"In the clear chill of an early April morning in 1775... Captain John Parker,
commanding the Lexington minutemen, directed his drummer boy to go across the road to the Common
and beat the call to arms. And when William Diamond, bringing the enthusiasm of his sixteen years
to the beating of his gayly emblazoned drum, rolled out the call to the village's minutemen,
the War of the American Revolution began."
- from William Diamond's Drum by Arthur Bemon Tourtellot
The William Diamond Junior Fife and Drum Corps is designed to promote the study
of both music and history among young people in Eastern Massachusetts; to perpetuate the traditions of
fife and drum music; and to foster the spirit of fellowship among Americans through the music. This program
is a wonderful, fulfilling experience for young people that cannot be truly explained in words. Every time
these young people perform, hearts of parents, instructors and spectators just want to explode with pride!
It is not uncommon to see the directors and instructors with "tears of pride" following a performance.
Formed on October 22, 2002 in Lexington, the William Diamond Juniors consist of boys
and girls ranging from ages eight to eighteen. We are a teaching corps, and our members receive a quality
music education and an understanding of our great American tradition through the music. Several members
of the local fife and drum and colonial militia community provide instruction. Parental involvement is a
crucial component of our corps, as we function as a family organization. The William Diamond Juniors have
petitioned for and have been granted membership in the Company of Fifers and Drummers, both as individual
and corps members.
The signature sound of colonial New England is the sound of the six hole wooden fife and the rope tension
drum. These are the instruments used by our musicians. Clothing worn by the musicians approximates that
worn by persons of yeoman status, living in Lexington in 1775. Because we are a corps, all musicians dress
alike. Both the uniforms and the instruments are provided.
The William Diamond Juniors has performed in numerous ceremonies, parades and musters both
near and far. Some of these events include the Marlborough Jr. Ancient Fife and Drum Muster in Marlborough,
Connecticut, the annual U.S.S. Constitution Sunset Ceremony, and the annual Patriot's Day events in
Lexington. The William Diamond Juniors have performed in New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade, and in
ceremonies at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia on multiple occasions. In 2005, and again in 2012, the corps
traveled to Switzerland to tour and perform with many of the Swiss fife and drum groups. And in 2013, the
corps will perform on Main Street, USA at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Perhaps the most challenging undertaking attempted by the corps is to host and attend our own
invitational muster. This has become a cherished annual event in Lexington, taking place during the first
weekend of May, and attended by corps from all over New England, and beyond.


When 2-year-old Emily Lynn Phelps was sick and in the hospital, the only thing that would cheer her up was her mom, Sherri, singing "Itty Bitty Baby Girl." "I sang this to Emily when she was an infant, and it totally helped calm her -- and me! -- down," says Sherri, of Hawthorne, California.
Music can have a powerful effect on toddlers' moods: It can distract them, amuse them, pacify them, and even get them to cooperate. How many times have you belted out the "Clean Up" song to encourage your 3-year-old to put away his trucks? Or how often did you sing a silly song to keep your 2-year-old still while you tried to wriggle her into a snowsuit?
What's more, experts say that songs can build cognitive skills and enhance a child's ability to learn. There's no hard evidence that exposing your toddler to music will make him smarter and raise his IQ, but music certainly can make learning easier and more fun. A case in point: A 2-year-old can't memorize the alphabet by reading it, but if he hears the ABC song repeatedly, he'll quickly learn the letters.
The toddler years are the ideal time to get kids to tune in to songs. "If children are exposed to music before they're 5, they'll feel much more free to sing in an uninhibited way later on," says Bonnie Ward Simon, cocreator of the Stories in Music CD series. "There's a key window of opportunity at this age."
Fortunately, it's not too difficult to engage toddlers with tunes. Most instinctively love music, and singing songs together is a great bonding experience for you and your little one. "The most natural way to develop your child's love of music is to expose her to the music you love," says Lori Custodero, DMA, associate professor of music and music education at Columbia University Teachers College, in New York City. Here are some ways for both of you to enjoy the sounds -- and benefits -- of music.


Western offers many degrees focused on or related to the principles of sustainability.
|Are you excited by how natural systems work? Do you want to solve the problems of the natural environment caused by human activities? Do you love to work outdoors? Do you love the sciences and scientific inquiry?
Environmental Science draws on basic knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological and quantitative aspects of natural systems. The knowledge of how natural systems work is applied to solving problems largely created by human activities. Often these problems are represented by disturbances in the functioning of natural systems. Humans are altering their own life-support systems – the air, the water and soil. The scale of disturbance ranges from the molecular and cellular to individuals, populations, ecosystems, and regional and global levels.
The Environmental Science major will acquire the scientific and problem solving skills needed to conserve and restore the natural environment.
Students of Environmental Science will go directly into an environmental science career or on to graduate school to further their study. (Minor also available)
|Are you excited about teaching people about the environment? Do you want to help people learn to make environmental choices in their lives? Do you love to work outdoors with children or adults?
The major consists of four distinct parts. First, students acquire an understanding of the content of environmental studies. Second, students examine the process of education for an environmental perspective. Third, students investigate ways of applying environmental education content and techniques in the professional roles they may pursue. Fourth, students participate in internships, a field practicum, or research.
Graduates of this major have assumed positions as teachers in private schools, as interpreters with resource management agencies, as staff in programs for special populations such as at-risk youth and persons with disabilities, among others, and with wilderness education non-profits. (Minor also available)
|Are you interested in the laws and policies that govern environmental change?
||Graduates of this major have assumed positions as teachers in private schools, as interpreters with resource management agencies, as staff in programs for special populations such as at-risk youth and persons with disabilities, among others, and with wilderness education non-profits. (Minor also available)
|Do you want to use your knowledge and skills to promote positive change in the environment?
Environmental Studies draws on basic knowledge of how natural systems work and is applied to solving problems largely created by human activities. Often these problems are represented by disturbances in the functioning of natural systems. In addition to the study of the natural environment, a study of laws and policy related to the environment provides a foundation for solving environmental problems. (Minor also available)
|Do you like teaching children about the environment? Do you want to teach people to make environmental choices?
This program fulfills the academic major requirements for elementary education candidates who wish to have a solid background in studies related to the environment.
Although environmental studies itself is not an endorsable area, some of the courses might be counted toward endorsement in other areas. Students should contact a faculty advisor for clarification of course work applications. This major must be accompanied by the professional preparation program in Elementary Education offered through Woodring College of Education.
Degrees By Category
- Business and Sustainability Major
- Energy Policy Minor
- Sustainable Design Minor
- Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Major
- Economics/Environmental Studies Major
- Environmental Studies – Elementary Major
- Environmental Science Major/Minor
- Environmental Education Major/Minor
- Environmental Policy Major/Minor
- Environmental Studies Major/Minor


|Michael Catalano Artist & Educator||
If you were famous what would you be famous for ?
Students looked at the famous celebrity screen prints of Andy Warhol. They were asked if they were famous what would they be famous for? This student desired to explore outer space and become an astronaut and become famous for discovering a new galaxy. The students realized their portraits through the relief printmaking process.
Pop Art Inspired Paper Maché Sculptures
Students looked at the sculptures of Claes Oldenburg and noticed the scale, color and materiality of the artwork. A group discussion on the art movement of Pop Art and why Claes Oldenburg's sculptures are part of the movement was facilitated. Students then created a preliminary sketch of what their favorite food looks like and shared it with the class. They then learned the meaning of a "sculpture in the round" and the art principle of form. Students brought their preliminary sketches to life with their own paper maché constructed favorite food Pop Art inspired sculptures.
Mexican Bark Painting
Third grade students learned about the Myan culture by looking at Chichen Itza. They learned that Chichen Itza was the city center and that the Myans used natural resources in the surrounding jungle for supplies. The Amate tree produces bark that the ancient Mexican cultures used for recording data, correspondence and making art. We created paintings that depicted jungle scenes that had non-patterned repetition and visual movement. Students finished their paintings by adding white accents to balance their composition.
Visual Literacy: Decoding Meaning
One of the aims of art education is for students to create and express meaning. After clean-up students are paired up to read and decode each artwork's meaning. Students chose a speaker to share their interpretation with the class.
First grade students looked at Alexander Calder’s mobile, Lobster Trap and Fish Tail as inspiration for their own mobiles. We identified interior and exterior lines and learned that Calder’s mobiles were kinetic. Students created continuous line drawings of fish without picking up their pencil. They then added 4 inside (interior) lines. We then traced our drawings using easy bend colored wire. Students pushed their fine motor skills by connecting their fish and constructing their mobiles. They then added hanging geometric shapes to make their mobiles truly kinetic.
Ceramic Free Draw Tiles
Students had an opportunity to draw freely and incorprate things that were important to them. They then took their favorite drawings and brought them into the third dimension by sculpting them into clay tiles. The tile to the left was one of the students experiences in ballet class. The one below was a a piece of a comic strip of Zombies that the student had been ferociously working on for days. Both turned out different beautiful 3D renditions of their drawings in unique ways that showcased the student's choice and voice.
Newtown's own Bates Motel
Students were taught linear perspective. They chose their favorite building around Newtown and created a reinterpreted postcard of it in their own way. This student turned an old historic inn into its haunted version. He labeled it "From Newtown to the Bates Motel."
African Inspired Ancestral Human / Animal


