A robust body of research points to the fact that systematic, explicit foundational skills instruction is a critical part of early childhood instruction, and it is crucial for students as they are learning to read and write in English. This document is a collection of research and scholarship that articulates the evidence base for explicit foundational skills instruction. In addition to making the case for why such instruction is necessary for students’ ability to develop as readers, the document also provides insight into the practices and program components that reflect this type of high-quality, evidence-based teaching. The material is organized into the five components of foundational skills and includes an additional section illustrating the research connection between foundational skills in reading and vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension.
Early Reading Acceleration
Reading science emphasizes two critical pieces of early reading instruction: systematically securing foundational skills and building knowledge and vocabulary. These “Early Reading Accelerators” are essential content that all readers need access to in order to become proficient readers, and any effective classroom instruction or materials will intentionally amplify these two areas. While each student and their experiences are unique, we can accelerate the development of reading proficiency for all students by implementing these practices strategically. Learn more about the Early Reading Accellerators and the role of systematic foundational skills instruction in this critical content collection.
Foundationals Skill on Our Blog
Find Aligned blog posts from a variety of perspectives on aligned resources, materials adaptation, implementation, observation, and other topics critical to the effective and systematic instruction of foundational skills.


- Creativity is present in everyone.
- Every person has the potential to appreciate and respond positively to aesthetic influences.
- Art expresses one’s humanity, culture and spirit.
- Active participation in the arts enlivens and inspires all areas of one’s life.
- Art exposure and art education develops ones powers of perception.
- Artists benefit personally and creatively by supporting each other’s artistry.
- The artistic experience supports and encourages diversity and inclusivity, hallmarks of a vibrant community.
- Organize public art events and educational opportunities that utilize the talents, creativity, and enthusiasm of area artists.
- Develop sales events, individual exhibits, art meetings, teaching demonstrations, performances, and just fun activities for and by local artists.
- Network with and show support for other state and national arts organizations through sponsorship and/or participation in their events, when possible.
- Music in the Park
- Rusk County Community Library Art Gallery
- RAAA Gift Gallery
- Toadally Artsy Kids Events
- Adult Art Classes
- Art Harvest
- Random Acts of Poetry & Art
- Friend of the Arts Award
- Scarecrows on Parade
- Community Arts & Music Events
- Art Train
- Teen Art Class


What are the major issues in education today?
Consider this list of 10 major challenges currently facing public schools, based on the perspective of many involved in the world of education today. Classroom Size . Poverty . Family Factors . Technology. Bullying . Student Attitudes and Behaviors. No Child Left Behind . Parent Involvement .
What changes has come in education today?
increased instructional technology: classrooms, schools , and students use computers more often today than in the past for research, writing, communicating, and keeping records. Technology has created new ways for students to learn (for example, this textbook would not be possible without Internet technology!).
What is a problem in education?
A problem is often conceptualized as a gap between a desired and actual state. That is, an educational problem exists when a health care professional lacks the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the desired performance. These are problems for which education is the solution.
What are the current educational issues in the UK?
Examples of current educational issues Technology and education . Government policies and spending. Assessment and attainment. School reform. Health and child development. Education and the curriculum.
What is the biggest problem in education?
The biggest problem facing education today is the lack of innovation and mobility in higher education . Because of a number of private and public factors, colleges and universities have turned into massive private businesses with multi million dollar athletic departments and multi billion dollar endowments.
What is wrong with the American education system?
1. Deficits in government funding for schools. Funding is always an issue for schools and is, in fact, one of the biggest issues facing the American public education system today. Lower funding means fewer teachers, fewer programs, and diminished resources.
What is the new education system 2020?
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020 ), which was approved by the Union Cabinet of India on 29 July 2020 , outlines the vision of India’s new education system . The policy is a comprehensive framework for elementary education to higher education as well as vocational training in both rural and urban India.
What is wrong with the Indian education system?
Lack of Interest. 90% of the education is theoretical with minuscule scope for practical learning and research on the part of the pupils. There is no space for creative learning and thinking and students are always bound to a specific syllabus and are not really encouraged to go out and about their seems.
What is the future for education?
“The future of education is highly individualized learning. With the technology available to schools and students, there is no reason for a student to wait for the rest of their peers to master a given topic. Teachers will become more like learning coaches than their current roles.
Why do students struggle in school?
Here are a few of the top reasons that students struggle in school : Boredom – It’s not that students can’t do an assignment, but that they are bored by it. Personal problems – Many students struggle because of problems in their personal lives as well, be it family, their friends or other relationships.
What are the biggest challenges facing online education today?
Comparing face-to-face learning with online learning brings forth significant deficiencies in the online mode such as lack of human connect, absence of opportunities of collaborative learning , teacher supervision and the most glaring being lack of opportunities for hands-on learning in complex subjects such as science
Why do we have problems in education?
Our schools are overcrowded. A study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that 14 percent of U.S. schools exceed capacity. At a time where children need more attention than ever to succeed, overcrowded classrooms are making it even tougher to learn and tougher still for teachers to be effective.
Why the UK school system is bad?
Too often in the UK education system we create environments that can lead to feelings of shame, criticism, guilt and threat; factors that contribute to poor mental health and increase vulnerability to psychological disorders. Too little in the UK education system do we create the opposite.
Are free schools successful?
Free schools have successfully increased school places at primary level, having added 11 places per 1,000 pupils in areas with the greatest demand for school places. Free schools at secondary have only added 4 places per 1,000 pupils in these areas with high demand.


Fiction Reading Comprehension Activities For Boys: Grade 2
- Author : Reed, Nat
Motivate the Boys to Read!
The subject matter, characters, and graphics have been carefully chosen to relate to boys of this age group.
Includes 4 short fiction stories:
- Chuck the Chimp
- I’m Not a Kid, I’m the Captain
- My Best Friend Pickle
- The Yucky Milkshake
The before, during, and after reading exercises incorporate effectively, research-based reading comprehension strategies including activating prior knowledge, predicting, visualizing, questioning, drawing inferences, summarizing, synthesizing, monitoring and repairing comprehension, and evaluation.
13 pages with answer key.


Celebrating Our History!
[Dr. Coiette Gaston, Phyllis Earles, and Dr. DeWayne Moore]
July 15, 2021
History of Prairie View A&M University
Excerpts taken from:
Prairie View, A Study In Public Conscience by Dr. George Ruble Woolfolk
A Centennial History of Texas A&M University, 1876-1976 Vol. II by Henry C. Dethloff - Edited by Frank D. Jackson
Establishment - 1876
Prairie View A&M University, the first state supported College in Texas for African Americans, was established during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. This was an historical period in which political and economic special interest groups were able to aggressively use the Federal Government to establish public policy, in an attempt to "alter or reshape the cultural milieu of the vanquished southern states". The University had its beginnings in the Texas Constitution of 1876, which, in separate articles, established an "Agricultural and Mechanical College" and pledged that "Separate schools shall be provided for the white and colored children, and impartial provisions shall be made for both." As a consequence of these constitutional provisions, the Fifteenth Legislature established "Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth" on August 14,1876.
Enrollment of the First Students - 1878
The Board of Directors purchased the lands of the Alta Vista Plantation (1388 acres), from Mrs. Helen Marr Kirby, the widow of the late Col. Jared Ellison Kirby, for the establishment of the State Agriculture & Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth. The College was named "Alta Vista Agriculture & Mechanical College for Colored Youth". The A&M Board of Directors was authorized to appoint a President of A&M College and Alta Vista College with an assigned principal station at Alta Vista to administer the college's day to day affairs. Confederate President Jefferson Davis recommended Mr. Thomas S. Gathright of Mississippi, also from Mississippi and he brought Mr. L.W. Minor, of Mississippi to serve as Principal. Eight young African American men, the first of their race to enroll in a state-supported college in Texas, began their studies on March 11, 1878.
Names Given to the University - 1998
The Fifteenth Legislature August 14,1876 - established "Alta Vista Agriculture & Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth"; The Sixteenth Legislature April 19, 1879 - established "Prairie View State Normal School" in Waller County for the Training of Colored Teachers; The Twentieth Legislature in 1887 attached the Agriculture & Mechanical Department to Prairie View Normal School; The Twenty -Six Legislature in 1899 changed the name to "Prairie View State Normal & Industrial College"; The Forty-ninth Legislature June 1, 1945 changed the name to "Prairie View University" ; The Fiftieth Legislature March 3, 1947 established "The Texas State University for Negroes (Texas Southern University) and changed the name of Prairie View University to "Prairie View Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas" ; The sixty-third Legislature in 1973 changed the name to "Prairie View A&M University.“
Dr. Coiette Gaston
She holds and Ed.D.in Ethical Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. Her research concerns culturally relevant pedagogy, African American history, and African American women.
She is the University Archivist at PVAMU. After earning a BA in Art Education at Grambling State University and an MLIS at the University of Michigan, Earles worked as a reference librarian at Houston Community College before accepting her current position as the official steward of PVAMU’s institutional history in 1998.
Dr. DeWayne Moore
He is a Lecturer of U.S. and Public History at PVAMU. He holds a master’s degree in museum and archival administration from Middle Tennessee State University, and he earned his Ph.D. in African American history at the University of Mississippi.


