July 29, 2020
The Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools Study Act has passed the Senate! This is a critical step in establishing the first National Historical Park to honor the legacy of a Jewish American and preserve the stories and accomplishments of the Rosenwald Schools.
Julius Rosenwald was born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1862 to German Jewish immigrant parents. He left high school before graduating and moved to New York to learn the clothing trade. After New York came Chicago, where he rose through the Midwest clothing manufacturing industry to become part-owner of Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1895. Rosenwald helped build the company into a merchandising powerhouse in the early 20th century.
Julius Rosenwald, left, and Booker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1915. Credit -University of Chicago Library-Ciesla Foundation
In addition to his business acumen, Rosenwald was a dedicated philanthropist. A meeting with Booker T. Washington in 1911, and their continuing relationship, helped to define his philanthropy in the subsequent decades. Rosenwald joined the board of the Tuskegee Institute and followed Washingtonâs advice by helping to fund a pilot program to build six schools for Black Americans in rural Alabama. This initial investment led to the construction of over 5,300 Rosenwald Schools and related buildings in 15 southern states funded jointly by Rosenwald, local communities, and local governments. By 1932, these schools were responsible for educating roughly one-third of Black children in the South. Notable alumni include the late Representative John Lewis and poet Maya Angelou, as well as journalist Eugene Robinson.
In 1917, Rosenwald established the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which provided fellowships to nearly 900 highly promising people, two-thirds of whom were African American, often at the start of their careers. They included Marian Anderson, Ralph Bunche, W.E.B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Charles Drew, Jacob Lawrence, James Baldwin and Woody Guthrie.
Mt. Zion Rosenwald School, South Carolina. Courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation
Julius Rosenwald invested in people. He wanted to offer them better opportunities to contribute to American life and society. Whether it was through the Rosenwald Schools that provided elementary education to Black Americans in the South, through Rosenwald Fund fellowships to individuals of promise, or through support to working women and Jewish organizations, those investments are still paying dividends.
It is especially important to preserve and share Rosenwaldâs story now, in this time of economic hardship and societal division. One of the best ways to memorialize and celebrate his legacy is through the creation of a national historical park. Notably, this park would not only commemorate the struggles and successes of Black Americans growing up in the South, it would be the first unit of the National Park System to honor a Jewish American.
The Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Study Act of 2019 was introduced on June 13, 2019, by Congressman Danny Davis (H.R. 3250) and Senator Richard Durbin (S. 1863). This Act directs the National Park Service (NPS) to perform a special resource study of the sites associated with the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald, especially the Rosenwald Schools (of which approximately 500 school buildings still exist today).
The study would specifically look at the suitability and feasibility of sites for inclusion in a Park consisting of a visitor center in Chicago and a small but representative sample of Rosenwald Schools to be selected by the NPS from among the 55 schools and one teacher home nominated to the Rosenwald Park Campaign by the State Historic Preservation Officers in 14 states.
The bills have bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. Currently, there are 43 cosponsors of H.R. 3250 and nine of S. 1863, representing 19 States and the District of Columbia. Twenty-four non-profit organizations, including the Coalition to Protect Americaâs National Parks, support the legislation.
We Need Your Help
We urge you to write your members of Congress in support of this legislation. Please reach out and encourage your Senators to push for a hearing on a markup of S. 1863.
You can also support the Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park Campaign by making a donation and joining their mailing list. Your support and advocacy for the establishment of a National Historical Park will commemorate a key legacy of philanthropy and highlight the importance of the Rosenwald Schools to generations of Americans.


The KDE Community brings education and the future of children at the forefront of today's computing technology. With a variety of applications for different fields, such as Language and Science, KDE shows that the community isn't just serious about empowering computer users, it is serious about empowering our young with knowledge as well.
A language learning software that helps improving pronunciation skills. A word-guessing game, where letters of the word are mixed up for the user to guess. Another word-guessing game, this time in the tradition of the classical hangman game. æ¥æ¬èªã®ãªãã¡ã¬ã³ã¹ã¨å¦ç¿ãã¼ã« An aid for learning the very first sounds of a new language. Over a dozen languages are available. A general purpose flashcard program, useful for vocabulary training and other subjects. Another general-purpose memorizing tool with language support. Uses a spaced repetition learning method.
An application for viewing information about the elements in the periodic system. A desktop planetarium from KDE, accurately representing the night sky from any location on the planet. A powerful virtual globe and world map. It is able to use OpenStreetMaps. You can see it in action in this video An interactive Graph Theory IDE for Students. An interactive physical simulator which shows how a scene will evolve according to the laws of physics.
Our version of the well-known game Simon Says. High quality educational software suite, including a large number of activities for children aged 2 to 10. A geography learning tool that includes a map browser and some games. A program for learning touch typing on a keyboard quickly and correctly. An educational programming environment that can be used to teach kids math, geometry and programming. It uses a language loosely based on Logo. Free and open source software for music education. A program to improve your memory and logic skills.


Writing, a skill which is in the national spotlight, is key for future success (UNESCO, 2019). At Aviation High School, writing is explicitly taught to all students, every day through the Writer's Toolbox program. This prepares Aviation High students for both ATAR external examinations and gives them the foundational skills required for communication, learning, and full participation in society (Wyatt-Smith & Jackson, 2020).
Since the implementation, Aviation High School students demonstrated greater gains in NAPLAN writing results than the nation. When tracking the Year 9 cohort, both their NAPLAN and end of year results grew. This cohort went from 17% A results when they were in Year 7 to 24% A results, after having just completed Year 9. Improvement in NAPLAN was also evident, where there was a mean improvement of 53.3 in students' NAPLAN scores. Teachers at Aviation High School are prioritising the teaching of writing across all year levels to prepare students for University and beyond. Students are communicating their thinking with greater clarity and purpose. Focussed and quality feedback, easily achieved through a common language, is contributing to student improvement.
How is writing explicitly taught at Aviation High School? Confidently, students are taught to master writing individually and as a class by developing a writing toolkit that can be called on when needed. They learn to cast sentences in 12 different ways and they learn 8 different paragraph types; all to support communication and higher order thinking. Taught in a language that makes sense to both students and teachers, writing is taught free from grammatical jargon, where all types of learners at Aviation High develop their writing skills. Quality writers are our priority.


The short answer is yes, octopuses die after giving birth. But stick around for the long answerâitâs fascinating! And, of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
An octopusâs last stand
After a female octopus lays her eggs, she devotes the final leg of her life to making sure her baby octopuses stand a chance. This devotion can look different depending on the species.
In some cases, an octopus finds/builds a den and attaches her eggs to the walls or ceiling of the den, then spends a heck of a long time braiding them into chains that double as den dÃ©cor.
Octo-moms may also lay their eggs on or under rocks or corals, then brood over them, protecting them from predators at all costs.
During the months or YEARS that follow egg-laying, an octo-momâs sole purpose becomes protecting those babies as they develop. She wonât even leave the eggs to hunt for foodâand, in fact, the part of the octopusâs brain that governs her urge to eat shuts that urge down.
As a result, the octo-mom slowly starves. She dies around the same time her babies hatch. (Are you sob-singing the Circle of Life in your head right now too?)
ð Octopus Fun Fact
To learn more about how an octopusâs brain functions during the brooding stage, scientists in 1977 tested female octopuses by removing an octopusâs optic gland (thatâs the one responsible for shutting down an octo-momâs urge to eat).
Apparently, without its optic gland, the octopus gave up on her eggs, resumed eating and kept on living for quite a while.
The science of senescence
The process of physical deterioration and behavioral changes that begin after an octopus lays her eggs and ultimately leads to her demise is called senescence. This process is controlled by the optic gland using a cocktail of multiple hormones and occurs in octo-dads, too, even though eggs do not receive paternal care!
It is still a bit of a mystery, but continued research is shedding more light on senescence.
Along with the seemingly unnatural behavior of months- or years-long fasting after egg laying, octo-moms also sometimes exhibit disturbing self-mutilating behavior during this phase of their lives. Scientists also tie this behavior to the optic gland and the hormones it secretes during senescence.
ð Octopus Fun Fact
The exception to the rule alert!
Most but not all female octopuses follow the pattern of egg laying, senescence, and death that more or less coincide with their eggs hatching.
So, do octopuses die after giving birth?
Mostlyâ¦ the answer is yes.
There are always those family weirdos who do things differently, but for the most part, octopuses die after they give birth. From our perspective as humans, that feels a little bit sad. But from the octopusesâ perspective, itâs not sad at all, câest la vie.
ð Octopus Fun Fact
If you enjoyed this post, check out our blog that delves even further into how octopuses give birth!
If you want to educate yourself some more about all sorts of different cephalopods, take a look at our encyclopedia. Or, what we call it, our Octopedia!
Connect with other octopus lovers via the OctoNation Facebook group, OctopusFanClub.com! Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with the conservation, education, and ongoing research of cephalopods.
More FAQs to check out!
- What Are 5 Things An Octopus Eats?
- How Smart Are Octopuses?
- When Do Senescent Octopuses Feel Pain?
- Do Octopus Have Bones?
- Does An Octopus Have Arms Or Tentacles?
- Senescence in general: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15327604JAWS0504_02
- Hormones contributing to octopus behavior: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30104305/
Bethanie Hestermann is a freelance writer and author of animal-science books, including Zoology for Kids and Marine Science for Kids. She is a contributing writer for OctoNation! You can find all her books at www.zoologyforkids.com/books.