Call for tougher GCSE tests on literacy and numeracy welcomed
Employers' leaders in Wales have welcomed proposals to improve the reading, writing and maths abilities of teenagers.
A review into qualifications says "more challenging" GCSEs should explicitly test literacy and numeracy skills.
It was responding to concern from businesses and universities that standards are not high enough.
The CBI said the report's emphasis on literacy and numeracy was critically important.
The independent review into qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds says GCSEs are not reliable indicators of skills in the so-called 'three Rs'.
"Some employers and universities consider that grade C, or even above, does not guarantee sufficient literacy or numeracy," it says.
Only 13% of the marks in GCSE English language this year were for spelling, punctuation and grammar. Students could still get an A-C grade without those marks.
The report says Welsh first language GCSE places more emphasis on the three core skills, but in both languages weaknesses in some areas can be compensated by strengths in others.Practical skills
It says introducing "more challenging GCSEs, which more explicitly assess literacy and numeracy, could improve the relevance of core GCSEs and help increase public confidence in these key subjects".
There should be "significantly more emphasis" on the quality and accuracy of writing, it says.
And it calls for two maths GCSEs - one on numeracy and the other covering aspects of mathematics techniques.
CBI Wales director Emma Watkins said: "The emphasis on literacy and numeracy is critical. First and foremost businesses need young people with functional literacy and numeracy skills, and it is crucial that there is an understanding of how to practically apply these skills in context, as well as reforms to GCSE English and maths."
End Quote Angela Burns Conservatives education spokeswoman
We need robust qualifications to restore confidence and drive up standards to meet the best in international comparisons”
She also welcomed a recommendation that pupils receive the same Welsh Baccalaureate qualification at each level, regardless of whether they do academic or vocational subjects.
The review says vocational courses should give pupils a general introduction to an industry, rather than training them for a specific job.
The recommendations on GCSEs follows a row between the Welsh and UK government over this summer's English exams.
Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews ordered the WJEC exam board to re-grade papers, saying the way that grade boundaries were set had been unfair to Welsh pupils.
The qualifications review recommends setting up a new body to regulate exams.'Restore confidence'
Elaine Edwards, general secretary of teaching union Ucac, said: "In the wake of the highly politicised GCSE English debacle this year, there is a very serious need to renew the credibility and integrity of the regulatory systems."
In a statement, the WJEC said the proposals on regulation "merit further evaluation and detailed discussion, however these must not distract from the urgent need to develop 14-19 qualifications and learning programmes which fully meet the needs of young people in Wales".
The board also endorsed the idea that qualifications in Wales should diverge from the system in England.
For the Conservatives, shadow education minister Angela Burns said: "After a series of damning league tables and statistics laying bare failings in the Welsh education system, we need robust qualifications to restore confidence and drive up standards to meet the best in international comparisons."
Welsh Liberal Democrats education spokesman Aled Roberts said: "The mess that unfolded this summer highlighted that it shouldn't be left to the education minister to be the sole decider on the way exams are awarded.
"It is crucial that this new regulator is very much independent from the Welsh government."
Plaid Cymru spokesman Simon Thomas said: "In the past, I have raised my concerns about the growing marketisation of the exam system, and have advocated a single exam board structure as a means creating a fairer playing field.
"It is vital that Welsh students can have their abilities measured through a unified, standardised and above all, fair system and I therefore welcome the review's recommendation to establish a single regulatory body."


This course is designed to permit students to update knowledge and skills in current educational technology and apply this learning for use in educational programs for students in pre-kindergarten through college programs. Such applications include methods of using computers, digital design, video and audiovisual technologies in literacy development, content area programs, instructional management, and the arts, as well as others appropriate to preservice and inservice professions. Participation in the course presumes subject matter knowledge and basic computer literacy on the part of the students. Final course outcomes include application of material to the classroom/workplace. These ETA offerings bring students with specific needs, instructors with unique expertise and facilities with appropriate resources together for intensive and highly-focused learning experiences. May be repeated.
Credits: 1-3 hrs.
Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate Students. May be repeated.
Online Availability: Fall, Spring, and Summer I sessions


NIOS Board, India
National Institute of Open Schooling
NIOS is an autonomous organization, established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), government of India in the year 1989; based on the National Education Policy. The organization was accomplished with a main objective of fostering educational standards in the distance education and open school schemes in India.
The planned, systematic functioning of this system has enabled more than 1 million students to experience education from 2004 to 2009 at secondary and senior secondary levels. This system has rendered its hand in helping the students, who are undergoing education through home schooling; it helps the students to prove their credibility via its accredited, quality examinations, which are certified equally to the 10th and 12th board examinations. It is not a system, which is found under haste; it comprises of well planned departments and courses with standard curriculum and examination schemes. Through its schemes of programs, it provides the elementary education to school drop-outs; out of school learners and neo literates. It has got various departments/units to aid its operations, successfully; such as, academic; vocational; student support services; administration; evaluation… The detailed portrayal of its various education schemes are listed as follows:
This course is equivalent to the 10th standard in its quality of education. The students would be allowed to choose the subjects, as in the normal board education system; however basic five subjects would be mandatory.
Senior Secondary Course
This course would be equivalent to the 12th standard. This allows the students, who have passed 10th from any recognized board to continue education to the senior secondary level, which is equivalent to the 12th standard certification.
Open Basic Education (OBE)
It offers preliminary education, which is equivalent to the formal school educational system and it offers education at three levels: Level A, equivalent to class.3; Level B, equivalent to class.5; Level C, equivalent to class.8.
Under this scheme, certificate and diploma courses are offered in open schooling education to any individual, who is 21 years of age and above; anyhow, a minimum, prior open schooling experience would be required to appear to this program. It comprises three levels of certifications, such as, Certificate in Open Schooling (COS); Advance Certificate in Open Schooling (ACOS); and Diploma in Open Schooling (DOS). This program is offered to anybody; not only within the country, but also at the international level, provided the individual has obtained a graduate degree. This scheme covers more than 83 courses in various areas in a broad way, which includes agriculture; engineering and technology; home science and hospitality management, etc.
Life Enrichment Courses
Under this, the NIOS conducts some enhancement programs, such as, ‘Women Empowerment’; ‘Yoga’; ‘Hindustani Music’, etc. No examinations are conducted for such programs; however certificate courses are available, as a means of knowledge credibility.
The NIOS is also collaborating with the international organizations like, UNESCO and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) for its mission of education promotional activities in the country. The great efforts taken by the Indian government in constituting institutions like NIOS, which is distinct in its mission of making education possible to almost, all the citizens, who would rather be denied of the normal school education for many reasons in the country, is really commendable! I would definitely take my hat off to NIOS for fulfilling the dreams of longing desires on education!
- NIOS Board
- NIOS Form
- NIOS Sample Papers
- NIOS Syllabus
- NIOS Study Material
- NIOS On-Demand Exam


