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Visual Processing Disorder
Dyslexia is commonly regarded as a reading disorder in which letters appear backward or jumbled up. The word dyslexia comes from the Greek words "dys", meaning poor and "lexis," meaning words or language. The original definition of dyslexia as a disorder primarily affecting reading has been revised by the International Dyslexia Association to allow for difficulties in receptive and expressive language, including not only reading but writing, spelling, handwriting, and arithmetic. By understanding the variations in these learning differences, appropriate teaching techniques can be adapted for successful intervention.
The first variation we will talk about is visual processing disorder. This disorder does not stem from poor eyesight, but rather how information taken in through the eyes is interpreted by the brain. This impacts spatial relationships. The most common signs of this disorder can be seen in reading and math activities. Without appropriate spatial relationships it is difficult to view words as separate units. When reading, the words appear to run together. Directionality, reading right to left, is also affected. This type of disorder is what causes confusion with similarly-shaped letters such as b and d or p and q.
Visual processing disorder negatively impacts mathematical abilities as well. In arithmetic it is necessary to be able to view numbers both as separate units (2) and understand that certain digits go together to make a single number (21). Operational signs must be viewed as distinct from the numbers yet tell you about the relationship between them. Problems in this area can be seen in the spacing and order between symbols.
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Auditory Processing Disorder
Auditory processing disorder is similar to visual processing disorder in that it isn't difficulty in hearing but the brain's difficulty in interpreting what has been heard. This has a direct impact on speech and language. It affects phonological awareness which is the awareness that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes). With this awareness impaired it is difficult to recognize individual sounds in words, recognize similarities in words, or identify the number of sounds in a word. A person who is having trouble recognizing individual sounds in words will often leave off the ending sounds when speaking and spelling will be affected. Difficulty recognizing similarities between words is most noticeable when working on rhymes.
Auditory processing disorder can also affect auditory memory and auditory sequencing. Auditory memory is the ability to remember information that was given verbally. A common sign of a deficit in auditory memory is difficulty following verbal directions. If given a three-step direction, the last step of the direction will be followed while the first two steps will probably be forgotten. Another clue to this disorder is difficulty recalling information from a story that has been read to them.
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Dyspraxia is another related disorder which affects planning and completing fine motor tasks. This disorder is easily recognized in younger children as they may have trouble not only with fine and gross motor skills, but there will also be a delay in understandable speech. School age children with dyspraxia will have the expected difficulties in gym classes and organized sports. They will often be socially immature because of an unwillingness to engage in social conversation due to speech difficulties such as control over volume, pitch and articulation. People with dyspraxia also experience extreme sensitivity to touch. Clothing and tags become bothersome enough to be a distraction.
Dyscalculia refers to the disorder affecting mathematical skills. Symptoms of dyscalculia are difficulties with time and direction, money and credit, inconsistent results in basic math operations, the inability to remember math concepts, rules, formulas, and sequences. Dyscalculia can affect other areas of life as well. Formal music education becomes problematic. Dance step sequences are difficult to remember, as are rules and scorekeeping in sports.
Dysgraphia negatively affects writing skills. Signs of dysgraphia are illegible handwriting, random (if any) punctuation, and an unusual and inconsistent positioning on paper with regards to lines, margins, and word spacing. Although dysgraphia is a term rarely used in schools, a student with dysgraphia will clearly have difficulty across curriculums.
Clarification on these disorders makes the next step easier. Working on their difficulties within their abilities is the most direct path to a successful educational experience for students with special needs in the classroom.


As promised in ‘Ability to draw’:
Thomas Robert Ablett (1848-1945) lived long enough to see great changes in the nature of art education. As a young man he taught art at Bradford Grammar School and, choosing to depart from the contemporary practice of hard outline drawing in pencil, encouraged the children to draw freely from memory and imagination, maintaining that the so-called Freehand Drawing of the Department of Science and Art was not freehand at all, but rather attempted geometrical drawing without instruments. His success at Bradford led to his appointment to the London School Board in 1882.
In 1888 Ablett read a paper to the Society of Arts on drawing as a means of education, and he was encouraged in that year to found the Drawing Society. Lord Leighton, Holman Hunt, Lewis Carroll, Sir John Tenniel, Viscount Bryce and Lord Baden-Powell were early supporters ; and Princess Louise, the artist daughter of Queen Victoria, was the Society's president from its inception to her death in 1939....
Ablett also organized graded art examinations and, by this means and by its exhibitions, the Society has since discovered and assisted many budding artists from Britain and abroad with awards and advice. Out- standing artists who received early encouragement from the Society included Sir William Rothenstein, Rex Whistler, Sir Gerald Kelly, P.R.A., Edward Halliday, Claude Rogers, A. R. Thomson, Robert Austin, and Anna Zinkeisen. Drawings by Whistler submitted from the age of five, and 'Babyland', are still in the possession of the Society.
Ablett made two notable contributions to methods of art education. One of these, 'written design', arose from his conviction that a child would get delight from drawing and arranging letters freely, and consisted of using letters of the alphabet as motifs for design. The modern practice of letter patterns for juniors and Marion Richardson's 'writing patterns' stemmed from Ablett's written design.
'Snapshot drawing' was Ablett's other innovation. The child was encouraged to observe an object carefully but quickly, say a plant or figure, and then draw it when removed from view. It was one variation on Boisbaudran's system, others being Catterson Smith's 'shut-eye drawing' and Marion Richardson's mental imagery. Lord Baden Powell took up this method from an early age and later introduced 'snapshot drawing' for tests for the Scout's artist's badge, appointing Ablett as examiner.
Both Cooke and Ablett arrived at their views on child art primarily from the current new theories of child education and psychology, rather than from a special appreciation of the aesthetic merit of child art. This is evident from the phrases used by Cooke in his paper of 1885: 'exercise of function . . . to evolve expression . . . to stimulate voluntary mental activity' ; and from the words of Ablett, such as 'freedom' and 'muscular sense is the element'. Ablett arrived at his methods by grasping a psychological principle. Like Bain, he believed that art must arise from an instinct of which the fulfilment was pleasurable emotion. Ablett called his system 'Drawing from Delight', and his belief that art must be primarily delight led him to seek appropriate media, such as brush and paint, for the child, suitable for easy and natural manipulation.
Both Cooke and Ablett pioneered investigations into children's scribbles and were deeply interested in the theories of Sully, which were made known to a wide public in the nineties.
From MacDonald, Stuart, History and Philosophy of Art Education. U of London Press, 1970, 327-8 -- excellent book I found when trying to find out why Britain, uniquely in Europe and America, had a respectable art school/college in nearly every significant town. Turns out it was the efforts of one man, Henry Cole, the man behind the Crystal Palace. (Other good books turned up in the same quest were by Carline, Draw They Must : a History of Teaching and Examining of Art, and Bonython and Burton, The Great Exhibitor: The Life and Work of Henry Cole.)
Does art education any longer have a connection with child psychology, let alone with the Boy or Girl Scouts and the Royal Family? (Prince Charles, perhaps?)
Incidentally the inspiration behind these guys -- Ablett and, before him, Ebenezer Cooke - and the first to take up arms against the Science and Art Department that controlled the art exams and grants -- was Ruskin.
Bradford Grammar School has, or had, a Delius Music Room and a Rothenstein Art Room. If the second art room hasn’t been named it should clearly be the Ablett Art Room.


Mission and Values
An Instrument For Every Child (AIFEC) provides ALL children with a high quality music education and allows them to explore their creative potential. This program will build self-esteem, develop leadership and teamwork skills and realize a sense of fulfillment. AIFEC will greatly assist in successfully carrying children forward, as vital citizens of their community.
Through AIFEC, students in grades 1-4 will learn to play a musical instrument and receive general music education within the school curriculum. AIFEC was launched as a pilot project at King George Elementary School in September 2010. The longer-term vision for the program is that ALL children in Hamilton will have the opportunity to be part of the program. AIFEC supports the mandate of Making Hamilton the Best Place to Raise a Child.
This is how it works:
In the first year (Grade 1) elementary school children will be introduced to a variety of instruments. The students will receive one hour of music lessons each week. Under the supervision of the classroom teacher, a qualified music instructor will implement the program during regular school hours. In the second year students choose the instrument that they want to play. The instructor will work with small groups of four to six children. The instrumental lessons take place once a week in the school building.
Instrumental instruction continues in the third and fourth year with an introduction to basic ensemble play being added to the program. The curriculum will be based on the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Curriculum for the Arts, Grade 1-4, and will introduce students to the basic elements of music through listening to, performing and creating music. The special child-sized instruments will be provided on a free loan basis for the period of three years.
Music education can help spark a child’s imagination or ignite a lifetime of passion. When you provide a child with new worlds to explore and challenges to tackle, the possibilities are endless. Music education should not be a privilege for a lucky few, it should be a part of every child’s world of possibility.


