Online Elementary Education
Teaching in an elementary school means working with children in kindergarten through sixth grade and creating an environment for their creativity to find expression, and for their endless quest for knowledge to continue. The role of an educator, in this case, lies way beyond the core aspect of instilling knowledge, as there are more responsibilities of marshaling these raw minds towards resolving differences, solving problems, verbalizing ideas, and expressing themselves creatively. This leaves the onus on the teacher to meticulously follow the students’ interests and give them the necessary reading, writing, and math skills that will form the basis of all their future learning. With the importance placed on quality education for America’s children these days, there is immense pressure on teachers to burnish their skills and prove their standard. The online Elementary Education degree comes in handy for those who are determined to foster their career with respect to these growing necessities.
Elementary school teachers are required to have, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in teaching and an Elementary Education teaching certificate. Candidates can also pursue an online master’s degree in Elementary Education by choosing to specialize in certain areas such as math, music, science, language arts, etc. and gain advantage over their peers.
- It offers a wide range of options, you are sure to find one that suits your specific needs.
- You will enjoy greater scheduling flexibility with the online classes, as you can learn from home, classroom, or even a local coffee shop.
- Most online degree programs can be completed at your own pace, one class at a time. Also, you can utilize the accelerated online tracks if you wish to speed up your learning process.
A degree in Elementary Education focuses on educational psychology, learning styles, and classroom management, among other core courses. Candidates are required to focus on developing their teaching skills in mathematics, reading, writing, and social studies. Earning an elementary teaching certificate also requires a student teaching internship or practicum in an elementary school before graduation.
Note: The difference between Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education is that typically early childhood education is from pre-K through the fourth grade, while Elementary Education runs from fourth through the eighth grade.
Graduates can work as classroom teachers, teaching students a variety of subjects in a self-contained classroom or specializing in a specific subject area. One can also serve as a counselor or administrator. Other positions such as librarian, reading specialist, instructional coordinator, curriculum developer, and mentor teacher are available. The income for teachers with an online Elementary Education degree varies by level of teaching, years of experience, subject area, and location. The average national annual salary for teachers in the United States is $46,000, and the range falls between $26,000 and $71,000. Teachers with a bachelor’s degree can start earning about $32,000.
There is nothing like an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children who will grow to become the future of the United States. If you really enjoy working with young children, go ahead and choose the online Elementary Education program that suits you the most from the list of courses offered by the most accredited universities across the United States. The respective college or university will assist you in making sure that the online elementary degree program you choose is the best choice for your educational and career goals.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics


A Reset Button For Attention
A new study suggests that mindfulness meditation can be used as a method to improve attention and heighten appreciation for music.
As a high school orchestra and band educator, Frank Diaz tried using yoga and meditation as a means to heighten music engagement. The techniques seemed to improve student attention. Now Diaz is a researcher at the University of Oregon, studying the effect of mindfulness meditation on music engagement and performance as a scientist. Rick Nauert on PsychCentral reports:
“In a study appearing online ahead of publication in the journal Psychology of Music, he reports a rise of focused engagement for student participants who listened to a 10-minute excerpt of Giacomo Puccini’s opera ‘La Boheme’ after engaging in a 15-minute guided meditation session.
Diaz notes that the mindfulness meditation helped move participants into a zone of readiness to listen to music they’ve heard many times before. ‘Meditation practice tends to take habituated responses and renews them. It’s almost like a reset button,’ Diaz said. ‘For musicians, if you’re a symphony player, you’ve probably played “Beethoven’s No. 9″ 10,000 times. Your response is so habituated that you don’t get any pleasure out of it anymore.’
Diaz believes the study findings may influence future music education. ‘Attention can be modified,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t have to be done chemically or by changing the environment. Human beings have the capacity to learn to self-regulate their attention, and when you do that it increases the quality of typical, everyday experiences.’” (Read more here.)
I love the idea of a “reset button” for attention—and the notion that we can experience anew the pleasure of an aesthetic experience that had grown familiar and tired.
Have you ever had the experience of reawakening to a piece of music or art that had lost its capacity to inspire? How did it happen?


Improv, Theater, Dance…Oh My!
The Delphi Community Elementary School staff is not opposed to thinking outside of the box to help their students improve reading scores. The school recently partnered with Civic Theater of Greater Lafayette to bring youth director Melanie Buchanan and 13 players to the school to help with that effort. The program, funded by a Target grant, is a service provided by Civic Theater’s Youth Troupe. “This project will provide students with experiences that enhance academic performance,” firstgrade educator Melissa Gill said Friday. “Theater techniques support reading comprehension strategies and fluency.”
Buchanan explained that Civic Theater offers the learning experiences using youth actors. Those present Friday attend West Lafayette, Lafayette and Tippecanoe County school corporations. One player is homeschooled.
DES students were encouraged to use characterization and assume emotions such as excited, nervous or paranoid, which they displayed physically. They worked in groups to portray a machine, by becoming the parts of the machine as a whole in front of their classmates. They then made the machine ‘work.’ Their fellow students were asked to guess what machine was being portrayed. Gill said research indicates that using elements of the arts as an instructional tool, positively improves student fluency, creativity and overall reading ability.
Gill said a Readers Theatre and a performance with the actors will also be hosted at the school during the 2010- 2011 school year.
Information about the Civic Theater can be found at www.lafayettecivic.org.


Free Reading Strategies Pack 1
Reading and Word Solving Strategies Pack 1 is now free right on BuySellTeach, in the Wise Owl Factory online store. What’s in this pack? There are 162 pages with 20 reading comprehension and word solving posters, for one thing. Also included are some book companions for Scholastic books to help mentor the strategies. Other books are included, too. Pictures tell the best story, so see for yourself what is included. I prepared a PDF with more information, including the CCSS addressed for grades one and two.
By the way, did you see Reading and Word Solving Pack 2?
First, the word solving reading strategies are included, pocket chart cards for these strategies are also included, along with cards for any mentor text resources included in this pack. Auto the Otter is so perfect for sight words automaticity!
Next, there are posters for the reading comprehension strategies. Pocket chart cards for these strategies are also included, along with a card for any mentor text resources included in this pack. Quackers the Duck is my favorite!
Now for the Scholastic book companions/resources included in pack one. Seven Blind Mice can be used to help teach several strategies. This section includes work pages, activities, and also pocket chart cards for vocabulary.
The Arthur’s Valentine section has some sweet activities.
Chunky Monkey and Spinner the Spider are part of the Cinderella Penguin section.
Next, Scholastic’s sight word readers (or any emergent readers with the same words) help reinforce automaticity with Auto the Otter. By the way, here is a second Auto the Otter (only) freebie on Buy Sell Teach.
Next, Digger Dog helps mentor non-fiction conventions.
Finally, Clifford for President is used as an anchor text for several word solving strategies. Quackers the Duck is perfect for noticing dialogue in the text, also.
Thanks for reading!


Find out the requirements to be a Nursery/Primary Teacher
What does a Nursery/Primary Teacher do?
Nursery/primary school teachers work with children between the ages of three and eleven, in state or independent schools.
Nursery teachers work in nursery schools and classes with children aged three to five. They use mainly play activities to facilitate children's social, personal, physical and emotional development, creativity, understanding of the world and language, literacy and numeracy skills.
Primary teachers teach children aged five to eleven. These age groups can be further broken down into lower primary (five to eight) and upper primary (eight to eleven). Teachers have responsibility for a class, to which they teach all or most areas covered by the National Curriculum. They also have a specialist subject, and may co-ordinate this throughout the school.
Some areas of England and Wales have middle schools that take children from ages eight or nine to twelve or thirteen. Teachers in middle schools teach the primary or secondary curriculum appropriate to the age of children in the class.
In addition to actual teaching, teachers spend a lot of time preparing lessons and teaching materials, marking and assessing work and mounting displays in the classroom. They may be assisted by teaching assistants or nursery nurses, especially in nursery and reception (first year primary) classes.
The work also involves liaising with other professionals, speaking to parents and carers (both informally and at parents' evenings, attending meetings and in-service training, and organising outings, social activities and sporting events.
What's the working environment like working as a Nursery/Primary Teacher?Teachers in state schools in England and Wales work 39 weeks a year in school. Teaching hours vary between schools but are usually 9am to 3.30pm or 4pm. Teachers also spend a lot of time outside these hours preparing lessons, marking and assessing work and taking part in other activities such as outings.
What does it take to become a Nursery/Primary Teacher?To be a nursery/primary teacher you should:
- be interested in the education and welfare of pupils
- have enthusiasm for the subjects you teach
- be able to build up good relationships with pupils, parents and carers and colleagues both inside the school and externally
- be committed to working with pupils and parents/carers of different backgrounds and abilities
- enjoy working in a team but be able to use your own initiative
- be well organised
- be able to manage classes well and deal with challenging behaviour
- have excellent communication skills in English (and Welsh where appropriate)
- be patient and have a good sense of humour.
Nursery/Primary Teacher Career OpportunitiesMost teaching jobs are in state schools. Teachers could also work in: independent schools; pupil referral units; hospitals; or schools run by the armed forces. Part-time or supply teaching is possible.
Experienced teachers may be able to apply for Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) posts. ASTs spend 80% of their time in teaching their own classes and 20% working with and for teachers from other schools (outreach), supporting their professional development and raising standards of teaching and learning.
All candidates need to complete an application form which provides evidence of how they meets each of six AST standards, and undergo a one-day assessment by an external assessor. The candidate's headteacher is also required to provide supporting evidence under each of the standards. Full details can be found on the Teachernet website – see Further Information.
Promotion may be possible in most primary schools to curriculum leader, deputy headteacher and headteacher. Teachers may be able to develop their leadership skills through the Fast Track programme, as mentioned in the Training section.
Some experienced teachers specialise in teaching pupils with special educational needs or move into private tuition.
Further Career Information
If you would like to know more about a career as an Nursery/Primary Teacher related facts, statistics, articles and websites.
Find Education Studies courses near you
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Courses to help you become a Nursery/Primary Teacher
Not quite qualified to become a Nursery/Primary Teacher? Take a look at Training Nursery/Primary Teacher courses, Postgraduate Nursery/Primary Teacher courses, Postgraduate Nursery/Primary Teacher courses, Undergraduate Nursery/Primary Teacher courses, Undergraduate Nursery/Primary Teacher courses, our course browses or use our search form and find courses which will help you on your chosen career path.


