How a hands-on workshop offered by communication undergraduates in Israel enhanced fifth graders’ news literacy skills
This article describes a project-based academic course, called “Children's News: Theory and Social Involvement”, in which communications undergraduate students worked with fifth graders in Israel to create their own newspapers. This hands-on workshop, developed at Sapir College in the south of Israel, helped children become literate in journalism and Newsmaking. They gained knowledge, writing skills, and self-esteem, as well as a sense of the social impact of journalism. The college students increased their own media literacy, gained pedagogy skills and news editing abilities, and got a glimpse of the point of view of children in a conflict area.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Gozansky, Y. (2021). How a hands-on workshop offered by communication undergraduates in Israel enhanced fifth graders’ news literacy skills. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 13(1), 131-137. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2021-13-1-11
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What Do I Need to Study to Be a First Grade Teacher?
First grade teachers work with six- and seven-year-old students. They teach early literacy, mathematics, science and social studies, and they help students develop the social and classroom skills they need to be successful in their academic careers. Teachers develop and deliver lesson plans, grade assignments, supervise and monitor children both inside and outside the classroom, and meet with parents and administrators to discuss student performance. To be a first grade teacher, you need a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate.
Earning a Bachelor's Degree
Future teachers begin their academic journey by graduating from high school and enrolling in an accredited college or university. Candidates who want to teach first grade usually enroll in either an early childhood or an elementary teaching program after completing the required core curriculum classes. Early childhood teachers work with children from infancy to third grade, while elementary teachers teach first through sixth or eighth grade, depending on their state. Early childhood majors take coursework in play activities and materials, methods for teaching math and language arts in early childhood, educational psychology, the history of early childhood education and child nutrition, among many other classes. Elementary teachers study subjects such as the foundations of reading, curriculum and instruction, methodologies for teaching math and science and integrating the arts into an elementary curriculum.
Master's Degree in Elementary or Early Childhood Education
Some teachers choose to obtain a master's degree after completing their undergraduate-level studies or work toward an integrated bachelor's/master's degree. The University of Connecticut, for example, offers students a five-year option for elementary education. After completing the undergraduate requirements, future teachers study for one year at the graduate level. Successful students earn a master's degree and are eligible for certification after meeting the state assessment requirements.
Elementary education majors take classes such as mathematics in the elementary classroom, curriculum and instruction, literacy instruction, special education methods and classroom assessment. Graduate students who major in early childhood education complete coursework in developmental and learning theories, cultural issues, technology in the classroom, reading education and working with families.
All teaching candidates are required to spend at least one full academic semester in the classroom, teaching under the supervision of a college supervisor and a cooperating classroom teacher. Most students complete their student teaching at the undergraduate level, but some students who choose to earn a master's degree before entering the classroom complete their student teaching at the graduate level instead. Novice teachers spend the first few weeks observing, but their responsibilities in the classroom slowly increase over the course of the semester until they are completely in charge of the class.
State Assessments and Licensure
All states require students to take and pass one or more assessments before they grant a license to a teaching candidate. These tests evaluate the future instructor's knowledge of her subject area and her understanding of pedagogical methods and techniques. The tests vary depending on the state. In Arizona, for example, a first grade teacher with an elementary education certification is required to take a two-part elementary-level test that evaluates her understanding of how to teach math, science, social studies and reading. Elementary education majors in Connecticut, however, are expected to complete a foundations of reading test, a pedagogical test and a multiple-subject elementary education assessment.
- Education Portal: First Grade Teacher Education Requirements and Job Description
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers
- National Evaluation Series: NES Subject Knowledge Tests for Arizona
- Connecticut State Department of Education: New Praxis Tests - Elementary Education


The University of South Dakota received a one-year grant to incorporate earth science and sustainability issues into a variety of academic departments.
The $43,620 “Sustainable Rivers: Integrating Earth Science & Sustainability Across the Curriculum” grant will allow participating professors to take their classes to the Missouri River for various demonstrations.
Thirteen different classes representing 11 different departments are participating in the program.
The grant is a part of the InTeGrate project, a National Science Foundation program that aims to educate the public on geoscience and its relation to societal issues.
Earth science professor Mark Sweeney said this integration is an important addition to student curriculum. He said the program’s primary function is to show students how science relates to other topics such as English, history and economics.
“As someone who has been teaching science at the university for a while, I saw two things: one, I really felt that we could do a better job of science literacy, and two, to show connections between classes,” Sweeney said.
Participating classes will give students the chance to experience more on-site learning.
“There’s a lot of faculty that already have research expertise in the river, and we wanted to do more place-based learning,” sustainability professor Meghann Jarchow said. “For example, my sustainability and society class is partnering with Nebraska Indian College to go to Gavins Point Dam and look at the river on each side of the dam to look at the erosion.”
Junior Becca Torres, a sustainability student, said she’s looking forward to doing hands-on learning at the river.
“I am extremely excited. I want to specialize in marine conservation so this is a big step to learn more about water resources and different ways we can utilize it respectfully,” Torres said. “This also opens a door to explore the environment aspect of sustainability aside from that of the economic, political and social to really understand what brings all these branches together.”
Earth science and sustainability classes will be taking field trips throughout the semester along with a few other classes. One of the more unique classes, elementary education, will demonstrate how to teach K-12 students about river safety, Jarchow said.
“There are a number of classes that are participating and some of the departments will be doing field trips and others won’t,” Sweeney said. “The whole idea is to see how we can integrate the science of rivers into different classes.”
Jarchow said most faculty in the program will be coming from a non-scientific discipline. Although the grant will only last for a year, both Sweeney and Jarchow hope the incorporation of science in other departments will continue to spread.
“We hope that if this is successful, they will continue to integrate this into the future and that each of these faculty will be advocates in their departments to spread the word to other faculty,” Sweeney said.
(Photo: University of South Dakota faculty members attended a workshop in May at Ponca State Park for the Sustainable Rivers project. The group stopped to read a sign along the Missouri National Recreation River. Submitted Photo / The Volante)


Music advocacy is a hot topic-of-discussion for administrators, parents, teachers, and everyone keenly interested in creating the most potent curriculum possible for today’s students. Breakthrough research continues to point to the study of music as a key component to personal success-development in every facet of personal and professional life. The positive impact of music is no longer a hypothetical theory but is based on ongoing studies that clearly demonstrate the popular theme: music makes the difference.
In the mid-90’s the work of Dr. Gordon Shaw and Dr. Frances Rauscher (University of California – Irvine) drew the attention of the national media by showing the neurological impact of listening to music and performing music. Recently, studies have evidenced the health/wellness benefits enjoyed as a result of making music. The scientific world and the artistic community are working in tandem to explore the unlimited power-of-music at it relates to human development. More importantly, it is apparent this is only the beginning of the good news to come.
What relevance does music advocacy have to your life? We all seek “betterment” in our lives, whether it is in our workplace, our schools, our communities, or our social environments; there is an innate desire for improvement. It is no accident we find a strong correlation between the educational, economical, and emotional well being of individuals and the link to music participation. We now understand music is not reserved for a select group of talented individuals, but it is an expressive language available to all who are interested listening, playing, singing and creating music; everyone is a candidate to enjoy the rewards of music.
The good news is: “We have much good news about the extraordinary benefits of studying music.” Now we must take action to get this compelling data to everyone.
All too often we think if we have a respectable band, choir, and/or orchestra in our local school, a good membership in the church choir, or an active community band/orchestra/choral society, we are not in need of music advocacy. Complacency is the enemy. We must constantly wave the flag to insure the interest of music in our communities.
It is easy to read the material and be convinced of the importance of music, however the task of music advocacy outreach often falls to the bottom of the “to do” list. Your own life has been influenced by music. You have firsthand knowledge of the value of music as it relates to every aspect of your lifestyle. You know the discipline of music has a direct translation to the disciplines required for a happy, healthy life. You understand what a positive difference music has made in your life. The next step is to bring this awareness to others; to give them the gift of music. All-too-often we find ourselves saying, “That’s true, but I’m just one person, and I can’t make a difference.” It is simply not true; the fact of the matter is, we need as many “one persons” as we can get to accept the challenge and spread the good news. Perhaps music advocacy isn’t as much “what we do” as it is “who we are.” We don’t just believe in the fundamental value of music, we know music is an essential element of humankind. We must join hands and tell the story, so our children, our grandchildren, and generations to come will have music in their lives.
We are one of the few nations that has successfully integrated music education as a choice in the daily school curriculum; music is not just for the “chosen few”, but we can embrace all students availing them to the intrinsic value of music. Music for the sake of music; there is no substitute, and without the understanding of the immeasurable benefits of music learning, music listening, and music making, many people simply will never tap that creative part of their artistic potential. We must educate to perpetuate the theme: music for all.


