Reggio Emilio approach to early childhood learning which focuses on each child and involves the inter-connectedness of the family, the educators, other children, the school environment, the community and the wider society. Children learn through social interactions, especially in small groups with their peers where they listen to each other, ask questions, explore, negotiate and co-operate and where there are trusted bonds between child and educator.
The Reggio Emilio approach has been adapted for the Australian environment through the Nido Early School centres across the country. These premium educational centres encourage qualitative learning and create a solid foundation of experiences in the critical first five years of life that supports every child to reach their true potential. Find out more about how the Nido Early School cultivates young minds and a love of learning through their inclusive, village-style approach which engages the child, parent, community and the natural environment by visiting their website, www.nidoearlyschool.com.au.


|Leoš Janácek (1854-1928)|
Leoš Janácek (1854-1928) is regarded as the greatest Czech composer of the early twentieth century. In his early works, which included the opera Sárka (1888), and numerous vocal and instrumental works, Janácek followed a traditional, Romantic idiom, typical of late nineteenth century music. Having completed Sárka, however, Janácek immersed himself in the folk music of his native Moravia, gradually developing an original compositional style. Eschewing regular metrical phrasing, Janácek developed a declamatory method of setting the voice that follows the natural rhythmic patterns of the Czech language. Characteristically, Janácek allowed these patterns to inform the music itself. In addition, Janácek's harmonies, forms and orchestration are highly idiosyncratic. His music favors repetitive patterns, often set in stark contrast to longer, more lyrical, lines, or large blocks of sound. Dramatic effects are attained with minimal thematic or contrapuntal elaboration. The result is music of great rhythmic drive, sharp contrasts, and an intricate, montage-like texture. Exemplifying Janácek's radical stylistic transformation is his tragic opera Jenufa (1904), based on a story of jealousy, murder, and innocence.
At first unknown outside of Moravia, where he was recognized primarily as a teacher, conductor, and champion of folk music, Janácek first gained national and international fame with the Prague production of Jenufa in 1916. The success of Jenufa in Prague tremendously energized the composer, who, in his sixties, experienced an astonishing creative surge, composing several masterpieces. Janácek's euphoric state of mind could be attributed to two factors. First of all, after the foundation, in 1918, of the Czechoslovak state, Janácek became a national celebrity. The second, and perhaps more important, factor, was Janácek's affection for Kamila Stösslová, a considerably younger married woman. While his ardor was not reciprocated, Janácek's passion for Kamila undoubtedly simulated his creativity. Janácek's modern fame rests on his four last operas, Kát'a Kabanová (1921), The Cunning Little Vixen (1924), The Makropulos Affair (1926) and the posthumously premiered From the House of the Dead (1930).
What makes these works outstanding is Janácek's profound dramatic sense, which allows his operas, in spite of their brevity, to effectively communicate a complex plot. The dramatic effect is heightened by the composer's ability to adapt his music to the tonal and rhythmic characteristics of the Czech language. The last four operas in particular are perfectly paced for the right dramatic impact. In addition, Janácek drew on the inner resources of music and speech to convey complex feelings and emotional states to his listeners.
Janácek's extraordinary power in translating profound psychological insights into music truly comes to the fore in The Makropoulos Affair, based on a work by Karel Capek, a story about a woman with the gift of eternal youth. In 1926, Janácek, whose early interest in Moravian folk music developed into an effort to grasp Slavic musical traditions in their totality, composed his Glagolitic Mass, a work aiming to express the profound spiritual bonds underlying the seemingly disparate cultural traditions of the Slavic nations (the term "glagolitic" refers to one of the early alphabets of Old Slavic). During his final creative period, Janácek also composed a small number of exceptional chamber works, including the two string quartets and the Sinfonietta. In addition to his work as a composer, Janácek actively contributed to his country's musical life as a teacher, critic, and organizer. Founder of the Brno Organ School (later to become the Brno Conservatory), director of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, teacher at the State Conservatory of Prague, and initiator of many musical festivals, Janácek greatly enriched Eastern European music education and culture.


As mentioned in an earlier post on 7 September the Core Group of the Global Alliance for Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL) will hold a one-day meeting. I will participate in this meeting as an observer.
For those of you who are not familiar with the GAL some information.
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, one of UNESCO’s specialist institutions with a core mandate for literacy and lifelong learning, has been asked by UNESCO to lead the consultation process for establishing the Global Alliance for Literacy within the Framework of Lifelong Learning (GAL). As literacy will play a direct or indirect role in achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), GAL aims to help Member States make accelerated progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Alliance, which will be composed of experts and representatives of UN and government agencies, donors, national and international non-governmental organizations, and the private sector, will work towards improving literacy for sustainable development through concrete action and tangible outcomes.
Reasons for establishing GAL
The international community recognizes literacy as an ‘indispensable foundation for independent learning’ in the Education 2030 Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action. ‘A world with universal literacy’ is also a key part of the vision set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The Agenda’s target for literacy is ‘to ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy’ by 2030 (Target 4.6). GAL aims to help Member States achieve this ambitious target.
Challenges for GAL
GAL will encourage policy coherence and take action to promote the mobilization of resources, the availability of high-quality and timely data through improved assessment and monitoring, the effective utilization of information and communications technology, and the creation of multi-stakeholder partnerships at regional and national levels. Furthermore, GAL will be transversal in three ways: across age (from early childhood through to adulthood); across languages and cultures (with special attention paid to gender, diversity, inclusion and empowerment); and across sectors (such as education, health and sanitation, agriculture, environment and climate, employment and industry, and urbanization and migration). In short, GAL will stimulate and promote collaborative programmes that connect literacy with the sustainable development agenda within a lifelong and life-wide approach.
GAL will be shaped by Member States and development partners as an effective platform for sustained action at all levels. Some promising pathways include:
- fostering innovation and the creative use of technology;
- supporting decentralized, community-managed learning centres;
- promoting literacy assessment practices that enhance learner motivation and improve programmes;
- placing an emphasis on using literacy and numeracy skills in daily life; and
- offering a large menu of options in different languages to address diverse learning needs.


By: Dr. Susan Cobb,
The Reading Horizons program was implemented within a
Beginning with the
Classroom research shows that on the average, children who are taught phonics get off to a better start in learning to read than children who are not taught phonics (Chall, 1989). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Reading Horizons program (Lockhart, 1989) within a
This program appears useful with students having difficulty in reading and spelling, a student who is a "beginner," or for adults who wish to improve their reading skills.
Projects REST and SOS involved six classrooms for elementary age students grades two through six. All 39 students had some type of reading/learning problem, most falling into the guidelines of learning disabilities, and/or behavior disorders with the exception of three who were in the program for enrichment.
These students were instructed in small group tutorial situations for the most part. There were three thirty minute segments of intensive phonics on various levels. These involved letter recognition, word-attack skills, spelling, decoding, vocabulary expansion, comprehension skills, writing and utilization of combined skills.
Although only six weeks of explicit phonics instruction were given, significant gains were noted for one group. The authors found word attack skills improved for students completing other academic tasks requiring reading such as math word problems, language experience and leisure time reading.
Reference: "Reading Improvement" Fall 1990, Volume 27, Pgs:218, 219.


