The new elementary school principal could hardly believe what he was hearing - an eighth-grade student struggling to read a fourth-grade book! "He must be severely handicapped," the principal thought. Upon investigation, however, he found that the reader was a typical 14 year-old boy. Except for one thing - he couldn't read.
I was that school principal, and I soon discovered that those students were not alone; half the adults in the United States can't read simple instructions like those on a job application or a medicine bottle. Canadians fare only slightly better.
So why can't these students read? In desperation I sought an answer from the district's experts. They sent me 2,000 miles away to a reading specialist with a Ph.D. I hung on every word she spoke, but returned to my school no wiser for the effort.
Over the next twenty years I examined every reading instruction methodology that promised even a glimmer of hope, but none provided the answers I so desperately needed. Although some of the methods seemed to help some of the students, there were always large gaps that left many unable to read.
Years later new scientific research on the complex functions of the brain revealed that all the reading instruction programs used in schools - even those that include basic phonics instruction - are predicated on faulty assumptions. They attempt to teach reading to an area of the brain that can't process language in any form. It is the old "Dick and Jane" whole-word method. The entire system was destined to fail from the start.
Armed with the latest research, I began designing a step-by-step protocol that would gently guide students through all the complexities of reading. It had to work in harmony with the brain's sophisticated neurological architecture, and it had to include everything needed to enable students to read and comprehend written English. It must transfer the information on the printed page to the brain smoothly and logically, and result in an orderly, one-way flow of information. Nothing like this had ever been done before.
The new strategy proved itself the very first time it was used. The student was a sixth-grade girl who was stuck at third-grade reading level. After only 28 hours of instruction she advanced to eighth-grade level. Her parents and teachers were shocked at the change. Some called it a fluke. Others called it a miracle in reading instruction. It was neither. It was a simple matter of putting all the complex components of reading together in a logical, easy to understand sequence.
Following that initial success, other students soon responded very much like the first student had. Some were taught individually or in small groups, while others were taught in regular school classrooms. They typically gained between two and six years in total reading skills after only 30 to 60 hours of instruction.
Many of these students had severe learning disabilities. The new method could not cure their disabilities, but it helped them to develop strategies for bypassing some of the defective parts of the brain. In so doing, they suddenly discovered that reading was no longer a problem. Today learning centers, clinics and schools around the world use the reading instruction method. Thousands of students of all ages who were previously doomed to a life of failure and frustration have seen lifelong barriers crumble.
One California school used the method in their first- and second-grades. While other schools in the area failed to reach a 50-percent literacy rate, the first-graders of that school scored an average of 3.7 [third-grade, seventh month] in reading while the second-graders averaged 6.2 [Sixth-grade, second month]. Every student scored at grade level or higher.
A severely dyslexic 55 year-old woman said upon completion of the course, "I feel that I've lived my entire life wandering in a long, dark cave, and now I'm in the sunshine for the very first time." Her reading level rocketed from fourth-grade to college level.
The reading instruction method has proven effective at every stage of learning from preschool to adult level, as the primary mode of instruction as well as remedial instruction for the learning disabled. It is called the Academic Associates Reading Course .
It is extremely satisfying to know that so many students have been saved from a lifetime of failure and frustration because of this simple, yet effective method of teaching reading, which any good teacher can use.
[If Dick and Jane were around today they would probably be held back a grade or two, so ineffective was the reading methodology with which they were taught.]
Using this method also helps with spelling difficult words.
Sign up for our complete reading instruction program now.


Theatrical performances are always likened to great plays by popular playwrights such as August Wilson, Tom Stoppard or Theresa Rebeck, and big Broadway musicals such as Phantom of the Opera.
Contemporary theatrical performances provide a wide range of experiences for both the audience and performers. Although new or hybrid performances have evolved over the years, contemporary performances in the last half a century to a century were unique.
Plays are at the heart of theatrical performances.
Written by playwrights and set in texts, actors work under directors to perform play productions. They tell stories and continue to question humanity and reflect follies and foibles since Greece in 523 BCE.
Civilizations show that the tradition of formal storytelling has its roots back in early days. However, contemporary theatrical performances are more diverse than they were historically.
Major commercial theaters worldwide often produce playwrights from different ethnic, gender and racial backgrounds.
Successful writers such as Theresa Rebeck, August Wilson, Tony Kushner, and David Henry Hwang laid a good foundation for the industry. They created opportunities for the modern playwrights with diverse backgrounds to explore varied opportunities and perform on stage to be heard.
Play and drama performances are beneficial for both kids and adults. Theatrical performances build confidence, focus and concentration, communication and language skills, emotional intelligence and creativity.
At NY Theater Now, we use information to encourage cooperation and impart numeracy skills in the young ones and the aged. We help our audiences and performers to understand the world around them and promote physical development.
Theatrical performances also nurture friendships and relationships.
NY Theater Now provides a platform where different users such as actors and actresses or lovers of play can access whatever information they need to perform various plays or access information they need, respectively.


Students learn best when their school experience is connected to real life. Skills-based curriculum focuses on equipping students with required knowledge and appropriate life skills.
Students achieve fluency in the language arts of speaking, reading, writing, as well as math, and digital literacy.
They are also exposed to deeper learning concepts through an integrated approach in health and wellness, music, arts, science, and social studies, including civics, finance, economics, and world cultures.
While most schools (public and private) will not reveal their academic plan, one of the great things about being a private Christian school is that we can prioritize our beliefs without compromise.
We unapologetically organize our skills-based curriculum around the following academic standards:
Content Area Learning
English Language Arts
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Foundational Skills
Speaking & Listening
Counting & Cardinality
Operations & Algebraic Thinking
Number & Operations in Base Ten
Number & Operations: Fractions
Measurement & Data
Science & Technical
Earth and Space Science
History & Social Studies


Imagery has never been consumed or circulated at the rate and latitude we see today making communication technologies and visually-based inquiry crucial to investigating visual, media and digital literacies that lie within these pictorial exchanges. Conducted over the Internet and with graphics at its heart, this qualitative study aims to help inform visually based literacy/media studies and promote image-based research, re-imagining research methodologies in visual culture, literacy, and art education. Review some of the preliminary findings of this doctoral dissertation that used visual methodologies coupled with image-based research and crowdsourcing technologies to collect drawings from over 61 countries, diverse in geography and culture. New perspectives of the visual-textual relationship, identity and representation in a globalized context were examined, guided by the questions; what tensions emerge between local and global ways of interpretation and meaning construction when participating online? To what degree does visual culture influence or change deeply ingrained ideas specific to geography and culture into normative global ideas? The paper highlights a selection of drawings from around the world that display intercultural representations of the words meal, marriage and home. It also showcases the methods and the technologies that abound and their potential for artistic and academic discovery. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society for Education through Art.
|Title of host publication||Emergent art education: Next directions in Canadian research|
|Editors||Alison SHIELDS, Michael J. EMME|
|Place of Publication||Victoria, BC.|
|Publisher||The Canadian Society for Education through Art|
|Publication status||Published - Sept 2016|
CitationMcMaster, S. (2016). Crowdsourced representation: People's drawings of culture in a globalized world. In A. Shields & M. J. Emme (Eds.), Emergent art education: Next directions in Canadian research (pp. 48-58). Victoria, BC.: The Canadian Society for Education through Art.
- Visual methodologies
- Image-based research
- Visual culture


I can use the illustrations to tell about the characters, setting, and events.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
In this lesson, students will learn how to use illustrations to better understand stories. They will discuss parts of stories and then use illustrations to answer questions.
Students will be able to use the illustrations to tell about the characters, setting, and events.
Students will review illustrations and discuss how illustrations can help describe the characters, settings, and events of a story. They will then review characters, settings, and events.
Students will look at sentences with illustrations and answer questions. The illustrations are of swings in the park, a basketball game, snack time, and winter fun. Students will then review how pictures or illustrations in a story can help the reader understand the characters, settings, and events.
Students will review what they learned about illustrations in stories with 10 questions.
Have students recall what they learned and spin the wheel to tell about the characters, settings, and events depicted in illustrations.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


* Terms and Conditions
Dorling Kindersley Ltd
01 July 2010
2.40 x 22.70 x 28.30 CM
An interactive look at science for kids
This comprehensive look at science will teach your child all about twenty seven 'Big Ideas', from atoms to net force. These ideas will help them to connect the dots between what they observe and what they understand.
Bursting with facts and close-up graphics, explaining tricky concepts using accessible visuals. Learn about why energy can change but is never lost from looking at a visual of a hybrid car.
Seeing is learning - special symbols direct children to over 200 specially created interactive online activities for hands on learning; from interactive art, to virtual labs where they can experiment combining chemicals. It's an incredible look at science.