Shaping Literacy in the Secondary School: Policy, Practice and Agency in the Age of the National Literacy Strategy
Graduate studies at Western
British Journal of Educational Studies 51 (1):20 - 35 (2003)
|Abstract||This article examines the definitions of literacy in operation in secondary schools, and the relationship between official literacy policy and the practices of the agents responsible for implementing this policy. We trace the history of national 'policy' back to the Language Across the Curriculum movement of the 1970s as it provides an illustrative point of comparison with the first five years of the National Literacy Strategy. Drawing on empirical data which illuminate the views, perceptions and practices of key agents on a number of levels, we critically review the concept of 'school literacy' promoted in government policy, defining it as 'school-centric literacy' and question its ability to facilitate participation in the practices associated with the media and technological literacies which are increasingly a feature of school life. There is evidence of some unplanned effects of the current national policy but also that levels of agency, for literacy teachers in particular, may be rapidly diminishing.|
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The Tuneables is an award-winning children's music education DVD and CD series designed to teach the key building blocks of music at a critical time in a child's development. Sponsored by the Music Intelligence Project, this fun, interactive program engages children in songs and activities that provide a foundation of music understanding and growth in intellectual development. Ages 3-8.
Buy your copy today at: www.thetuneables.com/the-music-shop/
About Us » Our History
The Music Intelligence Project is rooted in the experiences of Drs. Patsy and Robert Johnson's teaching music to young children. As professional music educators, they recognized the potential for significant music learning in their own preschool-aged children, so they began in the early 1970s looking for materials and resources that would provide beneficial educational experiences in music for them. Although the Johnsons were experienced with music training programs for young children — most notably the Suzuki violin program—they recognized a need for a program of instruction for young children that was easily accessed by children and parents and that could provide the foundation for any specialized or advanced music learning.
Building on the writings of such authors as Frances Webber Aronoff and Edwin E. Gordon and drawing on their own experiences in teaching music, the Johnsons crafted a unique curriculum for young children that focused on developing the singing voice, listening skills, and movement. Additionally, the curriculum developed conceptual understandings of melody and harmony, rhythm, and musical design. As graduate students, the Johnsons implemented this program in response to the interests of parents of preschool children in married-student housing at the University of Michigan.
From an initial enrollment of 35 students, the program quickly gained a reputation among parents as a successful, necessary experience for their children. As enrollments mushroomed, the program drew the attention of the University of Michigan's School of Music and Robert was asked to offer a graduate level course in teaching music to young children, the first of its kind at the University.
Following graduate school, the Johnsons continued to develop their program. They offered classes privately and in schools, developed courses in teaching music to preschool children at universities, designed audio and video materials, and gave hundreds of workshops for teachers in early childhood education in local, regional, and national meetings.
The Johnsons, in their positions as university professors, examined the effects of their program. They found that children who participated in the Johnson's preschool music curriculum had higher success rates in subsequent music study on a musical instrument, scored higher on a readiness test for Kindergarten, and were found by their school teachers to have better listening skills than children who had not participated in the program.
More recently, research scientists on brain development strongly confirmed that substantive music instruction for young children, the type of instruction that was offered in the Johnsons' program, has a beneficial effect on a child's overall intellectual development. This confirmation along with the recent developments in electronics led to the creation of the Music Intelligence Project in order to utilize the powerful presentation and interactive potential found through multimedia platforms including interactive computer activities, audio and videos. Led by their daughter Jill Todd, the Music Intelligence Project, develops programs designed to teach young children these important foundational music skills in and interactive, engaging and accessible way.


DATE : 10th August 2011
DAY : Wednesday
TIME : 8.00 am – 5.00 pm
LOCATION : E-Learning Building, UPSI
PARTICIPANT : PE teachers, lecturers,Tutors, coaches, TID officer
8.00 am – 8.45 am : Registration of participant
9.00 am – 9.15 am : Opening ceremony
9.15 am – 11.15 am : Session 1 (Susan Walker)
11.15 am – 11.30 am : Break
11.30 am – 12.30 pm : Oral Presentation
12.30 pm – 2.00 pm : Break
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm : Session 2 (Susan Walker)
4.00 pm – 4.15pm : Closing ceremony
SESSION 1: PHYSICAL LITERACY – HOW IMPORTANT IS IT? CURRENT RESEARCH INDICATIONS
This workshop investigates current research into physical literacy from both a health and performance perspective. Should a physical education curriculum be underpinned by physical literacy and what would that look like? Can the rise in obesity be partly addressed by an effective physical education programme in schools? This course offers delegates the opportunity to experience and develop knowledge in the following areas:
• Physical literacy development
• Philosophy for curriculum design
• Current research indications
• Projects incorporating a physical literacy approach
• Motivation and enjoyment
SESSION 2: DEVELOPING PRACTICAL ABCs – TASTER SESSION
ABCs is a new programme which offers a unique CPD opportunity for infant/primary teachers delivered in a 2 hour workshop led by qualified instructors. The programme is supported by a set of carefully designed resource cards that will enable teachers/AOTTs to select appropriate material to use with specific classes dependent upon pupils developmental level, ability level, age and sex.
The rationale for developing this innovative and exciting programme is based upon substantial research which highlights the need to focus the development of physical literacy on ‘windows of accelerated adaptation’. These are periods of time when physiologically children are more susceptible
to specific physical developments.
This program would be extremely beneficial for those who work with children aged 5 – 14 through physical activity.
What is ABC’s?
Current concerns over an increase in obesity, combined with a reduction in physical activity for both children and adults make the delivery of physical education in schools critical. It has been suggested that the most crucial time to encourage and enable lifelong participation in physical activity is during early childhood and this programme provides a different, fun, appropriate and adaptable way to inspire and motivate young children to develop their physical literacy.
Contact: Dr. Nur Ikhwan Mohamad
Email: firstname.lastname@example.org Phone: 013-373 8394
Sekiranya ada yang berminat dan memerlukan surat rasmi, boleh berhubung dengan nombor telefon di atas.


WVU Parkersburg’s teacher preparation program emphasizes the practical model. The model focuses on the theoretical, development, and technological aspects of the knowledge base that are prerequisites to the daily demands required to be a professional educator in a school environment.
The program’s conceptual framework, Architects of the Future, prepares an educator who applies his/her skills and knowledge to shape and construct the future by educating tomorrow’s leaders…today’s children and youth. The framework is supported by six specific, yet interrelated components:
What teachers do today affects tomorrow!
Elementary Education – BA
with six specializations:
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education qualifies students to be eligible to receive certification to teach in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms in the state of West Virginia. Specialization endorsements are added on to the K-6 degree and qualify students to be certified to teach in the area of specialization.
The paraprofessional certificate qualifies students to be classroom aides, classroom paraprofessionals and special education aides
With the increase in teacher retirements, teaching positions will become more prevalent especially in high need areas of Mathematics and Science.


Take Five for Education: UT Experts Describe Good Homework Habits
KNOXVILLE — Schools are back in session and students (and parents!) may be facing that often-dreaded evening activity: homework.
How can you successfully get back into the homework habit?
Here are five suggestions from Amy Broemmel and Kristin Rearden, both associate professors in UT Knoxville’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Broemmel teaches elementary education and reading education; Rearden teaches elementary education and science education. In addition, each woman is the mother of three children age 13 and younger.
1) Boost Brain Power — Make sure children have the fuel they need to do their work. Do homework after dinner or give kids a high-protein snack before they begin. Good snacks include apple slices with peanut butter, graham crackers and milk, cheese cubes or granola. Also, Rearden said, break up long stretches of homework with some exercise. “For instance, you might say, ‘Do your math homework and then come outside with us for a while,” she said.
2) Secure a Space — Find a good spot for children to do their homework. “Some kids can focus no matter what; others need quiet,” Broemmel said. “You have to know your child.” You also may need to limit possible distractions, including the TV, cell phones and iPods. Also, whether kids do their homework at the kitchen table or in their bedroom, make sure you check in periodically to ensure the work is getting done.
3) Advise without Answering — Remember, it’s their homework; not yours. Look over your children’s homework and, if you see they’ve made mistakes, coach them — but don’t just give them the answers. When it comes to reading, don’t always insist the child read to you. “Fifteen minutes of you reading aloud beats 15 minutes fighting to get your child to do the reading,” Broemmel said.
4) Look Long-term — In addition to tackling tonight’s homework, make sure your children are keeping track of what’s due at the end of the week and at the end of the month. Parents have to help their children learn how to organize “even if it takes sitting down together and plotting assignments out on a calendar,” Rearden said.
5) Monitor the Minutes — The National PTA suggests that the appropriate amount of homework is 10 minutes per night per grade. That means a first-grader should have about 10 minutes of work, a second-grader should have about 20 minutes, etc. “If your child is spending significantly more than that on homework, have a talk with your child’s teacher,” Broemmel said.
For parents who have more than one young child, the experts suggest trying to get one working independently on an assignment while you work with the other — and then switch. Staggering bedtimes can give you one-on-one time with children. And having an older child read to a younger one can help them both.
And, when you’re on the go, have your children log some reading time by listening to one of their favorite chapter books on CD.
C O N T A C T :
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, firstname.lastname@example.org)


Emergent Literacy Intervention: Evidence-Based Practice
[+] Enlarge Image
Audio CD and Manual, Additional Manual(s)
Laura Justice, PhD
Emergent literacy knowledge paves the way for children’s eventual attainment of critical literacy skills, including reading and spelling. Preschoolers and kindergartners experiencing emergent literacy difficulties may have insufficient knowledge to profit from early reading instruction, thereby placing these children at risk in their ability to meet the academic rigors of first grade and beyond. This audio self-study identifies key aspects of emergent and early literacy development, including print awareness and phonological awareness, with a focus on current evidence-based strategies for providing early interventions to facilitate children’s earliest achievements in literacy. Strategies described include shared storybook reading, environmental modification, and published curricula. Approaches to designing multi-tiered, collaborative, classroom-based programs are presented.
You will be able to:
- list major accomplishments in early childhood literacy development
- describe risk factors in emergent literacy development
- apply evidence to design high-quality emergent literacy programs for at-risk youngsters
View the Table of Contents [PDF]d literacy programs
Instructor Disclosure: Not available. The content for this program was developed and published prior to the ASHA Continuing Education Board requiring instructional personnel to provide financial and nonfinancial disclosure statements.
11/17/2011 to 8/15/2014