The constitution states the state is secular, prohibits religious discrimination, and provides for the right of individuals to choose and profess their religious faith. It recognizes the right of religious institutions and groups to establish and manage themselves freely. It bars political parties that identify with a particular religious group. These rights are subject only to âthose limits that are indispensable to maintain the public order and democracy.â
By law, the SRA must approve all religious groups. Groups must provide a written constitution and application to the SRA along with their address and a fee of 250,000 Guinean francs ($25). The SRA then sends the documents to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization for final approval and signature. Once approved, the group becomes officially recognized. Every six months, each registered religious group must present a report of its activities to the government. Registering with the government entitles religious groups to an exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on incoming shipments and makes them eligible for select energy subsidies.
Unregistered religious groups are not entitled to VAT exemptions and other benefits. By law, the government may shut down unregistered groups and expel their leaders. There is limited opportunity for legal appeal of these penalties.
Religious groups may not own radio or television stations.
The compulsory primary school curriculum does not include religious studies. Many parents send their children to Quranic schools (madrassahs), either in addition to primary school or as their primary form of education.
The imams and administrative staff of the principal mosque in Conakry and the principal mosques in the main cities of the four regions are government employees. These mosques are directly under the administration of the government. Other mosques and some Christian groups receive government subsidies for pilgrimages.
The Secretary General of Religious Affairs (SRA) appoints national directors to lead the Offices of Christian Affairs, Islamic Affairs, Pilgrimages, Places of Worship, Economic Affairs and the Endowment, and Inspector General. The SRA is charged with promoting good relations among religious groups and coordinates with other members of the informal Interreligious Council, which is composed of Muslims and members from Catholic, Anglican, and other Protestant churches, as well as the SRA.
The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The SRA continued to issue guidance outlining themes for discussion during Friday sermons at mosques and Sunday sermons in churches. The stated purpose of the weekly guidance was to harmonize religious views in order to prevent radical or political messages in sermons. Although the SRA did not monitor sermons at every mosque and church, its inspectors were present in every region and were responsible for ensuring that mosque and church sermons were consistent with SRA directives. Clerics whom the SRA judged to be noncompliant were subject to disciplinary action. Deviations from approved guidance were often reported in various sermons at mosques and other Islamic events, but the SRA said it had difficulty imposing disciplinary sanctions.
As part of its measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, the government closed all places of worship on March 26. During the month of Ramadan, according to local media reports, there were instances of mosques in Kamsar and Dubreka refusing to obey the government order and remaining open for prayers. In June, the government authorized reopening places of worship in regions with low COVID-19 case counts. The government announced on September 3 the full reopening of places of worship after religious leaders publicly called for a lifting of restrictions. Since the SRA holds a cabinet level position, sources stated that religious associations were able to effectively lobby the SRA, and in turn the government, that places of worship should reopen on the grounds that the government had previously approved numerous political rallies without proper health measures while keeping places of worship closed.
Both Jehovahâs Witnesses and the Bahaâi community have not requested official recognition. Some groups stated they preferred not to have a formal relationship with the SRA since a lack of recognition granted them more freedom, as they preferred not to be subject to state regulations in the same way as an officially recognized community.
Islamic schools were prevalent throughout the country and remained the traditional forum for religious education. Some Islamic schools were wholly private, while others received local government support. Islamic schools, particularly common in the Fouta Djallon region, taught the compulsory government curriculum along with additional Quranic studies. Private Christian schools in Conakry and other large cities accepted students of all religious groups. They taught the compulsory curriculum but did not receive government support, and they held voluntary Christian prayers before school.
The government allocated free broadcast time on state-owned national television for Islamic and Christian programming, including Islamic religious instruction, Friday prayers from the central mosque, and church services. The government permitted religious broadcasting on privately owned commercial radio, and encouraged equal time for Christian and Muslim groups.


The French were the dominant force when it came to Impressionism, but this did not mean that other countries lagged far behind. Although not as popular as Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Sisley or CÃ©zanne, Russia had a number of prominent artists that were outstanding Impressionists.
One such artist was Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin, one of the most distinguished among the followers of Impressionism in Russia in the 1880s. Korovin was born in Moscow to wealthy parents on November 23, 1861. He had an older brother, Sergey Korovin who was a Realist painter.
Konstantin Korovin started taking art lessons at age 14 when he enrolled at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpturing and Architecture. He initially enrolled to study architecture and actually spent two years taking that course before he switched to painting. He later traveled to St. Petersburg to enter the Academy of Arts to continue his art education. He did not last long at the academy though. He got bored with the instruction methods used by the academy and left the school after three months.
Although older by four years, Korovin developed a friendship with another Impressionist artist, Valentin Serov, and they traveled around the northern parts of Russia in 1888 as well as in 1894.
Various other jobs and activities
Korovinwas a teacher at the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Moscow beginning in 1901. He worked at the Russian Army headquarters as a consultant for creating camouflage during the First World War and designed costumes and stage sceneries for the Mariinsky Theater and the Bolshoi Theater in the 1990s.
After the Russian October Revolution of 1917, Korovin became active in the preservation efforts for Russiaâs art monuments. He helped organized exhibitions and auctions to raise funds for the political prisoners who had been released, and even collaborated with the theater for his public endeavors. Rather than be a target of government, Korovin left for France following the advice of a Marxist revolutionary,Anatoly Lunacharsky.
Konstantin Korovinâs stay in France and the works of the French Impressionists made a very strong impact on his own work, and traces of their influence could be seen on the paintings he did of the Parisian landscapes.
When he talked about his creativity, Korovin described it as the pursuit of beauty and being fascinated by shapes and colors, and for the aesthetic influence it gives the viewers.He was not interested in stirring an impassioned feeling and he did not want to convey any moral inclinations to anyone nor did he want to lecture anybody.
Korovin was impressed early in his life by the lectures of his art teacher Alexei Savrasov who was an advocate of en plein air painting, which he carried through in his landscapes, such as âThe Village,â âEarly Springâ and âA Little Bridge.â In these paintings he showed how closely he observed nature and how he worked in his direct perception of it, preserving his fresh impressions by finishing his paintings outdoors.
His propensity for outdoor painting was even seen in his portraits, such as his âPortrait of a Chorister.â His impression of Spain came to light in the genre painting âThe Spanish Girls Leonora and Ampara on a Balcony.â Although he did several portraits and genre paintings, one of the most notable was âTatianaLyubatovich that he did in 1886, with its complex setting that was a mix of bright sunlight, profuse green background, flowers and a white dress.
His travels brought him inspiration to create âThe Coast of Norway and the Northern Sea,â âNorwegian Port,â âSaint Trifonâs Brook in Pechenega,â âHammerfest: Aurora Borealisâ and âThe Coast at Murmansk.â
Although he did not truly feel at home when he was in Paris, the city still gave him plenty of subjects. He particularly liked to paint the nightscapes of the city, although there are also some paintings of daytime hours. Influenced by the French Impressionists, his own works captured the brilliance and vibrancy of the colors and changeable life at different times of the day. Colors captivated him, and he was always impatient when he found something that interested him, trying to capture as much a possiblethe fleetingly fresh impression that he had of a subject matter.
1st image: By Konstantin Korovin (http://art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=3431) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image: Konstantin Korovin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


Winifred Berge is a passionate crafts lover and a devoted preschool educator. She holds a degree in Art Education and is a firm believer in integrating arts and crafts into her teaching curriculum. Winifred is convinced that art allows children to express their emotions and learn about their environment in a stimulating and enjoyable manner.
Preschool education is a crucial stepping stone in a child's educational journey. It sets the foundation for their future academic and social success. At Preschool Playbook, we believe in a holistic approach to preschool education that focuses on the development of the whole child.
Our philosophy is centered around three key principles: play-based learning, individualized instruction, and fostering a love for learning.
We believe that play is the natural language of children. It is through play that they explore, experiment, and make sense of the world around them. Play-based learning allows children to develop their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills in a fun and engaging way.
In our preschool activities, we incorporate hands-on experiences, sensory play, and imaginative play to promote creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. By providing a play-based environment, we encourage children to become active participants in their own learning, fostering a sense of independence and confidence.
Every child is unique, with their own strengths, interests, and learning styles. We believe in tailoring our instruction to meet the individual needs of each child. Our preschool activities and educational materials are designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing for personalized learning experiences.
Through observation and assessment, we identify each child's strengths and areas for growth. This helps us create a curriculum that addresses their specific needs, ensuring that they are challenged and supported at their own pace. By recognizing and celebrating each child's progress, we foster a positive and inclusive learning environment.
Fostering a Love for Learning:
At Preschool Playbook, we strive to instill a lifelong love for learning in every child. We believe that when children are excited and motivated to learn, they become active and engaged learners. We aim to create a positive and nurturing environment where children feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and explore their curiosities.
Our preschool activities, crafts, songs, and educational materials are designed to spark children's interests and curiosity. We provide a wide range of topics and themes, such as spring activities, to keep learning exciting and relevant. By making learning fun and meaningful, we inspire children to become lifelong learners.
In conclusion, the philosophy behind preschool education at Preschool Playbook is rooted in play-based learning, individualized instruction, and fostering a love for learning. We believe that by providing a nurturing and stimulating environment, children can develop their full potential and build a strong foundation for future success. Join us on Preschool Playbook as we embark on an exciting journey of discovery and growth!


