Date of Award
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
Lani Nelson-Zlupko, PhD
Jeff Draine, PhD
Mary Mckernan McKay , PhD
The high prevalence of ADHD continues to present a challenge, particularly in high poverty urban schools. Low-income children of color are both more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder and more likely to be under-treated compared to their Caucasian peers. While significant attention is paid to what teachers across a variety of school settings know about ADHD, little is known about school social workers knowledge of ADHD. In addition, little is also known about the collaborative processes by which school social workers support teachers in addressing ADHD in urban schools. Utilizing a mixed-methods survey design, this study explored urban elementary school social worker knowledge of ADHD and inter-disciplinary collaboration processes between school social workers and teachers. Findings indicated that urban elementary school social workers N=43 had strong knowledge of ADHD causes and symptoms. No significant differences were observed when compared to their suburban elementary school colleagues N=24 as measured by The ADHD Belief and Attitudes Scale (Johnston and Freeman, 2002). A directive content analysis of responses for N= 43 urban elementary school social workers further revealed key findings. First, school social workers were able to identify a number of behavioral and instructional strategies applicable to students with attention related difficulties. Secondly, while collaboration between teachers and school social workers may occur during participation in interdisciplinary school teams and informal discussions, time constraints and teacher receptiveness presented as major barriers for consistent and effective collaboration. Given the limited resources of many urban school settings, it would benefit schools to promote the role of the school social worker and collaborative practices with teachers in addressing ADHD and similar disruptive behavior disorders within the classroom.
Diaz, Mery F., "We Need To Talk: Advancing Urban School Social Worker Knowledge of ADHD and Collaboration with Teachers" (2011). Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations. Paper 22.
Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Social Work Commons, Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons


Learning Ladder Year 5
This disc provides the essential literacy and numeracy skills !
Developed with experienced teachers, this disc provides the essential literacy and numeracy skills to help your child excel.
This is step five of Dorling Kindersley's powerful curriculum-based learning system. There are three easy-to-use steps to mastering each topic:
- One-to-One Lessons
- Practice Activities
- Interactive Exercises
From 9 to 10 years old.
What does this disc teach?
- Sentence Construction
- Vocabulary & Audience
- Understanding Grammar
- Writing for Different Purposes
- Improving your Writing
- Fractions & Decimals
- Mental Calculation
- Volume & Perimeter
- The Properties of Shapes
- The Earth in Space
- Sound & Heat
Learning Ladder Year 5 supports the following:
- National Curriculum in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Scottish 5-14 Curriculum Framework
- Irish Primary Curriculum
|Platform||Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 7|
- Windows XP*/Vista/7
- 48MB RAM for Windows (512MB for Vista)
- 640 x 480 screen resolution
- 16-bit colour screen
- Double speed CD-ROM
- 20MB hard drive space
- 16-bit sound card
- Loudspeakers or headphones
To access the online feature in this product, you will need Internet access.
Please Note: This product will not work if you have Windows 2000 and a Creative SoundBlaster Live! sound card.
*For XP, this product must be installed & run using an Administrator account.


Through the Eyes of a Novice Viewer: Learning about Art in the Museum
Fowler, Judith Noble, Art Education
THE STATEMENT, A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, comes to mind when planning art curriculum for non-art majors. There are several issues to consider that require the development of innovative teaching strategies for this student population. Teaching an introductory art course for general education majors can be a challenging assignment. First of all, most of these students have had brief encounters with art at one point during their early schooling, but may have experienced negative or even humiliating situations in their artmaking attempts. Some have a natural or mild interest in art, but can relate it only to textbook reproductions, images seen on television, and visual resources found on the Internet Unfortunately, actual encounters with original works of art tend to be minimal with this group of students. Therefore, it is understandable that an assignment given to visit a museum and write a formal report on the works they will view may strike fear in their hearts. So naturally, when these students look at assignments requesting scholarly papers in an unknown field of study, they think about their lack of knowledge in art and the possible damage it might cause to their grade point averages. This is where innovative teaching strategies and creative curriculum planning come in.
When involved with program planning for the year, why not think of the art museum as an extended teaching environment and good setting for small group collaborative assignments on aesthetics and art criticism? Besides displaying original artworks, this environment can be a valuable learning center for students, where they can find specialized resource materials for artist reports and other written assignments. Museum libraries tend to house unusual reading collections that have been donated by family estates and individual artists, adding an intriguing element to a museum visit. However, the challenging issue of getting students to fully appreciate and enjoy the museum environment emerges, requiring new teaching strategies. According to Hurwitz and Day (1995), "Aesthetic response is cumulative, a lifelong process; and the more they [viewers] look, the more they will understand and enjoy art" (p. 337). Under ideal circumstances, frequent trips to a museum would help students become familiar with the premises and feel less intimidated by museum staff and the artworks they encounter. Often students (and the general public) believe that only experienced art connoisseurs have the ability to critique works of art, and this idea can inhibit the average person's enjoyment of art (Thistlewood, 1989). However, preliminary classroom work in discovering ways to look at art and find meaning in artistic expression helps to dispel this assumption and enhances the enjoyment of a museum visit. Through slide presentations and group discussions centering around art reproductions, students can begin their appreciation of art as a preview to viewing original works where they experience actual size, textures, colors, and brushstrokes. Gaining a basic knowledge of the elements and principles of design helps non-art majors understand organizational components that create a work of art. And through hands-on artmaking projects between museum visits, students learn these concepts through kinesthetic experiences with art materials.
Learning to Look and Think About Art
There are several models for critical study that define the process of looking at art, and these steps can assist novice viewers throughout a museum visit. The Wink-Phipps (2000) Visual Analysis Guide suggests that museum visitors consider four elements when viewing a work of art (1) Identification, where viewers identify the art process, the artist, title of the work, and describe the various images and media used throughout a composition; (2) Looking at the formal elements, and noting the use of line, value, color, texture and describing the principles of art used and how they relate to each other in a composition; (3) Considering the cultural context by identifying the central theme, the style, time period, symbolism representing the cultural context, and how the work compares with similar art forms within that time frame; as well as considering (4) The expressive qualities that may convey the artist's emotional state, the political or social issues of the time period, and how the work might be assessed by viewers in terms of artistic value, quality, and perceived beauty (Wink & Phipps, 2000, pp. …


No system of education is above the level of its teachers. Teachers play a crucial role in the system of education. It is important that these teachers are equipped with proper knowledge, skills and attitudes in carrying out the goals of education and fulfilling their obligations.
Teachers training have certain levels which correspond with the general education ability of the teachers. There are three levels of teachers training.
Teachers for the primary schools are trained, and must have passed Secondary School examination. They are provided one year training. After completion of this training they are awarded a certificate called Primary Teacher’s certificate (PTC). Those who possess FA/F.Sc certificate are given one year training and awarded a certificate called Certificate in Education (CT).
PTC and CT training is provided by the Government Colleges of Elementary Education (GCEE). There are separate elementary Colleges of Education for girls and boys who have been established at all the district headquarters within the country.
Those who possess BA/.Sc degrees are provided one year training called “Bachelor of Education” (B.Ed) at the Government Colleges of Education. These colleges are at a few selected places in each province of the country. Those who further want to specialize in the subject of education undergo one year course called Master in Education (M.Ed). This course is conducted by the Colleges of Education and in the Institutes of Education in the Universities. Teachers also do M.Phil and Ph.D in Education from the universities. Those who possess M.Ed or M.Phil teach in the Colleges of Education. At the University level Ph.Ds are employed to train teachers.
Allama Iqbal Open University has started teacher training courses through its distance education system for those students who cannot afford to attend formal regular courses in the teacher training institutions. National Education policy (1998-2011) provides for modernizing the courses in teachers training. Accordingly, the duration and period of training at all levels of training is being increased, including better salaries for the teachers.
There are few problems in the teacher-training programme which include non -availability of qualified teaching faculty for the Colleges of Education, quality training programmes, financial problems of the Training Institutions, lack of quality material for training and lack of effective system of management and supervision. But the most serious problem is that the teachers do not use those teaching skills and methods in their classes which were taught to them in the training institutions.