Can we really predict who will cost society the most money? | New Scientist
We can predict which children will grow up to commit the most crime, claim the most welfare and have the worst health; all we need to knowing is a child’s mental and physical abilities at the age of 3, plus their family’s income. So says a study that tracked the lives of nearly 1000 people. But can it really be true?
What kind of mental and physical abilities did the researchers look at?
They did a battery of tests – examining intelligence, understanding of speech, self-control and dexterity, for example – and pooled the results to give an overall measure of “brain health” that correlated with a child’s outcomes in later life.
Are the effects on adult outcomes the result of nature or nurture?
The study didn’t address that issue, although the team’s previous work has. Rather than the causes, this time Terrie Moffitt of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and her colleagues looked at correlations between various hallmarks of childhood deprivation and a whole range of what they termed “burdensome” outcomes in adulthood, by tracking nearly 1000 New Zealanders for forty years. As well as crime, the outcomes included how many medicines people take and whether they smoke or are obese.
Does this mean they think being fat is comparable with being a criminal?
Moffitt’s team say they weren’t making moral judgements but were measuring behaviours that “saddle society with costs”.
How new are these findings – didn’t we already know some of this?
It’s no surprise that poor children often grow up into poor adults, nor that poverty is linked with crime. And research also shows that poorer people have worse health, partly because of unhealthy behaviours such as smoking. What is surprising, Moffitt says, is the extent to which a small fraction of society account for disproportionate economic burden. When the children who start off in about the bottom 20 per cent in terms of brain health reach 38 years old, they account for about 80 per cent of doctors’ prescriptions, and 80 per cent of crime.
Why does that idea sound familiar?
It’s sometimes known as the Pareto principle, after a 19th-century Italian who observed that often 80 per cent of effects stem from 20 per cent of sources. It’s seen in diverse fields – for instance in software programming, where most of the bugs are said to be in a small fraction of the code. Although the 80:20 ratio wasn’t true for all the behaviours measured in this study, it was for certain costly outcomes. So Moffitt’s team argue that government help for poor families saves money in the long run.
What can governments do?
Many things. Parenting classes teach the importance of talking and reading to children, and having consistent rules, for instance. Free nursery and preschool places also help children develop their language and numeracy skills. But all these things cost money.


Success in learning starts from infancy…
Literacy development of families impacts every area of our lives: health, employment, economic status, and life chances. And because literacy starts from infancy, it is important to provide families with the tools, resources and opportunities to engage in family literacy activities early in a child’s development.
For our definition of family literacy, click here.
With your support, and the support of our partners, we provide parents and caregivers with some wonderful resources that directly and positively affect the language and literacy development of young children. This support – especially in communities where English is a second language – is building strong individuals, strong families and strong communities.
Mother’s Story: Without the schooling I was stuck
Samantha Bilokraly was a stay at home mom for five years. She wanted to start a career, get out of the house and make her family a two-income household. She says, “It is hard to live off one income and daycare is so expensive. Without the schooling I was stuck.” This year, Samantha began attending… Read more
A Fresh Start in Canada
Aliza appears in our September, 2016 Literacy is Life campaign on CBC British Columbia. She explains in her own words why programs such as IPALS (Immigrant Parents as Literacy Supporters) are so important to new British Columbians: As a mother who came to Canada from Nepal five years ago, I understand the stress that Syrian… Read more
Program Spotlight: Love 2 Learn
Love 2 Learn is a family literacy program that was developed in Nelson, BC. The program brings children 3-5, parents and caregivers, and schools together so that families become comfortable in the school environment, and so parents and caregivers further encourage their child’s learning. When you think of a “family literacy program,” do you automatically… Read more
Family program helps son – and mom
While Vivienne was happy about the progress Nathan was making, she was also benefitting from the program. “I began to make friends and I was able to talk to them and practice my English. I also learned about Canadian ways…how to be a parent in Canada and the school system.” Leaving everything behind to start… Read more


School Education & Literacy
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Several steps were taken in the 10th Plan to expand access to primary education, especially the expansion in the SSA and MDM scheme. As a result, the number of out-of-school children declined from 32 to 7 million indicating that SSA brought an additional 25 million children into the education system during the 10th Plan period. The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for elementary schools (Class I-VIII) increased from 82.4% in 2001-02 to 93.5% in 2004-05. In the last three years, 1,40,000 schools opened, 1.3 crore children additionally enrolled and 5.76 lakh new teachers appointed.
The Cabinet decided to change the existing funding pattern of SSA programme during XIth Plan from 50:50. The funding pattern between the Central Government and States/UTs shall be in the ratio of 65:35 for the first two years of the XIth Plan, 60:40 for the third year, 55:45 for the fourth year and 50:50 thereafter. For 8 North Eastern States it will be 90:10.
MDM expanded to the upper primary stage to 3,479 Educational Backward Blocks in the current year and to all blocks across the country from the year 2008-09. With this an additional 2.3 crore children will stand to benefit from the programme. Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme is a centrally sponsored programme to support universalisation of primary education and to improve the nutritional status of children at primary stage. At present, MDM covers 12 crore primary school children. The scheme has since been revised to provide cooked Mid-day Meal with enhanced nutritional content of 450 calories and 12 gms. of protein.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development, through the National University of Educational Planning & Administration, has developed an Education Development Index (EDI) to track progress of the States towards Universal Elementary Education (UEE), for Primary and Upper Primary levels as well as for a composite look at Elementary Education. The EDI as an exercise that will encourage the States to improve their performance. The EDI will also be calculated for all the districts. It is expected that this exercise will help more effective targeting of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to the most needy districts.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme
Reforms In Secondary Education
The Central Government is committed to make secondary education of good quality available, accessible and affordable to all children. A major initiative to expand secondary education is being taken in the 11th Five Year Plan. A scheme named “Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan” with the main objective to provide universal access by 2015 and universal retention by 2020, is proposed to be launched.
Vocationalisation of Secondary Education
The Government initiated a scheme to provide one time financial assistance of Rs. 12.3 crore for establishment of 65 new polytechnics in the country and also by providing financial assistance for upgradation of infrastructural facilities in 177 existing polytechnics. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has permitted double shifts in those diploma level institutions where adequate infrastructure, faculty and other facilities are available. AICTE has also relaxed the norms for land requirement for establishment of diploma level institutes by fifty percent.
Nios Online (Ni-on) Project
National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) initiated Online Admissions under its NIOS Online (Ni-On) Project from this year onwards. This unique facility, available for the first time in any Open Learning System in India, will facilitate the learners in directly accessing NIOS. It will lead to a rapid increase in the numbers of learner enrolment with NIOS and thereby assist the Government's effort of Universalisation of Secondary Education.
National Curriculum Framework
National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 prepared by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has suggested a shift from content-based testing to problem solving and competency based testing with emphasis on short answer type questions and well designed multiple choice questions. NCERT also held discussions with State Examination Boards in four regional meetings held at Shillong, Ajmer, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar on 17-18 July 2007, 31 July-1 August 2007, 05-06 August 2007 and 22-23 August 2007 respectively. Central Board of Secondary Education and School Boards of Haryana, Kerala and Goa have made a beginning in implementing some of the recommendations.
In the field of adult education and literacy, out of 600 districts in the country 597 have since been covered under various programmes


Earth Hourâ€“ 29 March 2014
How do you honour the earth?
Earth Hour, a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) initiative, started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 when 2.2 million households turned off their lights for one hour to make a stand against climate change. Earth Hour is observed by millions of people around the globe every year for an hour. It is a move to encourage people to take better care of the planet. â€œEarth Hour 2013 broke all records to become the largest movement for the planet in human history, spanning over 7,000 cities, 154 countries with digital reach of 345 million people. Earth hour is not just for one hour. Itâ€™s about making a commitment to ongoing change that reduces your impact on the environment and celebrating your commitment to the planetâ€.
On the Saturday, 29 March 2014, South Africans will be observing Earth Hour from 20:30 to 21:30 by switching off electrical non- essentials. This year, we wish to turn an inspiration of 1 hour into an action of every hour. This yearâ€™s theme â€œHow do you honour the earth?â€ is about making a commitment to ongoing change in how we use natural resources and energy in the work place and at home.
We urge NAPTOSA members, schools and learners to look at ways of further reducing the use of energy in their schools. Members are also encouraged to identify and support a local social or environmental project that makes a difference in the community by either, volunteering, raising awareness or raising funds for identified projects. Schools and individuals can go to www.earthhour.org.za for more information and make your promise to the earth.
Honour the earth by committing to ongoing change that reduces negative impact on the environment.
This information was sourced from www.earthhour.org
South Africa Library Week (15 â€“ 24 March 2014)
South Africa Library week officially kicked off on 17 March 2014. The campaign will be focusing on the role of libraries in strengthening South Africaâ€™s democracy. It highlights how libraries are making the right to freedom of access to information, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights, a reality. Libraries enrich nation building and community development by opening the doors of learning to all. Encourage learners and staff to read a book written by a South African author or a book written in a local language.
Books connect people to each other, to learning resources, to communities and the world. Books advance literacy development for all ages and create a new world view and knowledge. Books foster a desire for lifelong learning for all ages.
Visit your school or local library and check out a book.