Consistent, responsive, stable relationships with caring adults are the foundation for strong neural connections. Research shows these interactions support a child’s language and literacy development. Consider it an active, back-and-forth experience, like playing tennis.
Can kids learn from cooking shows? You bet they can. They can learn recipes, they can learn the value of family, they can learn they have hidden talents, they can learn to take risks, and so much more.
As young children learn new songs, listen to music, and explore rhythmic patterns, broad neural pathways in the brain are engaged. Powerful memories of people, places and feelings are stored and linked to experiences and emotions through music.
As a teacher I saw a lot — and I mean a lot — of different types of families and various ways of raising children. You must be thinking I have all the answers to building functional, healthy children. I do. But the answers may surprise you.


Music for Sustainability
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources
MetadataShow full item record
This study researched, developed, implemented and evaluated a Music for Sustainability pilot program that combined music production, Education for Sustainability, and modern technology. A literature review revealed that there were no similar educational programs documented at the time of the study, yet yielded substantial evidence supporting the creation of such a program. To ascertain best practices in curriculum development, implementation, and assessment, further research was conducted along with procuring expertise from professionals in relevant fields. The researcher coupled background research with personal experience in music education to create a Music for Sustainability pilot program consisting of seven lesson plans and a culminating assignment called the Legacy Project. The pilot program was administered to students ages 15-18 that were attending Conserve School (an environmentally-focused, boarding school) during the fall 2014 semester. Pre- and post-treatment surveys were administered to procure quantitative data, and an open-ended questionnaire was administered post-treatment to participants in the class to gather qualitative data. Four primary variables were measured in the survey: 1) Interest in the environment, 2) Comfort using technology, 3) Interest in making music, 4) Comfort creating original, authentic music. The survey revealed a consistent trend that students in the class gained more in all four categories than the non-participant group. Qualitative findings suggest that overall the program was very well-received and successful; however, it could be improved by increasing class time and further differentiating instruction of the music theory and music production technology components. The Music for Sustainability program has broad applications including instilling creative arts in nature-based organizations and small schools (such as boarding and charter schools), revitalizing traditional school programming across disciplines, and empowering youth in other institutional settings.


Deputy Head of Secondary
10 Reasons why engagement in the Performing Arts is critical for future success
‘Whether they are exposed to the arts in school or through community classes 25 years as an educator has taught me that children who perform in school excel in the future’
1. Improves Academic Achievement
Students involved in the arts have tremendous academic benefits compared to students without exposure to the arts. Art inspires students to excel in and out of the classroom. Involvement increases motivation, improves attitudes and attendance, and improves academic performance.
According to Americans for the Arts 2018, a student involved in the arts is:
- 4x more likely to be recognised for academic achievement.
- 4x more likely to participate in a math or science competitions.
- 3x more likely to win an award for school attendance.
- 3x more likely to be elected to a leadership position in school.
2. Improve Memory
Want your child to remember their homework assignments, where they put their shoes, or to brush their teeth before bed? Music might help. Research has shown that participation in music at an early age can help improve memory. Exposing children to music in early development helps children learn word sounds and meanings, dancing helps build motor skills. Even adults can experience memory benefits from just listening to music.
3. Music Boosts Young Brains
Immersing children in music can help boost their brain power. Music stimulates the parts of the brain associated with academic achievement, such as reading and math, and emotional development. Instead of viewing music as an extracurricular activity, consider it an overall part of your child’s education.
4. Enhances Creativity
This may sound like an obvious benefit, but the effects of enhanced creativity will extend to many aspects of your child’s life. Children develop innovation skills when they’re encouraged to express themselves and take risks in creating art and playing music. Those skills can open doors later in life; 72% of employers in the US in 2018 say that creativity is the #1 skill they look for when hiring. The hardest positions to fill are those that combine Arts and IT skills.
5. Improves Social Skills
It’s not always team sports that teach important social skills; playing an instrument can help, too. Music groups and ensembles can help kids develop important life skills such as teamwork, developing leadership skills, discipline, and how to relate to others.
6. Improves Language and Reading Skills
Children’s brains develop faster with music, particularly in areas associated with language acquisition and reading skills, according to a 2016 study at the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute. For young children, making arts provides opportunities for language development. Toddlers learn words for colors and shapes as they create art. If you want to encourage language learning, communication, and reading in your kids, art and music are essential.
7. Enhances Critical Thinking Skills
The creativity involved in art education strengthens critical thinking skills for kids. Visually learning through drawing, sculpting, and painting develops visual-spatial skills. This teaches kids how to interpret and use visual information.
As for music, a study of 3-4 year olds learning to play piano scored significantly higher on spatial-temporal reasoning tests compared to those with no music instruction. Spatial-temporal reasoning is a precursor to logical thinking, abstract thinking, and problem solving needed for the brain to function in mathematics, engineering, and physics.
8. Builds Confidence
As a child develops skills in performance and refines those skills through repetition and practice, they build confidence in themselves. Studies have shown that when children participate in arts activities with peers and provide criticism and praise to one another, the feedback they give to each other builds self-respect.
9. Creates Cultural and Personal Connections
Immersion in the arts can foster a sense of cultural awareness. As students interpret visual imagery from artists and learn about art history, it helps them understand the concept of cultural diversity. Seeing a different culture explored through a visual medium such as sculptures or paintings helps children process information differently than reading about it in a text book.
Learning about musical history and exploring different types of music can help kids connect with different cultures. Art and music help people feel more connected to one another, as well.
10. Instills Discipline
Dedicating themselves to the arts teaches children important concepts of discipline. While some children may show a natural talent in one area or another, the truth is that ongoing commitment and practice is required to improve. By committing to stick with lessons and practicing outside of classrooms and lessons, they learn discipline skills that will benefit them in many aspects of life.
Immersing children in the arts through additional extracurricular lessons, at school and the wider community, provides undeniable benefits that will help them throughout their lives.


At the Scottish SPCA we believe our support to every school in Scotland should extend further than our FREE annual workshops. We want to support young people’s health and wellbeing, enhance their literacy and numeracy skills, introduce innovative ways to engage with STEM and inspire future career pathways.
Explore the different ways to learn with the Scottish SPCA below!
If you need help reading any of these documents, you can ask your computer to read them aloud to you. Download Adobe Reader from the App Store or Google. Once installed, open the “View” menu, point to the “Read Out Loud” submenu, and then click the “Activate Read Out Loud” command. You can also hit Ctrl+Shift+Y to activate this feature.
Just because you’re not in school yet doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun and learning!
We have a pre-school activity pack available packed full of fun games and activities for our youngest Animal Champions.
Click on a game below to play!
Click on the image below to download your activity pack


The Teaching with Primary Sources grant will enrich HNU’s free online resource with folk songs from Native Americans, early Spanish settlers, and more recent immigrants.
OAKLAND, CA (May 21, 2018) – Holy Names University faculty members Anne Laskey and Gail Needleman and HNU’s Kodály Center for Music Education have received a Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grant from the Library of Congress. The grant, from the TPS Western Regional Center, will fund Folk Songs of the Western United States: Building a Unique Resource for Teachers. This hands-on research project at the Library of Congress will result in the addition of over 100 songs from 16 Western states to HNU’s online American Folk Song Collection (http://kodaly.hnu.edu/). Songs chosen will represent the many peoples who have contributed to the culture of the West, from Native Americans to the early Spanish settlers to the many immigrant cultures who followed from around the world.
“Most folk song collectors in the United States worked in the Eastern half of the country, and quality materials from the West are difficult to find in either print or recorded sources,” explained Anne Laskey, former Director of HNU’s Kodály Center. “This TPS project will serve teachers who wish to present folk songs from the Western U.S. to their students, as well as anyone interested in sharing and preserving our diverse cultural heritage.
Teaching with Primary Sources is the Library of Congress’s premier educational program, focused on helping educators enhance students’ skills and knowledge using primary sources from the Library’s collections.
The HNU online American Folk Song Collection (AFSC) is a unique, free resource of folk songs representing a wide spectrum of the geographic and cultural populations of the United States. Each song has been selected for its beauty, suitability for teaching and musical versatility. All songs in the collection include lyrics, a musical score and song analysis showing how it can be used to develop musical and cultural understanding.
The AFSC website also includes field recordings, historical and cultural background and game directions and currently features more than 560 songs, including 140 from the Library of Congress. Teachers can search for songs by grade level, subject, song type, state, region, origin, musical characteristics and any combination thereof. The online collection was created from HNU’s original collection of American Folk Songs for Teaching, developed over 35 years by faculty and students at the Kodály Center. In 1984, this original collection was recognized as a folk song archive by the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress.
In 2000, Laskey and Needleman received an award from the Gerald E. and Corinne L. Parsons Fund for Ethnography at the Library of Congress to research and transcribe historical field recordings in the LOC Archive of Folk Culture. These recordings form the heart of the online AFSC, created by noted arts website producer Larry Larson. Launched in 2004 with the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, it quickly became the premier site for American folk music.
Since its inception, this website has gained international acclaim and is used by tens of thousands of music educators across the country and around the world.