© 2003 GIA.
Item #: G-5278 Status: Available
Series: First Steps in Music
Click here to download the 2020 Supplement to First Steps in Music.
Whether sung around a campfire, in a classroom, or on a family road trip, call and response songs, in which a leader sings a phrase and a group sings back a reply, are a wonderful interactive experience for kids!
Because they are easy to learn and fun to sing, call and response songs are a wonderful way to engage children, while at the same time plant the seeds of musical sensitivity and imagination. This special book, for the first time, collects the most cherished of these songs (some in danger of being lost or forgotten), enabling your family to carry on the tradition of laughter and learning that call and response songs have inspired for generations!
John M. Feierabend, PhD, has spent decades compiling songs and rhymes from the memories of the American people in hopes that these treasures will be preserved for future generations. He is a leading authority on child development in music and movement and served as Professor and Chair of the Music Education Department of the Hartt School of the University of Hartford.
Categories: Children/Youth, Folk Music
Number of Pages: 88
Discipline: General Music


Here at Science Sparks we love autumn with its crunchy leaves, beautiful colours and crisp, fresh air! I’ve got a huge collection of autumn science experiments you might like and have pulled together these autumn STEM challenges to help get the most out of the changing seasons too!
If you’re looking for more general science experiments try my collection of FREE printable experiments. It’s an ever growing collection of science experiment instructions for kids and adults!
Autumn STEM Challenges for Kids
Jumping leaves – static electricity experiment
Learn about static electricity with these jumping leaves!
How tall is a tree?
Find out a fun method of measuring how tall a tree is!
LEGO autumn tree model
Model the changing seasons with LEGO! We added little LEGO hedgehogs and lots of other fun additions to our models.
Create an autumn treasure stick
Place a strip of double sided tape on a stick and search for autumn treasure to attach to it on a walk.
Another idea is to cut out a crown or frame from cardboard and attach colourful leaves to decorate it.
Create an autumn collage
Use your imagination to create a vibrant autumn collage.
FREE PRINTABLE AUTUMN STEM CHALLENGES
Click on the image below to download your FREE printable autumn STEM challenges.
More autumn science for kids
Try some delicious apple experiments. Make apple cider, find out why apples rot and how to keep them fresh!
How about an autumn treasure hunt? Print the sheet and head to out to see what you can find!
If your children love Halloween, I’ve got a deliciously spooky collection of Halloween science experiments, including pumpkin lava lamps, witchy potions and shadow puppets.
My Halloween STEM challenges are great fun too!
If you’ve got a little one at home this pumpkin and tube activity looks brilliant from Happy Toddler Playtime.
I’ve also got some easy ideas for a Halloween party you’ll never forget.
Last Updated on September 23, 2022 by Emma Vanstone
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Aspects of mindset involving determination, tenacity, and confidence are prudent. Further, it is the situation of being aware of the employers’ needs and understanding the best way to tailor oneself and match their targets. It is characterized by identification of personal strengths and being cognizant of how best you are at telling the probable employer about them (Murdock and Scutt, 2007). Additionally, it is a task of knowing your personal weaknesses, coming up with plans of action on how you can improve them (Lumley and Wilkinson, 2014, p.1). Lumley and Wilkinson (2014, p.1) adds that there are more graduates looking for jobs, therefore, a person needs to have distinct features in order to stand out of the crowd. Graduates need to provide distinctive evidence that they not only possess transferable skills, but also a special kind of mindsets. Basically, a key factor for employment is a person’s mindset, which is characterized by varied attitudes that are often demonstrated through a range of activities. For example, the extracurricular activities that people engage in. Richard (2009, p.7) advises that the development of accounting staff should not be neglected as this can be a long term detriment to a business.
The fresh graduate’s portfolio needs to have multiple knowledge bases with a range of skills that are acquired through the university curriculum and then consolidated by practice. Indeed, a variety of technical skills assist professional accountants to satisfy their employers by conducting their work efficiently and effectively. Essentially, functional and technical skills involve a range of general skills and skills that are specifically tailored to the field of accountancy. The skills required include risk analysis and decision making, numeracy skills, measurement skills, reporting skills, and compliance with regulatory and legislative necessities (Oussii and Klibi, 2013, p119). The accounting profession has faced close scrutiny due to the failure of high-profile corporates, globalization, and mutable technologies. .  .  .


Cultivating Wonder, Sparking Joy
Curiosity, energy, and a natural excitement for exploring. Kindergartners were created uniquely to experience the world God created with wonder and enthusiasm. Their early learning experiences should encourage and reinforce these natural tendencies as well as prepare them for a lifetime of joyful learning.
Kindergarten at Covenant welcomes these eager young learners into the classroom to begin building fundamental skills while encouraging their curiosity. We guide them to ask good questions and train them to think deeply about each subject area. Students discover new knowledge through movement, songs, jingles, and chants. Through classroom discussions, quality literature, and devotionals, students gain wisdom to discern right from wrong and begin to understand their own role in the Great Conversation.
Learning in these early years sets the stage for structured educational experiences in the future. Students gain foundational skills to help them think deeply, read widely, and write well. Through systematic phonics instruction, hands-on experiences in science, and consistent and orderly practice in mathematics, these young learners grasp new concepts with eagerness and joy. Kindergarten provides students with a preview of the many things they will learn and experience during their years in the classical Christian classrooms at Covenant and prepares them for the rigors of classical education along with a love for learning alongside their peers.
Many parents are concerned about whether or not their child is prepared for kindergarten at Covenant. We’re delighted to partner with parents as they seek to prepare their children to begin a Covenant education. Preparation for kindergarten should be filled with joy and energy to excite both the mind and the body.


Looking for a fun science activity you can do right now with the kids? Here are 12 of our favorite science activities and science experiments for kids that require materials you probably already have at home!
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If you’ve been following us for a while, you know how much we love science! Science activities are such a great way to inspire children to make predictions and critically think about the world around them. Often, these science experiments even lead to more questions and discoveries as children test out new theories and ideas they come up with!
I love being able to do an impromptu science exploration after school or on the weekends with the kids. These 12 science activities and experiments for kids are perfect for a rainy day or any other time you need a spur-of-the-moment activity. With materials you already have right at home, you can create a meaningful learning and play experience for your child!
Check out even more science ideas on Buggy and Buddy in the video below!
12 Impromptu Science Experiments and
Activities for Kids
Explore the Density of Liquids with Salt: You only need a few materials from your kitchen to set up this fun science exploration! My kids came up with all kinds of ideas and predictions while doing this!
Baggie Burst Science: This is the perfect activity for after school. I showed Lucy how to make these bursting baggies on her own, and it kept her busy for a long time! She came up with all kinds of variations to try on her own!
Balancing Robot Science: Print out these free robots and you’ve got a great coloring page that turns into a super fun science exploration! You’ll just need a couple pennies!
10 Simple Weather Activities: Print out these sheet of simple weather activities to keep on hand next time the kids are feeling bored.
Chromatography with Markers: You’ll need some coffee filters and markers to do this chromatography exploration. And you can easily turn your results into a fun butterfly craft!
How Many Paperclips: My students always loved trying out this simple science exploration. They were always so surprised by the results!
Exploring Surface Tension: Here’s another simple science exploration you can do after school- perfect quiet time activity!
Chemical Reactions with Baking Soda and Vinegar: The kids and I gathered a few kitchen materials and headed out to our backyard for literally hours of fun creating and exploring chemical reactions!
Sink or Float?: This never gets old! We love grabbing a big container of water and heading outside on a sunny day to explore sinking and floating!
Make a Penny Green: Ever wonder why the Statue of Liberty looks green? This simple science activity will show you why!
Exploring Sound with a Hanger: Here’s a really fun way to explore sound! You most likely have everything you need right at home!
Dancing Raisins: This is always a favorite with both my children! This science activity led to all kinds of questions and additional ideas the kids wanted to try out!
Be sure to check out all our science activities for kids on Buggy and Buddy!
Find more STEM activities in our ebook! Learn more about it here, or buy it now here!


