Many American colleges and universities accept the SAT® Subject Tests or Reasoning Test to admit, place, and advise new students. SAT Subject Tests measure students' knowledge and skills in certain subject areas. These include English, history, mathematics, science, and language. The SAT Reasoning Test measures students' critical thinking skills, including how well the student analyzes and solves problems.
Ask your school counselor for advice on which tests to take. These tests are usually taken in the 11th or 12th grade.
The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) gives students practice for the SAT Reasoning Test. It also gives students a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs. This test is usually taken in the 10th or 11th grade.
The PSAT/NMSQT measures:
- critical reading skills
- math problem-solving skills
- writing skills
The SAT and PSAT/NMSQT tests are provided by the College Board. This is a not-for-profit association that helps students, parents, and educators prepare for college. Learn how to prepare for and register for the SAT or PSAT/NMSQT at this link.
Note: This page links to a website outside of TEA. Content on these pages is not regulated or updated by TEA.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Guide to the Education Scrapbook, 1892-1896
Consisting of newspaper clippings, pedagogical articles, and an administrative report, the Education Scrapbook, 1892-1896, chronicles the methods by which reading was taught in Texas schools during the late 19th century. Loose articles from newspapers as well as the Texas School Journal and Proceedings State Teachers’ Association includes poetry and also concerns a variety of educational issues such as textbooks and music education. The scrapbook proper contains articles on the most effective way to teach reading, a report from the superintendent of Houston schools on the results of a reading exam and poems.
This collection is open for research use.
Education Scrapbook, 1892-1896, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.


The Negro spiritual
is a powerful and influential art form. Through their music and their words, spirituals transformed the tragedy of slavery into an enduring expression of faith, hope, and love.
Among the many beautiful songs within this tradition, Amazing Grace
stands out. And how:Hat tip: Already Not Yet and Rick Ianniello.
Wintley Phipps says he has God on his side, at his back, and in his soul. I am in absolutely no position to question any of that. I come solely to show that Reverend Phipps also has music theory
and cultural history in his favor.Amazing Grace
uses a pentatonic
scale. Properly spaced, five intervals within any octave are sufficient to generate an astonishing diversity of musical idioms, including Celtic, blues, and Negro spiritual. The belief that the pentatonic scale is the native tonality of children underlies Orff Schulwerk
, a method of music education perhaps best known for withholding keys from kids' xylophones.
It's easy to generate a pentatonic scale. You can climb the circle of fifths
on a piano. Starting at middle C, this trip yields the note sequence C G D A E. If you have a violin handy, the strings there give you the last four steps in that sequence: G D A E. Rearranging all five notes within a single octave gives you the pentatonic sequence, C D E G A.
Or you can subtract two from seven
and yield five. Remove the fourth and seventh scale degrees from the familiar "do-re-mi" diatonic scale
— or F and B — and you will reach the same C D E G A sequence.
Most simply, you can follow Reverend Phipps's advice and play just the black keys: G♭ A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭. How sweet the sound.
Finally, as for the cultural history of the Negro spiritual, I am pleased to leave the explanation to The Spirituals Project
, whose mission is "[t]o preserve and revitalize the music and teachings of the sacred songs called 'spirituals,' created and first sung by enslaved Africans in America in the 18th and 19th centuries":Editor's note: This Spirituals Project video presents an excerpt from I Can Tell the World, a new documentary by Larry Bograd and Coleen Hubbard.


ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.
Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals.
Teacher Resources by Grade
|1st - 2nd||3rd - 4th|
|5th - 6th||7th - 8th|
|9th - 10th||11th - 12th|
Critical Media Literacy: Commercial Advertising
|Grades||6 – 8|
|Lesson Plan Type||Standard Lesson|
|Estimated Time||Four 45-minute sessions|
Studying the influence of mass media on our lives allows students to view advertising in a new light. This lesson provides students with the opportunity to look at mass media in a critical way. Students become aware of the tremendous amount of advertising that they are exposed to on a daily basis. By looking at advertising critically, students begin to understand how the media oppresses certain groups, convinces people to purchase certain products, and influences culture.
PBS Media Literacy "Getting Started" activity ideas: Students become "cultural investigators" in the area of mass media by participating in the activities suggested at this helpful site.
Morrell, E. (2002). Toward a critical pedagogy: Literacy development among urban youth. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46, 72-76.
- Popular culture can help students deconstruct dominant narratives and contend with oppressive practices in hopes of achieving a more egalitarian and inclusive society.
- The raising of critical consciousness in people who have been oppressed is the first step in helping them to obtain critical literacy.
Semali, L. (2001). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online, http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/semali1/index.html.
- Television literacy affirms the need to teach children how to read and interpret television messages, including advertising.
- The time has arrived to broaden the canons of traditional education and the curriculum to include the expanding technologies of television, film, video, and computers.


This 22 page packet is the perfect resource for teaching your students about the rules involved in spelling words that end in –k, -ke, and –ck. This confusing topic can be simplified through the use of introduction mini-investigations for each ending, anchor charts to remind students of rules, and 2 sorting activities. There are 99 word cards that can be used for the lessons and sorting activities and these can also be used in your word work station to help students practice with these word spellings using different items such as letter magnets, dry/erase boards, shaving cream, etc.
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For other ideas and games to use for phonics instruction, visit me at my blog at: www.teachingspecialthinkers.blogspot.com


Kindergarten Teacher Career Outlook & Job Description
A kindergarten teacher works with young children ages four through six, to promote the students’ mental, physical and social development. They instruct students by using hands-on teaching methods, games, music, art, books and computers. Children are taught general rules of acceptable behavior, so that the kindergarten teacher can maintain order in the classroom. They instruct their young students one-on-one or in groups, adapting standard teaching methods to meet students’ varying needs and interests. Kindergarten teachers play an important role in childhood development; the job requires that they be able to easily communicate with their students and inspire trust and confidence.
Kindergarten Teacher Requirements and Common Tasks
Kindergarten teachers impart simple but important skills such as color, number, shape, and letter recognition, phonics, basic personal hygiene, and social skills such as sharing and interacting with peers. They will often read to their class, or demonstrate activities for class participation. Using various materials and resources, they allow their students to learn by exploration and hands-on discovery. Kindergarten teachers prepare materials, lessons and projects for their students, and observe and assess performance, skills, behavior and social development; they also watch for potential problems including health, developmental or emotional issues.
One of the basic requirements to become a kindergarten teacher is earning a bachelor’s degree. Many programs also require completion of a student-teaching internship before a teacher can be licensed. Many kindergarten teachers in private schools must have a degree, but no state license is necessary.
Kindergarten Teacher Career Outlook and Salary
The median annual wage for kindergarten teachers is $47,830. Depending on the individual employer, benefits will vary. Salary will increase with years of service. Kindergarten teachers in private schools may receive slightly lower pay but increased benefits, such as free or subsidized housing. This career field should see faster than average growth through 2018, with projected national job openings of 63,000. Kindergarten teachers can find employment in public elementary schools, private schools or specialized preschools. They may also consider self-employment by establishing their own preschool.
Elementary Education Degrees and Programs
- A.A. in Elementary Education
- M.A. in Education/Elementary Teacher Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction
- Doctor of Education/Curriculum and Instruction
- And more...
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Education - Master of Education
- Early Childhood Education - EdS
- Early Childhood Education - PhD in Education
- Early Childhood Education - Doctor of Education
- And more...
- M.Ed. Teaching and Learning - Elementary Education
- MA in Teaching - Elementary Education
- M.Ed. - Program Specialist in Early Childhood Specialist
- MA Teaching: Middle Grades
- And more...
- B.S. in Child Studies
- Master of Education in Teaching & Learning
- Master of Education (M.ED.)
- Master of Education in Instructional Design & Technology


What's so important about music education?
Source:Routledge research in education ; 32, Routledge, New York, p.338 (2010)
Call Number:Cubb MT1 .G58 2010
Keywords:Music--Instruction and study--United States--History, Music--Instruction and study--United States--Philosophy
Contents: Music as an academic subject in the public schools of the United States : an inherent cultural tension -- "Culture," "worldview," and pragmatism : the philosophy and semiotic of Charles Sanders Peirce -- A pragmatic conception of musical practices : "music" as a sign of worldview -- Conceptions of music in the United States -- A brief historical survey of concepts of music in music education in the United States -- Community, autonomy, and music education in the postmodern United States : summary and recommendations.


