How to grade artwork is a topic that comes up often in groups populated by art teachers. I am sure that not one art teacher really wants to grade art, but unfortunately for most of us, it’s part of the expectations those in higher pay grades at central office place upon us. But, if we really thought about it, is grading the artwork itself really a good measure of a student’s artistic growth, learning, application and understanding? And, isn’t that the point of school–growth, learning, application and understanding? I mean, school is the best place to “screw up”–to fail at something, reflect on it, and learn from the process/what went “wrong”. No big merger or client’s money is really at stake here, so why not take risks.
Risks are huge in creating artwork. All the masters that so many teachers use in their classrooms are great because they took risks and experimented. For every artwork that was successful, they had at least 3 that either sucked and were failures or just were meh. (Just for the record, I am making that number up. I am basing it on my own journey as an artist.) If that is the case, why are we holding our students to different standards that working artists don’t hold to themselves?
If we grade artwork on how many lines students used, or if they incorporated X# of organic shapes and X# of geometric shapes, then how do we as teachers know what are they really learning. I don’t know many artists that work like that? Why are we telling them they need to have this or that? Shouldn’t the artwork dictate that? Whose work is it anyway? Letting the students figure out where and what to use or not use in their work will help them learn how to grow as an artist. Having conversations with them will help them reflect and grow.
BUT, what if we just decided NOT to grade the artwork and grade their engagement in the process instead? What could that lead to? I’ll tell you what it could lead to. It could take the pressure off students to be “perfect” in their work. It could tell them that they are in charge of their work, not me, the teacher. It could lead to students taking risks in their artworks. It could lead to students trying new media and techniques. It could lead to experimentation that otherwise may not have happened if they are just trying to have X# of shapes in their work. It could lead to failure, which in turn with reflection leads to learning. And all of this leads to the students learning to behave, think, and become artists. And, isn’t that what one of our end goals of art education should be?


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Fast ForWord Series Overview
10 programs, 50+ exercises, each addressing a range of cognitive skills
Fast ForWord programs are worked on in sequence with two phases, typically taking 4-7 months:
- Cognitive — works on skill gaps
- Reading — fluency & comprehension
Gemm Learning develops individualized protocols for elementary age, teenagers and adults.
The Fast ForWord games in Language v2/Foundations I are designed for ages 5-9 and are completely sound based. They train cognitive skills — processing, working memory, attention, sequencing — building a foundation for the reading programs that follow.
Fast ForWord Language to Reading v2/ Foundations II comes next with games that add text to the mix, continuing the cognitive skill development.
Fast ForWord Literacy is the adolescent/adult version of Fast ForWord Language v2. It uses the same cognitive training exercises with different graphics. The games have a space age feel to keep teenagers engaged.
Fast ForWord Literacy Advanced games push students to their cognitive limits, with text added to the mix.
The Reading Series
The Fast ForWord Reading series is loosely correlated with grades, although Reading Level 4 and 5 will challenge many middle and high school students.
Reading Level 1
Reading Level 1 — for K to 2nd graders — works on early foundational skills such as vocabulary, phonemic awareness, spelling and reading accuracy in sentence comprehension as well as eye tracking exercises. The primary goal is reading fluency.
Fast ForWord Reading Level 1
Reading Level 2
Reading Level 2 — for 2nd to 4th graders — continues the same mix of exercises as seen in Reading Level 1, with more focus on reading comprehension.
Fast ForWord Reading Level 2
Reading Level 3
Designed for 3rd to 5th graders, Reading Level 3 raises the bar in reading with analytical exercises that challenge participants to think while reading, a Common Core State Standard. It also has reading, grammar and vocabulary games that continue to develop fundamental building blocks.
Fast ForWord Reading Level 3
Reading Level 4
Reading Level 4 — for 4th to 7th graders — has follow on exercises for the main Reading Level 3 themes, with one added game focused on language syntax and grammar.
Fast ForWord Reading Level 4
Reading Level 5
Reading Level 5 is a unique, open-ended program that pushes reading and thinking skills as far as they will go. It trains in metacognitive strategies using a natural learning, incremental approach that encourages analytical thinking from all angles.
Fast ForWord Reading Level 5


CLICK HERE for early literacy tips for INFANTS
CLICK HERE for early literacy tips for TODDLERS
CLICK HERE for early literacy tips for PRESCHOOLERS
What is Early Literacy?
Early language and literacy (reading and writing) development begins in the first years of life and is closely connected to a child's earliest experience with books and stories. You are your child's first teacher, there are connections (and meaning) between an infant mouthing a book, the book handling behavior of a two year old, and the page turning of a five year old. Looking ahead, the first three years of exploring and playing with books, singing nursery rhymes, listening to stories, recognizing words, and scribbling are truly the building blocks for language and literacy development.
Listed below are tips for talking, signing, reading,
writing and playing with your child at home and
on the go to promote early learning.


Grant Opportunities for School and Youth Garden Programs We know finding the financial resources to plant and maintain a youth garden is one of the biggest obstacles educators and volunteers face, so in addition to providing our own grant programs , here is a list of some additional grant opportunities that support youth garden programs.
The Libri Foundation was created to provide new books for rural libraries. There are many different ways to get STEM grants for elementary schools and early educational centers for the purchase of a KIBO robotics program.Below are some resources that can be helpful to find and secure STEM grants …
The Department will award these grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that […] If we are not included in this competition, some donors will contribute our best in class. 264 Texas Grants for Elementary Education 264 Elementary Education Grants for Texas. This is because the process of planning lessons method will certainly get the update at a specific time. See the full list of grant-funded schools for the 2019-2020 school year! Grants For Grades K - 5. How can I find grants and funding sources to bring KIBO into early education centers or elementary schools? Scholarships for Elementary-Aged Students Funds for Private School and Camps Even schoolchildren are encouraged to compete for scholarships, and financial aid is available to them for several purposes: attending camps or private schools, or as cash prizes for winning contests, or … Some school districts rely on the local library system for their library needs.
1,733 Grants for Elementary Education . Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP): Grants to Charter School Developers for the Replication and expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools …
Another great resource for finding school grants comes in the form of teaching associations. GrantWatch lists hundreds of grants for public, private, parochial and faith-based and charter schools for elementary education including STEM, flexible classrooms, career education, anti-bullying, special needs, parenting education and counseling services. Do you have an innovative idea for improving Science, technology, engineering and math learning in your classroom?
Several states have school choice voucher systems that provide grants for children in failing schools and for … Technology grants for elementary schools are designed to help teachers find funding required technology. What do you need to make learning math and science fun for your students? There are specific grants for elementary school libraries to purchase books for students.
Through grants and scholarships, parents wanting their children to get a private elementary school education can get help defraying the cost of tuition. Contact.
GrantWatch lists hundreds of grants for public, private, parochial and faith-based and charter schools for elementary education including STEM, flexible classrooms, career education, anti-bullying, special needs, parenting education and counseling services. Illinois State Library School District Library Grant Program The School District Library Grant Program is designed to help provide more library books and materials for the students of public schools in Illinois. 291 California Grants for Elementary Education 291 Elementary Education Grants for California. grantsforteachers.com is a FREE resource for K-12 teachers. 155 International Grants for Elementary Education 155 Elementary Education Grants for International. Funding is intended for projects that motivate teachers, engage students, and generate excitement and enthusiasm for learning. Through grants and scholarships, parents wanting their children to get a private elementary school education can get help defraying the cost of tuition.
Congress set aside approximately $13.2 billion of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund). You must work with elementary school students in grades K-6, and 60 percent of the school’s students must be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Grant Center for the Expressive Arts 2510 N 11th St Tacoma, WA 98406.
Description: The International Reading Association awards grants to outstanding public school teachers in schools that serve low-income families. How can I find grants and funding sources to bring KIBO into early education centers or elementary schools? Grants are awarded to public, private, and experimental schools. Grants of up to $600 per class and grants of up to $3,500 per school to British Columbia K-12 public and private schools and classrooms for projects and field trips conducted in a nature setting. Funding is intended for hands-on learning experiences focused on the region's wildlife, fish, habitats, or biodiversity.