Interactive Phonics Games
Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is a crucial part of any reading program, and interactive phonics games are one of the most effective and enjoyable ways for kids to learn phonics.
Phonics instruction, that is, the method of teaching how letters are linked to sounds (phonemes), has experienced renewed popularity online, where interactive phonics games are typically found. These games have proved to be great tools to help kids learn the 26 letters of the alphabet and the 44 sounds that they make, both individually and in letter combinations.
Phonics games found online offer a variety of highly interactive tasks, activities and lessons that help develop a child’s phonemic awareness. The effectiveness of online phonics games lies in their many enjoyable elements that keep kids motivated to learn, with many featuring vibrant visuals and animations, catchy music and sound effects as well as many rewards for children to earn.
Combined with their motivational qualities, phonics games are also highly instructional. Many will repeat the sound of a letter several times, along with a visual of the letter to help the child develop strong letter-sound correspondences. Some will also allow a child to draw the letter with the mouse, developing motor skills and helping the them commit the letter’s form to memory.
While online instruction cannot nor should not replace face-to-face reading instruction, interactive phonics activities that help the child make further connections between a letter of the alphabet, its sound and its shape as presented on the computer screen as well as printed on the page, is of great help for young readers.
ABC Reading Eggs provides a diverse array of interactive phonics games for young readers. The earliest lessons and interactive phonics games focus on helping the youngest readers deepen their knowledge and understanding of the alphabetic principle. Each letter of the alphabet is introduced in its own lesson, and all activities within that lesson, including the interactive phonics games, work on developing the knowledge of that particular letter and the appropriate sound(s) that it makes.
ABC Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive phonics program that includes lessons on phonics skills such as identifying and working with the beginning and ending blends of words, the variety of sounds that vowels make, and equipping kids to be able to march up and tackle words of multi-syllables with confidence.
All of the ABC Reading Eggs interactive phonics games are a part of larger reading program that is focused on kids learning how to read well. No phonics activity is offered that does not directly relate to and reinforce the literacy work being done in the reading program as a whole. The goal of every ABC Reading Eggs lesson is kids reading real texts, and with each lesson completed, kids become more and more adept at reading.
Hi there, I’m a Learning Support teacher and I think this program is the best computer program I have seen for teaching phonics. Thanks for such a great resource! Natalie
My son is four. I really didn’t think he was old enough to start a phonics program but I figured it was fun and engaging for him it couldn’t hurt. I didn’t have very high expectations. He went from having no phonics knowledge to reading in about a month! The ‘game’ is so fun for him, he asks to do it nearly every day. He loves the egg reward system too; when he completes enough lessons he gets to go ‘shopping’ in the ‘store’ for game items…I highly recommend this program to all my friends with young children. This is the best online program we have found for phonics! J. Thornburg
Interactive Phonics with Clifford the Big Red Dog http://teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/
Phonics games with Starfall http://www.starfall.com/
More phonics activities http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/student.cfm


Once the student has decided in which course he or she would like to work, two basic decisions must be made.
Before approaching an instructor with a request to create a project for his/her class, students should think about what course subject matter they want to study. Do they feel most passionate or most curious about certain course topics? Is there course content that the student most needs to learn in depth? Could a project in a particular area of study be advantageous when listed on a resume? Would increased knowledge of a subject be advantageous during a job interview? Decisions about content don’t have to be finalized before talking to the professor, but students should have considered them.
What format the project will take is the second decision needed. Formatting can vary widely, as seen by the following list. Formats are often influenced by the discipline of the course. For example, experiments tend to work better in a chemistry rather than an English class. Again, students should consider format before talking with the instructor but also try to keep an open mind. Some projects are wonderfully creative, but that isn’t always possible. Sample formats with examples of past projects include:
Artwork: Create a mural, painting, graphic art or sculpture. Recreate a three-dimensional model of the cell wall of both a Gram-Positive and a Gram-Negative cell.
Community Service: Volunteer backstage during a local theatre production. Work with a children’s choir.
Creative Writing: Write four poems based on the theme of faith. Rewrite the ending of a short story or novel studied in class to clarify an issue of characterization (or theme).
Film or video: Write music and record/film its performance. Videotape a speech.
Instructional aids: Create aids for elementary education, occupational therapy, etc. Try them in a real life situation and report on their effectiveness.
Performance: Write and produce a play based on the seven deadly sins found in Medieval literature.
Research paper: Research how the discovery of penicillin affected WWII. Research developing technologies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Scientific experiment: Compare radio signals from the sun to those from Jupiter. Analyze spinach extract.
Service to the college: Organize and label lab items. Create a plant guide for the college’s upcoming trip to Costa Rica.
Slide presentation: Create a PowerPoint presentation on Marie Curie’s accomplishments. (Almost any content can be interestingly portrayed in this format.)
Webpage/ brochure/ portfolio: Create a map of Oak Ridge housing options. Create facebook pages for three American literature authors and have them interact in ways appropriate to their characters.
After considering both content and format, it is time to discuss the project with the professor. Have an open mind to his/her suggestions. Often the student and instructor work together to decide on the project.
The contract should be completely filled out. The R# needs to be legible and the course title and number correct. An example is “ENGL2120” for the course title and “025” for the course number. The project should be described as the instructor and student planned it, and an expected completion date should be included. This information helps to avoid miscommunication as to what is expected of the student. Three copies must be made of the completed and signed contract: one for the student, one for the instructor and one for an Honors Program Coordinator. Ideally a copy should be given to a coordinator by midterm.
Honors Program projects must stem from the content of a particular course so that honors credit can be given for that course on the student’s transcript. Projects can only be completed while the student is enrolled in said course and must be in addition to regular class work.
How to Create an Effective PowerPoint (This was also a previous student project.)
Honors students have two excellent resources available:
For questions about content and research, contact the library:
Harriman campus library: (865) 882.4553 or 1.866.462.7722 x 4553 (toll-free)
Oak Ridge campus library: (865) 481-2004
For questions on software such as PowerPoint, please contact CTAT:
Phone (865) 882-4556
Mural Created for Local Elementary School
left to right: Adam Barnett, Darla Ardziejewski, Veronica Castle and Jan Shaw


Wikijunior Europe: Albania
Albania is a small country in south-eastern Europe in the Balkan peninsula. It shares borders with Greece, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The capital is Tirana. The currency of Albania is the Lek. Other large cities are Durrës and Elbasan. Albania isn't part of the European Union.
During the fifteenth century Albania enjoyed a brief period of independence under the legendary hero, Skanderbeg. Aside from this exception, the country did not enjoy independence until the twentieth century. After five hundred years of Ottoman rule, an independent Albania was proclaimed in 1912. The country adopted a republican form of government in 1920. In 1939 the Italians invaded the country. Because of this event Albania was one of the first countries occupied by the Axis Powers in World War II.
After the war Albania became a communist state known as the Socialist People's Republic of Albania and was ruled by Enver Hoxha until 1985. Albania became a democratic country in 1991 but faced problems throughout the 1990s. In 1996 there were severe economic problems because of the failure of Ponzi schemes in the country. In 1997 there was an armed rebellion and hundreds of thousands of people emigrated to other parts of Europe and North America. In 1999 Albania faced an influx of refugees from Kosovo, Serbia during violence in that province.
Ponzi scheme — is a financial con where people who invest in the scheme make money from what future people invest in the scheme. Because of a limited population these schemes eventually run out of new investors and fall apart
Albania has a total area of 28,750 square kilometers. Albania has coastline on the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. Albania has a continental climate with hot summers and fairly cold temperatures. 70% of the country is mountainous with the highest mountain being Korab at 2,753 metres.
Albania has many fairly big lakes including one of central Europe's biggest lakes - Lake Shkodër - which is located partly in Albania and partly in neighbouring Montenegro.
Albania has been populated since prehistoric times and in recent history the country has been home to large numbers of Catholic Christians and Jews but in the past few hundred years people have either converted to Islam or moved elsewhere. About 40% of the population are Muslim, 40% are Christian and 20% are Atheist (no religion). One of the most internationally famous Albanians was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa who was a Roman Catholic nun who worked with the poor around the world, especially India.
Between 1945 and 1992 Albania was a communist country but currently the country is hoping to join organizations like the European Union. The national language is Albanian. Many Albanians also speak English, Italian and Greek. A large number of Albanians also live in Macedonia, Greece, Italy and the Serbian region of Kosovo.
The literacy rate for the total population, age 9 or older, is about 94%. Elementary education is required for grades 1-9, but most students continue at least until a secondary education (grades 10-12). Students must successfully pass graduation exams at the end of the 9th grade and at the end of the 12th grade in order to continue their education. The school year begins in September and finishes in late May or early June.
The most popular sport in Albania is football and the most followed sports event is the World Cup. Other played sports include basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics.
Today Albania is a popular destination for tourists from Europe and elsewhere. Tourists visit for the Greek, Roman and Ottoman archaeological buildings as well as some remnants from Communist times. The mountains and beaches in Albania are said to be as good, or better, than elsewhere in Europe but much less crowded. In 2011 Lonely Planet said that Albania is the number 1 destination to visit and most tourists who visit come from Kosovo (Serbia), Greece, Macedonia and Italy. Other visitors come from Poland, Czech Republic, France and Sweden.
There are 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Albania including the Greek and Roman city of Butrint and a medieval Ottoman town called Gjirokastër.
|Wikijunior Europe • Intro • EU • Geo • People • Language • Facts • Quiz||edit|