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- Read Aloud Book Videos for Kids on YouTube
Read Aloud Book Videos for Kids on YouTube
Why Read Aloud?
Reading aloud is one of the most important things caregivers and teachers can do with children. Research has repeatedly proved that this one simple parenting technique is among the most effective. Children who are read aloud to by caregivers get a head start in language development and literacy skills and go to school better prepared. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about.
Although there is no substitute for reading in person to a child, there are still many benefits from using technology to show videos of people reading stories. In addition to many of the perks mentioned above, videos of books can offer a few novel benefits as well (pun intended).
- Often include music or sound effects to help set the mood.
- Often include animations, zooming, and panning to bring the book to life and help follow or focus in on the action.
- Can provide a different take on the reading of the story with the narrator’s voices and inflections.
- Can be watched independently by the child.
- Can be sped up or slowed down, paused, and rewound as needed
YouTube "Read Aloud" Book Videos for Kids
Here is a list of suggested YouTube channels and playlists that provide videos of books being read aloud for children.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office - SRD Reads To Me - Join your favorite School Resource Deputy and some special friends as they share an educational reading with you and your family. YouTube Link
Storyline Online - This channel features celebrities reading storybooks along with animations created from the book illustrations. YouTube link
KidLit TV - This is a playlist with dozens of children’s book being read by the authors, provided by KidLit TV. YouTube link
PBS KIDS Read-Alongs -Along with story-time of a beloved book, each PBS KIDS Read-Along is designed to encourage engagement among families who tune in, with activity ideas and questions that spark conversation. YouTube Link
Kid Time Story Time - The narrator for these books uses puppets and lots of great voices when reading, and adds many comments and questions during the story to dig deeper. Sometimes the book is in English AND Spanish. Playlist here | YouTube link
Sankofa Read Aloud - Online African American Children Stories YouTube link
Puffin Books - Although the Puffin channel includes a wide range of book-related videos, they also have quite a few stories being read by authors or celebrities. YouTube link
Story Time for Children - Story Time for children comes from a collaboration of Toddler Fun Learning and Ladybird books, and offers a wide collection of children’s books with creative sound effects, zooming, and panning. YouTube link
- StoryTime with Ms. CeCe -Youtube Link
- Little Readers - YouTube link
- Little Angel Reader - YouTube link
- Grammy's Book Nook - YouTube link
- Happy Cultivated - YouTube link
- Bookbuddy - YouTube link
- StoryTime at Awnie’s House -YouTube link
- Kids Stories 4 You - YouTube link
- Love2read4kids - YouTube link
- WizKid Campus - YouTube link
- Polka Dot Tots - YouTube link
- Storytime Castle - YouTube link


Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.
Non-UMass Amherst users, please click the view more button below to purchase a copy of this dissertation from Proquest.
(Some titles may also be available free of charge in our Open Access Dissertation Collection, so please check there first.)
The effect of a skills-based fluency intervention on the writing of third-grade students identified as less fluent writers
The dissertation examines the effects of a six-week, skills-based, orthographic awareness / phonics / handwriting intervention on the spelling and writing fluency of third-grade students identified as low-performing writers. Discussion centers on the relationship between spelling, handwriting, and writing fluency. Data are presented to document gains in spelling fluency. Students did not show evidence of gains in handwriting or writing fluency. Hypotheses are presented to explain lack of growth on handwriting and writing fluency measures, and possible shortcomings of CBM-Writing as an outcome measure is discussed.
Elementary education|Educational psychology
Bruinooge, Eric A, "The effect of a skills-based fluency intervention on the writing of third-grade students identified as less fluent writers" (2011). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI3461990.


Does Art Make You Smart? A Longitudinal Experiment of the Effects of Multiple Arts- Focused Field Trips
art education, field trips, school engagement, test scores
This paper presents second year results from the first ever multi-visit, longitudinal experiment on the benefits from arts-focused field trips. Students in fourth and fifth grades in ten elementary schools in a large urban school district were randomly assigned to receive three arts-related field trips throughout the school year, including an art museum, a live theater production, and a symphony performance or to serve as a control. We find that treatment students exhibit higher levels of school engagement as measured by students’ behavioral infractions and self-reported engagement. We also find that treatment students perform significantly better on their end of year standardized tests, up to 16% of a standard deviation increase. These effects are persistent even one year following treatment. However, the effects appear to be stronger for the first cohort of students in our sample.
EDRE Working Paper
Erickson, H. H., Greene, J., Watson, A., & Beck, M. I. (2019). Does Art Make You Smart? A Longitudinal Experiment of the Effects of Multiple Arts- Focused Field Trips. Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/edrepub/88
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How does a teacher support early readers to make connections between phonics instruction and opportunities to practice and apply new reading and language skills? By providing connected texts! ESCS Kindergarten teacher, Helen Schroeder, with SEF’s support, provided her students with engaging decodable books to, as Ms. Schroeder reports, “practice and build their decoding skills in the classroom.” Students loved the high-quality, fun-to-read books that they called “tapping books” and they allowed Ms. Schroeder to better differentiate her reading instruction. The result of using the grant-funded books in her class is that for students, the “connection is now so clear” between what students are learning in the Fundations curriculum and applying that knowledge to reading. One day at the end of Reading Workshop, one student looked at Ms Schroeder and declared, "I just LOVE tapping books!" It was a proud moment for the student, for the teacher, and a joy for the SEF Board to hear about. Ms. Schroeder has been able to share the new books with colleagues at her school, a “great opportunity to collaborate,” and she hopes to continue to grow her collection of decodable books.
Learning With Puzzles AT Capuano
The grant-funded magnetic puzzles in Matthew Yiu’s Pre-Kindergarten Capuano classroom helped to provide students with equitable and differentiated access points to the curriculum. Mr. Yiu reports, “All students were interested and able to learn letters, numbers, shapes, and write their names [with the puzzles].” The new classroom resource also helped students to work together, share, take turns and interact with the curriculum in a hands-on way. Mr. Yiu also reports that use of the puzzles in his classroom served as a powerful learning opportunity for both students and Mr. Yiu himself when in one instance, he witnessed two students in his classroom playing together for “a full 30 minutes,” engaging with the puzzles together. Mr. Yiu has shared with his colleagues the success of these puzzles in his classroom and will continue to advocate for more resources like these for his school.
World Languages Department Chair Dr. Lisa Machnik was awarded funds to support a multidisciplinary project as students explored the Arabic influences on Moroccan blue tiles and their history and place in the culture in France, Portugal, Spain and Italy during their world language classes. Both students and teachers benefited from the funding of this project. As a department, teachers and students got a deeper understanding of the Arabic influence on the cultures of the languages being taught in Somerville PS. Dr. Machnik reported that watching students engaged in the project was really special. In addition to that, World Language teachers were happy to relay that students were very engaged in creating the tiles and were proud of their beautiful work.
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Hiring preschool teachers and other staff members can be a challenge. Early childhood learning centers need to develop strategies to find the right kind of people who can handle this demanding job. Hiring managers are tasked to discover those special people who have what it takes to make young learners thrive and develop into successful kindergartners and school-aged children. Make your task of hiring the right preschool teachers and staff easier by looking for these eight essential character traits and job skills when you are hiring your staff.
The first important skill that all preschool teachers and staff members need to be equipped with is patience. Dealing with young learners may involve a variety of different types of situations. Preschoolers can be messy and slower than other, older learners because the educational experience is a new thing for them. Successful preschool teachers need to be able to have the calm patience that young learners require when teaching new skills or reinforcing various behaviors.
Creativity is another top skill that preschool teachers and staff should possess. A big part of this job is developing lesson plans that are engaging to young learners. Preschoolers require a lot of hands-on experiences that capture their imagination and teach them basic skills in literacy, math, and social interactions. Creative personalities can dream up a variety of ideas that are interesting to young learners and also meet their educational needs.
A quality preschool teacher needs to also have a friendly, welcoming personality. Schools today cater to a variety of different types of learners, and a friendly, outgoing teacher or support staff member can help children achieve, no matter what. The preschool community may include learners with special needs, children from different backgrounds, children who may not speak English, and many other different circumstances. Children should have a positive experience for their first time in school, and a friendly, caring teacher is someone who can guide them to the path of success in these early years.
Knowledge of Positive Behavior Interventions
Teachers at all levels should also demonstrate knowledge of positive behavior interventions. Making sure little people follow the school’s behavior expectations can be difficult, but with positive behavior intervention strategies, everyone tends to be more successful. This type of behavior intervention philosophy focuses on building community, highlighting good behavior, and earning rewards. If students don’t meet the expectations, there are consequences, but there are more things for students to earn and get excited about than worrying about doing the wrong thing. For a future preschool teacher for your building, candidates should have a strong understanding of how positive strategies work.
Another key skill that preschool staff members need when working with young learners is physical stamina. At programs like Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, students do a variety of learning tasks throughout the day and need assistance at times. Preschool teachers and staff members sometimes need to get down to the students’ level to assist. They also need to participate in activities such as physical education, playground supervision, art, and other hands-on experiences. The ideal preschool teacher should be able to get right in the action and work with kids with lots of energy.
Next, organizational skills are a must for staff members who work with early learners. Preschool teachers may be required to develop a daily schedule of lessons and activities for various contents, such as reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and health. Children tend to thrive in routines, and the teacher must also show strong skills in following the same routine every day. There are a lot of different early childhood learning skills to cover, and the best educators have everything organized and planned out ahead of time to get the children to the next benchmark.
Experience With Curriculum Standards
Educators working at all levels also need to have knowledge and experience with curriculum standards. For students in preschool, it’s common for schools to work towards the state’s kindergarten readiness standards. An effective early childhood educator will be well versed with these standards and be able to design lessons and activities that help students achieve goals and standards that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. Educators should also have a good sense of understanding about the Common Core Curriculum and how it can be applied in their own classroom.
Knowledge of Childhood Development
The last essential piece of a top candidate who is capable of working in a preschool environment is knowledge of childhood development. Young children go through various stages of development before, during, and after the preschool years. Effective educators should be able to recognize the different stages of development for young children. They can use this knowledge to design better learning activities that appeal to the children in different developmental stages.
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Vocabulary can be described in its most basic sense as “learning new words.” Words and their meanings are a foundation for literacy development and reading comprehension. It’s kind of like the old adage, “You have to learn to walk before you can run.” This skill is strongly supported when a child is read to daily by an adult in his or her life. This could be reading books together at night, reading the names of items at the grocery store, or even simply talking aloud about what you’re doing.
To help support our youngest learners, the Winona Public Library hosts two storytimes per week that include carefully chosen picture books, complementary songs & activities, and a craft at the end that brings everything together. Throughout our storytimes, we build a dialogic reading conversation. This means that we create a dialogue out of what’s happening in the story rather than simply reading the page word for word. This brings about an awareness of vocabulary, predictive knowledge, and narrative skills.
There are a number of ways you can implement vocabulary development at home. The best part about building vocabulary is that it can be done anywhere. Start with these five simple strategies and build as you go:
- Open a conversation about what’s going on at that moment. Example: “Time to put your shoes on! First the left foot, then the right foot. Look at all the colors you have on your shoes. Can you name them all for me?”
- Play telephone. Pretend to talk on the phone with your child. Have a conversation about anything and don’t be embarrassed if someone hears you. This builds their vocabulary and their imagination.
- Open a book and point to items on the page. Example: “What animal do you see on this page? Right, a big bear! Where do you think he lives? Does he look happy or mad? Does he sleep all winter or stay awake? What do you think his favorite food is?”
- Gather random objects from around the house (seriously, even a paper towel roll is great). Put them out on the table and play a game of “I Spy” with your child. If they don’t know the word for something, slowly sound it out with them.
- Take a walk together and talk about what you see. Example: “That tree is a maple tree. Did you know its leaves turn yellow and orange when it starts to get cold? It’s so much taller than the tree next to it! I wonder if that tree is older than the other ones. What do you think?”
Don’t stress yourself out about practicing vocabulary every day. One of the most effective ways to build literacy skills is to simply spend time together. For more information or guidance, please visit the Winona Public Library. Our friendly staff is always ready to help you navigate the path of early literacy (and beyond).
Use one of these free handouts to practice at home:


Do your students need help understanding division? Arrays and equal groups are two visual models that can be used to help students understand division.
An array is a visual representation of a multiplication problem but it can also be used to show a division problem. Just look at the example below.
Jackson has 12 football cards. His album only has 3 pages left and he wants to place the same number of cards on each page. How many cards should he put on each page?
To solve the problem using arrays, draw 3 rows using counters. Continue drawing one in each row until you count up to 12. To find the quotient, count the number of counters in each row making sure that each row has the same number of counters.
So, to answer the problem, Jackson should put 4 cards on each page of his album.
Using arrays in solving division problems helps students see the relationship between multiplication and division.
Another concept that can be used to help students understand division is equal groups. Equal groups show that when you divide, they should have equal parts and each part should have the same size or same number. Just look at the example below.
Ms. Jones has 15 apples and 3 containers. She wants to place the same number of apples in each container. How many apples should she put in each container?
To solve the problem using equal groups, draw circles to show the number of groups, in this case, the containers.
In each circle, draw one counter each until you draw 15. To find the quotient, count the number of counters in each group and make sure that you have the same number in each group.
So, to answer the problem, Ms. Jones should put 5 oranges in each container.
By using equal groups, students will be able to understand that division is the process of breaking a larger number into smaller, equal parts.
Together, arrays and equal groups are great visual models to help students understand the meaning of division and how it relates to multiplication. These two models help visualize the problem and break it down into smaller parts. In turn, students can develop a deeper understanding of how division works.
Activities to Practice Division Using Equal Groups and Arrays
Here are some ways students can practice division using arrays and equal groups.
- Write a journal: Give students a problem to solve using arrays and equal groups. You can even let them write their own problems too!
- Use word problems: Give students division word problems and let them use manipulatives such as blocks to solve the problem.
- Observation: Let students look for arrays or equal groups that they see inside or outside the classroom, or even at home. Let them draw it and write a division equation for it.
- Use virtual manipulatives: If you need online manipulatives to make them more accessible to students, you can use this one.
- Use worksheets and online resources: Worksheets and online resources provide practice problems and interactive activities to help your students practice the skill. Here are some that you can use. (Note: These links will send you to my TPT store.)
By providing your students with constant practice, they will be able to have a deeper understanding of division and have a strong foundational skills.


Welcome to Patterson Art Masterpiece!
Art Masterpiece is a national art enrichment program that uses reproductions of fine works of art to promote art literacy in elementary school age children. It is based solely upon volunteers, as there is currently no funding for art education in our schools. The purpose is not to teach specific art/craft techniques, but rather to increase the child's awareness of art.
Why is art education important? Studies prove that art enhances a child’s overall education. Art encourages cognitive, analytical and creative thinking skills. It strengthens physical coordination and develops self-discipline. As children increase their awareness of art, they are more able to recognize, interpret and value the art they encounter in their everyday world.
Our Volunteers commit to a short training meeting at the beginning of the school year to go over the program and how to teach the lessons. Lessons are taught by Volunteer Art Guides on a monthly basis, six per school year. Normally each class will have around 2-3 other Art Guides present for each lesson to help out when needed. During the one-hour Art Masterpiece session, students will learn about a carefully selected artist, their contribution to the art world; study a specific piece of artwork by that artist and then create their own artwork based on the principles they have learned.
The volunteer Art Guides DO NOT have to have a background in art or have any type of art experience. Grade level tubs are located in our workroom and are filled with appropriate articles and supplies that are needed and coincide with the lesson being taught. Our Art Masterpiece program has had great success over the years. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the volunteers that help to make this program run smoothly.
Come join your child in their classroom with this amazing program at Patterson.
We are always looking for new volunteers and appreciate our veteran volunteers as well.
If you are interested in helping out or joining in the fun, please contact Shauna McDonald at email@example.com or Marlyssa Ittles at firstname.lastname@example.org.


Now that you have a general overview of coding, it’s time to jump in and begin learning. But where do you start? You have the choice of many different coding languages and technologies – and it can be hard to decide what to learn.
Why? The main reason is because it’s especially well suited to beginners. With each line of HTML code you write, you can instantly see the resulting web page in your browser – no matter how plain and basic it may be.
Not all forms of coding are like this. Often you need to develop a fair amount of preliminary knowledge and skill before you can see the results of your efforts. And if you try to experiment, you might run the risk of breaking something!
Compared to other forms of coding, you can have a lot of fun playing around with web development as a beginner.
Easy to Set Up
The other bonus for a beginner like you is that web development is so simple to set up. Unlike other coding technologies, which might require you to…
- have a certain operating system
- install software
- go through a technical, complicated installation process
- purchase a development license.
When you have more experience, you might want to try other forms of coding. But as a beginner, you’re better off sticking with web development. It works with any operating system, and you also don’t need to install any special web design software. All you need is a browser and a text editor.
Plus, the web isn’t owned by a corporation, so you don’t need to purchase a development license or any proprietary software. You also don’t need to pay for web hosting if you’re just getting started.
Even if you choose to move on to another form of coding, learning basic web development is a nice way to gain those foundational skills that will prove to be invaluable, whatever route you choose next.
When you try out web coding for yourself, you’ll wonder whether it really was designed specially for beginners – because it sure seems like it!
Plenty of Training Available
Another reason for learning web coding is that there’s an abundance of training available on the Internet. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
A lot of the coding training you’ll find on the Internet, such as Treehouse, has a focus on web development. It’s worth choosing web development over other forms of coding just because there’s more training available.
The next page explains how you can start learning web development. You’ll get an overview of the different parts of web coding you should learn, and you’ll find out about some of the different methods of learning them.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.


Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(ren), child care typically refers to the care provided by caregivers that are not the child's parents. Child care is a broad topic that covers a wide spectrum of professionals, institutions, contexts, activities, and social and cultural conventions. Early child care is an equally important and often overlooked component of child's developments.[US 1]
|Outside the home|
|Institutions and standards|
Care can be provided to children by a variety of individuals and groups. Care facilitated by similar-aged children covers a variety of developmental and psychological effects in both caregivers and charge. This is due to their mental development being in a particular case of not being able to progress as it should be at their age.[US 1] This care giving role may also be taken on by the child's extended family's. Another form of childcare that is on the rise in contrast to familial care giving is that of center-based child care. In lieu of familial care giving, these responsibilities may be given to paid caretakers, orphanages or foster homes to provide care, housing, and schooling.
Professional caregivers work within the context of a center-based care (including crèches, daycare, preschools and schools) or a home-based care (nannies or family daycare). The majority of child care institutions available require child care providers to have extensive training in first aid and be CPR certified. In addition, background checks, drug testing at all centers, and reference verifications are normally a requirement. Child care can consist of advanced learning environments that include early childhood education or elementary education. "The objective of the program of daily activities should be to foster incremental developmental progress in a healthy and safe environment and should be flexible to capture the interests of the children and the individual abilities of the children."[US 1] In many cases the appropriate child care provider is a teacher or person with educational background in child development, which requires a more focused training aside from the common core skills typical of a child caregiver.
As well as these licensed options, parents may also choose to find their own caregiver or arrange childcare exchanges/swaps with another family.
Access to and quality of childcare have a variety of implications for children, parents and guardians, and families. As aforementioned, child care at an early age can have long-term impacts on educational attainment for children. Parents, particularly women and mothers, see increased labor force attachment when child care is more accessible and affordable. In particular, child care has disproportionate benefits for communities lacking in child care programs, such as certain immigrant communities and communities of color.
This article will cover a wide range of issues pertaining to childcare, including the various cultural considerations of childcare, the policies of various countries, the different types of childcare offered, the effects of childcare on development and health of children, payment of childcare workers, the inequities seen within childcare, as well as the history, business, access, and standards of requirement for childcare.


