When the music teacher at Broadview Avenue Public School retires this year, the position will not be filled in September. I understand that it has something to do with staffing and budget – the details of which are not something I can explain because I don’t really understand all the ins and outs.
The Principal’s budget is not really what concerns me. What concerns me is the lack of monetary commitment on the part of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board to teach music.
I have always believed in the importance of creative, artistic play. Much of what little kids do as play (singing, dancing, drawing) are natural forms of art. Early childhood educators recognize the need to encourage this learning because it is these activities that engage all the senses and wire the brain for learning. What this tells me is that music isn’t just for fun – music education contributes to a deeper level of learning.
As kids get older and move through primary grades and into the junior years, it might not be circle time that engages them in music, but it might be recorder instruction and choir. You can read all kinds of articles and research that tells us about the positive impact music has on brain development.
Read this article on the PBS website. It is called The Benefits of Music Education by Laura Lewis Brown. It states that research shows music education facilitates learning other subject matters.
One would think we’d all be on board here and realize that music is just as important as math and science, early French Immersion and all the rest. In fact, music education actually contributes to better learning in other areas of education.
The point is, music is essential to learning. Music shouldn’t be thought of as an extra – it should be part of the curriculum. As educators, the Ministry of Education and the School Board should know this and have an unwavering commitment to it.
In my opinion, that means an actual Music Teacher assigned to each school.
In the meantime, it has been a great few years at Broadview with Arts Alive, Holiday Concerts, Remembrance Day and countless plays. I understand that music will be taught by teachers with an interest or a background in music and there is hope that extra curricular music will be handled by teachers or parents organized by Parent Council.
I don’t doubt there are great music teachers working at Broadview and should my kids land in a class with a teacher who can teach music, all the better. But that’s not the same thing as having a dedicated music teacher on staff.
Molly van der Schee


The new Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, German-born historian, musician and Bach scholar Dr Andreas Loewe (pronounced Lerver), recently spoke to Roland Ashby about his faith, his plans for the cathedral and his love of Bach.
“[…] He also believes God’s love can be expressed powerfully through music, not least in the music of J.S. Bach, about whose St John’s Passion he has written a theological commentary, to be published later this year. In his book, he describes Bach as ‘a preacher in sound’. He draws on the comments which Bach recorded in his own copy of the Bible in support of his thesis that Bach, a devout Lutheran, was theologically aware. The composer noted in his Bible that ‘In sacred music, God is always present in his grace.’ So what did Bach understand the purpose of sacred music to be?
‘Bach sees that there is a grace-filled presence wherever people make music to praise God, and that is something that very clearly comes out of the Lutheran tradition. Martin Luther himself was a very competent musician; he was a singer, a lute player and a music theorist. He was someone who also really appreciated the proclamatory, hermeneutical and homiletical dimension of music. Luther saw music, and hymns in particular, as a vehicle for making his reformation message known; a message of grace freely given. Therefore he deliberately fostered music education, of which Bach was a prime recipient. So it is no wonder that Bach stepped into this tradition where music is seen as an incredible channel for the word of God to be made known.
‘Bach saw that music can be transformational, and that music that reflects on the love of God can bring others to ponder that love. That is made clear again and again in the words of his cantatas: that there is a personal response that is expected of us to this great act of love in Jesus Christ’.


There are a plethora of co-curricular activities which are woven into the academic timetable and which take place during the activities periods.
Children are given exposure to the Fine Arts through activities in the Performing and Visual Arts.
Sing, dance, draw, mould a pottery vase or learn the violin – children can do it all at GDGWS! Each activity gives unique opportunities for creativity and development that caters to a child’s passion and interest.
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
― Bob Marley
“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”
― Oscar Wilde
Fundamental to the development of a strong and confident personality is the need to be able to express yourself clearly, knowledgeably, confidently and with conviction in a variety of situations.
Nothing helps channelise this more than a basic training in Media Skills. In fact, careers in the Media are becoming more lucrative and sought after than ever before.
In the next stage of the School’s development, we plan to introduce an FM radio station, HAM radio and a campus TV news studio to offer students the platform to experiment with and sharpen their Media Skills.
Art is a rendering of the world and one’s experience within it. In this process of creating art forms, we encourage our children to consider the visual arts as an area to create content, impacting and being impacted by other areas of learning, to ensure they develop artistic skills that are relevant in this visual age.
Learning techniques extend beyond how to draw, mix paint or mould a pot, children are taught to observe, envision, innovate and reflect. With emphasis on developing and strengthening the mind, we believe children should be given tools that impact their lives in school and beyond.
Works of art are windows into the minds of our student artists. Even a mere study of art “provides an excellent setting for the development of better thinking, for the cultivation of what might be called the art of intelligence.” (The Intelligent Eye: Learning to Think by Looking at Art by David N. Perkins)
In many ways, children can envision a world that is different from the world they know, and thus art education opens the possibility of creating new worlds, rather than simply accepting the world as it is. As Emily Dickinson wrote: “Imagination lights the slow fuse of possibility”.


Written by Dwight Bachman
On April 24, anthropologist Hilda Lloréns, 96’, presented “Arrancando Mitos de Raíz: Guía para una Enseñanza Antirracista” en Puerto Rico (Pulling-up Myths from their Roots: A Guide for the Anti-Racist Teaching of Puerto Rico’s African Heritage), published in 2013. The book’s presentation, which was sponsored by the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work and the Intercultural Center, detailed the findings of the research project, “Beyond the Self: Towards an Integral Approach to an Anti-racist Pedagogy in Elementary Education.”
This research project was funded by the National Institutes of Health and spearheaded by Isar Godreau from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey. The project sought to explore: 1) whether institutional racism was embedded in school curricula; and 2) whether black children were exposed to racism and discrimination in school.
The research team found that at the institutional level, in curricular materials and lessons, students were taught five recurrent and specific myths about Africa, the African heritage, and blackness in Puerto Rico. These five myths are: 1) Africa is a poor, primitive place of little importance in the world; 2) slaves were passive victims of slavery; 3) all black persons in Puerto Rico were slaves prior the abolition of slavery; 4) the contributions of African heritage are limited to music, folklore and hard labor; 5) in Puerto Rico, the majority of black persons disappeared as a result of race mixing or “mestizaje.” At the interpersonal level, racial discrimination among students included rejection, humiliation, mockery, and even physical abuse of black children. Consequently, the research team found that students who are victims of racism experience emotional instability, anxiety, and isolation. Students often begin to experience racism in elementary school and continue to encounter racism throughout the entirety of their schooling experience.
During the presentation, Lloréns explained the findings of the research, as well as the contents of “Pulling-up Myths by the Root.” The book offers a practical guide for teachers, social workers, education students, and the community at large to understand the effects of racism and suggest ways in which they can begin to effect anti-racist change both at the institutional and interpersonal levels. Lloréns donated a copy of the book to the J. Eugene Smith Library.


One of the strengths that our country has is the population of youngsters that we have. In fact as per the last census, the student population in India stands at 315 million, which is more than 25% of the country’s population. As is evident, there are lakhs of young minds yearning to transform their mirrors of imagination into windows of reality.
Over the years, the demand for children’s education has grown by leaps and bounds. Everybody from the poorest of the poor to the well off, acknowledges the value of education in the overall development of children. Basically, the object of education is threefold i.e. physical, mental and spiritual. A perfect system of education must do full justice to all those three above.
The importance of learning is to enable the individual to put his potentials to optimal use. Education makes an individual a right thinker and a correct decision-maker. It achieves this by bringing knowledge from the external world, teaching reason and acquainting one with the past history, so that s/he can be a better judge of the present. A well-educated person is a more dependable worker, a better citizen, a center of wholesome influence, pride to his/her community and honor to the country. A nation is great only in proportion of its advancement in education.
If we take a look at the Education Structure existing in India, we find that, it is divided broadly in five stages: Pre-primary, Primary, Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary. Schooling in India follows the “10+2 pattern”.
Moreover, if we take into consideration the Indian Education Scenario, we would find that, in the post- independence period, the pace of educational development has been unprecedented by any standards. The government was committed to ensuring universal elementary education (primary and upper primary) education for all children aged 6-14 years of age through its flagship program, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). It is assumed that, the chief aim of such an education must have been just to fit one to earn a living. It is called “Bread and Butter” system of education, as well. With the above situation and concept in mind, on April 1, 2010, India has reached a historic milestone in country’s struggle for
Children’s Right to Education. The Constitution (86thAmendment) Act 2002 making elementary
education a Fundamental Right and its consequential legislation, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, comes into force. The enforcement of this right represents a momentous step forward in 100 – year struggle for universalizing elementary education.
While it may be concluded that, Education is a fundamental human right, without which capabilities for a decent life and effective participation in society are less likely to be developed, the implementation still poses a lot of challenges. Some of the websites are supporting this initiative by providing free NCERT Book Answers to ensure the educational resources are available. Since the RTE Act has provided us the tools to provide quality education to all our children, it is now imperative that we, the people of India, join hands to ensure the implementation of this law in its true spirit. The Government is committed to this task though real change will happen only through collective action and we must come forward willingly for the same.
That is minimum education must not be defined in terms of age but in terms of basic knowledge to be
possessed to serve the society. With education, one can finds him-self in a room with all its windows
open to the outside world.
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The Individual Musical Instrument course is a compulsory part of the curriculum, in the Music Education Departments of universities in Turkey. The main purpose of the course is to ensure that each student is able to play a musical instrument and, use the instrument once they become music teachers. This study aims to determine the attitudes of students enrolled in the Music Education Department towards the course within the program. Participants included 334 students studying Music Education at four different Universities in Turkey. The study adopted the “Attitudes towards Individual Musical Instrument Course Scale” (Topoğlu & Erden,2012). No statistically significant difference in students’ attitude towards the course was identified related to gender, the type of high schools they graduated and the total period of education they received. In contrast, a statistically significant difference in students’ attitudes was identified related to grade levels, the types of instruments they learned, and the time allocated each day for practice.
Cüceoğlu Önder, G.
Students’ Attitudes towards Individual Musical Instrument Courses in Music Education Graduate Programs in Turkey.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(2).