Enjoy this Easy Science for Kids Songbirds Quiz – you’ll get your quiz score after completing this FREE online interactive quiz on Songbirds. You need to answer all the questions to be able to get your score. You can do this fun quiz about Songbirds again, till you get the perfect score and become a quiz champion!
Tip: To get it right the first time, read the page with fun facts about the Songbirds.
About Songbirds Quiz & our FREE Online Quizzes
Our easy science quizzes are a free online quiz resource for teachers and educators of kids in elementary school, grammar school and preschool. This fun Songbirds quiz helps your kids learn fun facts about Songbirds while enjoying this FREE interactive online quiz.
If your kid is interested in learning about animals and the world, or is enrolled in some extra-curricular program, then this is an easy science activity, with reading comprehension benefits for kids in 1st to 5th grades. Kids will enjoy competing against their classmates and friends, to see who scores the best, doing this fun and free science quiz on Songbirds.
As a reading comprehension educational activity for kids, you can set a timer to encourage kids to do the reading comprehension in a faster and more efficient manner as they train to remember what they read, or you can limit the number of times they can read about the quiz topic, before they do the actual online quiz game.
Younger kids who cannot yet read or write, such as Pre-K kids, Kindergarten kids or Preschool kids, will benefit from doing this and our other fun quizzes, as a listening comprehension activity; you read out to them about the topic and then read the quiz question and answers. You will select the Songbirds quiz answer they think is correct, and at the end you get the quiz score. Your child can try again and again doing the Songbirds quiz, till gets the perfect score faster, as he or she learn to listen more carefully and develop a better memory and attention span!


Developing Important Skills in Pre-Kindergarten
In the past decade, kindergarten requirements have skyrocketed. One example of this is that about two-thirds of kindergarten instructors now expect their incoming students to know the alphabet. Due to the increased expectations, over 200,000 children need to repeat kindergarten each year. Our prekindergarten education program addresses the concerns of parents by teaching basic math and problem-solving skills, increasing literacy and vocabulary, and sharpening motor skills so that your child is prepared to excel in kindergarten.
A Successful Elementary Education Starts in Pre-Kindergarten
Studies have shown that Pre-K students are more likely to experience greater high school graduation rates and lifetime achievements and can expect higher earnings than those who have not undergone Pre-K education. Research also suggests links between Pre-K programs and high reading and math scores.
• Cognitive: At age four, many children discover the joys of wordplay, reading simple books, storytelling, and counting to 20 and beyond! We encourage and celebrate these accomplishments with engaging interactions and stimulating environments so that all Pre-K students at our daycare can proudly make use of these new skills.
• Socio-Emotional: A sense of independence and the formation of close friendships are the hallmark socio-emotional stages of this age. To ensure that your youngster can make the most of his or her enthusiastic approach to life, we focus on parent-teacher collaborations and providing appropriate behavior to model.
• Physical: Run, jump, and play! These activities, as well as ladder climbing and purposeful drawing and painting, become newfound sources of joy for four year olds. We provide outdoor and indoor play facilities that meet strict state and federal safety regulations so that your little one can develop their new physical capabilities in a secure environment.
Pre-K Program Activities Include:
• Skill Mastery: Winwood Children’s Center’s curriculum covers science, social studies, math, fitness, and literacy to encourage optimal growth.
• Safe Confidence Boosts: As the need for independence increases, your child will be prone to explore the world around them. We take steps to ensure that they do so in a safe environment with guidance from our daycare professionals.
• Building a Strong Vocabulary: One of the best ways for pre-K students to advance in writing, reading, as well as listening and communicating in general is to practice fun vocabulary lessons in groups. Our teachers assist with language expansion by conducting daily vocabulary lessons and introducing new words.
• Promoting Literacy: Our daycare educators lead group activities that immerse budding new minds in letters, sounds, words, and stories. These activities focus on teaching phonological and print recognition. We also give students time to practice their writing and letter formation skills on our Pre-K Word Wall.
• Bilingual Studies: At Winwood Children’s Center, we expand cultural and linguistic horizons by introducing games such as cooking, weather forecasting, and playing make-believe in Spanish, the second most-common language in the world.
• Early Fitness Habits: Studies indicate that learning about wellness, fitness, and health at an early age drastically increases the likelihood of maintaining healthy habits later in life. We teach fun physical fitness as well as simple and healthy cooking lessons to all of our Pre-K students.
• Fostering Computer Skills: Computers and the Internet have become extremely influential aspects of education. Our programs introduce children to the digital world through use of educational computer programs. An increasing number of our Winwood Children’s Center locations incorporate the use of the Smart Board, a touch-screen whiteboard that stimulates writing and fine motor skills in fun, exciting ways.
Give Your Child the Best Pre-Kindergarten Education Possible
Our experience has taught us that an unparalleled Pre-K education starts with small classrooms, low child-to-instructor ratios, and an experienced and supportive team. With our help, your child develops the skills required to thrive in kindergarten


Art&Seek presents This Week in Texas Music History. Every week, we’ll spotlight a different moment and the musician who made it. This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll celebrate an educator whose legacy continues to resonate across the state.
You can also hear This Week in Texas Music History on Sunday at precisely 6:04 p.m. on KERA radio. But subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss an episode. And our thanks to KUT public radio in Austin for helping us bring this segment to you. And if you’re a music lover, be sure to check out Track by Track, the bi-weekly podcast from Paul Slavens, host of KXT’s The Paul Slavens Show, heard Sunday night’s at 8.
- Click the player to listen to the podcast:
- Expanded online version:
Portia Pittman was born on June 6, 1883, in Tuskegee, Ala. The daughter of African-American educator Booker T. Washington, she studied music in New England and in Europe. In 1913, Pittman moved to Dallas, where she taught at Booker T. Washington High School. While there, she helped transform the school choir into one of the most highly-respected student ensembles in the state.
Portia Pittman returned to Tuskegee in 1928. However, her work at Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas dramatically enhanced its music education program and helped produce such notable artists as Norah Jones, Edie Brickell and Erykah Badu.
Next time on This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll meet “the other George Jones” of Texas music.


YAOUNDE VOA | Cameroon is commemorating International Mother Language Day, February 21, by launching what it calls an ambitious program to save its endangered national languages.
The central African state has over 260 national languages, but only 40 are taught in schools. Cameroonians speak mostly French and English, which are foreign but official languages and part of an entrenched separatist conflict that has cost about 3,000 lives since 2017.
At the multilingual and inclusive government primary school Yaounde, 150 children between the ages of five and 11 years old learn how to count in Ewondo, a Cameroon national language spoken in the country’s central and southern regions. The students are also taught the national anthem and patriotic songs in Cameroon national languages.
Businessman Emmanuel Mbom, 31 years old, says he is satisfied at the progress made by his six-year old son at the school.
“In my situation, my wife and I speak two different languages, native languages so my children try to pick what they can pick,” Mbom said.
Mbom says he is confused about which language to teach his children because his language is Sawa, spoken in the Littoral and Southwest regions of Cameroon, and his wife is from the Northwestern town of Nkambe, where the Limbum language is spoken.
Cameroon’s secretary of state in the ministry of basic education, Asheri Kilo, says she is satisfied with the level of interest the children display at speaking their national language.
“It is very impressive the way the children are taken into learning their languages, and I decided to check how many children are from other regions rather than Yaounde and I figured that there were children from all the 10 regions in Cameroon,” she said.
Cameroon has 260 national languages spoken by an estimated 25 million people in the 10 regions of the country. It is one of the countries the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classifies as a distinctive cultural density on the linguistic map of the world.
However, the central African state inherited two foreign languages from its French and English colonial masters as official languages, with 80 percent of the population speaking French and 20 percent English.
Fabienne Freeland, director general of the nongovernmental organization Summer Institute of Linguistics that helps Cameroon in promoting the teaching and learning of its national languages, says the official languages have not been effective tools of communication.
“French and English has its limits on development in this country,” Freeland said. “When there was a cholera outbreak in the far north, it is only when the information started coming in Fufulde that people started changing behavior and the cholera was stopped.”
Cameroon’s national institute of statistics reports that four percent of the central African states’ local languages — including the Mbiame language spoken in the country’s English-speaking Northwest Region and the Ekung language in the South — have disappeared since 1950. Ten percent of the 260 languages are neglected and seven percent are threatened.
Seraphine Ben Boli, who heads the program to promote the use of Cameroon national languages, says a pilot program that is being implemented in the 10 regions of the country to save the remaining mother tongues from disappearing.
She says the ministry of basic or elementary education is experimenting with the teaching of five national languages in 43 schools throughout Cameroon. The languages chosen, for now, are Ewondo, Bassa, Douala, Womala and Fufulde, because of their national popularity. She says apart from the experimental schools, teachers in all educational establishments have received instructions and training to teach Cameroon national languages spoken in the areas where their schools are found.
Boli said Cameroon will decide by 2030 on which of the languages can be used as an official language, added to English and French. She said by so doing, they intend to solve the separatist crisis that has within the past four years claimed at least 3,000 lives just because people are divided as a result of two inherited colonial languages.
Separatists have been fighting to create an English-speaking state out of the French-speaking majority. The separatists say the education, legal system and cultural practices they inherited from their British colonial masters are different from those left by the French, who colonized the French-speaking regions of the country. Cameroon believes by having its own national language as an official language, many of its citizens will feel like Cameroonians, unlike in the past when they considered themselves either French or English.
UNESCO says it celebrates mother tongue day because it believes in the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity for sustainable societies and it is within its mandate for peace that it works to preserve the differences in cultures and languages that foster tolerance and respect for others.