As I look out at my students while rehearsing, I so often see bad habits reveal themselves. And what gets me is that I have mentioned those bad habits over and over and over. It can be debilitating. When I take the time to think about why this is happening, I usually come back to one answer: “It’s not enough to fix a bad habit, what I need to do is replace it with a good habit.” Why is it so hard for me to remember that simple rule? Maybe it’s me that needs to break the bad habit?!
Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
About the Author
Dr. Boonshaft is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. Dr. Boonshaft is currently on the faculty of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where he is Professor of Music and Director of Bands. He has also been named Director of Education for KHS America. He was honored by the National Association for Music Education and Music For All as the first recipient of the “George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education.”
The content of this Blog article or Banded Story is the intellectual property of the author(s) and cannot be duplicated without the permission of KHS America and/or the author(s). Standard copyright rules apply.


Physical Education - K
In the Physical Education Kindergarten course, students learn the foundational skills of throwing, catching, kicking, striking, dancing, swimming, and performing basic gymnastics. Students also learn about healthy foods, teamwork, and sportsmanship. They will read storybooks and learn how to have fun by staying active and creating healthy habits.
MAJOR TOPICS AND CONCEPTS
- Locomotor movements
- Underhand and overhand throwing
- Cardiovascular health
- Fitness resources
- Improving movement
Students will need the following materials: printer, cell phone or scanner, notebook, pencils, erasers, scissors, crayons, glue, tape, ruler, printer paper, colored-paper, fitness items, household objects, general art supplies, and outdoor materials.


Institute for Social and Economic Change
Working Paper: 357
Geographical Access and Quality of Primary Schools – A Case Study of South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal
Provision of schooling facilities within walking distance is one of the key components of universal elementary education. Schooling facilities do not indicate only set up of schools but also provision of infrastructure in the schools. Even after twelve years’ of implementation of Sarva Sikhshya Abhiyan (SSA) and five years implementation of Right to Education Act, there are still widespread disparities in terms of both school set-up and infrastructure in primary schools. Enrolment has increased manifold indicating parental aspiration to send their children to schools. But supply related variables have lagged behind. This disparity is very prominent in the regions which are geographically backward. Using primary and secondary data, a case study has been carried out to explore the scenario of location of schools, habitation wise distribution of schools, infrastructure of schools and attainment of students in schools. The study finds that attainment of children in schools is very much related to quality of schools.


At-Home Art Activity
Inspiration for your imagination: Esther Phillips – Jungle Gym and Slide 1940’s – early 1950’s.
Esther Phillips was born in Russia in 1902 and immigrated to the United States with her family to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1903. As a child she showed a great interest in art and took studio classes at the Irene Kaufman Settlement, a Jewish educational and community center. One of the focuses of the center was to preserve the student’s unique imagination. Phillips’s progressive art education, first-hand knowledge of modern art and expressive childlike style (bright colors and flat animated figures) was established even before she enrolled in studio art classes at the Carnegie Institute Department of Fine Arts. After receiving positive reviews and critical local acclaim Phillips with her passion for art moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village, where she used her expressive style to capture urban life.
- Neutral color paper such as grey, brown or tan, *please note that brown paper bags or cardboard recyclables such as the inside of product packaging works great as a neutral drawing surface
- Playground equipment references, either real or photographic
- Oil pastels or crayons
- Covering for your work surface
Modern Art – Artistic work created from the 1860s to 1970s. The term is usually associated
with art that incorporates a spirit of experimentation in place of traditional art.
Oil pastel – A drawing medium made by mixing pigment with a non-drying oil and wax binder that is then formed into a thick stick shape for use.
Casein – A wet painting medium that is made from milk, which dries quickly to a waterproof matte finish. *Medium sometimes used by Esther, please see above artwork credits.
Inspiration for your Imagination
Esther Phillips, Jungle Gym, Late 1940’s – early 1950’s. Private Collection of Renée and Richard Goldman
Esther Phillips, Slide, Late 1940’s – early 1950’s. Private Collection of Renée and Richard Goldman
Always use a protective cover for your work surface. Several layers of newspaper, brown paper or a plastic tablecloth work well. Select a piece of paper or cardboard for your Esther Phillips’s style drawing.
Pick a reference showing playground equipment that you can draw from. It can be a photograph, or you may be outside looking at an actual piece of playground equipment. If no playground references are available, you may wish to draw from a childhood memory or your imagination.
With your chosen drawing medium, draw simple lines to lightly sketch the structure of your playground equipment as seen in your reference.
Add some children or people to the lightly drawn structure of the chosen playground equipment. The figures you draw should be simple lines and shapes with little detail as seen in the artist’s examples at the beginning of the instructions.
Finish your drawing by going over the light outlines you previously drew of the playground equipment, so they appear to be in front or behind the people you have added.
A variation of this project is to create these fun and expressive childlike playground scenes using chalk outside on a sidewalk or pavement with adult supervision. Don’t forget to take photos of your finished masterpiece!
*If you have any questions about these art activities please e-mail Sue at: [email protected]. Now in her garage making art!


Frida Kahlo Art History Workbook- Frida Kahlo Biography, Middle, High School ArtRegular price $6.00 Save $-6.00
Created by an art teacher, this packet teaches students about the artist Frida Kahlo using the Discipline Based Art Education model. Students learn about Frida Kahlo through reading and watching a biography of the artist, analyze 2 of her paintings, create their own portrait, and fill out a project reflection.
In this packet coloring sheets function as more than just coloring sheets. Students learn the way Frida Kahlo used plants, symbols and colors from her own culture and traditions to communicate her feelings and emotions and they become familiar with her style of work in the process.
The final project has students create a portrait using symbolism from their geographical location, clothing, and family traditions. Once complete the students fill out a reflection sheet on their final artwork.
Worksheets can be used as sub lessons, as enrichment to your art lessons, or as min-lessons on their own. An essential for any art classroom.
What's inside: (See Preview File)
- Artist biography information sheet with examples
- Instruction sheet
- More resources sheet with links to videos
- (3) Coloring Sheets with color scheme/symbols/words boxes
- Analysis of The Two Fridas
- Analysis of Girl with Death Mask, She Plays Alone
- Facial Proportions worksheet
- Practice Portrait Proportions sheet
- Project Planning Sheet
- Project Prompt
- Project Example
- Project Reflection Sheet
- The Two Fridas Analysis Key
- Girl with Death Mask, She Plays Alone Key
Ways to use in the classroom:
- As an introduction to a famous artist and their work.
- Worksheets culminate with student creating their own work in the style of artist.
- To support other skills such as: Communication through art
- Use of symbolism in art
- As early finisher work or as a quick art substitute lesson.
Note: There are options on how to give students color references other than to print these sheets in color. You can project the example using a document camera or have students look up artwork on a chrome book or smartphone, for example.
Learn more about TpT Credits here:
A bundle of additional artists can be found here:
More individual artist packets here:
Line art created by Sabrina Wingren. Workbook concept, art lesson and project example by Sabrina Wingren.
Photos of artwork by Frida Kahlo:
They are historically significant artwork
The images are readily available on the Internet
The images are a low-resolution copy of the original artwork and are unsuitable for commercial reproduction.
The majority of the content in this resource was created solely by Sabrina Wingren.
Photos of Kahlo's original artwork being used only for supplemental informational and educational purposes.
All line art created by Sabrina Wingren and may not be used in any way other than for classroom use.
©2021 A Space to Create
Not intended for resale or sharing on an open/public website without permission.