Developed in conjunction with Thinking Musically and the culture case studies in the Global Music Series, Teaching Music Globally provides teachers and students of music education with ideas and techniques for engaging their students in the study of the world's musical cultures. Offering a large selection of exercises and activities of varying difficulty, this text is a guide for teachers of elementary through university level students--in band, choir, general music, orchestra, and any other school music classes--who seek to establish a comprehensive musical understanding for students living in a global era.
Teaching Music Globally is packaged with Thinking Musically, which provides the conceptual foundation for exploring music around the world. Thinking Musically discusses the importance of musical instruments, describing their significance in a culture's folklore, religion, and history, and examines how fundamental elements of music--including rhythm, pitch, and form--vary in different musical traditions. The 80-minute audio CD packaged with Thinking Musically is also referenced in Teaching Music Globally. Teaching Music Globally and the CD give readers the opportunity to experience steel drum music from Trinidad, Irish jigs and reels, an ensemble piece for Peruvian panpipes, excerpts of Mexican mariachi music, gamelan music from Bali and Java, and choral pieces from Bulgaria, South Africa, the Pacific Islands, and the African-American experience. The book and CD also include Navajo social songs, an Egyptian maqam for string ensemble, a medieval European ronda, Carmen's Habanera, and percussion pieces from Brazil, China, Ghana, Japan, Liberia, and Puerto Rico. The CD selections provide the audio component for the numerous and varied experiences incorporated throughout the text. These "attentive," "engaged," and "enactive" listening, participatory, and performance activities are resources for shaping the musical education of students of all ages.


In our culture, we frequently place gifted children on a pedestal and presume that those bright and curious little people will live up to our expectations: high achieving, self-directed, read early, receive good grades, and that school is easy for them, along with many other commonly held myths.
Children, who are neurologically designated as gifted, actually, think and process differently than neuro-typical kids. These children are defined as asynchronous, which essentially means that their brains, bodies, and emotions are all developing at different rates and times. A child who wows us with their seeming ability to grasp the most abstract concept, at a very young age, is still - for all intents and purposes – a young child.
Gifted children are often perfectionists, highly sensitive, and extremely intense. They, many-times, have multiple on-going projects which are only occasionally finished. These kids can fixate on one particular subject to a point that borders on obsession, or, they may have a thousand areas of interests, which they are exploring simultaneously. They can also be learning disabled - which is defined as twice exceptional.
Providing the necessary resources and support is sometimes difficult, because they are different for each gifted child. Experts do know that structure is important; however, flexibility is essential and one static age/grade based curriculum is not beneficial. Experiential learning is a necessary tool, including hands-on creative outlets related to art, music, and movement. They need to be constantly challenged with new concepts, themes, and games. While reward and punishment are not great motivators, these children are often able to discuss consequences, because of their clear-cut sense of right and wrong.
Although not all children are gifted – I do believe that every child has specific talents and abilities that make them uniquely brilliant individuals. Within that firmly held philosophy, Deep Root Center offers an educational environment that is nimble enough to accommodate every child’s extraordinary aptitude with enough guidance to challenge them to question existing stereotypes. This methodology allows them to seek out divergent facts and opinions, as a means of enhancing personal knowledge, but, more importantly, also allows them to develop a receptive and accommodating world view.
DRC NEWS Summer Programs – Let DRC fill your child's last weeks of summer with fun, engaging activities. DRC Theater Week begins Aug 14th. If you have a little, or, big drama enthusiast, this is the summer program for them. Theater educator, Karen Wells, uses a hands-on active approach when teaching theatric skills. Participants will have the opportunity to choose skits and short plays to develop their own on stage persona. Music Week is coming up Aug. 21st. Christopher Raymo, the DRC music director, brings a gentle nurturing approach to music education. Your music enthusiast can jam on our large variety of instruments, learn about various musical styles, as well as the basic notes and chords. They will also have access to recording equipment and may even create an original song or two. Arts and Crafts Week is Aug. 28th – Pure imagination and creativity are the themes this week. Kids will have access to DRC’s abundance of art, and craft materials to envision and produce fantastical works of art or to develop their very own mini-world from boxes and other recycled materials. Register on-line or contact Maria for additional info.


Students in the Boulder Valley, Colo., district are becoming more racially and academically stratified as a result of the district's open-enrollment policies, a study concludes.
Researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder said the Boulder Valley schools' public-school-choice program provides a prime laboratory for study because it touches every school in the system. One-fifth of the district's 27,500 students take part in the program, which surged in popularity around 1995.
Since then, the researchers found, students have migrated from schools with lower test scores to higher-scoring ones and from schools with high minority populations to mostly white schools. As a result, the number of elementary schools where fewer than half the students are white went from one in 1994 to five last year.
"They're choosing from a lottery, so it's not that schools are 'creaming' from the pool," said Kenneth R. Howe, an education professor at the university. He conducted the study with fellow education professor Margaret A. Eisenhart. "It's that the pool itself is composed of very atypical students."
As a result, some schools have become weaker, while others have grown stronger. Left with needier students and less funding as a result of lost enrollment, the weakest schools have entered "a spiral of decline" as their enrollments dwindle, the researchers say.
The district's overall achievement scores, though, have not improved much—contrary to some predictions.
Still, most parents interviewed expressed satisfaction with their children's schools.
"I think we all feel like it's a study that needed to be done," said Judy Stout, the district's director of elementary education. The study was conducted at the district's request with backing from the Spencer Foundation in Chicago.
"There have been issues around open enrollment in the community for years, and to have somebody from the outside come and gather information and give information back is very helpful," Ms. Stout added.
— Debra Viadero
Vol. 20, Issue 15, Page 8


CLARK — Kumpf students took part in a “Mystery Whodunit Night” event, Hehnly third graders are learning about area and perimeter, and Valley Road second graders are practicing how to tell time. (Photos courtesy of Clark Public Schools)
In honor to celebrate the upcoming Education Week, students at Carl H. Kumpf Middle School in Clark participated in a Whodunit Mystery Night. Suzanne Hamilton, a seventh grade language arts teacher at Kumpf, hosted the nighttime event for all the school’s students. They read short stories in groups while using highlighters and pencils to identify information that would be used as clues to solving the mysteries. Each group was provided with an illustration of the scene of the crime so that the students could compare their evidence. The students attended the event dressed in detective-style costumes and provided clever team names such as “The Bows Know” and “The Sherlock Homies.” Prizes for the winners were donated by Marbles The Brain Store in Garden State Plaza.
This week students in Ashley Guarino’s third grade class at Frank K. Hehnly Elementary School in Clark practiced area and perimeter through the use of geo boards. The students created a shape using rubber bands based on a given area or perimeter. “This activity helped students visualize dimensions of shapes and construct polygons to increase understanding of area and perimeter. Experimenting with different numbers to create these shapes also involved the use of many foundational skills such as addition and subtraction,” Guarino said.
Students in Christine Cemelli’s third grade class at Frank K. Hehnly School in Clark are also exploring perimeter and area during an “Everyday Math” lesson. “After the lesson, the Everyday Math program encourages students to then use the skills taught and play educational games to master the strategies,” Cemelli said. In the picture above, Isai Osorio, Maia Lane, Mark Kniezov, Jessica Sot, Matt Lordi, and Marisa Lipari perform an “Everyday Math” exercise.
Students in Miss Emma’s second grade class in Valley Road School in Clark have been practicing telling time. As the students explore the function of the minute and hour hands, they are gaining knowledge of how the clock works, as well as the relationship between the minute and hour hands. The students created their own clock booklet full of activities they do at specific times. For example, Hannah goes to bed at 9 p.m. and Nathaniel has karate at 4:30 p.m. Pictured above, Dylan Costa shows off his clock booklet.
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Getting children engaged in something fun and interesting like art classes can be a great way to introduce them to new talents or develop new interests. The positive aspects of creative pursuits are often over-looked especially when children have started school and are mostly pushed towards academic or sporting activities. While becoming a fully fledged artist is not possible for everyone or may not be the ultimate goal, artistic hobbies can be a great way to de-stress as well.
Introducing Children to New Things
Progress can begin gradually- especially if you have younger children by getting them engaged in small art and craft projects that will let them work with their hands. Getting them involved with art studios that focus on courses or workshops for children is a great way to start. Do avoid over-whelming them with too many creative pursuits at once and let them take the time to enjoy themselves as well.
Creativity Can Improve Academic Performance
While keeping children focused on their studies is a good thing, it can sometimes be stressful and monotonous – even for adolescents and teenagers too. Artistic pursuits can actually help improve problem solving skills, co-ordination, cognitive development and make children more imaginative as well. Activities such as crafts and modeling objects can also help them analyze structures and how shapes can be created and fused together. These are valuable skills that children can learn where they will realise what kind of materials work best together. Focusing on an art education for kids will definitely help them as they get older. Check this page for further information regarding art programs for kids.
Making Children More Aware Of Their Surrounding
Craft and creative pursuits will automatically make children more interested in their surroundings and more aware of situations as they will need to find inspiration. Sending them to a trusted child development center or creative studio that is focused on art,craft or music will also expose them to a more creative environment and other children with whom they can interact with. You can also find out more about centres that provide creative courses for children through friends or online research as well as more about the teachers and what their methods are.
Keeping Them Interested
It is common for children to get distracted easily or sometimes get bored with projects. Since they are young they require guidance, but avoid forcing them and being over-controlling as it can make them dislike going for classes or take the enjoyment out of a fun activity. If you have teenagers, talk to them about their interests and what type of creative pursuits might interest them.