Today's activity is this super fun and easy-to-make Robot Helmet.
Combining skills required to make the helmet such as fine-motor skills and creativity with imaginative play and gross motor skills when the helmet is finished, is sure to keep your child busy, creating and learning.
Maddie is currently 3 years old
Materials: Cardboard Box, Foil, Glue, Sticky tape, Embellishments (we used milk bottle lids, coloured foil, number stickers, recycled goods and pipe cleaners)
For added literacy, we first read "Little Robots" by Mike Brownlow
Begin by cutting a "window" out of one side of the box to make it helmet shaped and then cover with glue (we used PVA glue)
Cover the entire box with foil.
Use this time to encourage new language and practice new skills such as "overlapping" or "folding"
When your box is covered with foil let your child get creative with their "embellishments"
Maddie learnt how to make "pipe cleaner springs" by wrapping a pipe cleaner around a marker
Attaching certain items will require sticky tape.
A lot of coordination and fine motor skills are required for this type of addition.
Adding "buttons" and "antenna"
For added numeracy skills, I included number stickers.
Maddie added the numbers 0-9 (that she had to find in a tub full of numbers) and then we wrote a list together of what "pressing each number" would make the robot do.
Time for imaginative play. "Beep, whizz, whirl"
Be sure to include robot movements and actions for added Gross Motor Skills
- Simplify this activity by pre-cutting the foil to the required size for each panel. This will allow less coordinated children to have a go at covering the box themselves. Assist your child as needed to complete the robot helmet ensuring that they have creative control over the embellishments they use.
- Extend this activity by including the added Literacy and Numeracy skills by reading Robot inspired books together and/or making a "number bot." We had a fabulous time figuring out what would happen when each number was pressed. Use this to reinforce basic number recognition. Your child could write their own list of instructions for the robot and then have to act out each action when you press their buttons.
- Further this activity by making robot arm covers, leg bands, robot fingers etc. Ask your child how they would make them and what they would need.
- Discuss the processes your child is going through with each stage of the activity. This will help them to make connections between the process and the language used to describe the process.
- Use descriptive words such as "embellishments," "over-lapping" etc. to encourage language development.
- Play a game with your child/ren where they must act as the robot and follow the directions given.
- Source boxes from supermarkets if you have none at home. They are always more than happy to let me have any boxes I like when I ask as they have an oversupply of them.
- If your child enjoyed making a Robot Helmet, they might like our Dinosaur Helmet too.
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Do you want preschool music resources?
Welcome to our instantly downloadable complete preschool music curriculum. We’ve done all the hard work of long-range planning for the years of early childhood. You can choose from our selection of:
These preschool music education resources are written by Carol Biddiss M.Ed and published by Musical Child, Early Learning through Music.
“This is the very best music program for preschoolers in the country!”
Dr Jula Szuster M.A.C.E.—Visiting research Fellow
Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide
Do you want preschool music help?
You will find free expert advice on how to program and present preschool music and toddler music activities in our blog Music Lesson Ideas. These practical tips are incredibly useful for educators, even if you don’t consider yourself to be highly-trained in music. Browse the categories on the right or look through the recent posts. We welcome your questions and feedback on our contact page.
Used with confidence by teachers, child-carers, parents and grandparents.
Here’s a comment from one of the many satisfied educators who have purchased our Lesson Plans.
“I’m from Spain, I run my own business, a Nursery School where we teach English through Music and movement. I love your Lessons Plans because they are easy to follow and they organise my time!! I usually teach vocabulary with your songs, we are about to start In My Boat but up to now, children have learnt a lot! Thanks for your Lessons!!”
Maria Prieto Martin – Causeway Academy, Cantabria, Spain www.facebook.com/causewayAcademy
Our two Musical Child music programs, Bounce and Sing and Sing and Play are perfect for use with young children from baby, toddler, through preschool, kindergarten and right up into their early years at elementary or primary school.
You can start by trying one preschool music activity such as a body percussion. Build up groups of activities to make a whole lesson plan. Follow our colour-coded term blocks of lesson plans for 1-3 or 3-5 year-old and that will give you enough lessons to make a complete preschool music program.
These resources are completely flexible and give you the freedom to create your own preschool music program.
Follow the blog for advice about designing and running your own preschool music program.


Educators step up on the soapbox and voice their views.
More Tests Won't Help High Schools
President Bush has said it is time to expand NCLB testing mandates to U.S. high schools so graduates are better prepared for school and work, but Gene Carter of the Association for School Curriculum Development says tests alone won't solve the problem.
While the federal No Child Left Behind Act initially won fans of all political persuasions, the Bush administration has not made a commitment to the necessary funding, nor does it in the next federal budget.
Teaching Life Lessons
Organized athletics originally were viewed as mechanisms for teaching social values and selflessness, but society has changed and so have sports. Mitch Lyons suggests that athletics still can be a springboard for valuable lessons, if the approach is changed.
Standing Up for
Teacher/coach Tom Krause worries that real learning and the average student's needs are getting lost in the pressures of greater accountability and assessments.
Creating a Naturalist-Friendly
Environment in School
Students with naturalist intelligence can feel constrained by traditional classrooms and by spending so much time indoors. Teacher Gwen Lanning discusses ways to make school more naturalist-friendly.
One Teacher's Pitch to
be Emperor of Education
Chemistry teacher Dr. Richard Chapleau outlines his formula for school reform, which includes tough measures for teachers and parents.
Inclusion Teaches Kids Who Struggle How to Succeed
Math teacher Cossondra George -- a former special ed teacher -- makes a strong case for inclusion, saying including special education kids in "regular" classes motivates them to succeed.
Seize NCLB's Opportunities for Arts' Funding
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, the arts, including music, are considered a core academic subject and can qualify for federal funds. Dr. Willie L. Hill Jr., president of the National Association for Music Education, urges educators to seize all opportunities.
Why I Said "No" to an Invitation from the Secretary of Ed
For Dr. Jeffrey R. Ryan, a history teacher already disenchanted with the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Secretary of Education Rod Paige's "terrorist organization" comment about the NEA gave him more reason to skip a meeting with the secretary.
Sports-Psychology Curriculum Focuses on Educating Athletes and Winning
To Mitch Lyons, school sports are about more than winning. Educating student-athletes about the psychology of sports produces life skills that benefit the student and community. Plus teaching the "science of sport" often leads to victory.
Got Technology? Now What Will You Do With It?
For technology to be effective in schools, administrators must have a plan, know how to use it, and be willing to learn from others, according to Nicholas Langlie, a professor Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York.
NCLB: If It's Sauce for the Goose...
Veteran teacher Max Fischer suggests that if the federal government, under the No Child Left Behind Act, is going to hold schools to strict accountability standards, then all entities receiving federal funds also should be held to such standards.
What's the Best Way to Motivate Kids?
What's the best way to motivate students? More engaging curriculum? Outings? Chris Kline, a former junior high school science teacher in Arizona, writes that not one approach works for all students.
The Bus Story
Former NAESP president Dr. Paul Young wonders if unrealistic demands are turning American schools into runaway school buses: driving too fast without enough direction. More cooperation is needed, he writes, to get schools back on track.