CSI for Kids: Crime Scene Science by Karen Romano Young
PANTS ON FIRE?
Someone who is lying will not touch his chest (where his heart lies).
Someone who is lying will not make eye contact.
When someone is telling a true story, he uses more hand gestures than when he is lying.
When someone is lying, he may touch his face or mouth more often.
Liars blink less often.
Sure, it's a long time until science fair season rolls around. But Karen Young's Science Fair Winners: Crime Scene Science (National Geographic, 2009) makes great summertime reading fare for upper elementary and middle school readers. Divided into "workshops," this intriguing book is divided into action sections where kids can actually learn about crime scene work--such as fingerprinting, photography, and the technology of blood, including spatter patterns--all of which which offer many engaging summertime projects which take from one day to weeks to carry out in full. Kids make their own fingerprint sets, using friends as subjects, and learn how to categorize them and refine their identification techniques. Another workshop teaches CSI apprentices how to make foot- and tire-track casts, both "positive" and "negative" and how to calculate the height and weight and gender of the "suspect" from such prints.
The text lists the branches of science utilized in each workshop, e.g., in the case of footprint analysis (anatomy, physiology, math), how to calculate the ratio between foot length and height, offering a web site (www.mathforum.org) for help. Each workshop offers the steps of crime investigation which conform to the classic steps in the scientific method, with sections arranged under headings: the buzz (the history and theory); the lingo (terminology); You'll need... (the materials and subject skills required); what to do (steps in the experiment/investigation). Materials are mostly inexpensive; most equipment is fairly accessible (video camera, still camera, recording device, television set, ruler); and subjects are friends and classmates.
Other "workshops" include these fascinating areas: the training of K-9 search dogs, with training exercises for your own dog in scent detection; visual memory and face recognition and expression reading (including detecting false testimony as shown above) in witness and suspect evaluation; and blood analysis. Some workshops offer extremely cool skills such as preparing a sample of your own DNA (using GatorAde!) and how to detect biowarfare substances in mail. Special text boxes (Consider This/Present This) offer suggestions for using workshop experiences to formulate a winning science project. Each section offers Workshop Resources which take the reader outside this book to other resources, such as the National Geographic Body Farm video, the invaluable HowStuffWorks.com, and many other online sources to extend the text. The final section, "Present It," provide tips for preparing and presenting a winning crime scene science project. An appendix offers sources for supplies and equipment, web sites, books, magazines, science programs for kids, and a full index.
Everyone loves a mystery, and Science Fair Winners: Crime Scene Science offers a lot of summer fun for young detectives that can actually pay off with a favorable verdict by the science fair jury next year.
Other great books for summer reading and activities include CSI Expert!: Forensic Science for Kids, Science Sleuths: Solving Mysteries Using Scientific Inquiry, and Have You Seen This Face?: The Work of Forensic Artists (24/7: Science Behind the Scenes: Forensic Files). Fans of mystery fiction and young sleuths will also find these nonfiction sources great background reading for those sleuthing novels so popular for free-time reading in the summer.


1547: Edward VI of England Crowned: Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) became King of England and Ireland on 28 January 1547 and was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England’s first ruler who was raised as a Protestant. More here
1792: President George Washington signs legislation creating the U.S. Postal Service: President Washington formally created the U.S. Postal Service with the signing of the Postal Service Act, which outlined in detail Congressional power to establish official mail routes. The act allowed for newspapers to be included in mail deliveries and made it illegal for postal officials to open anyone’s mail. In 1792, a young American nation of approximately 4 million people enjoyed federally funded postal services including 75 regional post offices and 2,400 miles of postal routes. The cost of sending a letter ranged from 6 cents to 12 cents. Under Washington, the Postal Service administration was headquartered in Philadelphia. In 1800, it followed other federal agencies to the nation’s new capital in Washington, D.C. More here
1872: New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens. The founders included businessmen and financiers, as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day, who wanted to open a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. It opened on February 20, 1872, and was originally located at 681 Fifth Avenue.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (colloquially The Met) is an art museum on the eastern edge of Central Park, along “Museum Mile” in New York City, United States. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works of art, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, often called “the Met”, is one of the world’s largest art galleries; there is also a much smaller second location, at “The Cloisters”, in Upper Manhattan, which features medieval art. More here
1919: Amir of Afghanistan is assassinated: Habibullah Khan, the leader of Afghanistan who struggled to keep his country neutral in World War I in the face of strong internal support for Turkey and the Central Powers, is shot and killed while on a hunting trip. More here
1974: Atlanta Constitution editor is kidnapped: Reg Murphy, an editor of The Atlanta Constitution, is kidnapped after being lured from his home near the city. William Williams told the newspaperman that he had 300,000 gallons of heating oil to donate to the poor. The 33-year-old Williams abducted Murphy, who was well known for his anti-Vietnam War stance, at gunpoint. More here


Transfer of Knowledge in Science Courses for Elementary Education Majors
Johnson, Amy Flanagan, Rutherford, Sandra, Journal of College Science Teaching
As educators, we all hope that the knowledge our students gain in our classes will be of use to them outside of the specific context in which it was learned. After all, if their knowledge is so contextually bound that they cannot recognize how and when to apply it in a new situation, what good is it? This ability to take what is learned in one context and use it productively in another is known as knowledge transfer and is generally considered to be a fundamental goal of all levels of education (Haskell 2001; Mestre 2003; Robins 1996).
In many cases, college-level courses are designed with the expectation that students are able to connect what they have previously learned to what they are currently learning. Ironically, the very way in which courses are structured may be inhibiting transfer of learning from occurring. Sternberg and Frensch (1993) noted that "the way in which academic subjects are typically isolated from each other, and from any real-world use, does not encourage a mental set for transfer" (p. 36). In other words, we cannot reasonably expect our students to realize the utility of information across time and/or academic disciplines if the ways in which we present material do not indicate that they should be doing this. Furthermore, it is not enough that the connections between the material exist; students have to be able to perceive that the connection exists (Gick and Holyoak 1980; Lobato 2003). Gallagher (2000) concurred, stating that "students are not commonly taught to, nor that they should, make connections between new information and that which they have previously learned in order to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter" (p. 311). Reed (1993) echoed this concern by calling on teachers, researchers, and textbook writers to increase their efforts to make evident an organizational framework for the content being presented to students. Salomon and Perkins (1989, p. 136) agreed that teachers can help their students establish an "expectation of transfer" through the careful design of instruction and classroom activities that encourage interconnections of knowledge.
Traditional transfer research has historically been quantitative in nature and has focused on teaching students a problem-solving strategy, then testing to see if they can apply that strategy to a novel situation (e.g., Bassok 1990; Gick and Holyoak 1980; Reed, Ernst, and Banerji 1974; Thorndike and Woodworth 1901). The predominantly negative results of these types of studies prompted Detterman (1993) to conclude that "little transfer occurs" (p. 9). More recently, researchers (e.g., Bransford and Schwartz 1999; Greeno, Moore, and Smith 1993; Lobato 2003) have begun taking a more inclusive view of transfer, which includes qualitative studies investigating how students perceive connections between their current learning situation and previous experiences, as well as how social context impacts these connections. In this more expanded view of transfer, the types of questions students ask and even their incorrect answers can provide insight into how students think and the level of their understanding. Our research embraces this broader view of knowledge transfer, and through this study we learn more about the process of transfer as it impacts preservice teachers in their science courses. Although physics educators have published a variety of transfer studies (e.g., Mestre 2002; diSessa 2004), college-level transfer studies in the fields of chemistry and Earth science, especially with preservice teachers, are virtually nonexistent (Johnson 2007).
We feel strongly that successful knowledge transfer is particularly consequential for preservice teachers. This group of students must be able to take what they have learned in their university coursework and apply it in their classrooms as they educate the next generation of students. Our position is supported by the participants in a workshop on knowledge transfer sponsored by the National Science Foundation in 2002 (Mestre 2003). …


Email someone who you think might like this title.
Berklee Practice Method Teacher's Guideby Jonathan Feist, Matt Marvuglio
Add rock bands and small jazz combos to your school music program! This method will show you how to develop a music program that broadens the appeal and possibilities of traditional music education.
The Berklee Practice Method is available for music students of more than ten different instruments. The Berklee Practice Method Teacher's Guide helps you bring them all together. Whether you are a school music teacher, the music director at a house of worship, or the leader of a band, The Berklee Practice Method series of books will provide you with a practical and productive way to develop your band's skills. These thoughtful and provocative lessons will help you to improve your band's overall sound, timing, cohesion, and sense of groove.
Teach your students the material that the Berklee College of Music faculty wish their students could master before arriving on our doorstep. It is a uniquely well-rounded approach to learning and practicing music, including ear training, improvisation, and timing exercises, in addition to topics of theory and instrumental technique. Field-tested on thousands of students, at Berklee and beyond, these teaching techniques are proven to be uniquely effective in helping musicians come together as a band.
Topics are prioritized differently in different volumes of the BPM series. With the BPM Teacher's Guide, you will be able to see materials related to each instrument for each chapter. Your drum student might have an interest in chords and inversions; while the drum volume of this series does not discuss these topics, the keyboard and vibraphone volumes do. This teacher's guide can then serve to help present supplementary materials as needed.
The BPM Teacher's Guide serves as an index and overview to all the specific instrument volumes in the series. Inside you'll find:
The included CD contains sampling of tracks from all the different instrument volumes, giving you and your students the chance to hear a variety of sounds and possibilities.
About the Authors
Matt Marvuglio is the Dean of Performance at Berklee College of Music. He is the curriculum editor and composer for the Berklee Practice Method series and host of the Berklee Workshop DVD series. A flutist and composer, Matt has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.
Jonathan Feist is the Managing Editor of Berklee Press. He has edited over eighty books and online courses, including the Berklee Practice Method and Instant series. Jonathan is co-author of Essential Songwriter. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree from New England Conservatory, and teaches online courses in music at Berkleemusic.com.
Also by Jonathan Feist


