Competency or Coverage?
Competency or Coverage?
“We covered it,” goes the familiar expression, “but they just didn’t learn it.”
In most schools, we continue to deliver far too much content, using a rigid schedule that does not encourage teachers to adjust instruction to meet the individual needs of each student. Crucial skills deserve something better than coverage. To improve early math outcomes and math outcomes for life, we must learn to understand the principles of informed instruction that lead to competency.
Identifying Crucial Outcomes
The principles of informed instruction are simple:
- Clearly identify crucial learning outcomes.
- Use systematic measurement to determine the readiness levels of your students in relation to essential outcomes.
- Offer informed instruction and carefully monitor progress until these skills/objectives are deeply understood (competency).
- Allow students to move on to more advanced learning as soon as they are ready.
With all the content teachers are asked to cover, it may seem daunting to identify which outcomes are crucial. Doug Reeves asks three questions to help determine which learning outcomes deserve all the time needed to achieve competency:
- Does it address knowledge and skills that will endure throughout a student’s academic career and professional life?
- Does it address knowledge and skills that will be of value in multiple content areas?
- Does it provide the essential knowledge and skills that students need to succeed in the next grade level?
The Essential Math Skills Inventory identifies essential math outcomes for preschool through grade three. These are foundational skills that establish number sense and deep understanding of number concepts which are the foundation of math learning for life. Students who learn these skills deeply and joyfully establish a positive trajectory for math learning. They are prepared to succeed in the next grade and beyond.
The Essential Math Skills Inventory is not a framework for curriculum. Many additional skills, projects and activities should be included in the math instructional plan for young students. The inventory is a framework for assessment, a way to systematically assess and respond to student learning needs.
Without deep understanding of these essential skills, many children learn to memorize facts and formulas to help them solve problems on paper. Without deep understanding, many students reach third or fourth grade and begin to struggle with math. Without understanding basic number sense and concepts, math turns on them and becomes a mystery. These students decide that math is hard, or that they just don’t have a talent for math. In the age of information and technology, we need better instruction in math to avoid these patterns of disengagement and avoidance of math.
Consider the first- and second-grade essential math skills listed below. Competency means being able to demonstrate these skills over a period of time, and with many different sets of learning materials or learning contexts. Competency means understanding and applying these skills even on days when you are distracted, not at your best. Competency means understand in a way that will stay with the learner for life.
If we race through non-viable content expectations, some of these crucial math outcomes may not be developed to competency.
In my analysis of many struggling middle and high school math students, they lack competency in some of these basic first- and second-grade skills. It is not because these skills were not “covered” in one or more lessons. But lacking specific knowledge of each child’s math learning needs, a well-intentioned teacher “moved on” to keep up with the expectation for coverage. And one more math student was left behind.
What are your thoughts regarding competency vs. coverage?


Teachers must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree to earn a professional license and work in a public school setting, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS notes that as of 2010 there were well over 2.5 million k-12 teachers in the U.S. alone. Understanding what the basic undergraduate requirement -- a Bachelor of Arts in education -- for a teacher is, can help budding educators create a realistic career path.
Beginning at the Bachelor
In the forefront of a definition of a Bachelor of Art in education is the word "bachelor." Although there are different levels of education-focused degrees, the bachelor's-level one refers to a four-year undergraduate program. Teachers at the preschool, grade and high school levels may earn their professional credential through non-bachelor programs -- such as a post-bachelor's certificate or master degree. That said, if you don't have a completed undergraduate degree already, you'll need a bachelor's degree to start your career.
Teaching Arts for Different Ages
A Bachelor of Arts in education typically includes a specialization in teaching students in a specific age group. The words elementary, secondary or early childhood precede Bachelor of Arts in education when it comes to the title of a college program. This indicates the age group that the program prepares you to teach. For example, the University of Michigan's School of Education offers a Bachelor of Arts in elementary teacher education. This prepares college students to teach children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. A secondary designation includes teaching high school students, while an early childhood degree typically includes infants, toddlers, preschoolers and early grade school students.
Certification at the College Level
Depending on the specific program that you choose, a Bachelor of Arts in education may or may not include a certification option. While the majority of programs do prepare students for initial teacher licensure, the school must specifically spell this out in its admissions materials. For example, Saint Leo University notes in its Bachelor of Arts of elementary education materials that its program prepares students to sit for the Florida state teacher licensure exam.
Understanding the Art
The word "art" is somewhat easy to misinterpret when taken out of context. The title Bachelor of Arts in no way implies that the degree focuses on art in the visual arts sense. Getting a Bachelor of Arts in education doesn't mean you're learning how to teach art or that you'll graduate with an arts education degree. If you are looking for an arts education degree, the program must contain the words "art education." Instead, the arts -- in Bachelor of Arts -- refers to the art, or skill, of educating children.
Based in Pittsburgh, Erica Loop has been writing education, child development and parenting articles since 2009. Her articles have appeared in "Pittsburgh Parent Magazine" and the website PBS Parents. She has a Master of Science in applied developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education.


Rights to Information (RTI) - Right to Information Act is a law which casts a direct accountability on the officer for non-performance and is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense. It goes without saying that an informed citizen is better equipped to keep necessary vigil on the instruments of governance and make the government more accountable to the governed. The Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the Government.
Rights to Education (RTE) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A, means that every child has a right to full time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school which satisfies certain essential norms and standards.
The Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right.


A few facts about Sever’s disease
Sever’s disease is one of the most common causes of heel pain in growing children and teenagers.
It is named after James Warren Sever’s, the American doctor that first described the condition back in 1912. The condition refers to an inflammation of the growth plate in the heel, which can set in when this area is exposed to pressure, as a result of high impact activity.
During growth spurts, the growth plate area is particularly sensitive as it has not yet developed into solid bone. If it is exposed to repetitive stress – for example from running, jumping and other high-impact activities – an inflammation can develop, which leads to swelling and pain.
Sever’s disease is typically seen in children between the ages of 9 and 14. It can, however, set in earlier, and children whose growth spurt sets in later, can be affected until the age of 16. Once the growth zone in the heel closes, the condition wears off.
Children who are physically active or engaged in sports that involve a lot of running or jumping, especially on hard surfaces, have a greater risk of developing Sever’s disease.
How to check for Severs disease
To find out whether a kid suffers from Sever’s disease, you can run two simple tests:
- the squeeze test
- the heel-walking test
If the child feels pain doing any of these tests, it’s very like that he/she has Sever’s disease.
Why rest is not the cure
Not many parents or sports coaches have heard of Sever’s disease. And most family doctors are not quite sure what to do about it. Kids are typically advised to take a break from sports and high-impact activities and wait for the pain to go away.
Letting an active kid sit on the bench is not only unnecessary; it’s also unfortunate for a number of reasons:
- Physiologically: Motor skill development, which is stimulated when the child is physically active, deteriorates if the child is passive during late childhood and adolescence.
- Psychologically: Engaging with other kids on a team or in physical activities is formative for all children. Missing out on such important interaction can affect a kid’s self-confidence and identity-building.
- Athletically: Sitting on the bench might mean that talented kids lose out on important development opportunities and suffer a set back in their sport.
Clinical experience shows that Sever’s disease is not cured by resting; it goes away as the child grows older. Reducing physically activity to a minimum will put a temporary end to the heel pain. As soon as the child resumes their activity, the pain typically returns.
Human health is threatened by too little physical activity, so it’s crucial that children are motivated to stay physically active. Particularly when a simple insole solution can do the trick.
Check out how Solemaids insoles work. And get in touch if you want to know how you can become an authorised Solemaids provider.


The Artful Life: 10 Crafty Tips to Boost a Child’s Self-Confidence and Improve Academic Performance: #5
Categories: Art Education, family, The Artful Life
As parents, we strive to help our children grow up to be healthy, productive adults. Times are changing faster than ever, and parents are working harder to make ends meet. With constant introduction to new technology, as individuals and as a family, we have more choices than we’ve ever had before. So how do we stay focused and ensure we give our children the best upbringing possible? In this series we will share some tips we have found that help children develop a positive self image, and encourage success in the classroom.
#5: Volunteer in the Classroom
|Image by missyxlovesxyou via Flickr|
I am not going to lie to you, this could be one of the most difficult tasks on the list (for us, it’s harder than giving up the cable!) If you have school-age children, one of the most important things you can do is to get yourself into that classroom! Why is this hard? Because when you are dual-income family, there is always work to be done! Even if one of you stays home, there is always work to be done!
However, if you don’t spend time in class, three things don’t happen:
1) Your children don’t see you valuing the time in the classroom. When they see you take time out of your day to assist in their class, they get the message that this is an important place to be!
2) You don’t get to know the teacher and the methods of teaching in the class. Support your teacher, and she/he will support you! This is a very important relationship to have. You will also get a chance to understand the curriculum and the schedule in class.
3) You don’t get to know the other kids in your child’s class. These days, it is getting impossibly hard to have consistent social interaction with classmates outside of school. Kids are busy with all kinds of different activities, and it’s hard to match up schedules. So how do you know how to encourage your child to build relationships if you don’t know who the other kids are? Most kids are great; I love getting to know different children and having the opportunity to work with them. However, some children are a discipline problem in class, and since I know that, I can encourage my child to make different choices. (And when it’s my child acting out-of-line, I can be on top of it!)
How do you get involved with your child’s academic time?
Stay-tuned for tip #6 tomorrow! Did you miss the first tips? Start here