Written especially for parents, Growing Readers (formerly Ed Extras) provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers. Schools and PTAs can add these preformatted briefs to their parent newsletters. Growing Readers is also a great resource for libraries and community literacy organizations. The one- or two-page articles are available as a PDF in both English and Spanish.
Sign up to have Growing Readers delivered monthly to your inbox!
Download and print the latest Growing Readers article:
Got a newspaper? You've got learning!
We've archived all of our past Growing Readers articles by topic:
Nursery Rhymes: Not Just for Babies!
Finding and Sharing Great Kids' Books
Rediscover Your Public Library
Early literacy development
Tips for Teaching Your Child About Phonemes
Simple Yet Powerful Things to Do While Reading Aloud
Good Night, Sleep Tight: Preschoolers and Sleep
How to Read With a Squiggly Baby (or Toddler!)
Does My Preschooler Have Delayed Development?
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Math and Literacy for Preschoolers
Building Your Child's Vocabulary
Handwriting: What's Normal, What's Not
Beginning Readers: Look! I Can Read This!
Emergent Readers: Look! That's My Letter!
Families and schools
Supporting the Common Core Writing Standards
How Parents Can Support the Common Core Reading Standards
Children and Digital Media: Rethinking Parent Roles
Flipped Classrooms and Flipped Lessons: What Does It Mean for Parents?
When to Call Your Child's Teacher
Choosing a Preschool
Listen and Look at Back-to-School Night
Preparing Your Child for Testing
The Parent-Teacher Conference (Pre-K)
The Parent-Teacher Conference
Literacy activities for the family
Getting the Most Out of Nonfiction Reading Time
Mission Critical: Reading Together to Build Critical Thinking Skills
Use a PEER When You Read Aloud
Picture This! Using Mental Imagery While Reading
Playing with Word Sounds: Stretch and Shorten
The Night Before the Museum
Grocery Store Literacy for Preschoolers
Grocery Store Literacy
Developing Writing and Spelling at Home
Reading for Meaning with Your Child
A Fresh Look at Your Home Library
Playing with Words
Creating a Home Library
The Role of Fathers in Their Child's Literacy Development: Pre-K
The Role of Fathers in Their Child's Literacy Development: K-3
Developing Writing and Spelling at Home: Pre-K
Making Reading Relevant: Read, Learn, and Do! (K-3)
Making Reading Relevant: Read, Learn, and Do! (Pre-K)
Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
Writing and Spelling Ideas to Use with Kids
Back-to-School, for Parents!
Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Easing Into Preschool
Easing Back Into School
Ready to Read
Five Literacy-Based Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Your Child
Start the New Year Off Right: Resolve to Raise a Reader!
Creating Holiday Learning Traditions
Learning That's Hands-On Holiday Fun (Pre-K)
New Year's Resolution: Help Your Kids Do Great in School
Summer Learning, Side-by-Side
Use Summer Fun to Build Background Knowledge
Take a Break, but Bring a Book!
Struggling readers and learning disabilities
Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Vision
Successful Transition to Kindergarten for Learners Who May Be at Risk for Learning Disabilities
Recognizing Reading Problems
Common Signs of Dyslexia
Developing Research and Information Literacy
Share What You Discover! Publishing Your Work
Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Recording Observations: Capturing and Sharing Images
Recording Observations: Journals and Field Notes
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The Public Library Association (PLA) and Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)'s initiative to focus on educating parents and caregivers of children newborn to age five on early literacy so that they can help their children enter school ready to learn to read. If the primary adults in a child's life can learn more about the importance of early literacy and how to nurture pre-reading skills at home, the effect of library efforts can be multiplied many times.
Teaching parents and other caregivers how to support the early literacy development of their children is the basis of Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®. When the first edition of ECRR was introduced in 2004, the focus on educating parents and caregivers was a significantly different approach for many libraries; one that certainly has proven its value.
The updated and expanded second edition of Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® provides a new curriculum and materials to continue the effort, supporting parents and caregivers with the early literacy development of their children birth to age five.


Tin Whistle & Music Theory is probably the most DIFFICULT of Fine Arts subjects for me. Sometimes I even find myself hoping the boys have forgotten that their tin whistles are in their backpacks. I keep telling myself it doesn't have to be that way. I don't want it to be that way. I want to be an encouragement despite my immaturity.
So I try to surround myself with more positive thoughts like how BEAUTIFUL the tin whistle can sound. This piece is performed by Ryan Duns of Fordham University. He has also uploaded several videos as an on-line video course for learning to play the Irish tin whistle.
And for tutors who are teaching Music Theory to 4- and 5-year-olds, you can feel encouraged as you watch a tutor Teach Rhythm to Abecedarians. For those who are not tutoring, the video is worth watching just to make your heart smile. A couple of photos from Teaching Rhythm to Abecedarians:
Making Music Fun contains sheet music, composer & music theory worksheets, and practice charts, but there are a ton more music theory worksheets and activities listed below...
Do you need game ideas? Piano Teacher Susan Paradis and Joy at Color in My Piano have incredible ideas just for you. Color in My Piano also has some great worksheets!
Now, my absolute favorite help of all time has been a set of videos from a Classical Conversations tutor of the Blanchette Trio. You can view the videos by visiting Blanchette Trio on Facebook. A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please do not share direct links to these youtube videos via a blog post, Pinterest, or other social media website, as they are private videos that should only be accessed via the Blanchette Trio Facebook page or CC Connected. And my other special request is... please like Blanchette Trio on Facebook as a way to say "Thank you!" for the effort and time that was put into making them!
Finally, you'll also want to check out these Tin Whistle Lesson Plans from Adventures of Bear.
Way Too Many Tin Whistle & Music Theory Resources: Weeks 7-12
Music Theory and Tin Whistle Notebook Sheets in our Fine Arts Notebook Printable
Tin Whistle Tablature
For instructional videos on how to teach tin whistle, please visit (and like!) the Blanchette Trio Facebook Page.
Tin Whistle Sleeping Bags
Tin Whistle Lesson Plans
Simple Dot-to-Dot and other music theory worksheets
Turkey Color-by-Note Page
Pumpkin Color-by-Note Page
Sticker Notes on the Staff
Sorted List of Music Theory Links (to games, worksheets, etc.)
Free Music Theory Grammar Lapbook
Another Free Music Lapbook with Additional Worksheets
Music Note Race Classroom Kinesthetic Game
Ships are Sailing with the Tin whistle by Ryan Duns of Fordham University
Ryan Duns on-line video course for learning to play the Irish tin whistle.
Free Pathways to Harmony Music Theory Workbooks: Contains activity books that teach notes and rhythm and much, much more. Direct links:
Pathways to Harmony Notes Chapter
Pathways to Harmony Rhythm Chapter
Music Symbols Cut-and-Paste
Making Music Fun Music Theory Worksheets
Color in my Piano: Tons of free downloads and ideas for music theory practice and review:
Music Theory Games from Color in My Piano
Music Theory printables - flashcards, etc. from Color in My Piano.
Codemaker Note-naming Activity
Mystery Message Game (recognition of rhythm and pitch)
Opus Music Theory Worksheets
Fun Music Co. Music Theory Worksheets
Links to On-line Music Education Games
Susan Paradis Music Theory Games: This site is a gold mine of games for fun music theory practice at home and in the classroom (...and if you have a child learning to play piano, too)! Here are a few of the games available:
Skittles Note Game
Fish Flash Cards
Round about Rhythm
Round about Rhythm Cards
Round about Rhythm Card Backs
Ladybug Board Game (Note Identification)
Rhythm Memory Game
Rhythm Memory Game Back
Fly Swatter Note Game
Whole & Half Rest Memory Device
Do you have any great music theory or tin whistle resources that should be added to this list? Please let us know in the comments, or email me directly at brandyferrell @yahoo.com, and I'll be glad to add them to the list!
(My word of encouragement: Although it's taken me over three years to get to this point, I'm happy to share that Tin Whistle no longer frightens me. )


You are here:
The wickED website is primarily intended to help students in Study Support Centres develop good study habits. The themes, hot topics, and activities are also available for use by schools and students throughout New Zealand.
How can I use wickED to support my classroom programmes?
Activities included in the wickED website may be aligned using the intent of the NZCurriculum. In your classroom programmes you are expected to plan using contexts, concepts and levels relevant to your students. The activities in wickED may be adapted to fit in with those contexts and concepts for learning.
wickED's activities may be used in your classroom to support a range of delivery approaches including inquiry learning and integrated curriculum themes, or for individualised study and skill practice. Links between learning areas may lead, for example, to units of work or broader programmes designed to further develop students’ study habits and support their literacy and numeracy capability.
In wickED themes and hot topics, students explore and research concepts and contexts. They investigate problems and come up with solutions. The activities have curriculum links to the technology, health and physical education, science, social studies, mathematics and statistics, and English learning areas, and may be available in English or te reo Māori.
In keeping with the findings of Effective Pedagogy in Social Sciences/Tikanga ā iwi: Best Evidence Synthesis the activities in wickED may be used to:
- make connections to students’ lives
- align learning experiences to important outcomes
- build and sustain a learning community
- design experiences that interest learners.
The learning activities on wickED integrate the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with links to quality-assured websites. They provide opportunities and support to students as they use computer software in their learning activities.
Key competencies underpin learning and teaching. Throughout the themes and activities on wickED there are many opportunities for students to develop the key competencies identified in The New Zealand Curriculum. Two key competencies have particular relevance:
Students who manage themselves are enterprising, resourceful, reliable, and resilient. They establish personal goals, make plans, manage projects, and set high standards. They have strategies for meeting challenges. They know when to lead, when to follow, and when and how to act independently.
As a consequence of managing their own study through wickED activities, it is envisaged students will begin to develop good study habits that will support their academic success.
Using language, symbols, and texts
Using language, symbols, and texts is about working with and making meaning of the codes in which knowledge is expressed. Languages and symbols are systems for representing and communicating information, experiences, and ideas. People use languages and symbols to produce texts of all kinds: written, oral/aural, and visual; informative and imaginative; informal and formal; mathematical, scientific, and technological.
Students who are competent users of language, symbols, and texts can interpret and use words, number, images, movement, metaphor, and technologies in a range of contexts. They recognise how choices of language, symbol, or text affect people’s understanding and the ways in which they respond to communications. They confidently use ICT (including, where appropriate, assistive technologies) to access and provide information and to communicate with others.
As a consequence of using language, symbols and texts within the wickED website it is envisaged students will further develop literacy and numeracy skills that will support their academic success.
Many of the literacy activities have been developed for use by students with ESOL.
The various themes and activities in wickED may provide opportunities for assessment. The activities within the themes allow students to form opinions, research, and critically analyse ideas. Each theme develops key conceptual understandings related to learning areas of NZ Curriculum. You may adapt the activities and develop learning intentions and success criteria to suit the needs and interests of your students.
Throughout the site common values are adhered to, and encouraged.