Letters are Characters
March 28, 2019 | 10:30 am - 11:30 pm
Caregivers are children’s first teachers and play a critical role in literacy. During this fun and interactive program, caregivers will begin to learn about how children learn to read as well as how to provide effective, science-based support and instruction and create enriching, lifelong reading habits. Children will engage in hands-on, multi-sensory play that will enable them to begin to break the phonemic code, an essential stepping stone in learning to read.
For children ages 4 – 7. Please pre-register in person, by email to email@example.com, or by phone.
Caroline Wilcox Ugurlu is a researcher and teacher. She has spent the last four years studying reading including the neurological processes involved in reading and the sociological, psychological and cultural aspects of reading acquisition and its opposite – failure to acquire reading fluency. She has developed a method to help children ages 4 – 7 break the phonemic code in a fun and playful way. She has authored a book on the subject (in the publication process – Letters are Characters). She is passionate about the importance of reading and wants to create programs that work for all students including struggling readers.
Photo credit: Terry Augustyn, Nutmeg Photography
Caroline Wilcox Ugurlu, pictured with Daisy, who was not helpful
during the writing of this book because she enjoys walking on keyboards.
She is, however, a good reading partner for adults and children alike.
-Paul B. Yellin, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, Director, The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education.
“Letters Are Characters is a creative, fun, and imaginative way for kids to learn their
letters. When my son made his letters, they were his own, and he remembered them.
Books, videos, and magnets added little value to his learning, but building them and
connecting letters to personalities made a huge difference in his learning on his path
to phonetic awareness and reading.”
Ms. Wilcox Ugurlu has made the science of early reading instruction – which IS rocket
science – accessible to everyone. This parent-friendly program presents the current research
about early reading acquisition and provides step-by-step instructions for supporting
any young child’s literacy development. The Letters are Characters activities
are engaging and play-like, while incorporating research-based methods. A wonderful
resource for parents!
—Sara Reynolds, Elementary Reading Specialist, Torrington School District


Psychology is the study of human behaviour, and aims to explain how we develop and predict patterns of behaviour by using scientific observation and experimentation.
The first year offers a broad range of topics including a study of stress, abnormality and how others influence our behaviour. There is also a research component which examines the methods Psychologists use to study human behaviour.
In year two, there are a range of topic based options which bring together explanations from different approaches which engages students with issues and debates within contemporary psychology. The topics include:
- An examination of relationships
- Psychology of the mass media
- Psycho pathology
- Eating behaviour/disorders and schizophrenia
- Research unit
*Please note that unit information is subject to change depending on examinations board. Please contact email@example.com
3 GCSEs at A* – C PLUS a minimum of grade 4 in English Language, Science and Maths.
MCM will consider alternative qualifications to GCSE’s and for mature students will consider work history as part of the entry requirement process. If you do not meet the above entry requirements please get in touch and we maybe able to help – firstname.lastname@example.org
Where does this Lead
Most A Level students go on to university, where Psychology has become a very popular subject with strong links to the other social sciences. As it is also considered a science many students opt for Psychology as a third or fourth science in preparation for Medicine, Veterinary Science, Forensic Science and Sport Science.
Some students also progress on to study Law or Criminology.
Psychology is beneficial in careers that involve working with people, such as Marketing or Advertising, where an insight into understanding why people behave the way they do is useful. Psychology is also an essential part of some teacher training.
Tell Me More
Will this subject suit me?
This A Level is designed to develop skills of analysis and evaluation through an examination of arguments and evidence put forward by psychologists. You are expected to be interested in human behaviour and the world you live in. The ideal student would enjoy discussion, reading about new ideas and challenging assumptions.
Good numeracy skills are required due to the science/mathematical nature of the subject.
Personal Study Time
A Level students are expected to devote as much time outside the classroom to their studies as in lessons. Homework will be set regularly but students are expected to undertake self-directed research as well.
Head of Department & Psychology Lecturer


Hubert von Herkomer (26 May 1849 – 31 March 1914), British painter of German descent. He was also a pioneering film-director and a composer.
Herkomer was born at Waal in Bavaria. Lorenz Herkomer, his father and a wood-carver of great ability, left Bavaria in 1851 with his wife and child for the United States, settling in Cleveland, Ohio, for a while, but returned to Europe and settled in Southampton in 1857.
He lived for some time at Southampton and in the school of art there began his art training; he visited Bavaria with his father in 1865 and briefly studied at the Munich academy, but in 1866 he entered upon a more serious course of study at the South Kensington Schools, and in 1869 exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy.
In same year, he also began working as an artist for the newly-founded newspaper The Graphic. It was by his 1875 oil, The Last Muster, after a woodblock from 1871, that he definitely established his position as an artist of high distinction at the Academy . He was elected an associate of the Academy in 1879, and academician in 1890; an associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours in 1893, and a full member in 1894; and in 1885 he was appointed Slade professor at Oxford, a position which he held until 1894.
In 1896 he was knighted by Queen Victoria, and in 1899 awarded Pour le Mérite by Kaiser Wilhelm II.
He exhibited a very large number of memorable portraits, figure subjects and landscapes, in oil and watercolour; he achieved marked success as a worker in enamel, as an etcher, mezzotint engraver and illustrative draughtsman; and he exercised wide influence upon art education by means of the Herkomer School (Incorporated), at Bushey, which he founded in 1883 and directed without payment until 1904, when he retired. It was then voluntarily wound up, and is now defunct.
Despite being a prominent member of Royal Academy, Royal Water-Colour Society and the Royal Engravers, as well as being on familiar terms with the royal family, Herkomer was never totally accepted by the British establishment: He was ultimately a victim of the deteriorating relationship between Great Britain and Germany, where he shuttled in between, spending most of his summers in Bavaria.
Herkomer's massive house, Lululaund, named after Lulu Griffith, second of his three wives, served as his studio, school, theatre and movie studio, where he put on productions of his own plays and musical compositions.
Four of his pictures, Found (1885), Sir Henry Tate (1897), Portrait of Lady Tate (1899) and The Council of the Royal Academy (1908), are in the Tate Collection. In 1907, he received the honorary degree of DCL at Oxford, and a knighthood was conferred upon him by the king in addition to the commandership of the Royal Victorian Order with which he was already decorated.
Herkomer was also a pioneering film maker. He established a studio in Lululaund and directed some seven historical costume dramas, designed to be shown accompanied by his own music. None of them seems to be preserved.
Herkomer died at Budleigh Salterton on 31 March 1914 and was buried in St James's Church, Bushey.
The largest collection of his work is held by Bushey Museum, England, and some is in the Herkomer Museum, Landsberg am Lech, Germany.
Posted by keith armstrong at 1:01 pm