John Ruskin was the greatest British art critic and social commentator of the Victorian Age. He fiercely attacked the worst aspects of industrialization and actively promoted art education and museum access for the working classes. His prophetic statements on environmental issues speak to our generation as well as to his own. Ruskinâ€™s social view broadened from concerns about the dignity of labour to consider wider issues of citizenship, and notions of the ideal community. Just as he had questioned aesthetic orthodoxy in his earliest writings, he dissected the orthodox political economy espoused by John Stuart Mill, based on theories of laissez-faire and competition drawn from the work of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus. Ruskin became an increasingly popular public lecturer in the 1850's. His work Lectures is a compilation of his most important pieces. The Lecture III is "The relation of Art to Use".
He emphasized the connections between nature, art and society.
His ideas inspired the Arts and Crafts Movement and the founding of the National Trust, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and the Labour


Could sorting the laundry and measuring cups of flour in the kitchen solve the numeracy issues gripping Australia?
A numeracy program that helps three to five-year-olds from disadvantaged communities prepare for school has been declared a success, with an analysis showing toddlers involved in the program significantly lifted their maths skills.
The program, which was developed by the Smith Family and academics from Monash and Charles Sturt University, has been running in 17 disadvantaged Australian communities including Ballarat and Shepparton and there are calls for it to be expanded.
It teaches parents how to help their children explore numeracy in everyday settings, such as in the kitchen, in the bath, or in a shop.
Monash University associate professor Ann Gervasoni, who helped create the program, said parents often lacked the confidence to help their children with maths.
"A lot of adults had poor experiences learning mathematics, something about the process of learning maths was not pleasant and many have a chip on their shoulder as adults and they don't want to do the wrong thing and ruin their kid's chances."
She said numeracy was the "poor cousin" of literacy when it came to funding and intervention.
Smith Family head of research Anne Hampshire said Australia had a "serious numeracy challenge", with one in four children from the country's most disadvantaged communities lacking the numeracy skills needed for their first year of school. Australia finished 12th out of 22 countries in the OECD's survey of adult numeracy skills and one fifth of Australians were ranked at the lowest skills level.
"If you start behind, you tend to stay behind in maths. We know that maths is critical for things like budgeting, taking medication but we also know it is a key skill for employment. There are very few jobs now that don't require maths of some level."
A three-year evaluation released by the Smith Family on Wednesday found that 54 per cent of children who took part in Let's Count were able to count to 20 by the end of the program compared to 37 per cent of children of the same age who did not participate. And two-thirds of participants could order three one-digit numbers, compared to 47 per cent of children who were not involved in the program.
The program has reached 8500 children since it started in 2011 and Ms Hampshire said it should be expanded to reach more students.
Steele Bajada, 4, completed the program last year at his Shepparton kindergarten and can now count up to 30 with ease. His mum Amber also attended sessions at the kindergarten and "learnt how to make maths fun".
She said she was initially reluctant to teach Steele numeracy skills because she struggled with maths at school.
"I was terrible at maths at school and I always thought I'm not going to need this, but you do."
As part of the program Steele carefully measured out cups of flour during a baking session at home and scoured the aisles of a supermarket to see which items were the most expensive.
"He starts prep next year and I feel he will be very well prepared."


In a quickly evolving neighborhood and worldwide financial system, talents regarding mathematical challenge fixing, medical inquiry, and technological innovation have gotten extra serious for achievement out and in of faculty. therefore, Demystify Math, technology, and Technology addresses the necessity to domesticate those abilities in younger scholars in order that ingenuity, teamwork, and creative abilities develop into a part of their arsenal in facing genuine global demanding situations. this complete package deal of attributes is vital for newcomers imagining new eventualities and destiny paintings in components that don’t even exist but.
Another vital factor is that lecturers now take care of scholars who span the total spectrum of studying. scholars range broadly in degrees of preparedness, own pursuits, and cultural methods of seeing and experiencing the realm. One dimension doesn't healthy all. lecturers have to discover ways to flip range into a bonus simply because innovation builds at the social nature of studying; the extra assorted the inputs, the extra fascinating the outputs. The authors additionally think that nobody might be sidelined with simple ability education in a fashion that retains them clear of the artistic and collaborative engagement linked to challenge fixing, inquiry, and the technological items of math and science.
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Construct the reader on your baby via motivating and fascinating literature, scientifically research-based guideline and a wealth of trustworthy tutorial instruments. The Scott Foresman analyzing road software prioritizes ability guideline at each one grade point, so the focal point is at the correct analyzing ability, on the correct time, for each baby.
Extra resources for Demystify Math, Science, and Technology: Creativity, Innovation, and Problem-Solving


What if your kids could print out their own microscope and carry it around in their back pockets? What if doctors in developing nations had access to simple, inexpensive microscopes that they could use to instantly and efficiently diagnose diseases? What if both of those innovations were the same thing?
In this awesome talk, TED fellow Manu Prakash, explains the idea behind — and the power within -—the FoldScope, a completely functional microscope that folds up like a piece of origami. It's rugged. It's waterproof. And it was created for less than 50 cents a piece. Get ready to have your mind blown by this nifty little piece of paper that could revolutionize hands-on science for kids and global health care for the world.
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Science >> Earth Science for Kids
Earth Science for Kids
What is topography?
Topography describes the physical features of an area of land. These features typically include natural formations such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and valleys. Manmade features such as roads, dams, and cities may also be included. Topography often records the various elevations of an area using a topographical map.
Topography studies the elevation and location of landforms.
- Landforms - Landforms studied in topography can include anything that physically impacts the area. Examples include mountains, hills, valleys, lakes, oceans, rivers, cities, dams, and roads.
- Elevation - The elevation, or height, of mountains and other objects is recorded as part of topography. It is usually recorded in reference to sea level (the surface of the ocean).
- Latitude - Latitude gives the north/south position of a location in reference from the equator. The equator is a horizontal line drawn around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole. The equator has a latitude of 0 degrees.
- Longitude - Longitude gives the east/west position of a location. Longitude is generally measured in degrees from the Prime Meridian.
A topographical map is one that shows the physical features of the land. Besides just showing landforms such as mountains and rivers, the map also shows the elevation changes of the land. Elevation is shown using contour lines.
When a contour line is drawn on a map it represents a given elevation. Every point on the map touching the line should be the same elevation. On some maps, numbers on the lines will let you know what the elevation is for that line.
Contour lines next to each other will represent different elevations. The closer the contour lines are to each other, the steeper the slope of the land.
Ways Topography is Studied
The lower map shows the contour lines for the above hills
There are a number of ways that information is gathered to make topographical maps. They can be divided into two primary methods: direct survey and indirect survey.
Direct survey - A direct survey is when a person on the ground uses surveying equipment, such as levels and clinometers, to directly measure the location and elevation of the land. You have probably seen a surveyor along the road sometime making measurements by looking through a leveling instrument sitting on a tall tripod.
Indirect survey - Remote areas may be mapped using indirect methods. These methods include satellite pictures, images taken from planes, radar, and sonar (underwater).
Worker performing a survey
What is topography used for?
Topography has a number of uses including:
- Agriculture - Topography is often used in agriculture to determine how soil can be conserved and how water will flow over the land.
- Environment - Data from topography can help to conserve the environment. By understanding the contour of the land, scientists can determine how water and wind may cause erosion. They can help to establish conservation areas such as watersheds and wind blocks.
- Weather - The topography of the land can have an impact on weather patterns. Meteorologists use information on mountains, valleys, oceans, and lakes to help predict the weather.
- Military - Topography is also important to the military. Armies throughout history have used information on elevation, hills, water, and other landforms when planning their military strategy.
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Earth Science Subjects
Science >> Earth Science for Kids


A W course is one that fulfills the following conditions:
- Students have opportunities to use writing as a way of learning the content of the course and are taught to write in the forms and for the purposes that are typical of the disciplines and/or professions, in ways that are clearly distinguished from remedial and foundational skills courses.
- Examples of writing within the disciplines are used as a means of instruction about typical structures, modes of reasoning, styles of address, and the use of technical language and of evidence.
- Students receive appropriate feedback and response to their writing that is based on explicit criteria and is directed at improving the quality of their writing.
- Revision is built into the process of writing for formal assignments, usually in terms of revisions of the same paper, or alternatively, in revisions accomplished through successive similar assignments.
- At least half the course grade is based on written work for which students receive feedback (see Criterion 3).