Teach a Child with Autism Math and Numeracy with an Apple ipad and a Number Line
Teaching maths to a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders or special needs can be a difficult task, however if you can find a way to teach them that is fun for the child and yourself then it can be much easier.
There are certainly many methods and teaching aids to teach an Autistic child basic adding and subtraction. One method we have used in the therapy room is using small coloured discs as digits so the child can add them or subtract them accordingly, this also works for basic multiplication and division by grouping the discs.
Another fun way for children to learn addition and subtraction is with a number line. See the video for a demo of a number line.
We recently purchased an Apple ipad for Isy, as an educational tool and teaching aid as well as for entertainment. We were recommended the Apple ipad and some Apps by her speech and occupational therapist, as well as having one in her classroom at her special education school, so we took the plunge and never looked back.
One App in particular which Isy has taken a liking to and I must admit we enjoy as well is called – Math Bingo, it is available through the Apple iTunes store for $1.19 and it’s worth every cent.
The object of the game is to select the correct answer for the sum and try and get the answers into a continuous row a soon as possible to score bingo (just like real bingo). The game has some cute looking bugs called “bingo bugs” they are animated with entertaining sounds which the kids love. You can select addition, subtraction, multiplication and division or a mixture of all four.
Once bingo is scored they can select to play again or play one round of “bingo bug bungee” where they launch a bug into some disks to score points. The bingo bug bungee also teaches them the basics of geometry and is great fun for (young and old). See the video for a demo.
This is just one method we have found of teaching a child with or without special needs some basic math and numeracy skills. The Apple ipad has many great Apps that can be used as teaching aids and educational sources for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, special needs or no special needs. There is even a Special Education section in the Apple iTunes store, with literally heaps of Apps covering all aspects of education and social skills building, as well as particular Apps for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders, check it out!
© 2011, IsyB Family. All rights reserved.


Teacher - Early Childhood
Early childhood teachers plan and conduct education programs for young children.
Early childhood teachers may perform the following tasks:
- plan activities using a variety of materials and equipment to develop good coordination, social skills, creativity, self-expression and an interest in learning
- promote language development and self-confidence through storytelling, drama, music and discussions
- help to organise and participate in excursions to enhance learning experiences
- encourage children to question and explore the world in which they live
- observe children to evaluate and record their progress and to detect signs of developmental disorders, ill health or emotional disturbance
- recommend appropriate programs for further development
- work with guidance officers, speech pathologists and psychologists to assist children with special needs
- help integrate children with special needs into mainstream classes
- promote health and safety concepts and social interaction with other children
- promote awareness and appreciation of diversity in multicultural societies
- attend to sick children and those in need of first aid
- comfort children who are hurt or distressed
- assist children with their toileting and personal hygiene
- discuss aspects of children's development with parents and other educators
- discuss the aims of the education program with parents
- participate in community activities and parent/staff committees
- supervise and work with student teachers and trainee childcare workers.
Early childhood teachers work in state or territory pre-school centres, early education classes, community kindergartens and community childcare centres.
- able to relate to children and their families
- a keen desire to teach children
- willing to learn
- good problem-solving skills
- sound literacy and numeracy skills
- high-level planning and organisational skills
- enthusiasm, tact, patience and a sense of humour
- prepared to work outside of school hours.
Education and Training, Employment Opportunities and Additional Information
Select the State/Territory you are interested in:


This page contains some useful resources and links to help teachers in their art teaching. You will basically be directed to websites where you can find art materials, videos, printables, worksheets, activities, games, and many other teaching ideas that are art informed.
1- Songs for Teaching
2- Art Smart
This is a great website full of art resources that aim at engaging students in the creative process through artistic inquiry into topics that span many different subject areas of the curriculum. Their purpose is to improve student engagement and cultivate 21st century learning skills such as the capacity to think creatively, understand deeply, take control of learning, work
3- Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
FREE is a platform that is sponsored by the American government and that has over 1.500 federally supported teaching and learning resources collected from dozens of federal agencies. FREE makes it easy for you to find learning and teaching resources not only about art but any other subject matter. You can use the Subject Map on the left to start navigating the site.
5- Teaching Ideas
This an excellent resource full of teaching ideas and resources for art teachers. It also contains materials for teaching other subjects.
6- Teacher Vision Art Resources
Emphasize the importance of art education throughout the year with TeacherVision's art lesson plans, printables, activities, quizzes, and references, perfect for art teachers at the elementary, middle, or high school level
7- Art Ideas for Teachers
Here you will have access to all the materials you might in your art teaching. These materials are divided into grade categories


Coteaching reading comprehension strategies in elementary school libraries
For Immediate Release
CHICAGO — Time-strapped educators may wonder whether partnering with school librarians can realistically improve students’ scores, but studies show that collaboration improves overall effectiveness in increasing students’ reading comprehension. As part of the U.S.-wide drive to improve test scores and build a nation of readers, “Coteaching Reading Comprehension Strategies in Elementary School Libraries: Maximizing Your Impact,” published by ALA Editions, offers proven teamwork tools to accomplish both goals. Judi Moreillon, a veteran teacher-librarian, updates “Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension” to draw on cutting-edge research in instructional strategies, offering a clear, rigorous roadmap to teaching reading comprehension in a proven collaborative process. Incorporating the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, Moreillon presents:
- Strategies for improving reading comprehension, complete with updated graphic organizers, sample lesson plans and technology-centered examples;
- Practical steps for streamlining the coteaching lesson-planning process, boiling it down to three levels of literacy development;
- Techniques for strengthening collaborative partnerships through flexible design and delivery ;
- Guidance for incorporating library programs into research-driven teaching practices.
Moreillon is a literacies and libraries consultant and assistant professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University, and author of the companion book “Coteaching Reading Comprehension Strategies in Secondary School Libraries: Maximizing Your Impact.” She teaches courses in librarians as instructional partners, school library administration, multimedia resources, storytelling and children’s and young adult literature. She earned her master’s degree in library science from the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Arizona and a doctorate in education at the same university in the Department of Language, Reading, and Culture. During her 13-year tenure as a school librarian, she has collaborated with classroom teachers, specialists and principals at the elementary, middle and high school levels to integrate literature and information literacy into the classroom curriculum. She has also served as a district-level school librarian mentor, a literacy coach, a classroom teacher and a preservice classroom teacher educator. She chaired the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) School Librarian’s Role in Reading Task Force and served on the AASL Guidelines and Standards Implementation Task Force. She is currently researching the leadership and instructional partnership roles of school librarians and factors that influence preservice classroom teachers’ understanding and practice of classroom-library collaboration.
ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or email@example.com.


How to Be an Effective Teacher
Being an effective teacher
is harder than it may seem. It is something which comes naturally to some yet not at all to others.
With the first day of school being the one on which children may feel at their most vulnerable, they really can be a tough audience and will often make their minds up about their teacher
before the lunch bell. They are away from their family home, with a new selection of peers and being faced with new challenges – all factors which can contribute to an anxious atmosphere which, in turn, can contribute to a harsh, possibly unfair, judgement.
However, it is not all bad news. In order to tranquilise the troubles first day nerves and tensions may bring about, teachers can be most effective. An air of confidence will not only assure the children who the authority figure is but will also give them faith in the capabilities of said authority figure.
Sensitivity and tact are other ever-present characteristics in an effective teacher. Children are constantly in a process of change, maturing - under adequate guidance - to be educated and responsible young adults. Teachers
play a vital part in this process. Not only do effective teachers
lead their pupils, they assist them on their path to maturity, resolving problems, calming worries, encouraging strengths and receiving graduate certificates
. This is the key to being an effective teacher, an individual approach to each pupil. Not every child matures at the same rate, with the same confidence, as the next – a fact which emphasises the need for thought and sensitivity to be considered as fundamental requirements in every teacher.
Here at Teacher-appreciation.info
, we find that the most popular teachers recognised in our teacher appreciation gallery
are those with something special about them. Like the invaluable traits discussed above, it could be that they show kindness or sensitivity when faced with a particularly difficult situation, that they are funny and have the ability to make even the dullest subject entertaining or that they set an example – say of confidence, character or personal strength – which inspires students to reach to achieve their potential and objectives. A great tip for being an effective teacher is to consider students reaching their potential and objectives as your goal; such an aim will function as a platform for inspiration when developing a successful and rewarding career.
Another essential criterion is to choose the right school to be able to optimize your training when taking your teachers exams. There are a lot of Elementary Education degrees see what is best for you.