Learning About Cue Ball Speed
We have covered why it is important to shoot softly before, the pockets play bigger, your fundamentals don’t deteriorate, and the cue ball doesn’t move around a lot. The less the cue ball moves, the easier it is for us to predict where it is going to wind up.
But what if we have to move the cue ball around the table? How to we learn how to control how far the cue ball goes? Let’s look at some things we can do that will develop the feeling for speed that we need in our arms to play excellent pool.
Take a look at this diagram. Here is a great drill I learned from Bert Kinister a long time ago and still do once in a while. What you do is to roll the one ball to the end rail and bounce off a little. Next roll the two ball and bounce off the rail a little more. 5 balls is a good starting point. If that is too easy, do six; or if it is too hard, do 5.
It is also important that your cue ball comes straight back down the table. Not only are you developing the feeling of speed in your arm, but you are also working on rolling the cue ball straight by hitting it on the vertical axis. All foundational skills for your excellent pool game.
This drill will help you develop your normal standard game shots. Sometimes you have to roll the ball really slowly with control. This next drill will help you master that skill.
What you do is throw 5 or 6 balls out on the table in a random pattern. The goal is to roll the cue ball around the balls like an obstacle course. You can’t hit a rail and you can’t hit another ball! Keep track of how many shots it takes you to get around the course. The goal is to lower your score.
About now you might be asking yourself why I’m just rolling around one ball. That’s not how I play pool. Here is why.
When you cut a ball thinly, most of the energy stays in the cue ball. This means that your speed control problem is reduced to rolling the cue ball a specific amount, and that is exactly what we have been practicing!! Knowing this, it makes sense for us to play to our practiced strength and leave ourselves thinner cut shots when we have to move the cue ball.
Let’s look at an example.
In this problem, we would like to pocket the one ball and get good on the two so we can fall perfectly straight on the 3. That leads us directly to the 4 without having to do too much. We could stop on the one ball, but that leaves a straighter angle. Now pocketing the two is easier from there, but we have to juice up the cue ball to move it around the table and we are coming across the line of the 3. That doesn’t sound like a high percentage move.
We could also try to get straight on the two and draw back to get on the 3. We will be hitting the cue ball hard, the side pocket could grab our cue ball, if we over hit the shot we might wind up in the middle of the table and if we under hit the shot, we could be on the rail.
I like rolling forward on the one, taking a thinner shot on the two and rolling into position.
Work on these speed drills and I think you will like the results.


Spiritual Art and Art Education
By Janis Lander
Routledge – 2014 – 262 pages
This book is a study of contemporary spirituality as it is practiced in the world today, characterized by its secular and inclusive nature, and applied to art and art education. It identifies the issues facing a formal introduction of contemporary spiritual concepts into a secular and multicultural arts educational environment. Lander begins by separating the notion of "the spiritual" from the study of organized religions. She uses examples of art from different cultures in contemporary spiritual systems, making the study a reference book for contemporary spirituality and spirituality in art education, with usable definitions and practical examples suitable for scholars in art and visual studies, art education, and contemporary spirituality.
1. Overview 2. The Religious and the Spiritual 3. Concepts and Terms 4. Spiritual Images and Spiritual Narratives in Contemporary Culture 5. Art, Energy, and Consciousness 6. Spiritual Art in the Classroom
Janis Lander is an artist and writer based in Sydney, Australia. She was contributing editor of the online arts journal "The College Voice" at the University of New South Wales from 2003-2012. She is now teaching "Art and Philosophy of the Spirit" at the University of Sydney, Australia.


By Laura Devaney, Managing Editor, @eSN_Laura
The school library is changing. Instead of a stuffy and silent space filled with books, today’s school libraries are becoming collaboration centers, where teachers and librarians work together to help students develop technology skills and evaluate digital information.
Over the past decade, studies have shown that students in schools with endorsed librarians earn higher scores on standardized reading tests, and those scores are higher regardless of students’ socioeconomic level and despite overall school staffing declines.
A 2012 Institute of Museum and Library Services study that spanned 10 years analyzed library conditions and their impact on learning and literacy development in two Philadelphia neighborhoods. The researchers found that, when comparing a poor community with an affluent community, “children with early access to print and technology continue to build and gain knowledge. Children who don’t have early access enter school far behind and are taught the ‘basics.’”
When computers are readily available to children, those children are able to use technology such as search engines comfortably as they compare information and engage in learning. Children without the same easy computer access are not able to judge the quality of information found online as adequately.
According to the report, public libraries can serve as an extension of school libraries and can support early learning in important ways, including linking new digital technologies to learning and helping children develop “deeper learning” skills through literacy and STEM-based experiences.
A successful working partnership between teachers and librarians is often touted as a sign of 21st-century education, but “evidence suggests that achieving successful collaborative relationships in the field is fraught with challenges,” according to a June 2013 study published in School Library Research, the research journal of the American Association of School Librarians.
While such collaboration does exist and is successful, it is not as widespread as it could be, the report claims. One roadblock could be that, in some universities, preservice teachers are educated at the undergraduate level, while preservice librarians are educated at the graduate level. Sometimes, teachers resist or take offense to the idea that they “need help from a librarian,” and the education system’s focus on test scores makes it less likely that teachers “will engage in collaboration unless they foresee a tangible reward in the form of improved test scores,” survey participants said.
“Now is a particularly crucial time for teachers and school librarians to be working together to educate students in the skills needed to be successful in the digital age,” according to the report.
A move to digital collections
As the idea of teacher-librarian collaboration is changing, so, too, is the concept of a library’s resources. Today’s students joke about older generations using printed encyclopedias for reference projects, as many schools have added digital collections to augment their offerings. But it’s not just reference materials that are going digital: Entire book collections are as well.
Students and teachers in the Van Meter Community School in Iowa have used the eBook platform MackinVIA for more than a year, and have access to roughly 900 eBook titles in the collection. In addition to eBooks, MackinVIA includes online databases as part of a “one-stop” process and offers access to most titles simultaneously, so multiple students can use the same book at once. Using a “backpack” feature, students can select books they want to read and can store books and resources as part of school projects.
“It’s so simple for the kids to use— even the kindergartners use it without a problem,” said Shannon Miller, the district teacher librarian and technology specialist.
“It hooks them on reading—even things that they might not have read before or outside of the genre they typically pick,” Miller said. Van Meter has a one-to-one computing program in which students bring their own devices, and parents can help their children select books and perform research using their children’s devices and user accounts.
Capstone Digital’s myON reader is a digital library platform that offers a “personalized literacy environment,” complete with more than 4,700 enhanced digital books for students from birth through 8th grade.
For this complete story and more form Laura Devaney, please visit eSchool News here.


Plugged In: Positive Development Strategies for Disconnected Latino Youth
Latino youth are one of the fastest-growing segments of the population in the U.S., poised to fill the workforce gap as millions of baby boomers retire over the next decade. Yet, achieving economic mobility remains out of reach for as much as 42% of Latino youth who face numerous barriers to academic and career success and are dropping out of high school at persistently high rates
NCLR profiles a pilot program of the NCLR Escalera Program: Taking Steps to Success, which addresses the obstacles faced by young Hispanics who are disconnected from school and work. This pilot is operated by three NCLR Affiliates, AltaMed Health Services Corporation in Los Angeles, American YouthWorks in Austin, and HELP â€“ New Mexico, Inc. in rural New Mexico. The report finds that across the three sites, the following core competencies are central to the success of disconnected youth: reconnection, foundational skills, leadership and personal development, educational attainment, workforce readiness skills, and career exploration. Basedon these findings, NCLR offers lessons and recommendations for policymakers, funders, and program administrators serving this population.National Council of La Raza (2010)
Advancing American Economic Competitiveness
through Latino Immigrant Worker Success
Work is an asset, not a barrier, to gaining an education, according to the report's findings. The workplace presents a tremendous opportunity for increasing access to postsecondary education and training, especially for working Latino adults.
Regardless of the current economic woes, the workforce in 2014 will be strongly defined by two factors: the departure of large numbers of "baby boomersâ€ť and the rapid growth of the Hispanic workforce. These legal immigrants need greater postsecondary opportunities in order to fill expected gaps in industry sectors related to infrastructure and green manufacturing.
Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (2011)
Excelencia in Education
National Council for Workforce Education


What is EL?
English Learner, or EL, students are those who are acquiring English for their education. These students are also known as English as a Second Language (ESL) or bilingual students.
The Plymouth-Canton Community School District EL department provides academic and language development support to English Learners (EL) students at each of the 24 schools in the school district. Approximately 800 students are enrolled in the EL program.
Our goals are to provide:
- A welcoming environment for English language learners of all language and cultural backgrounds.
- Individualized instructional support to promote swift English language and literacy development in harmony with district curriculum.
- Empowerment of EL students to be fully and bilingually successful in the local and world community.