A new flute was invented by Quebecois musician Sylvain Leroux: the Chromatic Tambin (now fully patented by the US government). Unveiled at the New York Flute Fair on Saturday, March 24, 2012, the instrument has extraordinary possibilities.
By adding three new, carefully placed finger holes to the traditional tambin (aka Fula flute), Leroux has rendered a unique and age-old instrument capable of virtuosic playing. Its voice can now be applied to every musical style from jazz to classical composition. Until now the tambin has been limited to basic modal scales, although its exquisitely simple construction has promoted the development of highly complex performance fundamentals. Leroux's Chromatic Tambin retains all the powerful vocal/flute effects of its parent instrument, but with new chromatic possibilities. That and low cost could suggest potential applications in music education, particularly in the Third World were access to equipment is often problematic.
The Chromatic Tambin has a one-and-a-half octave range, and can produce the 12 notes of the standard Western chromatic scale. Leroux's invention presents flutists across the world with a new universe of creative possibilities in a simple, organic instrument. Because of its structure, it also throws a new light on tonal organization and solves the problems it creates simply and elegantly.
see demonstration video


Part of a play-based learning philosophy is having materials that will invite the child to play with concepts and ideas. So, being the nut for play and learning that I am, I have shelves and drawers and pockets full of these kinds of materials. A simple material that’s been getting some increased attention from my kids lately is a container full of dice.
I came upon my preschooler playing with the dice recently and realized he had created his own game that was perfect play-based practice for numeracy skills.
Tossing the dice, he noticed a die with the numerals 1-6. If that numeral matched the number of dots on one of the traditional dice, then….. “YES!” he would shout. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! (“Counting and recognizing numerals”, I ticked off in my mental checklist of foundational math skills.)
He invited me to play and we alternated between this version and another, using only dotted dice. After a few wins with the doubles, I suggested we count “halfsies” as a win as well. I showed him that just as rolling a six and a six was doubles because they had the same number of dots, “halfsies” was when one die had half as many dots as the other — like a three and a six. It can be a complicated concept as a whole, but with dice, the way the dots are arranged make it quite simple to visually see the “halfsies” rolls, and so he jumped right in. (“A foundation for fractions and division”, I added to my checklist as we continued to play.)
For all the excitement over each win, I couldn’t tell you who won. Probably because we didn’t keep score. Tally mark score keeping would have been another great box to check on my mental list, but that wasn’t the style of his play. We were already working in some great skills — and we were having fun!
Other ways you could play with dice to build basic math skills:
Battle: Each player rolls a die. The one with the higher number wins the battle. (Counting, Greater than/Less than) *Have each player use two dice if you want to challenge kids to count higher or to build foundational addition skills.
7-11 Swap!: This may be where my son’s idea came from. Our family plays this fun dice game on New Year’s Eve. (Find the instructions in this post.) The kids always have a blast! Little do they realize they’re working on counting and addition all the while!
Board Games: Any board game using dice and squares is a great way to playfully work on one-to-one counting (one number counted aloud = one spot on the board). Play games like Chutes and Ladders or build your own game with dice, a path with spaces for counting, and whatever end goal and details you and your child want to create!
What’s your favorite way to play with dice and numeracy?


How do I reach all students? Students in our heterogeneous classrooms bring many distinct challenges to learning.
One very important way to address the challenges is to consider them from the planning phase of the lesson. Rather than only relying on differentiating instruction as a response to student understanding of lessons. Universal Design for Learning is just such a process. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines 2.0 is an interactive assistant for thinking about and planning for individual student needs as we develop our lessons.The goal is the success of all students in an engaging and motivating learning climate.
In fact, the Model Curriculum Unit Project has used UDL as a lesson-planning component. Since the standards in math and ELA do not address the specifics of instruction for special populations, UDL has provided that support.
Access the guidelines document at https://sites.google.com/site/udlguidelinesexamples/home. The guidelines were developed by the Center for Applied Technology (CAST). You may wish to check out the very informative CAST site at www.cast.org. In the meantime, the districts involved in our Southeast DSAC Leadership Network will be invited to use the tools as they plan units and lessons and to support one another through the Network as they work toward providing the means for development of resourceful and knowledgeable learners who are strategically goal-directed and purposefully motivated.
Researchers (like Nonie Lesaux of Harvard) and practitioners (like consultant, Regie Routman) are realizing and talking about how language and literacy development are connected to the development of self-regulation and executive function. UDL makes it a point to bring these two critical areas together. The Guidelines document is an indispensable reference when planning successful lessons with learners of all ages.


Did you know that August is American Artist Month? Your child can explore the art of photography by using a digital camera to capture the landscape around her, just like the famed American photographer, Ansel Adams. She’ll learn more about her native surroundings and the art of snapping a great shot!
What You Do:
- Invite your child to take a closer look at examples of Ansel Adams’ photography. Encourage her to take notes in a notebook about his style as well as how he focuses on the nature around him in his photographs. A landscape is a picture of nature including a foreground, middle ground, and background.
- Discuss with your child how taking a picture in black and white creates different contrasts and textures than if it was taken in color. While looking at his photographs, she can try to imagine if they would have the same impact if taken in color.
- Encourage your child to head outdoors and take a nature walk around the neighborhood scouting locations for setting up her outdoor photography shoot. She can make sure to document her favorite spots in her notebook.
- When she’s ready, invite your child to set up for taking a good photograph by positioning herself in a comfortable stance and bracketing when taking her pictures, which means taking several pictures of the same things with slight adjustments. She can change the point of focus on the digital camera or take a step forward or back to capture things in a slightly different way.
- If your child’s camera has the option, invite her to take several additional pictures in a black and white setting. Encourage her to remember to include the foreground, middle ground, and background, just like Ansel Adams did.
- Now your child can print the pictures and take a closer look at how they tuned out. Did she capture a landscape as perfectly as Ansel Adams? Help her find the perfect spot for displaying her favorite finished print.
Did You Know:
Ansel Adams was a pianist before becoming a photographer and decided to pick up the camera after a visit to Yosemite National Park in 1916. He also helped establish the San Francisco Art Institute in California.
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


Issue 345 (June-July 2012)
Excel in Practice
Children Enjoy Handwriting
Words are supposed to be interesting. Why has it become a source of pain to children? Reports show that more than 2% of Hong Kong parents subject their children to dictation and recitation. As a result of the harsh requirement of some parents, some children suffer anxiety disorders such as hitting and scolding themselves after they enter primary school. Parents in general only focus on the quantity of their children’s reading and writing but neglect the important elements that build a firm foundation for literacy. Hence, a lot of effort is spent with little result.
The critical period for early childhood language learning is between ages two to five. In order for a child to identify or write words and develop literacy skills smoothly, they must possess the ideal components of visual perception. The areas of visual perception related to reading and writing are many, including visual-motor coordination, form perception, figure-ground perception, position in space, visual closure, spatial relationship, visual memory and perceptual constancy. Children wholack these relevant skills tend to get similar words mixed up, have slow reading speed, find it hard to identify specified words from a bunch of text. They copy words untidily. They tend to skip or add more pen strokes, copy the wrong word or let the strokes go out of boundaries.
Since 2008, our Child Development and Education Core Business has been actively gathering and analysing various pieces of literature and relevant teaching material on early childhood literacy. We have assembled expertise and experience from early childhood teachers, early childhood educators, occupational therapists, speech therapists and physical therapists to compile a book titled ‘Children Enjoy Handwriting – Theory and Practice in the Development of Early Literacy’. We have also compiled eight series of 14 ‘Children Enjoy Handwriting’ workbooks. We hope to help parents and early childhood educators acquire both theory and practice so that they can have an overall approach on how to foster the development of early childhood
‘Children Enjoy Handwriting’ Helps the Development of Early Childhood Literacy
The ‘Children Enjoy Handwriting’ series aims to develop the eight components of visual perception in children. It is designed with a rich language environment so that children can develop their reading and writing skills naturally in a real, natural, complete, interesting and meaningful context (Huang Rui-jun , 1997). The content is drawn from the children’s living environment, teamed with interesting activities such as: stories, rhymes, riddles, crafts, mini experiments and games. Attached to the back of the workbooks are “Recommended Complementary Activities”. This section encourages parents to accompany their children as they do the exercises. This can broaden the children’s life experiences, consolidate the knowledge and skills they have acquired, as well as improve the parent-child relationship.
A good tool can help parents and teachers gain comprehensive mastery of early childhood literacy development theories and strategies. We, therefore, have also published ‘Children Enjoy Handwriting – Preliteracy Theory and Practice’. This book introduces cultivation strategies and counselling methods that can develop early childhood literacy in a comprehensive way from the theoretical level. This allows parents and early childhood educators to better understand the development of children’s literacy skills, so that they can give each child the appropriate assistance and training and guide children to have fun learning how to read and write. Those who are interested in this teaching kit are welcome to call Miss Tsang at 2731-6222 for further inquiry.
Note: Huang Rui-jun. Children’s Language Experience. Taipei: Wu-Nan Culture Enterprise, 1997
About the Writer: Ms. Leung Lai Fen is the coordinator for our Early Childhood Education Service. She has 30 years of experience in early childhood education, and is involved with numerous projects on early childhood curriculum development and assessment. She has also participated in the publication of over 12 books related to early childhood education.


