Gifted is a term that applies to students with talents and skills in specific areas that exceed those of their peers, and a gifted resource teacher is someone who works with those students. These students are often much brighter than their peers and have issues forming relationships with others, which makes teaching those children difficult. Those who have experience in gifted and talented programs and students of this type often do best.<!- mfunc feat_school ->
- Online MSEd in Special Education (Ranked #11 Best Online Master’s in Special Education Program by U.S. News & World Report 2021)
- 100% online MS in Special Education Teaching
- M.Ed. in Elementary Education and Special Education (ITL); M.Ed. in Special Education: Moderate to Severe (ITL); M.Ed. in Special Education: Cross Categorical (Leads to initial teacher licensure)
- BA Special Education (Mild to Moerate) - Leads to single licensure in K - 12 special education; MA Teaching, Special Education (K-12)
- Few things are as important to our future as helping young people reach their potential. Build your character through masters-level education degree programs at Regis University.
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What are Gifted and Talented Teachers?
A gifted teacher also known as a gifted and talented teacher, is someone who works with students who have strong skills in one or more areas. Many schools let those students complete their own projects to gain credit, and those schools need teacher who can supervise the work that students do. Other schools offer advanced programs for students. While their peers take algebra or pre-algebra, the gifted students study geometry or calculus. The teachers working in this field must know how to relate to those who might have problems at home or at school due to their intelligence.<!- mfunc search_btn -> <!- /mfunc search_btn ->
College Needed for the Job
You need a degree to work as a gifted resource teacher, but the type of degree needed varies based on where you live. Many states will let you work as a gifted teacher with just a bachelor’s degree in an education field. Other states offer education programs that let you teach on the provision that you take graduate courses to earn a master’s in gifted education. There are a few states in the country that only let gifted teachers work in the field after completing an undergraduate degree, a graduate degree and a student teaching experience in a gifted and talented classroom.
Do You Need Certification?
Though gifted teachers do need state certification, depending on your state, you may not need any special credentials to teach gifted classes. Certification requirements vary from state to state, but you can contact the Department of Education in your state for more information. Some states offer a skills test that college graduates can use to receive certification, and other states use a criminal background check as part of its requirements. If you have any convictions for drugs, sexual crimes or other crimes, you may not pass the test. Several organizations do offer gifted resource certification, but you don’t need the certificate to teach in the field.
Tasks and Duties of the Job
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school teachers with a bachelor’s degree earn a median salary of more than $55,000 a year. Many of the teachers working with gifted students teach at the high school level, but there are also positions available in elementary schools and junior highs or middle schools. A gifted resource teacher may also find a job with a private school that focused on the education of gifted students. They supervise the work that students do, introduce them to new topics and subjects, assign homework and grade papers and tests of their students, and they provide emotional support when needed.
Related Resource: Become an Occupational Therapist<!- mfunc search_btn -> <!- /mfunc search_btn ->
Gifted children can feel ostracized from their peers because of the way they act and think. Teachers working with these students need to know how to foster their interest and make them comfortable with their intelligence. As a gifted resource teacher, you will work students in and out of the classroom.


Amongst the talk and debate around how schools should use the additional Federal Government funding they will receive following the Gonski review, there is a broadly accepted priority: early literacy.
Studies find that 16% of children have reading skills that fall below the average range and 5% have a significant reading impairment. Also that poor reading skills can limit children’s academic achievement, and increase their risk of emotional health and behavioural issues.
A new report by the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), Getting the most out of Gonski 2.0: The evidence base for school investments emphasises that to get the most out of the funding boost and improve outcomes, schools and policy makers should prioritise investments to improve literacy outcomes that are evidence-based and supported by rigorous and reliable research.
One of these is early literacy intervention. The evidence shows that intervention to help students who are underachieving in literacy is most effective in early primary, and phonics is essential to teaching reading. This is reflected in a randomised controlled trial study that was done by Macquarie University researchers, using LiteracyPlanet for sight word and phonics training with primary-aged children who were classified as poor readers.
LiteracyPlanet’s phonics content covers both of the most popular approaches to teaching phonics: synthetic (explicit) and analytic (implicit). The program’s sight word content covers all the usual lists and a long list of irregular or exception words that cannot be read accurately using phonics skills alone, compiled in consultation with Macquarie University and based on latest research findings.
The key findings from the Macquarie University study are that sight word and phonics training with LiteracyPlanet resulted in children with poor reading skills making gains in reading attainment that were statistically significant and large in effect size. The biggest treatment effects resulted from a combination of both sight words and phonics training.
Many studies have shown the positive effects of phonics instruction, including a review analysis that was done by the same researchers and reported in CIS’s 2016 report, Read About It: Scientific Evidence for Effective Teaching of Reading.
According to the CIS, better and more consistent instruction in early reading and phonics will help students across the board, particularly students disadvantaged by learning difficulties and from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Helping teachers to save time with administrative tasks like lesson planning, collaboration, and reviewing results will also make a difference.
LiteracyPlanet is an easy to use digital resource that can help improve literacy outcomes:
- Cost effective
- One multi-device platform that covers all key literacy skills, is curriculum-aligned from Foundation to Year 9, and suitable for all levels of ability.
- Proven by independent clinical research
- LiteracyPlanet is proven by the gold standard of evidence to improve outcomes.
- Saves time
- Fast and easy to use features for teachers assist with lesson planning, differentiation, sharing content with colleagues, and reviewing student results.
To learn more speak to a Literacy Development Manager. Enquire here.


Literacy and Justice for All – Chermaine Tolbert
Reading to children is crucial and beneficial as it supports children’s development and create transformative experiences for them. When we read to children, we are nurturing children’s curiosity, fostering creativity and imagination, promoting language and literacy development, cultivating a love for reading, encouraging lifelong learners, and supporting them to make connections to the world around them.
Reading should be an enjoyable experience for children. It is a way for children to see and hear themselves and make sense of the world around them. As we read to children, we are stimulating their brains, expanding their vocabulary, and moving them towards success in school and life. How we read to children makes a difference!
Here are some tips to consider when reading to and with children:
https://learn.coxcampus.org/resource/reading-with-children/ – to illustrations to help children understand key vocabulary • Act -help children understand important vocabulary by acting out these words • Tell – define key vocabulary using words the children understand • Use think-aloud to help children understand important parts of the story. You can say things like, “I wonder why…” or “She must feel… because… • Ask Open-Ended Questions At the end of the story, ask a “how” or “why” question to encourage children to discuss key events and characters’ thoughts and feelings related to those events (source: Rollins Center for Language and Literacy)
Want to learn more about our preschool programs ? Schedule a tour today


OverviewThe Read to Achieve Program is a part of the Excellent Public Schools Act which became law in July of 2012 and applied to all schools at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. Through the implementation of this program, it is the "goal of the State to ensure that every student read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency so that he or she can read, comprehend, integrate, and apply complex texts needed for secondary education and career success". Please see below for additional specifics and resources regarding this program and the implementation of the program in Cabarrus County. For specific questions, please contact your child's school or the elementary education office.How does Read to Achieve affect my child?Kindergarten through third grade students are assessed in reading three times per year - in August, January, and May. The assessments provide information to your child's teacher on the strengths and areas of growth for your child. The assessments measure their phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. The assessments provide valuable information to your child's teacher that assist the teacher in planning instructional experiences specific to the needs of your child.If your child is in third grade, your child will take the North Carolina End of Grade (EOG) reading test in May. If your child is not proficient on the EOG Reading test and did not demonstrate proficiency on the DIBELS8 diagnostic reading assessment or iReady (Lexile 725 or higher), then he or she will have the opportunity to take the Read to Achieve test. If your child does not demonstrate proficiency on the Read to Achieve test or qualify for an exemption, then your child will be invited to attend a district sponsored summer reading camp. This reading camp will be provided free of charge.Summer CampWe are excited that Cabarrus County Schools will be offering Summer Reading Camp for eligible students this summer. Please stay tuned for additional information in the Spring.Additional ResourcesThe following resources provide an overview of the Read to Achieve program:This video provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides a comprehensive overview of all components of the Read to Achieve law: Read to Achieve overview.Overview for Parents - The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has provided this written overview for parents.
Supporting Reading at Home
One of the best things you can do to help your child become a more proficient reader is to read with and to him or her everyday. Pick books that your child enjoys reading and that he or she is able to read successfully with just a little bit of support. One way to pick books with your child is to use the "I Pick" strategy: when I pick books, I choose books considering my purpose (Why do I want to read it?), my interest in the book (Does it interest me?), how well I comprehend the book (Do I understand what I am reading?), and how well I know the words (Do I know most of the words?).
Talk with your child about what he or she is reading. Ask him or her questions about the book and encourage your child to write about topics from the book that interest him or her.
Other IdeasVisit the local public library and check out books.Explore the many resources on Reading Rockets . Reading Rockets is a national multimedia literacy initiative that offers information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why they may struggle, and how adults can help.
Last Modified on October 4, 2021