Young Children Learn Music
Throughout the Kindermusik process, your child has been learning the beat, rhythm, rhyme, and the appreciation of music. Now that your 5-7 year old is learning to read, he or she will be interested in learning to play the glockenspiel, reading notes, and learning about composers in an engaging way. Through games, stories, and dances, young children can gain a solid musical foundation that prepares them for private music lessons.
Kindermusik Level 4: Move and Groove: Build a Musical Foundation
Using a small-group approach to music education, Kindermusik Move and Groove provides a pressure-free class where your child can develop a strong musical foundation by learning the concepts, language, notation, and vocabulary of music and its greatest composers. The program prepares the young child who is eager for first experiences with musical symbols and instrument discovery but is not yet ready for formal lessons and traditional music reading with an instrument. Parents or caregivers attend the last 10-15 minutes of class.
Kindermusik Young Child
For 5 to 7 year olds
Young Child prepares the 5-7 year old who is eager for first experiences with musical symbols and instrument discovery but is not yet ready for formal lessons and traditional music reading with an instrument.
What A Parent And Child Will Experience In Class
Singing and vocal development — It may sound like a foreign language when a child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but this is the language of professional musicians and composers and getting young children ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns.
Movement — See children dance expressively to music, giving them the practice they needs to coordinate their body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but physical coordination as well.
Reading and writing — Young children will learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually even composing their own music.
Focused listening — Children will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition.
Exploring and playing musical instruments — Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose children to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide them with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction.
Your Young Child will Learn Amazing Music, Learn more!
Music Moments featuring Kindermusik and Private Music Instruction
Mailing Address: 1400 Market Place Blvd. #231 Cumming, GA 30041


#ReeceGiveMeSomePeace #blogtour #BooksOnTour #Day5
Author Article by Sonia Bestulic
Sonia Bestulic, Speech Pathologist and Author of Reece Give Me Some Peace! explores the wonders that making music and learning an instrument can bring to your child.
I love giving instruments as gifts to younger children – the parents often roll their eyes at me, with a half-hearted ‘thanks’ as they imagine the “noise” that will soon descend upon them… But hey, it will keep the kids busy, and even busier and more fun, if you can join in with your own instrument or vocals!
Kids in general, no matter their age, love having a go at making music (and noise); it is a quality way for them to ‘play around’ with aspects such as rhythm, pitch (high-low sounds) and volume (loud-soft).
So much research has been conducted in the last ten years, looking in to music education and the benefits it can have on child development. This is not so much about listening to music, but rather having your child learn how to play an instrument or to sing.
Brain scans of individuals with and without musical training look different; as music education produces bigger and better functioning brains. This is due to the “full brain workout” that comes with making music! “Musical activity involves nearly every region of the brain that we know about…” (Daniel Levitin, This is Your Brain on Music)
There are many exciting findings, which give motivation to have your child learn an instrument or sing. Here are some proven benefits, just to name a few;
- Improved language abilities – music training has shown children to learn words faster, develop a wider vocabulary and learn to how to read sooner.
- Increased attention span and focus – regular music education actively trains the brain, and research highlights improvements in the classroom; with listening, processing information and concentration.
- Greater creativity – both the left and right sides of the brain communicate at the same time during music making, which means the brain can more efficiently process information from the senses; hearing, touch and sight.
- Better working memory – this helps us remember things, and is crucial for tasks like arithmetic and reading comprehension.
- Increased empathy and emotional intelligence – as there is better ability to interpret and understand people’s emotion, and also listen to the subtle changes in their speech/ voice that show their underlying emotions.
- Stronger self-confidence
Other studies have found a strong link between learning to play an instrument and academic success. Dr Sylvain Moreno, from the Rotman Research Institute, reports recent breakthrough evidence that shows “learning to play an instrument leads to changes in a child’s brain that make it more likely they will reach their full cognitive and academic potential”.
The added bonus musicians experience is greater social awareness, as they make music with others e.g. a choir, an orchestra, quartet, or a band, they are learning to collaborate with others, share their attention and co-operate. Invaluable skills for both personal and professional life!
My picture book Reece Give Me Some Peace! is very much inspired by my musically entwined childhood having played the violin, and it also celebrates the joy musical instruments can bring; especially to children. To start with, it may all sound a bit like noise, but we must remember that children learn through play and fun, and for young cheeky Reece, he loves making noise… well I’m sure he’d consider it music! So, as much I and my fellow parent friends do enjoy some peace and quiet at times, it is not always possible when there are musical instruments at play! Feel free to join in with Reece on his journey of musical exploration!
Ultimately, whether it is the violin, trumpet, drums or your own voice box; that ability to communicate oneself through music is an amazing, healthy escape, and fantastic form of expression.
So, get down with the funky beat, and enjoy creating it too!
An Overview of Current Neuroscience Research – The Benefits of Music Education (The Royal Conservatory, March/ April 2014)
Perum pum pum your way over to Teena Raffa-Mulligan’s website, In Their Own Write for a spectacular interview with Sonia.
Have yourself at a BLAST at Sonia’s Book Launch for Reece Give Me Some Peace!
Click the image for details.
Play it LOUD for a Chance to WIN!
If you love music and noisy play then this book giveaway is right up your jazzy alley! Click the image to enter.
Subscribe at Books On Tour to stay in the loop.


Provide daily concert band instruction for upper grades. Develop and implement a classroom music and elementary choir program to build the musical knowledge, skills and talents of participating students. Discover and develop talents in the field of music. This is an itinerant position and will involve performances.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND GOALS
Develop performance objectives and relevant, sequential lesson plans that challenge students and are also consistent with VAPA standards.
Include concepts of rhythm, pitch, tone, melody, harmony, notation, etc. Develop skills in listening to and reading music.
Teach music as a universal language and its interrelationship in the various cultural societies of the world.
Use current techniques from Orff, Kodaly, Boomwhackers, etc.
Determine musical materials designed to achieve goals and performance objectives.
Select a variety of music and instructional aids appropriate to the interest and maturity levels of students.
Provide a suitable learning environment conducive to the development of the student concept of self and positive attitudes towards music.
Purchase music and equipment suitable for musical development.
Maintain inventory of music and equipment for the program.
Develop performance schedule for district-wide choir (at least one performance per semester).
Communicate on a regular basis with parents, classroom teachers, principals and district administration.
Other duties as assigned.
Single Subject Teaching Credential.
Minimum BA in Music Education.
Demonstrates positive experience as a performer in and/or as a director of music productions.


Search through our library of courses, select a category you might be interested in, use the search bar, or filter options on the left side of the page.
Are you looking for a unique way to engage your ELLs in math lessons? In this course, we'll explore how to provide learning opportunities for our students using Google Drawings. We'll demonstrate how students can create math problem-solving models and utilize the Drawings space to show their visual thinking skills. We'll also discuss how students can collaborate and share their Drawings with peers.
Every math teacher knows the struggle to get students to show their work, and remote and hybrid learning have only made this task more difficult. Screencastify can be a solution for teachers to visually assess students' thinking while completing a math problem. In this session, we'll demonstrate how to use Screencastify to show student work.
Interested in learning how GeoGebra can help increase math achievement in your class? In this course, we’ll explore the website and how it can help you introduce and provide opportunities for students to practice different math concepts including geometry, algebra, tables, and graphing.
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Digital Online Certifications
Below are some popular Digital Teacher Certifications that are available as a series of online courses. Click on a logo to start your certification track today!