National moment of remembrance
The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day, to pause in an act of national unity for a duration of one minute. The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather, it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died in service to the United States.
The idea for the Moment was born when children touring the Nation’s Capital were asked by the Commission’s Director what Memorial Day means. They responded, “That’s the day the pool opens.” A Gallup Poll revealed that only 28% of Americans knew the true meaning of Memorial Day. The White House Commission on Remembrance was established by Congress (PL 106-579) to promote the values of Memorial Day by acts of remembrance throughout the year.
As laid out in Public Law 106-579, the National Moment of Remembrance is to be practiced by all Americans throughout the nation at 3pm local time. At the same time, a number of organizations throughout the country also observe the Moment: all Major League Baseball games halt, Amtrak train whistles sound across the country, and hundreds of other nationwide participants remind Americans to pause for the Memorial Day National Moment of Remembrance.
Other participants include:
- Empire State Building
- National Grocers Association
- Statue of Liberty
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
- National Constitution Center
- United Spinal Association
- Delaware Park
- Liberty Bell
- National Association for Music Education
- Bugles Across America
- Getzen Instrument Company
Each year at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day, Americans unite in a National Moment of Remembrance which honors America’s fallen and their families. During this Moment, 200 Amtrak trains blast their whistles, approximately 500,000 Major League Baseball fans are joined in silence, and countless other participants make a vow to remember.


A research project investigating the impact of the art education on artistic production from the 1960s to the present day and its relationship to the wider themes of education, culture and society.
Tates research on the interrelated histories of art education, artists relationships with society, and the impact of art pedagogy on artistic production supports the museum’s strategic aim of working with a wide community of artists. Art School Educated reflects the fact that, despite their long history, distinguished national record and recent transformation, a comprehensive history of UK art schools has never been written.
This three-year project represents a first stage in this work and will identify the decisive reforms in the curriculum of the major London art schools from the 1960s to the present day, and ask how the curricula that were adopted relate to the output of the artists whose work is represented in Tates collection.
The project aims
The researchers will explore the impact of art pedagogy on artistic production and advance our understanding of the role that art schools have played in relation to broader educational, cultural and social realms. The project team will include social and education historians working alongside Tate art historians and curators.
They will identify the paradigm institutions and historic periods, which will form the starting points for a set of case studies, and seek to explain how pedagogic goals have changed and what now are the values placed on the liberal tradition of fine art and the (applied) arts of design?
Original, primary research on designated art schools will form the basis of new institutional histories and accounts of curriculum development.
Tate as a national centre for the study of the history of art education
The project seeks to confirm Tate as a recognised national centre for the study of the history of art education, encourage new interpretations of works in the museums collection, allow the museum to capture, archive and preserve an aspect of UK history that is largely undocumented and with every passing year more vulnerable to loss, and become an important source for future discussions about tertiary-level art education and its impact on the creative industries and the knowledge economy. These are topics that show no signs of lessening in their national significance.
The project team will produce a range of traditional scholarly publications, develop ideas for exhibitions and displays, and will have a dedicated microsite on the Tate website.
Updated April 2010.
Supported by The Leverhulme Trust 2009–13


By Simply Supplements
New meta analysis, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, shows that supplementing with omega 3 fish oils during pregnancy and early childhood can help to boost IQ scores. Researchers at the New York University, USA, compiled the findings from previous studies and discovered that supplementation can boost a child’s IQ by more than 3.5 points.
The goal of the meta analysis was to understand the nature of intelligence and how it can be nurtured at every stage of development. Participants in the studies included pregnant mothers and children under the age of five. Findings showed that children who had received higher levels of essential fatty acids, either during pregnancy or early childhood, had higher IQ scores than children who had not.
Experts now believe that fish oils may be one of the most effective methods to help boost children’s intelligence and performance at school. The meta analysis also found that enrolling children in a good quality pre-school and engaging them in interactive reading could further help to boost children’s IQ.
Essential fatty acids and brain development
The human brain has a growth spurt during the last trimester of pregnancy through the first few years of life. This period of rapid growth requires large amounts of essential fatty acids to support the building of brain tissues and for healthy brain development. Research suggests that that these fatty acids are the building blocks for nerve cell development and are essential for optimal brain growth and function.
The body can not produce essential fatty acids, and so they must be obtained through diet or supplementation. Experts suggest that this is particularly important during pregnancy, breast feeding and early childhood.
Other studies have previously shown that fish oils may also help children with learning difficulties such as dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia. These studies have indicated significant improvements in children’s reading, writing and numeracy skills after supplementing with fish oils for sustained periods.
Recommended levels during pregnancy & childhood
Children are recommended to take between 500mg and 1000mg of fish oils daily to support healthy development. During pregnancy a daily dose between 1000mg and 2000mg is recommended to support both mother and baby. Women are advised to avoid cod liver oil during pregnancy, as this contains vitamin A which can be harmful to an unborn baby.


By Diana Townsend-Butterworth
The ability to read and write, to understand the subtleties of language, to think and reason clearly, and to communicate effectively with others is key to success in school and in life. Researchers have identified a window of time from birth to around age 8 as crucial for a child's development of literacy. Preschool teachers develop literacy by continually exposing children to oral and written language, and by building on prior knowledge and language experiences. Pictures, play, and the printed word combine with oral language to help your child understand the symbolic representation that underlies reading and writing. Her teacher will use a variety of fun, engaging strategies in the classroom to develop literacy:
Reading aloud: A small group of children cluster around their teacher in the reading corner, listening intently as she reads The Cat in the Hat. She holds up the book so they can see the illustrations and talk about them. The teacher asks questions about the story and the children make predictions about what will happen next. By actively participating in the story, preschoolers acquire skills that will promote future success in reading. They learn new vocabulary and gain an understanding of the way stories are structured. They also experience high-level thinking as they form connections between the story and what they know in life.
Poetry: Nursery rhymes, songs, and poetry are a key part of literacy development, says Bernice E. Cullinan, Ph.D., professor emerita at New York University and the author of more than 40 books on reading, including Read to Me — Raising Kids Who Love to Read. Listening to, and repeating, poetry is a wonderful way for children to learn phonemic awareness. That is the ability to notice and isolate the individual sounds, or phonemes, in words, like the "c" in cat or the "b" in bat — a key skill for future success in reading. Preschoolers first learn that speech is made up of sounds, syllables, and words indirectly from listening to stories, nursery rhymes, poetry, and conversations. They gain phonemic awareness, says Cullinan, by "playing with language" — by meowing like the cat in the story a teacher is reading, or making up nonsense rhymes. Rhyming games also help children think about sound and the structure of words.
Storytelling: Listening teaches story structure and helps children learn to predict outcomes, says Bill Gordh, an author, storyteller, and director of expressive arts at the Episcopal School in New York City. He finds children get caught up in the rhythm of his stories and understand them instinctively, without explanation. One advantage of storytelling (versus reading aloud from a book), according to Gordh, is that you can change the story depending on how the children respond. He believes children learn the meaning of the story by responding verbally and with physical gestures. When you tell a story, says Gordh, "it is just you and the children and language. The moment is unique. They have to remember the story because they can't go pick up a book and reread it."
The printed word: To understand how print works, preschoolers need to be surrounded by it — in books and magazines, in signs around the classroom, on bulletin boards, in labels on their clothes and possessions. They need to learn that written words correspond to spoken words, that words are composed of letters, and that sentences are made up of words with spaces between the words. They learn that in English we read from left to right and from the top to the bottom of the page. They are encouraged to incorporate the written word into their pretend play.
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Sports specialization, including year-round sport-specific training, participation on multiple teams in the same sport and focused participation in a single sport, is increasing in preadolescent children around the world, but leads to long-term problems, argue the authors of a recent editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine..
Risks of sport specialization
Sport specialization in youth, suggests A. Mehrfan Mostafavifar, MD of the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and his colleagues:
- may lead to reduced motor skill development, as young athletes focus on the motor skill needed for their sport but ignore the motor skills developed by playing a variety of sports;
- pose tangible risks, including cardiac, musculoskelatal, nutrition, sexual maturation, and burnout;
- result as many as half of the overuse injuries seen by pediatric sports medicine physicians which "may provide a deterrence for future physical activity."
- results in burnout and kids dropping out of sports, and reduced development of lifetime sport and fitness; and
- by pushing children beyond the limits of their abilities and interests, may contribute to physical inactivity across the lifespan.
"The efforts to specialise youth sports underlie the effects of reduced general opportunity for all children to participate in a diverse, year-round sports season, ... possibly leading to lost development of lifetime sports skills. Those lost opportunities for 'fun' focused physical activity during youth likely contribute to deficits in current and long-term physical activity and health," says Mostafavifar.
Benefits of diverse sports participation
Delayed sports specialization provides enhanced opportunities for youth development, says Mostafavifar:
- Participation in a variety of sports is beneficial in terms of physical, psychological and social development because it promotes diverse relationships and experiences;
- As adolescents grow into young adults, their multiple sports background can expand their adult physical activity options and foster an intrinsic interest in lifelong sports participation;
- Youth who participate in multiple sports not only gain from their diverse experiences, they may be less likely to drawn into a specific sport culture that is focused more on winning than overall child development;>
- The likelihood of sports-related injuries and burnout is reduced.
1. Mostafavifar AM, Best TM, Myer GD. Early sport specialisation, does it lead to long term problems? Br J Sports Med. 2013;47:1060-1061.
Posted October 29, 2013
Early Sport Specialization: Does It Lead To Long-Term Problems?
Sports specialization, including year-round sport-specific training, participation on multiple teams in the same sport and focused participation in a single sport, leads to long-term problems.