Some minds are meant to work with numbers. For those who like to crunch the numbers and look at spreadsheets, a degree in accounting might be the right fit. University of Phoenix points out that many companies are in need of accountants, and there are a lot of opportunities for those with an accounting degree.
An accounting degree will provide the foundational skills for budgeting, bookkeeping and reporting. Those with accounting degrees may find work as a forensic accountant, bookkeeper or auditor. Jobs for an accountant may not require an MBA for certain entry-level positions, and a bachelor’s degree might be all someone needs to get started as a professional accountant.
With a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, University of Phoenix helps students learn how to work through complex accounting concepts including auditing, taxes, accounting software, accounting principles, managerial accounting and common industry standards. These can lead to a number of career options.
Career as an Accountant
The most straightforward and expected profession for someone with an accounting degree is to work as an accountant. An accountant analyzes financial information and supports an organization with professional advice for their books. The accountant might work with a number of organizations or businesses as a freelancer, or they may work in house for a corporation. During tax season, some accountants take on additional work to help people with their taxes.
The average accountant will need to become a certified public accountant (CPA) to progress in their career. Getting a CPA requires passing an exam and becoming an expert in the field. According to the BLS, the average salary for an accountant was $71,550 in 2019, and the industry is growing at an average rate of 4 percent.
Career as an Auditor
For those who want to check records and keep businesses in line, a career as an auditor may make an interesting choice. An auditor may work for a public employer like the IRS or for private companies to help catch mistakes before they become broader issues. As an auditor, a professional may help protect businesses from facing fines, closure or bad publicity.
On average, an auditor will make $71,150 yearly, according to the BLS. These jobs are often grouped with statistics for accountants since they are closely related.
Career as an Examining Officer
Those who take another look at the books might be called tax examiners, tax collectors or revenue agents. These professionals are skilled at checking financial reports and conducting audits. In some cases, professional examining officers will work in detective settings, checking paperwork that tax bureaus have flagged and examining the tax filings.
The average salary for a tax examiner was $54,890 in 2019 according to the BLS.
Careers as an Accounting Supervisor
For those who want to run departments or accounting teams, a supervisor position will hold more appeal. This high-level job requires a full understanding of accounting and a number of management skills. This is a challenging position that can be demanding, especially depending on the company or clients involved.
The BLS reports that financial managers make an average of $129,890 per year and are in high demand with an expected job outlook increase of 15 percent (much faster than average) from 2019 to 2029.
About University of Phoenix
Earning an accounting degree through University of Phoenix can help students prepare for opportunities in accounting while giving adult students the freedom of a flexible schedule. Aside from the quality education and degree itself, the University offers Career Services for Life™ to support graduates with finding the right professional opportunities. Transferable credit options from University of Phoenix make it easier for interested students to finish a degree without starting over.
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8,000 schools use Gynzy
92,000 teachers use Gynzy
1,600,000 students use Gynzy
Students will practice reading words with the r-controlled vowels ar and or. They will listen to words to determine if they have that sound as well as read them.
Students will be able to read words with r-controlled vowels.
Students begin by reviewing the 5 vowels. They listen to the short and long sound of each vowel. This is important because all words contain a vowel and there are rules to help them sound out words.
Students are shown word pairs such as ton and torn and they listen to hear how r changes the vowel sound. Then, they begin working with the ar which sounds like the word “are.” Next,they watch a video to see and hear several words with this vowel pattern. For further practice, they are shown pictures and they have to pick the one that has the r-controlled vowel. Students then practice a set of timed flashcards with ar words. Moving on, students work the r-controlled vowel or - which sounds like the word “or.” They listen to 3 words with this sound and match it to a picture. Continuing on, students listen for the sound and then check to see if they are right. More practice is provided with another set of flashcards with or words. There are two drills with mixed practice with words that contain either the or or ar. The drill includes sorting the words according to the sound and completing a word ladder
Students respond to ten multiple-choice and true/false questions.
Students will complete a poem that uses r-controlled words.
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.


This Numberblocks activity set focuses on the numbers 1 to 10. Students use the special edition Numberblocks MathLink cubes to build their own characters. The 30 Numberblocks maths learning activities are linked to the TV episodes.
These friendly Numberblocks from the popular TV series bring maths to life. Students see how numbers really work as they build their own Numberblocks from 1 to 20 and master new key early learning maths skills through hands-on discovery and play. Numberblocks are 10 friendly block characters, which go on adventures and sing many songs relating to a certain maths subject. The number of the blocks determines which numeral they stand for. The blocks help young students learn numeracy skills, especially how to count and do simple maths. With the Numberblocks sets, you can now bring these cute friends into the classroom!
- 100 MathLink® Cubes Numberblocks
- 59 Faceplates
- 54 Stickers
- 11 Numberlings
- 11 Character Cards
- 15 Double-sided, Reusable Activity Cards
- 1 Stand for Zero
- 1 Activity Guide
Suitable for ages 3+


For children turning 4 years old during year enrolled
Our Nursery 2 programmes cater to children between the ages of 4 and 5 years old. The main learning objectives of the programme include:
- Language and literacy development: Children continue to develop their reading and writing skills, and learn to read and write simple words and sentences.
- Numeracy: Children continue to develop their understanding of numbers, counting, and basic math concepts, such as addition and subtraction.
- Social and emotional development: Children learn to work in groups, follow rules, and develop their self-esteem and self-awareness.
- Cognitive development: Children learn to think critically, make connections, and solve problems.
- Physical development: Children continue to engage in gross and fine motor activities, such as climbing, jumping, running, and drawing.
- Self-care: Children continue to learn to take care of themselves, such as dressing themselves, washing their hands, and brushing their teeth.
- Creativity and self-expression: Children continue to learn to express themselves through art, music, and movement, and to engage in imaginative play.
- Early science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts: Children learn about the world around them through observation, experimentation, and inquiry-based activities.
- Cultural and environmental awareness: Children learn about different cultures and the world around them, and how to care for the environment.


Learning to Carve in a Nutshell
As Paul indicated in About Us, he fell in love with stone carving after viewing a particularly beautiful piece in the 1980’s. Since that time, he has immersed himself in Inuit carving and Arctic travel to learn all he could about carving, the carvers, their culture, and the places they live. He has used that experience and his 30 years of university teaching to create two types of educational programs for those who want to learn to carve or those who simply want more information for their club or social group.
- Hands-on stone carving workshops for individuals or groups
- Lecture presentations to groups or conferences
His workshop participants have included Canadian First Nation people, blindness professionals, university graduate students, and adults and children with visual impairments. His favorite workshops were those held at the Art Education Camp for Students with Visual Impairments, an annual weeklong Art Summer Camp he directed in Michigan for some 15 years.
Inuit style stone carving is a special art form, because of the stone’s inherent beauty. Even if made by a beginner, a highly polished completed piece generally amazes all who see it. Once a carver learns to add form, stone carvings are the most impressive of all art works!
Unfortunately, stone carving is not a mainstream art form. It is rarely taught to public school students or adult art students studying at art centers. Working with stone simply creates far too much dust to be allowed inside most building, let alone an art center in the vicinity of other art classes. It is certainly not acceptable to have a dust coating over wet oil paintings, ceramic glazes, and the like. Consequently, few people are ever exposed to carving lessons or know anything about how carving is done and far fewer actually carve. However, its relative rarity does not necessarily mean that it is more difficult to learn than other kinds of art. For this reason, Paul would like to help everyone who has an interest to learn enough about carving to make an informed choice about pursuing the skill further. As such, the following paragraphs contain a brief summary of the process.
The Steps in the Carving Process
Step 1: Identify and Use Common Carving Tools
Crosscut and hacksaws are used to make cuts to remove large squarish pieces of stone, such as between a bear’s legs. Saws only cut on the away stroke, so push hard, pull back without pressure.
Rasp, A large Half-round rasp or file with large teeth, is used to round out the sharp edges left by the saw. Rasps only cut on the away stroke, so use pressure forward, pull back with little pressure.
Rifflers are usually curved files used to makes details, such as ears, foreheads, toes, etc. Rifflers also generally cut only on the forward stroke.
Sandpaper is used to get rid of file marks and then to polish stone, starting with 60 grit, then 120, and 220 to get rid of file marks and then, 400, 600, and 800 grit to polish. Often the sandpaper is used wet during polishing. Also, sandpaper cuts on forward and backward strokes, so apply pressure away and back.
Step 2: Identify and Select a Carving Stone
Beginning carvers are generally given their first stone by an instructor. However, if you are actually choosing, select a soft soapstone, such as Brazilian soapstone and choose a shape that is similar to what you want to make, that is, select a stone that already looks a bit like your final figure, a bear, bird, etc.
Step 3: Clean Rough Stones
Stones that come from dealers usually contain much powdery or unusable stone. This must be removed with a saw or rasp before you can tell the actual shape of the stone, so only start carving after thorough removal.
Step 4: Cut Out a Basic Form from a Cleaned Stone
After the stone is cleaned, scratch or draw the shape of your figure on the side of the stone. Use the saw to cut away everything outside the lines you have drawn. If a bear, you will cut out the area between the legs, the neck, and perhaps the rear. You may need to chisel the stone away between the legs.
Step 5: Shape the Cut out from Step 4 into the Desired Figure
Since the cut out form is now square due to the saw cuts, it must be rounded off, so use rifflers to do this.
Step 6: Finish the Surface of the Shaped Stone
Use 60 through 800 grit sandpaper to smooth and polish your figure.