Teaching With Technology:Tech Makes Science Sizzle
- Grades: Early Childhood, PreK–K, 1–2
TOUCHING, TASTING, OBSERVING, listening, sorting, classifying-- these are the cornerstones of a good science curriculum for young children. So how can technology help? Here are some ideas, from low- to high-tech, to use in your own program:
Guess That Sound
Take your classroom tape recorder on a walk around the school and record various sounds. Ask the children for ideas as to what to record (make sure to incorporate their ideas). The next day, sharpen their auditory skills by listening to the tape and asking what they think they hear. TIP: Many shorter "sound bites" work better; followed by a verbal "answer" to confirm the guess. Put the tape in the listening center to extend the activity.
Learning Goes Digital!
"The best form of technology for the early childhood classroom we have used is the digital camera. I think when it comes to science, the digital camera could be extremely useful," says Susan Griebling of Hamilton County Head Start. "We document nature walks to revisit them and discuss the trips with the children. We use photos of objects to predict sink-and-float properties and develop graphs with those pictures. We photograph the growth of the bean plant daily so children can observe, remember and discuss changes." Griebling recommends the book Picture This: Digital and Instant Photography Activities for Early Childhood Learning by Susan Entz and Sheri Lyn Galarza (Corwin, 1999; $32.95).
Yvonne Bowman of Computertots uses technology to bring nature indoors with an Intel QX3 Computer Microscope. "We take the students on a nature walk to collect items of interest to them. We then hook up the QX3 Intel Microscope to a computer and begin examining the bugs, leaves, and branches at the different magnifications." [Note that Intel has taken this item off the market; however, you can still find them for sale at prices ranging from $40 to $100. This activity also works just fine with an "old fashioned" magnifying glass, however] Bowman goes on to report, "The kids are fascinated by what they can see. We even had a few of the children collect a milk weed leaf that, when put under the microscope, showed little white bugs that were so small we couldn't see more than a white spec with the naked eye. They get this wonderful 'I figured it out!' look in their eyes as they really begin to understand both the science of nature and the science of magnification."
Search the Web
The Internet is the best answer to a child's question. When I was teaching, one of the children found a mysterious, beautiful, and very dead moth on the playground. We had no idea what kind of butterfly she had found, and had to wait until I could make it to the library (which I never did get to). Today, it is easy to visit any search engine and type in "butterfly" quickly and easily find out what kind of butterfly you have. The best search sites? Ask Jeeves for Kids (www.ajkids.com) or Yahooligans (www.yahooligans.com). You can also use a more powerful search engine such as Google (www.google.com), but make sure the parental filter is active, just in case.


To ensure that Maine is providing high-quality public preschools to the state's youth, the following program requirements are in place.
- Certification & Professional Development. Public preschool teachers and assistants must hold specific endorsements from the Maine Department of Education. The Department has compiled professional development resources to provide ongoing support to educators in their efforts.
- Program Standards. The State of Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines serve as a guide for state and local early care and education practitioners’ efforts to improve early childhood professional practice and programs for young children age three through their entrance into kindergarten. This document considers the core elements contained in the Maine Learning Results. How preschools choose to implement these guidelines remains a local decision.
- Recommended Quality Standards of Program Practice. These quality standards are based on national research and input from diverse early childhood groups and individuals throughout Maine.
- Public Preschool Health. Public preschools in Maine should attend to three school health topics in particular: health screenings, immunizations and the public preschool toileting policy.
- Serving Special Populations. Information about serving children with special needs and English learners.
- Transportation. Transportation will ensure preschool access to children who may otherwise not be able to attend the program.


August 14, 2012
School Daze: Eye-Tracking Study Reveals What Earns Students’ Attention in Classroom
A new study contradicts the widely accepted belief that classroom attention peaks during the first 15 minutes of class and then generally tapers off. Instead, David Rosengrant, an associate professor of physics education at Kennesaw State University, discovered that classroom attention is not as linear as previously thought and is actually impacted by various factors throughout the duration of the lecture.
Using eye-tracking Tobii Glasses from Tobii Technology to exam the attention patterns of students in the classroom, the study provides new insight into effective teaching techniques that aim to keep students engaged and motivated to learn during lectures.
“Until now, there has been no first-hand, innate measurement of student attention from the student’s perspective in the classroom,” said Rosengrant. “We were able to measure what the students observe during a lecture, how much of their time is dedicated to the material presented in class and, as an instructor, what are the greatest inhibitors to keeping their attention.”
Rosengrant’s four-month pilot study observed eight college students wearing the special glasses to track their eye-gaze patterns during 70-minute pre-elementary education lectures at Kennesaw State University. He found a number of factors that influence whether students remain on task, or allow their attention to drift.
For example, the verbal presentation of new material that is not contained within the instructor’s PowerPoint, the use of humor by the instructor and the proximity of the instructor to the student, all contribute to greater attention from the student. Rosengrant’s study also concluded that “digital distractions” such as mobile phones and the Web, particularly Facebook, are the greatest inhibitors to retaining students’ attention in the classroom. From these insights, Rosengrant stresses the need for professors to alter their lecture structure through the injection of varying activities and the use of humor to engage students.
Rosengrant will publish the full study, “Studying Student Attention via Eye Tracking” in the fall and will continue to expand his research in order to generate insights that can impact the future of classroom instruction and ultimately, students’ success and the field of teaching.
“I hope that this study enlightens the education community about how to engage students effectively in the classroom, maximize student focus on the material and, ultimately, increase their achievement,” added Rosengrant.


Mary Cassatt was an unusual Impressionist. Not only was she a woman and an American, she also remained a studio painter, preferring to paint her subjects indoors, unlike most of the original Impressionists who carried their paints and canvases outside for plein air painting (en plein air means “in the open air”).
Cassatt was born into an upper-middle-class family in Pennsylvania. When she was seven, her family moved toParisfor a few years where she fell in love with art and determined to become a painter. At twenty-two, she returned toParisalone and began to make a name for herself in the art world. Ultimately, her parents and younger sister joined her inFrance, and she remained there for most of her life.
Cassatt won recognition as a professional artist in 1872 when the French Salon accepted one of her paintings, but it wasn’t until she met the Impressionists that her mature style emerged. She embraced the bright colors and informal poses of that revolutionary group and especially admired the work of Degas.
As a woman, Cassatt painted the world she knew best—women in their everyday domestic roles. Though she never married nor had children, Cassatt painted mothers caring for their children with tenderness and admiration. Her work delights in the beauty of mundane tasks: bathing a baby, knitting a pair of stockings, sharing a caress with a child. These eternal glimpses into the daily life of women and mothers impress upon us the joy and contentment in everyday tasks.
Check your library for these resources:
Mary Cassatt by Mike Venezia (Children’s Press, 1989)
Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter by Lois V. Harris (Pelican Publishing Company, 2007)
Picture Study: Young Mother Sewing
Who are the people in this picture? What are they doing?
Describe the colors Mary Cassatt used in this painting. What mood do they convey?
Notice how the daughter mirrors the position of the mother’s face and her hands. Why do you think the artist painted the picture this way?
This is an indoor scene. Is there anything in the picture that links the inside world with the outside?
By Emily Cottrill
Emily Cottrill has a B. A. in Studio Art from Wheaton College. A private art teacher for homeschooled students of all ages, she believes art history is a vital part of art education. She has a passion for diminishing the number of “I-can-draw-stick-figures-only” adults in the world.
—Originally published in Homeschooling Today magazine, “Consider the Ant,” July/August 2009


Rationale: In order to understand written and spoken language, children should be exposed to phoneme awareness. This lesson will help children to spell words by helping them associate letters with sounds. If children are able to isolate sounds they will be able to match it with the corresponding letter. In this lesson, the focus will be to help children identify ch=/ch/.
Materials: Primary paper, pencil, chart with "Chuck chipped chunks while chopping chocolate", Chica Chica Boom Boom by Bill Martin, and a word list including: chin, chop, chat, such, lunch, and chip.
1.The lesson will be introduced by showing how words are created by combining letters in order for us to speak, read, and write. The letter combination we are going to learn today is ch.
2. Ask students: Have you ever heard someone refer to a train as a choo choo train? Well, /ch/ is the sound that is formed when the letters "c" and "h" are combined. Let's practice, /ch/, /ch/, /ch/. Good!
3. Let's try a tongue twister on a chart: "Chuck chipped chunks while chopping chocolate". Now, let's say it together. This time lets hold the /ch/ sound a little longer. "Ch..uck ch..ipped ch..unks while ch..opping ch..ocolate".
4. Now lets take out our primary paper and pencil. We can combine the letters "c" and "h" to make the /ch/ sound. To make a "c", start a little below the fence line, come up to the fence line and make a half circle down to the sidewalk. To make the "h", start at the sky, come straight down to the sidewalk, come back up to the fence line and curve back down to the sidewalk (this will be modeled). Now I want you to make five more just like it. Remember that ch is the signal for you to say /ch/.
5. Call on students to see what they know and how they answered: Do you hear /ch/ in chin or thin, top or chop, teach or team, peel or peach? Let's practice, say /ch/ if you hear the /ch/ sound and no if you do not. "Chuck, chipped chunks while chopping chocolate."
6. Read: Chica Chica Boom Boom will be used for shared reading and the class will discuss the use of ch in the story. Once the book is finished, some pages will be read a second time and the students will raise their hands when they hear the /ch/ sound.
7. For assessment: The students will get a picture page and they will name each picture. Then the students will write ch under each picture whose names contain the /ch/ sound/.
Eldredge, J. Lloyd. "Types of phonics instruction to
Provide for Children". Teaching Decoding in Holistic
Classrooms. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1995 (p.48).
for Beginning Readers. "Donât wake the Baby" by Debbie
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GRADE 3 GETTING TO THE CORE OF WRITING ESSENTIAL LESSONS FOR EVERY THIRD GRADER by shell education (sep50917
This resource helps teachers to incorporate writing instruction in the 3rd grade classroom as an essential element of literacy development while implementing best practices. As a classroom-tested resource, Getting to the Core of Writing shows positive results in students' writing and simplifies the planning of writing instruction. It assists teachers in becoming familiar with the Common Core State Standards of Writing and provides resources to support the implementation of these standards. It features a Teacher Resource CD and contains information on how to establish a daily writing workshop that includes consistent, structured instruction to engage students in the writing process. This resource was developed with Common Core State Standards as its foundation and is aligned to the interdisciplinary themes from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.