The school board at Council Rock School District in southeastern Pennsylvania decided last week that teachers may continue to use R-rated movies in class. Their defense of the policy comes after an extended controversy that began last fall when parent Diana Nolan asked that all R-rated films be removed from high school curricula. Parents were required to sign permission slips before film screenings, but Nolan felt that having to do so put her in âan awkward positionâ and embarrassed her son.
Other parents soon echoed her contention that all R-rated films are inappropriate for all high school students. Students responded by crowding a school board meeting on January 21 and drawing up a petition with more than 500 signatures. Junior Ryan Carlin strongly opposed the proposed ban:
Enough is enough. Censorship of literature, of art and film is a true offense. We feel these films are educationally valuable and abandoning them will open a Pandoraâs box of censorship.
Nolan argued that teachers should simply use other films, ones âthat are appropriate that are not R-rated. Why do we need shock factor?â More than âshockâ factors into the scenes that earn critically-acclaimed films an R-rating, officials and teachers argued. Films such as Saving Private Ryan and Schindlerâs List may be shocking, but that only testifies to their educational value as they supplement historical readings in a powerfully visual way.
Far from being a non-intellectual teaching tool, film is essential to modern education. Joy McClendon, director of elementary education and curriculum services, said, âA critical aspect of an education today is visual literacy. Students are bombarded with images from the 21st century. Part of the job of the teacher is to interpret these images and to discriminate what is valuable and what is not.â Teachers who decide to use certain films in class do right to consider educational value before rating. Censoring all R-rated films would block a large percentage of the most engaging, culturally relevant films from the classroom.
Superintendent Mark Klein responded to the debate: âOne side opposes on stimulus: what the actual image is. Kids and teachers have, to some extent, focused on response: what is being taken. And between stimulus and response is a very important intermediate variable and that is the thoughtful interaction of a teacher in a classroom.â In other words: where Nolan and others see only nudity, violence, and drug use, students and teachers see realistic and artistic texts to interpret, analyze, and discuss.


Whether you’re picking up a guitar for the first time or just practicing your craft, you’re not just improving your musical prowess – you’re also taking steps toward better health!
Many scientific studies have found physical health benefits correspond with playing guitar or just being around music in general.
Similar benefits to physical exercise
Hitting the gym is great for your health – and so is hitting your instrument!
A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that active music-making has training effects similar to those from physical exercise training. Researchers compared two groups of healthy people between ages 18 and 30, about half of whom were music students. They were tested for resting heart rate and blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity. The study found that blood pressure was “significantly” lower in the group of music students, and they also tended to have a lower heart rate than the non-musicians.
“Our study opens a new perspective, in which active music making, additionally to being an artistic activity, renders concrete health benefits for the musician,” the researchers wrote.
A study from the University of Utah Pain Research Center found that engaging activities – like listening to music – can help reduce pain in people with high levels of anxiety who can become easily absorbed in activities. The researchers hypothesized that music can help divert cognitive focus from pain.
The researchers conducted the study on 143 people who listened to songs and were asked to identify wrong notes, while also getting shocked by fingertip electrodes.
“Music helps reduce pain by activating sensory pathways that compete with pain pathways, stimulating emotional responses, and engaging cognitive attention. Music, therefore, provided meaningful intellectual and emotional engagement to help reduce pain,” the study concluded.
Keeping the mind sharp
Learning a musical instrument as a child can help safeguard against cognitive decline in old age. A study by the Emory University School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology found that in a group of adults aged 60 to 80, those who played an instrument for at least ten years during their lives performed better on several cognitive tests than those who had never learned an instrument or how to read music. None of the subjects were professional musicians.
“The study confirms that musical activity preserves cognition as we age, by comparing variability in cognitive outcomes of older adults active in musical instrumental and other leisure activities,” said lead researcher Brenda Hanna-Pladdy.
Even if you’re older, there are benefits to learning an instrument.
We can all use a little stress relief in our lives! A study published by the International Journal of Music Education found that college students who spent 30 minutes either playing the piano, molding clay or doing calligraphy had “markedly” decreased cortisol levels, indicating a reduction in stress. Students in the group that played piano had significantly greater results than the students who had clay or calligraphy as their creative activity!
Find some “peace of mind” by trying our song lesson on Boston’s Peace of Mind here!
You can start learning guitar today with Fret Zealot. Choose from thousands of video lessons, over 80,000 song tracks, 10,000 chords, and more.


The Arts are essential to every child’s education, which is why the Arts are one of the core academic subjects. Research has shown that the Arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance. Arts education (music, dance, drama and visual arts) benefits all students because it cultivates the whole child, gradually building many kinds of literacy while developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication. This process requires not merely an active mind but a trained one.
Education in the Arts benefits society because students of the Arts gain powerful tools for understanding human experiences, both past and present. Students learn to respect different ways of thinking, working and expressing themselves. Studying the Arts stimulates students’ natural creativity and the joy of learning becomes real, tangible and powerful. The Arts challenges all students to perform, create their own works and respond to works of art and the ideas they impart. Research studies point to strong relationships between learning in the Arts, fundamental cognitive skills and the capacities used to master other core subjects for literacy and numeracy.
From Kindergarten to Grade 12, students at all of our schools in Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board are encouraged to learn music, drama, dance and visual arts through both our curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
Our staff is passionate about helping children discover and fine-tune their gifts. Whether it’s acting in a musical at the elementary or secondary level, performing in a Christmas concert, or rocking out on stage at St. Anne’s CSS or St. Michael CSS, our staff is there to help guide your child.
Our Secondary Schools are known in the community for having a strong and vibrant music department. Led by highly skilled and passionate teachers, students have the option of taking a number of music courses including guitar, and percussion to name a few. There are also multiple bands and choirs students can join. In addition, the schools host various musical performances throughout the year.
List of Awards Won by our Secondary Arts Programs
These rich experiences in the arts play a valuable role in helping your child to achieve their God-given potential. Art Education allows students to develop their creativity, self-awareness, self-confidence and well-being, while discovering their own identity.


Training and Resources for Accessibility Fundamentals
The following is a list of resources associated with Accessibility Fundamentals. Click on the links below to learn more about each resource.
This curriculum provides a set of foundational skills training for Ohio State Digital Accessibility Coordinators. Contains 3 BuckeyeLearn Modules.
Learn how to create a compelling, enjoyable, and useful user experience for people with disabilities.
Learn about the needs of people with disabilities along with accessibility guidelines, laws, and rationale.
Learn about respectful behaviors for interacting with people with disabilities.
Learn how to develop, manage, and coordinate an accessibility program within a unit or organization.
Learn about digital accessibility at Ohio State.
In this course, you will learn how to ensure effective in-person communication with individuals with disabilities.
In this course, you will learn how to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities in a remote environment.
Watch a video to quickly learn ten heuristics that will help designers create accessible digital content.
Watch a video to quickly learn the basic's of accessibility from a non-technical perspective.
Prepare to pass the exam to become a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).
In this course, gain an awareness and familiarity with the general concepts of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.


Climate art education
For: Klimaatmuseum, 2022
We've known it for a long time: climate change has major consequences for humans, animals and nature. We also know the cause. Yet we do far too little to solve it. Knowledge of facts is apparently not enough to get us to change the systems we live and work in.
A lot of creativity and imagination is needed to let the urgency sink in in this part of the world. Klimaatmuseum believes that artists can help. We can make the climate crisis more transparent and tangible through new, inspiring and stimulating perspectives. Because only when we can imagine an alternative, sustainable world can we create that world.
I’m one of the artists involved with Klimaatmuseum. We go to elementary and high schools with Klimaatmakers; a game that inspires kids to develop a creative climate solution: a Climate Invention. As an artist, I guide the kids in creating an artistic prototype of their invention.
From a vacuum cleaner that vacuums the seabed to prevent sea level rise, to a lightning-fast car that runs on banana peels, to a jacket for trees so that they cannot be cut down. Some more realistic than others, but everything makes you think about how things could be radically different. And maybe that's exactly what we need.