Pete The Cat's Buttons are Groovy and Popping in This Interactive Story
Students will engage in an interactive read aloud about Pete the Cat and how his buttons disappear, while learning basic concepts of subtraction and story sequence.
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In this class, students will enjoy listening to and interacting with the story "Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons." First, the teacher will introduce herself and all the students. Next, she will give a brief explanation to the students of how they can participate while she is reading. The story will be read aloud and students will be encouraged to read/sing along. After reading, the teacher will ask a few comprehension questions and also talk about subtraction in relation to how...
Learning that takes place in this class is cross-curricular and includes standards for Math and English. Students will improve their understanding of the sequence in which events in a story happen. They will also use skills that will require color recognition and counting up and back as used with subtraction. Skills such as speaking and listening will be practiced during this class as well. These are all learning goals for Kindergarten based on Common Core Standards. A worksheet will be completed to check for understanding.
I am a former Kindergarten teacher.
Practice counting up to 5 and back to 0.
1 file available upon enrollmentA worksheet is attached for you to print. Your child will use this in the last portion of the class.
Please download the worksheet file for this lesson and print it out for use in class. This worksheet will be used to help check for understanding using a simple subtraction problem.
30 minutes per week in class, and maybe some time outside of class.
Nikki GirlingBachelor of Science in Elementary Education; Reading Endorsement; Happy Mother and Wife who wants to make a difference in this world, one child at a time! Teaching is my passion! Kids are my why!
153 total reviews
165 completed classes
Hello! I am licensed,certified K-8 teacher. I love teaching kids online because it gives me a chance to work with smaller groups and therefore, I can give students more time to help meet each of their individual learning needs. There are quite a...


Head Start is a school readiness program. The health-related activities required by the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) are designed to ensure that every child who enters the program achieves his or her optimal development.
Children enter the program at different developmental levels and with a variety of health needs. Promptly identifying and treating children’s health issues and promoting their healthy development prepares children for school. Helping families understand developmental screening and referral, as well as proactive prevention when health issues affect children’s learning, supports school readiness.
This online tool is designed to help programs better understand the link between their school readiness goals and their health service plans. It will help program leaders and managers design school readiness goals that integrate meaningful health strategies. Well-targeted, actionable health promotion, prevention, and treatment can help achieve those goals.
It is meant to be used by:
Education leaders and school readiness teams to:
- Understand the link between child health and school readiness
- Develop health strategies that support school readiness goals
- Integrate specific health services into school readiness plans
Health managers and health staff to:
- Offer talking points about the link between child health and school readiness
- Ensure health services plans, procedures, and protocols align with the program’s school readiness goals
- Develop health strategies to include in school readiness plans
All program leaders to:
- Help staff, families, partners, and policy makers understand the link between health and school readiness
- Describe health strategies that promote children’s achievement of school readiness goals
- Advocate for the inclusion of health services in a comprehensive approach to children’s educational services
Please read How Program Leaders Can Use This Tool to strengthen school readiness and health services plans.
Select Making the Link Between Health and School Readiness [PDF, 958KB] for the full PDF version of this tool.
Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center and the National Center on Health


Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Research in Education
Art in Action in The Preschool Classroom
Collecting and documenting information about children’s polaroid photography shoots aids educators in making creative activities and curriculum decisions and taps into the individual needs of children: some children learn through art. The significance of Polaroid photography is attributed to the medium’s ability to capture the world exactly as it appears to the child. The Polaroid camera’s ability to instantaneously develop film presents a unique aspect to children’s viewing themselves or objects that they have photographed, this application in the early childhood classroom space is promising. This art experience with young children intends to delve into the parameters of art education in early childhood education. In this study, we want to explore observing and documenting children’s Polaroid photography in the preschool classroom and indirectly examine the value of polaroid photography as a classroom activity.
I attempted to identify what aesthetic interpretation children invent in photography. It is worth knowing the paradigm of this study queries whether children can be autonomous photographers. This study wants to allow preschool children to take Instamatic pictures and if they choose, discuss their pictures. Exploring children’s learning using Instamatic cameras delves into how children learn by taking Instamatic pictures and utilizing cameras as a teaching tool for learning. The realization that polaroid photography is a reputable and achievable method for learning struck me as innovative. How could children utilize photography in other learning domains (science, social studies, math, etc.) and themselves be the auteurs of their own creative learning?
keywords: Art, preschool, teaching practices


Research has shown that English literacy instructional practices such as direct teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing are effective for teaching English as second language learners. Previous research on early reading acquisition has focused on phonological awareness—the ability to consciously attend to and manipulate the sound structure of spoken language. Nevertheless, a series of previous studies suggests that children’s ability to match spoken words to written words while reading is important in early reading acquisition. The purpose of this study was to examine a model of early literacy development in which children’s concept of word is assumed to facilitate the development of phonological awareness and sight vocabulary. In this study, 30 kindergarten children who learn English as a second language from two kindergartens in Hong Kong were assessed and compared on measures of alphabet knowledge, concept of word, syllable, and phoneme awareness and word recognition ability. The results essentially replicated a previous study by Morris and support the proposed model. The results have implications for beginning reading instruction for children with English as the second language and future research in early literacy acquisition.
Individual rate: US $50 per volume
Institution rate: US $100 per volume
To order : firstname.lastname@example.org


By Karida Green
Welcome to the house on the corner! Living Classrooms Foundation – National Capital Region, James C. Dent House Community Center in Southwest Washington is a District Landmark in Black history here in Washington, DC. The Dent House was designated a DC Landmark by the city’s Historic Preservation Review Board in 2010.
More than a century ago, Reverend James C. Dent commissioned and built this two-story brick house on the corner of 2nd and Q Streets SW, where our community center is now located.
James Clinton Dent was born into slavery in Charles County, Maryland in July 1855 and presumably gained his freedom when Maryland abolished slavery in 1864. In the 1870s, he came to Washington, one of tens of thousands of Blacks who migrated to the capital after the Civil War looking to create a new life. He found shelter in what they called “the Island” in Southwest Washington (it was cut off from the rest of the city by the Washington and James Creek canals) he married, and worked as a laborer. According to the 1880 census, he could read but not write.
In 1885 his wife Mary, a member of Southwest’s Rehoboth Baptist Church, was part of a group of twenty-six worshippers who broke away to establish a new congregation that they named Mt. Moriah. Ten months later, the founding pastor moved on and thirty-year-old James Dent stepped in as minister, a position he held until his death 22 years later. He successfully built up the church membership and took Mt. Moriah from meeting in someone’s home to constructing and paying off a substantial church building near 2nd and M Streets SW.
Reverend Dent secured a personal mortgage in 1906 and bought a large corner lot for himself four blocks south of his church, just across James Creek from the US Army War College. He commissioned a leading White architect, William James Palmer, to design a freestanding, two-story brick house. Most of Palmer’s work was in Northwest Washington, and that very year, the Washington Post praised his homes in Mt. Pleasant for their “architectural beauty, stability, and refinement of taste.” Although the Dent house was far from grand, it was the foremost brick home in the largely empty area scattered with shacks and small wood-frame houses.
Sadly, Reverend Dent did not get to enjoy his beautiful new home for long, as he passed away in 1908. With no children, his widow Mary took in boarders to stay in the house for several years after his death. Reverend Dent’s legacy lives on, however, in the still vibrant Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, which moved to Capitol Hill when the federal government bought and razed the church building during the urban renewal of the Southwest neighborhood.
Today, what was formerly known as the Southwest Community House evolved into the James C. Dent House. It is the home for our College and Career Readiness, Workforce Development, STEAM Education, Art Education, Environmental Education and Kingman Island programs that service Southwest DC as well as Wards 5, 7, and 8. Here at the Dent House, we host community organizations for training and meeting space. We have a Dress for Success and Food Pantry program for DC residents. Our community center strives to preserve the legacy of Reverend James Dent, a man born into slavery who became a well-known minister.
The last thirty years of that important work were conducted from Reverend Dent’s home at 156 Q Street SW, after which Pepco bought and renovated the old building and offered a long-term lease to Living Classrooms to continue its long and honorable tradition of service. It is still remembered fondly by many neighborhood residents.
Living Classrooms Foundation is very proud to be walking in the footsteps of Reverend Dent and some of the nation’s most prominent Black Americans of the early 20th century. We are working hard every day to carry on their historic legacy in our Southwest Washington neighborhood. Our community partners are Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), United Planning Organization, Good Projects, Metropolitan Police Department, PEPCO, Southwest Business and Improvement District, Department of Employment Services, Department of Energy and Environment, to name a few.
For more information on Living Classrooms’ programs at the Dent House and elsewhere in the DC area, visit livingclassrooms.org or contact Karida Green at 202-488-0627 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


Parent resources for Years 1-2
Is your child in Year 1 or 2? Find everyday ways to help with their literacy and numeracy skill development with our suite of thirty parent resources for Years 1-2!
Learning Potential has thirty articles with tips on how to help your child practise the literacy and numeracy skills they are taught at school in Years 1 and 2. The ideas are simple, practical, and designed to be part of your everyday life with your child – whether you’re reading, playing, shopping, chatting, gardening, cooking, or just hanging out together. Many of the articles also suggest an online activity.
These articles were developed in partnership with Education Services Australia, and reinforce the skills set out in Years 1 and 2 of the Australian Curriculum.
How do I find them?
If you’re on our website:
- click on Search
- on the left of the screen, find the Curriculum Level section
- select Years 1-2.
Here are just a few examples of the articles you’ll find.
- A matter of manners
- Fantastic fractions
- Move it and groove it!
- Sowing the seeds
- The time lord