Knowing there was a need to address the invisible problem of low literacy in Oakville, a group of volunteers, many of them associated with the Oakville Public Library, formed our local Council. Established in 1986, the Oakville Literacy Council uses the internationally known Laubach approach to teaching adult literacy.
At the turn of the century, Frank C. Laubach, an American educator living in the Philippines, discovered that the formal schooling process could not provide literacy development to a group of people who wished to become skilled in their own language. He devised a simple system which was successful in helping them acquire literacy competency. This same system has been used in more than 300 languages throughout the world.
Since the 1930s, the Laubach Way to Reading (LWR) has used the slogan “Each One Teach One” because their way of teaching literacy skills is direct and personal. Laubach's volunteer tutors are matched one-on-one with students.
Canada's first Laubach tutor training workshop was held in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia in 1970.


Rembrandt was one of the defining figures of the seventeenth-century Dutch Golden Age. Born in Leiden, where he began his artistic career, he moved to Amsterdam in his mid-twenties and rapidly became successful. He made his reputation with large-scale portraits of wealthy citizens and with representations of scenes from the Bible, along with landscapes, genre scenes, and smaller-scale portraits. He was a skilled draftsman and a highly innovative etcher who observed his subjects directly and often presented them with both uncompromising realism and considerable dramatic intensity.
Edgar Degas was born in Paris and briefly received a conventional art education based on traditional techniques and subject matter. His early work often centered on standard, historical subjects, based on his study of past masters. In his late twenties he began to paint contemporary city life, and he became one of the founding members of the Impressionist group. His work was often radically experimental in form, but perhaps thanks to his early training, he maintained an interest in traditional subjects like portraiture for many years. He also excelled in a range of forms, including etching, sculpture, and later, photography, as well as painting.


This is the first time for me to write an IEP for a student that is functional living or lifeskills and I'm not sure how to find the goals. My student is 6th grade, nonverbal, and seems to be functioning on a 2 year old level. He can sort and match things but doesn't write, trace, or show "academic" progress. I have to use the core subjects instead of just a functional living format. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
Can you give us an indication of his current performance? What does he do in reading, writing, and math? How does he participate in those subjects in your class? Also, how does he communicate? I understand that he doesn't verbalize, but what does he do? Gestures, picture communication symbols, voice-output device . . . .
I'm not sure about his IQ because he's never been tested since he's so low, nonverbal, visually impaired, and unable to complete testing. He acts similiar to a 1 1/2 to 2 year old by pulling you and moving your hand toward things he wants. He loves the computer and plays several games activated by the keyboard or clicking the mouse. He will move my hand over to the mouse when he wants a different program or game. He had a communication device (say it sam) but it broke the 3rd week of school but he really didn't seem to be able to manipulate it while we had it. We've used picture cards, a Go-Talk, and visual schedule with him. Academically, he can match and sort by color and sometimes shapes. He works simple puzzles, listens to short stories, can make vertical marks on paper independently. We hand-over-hand trace numbers, letters, and his name but he doesn't attempt any of this independently. In the past, we've used functional living skills and the goals were based on fine motor, gross motor, and necessary to living skills. Recently we changed to a new form due to STAAR testing in Texas. I think that's why we have to choose goals that are more similiar to academics rather than functional living. I have things like tracing but realistically is he going to write his name independently ever? I'm all for using things like that but our VI thinks that is a waste of time for him. What do you think? Thanks again for your help!
like "attend" to the reading of a simple story-then have three simple picture cards representing beginning, middle, end to demonstrate sequencing skills. He wouldn't have to necessarily manipulate all 3--maybe you could ask him what came first or last...what happens next kinds of questions.
Maybe read a simple story and have sample characters on cards where he picks who was in it and who was not. Or put his name on a flashcard with one or two similar words near and see if he can pick it out [like have Steve, Stamp and Slick all on cards and he chooses his name.]
For math, it sounds like activities with the shapes, colors and puzzles would work.
For writing, see if he can make the marks on purpose. Have vertical, horizonal, crosses [plusses and x's] and right-left slant lines to trace, copy or otherwise imitate. If he can't do it on paper, can he use a marker board, smart board, shaving cream?
Message me so that I can email you. I can send you a couple of sample IEPs for kids at that range. If it makes you feel any better, he is quite a bit higher than most of my kids and they all address academics - even the two that score at 0-2 months on the developmental assessments. And, not only do they address academics, they benefit from those lessons even if they will never develop conventional academic skills. They learn tons of communication, social, motor, and self-help skills through our academic lessons.
Thank you so much for your responses! Lottalove, you're on the right track and gave some great ideas. I'm definitely going to try it with him and see what he can understand and if he can make choices. SDT, I wish I had gotten a special ed degree instead of just elementary education. It would have given me so much more info and help in my current job. If you come up with more, please pass them along Thanks so much!!
I have a similar non verbal child I am trying to write goals for. He is 7 but probably at a scattered 3 year old cognitive level. He is able to use an Ipad with a PECS type software to communicate simple sentences such as wanting, seeing, etc. Knows his numbers 1-10, 10 colors, 10 shapes, identifies all 26 letters of the alphabet and can type his first and last name with prompting.
Do you think you can send me some sample goals? What I read earlier sounds very interesting and could be helpful.


Keyword(s):Music Education , Electroacoustic Devices , Interactivity , Real-time , Spatialisation , Loudspeaker Orchestra , Graphic Score , Socio-Cultural Aspects of Electroacoustic Music , Computer Music , Multimedia
The final section of this particular journal volume contains five conversations between various composers from European electroacoustic studios. They discuss:
- Copyright, musical commission, and trades: the administrative problems of musical creation.
- Diffusion: the technical and musical realisation of an electroacoustic concert.
- Education: pedagogical methods for young children and students in electroacoustic studios.
- Music and machines: real-time music and musical interactivity, the computer, the relation between the score and the work, and musical reflexes.
- Electroacoustic music: a new music?
This article also contains a list of numerous European studios, highlighting their equipment, esthetic directions, educational approaches, and types of diffusion.
Aharonian, Coriun, Appleton, Jon, Beyls, Peter, Boeswillwald, Pierre, Buxton, Bill, Chiarucci, Henri, Clozier, Christian, Ferreyra, Beatriz, Goethals, Lucien, Hanson, Sten, Kotonski, Wlodzimierz , Küpper, Leo, Pignon, Paul, Menard, Philippe, Nilson, Leo, Rudnik, Eugeniusz, Savouret, Alain (1975). La musique électroacoustique en 5 thèmes


Interdisciplinary Literacy Education
Resources for teaching literacy skills through the arts.
Projects at NIU
- Storytelling Through Visual Art and Music - A slideshow on an integrative approach to teaching the Arts from NIU art education students with support from both School of Art and School of Music.
- Visual Culture and Art Education - Art Education faculty and their NIU pre-service students are working with the students and teachers at St. Mary School in DeKalb to create interdisciplinary art lessons that help students to understand the world they live in and to create artworks that express their interpretations of contemporary and historic cultures.
- Integrating Content Area Instruction and Literacy - Corrine Wickens is partnering with several NIU Secondary Education programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Science to incorporate literacy teaching strategies into other academic content areas.
- Digital Story Creation - Rhonda Robinson from Educational Technology, Research and Assessment, College of Education, and Kristin Brynteson from the Center for P-20 Engagement, are assisting Genoa Elementary School in the use of digital storytelling activities to impact a variety of different literacy skills.
- Reading In Motion - Founded in 1983, the Reading In Motionâs mission is to get every at-risk kindergarten through third grade student reading at or above grade level, through the power and discipline of the arts.
- The ArtsLiteracy Project - The ArtsLiteracy Project (ArtsLit) began in 1996 and "gathers an international community of artists, teachers, youth, college students, and professors with the goal of collaboratively creating innovative approaches to literacy development through the arts."
- Arts in Basic Curriculum - "Since 1987, the ABC Project has used professional development as one of its most important strategies for working towards giving every child in South Carolina (SC) access to a comprehensive arts education."
- Picturing America - An initiative from the National Endowmant for the Humanities that brings American Masterpieces into the classroom.
Curriculum and Lesson Plans
- Integration with Dance and English/Language Arts - Lesson plans from the North Carolina State Board of Education
- Arts Integration Frameworks, Research, & Practice: A Literature Review
- Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement
- Of Paint and Poetry: Strengthening Literacy Through Art
- National Art Education Association - This dynamic community of practice is where visual arts teachers, scholars, researchers and professors, students, administrators, art museum educators, and artists come together around a shared belief in the power of the arts to develop human potential. Includes lesson plans and grant opportunities.
- ArtsEdge - ArtsEdge â the National Arts and Education Network â supports the placement of the arts at the center of the curriculum and advocates creative use of technology to enhance the K-12 educational experience.
Arts and Literacy Projects at NIU
Find more NIU Arts and Literacy projects in ENGAGE!