Find Bachelor of Education in Canada
Bachelor of Education in Canada
A Bachelor of Education in Canada comes in several forms. For example, a Bachelors degree in kindergarten and elementary education, or a degree in secondary education. On their programme applications, students must choose which specialisation they wish to pursue. Fortunately, many universities in Canada offer Bachelor of Education programmes, so chances are good that you can attend the school of your choice in any part of the country.
What Is a Bachelor of Education?
As an example, the Bachelor of Education degrees at McGill University in Montreal include physical and health education, music education, and teaching English as a second language. McGill is a bit different from many Canadian schools in that students who come from outside Quebec must take a freshman year, called U0. It is 30 credits and means the degree is five years (there are exceptions to the U0 year for students who have completed advanced placement and other advanced coursework). Otherwise, the degree is 120 credits and can be completed in four years. It is important to note that some schools such as the University of Toronto are converting their Bachelor of Education programmes into all-graduate programmes.
In any case, a Bachelor of Education degree usually gives students the opportunity to streamline the earning of their teaching degree along with receiving their teaching certification from the province in which their school is located. Hallmarks of a Bachelor of Education programme in kindergarten and elementary include:
- Student teaching experiences (usually at least 700 hours).
- Classes on oral and written English.
- Classes on oral and written French.
- Courses in mathematics.
- Courses in religious culture.
For secondary (or intermediate) education, students select from profiles such as science, mathematics and English. It is possible that secondary education students will need to take non-education classes in their selected subject.
What Are the Benefits of Earning a Bachelor of Education in the Canada?
No doubt about it, Canada is a great place to study. Here are just a few of the reasons to get a Bachelor of Education in Canada.
- Diverse range of degree fields
- Experienced faculty from Canada and other countries
- Opportunity to teach in Canada (and in some other countries)
- Concentrations in areas such as Jewish studies, First Nations studies and more (depending on the school)
Earning a Bachelor of Education in Canada gives students the opportunity to take a comprehensive student teaching experience and to develop their professional networks.
What Kind of Career Can You Expect With a Bachelor of Education in Canada?
Graduates of a Bachelor of Education in Canada typically become teachers. The type of teacher they work as depends on their area of specialisation. For example, someone who got a kindergarten and elementary education degree would work in that field. Likewise, someone who received a music degree would probably teach music. Graduates can find jobs in both private and public schools. Here is a look at two types of possible teacher careers.
A second-grade teacher, also called an elementary school teacher, covers basic subjects such as:
The teacher develops lesson plans and works with parents, students, and administrators to further children’s education. The teacher tends to work with one class of students per year.
A high school math teacher may focus on one area of math, such as algebra, or teach math at many levels. It depends on the size of the school and the programme offerings. Class sizes for the same teacher may be relatively large and relatively small, even at the same school. Secondary school teachers teach multiple classes per year. Additional duties may include:
- Developing lesson plans
- Assigning and checking homework
- Creating and administering tests
- Assessing student progress
- Supervising student teacher.
Other areas of specialisation in Bachelor of Education programmes in Canada include special education and teacher-librarian. Here is a partial list of teaching possibilities:
- Science teacher, secondary school
- Adult education teacher, high school
- French as a second language teacher, high school
- Vocational instructor, high school
- Second-grade teacher, elementary school
- Biology teacher, high school
- History teacher, secondary school
- Kindergarten teacher, elementary school
Many areas of interest exist, and some teachers who have Bachelor’s degrees go on to obtain Master’s degrees and even Doctorate degrees. Some become administrators or principals. However, it all starts with that initial degree, so begin exploring your world of possibilities today.


Female famous artists are a rare commodity. Since ancient times from renaissance realism to impressionist movement, there has been a scarcity of great female painters of the rank of Da Vinci, Van Gogh or Claude Monet.
The reason for less female famous artists is mainly due to social and economic status of woman artists down the centuries. It is not a lack of talent but because of fewer opportunities for women to pursue art as a profession.
Despite adverse circumstances, history has seen a set of female famous artists who have made a name and contributed to the field of art.
Some of the female famous artists are as follows:
- Frida Kahlo: Famous Mexican painter. She was born in Coyoacan, Mexico in 1907. She is known mainly for her self- portraits. She made her first self-portrait- ‘self portrait wearing a velvet dress’, one year after she was injured in a car collision. She achieved much acclaim during her lifetime including the award of National Prize of Arts and Sciences by the Education ministry.
- Mary Cassatt: An American painter of the 19th century, she studied at the Pennsylvania academy of Fine arts before travelling to Europe where she came under the influence of Impressionists like Degas. Many of her paintings had women as a theme especially portraying the relationship of women and children. She is one of the most prominent female famous artists in history.
- Georgia O ‘Keeffe: She was lucky enough to get formal training in art from many notable artists but gained acclaim for the unique perspective in her paintings gained through introspection and experimentation. O’Keefe has commented that she has found painting a good medium to express feelings which she is unable to articulate through words.
- Artemisia Gentileschi: Born as the only daughter of painter, Orazio Di Giovanni and Prudentia Montoni, she learnt to paint from her father. Her first dated painting was completed in 1610 and she achieved much acclaim in her lifetime in the 17th century.
- Beatrix Potter: Famous as author of children’s classic, ’The Tale of Peter Rabbit’, she is also known for her fine illustrations of animals and landscapes.
- Rosa Bonheur: She is acclaimed for her paintings featuring animals and notorious for her adoption of male work attire. She got both bouquets and brickbats for her lifestyle choices and attitude towards sexuality.
- Ann Mary Robertson Moses: Earned the pet name of Grandma Moses. She was an American Folk painter who lived in the period, 1860-1961. Acclaimed as the most successful self-taught painter of the last century, she focused on depicting rural American landscapes.
- Berthe Morisot: Trained to perfection in the impressionist style, she emerged in the 19th century. She received a professional art education along with her sister Edma. She is the only painter apart from Monet who adhered to impressionism all along her career.
- Angelica Kauffmann: She was often one of the best known artists of the 18th century. She specialized in history painting. History painting is a genre that requires knowledge of history as an academic qualification, the opportunity for which was not available for women in those times. Hence, the more remarkable is the contribution of this talented artist.
Conclusion: These are some female famous artists who were able to overcome social and economic challenges to be able to carve a niche in the world of art. As such their contribution is invaluable.


The intent of what we are doing is to add value to the students' learning experience in four critical areas (the underlined items are the four essential learning outcomes of an educated person in the 21st century, according to the American Association for Colleges and Universities):
- Integrative learning within an interdisciplinary setting;
- Focusing on sustainability as a way to gain knowledge of human cultures and the natural world;
- Learning in the context of community-based projects as a means to cultivate personal and social responsibilities;
- Develop the capacity for systems thinking as an intellectual and practical skill.
Potential Resources for Process and Material in some cases
If you're teaching something that is kind of "linear," where one concept builds on the next, or there are foundational skills that enable higher-level skills, you might want to consider the following resources.
www.saylor.org - complete courses for college
www.openculture.com - educational media managed by Stanford University
www.khanacademy.org - short video clips for learning a range of topics
www.oercommons.org - a searchable database of learning materials
www.oli.web.cmu.edu - higher education course designed by content experts and learning scientists
www.hippocampus.org - higher education courses with video clips and closed captioning
i tunes university - a compendium of podcasts from places like Stanford, MIT, Yale, Oxford + more