The focus of the knowledge and skills in this unit is science for junior secondary (Years 7-10).This unit introduces students to foundational concepts and pedagogies in the field of science teaching. The unit equips students with the foundational skills to develop exciting lesson plans and programs from the Science curriculum that facilitates students being able to: develop the skills and understanding of science.
This unit introduces students to knowledge relating to the relationship between theory and practice, where students will develop a repertoire of teaching strategies, and an understanding of how students learn in science. The construction of engaging activities will lead to deeper understandings of key ideas and concepts in science. This unit is designed around the structure and philosophy of the Australian Curriculum in Science Understanding, a Human Endeavour and Inquiry Skills (ACARA, 2010) in areas of biological science, chemical science, physical science and earth & space science. The unit will focus on developing an understanding of how to use available resources to design curriculum and integrate literacy, numeracy, assessment, use technologies, design suitable programs of inquiry and build experimental investigations into the curriculum.
Prescribed Text - ART OF TEACHING SCIENCE
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Celebrate fall with this fun and easy Q-tip painted tree. Q-tip painting is great for letting young children creatively express themselves while also mixing colors and strengthening fine motor skills.
Materials Needed for the Q-Tip Fall Tree
Tree trunk printable
Red and Yellow Paint
Directions to make the Q-tip Fall Tree
1. Print the tree trunk printable on white paper.
2. Prepare for a little mess. Cover your work area with newspaper to catch spills. Put an art smock or old shirt on your child.
3. Pour a small amount of red, yellow, and red & yellow paint onto the paper plate.
4. Set out 3 or more q-tips for your child to print leaves.
Teacher tip: We use the I do, We do, You do model for many projects, this one included. I show my child how to fill the q-tip with paint and stamp on the branch. Then, I hold his hand and we fill the q-tip with paint together for practice. This gives the youngest learners the chance to feel the rhythm of stamping the leaves. Finally, he does it on his own.
Additional Educational Activity Extensions:
1:1 Correspondence. This is an early learning math concept for toddler and preschoolers. You can encourage this by asking your child to stamp one leaf on the end of each branch. One leaf for each branch, 1:1.
Vocabulary Development. Talk about the changes in trees while your child paints. Explain that the lack of Chlorophyll in the leaves shows the other colors: red, yellow, and orange.
Color Mixing: Talk about the colors in the color wheel. Encourage them to predict what color yellow and orange will be prior to mixing them.
More Fall Activities by Amanda:
Download the Tree Template here.
Amanda is a National Board Certified teacher with oodles of experience in early childhood education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in Reading for grades K-12. You will often find her in her backyard exploring nature with her kids or doing a hands-on science project at the kitchen table. She loves to walk her dog and snuggling up with a good book when she isn’t elbow deep in baking blueberry muffins in the kitchen. She shares educational activities for children ages 0-7 at The Educators’ Spin On It.


The national curriculum is overcrowded, too advanced and risks undermining the teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills, primary school principals say.
It is inappropriate for students to study specialist economic concepts such as ''opportunity cost'' and to learn mathematical algorithms as early as year 3, the Australian Primary Principals Association argues in its submission to the federal government's national curriculum review.
The call for the curriculum to be pared back puts public school principals at odds with history, maths and English teachers who say the curriculum should not change.
"The curriculum proposed for the primary years contains too much material, some of the material is presented much earlier in the sequence of schooling than is appropriate, and as a result the content is too complex for the target school audience," the association, which represents more than 7000 principals in all school sectors, says in its submission.
"The volume of material in science and history, especially in the upper primary years, will be impossible to teach in most schools. As a result of the implementation of the national curriculum, the time available for literacy and numeracy have been inevitably reduced."
The association argues this would particularly affect students in disadvantaged areas, or where English is predominantly a second language. It wants economics and business subjects scrapped altogether in primary school.
But the association rejects claims the curriculum is ideologically biased and defends the use of three "cross-curriculum priorities" - sustainability, engagement with Asia and indigenous Australia.
While also concerned about the amount of content, the Australian Secondary Principals Association argues in its submission: "Schools have largely come to terms with embedding current [curriculum] learning areas and may find outcomes arising from the review unsettling. The review is premature as the curriculum has not been fully implemented."
The Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers recommends the curriculum not change, saying it is "the best that can be achieved in the current context".
The Australian Association for the Teaching of English says its "very strong preference is for no changes to be made at this time". Curriculums for English, maths, science and history are complete and being implemented across the country.
It criticised federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne for choosing Kevin Donnelly and Kenneth Wiltshire to review the curriculum. The appointment of two outspoken curriculum critics has cast doubt on the review's impartiality, the association said.
The History Teachers Association of Australia argued that the history curriculum is already balanced. Primary students learn about Anzac Day and Australia Day while secondary students study the concept of Western civilisation and both world wars.
Phillip Heath, chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, said the review was premature. "We're not looking for a correction - we are looking to be trusted to do a good job," he said.
Mr Pyne announced the review in January to ensure the curriculum is ''balanced in its content, free of partisan bias and deals with real-world issues''.


The history of education in the area has been taken from newspaper reports going back as far as the 1860’s.
Fochriw, Pentwyn and Penybank
The first school in the area was a National School at Pentwyn. It was opened in 1856 by the Gellygaer Charities which were left to the parish by Edward Lewis of Gilfach Bargoed in 1715.
Historically, a National School in England and Wales was a school originally established by The National Society to teach an Anglican education. British Schools by comparison taught a non-sectarian education.
From the 1861 census, the number of children living in Fochriw, Pentwyn and Brithdir (Penybanc) were 30, 70 and 45 respectively giving a total of 145.
In consequence of the 1870 Education Act and an increase in the population, the Gelligaer School Board, during meetings in Pontlottyn in June and July 1871 recommended that a new school be built at Fochriw to accommodate 150 children
It was also reported that the number of children aged 3 to 13 was 266; 3-5 = 64; 5-13 = 202.
Deduct 7% for absentees = 247.
The National School at Pentwyn only provided places for 127 children therefore there was a deficiency of 120 places.
During the same June meeting a petition was received from Carmel Chapel in Fochriw for the school to nondenominational.
The 1870 Education Act declared that:
1. School Boards could be set up by popular vote in districts where school places were inadequate.
2. These were to provide elementary education for children aged 5-13
3. Elected by ratepayers, they could raise a school rate to finance their activities (above the central government funding)