I can use apostrophes to show possession in nouns.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
Apostrophes are a critical part of written communication because they show possession. In this lesson, students will learn how to use apostrophes for both singular and plural possessive nouns. Exercises invite students to find the possessive known in different sentences.
Apostrophes are an important piece of punctuation that sometimes gives students trouble. There are numerous questions and interactive exercises designed to get students engaged and familiar with this concept.
When you have completed this lesson, students will understand the correct usage of apostrophes to demonstration possession of nouns.
Students are given 10 questions to practice possession in nouns with apostrophes. Repetition is key. Ask for student participation throughout. Many of the exercises here come with images that reinforce the content.
When the lesson is complete, students will be asked to reflect on what a possessive noun is, and where you should place an apostrophe in a possessive noun.
The last slide contains an activity with two fun spin-the-wheel exercises, one for a possessive noun, one for the item that noun owns. Invite a student up to the board to create sentences of their own, and then have the class join in to create the appropriate possessive noun.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


Quick Common Core Assessments for 1st Grade!
July 6, 2014
Data. Data. Data.
I love data. That’s probably really nerdy, but it’s true. I like to assess and re-assess my students. I like pre-tests, post-tests, formative assessments and summative assessments. I like making charts, keeping track, moving students from group to group and tier to tier. I like to SEE it all in front of me.
I don’t like the act of actually giving my students these tests all the time. I absolutely don’t want to feel like I am testing them all day every day because if I feel like that, can you only imagine what my poor 6 year olds feel like?!
While there are certain diagnostic and end-of-year tests I have to give, those tend to be quite lengthy. If I want to collect some data quickly, I don’t want to give my student a longggggg test. Especially when I just want to see if a student has made progress on one skill.
To help solve some of my testing problems, I created Quick Checks!
I made each assessment a maximum of 3 questions because I wanted them to be QUICK! I don’t want my students bogged down in lengthy tests. I always think of my students who are struggling when I think about the length of tests. Do I really need to see them struggle on a 20 question test to know that they need more help or can I see that right away?!
Same goes for my higher students, if they get it… they get it! I don’t need to have them sit in their chairs for another 15 minutes doing something redundant when they can be learning something new!
Here are two math quick checks and two phonics quick checks:
1.RF.2c and 1.RF.2d
1.OA.8 and 1.MD. 4
I have created two different types of checklists that I like to use in my classroom. The first is just a mastery checklist. I use this one to mark when my class has mastered a certain skill. It allows me to quickly look at which standards my class might not have mastered yet. It also lets me group students quickly.
The other data tracker is a progress sheet. This one is for each individual student and allows me to track their pre and post data along with the dates I administered the quick check. These sheets have a place for me to take notes and a place for me to record a student’s score if they needed to be re-assessed.
This unit includes all of the Common Core PHONICS standards (RF.1.2 and RF.1.3 with all the subsets under those) and all the Common Core MATH standards (OA, NBT, MD, and G).
**If the past two sentences look like another language to you than click on my product and you can see a more detailed description of each standard that is assessed.**
There are, of course, some Common Core standards that are not addressed in this unit such as all the writing standards and reading standards. I use my guided reading groups to assess all reading standards and writing rubrics to assess the writing standards. Basically, the phonics and math standards are the only ones that made sense for me to turn into “quick checks.”
If you think these will work for your classroom, go ahead and click on the cover below to see more!
Leave A Comment - 8 Comments
I LOVE this!!! So useful! Will you eventually have them for all of the reading standards?
Thank you, Elisabeth!! I am unsure yet if I will be creating them for the literature and informational standards, since I am used to using my guided reading notes for assessments on those standards. It is something I am thinking about though!! I would have to see how I can make it work 🙂
Love these!! Just added them to my wish list!! Love how it is so quick to see if the students comprehend the skill!
Great post! I love the idea of using quick assessments for phonics instruction like this.
What I Have Learned
Looking for something like quick checks for second grade
Would love these for Kindergarten!
Can't wait to purchase and use these! thanks for creating something so useful and quick!
Talk NERDY to me! Seriously, I'm equally obsessed with data so these are amazing. How are you planning on giving the assessments? Just during conferences at workshop times or small groups?
Have a great weekend!
First Time Firstie


I can compare and contrast settings in a story.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
In this lesson, students will read several passages and identify the settings. They will also compare and contrast these settings and determine how they impact the stories. At the end, they will write their own short passages with different settings.
Students will be able to compare and contrast settings in a story.
Students will review the concept of setting by reading a short passage and answering questions. Thye will read another short passage and answer questions about how the characters are feeling. Explain why comparing and contrasting stories is important.
To practice, students will fill out a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting "During Christmas" and the "Rest of the year." Next, they will complete a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting their hometown "100 years ago" and "Present day."
Next, students will read two short passages about Cinderella and describe the settings and how Cinderella feels. They will fill in a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two passages. Then, they will discuss other stories that have two different settings that affect the characters and/or the events of the story.
Students will respond to ten questions in which they review key terminology and are asked to compare and contrast given texts.
Students will recall what they learned:
- What is a setting?
- What does it mean to compare and contrast?
- Why is it important to compare and contrast settings within a story?
Students will choose two countries they'd like to visit and compare and contrast them. They will write a paragraph with that information. As an exit slip, students will write their own passages that contain two settings of their choice.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


How to Improve a 5th-Grader's Listening Skills
Effective listening impacts academic performance. According to Learning Through Listening, students who are active listeners usually have greater academic success than classmates who haven't developed this skill. Fifth-graders have many things competing for their attention like video games and cell phones. Therefore, entering a classroom and being required to listen for sustained periods might be a challenge for some students. Parents and teachers can do several things to help fifth-graders improve listening skills.
Fifth-graders often have busy lives filled with extracurricular activities. For working parents, the extent of their communication might be in the car or right before bedtime. Even teachers who spend much of their time delivering direct instruction might go through most of the school day without any one-on-one conversation with their students. Adults must talk to children, preferably without outside distractions. Parents should try to do this even if it means calling their children from their bedrooms and turning off the television and cell phone. They should model effective listening skills like maintaining eye contact, waiting patiently for their child to complete a thought, then asking follow-up questions that show they were actually listening. Teachers need to greet students at the door and target a few every day to draw into a conversation about their families or hobbies.
Although most fifth-graders might prefer reading silently, parents and teachers can help them improve listening skills by asking them to read aloud several times a week. They can choose the book or magazine article and read a passage for approximately five minutes. Then the adult can ask them a few questions about what they read to ascertain if they were actually listening to their own words. Adults can also read aloud to children, then ask questions to determine if they listened. Teachers rely on this method in the classroom, but it's usually in a whole or small group format. They might have difficulty finding time to conduct this exercise individually, but parents can certainly do this at home.
Teachers can play games in the classroom to help their fifth-graders improve listening skills. Students can close their eyes while the teacher makes various noises and asks them to guess what she's doing like stapling a paper, turning the pages of a book or tearing a paper towel off the roll. "Simon Says" has long been a favorite of children. The teacher gives commands, but the students perform the action only if she says, "Simon says" before the order. Those who don't follow directions are eliminated until there is a winner.
Fifth-graders are not too young to begin learning how to take notes. This can be an effective way to improve listening skills too. After explaining the purpose of notes and modeling the note-writing process, the teacher should give a brief -- 10 to 15 minutes at most -- lecture, usually in a subject like science or social studies. During each note-taking session, students should produce brief notes that the teacher will check mainly for their thoroughness of content, rather than spelling and grammar, to see how well students listened. This activity can be repeated frequently, and the teacher can increase the amount of time as the class becomes more proficient.
Karen Hollowell has been teaching since 1994. She has taught English/literature and social studies in grades 7-12 and taught kindergarten for nine years. She currently teaches fourth grade reading/language and social studies. Hollowell earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Mississippi and her Master of Arts in elementary education from Alcorn State University.