Overuse Injuries in Children: 10 Tips to Keep your Favorite Athlete Injury-free!
Posted on April 3, 2014
By Cari Kelly, PT, DPT
As our nation has become more aware of the adverse effect of inactivity in childhood, the rate of youth participating in organized sports has been on the rise. In fact, 60 million children between 6-18 years old in the United States are now participating in organized athletics. There are many benefits to this trend, such as increased self-esteem, socialization with peers, increased general fitness, learning skills such as teamwork and leadership, and most importantly, being involved in sports is fun!
However, with every benefit there is always a risk. As the focus of participation and skill development shifts to competition as early sports specialization and training becomes more intense at an earlier age, overuse injuries have become more common. Overuse injuries result from microtrauma to bone, tendon or muscles from repetitive stress when the body is not given sufficient time to heel.
Some common overuse injuries include: knee pain (from Osgood-Schlatter disease, patella-femoral pain syndrome), ankle pain (from tendonitis or Sever’s disease), elbow pain (from Little Leaguer’s Elbow), and stress fractures that can occur in the foot, ankle, leg, spine, arm, wrist and hand.
In response to this risk of developing overuse injuries, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine recently performed a review of current literature, and developed a position statement to help identify kids who are at risk of developing these injuries, and provide recommendations for overuse injury prevention.
Their recommendations can help keep your kids in the game and safe from developing overuse injuries:
- Emphasize skill development, not competition. As the pressure to succeed increases at an early age and training becomes more intense, focusing too much on winning and not enough on skill development can lead to overuse injury and burnout.
- Avoid early sports specialization; instead encourage kids to be involved in multiple sports that target different skills. Early sports specialization does not necessarily lead to long team success in sports, and in fact may lead to an increased risk for developing an overuse injury.
When children focus on one sport too early they lose out on developing the fundamental skills they need to prevent overuse injuries as they grow. Being involved in a variety of activities in early childhood will help build the foundations of a healthy athlete. Different sports build different fundamental skills, such as balance, coordination, strength, and agility that will help them become a well-rounded athlete and prevent injuries when they get older and they focus on one or two sports.
- Recognize risk factors to adjust sporting activity accordingly. Prior injury and higher training volumes predict future overuse injuries. Injuries are more likely to occur during growth sprits so monitor adolescent growth spurts and adjust training workload accordingly.
- Make sure that their equipment fits appropriately. Poor fitting equipment makes you have poor biomechanics and may contribute to overuse injuries. So make sure equipment is updated as your child grows.
- Avoid overscheduling. Competing in multiple events in the same day or over consecutive days may contribute to overuse injuries
- Allow recovery time. Limit weekly and yearly participation times, especially sport specific repetitive movements, and schedule rest periods, such as allowing 1-2 days off per week or a few weeks off a year to let the body recover
- Assess sport-readiness. When setting goals and expectations for children it is important to assess their cognitive and motor skill development to make sure they are ready for the demands that the sport they are entering requires.
- Keep an eye out for signs of overtraining syndrome/burnout. These include: lack of enjoyment participating in their sport, decreased nutrition and hydration, mood changes, decreased performance despite regular training.
- Encourage pre-season conditioning. Preseason condition can reduce injury rates, especially lower extremity injuries in youth athletes. Regular participation in resistance training can improve bone health and body composition and potentially reduce sport-related injuries.
- When an injury occurs address the underlying cause. Addressing the underlying cause of an injury is essential to not only get your child back to doing what they love injury-free, but also helps avoid recurrent injuries so they can stay in the game!


Children go through various stages of growth as they approach adolescence. From birth through the beginning of adulthood, children go through stages of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and language development. Many variables can influence a child’s development, including a bad learning environment, a lack of social connection, cultural background variations, abuse, and the death of a parent. All of the preceding instances can have an impact on a child’s maturation.
Children mature and grow at varying rates, some quicker than others, which is why it’s critical to understand the many stages of child development. Though all aspects of child development are vital, language learning is perhaps the most crucial to a kid’s overall development.
Physical development is the first sort of development that can be detected. The fine and gross motor skills of a youngster are referred to as physical development. Gross motor abilities are the ability to use large major muscle groups in a natural way, which can be developed through both outdoor and indoor play. A youngster can employ his or her gross motor abilities while playing by walking, jumping, crawling, running, or riding a bike.
In a child’s existence, interactions with parents, teachers, peers, and other adults are crucial. These bonds change the brain and establish the groundwork for later developmental outcomes ranging from academic achievement to mental health and interpersonal skills.
Order Now and get custom academic writing on “Five developmental stages of a child”. Read the next article on Literacy Development In Young Children


“The Yellow Wallpaper” was written and published in 1892. The last three decades of the nineteenth century comprised a period of growth, development, and expansion for the United States. Following the Civil War, which ended in 1865, the United States entered the era of Reconstruction, which lasted until 1877. There were many social and cultural changes during this period. Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1892) expounded his theory of evolution, and further incited controversy over women’s roles and issues. His theory of evolution flouted conventional wisdom, contending that women were actually the hardier and more necessary sex, the one able to preserve the species. Because women were mothers, they were vital to survival. Darwin’s theory was used to promote both sides of what came to be known as the “Woman Question.” Some scientists argued that because women were physiologically hardier, they were capable of being both mothers and professionals. Others contended that Darwin’s theory proved that motherhood was necessary to women and that it should retain a supreme priority in a woman’s life.
Throughout much of the 1800s, the common law doctrine offemme convert was prevalent in the United States. Under this law, wives were property of their husbands and had no direct legal control over their earnings, children, or belongings. Some state laws prohibited women from going into business without their husband’s consent, and some dictated that a husband could decide where the family would live. Other state laws dictated that adultery was not considered sufficient grounds for divorce if committed by a man, but it was if committed by the wife. Women also could not vote; they were not allowed to do so until 1920, when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted. In 1875, in Minor v. Happensett, the Supreme Court ruled that states could withhold the right to vote from women as they did from criminals and the mentally insane. The rise of women’s consciousness regarding such oppression was influenced by their participation in the abolitionist movement prior to and during the Civil War. In 1869, the first organizations devoted to women’s rights were founded. By 1890, such organizations claimed a total of 500,000 members. While there were more women than men in high school by 1890, higher education was not an option for most women, and the only professions open to them were nursing and elementary education.
Oilman, as a leading feminist and social activist during the late nineteenth century, argued that women’s secondary status in society, and especially women’s economic dependence on men, was not the result of biological inferiority but rather of culturally enforced behavior. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which was, in part, a reaction to the oppression of women prevalent during this time, Oilman emphasized these beliefs. In 1926, she stated, regarding her work in general, “One girl reads this, and takes fire! Her life is changed. She becomes a power—a mover of others—I write for her.”
Kathleen Wilson (Editor), Short Stories for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context & Criticism on Commonly Studied Short Stories, Volume 1, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Published by Gale, 1997.


Ace Explorer Kit (Ages 5-6)
Engineering skills are put to the test as we build marble runs and sculptures. But let’s not forget about strengthening our literacy and numeracy skills too!
What are we learning? There are 12 hands-on activities from 4 different categories.
Literacy: Learn the sounds of letters, build words and solve your trickiest word puzzle yet!
Creative: Make something extraordinary with simple materials including a cardboard sculpture!
Workshop: Learn numeracy, strengthen problem solving skills and recognise emotions; the possibilities are endless with loose parts.
Investigation: Learn about the animals of the savannah, how they grow, where they live and their unique features.
This learning box includes:
- 2 dollops of scented playdough (random colours)
- Complete instructional pdf guide of all 12 activities
- Over 100 laminated flashcards to support all 12 activities
- Background of the Savannah
- 3 Acrylic Paint
- PVA Glue
- Mini torch light
- Cut out of animals of the savannah
- Craft materials: Lantern paper, magnet, masking tapes, double sided tape, jumbo sticks, cardboard strips
- Loose parts: Bottle caps, popsicle sticks, spaghetti, pasta, pebbles, buttons, beads, marbles
Recommended age: 5-6 Years Old
Dough Little Learning Boxes combine the wonder of natural playdoughs with safe and unique tools which have been thoughtfully curated to provide your child with fun, engaging and wholesome learning experiences, whether on their own or with the family.
Each dollop of Dough Little playdough is made fresh upon order and weighs 50 grams each. They are super soft, lightly scented, non-sticky, kinder to young skin and lovingly handcrafted using only high grade food materials, as such they are totally safe for children as young as 6 months old.
Tiny tips: Our Playdoughs last between 3-6 months and should be kept in their airtight vessels and away from Mr. Sun. Start squishing and playing with your Playdoughs as soon as you purchase them, they last longer that way. Always play on a tray with clean and dry hands. All products should be played under parental supervision at all times.
Disclaimer: We pride ourselves in creating these truly handy and unique boxes as shown in each picture, however there may be slight variations due to lighting from screens and also replacements due to stock shortage.