Rhonda Farkota's educational philosophy explained in five paragraphs
The student-directed versus teacher-directed learning debate is an ancient one; indeed, the polemic goes back to Plato. In her doctoral research (The Effects of a 15-minute Direct Instruction Intervention in the Regular Mathematics Class on Students’ Mathematical Self-efficacy and Achievement) the author carried out a comprehensive review of the relevant research and literature, and reached the inescapable conclusion that some skills were better acquired through one approach and some through the other. When it came to the employment and cultivation of higher order skills where reasoning and reflection were required it was clear that a student-directed approach to learning was better suited. But when it came to the acquisition of basic skills the empirical evidence unequivocally showed that a teacher-directed approach was best suited.
It is well accepted that problem solving skills operate from a knowledge base that has been acquired through practice; in fact, genuine competence in both problem solving and basic skills only comes with practice. Significantly though, it is actually when the base knowledge in a discipline is being acquired that the foundations for effective problem solving are being laid. Because the essential knowledge required for automaticity is stored in students' long term memory, it is best retained when explicitly taught and practiced repeatedly. This automaticity originating from practice empowers students to maximise their mental capacity by concentrating exclusively on the more complex task of problem solving.
It is also well accepted that to perform a task competently one requires not only the requisite skills, but also the self-belief in one's ability to implement performance. In the learning process this is termed self-efficacy, and when laying the foundational skills in mathematics, or for that matter any academic discipline, it is important that student self-efficacy be accomodated. Students with low self-efficacy in a particular skill area are reluctant to engage in tasks where those skills are required, and if they do, they are more likely to quit when encountering difficulty.
Students engaged in the learning process automatically monitor their progress, and for this reason the capacity to self-evaluate progress is an integral and ongoing component of the JEMM program. Because JEMM tasks gradually increase in difficulty, students have clear criteria by which they can independently assess their performance and gauge their progress. As they progress they acquire more skills and become more proficient at the self-evaluation process.
JEMM lessons were deliberately designed not to be seen as tests, but this is precisely what is happening on a daily basis; without being conscious of it, students are willingly engaging in ongoing assessment. As such the lessons serve as a powerful diagnostic tool clearly mapping students' progress, identifying precisely where and when they are experiencing difficulty. The students' responses provide teachers with reliable diagnostic information similar to that which could only be acquired from a formal test situation. Because students receive daily feedback on their performance they are acutely and immediately aware of their progress, which strengthens their self-efficacy, sustains their motivation and enhances their academic achievement.


Student Achievement Assessment Committee
Primary Learning Outcomes
The mission statement of the department manifests three primary learning outcomes for students in music education:
• teaching effectiveness
• excellent musicianship
• critical thinking skills
Since spring 2001, these three primary learning outcomes have been the underlying principles for assessment in every course with a MUED prefix. These learning outcomes form the core of the undergraduate and graduate programs in music education.
1. Learning (or Service) Outcomes assessed this year:
In 2003-2004 we attempted to measure changes in teaching behaviors during the course of the student teaching practicum. While measures of behavior change alone do not capture the total essence of effective teaching, published literature in music education suggest that expert music teachers demonstrate similar teaching behaviors, which differ from behaviors demonstrated by novices. Novices tend to spend more time presenting instruction (teacher talk) than in directing students through a sequence of performances leading to achievement of a performance goal.
The assessment procedure described in this report was designed to examine the effect of self observation and self analysis on the behaviors of our student teachers and their students during the student teaching practicum.
2. Assessment Methods and Procedures:
The table submitted with this document reports data recorded by students during observations of their own performance as student teachers. Three observations (week 4, week 5, and week 10) are required during the student teaching practicum. Video observations were 20 minutes in length. Student teachers utilized SCRIBE, a computerized behavior analysis program designed specifically for systematic analysis of performance-based instruction.
3. Inferences from Assessments:
After analyzing the first video excerpt, student teachers indicated in seminar discussions that they wanted to talk less and direct their students to play more. The data suggest that they were successful in doing so. There was a shift in the balance of teacher and student behaviors over the course of the term. Time spent in teacher talk was greater in observation I (48%) than in observations II (32%) and III (31%). The mean episode duration of teacher talk time diminished from observation I (10 sec) to observation II (9 sec) and observation III (9 sec).
Most striking was the change in the proportion of time spent in large group and small group performance from observation I to observation II. The data suggest that our student teachers worked with small groups to a greater extent in observation II (25%) than in observation I (13%) or observation III (17%) perhaps indicating greater attention to detail in rehearsals following seminar II (week 4) and observation II (week 5). An increase in the percentage of time spent in large group performance between observation II and observation III is not surprising since observation II took place early in the semester when students learn new music and observation III took place during week 10 when students have mastered technical aspects of the piece and rehearsals focus on ensemble performance.
Student teachers increased the rate of positive feedback from observation I (.41 per minute to observation II (.48 per minute, and observation III (.63 per minute). They gave less negative feedback than positive feedback for all observations and they delivered more directives than any other form of teacher verbalization.
4. Actions Taken/Program Improvements:
We have focused on assessment of student teaching, the final capstone experience for music education majors, for the past two years. While we will continue to monitor the effect of self observation on improvement of teaching skills during student teaching, it is now appropriate to link what we have learned to the junior methods courses where students demonstrate and develop their teaching skills. Directed self observations appear to positively influence teaching behaviors and students may benefit from more frequent opportunities to observe and analyze their own teaching and the teaching of others. We have already begun to develop electronic portfolios, which include videotaped excerpts and self observation, in junior methods courses. We will continue to refine our electronic portfolios and we will develop an assessment instrument for junior methods courses.
We will continue to examine videotaped teaching excerpts submitted by student teachers to study the process and quality of teacher decision making in lessons and rehearsals.


ERIC Number: ED060355
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1969-Mar
Reference Count: N/A
El humanismo y la educacion en diversos niveles del sistema educativo national (Humanism and Education at Different Levels of the National Education System).
Consejo Nacional Tecnico de la Educacion (Mexico).
This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of six studies of the different levels of education and the humanistic content of the teaching program at each level. On the preschool level, it is stated that kindergarten education in Mexico attempts to put the small child in contact with the world that surrounds him. Elementary education includes health and physical training, use of natural resources in the environment, comprehension and improvement of social life, creative activities, practical activities, and acquisition of the elements of culture. Elementary schools should place a high value on the formative aspects of human personality. The efforts of secondary schools to supply a humanistic education is analyzed, beginning with a consideration of student needs and characteristics. The upper level of secondary education is studied in terms of student characteristics who enter preparatory schools, generally at sixteen to follow a three year course for the baccalaureate which gives entry to the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The education of teachers carried out by normal schools in Mexico aims at endowing them with broad cultural preparation. Higher normal schools train secondary school teacher in the integral development of youth. (Author/GDB)
Descriptors: Abstracts, Curriculum Design, Educational Objectives, Educational Philosophy, Personality Development, Physical Education, Preschool Education, Primary Education, Secondary Education, Teacher Education, Technical Education
Available in CEAS Abstract Series No. 1-4 (ED 060 227)
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: Consejo Nacional Tecnico de la Educacion (Mexico).


Florida Education Channel
Florida School Leaders
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
US House of Rep
Subject Area Pages
Archived Summary Statement Education Reform, Standards, and the Arts.
From the National Standards for Arts Education, a summary of what students should know in the arts.
Didax Educational Resources
Includes Visual Arts Standards, Grade Expectations, and overview of Grade Expectations.
NAEA - National Art Education Association
Core Knowledge - Lesson Plans - Art & Music
DIA Ancient Egypt Lesson Plans Art
Elementary Art Lesson Plans
KinderArt - Art Lessons - Art Education The largest collection of free art lessons and art education information on the Intern
Lesson Plans KODAK Education - Art
Lesson Plans Crayola Creativity Central
Lesson Plans Art Project Index
The Lesson Plans Page - Art Lesson Plans, Art Ideas, and Art Activities
Here is a collection of tips and techniques for a variety of art activities.
Art Resources from the Incredible Teacher Resource Kit
Draw and Color with Uncle Fred
How to Draw Cartoon Characters
Learn to Draw for Kids
Mark's Imagination Station
Painting instructions, watercolour techniques, design and colour
Painting Tips, tutorials and how-tos - Acrylic, faux, oils, watercolor
All Things Watercolor
World of Watercolor Online Magazine Home Page
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Professional teaching standards and information on National Board Certification.