Outreach Publikationsdatum 02.12.2021
New book promises fun science for kids
A new collection of fun science experiments for primary-school children has been published by the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials in collaboration with partners from the Universities of Fribourg and Geneva, EPFL and Lausanne's Espace des Inventions.
From 2015 to 2018, the Migros Magazine, a weekly newspaper owned by Switzerland’s biggest retailer, published almost 200 weekly science activities for children in collaboration with the book’s partners. The new book, with a foreword from the 2017 Nobel Chemistry Prize winner Jacques Dubochet, contains many of those experiments.
Aimed squarely at children attending primary school and their teachers, “PSCHITT!” provides easy-to-follow instructions in French for each experiment, which can be safely carried out in the kitchen or the schoolroom. Each activity can be carried out using elements that can be found at home or easily purchased.
The book will be sent free of charge to each primary school in French-speaking Switzerland. Hardcopies of the book can also be purchased online at https://pschitt.ch/ or downloaded for free from the same website.
KidsUni – University of Fribourg
Espace des inventions – Lausanne
Science Outreach Department, EPFL
Scienscope, University of Geneva
NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials


Earth Science MCQ
Earth Science MCQs PDF - Topics
Learn Deep currents Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) to practice deep currents quiz answers PDF to study online earth science course. Movement of Ocean Water Multiple Choice Questions and Answers (MCQs), Deep Currents quiz questions PDF for virtual online school. "Deep Currents MCQ" PDF eBook: deep currents, surface currents, science for kids test prep for distance learning.
"The factor which influence density of ocean water includes" Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) on deep currents with choices temperature, volume, acidity, and alkalinity for virtual online school. Study movement of ocean water quiz questions for online certificate programs for online teaching certification programs.
MCQ: The factor which influence density of ocean water includes
MCQ: Movements of ocean water which is stream like and exist below the surface is called
MCQ: The water which flows on top of ocean is
MCQ: The amount of matter in a given substance in particular space or volume is called its
MCQ: Deep currents are generated when the density of ocean water


This project supports the education of Kenyan children in rural areas and urban slums. Building a good foundation is essential in education. We support Early Childhood Development centres with provision of feeding programmes and teaching resources. In urban slums the government primary schools are often overcrowded so many children attend non-government schools which have unqualified teachers and limited resources. Afterschool tuition programmes supplement the education students get in school.
Although Government provides Free Primary Education there are many challenges for children in rural communities and urban slums trying to complete formal education in informal learning institutions or public schools. These include; Cost of uniform, textbooks etc; Quality of education compromised by class size, quality of staff and lack of resources; Pressure to carry out household chores or work to provide for the family; Early Childhood Education is not provided for a same level as Primary
Our goal is to complement the education being offered by government and informal schools. In order to improve children's ability to reach their potential we focus on supporting two areas of education. These are Early Years Education which gives young children a strong foundation for their Primary education by developing language and numeracy skills and After School Tuition which provides a supportive environment to reinforce learning and improve academic performance.
We will support children through their early years and primary education to help them reach their potential and increase the number of children achieving grades that give them access to secondary education. This will ultimately increase their earning potential in the long term and help break the cycle of poverty for their family. Feeding programmes at Early Childhood Development centres will improve the health of children as well as improving attendance rates.


Popular opinion states that there are several benefits to music education, but is there truth to that statement? Several studies have been done to prove the link between learning music and increased brain activity. While we generally think that the act of learning how to play an instrument or sing well is beneficial for children, it provides more perks than you expect.
One study has shown that children who received a minimum of three years of music training outperformed their peers and showed enhanced verbal ability and non-verbal reasoning skills. This involves analyzing and comprehending visual data, such as understanding the relationships, differences and similarities between various patterns and shapes. The same study showed that the children performed better with fine motor skills and auditory discrimination abilities. Another study has shown that those who were given a formal education in music has seen an improvement of reading skills and academic achievement.
You might think that these learning areas are as distant as it can be from musical training, so it’s wonderful to see how instrumental and vocal training can push a child to develop an important set of skills.
For children between the ages of two to nine, many who take music classes see extraordinary boosts in language development, which is crucial for their age range. Kids are born with the ability to decipher words and sounds, but learning music skills greatly enhances these inborn abilities.
Social Behavior Benefits and IQ
Taking group classes helps with developing necessary social skills that children will bring with them as they grow into adulthood. According to a study published in Psychological Science, those who are regularly taking music classes see an increase in IQ as well. A group of children who were given nine months of voice lessons and piano lessons tested on average three IQ points higher than children who weren’t given any training at all.
Want to know more about how music education can boost our brain power? Send us a message and we’d love to chat with you!


It’s really not a surprise when you think about it, but there is a lot of learning that happens when children play. Playing stimulates curiosity and expands thinking, and when children play together, they learn from each other. There is a growing body of research around play and its importance to early childhood development, particularly with regard to language and literacy development. Through play, while children learn to make sense of their world, problem-solve, communicate, compromise, and express their thoughts and feelings. Early childhood educators know how important this is and create rich opportunities for children to play in their centers and in schools.
A critical cognitive connection between play and literacy is rooted in the premise that representational abilities acquired in pretend transformations (“this stands for that”) transfer to other symbolic forms, such as written language. At our school, many of the materials that we put out for children are open-ended and allow children to assign meaning to them. A paper towel tube, for instance, might be used as a telephone, a fishing pole, a telescope or a cooking tool. Boxes or large hollow blocks might make a car, a farm stand or a desk. Play areas are also stocked with reading and writing materials for children to use as they choose. A pizza parlor in dramatic play might be equipped with wall signs (“Place Your Order Here”), menus, pizza boxes, employee name tags, discount coupons, a pencil and notepad for taking orders. These are the foundational literacy skills that support children to become life-long readers and writers. Think of play is not a break from learning, but rather learning itself!


By seeing the same emotion on the faces of different characters, or by seeing the same person experiencing a range of emotions, children learn to better understand and identify common emotions—both their own and other people’s. This experience also drives home the point that everyone feels the same emotions. How does it feel? helps children learn these vital emotional lessons.
Children also begin noticing that, while certain situations elicit particular emotions, the same situation does not necessarily make all children feel the same way. Playing How does it feel? helps children understand both the range of emotions a given situation can elicit, and the range of possible causes that can produce a given emotion.
How does it feel? also helps children acquire vocabulary related to human emotions, contributing to their language development. The game’s design encourages children to complete simple puzzles, an activity that promotes cognitive and fine motor skill development.


Where Playing Music is Fun and Smart
A team of researchers recently confirmed what Yamaha Music Education System (YMES) believed all along. Music lessons can enhance intelligence. In fact, the researchers said "Music education is crucial to all children".
The Yamaha Music Education System represents successful realization of the Yamaha Music Foundation's goal of promoting music globally and the Yamaha philosophy "music knows no national boundaries". Children all over the world are studying under the same Yamaha method, using the same text books, and following the same curriculum, ultimately creating a new international musical generation.
Yamaha has been teaching people around the world how to play music since 1954. Joyful activities teach basic musical skills and keyboard playing while encouraging independence, creativity and self-expression, becoming an integral part of your child's growth.
Many YMES students have grown up to become award-winning professional musicians. They are film and television composers, classical pianists and recording artists. Yamaha Music Courses are available exclusively at YMES, which operate under license arrangements with the Yamaha Music Foundation.