Ideas about Nature in American Art and Visual Culture
Ideas about wilderness, nature, and sustainability are significant parts of the American artistic tradition. The visual arts and popular visual culture are particularly influential in conveying ideas, stories, and myths about nature that animate discussions about environmental responsibility, ecology, and sustainability. Artists, filmmakers, designers, and advertisers echo these beliefs and attitudes. The stories we tell ourselves about nature deeply influence approaches to preservation, restoration, sustainability and the practice of art and art education that is concerned with ecological issues. This article traces ideas about nature in a few selected art histories, in popular visual culture, in the work of contemporary artists, and in the practice of art education. Ideas about nature create rich contexts for teaching, learning, and art-making that focus on ecology and the places students and teachers inhabit.
||Nature, Place, Art Education, Ecology
The International Journal of Arts Education, Volume 12, Issue 3, pp.1-12.
Article: Print (Spiral Bound).
Article: Electronic (PDF File; 965.220KB).
Professor, Art Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
Dr. Mark Graham is a professor in the Department of Visual Art at Brigham Young University. Prior to coming to Brigham Young University, he taught at Washington State University in the College of Education. Before his university appointments, he was a high school art teacher and arts administrator in the Port Washington Public Schools in Long Island, New York. Dr. Graham is also an internationally known artist and illustrator and has illustrated more than twenty children picture books. He has exhibited his illustrations at the Society of Illustrators exhibitions, the Bologna Children Book Exhibition and many other national and international venues. He continues to create various kinds of art objects, including mandalas and complex installations.
He spent most of his professional life in New York City where he studied at the Art Student’s League of New York and Columbia University. His research interests are include
Place-Based Education, Ecology, Critical Pedagogy, and Material Culture
Picture Books and Graphic Novels as Contemporary Art Forms
Adolescent Artistic Development,
Secondary Art Education Policy
The Teaching Artist and Art Educational Pedagogy
The Spiritual Dimensions of Art Education and Tibetan Mandalas


“Of moral purpose I see no trace in Nature. That is an article of exclusively human manufacture – and very much to our credit,” said T H Huxley, scientist, educator, and supporter of Charles Darwin’s ideas on evolution and natural selection. Huxley coined the word “agnostic” to describe his position on knowledge and religious belief – that one cannot, and should not claim to, know things for which one there is no evidence.
Many people say we simply do not have the knowledge to answer some deep questions with any certainty. They call themselves “agnostics”. This is a fairly new word in the English language and was coined by T H Huxley to express his view that “it is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.” and that one should adopt an “agnostic” (literally “without knowledge”) position on things which one cannot know (which would include most religious beliefs). Huxley lost his religious faith as a young man, denied that Christianity had a monopoly on morality, and thought that agnosticism was an honest and honourable way of looking at the world:
“In matters of the intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take you, without regard to any other considerations…do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic faith, which if any man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face…”
Huxley was a scientist and educator, and saw that doubt or agnosticism was the starting point for progress in human knowledge; he said he was “inclined to think that not far from the invention of fire must rank the invention of doubt.” Largely self-educated and very hard-working, Huxley began his scientific career as a doctor, studied marine life on his voyages as a naval surgeon, and on his return to England, became a science lecturer. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1851. As a scientist he saw the importance of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species – his ideas on human evolution struck Huxley “like a flash of light on a dark night.” Darwin sent him an advance copy, and when Huxley first read it, his reaction was, “How exceedingly stupid not to have thought of that.” Like many of the best ideas, evolution by natural selection seemed obvious once someone had thought of it.
But it was not obvious to everyone, and Huxley was much more combative than Darwin in defending it from the attacks of conservative thinkers and those who thought Darwin’s ideas heretical (he was sometimes called “Darwin’s Bulldog”). One of his most famous defences took place in a debate with Bishop Wilberforce at Oxford University in 1860. When the bishop sarcastically asked Huxley if he was descended from an ape “on his grandmother’s side of the family or on his grandfather’s”, Huxley replied: “If the question is put to me, ’would I rather have a miserable ape for a grandfather, or a man highly endowed by nature and possessed of great means and influence, and yet who employs these faculties and that influence for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into scientific discussion?”- I unhesitatingly affirm my preference for the ape.”
Huxley played an important part in the transformation of the Royal School of Mines, which gave him his first lecturing post, into Imperial College, which specialised in educating scientists and engineers, and in creating the University of London. Huxley wanted to see science brought together with industry and used to solve human problems such as overpopulation and hunger. He was also interested in elementary education, and was elected to the London School Board, where he worked to give ordinary people a decent education. He began the first proper training courses for science teachers.
He was happily married and had many children and grandchildren, amongst them Julian Huxley, who wrote, “He was a great example to me.” When he was dying, his family intercepted letters form religious people saying they were glad he was dying and that he would be going to Hell. He was buried without religious ceremony.


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


News reports this month lauded improvements in reading achievement but there has been very little improvement in the eleven years since 2002 as you can see in this graph from the NAEP website: http://nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2013/#/gains-percentiles
To access reading scores in place of mathematics scores, click on the bar just under the caption, “Are higher and lower performing students making gains?”
Here is their explanation of the terms, basic, proficient, and advanced:
Several years ago in the Introduction to Sound Bytes Reading, I wrote:
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 34 % of fourth graders in the USA read at only a basic level and another 34% read below a basic level. In eighth grade, 43 % read at a basic level and 27% read below a basic level. Our goal should be for all students to become proficient readers, yet 68% of fourth graders and 70% of eighth graders cannot read at a proficient level.
Recently the following statement about the 2013 Nation’s Report Card was made by the president of The Center for Education Reform, Kara Kerwin:
It’s a disgrace and truly incomprehensible that after decades of mediocrity, we celebrate today the fact that only 34 percent of our nation’s 8th graders can read at grade level and only 34 percent are proficient in math.
Other news sources made these statements:
While overall performance remains poor, this year’s report card does show improvement. Nationally, math scores were higher in 2013 than they have been since 1990 for both grades and for all student demographic groups. What’s more, the percentage of students who scored “advanced” on the tests was higher in 2013 than in any year since 1990.
The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress from the U.S. Department of Education shows that many high school seniors are graduating unable to read at grade level, and one in four cannot read at even the most basic level. Just 38 percent of 12th graders were proficient in reading.
In an EdWeek.com article, “NAEP Results Show Math Gains, But 4th Grade Reading Still Flat,” Erik Robelen wrote:
The nation’s 4th and 8th graders have inched up in mathematics, new test data show, but the results are more mixed in reading, with 4th grade scores flat compared with two years ago. Overall, achieving proficiency in reading and math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “the nation’s report card,” remains an elusive goal for the majority of American students. Only about one-third reached that level or higher in reading.
The 2013 Nation’s Report Card can be seen here:
Have we really improved reading achievement? Not much. But we could improve a lot more if we followed the guidelines outlined in the April 2000 “Report of the National Reading Panel.” They outlined what a good reading program should include: Phonemic Awareness instruction, Systematic Phonics Instruction, Vocabulary Instruction, Guided Oral Reading, Independent Reading, Fluency Instruction, and Comprehension Instruction.
The components of a good reading program should not be taught in isolation. Children who are learning to read should be learning the sounds of the letters, decode words using those same letter-sounds, and read a story using the words they just learned. Make sure students know the meanings of new words before reading a story. If students can decode well, fluency will not be difficult. Check comprehension by asking questions about the story. Let’s follow good practice and improve reading instruction!


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Linda Sue Park TED Talk: Can A Children’s Book Change the World?
Rebecca Bellingham TED Talk: Why We Should All Be Reading Aloud to Children
Precious Perspectives from Children “Why I Read”
Authors Share Why We Need Diverse Books
We Need Diverse Books // WNDB is an organization composed of advocates who are passionate about children’s books and intentionality regarding the publication of diverse literature. Their mission is to promote literature that reflects and celebrates the lives of all young people including but not limited to LGBT+; people of color; Native populations; gender diversity; people with sensory, cognitive, physical, and developmental disabilities; and cultural, ethnic, and religious minorities. WNDB strives to ensure the publishing industry is inclusive and appreciative of diverse experiences and lifestyles so that all children can see themselves in books.
Rich in Color // Rich in Color reads, reviews, discusses, explores, and promotes multicultural literature for kids and young adults. They feature diverse books that are starring Native characters or characters of color, or books that are written by Native authors or authors of color. Their mission is to present a variety of books that enable Native children and children of color to see themselves in the stories they read.
Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books // Books have the power to reinforce or undermine ideas and nurture positive or negative attitudes regarding diversity. Stories show who is important and who deserves recognition. Because of the power stories have, it is so important to carefully select quality books that are accurately representative of diverse lifestyles. This resource provides a guide for choosing a range of appropriate diverse books.
Guide to Selecting Culturally Appropriate Children’s Books in Languages Other Than English // This is a phenomenal guide for selecting, evaluating, and utilizing children’s books that support and encourage language and literacy development for the native languages of young children.
Diverse Books Awards // These book awards recognize authors and honor books that encourage the celebration of diversity in children’s literature.