Editorial Reviews for this title:
The second edition of this book is a comprehensive resource for preservice and in service teachers. The book will help you recognize and assess reading and writing problems and provide effective interventions to help every child succeed. It focuses on the major areas of literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, word identification, comprehension of both narrative and expository text, vocabulary, fluency, and writing, including spelling. The author thoroughly explores each area, providing an overview of pertinent research, suggested methods and tools for diagnosis and assessment, intervention strategies and activities, and technology applications. The new edition offers increased focus on understanding the stages of literacy development of all English learners and helping them to become literate in English. Detailed information on designing checklists and rubrics based on state standards is included, sample checklists are provided throughout the relevant chapters, and Appendix C includes more than 50 additional assessment tools. Many of intervention activities are designed to be used with children s literature. Tools and visuals for creating and implementing many of the book s more than 150 intervention strategies and activities are included in Appendix D, and two additional appendices provide helpful resources, book lists, pronunciation guides, common word families, and frequently used suffixes and prefixes.
Editorial reviews may belong to another edition of this title.


Fabric Design Career Info and Education Requirements
Fabric designers create textiles used to make clothes and decorate homes and businesses. Inherent creative or artistic skills can be an asset to those who enter this field. Fabric designers typically work for textile manufacturers.
Fabric Design Career Info
Training in fabric design can lead to employment in the textile field as fabric designers, stylists, design assistants or CAD operators. Many fabric designers work independently, which requires artistic skills and knowledge of marketing and promotion. Companies that hire fabric designers include furniture manufacturers, bedding and bath suppliers, rug makers and fashion designers. Entry-level fabric design positions, such as design assistant opportunities, are typically filled by job applicants who have portfolios of previous work. Seasoned fabric designers might start their own firms or head creative departments at large companies.
A wide array of salaries exists in this field. For instance, the difference in earnings between newly independent designers and experienced fabric design managers at large corporations can be significant. According to North Carolina State University's Textile Career Services, fabric designers with bachelor's degrees earned an average annual salary of $39,700 in 2009 (www.ncsu.edu).
While no education is required to design and sell fabric independently, employers tend to hire those with at least some training and portfolios of work. A fabric design or textile design program helps develop students' artistic skills, computer design knowledge and business expertise.
Fabric design students learn about color, texture, light and shape as it pertains to fabric and design. Extensive studio work with paint, ink, fabric and computers is common in fabric design programs.
Academic programs in fabric design occur at the certificate, associate's, bachelor's and master's levels. Certificate and associate's degree programs typically take two years or less to complete and provide students with the basic skills required for entry-level positions in the fabric design field. Bachelor's degree programs cover the topic of printmaking in-depth, and students learn more about fabric weaving. Master's degree programs involve research and can sometimes be combined with bachelor's degree programs; this combination can result in students in earning their master's degrees in five years instead of six.
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~by Barbara Cobb
When I was starting my work on Shakespeare in the schools, I asked a cognitive psychologist with whom I collaborate, “at what age do children have the greatest facility with different dialects, like Shakespeare’s early modern English?” Her response surprised me just a little: “around the age of 9,” she said, “and this facility declines fairly rapidly as they turn into adolescents and young adults.”
We are doing our students a disservice when we withhold Shakespeare and early modern English from them until our students are in high school. Out here in western Kentucky, teachers, teacher education students, and university professors are working together to bring Shakespeare to kids in grades 3-12 – to keep Shakespeare in our students’ mouths and brains all through their formative years.
We have a group of students who have done two-week Shakespeare units in 3rd, 4th, and 6th grades, and we are planning units for their 7th and 8th grade years as well. Our theory is that, when these students encounter Shakespeare as part of their high school core curriculum, they will be Shakespeare Beasts — and their teachers will be thrilled!
Barbara is an Associate Professor of English at Murray State University and Associate Chair and Education Coordinator for the Murray Shakespeare Festival. The Festival’s Shakespeare in the Schools outreach initiatives, combined with its week-long event each February, bring Shakespeare to over 1500 students grades 3-12 each year. Barbara earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, and is the author of “Playing With Poetry’s Rhythm: Taking the Intimidation out of Scansion,” English Journal 96.1 (2006), among other publications.
Barbara is also one of the Folger’s presenters for the 2011 Elementary Education Conference – open to any teacher of elementary students. More information and registration is available in the link above.


The Foundation of Literacy
The Child's Acquisition of the Alphabetic Principle
By Brian Byrne
Psychology Press – 1998
This monograph brings together important research that the author and his colleagues at the University of New England have been conducting into the early stages of reading development, and makes a valuable contribution to the debate about literacy education. It should appeal to a broad audience since it is written in an entertaining and accessible style, with chapter summaries, and where appropriate short tutorials in relevant topics, in particular Learnability Theory (Chapter 1), levels of language structure (Chapter 2) and writing systems (Chapter 2).
It will be of interest to experimental psychologists concerned with the reading process, developmental psychologists interested in cognitive growth, educational psychologists interested in the application of experimental methods in the classroom situation, and teachers and teacher educators.
'This is a very good book Byrne states in his preface that his aim in writing the book was to appeal to a wide audience: researchers in psychology, teacher educators and teachers themselves. Because he is such a beautiful writer he has succeeded admirably This book is essential reading for anyone interested in literacy development.' - Rhona Stainthorp, London University Institute of Education in First Language vol. 20 2000
'Beautifully written … In a wide ranging yet highly readable account, the author provides an up-to-date summary of his findings in pre-schoolers and children up to Grade 3 … Over a series of meticulously crafted experiments, Professor Byrne concludes that of all phonemic skills, the ability to identify phoneme constancy - that is the ability to determine that two words share a common phoneme - is the critical factor … The monograph is a model of clarity, with clear summaries and recapitulations throughout and useful tutorials for the varied audience at which this book is aimed. It offers a fascinating insight into the mind of the novice reader.' - Uta Frith (MRC Cognitive Development Unit, London)
'I liked it a lot. It is a clear and exciting account of a valuable sequence of studies on how children come to grips with the alphabet and how they learn to use it effectively and to understand its uses. The writing is simple and direct, and always entertaining. It should interest a lot of people' - Peter Bryant (Oxford Univesity)
'This book will be a very worthy addition to a series which has established a high reputation. It has all the best attributes of a research monograph, that is, it is a highly focused piece of advocacy in which Byrne has a point to make and marshals his evidence in an entirely convincing way.' - Alan Kennedy (University of Dundee)
Definitions, Phenomena, Questions and Frameworks. Children's Initial Hypotheses about Alphabetic Script. Induction of the Alphabetic Principle? Instruction in the Alphabetic Principle. Individual Differences. Conclusion and Implications.


Standards & Instruction
As part of the Maine Department of Education's commitment to supporting schools in the delivery of effective K-12 instructional programs, this page provides links to resources to support implementation of Maine’s literacy-related academic standards. How schools implement these standards is entirely a local decision.
Maine's ELA Academic Standards
- The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science and Technical Subjects (CCSS for ELA/Literacy). The English language arts and literacy standards in the Maine Learning Results have been recently updated to include the Common Core.
- Getting Familiar. Professional development resources to support understanding of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy.
- Early Childhood Learning Guidelines. These guidelines direct State and local early care and education practitioners’ efforts to improve early childhood professional practice and programs for young children ages three through their entrance into kindergarten. The guidelines also consider the core elements contained in the Maine Learning Results, which include the CCSS for ELA/Literacy.
- Instruction & Curriculum. School districts make decisions about the identification of instructional strategies and the development of curriculum that will provide students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate proficiency of the expectations established in the Maine Learning Results, ELA/Literacy. The following professional development resources will support the transition to and the implementation of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy:
- Maine DOE Data Warehouse. Use the statewide longitudinal data system to help inform instruction based on data-driven decisions.
- Center for Best Practice. The Department's Center for Best Practice, supported by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, was established to focus on research and reporting related to proficiency-based systems in Maine. The Center serves as a clearinghouse of materials, support and case studies related to learner-centered instructional practices.
- Education Evolving: Maine’s Plan for Putting Learner’s First. Maine's strategic plan that sets objectives and action steps for building an education system that meets the needs of all learners, from early childhood into adulthood, and prepares them for college, careers and civic life.