Elementary Education K-6
The Elementary Education Program offers professional education courses for students desiring to major in Elementary Education. This program prepares them to teach Kindergarten through sixth grade. The program bridges theory, course work, and practice through courses and carefully selected field experiences. A minimum of 124 semester hours is required to complete the program and majors are required to select and complete an academic concentration. After successfully completing the program, completing an electronic portfolio and meeting the required PRAXIS II scores, candidates will be eligible to apply for a North Carolina Elementary Education (K-6) teaching license.
The goals of the Elementary Education Program are:
- to prepare elementary teacher candidates to develop and implement meaningful instructional plans that meet the needs of diverse 21st Century learners;
- to assist candidates to develop the in-depth content knowledge needed to become effective teachers;
- to prepare candidates to utilize student data to inform instructional decision-making.
The Program in Elementary Education is designed to ensure that elementary grades teacher candidates:
- elementary grades teacher candidates have the knowledge and understanding of language and how language is used to develop effective communication in listening, speaking, viewing, reading, thinking, and writing;
- elementary grades teacher candidates have the knowledge and understanding of mathematical conventions and processes; skills relative to number sense; numeration; numerical operations; and algebraic thinking; spatial sense; measurement and geometry, patterns, relationships and functions, and data analysis, probability, and statistics;
- elementary grades teacher candidates have the knowledge and understanding of scientific inquiry; process skills; and concepts and applications relative to the life, physical, and earth sciences in order to be informed and productive citizens;
- elementary grades teacher candidates have the necessary knowledge specific for producing knowledgeable, global citizens who are critical thinkers in a democratic society;
- elementary grades teacher candidates have the knowledge and understanding of mental, emotional, physical, and social health to empower students to make healthy lifestyle choices;
- elementary grades teacher candidates integrate the arts throughout the curriculum.


No Child Left Behind
Looney Tunes ClickN READ Phonics was derived by J. Ron Nelson,
from the extant research literature on effective reading instruction
as reviewed and summarized by the National Reading Panel (NICHD, 2000), and
qualifies for NCLB and Reading First funding.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
Signed into law
by the US President in January 2002, reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA), which was adopted in 1966. The sweeping reforms of NCLB are
intended to reduce the number of experimental programs created under the ESEA and
re-focus educational dollars on proven, research-based approaches that will help most
children to learn. In brief, NCLB calls for: annual testing of all public school
students in reading and math for grades 3-8 and high school by the 2005-06 school year;
annual report cards on school performance for parents, voters and taxpayers ensuring
that every child reads by the 3rd grade; a highly qualified teacher in every public school
classroom by the 2005-06 school year.
What is Reading First
First is that component of NCLB that mandates reading proficiency for all children
by the third grade. Specifically, Reading First identifies the five areas of reading
instruction that have been shown to be effective in helping children learn to read:
(1) phonemic awareness, (2) phonics, (3) vocabulary development, (4) reading fluency,
including oral reading skills, and (5) reading comprehension strategies..
What is Early Reading First
The Early Reading First component of NCLB is intended to prepare young children
to enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early reading
skills to prevent reading difficulties and ensure school success. It is hoped
that early intervention will reduce the need to spend special needs funding on
What is "scientifically-based" learning?
Scientifically based learning is "research that involves the application of
rigorous, systematic and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid
knowledge relevant to education activities and programs and employs systematic,
empirical methods that draw on observation or experience."
California Learning Resource Network
ClickN READ Phonics has been successfully reviewed by the California Learning
Resource Network and meets the legal and social compliance requirement for the
state of California.
About the California Learning Resource Network
In December of 1999, the California Department of Education awarded the SETS
(Statewide Education Technology Services) Learning Resource contract to Stanislaus
County Office of Education as LEA, with partner county offices of education in
Butte, Humboldt, Kern, Kings Sacramento, and San Diego. CLRN provides educators
with a "one-stop" resource for critical information needed for the selection of
supplemental electronic learning resources aligned to the State Board of Education
academic content standards and linked to model lesson plans utilizing technology.
California Educators with specific content experience are selected through an
application process to act as reviewers once they have completed a rigorous
training program. The review process utilizes the State Board of Education
approved review criteria which covers three areas: Legal Compliance, Standards
alignment, and Minimum Requirements.


The special education faculty at Indiana University South Bend is committed to preparing highly effective teachers to serve students with disabilities and families in the community. In order to be an effective special education teacher, students must understand the foundations of special education, serve as advocates for students and families, implement sound assessment and instructional practices, use technology to enhance learning, and participate in reflective activities. To this end, Indiana University South Bend has several programs in which individuals can earn a degree in special education.
At the undergraduate level, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Special Education. This degree is designed to prepare individuals seeking initial licensure in mild interventions (P-12) and for careers teaching children with disabilities in the public schools. The professional education sequence of educational programs include coursework in professional education and pedagogy, which included a curriculum based on practice experience, and a curriculum based on scientifically-based reading instruction, differentiation of instruction and teaching methods, cultural competency, instructional technology, classroom and behavioral management, curriculum development, and the psychology of child development. Additionally, students majoring in Elementary Education or Secondary Education can complete a series of courses that will also license them in mild interventions.
At the graduate level, students can earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with a major in Special Education. The MAT is for individuals who have already earned a Baccalaureate degree but who are interested in becoming licensed as special education teachers in mild interventions (P-12). For individuals with a special education degree, the Master of Science in Education with a major in Special Education is designed for students seeking an advanced degree in special education in mild interventions (P-12) or intense interventions (P-12). The MS is designed to strengthen an individual’s competencies in special education and prepare them for positions of leadership in area schools and agencies working with individuals with disabilities.
The course sequence for mild interventions is designed to prepare future special education teachers to work with students from high incidence disability categories including learning disabilities, mild mental disabilities, and emotional disabilities. Students completing the sequence at the graduate level for the intense interventions license will be prepared to work with students from a variety of low incidence categories.
Both the undergraduate and graduate programs emphasize the knowledge, dispositions, and skills required of special education teachers, and incorporates the performance standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and Indiana’s developmental standards. The special education programs are performance-based, and students’ progress in acquiring knowledge, demonstrating skills, and exhibiting appropriate dispositions are assessed throughout their teacher education programs.


Associate's Degree Programs in Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education involves working with children in a childcare, preschool or kindergarten setting, including children from birth through age eight. Associate degree programs in early childhood education introduce students to many of the theories and practices necessary for a career in the field, such as child psychology and student assessment.
Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education associate degree programs provide students with foundational training in working with young children and their families. Students are taught about curriculum development, child safety, child development and many other topics. Programs often offer students the opportunity to specialize in areas such as sociology, special education and teaching non-native English speaking children. Students interested in teaching at public or private schools are prepared to transition to a bachelor's degree program in early childhood education.
Associate degree programs in early childhood education are available at many 2-year community colleges, as well as many online universities. Applicants are required to possess a high school diploma or the equivalent. High school coursework in child development is helpful but infrequently required.
Coursework in early childhood education associate degree programs teach students to work with children at a highly vulnerable and impressionable age. Students learn theory and practical skills through courses such as the following:
- Fundamentals of early childhood education
- Child growth and development
- Child psychology
- Health, safety and nutrition in early childhood education
- Children with special needs
- Child observation and assessment
- Literacy development in early childhood education
- Curriculum development in early childhood education
Popular Career Options
Graduates of associate degree programs in early childhood education are prepared for a variety of careers working with children, though many teaching positions require further education. Popular career options include the following:
- Private childcare provider
- Preschool teacher's aide
- Kindergarten teacher's aide
- Day care center manager
- Head Start teacher
Continuing Education and Certification Information
Advanced education is available at multiple levels in early childhood education, including programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree levels. Early childhood educators are required to hold licensure or certification whether they work in childcare centers or schools; however, private childcare providers working with small numbers of children are not always required to be certified. Requirements for certification vary widely by age level and state. Typically, certification requires a background check, proof of immunizations and a training component.
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One of the major areas in which we are looking to be useful here at “Teach Your Child to Read” is the expat market. Many expats send their children to international schools and nurseries/kindergartens but there are many who don’t. They want their children to fit into the local culture and the first and most obvious step is to go to the local schools in the local language.
This leaves them with a quandary of course because they don’t want their child to “fall behind” other children of their age in case they move back to their home country or onto another country where English is the lingua franca.
Here is where this website can help you so much. The clear instructions from “Teach Your Child to Read” on our Phonics Reading Course will help you to help teach your child to read. There are two main areas of the online reading course, the phonics instruction, how to teach using the resources we provide, and the links to other resources that complement our approach and provide a solid grounding in teaching children reading.
There is no doubt there are thousands of places and resources both on and offline that you can find to help you teach your child to read. However many of them are at best just a diversion. We have sifted through to find the best links, check out our links page when it goes live later this week, the best resources, our own and recommended resources, and the clearest instructions for using those resources so that you as a parent, and teacher in this case, feel comfortable and confident in what you are teaching your child.
Have no doubts that this online course in teaching reading through phonics, sight words lists and phonemic awareness activities along with the backup and the forum which will be up soon is the perfect start for your child’s reading journey.
Follow our course for free through the autoresponder or order it online and you give your child the advantages in and out of the classroom that you could not imagine having done before. (And remember to tell your friends too)