Riding a bike can be a fun and meaningful occupation for kids! They gain a sense of independence and it’s a great activity to do with friends and family! Plus, bike riding is a great form of exercise. Kids typically start learning how to ride a bike anywhere from 2-5 years old. A child needs to be excited to ride a bike which will motivate them to learn to ride a two-wheeler independently! Below are some great tips for teaching your child to ride a bike:
Benefits of learning to ride a bike:
- Increases cardiovascular health
- Increases muscle strength/endurance
- Improves balance
- Relieves stress
- Improves social skills
- Benefits learning development and mental health
Foundational skills required for riding a bike:
- Core strength and postural control: A child needs a strong core and the ability to sit upright to help stabilize and balance their bodies on a bike. Click here for core strengthening exercises for your child!
- Lower extremity strength: A child needs to have leg strength to be able to pedal the bike for longer durations and when on an incline.
- Grip strength: A child needs strong hands to hang on to the handle bars along with being able to squeeze the brakes. Click here for toy ideas that will help increase your child’s grip strength.
- Coordination and motor planning: A child needs to have adequate coordination and planning in order to put all the pieces of riding a bike together such as starting/stopping, turning while pedaling, and ability to control the speed of the bike.
- Attention: A child needs to be able to attend to where they are going and to the surrounding environment to avoid any accidents!
- Body and safety awareness: A child needs to be aware of where their body is in relation to their environment in order to be able to ride a bike within the community in a safe manner. A child also needs to be able to understand safety when riding a bike, for example, not crossing a street when there are cars.
Tips for riding a bike:
- Start with a tricycle, training wheels, or balance bike! Kids who are beginners for riding a bike will start with a tricycle or balance bike to start learning how to coordinate the bike, balance, start, stop, etc. Balance bikes are a great place to start as it is a two-wheeled bike with no pedals and the child has to use their feet to propel the bike. They are great for improving a child’s balance and coordination before trying a two-wheel pedal bike. A tricycle or a bike with training wheels can also be helpful for teaching your child to start/stop, turn, and navigate their environment without worrying about falling.
- Break down the task of riding a bike in to simple steps. For example, you can work on the child’s ability to balance while stationary, then starting/stopping the bike, and so on.
- Create obstacle courses with cones or other objects so that your child learns to turn and avoid obstacles in their way. This can help with safety and awareness of their environment.
- Have your child ride to a visual target such as a cone or favorite toy. This will help their attention and work towards them looking up at the world versus on the ground/wheel.
- There are also a ton of adapted bikes for children with disabilities so that they can learn to ride a bike too! Click here for a blog that describes different options for adapted bikes.
- There are often local bike clinics within your community that may also be useful to helping your child learn to ride a bike. Clinics can provide you with helpful tips and strategies. Plus participating in a bike clinic is also a great social activity!
- Always use a helmet! Safety is key and wearing a helmet with help avoid injury if your child falls while learning. Even when a child is able to ride a bike, wearing a helmet should always be a priority!
Contact Chicago Occupational Therapy or call (773) 980-0300 to learn more about our services and how we can help your child flourish and grow.


Open-ended play empowers the child. Natural Materials empower the play.
At The Mulberry Tree, we use natural materials like wood, cloth, paper, wax, clay, paint, and wire. Instead of plastic toys and gimmick toys, we choose materials that lend themselves to discovery and wonder.
Nature frames our day. Children harvest vegetables and fruits from the garden. Nature inspires our science and art projects. Plants and plant parts are frequent elements of projects (for example, grapevine wreaths). We have lots of opportunity to play in the dirt! Experts such as Jack Gilbert, Faculty Director of the Microbiome Center at the University of Chicago and author of “Dirt is Good”, note an abundance of research that indicates that early exposure to garden soil can benefit a child’s immune system for his entire life.
Healthy food choices are fundamental to our relationship with nature. Children grow, harvest, and prepare wholesome, organic foods throughout the year. They participate in conservation including hot composting and vermiculture. Teachers model healthy food choices. Our snacks are organic, unprocessed, and sugar-free.
The play yard is available throughout the day and can be seen from most interior spaces. It offers:
• a vegetable garden
• compost bins
• a vermiculture (worm) bin
• space for gross motor play
• supplies for imaginative play
• a dirt table
• a mud kitchen
• blocks for outdoor constructive play
• a water/sensory table
Materials support a child’s active learning. Play with unit blocks reveals mathematical concepts long before the child is ready for formal math instruction. Use of oil pastels with watercolors reveal chemical interactions your child can see and understand. Musical instruments are high quality and pitch accurate to preserve a child’s natural musical aptitude. Crayons and chalk, as opposed to markers, develop hand strength during art activities.
We believe that what you won’t find in the school is as important as what you do find.
At The Mulberry Tree, you will not find:
• Technology – we use natural materials to optimize early childhood learning
• Gimmick toys – we believe in ‘elemental’ and homemade toys
• Pesticide-laden foods – We believe wholesome, organic foods are the best for developing bodies
• Intrusive teaching – we cultivate self-direction in the child.
Elemental toys/supplies such as blocks, puppets, magnifying glasses, and crayons give a child full ownership of the play. As the child explores the potential of the material, knowledge and creativity increase. Engagement increases in tandem.
Gimmick toys, especially toys with electric sounds, flashing lights, or artificial scents, give children practice as consumers rather than creators. A child who experiences a gimmick toy over time becomes inured to the stimulation and requires new, more stimulating toys to stay engaged.
Looking to nature as the source of love, joy, and wonder
Quality materials support child-directed learning. They help a child learn without the distraction of artificial stimulation. Loving care completes the setting, allowing the child to flourish as the person she was born to be.