Everyone was having a busy week so I looked for a project this week that required minimal preparation. I sent prepared scratch art paper to Finn a few weeks ago to be ready for just such an occasion. Some of you may remember scratch art from elementary school. You color heavily on paper and then put a layer of black crayon or tempera paint on top. When you scratch through the black layer, the color underneath shows through. Above is my example, inspired by Hokusai’s Under the Wave off Kanagawa.
As mentioned above, I used the prepared paper. Usually I like to try and make things myself, but frankly making scratch art paper – to me – is a tedious, messy and usually not terribly successful process (my daughter described her elementary school experience with it as “miserable”). I did try it out again in preparation for this project and once again wasn’t happy with the results. I’ll include photos of my failed experiment below so you can judge for yourself. To be fair, I probably didn’t put the oil pastel layer on thickly enough. You can find plenty of Youtube videos of people happily creating their own scratch art paper (couldn’t you just smack them?), so this is probably just a personal failing on my part : )
- Prepared scratch art paper – I bought ZMLM Scratch Paper Art Set. It was 50 pieces for $9.99 on amazon.com and included wooden tools.
- Wooden stick or other tool to use as a scratcher/scraper if there is not one in your kit
- Cover for your work surface
If you choose to make your own paper, you’ll need:
- Crayons or oil pastels (oil pastels go on a bit thicker and more easily)
- Black tempera paint
- Dish soap
- Cover for your work surface
- Wooden stick or other tool to use as a scratcher/scraper
If you use the prepared paper, you just take a stick and start scratching! The result is a lovely velvety black background with rainbow-colored line work. You can scratch densely or even scrape off bits of the black layer to reveal larger patches of color.
One advantage to making your own paper is that you can choose your colors. For example, a warm analogous color scheme of yellows, oranges and reds would be lovely right now for seasonal drawings. To make your own paper, you use crayons or oil pastels to heavily cover a piece of paper with color. For the top black coat, I used tempera paint with about a Tablespoon of dish soap added to it, which is supposed to give it a waxier consistency.
This project is really all about drawing, so I would recommend Keith Haring, The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing written by Kay A. Haring (who is the younger sister of artist Keith Haring), illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Penguin, 2017). Haring’s distinctive pop art works are integrated into Neubecker’s excellent original illustrations throughout the book and I think children will identify with his bold, dynamic style.
This turned out to be one of the most age appropriate projects for a 4-year-old that we have done. There’s a transition small children make when they acquire enough fine motor skill development to go from the pure joy of scribbling to making drawings that are recognizable as something. Finn has recently made that transition and we are all enjoying his whimsical, vastly imaginative drawings so much. The minute he made his first scratch on the prepared paper, his face lit up and he exclaimed, “It’s a rainbow!” He drew and drew and drew, until Jessa kept back a few pieces of the paper to save for a rainy day.


Traditional Chinese Musical Instruments
At the beginning of the reformation and openness to the outside world in the 1980s, in China there has been a fever learning to play piano and violin. Now more and more Chinese people are more interested in traditional Chinese musical instruments. According to the first statistics of China National Sword Competition, in China there are one million people who learn to play Guzheng musical instruments and 800 thousand others learn to play Erhu, a kind of stringed stringed instrument, and the number is still increasing.
National music education in China in recent years has achieved prominent achievements. In various musical conservatories and art teacher university majors, national music subjects are held that each year successfully educate many high-end music players. Not a few major national music majors are now also open strata two and strata three education programs, so research in the field of national music is more profound and more professional.
In addition, the Chinese government is concerned with the excavation and protection of national music. Since the 1980s, the Chinese government has spent enormous amounts of money to organize folk musicians and artists to compose the People’s Songs of Folk Songs, the National Music Collection of China, the Opera Music Bundles and the Chinese Ballads of Music. Feng Guangyu’s musical theorist says the collections almost cover all the music that is spread among the people since the historical record in China. The names of traditional Chinese instruments are:
Yangqin is a stringed instrument and struck China. His voice is loud and has a strong expressive power, so it has an important position in traditional music performances.
Guzheng or Kecapi China includes the most popular Chinese traditional instruments. Guzheng has a box-like shape that is convex and made of wood as a sound box, on which spans 21 strings. In the middle of the string is placed a wedge that can be shifted to increase or decrease the tone frequency.
Erhu is the most popular Chinese traditional instrument besides Guzheng and Dizi.


A Deep Dive into Reading Instruction
This session focuses on reading instruction and explores foundational skills as well as comprehension. We explore teacher moves in whole class, small group, collaborative, and independent learning. Specific attention is given to the differences in primary grades versus upper grades in terms of teacher modeling, text selection, grouping patterns, collaborative tasks, and assessment. Participants plan a learning experience for students with balanced literacy in mind, so that they can determine the impact of the lesson with their team.
A Deep Dive into Writing Instruction
This session focuses on writing development and ensures that teachers have the tools needed to move from causing writing to teaching writing. We explore teacher moves in whole class, small group, collaborative, independent learning, and the role of assessment in writing. Attention is paid to keyboarding as well as handwriting. Participants plan a learning experience for students, balancing literacy, so that they can determine the impact of the lesson with their team.
Assessing Learning and Impacting Teaching
Ensuring that all students achieve at high levels requires that teachers monitor student performance and adjust learning experiences accordingly. In this session, we explore a range of assessment tools that allow teachers to monitor and adjust the experiences students have so that learning moves forward. Participants will develop their assessment literacy and identify tools that they can use with their students.
Guiding Learning and Keeping the Rest of the Class Engaged
Key to balancing literacy learning is ensuring that student needs are met. There are significant differences in students’ understanding of strategies and their development of skills in most classrooms. To meet those varied needs, teachers need to identify learning expectations and group students to meet those needs. In addition, teachers must develop meaningful tasks for students who are not engaged in small group instruction.
Coaching and Implementations Days
Implementation Day includes walk-throughs, instruction coaching, and opportunities to talk through any potential questions or challenges. This day is a powerful way to engage with leaders and teachers on what the learning environment looks like, sounds like, feels like and examining the impact thus far.
Talk to your Professional Learning Advisor to request sample agendas, pricing, and PD proposals.


Vision & Purpose
It is our firm belief that appropriate learning during the very earliest stages of life helps lay solid foundations upon which essential skills can be built. It ensures children are ready to thrive from their first day at primary school, and throughout the rest of their lives.
There is substantial evidence to suggest experiences between birth and the age of five have significant impacts on outcomes later in life. In fact, children’s experiences and strengths at the age of three can often be used to effectively predict health, happiness and other successes in adulthood.
Research has also demonstrated children with experience of early learning tend to display stronger academic performances, and have a greater likelihood of completing school and undertaking further education. Additionally, they are more likely to enjoy better employment options, and mental health and wellbeing outcomes.
Beyond the positive impact on children themselves, research suggests knock-on benefits for our society and economy. Essentially, where early learning options are strong, everyone wins!
Studies suggest one-in-five Australian children do not develop the basic social and emotional skills to best prepare them for learning once they start school.
This sobering fact had a profound impact on our now-CEO Jane Hunt, a long-time advocate for children’s education, health and development. Together with representatives from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Jane began to consider why this was the case, and what steps could be taken to ensure all children are given equal opportunities to reach their full potential. As a result, The Front Project was born.
The Front Project collaborates with experts in the education sector and its future workforce to promote the immediate and long-term benefits of early childhood learning in Australia. Through this work, we continually strive to identify opportunities to create positive change within the system.
Early childhood learning plays a crucial role in creating a capable future workforce, and a competitive Australia. For that reason, another significant area of focus is promoting the benefits of early education amongst business leaders, and inspiring them to join the movement for change by tapping into their own spheres of influence.
Additionally, where young children are engaged in learning programs, parents have the flexibility to contribute towards the workforce, meaning a bigger and better talent pool.
Our important work is made possible by funding from The Paul Ramsay Foundation, which is committed to breaking cycles of disadvantage by investing in partnerships with organisations that share this vision.
The Foundation’s support of The Front Project was inspired by our strong commitment to collaboration with industry, business and community leaders, and exploring opportunities for improved quality and accessibility in early childhood education.
The Front Project also enjoys the support of the Woodside Development Fund, which shares our commitment to ensuring every child thrives in their development, learning and life.
The Fund achieves this by supporting programs and organisations that work to decrease developmental vulnerability and improve outcomes for children between birth and the age of eight.
Both partner organisations are committed to supporting The Front Project as we execute our mission of bringing together resources and expertise to help drive social change, and make significant improvements to the health, productivity and participation outcomes of Australia’s children.
At The Front Project, we look forward to a day when all Australian children are able to access quality early education as a basis for building healthy, successful lives.


