Born in 1809, W.E. Gladstone was first elected to Parliament in 1832. After serving in different government posts, including as chancellor of the exchequer, he became prime minister in 1868; he would serve four terms in the office (1868â74, 1880â85, 1886, 1892â94). Gladstone's accomplishments included expanding the vote and reforms in Ireland. He died in 1898, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Born on December 29, 1809, in Liverpool, Englandâthough he was of Scottish descentâWilliam Ewart Gladstone, who was also known as W.E. Gladstone and William Gladstone, was the fifth of six children. He studied at Eton and Oxford; at the latter he was a debater, a skill he would hone during his political career. Despite his personal inclinations, Gladstone heeded his father's wishes and did not pursue a career in the church.
Political Career, 1832-1867
Gladstone was first elected to Parliament in 1832, when he was 23 years old. A member of the Tory party, he held junior government positions before joining Robert Peel's Conservative cabinet in 1843. With Peel, Gladstone became a Liberal-Conservative following a Tory party split in 1846.
In 1852, Gladstone became chancellor of the exchequer, an office he would hold until 1855. He reclaimed the chancellorship from 1859 to 1866. As chancellor, Gladstone's budgets featured a balancing of expenditures and tariff reductions.
Having been a "Peelite" since the Conservatives broke apart, Gladstone joined the Liberals in 1859. He became head of that party in 1867.
Four-Time Prime Minister
When the Liberals won the election of 1868, Gladstone became prime minister. While in government, he disestablished Ireland's Protestant church and worked to grant Irish tenant farmers more rights vis-Ã -vis English landowners. His government also set up a national elementary education program, outlawed the purchase of military commissions and instituted secret ballots. While prime minister, Gladstone took over as chancellor once more in 1873.
When his party was defeated in the 1874 elections, Gladstone resigned as leader. However, he stepped back into the spotlight to oppose a lack of government action with regards to Turkish massacres in the Balkans. Amid a Liberal electoral triumph in 1880, Gladstone won a parliamentary seat in Scotland (he had previously represented Newark, Oxford University, South Lancashire and Greenwich). He retook the prime minister's office, while again becoming chancellor of the exchequer.
With Gladstone in office, another Irish Land Actâwith more protections for peasantsâwas instituted in 1881. In 1884, the vote was expanded to a greater number of men. However, imperial misadventures in Sudan, and the death of a general there, hurt Gladstone's standing. When the government's budget was rejected in 1885, he resigned. Queen Victoria offered him an earldom, but Gladstone declined the honor.
The following year, 1886, Gladstone became prime minister for a third time. It would be a brief term, as his home rule bill for Ireland was defeated and the Liberals lost at the polls in July 1886. During his time in opposition, Gladstone campaigned to win approval for home rule in Ireland. When he began a fourth term as prime minister in 1892, he attempted to follow through on this platform, but the bill was rejected by the House of Lords in 1893. Gladstone resigned again in 1894.
Gladstone was seen as a serious, humorless man, a view that his political rival, Benjamin Disraeli, often used to disparage him. Gladstone's personality also did not mesh with Queen Victoria's; she had disliked working with him and was relieved when his final term as prime minister came to an end.
Even while in politics, Gladstone spent decades seeking out prostitutes in an effort to help them find a different way of life. He worked with the Church Penitentiary Association for the Reclamation of Fallen Women, and spent his own money in this endeavor. Though he was upfront about his actionsâand happily married to an aristocratic wifeâGladstone confided in his diary that after some of these encounters, he used a small scourge to whip himself in private, trying to combat any sexual temptation.
Suffering from cancer, Gladstone died on May 19, 1898, at the age of 88, at Hawarden Castle in Flintshire, Wales. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.
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Yes, itâs May already and here is the latest Transum Mathematics Newsletter. I hope the year is going well for you and you are finding what you need on the Transum Mathematics website.
The puzzle for this month was inspired by the recent London marathon. Sue Watserface runs the first half at an average speed of 5 miles per hour. What speed would she have to run the second half of the course to attain average speed of 10 miles per hour for the whole race? (answer at end of this newsletter)
The new addition to the website in April that I am most excited about is the Transum version of The Royal Game of UR.
My version is called Remainder Race. Players have to get seven counters around the traditionally shaped board and the number of hops they can make is determined by the remainder left when the number of the square their counter is on is divided by the chosen dice number. In addition to the numeracy skills required there are strategies to be discovered and excitement all round.
It is a game for two players or one player playing against the computer. I am keen to hear how well it works with your pupils. Please let me know.
After writing half of the code for the game on a long-haul plane journey into London, I made it my mission to visit the British Museum and photograph one of the two original game boards. They date from the First Dynasty of Ur, before 2600 BC, thus making the Royal Game of Ur one of the oldest examples of board gaming equipment ever found.
Filling a gap in Transumâs English National Curriculum coverage an online exercise called Furthermore has been created which provides practice for the skill of counting forwards or backwards in steps of powers of ten for any given number up to a million.
Nine Digits is an addition puzzle presented in eight levels of increasing difficulty. You can drag and drop the digits into place. At the time of writing already 78 trophies have been earned for completing the puzzle but no one has yet succeeded beyond level six.
Another new puzzle is called Cubical Net Challenge. Your mission is to paint the faces of the ten cubes represented by their nets. You have two colours, blue and red. No two cubes should look the same no matter which way round the cubes are turned.
Hexblock Hunter is an online game is inspired by TVâs Blockbuster programme (are you old enough to remember that?) and targets lower Secondary/High school mathematical vocabulary. It works best with two players or two teams but the rules can be adapted to create an individual learning activity.
And now the answer to this monthâs puzzle. I was lucky enough to be in London at the time of the marathon. The weather was great for the spectators but a little too hot for the runners.
The length of the London marathon is 26.2 miles but you didnât need to know that to answer this question. The fact is that the time it would take to run any distance averaging 10mph would have been completely used up by running half that distance at 5mph so only an infinite second half speed would suffice!
Thanks to all those of you who provide feedback, suggestions and ideas for the Transum website. Your messages are very much appreciated.
Thatâs all for this month.
P.S. I donât trust people with graph paper. Theyâre always plotting something!


Nearly half (49%) of working-age adults in the UK currently have numeracy levels that we expect of primary school children. Low numeracy skills have a significant negative impact on individuals, their families and society overall and it is estimated that low numeracy skills cost the UK economy Â£20.2bn a year.
Thatâs why we are asking you to join National Numeracy Day and help increase numeracy levels in Scotland.
On 16 May 2018, Education Scotland and the Scottish Government are participating in National Numeracy Day as a lead supporter. The day will be an annual celebration of the importance of numbers in everyday life and aims to bring together individuals, employers, educators and supporters from across the UK to help improve numeracy levels.
Book your place at https://www.numeracyday.com/
Education Scotland would like to offer your organisation the opportunity to get involved as a champion of the day. Being a champion means you will have access to toolkits to engage and support individuals to improve their numeracy. This will involve encouraging individuals to check whether they have the âEssentials of Numeracyâ using National Numeracyâs free online tool and using the resources online to improve their numbers skills.
In return for promoting this campaign and getting individuals to use the online resources, you will be free to use the National Numeracy day champion logo on all of your own marketing and social media outputs and will receive official recognition of your role as a Champion on the National Numeracy Day website (your logo will appear on the site).
View further information provided by National Numeracy below:


Choose a start date
C++ is the key language used for game development and VR.
This course is for those who can already program in a procedural language such as C, using control structures such as if, for, while, etc.
It covers the fundamentals of the C++ programming language and shows how to program using object-oriented principles. It is fully hands-on, and you will gain experience in designing simple but powerful object-oriented applications and in writing code using the C++ language.
This course aims to update and refresh your existing programming skills. Using C++ will enable you to develop financial or other algorithms to run quickly, following prototyping in systems such as MATLAB or Octave.
The course takes place in our central London location, taught over 10 weeks in the evenings, allowing you to continue with full-time employment.
Feedback is given throughout the course so that participants have as much opportunity as possible to improve their programming technique.
Topics covered include:
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
â Value for money, good content and great tutorâ¦lots to cover in ten classes (wish there were more)â¦very satisfied. â
â Gives solid unerpinning theory enabling you to build up your core knowledge of C++. You should be actively developing alongside to take full advantage of the course. â
â Informative, capable course. Pace was just right and the materials were well presented. â
You may wish to visit the Introduction to Programming with C/C++ - Part 1 course page before applying.
Not an introductory programming course - participants should have experience of programming already in languages such as VBA, Java, Pascal or C. Confidence with using various operating systems such as Windows 7, XP or Linux with competent numeracy skills.
Applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English.
The tutor will provide a series of informal online homeworks spread out during the course - and suggestions are provided on enhancing existing programs. Online quizzes to check learning will also be made available.
This course uses the Moodle virtual learning environment (VLE) source codes, example programs and teaching material can be accessed at anytime on the Internet.
The evening class will also use online forums for questions and answers allowing you to post questions to other classmates and the course tutor.
Peter Woodward is currently working as a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. He is developing e-learning tools to help train doctors in the diagnosis of stroke. Before joining Imperial in February 2010, Peter was employed for three years at the Human Computer Interaction Design (HCID) centre at City, University of London working on developing tools for medical handovers.
Peter's earlier research work included 3D graphics in television with the BBC and Air-Traffic Control simulation with ENAV (the Italian Air Traffic Control organisation).
Peter has worked in teaching for a number of years including as a teaching assistant at City and as a lecturer for post-16 students in further education. In addition he has also worked as an online tutor.
In the more distant past Peter worked in the broadcast industry as a 3D graphics programmer for ITN, writing engineering software for broadcast news programmes.
In addition to the academic, research and industrial work experience described, Peter has a Master's degree in Computer Science from Queen Mary, University of London.