Friends and Helpers Readers Teacher Edition
Provides suggestions to use these three readers (The Little Pie, Penny Porcupine, and Jesus Helps) for advanced kindergarten readers. Includes an overview of Abeka’s intensive phonics approach and reading class techniques. Story comprehension questions with answers are included in the bottom margin of the wrap-around format. The final page includes a place to document students’ reading progress. 6” x 9”. Spiral bound, 62 pgs, pb.
Guide your child along as he reads Friends and Helpers Readers with this teacher’s edition. Includes a complete copy of the 3 Friends and Helpers Readers. It also includes tips and techniques for conducting the reading class. Vocabulary development and comprehension questions with answers are sprinkled throughout. K5.
Abeka® Reading materials provide distinct benefits. Sets of readers use an all-inclusive and systematic approach to gaining and strengthening reading skills. The literature choices emphasize wholesome, biblically supported content, as well as citizenship and traditional values. Students are provided developmentally appropriate depth and length of reading materials, producing strong readers--early. Skills are built and strengthened with continual practice and review of wholesome content. Using plentiful and colorful readers in the lower grades, students practice word analysis, build vocabulary, and work on developing reading and thinking skills. The program then broadens to include literature and nonfiction, while introducing and practicing literary techniques. Every reading passage comes with a handful of questions to help promote reading comprehension. At each grade level, the number of readers decreases while literature variety increases, and literary skill development strengthens (i.e., Grade 2 uses 10 readers; Grade 6 uses 3).
Teachers can select either pick-up-and-go format teacher editions. This wrap-around format provides helps for discussing content, and guiding students in phonics principles and comprehension skills. The carefully measured amount of instruction and student answers makes these very practical. Alternatively, you can select answer keys for quick checking. Newer edition answer keys (with Literary Development & Enrichment) add more teacher support: story intros, teaching tips, vocabulary enrichment, literary analysis, and more. While the reading programs are part of Abeka’s complete language arts curriculum, you can potentially use this program separately to focus solely on reading skills. Materials use KJV scripture.
The K5 program assumes your child has a phonics’ base. Then, the multi-sensory approach teaches long vowel, special sounds, beginning/ending blends, digraphs, a few sight words, r-controlled vowels, etc. This level also adds a Primary Bible Reader containing 150 KJV passages from the Old and New Testaments. Grade 1’s goal is independent reading: first reviewing phonics, then transitioning to reading skills. The program continues with reviewing phonics instruction, but transitions toward reading skills, aiming at independent reading. A steady development progression begins at Grade 2 (as phonics foundations are mastered). Children learn to read more diverse materials (literature and nonfiction) and begin examining literary techniques such as cause/effect, sequencing, inference, and main character. At any level, assigned readings will include on-page definitions of new vocabulary questions, info about the authors, and “Time to Think” questions at the end (answers in teacher material). Levels from Grade 3 incorporate simplified versions of classic novels. At Grade 4, material steps up in difficulty and genre types. Also starting at this grade, additional optional reading selections provide student analysis and book report possibilities. When students reach Grade 6, they are reading and evaluating a variety of poetry, short stories, excerpts, and adaptations of novels from famous authors.
If you desire, Abeka provides additional tools that can be used alongside this or any reading program. Abeka believes a student’s ability to comprehend is based in their ability to concentrate. These additional tools hone such skills at different levels. Grades 2-3 provide Reading Comprehension Skill Sheets, with a Parent Edition (including objectives, enrichment, answers and Bible application). In Grades 4-6, build reading speed and comprehension skills using an Adventures in … reader, along with the consumable Read and Comprehend Skill Sheets. Each separate key provides the student answers. Speed and Comprehension Readers or Skill Sheets provide multiple reading practices: each with a word count and corresponding comprehension quiz. One-page comprehension quizzes are provided for each story. These books include a place to record your student’s comprehension and words-per-minute scores. These skill-focused tools are an integral part of Abeka’s reading programs. If, however, you’re looking for a Christian, systematic approach to consistently check and strengthen speed and comprehension, try using these as independent reading skill tools.


Summary of Alignment & Usability: Wilson Fundations | ELA
This report is for a supplementary foundational skills program intended for use alongside a comprehensive core English Language Arts program.
The Fundations Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 materials reviewed partially meet the criteria for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The instructional materials use a synthetic approach to phonics. Materials include a scope and sequence that clearly delineates an intentional sequence in which phonics skills are to be taught, with a clear explanation for the order of the sequence; however, the materials include a general scope and sequence with few details for phonological awareness. Materials provide limited instructional support for general concepts of print. Materials provide limited phonological awareness modeling, practice, and review before phonics instruction begins. Materials partially meet the criteria that materials emphasize phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling. There are frequent opportunities for students to decode and encode words, including common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns and to review previously taught grade-level phonics. Materials include limited systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity. Students have opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in tasks (sentences); however, students are not given opportunities to read sentences independently or without prior teacher modeling. Materials include some instructional opportunities for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. Explicit instruction addresses expression and phrasing, but does not model for students how to read with appropriate rate and accuracy. Materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice using confirmation or self-correction of errors. Decodable texts are limited and do not consistently align to the program’s scope and sequence for phonics and high-frequency words. The teacher reads the sentences, passages, or Chart Stories, and students echo read.


*Three Ways Music Fosters Literacy is a guest post. If you are interested in writing for A Modern Mom’s Life, please visit my Guest Posting page. This post also contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my link I will earn a small commission. These commissions support my blog and my family.*
The more research is done into the connection between childhood music education and general aptitude for learning, the more correlations have been found. Of particular note is the link between engaging musical education and literacy.
There are a number of reasons why children with more knowledge of music theory are primed for success in other parts of their education and overall lives.
Here are some of the key takeaways from recent studies on the subject, including ways you can incorporate music into your child’s education, as a parent or professional educator.
What is literacy?
In order to understand how music assists with literacy, it is important to have a working definition of literacy as it applies to children.
Frequently, the idea of literacy is reduced down to simply the ability to read and write. However, that only covers part of the definition. True literacy involves technological literacy (the ability to use various tools), analytical skills, the capacity for group work and social literacy, and knowledge of the ethical requirements of each facet of a project.
By reducing literacy down to a child’s ability to read a book, several key aspects are neglected and can impair your children’s ability to learn in general. This is where the benefits of musical education come in to play.
Music and analytics
First, music helps with analytics. When reading sheet music, a student must be able to read and understand various forms of information, like notes, dynamics, tempo and style markings, and accidentals, in real time, and translate them while performing their instrument. This requires a significant amount of musical literacy but also helps to support the student’s overall processing abilities.
Reading music helps literacy in general because it helps students become used to analyzing all aspects of a particular work or passage, instead of just limiting themselves to what is easily understood, and then relaying it in a way that makes sense.
Music and dedication
Next, music can help with dedication. Many children say that they do not like to read, and therefore don’t take up a book in their spare time (or often even work on their homework). However, the regular practice and steely determination required to actually become good at an instrument helps practice become a habit.
If children are used to practicing one particular thing, it becomes more likely that they will use a similar approach in other tasks. Plus, as they see the results of their work in the music they’re able to play on their instrument, they will relate the practice to success and likely practice more in all other areas, as well.
You can help increase the power of your child’s practicing routine by providing a place for them to play, free from interruptions or distractions. You can try adding on a small room to your house, or converting an existing room. Make your child’s practice room comfortable for you, as well, by soundproofing the walls.
Music and communication
Finally, music can help with the other significant part of literacy, the ability to communicate. Playing music can help children learn about different inflections and the effects different pitches or volumes might have. For example, you may describe loud, aggressive playing as sounding “angry,” particularly when compared to quiet, smooth, “peaceful” playing. This can help expand your child’s sonic vocabulary and demonstrate how to use different methods of communication.
Music has many great effects on children’s minds and can particularly benefit their overall literacy. Try introducing your child to an instrument today to start enhancing their analytical skills, dedication to learning, and ability to communicate.
Author Bio: Charles is a staunch believer in the healing power of music.
As a child I took piano lessons from age 4 until I was almost 18. I learned so much, and I appreciate the knowledge I gained working hard all those years. I love being able to read music and plonk along to songs I’ve heard, or things I used to be able to play.
(My skill has declined a ton in the last 20 years of not playing regularly, but it’s still buried in there. I could bring it out with some dedicated practicing, I’m sure!)
Do you or your children play an instrument? I’d love to hear your experiences! We put Rose in lessons for a while, but with all our dance nights we don’t have enough time for her spend practicing piano at home. I’m hopeful we can revisit it with her in a few years when the girls start coming home on the school bus right after school!
Related: Our Busy Family Schedule


First Grade Information
First grade students will become fluent readers, writers and problem solvers by learning and applying the skills and concepts taught to them.
In communications, students learn to apply reading strategies for decoding, as well as comprehension strategies that help them understand what they are reading. Examples of phonetic rules that are learned are: sounds made by consonant letters, vowel sounds, blends and diagraphs, which assist students to sound out, spell and write words.
Students learn to understand and comprehend text by studying the meanings of words (vocabulary) and building background. These skills also strengthen a student's ability to retell and respond to stories they read.
The focus on math concepts and processes is presented in a way in which students are encouraged to develop their number sense by using hands-on materials and activities, learn to problem solve using specific strategies, and understand spatial and relational shapes and the attributes that identify them. These foundational skills will form a basis for future learning.
The curriculum is reviewed and performance expectations are created to help parents, teachers and students be aware of what is expected for the nine-week period. Data chats and parent conferences are used to communicate with the students and parents to ensure everyone knows current levels of progress and is able to set goals and objectives as next steps.