The Coalition for Music Education was founded in 1992 when representatives of more than 20 music education organizations came together to share ideas to improve the state of music education in Canada. The Coalition quickly began working with parents and other concerned citizens to address concerns about music in schools.
We envision Canada as a country where the lives of all children are enriched by quality school music programs, and where their active participation in music is valued and supported in our communities.
To raise the awareness and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture, and to promote the benefits that music education brings to young people.
The Coalition focuses its activities in four key areas to encourage and support individuals and organizations to advocate for quality music programs as a pillar of a well-rounded education:
- Public Awareness – creating a context that appreciates the value of music education. through projects like Music Monday and our Champions for Music Education.
- Resources – the provision of cost-free tools, pamphlets and information to empower parents, teachers and citizens to take action.
- Research – The Coalition is the only organization in Canada conducting national research about the status of music education in our schools, as well as gathering other relevant research. Results from our most recent study will be released in the fall of 2010.
- Community Connectivity – The Coalition plays an important role by bringing together a variety of interested parties to strengthen the cause through the National Effort, Music Monday and more.
We believe that music is key in learning and in life and it is our goal to see that all children have a quality program in music through their schools.
In 2013, the national Board of Directors for The Coalition for Music Education approved strategic priorities for for the next three years.


SECURE has always believed that education is one of the most important tool in changing the lives of the people especially, the marginalized and the vulnerable. Accordingly, it has been active in providing education to the children of the marginalized and vulnerable especially amongst the tribal communities. SECURE takes a rights based approach to the Elementary Education. It considers that every child in the school-going age should be in the school. Towards this end, right from the inception of the organisation it has been organizing village level education centers for the school going children, In these centers, the children have been provided with joyful, child centered, improved content and pace of learning methodologies to improve the quality of education among the children going to government schools. Residential schools have also been started for the Boarder-line children (age group of 10+). The initiatives involved, capacity building of teachers, orientation of the CBOs on the importance of education for the children, hazards of children engaged in any sector and the child labour-poverty-child labour vicious circle.
Towards sensitization of the community and the employers, literature in terms of leaflets, meetings, rallies, were taken up. Exclusive meetings with community, CBOs such as SHGs, VSSs, Trade Unions, Trade organisations, Employers and members of Local Governing Bodies have been organized to discuss the issue. Kalajathas have been extensively used to mobilise social opinion in favour of UEE and against the practice of child labour.


The competition among states for Race to the Top federal grants of almost 5 billion dollars totally misses the real problem of why one in four students drop out and about 20% of high school graduates in the U.S. read at 5th grade level or below. By requiring states who participate to do performance-based merit pay and link reading test scores to teacher performance, the federal government is not addressing the real problem.
The reason that so many of our students have poor reading skills and can’t read at grade level is due to popular use of the “whole word” language approach which teaches readers to memorize words instead of learning how to sound them out. Most textbooks used for reading instruction in public schools today use this method and do not teach students to read using the phonetic code and phonemes, the sounds that go with the letters. Some students figure out the code on their own but many do not. Research on phonics instruction has proven repeatedly to result in better readers than teaching by the whole word language approach.
I have taught dozens of middle school and high school students in public schools who couldn’t sound out unknown words of three or more syllables because they learned to read by the whole word method. It is hard to have good comprehension of reading material if you can’t read the words in the first place. Imagine what it is like to read a foreign language like Russian when you don’t know all the symbols and sounds. This is what reading is like for students who are reading at their frustration level and are unable to sound out unknown words.
Beginning in fourth grade, when students begin to read silently, a certain percentage of students fall through the cracks. They start reading below grade level because they can’t sound out unknown words and can’t understand the material. They read at the frustration level, get poor grades, and often get placed in a remedial reading class. This starts to effect their self-esteem and causes them to give up or misbehave.
It is totally wrong to give merit pay to teachers based on performance when that performance is tied to test scores. That is a requirement of the Race to the Top grants. Some students have more than one teacher. Others skip school, don’t try, take drugs, or speak another language at home. Why should this be blamed on the teacher? Is it fair to compare test scores of teachers with honor classes with a teacher that has a remedial reading class full of problem kids? Even if the merit pay is based on improvement in scores, it can be difficult to make problem students care enough to try. I’ve seen high school students make a Xmas-tree pattern down the answer sheet and refuse to read the test. Why should this be the teacher’s fault?
There are certainly other factors besides the method used to teach reading that impact reading skills. Early language development, parenting styles, and exposure to books are just a few. But it would benefit the schools if more publishers revised their textbooks and emphasized phonics instruction for beginning readers. We would not have so many students below grade level in reading or placed in an ineffective remedial or intensive reading class where students don’t behave because they don’t care and plan to drop out.


Universal enrolment of all children, including girls and persons belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes;
Provision of primary school for all children within one kilometer of walking distance and of facility of non-formal education; and
Improvement of ratio of primary to upper primary school to at least 1:2.
Reduction of dropout rates between Classes I to V and I to VIII to 20 and 40 per cent respectively; and
Improvement of school facilities by revamped Operation Blackboard, to be extended to upper primary level also.
Achievement of minimum levels of learning by approximately all children at the primary level, and introduction of this concept at the middle stage on a large scale.
Local level committee, with due representation to women and teachers, to assist in the working of primary education to oversee its functioning; and
Improvement of the monitoring system for universalisation of elementary education.
The Government of India has initiated a number of schemes to achieve the goals of EFA amongst which the scheme of Operation Blackboard (OB) is the most prominent one.
The main objectives of OB Scheme (1987) are as follows (MHRD, Annual Report: 1993-94):
A building comprising at least two reasonably large all-weather rooms with a deep varandah and separate toilet facilities for boys and girls;
At least two teachers in every school, as far as possible one of them a women; and Essential teaching-learning material including blackboards, maps, charts, toys and equipment for work experience.
The scheme is recently revised so as to:
Provide flexibility to schools in providing teaching-learning materials relevant to their curriculum and local needs:
To relate the scheme with micro planning wherever undertaken, so that supply of inputs is matched by demand side interventions to promote participation;
Intensify training in the use of teaching-learning equipment's; and
Extend the scheme to upper primary schools.
In addition, a number of externally funded projects and programmes are also currently under implementation amongst which the World Bank assisted District Primary Education Programme is the most prominent one. The programme that was launched in 1994 in 42 districts of seven states is currently under implementation in about 150 districts spread over fifteen states.
The main objectives of DPEP programme are as follows:
Emphasizing the local area planning with district plans being formulated in their own right instead of being derived from a state plan project document;
Infusing greater rigor and professional inputs in planning and appraisal;
More focussed targeting in educationally ward districts and districts where total literacy campaign have been successful;
More focussed coverage would initially focus on primary stage (Classes I-V and its NFE equivalent) with stress on girls and for socially disadvantaged groups; and
Emphasizing capacity building and networking of district, states and national level institutes in the fields of education management and social services to provide the resource support for the programme.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: A Progranne for Universal Elementary Education in India
Education Guarantee Scheme & Alternative and Innovative Education & All other Schemes of Elementary Education In India
Management of Education
Status of Incentive Schemes & No Detention Policy
National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education
(Mid-Day Meals Scheme)
Comptroller and Auditor Gererals Report on National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education
(Mid-Day Meals Scheme)
Parliamnetary Standing Committee Report on Human Resource Development(NEW)
Status of EFA: Projection Exercises


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
Recently mathematicians have tried to get away from this by
advocating "Mathematics THROUGH History" (a bibliography by John
Fauvel), rather than "history of mathematics". Similarly "Art THROUGH
Multiculturalism" would teach the ESSENCE of art using the richness
and diversity of multiculural ideas.
One ethnocentric comment from the UK: multicultrual writings from the
USA seem to us to have an awful lot of Navajo and Northern Indian
culture, surprisingly little from Central America, and virtually
nothing from the Indian subcontinent. French writings have lots on
North Africa and Vietnam. British writings are no doubt full of OUR
ex-colonies. Thus multicultural writings are THEMSELVES cultural
products of imperialism (stand up Lenin!)
On 11 Jul 97 at 8:31, Kathrine Walker wrote:
> The article is in reference to an excellent book by Graeme Chalmers
> - you should read the whole book to really understand the issues -
> it is called CELEBRATING PLURALISM and is available from the Getty.
> The idea of not just copying another culture's art is really quite
> important - I just held a teacher's workshop at the museum on this
> topic in conjunction with an exhibition of Native American Art from
> the Santa Fe Indian Studio School.
> One point speaker made is - children copying Kachinas which are
> not part of their culture would be like someone drawing Christ on
> the cross without understanding what they are doing. Cultural
> objects are often laden with meaning and are sacred to a particular
> group. They are not just designs or patterns.
> Looking at and UNDERSTANDING (why was it made, where was it made,
> how was it used, who used it) the objects of another culture is an
> important part of multi-cultural art education. Recreating or
> copying these objects is a different matter.
> The suggestions had been made for the children to draw parallels to
> their own lives. For example, if you were looking at storyteller
> "dolls", who tells the stories in this particular child's life.
> Chances are it is not an Indian grandmother!
> When we worked with the paintings from the Studio School - we wanted
> the children to understand what the students were doing. The
> subject matter was required to be of the Indian students
> culture/daily life. It was not appropriate for our student to copy
> pictures of Kachina dancers. On the other hand, they could do
> paintings of daily events or special ceremonies in THEIR own lives.
> In most cases, with some careful thought, a teacher can help
> students understand cultural objects and create new/original
> objects that reflect the cultural objects usage within our societal
> Sorry for the longish post.
> Kathrine Walker
> Education Coordinator
> Beach Museum of Art, Kansas State University
"Alice in Escherland": a proposed conference and celebration of Lewis Carroll and MC Escher:
see the Times Educational Supplement (23/5/97, p. VI)
QED of York qed
1 Straylands Grove
York YO3 0EB, England Tel/Fax: +44-1904-424381
As the "one-stop maths shop", we aim to stock EVERYTHING
worthwhile in mathematics. E-mail us for details of Geometer's Sketchpad, Cabri, Derive, Minitab,
laminated posters, ALL Tarquin books, or whatever you want.