A child who isnât following the rules is a child whoâs always in trouble. In English and Spanish, this book starts with simple reasons why we have rules: to help us stay safe, learn, be fair, and get along. Then it presents four basic rules: âListen,â âBest Work,â âHands and Body to Myself,â and âPlease and Thank You.â The focus throughout is on the positive sense of pride that comes with learning to follow rules. Includes questions and activities in both languages adults can use to reinforce the ideas and skills being taught.
Praise for the series
âSurely needed . . . I heartily applaud this important series.ââJay A. Monson, Ph.D., professor of elementary education, Utah State University
âTop Five Character Education SeriesââBooklist
âPositive, gentle messages are given without preaching.ââLibrary Media Connection
Supports the domains of Social & Emotional Development, Logic & Reasoning, Language Development, Literacy Knowledge & Skills, and Social Studies Knowledge & Skills in the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework.
MS.1, MS.2, MS.6
BS.LS.1, BS.LS.4, BS.LS.7, BS.LS.8, BS.LS.9
BS.SMS.1, BS.SMS.2, BS.SMS.4, BS.SMS.7, BS.SMS.8, BS.SMS.9, BS.SMS.10
BS.SS.1, BS.SS.2, BS.SS.3, BS.SS.4, BS.SS.5, BS.SS.6, BS.SS.7, BS.SS.8, BS.SS.9


- BENEFITS OF MUSIC EDUCATION : Benefits of studying music
- BUYING A PIANO : Information about buying a piano.
- CLASSICAL CONNECT : Classical music: Listen or download to your iPod.
- CLASSICS FOR KIDS : Great site for kids to have fun learning about classical music.
- CONCERT PITCH PIANO : Everything you ever wanted to know about a piano.
- DR. ROBERT PACE : Information about Dr. Pace the author/composer of the Pace Books.
- HOW TO BECOME A CONCERT PIANIST : Explanation of what it takes to become a Concert Pianist
- HOW TO SIT AT THE PIANO : Gives illustrations for correct seating at the paino.
- MAKE-UP LESSONS FROM AN ECONOMIST'S POINT OF VIEW : A Parent who is an Economist gives their view of Make-Up Lessons.
- MAKING MUSIC FUN : Interesting ideas and information to make learning music fun.
- MUSIC DICTIONARY : A Music Dictionary to look up musical terms.
- MUSIC, OCEAN, OUTDOOR APPAREL, and GIFTS : Fun interesting artwork including many musical items. Great for gifts!
- One of the Best Gifts : One of the best gifts parents give their children
- PAPER and CANVAS GICLEES and FRAMING : Unique and Beautiful Artwork. Including Great Musical Pieces!!
- RESEARCH SHOWS BENEFITS OF PRACTICING : Harvard research shows benefits of students practice
- TIME MAGAZINE STUDENT SUMMER VACATIONS : Article about summer vacation for students
- WHAT IS THE PACE METHOD? : This gives a detailed explanation about what is taught in the Pace Method.
What tuition pays for
How Piano Lessons Benefit Young Children
Effort is the Prize from New York Times.docx
Article about how important EFFORT - PRACTICING is in learning the piano,
Why Do Students Stop Piano Study.docx
Reason MOST Student Quit Piano Lessons
What Kind of Student Are You.docx
What Kind of Student Are You??


With approximately 15 percent of school-aged children experiencing some degree of hearing loss, hearing screenings represent a crucial early step in ensuring communication access, which is key to academic and social success, according to Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of the Universityâs Osborne College of Audiologyâs (OCA) on-campus clinic, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI)
. The desire to give back to the community and to ensure Audiology students
have an increased number of opportunities to experience pediatric patients was the driving force behind the creation of PEIâs school hearing screening program, which launched prior to the 2016-17 academic year.
âSchool hearing screenings are something I feel very strongly about because if a child is having trouble hearing, itâs going to spill over into every area of their life,â she said. âThey are likely to have difficulty learning, following directions, making friends, demonstrating appropriate behavior, social activities, even sports â all kinds of things hearing and listening play a large role in.â
On 25 different mornings during the fall and spring semesters, Dr. Bondurant or Dr. Jenny Rajan, assistant professor and pediatric audiologist at PEI, along with a group of Audiology students could be seen carrying their audiometers and a kit of screening supplies as they headed out to local schools as part of the Doctor of Audiology clinical training program. Once on site, screening stations were set up in libraries, classrooms and offices so the audiologists in training could see as many students as possible. More than 2,000 children enrolled in Philadelphia and suburban schools were screened during the 2016-17 academic year alone.
Dr. Bondurant feels both PEI and OCA have a responsibility to help local school children due to their unique positioning in the Philadelphia area.
âEspecially in current times, school districts are really crunched for time and money and school nurses have a lot of responsibilities,â Dr. Bondurant said. âItâs difficult for them to be able to screen the number of kids mandated by the state. I feel like thatâs an opportunity for us to assist them to the extent that we can because we have the only Doctor of Audiology training program in the Philadelphia area.â
In addition to gaining experience screening and providing care to children of all ages, performing the hearing screenings in a school as opposed to in a clinical setting presented some interesting insights for the students. Concrete walls, open windows, children laughing and talking are all factors that can interfere with hearing.
âI want my students to be able to think about what a challenge it would be for a child with normal hearing to listen in that situation, let alone a child with hearing loss,â Dr. Bondurant said. âIt gives the students a very different perspective on the things we need to be doing to support kids with hearing loss and how important these types of outreach initiatives are for identifying these kids.â
Seeing such a large number of children also led to some interesting and unusual findings â infections, tumors and foreign objects in the ear, just to name a few. The screenings not only detect hearing loss, but can also help identify children who may have a medical condition requiring additional care.
Without hearing screenings, recognizing a hearing issue can be challenging for both teachers and parents. Children with hearing difficulties may not realize they have an issue and may be perceived as an unmotivated student or one with poor attention skills, according to Dr. Bondurant.
âChildren with undetected hearing loss may have trouble keeping up in basic early learning skills. If they had trouble developing those early foundational skills for math and spelling, they are lacking those basic building blocks,â she said. âWhile they are trying to catch up, they keep falling further and further behind as other kids are moving forward. It becomes a big snowball effect, so early identification and early interventions are absolutely the name of the game.â
Even if the child has struggled with undetected and untreated hearing loss before the Salus team arrives at the school, no issue to too early or late to address, according to Dr. Bondurant.
âI think any time we identify a hearing issue with a child, we need to do anything we can to provide support to that child,â she said. âItâs never too late to do something to make their life easier and give them support.â


The great things about music schooling are properly documented: the proper music inside the right establishing changes moods coming from negative to be able to positive, increases interpersonal connection skills and also develops brains. No ponder music schooling is increasingly popular.
Studies regarding Music Schooling Benefits
Music schooling benefits include sets from changing any studentsâ disposition to supporting them fix math issues. It helps a student become successful inside the school surroundings.
For illustration, a examine was completed that required second graders and also math. On this study, the institution kids have been divided directly into two teams.
One party used newly-designed math concepts software to be able to augment their particular mathematical expertise. The some other group furthermore used this kind of software and also the kids on this group acquired piano key pad training. Final results? Both teams were tested as well as the second party scored twenty-seven pct higher around the math exam compared to the first party, which manage to show the positive effects of merging music schooling into some other studies.
Studies present that great things about music schooling include a reduction in unsuitable habits from students for instance arguing and also fighting. It seems that this method helps these to relax and also put them in the happier and also friendlier disposition. Other studies demonstrate that pupils who be involved in school groups are more unlikely to utilize tobacco or perhaps alcohol goods than students which can be not confronted with almost any music schooling.
Benefits regarding music education have enhancing connection skills. This result in addition has been verified by a number of the many scientific studies done through the entire years. A student who will be having problems concentrating might find it less difficult when audio education continues to be added for the curriculum. Music schooling helps a student become a lot more self-disciplined and capable of control their particular behavior far better, because it gives you an acceptable kind of self appearance.
If students figure out how to study audio successfully they could use the identical method to aid them examine in some other classes. They are going to find it better to understand guidelines. Added great things about music schooling include improving a childrenâs creativity and also helping them learn to be able to cooperate together with other pupils.
In infants, music schooling is which can help produce intelligence. Exposure to be able to music aids develop thinking and terminology skills inside children any time begun young. In teenagers, music schooling helps these extend their familiarity with the planet around these. Music schooling give youngsters an opportunity to give rise to society, which often helps these in living.