Literacy development is key to the programs run here at Somers Primary School. Our Literacy programs enable students to work individually and in small group situations using a variety of learning tools to cater for individual needs and differences.The junior grades offer many hands on literacy experiences with a strong focus on phonics in order to engage and develop our students in this area. As students move through the middle school they continue to progress in Literacy through participation in Reading Programs that focus on teaching literal and inferential comprehension strategies while promoting rich discussion about a range of texts. Students develop skills in Writing through the implementation of VCOP (Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers, Punctuation) and the Big Write. This comprehensive Writing program is aimed at developing the key components of writing and encourages children to become articulate thinkers, speakers and writers.
Literacy Support Programs
Somers Primary provides a comprehensive Literacy Support Program including:
- The Reading Intervention Program.
- The Language Support Program.
- Speech Pathology Referrals.
The Reading Intervention Program delivers individual programs to students on a daily basis and Language Support provides Literacy development to individuals or small groups.
In addition to classroom activities, Literacy extension occurs through participation in:
- Drama groups.
- Book circles.
- Premiers’ Reading Challenge.
- Debating and Socratic Seminars.
Participation in Book Circles enriches the students’ knowledge of Literacy through classic literature exploration and the development of mature reading skills.
Being involved in drama groups encourages students to celebrate their Literacy achievements and develop confidence in their oral language skills.


A blended teacher’s personal mindsets shape her decisions as an educator. These mindsets influence general pedagogies, instructional approaches, and short-term decision making, alike. Check out how Johanna’s mindsets have helped to shape her blended instruction.
Assessment and data play a crucial role in a blended teacher’s classroom. Blended learning gives teachers an opportunity to assess consistently throughout a class, in a way that drives instruction, impacts grouping, and assignments. Blended educators have to develop capacity to sift through multiple sources of data and synthesizes quickly into action. Check out how Johanna utilizes Assessment and Data here.
As with the Warm-up activity that gets the brain going at the beginning of class, my students end class with an activity that lets them feel closure with the lesson and their work for that day. The activity is almost always an online reflective journal or survey, and the purpose is to have an impact on and inform my planning for the next class. Sometimes we end the period with a whole-class conversation instead, especially after a Socratic Seminar day, because we use the conversation to debrief and think metacognitively about our discussion process as a whole group. Students should develop metacognition skills as a way of understanding how they learn. The debrief looks at the learning process for the day and is that opportunity for me to point out how different students learned well because they have certain strategies they used effectively. In this way, more students can benefit from that reflection. Literacy development requires so many strategies that operate differently given the text. When my students can benefit from understanding how they each learn, a strong sense of community and collaboration develops.
While I often use a Google Form survey or an opening conversation to start class and set the tone, there is also tremendous value in having students write their individual thoughts in their Writer's Notebooks. Ours is a mostly paperless classroom despite the fact that it is an English class, so these pen-to-paper moments are significant ones. Students understand that these journal entries are silent reflections meant to put them in the frame of mind needed for the day's lessons.


The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) The Money as You Grow book club is a family financial education program that uses children’s books to help families learn key money concepts through reading, play, and quiet one-on-one talks.
This month The Money as You Grow book club selection is “Curious George Saves His Pennies,” by Margaret and H. A. Rey, for ages 4 to 7. In the book, Curious George works hard to save up money for a toy he wants, but then he loses his piggy bank on the way to the toy store. Fortunately, he gets it back and he shows his gratitude by doing something nice for the person who returned it to him.
In the Parent Guide for “Curious George Saves His Pennies,” you’ll find questions you can ask your child about the story as well as interactive activities based on the book. For young children, it’s important to build foundational skills like waiting for what they want. You might ask about things your child could do to save up money or plan ahead for something he or she wants. Slightly older children, up to age 10, may be curious about how you might expect them to act if they lose or find something valuable.
Here are some key takeaways that you can share with your child as you read:
▪ Developing patience
▪ Making tradeoffs
▪ Decision making
The Money as You Grow book club gives parents and caregivers a natural way to start money conversations with children. You can read the Money as You Grow book club selections at home on your own. Use our Parent Guides for key ideas, questions, and activities.
You can also join a book club at your local library or start a book club yourself. Download our Implementation Guide to get started!


If you’ve ever felt klutzy after missing out on sleep, there’s scientific evidence to back you up. It’s a fact that, when learning a new action pattern involving motor skills, performance improvement can continue for up to 24 hours after training. Recent research shows that getting some sleep can make that window of improvement even more effective. In a study by Matthew Walker and his team from Harvard’s Laboratory of Neurophysiology, it was discovered that a night of sleep can increase motor skill speed by 20% without losing accuracy.
Stage 2 NREM Sleep
Walker and his team designed an experiment involving five groups, whose members underwent different combinations of training for a skill involving fine finger tapping movements, wakefulness, sleep, and finger rest. The researchers found that Stage 2 NREM sleep was the most effective way of improving motor skills, especially when this stage of the cycle occurred late at night. Stage 2 NREM, or Non-Rapid Eye Movement, can be described as an intermediate stage of sleep in which the sleeper descends progressively deeper into unconsciousness. This stage is characterized by larger brain waves than Stage 1 NREM, accompanied by occasional episodes of quick activity. Someone who is in this stage of sleep would not be able to see even if their eyes were opened, would be unlikely to be awakened by sounds, and would have slower bodily functions.
Sleep Stages and Motor Skill Development
There was a considerable amount of variance between subjects who slept and those who didn’t, and the researchers found that 52% of that difference in improvement could be accounted for by Stage 2 NREM sleep. But the amount of improvement by sleep stage could change depending upon the complexity of the task being learned. When subjects have been instructed to learn skills that involve more finely tuned movements, they have been shown to react negatively to REM sleep deprivation. Walker and his team hypothesize that the level of complexity that characterizes a learned task is associated with a certain sleep stage, with more difficult tasks responding to REM stages and less challenging tasks responding to NREM sleep. Either way, getting enough sleep while you learn can help you increase the level of your performance on a variety of tasks.
Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She spends much of her days blogging about Education and CollegeScholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
-- Important: The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.


© Alissa Daniels
Calendar: Science, Tech, Eng & Math This Week
Notice, wonder, question, play. Investigate magnets. Experiment with dry ice. Touch a live snake. Boston Children’s Museum is a welcoming, imaginative learning environment that helps children develop foundational skills in science, technology, math, and engineering, and supports families in nurturing their children’s curiosity.
Saturdays are special science days at the Museum. Museum wide events such as National Engineering Week Celebration feature guest presenters from partner universities and organizations such as the Society of Black Engineers. The annual Chemistry Day is developed in partnership with scientists and students from the American Chemical Society. Once a month you will find a Kitchen Science experiment or a Critter Day with Live Animals.
Museum educators develop daily activities that inspire hands-on investigation and greater awareness of the world around us. Children may practice using tools such as magnifying glasses to take a closer look at everyday objects. Experiments introduce visitors to new materials, such as water-repellent fabric engineered through nanotechnology. Games and puzzles help children recognize patterns, and develop math and problem solving skills.
Live animal programs help children understand their connection to all living things. Boston Children’s Museum offers many opportunities to meet the Museum’s resident live animals up close! Creature Features happen frequently in Play Space, Countdown to Kindergarten and Investigate. Monthly Critter Days are special live animal programs that bring experts to the Museum to share everything from live hawks and alligators to domestic working dogs that help kids learn to read.


The Liberal Government’s Response to the Challenges Facing Wales and England 1906-1914
- Laissez-faire: someone believing one is not responsibility for the social welfare of individuals.
- Poverty: whether one could meet basic needs like food and clothing.
- Philanthropy: charity and good will.
- Ideology: political beliefs.
- The 1880 Education Act made elementary education (for children aged 5-10 years old) compulsory. In 1891 it was made free. By 1900 95% of people could read.
Government believed in laissez-faire. Middle classes people, apart from exceptions such as Booth and Rowntree, looked down upon working class as believed, as Samuel Smiles says, ‘Heaven helps those who help the selves.’ Did not want to encourage laziness. Believed in self-help.
Attitudes began to change. Compulsory education, in 1870, shocked teachers concerning the state of children. 90% had poor teeth.
The Reforms - The Young
Free School mealsAct1906 – by 1914, 14 million meals were provided in total (1906 = 3 million). Less than half, though, of all local authorities provided school meals.
Medical inspections 1907 – detected a lot of medical problems. Glasgow, 30% were found to be ‘verminous’. No obligation to treat the problem. Yet grants were given to some local authorities.
The Reforms – The Old
Pensions Act 1908– Very costly. For people aged 70+. By 1914, nearly a million were receiving them. Amount however was below Rowntree’s poverty line (5 shillings in 1909). Affected a very small amount of people. Could be withheld in ‘underserving cases.’ 70 for pensions was a harsh decision as the poor died young. Administrated by the post office, thus removing shame of poor law. Old age pensions – ‘As they picked up their money they would say, God bless Lloyd George.’ D. Morrison.
The Reforms - The Employed.
National Insurance Act (Part 2) 1911 – workers, employers and state contributed. 7 shillings a week paid to those out of work. Only 2.3 million covered. Only compulsory in cyclical trades. Benefited limited to 15 weeks out of every year. Only covered worker NOT family. Involved contributions from worker thus had to do a degree of self-help (government never abandoned it, only modified it). Workers were opposed being forced to pay contributions. Benefits were still tied to the idea of deserving and underserving poor.
The Effectiveness of the Reforms – Positive.