Inside Charter Schools: The Paradox of Radical Decentralization
The decade of the 1950s in the United States can seem eerily familiar to us now. It was also a period of unparalleled prosperity for most Americans, a time when America seemed the unquestionable master of the world. Americans showed little interest in international affairs or in politics generally, preferring to live comfortably in their suburbs, to upgrade their cars and other possessions regularly, and to enjoy the continual display of sports and entertainment on their television sets.
When it comes to issues of education, what we are hearing today also recalls the Fifties. At the beginning of that decade, there was harsh criticism of the “progressive approach” that had seeped its way into elementary education. The historian Arthur Bestor blasted American schools in his much-cited Educational Wastelands (1953), and Rudolf Flesch seized the attention of millions of concerned citizens with his explanations in Why Johnny Can’t Read (1955). Today we read analogous denunciations—by polemicists such as Lynne Cheney—of “whole language” approaches to teaching reading and “fuzzy” approaches to the teaching of mathematics. In 1957, the quality of American education was thrown into further doubt by the unexpected launching of Sputnik; today, anxiety is raised by the poor test performances of American children when compared to children in Europe and East Asia.
A far more obscure incident in American education occurred in 1955. That year, Milton Friedman, a rising star among American economists, wrote an essay entitled “The Role of Government in Education” (more widely circulated in his 1962 volume Capitalism and Freedom). Reflecting a widespread view among academics about the generally mediocre quality of American public education, Friedman contended that the schools, sluggish and monopolistic, were inherently incapable of reforming themselves. Friedman called for the opening of education to market forces. If energized groups of citizens were given access to public funds, he argued, they would establish schools that were distinctive and that embraced high standards. Competition among the new schools would serve to elevate their overall level and also stimulate the remaining public schools to reform themselves or risk oblivion. The upshot would be a healthier society, and, not coincidentally, profits for the most enterprising. A half-century before its time, Milton Friedman had written a charter for the changing educational landscape that we are witnessing in America today.
Nearly thirty years later, in 1983, a presidential commission on education issued a deservedly influential report called “A Nation at Risk.” Chairman David Gardner, then at the University of Utah, and his fellow commissioners argued that American public schools were mediocre at best, and in too many cases, disgraceful. They indicted curriculums that were unchallenging and covered too many subjects too superficially. They drew sharp and unfavorable comparisons with the sober, hard-working, high-achieving students in other industrialized countries, both in Europe and in East Asia. In an apt if somewhat hyperbolic passage, the panel declared, “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it…
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The following questions were from an interview conducted by an Elementary Education student at University of Oklahoma.
1. What are the benefits of having Robotics in elementary schools?
Robotics, or building anything, increases a child’s spatial visualization skills. In other words, it helps them see in 3-D which helps in design, creativity and “making” other things (think Maker movement). It also increases their self-esteem. In a study done in Peru, they found that in 2nd, 4th and 6th grades, students who used LEGO had an increase in self-esteem. It also increased their technology, language and math skills.
2. How can Robotics be beneficial for students who will not grow up to be engineers?
I believe an engineering education is the best education anyone can get – even if they don’t want to be an engineer because the education teaches you how to think. Students learn analytical and problem solving thought processes that help in everything that they do – even raising children (“Cheaper by the Dozen” was a movie about two industrial engineers raising 12 children).
Robotics is also a great way to figure out who you are. It’s fun, challenging and can help students find their strengths. They learn to work in teams and communicate with other people. They share ideas, come up with innovative solutions and problem solve. Again, these skills can help in everything that they do.
Another important point is exposure. How can students know what they like or don’t like and what skills they have or can develop, if they aren’t exposed to STEM based opportunities? In the United States, 70% of the jobs require at least 4 years of math in high school. Robotics can give them the motivation to keep their aspirations high. They are exposed to the application of science, engineering, technology and math. They have the opportunity to know why they take science and math classes and have another reason to pay attention in class.
There is no downside. The worst case is that they find they don’t like it. That exposure is also important to their development.
3. How easy can it be to incorporate Robotics and Robotics-like activities into a school if you are a teacher who has no experience with robots or engineering?
In my opinion, if the teacher has the time and funding or materials, it’s very doable. The most critical elements are:
- Finding an engineer that is willing to help mentor and talk about real-world applications.
- Finding another teacher that has done it and talking to or working with them to get it started.
Some teachers have great difficulty with classroom control in engineering design. They are used to having very tight control so that their students behave in a certain way. Engineering design requires the opposite. They have to be OK with the class being loud, crazy or chaotic. Teamwork, brainstorming and designing are not quiet and orderly processes. Beginning to teach engineering or robotics in an informal club environment is a very low-stress/high-reward way to get experience teaching these subjects.
Engineering design also has a “fail” component which is opposite to how most classes are taught. Learning from failure is critical to good design. Teachers who emphasize that there are no wrong answers and that design is a constantly evolving process usually have great classroom success.


As our country has increasingly embraced the academic orientation of the educational reform movement, many children no longer have the opportunity for imaginative play, particularly after they enter kindergarten. They therefore lack the foundational skills that are linked to play: memory, emotional self-regulation, oral language and literacy, perspective-taking, and social competence. It is these so-called “soft skills” that enable children to succeed in elementary school and beyond.
~ Laurie Levy in her blog Still Advocating
There is a reason that children love to play. It is a natural and developmental way of learning. Laurie Levy, founder of an innovative preschool in Chicago, writes in her article Play Needs to Follow Kids to Kindergarten, about the essential skills gained through imaginative play.
Play is a renewing and refreshing part of the day for students of all ages. The tinkering, social negotiating, roll-play and enjoyment - and the choices involved in deciding what to play and with whom - are as important as the hour for math, music or reading. Thank goodness at Parker we have the freedom and philosophy to give importance to play beyond preschool and to hold it inviolate in a fully scheduled school day.


When students are learning to read, it is critical that they be able to identify and recognize the 37 most common rimes within words. This colorful set of 37 rimes (combining many of phonemes and graphemes as listed in Appendix A of the Common Core) created using a simple double bubble design that is pleasing to eye, works well to accomplish this teaching and learning task for both teachers and students. When using these rime bubble posters in your phonics and spelling instruction from week to week, students' awareness of rimes will increase and giving them a 'shout-out' when they see them will be very gratifying to them (and you...because you know it's working, and they're getting it!) These wall posters are attractive and provide an anchor for word learning in your classroom. This set include one set of large rime posters (one poster per page) AND one set of small rime posters (four posters per page-see preview file) for those of you short on wall space or who want to put the small rime posters on a ring for your students or posted at the writing center.
The use of these rimes in your phonics and spelling instruction (regardless of the phonics or spelling program you are currently using) correlates with the teaching and learning of Common Core Standards for K, 1 and 2 for Reading: Foundational Skills - Standard 3 "Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words."
This set includes the 37 most common rimes in the English language: ack, aw, ink, ain, ay, ip, ake, eat, it, ale, ell, est, ock, all, oke, ame, ice, old, an, ick, op, ank, ide, ore, ap, ight, ot, ash, ill, uck, ate, in, ug, at, ing, amp, unk
Use this rime words cheat sheet
with this poster set.
(If you have purchased any of my other bubble poster sets for spelling and phonics instruction, this set contains ay and ing from set 1 and aw from set 2...the rest are new).
Download the preview to see the actual size of the rime posters (several shown) and see how this product may be used with whichever spelling or word study program you are already using in your classroom. This file is an easy download that is a one 52-page pdf file document.


© 2014 – Routledge
Vygotsky’s legacy in education is enduring and prolific, influencing educational research and scholarship in areas as far ranging child development, language and literacy development, bilingual education, and learning disabilities to name but a few. In this accessible, introductory volume, renowned Vygtosky authority Luis C. Moll presents a summary of Vygtoskian core concepts, constituting a cultural-historical approach to the study of thinking and development. Moll emphasizes what he considers central tenets of Vygotsky’s scholarship --- the sociocultural genesis of human thinking, the consideration of active and dynamic individuals, a developmental approach to studying human thinking, and the power of cultural mediation in understanding and transforming educational practices, broadly considered. After an introduction to Vygotsky’s life, the historical context for his work, and his ideas, Moll provides examples from his educational research inspired by Vygotsky’s work. With both critical scrutiny of current interpretations of Vygotksian theory and clear deference for the theorist known as "The Mozart of Psychology," Moll stresses the many ways Vygotksy’s theory can offer a theory of possibilities for positive pedagogical change.
"Vygotsky was an important pioneering Russian psychologist. While he wrote on a variety of topics in psychology, education, philosophy, and science, he is most known for his emphasis on psychology, learning, and thinking as the sociocultural genesis on human thinking and learning. His writings still have a significant impact on psychology and education theory as well as on education praxis. Moll (Univ. of Arizona) is an internationally known scholar on Vygotsky, and this very well-written book is theoretical and practical. Moll's discussion of Vygotsky's theories and applications is lucid and easy to understand. This book is focused on the ideas and practical applications surrounding cultural mediation of thinking and learning and the profound impact that culture (environment) has on psychological development. Vygotsky's theories speak to the issue of diversity today. This excellent book will be of interest to upper-division and graduate students in psychology, educational psychology, curriculum theory, and philosophy as well as to faculty, researchers, and practitioners in those areas.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, research, and professional collections." - W.C. Hine, Eastern Illinois University, in CHOICE, April 2014
Chapter 1: Situating Vygotsky Historically
Chapter 2: Reading in Two Languages: A Formative Experiment
Chapter 3: Bilingual Subjectivity in the Mediation of Thinking
Chapter 4: Living Knowledge in Practice
Much more than introductions alone, the short, virtuosic Routledge Key Ideas in Education series volumes look to shape ongoing discussions in the field of education by putting the field’s contemporary luminaries in dialogue with its foundational figures and critical topics. From new students to senior scholars, these volumes will spark the imaginations of a range of readers thinking through key ideas and education.