Hal Leonard Interactive Folksongs - Multimedia Lessons for the Music Class Book/CD-ROM (Orff)
World & Folk Music Education for Children
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Folksongs are powerful teaching tools. Their repetitive rhythms and melodies provide a better understanding of music concepts, while teaching us about our multicultural heritage. More than this, folk songs are just so much fun to sing! Technology is also a powerful teaching tool. The more interactivity you bring to your classroom, the more engaged your students will be in their learning. Master educator Cristi Cary Miller combines these tools in an exciting multimedia approach that teaches folksong melodies accompanied by simple Orff instrument ostinatos. Step-by-step lesson plans are printed in the Teacher Book. They coordinate with projectable music lessons on the enclosed interactive CD-ROM. Recorded melodies (without lyrics) and separate Orff instrument pitches are embedded in the projected lessons for more interactive learning and assessment. Lessons are teacher-paced with a click-through format that does not require any special interactive software. Just insert the CD-ROM into your computer and click away! This collection for grades 2-5 features songs for younger students and songs for older students. Available: Book/CD-ROM. Suggested for grades 2-5.
- Multimedia Lessons for the Music Class
- Series: Expressive Art (Choral)
- TEACHER BK & STUDENT ON CD RO
Interactive Folksongs - Multimedia Lessons for the Music Class Book/CD-ROM (Orff) Specifications:
- ISBN: 9781458424754
- UPC: 884088644345
- Width: 8.5"
- Length: 11.0"
- 48 pages


Soviet Model For Teaching Technique (Excerpted from Chapter 2 - Teaching and Learning
Coaches in the former USSR extensively studied the best
methods for teaching technique, and while, as was noted above, different coaches and
writers promote different methods, the general direction of their thinking in this area is
as follows. First, they argue that it is useful to teach the lift in parts before having
the lifter attempt to perform the entire movement. Second, they believe in teaching the
snatch before the clean and jerk.
The idea of teaching parts of the lift instead of the entire lift at once is grounded in motor learning theory that says: a) learning parts is easier for the mind to handle than attempting to learn all aspects of a movement at once; and b) once one or more parts are learned, it is easy either to add another stage to the sequence or to add the separate parts together. The Soviet approach is essentially a modified version of the "backward chaining" method of motor skill development that was referred to earlier in this chapter (i.e., learning the last sequence in a movement and then adding each previous segment, segment by segment).
The notion that the snatch should be learned before the clean is supported by several arguments. First, some theorists feel that faster movements place less of a strain on the body than do slower ones and therefore attacking faster movements first is more natural and gentler on the body's adaptive mechanisms. Another argument is that the timing of the snatch is more delicate than that of the C&J; as a consequence, learning the clean first might inhibit learning of the snatch.
One influential Soviet author, former World Champion and national team coach A. Medvedyev, recommends the following sequence of learning: power snatch (a version of the snatch in which the lifter bends his or her legs to a limited degree to catch the bar overhead instead of lowering the body into a full squat position);, snatch; jerk from rack (an apparatus which supports the barbell at chest height and from which the barbell is removed in order to perform the exercisesee the section of Chapter 4 which refers to "Squat Racks" for a further description); power clean (a lift in which the body is only lowered into a partial squat); and clean. When teaching each exercise, he recommends that the lift be broken into sub-categories. The athlete first learns the power snatch by starting with the bar in a position similar to the one reached at the end of the third stage of the snatch. Then a power snatch in which the bar begins from a position just below the knees is mastered. The athlete then practices properly lifting the bar from the floor to the knees. Then a full snatch pull from the floor is learned. Next the athlete learns the power snatch from the floor and then adds an overhead squat after the power snatch (i.e., the athlete lowers his or her body into a full squat position while holding the bar overhead on straight arms). Finally, the athlete learns the full squat snatch from the floor. A similar sequence is followed for learning the clean.
Medvedyev thinks the jerk should be learned between the snatch and the clean, and the sequence he recommends is: the front squat, the power jerk and the split jerk. The sequence used to learn the clean is similar to the sequence used to learn the snatch (i.e., power clean from the hang above the knees, power clean from just below the knees, etc.exercises explained in Chapter 5).
Copyright © 1998 A is A Communications. All rights reserved.


Your child can reuse and repurpose old seeds and paper into something new - seedy decorative paper! Not only will your child make a pretty final product, her finished seedy paper can be planted when she’s done with it, with flowery results!
What You Do:
- Start by researching the paper making process with your child by either visiting your local library or going online. Paper is made from trees that have been broken down into a pulp and then put through a straining and pressing process.
- Invite your child to go on a scavenger hunt around the house for old newspapers and bits of construction paper to use for making her own special paper.
- Now your child can tear the paper into one-inch strips and place into a blender, tearing enough to fill the blender.
- Invite your child to fill the blender about three-fourths of the way with water and then pulse until the paper blends with the water, creating paper pulp!
- Help your child find a sunny spot outdoors with good drainage where she can place the window screen. A driveway or picnic table works great!
- Now your child can pour the paper pulp over the window screen and gently press and spread the pulp with her hands, creating an even layer of the pulp on the screen.
- Don’t forget those seeds! To make her recycled paper even cooler, she can sprinkle her seeds on top of the paper pulp and press with her hands, securing those seeds.
- Allow the paper to dry in the sun for a couple of hours, or as long as it takes to dry, and then gently pull away from the window screen.
- Now your child can cut the seedy paper with scissors and use sections for making unique bookmarks, decorating the front of cards, or as decorative paper for the front of notebooks!
Tip: Any ink or dyes in the papers you use will have an effect on the color of your final paper product.
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.


Link Between Socialization & Motor Skills in Autistic Kids
Autistic children with better motor skills are also more adept with socializing and communicating.
Findings from a new study of toddlers and preschoolers with autism add to the growing evidence of a link between autism and motor skill deficits.
For the study, the research team tested 233 children ages 14 to 49 months diagnosed with autism.
“Even at this early age, we are already seeing motor skills mapping on to their social and communicative skills,” said lead author Megan MacDonald, Ph.D. MacDonald, an assistant professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University, is an expert on the movement skills of children with autism spectrum disorder.
“Motor skills are embedded in everything we do, and for too long they have been studied separately from social and communication skills in children with autism,” said MacDonald.
Developing motor skills is crucial for children and can also help develop better social skills.
MacDonald said in one study, 12-year-olds with autism were performing physically at the same level as a 6-year-old.
“So they do have some motor skills, and they kind of sneak through the system,” she said.
“But we have to wonder about the social implications of a 12-year-old who is running like a much younger child. So that quality piece is missing, and the motor skill deficit gets bigger as they age.”
In MacDonald’s study, children who tested higher for motor skills were also better at “daily living skills,” such as talking, playing, walking, and requesting things from their parents.
“We can teach motor skills and intervene at young ages,” MacDonald said. “Motor skills and autism have been separated for too long. This gives us another avenue to consider for early interventions.”
Ideally programs in adaptive physical education focus on both the motor skill development and communicative side.
Unfortunately, because autism spectrum disorder is a disability that impacts social skills so dramatically, the motor skill deficit tends to be pushed aside.
“We don’t quite understand how this link works, but we know it’s there,” she said. “We know that those children can sit up, walk, play and run seem to also have better communication skills.”
The research is published in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Source: Oregon State University
Nauert PhD, R. (2015). Link Between Socialization & Motor Skills in Autistic Kids. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 30, 2016, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/12/link-between-socialization-motor-skills-in-autistic-kids/59447.html