Education systems in many of the world's poorest countries are experiencing the aftermath of the global economic downturn. The 2010 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, argues that the crisis could create a lost generation of children whose life chances will have been irreparably damaged by a failure to protect their right to education. The Report examines who these children are and why they are being left behind, and looks at concrete solutions for making sure that no children are excluded from schooling.
On the first day of school, children often worry whether they'll make new friends or like their teachers. But in the Dominican Republic, some confront a far graver concern: Will I be turned away because I don't have a birth certificate?
The report, Left Behind: How Statelessness in the Dominican Republic Limits Children's Access to Education, shows that many children born in the Dominican Republic but descended from foreigners, particularly Haitians, are denied an education. For generations, such children were recognized as citizens, but within the last decade, the Dominican government has refused to issue many of them birth certificates, identity cards and other essential documentation, rendering them stateless. The report concludes that the Dominican Republic is failing to comply with its domestic and international human rights obligations, including the human right to education.
The report is the product of months of research, including interviews with dozens of affected children and families, as well as educators, advocates and government officials. Several of the Dominicans of Haitian descent interviewed were prevented from attending primary school, secondary school or university because they could not obtain identity documents. Of those allowed to attend school despite not having birth certificates, many were denied the ability to take national exams required to graduate.
All of this occurs in spite of laws, policies, constitutional provisions and international human rights commitments that are meant to guarantee children's right to education. The report found that administrative barriers, discrimination and confusion about the law has meant that in practice not all children in the Dominican Republic are allowed to go to school, even if they consider themselves Dominicans.
In 2009, India enacted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which provides for free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14. However, the evidence presented in this report indicates that despite the 3 year deadline to implement the key provisions of the Act, it has yet to be adequately implemented.
This lack of implementation, enforcement and monitoring particularly affects children from marginalised groups, such as children with disabilities, girls, and Da lits. Children from these groups are excluded and discriminated against, affecting access, participation, retention, achievement, and completion of elementary education.
This report examines the obstacles preventing certain children from attending school and the government’s failure to take the steps necessary to address the problem.
Some Children are More Equal than Others is an independently produced one-man-film-project and was realized as a non-commercial documentary film. The human rights law firm "Legal Resources Centre" generously supported the filmmaker in order to raise awarness of the challenges faced in making South Africa a better place.
This guide presents ideas and methodologies to put a human rights-based approach to education in practice. It focuses on six strategic areas that are central to (and provide a framework for) a HRBA to education including: understanding and securing the right to education working with excluded groups; financing education; promoting citizen participation in education securing rights in education; advancing a full "Education for All" agenda. Each section begins with a brief overview of key issues to be considered and then discusses a range of activities which could be developed within a scheme of work. Short practical examples are given, from a wide range of countries. The majority of the activities focus on work at the local level, but national and international links are also discussed. Within each section two or three areas are analysed in more detail.


Chemistry is one of the most important physical sciences. All types of solid, liquid, and gaseous matter are made up of different types of atoms and molecules, and chemistry studies the structure of these substances and how they determine their unique properties. It also studies how different substances combine or separate under different conditions to form new substances, much in the same way that we use “chemistry” to describe how two people get along (or don’t) in our interpersonal lives.
Because chemistry starts with the basic building blocks of matter - recall the periodic table of elements from your high school chemistry class - the foundational skills of this discipline are the same regardless of what you want to accomplish with them. However, beyond those analytic foundations, the field of chemistry includes an array of subfields almost as varied as the elements themselves.
Physical chemistry, for example, combines chemistry and physics to study how different types of matter and energy interact. Environmental chemistry combines chemistry and environmental science to examine how chemicals react with the natural environment. Similarly, geochemistry combines chemistry and geology to study the composition of substances found within the Earth, as well as how they interact with each other.
Other types of chemistry touch our lives even more directly. Biochemistry studies the chemical processes that occur within living organisms, including the human body. Food chemistry examines how the different types of food and their biological components - carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins - impact the nutrition, taste, and safety of our food. And agricultural chemistry looks at the substances involved in the production and protection of crops, ensuring that pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers are safe for humans as well as the environment.
The list goes on and on. Our world, and our bodies, are made up of matter - and chemistry provides the critically important analytic framework to understanding how all these types of matter “get along.”
Because chemistry is a foundational science with relevance to such a wide range of industries, a background in chemistry can lead to an incredibly diverse range of careers. With a background in this discipline, your job opportunities really depend on what kind of work you’re interested in doing - and in what type of field.
If you want to apply your expertise in chemistry to real-world problems, you can work in the private sector as a chemical engineer. Chemical engineers are responsible for the development, testing, production, and use of substances used in food, drugs, fuels, and countless other products, ensuring that these chemicals and the processes used to manufacture them are safe, reliable, and effective. There are also many specializations within this field that focus on certain types of manufacturing processes, like polymerization or oxidation, or certain classes of products, such as nanomaterials or bioproducts.
No matter what your focus, chemical engineers are in demand at companies of every size, from multinational corporations like Dow Chemical and Dupont to up-and-coming startups developing novel approaches and products.
Chemistry expertise is also needed in government agencies, particularly in those responsible for protecting public health. In the United States, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency employs chemists to develop standards and testing procedures for safe air and water, and the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for doing the same for all of the substances we ingest. Chemistry experts are also needed in law enforcement in roles like forensic chemists, who help solve crimes through the analysis of chemical evidence.
Finally, if your interest is purely in the field of chemistry itself, you can find work in research and academia. If you want to advance the frontiers of this discipline, you can work in university or government laboratories to discover new substances and processes for producing them. Or, if you want to pass on your passion for chemistry to the next generation of students, you can become a high school chemistry teacher.
Coursera offers courses in chemistry that can fit your needs regardless of your existing background in this subject. If you’re just getting started, you can take introductory level courses in chemistry and its major subfields, including organic chemistry and physical chemistry. On the other hand, if you already have a background in chemistry and want to delve deeper into specific areas of the field, you can take more specialized courses in chemical engineering, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, and even nanotechnology.
Regardless of your area of interest, learning online through Coursera means getting a high-quality education from top-ranked institutions like Duke University, the University of Minnesota, and Johns Hopkins University. You’ll learn from the same faculty and course materials as on-campus students, but at a significantly lower cost and on a flexible schedule that fits your existing job or family life.


This was originally part of a guest post on the WNET Education blog.
Educators have long been familiar with PBS as a go-to source for educational materials, and teachers like me striving to create a playful classroom environment enjoy their wide selection of learning game from Mission U.S and Nova Labs for older students to PBS Kids games for elementary classrooms. Not all games are created equal though and neither are all game players. Accessible games and controllers are more available now, but they are still rare.
As a teacher in New York City’s District 75, citywide special education, I have sometimes struggled to find materials that were accessible to my students with disabilities. So when I heard WNET paired up with Bridge Multimedia to create an accessible Cyberchase game called Railway Hero, I was eager to try it out. Just some nostalgic background information, I was watching Cyberchase and using materials and video clips from it with my students when I first got my educational degree nearly 15 years ago. That was back when many still accessed ‘cyberspace’ through a CD and the internet that the CyberSquad explored was very different. So my nostalgia, a need for accessibility, a love of games, and a commitment to combating fear and apathy in math classes drove my interest to play Railway Hero.
So in Railway Hero Hacker has stolen pieces of the Information SuperRailway and you are tasked with repairing the tracks and reconnecting the cyber sites. Digit guides the team through increasingly difficult challenges that address early numeracy skills in a by asking students to solve tangible visual math problems to repair the tracks. Students can choose to do it in a number of ways whether utilizing addition, 1:1 correspondence counting, or through spatial reasoning and visual cues. They don’t appear as actual equations as students have to determine what numerical combinations will help them fill the gaps. The concepts are open enough to challenge students but the skill to complete the early puzzles are low so even kindergarten students could accomplish early levels.
Some of my students struggled in the later levels when multiple block segments were required. Their ability to solve the early puzzles propelled them to be resilient through the harder work though. They were able to attempt solutions and try again when it didn’t work. Since students were able to immediately visualize the consequences of their choices, it made it more understandable and less frustrating when mistakes were made. As an adult player, I wasn’t sure the level of task repetition would be engaging, but that was actually a key feature to increase student success. Students learned the basic skills early in the game and were able to use that similar steps and skills to solve more complex problems later. What made the game really special though was all of the accessibility features baked into every part of the game.
The game has a variety of accessibility features that are easily available throughout the game. For visually impaired players they have an audio-only mode, audio descriptions, and adjustments for color, contrast, and text size adjustments. For hearing impaired gamers you can adjust audio levels and turn on captioning. For students with physical and learning challenges, there is also additional help. All text and objects are described when hovered over, the game auto-pauses for off-task students, and you can use keyboard controls instead of on the computer version. The game also has timed play available for an added challenge. The commitment to creating a game that can be enjoyed by all young players is commendable. I suggest using the app versions since touch screens and mobile platforms provide an extra level of accessibility for users. I recommend you take your young students on a numerical quest to fix the information railways which you could use as a springboard to discussions about digital citizenship and actually make the information on the internet a little better.