Examining the Impact of Inference Instruction on the Literal and Inferential Comprehension of Skilled and Less Skilled Readers: A Meta-Analytic Review
Mastering reading is pivotal for success in school. A new study released in early 2017 examines strategies for teaching reading comprehension, one of the five essential instructional practices necessary for improving reading achievement, and also offers educators practical information on how to increase the effectiveness of reading comprehension instruction. The 2000 National Reading Panel report on reading identified comprehension along with phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, and vocabulary as requisite skills for effective reading. This new meta-analytic review evaluates the impact of various comprehension instructional practices and suggests a strong relationship between inference generation and reading comprehension. It found that inference instruction was effective for increasing general comprehension (*0.58), inferential comprehension (*0.68), and literal comprehension (*0.28). Another interesting finding was the difference in performance between skilled readers and less skilled readers. Less skilled readers improved in both inferential comprehension and literal comprehension, whereas skilled readers mostly improved in inferential comprehension. These findings suggest that all students can increase their inference ability and that less skilled readers experience the extra benefit of increased literal comprehension. The study concludes that inference ability is not a product of comprehension, but rather a plausible cause of reading comprehension performance.
* = Effect Size
Elleman, A. M. (2017). Examining the impact of inference instruction on the literal and inferential comprehension of skilled and less skilled readers: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Educational Psychology.
Additional commentary of interest on this study is available from Daniel Willingham.


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The world of technology has significantly altered the way we approach learning and gathering information today. While formal classrooms have been slower to take on internet-friendly research methodologies, our recreational learning and personal interests are being heavily influenced by our ability to use the internet and technology to get the information we need.
Websites like Khan Academy are literally changing the way we learn and giving us more online access to knowledge than we would have had ten years ago.
Particularly in the case of music, we’re seeing more and more of a trend towards young people being taught through an internet medium, regardless of whether it’s a self-taught platform or a teacher-student relationship. Today, it is easy to learn online.
Music Lessons via the Internet
Particularly when it comes to one-on-one music lessons, audio and video platforms, like Skype, are being used to deliver lessons to and from anywhere in the world. While the process does have an adjustment period (especially if someone is used to having music lessons in person), it’s actually a perfectly natural way to learn music, and can be especially conducive to teaching younger kids how to play an instrument.
Learning something from an unstructured source, like the internet, involves much self-discipline and self-motivation— two things that you don’t typically associate with young kids. Combine that with their limited attention spans and turning a kid loose to learn an instrument on the internet, and we will probably see mixed results.
However, scheduling lessons with a teacher via Skype or Google Hangouts can actually have pretty positive results and can help your child stay interested and committed to their instrument by having regularly scheduled lessons and another person to motivate them.
So, what happens when music lessons have run their course? The internet might still be your answer.
Blogs, Forums and Online Communities
Music lessons can only get a child so far, and at some point, the student has to take their development into their own hands and really start carving out a niche with their instrument. When lessons have run their course, the best vehicles for soldiering on can still be found online.
They usually come in one of the following three forms:
- Online Communities
Many of these formats will cross paths, but one thing is certain: for just about any instrument you would want to learn, the most readily available (and usually free) information you’ll be able to find on the topic will be through one of these internet mediums.
For example, if your child is interested in guitar, you’ve got massive online communities and forums, such as Ultimate-Guitar, that they can use as a resource. Additionally, smaller sites, like Guitar Noise, Justin Guitar and Guitar Chalk, still have a ton of material and active forums, so there’s enough out there to keep a young guitar enthusiast busy with their instrument for a long time.
So, even without the stability of a teacher and personal lessons, the internet is still going to be one of the best places to learn music and to collect information about an instrument.
Changing the Way We Learn
Not everyone would concede that it’s a good direction to be going in, but like it or not, the internet is changing the way we think about information and the way we educate ourselves.
When it comes to playing an instrument, those who want to can get their hands on a lot of information, and can even interact and work with teachers and other musicians from anywhere around the world.
For kids who are learning an instrument and can stay focused, being online is simply one of the most productive and informative places to be.
Author Info: Marcela De Vivo is a writer for music streaming site Arena who covers everything from the benefits of music education to the latest in music industry news. She is as a mother of three who is trying to teach her own children how to learn an instrument, and found the internet to be an amazing resource. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook today!


Teaching Tips That Will Help You Build Your Students' Background Knowledge
In Building Background Knowledge For Academic Achievement: Research On What Works In Schools, author Robert Marzano investigates the relationship between background knowledge and student achievement. According to the author, background knowledge is one of the strongest indicators of how well students will learn new content. Marzano cites numerous studies that suggest that prior knowledge has a strong positive correlation with academic achievement. Furthermore, he cites research that indicates prior knowledge gaps can affect individuals well into adulthood and can serve as an accurate predictor of occupational choice and income.
It makes sense that prior knowledge affects student achievement. After all, how can students reasonably be expected to excel when they lack the basic knowledge and foundational skills necessary to successfully master the content that is presented to them? They cannot, of course. Varied factors such as students’ prior exposure to content (or lack thereof) in previous grades and schools, access to resources, parental support and poverty can all affect students’ background knowledge.
Marzano advocates leveling the playing field by providing students with rich learning experiences, exposure through field trips and the support of mentors—all of which are effective strategies. Unfortunately, opportunities for participating in both field trips and mentoring may be limited due to lack of resources, lack of funds, red tape and/or lack of administrative support—all of which are factors beyond your control. Fortunately, scaffolding instruction, providing rich learning experiences and other effective strategies for building background knowledge are completely within your control.
Try the following instructional strategies to help your students acquire the knowledge they will need to master new concepts.
Give students information and supports that will help them to understand the concepts you are presenting. For example, if you are beginning a novel study of Number the Stars, provide students with historical maps, photographs, artifacts and background information about World War II, Hitler’s regime and the persecution of Jewish people during that time.
Providing Relevant Pre-Learning Experiences
Provide students with relevant pre-learning experiences to help them acquire the background knowledge necessary to understand concepts you are planning to introduce.
Provide students with the supports, resources and guidance they need to grasp and master new concepts.


Put your child on the road to reading success with Square Panda
The Square Panda Phonics
Learning System includes:
Fun and Engaging Games!
– Amy, Mom of 3-year-old
Why Apps and Online-Only Games Are Not Enough!
Research suggests that optimal learning happens when children use multiple senses, such as sight, sound and touch.
That’s why Square Panda includes a Bluetooth enabled Playset and 45 Smart Letters that your child can physically touch and use when interacting with the Learning Games, making it a much more immersive and effective learning experience.
Online-only reading programs only engage two senses – hearing and sight – they do not have the critically important tactile stimulation that comes from having physical letters to touch, hold and play with.
Join our growing community of parents and teachers!
Subscribe and receive a periodic newsletter with helpful information on updates, phonics instruction, and the latest news on the learning sciences.


Funding EducationReimer's proposal for a system for funding education:
1. Establish a bank. Deposit all the money that is currently spent by the government on education into the bank.
2. Establish accounts at the bank for all members of the population.
3. Give everyone an amount of money in their "education bank" account for use throughout their lifetime. Reimer suggests (in 1971) that $17000 should be enough for lifetime, about $250 per year.
4. The amount of money given to poor families might be significantly more than that given to well-off families, to compensate for cultural disadvantage and to balance missing opportunities to learn in the poorer households.
5. Individuals can withdraw their funds to pay for their education throughout their lifetime. They can choose how and where to spend the money - in formal colleges and universities, on-the-job training, professional development courses, acquiring new skills or by finding mentors out on the "education network". Schools that are not attractive to the cash-carrying clientele will close down. Others will expand.
6. Clients may choose not to use schools at all. Individuals may contract themselves out as "skill models" or pedagogues to educate students in small groups across the education network.
7. Individuals could borrow from the bank to pursue further education and training and then repay their loan by teaching and providing skills to other learners in the network.
8. Young people would not be required to attend high school but instead could find jobs and do training related to their chosen careers. This could apply to professions as well as trades. A 16 year old who wanted to become a doctor, for example, could become an "apprentice", similar to an intern but learning the basics of medical practice while deciding how to spend their education dollars for further education. This might be problematical with the current rate of youth unemployment - I think high school retention rates are important to the government to disguise unemployment. Currently in Australia, you cannot leave school if you do not have employment or a work-related training course to attend.
9. A lot of teachers would lose their jobs. While Reimer still sees a need for teachers of elementary literacy and numeracy skills, most other teachers would find themselves without permanent employment, perhaps modelling their skills part-time across the education network and spending the rest of their time "pursuing their explorations for other purposes as well."
10. The idea of maintaining this type of "account" for perpetuity underscores the importance and significance of life-long learning.
ConclusionThis is much more than an elaborate voucher system - this is a rethinking of the whole shape and style of how we get educated. I like the way Reimer's ideas are starting to come together, using his vision of the education network to extend learning outside the four walls of the classroom. I also like this consistent way he insists on freedom and justice as the cornerstones on which any decision must be made.
Is it practical? Could it ever work? Is it just "an idea"?
Well, it could only work if enough people want it to.