Proper noun Edit
- Bopomofo, Zhuyin fuhao
- 2011, Carolyn Pytlyk, “Shared Orthography: Do Shared Written Symbols Influence the Perception of L2 Sounds?”, in The Modern Language Journal, volume 95, number 4, →JSTOR, abstract:
- The tasks included pre- and post-test perception tests and language classes where the participants learned Mandarin through 1 of 3 means: Pinyin, the familiar orthography; Zhuyin, the non-familiar orthography; or no orthography.
- 2014, Andrea Bachner, Beyond Sinology: Chinese Writing and the Scripts of Culture, page 186:
- Taiwanese Martian Script, with its basis of traditional Chinese script, uses symbols from the nationwide phonetic transliteration system Zhuyin, and at times reflects the Taiwanese or Hakka pronunciation of characters that are phonetically substituted.
- 2015, Jan-Li Wang, Teng-Hua Weng, Sheue-Ling Hwang, Cin-Wei Huang, Shwu-Ching Young, “A preliminary study on instructional design of Chinese input method for blind students”, in Journal of Computers in Education, volume 2, number 2, →DOI, page 126:
- All students, including the blind students, in Taiwan are taught with Zhuyin to assist the learning of the Chinese characters from the very beginning of elementary school.
- 2017, Stanley Wang, Andrew Scrimgeour, Anne-Marie Morgan, “Exploring the use of Zhuyin in early primary Chinese literacy development”, in Babel, volume 52, number 1, abstract:
- In selecting a script to assist with language and literacy development in Chinese, the school trialled the use of Zhuyin, a phonetic writing system commonly used in Taiwan.
- 2018, Luan Li, Hua-Chen Wang, Anne Castles, Miao-Ling Hsieh, Eva Marinus, “Phonetic radicals, not phonological coding systems, support orthographic learning via self-teaching in Chinese”, in Cognition, volume 176, →DOI, abstract:
- We examined two possible types of phonological decoding: the use of phonetic radicals, an internal phonological aid, and the use of Zhuyin, an external phonological coding system.
Zhuyin fuhao — see Zhuyin fuhao


How to Help Your Child Learn at Home [Easy + Effective]All Posts
- Parent Resources
School looks different this year.
In the midst of Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns as well as in-person and virtual learning, we — especially the parents and guardians who work at Prodigy — can imagine how you’re feeling and what you’re going through.
The stress. The frustration. The fear.
But when the world seems to stop, the learning journey continues.
Many of you know that Prodigy’s mission is to help every student in the world love learning.
Regardless of where they’re born; their socioeconomic status; and, as we’re experiencing right now, pandemics and school closures.
In times like these, the necessity of our mission becomes that much clearer because everyone is forced to ask questions like:
- Will my child fall behind?
- How will they keep learning while school’s closed?
- What should I use to help my child learn math at home, for example?
These are legitimate concerns and we want to support you in any way we can.
How to help my child learn at home?
Below, we share different ways you can help your child keep learning math at home. (Plus other helpful resources.)
1. Web-based educational games
There are many educational games that students can play at home to keep their minds sharp and their knowledge growing!
In our list of best educational games for kids, we sorted 27 of them by subject so there's no shortage of engaging, teacher-approved ways to make learning fun.
There are options for art, language, health and physical education, science, technology, history, social studies, geography and mathematics!
Want your increase your child's math skills and achievement? At Prodigy, for example, we created a math game to be just as useful at home as it is at school.
Prodigy turns 1st to 8th grade math into an epic adventure filled with amazing adventures, epic pets and cool rewards.
As students explore the Prodigy world, they’ll answer adaptive math questions designed to build foundational skills, challenge their knowledge and help them grow.
Watch the one-and-a-half-minute video below for a helpful snapshot of the parent experience!
P.S. If you want to purchase an optional Membership that gives your child bonus in-game features but aren’t sure where to start, follow these simple steps.
2. Try high-quality online tutoring
Children will not be learning in a physical school for what could potentially turn into months. And it’s crucial that your child’s learning does not stop during this break.
Back in November, we researched dozens of tutoring websites and compiled a list of the most high-quality ones, so you don’t have to.
As highlighted by Oxford Learning, "Tutoring programs can help your child develop study and learning skills that will help set up your child for success for his or her entire life."
Depending on how long school closures last, children face the risk of suffering from summer learning loss, starting in spring.
3. Additional resources
You may also find these resources helpful.
- A Daily Schedule for Your Family
- Join the Prodigy Parent Community on Facebook
- 13 Best Math Apps for Kids in Elementary School
- Child Struggling with Math? 12 Signs [& 7 Ways to Help]
- Parental Involvement in Education [+ 10 Secrets for Success]
We hope these resources help you in the coming weeks and months. If this was helpful, please share this article with your family and friends.
Together, we can ensure your child will be able to learn from home.


This Shaping Paper offers a comprehensive examination of the K to 12 language education curricula. It encompasses several vital aspects, including the background and rationale for language learning, key design principles, curriculum structure, pedagogy, assessment, and essential considerations in developing these language curricula.
Background and Rationale for Language Learning
The language curricula within the K to 12 framework prioritize the principles of first language-based multilingual education, emphasizing the significance of mastering the learners’ first language (L1) and additional languages like Filipino and English. Proficiency in these languages enables effective communication and cultivates an understanding of the surrounding world.
Learning languages equips students with the ability to broaden their horizons and engage in meaningful communication. It aids in comprehension, interpretation, and the creation of meaning within relationships and cultural contexts. Furthermore, language learning enhances thinking skills, expression, appreciation, reflection, and societal participation.
Moreover, language education contributes to social, economic, and international development, enriching linguistic and cultural resources. For Indigenous communities, it fosters a deeper connection to their cultural heritage and knowledge systems. Similarly, it promotes the full inclusion of marginalized communities, such as the Filipino Deaf community.
Specifically, language learning:
- Develops communication skills and expands literacy abilities.
- Enhances understanding of language, culture, and communication processes.
- Cultivates an appreciation for diversity and open-mindedness.
- Helps learners comprehend how language and culture shape their worldview and identity.
- Augments creative and critical thinking, as well as analytical capacity.
The Design of the Languages Curricula
Languages as Learning Areas in the K to 12 Curriculum
The development of language curricula acknowledges the pivotal role of the first language (L1) as a foundational literacy resource. Proficiency in the L1 provides a strong basis for subsequent education and literacy development. Literacy in the L1 not only improves learning outcomes in both the L1 and the second language (L2) but also enhances cognitive abilities. Research supports the notion that a strong L1 foundation leads to better educational outcomes.
The Languages Shaping Paper guides the development of language learning areas, encompassing Mother Tongue, Filipino, and English. It introduces two novel learning areas in Grade 1:
The Language learning area places emphasis on oral language development in the learner’s first language, serving as a bridge to literacy and learning in other subjects. It recognizes the rich linguistic diversity in the Philippines, including sign and visual languages and Indigenous languages.
The Reading and Literacy learning area focuses on foundational reading skills essential for early literacy, such as phonemic awareness, decoding, and sight word recognition, fostering proficient reading in the first language.
The revised curriculum restructures language offerings in the K to 10 Curriculum, with Language and Reading and Literacy areas offered in Grade 1, followed by Filipino and English in Grade 2. This sequential approach builds a strong foundation in the first language, facilitating the transition to cognitive and academic language proficiency in Filipino and English.
The Multilingual Education Model, draws inspiration from Cummins’ concept of linguistic interdependence and common underlying proficiency. It underscores how skills and metalinguistic knowledge acquired in one language can benefit the learning of another language.
The Aims and Goals of the Curriculum
Collectively, the language curricula aim to nurture literate, communicatively competent, and culturally aware Filipino learners. The curriculum equips learners with the ability to use language effectively, think critically, and communicate proficiently in diverse social contexts. Consequently, they become valuable contributors to their communities and society, embodying a deep sense of cultural identity.
The Languages Curricula Framework, highlights the overarching goals of the subject offerings:
Literacy encompasses the ability to engage with printed and written materials, including digital and multimedia texts, within various contexts. It involves actively using language to acquire, construct, reconstruct, and communicate meaning.
Communicative competence synthesizes knowledge of grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competencies in a language.
Cultural identity fosters pride in belonging to a cultural group that is acknowledged and appreciated by other cultural groups. This sense of belonging contributes to self-concept, self-esteem, and equal standing in society.
To achieve these goals, the curriculum incorporates pedagogical strategies, learning resources, and assessments informed by language acquisition theories and cultural context. Contextualization, through the inclusion of local culture, plays a pivotal role in the effective implementation and assessment of the curriculum.


Instructed by: Todd Burroughs
Dates: Dec. 3-4th
Member: $306, Non Member: $360
This two-day workshop will guide students through the process of drawing in the method popularized by Charles Bargue and Jean-Leon Gerome in their famous collaboration from 1866, Drawing Course.
The technique spread a French Academic approach to drawing which has been a staple of art education for over 150 years. Realist artists, abstractionists, experienced artists and beginners all will benefit from learning this concise and elegant approach to drawing. Artists such Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gough, who studied this drawing technique, built on their foundations to develop entirely new ways of creating.


Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
Lenora Lafayette (1926-1975) was an African-American opera singer who developed her professional path while facing tremendous racial, cultural, and economic barriers. She was a Louisiana native with great vocal potential who attempted to enroll at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, but was denied admission due to segregation. Lenora attended The Juilliard School as an alternative and earned scholarships that covered her tuition for an entire year. She studied with the prestigious faculty member Dusolina Giannini and developed her talent to the degree that she was able to win a John Hay Whitney Fellowship for study abroad. She traveled to Switzerland and established herself as a leading artist, debuting as ‘Aida’ at the Basel Opera House. She later repeated the same role at Covent Garden and made history as the first African-American to perform at the Royal Opera House. Although she did not experience the widespread fame of such contemporaries as Leontyne Price, her international achievements were quite extraordinary for an African-American female of her time. She survived solely on a performance career that was built shortly after World War II and reached its peak prior to the Civil Rights Movement. This study chronicles the musical journey of Lenora Lafayette and examines some of the similarities between her career experiences and those of four other African-American contemporaries. Chapter one will provide a biographical sketch of Ms. Lafayette. It will address her initial interest in singing and her music education. Chapter Two will follow Ms. Lafayette’s performance career. It will discuss some of her early appearances, recount her most significant professional achievement of integrating Covent Garden, and identify some of the performers, conductors, and directors with whom she worked during the course of her profession. It will also discuss the abrupt termination of her career and feature four persons from Baton Rouge whose lives were significantly influenced by her achievements. Chapter Three will provide a brief overview of the careers of four of Lenora’s contemporaries (three females and one male) and will discuss similarities and differences among their career experiences with those of Ms. Lafayette.
Document Availability at the Time of Submission
Secure the entire work for patent and/or proprietary purposes for a period of one year. Student has submitted appropriate documentation which states: During this period the copyright owner also agrees not to exercise her/his ownership rights, including public use in works, without prior authorization from LSU. At the end of the one year period, either we or LSU may request an automatic extension for one additional year. At the end of the one year secure period (or its extension, if such is requested), the work will be released for access worldwide.
Pitcher, Kyla Dean, "The Musical Journey of Opera Singer Lenora Lafayette: A Louisiana Treasure" (2006). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 2936.


Eyo Willie in his Study.
By Eyo Willie
Since 1967 The International Literacy Day celebration occurs on the 9th of September every year.
The Theme for 2023, is captioned, PROMOTING LITERACY FOR A WORLD IN TRANSITION: BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE AND PEACEFUL SOCIETIES.
The importance of literacy as it affects human development cannot be overemphasised.
It’s the most powerful and viable instrument for developing and empowering the citizens to master the social and natural environment, and compete for survival.
A nation’s strength largely lies in the quantity and quality of her human resources. Literacy is the pivot on which development rotates and a fundamental capability building measure for sustainable development.
A critical appraisal of the theme for this year’s celebration (Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies), unfolds the very essence of the moment, as it has to do with the global challenges confronting many nations of the world.
Many nations of the world are faced with unending literacy challenges, especially among the women.
A world in transition, is a world of continuous change; change transforms living, and living transforms life.
A world where literacy is denied is a world of mediocrity, none achievements and underdevelopment.
Literacy over the years has assumed a wider scope in terms of operations, and has therefore gone beyond an individual’s ability to read and write.
In today’s world, literacy is seen as a right and the foundation for all further learning.
Literacy gives people the tools, knowledge, and confidence to improve their livelihoods, to participate more actively in their societies and make informed choices.
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE AND PEACEFUL SOCIETIES.
This by my understanding is the need of the moment, as it will afford people the opportunity to join efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG4), on education and life long learning, and to reflect on the role of literacy in building more inclusive, peaceful, just, and sustainable societies;,by so doing, it will embrace the reciprocal relations between literacy and other areas of development.
Literacy is central to the creation of such societies, while progress in other areas of the development contributes to generating interest and motivation of people to acquire, use, and further develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
Each year’s celebration comes with a unique theme echoing the development and goals of the era.
For 2023, the focus is being laid on:
A ticket for freedom.
A voice in the community and
A bridge to opportunity.
Why has literacy become a Phenomenon?
This has become very imperative due to the critical role literacy plays in creating and generating opportunities for people to be delivered from the clutches of illiteracy and mediocrity.
Research findings in literacy development around the world records an alarming proportion of over 775 million adults who struggle with basic literacy, two thirds of this figure being women.
Celebrating literacy day is a brilliant way to raise awareness of the values of literacy and encourage children and adults alike to develop their literacy skills.
What life would be without the privilege as having the ability to read and write? As it empowers children and adults.
LITERACY HAS BECOME A METAPHOR IN HUMAN AFFAIRS.
Literacy is morality.
Literacy is consumption.
Literacy is pleasure.
Literacy is economic well being.
Literacy is purity.
Literacy is empathy.
Literacy is peace.
As the world celebrate today, we in PENIEL LIBRARY add our heartfelt congratulations to the UNESCO family for their untiring efforts towards the promotion of this laudable programme which has helped to add value to the human development indices.
Eyo Willie is an author and a readership promotion strategist, writes in from Abuja.
Share your thoughts on the story, International Literacy Day Celebration 2023 with Nigerian Kicker in the comments section.


"Why doesn’t it come with a spreadsheet?”
“Where’s the productivity suite?”
“Would this be a tool I could use in my classroom with my students?”
Suddenly I realize that we are thinking like teachers. This tool was not designed for us. According to the OLPC website, the XO laptop was intended to give children
“…tools for writing, composing, simulating, expressing, constructing, designing, modeling, imagining, creating, critiquing, debugging, and collaborating."
“The laptop takes learners beyond instruction. They are actively engaged in a process of learning through doing. …. “
“The laptop helps children build upon their active interest in the world around them to engage with powerful ideas”
The XO laptop was even designed to be taken apart and repaired by kids. No, This Does No Void the Warranty! ;-)
I’m not going to predict the impact of the OLPC, nor argue its merit. But this event certainly has me revisiting thoughts about the impact on society of not providing children with enough opportunity to “explore, express, and learn” . A re we continuing towards the “perfect storm” that Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson warns of if we ignore the “quiet crisis” of not growing the next generation of scientist and engineers?
While educators have become tuned into the fact that more and more kids are coming to school without book sense and are developing researched based programs to address this, a kindergarten teacher in Tennessee worries “about the number of kids coming into my classroom who don’t know how scissors work.” Educational consultant, Jim Moulton, ponders the impact of this and asserts that
“the mastery of scissors is even one of the early steps on the road to Advanced Placement physics or chemistry. I believe that the kinesthetic experience they provide around equilibrium, experience gained in struggling to master this simple tool so as to be able to cut construction paper smoothly, lays a foundation for future complex conceptual understandings.”
It was exactly this type of need that lead Gever Tuller to create the Tinkering School. Despite the provocative title of his Ted Talk “Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do”, the message is really about allowing kids the freedom to explore to make them stronger, smarter, and safer.
Children receiving the XO laptops have not lacked the opportunity to explore the principles of physics in their natural environments, but now have access to a new tool equipped to support their desire to learn, express, and explore. But what about places, where children currently have access to such tools? Do they have access to the opportunity to use these tools the way the XO laptops will be able to be used? Or will the access to these tools continue to be stifled by “teacher think” and “school restrictions” or “lawsuit fears” ?
Having spent many of my teaching years reconciling the need to report on a ‘checklist’ of foundational skills that every student must know about a subject area with my project based learning approach, I understand the struggle. Accountability that is based on reporting what we can measure, doesn’t leave much time for the type exploring, expressing and learning that grows innovators and scientists.
But as I watch the excitement in my “grown up” friends as they explore their little green machines, I have a renewed interest in finding ways to bring back learning by exploration to today’s students. And I’m not talking about waiting for the availability of the XO laptops in your country; I’m talking about reaching for tools that are currently available that will promote this type of learning.
- Let’s dig out our old version of Incredible Machine or look for new games like Crayon Physics that stimulate innovative thinking in our students.
- Let’s get rid of the obstacles that prevent tools like the many WEB 2.0 applications from being fully deployed in schools. Ning, Wikispaces, and Voice Threads are leading the way by adding features that make it possible to safely deploy these excting tools thus supporting this type of learning in schools.
- Let’s share the resouces we find with our fellow educators and support a network of educators who are committed to give this generation of “incredible thinking machines” -- our students—the resources, the permission, the encouragement, the guidance they need to use technology in the spirit of innovation.
I invite readers to share some of the games, tools, web 2.0 apps, etc. that they feel have this type of potential. I’d love to do a followup post filled with these resources.


- Art Education
What goes on these days in a restoration workshop only partially reflects the conventional idea of "artistic-handicraft" activities. Graduate conservator Ulrike Villwock and her restoration department are an integral part of the museum's scientific operations. Over the past decades, it has become increasingly apparent how useful detailed investigation of the material properties of works of art can be.
One of the core tasks is, therefore, to perform extensive technological analyses of objects in terms of the structure of their paint layers. First – using the naked eye, the stereoscopic microscope, UV and infrared – the various substrates, e.g. wood, canvas or copper, are analysed, and then the layers of paint. The aim is to gain information about the material that will allow paintings, panel paintings and coloured wooden sculptures to be better classified in terms of their date or regional provenance. Ideally, analyses of painting techniques will enable conclusions to be drawn about artists or studios. For investigations using other methods, for example dendrochronology, the museum calls in external specialists. The results of such investigations are of great value not only for art restoration research but also for art-historical papers, dissertations and theses. Technological analyses are finding their way into the specialist literature.
Not that the restoration workshop is exclusively about scientific analyses – plenty of actual conservation and restoration work goes on there, too. The works of art at the Suermondt Ludwig Museum are stabilised in terms of their substance, their surfaces are cleaned from time to time, and sometimes also freed of yellowed layers of varnish, darkened touch-up areas or discoloured overpainting. Before the museum's own exhibits can be loaned to other national or international museums, they have to be thoroughly examined to determine whether they are actually in a suitable state of conservation to be loaned out. Supervision of professional packaging and accompaniment of the works of art through to their installation at the temporary exhibition location are essential aspects of securing their conservation.
And conservation is also an important issue when loans from other museums or private collections are received – usually for a period of three months – for temporary exhibitions at the Suermondt Ludwig Museum. Most importantly, the state of conservation of the loans has to be documented and their safekeeping in optimal climatic conditions secured.