By Teachers, For Teachers
Gung Hey Fat Choy! This is the Chinese way of saying “Happy New Year!” Celebrate the exciting Chinese New Year in your classroom by having students partake in traditional customs, as well as discover the history of the Chinese holiday.
Happy Chinese New Year Birthday
Did you know that during the Chinese New Year it’s a tradition for everyone to turn a year older even if their birth date isn’t during that time? Have your students partake in this fun tradition by creating Chinese New Year birthday cards. Have students choose one person to make a card for and find out the year the recipient was born. Then, have students refer to the Chinese chart to determine which animal their recipient is, and their characteristics. Once students have their information they can begin creating their card. On the front of the card they can draw or paste a picture of the animal that represents their addressee. Then, on the inside of the card, students can write a short message describing why the character traits match his/her personality.
Out With the Old and in with the New
One of traditions before the Chinese New Year even begins is to clean your house to rid last year’s bad luck. Then, once the Chinese New Year begins, it’s a tradition to not clean your house until it’s over for fear you will clean away any good luck. Enlist your students to help you “sweep out the old” by assigning students classroom jobs to approve your classrooms appearance. Once the classroom is clean, tell students that the Chinese also believe that decorating your home with flowers will bring you good luck. Challenge students to create paper flowers out of colored construction paper and pipe cleaners. Then have students display their flowers around your newly cleaned classroom.
We’re Seeing Red
Red is the traditional color used for just about everything during the Chinese New Year celebration. This color represents joy and happiness for the Chinese culture. During your classroom celebration invite students to wear red clothing to school. Enlist students’ help to decorate the classroom with red decorations such as balloons, streamers, and party favors. Have students bring in red-colored treats and snacks such as apples, licorice, cherries, strawberries and candy fish.
Keep a few of these children’s books in your classroom library, or choose a few of these Chinese New Year-related stories to read to your students on or around the holiday.
Do you celebrate the Chinese New Year in your classroom? If so, what are your favorite activities to do with the students? Please share with us in the comment section below! You never know, you may just inspire someone.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who draws on her 15 years of professional experience in the education system. Janelle holds a master's of science in education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, where she provides educational information and lesson plans for teachers around the globe.


This article explores high school students’ perceptions of visual arts integration in the social studies. In an all-boys, public school in a major metropolis in the Midwest, lessons on art by African American and Mexican artists were introduced in a social studies classroom. To assess the impact of the program, the students’ anonymous responses to two surveys and their work on a collaborative, digital portfolio were analyzed. The findings of this study suggest that arts integration in the social studies increases students’ interest in learning, appreciation of culture, and understanding of history.
Taylor, Julie Anne; Iroha, Okezie; and Valdez, Vito
"Culturally Responsive Teaching with Visual Art in the Social Studies,"
The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies: Vol. 76
, Article 3.
Available at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/the_councilor/vol76/iss1/3
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons


Since the United States Congress enacted the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, school districts have been charged with ensuring that all students are proficient in reading and math by 2014. Schools failing to achieve are labeled as failing or needing improvement. This study sought to determine if commercially produced elementary math curricula have an impact on third- and fourth-grade student achievement as measured by the South Dakota Test of Educational Progress.
Two hundred fourteen elementary principals in South Dakota public schools were asked to identify the math curricula used in their third- and fourth-grade classrooms. One hundred two principals responded regarding third-grade math curriculum while one hundred three responded regarding fourth-grade math curriculum. The most utilized curricula in each grade were analyzed to determine if their impact resulted in higher student achievement. The mean and standard deviation for each of the most utilized curricula were rank ordered. The results of the survey indicated that Investigations, published by Pearson, was the most widely used math curriculum for both third and fourth grades. Saxon was the next most used curriculum. Eleven other curricula were also used varying in frequency from one to six.
Inferential statistics were employed for each question by calculating a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine which, if any, curricula related to a higher mean percentage of students scoring in the advanced or proficient categories on the DSTEP. Significant ANOVAs were followed by Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test to identify which groups differ significantly from the others.
Findings indicate that Investigations published by Pearson may relate to higher achievement for Caucasian students. Furthermore, a significant difference between Saxon and Investigations was found for third-grade economically disadvantaged students. The less used curricula related to higher achievement for males in both third and fourth grade.
|Commitee:||Aderhold, Frederick, Bosse, Sherrie, Bright, Larry|
|School:||University of South Dakota|
|School Location:||United States -- South Dakota|
|Source:||DAI-A 74/11(E), Dissertation Abstracts International|
|Subjects:||Mathematics education, Educational tests & measurements, Elementary education, Curriculum development|
|Keywords:||Curriculum, Elementary, Mathematics, South Dakota Test of Educational Progress, Textbook|
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Your Pre-K through 2nd graders will love playing this silly Valentine’s Day Song as they review so and mi and get to act like an animal. Complete with Solfege teaching pages and a simple Orff Arrangement. Perfect for elementary music classrooms K-2.
*Please watch the preview video to see all of the pages and resources included in this resource.
Playing so mi (do)
Singing so mi
Mp3 Practice Track accompaniment only
Teaching pages to review so-mi and quarter and eighth note rhythms.
Sheet Music for Melody, Triangle, Bass Xylophone with solfege and note names
HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE:
I use this resource as a game for Valentine's Day and to assess skills on xylophone. Once the game get's going, I can sit at the xylophone and help and/or assess students playing the melody.
It's also an easy arrangement to help students learn to play in an ensemble.
Teach each part separately, then have students play each part alone and then as a whole group.
This resource is easily adaptable for grades K-3. During the game students can play just the melody or all three parts.
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Sending your child to school before kindergarten has many benefits for your child’s future. Evidence shows a person’s life success, health, and emotional well being are rooted in a child having a proper education when they are young.
Studies show children who go to kindergarten without having preschool beforehand are likely to remain behind through their time in school and even afterwards. This gap is called the achievement gap, and it has been growing across the country. But one way to close this gap is by sending children to early learning programs so they are prepared to enter kindergarten, and thus have the tools to become successful adults.
Why is this? Well, the early years of a child’s life builds the foundation for their future development by forming their intelligence, personality, social behaviour, capacity to learn, and their ability to nurture themselves as an adult.
Children are naturally creative and curious, and they start learning on their own at a very young age. But the best way for your child to gain the foundational skills they need for future success in school is by providing an environment where your child can develop cognitive skills, with early learning centres prepared to capitalise on this time when learning happens much faster.
In fact, studies have found early childhood education increases cognitive and achievement scores in children.
Emotional and social development
Sending your child to an early learning program provides a place for children to express their emotions with people who are not family members. This is an important way to help young kids learn how to interact with their peers, develop social skills, and learn how to manage their feelings by sharing toys and playing with other kids.
A proper education before kindergarten can set your child up for success throughout their life. Here are some of the ways:
- Higher earnings: Studies have shown early childhood education can boost a child’s earnings later in life from 1.3 to 3.5 percent.
- Lower the chances of committing a crime: Research shows improving cognitive and social development early in life reduces a person’s involvement with the criminal justice system.
- Reduces the need for remedial education: Studies have found early childhood education may reduce the need for special education placements and remedial education.