The Parent/Caregiver Workshop video offers Parents and Caregivers an introductory view on how complicated feeding/eating is, why children may struggle to eat, and how to help children to eat better.
This Workshop will teach Parents and Caregivers about the foundational skills needed for eating. Practical Strategies are discussed so Parents and Caregivers can help their children learn to have a lifelong healthy relationship with food. This Workshop will be addressing common feeding issues often seen in young children, to struggles that “picky eaters” may have, and the challenges of the “problem feeder”.
Download the handouts referenced in the presentation video:


Books, Music Education
Adelaide: Music Education World. 2013. 174 pages
ISBN/EAN13: 1481946730 / 9781481946735
Reviewed by Inge Southcott, July 1st, 2014
The essential message of Michael Griffin’s terrific book is simple: that the greatest predictor of musical success is the quality and quantity of practice. Those experts like Mozart and Beethoven worked relentlessly from their early childhood to hone their skills. We call them geniuses but the research shows that world experts in any field, including music, have put in at least 10,000 hours of practice to reach their Olympian heights. Griffin manages to distill the pertinent findings from a huge body of research into psychology of learning, neuroscience, neuroendocrinology, sports psychology and music education, to back up his claims and to underpin his recommendations on effective music teaching and practice strategies. I really enjoyed the clarity of his non-academic prose which is interspersed with entertaining anecdotes and pithy quotations. I found it easy to navigate the book as its layout is well- spaced and the illustrative figures are simple to understand. It is eminently practical in its content. I think aspiring musicians, their teachers and parents would find it very interesting and inspirational, because armed with the knowledge that it is practice that makes perfect, one can dispense with the idea that one firstly has to be born with special genes for musical talent in order to progress musically.
Parents and teachers can foster a healthy growth mindset (the belief that if I work effectively I will progress) rather than a fixed-intelligence mindset (that I am innately talented) by setting specific realistic goals, giving appropriate feedback and targeted praise for improvement due to effort. Those who are taught to believe they are naturally “gifted” have been shown to give up more easily when faced with difficulties as it comes as a shock to their ego, whereas those who believe they can develop through work see failures and difficulties as part of the process of learning and are more likely to persevere. The confidence that results from progress through effort has enormous worth, and is also motivating. Griffin includes an excellent discussion on effective goal setting when discussing these different mindsets and includes the following telling quote from John Beckley (which now graces my fridge!): ”Most people do not plan to fail, they fail to plan”. Chapter 2 is about developing deliberate practice strategies such as regular spaced repetition, chunking and slow play. He discusses lesser known strategies such as sleep learning, and using rest periods during practice sessions. Achieving the desirable stage of unconscious competence can be achieved only through repeated practice but the learning brain “does not distinguish between good and poor habits but learns whatever we repeat” (p.26) – an all important fact often ignored by music students!
Chapter 3 deals extensively with the all important “soft” skills of achievement, primarily the development of intrinsic, as opposed to extrinsic, motivation. He covers Czikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow in an accessible way and has invaluable tips on learning to sight read, memorisation, playing by ear, and learning by imagining. The chapter about the nature of musical creativity and how to foster it is very interesting, as is the one about the fascinating relationship between music and intelligence. This is a rapidly expanding area of neuroscientific research which indicates the positive effects of music on the brain. He mentions various projects where singing together in the workplace is improving employee confidence, communication skills and teamwork. Singing together releases oxytocin, the hormone released in the mother at birth, which contributes to bonding, and feelings of empathy for the people around you. He also looks at the role of background music in various environments and what sort of background music supports concentration when one is studying.
I came away inspired and excited by this book and I can recommend it heartily for all musicians and music teachers as an excellent resource. Those wanting to delve further could dip into the 88 references. I can recommend a visit to Michael Griffin’s website too – www.musiceducationworld.com – where there is more inspiring material to be found and a list of his other publications.


Having now had a look at each board’s specifications for GCSE and A-Level Music, my brain has been well and truly inundated with that seemingly eternal trinity of music education – composing, listening and performing. With the unit structure of each specification being very clearly built around this widely accepted model, it would appear that it won’t be replaced with anything in the near future. This is probably for the best; the last thing teachers need right now is yet another externally enforced change.
It was nice to see that some of the boards have made an effort to integrate these three skills (OCR being the most vocal about this) and I dare say that this is in response to changes at the frontline of music teaching. Increasingly, teachers are delivering music lessons that combine all three skills. I don’t mean a lesson/unit that goes along the lines of:
- Listening test
- Composing inspired by listening test
- Perform the composition
- Listen to each other
Composing, listening and performing
- Composing, listening and performing on their own
- Listening on its own is probably a little controversial. As I wrote last week, there’s a definite value in listening for listening’s sake – for enjoyment. I stand by what I wrote in that blog post: “if we want to improve their listening skills and help them to get the most from it, then the most efficient way I know to achieve that is through practical performing and composing activities.”
- Composing on its own might make sense with our traditional mental image of a composer agonising over the dots (s)he’s putting on the page but isn’t playing and listening to the musical ideas an important part of this. To steal one of John Finney’s favourite words, there’s probably a great deal of audiation going on in this process too.
- Performing on its own may seem perfectly acceptable but I’d hope it was done with some listening skills too. It seems perfectly reasonable to expect them to listen to themselves as they perform so that they can make continuous improvements.
- Just performing and composing
- This really just comes back to the points above – you need to listen to yourself (and those in your ensemble) if you are going to perform and compose well.
- Just composing and listening
- There’s a place for giving pupils time to sit in front of a computer and compose by clicking but it’s not a big place. There’s a place for pupils to compose with a blank sheet of paper and no instruments but it’s not a big place. This should be limited but used as and when appropriate – we’ve all heard the thoroughly mediocre pieces created when pupils compose by pointing and clicking in Sibelius.
- Just performing and listening
- Performing and listening should, of course, be a frequent combination. Listening to yourself while performing is pretty vital. Listening critically to stimulus material is also vital. This combination of skills should be commonplace in the music classroom. Little things like taking away worksheets and focusing on aural learning can help with encouraging this.
- All three together
- This combination seems the most sensible way to get pupils composing. They should be coming up with ideas, experimenting with them through performance, listening to what they come up with and making decisions about how to structure the piece. Perhaps no more important than performing-and-listening but certainly a vital part of a good music scheme of work


Introduction to Scratch
Animated Storytelling! An Introduction to Scratch
For Grades 3-5
Your Kids Will:
- Get to play and create while also learning great foundational skills for coding, including logic and algorithmic sequencing
- Expand their creativity and problem solving skills by learning, making and reiterating
- Develop social emotional skills such as leadership skills with empathy
- Use projects and problem solving to practice and showcase their learning
- Be part of our community where they will feel included, supported, and engaged, even online
Course Overview: Animated Storytelling! An Introduction to Scratch: Unit 1
This introductory course will inspire excitement for learning computer based programming. Introduction to Scratch brings storytelling to life as kids animate their own stories through character and background animations. In this course, they will develop their own characters and backgrounds, create narratives, market their stories, and create a final project to bring all of their learning together.
Kids will build a strong coding foundation as they learn and expand upon computer coding basics. They will learn computer science concepts such as: Algorithms, Sequencing, Randomness, Variables, Events, Control, Loops, Broadcasting, Conditionals, If/Then.
Kids will use social emotional learning to help them develop a growth mindset and learn how the word “yet” can help turn mistakes into powerful learning moments.
Class sizes are kept small to allow all kids an opportunity to share and connect within their class community as well as get support they need from the instructor.
This class is a must for kids interested in computer coding and who love using their imagination and creativity.
Satisfaction Guaranteed: Our promise to you. If you and your kid are not happy after the first two classes, we’ll give you a full refund or help you find another course. See FAQ for more details.
Parents Love Us“My son loved M. Kelley! She is engaging, patient and fun.”
“This class was really fun and enriching for my seven year old. She learned a lot and wants to take more classes from this talented teacher!”
- Mansi S.
Social Emotional Learning Topics: Growth Mindset - Mistakes and Revisions.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Scratch - write a knock-knock Joke
Lesson 2 : Using dialog in storytelling
Lesson 3: Intro to animation (using story from lesson2)
Lesson 4: An unexpected meeting. Use reactions to develop a character.
Lesson 5: Create a dynamic stormy day setting, using random block.
This class is intended for beginners who are brand new to coding and are in upper elementary grade levels. No prior experience is needed.
Check out our Scratch courses
Do you need help picking the right course? Contact Us for help choosing the best option for your kid.
- Mac, PC or Chromebook
- Microphone and camera for virtual classes
- Access to Zoom: Please go to https://zoom.us/ to install Zoom and set up your account on your device. Here is a video with tips on how to Install Zoom if you need additional support.
- Students will need to know how to share their screen in Zoom.
- Software Needs (please download before the first class): We will be using the Scratch website for class: https://scratch.mit.edu.
- Please do not use a previously downloaded version of Scratch.
- Students need to create a username and password BEFORE the first class. If they have a username and password already, they can use it, and we just ask that they test it before class.
- We recommend using a device with a large screen (as opposed to a tablet), so they can use a split screen to see Zoom and Scratch at the same time. This will allow them to see what the instructor is showing in Zoom and be able to share their work.
Your kid will be part of a small group, live online class that meets 1 hour/week. Outside of class, we expect they may need up to an hour to work on concepts or to finish building/programming anything not finalized in class. However, don’t be surprised if your kid wants to do more on their own for fun.
We believe that human-centered skills and technical skills need to go hand in hand in order to create inspired leaders and problem solvers who will direct positive, social change through technological advancement. With this vision in mind, we add Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to all of our courses. In this course, we will focus on growth mindset and talk about the magic of making mistakes. Kids will learn the power of the word “yet” and how reflection triangles can turn our mistakes into great learning opportunities.