4 year olds to 5 year olds
This is the beginning of a special stage in your child's life in getting ready for school. They are learning about independence and self-confidence. Armenta's Early Childhood Development will service Pre-K with TEA (Texas Education Agency.) This program increases children's school readiness through six evidence driven components; Researched based curriculum, technology driven, child's progress monitoring, facilitated teacher professional development, on-going teacher mentoring, and sustainability. Our Pre-School Program offers age appropriate activities that build upon the foundations of early learning skills while focusing on language ability, reasoning, literature, motor skill development, Science, Dramatic and Creative play, Math concepts, Computer Technology, Art, Music, Early Reading, Early Writing, Songs, Games, and Spanish.
AECD will serve hot healthy meals that includes breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. Meals are served family style and children will be able to help with the table setting and clean-up. We practice proper table manners. Teachers encourage the children to taste every food item. Since we are on the USDA program NO FOOD IS ALLOWED IN OR OUT.


JOB PROFILE: Secondary School Teacher
Qualifications and courses
To enter this profession you will need to hold either a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, a BA/BSc degree with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or, if you wish to teach in Scotland, a teaching qualification (TQ). Alternatively, you can complete an undergraduate degree followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) if you live in Scotland. You should study for a degree related to the subject you wish to teach.
Employment-based routes are also available for those who want to work in a school whilst they qualify. The school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) is a 1-year course open to graduates who hold a degree in the subject they wish to teach. Alternatively, the School Direct programme involves training graduates in a classroom environment with the expectation that candidates will go on to work in that same school once qualified. Teach First offers a 2-year Leadership Development Programme in which graduates study for a PGCE whilst training on the job.
All entrants must have GCSE/National 5 passes in English and Maths and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance. Literacy and numeracy skills tests must also be passed prior to acceptance. Relevant work experience will improve your chances of securing entry onto a programme.
As a newly qualified teacher (NQT), you will serve a 1-year probationary period of assessment, monitoring and support after QTS is confirmed.
What the work involves
You will be a specialist in 1 or 2 subjects and teach students aged 11–19.
You will also take on the role of form tutor and be responsible for encouraging personal development and good behaviour.
In state schools, you will follow the National Curriculum. Private and independent schools are free to set their own educational standards.
Type of person suited to this work
You must be patient, caring and have excellent communication skills in order to relate to and teach your pupils. You should also be assertive and able to maintain discipline with large groups of young people.
You must be imaginative and creative to design lessons which capture your students’ attention.
It is important that you are highly organised as this job involves a lot of marking and lesson planning.
You will be based in a classroom and will teach classes from about 9am until 4pm. However, you will have to come in early, stay late and work from home in order to carry out preparation for lessons and finish marking pupils’ work.
Schools are usually open for 39 weeks of the year but teachers often carry out preparatory work during the holidays.
Teachers sometimes go on school trips or visit students on work placements. Modern foreign language and PE teachers should be prepared to go on school trips overseas.
In England, there are currently shortages of teachers for science, maths, modern foreign languages, design and technology, computing and geography in secondary education and many universities offer attractive bursaries in order to encourage graduates to train in these areas.
As you gain experience, you could move into a role as a Key Stage coordinator, a head of a department or year group, or work with other schools as a leading practitioner. You could also go into teacher training, advisory work or become a school inspector. The National College for Teaching and Leadership provides opportunities for gifted teachers to develop their leadership skills.
You should undertake continuing professional development (CPD) throughout your career so as to remain on top of any curriculum changes. Curriculum changes are occurring in both GCSEs and A levels. The replacement of ICT with a new computing curriculum means teachers need to be increasingly confident in elements of computer science.
Helping your students to learn and progress can be very rewarding.
The holiday allowance is very generous.
Pupils can sometimes be difficult and disruptive.
You will have to work from home in order to finish marking and preparing lessons.
Qualified teachers in England and Wales earn £22,917–£33,824. London wages are higher.
With additional responsibilities, you can earn up to £13,027 on top of your base salary.
Leading practitioners typically earn £39,374–£59,857 and those in senior roles can earn considerably more.
Content generously provided by Indigo Trotman.


ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
Mind of a Child, LLC. is a Saturday Reading and Math Virtual Enhancement Program designed with your youngster in mind. Our classes cover grades 2nd through 7th.
In today’s technological world, children are more exposed to information than ever before. As they try to make sense of the world, they need to be equipped with literacy and numeracy skills that will allow them to compete in our diverse, fast-paced society. Children benefit from being able to sift through and think critically about the information they’re presented with.
At Mind of a Child, we strongly believe that children are at a disadvantage when we ask them to merely memorize facts and equations. Our program is designed to shift from didactic methods and, instead, build students’ capacity to apply strategies as they work on reading and math skills.
It is our mission to build confidence in our students by providing a safe space in which to take academic risks as they grow as readers, orators, writers, and mathematicians to compete in this global society in the 2nd Century.
Vocabulary is responsible for 70% of reading comprehension problems in elementary schools." (Source: National Research Council study, 4th graders).
Our main goal is to encourage children to explore and understand the
interconnection of vocabulary knowledge and practices. We demonstrate the relationship between written vocabularies for reading comprehension and writing. In addition, oral vocabulary words for listening and speaking.
Our instructors will implement this central strategy with patience and encouragement to elevate the children to enhance their learning process as they envision their multiple worlds through vocabulary.
"Three-quarters of both 8th and 12th graders lack proficiency in writing, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress. And 40 percent of those who took the ACT writing exam in the high school class of 2016 lacked the reading and writing skills necessary to complete successfully a college-level English composition class,
according to the company’s data.”


Supplementing HMH Foundational Skills Curriculum with Orton-Gillingham Instruction
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) foundational skills curriculum provides an a pathway to literacy forstudents, focusing on phonics and other essential language-based knowledge. However, for some learners, especially those with dyslexia or other reading difficulties, there may be gaps in this approach that require additional resources. This is where the Orton-Gillingham instruction can play a vital role.
Orton-Gillingham is a diagnostic-prescriptive approach to reading instruction, born from the work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham. It is highly individualized and directly addresses the needs of learners with dyslexia or reading difficulties (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006). The key strength of the Orton-Gillingham approach is its multisensory strategy, which incorporates sight, hearing, touch, and movement to enhance reading, spelling, and writing comprehension (Birsh & Carreker, 2018).
One potential gap in the HMH foundational skills curriculum is the customization needed for struggling readers. While HMH provides robust phonics instruction, it might not fully meet the needs of students who need a more individualized approach, especially those with dyslexia. The Orton-Gillingham approach, being diagnostic-prescriptive, supplements the HMH curriculum by providing the level of individualization these students require (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).
A second potential gap lies in the multisensory aspect of learning. HMH focuses predominantly on visual and auditory learning, but research has shown that a multisensory approach that includes kinesthetic elements can be particularly beneficial for students with reading difficulties (Birsh & Carreker, 2018). Implementing Orton-Gillingham strategies can complement the HMH curriculum by incorporating tactile and movement-based activities, which can significantly enhance comprehension and retention for these students.
Lastly, Orton-Gillingham’s systematic and cumulative approach can provide additional scaffolding that many learners need. While HMH’s curriculum is also systematic, the step-by-step progression in Orton-Gillingham, which ensures mastery of one concept before introducing the next, offers a layer of reinforcement that can be particularly beneficial for struggling readers (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).
The Orton-Gillingham approach provides an essential supplement to the HMH foundational skills curriculum for students with reading difficulties. It enhances the HMH curriculum by addressing individual needs through diagnostic-prescriptive instruction, incorporating a multisensory strategy, and ensuring a systematic, cumulative learning experience. While HMH offers a strong literacy foundation, combining it with Orton-Gillingham instruction can provide a well-rounded, more encompassing learning pathway for all students, ultimately leading them to become proficient readers.
Birsh, J. R., & Carreker, S. (2018). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Ritchey, K. D., & Goeke, J. L. (2006). Orton-Gillingham and Orton-Gillingham-Based Reading Instruction: A Review of the Literature. The Journal of Special Education, 40(3), 171–183.