To prevent obesity from becoming a problem as they grow older, new Canadian guidelines recommend toddlers and preschoolers be more active. In fact parents are being urged to let their kids be involved in more physical activities for at least 180 minutes a day.
The guidelines have been suggested by a joint committee of members of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and ParticipACTION, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring active living for Canadians.
They suggest that children between the age of 1 and 4 should remain active at least for 3 hours a day. This activity does not necessary mean an exercise routine, but more playing, crawling, and walking running than just sitting at one place.
They also add that by the age of five kids should be involved in energetic play for at least an hour a day. This means more of jumping, running, active playing etc. For babies under the age of one being active is also better than just sitting and they should be involved in crawling, playing several times a day.
The guidelines also limit the time spent by kids in front of TV, computer or tablet screens. For kids under the age of two, no screen viewing should be allowed and for those between two to four only one hour or less of screen time is allowed per day.
This is the first time that such guidelines have been released in Canada. The recommendations have been supported by Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO).
The experts say that the guidelines put Canada is the forefront among nations tha are putting an effort to provide activity benchmarks and sedentary-time guidelines for preschoolers. But it also shows that obesity is a growing concern in Canada.
In the last 25 years obesity rate of children has nearly tripled. As many as 26 per cent of kids between two and 17 years are now overweight or obese. That number jumps to 41 per cent among First Nations children.
The researchers noted that currently preschoolers spent more than 80 percent of their wakeful hours in a sedentary way. Also children today are watching TV and getting addicted to computer screens much too soon.
Dr. Mark Tremblay, who chaired the committee that drew up the guidelines and who is also the director of CHEO-HALO, in Ottawa says,
“Regular physical activity is essential at a young age as it contributes to bone and skeletal health, motor skill development, psychosocial health and cognitive development. Lifestyle patterns set in the early years predict health outcomes later in life,” he adds.
Kelly Murumets, the president and CEO of ParticipACTION adds that rather than being inside, it is important to take kids out where there are able to run and play.
“It is crucial for parents and caregivers to give young children regular opportunities to move more, and it can be as simple as getting outdoors to explore the neighbourhood rather than sitting in front of the TV,” she said.
For younger babies she says it is better to put them on the floor where they can crawl, and explore things than keep sitting in a high chair.
Canada AM’s medical specialist Dr. Marla Shapiro says that keeping children active has more advantages than just controlling their weight.
“Motor development and movement is the basis not only for our healthy bones and growth, but in later years, our cognitive and brain development, our social skills, our psycho-social markers, self-esteem, learning, attention – it has incredible benefits,” she said.
The Canadian Pediatric Society, also has shown its support towards the new guidelines. Dr. Claire LeBlanc, a pediatrician at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the chair of the CPS Healthy Active Living and Sports Medicine Committee says that it is not just parents but the society in general which should take the responsibility of developing healthy lifestyle activities for all.
“Society needs to make physical activity for children a priority because we all have a role to play, including health care teams, governments, schools, facilities and all levels of decision-makers,” he said in a statement.
The society recommends communities maintain safe recreational areas like community playgrounds, parks and sidewalks, compulsory daily physical education for all grades in schools, more affordable sport and recreation programs after hours at schools and at local facilities by the government and community. They also believe that advertisements that promote un healthy foods during children’s TV shows need to be eliminated.


Literacy development with English learners : research-based instruction in grades K-6
- edited by Lori Helman.
- New York : Guilford Press, c2009.
- Physical description
- xvi, 271 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Solving problems in the teaching of literacy.
Education Library (Cubberley)
|PE1128 .A2 L532 2009||Unknown|
- Helman, Lori.
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Helman, Factors Influencing Second-Language Literacy Development: A Road Map for Teachers. Au, Culturally Responsive Instruction: Application to Multiethnic, Multilingual Classrooms. Dutro, Helman, Explicit Language Instruction: A Key to Constructing Meaning. Garcia, DeNicolo, Making Informed Decisions about the Language and Literacy Assessment of English-Language Learners. Bear, Smith, The Literacy Development of English Learners: What Do We Know about Each Student's Literacy Development? Helman, Emergent Literacy: Planting the Seeds for Accomplished Reading and Writing. Helman, Opening Doors to Texts: Planning Effective Phonics Instruction with English Learners. Montero, Kuhn, English-Language Learners and Fluency Development: More Than Speed and Accuracy. Brock, Youngs, Oikonomidoy, Lapp, The Case of Ying: The Members of a Teacher Study Group Learn about Fostering the Reading Comprehension of English Learners. Templeton, Spelling--Meaning Relationships among Languages: Exploring Cognates and Their Possibilities. Pennington, Salas, Examining Teacher Dispositions toward Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students. Helman, Effective Instructional Practices for English Learners. Helman, Literacy Development with English Learners: Concluding Thoughts.
- (source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publisher's Summary
- An indispensable course text and practitioner resource, this teacher-friendly book puts the needs of English language learners (ELLs) front and center. Leading authorities connect current research to effective instructional practices for elementary students with varying degrees of English proficiency. Key components of literacy instruction are addressed, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Chapters also explore how linguistic, sociocultural, psychological, and educational factors shape ELL literacy development, highlighting practical implications for the classroom. Reflection questions and a wealth of illustrative examples enhance the utility of this engaging, tightly edited work.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)
- Publication date
- Solving problems in the teaching of literacy
- 9781606232439 (hardcover : alk. paper)
- 1606232436 (hardcover : alk. paper)
- 9781606232422 (pbk. : alk. paper)
- 1606232428 (pbk. : alk. paper)
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Profile of Ohio's English Language Learners (ELL)/ Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students
In Ohio, more than 39,800 limited English proficient (LEP) students/English Language Learners (ELL) were enrolled in the state’s elementary and secondary public schools during the 2010-2011 school year. The terms “limited English proficient” and “English Language Learners” refer to those students whose native or home language is other than English, and whose current limitations in the ability to understand, speak, read or write in English inhibit their effective participation in a school’s educational program. The number of ELLs reported in Ohio for school year 2010-2011 represents an increase of 38 percent over the number reported five years previously and an increase of 199 percent over the number reported 10 years ago.
Ohio’s LEP students represent more than 110 different native or home languages. The top 10 language groups include Spanish, Somali, Arabic, Pennsylvania Dutch (a dialect of German used by the Amish), Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, French, Russian and Twi (a language spoken in West Africa).
Many of Ohio’s LEP students are children of families who have recently immigrated to the United States from other countries. During school year 2010-2011, Ohio school districts reported serving 11,881 immigrant students who have been enrolled in U.S. schools less than three years.
People immigrate to the United States for a variety of reasons. They may come to join other family members or to seek an improved economic opportunity. Others are seeking refuge from political repression or persecution in their home countries. According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Refugee Services Office, 13,802 new refugees arrived and resettled in Ohio in between 2003-2011. The refugees’ countries of origin included Somalia, Burma, Vietnam, Russia, Uzbekistan, Cuba, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Eritrea, Liberia, Iran and Sudan. In addition to the primary resettlement of refugees in Ohio, there has been a large secondary migration to Ohio from other states. In the Columbus metropolitan area alone, it is estimated that there are between 25,000 and 40,000 recently arrived Somali refugees.
Other groups of Ohio’s LEP students are from families that have been in the United States for many years but speak languages other than English at home. For example, Ohio’s schools enroll students of Puerto Rican, Mexican-American and other Latino backgrounds for whom Spanish is the home language. A significant number of Spanish-speaking children are members of migrant agricultural working families. More than 1,180 migrant children were enrolled in Ohio’s elementary and secondary schools during the 2010-2011 school year. Also, many children from the Amish communities in northeastern Ohio learn German (Pennsylvania Dutch) as their first language. Approximately 1,200 Amish LEP students were enrolled in schools in Holmes and Wayne counties during 2010-2011.
Ohio’s LEP students include those who have had the benefit of prior education, including literacy development in their native languages. Other LEP students, especially those from refugee families, have had little or no prior formal educational experiences.
Ohio’s goal for all LEP students is to attain English proficiency so that they can achieve the State’s academic standards and fully participate in U.S. society. However, the length of time required to attain English proficiency will vary according to a number of factors, including age, grade level, extent of prior formal schooling and current level of English proficiency.
Last Modified: 5/12/2014 9:49:18 AM


General Science is a broad base of knowledge in the field of science, with preparation for teaching at the elementary level. Students study a range of introductory courses from different areas of science, including biology, chemistry, physics, and geology.
Western’s Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Program (SMATE) is a visionary and practical program designed to enrich the training and education of K-12 pre-service teachers and, through them, their students. From a collaboration of the disciplines of chemistry, geology, biology, physics/astronomy, mathematics, and engineering the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Program offers an opportunity for teachers and future teachers to gain specific skills within their chosen discipline.
This program is designed to prepare future teachers at the elementary and middle school level with an emphasis in Science. The major satisfies the academic major requirement for teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education and must be accompanied by the professional preparation program in Elementary Education offered through Woodring College of Education.