Gather Actionable Data to Improve Literacy Assessments
To prepare children adequately for a successful education, teachers need to measure and track studentsâ literacy levels frequently and thoroughly. When data that measures progress is both readily available and actionable, teachers are better equipped to determine whether students would benefit from additional instruction to build their language and literacy skills.
Many early childhood educators are familiar with paper-pencil format assessments as a means to take stock of studentsâ ability to pair letters with sounds, identify words that rhyme, and describe differences between categories. Researchers from the University of Minnesota sought to improve young childrenâs literacy levels with a modern toolkit that enhances instruction and progress analysis, but also eases the research on how to assess and conduct educational interventions in ways that achieve more positive outcomes.
Integrate User Feedback For Data-driven Testing
The MentorMate team worked closely with researchers to ensure that the applicationâs interface accommodated each end userâs specific needs. The UI allows for precise examinations for the students while it provides clear instructions to teachers. Exam results are linked to notifications so teachers know when they need to teach certain students differently and/or assess them more frequently.
Software That Supports Childhood Literacy Development
We worked with researchers from the U of M IGDILab to execute their vision outlined in the IGDI-APEL (Individual Growth and Development Indicators: Automated Applications for Performance Evaluation of Early Literacy) research initiative. The new iPad application brings into the classroom one of foremost early childhood assessment suites that measures young childrenâs literacy levels and language skills.
The solution addresses the cumbersome nature of paper-pencil assessments. Teachers can personalize tests for individual students through a user interface designed specifically for their purposes. The software records the teacherâs choice of assessment as well as the studentâs answers and overall performance results. Over time the system illustrates student literacy levels and progress metrics according to the domains of language indicators defined by the U of Mâs researchers. The teacher can use these data to adapt lesson plans to specific childrenâs needs in order to accelerate the improvement of literacy levels for those falling behind.
Streamline Classroom Assessments and Optimize Research Efforts
The iPad application relieves teachers from overwhelming workloads generated by outdated test administration. The backend of the assessment structure uses a computer adaptive testing engine that tailors test items to particular studentsâ needs. As the applicationâs supporting database tracks, analyzes, and stores information, teachers can easily digest studentsâ progress and make more informed decisions about improving their teaching strategies as needed.
While students benefit from a more fine-tuned assessment program that aims to instill literacy from an early age, the labor involved in research is also made more efficient through this software. Not only does it facilitate the storage of large amounts of data, it is also capable of being updated with new assessment features and redeployed with relatively minimal effort.
Support Research As Software and System is Refined
The researchers from U of Mâs IGDILab collaborated closely with MentorMateâs programmers to refine the code that controls how ongoing assessments map and adapt to particular studentsâ needs. The degree of control that this allows within the softwareâs backend functionalities opens new doors for the researchers.
Their control over what and how information is presented to children, plus the collection of data throughout these processes, allows the researchers to test different hypotheses easily and explore new opportunities in their research in ways that would not have been possible previously.


Fine motor skills are skills completed using the small muscles of the body. This includes those in the hand, mouth, and eyes. Most often, fine motor skills refer to those activities completed with hands and fingers, such as stringing beads, buttoning, holding a pencil, and tying shoes. Fine motor skill development begins at an early age. As a child develops strength and body awareness, the fine motor control becomes more refined. A child must have good strength and stability in his postural muscles and shoulder muscles in order to have mature, refined fine motor control. Additionally, for good fine motor control, a child must have efficient sensory processing in the proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems. These systems enable a child to use his muscles efficiently to complete fine motor tasks.
A child must know how and when to move his muscles in order to complete tasks. He also must have good awareness of touch in his hands to manipulate small objects. To create a similar experience to that of a child lacking fine motor skills, try to button small buttons while wearing gloves. Wearing gloves decreases your tactile awareness, which is needed for good fine motor control. This will decrease your ability to perform this basic task.
At Leaps and Bounds, when children exhibit poor fine motor skills, therapists assess the child to determine which foundational skills need support. It may be core/postural muscle strength, shoulder stability, finger and hand strength, tactile processing, or proprioceptive processing. Most often, there are several foundational skills that need to be addressed to improve fine motor skill development.


Stages of SEN
The three stages of SEND in our school are:
- SEN support
- SEN support plus
- Statement/Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Find out more on this page.
Why would your child be placed on the SEND register?
- If a parent has a concern about their child and feels that it is affecting their childâs learning.
- If on-going staff observations highlight a learning/communication difficulty
- If adequate progress is not shown through teacher assessment
A meeting will be put in place to discuss concerns/observations and agreed outcomes will be put in place. If it is decided that the child needs additional support and monitoring on the SEN register, all adults working with the child will be informed. If a child is making adequate progress following a period on SEN support, a meeting may be called to decide if the child needs to remain on the SEN register or come off.
Every child on the SEN register should have a termly support meeting and plan in place (TSP). At these meetings outcomes will be agreed and strategies for the outcomes will be put into a Termly Support Plan. The plan will be typed up into a child friendly âI Canâ target sheet and will be used as a working document for the child.
A child is on SEN support if they:
- Make little or no progress
- Demonstrate difficulty in developing literacy or numeracy skills
- Show persistent emotional/social difficulties which are not affected by in class strategies
- Have sensory/physical problems, and make little progress despite the provision of specialist equipment
- Experience communication and/or interaction problems and make little or no progress in this area
In collaboration with the class teacher, the Inclusion Team decides the action required to help the child make progress using school resources. Based on the results of previous assessments, the actions might be:
- Provision of alternative learning materials/special equipment
- Small group (or individual) support or intervention, with an additional adult, in or out of the classroom
- Provision of additional adult time in planning programmes of work, and monitoring their effectiveness
- Staff development/training
This will be detailed in the TSP.
SEN Support Plus
SEN Support Plus is used when current support is not sufficient for the child, a sustained level of support is needed, and external agencies are consulted.
Indicators of need at SEN Support Plus might be one or more of the following:
- The pupil still makes little or no progress in specific areas over a long period
- The pupil is working at National Curriculum levels below that which is normally planned for in his/her class
- The pupil continues to experience difficulty in developing literacy/numeracy skills
- The pupil has emotional/social problems that often substantially delay own learning or that of the group.
- The pupil has sensory or physical needs requiring additional specialist equipment or visits/advice from specialists
- The pupil has communication or interaction difficulties
External support agencies will require access to a childâs records. The agency specialist may be asked to provide further assessments and advice, and possibly work directly with the child. Parental consent is sought for any additional information required.
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
If children fail to make progress, in spite of high quality, targeted support at SEN Support +, we may apply for the child to be assessed for an EHCP. Parents are fully consulted at each stage. Parents and external agencies may also request an EHCP, in which case the school will provide appropriate information to the Local Authority (LA).
Generally, we apply for an EHCP if the child has a complex disability and / or the childâs achievements are so far below their peers that it is not possible to meet the childâs needs from within schoolâs resources.
Having a diagnosis (e.g. of ASD, ADHD or dyslexia) does not necessarily mean that a child needs an EHCP.
Each Local Authority provides assessment guidelines on thresholds for EHCPâs. For more guidance please see the Local Offer.
If the application for an EHCP is successful, a member of the Local Authority will call a meeting for parents, the child and the school together with any health or social care professionals who are involved with the family. The meeting will record the childâs strengths, their dreams and aspirations as well as the barriers they face. Following the meeting, the Local Authority will produce the EHCP which will record the decisions made at the meeting.
Below is a useful link to a website for you to look at


Decoding vs. Fluency
Reading remediation generally involves explicit phonics instruction which provides children with dyslexia and other reading difficulties the skills to decode new words as they are encountered. With repeated practice, this instruction may over time produce a child who possesses a high level of word decoding accuracy. Unfortunately, it is possible to become an accurate decoder while still lacking the speed and efficiency to become a fluent reader.
What is Reading Fluency?
Reading fluency involves reading text effortlessly with speed, accuracy, and fluidity. Fluent readers recognize most words automatically. Fluency further entails not only automatic word recognition, but also appropriate phrasing, rhythm, and intonation.
Struggling readers often read in an expressionless monotone which is distinctly lacking in flow. This is because theyâre frequently unaware of the appropriate places to pause within and between sentences. Fluent reading, by contrast, is done effortlessly and follows a natural pattern similar to everyday speech.
Why is Reading Fluency Important?
Reading comprehension is impacted by the speed and accuracy with which words are decoded. Fluent readers can focus their attention on the meaning of text being read because they are not burdened with pausing to decode unfamiliar words. This allows them to simultaneously read and comprehend. Students with dyslexia or related learning disabilities devote so much energy to figuring out unknown words that comprehension of what they have read suffers.
Tips to Improve Fluency
Reading fluency can be improved through frequent drill and practice. A combination of both word and text level exercises can facilitate improved fluency.
Single Word Drills â Timed readings of words that follow a specific phonetic pattern can help to increase the speed of individual word recognition.
Phrasing and Chunking Drills â Students who read sentences word for word can benefit by practicing reading short phrases of familiar words. The goal is to provide practice in reading whole phrases so that the student learns instinctively where to pause within a sentence.(Example: went to sleep, out of time, under the table)
Guided Oral Reading â Students read an assigned passage aloud several times while receiving direct feedback and guidance from a parent or teacher. Regular guided oral reading is effective in increasing word recognition, decoding accuracy, speed and fluency. Research has found that four readings of the same text are usually required for mastery by most students.
Modeling â Modeling entails providing struggling readers with good models of what fluent reading should sound like. This can be accomplished by a parent or teacher reading aloud to the student to allow him to hear correct phrasing, pausing, and intonation. Students may also benefit from the use of assistive technology which allows them to read along with recorded books, or reading software which models fluent reading for them.
Fluency training is an essential component of reading instruction for students with impaired reading skills. With consistent practice in fluency training the child with reading difficulties can transition from being just an accurate decoder to an independent reader who fluently reads and comprehends the text he/she is reading.