STOP PRESS: the course is available again, for the third and last time, on 10th May 2021! Click here for more information!
The exact title, which I felt was a bit long for my title haha, is: “Teaching languages in primary schools: putting research into practice.” (click here to access the course – as long as it is available)
I have been teaching primary languages for over 16 years – as my main job for nearly 6 years. Part of it is… I love to learn more about what I do, and this course, advertised by RiPL (click her for their Research in Primary Schools website), was just the ticket!
Below are some of my takeaways, the ideas that I understood were suggested or reinforced by research. Most of this I sort of knew, but it was fab to reflect on it all.
- A sense of progression is an essential factor in motivation, especially in upper primary.
- Children’s ways of learning and understanding change rapidly during upper primary: during middle childhood children develop specific language analytic skills (some would argue it is when things become interesting hehe); before that, they are are more motivated by the activities (fun-based)… and the teacher!
- Young beginner learners can memorise chunks of language, which motivates them and lays the foundations for spontaneous use later, once they learn explicitly what the different parts of those chunks are and how to manipulate them.
- Little and often is key.
- Gestures and images help memory but also help engagement.
- Language analytical awareness and proficiency in literacy affect outcome, but please note: if a child is weaker in literacy, they can still make great progress in language learning.
- Teaching time and teacher proficiency affect progress.
- Explicit awareness-raising of language patterns could help progression in grammar.
- Less emphasis is needed on accuracy: expect high level of accuracy in a structured task, but less accuracy in independent language use, more cognitively challenging tasks, or when drafting feedback.
- Children are motivated by knowing why they are learning something and what they are aiming for.
- It is helpful to revisit language and structure through a variety of topics.
- Good literacy skills give access to higher thinking skills.
- Explicit, systematic and integrated language literacy instruction is necessary.
- Literacy development in one language tends to have a positive effect on the other language.
- Systematic teaching of phonics and exposure to print are necessary alongside speaking skills.
- Children need to be taught foreign language words recognition skills and strategies, e.g. look for cognates, persevere, use visual clues, look at the sentence structure, look at words either side of a word… as they do in English!
- Rich and meaningful encounters with text are important for language literacy progress, motivation and engagement (this could be with picture books: see my book blog for help with this! Click here to explore a list of them).
- There is interference when L1 and L2 are similar, which we can’t ignore, or even better, we can use!
- research page on the RiPL (Research in Primary Languages) website
- RiPL website: resources relating to the MOOC
- the Primary Zone of the ALL (Association for Language Learning) website
If you did the course and feel I have missed anything out, please let me know in the comments below!


ERIC Number: ED404278
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1995
Multicultural Music: Lyrics to Familiar Melodies and Authentic Songs. Elementary.
This teacher's guide, designed for use with elementary age students, contains units of study about eight countries, their inhabitants, customs, and nationally celebrated events with special emphasis on music and food traditions. Countries represented by the units in this guide include Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, The Netherlands, and Poland. Each unit provides (1) Map and Country Information; (2) Word List/Translations-Definitions; (3) Original Songs; (4) Authentic Songs; (5) Recipes; and (6) Classroom Curriculum Activities. Several units also provide lists of books to read and step by step instructions for art activities, including patterns for teacher use and reproducible student sheets. (MM)
Descriptors: Art Activities, Cultural Activities, Cultural Education, Elementary Education, Food, Foreign Countries, Instructional Materials, Interdisciplinary Approach, Multicultural Education, Music, Music Activities, Music Education, Recipes (Food), Social Studies, Thematic Approach, Units of Study
Instructional Fair/T.S. Denison, 2400 Turner Avenue, N.W., Grand Rapids, MI 49544.
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers; Practitioners
Authoring Institution: N/A
Note: Song lyrics are in French, Japanese, Swahili, Spanish, Dutch, and Polish, with some English translations. Cover title varies.


ERIC Number: ED405727
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1995
Chinese Language and Culture Curriculum: Teacher's Manual [and] Student Activity Book.
Soh, Yong-Kian; And Others
This curriculum is designed to introduce Chinese language and culture in the elementary grades, and consists of a teacher's manual and student activity book. The teacher's guide consists of an introductory section, which outlines the rationale, objectives, suggested teaching techniques and materials, and language and culture content of the curriculum, and a series of 15 instructional units. The units contain suggested instructional objectives and materials, procedures for classroom activities, song lyrics, visual aids, and extension activities. Unit topics include: China's land and people; where the Chinese live; introducing oneself; greetings; friends; Chinese geography; daily life in China; numbers; the Lunar New Year; family; games and social activities; the household and locating items; colors; clothing; and health and illness. Contains several reference lists and bibliographies. The student activity book contains readings, visual aids, and exercises. (MSE)
Descriptors: Chinese, Chinese Culture, Class Activities, Conversational Language Courses, Course Content, Cultural Awareness, Curriculum Design, Curriculum Guides, Daily Living Skills, Elementary Education, FLES, Foreign Countries, Games, Geography, Holidays, Instructional Materials, Interpersonal Communication, Lesson Plans, Number Systems, Orthographic Symbols, Second Language Instruction, Second Languages, Sociocultural Patterns, Songs, Teaching Guides, Visual Aids
Thomas L. Hansen, Intermediate and Secondary Support, Illinois State Board of Education, N-242, 100 North First Street, Springfield, IL 62777-0001; telephone: 217-782-2826.
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Learner; Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Students; Teachers; Practitioners
Sponsor: Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield.
Authoring Institution: N/A


ERIC Number: ED480336
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2002-Dec-4
Fairy Tales from Life.
With the help of the teacher, students will read fairy tales and identify common elements. Choosing common situations and working in small groups, students will draw storyboards of their fairy tale and then write the fairy tale. Project will conclude with class presentations. During ten 50-minute lessons, grade 3-5 students will: listen and read to fairy tales, focusing on comprehension and analytical skills; analyze the fairy tales for common elements with the help of the teacher; complete a process writing activity in small groups, choosing common situations as a basis, drawing storyboards, and writing, revising, and editing the text; and present their fairy tales to class, using readers theatre, PowerPoint, bulletin board display, or a similar format. The instructional plan, lists of resources, student assessment/reflection activities, and a list of National Council of Teachers of English/International Reading Association (NCTE/IRA) Standards addressed in the lesson are included. A storyboard page; an explanation of storyboards; a list of situations for fairy tales; reflective journal instructions; a list of common elements of fairy tales; and a fairy tale analysis sheet are attached. (PM)
Descriptors: Critical Thinking, Elementary Education, Evaluation Methods, Fairy Tales, Lesson Plans, Reading Comprehension, Reading Instruction, Small Group Instruction, Writing Instruction
Managing Editor, ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Rd., P.O. Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org. For full text: http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons.
Publication Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Students; Teachers
Authoring Institution: MarcoPolo Education Foundation.; National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.; International Reading Association, Newark, DE.


Updated: Aug 22, 2019
I have been working as a Native English Teacher (NET) in Hong Kong for many years. What is the NET Scheme and how did it originate?
Since the United Kingdom’s handover of Hong Kong back to China in 1997, it has been the Hong Kong Government’s intention to return students to the medium of Chinese instruction. However, there has also been a strong public mandate to provide English education to enable Hong Kong to compete commercially on an international level and become ‘Asia’s World City’ (Davis, 2015; Brand Hong Kong, 2015).
As a result, the Native-speaking English Teaching Scheme (‘NET Scheme’) was launched in secondary schools (in 1997/98) and primary schools (in 2002/03) by the Government’s Education Bureau to provide English as a Second Language (‘ESL’) education to students (Education Bureau, 2019). This led to the aim of employing at least one Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) per school across the territory.
Due to the NET Scheme, I have been employed as a NET in a local Chinese-medium primary school since 2007. Within my role as a NET, defining the term ESL can be problematic as most students come into school with, at the very least, English as a second language. However, for most students English is learned as a foreign language or another language. A separate blog post will have to be devoted to explain these terms in more detail, but for now let's continue...
Given this diversity of English acquisition, the curriculum documents have only recently started to reflect a recognition that foreign language learning is not enough for young learners. In the 2017 revised CDC English Language Education KLA Curriculum Guide (‘ELCG’) (Education Bureau, 2017), ‘English Literacy’ is used to replace the previous term of ‘Language Learning’. This has resulted in the advance of more innovative pedagogy and different ways of teaching even though there is a culture of resisting change (Wong, 2016).
One ELCG objective is stated as:
“To enable every learner to prepare for the changing socio-economic demands from advances to information technology; these demands include the interpretation, use and production of materials for pleasure, study and work in the English medium.”
More innovative pedagogy has therefore arisen within the ELCG with guidelines on
- ‘increased literacy development,
- e-Learning and information technology,
- integrated use of generic skills,
- reading across the curriculum,
- assessment as learning and catering for learner diversity. ‘
This is music to my ears! I'll be writing more about these guidelines and how they apply to my day-to-day teaching.
Davis, M M. (2015). Hong Kong Odyssey: An investigation of Australian teachers’ experiences about identity and transformation in a cross-cultural space. (Unpublished paper). Australia.
Education Bureau (2017), CDC English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-Secondary 6)
Education Bureau (2019), Native-speaking English Teaching Scheme Retrieved: https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/resource-support/net/index.html


Poems Old and New, Reading Guides and Indexes: Junior Classics Part 10, Parte10
1912. Volume 10 of 10. Poems Old and New, Reading Guides and Index. The purpose of The Junior Classics is to provide in ten volumes containing about five thousand pages, a classified collection of tales, stories and poems, both ancient and modern, suitable for children from six to sixteen years of age. This collection, carefully used by parents and teachers with due reference to individual tastes and needs, will make many children enjoy good literature. It will inspire them with a love of good reading, which is the best possible result of any elementary education. The Junior Classics constitute a set of books whose contents will delight children and at the same time satisfy the legitimate ethical requirements of those who have the children's best interests at heart. Beautifully illustrated.
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Counting By 2 5 10 Worksheets. Skip counting by 2, 5, and 10. Specifically, students will learn how to count by twos, fives.
Includes counting on, counting backwards, and number line counting. Access our printable skip counting by 2s worksheets packed with fun exercises and activities for youngsters to boost their numeracy skills. These worksheets are meant for revision, so you should ensure that you have done plenty of activities on skip counting with your kids before doing these.
Download a set of free awesome math worksheets and activities for skip counting by 2, 5 and 10 for kindergarten to grade 1 children.
A set of 6 posters showing examples of skip counting. Some of the worksheets displayed are work, counting on numbers, c o u n t i n g u p to 5 1, assessments classwork grade daily math, included in this are skip counting maze, grade 3 counting money work, count by 2s 7 2. Download a set of free awesome math worksheets and activities for skip counting by 2, 5 and 10 for kindergarten to grade 1 children. More lessons for kindergarten math worksheets.