ERIC Number: ED444765
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2000
Reference Count: N/A
Promoting Meaningful Learning: Innovations in Educating Early Childhood Professionals.
Yelland, Nicola J., Ed.
Grounded in active learning, inquiry, and problem solving embedded in a social and cultural context, this book presents a collection of ideas illustrating innovative practices for educating early childhood professionals in university and other contexts. The book is presented in three parts. Part 1, "Listening to Student Voices," is concerned with giving education students a voice and providing scaffolding for their learning. Part 2, "Developing Meaningful Learning Opportunities," focuses on ways in which educators can develop meaningful learning opportunities for young children in numerous contexts. Part 3, "Creating Communities for Learning," explores ways to develop and enhance the continuing education of early childhood professionals. Following an introduction (Nicola J. Yelland and Susan Grieshaber), the chapters are: (1) "Forum Groups: Creating Opportunities for Empowerment and Collaboration" (Cynthia a Beckett); (2) "Scaffolding Preservice Teachers' Learning" (Anastasia Samaras); (3) "Rethinking Professional Practice: Narratives of the Practicum" (Nicola J. Yelland and Jenny Cartmel); (4) "Practicing What We Preach: Active Learning in the Development of Early Childhood Professionals" (Barbara Piscitelli); (5) "Developing Mathematical Literacy in the Early Childhood Years" (Carmel Diezmann and Nicola J. Yelland); (6) "Teaching Storytelling in Preservice and Professional Development Programs" (Kerry Mallan); (7) "Art in the Early Childhood Classroom: Authentic Experiences and Extended Dialogues" (Martha Taunton and Cynthia Colbert); (8) "Innovations in Observing Children: Use of New Technologies" (Kym Irving); (9) "The Challenge of Teaching and Learning Science with Young Children" (Susan Grieshaber and Carmel Diezmann); (10) "Preparing Students To Work with Children with Special Needs and Their Families" (Anna Bower); and (11) "Open Doors, Open Minds: Working with Families and Community" (Margaret Henry). (Each chapter contains references.) (KB)
Descriptors: Active Learning, Art Education, Computer Uses in Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Innovation, Educational Practices, Educational Technology, Emergent Literacy, Numeracy, Parent School Relationship, Parent Teacher Cooperation, Practicums, Preschool Teachers, Professional Development, Program Descriptions, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), School Community Relationship, Science Education, Special Needs Students, Story Telling, Teacher Education, Teacher Education Programs, Teacher Educators, Teaching Methods, Transfer of Training
National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1426; Tel: 800-424-2460 (Toll-Free), Tel: 202-232-8777; Web site: http://www.naeyc.org (NAEYC No. 138).
Publication Type: Collected Works - General
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, DC.
Identifiers: Vygotsky (Lev S)


- O'Keeffe, Georgia
- American, 1887 - 1986
In her life and art, Georgia O'Keeffe was a pioneer of American modernism. Born in Wisconsin, she began her art studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1905 at the age of eighteen. She moved to New York two years later to attend the Art Students League. She initially saw the work of European modernists in New York at Alfred Stieglitz' gallery 291. After working for a few years as a commercial artist in Chicago, in 1910 she went to Charlottesville, Virginia, where her family had moved, and took courses in drawing at the University of Virginia. For the next eight years O'Keeffe combined studies of art and art education with teaching art, traveling, and developing her own style.
In 1916 some of her drawings were shown to Alfred Stieglitz, who recognized her significant talent and exhibited a group of her spare charcoal abstractions at 291 the following year. Moving back to New York in 1918, O'Keeffe became a part of the group of progressive artists--Charles Demuth, Arthur Dove, John Marin, and Marsden Hartley--who had gathered around Stieglitz and his gallery. In 1924 O'Keeffe married Stieglitz, and she divided her time throughout the 1920s between New York City and the country home of the Stieglitz family at Lake George in upstate New York.
During her long career, O'Keeffe's subjects ranged from cityscapes to abstractions and figure studies, landscapes, and her well-known flower paintings. In 1929 she spent part of a summer in New Mexico for the first time, a habit she maintained until she moved there permanently in 1949, following the death of her husband three years earlier.
The American Southwest proved a particularly fertile source for many of O'Keeffe's works. Vast wide-open spaces provided direct experience with forms and the effects of nature she boldly recorded in her works. Her bold, simple, vivid images seem to suspend time by capturing a fleeting moment and rendering it in solid, monumental form.
[This is an excerpt from the interactive companion to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art.]


Family FUNdamentals Pre K-3 Learning Activities
Studies show that students are more likely to achieve and succeed if the enter school and each grade with the foundational skills needed to be ready.
A child’s ability to succeed in school takes a partnership—one that begins at home and continues in school. To ensure all students enter school ready to learn, the Michigan Department of Education has developed a variety of literacy and math activities for preschool to fourth grade students parents can help their children practice at home.
These activities are aligned with the with state and federal standards.
Family FUNdamentals SUMMER LEARNING ACTIVITY PDF Documents
- Executive Summary
- Introduction (Read First)
- PreKindergarten Literacy Activities
- PreKindergarten Math Activities
- Kindergarten Literacy Activities
- Kindergarten Math Activities
- First Grade Literacy Activities
- 1st Grade Math Activities
- 2nd Grade Literacy Activities
- 2nd Grade Math Activities
- Additional Learning Materials - Picture Cards, etc.
- Please tell us what you think about the activities mail-in
All information contained in this publication may be printed, copied and given to parents as you choose. For example, you could print and copy a full English Language Arts activities for each parent, or select specific skill activities based on student need.
The FAMILY FUNdamentals for Literacy activities were created with the help of teachers, parents, and reading specialists on the Michigan Department of Education's Early Literacy Committee.
Special thanks to Linda Wacyk, Jan Ellis, Steve Anderson, Bonnie Rockefellow, Annena McCleskey, Faith Stevens and Lindy Bush. Editorial Services and Publishing by Linda Wacyk, Partnership For Learning and Jon Mc Duffy. Prepress Layout and Design by Marilyn ( Sam ) Nesbitt. Illustrations by Carrie Strom.
More resources to follow. For additional information contact: Jan Ellis, email@example.com, (517) 373-9391.


PDF release pending
ERIC Number: ED380323
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1994
Reference Count: N/A
Music Copyright Law in Education. Fastback 368.
Woody, Robert Henley, III; Woody, Robert Henley, II
This booklet focuses on how copyright law applies to music in education, but the information is not restricted to the music specialist. Instrumental and vocal music specialists must rely on copyrighted material. Without sheet music, an ensemble could not rehearse or perform. But classroom teachers also use music when they sing songs with or play recordings for students. In all likelihood, music used in the classroom will be copyrighted. Beyond avoiding the financial penalties that can be imposed by copyright litigation, the nature of education calls on all educators to promote positive values. In the event that a teacher openly violates copyright law by making unauthorized photocopies of sheet music, and the administration passively condones this action, the message to students is a lack of respect for the law by those who should be role models for legal and ethical behavior. Thus educators cannot sanction infringement of copyright. This booklet discusses the basic principles of copyright law, including jurisdiction, criteria for receiving copyright protection, derivative works, public domain and fair use, and penalties. Two sections of the Copyright Act provide limited exemptions for educators. The exemption for educational musical performances is described. Music copyright case law is briefly summarized. Guidelines to music copyright are: (1) permitted photocopying of music; (2) prohibited photocopying of music; (3) sound recordings; (4) musical performances; (5) arrangements of music; (6) audiovisual materials; and (7) computers in music. Thirteen questions and their answers are included as an aid to teachers. Instructions for obtaining permission to use copyrighted music and a 25-item list of resources conclude the booklet. (DK)
Descriptors: Copyrights, Elementary Secondary Education, Federal Legislation, Higher Education, Instructional Materials, Music, Music Education
Educational Foundation, Phi Delta Kappa, 408 N. Union, P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789.
Publication Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers; Policymakers; Administrators; Practitioners
Authoring Institution: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, Bloomington, IN.