Did you know that many educators would love to show Pixar films in their classroom as a way of promoting social-emotional learning? Unfortunately showing full-length features chews up quite a bit of class time. There’s a solution. Teachers can now use Pixar film shorts to highlight Social Emotional Learning* skills to help strengthen their classroom’s climate and culture.
The goal is for educators to incorporate Pixar film shorts into their instruction to help emphasize social emotional learning skills.
In this course, participants will have opportunity to:
- Teacher will design mini-lessons/ideas based on specific SEL skill
- Teacher will incorporate Pixar Short film of their choice and tailor it to a specific SEL Skill
- Teacher will share reflective piece on how the Pixar short film helped with the Promotion of the skill.
Course Relation to CCS or other Professional Standards
This course aligns to the standards for:
- Using knowledge of students to engage them in learning
- Connecting subject matter to meaningful, real-life contexts
- Using a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet students’ diverse learning needs
- Promoting critical thinking through inquiry, problem solving, and reflection
B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education; M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Certified in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, and TESOL
- 9+ years as an elementary classroom teacher: 4th grade, Kindergarten, and Pre-Kindergarten
- Professional Achievements: National Board Certified Teacher, Student Teaching Fieldwork Liaison, Mentor for teaching interns, STEM Club sponsor
- Lindsey is passionate about developmentally appropriate instruction in early childhood education
- Lindsey's primary purpose is to help teachers understand the foundations of early childhood education to bring into their own primary classrooms and set young students up for success
- Lindsey's personal interests include: traveling, kayaking, hiking, and yoga


My fourteen-year-old sister loves to take barely concealed jibes at my taste in books, which according to her is stale, lame and uninteresting - or in other words, not like John Grisham's "The Firm." I confess to being a fan of classic literature, and th e day I have my own leather bound copy of the Riverside Shakespeare and can flip through the gold-plated pages and smell fresh ink on parchment-thin, crinkling paper, I will be instantly transported to an earthly paradise. (My sister likes the Riverside Shakespeare, too - it's thick, heavy, perfect for combat).
So when the occasional book banner pops up in public schools, I wonder if perhaps the banner is reading classic literature on the same literal, simplistic level that people read books like "The Firm." The latest book banner is Kathy Monteiro, mother of a sixteen-year-old daughter, who emerged last week in Tempe and proclaimed that "Huckleberry Finn" and Faulkner's short story, "A Rose For Emily," should be banned from public school curriculums because they contain the word "nigger."
No one likes to see the "n" word in print, let alone say it aloud in a classroom. The word seems to cause black and white students alike to shift uncomfortably in their seats and cast their eyes at the floor. It is more than simply a pejorative term - it encapsulates in six letters centuries of demeaning and dehumanizing treatment suffered by black Americans at the hands of whites. Yet Kathy Monteiro's instant solution embraces naivety - if the "n" word disappears from the classroom, then racial insensiti vity and prejudice will inevitably follow.
When Mark Twain wrote "Huckleberry Finn," he wasn't trying to be the Howard Stern of early American literature. Mark Twain used words like "nigger" simply because they were commonplace terms, the popular slang of the 19th century. He graphically depicted the demeaning treatment of black Americans (specifically of Jim) in order to criticize this treatment. The themes of Twain's novel transcend writing mechanics; what students remember after reading Huck Finn is not that the novel included the "n" word, but the fact that Jim, supposedly inferior to all the other characters, was more compassionate, more insightful, more HUMAN than any of them. In this context, the "inhumanity" of Jim - and all blacks - seems ludicrous.
In Twain's novel, the "n" word acted as slang and as social commentary; today, the word serves as a good kick in the pants for parents and students alike. Hearing that word reminds us that equal opportunity in America once only applied to a minute few, an d that even in the 20th century, racial and cultural prejudice remain significant issues.
If we remove literature from the classroom which contains the word "nigger," citing racial insensitivity as our motive, then we must be consistent in the kinds of literature we choose to teach in public schools. The implied rape scene in "A Streetcar Name d Desire" hardly seems appropriate for high school students, and will undoubtedly disturb the girls in the classroom. Shakespeare's plays contain murder, incest, blood and gore; Jane Eyre details the intimate desires of a Victorian woman who attempts to h ave an affair with a married man. Actually, any work written prior to the civil rights movement is bound to contain either racial slurs, demeaning incidents, or material which degrades women and denies them a personal and sexual identity. Once all of the standard, canonized literature makes the hit list, what's left to teach in schools? (John Grisham calls from the corridors - "The Firm" stands alone).
Should we brush slavery and racial discrimination under the carpet, as Ms. Monteiro suggests? Should we pretend that words like "nigger" never existed, that segregated schools were barely historical footnotes, that the leaders and champions of the civil r ights movement really had nothing to fight about? Cutting out the historical details of the dehumanization of black Americans trivializes their struggle. Authors like Mark Twain did not present a false, rosy picture of the world, and we cannot deceive our children with such a picture. Works like "Huckleberry Finn" stir us out of our complacency, make us think, and most importantly, help us to remember.
My sister is a smart girl - she'll grow out of her obsession with John Grisham and use the Riverside Shakespeare for something other than a weapon. She will grow up and come to realize the significance of great literature; she will recognize the struggles and triumphs made apparent in passages which are difficult, even painful to read. But unfortunately, there are other people who will never grow up.
Jessie Fillerup is a music education junior. Her column appears Mondays.


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Without pollination many of our fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains could not grow. Insects like the Monarch butterfly provide this essential service for free and consistently support our agricultural industry, while also maintaining natural ecosystems. However, pesticides and habitat loss are causing significant declines in native butterfly and bee species. As part of the “Teaching Tools About Monarchs” resource, this interactive game of “freeze tag” involves students in learning about human impacts on pollinators as they:
Participate in role playing where flowers are “frozen” by threats like herbicides until “pollinated” by a Monarch butterfly.
Describe how impacts like habitat conversion could eventually destroy Monarch's and the plants that depend on them.
Define the ecological role and importance of pollinators.
Describe how humans can support Monarch conservation through action.
This fun, interactive game strengthens Physical Education skills in movement, fair play, safety and respect. Students will also recognize the value of games in building stamina and motor skill development. The associated discussions support Science concepts surrounding biodiversity, interdependence, human impacts on the environment and sustainability.
The attention the activity places on an environmental issue will support a student action project that links healthy living and sustainable food choices. A class could design and build a school “food forest” that features trees that provide food for both pollinators and humans. Fruit trees like apple and cherry could be grown along with berry shrubs. Ground cover could include a combination of wildflowers like Milkweed that is essential to Monarch reproduction and edible wild plants such as blueberries. A class might also involve the local community in the project and apply for funding support through Tree Canada and Learning for a Sustainable Future.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.


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Is Transitional Kindergarten (TK) necessary for my child?
Yes, it helps your child be more prepared for school. It will help set them on the right track academically. Research shows that students attending transitional kindergarten have more advanced literacy and math skills than those who did not attend. They are also more able to control themselves in the classroom.
They will be more prepared for kindergarten since they know what to expect academically and from a classroom environment. This article shows a lot of statistics and highlights some of the differences between preschool and transitional kindergarten
No. While some states are exploring this further and working to make it more available for families, it is not necessary. You need to do what works for your child and your family. Preschool and working with your kid at home (or having a family member or tutor work with them) regarding academic, social/emotional, and life skills are great pre-kindergarten options, too. Only you (and your partner, if applicable) know what is best for your child.
As a parent, you want to make sure that your child is well-prepared for their academic journey. However, with so many education options available, it can be overwhelming to decide what is best for your child. One option that parents often consider is Transitional Kindergarten (TK). But is TK necessary for your child? In this comprehensive guide, we will answer this question and more.
What is Transitional Kindergarten?
Transitional Kindergarten, also known as TK, is a program designed for children who turn five years old between September and December. TK is not mandatory, but it is available in many school districts in the United States. The program is designed to provide children with an extra year of development before entering traditional kindergarten.
Why Consider Transitional Kindergarten?
Transitional Kindergarten can be beneficial for children who need extra time to develop social, emotional, and academic skills. TK also helps children transition from preschool to elementary school by introducing them to a more structured and formal academic setting.
Is Transitional Kindergarten Necessary?
While TK is not mandatory, it can be a valuable option for many children. It provides an extra year of preparation for children who may not be ready for traditional kindergarten. For example, children who are shy, have a learning disability or are not yet proficient in English can benefit from TK. Additionally, children who have not had a lot of exposure to structured learning environments can benefit from TK.
What Are the Benefits of Transitional Kindergarten?
There are many benefits to enrolling your child in TK, including:
Social and Emotional Development: TK provides a supportive environment where children can develop important social and emotional skills such as empathy, cooperation, and communication.
Academic Preparation: TK helps children develop the foundational skills they need to be successful in traditional kindergarten and beyond.
Smooth Transition to Elementary School: TK helps children adjust to the more structured and formal academic setting of elementary school.
Increased Confidence: TK can help children build their confidence by providing them with a positive learning experience.
Individualized Attention: TK classes are often smaller than traditional kindergarten classes, which allows for more individualized attention and support.