April 22, 2014
Teaching children the value of a dollar through "Go Figure" is as much fun as kid-friendly activities, like buying ice cream and purchasing puppies, which have been incorporated into the program to show Terre Haute youth the importance of math in everyday life.
Earlier this year, the Indiana State University math education program joined forces with Old National Bank, Vigo County School Corp., Terre Haute Children's Museum, and a variety of other Wabash Valley organizations to deliver age-appropriate financial literacy outreach for youngsters and their parents through the generous support of an Old National Bank Grant to the Scott College of Business and the Bayh College of Education.
"What we teach is a foundation to get a conversation started between children and their families about financial literacy and math," said Katelynn Moats, a 2013 Indiana State elementary education graduate who, as an Indiana State student, co-founded Go Figure with Patty Butwin, an Indiana State alumnus and an ISU Center for Mathematics Education advisory board member.
"We talk with the children about spending for their needs and wants, and also talk about the importance of volunteering their time and sharing their talents, which will prepare them to make financial commitments when they are able to later in life," Moats said.
The Old National Bank Financial Health Outreach Program plans to build upon current initiatives by the Bayh College of Education and its Center for Math Education, including the Go Figure program sponsored by Indiana State's Center for Mathematics Education and the Children's Museum.
Deborah Webster, Indiana State's financial health outreach program director and a part-time lecturer in the math and computer science department, has involved her students in financial literacy education and has provided them opportunities to talk to elementary students about saving, sharing and spending money.
"This summer, I hope to set up a booth at the National Night Out Event (sponsored by the Terre Haute Police Department) and encourage adults and students to become financially literate," Webster said. "My goal is to work with all age groups, including talking to college students about credit cards and how to manage money better, and try to help families learn what money is all about."
Butwin feels the outreach efforts to date are achieving the goal of raising "dollars and cents" awareness based upon attendance at events including the 2013 Downtown Terre Haute Block Party, ISU's Family Day last September, the Terre Haute Children's Museum Ice Cream Social last Fall, Ben Franklin's Birthday Celebration at the museum in late January, and Matter and Motion at Ivy Tech Community College in March.
"What we like about hosting events at the Terre Haute Children's Museum is that there are generally a lot of parents and grandparents who accompany their children and take in what we teach, which is great because kids first learn how to handle money from their parents," she said.
The ultimate goal of the Old National Financial Health Outreach is to expand the program's presence at community events focused upon the family and to work with the Vigo County School Corp. and other community organizations to provide after-school programs to encourage students to be smart about money.
"Exposing kids to finances in this way is fun and keeps their attention, while providing a learning piece," said Moats, an elementary school teacher with Vigo County School Corp. "It is so important to start a conversation about financial literacy at a young age because they get to share their perspective on money and finances, which are great life skills."
Writer: Betsy Simon, media relations assistant director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-7972 or Betsy.Simon@indstate.edu
The Indiana State University math education program joined forces with Old National Bank, Vigo County School Corp., Terre Haute Children's Museum, and a variety of other Wabash Valley organizations to deliver age-appropriate financial literacy outreach.


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Many of the best earth science for kids resources are things that they can interact with in some way, or that include video content that is engaging. The Internet, for example, can provide video clips, images, and interactive presentations that offer a great deal of information for any young person. There are also games and activities that kids can play to learn more about earth sciences while they are doing something fun. Physical activities can also be also an excellent way to focus on earth science for kids, since many children learn through physical methods that are enhanced through touch and motion.
One of the best resources for earth science for kids is the Internet and the numerous videos, images, and sites found on it. Look for webpages that have been created by scientific agencies or schools, to ensure they are factually accurate, since sites that host user-generated content may be made by anyone. You can find many different videos that teach earth science for kids, often through guided instruction and numerous examples of the concepts being discussed in them. There are also interactive websites that you can use, which allow kids to more easily see and interact with different aspects of geology and related sciences.
Games can be an excellent way to teach concepts dealing with earth science for kids, since they often react well to and engage with such activities. This can include something as simple as a word search or a crossword puzzle that deals with terms used in the study of earth sciences. More elaborate games, including video games played on a computer or other device, can be even more engaging and use videos or animations to illustrate various concepts. Games related to certain aspects of earth science for kids, such as paleontology, may be easier to find since many children are already interested in dinosaurs and look for games that include them.
It can also be helpful to look for any sort of physical artifact or other tangible object that you can use to help teach and explain earth science for kids. Many people, especially children, are kinetic and physical in nature, which means that they often learn best when physically interacting with something. If you want to teach kids about different types of rocks, present them with examples of these to hold and look at. One of the great advantages of the physical sciences is that they can be seen and interacted with directly, so use this as you look at ways to better teach earth science for kids.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


Some schools and universities are using art to help students understand science, technology, engineering and math.
In a webinar hosted by Americans for the Arts this week, top art education advocates across the country shared what STEAM involves and why it's important.
First off, let's define what art really means in this context. The "A" in STEAM includes both the integration of arts in other subjects and an emphasis on art forms, said Janis Hill, principal of Quatama Elementary School in Hillsboro, Ore.
The U.S. Department of Education created a broad definition of art so that school districts could build quality programs, said Edith Harvey, director of improvement programs in the department's Office of Innovation and Improvement. That definition includes music, dance, theater, media arts, visual arts and folk arts. She also stressed that it's important to build quality arts education programs and integrate arts with other subjects.
Art and now STEAM powers Quatama Elementary School. The five-year-old school that Hill heads began with a focus on art for every student with the help of The Right Brain Initiative, a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council that serves three Oregon counties in the Portland Tri-County region.
Last year, artists started working with teachers to integrate art with other subjects including science, technology, engineering and math.
"When you put teachers and artists planning together, that's pretty powerful," Hill said.
First-graders learned how sound waves affect the materials they go through. Second-graders created wire sculpture circuits that lit up. And third-graders made a large mural that showed the life cycle of salmon using different art techniques such as printmaking.
In higher education, theater students at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., plan to spend a year performing plays that show the connection between art and science or art and technology, said Kevin Murray, program manager of the School of Theater at the university. The university also plans to host a STEAM conference next fall.
A year ago, the university received a grant from Boeing to figure out how theater techniques could help students retain what they're learning better and prepare them to solve problems creatively once they're in the workforce, Murray said. After receiving the grant, George Mason University started a STEAM Table made up of people involved in arts and sciences. The table members meet three to four times a year to share ideas and resources.
"You can't just live in your own bubble," Murray said. "We have to talk with each other."


By Kevin Havens, Director of Design; Wight & Company
Terminology in the education field can be tricky. For example, you might logically deduce that an Early Childhood Center (ECC) is for all kids in their early childhood (ages three to five), which in a broad sense is true. But if you think ECCs are a fancy name for “preschool,” you couldn’t be more wrong.
Here are the facts. ECCs are facilities designed to address the educational and related developmental needs of children who have disabilities or are experiencing developmental delays. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] requires the public school system to provide qualified preschool children with free specialized services to help them succeed in school. Most districts provide these at various elementary schools and other facilities; ECCs offer a way to centralize services in one location.
The confusion about ECCs is understandable, and not just because of the name. For one thing, these centers are not only for at-risk children; in fact, they’re required by law to have blended programs that include mainstream children, who pay tuition to attend. Also, despite all the talk from the White House and in educational circles about the importance of early education, very few school districts have built true ECCs.
ECCs and their programs are far different from preschools—and other elementary schools—in a number of ways. Their census is dynamic because children can be enrolled throughout the year (they become eligible on their third birthday). The curriculum and teachers must be highly flexible, since children in the same classroom will be at varying levels of development and have different language, speech, physical, emotional and occupational challenges.
An effective ECC program finely calibrates for every child the proper mix between individualized instruction and “blended” activities where they can generalize their skills into everyday classroom routines. The yin/yang goals of these programs are independence and socialization.
Age-appropriate scaling of spaces and equipment and sensitivity to developmental issues are important ECC design considerations. Their environments need to be warm, welcoming and familiar; this will be many children’s first experiences in a structured, institutional setting. At the Wight-designed Ann Reid ECC in Naperville, Ill., the 16 classrooms are divided into “learning villages” in four educational neighborhoods. These neighborhoods offer a manageable scale for small children. Thematic medallions and interiors finishes create community identities and help with wayfinding.
At Ann Reid, design emphasis starts with elements below 3 feet to put children at ease and provide multiple opportunities for interaction and informal, do-it-yourself education, e.g., rotating letter blocks on the structural columns in hallways, moveable alphabet floor tiles. Education essentially occurs everywhere! Site and building features (permeable pavers, green roofs, rain gardens and bioswales) are teaching tools on sustainability. Signage highlighting factual tidbits supports education, and walking around the site is like taking a science class. The environment stimulates children’s curiosities and imaginations and awakens awareness of their surroundings, providing what Maria Montessori called “an education of the senses.”
Today, more than 65 percent of U.S. children under the age of six participate in some form of early intervention program. A well-designed ECC can accelerate their development and put them on a path to a lifetime of learning.
Please visit our New FaceBook Page to join in our discussion about Early Childhood Learning Environments!
Our team of Thought Leaders at Wight & Company is highly experienced and dedicated to designing educational facilities that exceed expectations. We hope that our research and white papers lead others to have aspirations and inspirations to design the best possible environments for early childhood education. In this blog we would like to share our projects, sketches and thoughts on where ECL has come and where it is going and receive inspiration from our readers.