Our week in the forest
It rained, it poured and the old man snored this week as we had a ball in the wet weather!
After a night of heavy rain, the children were thrilled to find several big puddles on the walk in the next morning. Needless to say, a walk which usually takes ten minutes took significantly longer, thanks to the allure of enourmous puddles! Happily, the children put their wellies and waterproofs to the test, racing each other across the puddles splashing everything in their wake.
The learning opportunities brought about by the rain are endless, and in many ways, wet weather is more fun than sunshine! We spent our rainy days building shelters and dens, measuring rainfall at our weather station, listening to the pitter patter of raindrops on the tarp above our log circle, spotting worms in the mud, making mini waterfalls, rivers and ponds, and experimenting with float or sink. A couple of our educators ended up covered in mud too, as some enthusiastic children threw buckets of water in the air and realised that what goes up, must come down.
As well as rain, the beautiful Autumn morning frost greeted us each morning, and the children excitedly observed the frost disappearing underfoot with each step.
The children are still actively getting to know the forest site through exploring the plants and getting to know the animals at Fulham. We have been impressed with the childrenâs fine motor skill development, and how confidently they have been using the tweezers and handy scoopers to find treasure.
As well as fine motor skills, the children have continued their gross motor skill development and creativity with one of our favourite (and timeless) resources - the humble rope. We have seen snakes and rivers, wavy oceans and skipping ropes, as well as more tug-of-war and boundary games.
Our Little Forest Folk have thoroughly enjoyed our Autumn/Winter menu so far, with soup being such a hit that most children are eating second and third helpings! Each delicious soup contains over half of the recommended daily intake of veg, and combined with a fresh wholemeal or granary roll, you would think LFF is a Jamieâs Italian!
Next week we will bring more ropes into the forest to use for pulleys, swings and balancing. We will also bring out our parachute to play with, and enjoy whatâs forecast to be a fine and sunny week.
Monday 19th December
Invites for our Festive Forest Party will be coming out early next week.
We're so excited! Do remember to RSVP.
Please make sure your little one's are wearing plenty of layers. They also need to wear their hats and gloves and bring lots of extra clothing packed in their backpacks. Our recommended Winter kit list in full is below.
Spare LFF clothing
Our spare clothing box comes in especially handy in the chilly months. We would welcome any donations, so please do have a rummage through your cupboards for any old clothes to donate - particularly leggings, socks, gloves & hats.
What to wear
The weather for next week is going to be chilly but hopefully bright with no rain.
Check out our recommended winter kit list.
We wish you all a lovely weekend!
Little Forest Folk


What makes a Great Elementary School?
What are the markers of a truly excellent elementary education? Here are five key areas that parents should consider when exploring school options, gleaned from 25 years of educational excellence at our Lower School North Campus:
Opportunities to interact with nature: Young children learn best when they explore and discover. And they are better able to focus, absorb knowledge and make connections when they spend ample time outdoors. The Lower School North Campus at WTâs seven-acre outdoor classroom environment integrates with our curriculum. Observing a butterflyâs emergence from a chrysalis, growing pumpkins and squash in the learning garden, tracking the development of frogs from tadpoles, sampling water to see how the elements interact, forging a nature trail, and creating imaginary worlds with natural materials are part of everyday life. These and other outdoor activities help children make authentic connections between classroom learning and the real world, and allow our teachers to learn what motivates each child, so they can tailor the learning program and create excitement about coming to school each day.
Faculty as Experts: Professional development is critical to preparing teachers to guide each childâs progression through the curriculum. Even more important: a faculty that can enhance instructional practices through their own expertise. Faculty participate in a formative development system to engage in honest self-reflection, share in candid discussion, and use the insights they glean from the process to accelerate their growth as teachers in order to enhance student learning. The focus is on improving teachersâ practices and providing each teacher with the on-going feedback necessary to do that. As part of collaborative groups that meet monthly, faculty get feedback on student work, lesson plans, and challenges they are having in their classes. Faculty also attend workshops and conferences outside of WT and bring back what they have learned to their classrooms and to their colleagues. WT faculty embody a growth mindset that places enhanced student learning at the heart of their development as teachers.
Character development: There is more to education than becoming a great scholar, thinker, or worker. Young children are not only developing academic skills, but also learning socially and emotionally. School is the perfect place for children to explore their role in a community, develop proficiency in relationships, learn how to interact ethically and respectfully, and appreciate the people around them. WTâs close-knit community embraces the credo, âThink also of the comfort and the rights of others.â Children reflect on this concept, and are guided intentionally to put it into action. In addition, our use of the Responsive ClassroomÂ® approach ensures that we are building a supportive learning community that brings out the best in each student.
Individualized approach: Children do not develop in lockstep, and their schools should not expect them to learn in lockstep. In the early years, tapping into each childâs natural curiosity and excitement for learning happens when the curriculum emerges from the childrenâs passions. Bears? Airplanes? Gardening? Physics? No matter the childâs affinity, talented Pre-Kindergarten teachers guide their students to develop important skills and habits of mind by exploring almost any topic in depth. Later, as school focuses more on core academic skills, it is important to provide adequate levels of acceleration and enrichment to challenge each child at the appropriate level. At WT, we meet the varied needs of our students through an Academic Enrichment and Challenge program that provides both in-classroom learning to enrich the curriculum and special out-of-classroom instruction for students who are ready to move past their peers academically.
Learn more about Academic Enrichment and Challenge.
21st Century Skills: When todayâs Kindergarteners graduate from college, they will enter careers unheard of today; use technology that has yet to be invented; and face global problems requiring unprecedented levels of ingenuity, critical thinking, and global competence. To prepare students, schools must be forward thinking and grounded in the best practices of a developmentally appropriate elementary education.
At WT, we use technology intentionally to enhance core learningâlearning that focuses on identifying and solving problems, understanding systems, and fostering creativity. For example, technology augments the study of monarch butterflies, as students use Chrome books to research migration patterns and identify the types of caterpillars they encounter on our campus. Other important 21st century skills are developed through foreign language learning and the arts. Starting in Pre-Kindergarten, when childrenâs supple, open minds make it easier to acquire a new language, students learn Spanish or Mandarin. Through seamless incorporation of the visual and performing arts in our curriculum, children develop creativity, empathy, poise, and confidence; the arts nurture the ability to observe closely and analyze critically, to communicate effectively, and to appreciate cultures, nature, and humanity.


Here at Starling Arts, we love teachers. From the educators we meet in our schools work, to the musical pioneers transforming music education on ever-tightening budgets, we have huge respect for the people who devote their lives to educating others.
Within the Starling Arts community there are many teachers working tirelessly in classrooms across London and so, this World Teachersâ Day, we wanted to show our appreciation towards them and asked some of them for their thoughts on how singing impacts their invaluable work.
âI use singing all the time in the everyday classroomâ, says Hannah, a primary school teacher who sings with the Starling Singers. âThere is a song for everything and, as I teach Year 1, these songs are so useful in engraining key principles into childrenâs brains.â Hannah observed that singing in a Starling Arts choir has helped her in the classroom, too. âIt has definitely given me more confidence to deliver singing activities at school. I run singing assemblies for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and Starling has taught me to give it your all.â
The mindful benefits of singing warmups on both teacher and student were a common theme. âFor myself I use these techniques for focus (and refocusing), especially if I've had a particularly challenging or busy lesson, and only have 3 minutes until the next class, breathing and counting mindfully can really help me to reset,â observed Starling Singer Kirsty, a secondary school teacher in GCSE and A-Level Finance, Business & Economics. âItâs also great to give students 2 minutes to clear their minds before a test/essay question and improves their focus.â
Most Starling Arts rehearsals begin with a mindful wind down, to help our singers become present in the room and take the rehearsal for themselves. Corvida member Gemma, who teaches secondary Religion, Ethics and Philosophy, acknowledged that choir has afforded her âthe opportunity to forget about work and do something I enjoyâ, something which allows her, and many others, the chance to be more present in both their work and choir life. âI sometimes sing as a behaviour management strategy to distract students. I also do karaoke with my form class and have sung in front of whole year groups as part of the âstaff bandâ. This helps students to see teachers from a different perspective, and as humans, not just as subject specialists!â
The connective and transformative power of group singing strikes again!
âWe have âMaths Meetingsâ, so to introduce a segment about money, the children sing Abbaâs âMoney Money Moneyâ chorusâ says Laura, a primary school teacher and member of Forte. Whether themed to the subject matter or not, lots of our teachers recognised the value of music in learning. âI encourage the use of music when studying and revising as it can be a very powerful and effective way of reinforcing learning,â added Kirsty, who also observed how singing benefits her studentsâ public speaking. âI use warm up lip trills and tongue twisters with students before they do presentation tasks. This is particularly good if they can be nervous public speakers, as itâs usually so hilarious it puts them at ease before they start.â
With music increasingly being squeezed out of school budgets and curriculums, a lot of children today only benefit from the power of group singing, and its extended benefits, thanks to teachers (like those in our choirs) who understand the benefit and power of this most simple tool.
Imagine if all teachers could unlock potential in themselves and others because of singing? Singing improves our confidence, well-being, posture, mental and physical health, memory, community and team spirit, connection to others, focus and, above all, life enjoyment. Hannah hit the nail on the head concluding that, âabove all, I know that after a really busy week, where I can be feeling tired and worn out, singing at Starling Arts allows me to take my mind completely off âeverything elseâ and I can just be totally absorbed in singing. This is definitely the same for children. Singing gives them a release time, where they can forget about their worries and have fun.â What more could you want for anyone?
Are you a teacher who uses singing in the classroom? Has singing in a choir helped you? Let us know your thoughts below!
A big thank you to all our teachers for taking time to give their feedback for this post and for being teaching superheroes!