Australian schools should use the extra Gonski 2.0 funding to improve early literacy and numeracy, give teachers fewer classes and more time outside the classroom, and provide classroom management training for teachers, new research from the Centre for Independent Studies finds.
In Getting the most out of Gonski 2.0: The evidence base for school investments, education policy analyst Blaise Joseph has outlined the importance of school investments being evidence-based and cost-effective. He proposes three investments with the potential to significantly improve lagging student literacy and numeracy results
Intervention to help students who are underachieving in literacy and numeracy is more effective in early primary years than in later schooling, the report proposes. In particular, primary schools should invest in training for teachers to improve teaching of reading and phonics instruction.
Teachers should have fewer classes and more time outside the classroom. Australian teachers spend more time each day teaching in class, relative to the OECD and the top-performing countries.
Classroom management training for teachers is the third essential. Australia has high levels of classroom misbehaviour compared to the OECD and top-performing countries and this has negative effects on achievement.
“These three approaches wouldn’t necessarily cost much more money, if for example school professional development budgets were prioritised towards more important training like phonics instruction and classroom management, and if class sizes were increased to offset the cost of fewer classes per teacher,” Joseph said.
“One important caveat is that only NSW and the ACT have accreditation standards for teacher professional development providers, which means much of the compulsory training teachers attend isn’t necessarily evidence-based. States and territories should have more rigorous and transparent standards for professional development providers.”
The report also critiqued two common school investments, arguing they are not adequately evidence-based or cost-effective:


A 1893 S 2045
Establishes Working Group on Deaf Education and directs DOE to develop parent resource guide and select early intervention assessments for use in identifying language delays in deaf and hard of hearing children.
NJEA supports A-1893 (Muoio, Caride, Benson, Chiaravalloti, Mukherji, Caputo, Jasey)/S-2045 (Turner, Ruiz). This bill creates a working group on deaf education, comprised of individuals who use two common modalities in deaf education, American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English. The working group shall make recommendations on issues related to the early linguistic development of children to the Department of Education. The Department is tasked with using the working group’s input to write a parent resource guide on language acquisition and to choose an early intervention assessment to assess the language and literacy development of deaf and hard of hearing children.
Many deaf students today do not live up to their innate potential, for delays in developing and using English often hinder them throughout their entire school career. In fact, 50% of deaf and hard-of-hearing students graduating high school in the US read at or below a fourth-grade level.*
Early intervention for deaf children is critical; consensus in the field is that regardless of what method of communications is used, language must be developed before age 2 if normal language development is to occur.** This is easily achieved when a deaf child is born to deaf adults, for then the family communicates in ASL. However, when a deaf child is born to hearing adults who are not fluent in ASL, this early language acquisition can be extremely limited or even non-existent.
The working group in this bill is balanced between different modalities of teaching deaf children. Its recommendations in a parent resource guide will help parents be aware of their child’s language acquisition and help them ensure that their children are developing adequate language skills, regardless of whether they choose to use ASL or spoken English. Furthermore, the selection of an assessment will ensure that parents and schools can appropriately assess the language and literacy development of deaf children.
NJEA asks that you support this bill.
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Setting up opportunities for your child to explore science doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Here are 1o of our favorite science activities for kids that are super easy to set up at home!
Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!
Have you ever seen the look of pure joy and excitement on a child’s face as they are watching something amazing? I see such fantastic expressions on my children’s faces when they are doing any type of science!
Exploring science with kids can be such a wonderful way to help instill a love of learning in your child. Children LOVE to explore the world around them and watch amazing and surprising things happen. Providing opportunities for science play and exploration also helps kids learn to make predictions and reflect on their discoveries.
10 Science Activities for Kids that are Easy to Set Up
Chromatography Butterflies: This is such a simple, but very surprising science experiment! Instead of mixing colors, you’ll be separating colors. The colorful results end up being the perfect material to make some beautiful butterflies!
Dancing Raisins: For this experiment you only need a few items from your kitchen. Lucy and Theo both LOVED this science demonstration, and it really encouraged Lucy to come up with many of her own theories to test out.
How Many Paperclips?: This is a fun science experiment for the kids to try with some surprising results! This science activity for kids only requires a few things you most likely already have on hand.
Exploring Sound by Making a Kazoo: Making a kazoo is a great way to combine learning with art and music! And the best part is you are reusing old materials instead of throwing them away.
Exploring Sound with a Hanger: This is another experiment on sound. All you will need is a hanger, some string, and some curiosity!
Baggie and Pencil Magic: This was one of my favorite science demonstrations to do as a classroom teacher. My kids were just as enthralled with it at home as my students used to be.
Colorful Chemical Reactions: Who doesn’t love baking soda and vinegar experiments? Lucy had a blast creating her own chemical reactions full of color!
Make a Penny Turn Green: Here’s another chemical reaction involving vinegar. This science experiment is a great way to demonstrate why The Statue of Liberty is green.
Sink or Float: Children of any age really enjoy experimenting with sinking and floating. We took this activity outside so we could fully enjoy it without worrying about any mess.
Birdwatching Printable Book: We absolutely love birdwatching! Print out your own birdwatching book to keep at home or bring with you on road trips or walks to record all the birds you see!
Find more STEM activities in our ebook! Learn more about it here, or buy it now here!