Mrs. Shelley Amari
Ms. Caitlin Burke
Mrs. Amanda Krumsiek
Mrs. Deborah McMaster
Special Education Inclusion Teacher:
The second grade teachers collaborate to provide our students with hands on learning experiences across the curriculum. We teach the foundational skills of reading and writing through the use of a variety of resources that actively promote learning and connect to the common core standards. Throughout the year the students will learn math concepts such as regrouping, place value, money, measurement, geometry and telling time. As a team we celebrate everyone's uniqueness and encourage all of our students to embrace all of the qualities that make them who they are.
Special Education Information
The Special Education team provides instruction and support for students with disabilities. We collaborate with general education teachers and staff in adapting the curriculum, providing/implementing of modifications, and assessing the overall progress of each student. The Special Education team continues to collaborate and develop positive relationships with general education staff and parents during the school year.


Above-simplification is a threat in science training. Even though over-simplification may get the stage throughout, it can imprint on the younger college student a false information that can stay for a prolonged time. This effect in switch can trigger resistance in afterwards studying when long term instruction could paint a distinct and more sophisticated photo of the entire world. Food chains are a very good situation in level and I will try to make clear the pit falls in simplified instruction.
Text textbooks or the web will frequently present a thrush feeding on an aphid, a snake on a rat, or a badger ingesting a snake. These are all unusual behaviours for these creatures, only achievable in outstanding situations. The broader picture is that most animals are opportunists and will take in foodstuff that is effortless to acquire and ideally requirements the bare minimum of work and threat. The constrained sum of vitality available from quite small prey, this sort of as an aphid, means that only little birds this sort of as blue tits will discover it economic to forage for them. This fuller explanation is more satisfactory because it provides a feeling of strength put in versus obtained. In addition, the actual physical constructions of an animal, in this circumstance the bird’s beak and weight, will also position to the standard diet regime of the creature. And what is intended by a ‘snake’ which can be any of almost two,800 species, all with their personal selection of habitats and diets. ‘Snake’ is a meaningless designation. Only by describing these finer details, does a food chain make perception.
The second fundamental error in working with food chains is that extremely few diets are so limited as to make all stages of hunter and prey the two linear and singular. It ignores the selection, thus producing a net instead than a chain. In addition there is the element of the variability of this foods web above geography and time, such as periods of drought. In this kind of moments of tension, carnivores frequently take in carrion, due to the fact it is plentiful in the same way, some creatures, these kinds of as crocodiles, will switch to cannibalism on the level of hunger.
The third misunderstanding produced by the concept of foods chains is the recommendation that the creature eats the very same foods throughout its independent existence. Juveniles of a lot of creatures take in a different established of meals to their grownup counterparts, typically established by their measurement and, in the scenario of carnivores, their degree of looking capacity. Displaying easy science for kids in diagrams can turn into problematic the essence is offering notes to emphasize these variables.
Foodstuff chain concept is a excellent introduction to other branches of organic sciences and can frequently be taught collectively to spotlight these other aspects that are component of ecosystems. Ecosystems are decided by bodily as well as organic elements and every dwelling creature in that setting has its possess effect on the interactions. Ecosystems are not specific they frequently blend slowly into other habitats, these kinds of as forest to savannah. More than time most ecosystems alter or ‘mature’, these kinds of as the succession of dominant tree species in an undisturbed forest, top to a ‘ climax group ‘. All creatures need to have to be suited and adapted to prosper in that atmosphere because every single ecosystem has its possess set of physical and biological aspects. Ecosystems determine the creatures’ place in the meals chain in that setting. Some animals and crops can inhabit a assortment of ecosystems, and in the extended expression, this can direct to new species arising, delivering populations that are isolated from every single other. So, the even bigger theories and suggestions starting from foodstuff chains can direct to an comprehending of ecology which in flip can guide to the introduction of adaptation and evolution.
The very last in this series of 3 content articles will concentrate on the problem of educating young learners in the digital age when, on common, student spends six several hours for every day in entrance of the monitor. The affect of this will be explored which includes underestimating young learners’ passively obtained expertise.Others


At Reaseheath, we take the overall education of our students and their employment prospects very seriously. Therefore, we are committed to developing your language, literacy and numeracy skills to aid your future progression.
Achieving GCSEs to at least the standard of Grade 4 (or Grade C level) in maths and English is important for your employment prospects and academic progression. If you haven’t attained these grades you will commence a tailored pathway of either GCSE or Functional Skills qualifications to further develop your skills. You will attend maths and/or English lessons twice a week with other students from your course and your department.
You’ll be fully supported by a dedicated team of specialist maths and English tutors who will deliver engaging lessons which link closely to your chosen industry.
If you enrol with a Grade 4 (or above, or equivalent) in maths and English you will be encouraged to develop your understanding to ensure that you are well equipped to enter your chosen industry. You will have the option to improve your grade and there may also be the opportunity for you to study a Level 3 Core Maths qualification.
For students under the age of 19 it is a government requirement that we facilitate your language, literacy and numeracy skills. Students aged 19 and over, who are yet to achieve GCSEs at Grade 4 level will be given the option of studying suitable maths and English qualifications free of charge.
Why do I have to study maths and English?
English and maths at GCSE grade 4+ are essential qualifications for progression within further education and to higher education and employment.
Employers frequently stress the importance of GCSE/functional skills and they are recognised as being vital to the world of work and the college incorporates this work within your studies.
Students also need to have at least a grade C GCSE in maths and English to progress onto a university course. The college aim is that each student will work to a level to improve English and maths that is achievable to meet his or her own specific needs. Functional skills, where practical, relate to the vocational subject area.
I got a D/3 in my GCSE maths/English, can I just resit the exam?
The College also offers an opportunity to re-study GCSE to students who hold a grade D/3 in English and maths subjects. These are essential skills that will enable you to achieve to your full potential in your main subject area. You will study for one year, then sit the exam in June.
I’m 18, will I need to study maths and/or English?
If you do not hold grade C GCSE in English or maths you will be expected to study a specific qualification to progress in these subjects and all full-time students under the age of 19 are expected to improve their functional skills levels in communication, application of number and information technology.
I’m 20, what happens to me?
For students over 19 this is optional and depends upon individual circumstances, but the College feels that all students benefit from working to improve their English and maths. Sessions will be delivered discretely by specialised English and maths tutors where it is identified that you need to improve your qualifications. English and maths skills will also be further developed through embedding within you main qualification.


Helen Becker, Research Data Analyst, Clear Creek ISD
Megan Evans, Executive Director Assessment & Evaluation, Clear Creek ISD
Coney Dehart, Insights Data Analyst, Clear Creek ISD
Charles Moore, Instructional Coach, Clear Creek ISD
Research tells us that effective assessments are built on a foundation of specific, skill-related learning targets for students measured by success criteria. This session will focus on how rubrics narrow complex tasks into performance standards that represent foundational skills. Specifically, the presenters will focus on their district-wide efforts to implement single-point rubrics to evaluate student performance and measure growth in the field of English Language Arts and Math.