10 Weeks of Shakespeare ~ Introductory Course for 7th-12th Grades
Learn about Shakespeare, watch one of his plays, and even perform some scenes yourself!
What is the 10 Weeks of Shakespeare online course all about?
Fun lessons perfect for upper-grade students to do independently or for a teacher to use to lead a class through a study of Shakespeare at a homeschool co-op or school. Learn about how to pronounce Shakespeare, iambic pentameter, biography of William Shakespeare, the Globe Theater, Elizabethan theater, and memorization and performance tips. Memorize speeches, read through and watch monologues, watch A Midsummer Night's Dream, and perform an act from William Shakespeare's Star Wars.
Gena Mayo is a homeschooling mom of 8 who has been teaching music in various forms for over 25 years. She has a Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in Vocal Pedagogy (teaching voice lessons). It has been her joy to teach elementary and junior high choir, high school voice classes, private voice lessons for teens through adults, early childhood music and movement classes (babies through preschool), elementary general music, and music appreciation for elementary through high school. But, her favorite music teaching experience has been as musical director for stage musicals such as Seussical, Shrek, Singing in the Rain, Newsies, and Beauty and the Beast. It is Gena's desire to help all homeschoolers include music in their homeschools!
"Big confession: I took this course for me! I've been wanting to teach my kids about Shakespeare for a long time but I felt completely unequipped to do it until I started Gena's new course: 10 Weeks of Shakespeare ~ Introductory Course for 7th-12th Grades. Although she called it an introductory course I was just blown away by the vast content, awesome videos, and tons of links to get deeper into every module. I always thought a course about Shakespeare could be boring but it is exactly the opposite! This course is very thorough and fascinating. I absolutely recommend it."
~Ana Willis, homeschool mom of 3 and blogger at TheyCallMeBlessed.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
"Gena's online course 10 weeks of Shakespeare- Introductory Course for 7th-12th Grades is fantastic! It covers so much in just 10 weeks. It is perfectly laid out and easy to follow. This course provides great content, awesome videos and informative links that make learning about Shakespeare enjoyable rather than complicated. I also LOVE that it can be adjusted to teach grades K-6. I definitely recommend this course!"
~Jessica Anderson, homeschool mom of 2 and blogger at Intentional in Life.
Get started now!
By the way, are you looking for a Music & Fine Arts Membership experience?
The Music in Our Homeschool Plus (MIOH+) membership experience for Preschool - High School will be open for enrollment in May 2023.


A common mistake made by well-meaning therapists and parents is trying to work on oral motor skill development before they work on a child’s trust and understanding of food. These programs start therapy with a focus on the “how” to eat rather than a focus on the “why”. We know that we can’t expect the skill to progress if your little one is not able to build comfort and trust at the mealtime. If we focus on building the skills immediately, we are sending the message that food is “work” and if it is difficult, children often lose trust. Think about learning a new skill without any motivation to do so. It would be really tough!
If we first start with building a relationship around food and helping them learn to trust the mealtime environment, we can then allow for skill development. Without trust and understanding, working on feeding skills is futile and often detrimental long-term.
So why do you feel “stuck”?
- Families often share that they can’t move forward in therapy because their child’s oral motor skills have stalled.
- Therapy is likely focusing too much on skill development and too little on comfort, togetherness, curiosity, and hunger to help build a foundation for a positive relationship with food. When the focus is on oral motor skills, without building this first, it is so difficult for the skills to carry over to the mealtime environment.
- Therapy NEEDS to focus on decreasing any negative activities around food, building trust, creating responsive mealtimes, and introducing hunger. AFTER this has been established, then therapy can work on supporting skill development.
We often hear, “They’re not ready for weaning because they don’t have the oral motor skills” – This should not be a factor when determining a child’s readiness for weaning or feeding therapy. What should be the focus?
- Keep in mind other important foundations. Children must establish a sense of trust around mealtimes and food. This can be done by allowing more play, exploration, and modeling during mealtimes.
- Take a step back and look at your family mealtimes: Are they fostering comfort around food? Are they providing a social opportunity for your little one? This should be a time for learning, modeling, and being together as a family.
- Allow your child to refuse and help to rebuild their trust around food. Take this time to decrease any expectation for volume or quantity and focus on the QUALITY of your mealtime and food interactions.
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Keeping the arts in the curriculum
Children love to perform, and they love to create. Their parents like to watch them act and dance, read the poems they’ve written, and display their artwork. They encourage creativity in their children.
Schools also should encourage creative pursuits and engage students in the arts. Children connect more deeply with the lessons. They look forward to coming to school because they are excited about performing creatively. Increased attendance among students correlates directly to improved student achievement.
Our passion for keeping the arts in the curriculum tends to wax and wane according to accountability demands and funding levels.
The benefits of an arts education
Most educators know about the connection between arts education and academic rigor. Arts education not only inspires students, but it also motivates them. Students exposed to an arts education have:
- Higher scores in math, reading, and writing
- Fewer disciplinary referrals
- Better school attendance
- Demonstrated greater empathy for those in the community
- Improved graduation rates
The arts spark creativity, and in doing so, may help to rewire the brain and how it thinks.
School districts dedicated to the arts
Some schools around the nation have made a commitment to revitalizing and reinventing themselves through art education. Large cities like Dallas and New York City are bringing the arts back into schools. Doing so has taken a village of artists, composers, visionaries, and philanthropists.
To ensure that the arts have a place in the curriculum, they must be sustainable. Chicago and Minneapolis have worked diligently to ensure that the arts become entrenched in the curriculum.
Unfortunately, not all schools have been able to sustain an arts program.
The arts-integrated curriculum
If your school cannot or will not make the arts part of the curriculum, you can do your part in your subject area. Integrate the arts into your lessons in these ways:
- Perform plays instead of reading them. ELA classes can mount a production and invite the history classes to be the audience.
- Include dance as part of PE classes.
- Use call and response and a way to incorporate rhythm. Even handclapping can set the pace as students answer math questions or read aloud.
- Create human sculptures by dressing up as historical figures.
- Analyze sound waves from a guitar string, a drum beat, or a single note from a brass instrument.
- Interpret paintings from a variety of perspectives. What are the mathematical properties? How does paint bond to canvas? What themes can students find?
- Study plot development in operas and symphonies.
- Create illustrations as summaries of chapters.
- Listen to music from different historical periods.
Don’t stress over not being able to carry a tune in a bucket or paint anything on a paper. Let your students tap into some of their more creative multiple intelligences. They’ll do the creative part.
Children look forward to the opportunity to be creative, and they welcome lessons that include the arts. Your willingness to use the arts as a complement to your lessons will motivate and inspire your students.
Our students need the arts in their lives. We owe it to them to keep the arts in their curriculum.
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Great article! Thank you!


2,000 days of Language and Literacy Development
Parents want the best for their children. The early years are a prime time for helping a child learn to form relationships and for building the foundation for future language and literacy proficiency. Raising Readers in Story County is committed to helping adults who interact with young children know how to provide experiences that maximize their child's development in these areas.
Books enrich the lives of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers throughout their critical first five years. Brain development and overall well-being (intellectual, emotional, social, physical development) are enhanced by a stimulating environment that includes caring adults and plenty of good quality books and interesting experiences. Adults can learn how to share books effectively with babies and toddlers in order to make the most of the read-aloud time spent together each day. There are many excellent books available, in cardboard, cloth or fabric versions, which will delight young children and their parents.
Brain Development & Early Learning
At birth, a baby's brain has about 100 billion nerve cells. But the cells have not yet formed the critical connections that determine an individual's emotional, social, and intellectual make-up. Most of this "wiring" develops between the ages of 0-3.
By age 3, a child's brain has twice as many connections as an adult's. This suggests that infants and toddlers are biologically primed for learning, as connections - or synapses- are a fundamental basis of learning. When a connection is used repeatedly in the early years, it becomes permanent. But a connection that is used rarely, or not at all, is unlikely to survive.
A child who is rarely spoken to or read to in the early years may have difficulty mastering language skills later in life. Similarly, studies also show that a child who is rarely played with may have difficulty with social adjustment as she grows.
Your relationship with your child affect his brain in many ways. By providing warm, responsive care, you strengthen the biological systems that help him handle his emotions. Research also shows that a strong, secure connection with your child helps him withstand the ordinary stresses of daily life -not just today, but in the future. A strong bond doesn't just reassure him, it actually affects the biological systems that adapt to stress.
Provided by Ames Morning Rotary Club