New South Wales is making coding a part of the set curriculum for students from Kindergarten onwards.
The change will begin in 2019, so teachers – it’s time to get prepared.
Ben Levi, founder of extra-curricular program Code Camp, agrees with Education Minister Rob Stokes that coding from an early age will help with kids’ analytical and numeracy skills.
“Teaching kids to code is about teaching kids to be thinkers, problem solvers and digital creators,” Levi says.
Code Camp is the country’s largest provider of coding skills for children aged from 5 years old.
Educating over 20,000 children annually across all states, Levi says the move towards making coding part of the curriculum is a positive move to teach kids coding beyond the school holidays.
In preparation for the changes, from the first term 2018, Code Camp is running an in-school program to help teachers get up to speed.
Levi says learning to code is more than “becoming a developer”.
“Learning to code allows students to be creative with technology, develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills, mathematical, analytical and computational thinking,” he explains.
“In addition, through ‘app building’ we also focus on game design, psychology of user experience and the entrepreneurial mindset.”
Levi says while these skills can be adapted to any role in any industry, it is a brand-new curriculum for our school teachers, and they need our support in the classroom.
Ascham Primary School located in Edgecliff, Sydney has been trialing the program in 2017 and has seen positive results.
Children in the UK, Belgium, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Queensland and Victoria are already teaching coding in schools.
This article originally appeared on Gizmodo Australia. Read the original here.
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EDUC1104 A World of Mobile Learning
- 6 points
|Semester 1||UWA (Perth)||Multi-mode|
- Details for undergraduate courses
- The area of knowledge for this unit is Society and Culture
- Category A broadening unit for Bachelor of Arts students where relevant according to the broadening requirements for each student
- Level 1 elective
- This unit explores mobile learning around the globe, taking in issues in the developing and developed world, spanning the whole range of technology from feature phones to smart devices and wearables, and exploring educational possibilities from e-books and apps through multimedia recording and social/professional networking to QR codes and immersive augmented reality.
The unit demonstrates that new technologies function within complex cultural, social, political, economic and educational ecologies, resulting in different possibilities in diverse cultural contexts. Following an introduction to educational theory, the unit looks at how mobile learning may fit with a variety of educational approaches. Formal and informal mobile learning in the developed and developing world is compared and contrasted, with a number of case studies examined in detail, and the idea that mobile technologies can reach and connect the entire population is critiqued. Networked learning in different contexts, including the role of such learning in social and political events around the world, is also examined.
In addition, there is a close examination of students' own current or future integration of mobile tools to reach and connect with others, and to support their learning. Here, the unit focuses on tools such as feature phones, smartphones, tablets and digital media players, and approaches such as the educational use of SMS, e-books, apps, polling, multimedia recording, QR codes and augmented reality are covered. Following the current shift in Western education to a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model, students are invited to use their own mobile devices to undertake unit tasks, but there is no obligation to do so, as all tasks can be completed on desktop or laptop computers, such as those available in the GSE computer laboratory and other laboratories on campus. Commonly available, free software is recommended to students.
- Students are able to (1) know and understand that new technologies function within complex cultural, social, political, economic and educational ecologies, resulting in different possibilities in diverse cultural contexts; (2) know and understand the specific affordances of mobile devices for formal, informal and networked learning in diverse cultural contexts; (3) know and understand the use of mobile devices for formal and informal learning in both the developing and developed world; (4) apply their knowledge and understanding of mobile devices to support their own learning in the current and future contexts, and critically examine this usage; (5) critically examine the use of mobile devices for formal and informal learning in both the developing and developed world; (6) critically examine the notion of mobile devices delivering digital education and information for all; and (7) create a series of recommendations on using mobile technologies to support learning, for other learners in their major study area.
- Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) weekly online tasks and (2) Multimodal assignment. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 overall and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Mark Pegrum
- Unit Outline
- Semester 1-2020 [SEM-1-2020]
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary reading', 'Recommended reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available via the Booktopia Textbook Finder, which has the functionality to search by course code, course, ISBN and title, and may also be posted or available at the appropriate school's administrative offices. Where texts are listed in the unit description above, an asterisk (*) indicates that the book is available in paperback.


Don't Use Gimmicks to Motivate Students
My son Miles hopped up on his bed with six of his favorite short stories that he wanted to read before bedtime. He had a voracious appetite for reading and loved asking "what if" questions about the characters in the stories. On this night, however, something changed. He finished reading the second book, closed the cover and then looked at me and said "I'm done." With a puzzled look I uttered, "But I thought you wanted to read all six of these books tonight?" Miles replied, "I only need to read two to get the pizza coupon." In an instant I saw my son's intrinsic motivation evaporate. Miles now saw reading as a means to an end; a hurdle to jump over in order to earn the reward.
I believe this discredited theory of motivation has done damage to our student's innate intrinsic motivation. Need more evidence? Just visit virtually any school in America and you will see programs that offer gold stars, food treats, verbal praise and grades as extrinsic motivators with children. Rewards and punishments are two sides of the same coin; they try to coerce or manipulate children into doing what we want. As Alfie Kohn states "I call these if-then rewards. If you do this then you will get that. It only gets you one thing, temporary compliance, but at a very high cost."
As an instrumental music educator I am often asked, "How do you get kids to practice?" When I first began teaching, I did what I knew - practice charts. However, I found that students would lie about practice, forge parent signatures, and do the very minimum amount of time to achieve an A. As Dan Pink states, "The problem with making an extrinsic reward the only destination that matters is that some people will choose the quickest route there, even if it means taking the low road." I have found that when practice minutes or grades are the focus, students will work only to the point that triggers the reward and no further. Recall Miles and his reading—if students get a prize for reading two books, many will not pick up a third, let alone embark on a lifetime of reading.
I believe that we need to "work with" kids and not "do things to" them. We need to fan the flames of curiosity in every child and foster their love of learning. We can tap into intrinsic motivation by providing students some autonomy. How often do students have a say in what they do, when they do it and how they do it? Intrinsic motivation is also fueled by purpose or relevance. People, not just students, yearn to be part of a cause greater and more enduring than themselves. How often do we help students to "connect the dots"? Intrinsic motivation is also the desire to get better at something that matters to us. Mastery is the realization that getting better takes time, effort and persistence. How often do we empathize with our students? I love showing my students this video as it perfectly embodies the desire we need to have to get better and to learn more.
Educators, let us use research, not gimmicks, to inspire our students. Inspire students using autonomy, mastery, and purpose. My son and all future generations deserve the best we have to offer.
Enough with the carrots and sticks!
Chris Gleason is an instrumental music educator at Patrick Marsh Middle School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He is the 2017 Wisconsin Middle School Teacher of the Year and the first Wisconsin teacher to be named a finalist for National Teacher of the Year in 50 years. Chris is the recent recipient of the UW-LaCrosse Burt & Norma Altman Distinguished Alumni Award, 2017 GRAMMY Music Educator Award semifinalist, 2016 Michael G. George Distinguished Music Education Service Award and 2018 National LifeChanger of the Year Award nominee. Chris is a Teacher Leadership and Engagement Specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and serves on committees with TED-Ed and Teach Plus. He is also a proud member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year.