Creating the basic structure. In this article you will find our compiled grade 3 daily lesson plan 2019 dlp we at deped tambayan we aim to compile all 2019 dlp and make them available to our fellow teachers.
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© 2003 GIA.
Click here to download the 2020 Supplement to First Steps in Music.
Over the past year, a committee formed by the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) developed a set of standards for evaluating repertoire associated with the curriculum. With their guidance, we have removed several songs that were deemed to be harmful, derogatory, or disrespectful in regard to their histories or context. We have also added a number of new songs and rhymes from a variety of world cultures. The above link details these revisions for the curriculum book and the supplemental folk song collections.
Children often spontaneously dance around the living room or run from place to place. The activities in The Book of Movement Exploration bring out these strong movement impulses in children, as well as gentler ones. While burning off a little energy, children will develop a movement vocabulary as they develop motor skills and enhance their creativity. Performed quickly or slowly, with music or without, solo or in a group, these activities make for fun, engaging educational experiences for children (and adults)!
No revisions were made to this resource.
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.


Newcomb Pottery is considered one of the most significant American art potteries of the first half of the twentieth century. Influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement, Newcomb pottery was exhibited around the world, sold in shops on both coasts, and written about in art journals throughout the United States and Europe. Newcomb potters (always men) and designers (always women) were awarded eight medals at international exhibitions before 1916.
The Newcomb art curriculum, as well as and its utilitarian philosophy underlying it, were unique among art potteries and women’s colleges of the time. Josphine Louise Newcomb’s gift founding Newcomb College in 1886 stressed an education both “practical and literary.” The Art Department would become the focus of this institutional ideal.
Among the young faculty hired to develop Newcomb’s program of art education was Ellsworth Woodward, who brought with him traditions he learned at the Rhode Island School of Design. Woodward envisioned an ambitious program of vocational training for young women artists. Under his guidance, Newcomb Pottery was established in 1894 after Mary Given Sheerer arrived from Cincinnati to teach pottery and china decoration. Sheerer became a dedicated leader within the early Newcomb community and a respected authority on ceramics.
Based on the visions of Sheerer and Woodward, the distinct wares of Newcomb Pottery became well known in the art world of the day. The students and graduates worked with designs evocative of the American South, inspired by Louisiana flora and crafted from local and regional clay. As the twentieth century opened before them, some students moved towards developing more modern designs, yet still maintained the philosophy that no two pieces of pottery should be alike. During its nearly fifty years of operation, Newcomb Pottery provided employment to roughly ninety Newcomb graduates, and produced some 70,000 distinct pieces of work.


Here Come The Girls! The Projects Fighting For Girls' Freedom
It’s International Day of the Girl, and of course no such day would go past without Beyonce featuring in it in someway. This incredible video by The Global Goals, has girls all over the world lip-syncing to Beyonce’s Freedom and reminds us of all the many issues girls continue to face, including lack of access to education and child marriage. Here at HundrED we believe that education is one of the main steps to helping girls escape the poverty, trafficking, child marriage and many other obstacles that girls face the world over.
The good news is, there are projects happening all over the world to get girls the education they need to work their way to a brighter future. The Afghanistan National Institute for Music is one such school. Their work introduces music education back into Afghanistan, where it was banned under the Taliban and still has connotations of being immoral or unvirtuous. Education for girls in the area is still an issue, so the project actively works to include girls in its program. Currently a third of the students in attendance are girls and over half of the students are orphans or members of the street community.
It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that every technological ‘assistant’ developed is female – Siri – Alexa – reinforcing the idea that women are nurturers and helpers whilst men remain the all-powerful creator.
In India and Uganda, Project DEFY sets up maker-spaces for communities where formal education just isn’t an option due to teacher absences and a lack of schools in rural areas. Children in the local community are given access to computers so they can teach themselves anything they want to learn about, and then use their new knowledge to develop the skills they desire and need. In communities where girls usually wouldn’t be able to go to school by having a space so close to home, the founders have discovered that girls are allowed by their families to use the space and educate themselves.
BRAC Boat Schools in Bangladesh also work to bring gender parity to the region. Again, those in rural locations are at an disadvantage when it comes to formal schooling as they just can’t get to school due to regular flooding. BRAC organizes schools to be held on boats instead, always led by a female teacher who remains with them throughout their whole primary school career. Each boat school can accommodate up to thirty pupils, with at least half of whom are girls.
Even in developed countries, where education is freely available, women still have many barriers to overcome, such as the gender inequality ratios evident in the film and technology industries.
The technology industries are still exceedingly male dominant, which is pretty evident from the tech that ends up in our lives. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that every technological ‘assistant’ developed is female – Siri – Alexa – reinforcing the idea that women are nurturers and helpers whilst men remain the all-powerful creator. This symptom of the STEM industry also feeds back into technology driven media such as how women are portrayed in games and generally the STEM industries remain a bit of a boys club.
SHINE for Girls is a US based initiative that encourages girls into STEM. Their unique approach combines dance and movement with STEM teaching, encouraging girls to rethink their overwhelming anxiety towards maths and their self-belief that such subjects are not for them.
Our current ‘Pick of the Week’ Hello Ruby, was founded by Linda Liukas, and introduces coding and STEM for young children through art and storytelling. Hello Ruby helps STEM become a more easily accessible subject area, one which every child feels like they could do – not just boys. Getting in there early with both girls and boys can help to break down barriers before they even begin to build.
Pupils using Lyfta, an experiential product that utilizes computers, tablets or VR equipment, experience the world through real-life stories. They can explore the workplaces and personal homes of people from all over the world, with many of the stories focusing on gender equality. The Global Oneness Project similarly explores cultural issues such as gender in their high-quality documentaries and photo essays, all available online for free.
It can feel incredibly disarming and tiring hearing of stories about women and girls being abused and put at an disadvantage, however we are making progress. The hard work of these innovations goes to show that if the rest of us put our minds to it too, we can brighten the futures for girls worldwide.
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Art has been sadly side-lined in schools in pursuit of more attainment in the core subjects of Maths and English. Art is just not seen as important as other subjects, but in reality, the arts have a huge impact on learning and should be considered equally as vital in education. Here are some of the reasons we should be expanding arts education and not limiting it:
Many children love arts education
For those children who don’t enjoy purely academic work, art is a chance to get ‘hands on’, has immediate results and encourages positive thinking and collaboration with peers. There is an opportunity to demonstrate skills, grow in confidence and feel good about achieving something creative. It’s not just children either who benefit from ‘hands-on’ creativity. Display your work with the help of Giclee Printing Services. For more information, visit http://www.river-studio.com/
Children learn positivity
Whether it’s learning an instrument, painting, attending dance classes or singing in a choir, engagement in the arts encourages achievement through small steps, practice, persistence and room for improving. What great lessons for life in general! The arts encourage positive behaviour that can relate to success in any area of life.
Providing an atmosphere conducive to creative thought is just as important in the 21st century. It’s an important skill to have, however you wish to apply it. Whether you’re filling a canvas with colour, writing a song or producing a play – problem-solving, working independently, trial and error etc are all vital skills for any project or endeavour.
Developing critical skills
Art education encourages higher level thinking that can be transferred into other subjects too. Art fosters an atmosphere of questioning, observing, interpreting and seeing other perspectives. Developing critical thinking skills through the arts will benefit a student in endless aspects of further education and life experience.
Enrich learning of other subjects
Learning about different forms of art links in with so many other aspects of education. A student will learn about history, literature, engineering, scientific principles and even mathematics. Art education teaches those themes that cross the boundaries into all subjects – beauty, conflict, power, emotion and empathy. Art can show us human tragedy, but also joy and wonder.
Encouragement of continual growth
The arts encourage the development of passion, the desire to grow and improve. A lot of children discover skills and interests through engaging with art that they might not otherwise have found, whether that’s drawing, playing an instrument, writing, dancing or sculpture.
Art education encourages children to pull together to achieve something amazing and productive. This helps to develop their understanding of difference and diversity, empathy and collaboration. Such knowledge should lead to a more harmonious and peaceful learning environment.


Right of Education
Save the Children is working to ensure that every child receives a good quality education, and learns the skills they will need to thrive in the 21st century. We are breaking down the barriers to education by helping poor and vulnerable children – including those who are living in conflict and disaster zones – access early childhood and primary school services. Our work is leading the way in improving literacy and numeracy skills, helping teachers to teach and children learn. Through our work, we are supporting out-of-school young people access training in a skill or occupation, so that they can get a job which provides them with enough money to survive.