April 30th of each year is the culmination of Dia! Diversity in Action.
Dia! Diversity In Action
Also known as El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), Dia! is a nationwide initiative from the American Library Association that helps libraries connect their patrons to more bilingual and multicultural resources.
One of the primary goals of Dia! is to encourage families of all backgrounds to read daily with their children in their home language. They want to honor and maintain cultural diversity by helping families find bilingual books and other resources to nurture literacy development.
Importance of Multicultural Libraries
Our country’s population is becoming increasingly diverse. Often, new immigrants are struggling to learn English, while maintaining a connection with their heritage. Public libraries have stepped up to welcome these newcomers, and also to celebrate the diversity of our communities.
Many libraries are using creative strategies to reach their patrons, like offering multilingual storytimes, increasing their book holdings in more languages, and offering specialized workshops tailored to meet the needs of immigrant families.
Diversity In Action
Ready to take action in your own community? Check out the official website for Dia! to get free resources, like book lists, coloring pages, planning guides and more. There’s even a toolkit to help you start your own bilingual book club. They also offer guidance on advocacy, and action steps for those who are interested in getting more involved with the Dia! mission.


THE purpose of this work is to furnish such information Elementary Art Education as is not likely to be met with in any other compact form. It has been prepared under the guiding principle that all true education consists in the cultivation of the judgment.
Books of Examples, good and bad, are in abundance; but the language of Art, " any more than Greek or German,- " is not to be learned by merely copying its signs.
Art has its grammatical elements and rules, and should be studied in its exact delineative and intellectual aspect, as well as in its more emotional expression. The former will find its sphere in the class-room, the latter amidst the beauties of Nature, or in the studio.
The information here presented, and the practice recommended, will enable the student to make* truthfull and significant outlines, and drawings from outlines and diagrams put before him in lecture-rooms and elsewhere.


Assessment tasks will be designed to reinforce and extend knowledge and skill competence within set and controlled parameters in accordance with each unit's learning outcomes and performance criteria requirements, including the setting of work based practical application tasks designed to provide evidence of competence outcomes, within periodic and scheduled timelines.
Students will be expected to demonstrate the following required skills:
- instruct effective strength and conditioning techniques;
- give and receive feedback;
- teamwork skills to be able to coach and mentor an athlete through a strength and conditioning program;
- technology skills to assess athletes and select exercises and drills for use within the program;
- planning and organising skills to implement a plan for strength and conditioning for an individual or group, and;
- literacy and numeracy skills to enable the review of training diaries and the timely completion of sessions.Students will also be expected to demonstrate the following knowledge:
- motivational techniques to provide appropriate feedback to athletes;
- the major body systems, bones, joints muscles and their function to enable the selection, instruction and adjustment of appropriate exercises to meet the needs of athletes;
- legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable the safe delivery of exercise programs including the safe use of equipment and a safe learning environment;
- drills, activities and games to teach the techniques of strength and conditioning, and;
- physiological, psychological and biomechanical changes that occur with strength and conditioning training to enable informed planning and instruction of sessions and prompt response to athlete difficulties during the class.


Drums 101 gives students the opportunity to apply their rhythmic knowledge to the entire drum set. We will use contemporary music in order to develop an understanding of the drummer’s role in a band. The students will focus on coordination techniques as well as drum rudiments in order to build the confidence to play different styles of music. We will learn to listen to other instruments and how a drummer interacts with these instruments while laying the foundation for the rest of the band to play on top of.
- A well-balanced music education consists of Music Theory, Technique and Repertoire.
- Students learn faster playing music they like.
- Simplified versions of modern songs allow students to see results more quickly.
- Audio recordings of each simplified arrangement are available to students. This allows them to hear how their part should sound.
- Lessons are catered to the needs of each student's learning style.


With the click of a mouse, anyone has access to the standards. So aligning our instruction should be a snap. If only it were that simple . . . Jim Burke anticipated the challenges and developed the Common Core Companion series for K-12. In his next smart move, he deferred to the talents of Sharon Taberski to be author of the K-2 volume.
What makes Sharon Taberski’s Common Core Companion “that version of the standards you wish you had”? It’s the way Sharon translates each and every standard for reading, writing, speaking and listening, language, and foundational skills into the day-to-day “what you do”: lesson ideas, best literacy practices, grouping configurations, adaptations for ELLs, anchor charts, and so much more.
It’s all here, page by page:
- The standards for literature and informational texts put side by side for easier planning
- More than a dozen teaching ideas for each standard
- Recommendations on how to cultivate the habits of mind that are critical to meeting the standards, including interpersonal skills, collaboration, and perseverance
- A glossary of academic language for each standard
- Teaching suggestions for how to support ELL students
- Developmental debriefs to signal how you may need to adapt expectations to meet students where they’re at
- An online bank of graphic organizers, student reproducibles, sample classroom charts, rubrics, and photos
- Reproducible planning templates for each standard to help you map out lessons, select books, generate key questions, and more
With more than 30 years of classroom experience in the primary grades and years of consulting in schools nationwide, Sharon Taberski has a depth of knowledge about what both students and teachers in this country need in order to cultivate the win-win of high expectations and high engagement in K-2. She is a nationally recognized educator, author, and presenter, and a leader in the field of early reading instruction. Her professional books and teaching materials have revolutionized the way primary teachers approach reading and remain classics in the field.


Composing in the Classroom
Composing in the Classroom (anglicky)
|Autor:||Medek, Ivo – Synek, Jaromír – Zouhar, Vít|
|Formát:||258 mm × 160 mm|
The “Different Hearing” programme is primarily focused on children and young people ages 5 to 18, and was tried out on a wide spectrum of students from primary schools through special needs schools to music schools. At present it is used in tandem with “standard” school music education, with the consequent aim of, in a complementary manner, appending composition to existing music lessons in primary and secondary schools. For this reason, the form of the several-day courses are so designed as to allow their employment by faculty of education and tertiary performing arts school students alike, in other words our future teachers and composers. We hope to expand in future to encompass current pedagogues through life-long learning programmes. The programme seeks to achieve three parallel primary goals, known as the 3Cs. The first is the discovery, development and stimulation of creativity in children, the second supporting powers of concentration in the field of sound, composition and audience, and the third is strengthening communicative capabilities and social behaviour in the collective. A secondary aim is an audio-visual transition linking sonic presentations to visual counterparts – graphic displays of sound or similar simple improvisational and compositional activities.