24 August 2016
When it comes to children’s education in Rwanda, the government is oriented towards action: it has set out a clear national vision for the development of the sector, coordinates well with civil society, and maintains high levels of accountability with little evidence of rent-seeking behaviour. But, given this constellation of ideal political commitment, ESID researcher Dr Timothy Williams sought to investigate why primary education quality in the country continues to be surprisingly low.
Educational development is a particularly salient issue in the context of Rwanda. The tiny East African country is just two over decades removed from a civil war and genocide that decimated the country. Approximately 75 percent of all public sector employees, including teachers, were either killed, fled the country as refugees, or went missing. The post-genocide government has since charted an audacious social and economic development project, one which seeks to distance itself from the past by transforming from a subsistence-based agricultural economy to a knowledge-based, market-oriented society. Formal education features prominently in its broader aims.
Thanks in part to a fee-free basic education policy, primary and secondary school enrolment in Rwanda has surged. More children, particularly those from poor families, now have access to more years within the public education system. But learning outcomes are low. Recent evidence has suggested that the majority of children in primary school have not acquired age-appropriate literacy or numeracy skills. In recent years, primary school dropout and repetition have risen, while completion and transition rates have stagnated or declined.
One way to analyse this tension is by looking at Rwanda’s political settlement, a shorthand reference to the fact that when it comes to the effective delivery of services to the poor, politics are central to the success or failure of development efforts.
We found a stated commitment to improving educational quality on the part of the government across all levels. But, at the same time, performance-based incentives at the local level focus on aspects of quality that are measurable—i.e., through the construction of classrooms and provision of materials—rather than on improving the capacity of the teaching workforce or tracking learning outcomes.
Our analysis of the country’s political settlement suggests that, in the post-genocide context, the country’s elite has staked its viability on its attempt to deliver development as quickly as possible. Accountability to the elite has been high and tolerance of corruption and under-performance low. Individuals failing to perform at a high level have been replaced. It wasn’t necessarily that these individuals were failing to work hard, per se. Rather, from the perspective of the elite, there was little patience for or tolerance of under-performance.
That the bar was set so high held leaders to account for their performance. But it also led to discontinuities that did not enable the education system to mature and improve over time. The introduction of an expansive basic education policy and reforms to the language of instruction, for example, happened in the absence of a strategic architecture that could have enabled key stakeholders to plan for and respond to the myriad challenges these policies would bring about.
These policies tended to happen at a pace that left stakeholders in the education sector operating on their heels. That is, if the education sector is oriented towards action, stakeholders in the education sector—e.g., students, teachers, education officers and senior-level education planners—have often had to operate in a perpetual state of reaction.
New classrooms and schools presented some of the most visible and popular commitments of the elite to deliver development to all. The introduction of the English language in classrooms aligned well with the government’s forward-looking developmental aims. But what became apparent in this study was the gap between the government’s developmental aims and the realities facing most Rwandans. If Rwanda was committed to delivering education to the poor, it was also, unfortunately, delivering poor education. It was evident that an effective, sustained strategy to improve education quality has yet to be developed. Given this set of conditions, it is debatable to what extent Rwanda’s approach can be considered as inclusive development when quality for children from the poorest remains so low.
This study builds on recent scholarship that suggests that the low quality education is likely to produce a large cohort of primary and secondary school leavers unable to possess a basic set of skills, including the ability to speak English. Thus, many children may find themselves in an unenviable position: included in the country’s development project vis-à-vis the education system, while simultaneously excluded from meaningful participation, given the poor quality of that system.


The early childhood education (ECE) major provides a background for working with children in educational settings, such as preschool and childcare programs, elementary classrooms and out-of-school time programs. Great emphasis is placed on the development and education of young children. Early childhood education is the area of the teaching profession that involves educating young children to promote their cognitive, physical, emotional and social development.
The program prepares students for the ever-changing needs of children and their families in the context of their communities. In addition to basic human growth and development courses, classes are taken in:
- family relations
- curriculum and assessment
- philosophy of early childhood education
- methods and techniques of working with children, families and communities.
Students also gain teaching experience in early childhood settings, the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education, and elementary schools. Supporting courses are taken in educational foundations, early childhood special education, psychology, math, communications, and key subject matter areas needed to prepare well-qualified educators.
A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in education and human sciences can be earned with a major in early childhood education. Students can choose between two specializations: Birth through Age Eight and Cooperative Elementary Education. Each specialization allows students to focus on a particular age span in working with children and their families.
Birth through Age Eight Specialization (B-8)
This specialization prepares students to work with young children, birth through age eight, and their families. Graduates are prepared to work in inclusive early childhood settings including Head Start, preschools, childcare centers, kindergarten and primary grade classrooms. Students complete two student teaching semesters as well as field experiences at a variety of levels. Completion of this specialization qualifies students for South Dakota teaching certification in Birth through Grade 3 as well as endorsements in kindergarten and early childhood special education.
Cooperative Elementary Education Specialization (Coop)
The Cooperative Elementary Education specialization, delivered in collaboration with Dakota State University (DSU) is for students interested in teaching certification for elementary and middle school grades (Birth through Grade 8). Students attend SDSU and major in early childhood education and then complete coursework on the SDSU campus from the cooperative institutions to apply for elementary certification. Faculty at all both institutions work together to deliver this instruction on the SDSU campus. Typically it will take a student five years to complete the cooperative program.
Endorsements and Certifications
Students in the early childhood education major may choose to add endorsements to their teaching license. The following endorsements are available:
- Kindergarten Endorsement (included in the B-8 plan of study, available with extra coursework for Cooperative Elementary Education)
- Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement, Birth – Age Five (included in the B-8 plan of study, available with extra coursework for Coop)
- Coaching Certifications (extra coursework required)
A degree in early childhood education provides many fulfilling career opportunities for qualified individuals. Careers depend on the graduate’s area of specialization. Theses careers include, but are not limited to:
- Teacher in a preschool or childcare center
- Teacher in an elementary school
- Director and/or owner of a childcare facility or preschool
- Residential care provider for young children
- Head Start teacher, program director or family advocate
- Early Head Start teacher or program director
- Parent educator
- Education director at a museum, zoo or park
The degree also prepares student to go on to graduate school in areas such as early childhood education, child development and family studies, counseling, human resource development, psychology, school administration or a variety of other fields.
For questions or more information, please contact Mary Bowne, ECE Program Leader.


Monte carlo simulation was used to investigate
score bias and information characteristics of Owen’s
Bayesian adaptive testing strategy and to examine possible
causes of score bias. Factors investigated in three
Multivariate generalizability theory was applied to
the assessment of student achievement in art education.
Twenty-five art students rated the paintings of 60
fourth-grade students with regard to three criteria.
Unidimensional item response theory (IRT) has become
widely used in the analysis and equating of educational
achievement tests. If an IRT model is true,
item responses must be locally independent when the
trait is held ...
Two methods of ’equating’ tests are compared, one
using true scores, the other using equipercentile equating
of observed scores. The theory of equating is discussed.
For the data studied, the two methods yield
The concept of shrinkage, as (1) a statistical phenomenon
of estimator bias, and (2) a reduction in explained
variance resulting from cross-validation, is explored
for statistics based on sample eigenvalues.