When I was in the classroom, we had to turn in a sub folder at the beginning of every year. This caused me great angst. What should I leave in it? When would I need it? I didn’t want to leave busy work, but to leave something in a folder for an “emergency” was far too overwhelming for someone like me to process. Honestly, I feel the worst thing you can do is require kids to do something that is absolutely pointless. What’s worse, inadequate plans are unfair to your substitute. Idle children, no matter how well behaved, can become little terrors from sheer boredom alone. Not to mention that wasting instruction time should be criminal in and of itself (but that is a conversation for another day). So, in light of the sub plan debacle, I have created grade-level specific sub plans that are aligned to Common Core and provide relevant practice for students.
For the students:
Each set provides a specific grammar skill for students. Instead of having students complete meaningless worksheets that don’t help them retain the skill, these grammar sheets introduce rules and have students practice those skills through various tasks. By embedding the skills in their own writing, students better retain the information.
Vocabulary Practice – Word of the Day
Students get one new word for the day. They are provided the part of speech and the definition. Students then practice the word with 3 different thought-provoking exercises. In the first activity, students find a synonym, antonym, use the word in a sentence and draw a picture that displays the word.
In the next activity, students make connections to themselves, text, and the real world. Lastly, students understand word relationships when they identify the parts of speech for 2 different forms of the vocabulary word. Students then use the word variations in sentences.
Each reading comprehension passage is an original, grade-level appropriate informational text with common-core aligned questions. To engage students, passages are about animals, plants, or insects that most people are unfamiliar with. Also, students can click on a QR Code that takes them to a video displaying what they have just read. (This is definitely the coolest part of the activity per the students who sampled the product for me.
Students read a short passage and revise and edit the passage to include more descriptive language by adding various types of figurative language, phrases, and parts of speech.
For students that may struggle or need a refresher on certain elements, students have a cheat sheet at the top of the page for their reference.
For the substitute:
To assist the substitute with the plans, there is a chart that details what the substitute can do to model for each activity and how to have students complete each activity. Designed for a 90-minute block, there is more than enough for students to do.
For the teacher:
Answer keys are provided for the activities. Also, the design of the activities allow for conversation and interaction after completion. The teacher can provide meaningful feedback that students can apply in other assignments, regardless of what they are.
For principals and administrators:
Sometimes you are left holding the bag when a teacher has an unexpected absence. These packs would work well for your middle school ELA classes.
One last note:
If you are not an ELA teacher, or this is not something you are looking for, I encourage you to consider what you leave your students to do in your absence. Meaningful work should not disappear in your absence. Instead, consider foundational skills that your students need to work on consistently, and devise a plan around those concepts. This will sharpen students while you are away, and make the most of instruction time. Also, consider how improbable it is for students to sit idly for an extended period of time. Allow them to work with a peer or discuss information with your substitute. You will be amazed at the outcome!


Romania is home to more than 3.6 million children who live across the country in 103 municipalities, 216 towns, and in 2.682 communes. Despite the significant progress in the past 30 years, almost 36 % of all Romanian children continue to be at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Over 300,000 children do not complete compulsory education, nearly 50 % do not have basic literacy and numeracy skills at age 15 (PISA), an estimated 350,000 children are left behind by migrant parents, infant mortality rate is the highest in EU and two times higher than the average, and one child in ten is born to an adolescent mother. Children have poor access to health, education and social services and face discrimination. These children are also more exposed to violence, separation from their families and placement in residential or alternative care arrangements or in special schools. Social and gender norms negatively affect their social inclusion and limit their participation. The COVID-19 pandemic has made these vulnerable children even more vulnerable.
Since 2019, when Romania held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Government and UNICEF have championed child participation at both national and EU levels.
By improving access to health and social services at the community level and fostering access to early learning and to quality inclusive education, all children will benefit from breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and exclusion and enjoy more inclusive development, opportunities and social inclusion. When discrimination and negative social norms are addressed, Roma children, children with disabilities and children living in poverty are part of and contribute to the community life.
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (Inițiativa Localități Prietene ale Copiilor) will seek to address these inequities at the local level. The initiative is set to be launched in five cities, towns and communes this year as part of a pilot project. Informed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals, the initiative will seek to strengthen data collection, local planning, monitoring and budgeting, community empowerment and child participation, development and coordination of services, awareness raising and communication, child-friendly policies and capacity building of local government officials and children.
@UNICEF UN98 Radu Sandovici
Pop. under 18: 3,634,309
(Source: National Institute of Statistics, as of 1st of January 2020)
• Bacau (municipality)
• Brasov (municipality)
• Colonesti (commune)
• Moinesti (municipality)
• Ungureni (commune)


Inside the brain of a struggling reader
There are many, many factors that when combined, tend to create successful readers. While home environment, access to books and social and economic factors each play a part in children’s literacy development, BRAIN DIFFERENCES also play a crucial role.
There are many parts to the human brain:
In struggling readers, this ‘part’ is often underdeveloped. It helps readers make the connection between letters, sounds or phonemes ( this is called phonological processing ).
The part of the brain that helps us understand what we see. While struggling readers may not have vision problems, differences in the occipital lobe can prevent them from understanding individual letters or words when they see them.
In a typical brain, this acts as a giant warehouse for vocabulary and sounds. For struggling readers, this area shows less activity and may even be inactive. This means that for some students, every word encountered is a new word, all the time.
This is usually associated with speaking words aloud. Students with phonological processing issues often show less activity in this region. It may be a no-brainer (sic), but speech, listening and reading are all interconnected.
difficulties also contribute to reading struggles.
Good News … The Brain is Plastic, It’s Fantastic.
New research is demonstrating the plasticity of the brain, or the ability for it to change over the course of a human’s life. Teachers understand this better than most. LEARNING can make a big impact on brain physiology. Three awesome examples are:
Learning Example 1
London bus drivers v taxi drivers. Your average taxi driver has a larger hippocampus than a bus driver, likely because they have to navigate all over the city, while bus drivers have set routes (Maquire, Woollet and Spiers, 2006).
What this means for your child: Sometimes, taking the ‘scenic route’ when learning can engage the brain in a completely different way.
Learning Example 2
Monolinguals v Bilinquals. It turns out learning more than one language literally expands your brain: Bilinguals have a bigger left inferior parietal cortex than monolinguals (Mechelli et al., 2004).
What this means for your child: Learn a language together. It might mean basic, everyday phrases to begin with.
Learning Example 3
Musician’s v Non-musicians. Musicians who practice at least one hour a day have been shown to have more grey matter than those who do not play an instrument (Gaser and Schlaug, 2003).
What this means for your child: Practise spelling, times tables etc daily for better results!
Food for thought as we ALL, try to make our world a more literal, compassionate place.


Meaningful conversation between workers and managers benefits confidence, efficiency, productivity while promoting trust and respect. When workplace “culture” thrives on the strength of shared values and effective communication, earnings and profits dramatically increase. On the other hand, when workers feel separated from their work and their leaders, both the work and the bottom line suffer. When workers enroll in and complete adult education classes, they build literacy and numeracy skills, which allow them to “own” their work. Understanding procedures and processes, anticipating steps in completing a task, workers invest in the quality of their work. Adult education classes build workers’ command of spoken and written English so that they communicate more efficiently and effectively with their managers. Adult education classes develop workers’ math and problem solving skills so that they require less guidance. Managers sometimes talk about “getting everyone on the same page.” Adult education classes do that—literally.


As children grow, they develop the fine motor skills and tactile perception that allow them to perform tasks, such as holding an eating utensil, buttoning a jacket or gripping a crayon. Tactile perception -- which involves discriminating between different textures, shapes and objects -- plays an important role in fine motor dexterity. Development in both of these areas can be achieved through a variety of engaging activities.
Pom Pom Pick Up
Activities that require students to use tongs, tweezers or similar tools to pick up objects promote development of the hand and finger muscles necessary to complete tasks, such as holding a pencil or using scissors. Making the activity a type of game or competition can keep children engaged and motivated. For example, challenging children to see who can pick up the most small craft pom poms with a clothespin in a given period of time is a fun activity that allows for motor skill development.
Tactile discrimination can be developed through an activity that requires students to locate objects only by touch. This activity can be done using common objects, different shapes or letters -- any items that children are familiar with. Bag hunt is done in two ways. The first variation involves placing an object in a bag and having children try to guess what it is without looking. The second way is completed by placing numerous items in a bag and asking children to pick out a specific object.
Strings and Things
Incorporating activities that require children to work with small materials also promotes fine motor development. Kids will enjoy being engaged in projects that allow them to practice skills including weaving, twisting and braiding. Using different yarns, strings and other materials, such as pipe cleaners, adds a tactile element to these activities as well. Stringing beads, noodles or other appropriate materials to make bracelets and necklaces is another activity that is good for fine motor development.
Development on Their Time
A number of child-directed play activities promote fine motor and tactile development as well. Completing puzzles, building with connecting blocks or wooden blocks and using manipulatives, such as lacing cards or peg boards, allow children to gain practice using their hands on a level that feels comfortable to them. Kids can also develop fine motor skills and tactile perception simultaneously through sculpting with play dough or clay. Providing children free-choice play time with materials that encourage fine motor and tactile development is important. Children need opportunities to develop these skills without the element of performance being involved -- in settings where success or failure is irrelevant.
Based in Gainesville, Carissa Lawrence is an experienced teacher who has been writing education related articles since 2013. Lawrence holds a master's degree in early childhood education from the University of Florida.