This nonfiction text biography unit for Ruth Bader Ginsberg goes perfectly with the book I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy (though you DON’T NEED ANY BOOKS to use this file) and includes various printable activities, graphic organizers, report templates, writing prompts, reflection pages, nonfiction text, as well as posters with Ruth Bader Ginsburg quotes.
A 10-page (half-sheet) mini-book comprised of nonfiction information, interesting facts, and reflection questions is perfect for students to make and read on their own or in literacy stations with a small group. It’s also a great reference or research tool for them as they gather information about Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
This file includes the following:
- biography mini-book
- graphic organizers
- biography report template
- RBG quotes posters
- reflection questions
- growth mindset connections
- writing a friendly letter
- creating a newspaper article
In addition, this product can be used with ANY picture book or chapter book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Some of my favorite books include:
- I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs Inequality by Jonah Winter
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Superwomen Role Models) by Heather Moore Niver
Though the intended grade levels are 3rd, 4th, and 5th, this product can be modified and used with other grade levels.
The biography mini-book reading level is between 3rd-5th grade, so please understand that 2nd grade might struggle with the text if asked to read it independently. Likewise, a 6th grader may find that text to be easy.
NOTE: The instructions for utilizing the digital portion appear at the end of the packet.
- A Google Drive account
- If sharing with students, a Drive account that is linked to student Google accounts
- Can be shared/delivered on Google Classroom
- Only need access to Google Drive–no outside links to worry about!
These files can be used with iPads, chrome books, laptops, and desktops as long as your students have access to Google Drive or Classroom on a device. The digital portion of this product is on Google Slides™.
Kirsten Tulsian has 18 years of experience in elementary education. She has been a homeroom teacher for first grade, third grade, and fourth grade, as well as ESL. She has also been a school counselor for grades PK-6, an ESL pullout teacher for K-6, and a Reading Recovery Teacher. She received her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology from The University of Iowa and a Master’s of Education in school counseling from Sam Houston State University. She believes that students make the most progress when they are engaged in their hearts as well as their minds. Her resources offer relevant, rigorous, engaging content that nurtures the whole child.
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Early childhood is defined as the period from conception through eight years of age. These years are critical as they determine child’s survival and thriving in life, and lay the foundations for her/ his learning and holistic development. It is during the early years that children develop the cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills through supportive family and community care practices, proper nutrition and health care and learning opportunities that they need to succeed in life. ECE positively impacts attendance, retention, and learning of children in elementary and higher education.
The Government of India approved the National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy in 2013. The Policy framework also includes the National Curriculum Framework and Quality Standards for ECCE.The Policy caters to all children under 6 years of age and commits to universal access to quality early childhood education. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) is the nodal department for ECCE.
YCDA in collaboration with Save The Children, implementing project to strengthen early years learning experiences of young children by having intervention in Anganwadi and school level. This project will focus on developing and showcasing effective ECCE models. This project would look into four interlinked dimensions for promoting school readiness skills in the transition of children from preschool to primary school. These dimensions are as follows; Ready Children, Ready Families, Ready School and Ready System.
Primary Education is regarded as a fundamental rights of all children. Government of Orissa has been settings goals and making provisions for universalisation of elementary education as per our constitutional provisions, National policy framework and Right to Education Act. Odisha has also develope a Rule to implement the act since 2010. However despite of all efforts Orissa is still backward in many indicators defining quality education. Some of the key reasons of all the isuses and factors are lack of child friendly pedagogy, poor quality of education, poorly functioning schools, incompetent teachers, and shortage of qualified teachers.
YCDA supports government efforts with an aim to ensure basic education to all children in the focus area for strengthening the formal education system by ensuring 100% enrolment and retention through network with School Management Committees and other community group including Self Help Groups.We work in the framework of making schools are beautiful, all children are learning and active community participation.
In collaboration with Edukans Foundation, we are engaged in a STAR School project to make targeted schools a centre of excellence in certain indicators. In the beginning a school assesment exercise is undertaken together with SMC and teachers and further plan are developed to improve the areas. Teachers training and learing is one of the major activities in this intervention.
In course of time, learning environment of the schools has been enhanced in comparison to the past years. The school beautification, construction of the additional classrooms and maintaining the toilet, installation of the drinking water facilities has encouraged learners to attend school regularly.
YCDA in coordination with Edukans Foundation, Netherlands have done a Start School Programme. Where in we have worked on 5 major indicators such as School environment, Learning methods, Teaching methods, school management and Community involvement.
We took 46 nos of schools in the first phase and below are the impact and results!!
Children are learning effectively in the class room as the teachers are following the certain principles like use of the low cost and no cost TLM prepared by the children and teachers themselves, encouraging to the children to read and write. Usage of the ICT during the teaching inspiring to the children to get joyful learning.
Effective teaching methods are one of the significant components of impactful outcomes. Most importantly, the idea of joyful learning is to be inculcated among the pupils. Under this indicator, the major reflection was put on detailed lesson planning, attention was drawn to real-life practices, concept building, encouraging learners confidence, managing multi-classroom management.
This indicator reflects whether the headmaster (& team) are having a pedagogical and didactical vision or policy present, whether they are jointly making strategic plans, systematic monitoring & evaluation of teachers performance, and systematic monitoring of student performance.
For every child, parents are the best teachers in the formative years. However, in rural areas the parents literacy being low, is a concern. In such situations, it is very important to have a for parents to be in touch with the child's teachers for better monitoring of the child's progress. Further, the community's involvement in proper school functioning is also vital. To address such issues, the existence and effectiveness of School Management Committees (SMC) or Parents teachers Association, teachers direct responsiveness and relationship with parents was established through counselling and training. Regular meetings were ensured for an impactful result.
SCHOOL BUILDING- MUNDAPADA GUPS


Primary education also called an elementary education is typically the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool and before secondary education (The first two grades of primary school, Grades 1 and 2, are also part of early childhood education). Primary education usually takes place in a primary school or elementary school. In some countries, primary education is followed by middle school, an educational stage which exists in some countries, and takes place between primary school and high school. Primary Education in Australia consists of grades foundation to grade 6. In the United States, primary education is Grades 1-3 and elementary education usually consists of grades 1-6.The United Nations Millennium Development Goal 2 was to achieve universal primary education by the year 2015, by which time their aim was to ensure that all children everywhere, regardless of race or gender, will be able to complete primary schooling.In Somalia, pupils start primary school when they are 7 and finish it at the age of 11 starting from form 1 to form 4. Pupils must firstly have attended casual school known as dugsi and learnt the Muslim holy book Qur'an, and the meaning of the Arabic language. Pupils who had not done this are not permitted to start primary school as they will be examined before starting. Pupils' age may sometimes vary seeing that some pupils achieve higher than their predicted grade and may skip the year while some require to repeat the year if they had not achieved the grade required from them. After finishing primary, students move to intermediate school.In Bangladesh, students attend primary schools for six years. Primary/secondary education in Bangladesh is segregated as Primary (Pre school 1 Year + Class 1 -5), Junior High School (Class 6 - Class-10) and Higher Secondary or intermediate (11th and 12th Class) are as follows :In Australia, students undertake preschool then 13 years of schooling before moving to vocational or higher education. Primary schooling for most children starts after they turn 5 years old. In most states, children can be enrolled earlier at the discretion of individual school principals on the basis of intellectual giftedness. In Victoria, New South Wales, Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania students then move through Kindergarten/Preparatory School/Reception and Years 1 to 6 before starting high school. In Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia students do Year 7 while still enrolled at primary school, although most governmental primary schools are moving to a K to 6 structure to line up with the other states in order to ensure that Year 7 students are able to undertake laboratory practical components of the national syllabus.In Denmark, 0 - 9 grade is compulsory primary education.In Canada, primary school (also referred to as elementary school) usually begins at ages three or four, starting with either Kindergarten or Grade 1 and lasts until age 13 or 14. Many places in Canada have a split between primary and elementary schools.Brazil has recently gone through changes in school grades. Currently, at the age of 6 children attend from the grade 1 to 4 what is called Ensino Primário (Portuguese for Primary Teaching, or Primary School), and afterwards from grade 5 to 9 the Ensino Fundamental (Fundamental Teaching/School). At the age of 15 the teenagers go to Ensino Médio (Mid Teaching/School), which is equivalent High School in other countries, but it is only 3 years long (grades 10 to 12) and can either be a regular or technical course.