Of all the surprising statistics in “Fed Up,” a movie that shines a harsh light on childhood obesity in the United States, one really stands out:
Up to 80% of public schools have some sort of contractual arrangement with a provider of fast food, from Coke and Pepsi to McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and more.
With many children eating up to half of their daily calories in school this is a worrisome statistic indeed. But where does the fault lie?
This is a controversial and complicated question. Rather than assigning fault we should be focusing our attention on creating long-reaching change.
Part of that change begins with the people (and the corporations) that grow our food. Sadly, most children today don’t even know what really nutritious and delicious fruits and vegetables taste like! Most of the produce that is grown for conventional grocery stores and food distributors is grown in soil that has been treated with synthetic fertilizers to compensate for the fact that they’ve been woefully depleted of essential minerals and trace elements.
Minerals that aren’t in the soil aren’t in our food—and food without minerals doesn’t just fail to provide proper nutrition, it also doesn’t taste very good! Minerals are what create the sweetness, flavor and nutrition in our food.
So is it any wonder that—given the choice between a greasy slice of pizza or a limp and tasteless salad—kids will choose the pizza, every single time?!
If you’ve read our previous blog post (“What Do Rock Dust and Recess Have to Do With Getting Kids to Eat Better?”), you’ll know that we believe that teaching kids about the link between soil health and good nutrition is essential to our future. That’s why we are proud to lend our support the Seed to Table Program by donating nearly 1,000 pounds of our all-natural volcanic basalt product to the program.
Based in Sisters, Oregon, the program’s mission it is to increase health and wellness of students and families, specifically decreasing obesity, by providing equal access to nutritious foods and offering opportunities in garden based wellness, science and art education. One of the best ways to introduce children to great-tasting, nutritious food is to teach them how to grow their own fruits and vegetables in soil that has been remineralized with all-natural volcanic rock dust. Rock dust is Mother Nature’s own way of making minerals available to plants in the balanced form they need to thrive. In a sense, rock minerals are to soil health what prebiotics and probiotics are to human health.
“Thank you, Cascade Minerals, for your donation of Remineralizing Soil Booster to the Seed to Table Program! It is a fantastic product and we are already seeing results! Being able to integrate a local product such as volcanic basalt and its micronutrient properties into our curriculum has allowed students to gain a larger understanding of geological/soil processes and nutrient requirements of plants in Central Oregon!”
The conclusion? If we want kids to EAT better, we have to TEACH them to GROW things that TASTE better!


What are the race-related struggles that African-American students experience throughout their school years? Here's the story of Tyrone.
Police in schools are being asked to deal with a range of issues, such as being a mental health counselor for a traumatized child. It is unfair to the police and can be harmful for children.
On the 20th anniversary of Bill Clinton's promise to "end welfare as we know it," a social work scholar asks why child poverty is still such a problem in the U.S. and what race has to do with it.
The learning loss that occurs over the summer for poor students can lead to a growing academic achievement gap in subsequent years. What are community schools and how do they help low-income students?
Summer is not an idyllic time for all. Two researchers who are black and are parents to two black children describe why they feel the weight of the summer.
A 'leaky STEM pipeline' keeps many women, racial and ethnic minorities as well as adults from low-income families from pursuing STEM careers. How early do these leaks begin?
The majority of music education teachers in American schools are white, and education focuses on Western classical music. What impact does it have?
Two students -- one black and one white -- with the same math and reading achievement could have very different likelihoods of being identified as gifted.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is replacing No Child Left Behind (NCLB). How much of an improvement is it over the earlier law?
What happens when kids are put through harsh disciplinary measures?


As stated in this challenge, half of refugee children (about 7.4 million) do not attend primary education. As consequence, they are socially excluded due to the lack of educational and social skills. Our solution addresses this challenge because it is a contribution to reduction of barriers to education and skills development of refugee children. This solution will contribute to increasing of educational opportunities for these children by producing low cost educational resources and providing cheap educational services inserted in the development of social, numeracy and literacy skills. To do so, we designed this solution nurtured by the pretension of achieving the following objectives:
· Develop social, numeracy and literacy skills of refugee children, and
· Produce teaching resources to development of social, literacy and numeracy skills.
Our project will last seven months. The first stage will be the selection of potential beneficiaries (children aged 5-10) in accommodation centres. After the completion of this process, we will implement the following activities:
i. Production of teaching material. We will produce teaching resources from recycled material: wood, plastic, cotton, glass and iron. We will also produce teaching material using low cost material: wires and clay. There will be involved project members, beneficiaries, volunteers from Faculty of Languages Sciences (Pedagogical University) and Teachers Training Institute of Maluana. This activity will last one month and its main objective is to allow the availability of teaching resources either for students or for the facilitators resources;
ii. Training sessions. After developing teaching material, we will conduct 90 training sessions. There will be made up of (6) classes of forty children each. These sessions will be conducted by project members and volunteers referred to above. These sections will last six (6) months and will aim at developing numeracy and literacy skills of our target population.
If you have any questions


Venezuela’s National System of Children and Youth Orchestras
The essential goal of El Sistema goes beyond the artistic realm, into the overall context of a policy of participation, integration, education, prevention and rescue aimed at youths.
This project is meant to incorporate children and teenagers in vulnerable situations or extreme poverty into the National System of Children and Youth Orchestras by creating, equipping, developing, supervising and assessing regional orchestras and choirs for children and teenagers, as well as artisanal workshops with musical instruments, giving priority to people with disabilities, children whose rights have been infringed upon, and people living in poverty, to achieve a significant improvement in the quality of life of participants, their families and communities, by using music as a cohesion and social integration strategy, providing the population with activities that allow them to attain development in a socially-minded democracy by establishing and adequate, productive use of spare time.
The widespread expansion of social measures and music education that is El Sistema, seen from a functional, educational, artistic and administrative perspective, has been made possible by setting up local centers and modules in all 24 states of the federal territory. There are currently 440 centers and 1,340 modules across the country, where children, teenagers and young adults are looked after by an academic staff made up of 10,191 teachers distributed across 24 states, and based, most of them, in the schools to support the Simón Bolívar Project for the teaching of orchestral and choir music. The entity currently has 1,210 orchestras and 372 choirs for youths and children.
To date, El Sistema has looked after almost one million children and teenagers. It has performed an average of 600,000 concerts and recitals per year, free of charge, with an estimated attendance of 12 million people.
The scholarship program has benefited 4,407 children and teenagers studying to become musicians, while some are part of the education program for artisans. As for the subsidies program, 211 grants have been allocated to local centers, choirs and orchestras throughout the country.
Musical interpretation has been perfected thanks to 8,254 workshops and 283 seminaries, including master classes, lectures, and conferences on musical specialization led by renowned national and international maestros, impacting a total of 116,420 members of El Sistema, including students, teachers, and musicians. In addition to this, 1,134 people have received training to become instructors.
There is no information available on the subject.