St Cuthbertâs are currently taking part in a special maths project which is focussed on âNumeracy for life skillsâ. This project is the âLiverpool Counts Quality Markâ. As a school we will be encouraged to demonstrate how highly we value the importance of Mathematics.
We aim to promote positive attitudes towards numeracy and mathematics; to ensure that all our children are given the opportunity to develop their basic numeracy skills, to enable them to have the knowledge and confidence to use and apply these skills in many different real life situations; to support adults in our school community to encourage pupils to make connections in their numeracy and mathematics lessons to real life contexts and with other areas of the school curriculum.
It is extremely important that we do this as a whole school, involving all pupils, staff, parents, carers, governors and the local community. Over the next few months we will be running a variety of activities that we hope as many parents/carers and the wider community will be able to get involved in. We will update this page with lots of new and exciting maths information and activities.


Using Music as a Teaching Tool for Toddlers
By: Claudia Navarro
If you ever doubt that music is an extremely effective learning tool, just ask another adult to sing you their ABCâs. Most of us can do it without a second thought. Even people who arenât parents or teachers and havenât sung or even heard the song in years.
Iâve been singing to my daughter Valentina since before she was born. And now that I am expecting my second child, Valentina and I sing to her together. I hope she will grow up enjoying music as much as her sister and I.
Music is a great tool for not only learning new lessons and information, but also remembering them (LINK: https://www.edutopia.org/music-develop-social-emotional-character). Itâs easy to believe a lesson learned from a song will stay with your child longer than one they hear spoken. Just think of all the times youâve gotten a song stuck in your head and ended up singing it all day.
Both the appeal and the drawback to music is the way it can get stuck in your head. Although I love music, there are a lot of childrenâs songs that I would definitely prefer not hearing ten times each day, or ten thousand times, depending on how often Valentina replays it. Wheels on the Bus, anyone?
And it seems like every musical toy and app plays the same old songs. Many of which have been around since I was a kid. I guess that may make them classics, but I would prefer to hear something new once in awhile. This is one of the main reasons we created the Monty Monkey and Friends app (LINK: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monty-monkey-friends-nursery/id1134251217?mt=8) .
The songs in the app are all original. Each of the songs include: positive messages and simple life lessons such as saying please and thank you, sharing with your friends and picking up your toys. There are also free drawing sheets, coloring pages, and puzzles for creative and cognitive developmental activities.
We consulted with well-respected educators and child psychologists for countless hours, figuring out what our app should be. We wanted to give the most educational benefits to kids while also allowing their parents to feel safe opening the app for their child without having to hover right over their shoulder watching for pop-up ads.
Although I never envisioned myself becoming an app designer, it goes to show what amazing things a desperate mom can be inspired to create. The truth is, I simply love music and want to share that feeling of joy with Valentina. Music is a fun and easy way to learn and remember important learning blocks. When you incorporate music into play time youâre engaging the brain in language learning as well as physical and motor skill development. Itâs multi-tasking at itâs most fun.
Are there songs or music related activities you enjoy sharing with your children? I would love to learn additional ways we can incorporate and enjoy music in our day to day activities.


The Toddler program meets the unique developmental needs of this age group (18 to 36 months). The adult in the classroom conveys unconditional love and acceptance of the student, allowing them to gain a sense of trust and security. The prepared environment enables the student to explore and to choose activities that develop skills and independence. Through practical life experiences, the students learn to care for themselves and for each other.
Each day includes individual work time; group time for stories, singing and physical movement; snack and outdoor time. Toddler students have their own fenced playground with appropriate equipment and play structures. On most days, the students go for short walks together or play outside. The class is limited to 15 students with one Montessori trained educator and 3 fulltime assistants.
Students in the Casa program work at their own level through the discovery of the environment. Students are presented an array of materials to cultivate his or her own natural desire to work and learn. The educator is trained to act as a link between students and their surroundings. Conscious of each studentâs stage of development and learning style, the educator guides the student to purposeful activities. With repetition and exploration of an activity, she/he acquires concepts and skills, while strengthening concentration, motivation and self-discipline.
Language, movement, and social development are as a primary focus, along with mathematic and sensorial materials. Music, art, biology, geography and history materials are part of the specially prepared environment. In the Casa program, students also receive daily French instruction.
Each class is directed by a Montessori-trained educator and an assistant. Daily outdoor play in the well-equipped large playground is encouraged, along with nature walks.
Montessori elementary education speaks to a studentâs imagination to begin a life-long voyage of learning and discovery, and balances the imagination with concrete, hands-on materials that help the student understand the abstract.
It is the goal of KMS to create a virtually bilingual student for those students who remain for the full eight years of elementary programming. KMS creates a bilingual environment by complimenting traditional French instruction with enrichment activities and bilingual educators who teach non core subjects in both English and French. As the students move into grade four, a dedicated French educator greets and talks with students each day. Opportunities to practice practical French skills are provided through field trips and activities. Students participate in French field trips and graduate from Grade 8 as confident French speakers.
Students remain in the same class for three years permitting the educator to become very familiar with each studentâs development and follow her or his progress through three years, allowing each student to progress at his or her own pace. The three-year, multi-age class encourages younger students to learn from and emulate the older students, while older students can teach and be role models for younger ones.
Over each three-year segment (equivalent to Grades 1, 2 and 3 in the Junior Class and Grades 4, 5 and 6 in the Senior Class) the student completes a core curriculum that exceeds the standards of the Ontario Ministry of Education. The core program includes language arts, science, mathematics, social studies, French and art. Music and Physical Education are also integrated into the program as important elements of the whole person.
Physical Education provides excellent opportunities for personal development through movement and sport. The program emphasizes on listening and following skills, team cooperation and attitude. Leadership roles provide students with key moments to build confidence and character. Kanata Montessori School is an active member of OISAA (Ottawa Independent Schools Athletic Association) enabling students to test their skills in friendly participation in many sports such as cross-country running, soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton and track.
Each of the three elementary classes is ideally limited to 24 students. Each classroom has a Montessori trained educator who work closely with several specialists. Students in the Elementary program must have completed the requirement of the Montessori Casa program or have an appropriate background prior to enroling.
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL
The school offers a before and after school care program from 7:30 am to 5:45 pm.
The Before and After School activities are designed to encourage the studentsâs social and physical development. The students assist with the preparation for special school functions, play together, craft, or do individual quiet work. Optional extracurricular activities include swimming and skating lessons, drama and skiing. The students also enjoy outdoor play in our extensive play areas and games and activities indoors.
This program is supervised by teaching assistants who have spent the school day with the students, and are familiar with the studentâs needs.
After school programming for elementary students continues to grow and enrich the students. Drama, skiing, skating, games, swimming, and dance are just a few of the programs that have been offered on a fee for service basis.


Start out the School Year the Right Way
Well, once again, September is upon us, and the sounds of pencils sharpening and notebook paper turning is filling our schools all over. Reading, writing, and arithmetic may the core subjects of our nationâs priority, but donât forget about the arts! While more and more arts programs are being relegated to fewer and fewer schools, or simply being eradicated from entire districts, itâs comforting to see so many students getting interested in participating in chorus, band, general music, and other musical activities that truly enrich their lives. The joy of practicing an instrument or working on singing that next chorus tune is certainly better than sitting on the couch watching TV or playing video games. Not only does music require multitasking, higher-level thinking, and dedication, itâs also incredibly fun! So if your music program is in danger of being cut, there are a number of ways that your voice can be heard. Organizations like the National Association for Music Education (NAfMe) and the New Jersey Music Teacherâs Association (NJMEA) are always doing their best to show schools just how important music is in a childâs life, and simply visiting their websites can give you information as to how to support your local music program. As the great Greek philosopher Aristotle once said: âMusic has a power of forming the character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the youngâ. More than two thousand years later, that statement still holds as much truth now as it did thenâ. So get as much out of the beginning of this school year as possible and get involved in the arts. Trust me, youâll be glad you did.