Calvin Coolidge stated, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” It got me wondering, how we can foster – teach, if you will – persistence? My best conclusion is that like most of the behaviors our students learn from us, we must model it. So, I started sharing things I am working on with my students; the ups and the downs of the journey. All the while helping them see persistence. Will it help? I don’t know. But I figure it can’t hurt.
Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
About the Author
Dr. Boonshaft is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. Dr. Boonshaft is currently on the faculty of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where he is Professor of Music and Director of Bands. He has also been named Director of Education for KHS America. He was honored by the National Association for Music Education and Music For All as the first recipient of the “George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education.”
The content of this Blog article or Banded Story is the intellectual property of the author(s) and cannot be duplicated without the permission of KHS America and/or the author(s). Standard copyright rules apply.


Based on a self-reported measure of overqualification, this article examines the association between overqualification and skills among workers aged 25 to 64 with a university degree, using data from the 2012 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). This article also examines the extent to which overqualified workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. Overqualified workers are defined in this study as university-educated workers who reported that they were in a job requiring no more than a high school education.
- In 2012, about 12% of workers aged 25 to 64 with a university degree reported that they were working in a job that did not require more than a high school education (i.e., they were “overqualified”). Another 19% said that their job required a college education, while 69% said that their job required a university education.
- Among overqualified university graduates aged 25 to 64, 47% had lower literacy skills and 54% had lower numeracy skills. Having a lower skill level is defined as obtaining a level 2 or lower (out of 5) on tests administered by PIAAC.
- The factors associated with overqualification are not necessarily the same for lower-skilled and higher- skilled university graduates. Having a mother tongue other than English or French, for example, was significantly associated with overqualification for those with a lower skill level, but not for those with a higher skill level.
- Overqualified university graduates use fewer skills in the workplace. For example, they performed 25% of the information and communications technology (ICT) activities listed in PIAAC on a weekly basis, compared with 55% for those who reported that their job required a university education.
- After accounting for other factors that are related to job satisfaction, about 13% of overqualified university graduates were not satisfied with their job in 2012. This compared with 3% for those who were in a university-level position.
Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Overqualification, skills and job satisfaction
Pingback: Skills Gap and Tertiary Education in New Zealand – Employer satisfaction with graduates is mixed | Job Market Monitor - October 1, 2016


With Election Day around the corner, now is the time to get students involved in how the election process works and informed about why it is important for them to be voting citizens.
Prior to introducing this lesson to students, create a poster (or two, depending on the size of the student population you will be polling) to track your polling results and gather background information about the gubernatorial (or other) candidates in your state. Click here for a customizable Election Results Chart poster template. This website offers links to most states’ candidates.
Begin by activating students’ prior knowledge about elections by reading a picture book about elections or simply holding a class discussion. Then, show students pictures of each candidate and read a short background about each candidate and their platform.
Once students are educated about the candidates, hold a mock election in your classroom, having students participate in the voting process by writing the candidate they are voting for on a piece of paper and submitting it to a box or bucket. Record the classes’ votes by writing tally marks under the appropriate candidate on the Election Results Chart poster. When all of the votes are tallied, declare the winning candidate. Model how to create a bar graph to show a visual representation of the classroom’s election results. Use the Graph Paper Poster Maker template (VIS061) to show students how to create a bar graph.
Next, organize students into small groups and have them decide on a student population outside of the classroom that they will poll. Ideas include assigning each group a different class in your grade, or even a different grade. Schedule time for students to visit other classes, present information about each candidate, poll students, and record their votes.
When each group has conducted their polling, have them record the results by tallying the votes on the classroom poster(s). Then, have all students use the data to create a bar graph for each class. Discuss any trends that students see in the data.
After Election Day, compare the school’s results with the results of the state-wide election.
Julia Cremin is a 6th grade Reading, Language Arts and Math teacher at O'Keeffe Middle School in Madison, WI. She is certified in Elementary Education (grades 1-9) with a minor in Mathematics. This is her fourth year teaching middle school.


There is no denying the power of music. Across cultural and societal lines, music has been proven to bring people together. A recent study from the Tokyo University of Arts went so far as to claim this was why music was first developed: to create communities and societies. As we age, music plays an important role in our quality of life.
Last April, live renditions of piano pieces could be heard echoing throughout several Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services (CMSS) locations. The Music Institute of Chicago (MIC), which provides musical education for people of all ages and abilities, chose CMSS as one of their partners during their inaugural 2015 Community Music Festival. During this festival, MIC students played 100 concerts over 16 days across the Chicagoland area.
“At Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services, we believe music is an important and powerful resource for our community, and have always incorporated it into our programming. It can have a profound effect on seniors, just as music moves all generations.” said Ann Brennan, Coordinator of Volunteer Programs and Development Administration at CMSS.
“Two MIC students, Cheryl Stone and Norris Larson, played the piano at each of our three communities, bringing much joy to all. Mr. Larson, who learned how to play the piano in his early 70’s, had to finally stop playing after three encores at Covenant Home because his hands hurt from playing for so long. You could tell he was thrilled to have such an encouraging and appreciate audience!” she said.
Though no doubt rewarding for the volunteers who came to play, this performance also had a huge impact on the seniors in attendance. Playing and listening to music can have tremendously positive effects on seniors, both physically and emotionally. According to studies detailed by Music Education Research International, “Active music participation holds numerous benefits for senior citizens,” from mental and physical health, to overall happiness.
Below are some of the many benefits music can have on older adults.
1. Memory Enhancement
Throughout life, music often finds itself tied to unique memories. A time in your past may be defined by one particular song or style of music. This is no different for seniors; music can have a huge impact on mental health.
A study published in the Oxford University Journal, Cerebral Cortex, found that memory can be improved by listening to music. Music can force a kind of automatic recall, bringing what may have been considered a previously lost memory back to the surface, while also exercising a person’s day-to-day short term memory. For seniors with dementia, this is a hugely powerful tool.
In the video below, a man suffering from dementia who rarely speaks or moves suddenly comes alive when presented with music from his past.
2. Improvements in Overall Health
While music is proven to help with memory, active participation in music has shown to have many other health benefits for seniors, including:
- Pain and stress relief, which can lead to a reduced need for medicine and an overall healthier life.
- Stroke recovery, where listening to music helps increase verbal memory while also reducing the risk of recovery slowing depression.
- Blood pressure and heart health improvement as a result of listening to classical music.
- Boosting immune system health, affording seniors the ability to better ward off diseases.
3. Greater Happiness
Engaging with a community via music has immense benefits on people of all ages, but especially so with older adults. Living an active lifestyle is key to slowing the effects of aging, and participation in music helps shape this lifestyle.
The National Institute on Aging recommends seniors learn something new, including playing an instrument, to achieve a more active lifestyle. The institute makes note of how aging can sometimes lead to isolation, which in turn raises the risks of seniors falling into depression. Playing an instrument and learning from others, however, can encourage group socialization, which dramatically reduces these risks.
According to Music Education Research International, “Through music participation, senior citizens are able to (a) increase self-understanding, (b) achieve success as learners, (c) participate in experiences that are rewarding and interesting, and (d) express themselves creatively. These elements have been shown to enhance the quality of life of older adults.”
What this all adds up to is a greater level of happiness for seniors, which only increases mental and physical health. Studies have proven this, and volunteers like those from MIC have put it into action. A little music can go a long way.