To those who don’t keep up with education trends, certain recent events might appear to be unrelated. In May, a Grade 3 class in Toronto took to the streets with signs and an oversized papier mâché oil pipeline to protest the laying of an actual pipeline in western Canada. Last year, in Toronto, first-graders brought home student planners marked with the international days of zero tolerance on female genital mutilation and ending violence against sex workers, a means to spark conversation on the issues. In Laval, Que., a six-year-old boy was disqualified from a teddy-bear contest because a Ziploc was found in his lunch instead of a reusable container. In Ste-Marie-de-Kent, N.B., in 2009, Grade 4 students were given 10 minutes to decide which three people from this group should be saved from an imminent planetary explosion: a black African, a Chinese person, an Aboriginal, an Acadian francophone and an anglophone.
These are just a handful of examples of the more peculiar by-products of a vision gaining ground among many education architects: an elementary school education rooted in social-justice principles. Increasingly, faculties of education in Canada and much of the Western world are preparing their student teachers to weave social justice throughout the primary school curriculum—in math and science, language arts and social studies, drama and even gym—as well as into a range of cross-curricular activities, events and projects. The idea is to encourage kids to become critical analysts of contemporary issues, empathetic defenders of human rights and gatekeepers of the beleaguered Earth.
But social justice—which encompasses diversity, sustainability, global affairs and issues of race and class—is a broad term with varying interpretations. It can manifest in wildly different ways. In the hands of one teacher, social justice might entail teaching kids to care for the Earth by having them plant trees in the schoolyard. Another might have the same children write letters to the government about the environmental effects of mining, urging it to reform how mining claims are processed—part of an actual Grade 4 lesson plan created at the University of Ottawa.
When it comes to the question of what’s appropriate to broach with young children, conflicts abound. Last month, Toronto parents were incensed to learn that the Toronto District School Board web page promoting health education included a link to an organization that suggested kids explore their sexuality by experimenting with sex toys and vegetables. The board has since removed the link. Sometimes the social-justice push can just come off as old-fashioned political correctness: the Durham Board of Education in Ontario came under fire for discouraging the terms “wife” and “husband” in class in favour of the gender-neutral “spouse,” and the words “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” in favour of “partner.” And in the name of inclusiveness, some school boards include Wiccan holidays in their school calendars. But because there are no clear guidelines, things can also really go awry. In March, a U.K. school banned “best friends” because that made other kids feel left out. In May, a six-year-old boy in Denver was suspended for singing the pop anthem I’m Sexy and I Know It to a female classmate, violating the school’s sexual-harassment policy.


Florida Folklife Program
The Florida Music Train
American Folklore Society Award for Florida Music Train Curriculum
The American Folklore Society awarded its 2003 Dorothy Howard Prize to the Department of State, Florida Folklife Program and author Laurie K. Sommers for The Florida Music Train. The Florida Music Train provides educators with an entertaining and engaging program that brings Florida's musical heritage and traditions alive in the classroom. The Dorothy Howard Prize honors individuals and organizations whose work effectively encourages K-12 educators or students to use or study folklore and folkloristic approaches in all educational environments. Such works include curriculum materials, publications, audio and video recordings, multimedia publications, and exhibits.
Created by folklorist/ethnomusicologist Laurie K. Sommers and the Florida Folklife Program, with administrative assistance from the Florida Folklore Society, The Florida Music Train explores Florida's rich musical traditions from Pensacola to Key West. This educational module includes an audio CD of 23 archival, field, and studio recordings of Florida's traditional music; five lesson plans; a poster; and background information about the artists and musical traditions represented in the unit. Designed for use in elementary and secondary classrooms, the resource integrates music education with curricula in language arts, music, and social studies. Correlations to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards provided.
For inquiries about obtaining a copy of the Florida Music Train, please contact email@example.com or call 800.847.7278.
Florida Music Train: Table of Contents
- The Florida Music Train: Introduction to Unit
- About Folk Music: A Guide for Teachers
- Florida Sunshine State Standards
- Lesson Plan #1: All Aboard: An Introduction to Folk Music
- Lesson Plan #2: I Want to Go Back to Georgia (music brought by early Anglo-American settlers)
- Lesson Plan #3: Rolling and Tumbling (African American blues)
- Lesson Plan #4: Seminole Songs
- Lesson Plan #5: Our Day is Coming (Cuban American music)
- Notes to Musical Selections
- Extensions for Music Selections
- Florida Migration Timeline
- Migration to Florida
- Map of Racial and Ethnic Groups
- Map of Language Distribution in Florida


43 Curriculum standard: general
(1) The curriculum standard: general is the standard that requires every licensed service provider to whom this regulation applies to —
(a) plan, implement, and evaluate a curriculum that is designed to enhance children’s learning and development through the provision of learning experiences, and that is consistent with any curriculum framework prescribed by the Minister that applies to the service; and that
- responds to the learning interests, strengths, and capabilities of enrolled children; and
- provides a positive learning environment for those children; and
- reflects an understanding of learning and development that is consistent with current research, theory, and practices in early childhood education; and
- encourages children to be confident in their own culture and develop an understanding, and respect for, other cultures; and
- acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua; and
- respects and acknowledges the aspirations of parents, family, and whānau; and
(b) make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the service provider collaborates with the parents and, where appropriate, the family or whānau of the enrolled children in relation to the learning and development of, and decision making about, those children; and
(c) obtain information and guidance from agencies with expertise in early childhood learning and development, to the extent necessary, to—
- support the learning and development of enrolled children; and
- work effectively with parents and, where appropriate, family or whānau.
(2) Each licensed service provider to whom this regulation applies must comply with the curriculum standard: general.
Curriculum criteria documentation required
The criteria in this section have been grouped together by topic. Each criterion has also been given a short, descriptive title. The titles are provided only to help you navigate around more easily on the website – they do not form part of the criteria themselves.
In this section


From The Echo Nest Blog.
The folks at MIT Media Lab, NYU, and Peer 2 Peer University recently set out to teach the world how to manipulate music with a computer and a browser through interactive classes on PlayWithYourMusic.org. When 5,282 people registered for the course, their suspicion that people would be interested in this were confirmed. Then, they had a new problem: how to split all of these people into groups, so that the people in each group would be into the same kinds of music.
After all, one person’s beautiful bebop is another’s frantic nightmare, some people simply cannot abide reggae, and so on.
Before learning how to produce music together, these students first had to get along as music fans.
"We wanted to put them in groups based on their musical taste hoping to improve group cohesion and collaboration," writes P2P U. “We decided to use The Echo Nest since they have an API that helps with doing just that! The Echo Nest provides Taste Profiles – a collection of songs or artists representing a user’s musical preference. The Echo Nest can then relate one taste profile to another – higher scores mean that taste profiles are more alike.”
Their full report is worth a read for a few reasons:
P2P U, MIT Media Lab, and the NYU Steinhardt faculty members behind PlayWithYourMusic.org found that using grouping people by Taste Profile had a positive side effect: “The idea of being grouped this way appealed to many learners who signed up, and they awaited being assigned to a group with much anticipation. This in turn resulted in higher engagements by the learners around musical interest.”
We appreciate a good case study as much as the next people; it’s always interesting to see what happens when the stuff we build gets used in the real world. The problem of splitting thousands of people into hundred groups based on musical taste is an interesting one, and widely applicable beyond the realm of music education.
PlayWithYourMusic is currently accepting students for its next session.


Math Facts, Math Activities, & Math Drills for Kids
Calculation Skills Series 1.0
Vol.1 - Addition & Subtraction, Basic Level.
Vol.2 - Multiplication & Division, Basic Level.
Vol.3 - Addition & Subtraction, Advanced Level.
Vol.4 - Multiplication & Division, Advanced Level.
The 4 volume interactive Calculation Skills Series is an elementary math activities program that has been created to boost mental arithmetic and numeracy skills in math for kids. Learners practice performing simple math drills, without the aid of a calculator, to develop recognition and recall of answers to math calculations at a pace that they can handle with confidence. This math facts software has a reading and comprehension level that is appropriate for ages 6 and up; it is also a valuable tool for students in upper elementary and middle school who are looking to build confidence in performing basic math operations quickly.
Each volume begins with an explanation of basic arithmetic operations – addition and subtraction (including making change from $1.00), or multiplication and division. Reference tables are supplied to provide clues for quick mental arithmetic and mastery of math facts. When ready to be tested, the student can select a Drill. Each math Drill has 10 questions which are selected from a database of number pairs for calculation. The Basic Level volumes use simple single digit numbers. The Advanced Level volumes use mostly double digit numbers for calculation. Each math Drill is scored and timed. Results are saved for the student and can be accessed in a Helper area by a parent, tutor or teacher. With saved test records, students can follow their own progress and adults who may be supervising can monitor progress and assess if there are any learning issues that require intervention. Each program allows registration and results tracking for up to 80 students.
For a cross platform and much wider selection of drills to better facilitate skill development check out our Calculation Skills Education Collection.
This set of four CDs is a great way to help students learn and reinforce basic calculation skills. Divided by operations and skill level, it works well not only with students needing extra support, but also helps extend basic numeration skills and higher level calculation skills for junior and intermediate students. Read More..
Wayne Rockel - Teacher
Billy Green School
"My child was experiencing difficulty in making simple calculations. His numeracy skills really needed a boost something bad. I have to tell you that my child has experienced a 180 degree turn-around in numeracy and specifically multiplying and dividing thanks to Core Learning.
They have a series of 4 software products called the Calculation Skills Series ... which has turned my child into a walking calculating whiz! I highly recommend their products! "
thn61 - Concerned Parent
What are the benefits of the
Calculation Skills Series?
- Master Key Math Facts – Drill and practice works. These basic arithmetic skills are important to cognitive development and provide a foundation for other math subjects. Mental arithmetic is also useful as a life skill. Improve recall and mental quickness with Core Learning’s math activities software.
- Assess Math Skills – students move at their own pace but with scoring and timing of the last 5 Drills in each category, the results can be used to assess competency with basic arithmetic. Detailed drill reports also allow for diagnosis of particular problems with certain numbers and arithmetic operations.
- Great Learning : Great Value! Results are saved for 3 registered students in the Home Study version. The School version will manage 80 students per computer station. As records are deleted for students, new students can be registered.