- Language Arts
- Physical Education
- Social Studies
A to Z Teacher Stuff
Teacher-created site that offers lesson plans, tips, forums, worksheets and other resources. Organized by subject.
Funded by the Technology Literacy Grant Consortium and consolidates resources to help teachers integrate technology into Language Arts and Mathematics.
A good source for lessons, activities, and tips. Browse lessons by grade level. (extends from Preschool to Undergraduate)
Visit “Teachers” section as a guide to multiple resources.
How to Implement Standards, Curriculum and Assessment
Lesson Plan Central
Free lesson plans, worksheets, clipart and additional student links. Browse lessons by subject or extras like “Fun & Games.”
Lesson Plans Page
Over 2,500 free lesson plans, organized by subject. Site also includes tips and teacher forums.
Site lists lesson plan ideas grouped by subject and also includes additional resources for games, family involvement, songs, and poems.
Integrating curriculum, professional development and community resources
Standard-Based lesson plan template
Provides an outline for creating a lesson plan that address Hawaii state standards. Simply substitute you state’s standards in the appropriate place.
The University of Phoenix’s site for teacher’s to post and share lesson plans for all subjects.
Web Sites and Resources for Teachers
Archived, annotated collection of sites and curriculum resources organized in nine categories, include lesson plans, instructional materials, online activities and projects, and virtual trips to museums and countries around the world.
Preschool art activities and crafts
A site dedicated to art education, lists activities, lesson plans, and additional resources.
A list of a few art/craft ideas.
Links to “This Day in History” and similar sites.
A list of rubrics for homework, projects, presentations, or journals.
Graphic organizer templates for different organizers like spider maps, fish maps, compare/contrast matrix, and network trees
Teachnet: Language Arts
Lesson plans in the categories of: general, reading, writing, spelling, speaking, terminology, ESL, and poetry.
Working with Words
Lesson plan idea on using word blocks and a word wall
A list of rubrics for homework, projects, presentations, or journals
Questions on Books
Review questions for books commonly taught all grades K-12
A combination site specifically created for science and mathematics. Includes lesson plan activities for geometry and mathematical patterns
The Math Forum at Drexel “Teachers’s Place”
Lesson plans grouped by elementary, middle, or high school levels.
Math Forum: High School Teacher’s Place
Math Problem Solving Activities
Math Projects and Activities: Global Connection
Lesson plans created for middle school math.
Lesson plans for math grouped into: general, maps and graphs, terminology, geometry, and real world.
Lesson plans for music teachers grouped currently in only one category: general.
This Day in Music History
Daily music facts
PE Preschool Lesson Plans
A long list of PE activities
Teachnet: Health and Physical Education
Lesson plans in the categories of: general, nutrition, fitness, and cooking.
Clifford's Interactive Storybook
A phonics game for young readers
Short stories and plays for young readers
Beatrix Potter stories and pictures
How to form reading/writing centers for kindergarten
A method of getting students to read through use of oral script reading
Science activities for select topics like “light” and “space.” .
Kid’s Do-It-Yourself Science
Links to great science projects
Kid’s Science Projects
Projects listed by level of difficulty
Chemistry lesson plans based on activities in the kitchen
Middle School Science
A site geared specifically towards Middle School Science Curriculums. Lesson plan subjects range from Chemistry, Physics, Earth, and Life Sciences
Science Preschool Activities and Crafts
Solar System Simulator
A list of science lesson plans and activities in the categories of: general, biology, earth, physics, technology, dinosaurs, scientific method, space and time, weather, and animals.
Lesson Plans and Resources
A site specifically created for social studies teachers. Includes lesson plan outlines, and additional social studies resources
Teachnet: Social Studies
Lesson plans grouped into: history, personal growth, countries, government, economics, society, and geography.
Back to School Technology Activities
Includes a step-by-step outline on how to create a technology based lesson plan
ABC’s of the Writing Process
A list of links of graphic organizers
Handwriting Worksheets and Printables
How to Start a Writer’s Workshop


Operetta Performance at Ramsey Junior High in Minneapolis: 1932-1966
Hamann, Keitha Lucas, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education
As we enter the twenty-first century, middle-level music education (grades six through eight or nine) remains in turmoil regarding appropriate curricular offerings for young adolescents. Should music offerings be primarily performance-oriented? Should music be required of every student? What level of performance should be expected of young adolescents? How is musical experience balanced with the developmental needs of students? Are there musical experiences outside of large-group performance experiences that would attract more students to musical learning? As the profession struggles with these issues, it is important to look back at nearly a century of experience with middle-level education for models of excellence to determine the factors that contributed to their success.
One such model was the operetta performance tradition at Ramsey Junior High School in Minneapolis, due in part to the large number of operettas presented, the commitment of two teachers to giving students abundant vocal performance opportunities at the junior high level, and the perceived success of the operetta performances by community members. Between 1932 and 1966, students at Ramsey presented more than sixty-seven operettas in addition to regular choral, oratorio, and cantata performances. The operettas were full-scale productions with lighting, scenery, and costumes, and in the early years it was not unusual for the students to present four operettas in one academic year. Quotes from the editorial staff of the student newspaper, the Ramsey Record, demonstrate the perceived quality of the operetta productions: "The operetta was very much liked by the students, teachers, and parents, and congratulations are given to all those who helped make the performance a splendid success." (1) "The success of the performance was evident as wave after wave of applause swept over the audience as the curtain closed." (2) This paper describes the development of the operetta performance tradition at Ramsey and examines the people and conditions that contributed to its success.
To fully appreciate the conditions necessary for the operetta program at Ramsey Junior High School to thrive, it is important to examine the historical environment in which the school opened. Especially important are a brief history of the Minneapolis public schools, the development of the junior high school movement in the United States, and the implementation of the junior high school system in the Minneapolis public schools.
A Brief History of the Minneapolis Public Schools
The first educational institution in Minneapolis was for children from Fort Snelling and the Mdewakanton Dakota and opened on the shores of Lake Harriet in 1834, about twenty years before Minneapolis was incorporated in 1854. (3) As more settlers moved into the area educational opportunities continued to develop. By 1874 there were six school buildings in Minneapolis with an enrollment of 2,907 pupils, and four school buildings in St. Anthony (part of Minneapolis since 1872) with an enrollment of 900 students. The first school board met in 1860 in the village of St. Anthony. (4) In 1878, legislation merged the two school boards of Minneapolis and St. Anthony into one Board of Education to manage all of the public schools in Minneapolis. Through the early-twentieth century Minneapolis and its schools continued to grow, and by 1933 the city served more than 85,000 students in its school system.
Development of the Junior High School Movement in the United States
The junior high school movement in the United States traces its history back to 1872 when the Kalamazoo Decision by the Michigan State Supreme Court first mandated tax-supported secondary education. (5) Secondary education evolved unevenly over the next twenty years, with inconsistent requirements among school systems. In the early 1890s, the National Education Association (NEA) …
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Operetta Performance at Ramsey Junior High in Minneapolis: 1932-1966. Contributors: Hamann, Keitha Lucas - Author. Journal title: Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. Volume: 18. Issue: 1 Publication date: October 2006. Page number: 3+. © 2007 Ithaca College, School of Music. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group.


Herbert Hoover Elementary School
From Palo Alto Wiki
Herbert Hoover Elementary School is one of 12 Elementary schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). Hoover is one of PAUSD's two schools that offer alternative elementary education programs. (The other is Ohlone Elementary School.) Hoover offers students a more structured alternative.
New students are drawn through a lottery pool. Placement is by application only. All applicants must be registered for a neighborhood school even if Hoover is the applicant's first choice. Vacancies at Hoover are first offered to siblings of current students. However, siblings must apply as well.
- 445 E. Charleston Rd., 94306
- Principal - Susanne Scott; Secretary - Betty Odom
- Tel - 650-320-8106; Fax - 650-493-8130
Hoover was founded in 1974, during a time of progressive and alternative educational experimentation district wide. Parents who did not feel that progressive programs met the needs of their children asked for another elementary alternative that was "more structured." Thus, Hoover was established with the intent of creating a consistent structured program built around instruction in basic academic skills.