Representatives of the MAT Program will appear once again at NAEA. Faculty member Kelly McConnell and Adrienne Kitko â15 are hosting a Surrealist inspired game of Exquisite Corpse at the MECA booth. Stop by to learn how the processes of collaborative play and artistic expression resulted in exciting collaborations between such famous artists as Picasso and Dali.
Adrienne Kitko demonstrates how the Surrealist Movement used results from chance occurrences and group collaboration to foster spontaneity and exploration.
Last year MAT faculty and teacher candidates with BFAs in design fields were invited to offer workshops at the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) sponsored Live Learning Lab.
As the previous NAEA conference theme suggested, the importance of teaching design extends beyond the specific content of any given field. Our programâs motto, âWe teach for possibilities,â expresses the fact that design thinking prepares people to creatively face the unimaginable challenges of tomorrow.
Below youâll find a short overview essay about the importance of design in visual art education as well as lessons plans that involve the designed environment.
Teaching about Art and Design is more than teaching about media, art history, and art-making skills. This essay by Kelly McConnell establishes a theoretical case and provides a practical example of how design thinking enlivens an art classroom.
Through an examination of the placement of everyday objects, this twenty minute warm-up activity highlights the complexity of the world around us. Demonstrated in the Live Learning Lab at the NAEA Conference in 2015.
Meredith Leoni takes a frequently used art lesson and redesigns it to show how student interests and inquiry can shift a lesson from replication to invention.
Shaun Aylward establishes an art and science investigation for kindergarteners to explore the winter ecology of moths and butterflies.
Aimee Carmella uses student interests to design a high school unit that focuses on how visual artists use images, symbols, and words to convey meaning.


Telling the Story: Advocating for Music
A majority of those outside the fields of music and the arts do not understand the whys or the hows concerning the process of arts education. Provided with a clear understanding of those whys and hows, and supported by quality arts education in practice, people begin to realize the value of music and arts education.
If the school board and district administrators are kept well-informed of the benefits that an education in the arts provide, and if this information is supported by sound classroom practices, chances are that the district will favor decisions that strengthen the programs rather than weakening or eliminating them.
Influencing the Realities in Arts Education
- Shifting educational priorities and budgeting priorities means that no music or arts educator can afford to consider his or her program immune to cutbacks. When arts educators fail to prepare for potential problems, or deny the potential threat of being seriously diminished or eliminated, the stage is set for disaster.
- Being a music educator means much more than teaching music to the students in the music classroom. It involves educating EVERYONE in the school environmentâparents, faculty colleagues, administrators and the community at large. It is the educatorâs job to provide administrators with everything they need to know to effectively advocate for the music program.
Effective Ways to Build the Music Program
- Ignorance Isnât Bliss
- Stay informed
- Collect and disseminate information appropriately
- Know what is happening in other parts of the school as well as district-wide
- Join an arts advocacy organization
You Gotta Have Friends
- Know your constituency
- Think of students as constituents
- Build a communication system
- Make sure your constituents know how to reach you
Simon Says. . .
- Be prepared
- Set up phone and e-mail trees
- Keep constituents informed
- Disseminate information on a regular basis
- Initiate dialogue
- Establish a fine arts booster group
- Personally invite all constituents to attend arts events, informances and performances
- Thank constituents for attending
- Invite constituents into the classroom
- Provide opportunities to learn about the process of making music
- Talk with students about the value of arts education
- Discuss with students what you are teaching
- Discuss with students what they are learning
- Discuss with students how these skills relate to their real world of school, work and life
Birds of a Feather
- Be a team player
- Be regarded as a leader
- Treat your friends as allies
- Discuss issues of mutual concern
- Remember: United we stand, divided we fail
- Become a unit: âThe Fine Arts Departmentâ
- Point out critical interdisciplinary links
- Offer to collaborate with others and to play a key role
Start with a Single Step
- Get your program on your school board agenda
- Know the budget process
- Review the school board agenda several days before every meeting. Look for items that might impact your program (for example: budget cuts, graduation requirements, staffing reductions)
- Donât assume that everyone agrees that students need or benefit from an education in the arts
- Think of advocacy as nothing more than effective public relations
- Use advocacy in a positive wayâitâs the âgood newsâ about music education
- Make advocacy a way of life
- Advocate daily with students and teacher colleagues
- Develop âpartnerhipsâ and collaborations that are win-win
- Ensure that all constituents realize their responsibility to be good advocates
- Equip students to be your best advocates
Nothing is Carved in Stone
- Donât assumeâyou rarely have all the information.
- Fatal Assumption #1: Those you assume are decision-makers, really are decision-makers.
- Fatal Assumption #2: The decision-makers will never change their minds.
- Fatal Assumption #3: The decision-makers will always stay the same.
- Fatal Assumption #4: The environment in which your program exists will always remain the same.
- Fatal Assumption #5: The rationale you believe in has universal acceptance.
An Apple a Day
- Know your vulnerabilities
- Work to correct those vulnerabilities
Just a Reminder
- The real issues are often about power and the allocation of resourcesâthat spells p-o-l-i-t-i-c-s.
Keep the Focus
- Although politics will likely be a component, the focus of arts education advocacy is whether students have access to the quality arts programs they need and deserve.


Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization of medical providers who promote early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by integrating children's books and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud into well-child visits.
Reach Out and Read builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children, beginning in infancy. As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read incorporates early literacy into pediatric practice, equipping parents with tools and knowledge to ensure that their children are prepared to learn when they start school.
Reach Out and Read (ROR) serves more than 4 million children and their families annually. ROR families read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills. During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests. These early foundational language skills help start children on a path of success when they enter school.
Here at Duke Pediatrics, our physicians and nurses are trained in early literacy development to encourage families to read aloud to their young children every day. We start introducing developmentally and culturally appropriate books at well child visits starting at the age of 6 months through 5 years. Please consider donating to this worthy cause so that we can continue to empower our families and children!


There are oodles of paths to learning, and bazillions of theories on the best early education practices. Obviously, the best way to learn is to LOVE what you are doing. Easy-peasy right? However, we all love different things and learn in different ways. If you are going to get me anywhere near interested statistics, you are going to have to think WAAAY outside the box. How oh how do you make that work in a classroom with 18 different kids, with 18 different strengths and 18 different visions? I asked Laura of the Diving Dolphin's to tell us about a recent project that sparked brain magic in their kids.
"Several weeks ago, the Diving Dolphins became interested in maps, mysteries, and spy glasses. Soon we were seeing mysteries everywhere! Every lost sock and missing marker cap became an opportunity to look for clues and solve the puzzle. The class started to come up with questions, and search for the answers. Why did Mr. Sean cut down that tree? Did he need to make a wooden pumpkin out of it? We tracked down Mr. Sean and found out the truth. We made our own spyglasses and maps, and used them to navigate the playspaces and the woods.
"This week, we came across the biggest mystery so far: our gerbils, named Cat and Snake, went missing! We followed clues and solved puzzles all over the school, magnifying glasses in hand, until at last we found our pets and returned them to our room! We were so happy to see them, and have been talking about the "long mystery" for days." - Laura Hasslam
Aside from the obvious fun and excitement two lost gerbils generates, what's going on here? What's the point? First and foremost, the kids had more FUN then a barrel full of gerbils. Moreover, their investigation into mysteries worked every nook and cranny of their spongy little minds- investigating the mystery, searching for clues, and hazarding guesses flexed their cognitive development such as problem solving, persistence, and memory. As the kids poured over maps and metaphorical knots, they stretched language and literacy development. They followed multiple stepped instructions, print concepts, and even used math and counting skills. So yes, they had fun, but with the purposeful guidance of their teachers, they also continued to build and grow into not simply learners, but THINKERS and visionaries!


Morning Childrenâs House
The Childrenâs House is a Primary school program designed for 3-6 years of age. Children at this age are eager to learn from new people and experiences. They absorb all the environment has to offer and it is our responsibility to ensure the world they experience is rich, safe, nurturing, and intelligent. The foundation of self-esteem and all future learning is constructed during these early years and the Primary Program is designed to take advantage of this powerful, formative period.
In the Childrenâs House, your child will be introduced to many different concepts and will learn both through observing and through direct interaction with our beautifully crafted materials.
- Children learn to bake, sew, wash dishes, sweep, pour, and more with our lessons in Practical Life.
- Activities that appeal and refine the senses are the focus of our Sensorial Exercises.
- Your child will learn size, shape, composition, texture, temperature, weight, loudness or softness, and many other qualities as he or she works with these materials.
- Language is taught through a specific progression of lessons that engage the sensesâchildren learn letters and sounds through seeing, hearing, and touching themâand through immersion in a linguistically rich classroom environment.
- Our Mathematics materials are designed to teach your child not only how, but why. Math is hands-on and our lessons teach number values and math operations though concrete materials that children touch and manipulate.
- Lessons in Grace and Courtesy begin on the first day of school and are reinforced throughout the Primary level. Learning to respect oneâs own work and the work of others, to wait oneâs turn, and to handle materials gently and put them away neatly after using themâthese and other lessons in Grace and Courtesy are essential to maintaining a quiet, respectful, and nurturing environment and to raising respectful and capable children.
Contact us to learn more, tour the Childrenâs House and meet our staff.
Full Day Childrenâs House
Instead of their school day ending prior to lunch with the other Primary children, Full Day students continue to work with guides until 3pm. During this time, younger children are either napping or have gone home for the day while the older children build upon the activities of the morning and undertake projects and field trips that are typically too challenging for the youngest students of the Childrenâs House. Often the older students take on the leadership role in the classroom community. This continuity is developmentally appropriate and beneficial to the childâs sense of security and well-being. This opportunity of focused attention provides the perfect bridge to the elementary education.
Primary emphasizes active rather than passive learning. Children learn by actively participating in their environment, mastering many skills, and experiencing explosive learning during this time. Like other Primary students, Full Day students participate in music, language and cultural study, outdoor time, and other enrichment activities.
Contact us to begin the process of transitioning your child to our Extended Day program.
After School Childcare Program
Contact The Montessori School office to learn more about our Childcare program.
Summer 2018 Programming: Fun, active, play-based summer camp for children ages 2.5 â 7! Registration is open â please contact the front office for availability. Open to the public, but current NEIM families will have first priority for registration. For guaranteed preferred schedule, and $25 Early Bird Discount, sign up by April 1st. Sign up for just a few weeks, or the whole summer!