Tim Lautzenheiser speaks about different topics in Music Education that guide music educators to a better path of teaching.
The Power of Learning
Understand the power of student learning and the impact student leaders can possess when given the tools to empower their peers. As Tim would say, “all learning, is good learning; and that makes us better people.”
The growth pattern of young people is often challenging to harness. However, if we accept the fact that students develop maturity through various stages over time, we can better adapt their unique skills to help them achieve the best version of themselves. Watch Tim highlight the four stages of maturity and the impact these stages can have on your student leaders.
The Power of Music
Besides the potpourri of social and emotion benefits the arts add to our hearts and minds, why should today’s youth study music? Listen to Tim explain how music helps build character skills, deepen one’s ability to communicate, while at the same time boosting a student’s college application.
How do we leverage our student leaders to create an effective peer to peer mentorship program and ultimately motivate our community to enact positive change? Watch Tim present tips on selecting a student leader and see how to identify some characteristics which may be “hiding” under the surface.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with determining what music advocacy facts are the most relevant to your parents, administration, and community? In under 2 minutes watch Tim explain how our students’ brains process information, and through myelination why these school leaders are using a larger percentage of their brain capacity to learn.
Servitude Student Leadership
Discern the difference between leadership and Servitude Leadership. While we all think we have the tools to be an effective leader, our students may discover there is more to conquering this title than what they originally thought. Hear Tim describe the 5 Laws toward becoming a “servitude leader.”
Power of Quotes
Tim has always been a huge fan of quotes. Listen to him talk about the power of music, how it makes us “feel,” and the practical application of motivation in our everyday lives.
Best Use of Time with Your Student Leaders
Time is the one equalizing factor for all of us; and how are YOU going to use your time? Observe the best ways to make the best use of your time by delegating specific tasks to your student leaders.
Power of Motivation
How do we motivate our music room? Understand the difference between competition, cooperation, and creation to ultimately motivate the students in your music room and show them how to change the future of our world.
“What, How, and Why” of What We Do
When teaching in your instrumental classroom, remember the importance of “why” when presenting information to your students. Often as educators, we focus on the “what” or the “how,” but today Tim provides a quick tip on the importance of explain “why” we do what we do.
Systemic vs. Servitude Leadership
Understand the significance of servitude leadership and how to ensure harmony, balance, and blend within your instrumental rehearsals.


November 8, 2017
Susan Moffitt, Director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy, and Margot Jackson, Associate Professor of Sociology, co-edited a special issue of The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences. The volume arose from a Watson Collaboration Grant that Susan and Margot received in 2015-2016 that produced a one- day workshop/conference on the Coleman Report, followed by this special issue. (September 2017)
The Equality of Educational Opportunity study, commonly referred to as the Coleman Report, stands as a landmark in the development of American social policy and social inquiry. Released in July of 1966, it challenged prevailing ideas about inequality in American schools and ignited fierce debate that has endured over half of a century. This volume invited different research traditions—including sociology, political science, psychology, education, and law— to engage with each other to deepen understanding of some of the issues that the Coleman Report opened up, and to build on Coleman’s insights and findings. Articles in this volume examine how children’s family circumstances and parental engagement bear on skill development and student achievement, and how literacy development opportunities at home contribute to summer learning. They also probe the intersection of schools and families to examine how families differentially experience school policies that are ostensibly designed to improve equity, and how the interaction of families, schools, and the criminal justice system bear on students’ educational trajectories. Other articles examine how school finances contribute to educational opportunities, consider evidence from school policies, such as voucher policies, from other countries, and assess the impact of communities on educational opportunity.
To read more, click here.


It seems the system of progressive modern education proposes a new educational fad about every twenty years. At one point it was whole language, where the emphasis on word meanings replaced skill-based instruction and purged phonics instruction. Or the new math, which stressed a discovery-based inquiry, often at the expense of seeking an actual correct answer. Who can forget the WASL? The Washington Assessment of Student Learning met its demise due to low scores, funding issues, and fickle goals. The list goes on, with Common Core being the latest in an inevitably changing, highly-politicized agenda.
In contrast, the liberal arts represents not a trend but a tradition. The concept of training for freedom (derived from the Latin, libera) has existed since the Greco-Roman period. The idea is that by exposing a person to a wide variety of subjects, ideas, and first principles, a person is trained in how to think and how to live as a problem solver, with the goal of equipping a human being to pursue a plethora of callings and not simply one specific or technical trade.
So is STEM (Science, Techonology, Engineering, Math) a fad? Yes and no. STEM training is essential in an economy increasingly dependent on these critical fields. But while all these areas are critical subjects in themselves and worthwhile endeavors of study, placing too heavy an emphasis on STEM will result in a deficient education.
Surprisingly, the biggest names in technology tend to support a liberal arts education over a narrow, STEM-driven program. Some examples (with emphasis added in bold):
- The late Steve Jobs famously said,”It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough – that it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our hearts sing.”
- Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, had liberal arts training, with an intensive study of Greek and a desire to major in psychology in college. Of course, he also posseses a keen affinity for technology, but he commented that Facebook is “as much psychology and sociology as it is technology.”
- Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos laments presentations that eschew critical thinking and rely on other modes of non-transformative communications. He prefers memos to presentations, saying, “Full sentences are harder to write. They have verbs. The paragrphs have topic sentences. There is no way to write a six-page, narratively structured memo and not have clear thinking.”
The point here is not that areas of science, technology, engineering, or math should be avoided. Rather, when the liberal arts include STEM, the result is a powerful elixir that sets up students for success.
Providence graduates have majored in all these fields, many of whom now work at computer, technology, and engineering firms. When STEM is combined with history, literature, foreign language, music, and writing, students are best prepared for whatever God calls them to pursue.


When children are young, they are accustomed to recognizing shapes and colors throughout their daily routine. These activities reinforce early math concepts and help children develop the foundational skills they will need later in life. Here are a few activities to support early math learning for your child. Listed below are some suggestions. You can find more information about these activities on the website of the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics.
First of all, math is a part of general knowledge and cognition. The early learning of math is important for all of these domains. It also affects physical and emotional development. Infants who develop an understanding of addition and subtraction through informal activities are better prepared for formal learning. For example, toddlers who are exposed to early mathematics are more likely to succeed in school. Even if you don’t think your child is ready for school, they can still benefit from it.
While preschoolers may not yet be ready for formal mathematics, they can still engage in play with toys that teach basic math concepts. For instance, children who are allowed to use their toys for play can explore and count the blocks. They can also read books that teach shapes and sizes, and point out the spatial representation in them. These activities can help children learn to relate numbers and shapes to their surroundings before they even enter school.
The benefits of early math learning are not limited to children’s play. Parents can engage in these activities as part of their daily routines. These activities provide children with a head start for more formal mathematics lessons. They help them to understand more abstract concepts, such as addition and subtraction. While the concept may seem difficult to grasp for young kids, it is very useful to begin learning these concepts as early as possible.
The use of toys and other materials can help children develop their mathematical brains. Building block towers with different colors and textures and comparing them with one another are great ways to help children develop their math skills. Similarly, reading picture books is a great way to introduce children to shapes and sizes. Moreover, they can use the same materials and objects for counting. Involvement in such play helps them develop their social and language skills.
The use of toys can help children develop their mathematical minds. Using blocks to compare different colors and shapes is a great way to introduce mathematics early. In addition to playing with toys, parents can engage their children in activities that will allow them to explore the concepts. They can also participate in games that help them learn math by relating to objects. While there are numerous educational resources available, many parents will find it best to explore the various resources available to them.


Working as a special education teacher is challenging enough, but the challenges of special education in rural areas is even more so. When you live and work in an urban school district, you receive support from the school itself and the general public at large. Working in a rural area gives you less support and less funding too.
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- Few things are as important to our future as helping young people reach their potential. Build your character through masters-level education degree programs at Regis University.
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One of the greatest challenges of special education in rural areas is that these schools and districts put less focus on special education classes. When you work for a larger school, you may have access to resources like special education aids. Those aids work with children who need extra attention and let you focus on a larger group of kids. Working in a rural district means that you’ll have fewer resources at your disposal and that you’ll get less attention from both the school and the school district.
Resource: Top 25 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Special Education 2016
The average size of a special needs classroom varies based on the needs of the community. If you work in an urban school, you’ll find that there is a greater number of students who need help. Some schools are even large enough that those schools have multiple classes of special needs students. Those schools often divide the students into classes based on their ages or skill levels. One of the challenges of special education in rural areas is that these schools may have just one special needs classroom. Those schools require that teachers work with students of various disabilities at the same time.
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Some teachers have a hard time working in rural areas because of the isolation they feel. When you live in a larger city, you can hang out with friends, go to the movies and do dozens of other things after a long day at work. You’ll also have the chance to form connections with the other special needs teachers in your school and district. Rural districts may have a small number of schools that are spread out and limit the time that teachers from other schools spend with each other. You’ll also find limited access to after school activities too.
Less Community Support
Community involvement can make life easier for special needs teachers. The surrounding neighborhoods around your school provide you with opportunities for taking your kids for walks and doing other activities off school grounds. You can work with the community to create special programs for those students too, including programs designed to warn students of the dangers of bullying and programs that help higher functioning kids get jobs. Rural districts often have much less support from the community.
Lack of Funding
One of the greatest challenges of special education in rural areas is a lack of funding. One study found that both state and federal funding programs provide less financial assistance to special needs classes than those programs provide to more traditional classes. When your school does not have enough funding, you’ll find yourself paying out of pocket for school supplies and other things that your students need. A lack of funding can also lead to a higher ratio of students to teachers. When you have more students in your classroom than you can properly care for, you may find yourself feeling burned out and wanting to quit.
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Schools offer special education classes for students suffering from disabilities and handicaps like autism, Asperger syndrome, spina bifida and other medical conditions. Teachers working in rural areas face specific challenges of special education in rural areas, including a lack of funding, less support from the surrounding community and feelings of isolation because of their location.