Subitizing sounds intimidating, but you may already be teaching it to your littles. Keep reading for subitizing activities for preschoolers.
What is Subitizing?
Subitizing is being able to recognize the number of items instantly without counting them.
Think about when a dice is rolled. By looking at the dice, you can identify the number without counting. That is subitizing!
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
Why is it Important to Teach in Preschool?
Subitizing isn’t only useful when it comes to identifying numbers on a dice.
When kids learn to subitize, they are learning that numbers represent items. But why is that important?
Subitizing is one of the foundational skills that other math concepts (like adding, subtracting, etc.) will build on.
Addition becomes easier once preschoolers know that the number three means three items.
Activities and Ideas for Teaching Subitizing
Start with Few Numbers
Overwhelming your preschooler when teaching subitizing can happen easily. Start with numbers 1-3. Add in more numbers as the preschooler gets the hang of subitizing.
Use Different Images
Avoid only using one kind of number to subitize. Incorporate pictures of hands with fingers up (one hand would have two fingers up, and the other would have three fingers up), tally markers, and dots.
Say “What is the Number” not “Count”
When you ask kids to count, you are looking for 1 to 1 correspondence. This is NOT what subitizing is.
Subitizing is being able to look and say the number without counting.
Phrasing is important to help your little one become successful with subitizing.
Limite the Time
Show the item (or image) quickly, about 2-3 seconds. Allowing your little one to see the items too long can easily turn into counting instead of subitizing.
Roll a die (one dice) and have your preschooler say what number it lands on.
Have your little one jump that many times or dot a piece of paper with a dot marker to show the number they rolled.
Lay dominoes face down. Take turns flipping the dominoes over and saying how many dots are on each end.
If your preschooler is ready, match up the ends of the same number of dominoes (three dots would be placed touching another domino with three dots).
Sticky Note Swatter
Draw large dots, tally markers, or hands on the sticky notes. Place them on the wall or the floor. Using a fly swatter, call out a number and have the preschooler swat the post-it note that has that many dots on it.
Subitize with Clothespins
Have your preschooler clip the clothespin onto the sticky note that matches the number. For example, the clothespin with 4 written on it would be clipped on the sticky note with four tally marks.
This is a great fine motor activity, too!
Subitizing for Preschoolers
Help to encourage a strong foundation in math by teaching preschoolers to subitize. With these ideas and tips, you are set to start subitizing with your preschooler in fun and engaging ways.


This is my 3rd year homeschooling my sons. They are in 2nd, 5th, and 6th grades. I have been slowly trying to incorporate some of the principles of classical education into our homeschool effort. For example, we have begun the study of Latin this year. I am increasingly concerned that I have missed doing the grammar stage properly with my two oldest sons. Is there any way to assess gaps they might have, and catch up?
I’ve heard people discuss this topic, but could never quite understand what people meant by gaps. Do they mean that they are worried because their children didn’t study rocks in the 3rd grade like most public and private school children do, or that they didn’t study the planets in 4th grade? We’re talking here about children not learning the facts in a certain area of study by a certain age level. I think lots of people worry about this. One person I once talked to was quite concerned because her ten year old child knew nothing about the Depression of the ’30’s, and another mother felt like a failure because her son couldn’t recite all the states and capitals by age twelve. These types of worries could drive parents crazy, especially if they stop and think about all the minute facts their child probably doesn’t know, and the even greater number of facts he learned but immediately forgot.
Now, I have a confession to make. We never studied rocks. Never. In fact, we never studied earth science at all. But that’s OK, because I plan on studying the subject with my grandchildren when I have more time. I’m actually looking forward to it.
Classical education is not like the education we parents got in the public school, where we memorized a bunch of facts, took a test, and then went on to the next subject. Classical education is about training minds and developing proper appetites. It’s developing the imagination and creativity. It’s having time to play and explore in the old fashioned way. It’s encouraging a love for learning. It’s building a firm foundation in the child’s mind with memorization and narration. And it’s about learning to obey and serve our heavenly Father. It’s a way of life.
But perhaps the gaps you are worried about are the skill type gaps and foundational knowledge that are important to learn in the early years — things such as basic formal English (and other language) grammar knowledge which could be started at age ten; the basics of formal mathematics which also could begin at age ten (and informal math at earlier ages); and intensive phonics instruction which should begin as soon as the child is ready. These all are foundational stones to the building you are constructing, and any gaps here would need to be repaired.


It would be fairly naïve to assume that I could easily master a new language, with a totally different linguistic system, at the ripe old age of thirty something without lots of trial and masses of error. If I was limited further by being exposed to my new language only once a day, with selected people and practicing only how to talk about the weather I’d probably decide it wasn’t worth the hassle.
Children who have motor difficulties that impact on their speech development are often limited in their opportunities to play and interact in different ways of their choosing. This has widely been discussed in previous research (see Bedrosian, 1997; Blockberger & Sutton, 2003). They are also likely to be introduced to other ways of talking much later than if they were to have developed natural speech, constantly playing ‘catch up’, with language systems that are challenging to learn. Light and Lindsey demonstrated this, back in 1991, when exploring the mismatch between young children’s developmental levels and AAC technologies that were available at the time. Those endless opportunities for children to graze their knees (in a metaphorical and literal sense) were just not there then, and still not present today.
We know that some children understand, develop and learn differently and this isn’t always in a step-wise, developmental way. Language disorder implies a varied pattern of strengths that doesn’t correspond to developmental norms. This means that all children will not necessarily learn the same pattern at a delayed rate. Similarly, as a neurotypical adult, I am unable to empathise with the sensory and emotive occurrences that some children experience. This means, I am constantly missing opportunities to support children to frame and share these experiences with others.
What’s the goal?
We can’t expect that all children will play the piano, if they prefer the drums
If we’re going to begin to give a child a fighting chance of learning to use their AAC technology, perhaps we ought to start digging deeper. What does the child actually want to use it for? What are they currently expressing? Is this very different to what they have currently have available to them?
Often, as language specialists it’s no surprise that we choose to focus on training children to use their AAC to ‘transmit language’ (like telling a joke, answering dad’s question or expressing a dislike of broccoli). This might be completely acceptable and appropriate for them, just as long as their goal is not different to ours. But what happens if the goal for that child is to use their device to enhance their social image or self esteem? Interestingly, Light, Page, Curran & Pitkin (2007) showed that children who were involved in their study of designing devices for other children who used AAC said their friends would prefer devices that had varied functions, not just confined to verbal language.
In reflecting on my clinical work, I can’t help but ask why then am I bound by language development if I know that children follow different trajectories? Should I continue gradually working through the continuum of introducing real objects, before photos, symbols and written words? What happens if we happen to stick with symbols for extended periods? Are we hindering opportunities for supporting literacy development or other forms of expressive communication?
Lots of questions but food for thought, I guess.
Bedrosian, J. (1997). Language acquisition in young AAC system users: Issues and directions for future research. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 13, 179-185.
Blockberger, S., & Sutton, A. (2003). Toward linguistic competence: Language experience and knowledge of children with extremely limited speech. In J. Light, D. Beukelman, & J. Reichle (Eds.), Communicative competence for people who use AAC: From research to effective practice (pp. 63–106). Baltimore, MD: Brookes
Light, J., & Lindsay, P. (1991). Cognitive science and augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Vol. 7, pp. 186-203
Light, J., Page, R., Curran, J., & Pitkin, L. (2007). Children’s ideas for the design of AAC assistive technologies for young children with complex communication needs. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23, 1-14.
Disclaimer: The author of this blog post has no particular preference for pianos or drums and does not assume that either is more appealing than the other.


Includes teamwork, communication and soft skills development
Technology and digital literacy should fundamentally be a core part of every pupil’s education today. Whilst young people are more digitally adaptable, using devices and / or gaming daily, for some their competency levels for further education and the workplace fall short.
The BCS Level 1 Robotics Award is Ofqual regulated and has been developed to engage and introduce young people to tech at an earlier stage of education. The first phase of this qualification can be delivered within collaborative working groups or individually. Plus, your pupils get to build and programme a robot - how cool is that?
"This is such an exciting opportunity for our pupils and something none of us have ever tried before, everyone is learning from the beginning together. It provides children with a new creative outlet, a wealth of fun learning opportunities and potentially setting them up for a career! What a super way to develop a wide range of new skills and have great fun all at the same time!"
The ICDL Robotics qualification package includes:
- Learner materials handbook
- Diagnostic test
- Teacher handbook
- Assessment handbook
- Automated testing and instant results for the online assessment
- and, on successful completion, BCS level 1 certification
Your students will gain foundational skills and knowledge in robotics and the confidence in building and programming a robot using widely available robotics kits and visual programming language.
Main learning outcomes
Build confidence to build and programme a robot using widely available robotics kits and visual programming language
Understand key concepts relating to robots and robotics systems
Identify examples of robots and the main parts of a robot and their function
Understand the elements of a simple control system and how to test it
Understand basic programming concepts and visual programming language
Set up a robot, implement robotic motion and control a robot in an environment
Recommended guided learning hours
- Recommended guided learning hours: 37 hours.
- Recommended total qualification time: 51 hours.
The qualification is assessed within a BCS Approved Centre or school, in two assessment parts.
The first assessment is offline:
The teacher or an independent assessor will verify that the student has demonstrated the required skills. A learner must achieve a pass grade in the offline robotics skills demonstration test to progress to the online test.
The second assessment is online and comprises of:
45-minute online test with 28 questions
Pass mark is set to 75% and over (that’s a score of at least 21 marks out of a possible 28)
Please note home educated learners can sit the assessments at home or another agreed venue. Further details can be found within our page which is dedicated to resources for home educators.
I want to deliver ICDL Robotics
Any centre or school wishing to have an in-depth conversation to address any questions not covered here, please contact your account manager, email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 01793 417445.
Read more about the Level 1 Robotics Award.
Need to know Q&A
We’re preparing for an automated future says Zoe Spilberg, BCS Head of Education.
Teach Secondary review
Read the BCS Robotics review by Adam Riches, a senior leader for teaching and learning.