Welcome to Mrs. Balanâs Art Class!
Click here to visit my Art @ RA Website, or click on the photo to the right.
If you would like to donate a roll of paper towels and/or a package of baby wipes for the art room, that would be appreciated. As we have no sink in the room, these items help tremendously with a quick and easy clean up on the days that we create some messy masterpieces.
My Art Education Philosophy
As an art educator, I encourage my students to think critically and abstractly, take chances and risks, experiment with new and different ideas, techniques and media, work together and ultimately have fun through the art-making process. I believe that creating a supporting and enriching learning environment will help my students to develop their creative process and strong character skills, which will not only help them in my art class but also in their other classes and life as well.
PreK: For the littlle ones, art class is more about the process not the product. We will explore different materials and techniques. Weâll also read some books to help inspire some of our art projects. The goal is to have fun and be introduced to the wonderful world of art!
Kindergarten & 1st Grade: While also exploring the art making process through different materials and techniques, we will also start to introduce art vocabulary terms and look at some famous works of art.
2nd Grade: Students in 2nd grade will be spending the majority of the school year working on a unit that explores the elements and principles of art & design (such as line, shape, form, color, value, texture, pattern and space). After each topic is introduced, weâll look at an artist, art movement or style, and/or medium that best demonstrates that element/principle.
3rd, 4th & 5th Grades: These grades will be looking at how artists have used the elements and principles of art & design to create masterpieces of their own! We will also learn how to talk about works of art, have class critiques and work on writing artist statements for our work.
6th Grade: Students in 6th grade will be working on a unit all about signs and symbols in art. Some of the artists and cultures that we will learn about include Native Americansâ pictographs, Chinese landscape artists, Egyptian hieroglyphics, African textiles, Keith Haring, and wrapping it all up with a look at emojis that we use today.
7th Grade: We will working on an art history unit, looking at some artists and works of art from different points in time. We will use the techniques and ideas learned in our studies to create our own masterpieces.
8th Grade: Students in 8th grade will work on refining their artistic skills. We will explore the elements and principles of art & design in depth and using observational drawing through still life and portraits. Weâll also have class discussions about works of art, class critiques and work on writing artist statements for our work.


INNOVATIONS in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, coupled with its increased adoption, will have a big impact on the workforce across Asean over the next decade, according to a new study by Cisco and Oxford Economics.
Titled âTechnology and the Future of Asean Jobsâ, the study claims innovations in digital technology will present big opportunities for Asean economies to boost their productivity and prosperity.
A more widespread adoption of existing technologies, coupled with advances in the use of AI through software, hardware and robotics, will cut costs of goods and services, driving demand and creating millions of new jobs.
The study predicts that the sectors that will see the greatest rise in demand for new workers are wholesale and retail (1.8 million new jobs), manufacturing (0.9 million), construction (0.9 million) and transport (0.7 million).
However, there will be a marked shift in the regionâs labour market as lower-skilled jobs are displaced.
âMany skills that we have now will be redundant. The lowest skilled workers will be the most at risk, and the sectors that are most vulnerable are in service and agriculture,â said Cisco South-East Asia president Naveen Menon.
He added that to achieve the same level of output, Aseanâs six largest economies will need 28 million fewer workers.
Singapore could see the biggest relative impact, with up to 21% of its workforce displaced.
Vietnam and Thailand are next in line, with 14% and 12% of jobs displaced, respectively.
Indonesia will see about 9.5 million jobs impacted. In Malaysia, 1.2 million jobs will be impacted.
The study predicts that over a 10-year period, the competing effects of job displacement and creation will offset each other. However, many of these new jobs are likely to be created in areas different from those where they are being displaced.
As many as 6.6 million workers across the blocâs six largest economies will have to adapt their skills and forge a new career path to remain productively employed.
The study reveals that 41% of those in displaced jobs are âacutely lackingâ the IT skills that new jobs will be demanding. Almost 30% lack âinteractive skillsâ that will be needed for future job openings, such as negotiation, persuasion and customer service skills.
Just over 25% also lack âfoundational skillsâ, like active learning, reading and writing skills.
âThis will require all stakeholders â businesses, governments and educators â to work together to ensure the regionâs current and future workforce are picking up skills that go beyond just technical knowledge.
âThey need skills like problem solving, design and critical thinking, leadership, collaboration, conflict resolution and empathy. In a digital future, where everyone will have access to the same data and information, these skills will be the key differentiator between being employable or not,â Naveen said.
The report suggests a range of training approaches are needed, including greater commitment to on-the-job training, more flexible online courses and work experience schemes to complement or even, in some cases, substitute for a formal school and tertiary education.
âItâs not an exception for Vietnam. The digital transformation is no long a vision, it has become the reality,â said Cisco Vietnam country manager and general director Luong Le Thuy.
The challenge for Vietnam was that low-cost labour comprises the majority of jobs in the country.
âThe government needs to have some solution because this is going to be a really big challenge for the society,â she said. â Viet Nam News/Asian News Network


History of Cranbrook Academy of Art
Cranbrook Academy of Art, known as the cradle of American modernism, continues to have a significant impact on the world of art, architecture, and design completely disproportionate to its size.
Outstanding artists, architects and designers â the Saarinens, Ray and Charles Eames, Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Lorraine Wild, Nick Cave and Hani Rashid, to name only a few â have been a part of Cranbrookâs community of artists. Lasting friendships formed at the Academy lead to future professional collaboration. Our alumni have an international influence through their individual artistic practices and teaching professions.
Cranbrook Academy of Art is part of the 319-acre Cranbrook Educational Community, described as âone of the most enchanted architectural settings in America.â The community was founded by George Gough Booth, a Detroit newspaper baron and philanthropist, who soon hired Eliel Saarinen the Finnish architect who occupies a major position in the history of modern American design and architecture. Both were inspired by the vision of the Arts and Crafts movement, which began in England in the mid-nineteenth century and soon spread to the United States. The Arts and Crafts movement appealed to George Booth aesthetically and morally. He hoped its influence would banish tasteless, mass-produced goods from American homes. He believed that craftsmanship would result in superior products and provide the foundation for an ethically responsible life. Cranbrook would come to support those ideals and satisfy the desire of its founders to achieve something of lasting value and significance.
In 1904, George Gough and Ellen Scripps Booth bought the property that would become Cranbrook, and spent their first years at Cranbrook landscaping the property and constructing their family home designed by Albert Kahn. With their estate established, they began the buildings for public use. The Greek Theatre was built in 1916, Christ Church Cranbrook was completed in 1928, plans for boys and girls schools were begun and foremost in their minds, and plans were made for an academy of art based on their visit to the American Academy in Rome. At the suggestion of his son Henry, George Booth approached Eliel Saarinen, a visiting professor in architectural design at the University of Michigan, with his idea for an academy of art. Ultimately Booth invited Saarinen to move to Cranbrook from Finland to oversee the architectural and landscape development of the campus. The Cranbrook School for Boys was completed in 1928, Kingswood School (for girls) in 1931, and the Cranbrook Art Museum and Library building in 1942.
Informal art education began at the Academy in the late 1920s, in studios built for the artists and crafts people working with Saarinen. The Academy of Art was officially sanctioned in 1932 with Saarinen installed as president. He continued to design new buildings for the campus with Academy student apprentices. The original Cranbrook Institute of Science building was completed in 1937 and the Academy art museum and library in 1942. The campus is a National Historic Landmark, considered the most complete example of Saarinenâs genius. It is an architectural and horticultural treasure where Academy students live and work today, inspired to write their own history in an environment of beauty and innovation.
Recent additions to the Cranbrook Educational Community campus uphold the international standard of excellence set by Booth and Saarinen. Spanish architect Rafael Moneo designed the New Studios Building addition to the Academy and Art Museum that opened in 2002. Other contemporary buildings at Cranbrook include Stephen Hollâs addition to Cranbrook Institute of Science, Todd Williams and Billie Tsienâs Natatorium on the Cranbrook School campus, Peter Roseâs addition to Brookside School, and Lake-Flatoâs Girls Middle School.