In recent years, educationalists have fretted over two main problems with the English exams system.
Latest plans are the biggest shake-up for half a century
It has been blamed for "failing" the many young people who leave school at 16, lacking the qualifications needed for the modern world of work.
The system has also received criticism for failing to distinguish between bright students and the very brightest. Universities in particular say it is hard choose high-quality candidates.
You could add a third: there are simply too many exams.
The latest plan, from former chief inspector of schools Mike Tomlinson, purports to offer a solution. How does it fare within the context of previous changes?
BBC News Online looks at the changing nature of exams and educational provision during the last 134 years.
1870 The Education Act requires the establishment of non-denominational elementary schools - for children aged five to 13 - nationwide.
Schools can charge pupils no more than nine pence a week.
1880 Attendance is made compulsory until the age of 10.
1891 Elementary education effectively becomes free.
1918 Leaving age is raised to 14.
1944 Butler's Education Act seeks to encourage the "spiritual, mental and physical" well-being of the community.
It creates the "tripartite", hierarchical system of grammar, technical and secondary modern schools.
Selection is decided by an exam taken at the age of 11. Meanwhile, the school leaving age is raised to 15.
1951 General Certificate of Education (GCE) O-levels and A-levels are introduced, replacing the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate.
These were primarily grammar school exams. Some education authorities established their own leaving examinations for youngsters not taking GCEs.
1964 Harold Wilson's newly-elected Labour government promises to set up comprehensive schools, combining pupils of all ability levels.
1973 School leaving age raised to 16.
In 1976 another Wilson administrations compels all local authorities to introduce these. But this legislation is repealed by the Tories in 1979.
1965 The Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) is introduced for secondary modern pupils, to cater for those not sitting O-levels.
1988 The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) replaces O-levels and CSEs.
The National Curriculum, stipulating subjects to be studied until the age of 16, is also introduced.
1994 An A* grade is added to GCSEs to differentiate between top and lower A grades.
1995 The government introduces National Curriculum Tests, often called Sats, for all children aged seven, 11 and 14 ( tests for seven year olds were first tried in 1991).
1996 General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) are offered as a more work-based alternative for non-academic students.
1997 The National Literacy Strategy, aimed at raising standards to those of the UK's main competitors, is introduced for primary schools in England.
2000 Advanced Subsidiary (AS-level) exams are brought in for 17 year olds. These are qualifications in their own right but also a halfway stage in the A-level course, unlike the Advanced Supplementary exams they replace.
Plans are also revealed to replace the lower tiers of GNVQ with vocational GCSEs, with the stated aim of putting academic and vocational education on a par.
2002 Several hundred A-level papers are regraded amid fears the reforms have been rushed through.
2004 Mike Tomlinson, the former inspector of schools in England, proposes replacing GCSEs, A-levels and the "soup" of vocational qualifications with a four-part diploma for 14 to 19 year olds.
It calls for "core skills", such as numeracy and literacy, to be compulsory before pupils can qualify.
The plans would alter the English education system more radically than any others since 1944.
However, Mr Tomlinson says the changes will be "evolutionary, not revolutionary", taking around 10 years to implement.


Regional children behind in early cognitive development, but better social, emotional wellbeing
Researchers say young children in regional Australia lag behind those in cities when it comes to key aspects of early learning. The Australian Institute of Family Studies also compared social and educational results for children in disadvantaged and advantaged homes.But it's the findings that children in regional areas trail urban children in the key areas of vocabulary development and abstract problem solving that will garner the most attention.
Source: AM | Duration: 3min 3sec
TONY EASTLEY: Researchers say young children in regional Australia lag behind those in cities when it comes to key aspects of early learning.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies also compared social and educational results for children in disadvantaged and advantaged homes.
But it's the findings that children in regional areas trail urban children in the key areas of vocabulary development and abstract problem solving that will generate the most attention.
Social affairs correspondent Norman Hermant has this report.
TEACHER: You're doing some great reading there.
NORMAN HERMANT: In a classroom in Western Queensland there's a map of the solar system on the wall, but just one teacher wearing a headset.
She speaks into a computer screen where she can see her students - two young boys somewhere out in the more than 400,000 square kilometres in this school district.
New research suggests this is the kind of technology needed to close a gap in early cognitive development between young children in regional Australia and those in cities.
For five years researchers collected data on children aged four to nine on their learned vocabulary and non-verbal problem solving.
Ben Edwards from the Australian Institute of Family Studies says in both crucial areas of early development children in regional Australia lagged behind their urban counterparts.
BEN EDWARDS: Having a good start is really critically important. What we find in this study is that kids tend to struggle more in terms of their learning outcomes early in primary school in those regional areas.
NORMAN HERMANT: The differences in early learning are not large but they are enough, say the study's authors, to mean on average regional children can lag behind all though their later schooling.
At regional universities educators like Julie Rowlands of Deakin University's Warrnambool campus in Victoria have long recognised their new students often enter with lower levels of academic preparation.
JULIE ROWLANDS: If you grow up in a family where there are no members of the family who've been to university, then you don't have any idea about what university is like. And certainly the way parents speak to and interact with their children is going to be influenced by their own educational experiences and the educational experiences of those around them.
NORMAN HERMANT: But there's a flip side to this study. Young children in regional areas may lag somewhat behind city kids in early childhood learning, but Ben Edwards of the Australian Institute of Family Studies says they're ahead when it comes to social and emotional wellbeing.
(Question to Ben Edwards) There's often a stereotype that family support, community support is stronger in a regional area than it might be in an urban area.
BEN EDWARDS: We find that Norman. So what we find is that there tends to be a greater sense of belonging, there tends to be more engagement in community activities in those regional areas compared to the major cities, so it's buffering or strengthening these families and these children's development in other ways apart from learning outcomes.
TONY EASTLEY: Ben Edwards from the Australian Institute of Family Studies ending that report from Norman Hermant.


Baking and Chemistry
Learning chemistry can be as easy as pie, or maybe just a piece of cake. Explore the chemistry of baking cookies, bread, pie, and cake, and investigate the science that’s behind the ingredients in your cupboard.
- ACS ChemClub Cookbook
It’s a cookbook! It’s a chemistry book! It’s both! Cook up something tasty while learning more about the chemistry behind the recipe.
- Baked Goods Periodic Tables
It isn’t just the baking that can be about chemistry. The treats themselves can show chemistry—check out these yummy periodic tables.
- The Science of Baking
A blogger combines advice from bakers, chemists, and her grandmother to discover where her cheese puffs took a turn for the worse.
- Food Chemistry in the High School Classroom
Get cooking in the classroom! Learn about the food chemistry behind making and baking molasses cookies and bread, then move on to other recipes from this webinar.
- Bake a Chemistry Cake
Oops—forgot to add an ingredient to the cake batter! Will it make a difference? Test what happens when you do.
- The Chemistry of Cake Baking
Learn about one person’s quest to make a mouthwatering cake while leaving out one of the main ingredients so friends with food allergies could still enjoy it.
- Cake-Baking Secrets
Food Network guru Alton Brown discusses tips to keep your cake from falling flat.
- Get Cooking with Chemistry
There’s plenty of hands-on kitchen fun in this American Chemical Society collection—mystery powders, yeast, and baking powder.
- Grandma Button's Molasses Cookies
Bake up some tasty cookies, but be warned—you’ll need to translate the “science-speak” first.
- The Skinny on Low Fat Cookies
Try this Science for Kids activity designed for elementary students. It’s a great excuse to eat more cookies…
- Chemist Divulges How To Bake the Perfect Cookie
A food scientist and author of the book BakeWise offers her solutions for “common cookie complaints.”
- Landmark Lesson Plan: Development of Baking Powder
Where in the world did baking powder develop? Find out in this ready-to-use lesson plan on its history and chemistry.
- The Chemistry of Baking Powder
Mmm. Light, fluffy sponge cake. Learn how baking powder can give it the perfect texture.
- The Diving Spudmarine
Baking powder isn’t just for baking! Use its reaction to make a diving submarine toy out of a potato.
- The Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Added baking soda instead of baking powder? Or vice versa? So what? Find out if it makes a difference to your cookie.
- Baking Powder Wars
A cut-throat war between rival baking powder companies? It’s true! Find out about it while watching a slide show of historical illustrations.
- How Yeast Works
Will yeast work with just water? Water and sugar? What about artificial sweeteners? Experiment with these combos and more.
- Kitchen Lab—Bread Recipes and Activities
“Goodness, gracious, great balls of gluten!” Visit this collection to learn about what makes dough stretchy, fire up some sourdough starter, and more.
- Bread Chemistry
Wheat or white? No matter the type of bread, there’s chemistry involved. Learn more!
- Easy as Pie
Having trouble making a tender, flaky crust? Pick up some ideas from Food Network’s Alton Brown.