Students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are currently sitting for the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. These tests are supposedly designed to identify whether students have the “literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for their learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community.”
However, there are a number of serious concerns about NAPLAN, including causing health problems such as stress, anxiety, as well as vomiting and sleeplessness. NAPLAN has also been criticised for encouraging teaching to the test, the promotion of supplements, narrowing the curriculum and manipulation and cheating by schools.
Given these growing concerns about the impacts of NAPLAN, it is important to consider just what this expensive standardised literacy testing program actually measures.
Testing the ability to do tests
Just as I.Q. tests do little more than test someone’s ability to do an I.Q. test, NAPLAN primarily measures students’ capacity to effectively sit NAPLAN tests.
Students as young as seven are made to sit in a room up to twice a day over three days, 40 minutes at a time and use pencil and paper to complete tests with about 40 questions on them. These tests are broken into reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
The nature of the tests as one-size-fits-all means that the diverse social and cultural differences of students are ignored, while different learning styles and ways of knowing and understanding are stymied. The tests have also been criticised of having an Anglo-Australian bias that privileges white, middle class world views.
It seems nonsensical that pencil and paper tests conducted in a couple of hours over three days can even begin to measure the complexities of literacy learning and knowledge of our young people. Yet, each May since 2008, this is exactly what the Australian government has attempted to do.
Further, despite being touted as a useful diagnostic tool for schools and teachers, there are limited benefits to improving literacy outcomes for students when the test results are released in October, five months after students have sat them. Anyone who has ever raised or taught young children will know that five months is a lifetime in the learning development of children.
More than reading and writing
The version of literacy valued by pencil and paper tests is one that fits with a skills-based traditional approach to learning, which has limited relevance in the lives of young people today. Reading, spelling, grammar, punctuation and writing are necessary and important skills, but they fall well short of the range of skills and knowledge needed for young people to thrive as literate citizens in today’s information and media rich environment.
A large amount of research has been done into new literacies over the past couple of decades. These new literacies make use of new communication technologies, such as the internet, portable computing and mobile phones, along with visual and critical literacy, gaming, art, film, drama and music.
There is enormous potential in these new literacies for young people to engage in meaning making that is critical and creative. Continuing to privilege pencil and paper testing of reading and writing makes little sense when the lives of young people involve much more complex ways of communicating and accessing information through a wide variety of media.
Music as literacy?
One growing area of interest is in the intersection of music and literacy. Music has long been accepted as an important feature in the lives of young people, with popular music and youth culture intertwined since Bill Hayley and the Comets released “Rock Around the Clock”. Less known are the deep connections of music and language, and the capacity for music to act as a vehicle for literacy learning.
There are obvious links that can be made between song lyrics and language, but less obvious are the other links to learning, where music develops auditory and metacognitive processes through singing, rhyme, rhythm and percussion. A simple example of this is through mnemonics such as the alphabet song, where pitch and rhythm work together to trigger linguistic cues.
Music links to reading in ways that we are only beginning to understand. Motivation, cueing and comprehension are all aided through music. In other words, if we want to improve our students’ reading and writing skills, we should get them singing more.
This is the kind of innovative teaching that should be done in schools to build up literacy skills in students. But with tests like NAPLAN increasingly dominating the school day and encouraging teachers to teach to the test, will there be any room left? Perhaps if NAPLAN could measure singing then things would be very different.


Served from 1919 through 1935
Chief Justice: 1927, 1934
Nelson Sharpe was born in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada, on August 25, 1858, and received his elementary education in the public schools of that province. His formal education continued when he entered Albert College, Belleville, Ontario. Nature endowed him with a strong, well-balanced mind in a strong body.
His real education, however, commenced when, at the age of 24, he moved to the little town of West Branch, Michigan, among the pine forests of Ogemaw County. There, in partnership with his brother Albert, he published a newspaper and practiced law. He became an American citizen in 1888.
In 1893, the Thirty-Fourth Judicial Circuit, consisting of six counties, was created by an act of the legislature. Governor John Rich appointed Sharpe to be the first Judge of this vast circuit. He was an outstanding trial judge for many years. In fact, he attained such eminence that without political influence he was selected for the Michigan Supreme Court on merit alone. He began service in 1919, filling the vacancy left by Russell Ostrander. Sharpe served for 26 years as Circuit Judge of the Thirty-Fourth Judicial Circuit, and for 16 years as a Justice in the Michigan Supreme Court.
Sharpe was not particularly ambitious. He was content with his work in the Circuit. He was devoted to his family, and maintained a large apartment so that they might be comfortable in case they chose to visit him. Sharpe was a man who did not desire fame or fortune. He was content with his achievements and received more joy from the rewards of his family. (Michigan Supreme Court. Michigan Reports: Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of Michigan. Chicago: Callaghan and Co., 1879–1948, Vol. 274.)
Nelson Sharpe died on October 20, 1935.
Seyffret, Leopold Gould
Oil on canvas
74.3cm X 62.07cm (29 1/4″ X 24 7/16″)
State of Michigan
Hall of Justice – 6th Floor:
Chief Justice McCormack’s Suite
Portrait photo by:
Doug Elbinger, Lansing – June 1996


Learning the Language of Art
Learning the words of Art as students draw, paint and create helps them develop and grow in their learning. As students learn the practical aspects of art, teachers have the opportunity to relate it back to literacy development, and weave art principles throughout the rest of the curriculum.
The activities in this resource will develop a sound art vocabulary based around the elements of art and the 5 senses in students. This lays the foundation on which their growth as young artists depends. If they can talk and think about their artworks they will be able to plan them more effectively and to communicate the stories they want to share both verbally and visually.
They will also have a vocabulary which will enable them to describe and analyse the work of other artists. In part one the focus is on the elements of art, the building blocks which artists use to construct their works. In part two the five senses are addressed. In the third part of the book the different kinds of art tools and materials are covered.
Throughout this resource there are also ways in which each unit can be linked to other curriculum areas. For instance the art element texture can be explored in Art, but also in Nature Studies, Drama, Dance, Technology, and Story Writing. This broadens the students’ understanding of this art element, and provides teachers with a rich base to create meaningful learning experiences.


Research has shown that students who receive a high quality music education and actively participate in music ensembles consistently perform at higher academic levels. In addition, music involvement teaches children many skills necessary to succeed in life, such as self-confidence and self-discipline, and also helps to build interpersonal skills and social-emotional awareness.
A recent study (December 2020) from MIT shows that learning to play an instrument increase brain power. Click HERE to read about it!
Please enjoy the following presentation that was shared with the parent communities of the JAMS pathway elementary schools.
Meet a few of our JAMS musicians (current and alumni), and hear their thoughts about how music impacts their lives.
Samantha Will Rogers '19, JAMS '22
Max John Muir '16, JAMS '19, Samohi '23
Jordan Grant ' 10, JAMS '13, Samohi '17, MIT '21
Carlos Edison '09, JAMS '12, Samohi '16, Stanford '20
And, some final thoughts from former First Lady Michelle Obama on the importance of the arts.


I want to be a teacher but I don’t have a degree.
Earning a bachelor’s degree is the first step towards obtaining a teaching certificate since in all states holding a bachelor’s degree is a requirement for licensure to teach in K-12 public schools. A bachelor’s degree in education is typically centered on a specific major, such as elementary education or secondary education, in order to prepare graduates to teach children in specific grades and subjects. For those who already have a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than education, there are plenty of master’s in general education programs available.
While the majority of teaching programs are focused on specific subjects within a grade or age range, there are other general education degree programs that can prepare educators to teach multiple subjects. Regardless of the subjects to be taught, prospective educators should have a love of working with children and a passion for teaching. A commitment to lifelong learning is also essential, as teachers must stay up-to-date in both teaching practice and their subject area(s).


Take a few minutes to enjoy the coolest selected and very simple to understand Animal Images easy science for children video:
Why Watch this Animal Images Video
Watch this beautiful picture slideshow of different kinds of animals. This video will show a lot of animal images of different types of birds, wild animals and even small animals you might have seen in a park. Kids will enjoy this video as they try to identify as many of the animals as they can.
Your kid will learn a lot from enjoying this Animal Images facts for kids video and significantly expand your children’s everything about Animal Images.
This Animal Images video is suggested for your children, from those kids participating in early learning programs for pre-Kindergarten kids, to 5th grade, obviously including young youngsters and kids undertaking homeschooling.
Go on and increase your knowhow by watching our readily available FREE educational videos for kids, personally chosen by our professional editors. These science kids videos are an extensive catalog of science for kids videos on our science kids website. Discover a lot more remarkable as well as academic albeit enjoyable science facts on our free science enrichment resource for your young ones about the world around us, and make sure to check out our many FREEBIE fun worksheets, NO COST interactive online quizzes with score system and free to play games for kids.
Liked this Animal Images video? Dip into much longer info on the subject of Animals.


Purposes of the Course
This course is a required course in the Bachelor of Education (kindergarten and elementary) program. It is the second course in a two-course sequence designed to help you learn to teach mathematics.
One primary goal of this course is to deepen your knowledge of mathematics necessary for teaching (specifically in the domains of measurement, geometry, and probability and statistics). The course features an investigative approach to mathematics with opportunities to explore the conceptual underpinnings of the focal mathematical ideas typically encountered in elementary education (K-6).
Our goals are to support you to deepen your own mathematical understanding in these domains while providing you with insight into how children tend to learn big mathematical ideas over time: what strategies they typically use, what they find challenging, and why.