Did you know learning an art at a young age is more valuable than you think
The value that comes from stimulating the creative mind early in childhood, can lead to genius in many areas of vocation.
Art develops many important skills that can help your student(s) to reach their full potential in other areas of study and in their future careers.
The capacity of human beings to think creatively, to create and appreciate the arts is indispensable in developing the âwholeâ person.
The benefits of Art Education are numerous.
Some of the main benefits are:
Art enhances the problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and learning in other subject areas.
Arts education gives students the exposure to a variety of cultures, empathy, tolerance and openness to working with others.
Arts education prepares students for success in college and prepares students for success in the 21st century workforce through innovation, creativity and imagination.
The arts teach students to process information in a new way and make a cognitive shift from one brain mode to another. Once learned, this skill can be applied anything requiring creative thinking or organization of thought.
Art education helps children to develop emotionally and socially, and makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child. Children learn how to deal with their emotions and learn how to express themselves in ways other than words. br


Look at the patterns found in nature and encourage children to use the natural world as inspiration for their art. Activities involve skills such as art, literacy and evaluating work.
- Art education pack (PDF, 250KB)
Register with the Royal Forestry Society website to download their free art worksheet on shapes in the woods.
Back in the classroom, you can also do our fingerprinting activity (Word, 263KB).
Activities in this pack can be done at any time of year, although autumn is a particularly fun time for visiting woods.
- Woodland tales instructions (PDF, 226KB)
If you are working with a group of 30, we recommend taking two copies of the instructions and five copies of the Story Stick (PDF, 405KB).
After your visit, try our woodland tales follow-up activities (Word, 261KB).
Explore how our senses of sight, touch, smell and hearing can help us to learn about the natural environment.
- Senses education pack (PDF, 245MB)
Everything you need for this activity is in the downloadable pack.


Beginning at 18 Months
Our classroom is divided into interest centers which are an ideal setting for preschool children to explore, make things, experiment and pursue their interest.
An in-depth study of a âtopicâ provides a meaningful way of learning for the child. Teachers and children create a web of important ideas for each topic. The web guides them visually as they begin their exploration and investigation.
Building a partnership with families and insuring that they have a role in their childâs education is a crucial component of the preschool experience. To ensure ongoing family communication the preschool program has monthly newsletters, daily and weekly bulletins, assessment portfolios, anecdotal records, developmental progress reports and family engaging activities.
The Preschool Three-Year-Old Program's Curriculum at Progressive Learning supports the child in their transitional stage aligned with play and the Rhode Island Learning and Development Standards:
- Social and emotional skills develop as children demonstrate a strong and positive self-concept, appropriate self-control, and growth in their awareness of their responsibilities when interacting with others.
- Language development and communication occurs as the children develop skills in listening and expressing their thoughts and ideas. Writing center, stories, finger plays, poems, music, listening center and puppetry encourage this development.
- Literacy development emerges through exploring print in books, poems, songs, and begin to write and recognize letters in their name will help the child to understand that writing carries a message.
- Cognitive development skills develop as children explore cause and effect relationships, pretend play and use objects/toys in new ways.
- Mathematic development includes an understanding of number concepts, patterns and relationships, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, data collection, organization and representation.
- Science development occurs as children use scientific tools, five senses, observations, gathering and recording information, and making predictions based on real life experiences develop an understanding of the scientific method.
- Social studies helps children identify themselves as members of a family or classroom. Children act out different settings or events that happen at home and at school using interest centers.
- Creative development occurs in individual and small group activities that use a variety of tools, art forms and media to express their ideas and creativity.
- Physical health and development strengthen large and small muscles using sensory experiences and practicing healthy behavior. A variety of manipulatives and writing materials promote hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills. Playground equipment, music and movement activities strengthen balance, coordination and large muscle control.


ERIC Number: ED105492
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1974
Reference Count: 0
Elementary English/Language Arts Course of Study for Grade Six.
Rochester Public Schools, Minn.
This curriculum guide, one of a series designed for use in kindergarten and the elementary grades, has been compiled with the recognition that the basic ingredients of a language arts program--composition, speaking, listening, literature, and problem solving--are interrelated and constantly complement one another and that this entire process is enhanced by the development of the child's imagination. Introductory material includes a curriculum diagram for the English language arts, a scope and sequence chart, and a list of resources. The contents are divided into five categories, each relating to language for the sixth grade level. Under these, there are five subcategories: (1) perception and human relations; (2) listening, oral and body language, written language (practical), and written language (creative); (3) history of English language, usage, and semantics and dialects; (4) grammar, literature, and composition; and (5) capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing, dictionary, and letter writing. For each of these subcategories the guide outlines the concept, skills, available resources, and helpful activities. Thirteen appendixes provide additional material related to the level and contents of the guide. (JM)
Descriptors: Curriculum Guides, Elementary Education, English Curriculum, Grade 6, Language Arts, Language Skills, Listening, Literature, Speech Communication, Writing (Composition)
Ms. Joyce Floan, Curriculum Office, Rochester Public Schools, Coffman Building, Rochester, Minnesota 55901 ($4.00 per volume; Make checks payable to Rochester Public Schools)
Publication Type: Guides - General
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: Rochester Public Schools, Minn.
Note: Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document; See related documents CS202014-19


Key Stage 2
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Put KS2 literacy and numeracy skills into action with hundreds of activities to boost your child's knowledge and confidence. Covering all the core learning objectives for Years 3-6 in English and maths, you'll discover fun ways to support learning in these fantastic booster packs:
Maths and English homework help is at hand!
If you dread being asked by your child to help with their maths or English homework - fear not! We've got two excellent eBooks that will help you instantly find the answers you need. Maths Homework Helper brings together everything you need to get to grips with this vital subject and life skill. With it, you can support your child's maths learning effectively at home. Youâll discover how to tackle all the different topics your child will encounter â from addition and subtraction, to ratios and percentages â and get familiar with all the latest methods used in schools.
Literacy Homework Helper covers the ins and outs of reading, writing and spelling as they are taught in the primary national curriculum. Whether you are trying to help with a specific piece of homework, your child has a problem with a topic theyâve covered at school, or you just want to give an extra boost at home to their literacy learning, this resource is designed for you to be able to quickly find relevant information for you and practical ideas and activities to help your child.
Key Stage 2 is one of the most important periods in your childâs education. Itâs in these school years that your child is introduced to some of the core learning concepts that they need to master before secondary school. Theyâll review and consolidate learning done throughout primary school and be tested frequently to check that they are acquiring and retaining the right information.
Whether your child is struggling, jumping ahead, or you just want to check they are right on track, you can boost their child's confidence throughout Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 with TheSchoolRun Key Stage 2 Book Bundle.
There are 3 of our best-selling books in the bundle. Maths Homework Helper eBook covers all the core maths topics, from the basics of addition and subtraction to multiplication, division, working with measures, shape and space, and handling data. Grammar Made Easy eBook gives you confidence in the grammar basics so youâre fully prepared to help your child and Spelling Made Magic â our best-selling book - is packed with tips and tricks to help your child master this literacy essential.


AIMS of Music Education
- Develop awareness of and appreciation for music of various cultures and the role of music in daily living
- Develop ability for creative expression through music making
- Provide the basis to develop an informed and lifelong involvement in music
Programme for Active Learning (PAL) â Music and Performing Arts
For Primary 1 & 2 only
The Programme for Active Learning, also known as PAL, is one of PERIâs recommendations to address the increased emphasis on holistic education and development of life skills. It provides a smooth transition for children from pre-school child to primary education. With Primary 1 and 2 pupils in mind, PAL emphasises learning through hands-on experiences, having fun and enjoyment in the learning, and on-going opportunities for peer interaction and self-discovery. PAL Music and Performing Arts modules use experiential learning to provide pupils with authentic opportunities to explore and express themselves creatively through music and movement. PAL is conducted over 2hrs weekly over and above Music lessons.
Integrating Music & Performing Arts
Pri 1 â Percussive Movement
Pri 2 â Tambourine Dance
Pri 3 â Martial Arts Dance
Pri 4 â Cultural Dance (2015)
Pri 5 â Egyptian dance
Pri 6 â Rock and Roll
It has been a long standing tradition in Pasir Ris Primary School that we celebrate the nationâs National Day with our annual
âSing Singaporeâ. Sing Singapore has served as a platform for our pupils to showcase their learning in the Arts. Besides learning the General Music Syllabus, performing arts components are integrated into the curriculum to build confidence and instill a sense of rootedness to the country. All pupils in Pasir Ris Primary will learn one form of dance each year. All Pri 1 -3
will dress up to sing and dance during Sing Singapore in the spirit of celebrating our nationâs birthday.
Exposure to Musical Instruments
to enjoy and appreciate music.
Pri 1 & 2: Percussion
Pri 3: Guzheng & Recorder
Pri 4: Angklung & Recorder
Pri 5: Recorder
Pri 6: African Percussion.
Special Projects LKY Bilinguism Project
10 Choir pupils were selected this year to participate in the LKY Bilingualism Project. They lent their voices for two songs that will be featured in a CD that promotes the use of Mandarin.
Collaboration with OKTO!
Oak3 Films recently poduced a TV musical, titled âAfter Schoolâ, for Okto, Mediacorp. In line with the âAfter Schoolâ tv musical concept, a 9-part web extension series focusing on the song and dance groups of our local youths today. These clips will be aired on XinMSN. This year, the company featured Pasir Ris Primary School and worked with our Choir and Malay Dance pupils.