$8.00 – $11.00
Beginning reader with phonics help and word lists.
Ten delightful folk tales written in a simple style allow children to read the story for themselves.Folktales are the ideal story form to teach reading. The Primer is the first book in the Reading-Literature Series by Harriette Treadwell and Margaret Free. The Primer challenges the notion that learning to read has to be a matter of word repetition and phonics drill. The Primer is a republication of the 1910 edition by Living Books Press. Care has been taken to faithfully reproduce the type and illustrations of the original. Includes guidelines for phonics instruction and vocabulary building.
Print version: 147 pages, soft cover
Digital version: direct download
Author: Harriette Treadwell & Margaret Free


Author(s): Jensen JD, King AJ, Davis LA, Guntzviller LM
Abstract Share this page
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine whether low-income adults' utilization of Internet technology is predicted or mediated by health literacy, health numeracy, and computer assistance. METHOD: Low-income adults (N = 131) from the midwestern United States were surveyed about their technology access and use. RESULTS: Individuals with low health literacy skills were less likely to use Internet technology (e.g., email, search engines, and online health information seeking), and those with low health numeracy skills were less likely to have access to Internet technology (e.g., computers and cell phones). Consistent with past research, males, older participants, and those with less education were less likely to search for health information online. The relationship between age and online health information seeking was mediated by participant literacy. DISCUSSION: The present study suggests that significant advances in technology access and use could be sparked by developing technology interfaces that are accessible to individuals with limited literacy skills.
This article was published in J Aging Health
and referenced in Journal of Gerontology & Geriatric Research


Montessori art has a higher purpose to support the child’s creative development.
The activities aim to provide the child experiences in painting, drawing, sculpting, and , craft-making. The child is encouraged to express himself through the different aspects of art education. Montessori art teachers will encourage the child to draw, in the process becoming aware of the shapes and forms present in the environment. Different art mediums are afforded the child so he can create his own masterpiece inside the Montessori environment.
Art, like language or music, is a means of expression. Opportunities for art should always be a part of the classroom environment and not a special event. When children are able to choose art materials freely, they feel respected and satisfied with their abilities.
Material & copyright provided by Montessori Services


By the end of third grade, students must have a firm foundation
in all ten of the components of literacy. Third grade students should expand
their phonological awareness and oral language to include figurative language, jargon, homonyms, synonyms/antonyms, and affixes. Students should be able to organize oral presentations while considering their audience. Third grade students continue to develop their concepts of print and text features
by utilizing informational text features (including indexes or diagrams) and more complex print conventions (such as quotation
marks or colons). By the end of third grade, students should also possess more
advanced word analysis and processing skills. Third grade students should use
syllable and pattern knowledge to decode more difficult words while also expanding their use of comprehension strategies. Reading stamina, fluency, and flexibility also increase at this time. Furthermore, students are expected to respond to texts in increasingly sophisticated ways. Retellings become more detailed and require students to cite evidence from the texts, make inferences about
themes, and recognize elements of author’s craft.
grade, students also expand their writing abilities. Students are expected to
prewrite independently using strategies that match the form of writing. Writing
flexibility, depth, revision, and editing skills improve. Narrative, expository, persuasive, and poetry pieces are included. Spelling and writing conventions become more refined.
Students are expected to master more complicated spelling patterns as well as most high-frequency words and homophones.
Sentence variety, end punctuation, commas, and apostrophes should be mastered. Finally,
students are expected to begin developing cursive writing skills.
Third grade is a critical transition from primary to intermediate grades. Third grade students are expected
to develop increased independence while expanding their literacy skills and strategies to prepare for more work in the content
areas. It is imperative for teachers to assess students’ literacy development
frequently in order to target instruction to individual needs. Frequent, accurate,
and informative assessments will ensure appropriate interventions can be applied when needed.


Hailey Reiss still remembers the young boy who came to her for music therapy when she first started her business, Harmonic Expressions, five years ago. “He had no form of communication,” she says. He was non-verbal, and he wasn’t able to work with visual aids. He wasn’t able to connect at all.
That is, until he began working with Reiss.
The sessions began with picture combination activities, where the boy learned to choose between a blank cue card and one displaying a visual prompt for a song he liked. Now, the boy will get up and walk across the room to grab a picture showing Reiss he needs a break.
“We use music as a motivator,” says Reiss. “Kids love music, so they are willing and happy to participate.”
Reiss has been studying music since she was five-years-old. She ended up pursuing Music Therapy at the University of Windsor – only one of five programs of its kind at the time. Her first placement after graduating was with children with autism. She explains music therapy is very broad based, and can be used in many different ways for different audiences. It is especially helpful in teaching children who struggle with communication, because it provides them with a non-verbal outlet. It also helps children develop social skills, such as eye contact, and promotes emotional expression.
“Music provides clients a safe way to express themselves, and it reaches everyone – no matter what language you speak,” Reiss says. “Everyone relates to it; it’s something that can bring everyone together.”
Music has long been recognized for its healing qualities but it can also help with brain development in infants and young children and
even lead to moderate increases in IQ. Research by Laurel Trainor, professor of psychology and director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind, showed that children age four or five who studied music for one year had more advanced EEG brain responses related to sound processing, memory and attention, in comparison to children engaged in other activities.
The power of music and the reason it is such an effective form of therapy lies in its ability to stimulate both sides of the brain. In doing so, it can improve sensorimotor functioning and overall growth in such areas as behaviour and social skills. Music therapy programs have been proven effective with children who have autism, speech delays and developmental delays. “A lot of times children will pronounce words better while singing,” says Reiss. “It has to do with training in breath support. And because it’s fun, they’re more likely to work through it.”
Typically, music therapy sessions will include a range of instrument play and/or instruction in piano, guitar, drums, hand percussion, educational concepts through music (colours, shapes, counting), singing/voice instruction, movement to music and music education. Reiss offers in-home sessions across York Region, and also has studio locations that clients can work from. She provides individual lessons so students get undivided attention and can progress at their own speed. “No two sessions ever look the same for different individuals,” she explains.
Music is a skill that can be used for life, and not only for children. Reiss also works with adults of all ages, including seniors. Since March is Musical Therapy Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to further investigate what music therapy can do for you and your family. But Weiss advises those considering enrolling in music therapy to do their homework. “Many people don’t know that a music therapist should be accredited,” she says. Accreditation requires a five-year degree, followed by an internship, and then a case study or exam. “Music therapy is goal-based. We know how to work with clients through the brain; we know how to motivate them.”
by Charlotte Ottaway & Denise Davy
Harmonic Expressions, Aurora
Music Therapy Ontario


A better education has become imperative in these times. Teaches, educators, psychologists, and sociologists
emphasize the essential role of an earlier education in a world in which changes are taking place at an ever
Most specialists in the field of education admit that an earlier education, a pre-school education, enables
children to develop the basic patterns of their future personalities and careers. Professionals in the field
of early childhood education also state that beginning with the first day of life, up to age five,
children can learn new things easier and faster than in any other period in life.
The teachers of "Le Chaperon Rouge" agree totally with these experts, and try very hard to provide within the
day care program a real "school" environment that prepares the children for elementary education. A day care
center does not have the right to waste a child's time or mind. Children do need to play, but at the same
time they need to learn and prepare for school.
When a child who has attended a pre-school is compared to one who has not, striking
differences in skills development become readily apparent, even if both had the same
intellectual potential. The child attending the day care would be more prepared for reading, better able
to color and write, able to listen due to a longer attention span, and most importantly, would be the more
cheerful and well adjusted of the two children.
Le Chaperon Rogue Staff:
Our staff consists of: a school director, assistant director, preschool teachers, elementary school teachers, French,
Spanish, music, ballet, dance, karate, soccer, tennis, gymnastics instructors, on call nurse, cook, and housekeepers.
We train our teachers constantly. They all know exactly what to do every minute to deliver our concepts. Our
staff and curriculum handbooks are available upon request for the parents to read and review.
"Le Chaperon Rouge" provides seven different programs: Day Care, Preschool, Before & After
School Care, Summer Programs, Kindergarten, Private Elementary and Infant Care. The children are separated
by age and aptitudes.
The programs include sharing experiences
to gain ability in language, games to develop group participation, a
structured reading and math program to introduce children to the symbols
of written language, art, dancing, music, creative indoor and outdoor
play, and special field trips.
Classes are small to enable teachers to give individual attention. In order to check the progress of students in
the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes, a cultural program of testing is used in addition to achievement and
social tests. They are tested in the following areas:
Report cards are handed out every 3 months to show child's progress.
We commit ourselves to helping your child develop these skills and traits:
Listening and following directions
The ability to organize, plan, and to follow through on simple tasks
Management of feelings and good manners
A sense of importance and relationship between independence and dependence
The ability to make wise choices and decisions in a consistent manner
Learning the necessity of sharing and cooperating with others
Learn to appreciate other cultures and embrace diversity as part of their world
Self-expression through music, songs, rhythms, dance and music appreciation
An appreciation of stories and poetry instilled through listening and dramatizing
To discover meaning in the number system
Develop a desire to acquire reading skills through picture, sight and phonetic reading. In each program at
"Le Chaperon Rouge," the children are taught the alphabet and numbers. The children not only recognize
the letters but also learn their sounds. The study is also developed through pictures and projects that the
children do several times per week to make the learning of letters and numbers enjoyable. The children
learn colors and develop fine motor skills through arts and crafts. They learn to cut, glue, and paint. They
develop their attention spans as they take directions and by listening to stories, poems and songs.