After you OWL and your child sends you a message, follow their lead by:
- Responding immediately! This shows your child that you’ve heard her message and are interested in what she said/communicated.
- Making a fun comment! For example, “We made really sticky playdough!”
- Joining in and playing! ! Get some playdough for yourself and play like a child would. There’s no right or wrong way to play, as long as you’re having fun together! Join in and play the way your child is playing (not the way you think she should play)! What often works really well is to follow your child’s lead by imitating her.
- Imitating her actions, sounds and words. For example, if your child rolls out some playdough, you can imitate her by getting another rolling pin and rolling out your playdough too.
Children love to interact with adults who follow their lead. When you follow your child’s lead, your child will want to take lots of back and forth turns interacting with you! This gives your child many opportunities to learn and say words!
Excerpted from Early Childhood Language and Literacy Development Articles, Hanen Centre


Composed by William Billings (1746-1800). Arranged by Gerald Custer. Lent 5 A. Evoking Sound. Music Education. Octavo. 8 pages. GIA Publications #7033. Published by GIA Publications (GI.G-7033).
- Artist: William Billings
- Instruments: SAB choir, piano accompaniment
- Format: octavo
- Genre: Music Education
- Lead Time: 1 to 2 weeks
- Publisher: GIA Publications
If you’re looking for sheet music for When Jesus Wept then you have come to the right place. We offer original sheet music in a range of formats including, digital, hardcover, and softcover. Whether you place the piano, guitar, wind instruments, string instruments, percussion, or something else, we have the musical scores you’re looking for.
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William Billings (October 7, 1746 – September 26, 1800) is regarded as the first American choral composer, and leading member of the First New England School.
== Life ==
William Billings was born in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 14, the death of his father stopped Billings’ formal schooling. In order to help support his family, young Billings trained as a tanner. He possibly received musical instruction from John Barry, one of the choir members at the New South Church, but for the most part he was self-taught. Billings had an unusual appearance and a strong addiction to snuff. His contemporary wrote that Billings “was a singular man, of moderate size, short of one leg, with one eye, without any address & with an uncommon negligence of person.


“ Educating our Children to Define their own Reality ”
- Language Arts (Writing, Literature & Reading Comprehension)
- Agricultural Science and Gardening
- Cultural Studies
- Social Studies & History
- Traditional & Contemporary African Studies
- Foreign Languages
- Survival Training
- Computer Literacy & Programming
- Visual Arts
- Introduction to Music
- Drumming and Dance
- Physical Exercise and Training
- Tai chi
- Stick Fighting
- Public Speaking & Poetry
The Black Star Educational Institute believes learning expands beyond 4 walls. The world is our classroom, and every moment with a child is a teachable one. The Educational Programs at BSEI include Critical Thinking, Character Development, International Studies, SAT/ACT prep, Early College through our Dual Enrollment Program, and Peer-to-Peer Support. BSEI adheres to Georgia standards, National standards, and International standards. Our aim is that every student will be prepared at least two years ahead of the standard US educational system.
Our students learn in small, clustered classrooms. They are grouped by 3 grade levels, and rotate throughout their cluster as their educational needs change per academic area.
K4-2nd: Students are equipped with foundational skills for their social and academic development.
3rd-5th: Students in this cluster learn pertinent information for their academic levels, as well as social skills that will prepare the students to enter middle school.
6th-8th: This cluster exists to prepare students through Rites of Passage processes embedded within their curricula, as well as to ensure they are ready to go to high school.
9th-12th: This program is largely centered around internships. The students are placed in hands-on internships to apprentice in their chosen field of study. Our students also begin a joint enrollment program so they are able to enter college better prepared.
Our Teaching Philosophy
Teachers are critical to the educational process. Next to each and every student who enjoys learning, is someone who is invested in their success. Educators at BSEI are dynamic, knowledgeable, and passionate about their subject matter. Central to their educational approach is a commitment to the development of the whole child in the classroom. Through Personalized Learning Plans (PLP’s), we are able to ensure the needs of each child are met. Educators are trained utilizing various techniques to engage, captivative, and enhance the minds of the next generation of leaders.
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Expert / 15 September, 2021 / My Baba
Karen Clince, founder of Tigers Childcare is back with another fantastic article on how we can support our preschoolers learning at home. Click here for more insightful articles on early years education from Karen – a must-read for parents of children under 5.
It has long been known that good quality pre-school education has a long-lasting, positive effect on children, this is even more apparent with children coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research in this area led government to introduce funded pre-school places for all children aged 3 to 4 years from 2010. Funding for 2-year-olds has been introduced to marginalised communities now we have a better understanding of how early years education impacts kids from different backgrounds.
Early years education is based around play and children learn best through play. Pre-school education uses play to help children figure out the world around them. Early years educators are trained in using this play to extend learning and plan for each child’s next steps.
Children of 2 and 3 years can be very egotistical and feel the world is all about them, and pre-school is often the first time they have to negotiate their peers’ feelings. Children learn to communicate and work out problems in pre-school. They learn to share and play with others and self-regulate. It is much more important that a child is socially, rather than academically, ready for school. Furthermore, children with additional language needs benefit greatly by being immersed in the English language prior to their school start.
When children are very young, they develop bonds and attachments to those who care most closely with them – mainly with family or primary caregivers. As they get older, it is important that they start to build relationships with people outside the home. Good quality early years settings usually operate a key worker system which will aid this process. This is a person assigned to an individual child to build a strong trusting relationship with that child and their primary caregivers.
The Early Years Foundation Stages framework (EYFS) provides a curriculum framework of learning that follows into the primary school curriculum. Children will be introduced to new concepts and cognitive building blocks which lead to better outcomes in the primary years.
Additional needs can be picked up early in pre-school which, with early intervention, can lead to better long-term outcomes.
My Child Will Eat At Nursery But Not At Home: Tips For Fussy Eaters
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The Government recently commissioned research into the 10-year rollout of the pre-school year. One unexpected finding was that the child’s outcomes were not just impacted by the setting and the quality of the setting, but also by parental involvement and support. So, knowing this, what can a parent do to support their child’s learning and outcomes?
It is helpful if you contribute to the conversation. For instance, a key worker may observe that your child is showing a keen interest in dinosaurs. You may have also noticed this at home. While a key worker may be planning activities in the class, you could be aiding this by reading books about dinosaurs or planning a dinosaur activity at home.
Remember, pre-school can be a big step for many families. However, research shows it can provide children with a great start to their school life, and you as the parents and main caregivers can have a significant impact upon this time. Try to remember it is all about building blocks and the most important building blocks at this stage are social and emotional. Children do better when they go to primary school socially and emotionally strong. Literacy and numeracy are important, but again it is about core concepts rather than reading and writing prior to their school start. Remember you can build a lovely house without foundations. However, even one strong storm can have an impact. A strong foundation, built upon over time, will stand strong against even the toughest storms.
Good quality early years care and education allow a child to set the roots for learning, allowing them to establish strong foundations for the road ahead.
Article by Karen Clince, founder of Tigers Childcare
Tigers Childcare provides high-quality early education and care for children age 4 months to 13 years.
We understand the importance of these early years in a child’s life. We provide high-quality environments, interactions and experiences that help each child reach their own potential. Your child’s entry into our programme marks a wonderful journey for both you and your child. Although this may be your child’s first experience of group learning, we see each child as an individual and their journey as unique.
Tigers Childcare has a new site in the heart of London. Elephant Park is their flagship location and caters for children from birth to 6 years’ old.
Dealing With Temper Tantrums? Tips On Understanding Young Children’s Behaviour Issues
The Top 24 Private Nurseries In London