English Language Arts
In the 21st Century, our most compelling challenge is to prepare students with the literacy foundation needed to contribute locally and globally, deepen their skills as thinkers, and develop their intrinsic desire to read and write in order to achieve their goals. If we are to meet this challenge, we must provide students with significant opportunities to engage with and respond to rich texts that reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of every student.
In order for students to view themselves as readers and writers, we must create a culture that celebrates the foundational role that literacy plays in lifelong learning.
In order to best support educators, purposeful, evidence‐based, ongoing literacy professional development is key to improving the methods, practices and strategies that effectively address student literacy needs. Teachers must have quality resources to deepen their knowledge, instructional skills, and cultural competency to effectively meet the needs of our diverse student population. Additionally, teachers need time to collaborate with colleagues at all levels, as well as opportunities to review, design, curate, and share exemplars.
Ultimately, successful literacy education is achieved through a partnership among all stakeholders: teachers, students and their families, school, and the community. The task of the Beaverton School District, then, is to foster a thoughtful climate in which all students are valued for their diversity, supported in their literacy development, motivated, and challenged to continue learning throughout their lives.
The current ELA curriculum was adopted by the School Board on May 16, 2016. The adoption process followed the procedures outlined in the Instructional Materials Selection Administrative Regulation II/IIA-AR.


A lot of children are at home right now, but that doesn’t mean music education needs to suffer. On the contrary, children can learn a ton at home that will help them the rest of their lives.
Children learn the language of music like they learn spoken language–by hearing it over and over. And over. So if you’re unsure how to teach music to children, start by singing to them and with them. A lot.
In addition to singing with your children, play great recordings for them. By playing good quality music, you will develop their taste for quality music, and you will develop their ear for music. Many times music teachers try to teach students how to read music before the students have developed a good ear for it (ask me, I’ve tried it), but it’s better to train the ear to hear before training the eye to read.
Singing and listening to music at home trains your children’s ears to hear how music fits together even though they don’t understand how it fits together. In the same way, a child can understand how letters and words go together without knowing what a letter is. Listening to good music sung well also shapes how children sing because they model what they hear.
When and How to Play Recordings
The great thing about singing and listening to music with your children is that it doesn’t require a lot of time, expense, or effort. It just requires consistency. Here are a few ideas for how to consistently play recordings in your home.
Pick a hymn of the week for your family to memorize, and play a good recording of the hymn at every meal. It only takes a few minutes, and it gives you a break from the chatter of the day when the children have to sit quietly and listen while they eat.
Make a hymn playlist on your computer, phone, or other electronic device and play it at strategic times such as:
- during the chaotic 20 minutes before a meal
- while cleaning up after a meal
- while children are getting ready for bed
- while driving
- at a specified time each week (we have a playlist that we play every Sunday morning from before the children get up until we get home from church)
Here are some recordings that I highly recommend playing for your children. They have good quality songs that are sometimes arranged and sometimes sung straight out of the hymnal, sometimes a cappella, and sometimes orchestrated or accompanied by piano or organ. Some of the links are affiliate links.
- Hymns Triumphant CD or digital download
- Tastefully arranged, beautifully orchestrated medleys of hymns
- Because of all the medleys, parts of many songs appear in this collection making it not as good for memorization but very good for exposure to many different songs
- The Majesty and Glory CD or digital download
- Medleys of hymns, gospel songs, and choruses
- Fully orchestrated
- Oasis Chorale, Hymns of the Church
- Altar of Praise Chorale
- Many recordings available of classic hymns and gospel songs
- A cappella
- 16 CDs available, a huge resource
- St. Olaf Choir, Great Hymns of Faith
Singing with your children and playing recordings for them is an excellent way to prepare them to learn music in school or private lessons. If you play and sing great songs with your children starting at a young age and enjoy the learning process with them, they will learn to love great music, music that nourishes the soul and spirit, and they will have a head start when the time comes for them to learn to read music. Some of you have a window of opportunity in front of you. Now is the time to start. You can totally do this.


Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2013). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction (2nd ed.). New York: The Guildford Press.
Borovsky, A., Elman, J. L., & Fernald, A. (2012). Knowing a lot for one's age: Vocabulary skill and not age is associated with anticipatory incremental sentence interpretation in children and adults. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 112(4), 417-436.
Cremin, T., Flewitt, R., Mardell, B., & Swann, J. (2016) Storytelling in early childhood: enriching language, literacy and classroom culture. London and New York: Routledge.
Ewing, R. Callow, J., & Rushton, K. (2006). Language and literacy development in early childhood. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. (2016). Visible learning for literacy, grades K-12: Implementing the practices that work best to accelerate student learning. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Literacy.
Graham, L., Berman, J., & Bellert, A. (2015). Sustainable living: Inclusive practices for 21st century classrooms. Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Hattie, J. (2008). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Hudson Kam, C. L., & Matthewson, L. (2017). Introducing the infant bookreading database (IBDb). Journal of Child Language, 44(6), 1289-1308.
Mclaughlin, S. (2006). Introduction to language development (2nd ed.). United States: Cengage Learning, Inc.
McLeod, S. & McCormak, J. (2015). Introduction to speech, language and literacy. Australia: Oxford University Press Australia.
Page, J., & Tayler, C. (2016). Learning and teaching in the early years. Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Scull, J. & Raban, B. (Eds.). (2016). Growing up literate. Melbourne, Australia: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.
Sinclair, C., Jeanneret, N., O’Toole, J., & Hunter, M.A. (2017). Education in the arts (3rd ed.) Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.
Speech Pathology Australia. Book of the Year Awards 2018.
Taylor, C. L., Christensen, D., Lawrence, D., Mitrou, F., & Zubrick, S. R. (2013). Risk factors for children's receptive vocabulary development from four to eight years in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. PLoS One, 8(9)
Wright, S. (2010). Understanding creativity in early childhood education. United kingdom: SAGE Publications Ltd.


Best online piano lessons for Kids
"The Canadian team behind Little Composers have created what may be the best music apps for younger kids, and they’re available on all tablets, smartphones, Macs and PCs."
~ Kevin McGuire
Our mission is to turn moms into music teachers
and children into famous Little Composers
The app-based "creative children compose music" method is the brain-child of Austrian-born composer Ernst Renner and specifically designed to teach children between the ages of 3 and 8 how to compose and play hundreds of different melodies from the moment they start.
If your child shows an interest in music then make time and play. In 10 years from now, you will be glad you did.
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Composing music has never been this easy!
The app-based Creative Children Compose Music method is designed for children to learn on their own with only a little bit of guidance by an adult.
For best results, begin with the Pre Piano apps. They are easy to use and make composing and playing 100's of short songs fun. Choose from two versions which cater to different starting ages. Be sure and try them both.
Once your child outgrows PRE Piano, move up to the "Creative Children Compose Music" (CCCM) app. CCCM doubles the song length and compositions can be saved as an image which you can then upload to the Famous Little Composers Gallery.
Concept of Music (Age 6+)
Concept of Music is all about sight-reading and music notation. Great for visual learners who want fast results.
The apps shown below show young children age three and up how to compose music. They then can listen to their composition and use the included key pads to play it. This way of learning is different from any other music method out there. After just a few days of composing, listening and playing, you will see why Little Composers is quickly establishing itself as the go-to place for the best online music lessons for children ages 3 - 8.
Actual screenshots of the best beginner piano apps for young kids"As a radio announcer it is very important for me to have my daughter involved in the world of music. I just want music to mean as much to her as it does to me. So it made sense to start her in it as soon as possible. I found Little Composers and instantly knew it was for us! It really is brilliant and easy to follow along. I highly recommend it for you and your "little composer". ~ T. Wood
"Last Friday you were on the front page of a large dutch ipad-news website!
They don't really rate the game in terms of numbers but they say it's a great app for children!" :D - Sven
"My son & I are having a blast. In all honesty I too am learning music which I always thought was too hard but this way just makes sense. I can't say enough good that these apps have done." ~ Alex S.
"Thank you for the free membership! We are just getting started and the kids can't wait to become famous." ~ Maria "Out of all the music education apps, this one is best for younger children or children with special needs. The app is intuitive and an ideal way for ‘little composers’ to learn their music lessons in the most digestible manner." ~ H.A.