Differences in the skills and knowledge of teachers are crucial factors in determining where students with disabilities can receive the best education. Regular classroom teachers are expected to know a lot about the academic subjects that they teach. Special education teachers are expected to know how to help students with disabilities to learn most effectively.
Colleges in Pennsylvania often do not prepare teachers to have both sets of skills. The state rules for teacher certification also currently require completely different things for regular classroom teachers and special education teachers.
This problem area could undergo a revolution if the State Board of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education can agree on new proposals for how colleges prepare teachers in the future. The proposals could have a big impact on the challenges parents and schools face regarding “mainstreaming” students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms.
For most of this year, the Department studied ways to improve college education programs and teacher certification for teachers in pre-kindergarten and elementary grades. It proposed a requirement that all new teachers in these grades hold “dual certification” – a certificate in special education plus a certificate in either early childhood or elementary education.
But the State Board, which has the power to make final decisions on this issue, has developed a different approach.
The Department says that dual certification would better prepare regular classroom teachers to ease the inclusion of students with disabilities into mainstream classrooms.
But on November 16, the Board’s Chapter 49 Committee rejected the dual certification proposals. The committee expressed its intent to require teachers to take three college classes in special education subjects, instead of earning full dual certification in special education. The Board would also require teachers to take a class in how to teach English language learners. These changes would apply not just to new elementary teachers but to all new teachers from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
Board members explained that they backed off from dual certification because of concerns that Pennsylvania colleges could not handle such large scale restructuring of teacher education programs. There is also a concern that the extra classes needed for dual certification would force college students to stay in school for an extra semester. Many colleges have pressured the state to allow current programs to continue without major reforms.
On the other hand, at least 20 Pennsylvania colleges already offer successful dual certification programs. Many parents appreciate the extra skills brought to the classroom by dually certified teachers and might question whether three college classes in special education are enough for regular classroom teachers to understand how to teach students with disabilities and other diverse learners.
Despite disagreements about dual certification, we can expect to see approval in March 2006 on a set of teacher certification reforms already agreed on by the Department and the Board that would:
- Split up the K-6 elementary education certificate into two parts, a PreK-3 early childhood education certificate and a 3-6 elementary education certificate. This would allow regular classroom teachers to have more expertise in the grade levels they teach.
- Replace K-12 special education certification with a PreK-6 special education certificate and a 7-12 special education certificate, requiring special education teachers to have more expertise about the grade levels they teach.
- Require all new PreK-6 special education teachers to hold a certificate in either early childhood or elementary education and require new special education teachers in middle and high schools to become certified in an academic subject, such as reading or math. This would prepare special education teachers with more skills to provide academic instruction and to support the work of regular teachers in inclusive settings.
The Board is expected to hold additional public hearings in January 2006. If the Board gives final approval for the new rules at its meeting in March 2006, the first cohort of newly certified teachers could enter the workforce by 2009.
An overview of these proposals is available on the State Board of Education website (www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed).
You can express your views on these issues to Dr. James S. Fogarty, Chairperson, Chapter 49 Committee of the State Board of Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333, 717-787-3787.
To learn more about these issues, contact Baruch Kintisch at the Education Law Center, email@example.com or 215-238-6970, ext. 320.


HIV/AIDS Prevention Through Relative Risk Information for Teenage Girls in Kenya
The vast majority of HIV/AIDS cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 2 million people become infected with the virus every year. One quarter of these new HIV infections are among people under 25, and the great majority are due to unprotected sex. AIDS is incurable and no successful AIDS vaccine has been developed, so policymakers must focus on other preventative measures. Ensuring the adoption of safer sexual behavior among youth remains critical to preventing the transmission of this disease.
Kenya has the eleventh largest HIV infected population in the world -- over 6 percent of Kenyans are infected.1 Children are seen as a “window of hope” in the fight against AIDS, because their sexual patterns are not firmly established. In an effort to prevent HIV infections in new generations, the Kenya Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology integrated HIV/AIDS education into the primary school curriculum in 2001. However, by 2003, this curriculum had not been fully implemented, likely due to teacher inexperience and discomfort with talking about this sensitive material.
In Kenya, as in most African countries, 25-year-old men are far more likely to have HIV than 16-year-old adolescent boys. This means that sexual relationships with older partners (often called “Sugar Daddies”) are particularly dangerous for adolescent girls.
Information on the distribution of HIV infections by age and gender is not included in the official HIV curriculum for primary school, however. To test the impact this information could have on teenager’s sexual decisions, ICS conducted a “Relative Risk Information Campaign” in 71 schools randomly selected among 328 primary schools involved in another HIV intervention evaluation. A trained project officer visited each of those 71 schools and, with the authorization of the teachers, spoke to Grade 8 students for a 40-minute period. Students were shown a 10-minute educational video on “sugar daddies”. The video screening was followed by an open discussion about cross-generational sex. During the discussion, the project officer shared the results of studies conducted in Kenya and Zambia and Zimbabwe on the role of cross-generational sex in the spread of HIV. In particular, the project officer wrote on the blackboard the detailed prevalence rates of HIV, disaggregated by gender and age group, in the nearby city of Kisumu, a place familiar to the students.
Impact on Unsafe Cross-Generational Sex: As a result of this intervention, the incidence of childbearing was reduced by 28 percent (from 5.4 percent of girls getting pregnant within a year, to 3.9 percent). This suggests that the intervention reduced the likelihood that girls engage in unsafe sex. Specifically, the intervention seems to have reduced unsafe cross-generational sex: the rate of childbearing with men five or more years older fell by 61 percent, with no offsetting increase in childbearing with adolescent partners.
Cost-Effectiveness: This targeted approach cost US$98 per pregnancy averted. Researchers came up with several possible estimates of cost per HIV infection averted based off of various estimates of the ratio of the risk of HIV infection to the risk of cross-generational pregnancy; these estimates ranged from just under US$400 to almost US$2,000. These rough cost-effectiveness estimates compare favorably with other HIV prevention programs, such as treating sexually transmitted infections, voluntary HIV testing, and male circumcision.
Dupas, Pascaline. 2011. "Do Teenagers Respond to HIV Risk Information? Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 3(1): 1-34.


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Month one of a baby’s life is preoccupied with survival, in effect, the needs for food and sleep. As that first month progresses, he will be increasingly interested in communicating and interacting. Entering the second month, emotions other than crying will begin to appear, including smiling at those he recognizes as providers of comfort. He is also developing motor skills by discovering the use of his hands and fingers. He is definitely by this stage interested in discovering the world outside the womb. Personality is taking shape. Physical strength is increasing, evident in a growing ability to control head movements. He is developing an interest in play.
At three months, there is increasing awareness of his surroundings and physical strength, increasing movements of the head and limbs, usually accompanied by visible efforts at independent movement. There is better control of hands, which are used more in attempts at play and self-feeding. His digestive system is developing to the point where increased intake of formula or milk becomes the norm. Sleep patterns sometimes begin to change during this phase of the baby’s life, with longer periods of sleep during the night, and the baby becomes more aware of his senses.
By month four, he is increasingly alert and anxious to interact with his surroundings, and is more expressive of happiness. His weight should have, by now, reached twice what it was at birth, and his motor skills will have continued to develop to the point of using both hands interchangeably. The desire to taste items increases and he will be able to control his upper body better, including his head. He will sit upright if enabled and may have begun to roll over on his own.
Finally, the four-month-old baby is beginning to develop more normal eyesight, including color recognition and distance.
At five-months, he is making greater efforts at speech, and may begin to make efforts at propelling his body across the floor. Upper body strength continues to develop, and he should be capable of rolling over. Routine becomes important. Eyesight continues to improve, as does ability to distinguish colors. Speech will show more noticeable improvement and he will begin to understand sounds.
At six months, a baby’s rate of growth will slow relative to the first five months. He can now sit upright by himself, and should be propelling himself across the floor. Diet will now begin its biggest transition, with solid food introduced. Personality will continue its development, as will physical characteristics like eye color and speech. Most noticeably will be the increased recognition of family.
Month seven will reflect noticeable changes in the baby’s independence with more visible signs of personality. Mobility will have continued to improve, and he may begin to pull himself to a standing position while holding on to furniture. Teeth will begin to appear, which is accompanied by irritability, and diet continues its evolution toward greater emphasis on solids.
At eight months, he could be crawling. Motor skill development involves advancements, with toys becoming more important in terms of his ability to understand their purpose. The baby should now be familiar and comfortable with his surroundings and routines. He is beginning to formulate the most basic of words. Mobility continues to develop and he should be more actively pulling himself up and remain standing while supported by furniture.
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Dissemination Grant InformationInformation on Public Charter School Grant Program (PCSGP) projects, grant dissemination, and best practices.
Dissemination Grants Corner: School To School
Dissemination grants empower successful charter schools to share proven best practices information and assistance with both charter and traditional public schools. Project deliverables available to charter school developers, charter school operators, and traditional public school educators often include individual technical assistance, conference and workshop presentations, online and hardcopy manuals, CD-ROMs, and more.
Dissemination Grant Payments
Dissemination Grant Payments by Fiscal Year [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/payschedules.asp#diss]
Public Charter Schools Grant Program Dissemination Sub-grantees
Fiscal Year 2013-14 [http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r1/pcsgpdiss13results.asp]
Fiscal Year 2012-13 [http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r1/pcsdgp13result.asp]
Fiscal Year 2008-09 [http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r1/pcsdgp08result.asp]
Previous Dissemination Grant Projects
Dissemination grant projects are available to support both public charter and traditional schools. Projects from older grant cycles are generally more established, and more readily available to share with others. A few recipients whose projects have ended are continuing to disseminate information on a limited basis. Contact Dissemination Grant recipients directly for further information regarding their grant projects.
March 2005 Grant Cycle Projects [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/pcsgpdismar05.asp]
Topics: Participatory governance; home study; increasing student achievement and parent satisfaction; best practices in elementary education and developing new schools; best practices in auditing; best practices in educational innovations and accountability; English language learner curriculum; Core Knowledge curriculum; improving academic achievement in science; strategies for at-risk students; working with diverse learning populations.
2005-06 Grant Cycle Projects [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/pcsgpdis0506.asp]
Topics: Integrating the arts into standards-based learning; best practices for English language learners; propelling low achieving students to college; standards-based curriculum, instruction, assessment, and reporting tools.
2006-07 Grant Cycle Projects [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/pcsgpdis0607.asp]
Topics: Project-based learning; parent involvement; middle school leadership program.
Back to Administration and Support [http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/as/]