A report out today gives parents of very young children advice on how to better prepare them to learn to read. The Louisville-based National Center for Family Literacy directed the study by the National Early Literacy Panel.
NCFL Vice-President Emily Kirkpatrick says the five-year study yielded a number of firm results.
“Alphabet knowledge and rapid naming skills, rapid naming of letter, numbers, objects, etc., are foundational skills that children must have so they can learn to read at the appropriate age,” says Kirkpatrick.
She says now that the Literacy Panel has completed the study, her organization can take the results and translate them into practical tools parents and early childhood educators can use.
“How to actually read with your children in a way that actually expands their vocabulary and expands their letter recognition so that’s it’s not simply reading a story, but it’s reading a story with great intentionality,” says Kirkpatrick.
She says literacy skills can begin developing at birth, and the years between birth and age five are critical to setting a foundation for learning.


Sea Floor Magnetism
This earth science activity allows students to simulate the collection of magnetic polarity data across two mid-ocean ridges. Prior to class, the instructor arranges bar magnets in a symmetric pattern to simulate changes in polarity in the sea floor and covers the magnets so students must use a compass to remotely gather the data without directly observing the magnets themselves.
Students then graph the data and identify regions of normal and reversed polarity. The data are also plotted onto a profile of each mid-ocean ridge. Finally, students use the data they collected to draw inferences about sea floor spreading at mid-ocean ridges and calculate the average spreading rate for the last 780,000 years.
This lesson has goals related to geoscience content, the nature of science, and quantitative analysis.Students understand that the sea floor basement rocks contain remnant magnetic data that can be used to infer events in the geologic pastStudents understand that the patterns of magnetic reversals are symmetric about the axis of the mid-ocean ridge
Students understand that these magnetic polarity data can be used to determine rates of plate movement
Nature of ScienceStudents understand how geophysical techniques allow geoscientists to collect data from the sea floor without physically visiting the sea floorStudents understand that claims about events that happened in the geologic past (like magnetic reversals) are reliably based on present-day observationsStudents understand that not all scientific investigations require a controlled experiment
Students use mathematics to describe their observations and provide evidence to support their claims.
Methods of Geoscience By simulating a well-known series of studies, students will experience on inductive approach to science rather than a linear, deductive methodology.
Context for Use
This activity is designed for an Earth science content course for pre-service elementary education majors. This lab-based courses uses minimal lecture to teach the target concepts. This activity would be part of the plate tectonics unit. This activity could be adapted to a variety of educational settings including major's courses in tectonics or oceanography, introductory geology and Earth science courses, or possibly high school Earth science courses.
Description and Teaching Materials
A materials list and description of the activity are available in the following attachments.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Unless you are specifically teaching about the geomagnetic polarity timescale, the actual pattern of normal and reversed polarities does not matter as long as the pattern is symmetric about the axis of the mid-ocean ridge. The pattern presented here has the axes near the center of the profile. For added difficulty, one can offset the axis so it is not in the center of the profile.
Students may also have difficulty understanding that azimuth directions greater than 180 degrees are the same as directions less than 180 degrees. (That is readings of East and West are the same for these purposes.)
Do NOT show the students the actual pattern of the magnets. This simulates actual science in that no one can actually see the stripes on the seafloor.
Students answer questions on the attached worksheet and discuss the material in class. A later exam contains questions on seafloor magnetic polarities and divergent plate boundaries.
As an alternate assessment, students could write up their findings as a scientific report and then compare their reports to those of papers from the mid 1960s.
References and Resources
The seafloor profiles were taken from Google Earth. For an extension activity, the students could look up the locations of these two ridges and note general observations regarding the topography of the seafloor. They could also generate their own seafloor profiles.


Federal support for adult basic education dates back to the Adult Education Act of 1966, which formed part of the Johnson Administration’s War on Poverty. The 1991 National Literacy Act expanded the scope and funding for federal adult education programs. Both laws were replaced in 1998 with passage of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), enacted in 1998 under Title II of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). AEFLA is the primary federal funding source of adult education and finances states to provide adult basic education to individuals lacking high school credentials, or lacking the basic literacy and numeracy skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency, including but not limited to proficiency in English. The inclusion of adult basic education funding in the Workforce Investment Act reflected a growing emphasis on linking literacy, education, and employment services.
Federal funds for adult education are distributed as formula grants to states that, in turn, fund local program providers. In 2013, Congress appropriated a sequestration-adjusted $575 million for adult education, five percent less than the $606 million appropriated in 2012.The funding formula is based on the number of adults over age 16 not enrolled in school and who have not completed high school. States are required to distribute at least 82.5 percent of the federal dollars to local providers through a competitive process based on state-established criteria. Providers include local educational agencies, community colleges, community-based organizations and correctional institutions with the large majority (78 percent) being local education agencies.
States are required to provide a 25 percent match (cash or in-kind) to receive their federal grant. To ensure continuity and avoid large fluctuations in state funding levels from year to year, AEFLA includes both a “hold harmless” provision specifying that states shall receive grants equal to at least 90 percent of the grant they received the previous fiscal year and a “maintenance of effort” provision that requires states to expend at least 90 percent of what it spent in the prior year on adult education activities to be eligible for the funds.
The federal government sets aside 1.5 percent for national leadership activities such as technical assistance, research, and demonstration projects. An additional 1.7 percent is set aside for incentive grants to states that surpass their negotiated performance targets in both Title I and Title II of WIA. Although incentive awards appear in the AEFLA budget, they are administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The maximum incentive grant is $3 million, and the minimum is $750,000. States may set aside up to 12.5 percent of federal dollars for state leadership activities and up to 5 percent for administrative costs. National and state leadership funds and incentive grants have formed the basis of important innovations in the design and delivery of adult education programs.
While AEFLA is the primary source of federal funding for adult education, it makes up a relatively small proportion of overall spending on adult education programs. In fiscal year 2010, for example, total state and federal expenditures on adult education were just over $2.2 billion, of which federal expenditures amounted to a little more than a third. Over the past decade, both state and federal funding for adult education have declined. In contrast to funding for PreK-12 and higher education, in which federal funding has increased while states have pulled back, all sources of spending on adult education have declined. The declining funding comes in spite of evidence for considerable unmet demand for adult education services.


Child Labor in India
Poor children in India begin working at a very young and tender age. Many children have to work to help their families and some families expect their children to continue the family business at a young age.
India has all along followed a proactive policy in the matter of tackling the problem of child labour. India has always stood for constitutional, statutory and developmental measures that are required to eliminate child laborr in India. Indian Constitution consciously incorporated relevant provisions in the Constitution to secure compulsory universal elementary education as well as labor protection for children.
Though most children begin working at a young age due to economic reasons, doing so allows them to break from some social constraints.
Indian Government policies on Child Labor in India
India’s policy on child labour has evolved over the years against this backdrop. The present regime of laws relating to Child Labor in India have a pragmatic foundation and are consistent with the International Labour Conference resolution of 1979.
The policy of the government is to ban employment of children below the age of fourteen years in factories, mines and hazardous employment and to regulate the working conditions of children in other employment. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 seeks to achieve this basic objective.
Through a notification dated May 26, 1993, the working conditions of children have been regulated in all employment which are not prohibited under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. Following up on a preliminary notification issued on October 5, 1993, the government has also prohibited employment of children in occupation processes like abattoirs /slaughter houses, printing, cashewnut descaling and processing, and soldering.
Children perform a variety of jobs: some work in factories, making products such as carpets and matches; others work on plantations, or in the home.
For boys the type of work is very different because they often work long hours doing hard physical labor outside of the home for very small wages.
The government has made efforts to prohibit child labor by enacting Child labor laws in India including the 1986 Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act that stated that children under fourteen years of age could not be employed in hazardous occupations.
This act also attempted to regulate working conditions in the jobs that it permitted, and put greater emphasis on health and safety standards.
However, due to cultural and economic factors, these goals remain difficult to meet. For instance, the act does nothing to protect children who perform domestic or unreported labor, which is very common in India. In almost all Indian industries girls are unrecognized laborers because they are seen as helpers and not workers. Therefore, girls are therefore not protected by the law. Children are often exploited and deprived of their rights in India, and until further measures are taken, many Indian children will continue to live in poverty.