In this video learn How to Draw a Simple Modern House in 2-Point Perspective. Enjoy this video and master the fundamentals of Perspective Drawing with regular practice. Use the Drawing and Sketching supplies given below.
Perspective Drawing and Sketching Supplies you may need:
- Mixed Media Sketchbook And Drawing Pads
- Sketching And Drawing Art Pencil Kit
- Mix Media Paper Pad For Drawing And Painting
- Graphite Charcoal Pencils With Sketch Pad
- Graphite Charcoal Pencils Set For Artists
- Faber Castell Graphite Set For Sketching
Details of How to Draw a Simple Modern House in 2-Point Perspective
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See How to Draw a Simple Modern House using 2-Point Perspective, pencil drawing tutorial. Click here for more information:
Circle Line Art School Episode #434: How to Draw a Modern House in 2-Point Perspective Pencil Drawing Tutorial.
Music used in this drawing tutorial:
Song of Sadhana by Jesse Gallagher
Watch Next: How to Draw Perspective Playlist:
I hope you LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE:
Hi, my name is Tom McPherson and I founded Circle Line Art School as an online art education resource for all. My aim is to inspire people to learn to draw and be more creative.
Would you like to learn to draw from scratch?
For details of my new online drawing course for beginners please visit:
Thank you for your support and have a great day!
Circle Line Art School
Learn how to draw online for free with Circle Line Art School


Learning to read changes children's phonological skills: evidence from a latent variable longitudinal study of reading and nonword repetition.
Nation K., Hulme C.
Individual differences in nonword repetition are associated with language and literacy development, but few studies have considered the extent to which learning to read influences phonological skills as indexed by nonword repetition performance. We explored this question using a latent variable longitudinal design. Reading, oral language and nonword repetition were assessed in 215 children at age 6 years and one year later at age 7. Reading at 6 years predicted growth in nonword repetition between 6 and 7 years, independent of the effects of oral language skills and the autoregressive effect of nonword repetition at 6 years, but nonword repetition was not a longitudinal predictor of the growth of reading. These findings demonstrate that learning to read has a powerful effect on children's language processing systems. We consider how learning to read might influence speech processing, and discuss the implications of our findings for theoretical accounts of reading disorder.


Music is feeling, music is expression and music can be magic. We knew from the beginning that music would be part of our core curriculum at Ideaventions Academy. As I told my own kids, music is good for the soul.
In researching the benefits of music, I came across a number of studies that have shown the positive effects of the active engagement in music on concentration, community bonding, among others. Frank Fitzpatrick explains it best in his blog Music and the Brain: Rhythm and Playing.
What immediately came to mind when I thought of a music program was Stomp (introduced to me by an Ideaventions family). Our goal is to give children a program that teaches them how to experience music anywhere, with anything, while having fun! And, while I used to “trek” up to Harvard to listen to the St. Paul’s Boys Choir on Sundays, I knew that for Ideaventions Academy, our music program needed to have movement.
I have seen the negative effects of repeated, stressful rehearsals with an expectation of perfection on young children. Instead of loving and appreciating music, the kids got turned away from music or developed anxiety. This reinforced our core philosophy of fun music anywhere. From a practical standpoint, we had to account for children’s varied experience with different instruments, their temperament, natural abilities and the goals of music education in a micro school setting.
When I think back to basics of my music education and years of playing clarinet, three core concepts that come to mind are keeping the beat (think tapping the foot), being able to hear pitch and feeling the rhythm (and in the case of the clarinet, also knowing how to breathe was key). That’s what a music program based on drumming provides. It teaches kids how to 1) keep a steady beat, 2) internalize the rhythm in music and 3) learn over time how to hear differences in pitch. Kids can then take these three core skills to any other musical instrument that they want to learn to play or are already playing outside of school.
I was very fortunate to be introduced to Kofi Dennis by my children’s music teacher. In working with him, the idea for the music program took shape - hand drums, specifically, the djembe. If you have not had the opportunity to see African drums and how much fun it can be, check out this video. Kofi has developed our music program, Drumming for Concepts, whose primary goals are for children to:
a) Work to enhance their music capabilities and independence, and
b) Nurture the music within oneself, one's community and world
To read more about music and music education, check out Frank Patrick’s blog on Huffington Post.
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March is Music in Our Schools Month, and the need for music education in schools couldn't be greater. Many people assume music is taught in all schools. They would be wrong. For many people, when they were in school, music classes were a consistent part of the curriculum. But over the last decades, schools have cut music programs under budget pressures.
The NYC Department of Education just released the 2013-14 Arts in Schools Report. Fifty-nine percent of New York City schools do not have a full-time certified music teacher, and only 36 percent of 6th-8th graders reported participating in music, according to the report.
Why is music important? We hear from Education Through Music partner schools that students are more engaged, attendance rates increase, and academic achievement rises. Research supports what our partner schools are saying, as data last year confirmed that students at ETM partner schools showed greater academic achievement than their peers in non-ETM schools.
Numerous other research and data have confirmed the positive impact of music education in schools:
Young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year, compared to children who do not receive musical training? (Source: National Association for Music Education)
According to Americans for the Arts, students with an education rich in the arts have better grade point averages, score better on standardized tests in reading and math, and have lower dropout rates -- findings that cut across all socio-economic categories.
In 2010, students who took four years of arts and music classes in high school scored 102 points higher on their SATs.
- Scored higher in writing and science
- Were more likely to participate in extracurricular activities
- Had a higher GPA
- Were five times less likely to drop out of high school
- Attended and done well in college;
- Obtained employment with future growth;
- Participated in the political process by voting; and
- Volunteered in their communities.
This month, Education Through Music hopes everyone who has been positively impacted by having music education in their life, will be an advocate to bring quality music education to all children.


I can correctly spell words with y to i; adding a suffix to words.
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
Students will practice spelling words applying the“y to i” rule when creating plurals and adding suffixes. A variety of exercises will reinforce this skill, ending with a lively spelling game called Sparkle.
Students will be able to correctly spell words applying the “y to i” add a suffix rule.
The lesson begins by encouraging students to think about spelling rules they already know. They will be given a rule, such as "word with a long vowel sound," and then be asked to come up with a word.
Beginning this lesson is a review on the prerequisite skill of quickly identifying a vowel by clapping when one is revealed. They also practice taking a word apart into the root and suffix. The “y to i” rule” is then introduced along with examples of how to apply it to spelling. The students are instructed that this rule is used to make plurals as well as adding a suffix. This is followed by a drag and drop activity sorting words that would use the rule. A paragraph to proofread for the correct use of this rule provides further practice.
Students respond to ten multiple-choice and true/false questions.
Students will learn the rules of the spelling game “Sparkle.” They are provided with 4 words to spell and then are encouraged to add some more words that they have learned from the lesson. The game continues until there is just one speller left.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


By Ola Stepien
Chicago Public Schools offers to teach bilingual courses through the Transitional Bilingual Education Program and the Dual Language Program. Both programs do not receive the same treatment.
The Transitional Bilingual Education Program and Dual Language Program is that Bilingual Program eventually has students taking classes all in English. Meanwhile, the Dual Language Program has students learning both languages for the duration of their entire elementary education. The Dual Language Program is offered at 40 CPS schools, and they’re mainly in gentrified communities in the city. While the Dual Language Program serves English Learning (EL) students, the program takes place in schools where EL students are moving from, like Logan Square and Pilsen, due to the higher cost of living.
Nice White Parents, an investigative podcast from the New York Times by Chana Joffee-Walt, mentions how middle-class white parents promote and help create programs that will only benefit their children. One case was a French Dual Language Program in a neighborhood school where their children went, in a neighborhood school where the languages spoken were English, Spanish, and Arabic.
Read more: How is Illinois handling bilingual teacher vacancies?
According to the University of Chicago, 80% of CPS Students that are EL in kindergarten are fully proficient by the time they’re in the 8th grade. However, most CPS elementary schools that provided the Transitional Bilingual Education Program between 2017 and 2020 failed to meet the district’s expectations.
Teachers are entitled to offer instruction in students’ native languages, and schools need to have bilingual teachers and must serve students with disabilities. In addition, students must have connections with their teachers. According to Brookings Institution, when Latino students have Latino teachers- they take more advanced courses during their academic careers. When Black students have Black teachers- they perform better on math and English assessments.
Establishing a more diverse environment, especially with language learning, is crucial for students learning a second language. However, almost half of the teachers at CPS are white, not matching the race demographics of the students, creating a barrier between the teachers and the students. Yet, there could be light at the end of the tunnel with the new Chicago Bilingual Teacher Residency Program, a program trying to gain new teachers who are linguistically and racially diverse into the workforce.