by Terry Wolkowicz
Could Beethoven be the answer to solving the world’s growing plastic pollution problem? If you ask any of the 4,800 children living along the South Coast of Massachusetts, their answer would be a resounding yes! During the 2018-2019 Learning in Concert program, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra partnered with over 55 local schools to explore various compositional techniques used by Beethoven that also serve as models to reduce plastic pollution.
The idea for the program came from a simple observation, that composers, like Beethoven, were very resourceful in their ability to create an entire piece of music from a single musical idea or motif. Great composers would never throw away a musical idea after one single use. Beethoven would find the potential from each musical idea through reusing (repeating), repurposing (modifying) and recycling (fragmenting) the motif throughout a piece of music. In the program, the students heard these resourceful techniques through the music of Beethoven. They also considered how they could adopt these techniques of reuse, repurpose and recycle into their daily lives in the ways that they use and dispose of plastic products.
Orchestras across the country consistently search for new ways to connect to their audiences and build future audiences. By providing new ways to access the music and perceive the combination and arrangement of musical elements, listeners can better understand and enjoy these musical experiences. The Learning in Concert program approaches our interaction with children in the same way. By connecting musical concepts to other disciplines that share that same concept, the children can build an understanding from multiple representations. This creates a two-way street, where the understanding in one domain builds and reinforces the understanding in another.
In the “Be Like Beethoven” program, the children explored the concepts of reuse, repurpose and recycle in music and environmental protection. They could see these concepts demonstrated in the ways that we use and dispose of plastic products and through the music of great composers. In the classroom phase of the Learning in Concert program, the children explored Beethoven’s famous 4-note motif from his 5th Symphony. The children used Lego blocks to represent the four musical notes, using three short 2×2 blocks followed by a 2×4 block positioned slightly lower on the lego board. They then repositioned the blocks to represent Beethoven’s reuse of the motif through repetition and sequence. They also repositioned the blocks to demonstrate retrograde, inversion, addition, expansion and compression as Beethoven finds new and different ways to modify or repurpose his musical idea. And finally, they selected some used blocks from the original to compose a brand new melody to show how Beethoven can recycle parts of his original motif into a new product.
In this lesson, the ability to read musical notation is not required to build an understanding of these compositional techniques. There is no barrier between the child and her ability to explore how Beethoven composed his music. The musical shapes are simply illustrated through the arrangement of the blocks on the lego board. The children can hear reuse, repurpose and recycle through the musical performances and see reuse, repurpose and recycle through exploration and discussion of our use of plastic products.
At the Young People’s Concerts, these children came to the concert hall to celebrate their work in the Learning in Concert program. Their enjoyment and appreciation of Beethoven had risen to a new level. As some of the children expressed, they now considered Beethoven to be the G.O.A.T. of music (Greatest Of All Time). They were able to understand his genius and connect his amazing music created long ago to a solution needed for a real-world problem affecting our world today.
Watch as our students teach you how to reuse, repurpose and recycle Beethoven’s famous musical ideas and reuse, repurpose and recycle plastic products to reduce plastic pollution!
Terry Wolkowicz is the Education Director for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and the creator of the Learning in Concert program. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the New England Conservatory of Music and a Master’s degree in Education from Harvard University. She has presented on concept-based arts integration at numerous national conferences and has published articles on arts integration and the Learning in Concert program in the Music Educators Journal and the A.Z.A.’s Connect magazine.


The research by Brodin and Renblad titled, ‘Improvement of preschool children’s speech and language skills (2019)’ shows that there is a relationship between reading and oral language skills as vocabulary, how to form sentences from word combinations and paying attention to the meaning of words or sentences. Conclusively, these aspects form part of reading comprehension and word recognition. Parent-child literacy development skills stimulate young learner’s oral language skills. Wright (2019) replicates the findings of Brodin and Renblad (2019) adding that children can learn new words and meanings when reading aloud with their parents as they grow their vocabulary knowledge. The literature searches also pointed out that mediatized reading aloud involves exposing children to sophisticated texts that they never come across in their daily lives and activities because they are rarely spoken. Thus, mediatized reading aloud will develop the language skills of children as compared to toy play or any other interaction with an adult.


Students who are meeting or exceeding standards may require enrichment beyond the core to demonstrate academic growth. It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that all students make academic progress regardless of their entry-level. The Branching Minds Support Library contains learning activities that may be used as early as Tier 1, as teachers design differentiated instruction for individual or small groups of students. Below are some examples from the Branching Minds Support Library:
Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA). This research-based strategy teaches students to approach math problems from three levels (concrete, representational, and abstract) in order to deepen their understanding of math concepts. First, students are provided with concrete examples of math concepts using physical, hands-on materials. Next, representational examples of the same concept are provided through pictures or drawings. Lastly, an abstract form of the math concept is introduced, using appropriate math symbols. When used consistently, this strategy promotes conceptual and procedural skills related to specific mathematics concepts.
Enhanced Core Reading Instruction. This research-based core reading program provides teachers with 150 ready-to-use daily foundational skills lessons for students in kindergarten through 2nd grade. The curriculum is aligned with Common Core State Standards and rigorous studies have demonstrated its positive impact on reading achievement.
Everyday Mathematics. This curriculum uses collaboration and real-world applications to help students develop a conceptual understanding of math principles. The material is structured so that lessons tie into previous and future lessons and activities are used to emphasize real-world examples of concepts. Research has shown that this program is able to improve math achievement for elementary school students.
Facing History and Ourselves. This social-emotional learning program aims to promote core character education values and help middle and high school students develop moral reasoning skills. Throughout the program, students learn to move from thought to judgment to participation as they confront the moral questions inherent in a study of violence, racism, antisemitism and bigotry. Students also examine historical events, in particular the events that led to World War II and the Holocaust. Research has shown that students who participate in this program improve in their prosocial behaviors and empathy towards others.
Branching Minds is a highly respected K-12 services and technology company that leverages the learning sciences and technology to help districts effectively personalize learning through enhancements to their MTSS/RTI practice. Having worked with hundreds of districts across the country, we bring deep expertise in learning sciences, data management and analysis, software design, coaching, and collaboration. Combined with our extensive toolkit of resources, PD, and technology, we provide a system-level solution. We are more than a service or a software provider, we are partners who will deliver sustainable results for educators, and a path to success for every learner.


The Method Books collection is a part of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Historical Center at the University of Maryland. NAfME is the premiere music education organization in the United States, working to further the musical development of young people through education. This collection consists of method books for training students to play musical instruments. The materials in the collection date from 1888 to 2001 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1924 to 1963. Most symphonic orchestral instruments are represented as well piano and guitar. Along with the solo instrument methods, the collection also includes books for band and string methods. The collection includes both student and teacher editions, as well as some conductor books.
Majority of material found within 1924-1963
Use and Access to Collection
The collection is open for research use. Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room during SCPA’s operating hours. Please contact the curator for an inventory, to book an appointment to view the materials, or if you have questions related to digital access of the materials.
Duplication and Copyright Information
Copyright was not transferred to the University of Maryland with the gift of any copyrighted materials. All rights remain with the creators and rights holders. The University of Maryland Libraries is granted permission for the use in scholarly research by the Libraries’ patrons under fair use in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.