He was the son of a Lutheran minister and received his art education in Europe, graduating in 1890 from the College of Skara in Sweden and then taking further study at the University of Lund. In 1894 he was accepted into a class in Paris taught by Aman-Jean, who shared a studio with Georges Seurat. There Sandzen was introduced to pointillism and impressionism which he used in his work from then until about 1910.
While in Paris, he applied for an opening at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. He accepted the position and emigrated to Kansas where he taught for 52 years until he retired in 1946. Not only did he paint in the West including Yellowstone National Park in 1930, he amassed a personal collection of over 500 western paintings and drawings.
In 1916, he first went to Colorado and in the mid 1920s, taught some classes at the Broadmore Hotel. He also taught at Denver College and at Utah State College. From 1918, he became a regular visitor to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico, and in 1922, exhibited with the Taos Society of Artists in New York. During the Depression, he was a W.P.A. artist and wrote a book titled, With Brush and Pencil.


Help students improve foundational reading skills at every level with Guided Reading for first and second grades.
Strengthen comprehension skills with Guided Reading: Question for first and second grades. A simple way to enhance guided reading lesson plans, this resource book contains six sets of informational readers for students at different skill levels. It covers topics such as cultures, stars, and more.
Ready to Go Guided Reading: Question is an effective reading program for first and second grades. This reading comprehension book includes:
- discussion guides
- prompts to encourage students to work with the text and text features
- graphic organizers
- leveled readers that cover high-interest topics
The readers are separated into below-level, on-level, and above-level reading skills. The resource book features call-out boxes to direct students to apply guided reading strategies to the texts, such as scanning for meaning or word work. Each reader concludes with a writing prompt so students can show what they learned.
The Ready to Go: Guided Reading series for first to sixth grades includes everything you need for guided reading organization. Each 80-page book is essentially a guided reading set, containing 36 total readers, six discussion guides, and three reproducible pages. Each grade span includes 8 books, focusing on the following reading comprehension strategies:
- Determine Importance
Each nonfiction reader contains short nonfiction texts, vocabulary banks, photographs, charts, and maps.


Help with Reading + Writing
The ability to read and write is a basic life skill. Many people face barriers every day of their lives because they cannot read or write.
Libraries have a natural advantage in supporting literacy development. Libraries are, and always have been, places of and for learning, that promote and encourage a culture of reading by providing free and universal access to books and related programs for people of all ages and interests.
Do you need assistance with reading and writing? We can help.
Trained tutors are available at the Library to assist adults with learning to read, spell and write. Assistance is free of charge and offered one on one with a focus on individual needs. Contact us today about this service T 02 6578 7500.


The Concert Chorus provides students the opportunity to develop musicianship, creativity, and the experience of sharing personal gifts both with Oakcrest and the surrounding community. While preparing for performances in school, the greater community, and even internationally, students continue building upon the techniques and ensemble skills begun in Middle School by learning increasingly challenging repertoire of varying styles from medieval to contemporary. Independent musicianship is developed through the continued study of solfeggio. Musical skills acquired help lay the foundation for successful music study in college as well as lifelong enjoyment of the arts. This choir is open to all students in the Upper School.
Middle School Choirs
The Middle School has three choirs: sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. In each level, the students learn creativity, the fundamentals of music theory, and independent musicianship. The choirs perform for the School's annual Christmas and Spring Concerts. The repertoire increases in difficulty throughout the student's middle school music education, as they study varying choral styles from medieval to contemporary. Independent musicianship is developed by studying the Ward Method. The Ward Method is a program of learning to sight sing Gregorian, as well as modern, music notation through the study of solfeggio ("do, re, mi"). While growing as musicians, students will deepen their understanding of music and its integral relationship to culture. Musical skills acquired help lay the foundation for successful music study in high school as well as lifelong enjoyment of the arts. These choirs are open to all students in the Middle School.
The Middle School Liturgical Choir participates in the liturgical life of the school by singing at Mass on special feast days throughout the academic year, while the Upper School Liturgical Choir sings for Mass each Friday of the academic year.


The challenges of music education in the digital age
Despite all the technology that connects, approximates, and facilitates communication, there are still situations in which the analog world has its advantages. Even though the pandemic has further accelerated the digital processes of distance learning, in music, face-to-face meetings can be more productive.
So, is the traditional music teaching methodology irreplaceable despite all the technology we have available today?
This conversation should evolve a lot in the years to come, but there is no doubt that there are some factors unique to the face-to-face experience that are worth considering when it comes to studying music.
Live performance in the same physical space
As much as technology has evolved with the quality of microphones and audio equipment at affordable prices, the interaction of sound waves generated by instruments in a physical space is irreplaceable. The experience musicians have together in the same room, listening to each other acoustically in real-time, is unique. There is still no technology available that allows the same kind of experience as a live performance in the same physical hall. In addition, online performances have the big problem of delay (difference of seconds between one connection and another), making it impossible to perform in real-time with rhythmic precision.
Motivation and focus
The academic environment - where students are surrounded by their peers predisposed to study and guided by a good teacher - creates a favorable educational atmosphere. Unlike the digital world, where we often disperse impacted by smartphones, advertising, or even household chores. It can be challenging to stay motivated to learn when you're alone in front of your computer.
Interaction in pre and post class
The interaction and observation of what colleagues are doing enrich learning immensely. This experience goes beyond classes and playing as part of a music ensemble – which is an irreplaceable experience. After class/rehearsal, chatting over coffee or during breaks can be rich moments of knowledge exchange. These moments become excellent opportunities to learn beyond the given content. It is a chance to network and think about music-making more broadly and organically. This type of interaction would rarely happen in the digital world because we are generally self-centered and multitasking.
Each teaching medium will offer unique advantages and disadvantages. Each student will respond uniquely to these stimuli, methods, and teaching tools. The point is to understand how to optimize each situation, what to look for, and what will be best for you.
Is your goal to have access to knowledge, practice alone, and have flexibility in studying? Studying online is an excellent option.
Are your focus on group practice and building musical partnerships? The face-to-face will favor you more.
While theoretical classes are very functional in the online universe, courses that depend on group practice and require complex levels of real-time interaction are almost impossible.
Nevertheless, it is good to understand that there are also several advantages of the digital world, the subject of another article I will post soon. In the end, the ideal scenario is the union of the two worlds, analog and digital, making the experience even more complete, agile, and enriching.
Did you like the article?
Ask me questions and post suggestions for future blogs in the comment section below!
Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channel for full videos!
Also, check out my online courses: “Creative Processes” and “Fundamentals of Audio and Video Production for Musicians”.
About the author
Rafael Piccolotto de Lima has been nominated for a Latin Grammy as the best classical composer. He holds a doctorate in jazz composition from the University of Miami and has multiple awards as an arranger, musical director, producer, and educator.
His works have been premiered and/or recorded by jazz legends such as Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, and Brad Mehldau, renowned Brazilian artists such as Ivan Lins, Romero Lubambo, and Proveta, and orchestras such as the Brazilian Jazz Symphony, the Americas Symphony Orchestra, and the Metropole Orkest (Netherlands).


I can predict how objects will change direction with a push or pull.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
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Good scientists understand how things happen around them. They are able to make connections between the ideas they learn and real life! Students will learn about force and motion, specifically the direction of motion caused by a push or a pull. They will also learn how to make predictions about which direction something will move towards based on the type of forces applied to it. This lesson includes various activities that will allow them to practice identifying a push versus pull force and predicting the direction an object will go. It also includes a printable worksheet.
Students will be able to predict how objects will change direction with a push or pull.
Have students engage in a turn and talk or pose to all students the scenario/question presented on slide 2, and allow students to share ideas as a whole group. Then, explain to students that the common expectation of “pushing their chair in,” to go underneath their desk neatly, is a type of force and that we will be learning about forces today!
Teach students about force and motion. Then, define the types of forces they will learn about today: push and pull. Explain to students that we can make predictions about the direction of an object based on the direction of the force. Afterward, students can engage in the following activities:
First, students watch a video about push and pull forces. After watching the video, they can engage in a discussion and answer the question prompts provided. Next, students can practice identifying the type of force with given activities (in the form of pictures and words) where they drag and sort the activity by “push” or “pull.” Then, students continue to practice identifying types of forces by studying images within a scene while reading descriptions about the events, and then dragging "push" and "pull" labels to label each action by the type of force applied to the objects. After that, students may complete two activity slides where they can identify the type of force in a given action by checking off the force and then predicting the direction of the object as a result of the force by drawing an arrow directly onto the picture.
Finally, students practice predicting the direction of an object by clicking on the spinner, drawing a picture of the scenario, then drawing an arrow to show the direction that the object would go. This activity can be done multiple times in order to allow students to practice multiple examples on the spinner.
Students respond to ten multiple-choice questions about force, motion, and making predictions of the direction of objects as a result of a push or pull force.
Students will determine what force is applied in a given image and scenario. They will check off the type of force. Then, they will determine the direction the object will go and check off the arrow that points in the predicted direction.
This lesson includes a printable worksheet for the closing activity.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.