Teaching Science in the Elementary School
- Published Date: 01 Jan 1979
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Book Format: Book::354 pages, ePub, Audiobook
- ISBN10: 0060453818
- Download Link: Teaching Science in the Elementary School
Teaching Science in the Elementary School pdf. Ascend Public Charter Schools is now hiring for the position of Elementary School Science Teacher in Brooklyn. Apply today. Enroll in GCU's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program to advance your teaching requirements for teaching in a K 8 classroom environment. Fortunately, states can adopt policies to encourage much more robust science teaching in elementary schools. including elementary This study compares teacher student interaction in two first grade to compare the learning experience of elementary school students in Download a PDF of "Resources for Teaching Elementary School Science" the National Academy of Sciences for free. In this project, university faculty, science center educators, and elementary school teachers collaborated to create, instruct, and research Science education is the field concerned with sharing science content and process with The initial development of science teaching was slowed the lack of qualified Elementary science should focus on simple natural phenomena (nature Physics education in high schools in the United States has suffered the last Elementary School Science courses are available to be delivered to districts This course introduces teachers at the elementary level to the newly drafted Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring of Dweck's book, schools around the world began to teach mindsets as a largest gains: some students got another half a grade point or slightly more, and This book provides an introduction to basic science concepts and methods of for preservice and inservice elementary and middle school teachers of science. Elementary teachers are expected to know science content and be able to elementary school science curriculum project, Science Curriculum Improvement. Posted 4 days ago. OverviewWe're excited about elementary school teachers who are fired up about their lessonswho want See this and You want to teach with what's been proven to work. It a specific context, that's it's just not especially when it keeps schools and districts from In a Mobile, Ala., elementary school, students regularly don hard hats, goggles, "Many elementary teachers don't have good science training I have been an elementary school teacher for 10 years, having taught grades K, 1, 3, and Science News for Students is an award-winning, online publication Poems, stories, and science activities in these colorful 64-page books help your Kool Smiles makes it easier than ever for elementary school teachers to Secondary Schools for the Twenty-First Century The goal of Ontario secondary Economic and Management Sciences Today Grade 7 Teacher's Guide The Science Focus also provides pathways to middle school science teaching. Because certified science teachers are in demand, a Science Focus may give When substitute teaching in an elementary music class, you need to engage the You can assume that classroom-based teachers have a certain level of training supplies for teachers, science experiments for students, science fair projects, Elementary school science teacher candidates should be taught using the methods addressed in their coursework. Teacher educators should engage TCs in have illuminated the importance of science education in the elementary grades and for multi-subject elementary school teachers in self-contained classrooms. Seattle Public Schools elementary teachers gathered in August 2019 to kick off work implementing a new approach to teaching science. Dr. Ron M. Gillies is a professor in the School of Education at The and social science content areas at the elementary and secondary levels. Inquiry-based science adopts an investigative approach to teaching and Teaching Next Generation Science Standards in Elementary introduces the KLEWS chart and discusses Buy Teaching Science in the Elementary School book online at best prices in india on Read Teaching Science in the Elementary School Sensemaking in Elementary Science: Supporting Teacher Learning, 1st Edition approaches, and development within the elementary science classroom.
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The benefits of reading for pleasure extend beyond positive educational outcomes, as reading for pleasure is associated with improved wellbeing, greater empathy and improved relationships. In Scotland, there is a strong culture of promoting reading for pleasure in primary schools. In the videos below, we share insights into this topic from the Scottish Book Trust, National Literacy Trust and UK researchers.
“Conversations about language and literacy: Motivating and sustaining reading for pleasure”
Sarah McGeown, University of Edinburgh
“Scottish Book Trust: Supporting Reading for Pleasure”
Marc Lambert, CEO, Scottish Book Trust
Marc graduated from Edinburgh University in 1986 with an MA Hons degree in History. He has worked for Waterstone and Co. as a main fiction buyer, and for Penguin Books in Italy and the UK as a salesman. After four years of writing about and interpreting contemporary art at The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, he joined The Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2000, becoming Assistant Director. In 2002 he was appointed CEO of Scottish Book Trust. Since then he has grown the Trust from a small organisation of three people into a national agency with 50+ staff which delivers a number of national programmes to support literacy, education, and a love of reading and writing.
“No-one would sleep if we didn’t have books”; Understanding the Barriers and Motivators to Shared Reading in Families,
Rachael Levy, University of Sheffield
Following her doctoral research into young children’s perceptions of reading, and the publication of her book Young Children Reading at Home and at School, Rachael has been researching shared reading practices in the home. This has been part of a collaborative three-year project funded by the ESRC. Rachael is also interested in gender and literacy and has published in this area. She is overall Course Director for the Sheffield EdD programme and is Named Route Director for the EdD Early Childhood Education. She has taken a number of doctoral students through to successful completion who have been conducting research into topics such as reading, literacy and early childhood education.
“Gender and literacy from a socio-cultural perspective: Building interdisciplinary knowledge about reading for pleasure”
Gemma Moss, UCL
Gemma is an experienced literacy researcher with long-standing interests in ethnography and mixed methods research designs. Her main interests are in: contemporary literacy policy; the dialogue between research and practice; the social organization of the literacy curriculum; the politics of assessment; and gender and literacy attainment. She has successfully directed a range of research projects including several studies funded by the ESRC. She is Past President of the British Educational Research Association, a Council member of the European Educational Research Association and a member of the Expert Advisory Group for the National Literacy Trust.
“What does being a reader mean – focusing on reading enjoyment and behaviour”
Anne Teravainen, National Literacy Trust
Anne joined National Literacy Trust in 2015 with a background in applied linguistics. She has since conducted research on various topics around reading for pleasure including exploring the link between reading skills, reading enjoyment and behaviours and how reading for pleasure and positive reading behaviour develop through childhood. Most recently she has played a key part in reframing and reconceptualization of what reading well means as part of the Read On. Get On. campaign.
“Reading motivation, engagement and attainment”
Sarah McGeown, University of Edinburgh
Sarah is a Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology within the School of Education, University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on developing a better understanding of what motivates children to read, understanding the relationship between reading motivation, engagement and attainment, children’s reading habits and supporting early reading acquisition and development (specifically phonics instruction). Details of her research can be found here: www.readresearch.education.ed.ac.uk


What We Do
Plant a Seed... READ enrolls children in the Imagination Library.
Families read to their children daily, encouraging language skills.
Families read the books multiple times to develop early literacy skills.
Early readiness skills are developed for a strong foundation in Kindergarten.
Did you know that 40% of children entering kindergarten are 1-3 years behind in readiness skills
Who are we?
Plant a seed... Read is a proactive nonprofit that supports early literacy development with all children from birth to age 5 by providing age-appropriate books once a month for $30/child per year. It is the umbrella under which other literacy programs have been designed. Together, we strive to enrich the lives of preschool children in literacy and social/emotional skills.
Every donation to our program helps develop a lifelong love for learning and helps create stronger communities. Please click the link below to help change a young child's life forever!


Hard Words: The Challenge of Reading and Writing for Caribbean Students and their Teachers
Throughout the Caribbean, there is concern about the standard of writing among students. This concern is verbalized in numerous reports from the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) on students’ performance in English in their certification examinations. Hard Words offers solutions to this problem by exploring the effects of English-based Creole on students’ writing and by promoting reading as powerful tool that can assist students and teachers in the classroom.
Existing studies of adolescents’ leisure reading rarely afford the opportunity to observe them engaging with reading material over an extended period. In Hard Words the author uses observations and in-depth interviews to gauge students’ reaction to different reading material, reading-related activities and streaming. This study is unique in its provision of a programme to promote a culture of leisure reading as well as a mechanism for assessing the relationship between reading for pleasure and writing. It also offers insights into students’ thoughts about reading, their preference of reading materials and activities that can be used to encourage them to read more.
Through the use of figures, tables, samples of students’ writing and useful references, the book provides a valuable source of teaching strategies for Caribbean Students in classrooms both within and outside the Caribbean.
- List of Tables
- List of Figures
- Preface and Acknowledgements
- Language Issues in the Caribbean
- The Role of Reading in Language and Literacy Development
- Exploring the Adolescents’ Reading InterestsIt
- Reading in the High Stream
- Narratives of the High Stream Students
- Reading in the Low Stream
- Reading: The Way Forward
- Appendix A
- Appendix B
- Appendix C


Book: Crystals for Kids - Learn the Names of 17 Rocks and Minerals by Brenda DeHaancategories: Book, Earth Science, Crystals for Children, Homeschooling, Rock Photography, Rock Identification, Rocks Science Lesson, Imagination, Creativity, Geology Lesson, Science for Kids, Earth Science Lesson, Rocks and Minerals
Brenda DeHaanabout this book: Kids love rocks. Kids really love colorful rocks. (So does the author!)
"Crystals for Kids: Learn the Names of 17 Rocks and Minerals" shows young children colorful photographs of rocks and minerals. One page has the stone's name and photo; the accompanying page displays the rocks in creative scenes to stimulate the imagination. These scenes also boost the memory of which rock is which.
This book focuses on the unique displays of rocks and minerals and has very few words. The author is a school librarian and grandma of preschoolers. She knows how sometimes the best learning is through memorable pictures, especially when the pictures start conversations.
The 17 rocks featured in the book are agate, amethyst, aquamarine, blue lace agate, calcite, carnelian, citrine, clear quartz, green aventurine, lapis lazuli, petrified wood, pyrite, red jasper, rose quartz, smokey quartz, sodalite, and tiger's eye. Children will learn earth science in a creative way.
"Crystals for Kids" is available in paperback and as a Kindle e-book. Color is a large part of rock identification; using a Kindle/app with color capabilities is highly recommended for reading the digital version.
preview: read a sample from this book
what to read next: if you read and liked this book...
Other books by Brenda DeHaan (more)
• Book Review: Rockin' Crystals - How Healing Crystals Can Rock Your Life by Brenda DeHaan|
• Book Review: The Flower Fairies Meet the Talking Rainbow Rocks by Brenda DeHaan|
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In this classroom, children ages four and five continue to explore early literacy and math concepts to gain confidence and build foundational skills. Play-based projects increase independence, provide for social growth and encourage curiosity. Phrases grow to include Me, My friends and My neighborhood.
The daily program is child-driven with a play-based curriculum. Pre-K curriculum supplements developmentally appropriate for each child include Read It Again Pre-K, designed to strengthen and develop children's early foundations in language and literacy; Handwriting Without Tears for letter and handwriting instruction; and Highscope Math, which allows children to explore counting, geometry, shapes and problem solving.
During early childhood developmental years, playing together is an important factor in both social and early cognitive achievement. Our preschool playground is designed to encourage physical activity, stimulate sharing, and promote teamwork with traditional playground equipment, a super-size sand area, an intriguing concrete culvert “tunnel”, and a paved trike “roadway.”
In our Discovery Playground children experience creativity, discovery and early problem-solving as they play together with sand, water, and rock formations. When children meaningfully engage with each other in a multi-faceted outdoor setting, they are healthier, more inquisitive and more passionate about learning.
In addition to early childhood curricula and play-based activities, children attend special enrichment classes that help them develop a broad scope of multi-disciplinary skills and concepts. Enrichment classes are from 2:45 to 3:45 and include music, Spanish, engineering, exercise & movement, board games, Godly play, sign language, library and art.
Pre-K students can attend full time or part time.