(1875 - 1951)
Charles Keck was active/lived in New York / Italy. Charles Keck is known for portrait sculpture of notables, medallions, friezes.
Biography Charles Keck
Sculptor Charles Keck, 1875-1951, known for his portraits of famous people, was born in New York City, though he is associated with Henderson, Texas. His art education took place in New York City at the Art Students League*, and National Academy of Design*. He also studied for an extensive period at the American Academy in Rome*, and in Greece, Florence, and Paris. He was a student of Augustus St. Gaudens.
Keck created the frieze on the facade of the Bronx County Building in New York in 1933 under the auspices of the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA).* His subjects are classical, Biblical and symbolic, including the West Facade frieze depiction of the Civil War surrender of General Lee to General G
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REACH OUT AND READ
Reach Out and Read prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together.
Who We Are
Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit that trains and supports medical providers who give books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud at well-child exams.
We build on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop essential early literacy skills in young children via the existing health care infrastructure. Each year, Reach Out and Read serves more than 4 million children across 50 state.
What We Do
During regular pediatric checkups, Reach Out and Read pediatricians, family physicians, and nurse practitioners give new developmentally appropriate books to children, ages 6 months through 5 years, and advise parents about the importance of reading aloud.
As a result evidence-based intervention, parents learn new ways to stimulate their children’s literacy development, have more books in their home, and read to their children more. Parents are supported as their children’s first and most important teachers, and children grow up to become readers.
The first five years of life offer a critical window for learning, with rapid brain development that does not occur at any other time. Many children are not read to from birth. Children who grow up without sufficient exposure to language arrive at school without basic literacy skills, and often struggle with reading in early grades.
Reach Out and Read delivers results. Our program is a proven intervention, supported by 15 independent, published research studies. During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests, preparing them to start school on target.
Reach Out and Read medical providers work with families to prepare all children to enter kindergarten ready to read, learn, and succeed. Research shows that children who start school on track are more likely to reach their full educational, social, and life potential.
THE ANNUAL IMPACT:
4 MILLION CHILDREN SERVED. 6.5 MILLION BOOKS DISTRIBUTED . 20 THOUSAND MEDICAL PROVIDERS. 5 THOUSAND PROGRAM SITES. 50 STATES AND D.C.


Last week in Interpretations class we read an article by two museum educators Danielle Rice and Philip Yenawine. Both are very well know in the field, yet have very different ways they teach art. I was very interested in Yenawine's technique to teach through critical response. Critical thinking is something that most schools are not incorporating into their lessons today because testing has taken over as the all-important aspect of public education (this is the conclusion we came to in class with the help of former and current public school teachers taking the class). That being said I think that art education is such a great way to incorporate critical thinking into academics.
Yenawine works with young children and asks them to say what they think about a work of art, what they see, tell a story, what does it mean. He asks questions and allows them to think critically about a work, but never intervenes. This got me thinking, is it responsible for an educator to allow someone to create their own interpretation of the art even if it is completely incorrect? While I think his ideas of critical thinking in education are amazing, I'm really not sure if that is the only way to do it. How can an educator allow a student to believe something completely incorrect about a work and not at least try to point them in the right direction? Coming from an art history background I believe that aspect is super important. While there may be several interpretations of what is going on in a work, wouldn't it be the responsibility of the educator to tell the student basic factual information in some way? or does this completely discourage critical thought if they find out they are wrong? This is really difficult stuff to think through!


Educational Toys for Improving Your Child’s Handwriting – Parents are on a constant search for educational toys that will help them develop their fine motor skills such as handwriting. Here are just a few toys (related to activities) that are great in helping a child develop their fine motor skills.
One fantastic way to get children to improve their handwriting is to make practicing fun. Don’t just give her words to copy. Try simple word puzzles, anagrams, a game of hangman, or ask her to brainstorm lists around a theme to give writing practice a purpose. If your child is struggling with a regular pencil, try using a smaller one. Incorporate their favorite games and cartoons characters into the lesson. There are a variety of educational games available that will keep their attention and add to the learning process.
Another timeless educational toy that can improve your child’s handwriting is Playdough. It allows children to work and strengthen the muscles of the hand. Manipulating the dough in different ways positively influence fine motor skill development. Purchasing a dough tool kit will not only help keep the child’s interest in the activity, but allow different muscles to exercise.
Finger painting is also a great way to help your child improve their handwriting because it forces them to be creative and exercise certain muscles of the hands. With finger painting, children will do best when a parent or adult works with them to discover what happens when the paint is applied. Parents can also buy chalk or white boards for kids to practice on because most like to imitate their teacher while writing on the board.
Melissa and Doug is a toy company that offers a variety of educational toys for a reasonable price. You can find everything from puzzles to crafts. They also cover every phase of childhood, from baby to young teen.
Every parent wants their child to be successful. Consequently, parents sometimes spend an enormous amount of time trying to figure out what can give their child an edge in life, or at the very least help them develop into a strong, healthy child. The appropriate time and research should be dedicated to finding the right educational toys that will improve your child’s handwriting. Also, remember that repetition and diligence is the key to success when it comes to improving your child’s handwriting.


What is a solar eclipse? On this page you’ll discover what causes a solar eclipse, how often solar eclipses occur, and the different types of solar eclipse. You’ll also find out about umbras, coronas, Bailey’s beads, the difference between partial and total eclipses, paths of totality, and much more … Continue reading
Total solar eclipse 2017 viewing guide: information on how and where to watch the 2017 eclipse. Continue reading
What Is An Animal Cell? Find out about animal cells, and the difference between animal and plant cells. Continue reading
Animal classification facts and information for kids and students: how we make sense of the animal kingdom by naming and grouping species. Discover the 8 levels of animal classification.
TRAPPIST-1 facts for kids & students. The discovery of seven new planets could take us one step further towards finding out whether or not we’re alone in the universe!
TRAPPIST-1 Facts: Introduction
In early 2017, NASA announced the discovery of seven Earth-sized rocky planets in orbit around a star that – in astronomical terms – isn’t very far away.
The planetary system was found by a robotic telescope, and further discoveries were made by a telescope in outer space.
As if that didn’t already sound too much like science fiction rather than ‘science fact’, NASA confirmed that three or more of the planets could potentially hold liquid water – one of the key ingredients for life!
On this page, you’ll discover facts about the star known as TRAPPIST-1, and the planets in orbit around it. Continue reading
In this article we’ll answer the question what is science for kids. Once we’ve agreed on a definition of science, we’ll look at the different types (branches) of science.
We’ll then look at the ‘scientific method’. This is the way in which scientists go about their work, and how they make their amazing discoveries!
What is science? Let’s find out … Continue reading
Active Wild is all about exploring the natural world, and that means that science is never far away! Our science articles for kids provide a thorough explanation of many scientific subjects. Each article is written in a fun, interesting way, with plenty of examples and pictures.
Find out what gravity is, how plants turn sunlight into energy, how density is measured, and much more!
Gravity is the force that keeps us from floating off into space. It literally keeps our feet on the ground! We feel the effects of gravity every second of our lives (unless we’re astronauts), but most of us don’t give it a second thought. This article sets out to explain gravity for kids – and anyone else who has ever wondered why they fall down, rather than up. Continue reading
Magnetism is an invisible force that pulls certain substances towards a magnet. Not only is magnetism a fascinating natural phenomena, it also has many practical uses. Magnets are used in all kinds of inventions: from compasses to computers. This article explains magnetism for kids, and also lists the different types of magnet, and the various uses of magnets.
Did you know that the Earth is one big magnet? Read on to find out more … Continue reading
The planet Mars is named after the Roman God of War. It is the fourth planet from the sun, and our next-door neighbour in the solar system (Earth is the third planet from the sun).
Nasa has recently found evidence of flowing water on Mars, which raises the likelihood that life may exist on the planet! We’ll investigate their findings further down the page.
This article contains Mars facts for kids (and adults!). Let’s find out more about the Red Planet … Continue reading


Okay, so this is a language arts blog and I’m venturing into new territory here but I think I have something to say as someone who has taught Kindergarten, First, and Second grades sequentially.
Elona in Teachers at Risk posts about the results of a study in the Journal of Development Psychology which finds that success in kindergarten mathematics are the greatest predictor of future academic success.
Elona encourages parents to work with their students at home on math skills.
I’d like to elaborate on what would be helpful for parents and teachers to teach their children in terms of math in the elementary grades.
Very often teachers and parents teach students to count and then are satisfied that their studentsÂ know their numbers.Â When a student recites the alphabet we know that they will still need explicit phonics instruction but when a child counts to ten we often accept their number concepts as complete.
Do teach your students to count but also help them to understand what the numbers mean.Â For example, how about the number 3?Â It’sÂ 2 and 1 more.Â It’s 2 less than 5.Â It’s one more than 2.Â It’s one less than 4.Â You can teach this by placing 3 dots on a piece of paper and working with your child to notice these things.Â Very few kindergarten students, in my experience, have such a deep knowledge of any of any of the numbers.Â As adults we’ve developed these concepts already but children would benefit immensely from learning these number concepts early.Â Imagine how it would help with learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc.
Emphasis should be on understanding number concepts and simple problem solving more so than on memorization.