This week we have lots of interesting activities planned. We start the week with the class presenting their work on planets to each other using power point presentations, posters, quizzes and lots of other approaches to help each other become experts in the planets.
During literacy the children will be planning, writing and performing play-scripts based on 'Cosmic' our class text (focused specifically on the role of parents).
In maths we will spend the week investigating spirals and lots of tasks related to that, involving lots of their core numeracy skills and beyond.
In topic they will start to record their investigations into the orbits of planets in relation to the Sun.
The children will continue to hone their skills using the new music programs that they have started to learn to program, whilst in P.E, Harry will carry on with the relays that they started last week. Thursady is Outdoor Learning days, so we will be joining with Year 5/6 to work outside on a range of interesting and fun activities including orienteering that will further develop all of our skills across a range of subjects.
Please continue to read with your children and ensure they practice their maths facts at every opportunity.


As children begin to approach kindergarten, their increased awareness and curiosity make it a fun time for learning and growing. In pre-k we build on foundational skills formed in preschool and prepare students to thrive both socially and academically.
Daily Activities & Learning Experiences
Pre-K students begin to take their academic skills further as they explore the basics of reading and writing. Each child’s confidence and social skills are enhanced through a variety of group activities and individual projects. Their daily schedule includes:
- Bible Exploration
- Reading & Writing
- Language Development
- Social Studies and Group Activities
- Outdoor Play and Exploration
- Art and Expression
For a complete outline of daily activities, please download the Pre-K Daily Schedule.


Ah, but a glimmer of hope happened with this lesson and I may be getting my brain around some of these concepts!
We started in our art journals with the basics: primary, secondary, cool, hot, and then branched out to analogous. I still don't know if it is pronounced with a short or long O. Oh well.
I had the girls pick one of the analogous color schemes they liked such as: yellow/orange/red or blue/green/yellow but then narrow it down to just 2 of those colors like orange/red or blue/green.
So.....technically, I don't know if that still qualifies as analogous since it suppose to be 3 colors that are neighbors. I had them choose those because I knew if they were blended together it wouldn't create mud.
To ready our canvas the girls layered painters tape which would become the trucks & branches. Putting down the thicker tape first to give us the right perspective.
Then, using acrylic painted they painted one color, just on the top half then the other color on the bottom half.
Lastly blending the two together by either mixing their left over paint or (for some who had lots of paint on their canvas) blending the two sides together with a new brush to create Blue/blue-green/green voila! Either way worked beautifully.
Analogous colors woohoo!
Take that 8th grade art education! Lol
We jazzed it up with silver & gold dots and circles created with sponge brushes and baby food jars. Yes, one of the many uses I've found for those handy little glass jars.
Peeling ONE layer of tape off at a time they used an old gift cards to create the texture of the bark. To do this they put a bit of black paint on the end of the card, lined it up to the edge of the tree and drug it across.
And after all the tape was gone, masterpieces emerged!
What really amazed me was how their color choices completely changed the mood of their painting, one girl said her's reminded her of spring in China, another said her's was like a cold winters night, and we all agreed that the pink and orange one reminded us of India! Things that were not on my lesson plan by any means but it was so neat to see how color choice can affect something!
I got this lesson from Angela Anderson's Art blog that has fantastic art lessons for kids check out her website here.


If you’re a Spolin devotee, why not publish this quote: “We learn through experience and experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything.” That one wouldn’t fit your narrative, though, would it? We learn through experience and experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything. Read more at:http://www.azquotes.com/quote/798593
I am so glad that my drawing introduced you to the theater and drama teacher, Viola Spolin.
I first learned of her from my art education teacher, Leon Bellin.
Spolin’s son, Paul Sills went on to help create Chicago’s Second City improvisational techniques.
While my cartoon and quote led you to Ms Spolin, don’t just stop at searching out quotes. Read her theory of teaching theater. Spolin did believe, as I do, in experiential learning. But to say that she doesn’t believe in teachers and teaching is silly, since she wrote a number of books on teaching theater and theater games and teaching using theater games. And, of course, she was a teacher herself. I often incorporated her techniques in my own instruction.
Like you, many of those who have not fully investigated the art and practice of teaching, except by limiting themselves to azquotes.com, miss the richness and complexity of what good teachers do.
Experiential teachers like Viola Spolin believed as John Dewey did (and I do) that experience alone does not create real learning. Rather it is reflecting on experience that creates real learning.
As Plato said as recollected by Socrates, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
But, Akvida, don’t just stop with a search for quotes by Dewey, Plato or Socrates. Read what they wrote in full. Just as my cartoon prompted you to check out Ms Spolin further, now dig deeper.
I suggest that in my role as a teacher.


CDH has adopted a Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum based on resources from NetSmartz and Common Sense Media. We believe it is essential that students become informed about the ethical and safety issues of our digital world, and learn to become responsible, ethical digital citizens. This curriculum in embedded into the curriculum in all subject areas for grades 9-12. Topics include:
Students learn strategies for managing their online information and keeping it secure from online risks such as identity thieves and phishing. They learn how to create strong passwords, how to avoid scams and schemes, and how to analyze privacy policies.
Students learn to protect their own privacy and respect others’ privacy. Our digital world is permanent, and with each post, students are building a digital footprint. By encouraging students to self-reflect before they self-reveal, they will consider how what they share online can impact themselves and others.
These lessons are designed to help students explore their own digital lives, focusing on their online versus their offline identity. Students learn the benefits and risks of presenting themselves through different personas and the effects on their sense of self, their reputation, and their relationships.
Living in a “copy/paste” culture, students need to reflect on their responsibilities and rights as creators in the online spaces where they consume, create, and share information. From addressing plagiarism to piracy, students learn about copyright and fair use.
Students reflect on how they can use intra-personal and interpersonal skills to build and strengthen positive online communication and communities. They delve into the concept of digital citizenship and digital ethics, and they reflect on their online interactions.
Information literacy includes the ability to identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively. From effective search strategies to evaluation techniques, students learn how to evaluate the quality, credibility, and validity of websites, and give proper credit.
Students learn what to do if they are involved in a cyberbullying situation. They explore the roles people play and how individual actions — both negative and positive — can impact their friends and broader communities. Students are encouraged to take the active role of "upstander" and build positive, supportive online communities.
Students explore how the Internet offers an amazing way to collaborate with others worldwide, while staying safe through employing strategies such as distinguishing between inappropriate contact and positive connections. These foundational skills and learning more about the Internet safety definition helps students learn how to be safe on the Internet.


It is so handy to have printable math classroom posters. I like printing them and hanging these Math posters the wall. This way I can refer to it at-a-glance through the school day.
One side has a blue frame and the other has a red frame for the higher level.
They're also handy to keep inside a child's Math textbook (yeah, I know, where have those gone?) or binder. Me? I print these back to back on card stock so that they're all together on one poster.
This Math Glossary has the symbols used in elementary education Math lessons and can be printed double sided.
It can also be put in a binder for reference or printed separately on card stock as Math posters or Math bulletin board ideas.
Each of the Math symbols has both a definition and an example:
Of course, the first time that children learn about the Math symbols, they're not often able to read about them like an older child can. Look and see is the best way to teach them: Here is a plus sign, here is the equal sign.
What adds trouble is that we use many terms for the same sign. If you simply show the symbol each time you use the new term, the action symbolized will "sink in" over time.
Teaching addition to kids requires teaching them the whole vocabulary of an equation. This is the most important equation to learn well as all the others are based on it. Thank God that this gets easier with subtraction and the other tables.
I know kids as old as twelve who can forget what the division sign looks like. Part of that is probably because there are several symbols.
Whenever one of my students is having trouble remembering which way the less than or greater than sign goes, I can point to this poster for an Aha! moment. It helps to explain that the small end points to the small number and that the large end points to the larger number; yet sometimes that doesn't help when the question simply asks for the symbol. It's easy to make if they remember what it is!
The second side of this poster has the higher level Math symbols:
Print it for your desk or for your students. You can print the side that you want as a poster or print both sides back to back for a binder.