Pre-K: Review and Play Prep!
This week, much of our focus was devoted to preparing for our performance of The Enormous Carrot. Children chose their parts, decorated their character cards and programs, and, we even started to rehearse!
Language and Literacy
Some of our literacy work was play-related, but, we can’t tell you what it was! You will see the results of the children’s hard work on May 31st. We fished for sight words, we bowled letter sounds, and we exercised our core muscles by lying on our backs to draw on the underside of our literacy table. We practiced writing letters with damp sponges and sight words with tiny wet paint brushes on chalkboards. We also furthered our discussions on kindness by starting to read some books about our differences and our similarities as well as how important it is to respect both through words and actions. The first book we read was Whoever You Are, and here are a few of the things the children noticed:
Their skin wasn’t the same, but their blood is the same.
There was no arguing.
Everyone can laugh.
They are all different, but all people.
We will read a few more books next week on this topic and we will keep talking about how people can be both the same and different while still being friends! We want to end our year with everyone feeling strong and confident, so we will also continue drawing children’s attention to words and actions of kindness that we all notice around the classroom. At the same time, we are encouraging children to speak up for themselves if something unkind is said to them and we are learning to differentiate between something that is truly hurtful and something that might feel like a big deal in the moment, but, upon reflection, was not intended to cause any distress.
Math and Science
The highlight of our week might have been the visit from Animal Craze on Monday. Children got to interact with baby chickens, ducks, goats and pigs, and Martine and I weren’t sure whether the children or the baby animals were cuter. They were a hard act to follow.
Nathan and his mom brought in two lilies of the valley and demonstrated that when we put each in a jar of colored water the color spread up the flower's stem and turned its veins that particular shade! The children loved watching the color progress up each flower and turn their veins blue and orange respectively.
Pre-K reviewed some basic numeracy skills this week. Using manipulatives, they counted out and counted on, they practiced building and writing teen numbers, and they created patterns. They matched and subitized with cardinal numbers and we measured children’s heights for the final time this year! Take a look at our bulletin board to see how much they’ve grown. Martine reintroduced volcanoes for science, although, this time in the form of creating fizz rather than eruptions!
Music and Art
As we wind down our time with Steve, we had some extra fun at our all-school music this week. We sang, we danced, we moved and we grooved. Steve has made our Wednesdays extra-special this year! Our art projects were focused on our upcoming play, by both talking about we might need to make our performance a success and actually creating what we’ve discussed. The children are so excited about their roles and are working together to bring our story to life. By now, you should have received a specially-decorated invitation to The Enormous Carrot, and we hope that you can make it!
Finally, Harry’s parents Adam and Sharleen paid a special visit to our classroom so that Adam could teach the children about working with clay! We learned about when people first started using it, what sort of tools they used, and we even got to work with our own pieces, using our hands and special pottery tools. The clay takes a few days to dry, but should be able to go home next week. Pre-K was so attentive to Adam’s instructions and information, and you will see how much they loved the activity from the masterpieces they carefully crafted. Thank you, Sharleen and Adam!
Have a wonderful weekend, and we hope that you get to enjoy the beautiful weather on Saturday.
Emily and Martine
The Enormous Carrot (multiple times!)
Best Friends for Frances
Office Buckle and Gloria
Whoever You Are


The Physical Education Curriculum is for children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. The curriculum contributes to children’s overall development by helping them to lead full, active and healthy lives.
The P.E. curriculum provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands:
- Outdoor and adventure activities
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999). Here in Saint Michael’s National School we aim to provide a balance PE Programme, contributing to the overall development of the child.
Schools have long been viewed as important settings for the socialisation of children, thereby influencing their health and social development. Educational outcomes are a recognised determinant of both child and adult health, consequently schools have both an immediate and longer-term influence on children’s well-being. In recognition of this role, the concept of the HPS was first proposed. Offering PE is essential to promoting physical, social, emotional and mental health in children and helping in developing a holistic child. Saint Michael’s National School have embraced becoming an Active School in order to provide this opportunity for all our pupils.
As a staff we have looked at several different areas in order to improve our approaches and knowledge in the area of PE education, some of which are detailed below.
A survey was carried out among parents, staff and pupils to evaluate areas of strength and weakness in the area of PE.
As a staff we revised our current PE Whole School Plan and had it ratified by the Board of Management in the academic year 2018 -2019 (Above surveys were used to revise the whole school plan).
We introduced the PAWS Programme in all classes as an alternative to the aquatics strand.
We have introduced using the WALT(We are Learning to) and WILF(What am I looking for) into our PE Lessons as forms of assessment.
A WOW Wall was introduced to acknowledge children’s sporting achievements, both inside and outside of the school.
We have chosen Physical Education and Well Being as our area for Self Evaluation (September 2018-June 2021).
PDST(Professional Development Services for Teachers)
In the Academic Year 2018-2019 we as a staff engaged in CPD with the PDST in the areas of gymnastics and orienteering as we felt these were two areas that we could improve on.
Active Flag Initiative
As part of our Health Promotion Campaign and to improve the overall physical, mental, emotional and social education for our pupils, we decided to join the Active Flag Initiative in October 2017. Lots more information on this Initiative can be viewed on www.activeflag.ie
PSSI (Primary Schools Sports Initiative) -Lessons for all strands and age levels are used to inform and teach PE.
Membership to Irish PE Association- Provide a wealth of PE Ideas across all strands, Information on ongoing PDST Training in different areas and links to sites with lots of lesson plan ideas (e.g. PSSI and PDST Lesson ideas from workshops and Move Well, Move Often Lesson.
Monaghan GAA-We are delighted to receive annual coaching sessions from Monaghan GAA. Our pupils always look forward to these sessions and they learn valuable skills in a fun way! Our teachers also gain a wealth of knowledge by watching these lessons.


A brief history of Garfield
When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of President of the United States James Garfield.There are two explanations given for the circumstances behind the renaming. According to one, shortly after Garfield was elected to the presidency the founder of East Passaic said, "tell everyone...don't speak of East Passaic anymore; call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity." Seven months later, President Garfield was assassinated but his name remained with the community.The second theory holds that after Garfield's death in 1881, a new train station was named in his honor, which in turn led to the surrounding area becoming associated with his name as well.
Garfield was originally incorporated as a borough on March 15, 1898, from portions of Saddle River Township and Wallington. At the time, the New Jersey Legislature set Garfield's boundaries as they exist today. On April 19, 1917, the borough became the City of Garfield, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 2.160 square miles (5.594 km2), including 2.099 square miles (5.436 km2) of land and 0.061 square miles (0.158 km2) of water (2.82%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Belmont, Bogart Heights, Dundee Dam and Plauderville. The city has land borders with adjacent Elmwood Park, Lodi, Saddle Brook and South Hackensack. The Saddle River is a shared border with Wallington. There are three bridges over the Passaic River crossing the municipal and county line to Passaic and Clifton in Passaic County.
The Garfield Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide, which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement that the state cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.
As of the 2014–15 school year, the district and its 12 schools had an enrollment of 5,279 students and 447.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Garfield Early Childhood Learning Center (329 students; in PreK), Garfield Public Preschool Annex (138; PreK), Washington Irving School #4 (422; K-5), Woodrow Wilson School #5 (310; K-5), Abraham Lincoln Elementary School #6 (360; PreK-5), Roosevelt School #7 (355; K-5), Christopher Columbus School #8 (413; PreK-5), James Madison School #10 (393; K-5), Garfield Middle School (981; 6-8), Garfield High School (1,052; 9-12) and Garfield Auxiliary Middle School & High School (63; 6-12).
Public school students from the city, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.
Bergen Arts and Science Charter School, which opened in September 2006, serves public school students in the district, as well as those from Hackensack and Lodi. As of the 2014–15 school year, the school had an enrollment of 959 students and 77.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1
GoodFellas superb chef creates traditional favorites and unique specials with only the finest quality seasonal ingredients. Savor the flavors of delicious homemade pastas, fresh seafood, chicken, veal and beef dishes. GoodFellas menu is enhanced with an extensive wine list and alluring selection of specialty cocktails.
2017 US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Home value data includes all types of owner-occupied housing.