A coed independent boarding high school
We believe that art education helps students develop not only their knowledge and skills in the arts, but also their self-knowledge and social skills. Art provides a forum for safe expression, communication, exploration, imagination, and cultural and historical understanding. The goals of the Art Program are to expose students to the development of art and ideas about art through time; to teach students how to use and care for various art materials and supplies; and to allow and encourage students to connect with their creative instincts.
Additional goals of the Art Program are as follows:
All students work on building a portfolio from their first day in class, both as a record of their own development as artists, as well as for those who aspire to go to art school.
Students who are new to art, or who do not yet see themselves as capable artists, take Foundations in Art. In this course, we expose students to the fundamentals of the creative process, the names of different techniques and media, and the role that art has played in history and culture.
Students who are more experienced and interested in art take Portfolio Development, a mixed curriculum that aims to help students develop their skills and habits for being life-long artists. Sometimes, this means preparing their portfolio to submit to art schools and guiding them toward studying art after high school; sometimes it simply means helping them nurture what will be a life-long hobby. Portfolio Development covers instruction in traditional drawing, collage, painting, watercolor, printing techniques, and an introduction to nontraditional mixed-media and up-cycled art.
Examples of students at work and student artwork produced either during art class or the afternoon arts program.


The development of motor skills allows kids to accurately hold pens and pencils, play games, or run around the playground, and a new study explored how various factors can affect the development of such skills.
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä found that a child’s temperament, along with both age and involvement in sports, can play a role in how children develop motor skills.
“Children who tend to have an active type of temperament, as well as children who show persistency when faced with challenges, can be motivated and persistent in learning and rehearsing motor tasks,” said researcher Donna Niemistö.
“Therefore, these findings were expected and logical. A child with an active temperament can react more rapidly. Consequently, the child will get more opportunities to move along with increased repetitions. Without noticing, the child will also gain more opportunities to perform motor tasks.”
The researchers analyzed data from the Skilled Kids study, which included information on nearly 1,000 kids between the ages of three and seven. The study assessed the kids’ motor function based off of four primary components: balance, locomotor skills, coordination, and ball skills.
The researchers learned that several factors affected the development of motor skills, including age and temperament, with different skills being impacted by different factors. The study also revealed that kids who participate in organized sports could have a leg up on fine-tuning these skills.
“The development of balance and coordination skills was better in those children who were described as emotionally regulated,” said Niemistö. “On the other hand, locomotor skills were better in children whose parents had higher educational level, and the development of ball skills benefited if children had free access to sport facilities in nearby surroundings.”
Though kids’ temperaments don’t generally change over time, parents can adapt their approach to help encourage their young ones to work on certain tasks. This can look like eliminating distractions, or being more proactive about engaging in physical activity or sports, depending on the child’s needs.
Moreover, the researchers also explained that as kids grow, their motor skills naturally develop, but consistency and practice are key to achieving the best outcomes.
“Even though motor skills develop as a function of age, skill development still needs to be stimulated consciously,” Niemistö said. “Motor skills do not develop without practising, thus skills need reinforcement through repetition of the skills. Motor skill development is greatly supported when the child is moving in multiple ways. In a current study we found more evidence that participation in organised sports can be useful to gain more opportunities to practise and repeat essential movements.”


Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab and One Laptop Per Child, recently presented the U.S. Senate with a brilliantly simple way to help resolve the conflict in Afghanistan — educate the population! Giving all 5 million children in Afghanistan ages 6 through 12 an OLPC XO-1 laptop would cost around US$750 million. Given the river of money flowing to Afghanistan, this is a only a small amount of the budgetary bucket. It would, however, be an tidal change in the perception of the US military.
One Laptop Per Child already has the lesson plans, software and the laptops as well as active pilot projects up and running in Afghanistan. These laptops are expertly designed specifically to deliver elementary education in remote areas; while the XO-1 laptops cost under $200 each, they include technology not yet available in any other laptop at any price. Their rugged design, low power consumption, battery longevity, wireless capabilities and ease-of-use surpass all other laptops on the market. Children teach themselves to use the XO-1 on their own using the built-in collaboration tools and intuitive software. The laptop teaches the children how to teach themselves.
The US military has the supply infrastructure throughout Afghanistan to deliver the laptops, provide them power and supply the data communication backhaul to connect to the rest of the world. The US Census Int’l Database shows there are 5 million children ages 6-12 (1st through 6th grade) in Afghanistan; giving each of them a laptop would cost $750 million and would do more to advance the US desire for a peaceful, stable nation than all of the other military spending combined.
Write your congressional delegation and ask them to budget the funds. Educate Afghanistan and empower them to help us all end the turmoil plaguing the region.


Early Learning & Development
BUILDING BETTER BRAINS
well-respected authors Robert Palmer & Dr Jennifer Fraser combine up-to-date information with a wealth of practical experiences in user-friendly books, games and activities.
How is this Important
Dr. Jean Houston believes that we are just beginning to discover the virtually limitless capacities of the mind. Dr. Houston works with the United Nations Development Programme training U.N. staff and leaders in developing countries. Dr. Georgi Lozanov, has travelled the world to investigate super memory and learning achievement. He believes that we use barely ten percent of our brain capacity.
There are 50+ ‘brain benders’ in the collection along with 29, full colour, A4 activity sheets.
If you do not understand your child’s temperament you might be criticizing him / her for behaviour that is related to his temperament. This could lead to major clashes and to your child developing more extreme behaviour patterns.
Babies communicate from birth, through sounds - crying, cooing, squealing - facial expressions - eye contact, smiling, grimacing - and gestures/body movements - moving legs in excitement or distress, and later, gestures like pointing.
While research on brain development is in its infancy, it is believed that play shapes the structural design of the brain. We know that play provides active exploration that assists in building and strengthening brain pathways. Play creates a brain that has increased ‘flexibility and improved potential for learning later in life
Get started with your collection today
Did You Know - Emus and kangaroos can not move backwards; and that is one of the reasons why they were chosen for the Australian Coat of Arms. True story
Understanding your child’s temperament will help
You might also start blaming yourself for your child’s behaviour, rather than understanding it is simply how they are. Create a positive relationship with your child. Your own temperament will also influence your parenting. The better the fit between your child’s temperament and your parenting style, the better the results will be.
You will find more than just games in GREAT GAMES
The world is becoming aware of the need to ‘Be More Active’ and to ‘Live More of Your Life’ to address the crisis of inactivity. We have found that people already know they should find thirty –to- sixty minutes a day of physical activity but are reluctant to find time for ‘exercise’.
You are fully protected by our 100% Satisfaction-Guarantee.
If, for any reason, you don't like our amazing book range, you can get a full refund anytime within 30 days after your hard-copy purchase. If you have any issues, just get in touch with our friendly support team and they'll either help you out until you get the results you need or give you a swift refund (Not applicable to download versions).
Our Building Better Brains series is for parents and caregivers; and explains how Clann's selected resources can help to create programs that include a practical application of neuroscience based techniques for early childhood learning and development settings. World-first applications based on Neuroscience research.
CEO at Clann


A program of unit studies that provide a background of Canadian Catholic history and social studies to help us become acquainted with the saintly men and women who worked tirelessly to develop this country and its culture.
Each study will have four components: Canadian (however some resources are not Canadian for universal themes): OR Catholic (teaching of our faith) OR Culture (music, art, literature) OR Life (pro-life.) Due to the lack of Canadian resources for each theme, we will do our best to supplement.
These studies can be used for individuals, families or home school groups. Each theme has different levels of study involved, so all the members of your family or home school group can learn at the same time!
There are many “threads” woven into this program. They include:
basic units of our society- family, parish/town, diocese/province, universal church/country and their hierarchies
Our Lady’s titles and approved apparitions- Mother of God, Knock, Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe, Good Success, Miraculous Medal, Salette
Devotions and their history- Rosary, Brown Scapular, First Saturdays, Divine Mercy Chaplet, First Fridays
Canadian Pilgrimage Sites and their history
Justice and Mercy- how we can live out our faith through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in today’s society
Saintly Canadians- St. Andre Bessette, Vanier and Leger families, Canadian Martyrs, Joseph Chiwatenhwa, St. Kateri Tekakawitha and others who helped shape Canadian history
Canadian missions- each one has been started by an individual or couple here in Canada
Vocation awareness- learn about the different types of orders and movements in the Church and their famous saints
Sacraments-each unit will delve into a sacrament- for those preparing for First Communion, Penance or Confirmation, it is best to check with your parish about its requirements.
in upcoming units 5-8, learn about aboriginal history, exploration, and the history and evangelization of Canada according to the different age levels.
traditions within the Church and Canada but also in your family- see how the practice of these traditions help shape and strengthen the faith
Canadian artists such as William Kurelek and Michael O’Brien
Beatitudes-learn to live the Sermon on the Mount
You may decide to use only one or two of the “threads” as part of your religious studies or social studies. Or you may decide to use the unit as a springboard to more in-depth research on any topic. There is no limit to what can be learned!
Lesson Plans Book contains:
Lessons for four levels- Primary (K-3), Elementary (3-6), Middle School (7-8), and High School (9 & up). As much as possible, the different levels cover the same them as their own level of ability. Some can be combined. Use whatever levels are appropriate for your children.
Each week is divided into Culture Studies and Social Studies. These two avenues can be done consecutively or concurrently as your homeschooling schedule allows.
As the social studies often require standards according to the province, we recommend that you look at our website www.bluemantle.ca These Canadian textbooks are primarily from secular companies, but hopefully they will meet your province’s standards. If you find anything that is not suitable, please let me know.
Included in the high school level of social studies are study programs from www.formed.org If you have a parish that has a subscription or your homeschooling group can get one together, this website is highly recommended for its study programs, movies, books and audio.
Music and Art Education
For music, we recommend that you visit the Canadian website- http://www.adventus.com/musiq-homeschool/ for their home school products. Because they have many online benefits, it is better for you to buy from them directly. The advantages of learning to play the piano extend to all avenues of learning as it develops the brain. Your child will learn about composers as he or she plays their music, thus developing music appreciation.