Early childhood development associate degree programs
Discover the latest elementary education methods with an online associate degree in early childhood development. With a two-year degree in the field, you can learn basic concepts to help pave the way for more advanced study, or how to turn your newfound credential into a rewarding career.
Associate degree in early childhood development
With early childhood education degree programs, you increase your job opportunities and expand your knowledge. Develop a strong foundation in the practice of effective child care and education, plus the theory behind that practice, with the following coursework:
- Child communication skills
- Child growth, development and psychology
- Children with special needs
- Health, safety and nutrition
- Infant and toddler care
While not all childcare careers require an associate degree in early childhood development, earning an education in the essential skills above can help your resume stand out from the rest.
Childcare careers for graduates of early childhood education degree programs
At the associate degree level, training in early childhood development helps prepare you for basic childcare and education positions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the following salary information for childcare workers and early childcare educators:
Child care workers can be found in businesses, schools, child care institutions, and private households. About one-third are self-employed. May 2009, mean annual salary for child care workers: $20,940.
Preschool teachers can be found in day care centers, child developmental facilities, and schools, instructing students up to five-years-old in activities designed to promote growth. May 2009, mean annual salary for preschool teachers: $27,450.
Teacher assistants work in preschools as well as primary and secondary schools, helping teachers with grading, teaching, lesson plan development and parent conferences. May 2009, mean annual salary for teacher assistants: $24,280.
Child protection services assistants use their specialized knowledge in early childhood development to work with young children in potentially dangerous situations. May 2009, mean annual salary for social and human service assistants: $29,880.
Many graduates with associate degrees in early childhood development go on to earn a bachelor's degree, opening up more teaching opportunities and greater salary potential. While no degree program can guarantee a particular career or salary, hiring managers in childhood education fields often prefer or require formal education among applicants.
Earn an online associate degree in early childhood development
When you log on to complete your associate degree in early childhood development online, you expand your mind and boost your earning potential. What's more, you enjoy the freedom and flexibility of online education, which allows you to travel and keep work and family commitments. Many students even keep a full-time job while earning their degrees online.
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early indicators of reading difficulties. Effective indicators are emerging from longitudinal databases (e.g., Fletcher et al., 2002; O’Connor and Jenkins, 1999; Scarborough, 1998; Torgesen, 2002; Vellutino et al., 2000; Wood et al., 2001). These indicators can provide valuable information to teachers regarding the instructional needs of individual students. Predictiveness of particular skills depends on how and when they are assessed, but, in general, phonological awareness and its theoretically related construct of letter-sound knowledge in kindergarten and the beginning of first grade are predictive of first grade outcomes, as is word recognition at the beginning of first grade. In second grade word reading continues to be a strong predictor of second grade outcomes, with reading fluency and reading comprehension becoming increasingly important predictors of reading outcomes. For children at risk of reading difficulties due to poverty and language background, oral language in general and vocabulary in particular are critical to reading success (Foorman et al., in press; National Research Council, 1998; Dickinson and Tabors, 2001).
There are a number of models for screening children in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade for reading prob-
Analogy phonics: teaching students unfamiliar words by analogy to known words (e.g., recognizing that the rime segment of an unfamiliar word is identical to that of a familiar word, and then blending the known rime with the new word onset, such as reading brick by recognizing that ick is contained in the known word kick, or reading stump by analogy to jump).
Analytic phonics: teaching students to analyze letter-sound relations in previously learned words to avoid pronouncing sounds in isolation.
Embedded phonics: teaching students phonics skills by embedding phonics instruction in text reading, a more implicit approach that relies to some extent on incidental learning.
Phonics through spelling: teaching students to segment words into phonemes and to select letters for those phonemes (i.e., teaching students to spell words phonemically).
Synthetic phonics: teaching students to explicitly convert letters into sounds (phonemes) and then blend the sounds to form recognizable words.
SOURCE: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2000).


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Liberia has been ravaged by 2 decades of civil war. This project will pay for 275 children to learn music, discipline and creativity as peaceful alternatives to the violence of war.
Liberia's children have been traumatized by 2 decades of war. Liberia's education system was destroyed and Liberia's rich musical history is being lost. Liberia's children do not know their musical legacy. This project will provide music education, discipline and teach children about peaceful alternatives to the rage they feel from the traumas of war.
This project will provide music lessons to 275 talented Liberian children and channel their energies into positive activities. It will teach them discipline, teamwork and help preserve Liberia's musical heritage while providing badly needed jobs.
275 Liberian children will learn leadership, creative skills, music, discipline and how to peacefully channel their rage. The project will also teach and restore Liberia's rich musical heritage.
Total Funding Received to Date: $710
This project is now in implementation and no longer available for funding.
Received funds will be used to accomplish concrete objectives as
indicated in the project's "Activities" section. Updates will be posted under the
"Project Report" tab as they become available.
Donors' contributions and pledges to this project totaled $710
The original project funding goal was $53,440.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
Combined with other sources of funding, this project raised enough money to fund the outlined activities and is no longer accepting donations.
Still want to help?
Find another project in
that needs your help.


Most instrumental musicians work closely with a variety of other people, including their colleagues, agents, employers, sponsors, and audiences. Although they usually work indoors, some perform outdoors for parades, concerts, and dances.
Musicians, singers, and related workers play musical instruments, sing, compose, arrange, or conduct. They may perform alone or as part of a group, before live audiences or in recording studios, television, radio, or movie productions. Although many entertainers play for live audiences, some prepare music exclusively for studios or computers. Regardless of the setting, musicians, singers, and related workers spend considerable time practicing, alone and with their band, orchestra, or other musical group.
Many colleges, universities, and music conservatories grant bachelor’s degrees or higher in music. A master’s or doctoral degree is usually required to teach advanced music courses in colleges and universities; a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient to teach basic courses. A degree in music education qualifies graduates for a state certificate to teach music in an elementary or secondary school.
Colleges and universities offer opportunities for students to become involved on campus while gaining experience in their fields and making connections that they might need after receiving their degrees. In addition to musical productions and concerts, international music fraternities such as Mu Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Iota offer both professional and social rewards to its members.
Internships are also an important part of the undergraduate experience. It is crucial to meet other people in the music industry and gain experience before graduation.
Musicians, singers, and related workers are employed in a variety of settings. Musicians often specialize in a particular kind of music or performance. Instrumental musicians, for example, play a musical instrument in an orchestra, band, rock group, or jazz group. Singers interpret music using their knowledge of voice production, melody, and harmony; they sing character parts or perform in their own individual style.
Composers create original music such as symphonies, operas, sonatas, or popular songs; they transcribe ideas into musical notation using harmony, rhythm, melody, and tonal structure. Arrangers transcribe and adapt musical composition to a particular style for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individuals. Conductors lead instrumental music groups, such as orchestras, dance bands, and various popular ensembles.


Course Number: 332*/3.0 3L (Course Code Explanation)
Open To: B.Mus. and B.Mus./B.Ed. students, non-B.Mus. students
Area(s): Music Education
Instructor(s): Dr. Roberta Lamb
Day(s) and Time(s): T: 8.30-10.00, F: 10.00-11.30
An introduction to the methods, materials, and curriculum design suitable for teaching music to pupils in grades 5 through 8.
Prerequisite(s) / Corequisite(s) / Exclusion(s)
- PREREQUISITES MUSC 273/3.0 and MUSC 274/3.0.
This is a skills-based course focusing on both musical skills and teaching skills.
Course Goals for Each Student
- Play a minimum of 5 chords on the ukulele; competently lead songs; teach basic ukulele skills.
- Play a minimum of an octave on each of the soprano and alto recorders, and play competently in the keys of C, F, G, D; teach basic recorder skills.
- Assess and evaluate classroom materials for teaching ukulele and recorders to grades 5-8.
- Demonstrate competency in organising instruction and materials for using these instruments with grades 5-8.
- Become familiar with educational research about early adolescent learners.
- Ukulele in the Classroom, Book 1 (D6) Teacher's Edition James Hill & Chalmers Doane
- Windsongs Book 5 A la claire fontaine Joe Berarducci
- Windsongs Book 6 Alto Odyssey Joe Berarducci
- Journal articles about early adolescent learners will be available through the library and on-line.
- Empire Music E765M Soprano ukulele (deluxe machine heads, low A tuning)
- Yamaha YRA302B Alto recorder, Rottenburgh, Baroque fingering
- Yamaha YRS302B Soprano recorder, Rottenburgh, Baroque fingering
- Ukulele in the Classroom, Book 1 (D6) CD James Hill & Chalmers Doan
- Windsongs, Teachers Guide for Books 1, 2, 3, & 4 Joe Berarducci
- Windsongs CD, accompanies Teachers Guide for Books 1, 2, 3, & 4 Joe Berarducci
All books and instruments have been ordered through the Campus Bookstore. It is not acceptable to substitute “toys” for quality instruments.
- In-class participation / assignments = 20%
- Ukulele Skills = 15
- Recorder Skills = 15
- Micro-Teaching = 25
- Lesson Plans = 25