Music Education is Needed!
A-B-C…easy as 1-2-3…or simple as Do-Re-Mi…
The Jackson 5 had it right when they said learning is easy. Even easier when children are exposed to music and learning about it. The studies have shown that by playing a musical instrument
time and time again children do better in the areas of math and science. Not just a little bit better but a whole lot!
There are other lessons children learn besides getting better grades. They learn responsibility. They must take proper care of their instrument whether it be guitar, piano, flute or flugal horn. They learn a good work ethic because they take the time every day to practice and become better at their craft. That spills over into their studying habits.
Not only do they learn to read music but they learn to write it as well. Children normally don’t like to read or write but with music it’s an entirely different story. It’s something CREATIVE that they can’t be wrong at because music is expression.
I have seen first hand how a child’s life has changed for the better because of a simple, cheap, acoustic guitar. The once shy boy suddenly came out of his shell when he found there were others who shared his joy of music. Friends, and girls, starting hanging around, grades started going up and his whole disposition changed for the better.
Music in schools is so important. Let your child have the opportunity to play an instrument. Yes, it might be something as quiet as a flute or something as noisy as a drum or trumpet, but the hours of noise soon become hours of melodies. Soon they will come to you and say “Listen to this!” and you will actually recognize the tune. Your child will be proud of his or her accomplishment. You won’t believe what it will do for their confidence and belief in themselves. Let music in your child’s life and watch them grow as a student and a person.


Published on May 14, 2012 | by Katie Arnold0
Advertising and Art Education
Advertising is everywhere in our society, and it makes up a large part of our visual culture in America. Visual culture includes images from television, movies, magazines, newspapers, music videos, billboards, and food packaging. Advertisements play a huge role in the mass media and shape what we value as a culture and to what extent a product is valued. Marketers know how to advertise their products in such a way as to appeal to the target consumer. They can change people’s perceptions of a product so that the product holds more intangible value (worth that cannot be seen or touched), while the material value (the value of the plastic in a toothbrush, for example) stays the same.
In this way, advertising can make value subjective. Packaging a product is a well thought-out aspect of advertising; package design makes the everyday product extraordinary and exciting so that you want to purchase the item, thus increasing the intangible value. Products have to advertise for themselves on the shelves when shoppers are comparing products, because often shoppers buy based on the aesthetic value of a product, not because of the material value.
Companies hire professionals who use design techniques to advertise their products, but their strategies are also based on psychology. For instance, everyone wants to be happy; so an advertisement is effective when the users of the product are depicted as happy and satisfied with the product, relaying the message that happiness can be purchased. Advertisers also will make a person who isn’t using the product look extremely un-cool, as well as push the notion that ‘everyone is doing it’. You can see how this technique can be extremely manipulative, especially for children and teens. This is why it is important for art educators to include visual culture, namely advertisements, in the curriculum.
Incorporating meaningful discussion and relevant advertising visuals is especially effective for critical inquiry. With the plethora of images out there trying to sell, it is imperative to teach students how to think critically about the images that surround them, especially when marketers know how to advertise to children and teens so well. Educators who think through images out loud with a class in an open discussion format can learn a great deal about their students; where they are coming from, and their beliefs and assumptions about their culture. Students’ ideas are constantly changing as they learn and grow, so it is important that the educator carefully construct meaningful and age-appropriate lessons about visual culture. It is critical to learn to stop, respond, and reflect when viewing advertisements. It is a great way to engage the mind in critical thought rather than just be a passive consumer of today’s advertising images.
Since the visual arts deal mainly with images, I believe strongly that it is the duty of art educators to teach this in their art curriculum. Why not teach kids about what will essentially be the future’s art history? That way they can be educated about the culture within which they live. Every student will be a life-long consumer of goods; it is imperative that they are educated in critical thinking in order to make more informed and conscious decisions.
Katie S. Arnold holds a degree in art education and teaches classes at the Geauga Lyric Theater Art Center. Check out the class she is teaching this summer from June 12-July 17 for 6-11 year olds! http://www.geaugatheater.org/Art_education.htm


[click images for larger versions]
In his time Joachim von Sandrart (1606-1688) was the most famous artist in Germany. He trained in engraving and painting and travelled extensively in Italy and England and was accompanied by Peter Paul Rubens on a tour of Holland.
Although he concentrated on portrait painting, he is best remembered for his art history writings, chief among them being a 2 volume work:
Der Teutsche Academie der edlen Bau-, Bild- und Mahlerey-Künste
('German Academy of the Noble Arts of Architecture, Sculpture and Painting') -- usually known as 'Teutsche Academie'; published between 1675 and 1683.
"The Teutsche Academie is an illustrated compendium of art education and of artist biographies compiled from a variety of sources as well as descriptions of Roman antiquities, inventories of famous private art collections and libraries"It remains a significant primary art history source mostly because of the original material included about Sandrart and his contemporaries. Beyond the artistic and architectural illustrations, Teutsche Academie has large numbers of medallion engraving of Gods, artists and philosophers and includes a german translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses.
The University of Heidelburg has what appears to be the complete work divided into 9 or 10 website sections. There are no thumbnails unfortunately so it is a laborious task flicking through them all for signs of outlandish baroque illustrations between the extensive text. There must be around 250 engravings in total. It took me a long time to cull down the 40 or so images I had saved. The top picture reminds me of Boillot/Sambin and 2 of them near the centre seem to be depictions of Wunderkammer. The final image is a map of


Mom…Can I Have a Box of Macaroni?
Grab a box of pasta, get a handful of rubber bands, get Dad’s bucket from the garage and get ready to “Stomp, Boom, Blast” again, with “Stomp, Boom, Blast 2!”
In continuing the tradition of PDQ Bach, Spike Jones, Victor Borge and the creative minds of teachers and children everywhere, this collection utilizes everything from elements of Georgian chant to text messaging. This collection will help develop rhythmic independence, develop a solid sense of tempo, and improve your students’ counting skills. Let your students have fun while they learn by banging, stomping, jumping and blasting their way to music making!
For more information on this or other classroom music resources, visit our website, email us or call 1-800-42-MUSIC. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!
Categories: Classroom General Music, Music Education, Music on a Budget, New Publications, Staff Picks, Teacher Materials


The National PTA's Guide to School Music Programs
Brought to you by the National PTA®.
As a parent, you should expect your children's school music program to adhere to certain standards. Once you have created a musical environment in your home to stimulate interest, it's up to the teacher to continue the process. Yet how can you judge the quality of a school's music program?
There are three ways to tell if the school your young children attend does a good job of exposing them to music:
- Are there simple musical instruments in the classroom like drums, keyboards, stringed instruments, and xylophones? Classroom activities should include an introduction to the instruments and basic instruction on how to make sounds on them. It's important that children learn respect for instruments and other objects that need careful handling. This lesson can be taught at the same time the teacher shows the class how to produce a loud or soft sound on a keyboard or drum.
- Does the teacher provide a variety of opportunities for music making in the classroom? Are songs used to teach counting or the alphabet? Does the class play musical games? Does someone accompany the class on the piano or guitar in singing favorite songs? This includes inviting older children to class to sing or perform on instruments, as well as musical parents or even professionals.
- Does the school have a qualified music teacher on staff? Has your child's teacher received proper training in music education? A trained teacher will only select songs suited for children's limited vocal range. Because young voices only have a range of about five notes, songs that require a wider range discourage young children from trying and take the fun out of music. Many educators recommend simple folk songs, songs from picture books that children can look at as they sing, or songs that incorporate sounds ("Old MacDonald" is an obvious example).
By the time your children reach elementary school they should have regular (more than once a week) music instruction from a qualified teacher. Ideally, music education should be made a part of other subjects like social studies, language skills, and art. And it should be sequential, with each year's curriculum building on what children learned the previous year. This will allow them to reach new levels of achievement through new challenges.
By 4th grade, or middle school at the latest, your children's school should offer them the opportunity to sing in a choir or other ensemble, and the chance to take instrumental music lessons in connection with a small ensemble, preferably one that includes strings, brass instruments, and woodwinds. The National Standards for Arts Education sets out voluntary standards for music education for grades K-12. These describe what every student should know and be able to do in dance, theater, and the visual arts, as well as music. They were prepared by professional arts educators to help implement the reforms contained in the national education standards.