Music education programs are some of the most important aspects for anyone undertaking musical education. Unfortunately in today’s world, there are fewer resources available and that is putting a real dampener on the way people learn. What some might not realize is that having good music teaching resources available can actually help to create a far more effective educational program for all teachers and students alike.
Better Class Structure and Scheduling
One of the most important elements of any teacher’s arsenal is a good source of resources for them to be able to teach. Unfortunately, there are many learning institutes that do not have such resources and, as a result, there are issues with the music education programs on offer. When it comes down to it, it’s vital to have good resources. When there is good music teaching resources, it can help create a more effective education program. Teachers have structure their lessons more effectively and offer an array of teaching methods including practical. However, teachers can also schedule their lessons in a more effective manner making learning easier for all students.
Good Resources Help Teachers Teach
Let’s be honest, teachers need a good array of resources behind them. When you are trying to teach a class, whether it’s young child or adults, it’s important the right information gets across. If there are poor music teaching resources it means the education program is poorer. You absolutely have to take that fact into consideration so there is more funding available and more resources. Without good resources, it’s tougher to teach and more and more teachers are struggling to come up with an education program for their students.
Students Can Benefit from Music Resources
What you might not be aware of is that music teaching resources are so important for anyone who is currently learning. Having a good array of resources available can ensure a teacher has the best tools available to use for every student and that is one of the biggest and best reasons why more resources are needed. To make better music educational programs, it comes down to the type of resources the teacher has to work with. In music, you need good resources behind you in order to teach effectively. Far too few resources are available and it’s causing a lot of concern to say the least.
Getting the Best Results
When it comes down to it,education is important and without a good array of resources available, manyteachers will struggle. That is why more funding is important but more resourceoptions must also be looked into as well. Far too many people do not do thisand as a result, music programs lack something very important. However, whenthere are more resources available, it can make things far more effective fromall angles and that is really important. When it comes to music education, it’s vital to havea good array of teaching resources available so that students and teachersalike can continue the learning process effectively. Continue Reading…


Numeracy is the ability to use numbers and solve problems in real life. Numeracy is everywhere and essential for modern life. It is needed for solving problems, making sense of numbers, time, patterns, and shapes. Numeracy is therefore essential for activities such as cooking, reading receipts and instructions, and even playing sport.
People who are not confident and capable with numbers are estimated to be worse off than those with good numeracy skills. A 2014 National Numeracy report found that the average cost to individuals with poor numeracy is £460 a year.
At Bedford High School we appreciate the importance of numeracy and the role it plays across all of education. It is our mission to:
Read below or follow us on social media to find out more about numeracy at Bedford High School
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Twitter: @Bedford Numeracy
Numeracy Word of the Week
Every week, all our staff and pupils will be given a Numeracy Word of the Week. This will use the Frayer model, which has been repeatedly demonstrated to improve the learning and usage of vocabulary. Pupils will be encouraged to use the word as much as possible in the appropriate contexts.
Numeracy Challenge of the Week
Every week, all our staff and pupils will be given a Numeracy Challenge of the Week. The pupils that solve the most problem every half-term or any pupil that solves a particularly difficult problem will receive a reward.
Problem Solving Club
Every week, pupils will have the opportunity to attend problem solving club where they will work together to work on various engaging numeracy problems. This will include maths games, puzzles, quizzes, codebreaking, and maths investigations designed to improve numerical ability and provide enjoyment.
Maths Career of the Term
Every term, Key Stage 3 pupils will be asked to complete a project identifying the maths involved in a specified job. This can be in the form of a poster, a booklet or even a model.
During form time, Key Stage 3 pupils will work on Numeracy Ninjas. This is designed to promote growth mindset, fill in gaps in pupils’ mental calculation strategies and promote the maths fluency they will require when they move on to studying for their GCSEs.
Try it now by clicking on this link – https://www.numeracyninjas.org/
Pi Day is an annual international celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the American month/day format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π. Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter and is probably one of the most well-known and important constants in mathematics.
Pupils will take part in cross-curricular activities celebrating and investigating the widespread use and importance of Pi.
Find your birthday in Pi here: https://www.piday.org/find-birthday-in-pi/
Learn more about Pi Day here: https://www.piday.org/
Identified pupils receive numeracy lessons targeted to their needs in maths. Pupils will work through work designed to identify and address gaps and misconceptions that they will require to succeed in their wider maths education and across the curriculum. The approach in numeracy emphasises ongoing assessment, careful observation, gauging student’s current knowledge and strategies, and building on them to increase their ability and self-confidence in mathematics.
KS4 Form Time Intervention
Identified Key Stage 4 pupils will receive additional maths intervention during form time to support their preparation for sitting their GCSE in maths. This approach will be based on using Corbett Maths 5-a-day for assessment and correction of misconceptions, and the provision of exam strategies to allow pupils to increase their ability and self-confidence in GCSE-level mathematics.
Use this link to find out more about Corbett Maths 5-a-day: https://corbettmaths.com/5-a-day/
I use numeracy for…
Teachers will display “I use numeracy for…” posters in their classrooms. These will detail the various ways they use numeracy in their everyday lives in order to promote discussion with their classes.
The following books may be of interest to pupils who enjoy maths or who want to develop their knowledge of maths in history and in real life. There are many more than are featured here!


In reading the education chapter I was particularly interested to see how the author would deal with evidence that education, like economic growth, has little direct effect on happiness in the United States. (Australian evidence suggests that university level qualifications have a negative effect on happiness.) Bok’s views on education are somewhat more positive than his views on economic growth, but he is highly critical of the weight that education policies currently give to acquisition of vocational skills.
The first paragraph of the chapter sets the tone for the discussion that follows:
‘People often misjudge what will bring them enduring happiness or pain. It stands to reason, then, that any serious attempt to increase well-being should give a prominent place to education. Schools and universities are the obvious institutions to assume this responsibility by trying to cultivate interests and supply the knowledge that will help young people make more enlightened choices about how to live their lives’ (p. 156).
I would have liked to see recognition in that paragraph of the responsibilities of parents and of young people (who should be accepting responsibility for their own lives by the time they get to university). But I guess that most parents hope that the schools their children attend will somehow help them learn how to make enlightened choices about how to live their lives.
Does that mean that the results of happiness research should be taught in schools? Bok toys with that idea. He notes that one program based on happiness research, which was presented to school students by Martin Seligman, succeeded in cutting the incidence of depression in half over a two- or three year period. In the end, however, he comes down against teaching happiness in schools on the grounds that teachers who are not adequately prepared to present such material could give students a distorted view based on pop psychology. I suppose that view is wise. I think it would certainly be unwise for time spent on happiness studies to be at the expense of literacy and numeracy skills, and the development of skills in acquiring knowledge.
Most kids probably pick up more than enough pop psychology already from various sources, including their teachers, sports coaches and the self-help section of the local bookshop. If they are lucky they might look on a different shelf at the bookshop and find something more informative, like ‘Stumbling on happiness’ by Daniel Gilbert. When they find difficulty coping with life they might also get some helpful coaching from a competent therapist. To put these thoughts less cynically, while I doubt whether it is appropriate for happiness to be taught in schools, it would be good if children could be mentored by people whose knowledge of positive psychology was not gained solely by reading best sellers on such topics as the power of positive thinking and the secret of becoming an instant success at everything you might like to do.
Professor Bok is more strongly supportive of the study of the science of happiness being included in higher education. He has some reservations, however, about the inclusion of practical exercises to help students bring about ‘a personal transformation’, on the grounds that this ‘may strike some people as uncomfortably close to indoctrination’ (p. 172). It certainly strikes me that way. I think it makes sense to draw a firm line between what is taught as part of a curriculum and practical exercises in self-help that may be offered as an extra-curricula activity.
As noted earlier, Bok is highly critical of the current emphasis in education on acquiring vocational skills. He suggests that more research is required to understand what undergraduate experiences tend to be associated with greater happiness in later life. Our lack of understanding of such matters was highlighted to me in a recent paper by Michael Dockery which indicates that young people in Australia who experience higher education switch from having relatively high to relatively low levels of happiness (compared to others of the same age) at about the time they complete their degrees (LSAY, ‘Education and happiness in the school to work transition’, 2010). A variety of explanations are possible, including the development of unrealistic expectations at universities and a change in reference group following graduation. Andrew Norton's theory is that the graduates become unhappy because they are moving from an intellectually stimulating environment where they have a great deal of freedom to one they have much less discretion over what they are doing.
I think Australian universities should be giving priority to research to shed light on the reasons for this decline in happiness. Some young people may begin to wonder whether the sacrifices they make to attend university are worthwhile when they find out that they will probably end up less happy than their contemporaries who attain less advanced vocational qualifications.
Since writing this I have been reminded that Martin Seligman has been involved in a major experiment in teaching happiness at Geelong Grammar School. He recently worked and lived with the teaching staff for six months preparing them to teach positive psychology. A transcript of Kerry O'Brien's ABC interview with Seligman in December 2009 can be found here.


WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- How to add numbers (including decimals).
- How to subtract numbers (including decimals).
- How to multiply numbers (including decimals).
- How to divide numbers (including decimals).
- How to round numbers to a given degree of accuracy.
1. SAMPLE ADDITION QUESTION (NON-CALCULATOR)
Work out seven point three plus four point eight five.
2. SAMPLE SUBTRACTION QUESTION (NON-CALCULATOR)
Work out nine point two take away six point four.
3. SAMPLE MULTIPLICATION QUESTION (NON-CALCULATOR)
Work out three hundred and sixty-six multiplied by forty-three.
4. SAMPLE DIVISION QUESTION (NON-CALCULATOR)
What is fourteen point four divided by zero point three?
5. SAMPLE ROUNDING QUESTION (NON-CALCULATOR)
Round fifteen point six eight four to one decimal place.
The ‘Guide to the QTS Numeracy Skills Test’ book contains a full chapter on arithmetic, including step-by-step explanations and demonstrations of all the skills that you need to know, and a practice exercise on the topic with 20 questions.
If you would like to be sent fully worked solutions to that exercise, just pop your details in the boxes and we will send them over to you.
If you are still struggling with this topic, we have created a selection of resources to provide all the help you need.
- QTS Numeracy Revision Book – The Guide to the QTS Skills Tests book devotes a whole chapter to the topic of arithmetic, with detailed methods, worked examples and plenty of practice questions for you to have a go at.
- Practice QTS Numeracy Tests – Want to put your skills to the test and see how ready you are? Take a look at our selection of practice papers for the QTS numeracy test.
- QTS Numeracy Revision Cheat Sheets – Our cheat sheets boil down everything you need to know to just the key points on the topic. They are a perfect resource for your last minute revision!
- QTS Numeracy Coaching – Coaching is the ultimate in personalised support. Book your one-on-one Skype video calls where you can work through the issues that you struggle with at a pace that suits you.


instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Research has shown art affects the fundamental sense of self. Painting, sculpture, music, literature, photography and the other arts are often considered to be the repository of a society’s collective memory. Art preserves what fact-based historical records cannot: how it felt to exist in a particular place at a particular time. Art in this sense is communication; it allows people from different cultures and different times to communicate with each other via images, sounds and stories. Art is often a vehicle for social change. It can give voice to the politically or socially disenfranchised. A song, film or novel can rouse emotions in those who encounter it, inspiring them to rally for change. Researchers have long been interested in the relationship between art and the human brain. For example, in 2013, researchers from Newcastle University found that viewing contemporary visual art had positive effects on the personal lives of nursing home-bound elders. Art also has utilitarian influences on society. There is a demonstrable, positive correlation between schoolchildren’s grades in math and literacy, and their involvement with drama or music activities. As the National Art Education Association points out, art is beneficial for the artist as an outlet for work. Art not only fosters the human need for self-expression and fulfillment; it is also economically viable. The creation, management and distribution of art employs many. So what are you waiting for! Help foster the creative you, grab a bottle of wine and your credit card so that you can purchase and support a working artist and hang some original works on the walls home or office, or just want to give beauty as a gift to someone special.
“Art is a nation’s most precious heritage. For it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the inner vision which guides us as a nation. And where there is no vision, the people perish.” –Lyndon Johnson, on signing into existence the National Endowment on the Arts
If you are interested in any of my other work and can not find it on this site.
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The development of early literacy skills among children with speech difficulties: a test of the "critical age hypothesis".
Nathan L., Stackhouse J., Goulandris N., Snowling MJ.
This article presents a longitudinal study of the early literacy development of 47 children with speech difficulties from ages 4 to 7 years. Of these children, 19 with specific speech difficulties were compared with 19 children with speech and language difficulties and 19 normally developing controls. The risk of literacy difficulties was greater in the group with speech and language difficulties, and these children displayed deficits in phoneme awareness at 6 years. In contrast, the literacy development of children with isolated speech problems was not significantly different from that of controls. A path analysis relating early speech, language, and literacy skills indicated that preschool language ability was a unique predictor of phoneme awareness at 5;8 (years; months), which, together with early reading skill, predicted literacy outcome at 6;9. Once the effects of phoneme awareness were controlled, neither speech perception nor speech production processes predicted variation in literacy skills. However, it is noteworthy that children with persisting speech difficulties at 6;9 were particularly vulnerable to deficits in reading-related processes.


The Bluedorns are true pioneers in classical Christian education. For years, they've been sharing what they've learned through their research as well as through their experience teaching their own children, and through interaction with thousands of other parents across the country.
They share a growing enthusiasm for classical education, but they temper their enthusiasm with cautions about pagan content. Rather than buying into the "Great Books" model of classical education, the Bluedorns apply the methodology while carefully selecting resources that support a biblical Christian worldview. Some of those resources are among the Great Books while others are not.
The Bluedorn's philosophy of education is presented at length in the first part of their new book, Teaching the Trivium. However, they also address broader issues such as government control of education and its conflict with biblical principles, problems with classroom-style schooling, arguments for teaching Latin, Greek, and Hebrew (as well as some "how-to" information), charts showing "classical" sources for teaching ancient history for each time period, and discussion of various homeschooling methods and how they can be adapted (or not) to classical education. This is one of the rare places where the contrasting ideas of Dorothy Sayers and Charlotte Mason for elementary education are addressed. All through this section, I especially appreciate the Bluedorn's flexibility; they suggest numerous ideas for content, presentation, and timing but leave it to parents to decide what makes sense for their own children.
Chapters eleven through fifteen get into very specific suggestions for teaching the various subjects at different age levels. Also, flip back to the last forty pages of the appendix for extensive resource lists that identify curriculum and resources that fit the Bluedorn's methodology.
In addition to resources lists, the Appendix features sixteen articles that address more specialized topics such as Dorothy Sayers' "The Lost Tools of Learning," "Ancient Education: Hebrew, Greek, and Roman," and "The Trivium in Scripture."
Teaching the Trivium is a valuable contribution to the discussion regarding classical Christian education. The Bluedorns have been writing, speaking, and sharing online for years, but it is wonderful to have so much accumulated wisdom finally collected in one volume. This is an opinionated book, reflecting the strong convictions the Bluedorns have developed over the years. They approach their subject from a serious Reformed perspective, relying on Scripture as the ultimate authority. Even those Christians who might not share the Bluedorn's theological perspective should find this book helpful if their goal is to use the classical model of education by drawing from it that which is worthy, while staying true to biblical principles.


View full video here.
Paint the World began as an experiment. Bethany Halbreich and a few friends wanted to co-create something, so they purchased a few blank canvases and art supplies, and started painting. They found the experience therapeutic and began to think about what a difference this simple activity could make if widely spread.
Then, Bethany decided to experiment with the idea further so she secured large blank canvases and art supplies at an art festival. Her aim was to spark spontaneous creativity and bring people together around a collaborative art experience. The set-ups were always left on their own, without supervision, allowing freedom and space for anything to happen. People flocked to the canvases; those who had never painted before and those who were compelled in the moment to feel their creativity take over the direction of the paintbrush. Observing this experience manifest and watching the creativity it inspired made Bethany think of all the possibilities that could evolve. She thought: What if we scaled this? What if a blank canvas appeared in communities that have limited access to art supplies & art education?