Music Education Curriculum
The music education curriculum is a balance of applied study, music history, theory and ear training, ensembles, and pedagogical exploration. Music education majors study privately with one of our accomplished private studio teachers. Private study culminates with the presentation of a recital in the senior year.
The music history, theory and ear training curriculum prepares students to have an extensive and well-rounded understanding of music. Students study major concepts of music and develop the aural skills necessary to effectively teach music over the duration of the music teacher education program.
We offer an extensive array of ensemble opportunities including concert choir, community chorus, camerata, jazz band, concert band, orchestra, and small ensembles. Students in ensembles enrich their understanding and develop the skills necessary to lead other students to high standards of musicianship. During the senior year, students are offered extensive opportunities to conduct and lead these ensembles.
Finally, the music education degree program provides extensive opportunities to develop pedagogical expertise. Students take coursework that is aligned with sequential field experiences that develop a thorough understanding of the classroom. Students at Elizabethtown College study learning theories, philosophy, general and specialized methodologies, classroom management, school law, and conducting among many other aspects. Instruction in these areas is aligned with sequential experiences that allow students to test and develop ideas and skills in the preschool, elementary, secondary choral, and secondary instrumental environments. At the cumulative student teaching experience, students engage in two 8-week experiences at the elementary and secondary levels.


Emotion Flashcards (with Emotional Robots)
Emotion flashcards are useful for teaching preschoolers to identify their feelings, using diffrent words to express them or helping them recognize and understand other people’s feeilngs. Learning empathy as well as self-expression in a supportive environment is very important in early childhood learning.
This fun set of emotion flashcards feature ‘emotional robots’ to make this more imaginative and entertaining. Can robots have feelings like people? It’s a fun subject to discuss. Children can use lots of imagination about the feelngs of others and their own in a more entertaining way. You can come up with fun stories about each robot, for example, what could’ve happened to them to make them feel that way. If these robots all know each other, who did what to whom to cause these feelings? Invent your own stories and have lots of fun!
Our free printable files are for personal use only.
Please read our terms & conditions before downloading, thank you!
You will need
Papers (preferably card stock)
Scissors or craft knife & ruler
We have a growing selection of children’s resources for preschool, homeschool & classroom learning activities. Please check back soon to see what’s new. Thank you!


« Back to Civic & Community Engagement
Immigrant Outreach by the Library's Adult Literacy Students
Providence Public Library, RIGo to Website
The Discovery Guide Program at the Providence Public Library hires adult immigrants enrolled in its literacy program to provide a welcoming presence to families at the library’s Chace Children’s Discovery Library. The Discovery Guides provide outreach to area immigrants to inform them about library programs.Innovation Leader:
Karisa Tashjian, Literacy Program Coordinator, firstname.lastname@example.org
In Rhode Island, only 20% of fourth grade English Language students scored at or above the proficiency level in reading on standardized tests, compared to 71% of other students. It is critical that immigrant families regularly visit the Library as there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between children’s services in public libraries and early reading success at school. One of the ways to encourage early reading and literacy is through the Chace Children's Discovery Library that opened in January 2012 in partnership with the Providence Children's Museum. The Discovery Library features hands-on activity centers focused on key elements of early childhood literacy development. Although the library staff is eager to help immigrant families build their children’s literacy skills, immigrants are sometimes hesitant to visit the library for various reasons: some families do not know about the resources the library offers, some don’t know the procedures to follow; and others hesitate because of their language barriers. The Discovery Guide Program is designed to: (i) increase the number of immigrant families who view the Library as a free family fun and educational destination resulting in their overall increased use of Library's resources and programs; and (ii) equip immigrant adults with transferable work skills, increased English language and literacy skills and an established US work history.
The Providence Public Library hosts the Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI), a literacy program that provides ESL, Citizenship, high school diploma, workplace readiness and digital literacy instruction in five public library systems in the state. The Discovery Guide program trains and hires adult immigrant literacy students enrolled or previously enrolled in RIFLI to serve as "spokespeople" for the Library in immigrant communities. Six Guides have been hired to date and four more will be hired in May 2013. The Guides work 4 hour shifts once a week and are paid a modest hourly wage. They participate in trainings about family literacy strategies and principles. There is close collaboration between library staff and RIFLI staff members. They design and present the training curriculum together. Library staff further trains the Guides “on the job”. The Guides bring the value of not only being multilingual but also being culturally familiar with various immigrant communities. The Guides recruit new immigrant families to the Library and spread the word about the Library to non-native English speakers. The Guides visit adult education and social service agencies, attend community fairs and help to develop the Library's relationships with immigrant communities so that the Library can promote its other programs and resources such as its free computer classes, book groups and small business trainings. The Guides have translated Library information into their respective languages (which totals five and counting). A special Open House held on a Saturday morning welcomed many immigrants who had never visited the library before.
Since the start of the Discovery Guide program, the number of visitors to the Discovery Library has continued to increase. The baby storytime hour has increased so significantly that it now requires that two Discovery Guides be scheduled to help during that time. The Guides have benefited greatly from their training and experience. As a workforce development program, they have become more comfortable and familiar with an American work setting. For most, this is their first work experience in the United States. They have remarked that their English language skills have increased considerably as a result of working with Library staff and English speaking patrons. Since the start of the program, three Guides have entered college classes; one is studying early childhood education because she has enjoyed working with children so much at the Library. Two Guides obtained other part-time jobs in addition to working at the Library. The impact on the Library has been equally significant. Prior to the Guide program, there was only one staff member who was bilingual. The Guides now help support English/Spanish story times. The library and literacy program staff members have a better understanding of each others’ expertise and a real interest in promoting their respective programs. The program has been such a success that the Library has incorporated it into next year’s budget transitioning from grant funds from the National Center for Family Literacy that provided start-up support.


Gizmos, Gadgets, and Simple Machines
We have been gearing up for these activities for a long time. Back in January I mentioned the kids read the Pre-Level 1 Physics book Real Science for Kids (I’ll paste that in below). LD read it on his own while I read it together with DD. I thought it was a wonderful introduction to some basic physics concepts. Then as you’ve seen we did some background activities on Newton himself (the geography of England/Britain/UK; the Black Plague). We’re currently reading a book about him as well (Isaac Newton: Giants of Science which the kids love… Did you know Newton stuck things (his finger, a needle, other sharp objects) into his own eye to see what colors or changes in vision the pressure produced?). But THIS is what the kids have truly been waiting for… lots of hands-on physics fun!
In 1665, the university Newton was attending shut down due to an outbreak of the Plague. Newton spent the next two years at home and made some incredible discoveries. He extended the binomial theorem, invented calculus and discovered the law of universal gravitation. He also made some discoveries about white light. Without saying much more than this, I sent the kids outside with a crystal to see what Newton might have discovered. LD figured it out immediately, but it took some prodding before DD said (in a very frustrated voice) “all I see is rainbows.” ”Yes, yes, yes!” LD went on to explain to her, “white light is made up of all the colors of the rainbow.”
Some other activities we did this week were from Gizmos and Gadgets and from Be a Kid Physicist (by William Wellnitz).
Newton’s first law, the law of inertia, states that without a force like a push or a pull, an object won’t move. We made the ‘zoom ball’ from Gizmos and Gadgets and discovered how to move our plastic ‘ball’ back and forth.
We looked more into the Law of Inertia as the kids made also straw ramps. The kids spent time sending the balls down the ramp. Then they lined up marbles at the bottom of the ramp and sent one rolling into it. They discovered how energy was transferred through the non-moving marbles to the last marble which rolled away. They were so fascinated by this that they lined up more and more marbles to see how many there could be in a row and still transfer the energy to that last marble to make it move.
From Jan. 25:
Right now LD is reading Real Science 4 Kids‘ Physics book, while I’m reading those same chapters aloud to DD. That’s because we’ll be doing some hands-on stuff in a couple of weeks and I want them to have finished the book before we do the experiments and activities. I have both pre-level 1 and Level 1. Pre-level 1 is definitely better for DD (age 6). It’s written in very simple terms. I think LD would be fine with either level, but I’m having him read the Pre-level 1 on his own. He is really enjoying it. Then we may add in the next level when we actually do our activities.Add a Comment