I can recognize and read the words "would," "long," and "water."
8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
Students learn to master the sight words "would," "long," and "water."
Students will be able to recognize and read the words "would," "long," and "water."
Students begin by matching uppercase to lowercase letters. Then, they will discuss sight words and explain that knowing sight words will make reading easier because sometimes it is not possible to sound them out. Sight words are words that are very frequent in stories or texts.
The lesson goes through the same process for each of the three sight words. First, the word is introduced and used in sentences. After that, students will look at and say the word. They will clap, tap their feet, and stomp their feet while spelling the words. Students then practice identifying and writing the word. Complete the word by filling in the missing letters. Then students will do a couple of fun dragging activities that involve identifying these sight words.
Students are given 10 questions in which they are asked to listen to the speaker and rearrange the letters to spell the word they hear, determine which word has been said, and identify the speaker that says a given word.
Students will explain how being able to build and read sight words makes them a stronger reader. Ask students to spell the words. Finally, students will play a Spin the Wheel game.
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.


Elementary education is also known as primary education. This is the first stage in the formal education system and begins at the age of 5 to 7 and ends at age 11 to 13. In countries like the United Kingdom, the term primary is replaced with elementary. However, in the US, the term primary refers to the first three years of elementary education- i.e., grades 1 to 3. Elementary education is also referred to as a form of preschool for children ages 3 to 5 or 6 and is followed by secondary education. Despite the cultural and social differences among different countries, the curriculum and objective of elementary education remain the same. All nations are committed to enhancing mass education. For this, an increasing agreement can be seen among nations to the effect that citizenship is one of the main goals of elementary education. In the curriculum, the emphasis is laid on reading, writing, arithmetic skills, and other social studies and science skills.


This week maths mania took over Holmwood, with everyone getting involved with fun and engaging real world maths. Pi Day was a highlight where the school was full of Times Table Rock Stars. The Years 4-8 Pizza Project saw pupils using an array of real world maths skills to make pizzas for their Buddies received and top marks from everyone!
The Pizza Project for Years 4-8 applied theoretical concepts they had learnt in the classroom to a real-life situation: starting a pizza business. For instance, they had to survey their buddies to find out what their favourite pizza toppings were, then they used concepts such as percentages, ratios, costings and learnt about profit and loss, so they could make decisions that impact businesses. Students who understand these concepts are better equipped to make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives.
Building Skills for Life
The pupils were all really engaged and could see that the maths they had been learning in class were important skills for them to master and when connected to a real-life situation, they could see the relevance of what they are learning and they all really enjoyed the challenge. They realised that these critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential skills in the workforce and later life and these numeracy skills are essential for making informed decisions in any field.
All year groups thoroughly enjoyed the week. Year 3 made some delicious looking chocolate muffins inspired by Bruce’s chocolate cake in Matilda (the book they are studying at the moment). They loved measuring out and weighing all the ingredients.
Year 2 had a challenge linked to their Towers, Tunnels and Turrets theme. They had to build the tallest tower possible that was strong enough to balance an apple on it for 1 minute. This brought together lots of measurement and time skills
Reception had a wonderful time with Year 8 and they all worked together brilliantly on their measuring skills!Categories: News Category 1


Thank you so much for your enthusiasm on these levels. We are working on them, we promise!
Get Started with Off We Go!
Advance with Level 3
And What About Level 4 and 5?
Level 4 Chapter Books are set to release one at time.
A review of our nation’s literacy statistics reveals that we are not effectively teaching our children how to read. A mounting body of research clearly indicates that most children need explicit instruction as to the relationship between sounds and letters. With phonics, children have a strategy to tackle nearly 85% of the words they encounter. Most importantly, efficient decoding is the critical first step needed for comprehension.
Whole Phonics is a social enterprise committed to supporting communities in need. A percentage of the sales will be directed to assisting schools with the weakest reading scores. We also aim to support teachers in their quest to teach all children to read, which includes knowledge of phonics instruction. With super fun materials and teacher education, we can improve our literacy statistics. Let’s make sure that every child has the tools needed for a productive life.


The Curriculum at Windmill
Windmill Primary School Curriculum Statement
Our curriculum is a reflection of the core values of the school. It is designed to be inclusive, inspiring and to support us in delivering our school vision and the National Curriculum. The delivery of the curriculum takes into account neuroscientific research.
To find out more about our values, click here: Values at Windmill
To find out more about how we teach different subjects, click here: Subjects at Windmill
The Learning Culture at Windmill
At Windmill we use neuroscience to underpin our approach to teaching and learning. We have a scheme of work which outlines how we teach the children about their brain. All children learn about the formation of neural pathways as we learn new things, so that they understand why we make mistakes and need to practise to become masters of new skills.
To download a copy of our curriculum rationale, please see the documents at the bottom of the page.
We believe that the more interactive the teaching, the more likely children will be able to retain skills and knowledge. Many key facts are taught through singing, dancing and fun interactive games.
Curriculum Organisation across the school
The content of the National Curriculum is mapped through topics across year groups to ensure appropriate continuity and progression of skills and knowledge within each subject.
Subject leaders are responsible for supporting and planning and monitoring of each specific subject.
In addition to the National Curriculum, we embrace opportunities to extend and inspire learning and experiences to ensure that children leave Windmill as lifelong learners.
Subjects (including Literacy and Science) are integrated where there is a common theme of learning.
Curriculum Organisation in year
Each year group plans for the expected subject specific outcomes based on progression from the previous year group. Key skills and knowledge are planned and delivered through engaging and exciting teaching.
Year groups review topics annually to assess impact on learning and to tailor forthcoming learning to the cohort.
As children progress through the school they will encounter a set of core concepts which link directly to our school vision. Each year the children will meet these concepts across a range of curriculum subjects and within different contexts to support their understanding.
The concepts are: Power, Resistance, Sustainability, Source, Diversity and Creation.
Curriculum/Topic overviews for individual year groups can be found on the relevant year group pages.
Please find more information below about the curriculum overviews for Year 1-6.
You can also see and download details of the Primary National Curriculum.


Discover the Ward Method! Free Online Info Session March 21, 2023
Developed in the early part of the 20th century for use as a Catholic school music curriculum, the Ward Method is a comprehensive music education system designed to promote the active participation of children in the sacred liturgy through the singing of Gregorian chant.
Starting from the premise that all children can sing, the method presents vocal technique, ear training, music reading, phrasing, rhythm, and improvisation in the form of short games and activities which progress from the known to the unknown.
At the heart of the method is the development of the musicianship and spiritual disposition needed for the singing of the Church’s Gregorian chant in the sacred liturgy.
Learning how to teach using the method is accessible to classroom teachers, parish music directors, and parents alike. The Ward method is an engaging methodology that can form the basis for any Catholic school curriculum, parish children’s choral program, or music class in a homeschool co-op. Some elements of the pedagogy are even useful for the instruction of adults in Gregorian chant.
Join Dr. Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka (William P. Mahrt Chair in Sacred Music, Program Director of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park) as she presents a free online information session about the method.
Participants will discover answers to the following questions:
- What is the goal of the Ward Method?
- What are the basic principles of the Ward Method?
- What are the elements in a lesson?
- How can I use the pedagogical methodology in rehearsals with older students and adults to learn chant?
The information session will include a discussion of the method, demonstration videos, and an opportunity for questions and answers.
Participants will also find out more about the July 10 to 14 class of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music, “Teaching Gregorian Chant to Children,” which focuses on fully equipping and training teachers to use Book 1 of the Ward Method, among other topics.
Spaces in the online information session are limited to 99 participants. The information session will be presented via Zoom.
Participants who RSVP will receive a link to login to Zoom for the live session.


Resources to Support Literacy Development
Literacy development leads to school success. Fostering and supporting literacy development should be about developing and promoting the enjoyment of reading. This webpage contains age and grade-level strategies for supporting literacy development. We also provide an opportunities for families to see what a typical literacy lesson looks like in different grade levels. Families will also find resources for adult literacy development, assessment, and information about the Wisconsin Parent Teacher Association.
Resources for All Ages and Grades
Additional Resources for Families:
- Information regarding the Wisconsin standardized assessments from the Office of Educational Accountability
- Information on what the Wisconsin Academic Standards are and why they are important
- The Wisconsin Parent Teacher Association, which is an organization focused on forming strong connections between schools and families
Adult Literacy Development
Wisconsin Literacy, Inc. is a statewide agency that provides tutors, resources, and support for adult literacy development, including English language learners.
Also, be sure to take advantage of the services and materials your library has to offer - visit your local library today!