A Place to Learn Together
We offer Nursery Provision to Year 6
“A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.” National Curriculum 2014
At Earlswood we believe that a good computing capability, or digital literacy, is an essential skill for life. With technology playing such a significant role in society today, when used safely and correctly it can enable children to improve their learning and eventually participate fully in a rapidly changing world.
The National Curriculum for Computing has been developed to equip young people with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding of computing they will need for the rest of their lives. Throughout their time at Earlswood, pupils are introduced to a wide range of technology, including Chromebooks, iPads, interactive whiteboards, Beebots and Probots, allowing them to continually practice and improve the skills they learn. Through the platform of Purple Mash alongside other programmable devices, pupils develop their ideas and create a range of digital content accompanied by learning the foundations of how computers and computer systems work.
This ensures they become digitally literate so that they are able to express themselves successfully and confidently and develop their ideas through information and computer technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world, whatever their cultural or economic backgrounds. We aim to give our children opportunities to use technology in a wide range of lessons, just as it is used in all areas across society.
Online safety is interwoven throughout every lesson to highlight its importance in modern society as using the internet safely and well can give children rapid access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures.
Our overall aim is to develop, maintain and stimulate pupils’ curiosity, interest and enjoyment in Computing and to encourage pupils to have open, enquiring minds and to perceive Computing in the context of a wider body of knowledge. Pupils should ideally become autonomous users of ICT with the associated skills supporting lifelong study and the pursuit of personal interests.


As our educational environment changes, so too do the desires of our students. From flipping the classroom to 21st Century Education, our experiences are evolving with time and technology. Teaching students to evaluate information and navigate in our society are foundational skills they need to become successful and competitive in the workforce.
Is there a right and a wrong way to teach social media in schools? Some administrators think so.
Many schools across the country have banned the use of social networking platforms, but others are transitioning to a more proactive approach. Many experts and school officials say that abandoning the more reactionary responses to social media is the first step toward implanting a more effective digital literacy education.
“The fact is, social media isn’t technology in the lives of our kids, but an essential aspect of their world. Social media isn’t ‘new’ anymore,” said teacher and education consultant Dan Haesler on his blog. “We can’t continue pretending that it is, and using this as an excuse for not addressing it. And by addressing it I do not mean banning it!”
Haesler, a proponent of proactive social media education, posed an interesting question on his blog regarding social media and digital literacy education: what if we approached driver’s education in the same way? Taking this hypothesis one step further, Haesler came up with three conclusions:
- Driving lessons would be taught by adults with little or no experience of driving.
- Driving lessons would only focus on what not to do.
- Driving lessons would NEVER take place in an actual car. In fact, most cars would not be allowed on school property.
Can you imagine learning to drive under such conditions? I can’t either. And Haesler’s comparison isn’t that farfetched. Both subjects involve making responsible choices and can cause serious consequences for the people making these choices. They both also require users to navigate areas of ambiguity and to make difficult decisions that become easier with time and practice.
Canadian K-12 principal George Couros used Haesler’s method of thinking to design a rubric for schools to see how well their digital literacy programs hold up. In order to receive the highest grade, Couros said schools must open up social media to students while teaching the tools to navigate these sites, rather than instituting a ban or providing the curriculum without opportunity for actual practice.
Couros maintained that if a student said something they might regret on Twitter or Facebook, it does not make them a bad student. In fact, he said that many of us have likely made a similar mistake when in the company of friends.
“Too many kids now, they think that being on Twitter is, in some ways, being with their closest friends.”
“When I was a kid and was with my closest friends, I might have said similar things. Too many kids now, they think that being on Twitter is, in some ways, being with their closest friends,” said Couros. “We have to talk with our kids and be honest with them that we are not perfect as individuals either, but we have to understand what is meant to be public and what is private.”
“The fact is, social media isn’t technology in the lives of our kids, but an essential aspect of their world. Social media isn’t ‘new’ anymore.”
Actions like those of Alexandra Wallace and others whose insensitive remarks have gone viral signal a lack of access to teachers and digital literacy education.
The relationship between private and public, as Couros said, is an important one to understand, yet can often be confusing for students to navigate. Our curriculum, which has sections dedicated to both privacy and self-image, contains tips and resources for educators trying to take a proactive approach to teaching digital citizenship.A full overview [pdf] of the curriculum is available online, as well as a breakdown of each lesson by grade and what can be covered both in and out of the classroom.
Adapted: The DOs and DON’Ts of Teaching Digital Literacy -Kelsy Herron
Amazing graphic. Can I get some additional information on the source? Would love to reference it in some of the work I am doing.
🙂 Thank you.
I’m glad you’re enjoying! I’m afraid I can’t find exactly where I sourced that infographic, however I found it just now by searching it. The 2 sources I’ve found it are:
1) Pinterest/Twitter: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/467530005052199779/
2) A university lecture on Youtube (9:17):
Hope that helps!


Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Engineers
Hands-on STEM projects shine a light into the world of engineering and encourage kids ages 8 to 11 to learn about five female engineers who changed the way things work in this full-color book that teaches critical and creative thinking.
Have you crossed over a bridge today? Have you ridden an elevator to a top floor? Have you opened up a carton of milk? All of these things were made possible through engineering! In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Engineers with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 to 11 meet five female engineers who revolutionized the role of women in engineering, including Ellen Swallow Richards, Emily Warren Roebling, Kate Gleason, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, and Mary Jackson. Short sidebars highlight the accomplishments of contemporary female engineers and reveal the ways that women are finding success in engineering today, pointing the way for young people to imagine their place in engineering in the future.
- Through hands-on STEM projects such as researching organizational psychology, conducting a virtual tour of a model bridge, and creating a presentation about processed food, kids gain the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in engineering.
- Essential questions, cool facts about female engineers, and links to online resources all reinforce high-level learning.
- Using a fun narrative style, engaging illustrations combined with photography, fascinating facts, essential questions, and hands-on projects, this book deepens readers' creative thinking skills.
Diane C. Taylor is a freelance writer whose published works include both fiction and nonfiction. She is the author of The Renaissance Thinkers, The Renaissance Artists, and World War II from Nomad Press. Diane lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Shululu (Hui Li) has always been driven by curiosity. She received a PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Chicago and is the illustrator of the Physical Science for Kids set of nonfiction picture books from Nomad Press. She is devoted to bringing joy and science to young readers through fun illustrations! She lives with her husband in New York, New York.
Please select all options.


The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children stay physically active for a minimum of one hour daily. With the pandemic, children are spending more time indoors, and keeping them physically active can be challenging.
Kids today are digitally native, and although young kids are generally energetic, it can be challenging to get them away from their tablets and other digital devices. However, as a parent, you already know how important physical development is for children.
Fortunately, even though kids are spending a lot of time indoors, you can still encourage physical activity with toys and other fun activities around the home.
Toys to develop fine motor skills
Fine motor skills refer to the ability to coordinate small body muscles like in the fingers and hands. Hand-eye coordination is also an essential fine motor skill that helps kids do simple daily activities. You can start developing your child’s fine motor skills at a young age.
For example, have you ever put one finger in a baby’s hand, and they form a grip? That’s what fine motor skills are-it’s the basic grab, squeeze, fold and turn using their fingers and hands that refine these skills.
Toys that help your child build their fine motor skills include building blocks or constructive sets, sorting toys, crafting sets, messy paints, play dough, busy boards, interactive books and much more.
Toys to develop gross motor skills
Like fine motor skills, your child needs gross motor skills to help them perform activities like standing, walking, running, sitting and much more without any trouble. Practicing these skills daily helps your child’s muscles grow stronger and have better control of their bodies.
To help develop their gross motor skills, you will need toys like balls for your kids to kick or throw. Ensure that the ball is big enough for them to kick around and throw but small enough to present a challenge in how they move.
Other toys that can help are gardening materials, jump ropes, bicycles, skaters, trampolines and games like Twister. It helps if you have a home with a yard because you can do most of these activities outdoors, including dancing and fun home workouts like jumping jacks.
Life for young and older kids has dramatically changed due to the pandemic. Encouraging physical activity indoors or outdoors can help kids blow off some steam and express themselves in a safe environment. It also allows you and your child to bond more, which helps them feel safe and loved amidst all that is happening around them.
Be intentional about doing these physical activities with them and playing with their toys, especially if you have toddlers. This is because toddlers and younger kids learn by watching what you do, and they enjoy it more when you do stuff together. Kids need to see their physical health as something fun, so they are more willing to get off the screens.
• Different Puzzle Toys for Each Developmental Age
• Early Childhood Learning Toys


Van der Pluijm, M., Van Gelderen, A., Lusse, M., & Kessels, J. (2021). How can teachers build partnerships with lower-educated parents in support of young children’s oral language development? Early Education and Development.
Martine van der Pluijm, Amos van Gelderen, Mariette Lusse & Joseph Kessels (2021) How Can Teachers Build Partnerships with Lower-educated Parents in Support of Young Children’s Oral Language Development? Evaluation of an Adaptive Program, Early Education and Development, DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2021.1908782
Research Findings: The parental role in supporting young children’s oral language development at home is crucial for children’s language and literacy development. However, there is limited expertise in how teachers can support lower-educated parents effectively to enhance their interactions with their children and stimulate the use of language. Therefore, teachers need specific knowledge and training in how to establish partnerships with these parents and provide support adapted to the home language environment. This multiple case study describes the evaluation of a program for teachers aiming to build school-family partnerships focused on stimulating young children’s oral language development. It investigates abilities of 14 teachers to adhere to the program principles and to adapt these to parents’ needs by means of triangulation, using teacher self-reports and observations before and after implementation of the program. This study shows how teachers can increase their competences to work with parents and how this change contributes to professional satisfaction. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to understanding how an adaptive approach creates opportunities for teachers to extend their roles in classrooms and build partnerships with all parents, bridging the gap between lower-educated families and schools as the two most important domains where young children acquire language.