Brainstorming is a great way to generate new ideas and it is also very effective in finding solutions to problems. A brainstorming technique encourages the participants to suggest as many ideas as possible on a given issue or a question. It invites them to express any thoughts they might have about the topic, without having to worry about how relevant, or connected, they might be.
As the term cooperation suggests, this technique helps participants work together in groups, so that they can learn from each other. It enables individuals to feel close, listen to each other, and be able to explain their own ideas in a clear way. Cooperative learning has been found to increase attendance, time on task, enjoyment of learning, motivation and independence.
Creativity is said to be the expression of intense inner emotions and challenging ideas. Whether it’s art, dance, singing, designing a project plan or conducting a science experiment, it provides young people with an opportunity to demonstrate their individuality and gain self-confidence. Creative expression in education differs in different cultures, but it is considered important to the formation of meaningful relationships, and peaceful, cohesive societies.
Discussion is important because it helps young people process information rather than simply receive it. Our job is to set clear directions for the discussion activity, take on the role of facilitator, and create an environment where everyone feels safe to express their opinion. This is a chance for everyone to share ideas and pool their resources together.
We use the term experiential-based technique when we refer to education where we engage participants in critical thinking, problem solving and decision making in contexts that are relevant to them. Sometimes this is done through a sensory-type of activity, and sometimes just by having time to think, write, or share their thoughts on a particular issue.
Role-playing is a technique that involves assigning a specific role, or character, to each participant and then having them act out a scene or situation, as that character. For example, one participant might pretend to be someone who needs to share an experience with his friend, while the other participant takes on the role of a friend who doesn’t listen or pay attention to what he is telling her/him. Through role playing it becomes easier to discuss complex social issues in a non-threatening environment. It helps participants become aware of their own, and other people’s, behaviors in “real” situations, and by that learn and draw conclusions based on their experience.
Value-based education is a technique that includes these moral aspects, but also the social, emotional, physical, spiritual and intellectual aspects of human development. The purpose of value-based education is to encourage participants to reflect on an issue and take a stand on something; to be able to express and explain their opinions, and to both listen to others and also be listened to in return. This is achieved by getting the group to consider a specific topic, and allowing them to express their thoughts and opinions in an environment, where all comments are welcomed, and everyone is worth listening to.


Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources. Displaying 1 - 10 of resources: FM L Calculate percentages of quantities, including simple percentage increases and decreases by 5% and multiples thereof. FM L Convert between units of length, weight, capacity, money and time, in the same system. Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help adult learners improve their calculation and numeracy skills. Percent and fractions Free videos and downloadable worksheets to help adult.
Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) Literacy rate, youth (ages ), gender parity index (GPI) Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages ) Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages ). The percentages of U.S. adults performing at the lowest levels (i.e., Level 1 or below in literacy and numeracy and below Level 1 in digital problem solving) in were 19 percent in literacy, 29 percent in numeracy, and 24 percent in digital problem solving.
Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources. M ain Functional Maths coverage is reading and comparing whole numbers and percentages, and percentage-fraction equivalents. Some questions involve calculating percentages or checking the figures that are quoted in the text (Level 2). U.S.-born adults comprise 24 percent of the population with low numeracy skills, compared to 15 percent of the total population (FIGURE 2). White adults make up the largest. percentage of U.S. adults with low levels of numeracy, 39 percent, followed by that of Hispanic and Black adults, 28 and 26 percent, respectively (FIGURE 3).
A numeracy or Functional Maths worksheet that uses data handling, rounding, days and dates, percentages and fractions related to the Radio 1 presenter Chris Moyles. It is based on The Guardian’s Infomania page in ‘The Guide’. Also useful as revision material. Could be used for a discussion on Chris Moyles and musical taste. U.S.-born adults make up about three-fourths of adults with low levels of numeracy skills in the United States. However, the non-U.S.-born are overrepresented among such low-skilled adults. Non-U.S.-born adults comprise 24 percent of the population with low numeracy skills, compared to 15 percent of the total population (FIGURE 2). FIGURE 3. Percentage of low-skilled adults .


Fifty-five million students in the United States are home due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Schools around the country not only had to pivot to remote learning quickly, but they have had to evaluate what, why, and how students learn.
As part of our COVID-19 webinar series, Code.org Founder and CEO Hadi Partovi joined us to discuss what schools need to consider as they plan to reopen their doors and reimagine education for the 21st century. Hadi shared some great insights and tips for parents and teachers and provided background on Code.org's efforts to expand access to computer science for underrepresented groups.
Below are three key takeaways from the conversation:
1. Computer science makes schools better
Two hundred years ago when the traditional school model was created, computers did not exist. Today, computers are part of our everyday life; we use them for school, work, and play. However, only about 47% of public schools teach computer science. Computer science is a core skill that helps students improve in math, science, and reading, and studies have shown that students who study computer science are more likely to go to college. Hadi's vision for the future of education includes computer science as a core subject. He also encourages schools to consider teaching computer science and think critically about what we want kids to learn and why.
Hadi asks us to consider what foundational skills students need to have in the Information Age and how schools can ensure that every student is ready for the new global economy.
2. Learn the tech tools
Teachers and students alike had to adapt to teaching and learning online quickly. However, most teachers don't have the training necessary to teach online.
This brings us to Hadi's second consideration for reimagining schools—that teachers must learn new technology tools and keep current with online resources to help supplement in-school learning. Our students live in a digital world, and schools must adapt to learning in that environment.
Embracing new online learning tools will free up time for teachers to mentor students and get students invested in their learning. It also answers the age-old question about how we keep students engaged.
The answer, in this case, is meeting them where they are: online.
3. Plan for every student to have a device
Whether reopening in the summer or the fall, schools are beginning to lay out plans for opening their doors. And the final factor that Hadi urges schools to consider is a plan for every student to have a device.
Planning for every student to have a device is not just an urgency for this global pandemic, but it is a requirement for next year and the years to come. Students falling behind in their studies because they've missing months of learning should not happen due to a lack of technology. The CARES act has allocated 12 billion dollars that schools can use towards bridging the digital divide.
Hadi also suggests creating partnerships with tech companies that can provide devices directly to students and nonprofits that receive computer donations and can give them to students in need.
Sindy Pierre-Noel is the senior manager of programs at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.


We are now a Music Mark School! This means we are committed to promoting high quality musical experiences and opportunities for all our children. More information can be found here.
Music has traditionally been an important area of the curriculum at St James'. Music is valued at St James' as a subject which allows the child to develop on all levels – academically, socially and personally.
“Music can make a powerful contribution to the education and development of children, having benefits which range from those that are largely academic to the growth of social skills and contribution to overall development. It is a unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. Ofsted say that children’s involvement in music engages and re-engages pupils, increasing their self esteem, and maximising their progress in education and not just in music.”
DfE National Plan for Music Education in England, November 2012
All year groups have weekly class music lessons and while in the earlier stages the emphasis is on singing and listening skills, the children benefit from having a good selection of tuned and untuned instruments available for playing. Moreover, an interactive whiteboard in the classroom enhances the opportunities for accessing a wide variety of examples of music and music performance online.
Children practise their singing as a whole school once a week in assembly, where a good mix of traditional and more modern, upbeat songs are learned for assemblies and in particular for the church services which are held at Harvest, Christmas and Easter. This year, the children performed 'The Landlord's Cat', our Christmas production, and several children were given solo singing parts.
The county music peripatetic service is active and children are offered piano, guitar and violin lessons. In addition to this, the school is enjoying the Wider Opportunities schemes: this includes learning the clarineo in Year 4 and preparing for a concert outside school; also, performing at The Corn Exchange in Bedford following the Sing On programme, a course of specialist singing tuition offered to Year 3.
There is a lunch-time recorder club open to children in Year 2 and the children have enjoyed preparing a few pieces to play to their classmates.
At St James', we love making music!


National Geographic Kids Readers: Swing, Sloth! (Pre-reader) Animal Book
- Pre-reader: Ready to Read
- Age Range: 2 - 5 years
- Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten
- Language: English
- Pre-reader books are just right for kids who are ready to read.
ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: SWING SLOTH!
Come along on an adventure through the rain forest. Along the way, you'll meet new friends big and small, see amazing sights, and learn all about the creatures that make their home in the rain forest. Told in simple yet lively text built with sight words and using picture icons to aid reading, National Geographic Pre-readers will enchant kids just beginning their journey with books.
ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS inspires young adventurers to explore the world through award-winning magazines, books, website, apps, games, toys, television series and events and is the only kids brand with a world-class scientific organization at its core.
ABOUT SUSAN B. NEUMAN
Susan B. Neuman is a professor and the chair of the Teaching and Learning department at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University specializing in early literacy development. Previously, she served on the faculty of the University of Michigan and before that as the US assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education. In her role as assistant secretary, Neuman established the Early Reading First program, developed the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program, and was responsible for all the activities in Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Published by National Geographic Children's Books
Paperback ' Mar 11, 2014 ' 24 Pages ' 6 x 9 ' 2-5 years ' ISBN 9781426315060


What is Numeracy?
Numeracy or ‘everyday maths’ is in everything that we do. Being numerate means having the confidence and skill to use numbers and mathematical approaches in all aspects of life - at school, at work, in practical everyday activities at home and beyond, as consumers, in managing finances, as patients making sense of health information and as citizens understanding the world around us.
Being numerate means being able to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts and to apply these in a range of contexts and to solve a variety of problems. Being numerate is as much about thinking and reasoning logically as it is about completing calculations.
It means being able to .....
Interpret data, charts and diagrams
Understand and explain solutions
Make decisions based on logical thinking and reasoning.
There will a monthly Numeracy Challenge for all tutor groups.
Braunton Academy is committed to raising the standards of numeracy of all of its students, so that they develop the ability to use numeracy skills effectively in all areas of the curriculum and the skills necessary to cope confidently with the demands of further education, employment and adult life.
The Mathematics team will deliver the National Curriculum knowledge, skills and understanding. They will make references to the applications of Mathematics in other subject areas and give contexts to many topics.
Other curriculum teams will build on this knowledge and help students to apply them in a variety of situations.
The transfer of skills is something that many students find difficult. It is essential to start from the basis that students realise it is the same skill that is being used; sometimes approaches in subjects differ so much that those basic connections are not made.