Natural Sciences Majors
The natural science major is aimed at students interested in nursing, environmental studies and teaching. These fields require a greater breadth of coursework than is typical of most undergraduate science majors, including biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics and/or geology.
Students are strongly urged to complete one of these three optional concentrations so as to have appropriate career preparation.
Health Sciences Concentration
Now more than ever, the nursing profession demands increasing knowledge of the natural sciences. Successful nurses rely on knowledge of the natural sciences to administer proper treatment.
This concentration provides the necessary background to be competitive upon entrance to nursing school and to excel in the nursing profession.
A clinical internship is required.
Successful teachers must be knowledgeable about what they teach and proficient in how they teach. This concentration provides future K-8 teachers with a broad base of knowledge in the sciences.
Plus, the School of Education’s elementary education program trains the student in the art of teaching.
Together, both components enable students to serve as area specialists in science education. This field is currently underrepresented among elementary and middle school faculties.
Environmental Studies Concentration
Less technical than the environmental science major, this concentration is ideal for the liberal arts student with a broad interest in environmental issues. This course of study emphasizes human interaction with the environment and the development of public policies on the local, national and international levels.
A student completing this major will have a strong foundation in laboratory science, political science, the humanities and business—all essential for understanding complex environmental issues.
This major provides computational and statistical skills to analyze environmental information and oral and written skills to garner effective communication.
Students are strongly encouraged to complete a minor in a traditional science field.
View Requirements for Natural Science


The familiar saying “Practice makes perfect” is true for many concepts in education, but it is especially true when applied to the process of learning to read. Young children need to be immersed in the steps involved with learning letters and words over a long period of time. Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears uses characters from the fairy tale to teach basic reading and writing skills to children ages 6-8 in a child friendly way.
Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears was developed by Fizzbrain LLC for iPad. All of the apps in their Touch and Write series incorporate a multi-faceted approach. Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears is a comprehensive app, focusing on reading, decoding, word recognition, and writing. There are three ways that a child can use the app.
- First, it is an extended version of the traditional fairy tale, with all the characters included. The story comes in two modes, Read by Myself and Read to Me.
- Second, it’s word recognition practice. The words are taken directly from the story, so that children can hear them used in the context of a sentence. This is important so that the connection between the spoken word and the written word can be made.
- Finally, it provides practice writing the words, using a variety of materials, including virtual shaving cream, frosting, pudding and paint.
There are complete instructions for all these activities provided on the directions page. Because Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears has so many components, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with all the buttons ahead of time. Across the top of each page are the links to the skill pages (reading, decoding, and writing). There are many options here, so the experience can be new each time.
What Fun Educational Apps Liked-
Fizzbrain emphasizes all of the aspects of literacy development in their apps- reading, writing, and decoding, and I appreciate that. Apps that focus on one skill present only one piece of the literacy puzzle. I would strongly recommend parents enjoy Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears all the way through the first time, without stopping to explore the reading and writing capabilities. Talk about the concepts introduced in the story- the size concepts, the cause and effect, the sequence of events. Then, once the story is familiar and comfortable, go back and look at the words, read them, write them, and sound them out.
I found the artwork in Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears to be whimsical and clever. Using a recognizable fairy tale makes learning about reading more enjoyable, because it takes a familiar story and shows how the individual words look and how they go together to make the story.
In my opinion, the phonetic portion of the app is the least successful. Phonetic representations (the sounds the letters make) only work when a word follows phonetic rules. For example, upon follows phonetic rules because each sound says its name, and put together, the sounds make the word. Bear does not follow the rules because the two vowels create a sound that is unexpected, and this can be confusing. It’s fine to show your child how words can be broken down into individual sounds, but don’t get hung up on the ones that are different. Overall, Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears is an ambitious effort to help children learn to be better readers.
Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears is availabe for download via the iTunes App Store - iPad
RRP - $2.99/£1.99/€2.69
At the time of this review, Touch and Write Storybook: The 3 Bears provides a safe, secure environment, with no access to social media and no ads. The app does contain links to its other apps in the App Store, accessible only from a well-protected parent portal. Parents can be confident their child’s privacy is protected when using the app.
Review by Julie Peterson, a speech/language pathologist (SLP) currently working in a school setting, serving children with special needs ages 6-14.
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Disclosure: This review was move up the waiting list priority-services. All opinions expressed are purely that of the author.


Looking for some easy science projects to go along with your butterfly bulletin board? Consider raising monarch butterflies in the classroom.
Fall is a great time to do this because common milkweed, monarch caterpillar food, is easy to find. Check out the step by step instructions for a
elementary school science project
and a winter plant science project growing tropical milkweed from seeds.
If it is not possible or there isn't time for you to raise butterflies in the classroom, consider a monarch life cycle movie. Seeing the monarch butterfly stages will help your students understand the life cycle better.
Butterfly photos of the Monarch life cycle could be used for bulletin boards, flash cards or framed art in the classroom or at home. Butterfly raising kits for the classroom are always a favorite of students in any age group.
Below is an Interactive school bulletin board idea on the Life Cycle of the Butterfly for an Elementary Science Project. This 8 photo set of the Monarch life cycle would be perfect to use with this bulletin board.
My daughter is an Elementary Education major in college. In her Science Pedagogy class, they were assigned an Interactive Bulletin Board on a science topic.
Two of her friends chose the life cycle of a butterfly. Imagine their surprise when they "stumbled" upon my website while doing research and saw a picture of my daughter!
They allowed me to share their Butterfly Life Cycle Bulletin Board for 2nd grade that they created. I think they did a great job!
Their "reflection" (below) explains the interactive nature of their school bulletin board idea.
"Our interactive bulletin board is titled “Butterfly Life Cycle.” This bulletin board meets the Minnesota Academic Standard for Science, 2-IV-B-31. Under the strand “Life Sciences” and sub-strand “Diversity of Organisms,” second grade students are expected to describe life cycles of plants and animals. We decided to focus on the life cycle of a monarch butterfly, because it is a species students in Minnesota will be familiar with.
There are three main ways our bulletin board is interactive. First, students are asked to match pictures with sentences describing the stage of a butterfly’s life. The pictures were placed in a manila folder that was labeled with directions for students to follow. Students then moved the images and tacked them above the correct sentence. We felt this would be an excellent strategy to help both visual and linguistic students move through the life cycle of a butterfly.
Second, there are four flaps with vocabulary terms students will need to know: larva, pupa, egg, and butterfly. When students open the flap, they see an image as well as a description of the term. We believed the flaps would be helpful because they will work similar to a “word wall.” Students could reference the word flaps in order to spell the terms correctly in their writing.
Third, students are able to create their own butterfly life cycle bookmark to take back to their desk and illustrate. There is a space above the name of each stage for students to draw a picture. Therefore, visual, linguistic, and creative learners benefit from this activity. Also, students are able to take something home with them that they will use as a bookmark. As a result, every time they use the bookmark they will remember what they have learned. In other words, the repetition will help the students retain the knowledge they had learned."
Check out my Butterfly Lesson Plans on the "Life Cycle of a Butterfly". This Elementary Science Unit has Four Lessons on the Butterfly Stages. School Bulletin Board Ideas with a Butterfly theme (such as above) could go right along with this Unit.
Here is a excellent book on many types of butterflies life cycles. The high quality close-up photos of the butterfly stages are beautiful and it would be a great addition to a unit on butterfly life cycles.