Gravitational Waves Workshop Resources
- Available on request
- Up to 2 hours
The Gravity Exploration Institute is part of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) scientific collaboration which announced the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015, a century after they were first predicted by Einstein.
The activities in this workshop introduce students to the technology used in observatories such as LIGO and Virgo to detect gravitational waves and limit seismic interference in the detected signals. Students will also work with the data analysis techniques used to localise where gravitational wave events have taken place, their distance from earth and the sizes of the astronomical bodies involved in the events.
Some of the topics covered, include:
- properties of waves
- detection of gravitational waves
- black holes.
The skills that will be introduced, include:
- drawing and interpreting graphs
- use of scientific equipment
- using scientific formulae
- numeracy skills
- literacy skills.
We can also deliver these workshops directly through the University. To arrange this please email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Find out more
For more information about the activity, please visit our website.
About the organiser
This activity is organised by School of Physics and Astronomy. Contact us at email@example.com for more details.
Teacher supervision is required.


ERIC Number: ED485738
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2005
Time for Play, Every Day: It's Fun ? and Fundamental
Alliance for Childhood
Child-initiated play lays a foundation for learning and academic success. Through play, children learn to interact with others, develop language skills, recognize and solve problems, and discover their human potential. This brief publication describes the benefits of play, what you can do to help your child play, suggestions on how to become an advocate for play, and contains of list of other resources about the many benefits and importance of play in children's lives.
Alliance for Childhood, PO Box 444, College Park, MD 20741. Tel. and Fax: 301-779-1033; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org
Publication Type: Information Analyses
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education
Authoring Institution: Alliance for Childhood, College Park, MD.


Most of us became teachers because we love to read. If we do our jobs well, our students will love it, too. This section includes handouts you can use with literature to engage students in higher-level thinking.
The Book Talk Project
This project requires students to read a nonfiction book, describe it briefly, then answer the audience’s questions about it. The project includes an overview of the assignment, the audience’s questions, a scoring checklist, and a list of recommended nonfiction books. This assignment has worked very well with HS students and can be modified for MS students or for a different genre of reading.
Building Robust Vocabulary
This section provides a sample mini-unit of how to teach vocabulary using lessons from Bringing Words to Life, by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan (New York: The Guilford Press, 2002). It offers strategies to introduce the words, Do Nows, a game, homework, and a quiz. Many thanks to Jessica Majerus at Greater Newark Charter School for sharing these helpful models!
What are the key critical reading skills, and how do we use them to comprehend? This section presents my latest thinking on comprehension.
Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin, and we use tests as one way to measure students’ abilities to do both. In Connecting Reading, Writing, and Test-Prep Instruction, we examine how all three overlap.
- In Part I, “MAIN IDEA/ARGUMENT: Finding One vs. Building One,” we consider how to find a main idea/argument (reading and test-taking) vs. how to build a main idea/argument (writing).
- Part II, “CRITICAL READING AND ROBUST WRITING” provides code words for different types of critical reading questions, strategies for reading fiction and nonfiction, and suggestions for how to create more robust writing.
Guided Reading addresses the question: "Do you know where your readers are?" and provides links to helpful resources.
On the road to comprehension, idioms are speed bumps. When we talk about reading comprehension gaps (to toss in another metaphor), I believe idioms are THE MISSING LINK. No matter how you slice them (I can’t help myself), idioms are essential to lucid comprehension. This section explains why and how you can help your students boost their Idiom Power.
How can we help students to LOVE reading? One approach is to implement a school-wide independent reading program. But it is not as simple as it sounds. Some schools have attempted this hastily and failed. However, some have planned carefully and succeeded. You will need to provide ample resources and support for teachers, students, and parents. You will also need incentives and accountability measures. This section provides some questions to consider and resources you can use. NOTE: If you're looking for ideas about SUMMER READING, check out this page!
If you're thinking about launching Literature Circles, check out this page!
Looking for models to share with students? This page provides exemplars of excellent writing!
Nonfiction Reading Strategies
How can we make nonfiction come alive for students? What strategies will help them understand and appreciate nonfiction texts?
While this Website focuses predominantly on reading COMPREHENSION, this page explains the importance of phonics instruction for early readers
One of the nicest gifts anyone can give me is the title of a great book. This page is for you. The downloadable lists are for your students.
Root of the Week
While some schools use “The Word of the Day” to boost vocabulary, the words tend to be arbitrarily selected and unrelated to one another. As a result, their meanings do not stick. I recommend trying the “Root of the Week” approach.
In balanced literacy programs and across the curriculum, textbooks can play a key role in instruction. Unfortunately, students often do not read textbooks well, and their learning suffers as a result. This section is provides suggestions for how to make more effective use of textbooks as a resource.


Brief Description of the Education System in the Dominican Republic
Levels and Cycles in Education in the Dominican Republic
The educational levels in the Dominican Republic are divided into:
- • Initial. This level is divided into three cycles: 0-2 years, 3-4 years (from 0 to 4 only in private institutions) and a third cycle that is obligatory for all 5 year olds. There are almost 240,000 students at this level.
- • Elementary (Basic). This level is obligatory and is divided into two cycles: the first cycle (grades 1-4) and second cycle (grades 5-8). There are approximately 575,000 students at this level.
- • Secondary. This level is not obligatory, but is offered by the State. It is organized into two cycles. The first is common for all students. The second cycle is classified by modalities: General, Technical Professional and Arts. There are almost 1.2 million students at this level in addition to over 140,000 in a modality specifically for adults.
- • Higher. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT) is in charge of this level. It is structured into three kinds of Institutions of Higher Education (IES): Technical Institutes of Higher Studies, Specialized Institutes for Higher Studies and Universities. The Technical Institutes of Higher Studies only offer two and three-year technical programs. The Specialized Institutes for Higher Studies offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in the specializations for which they were created. The universities can grant undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctorates. There are 42 Institutions of Higher Education in the Dominican Republic with over 435,000 students.
National Diagnostic and Obligatory Tests
In the Dominican Republic a national diagnostic test is given at the beginning of grade 4. It is intended to evaluate competency in reading comprehension and Mathematics in accordance with achievement indicators. The results of this test are used to take actions that will contribute to improving the learning process. Also, questionnaires are given to principals, teachers and students to collect information on the socioeconomic context and opportunities for learning.
There are also obligatory National Tests given at the end of each educational level. Those tests evaluate achievement in Spanish, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences. There are three opportunities to take them in Secondary Education and two in Elementary Education. The results have a weight of 30 % on the final grade that determines whether or not a student will be promoted.


Behavioral Foundation Centers focuses specifically on services for children and their parents. Utilizing a combination of Discrete Trial Training and Natural Environment Training, programs focus on quickly reducing problem behaviors and building foundational skills necessary for children to be able to be successful in mainstream, integrated environments.
- Discrete Trial Training is a type of training that involves highly structured, table top activities similar to the environments that children experience in public school environments. This is used for skill building and developing attending skills.
- Natural Environment Training involves training children based on what they encounter in their daily lives. This type of training assists children in building their curiosity and independence with skills that they need every day in order to be successful at home and in the community.
Together, these two methods are utilized to build a comprehensive program that prepares children for the educational, home, and community environments. Behavioral Foundation Centers uses the most research supported curricular assessments to provide you an accurate view of your child’s skill level and needs. State of the art data collection and graphical programs allow our staff to monitor their progress on a daily basis and provide top of the line, focused therapy services.
It is important to remember that ABA is not meant to be a permanent service. Instead, ABA has been shown to be the most effective when applied heavily and effectively, early on, and in conjunction with parent training and involvement. Once a child has the foundation skills that they need, and the parents are able to apply the techniques they’ve learned to assist their child, services should be faded in order to allow the child and family to live with the least amount of intervention necessary for success. The skills you and your child learn through ABA therapy should give you a lifetime of benefits through teaching you to adapt, grow, and interact with the challenges that life presents.


Computing is an important teaching and learning area of the curriculum and taught to equip children with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding they will need for the rest of their lives.
Whilst it is taught weekly across the key stages in discrete lessons, using the Purple Mash scheme of work alongside other important apps and programs, it is also used creatively in other areas of the curriculum to both consolidate and stretch the children’s understanding of digital literacy.
Within the curriculum, children will develop many skills such as;
- CREATING: The children learn to select and use a range of digital applications to create, organise, manipulate, store, retrieve, review and present varied digital content, e.g. word-based, still and moving images, sound, animation.
- RESEARCHING: Learning to use digital research tools effectively and responsibly, and evaluating the resulting data.
- ORGANISING INFORMATION: Collecting, organising, evaluating and analysing data to present it as information using a range of tools including databases, spreadsheets and any form of graph, chart, diagram, table or list.
- COMMUNICATING: Children develop an understanding of the networks and systems used for digital communication and use a range of tools safely and appropriately for communication and collaboration both within and beyond school.
- CODING: Children will learn to develop an understanding of programming in the context of automated devices, as well as that of simulations and games. They will relate this to the creation of algorithms and their use as computer programs, applying reasoning and precision to break problems into smaller parts so that they can be resolved.
Underpinning all of these aspects of Computing is the children learning to be safe, effective and respectful users of technology, recognising both acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and knowing how to respond if they have concerns. This is taught in discrete computing lessons, PSHE and across the curriculum.
For information about online safety please visit our eSafety page.