Effects of a Dutch family literacy program: The role of implementation
Education Sciences , Volume 11 - Issue 2 p. 1- 44
It is hypothesized that variability found in the effects of family literacy programs results from differences in implementation by parents. In this study, the implementation and effects of a Dutch program were examined in a sample of 207 kindergarteners (mean age at pre-test: 64 months). No main intervention effects on children’s literacy development were found. The quality of implementation proved to be higher for high-SES and native Dutch (speaking) parents than for low-SES, ethnic-minority parents with other home languages. Parent SES, ethnic-minority status, and home language did not moderate the program effects on child language scores and the program failed to impact targeted parental attributes, namely, the home literacy environment and parent self-efficacy. Finally, children’s development proved unrelated to implementation variables. Our results stress the importance of delivery for adequate implementation.
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|Organisation||Department of Sociology|
de la Rie, S, Steensel, R. (Roel van), Gelderen, A. (Amos van), & Severiens, S.E. (2021). Effects of a Dutch family literacy program: The role of implementation. Education Sciences, 11(2), 1–44. doi:10.3390/educsci11020050


Repeated exposure to anaesthesia link to poorer learning outcomes
Young children who have been exposed to general anaesthesia have a greater risk of poorer development and lower scores in numeracy and reading , particularly if they have more than one surgery with anaesthesia. The study, published in Pediatric Anaesthesia. looked at the outcomes for children that had surgery under the age of four years. shows that children under four years of age exposed to anaesthesia, The study found that the more exposure, the higher the risk, though the risk was low.
The researchers compared the developmental and Year 3 NAPLAN school results of of over 210,000 children in New South Wales children exposed to general anaesthesia during hospital procedures (37,880) up to 48 months of age to same-aged children with no exposure to general anaesthesia or hospitalisation.
Co-author Dr Justin Skowno, a clinical lecturer at the University of Sydney and senior staff specialist in Paediatric Anaesthesia at the Children's Hospital at Westmead said "Determining exactly what is causing this effect is not easy. It could be the surgery, it could be the anaesthetic, or it could be the background medical conditions some of these kids have got. It's a small effect seen over a large number of children,"
"There are some procedures where alternative approaches or management may be possible, but the majority of surgeries in young infants and children cannot easily be postponed." said Dr Skowno "Parents can certainly discuss with their doctor and explore whether these procedures can be avoided, combined with other procedures, delayed to older ages or treated with alternatives to surgery, or other methods of sedation," .
"There are many reasons why a child requires surgery or investigation, and, in some cases, this may be lifesaving or unavoidable," said the study's senior author, Professor Natasha Nassar of the University of Sydney. "For these children, our findings suggest that it is important to follow-up and monitor their literacy and numeracy skills when they reach school, and ensure early intervention, if required."
Compared to children unexposed to general anaesthesia, those exposed to general anaesthesia had a: • 17 per cent increased risk of poor child development • 34 per cent increased risk of lower numeracy scores on school tests • 23 per cent increased risk of lower reading scores on school tests. When the researchers restricted their analyses to children who had only one hospitalisation involving a procedure requiring general anaesthesia, they found no increased risk for poor development or reduced reading scores, however the risk of poor numeracy scores remained.
Further investigation of the specific effects of general anaesthesia on numeracy skills, underlying health conditions that prompt the need for surgery or diagnostic procedures is required, particularly among children exposed to previous or long duration of general anaesthesia or with repeated hospitalisations, the researchers say.


Do you have a child that is struggling with reading comprehension, decoding or fluency? Or perhaps your child is ready to accelerate reading or writing instruction? If so, you may be seeking a Reading Specialist, Learning Specialist, or skillful educator.
Remediation or Acceleration: preK-5
At My Learning Springboard, we take a balanced literacy approach to support your child’s reading and writing development. We especially believe that building strong foundational skills in preschool and the primary grades is a strategic investment that bolsters a child’s success as a lifelong learner. Because each student’s needs are different, our reading specialists and learning specialists are well versed in a variety of approaches, interventions, and programs so that we can tailor instruction to each student’s needs using evidence-based practice that maximizes engagement.
Our reading specialists and learning specialists include both elementary and secondary educators, special educators, and dyslexia interventionists with expertise in Orton-Gillingham based programs, including PAF (developed at Windward School), Wilson, and Boost. Other programs we regularly use include Judith Hochman’s Teaching Basic Writing Skills and Sounds in Motion.
Our reading specialists and faculty also provide enrichment teaching and accelerated instruction for students ready to take on more difficult reading and writing tasks.We begin instructional planning by gathering as much information as possible, which often includes conducting individualized assessments in order to determine a student’s developmental spelling stage, independent reading level, instructional reading level, and decoding needs. This benchmarking helps our reading specialists or learning specialists to more effectively customize targeted reading and writing instruction in any or all of the following areas:
- Grammar and Syntax
- Phonemic awareness
- Word Study
In our work to help students become confident readers and writers, our reading specialists, leadership team, and faculty also help parents to support their children’s reading and writing development at home.
Popular Programs and Approaches
A variety of reading and writing programs are used depending on the needs of a particular student. Similarly, students are matched to specific Reading Specialists based on the student’s needs and the Reading Specialist’s professional expertise. Our practices are informed by research, programs, materials and diagnostic tools developed by:
- Fountas & Pinnell, Guided Reading and Writing
- Lucy Calkins, Teachers College Reading and Writing Project
- Dr. Jan Richardson, Guided Reading
- Dr. Donald Bear, Literacy Development and Words Their Way
- Dr. Judith C. Hochman, Teaching Basic Writing Skills
- Frances Santore, Sounds in Motion
- Phyllis Bertin and Eileen Perlman, Preventing Academic Failure (PAF)
- Patricia Cunningham, Making Words
- Stephanie Harvey, Strategies That Work
Writing Instruction Framework
Our writing instruction is also informed by the 6+1 Trait ® Writing Framework developed by Education Northwest.
These writing traits include:
- Word Choice
- Sentence Fluency
- Presentation (+1)
Please contact our office to discuss your family’s specific needs.


The Aitken Hill Primary School curriculum draws on elements of the Victorian Curriculum to develop and implement a curriculum that is meaningful for students, with a strong commitment and focus on Literacy and Numeracy.
The Victorian Curriculum F–10 sets out what every student should learn during their first eleven years of schooling. The curriculum is the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development and active and informed citizenship.
The Victorian Curriculum F–10 sets out a single, coherent and comprehensive set of content descriptions and associated achievement standards to enable teachers to plan, monitor, assess and report on the learning achievement of every student.
The Learning Programs are structured to cater for individual student learning needs, in a supportive learning environment where students are given daily opportunities to read, write, speak, listen and participate in relevant, high interest numeracy lessons. There is also topic work that changes each term that aims to build the curiosity, knowledge and skills of our students.
Staff work together in Professional Learning Teams (PLTs), aligning assessment tasks relevant to the essential Learning statements of the Victorian curriculum, so information can be gathered and analysed in such a way to identify all students and their next steps in their learning. Teachers work together to develop high quality teaching and learning programs that reflect high impact teaching strategies. Student progress is closely tracked to ensure all students are demonstrating strong learning gains. Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are developed for all sessions, making the focus and indicators of success of the lesson visible to the students. Feedback is integral in this process, where teachers both give and receive feedback from students, students are often asked to work collaboratively and thus give and receive feedback from their peers and students reflect on their own progress and next steps in their learning pathway.
AHPS implements programs that are organised according to principles of extensive educational research based on the best teaching practices to facilitate student learning. Our teachers see themselves as learners too, building their capacity through professional learning programs that lead to the transformation of practice. They are involved and engaged in many professional conversations, professional readings and participate in professional development. Our teachers are reflective about their teaching in order to assess the impact it is having on the students they teach.