Phonological awareness is one type of phonological processing ability and is considered to be particularly important for early literacy development. Specific phonological awareness skills include syllable-level awareness, onset-rime awareness, and phonemic awareness. Children with speech sound disorders are at a high risk of difficulties with phonological awareness and literacy. There is a body of literature reporting both composite scores and task-specific phonological awareness scores from the assessment of children with typically developing speech and school-age children with speech sound disorders. In this study, we completed a systematic overview of the available literature regarding the assessment of phonological awareness in preschool-age children with speech sound disorders. A systematic search of literature databases yielded 777 articles which were screened. The full text of 30 articles was read and 12 articles met all specified criteria. Ten of the 12 articles reported composite scores for the phonological awareness of participants. The studies rarely reported the profile of specific phonological awareness skills. Of the final 12 articles, eight were case'Â'control studies (Level III) and four were case-series or cross-sectional studies without a control reference (Level IV). There is a need for more research reporting task-specific phonological awareness abilities in preschool-age children with speech sound disorders in order to understand the relationship between specific skills and literacy development in this population.
|Number of pages||11|
|Journal||Speech, Language and Hearing|
|Publication status||Published - Mar 2014|


Imagine there's no GCSEs… It's easy if you try
By Blog Editor, IOE Digital, on 25 October 2013
This month’s OECD report has linked the poor literacy and numeracy skills of our 16-24 olds, compared with those in other countries, with a lower level of social mobility. One factor in holding back social mobility has been the way in which the more affluent have used school examinations to entrench their dominance in higher education and in professional jobs.
A way of countering this dominance would be to remove its instruments: school exams themselves. These may have made sense when they first became popular around the 1850s, but do they in 2013?
They made sense then for the rising middle classes who wanted their sons to have interesting careers. Before that, patronage had been the norm. Exams were held to provide a fairer and more objective alternative.
Are they worth retaining now? Social unfairnesses apart, we know what an obstacle they are to a worthwhile education for students in their last years at school. We know about the anxiety they cause, the overwork, the narrowing of the curriculum, the teaching to the test, the training in question-spotting, examiner-bluffing and other morally dubious habits.
What do schools get out of examinations? Universities and employers are the beneficiaries. Schools are their handmaidens, relieving them of work and expense. Apart from kudos for some in the league tables, schools get mainly grief.
Imagine a world without GCSEs and A levels. How much broader and richer education could become! The school could come back to its proper task of creating in every school leaver a passion for learning – rather than hacked-off attitudes among its exam failures and instrumental attitudes to learning among its successes.
Would anything be lost in an exam-free régime? What about selecting candidates for higher or further education and employment? We need to probe imaginative alternatives. Colleges and employers should take the lead on devising their own filtering devices, as long as these do not disadvantage less privileged applicants. But schools can also play a part.
The 1970s and 1980s witnessed the growth of records of achievement, or student profiles. These enabled schools to provide ongoing accounts of progress in different areas. They were not tied to the framework of discrete subjects within which examinations tend to be conducted. They recorded progress on non-academic fronts, including practical and out-of-class activities, within the school and outside.
In those days profiling existed alongside conventional examinations. It could now replace them. It could give every school leaver a record of his or her all-round attainments, presentable both to other educational establishments and to employers. Our new digital age has opened wider horizons, with children and parents as well as teachers contributing to web-based records, not only with text but also with still and moving images. This already happens in enlightened schools.
I know all this is anathema to those who will tell us what a subjective, corruption-prone system profiling is. Examinations are so much fairer, so much more accurate in their assessments. This is why colleges and employers trust them – and why they have for over a century provided a ladder for young people from all social classes to reach the top.
We should not accept this. Examining something is submitting it to thorough investigation. Do the minutes an examiner allots, say, to a paper on Europe since 1815 really add up to an examination? Digital cumulative records can give a much fuller picture; and of the student not only as a lone learner, but also as a co-worker – and not only in this area or that, but also as a whole person. And who is to say that there are no ways of coping with teacher bias – or, indeed, other problems around profiling?
The ladder argument raises another point. The more affluent have long accepted examinations as their route to university and professional jobs. They have been happy, at the same time, with some poorer but bright youngsters joining them. The ladder is said to provide equality of opportunity.
But the story says nothing about equipping everyone for a decent life. The ladder for the lucky ones, too, has always been propped up against a smart building with escalators inside to take the affluent up to the upper storeys. Michael Gove’s policy on examinations has upgraded the escalators and made the ladder more rickety.
Examinations are an excellent device for keeping a hierarchical social order more or less intact. If we are more interested in introducing every young person to the delights and rewards of learning, we have to look elsewhere.


Ensure Students Have the Essential Skills for
Academic and Career Success
Identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement in the foundational skills that are essential to their success in higher education and beyond — critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication.
Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) and Success Skills Assessment (SSA+) for Higher Education
Multiple choice assessments can gauge students’ content knowledge but aren’t able to identify proficiency with the foundational skills that are essential to students’ college and career success — critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication. The performance-based CLA+ and SSA+ provide insightful, nuanced evidence of students’ competencies in these areas so they and their instructors can work to develop these essential skills.
STUDENTS & FAMILIES
Students will gain insight into the skills most in demand by employers and that will help them apply what they’re learning in their courses.
Their personalized assessment results report will outline:
The characteristics of strong critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication so they can work with their teachers to develop a plan to build those specific skills
How they’re developing in all three essential skill areas as well as six subsets of those skills
How their skills compare to their school’s average as well peers across the country so they can set goals for growth
CLA+ and SSA+ provide faculty with critical insights to help improve their students’ skills and prepare them for success in the workplace.
Faculty can use the data provided by student and
institution reports to:
Provide instruction to build critical thinking, problem- solving, and written communication skills
Provide additional supports to students who have greater opportunities for growth
Advise and provide guidance on attaining career goals
Administrators receive reports that include an institutional analysis of student growth and how their students compare to national averages.
These data are useful to:
Develop curricula and programs that supports skill building
Elevate your institutions profile with prospective
students and families
Demonstrate student outcomes and success to
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School Works to Develop Students’ Essential Learning Skills with Support from CAE
Mays Business School (MBS) realized they weren’t teaching students the skills most in-demand by employers so in the fall of 2021 launched a program to strengthen these essential skills.
Students’ skills are assessed using CLA+ and SSA+ and CAE has worked with MBS faculty to provide critical thinking instruction to students.
CAE Also Supports Student Growth With:
Critical thinking instructional
materials and practice
Professional development on
how to use performance tasks in
the classroom and how to
integrate essential skills into


Responses to each prompt should be 2 to 3 paragraphs in length. Please provide musical examples as needed to illustrate your point. (You can use time stamps if you’re speaking about a specific section of a piece).
1) What was the technological advantage of music notation in the Middle Ages and what did it afford? Why is notation an important element of western music? And what is its relationship to music theory?
2) Name at least 3 different instances throughout western music history in which concepts developed in Ancient Greece and Rome were implemented and provide a musical example of this.
3) What were some of the difficulties that women faced while pursuing a career in music? How did the societal structures impact the access of women to music education? Name 2 composers that managed to overcome these difficulties and how. Briefly mention the period in which they were active.
4) What are some of the musical currents of the 20th century and what were some of the strategies used by composers in order to break with the musical tradition of the past.
5) How did composers of different cultural backgrouds incorporate their own musical traditions in the music that they composed? Choose one composer and expand.
6) What are some personal takeaways from this class? Has your understanding of music after taking course impacted your listening of western music? If so, in what way?