Question: How do I get my child to read even before he starts school?
Answer: Read a lot to your child(ren) and read a lot in front of them as well. Once they start to see the joy derived from reading and how reading is part of their life-style, it is not difficult for them to pick up reading as a hobby. It is not impossible but hard to expect a young child to sit through more than 15 minutes at a time to listen to you read. To springboard the process, make the reading process with your child interactive. Do puppetry, dramatize/role play.
Involve your older children in the process as well. Put aside just 10 minutes of TV time a day for reading and you will be surprised at how powerful this routine can be. As your child grows older, the sessions will be more interactive. During this time, do encourage their curiosity and interest to discover more through books. The type of books to introduce to your child for the first time differs primarily by age. However a good rule of thumb is to start with materials they are familiar with. For example, a photo book with familiar faces of grandparents, family members (all labeled), helps to introduce the basic concept of pictorial cues to print.
I would also recommend books with many repetition and rhyme. The replay of words builds familiarity and confidence for a child to learn to recognize those word(s). Above all, do not make the process of reading a drag. It should be fun and enjoyable; something to look forward to for both parent and child. Exposure will build familiarity and very soon, your child will come to you with a book in hand. :)
LEAP Schoolhouse has an ‘Ask and Learn’ section every Thursday. If you have any questions regarding language or literacy development, feel free to drop your questions in the comment box below, or post them on LEAP SchoolHouse Facebook page
In this Ask The Expert section, we asked Esther Lim, CEO and Founder of LEAP SchoolHouse, about language and literacy development in children. Born and educated in Singapore, she holds a Master Degree in Education (NTU/NIE), Bachelor Degree in Arts (NTU), Diploma in Marketing – Top student for the year 2000 (Chartered Institute of Marketing).
Esther has more than 10 years of teaching experience and has taught widely in both Secondary and Primary schools. She was also involved in curriculum planning and development work for the primary unit at MOE for several years. Esther has also conducted workshops and talks for educators, locally and overseas. Besides all the above credentials, Esther is also a mother of three children.
For more info, visit leapschoolhouse.com.sg
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The Bauhaus is an art and design school in Weimar, Germany. The school was founded by Walter Gropius in 1919. Gropius was an architect and is widely thought of as “one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture” (wiki).
The curriculum of this institution goes as follows:
“Students at the Bauhaus took a six-month preliminary course that involved painting and elementary experiments with form, before graduating to three years of workshop training by two masters: one artist, one craftsman. They studied architecture in theory and in practice, working on the actual construction of buildings. The creative scope of the curriculum attracted an extraordinary galaxy of teaching staff. Among the stars were Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Oskar Schlemmer, the painter and mystic Johannes Itten, László Moholy-Nagy, Josef Albers and Marcel Breuer. Bauhaus students were in day-to-day contact with some of the most important practicing artists and designers of the time.”
(Design History, 2010)
What did the Bauhaus contribute to art education?
The Bauhaus was the first modern art school that combined fine art and arts and crafts, this has influenced 20th Century art and it has developed Graphic Design to what it is today (Design is History, n.d.). The Bauhaus took in many influences to its work such as De Stijl, Dada, Constructivism and Expressionism of which you can clearly see (History of Graphic Design, n.d.).
What was the underlying principle behind Herbert Bayer’s universal alphabet?
Herbert Bayer was a student and teacher at the Bauhaus, he was the first lecturer on typography and he created the first all lowercase type. He created this type because the German blackletter types were not his taste as he felt that the “capital letters for every proper noun was annoying” (Design is History, Bayer, n.d.).
László Moholy-Nagy was one of the key players in the development of graphic design in the Bauhaus. Moholy-Nagy replaced Johannes Itten as director of the Bauhaus in 1923. He developed and experimented in many different fields to do with graphic design such as photography, typography, sculpture, painting, industrial design and printmaking. He is mainly recognised for his bold typography and striking photography which is clearly influenced by Constructivism ( Design is History, Moholy-Nagy,n.d.).
Does the Bauhaus still influence the world of design?
When the Bauhaus first opened it “was a Modernist utopian project like no other” (MacCarthy, 2007). Due to this considered radical movement it took a while for the public to realise the unique quality that they had within their designs and typeface, that would lead the design world to modernism. Even to this day the movement still influences design work like the poster for android smart phone.
Wikipedia, 2011, Walter Gropius, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Gropius [17/10/2011]
Design History, 2010, The Bauhaus, Lecture Topics 2010, http://www.designhistory.org/Bauhaus3.html [17/10/2011]
Design is History, n.d., The Bauhaus, http://www.designishistory.com/1920/the-bauhaus/ [17/10/2011]
History of Graphic Design, n.d., The Bauhaus, http://www.anneserdesign.com/Bauhaus.html [17/10/2011]
Design is History, n.d., Herbery Bayer, http://www.designishistory.com/1920/herbert-bayer/ [17/10/2011]
Design is History, n.d., László Moholy-Nagy, http://www.designishistory.com/1920/laszlo-moholy-nagy/ [17/10/2011]
MacCarthy Fiona, Fiona MacCarthy on the influence of Bauhaus, The Guardian, 17/11/2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/nov/17/architecture.art [18/10/2011]


The research shows that parental involvement in children’s learning is a key factor in improving children’s academic attainment and achievements, as well as their overall behaviour and attendance.
The role of parents during a child’s earliest years is the single biggest influence on their development. Good quality home learning contributes more to children’s intellectual and social development than parental occupation, education or income.
A parent’s attitudes, aspirations and behaviour are all important, as is their ability to:
For some parents, developing this confidence can be difficult - especially if they also need help with their own literacy, language and numeracy skills.
Advantages of family learning
Learning as a family can bring significant benefits for adults and the children in their care. It can:
There are lots of online resources for you to use to get support for home education. here's some of our favourites:


Many of you have been absent this week due to AP Testing. I hope that you've felt successful there. Remember that on Friday we'll have our second quizzes for this most recent unit. Your study tips are below:
Russian II - Plurals in all cases for all parts of speech, double negatives, adverbs of quantity and some vocabulary. Make sure that you are prepared by reviewing your exercises, notes, and especially your work with cases.
Russian III - Participles and verbal adverbs will be the focus of this quiz as well as work with который phrases related to this.
Russian IV - Review of "White Nights" in full including writing and vocabulary skills.
Next class we will have the Unit Three exam. It'll cover a lot of your foundational skills (alphabet, cases, gender) as well as the new skills from unit three (singulars/plurals, adjectives/adverbs, conjunctions). Make sure that you study your previous quizzes and keep working on your writing to study and review for this assessment.
If you are working on your writing, I will check them again before Tuesday's class. Make sure that you've corrected your previous work and that you have finished all five of your paragraphs!
Today we finished Spirited Away and I collected viewing guides. This film is going to be one of the things that you can analyze for your final writing project on character analysis. I'll have the guides returned to you soon. Remember that there are now seven classes until your exam. I hope that you're preparing yourself well.


|Written by||Dallas Cline and Pat Tornborg|
|Illustrator|| Nancy Stevenson|
Tom Cooke (front cover only)
|Publisher||Music Sales Corp.|
|Series||Sesame Street Music Corner|
How to Play Nearly Everything is a music education book by Dallas Cline, originally published in 1977. The book is billed as "a joyful introduction to 10 folk instruments anyone can play", including the kazoo, the washboard, spoons, and the washtub bass.
In 1982, Music Sales Corp. published a Sesame Street edition of the book, as part of a "Sesame Street Music Corner" series. This series of three book/instrument sets was designed to hang on racks in music stores, targeted at young children visiting the store while their older siblings are shopping for more complicated instruments. The Sesame version featured additional text by Pat Tornborg, and illustrations by Nancy Stevenson. The book was packaged with a kazoo and two wooden mallets.
The other books in the "Sesame Street Music Corner" series were Bert and Ernie's Harmonica Book and Professor Grover's Cute Furry Little Pennywhistle Book.