Math and science are responsible for the advances that make modern life possible.
They're also a lot of fun for kids to explore. And an interest in those subjects now leads to a promising future.
Career prospects are bright for those in the so-called STEM fields. That stands for science, technology, engineering and math. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce estimates that jobs in these fields will grow 17 percent from 2008 to 2018, faster than every sector except health care.
"That's where the economy is going," says James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition. "In order to get almost any job in the economy, you need these skills."
And STEM workers don't just include number-crunching mathematicians and scientists scurrying around labs in white coats. This category also includes people who work in architecture and manufacturing. Plus, adults who get jobs in STEM fields or students who choose them as college majors tend to command higher salaries than the average worker.
Does your child's future lie in STEM?
It just might, if something sparks his interest. Kids' inborn curiosity leads them to want to know more about how the world works.
"We are natural problem-solvers when we're born into this world," says Tony Murphy, director of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. "We build things and we knock them down, and we build them again."
Obstacles for Kids in Science
But most kids lose their fascination in these subjects as they get older. Researchers have found that one-third of students lose interest in science by fourth grade. Another 17 percent lose it middle school.
Much of the reason for this lost interest can be found in the way teachers are trained, says Murphy, former executive director of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education at St. Catherine University. College-level elementary education programs are designed to prepare teachers how to educate children from kindergarten through sixth grade. With such a large range of developmental stages in those grades, aspiring teachers don't get much training in how to teach science in an engaging way, Murphy says.
Another problem is that most schools' curricula emphasize reading and math more than technology and engineering, Brown says. The tests that students are required to take in public schools assess how well they do in basic subjects, which leave less time for teachers to have fun teaching about science and technology.
And many kids and parents have mistaken beliefs about jobs in STEM fields. Say the word "engineer" to a lot of children, and they'll think of someone who drives a train. And Eric Darr, interim president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, notes that many girls think math and science aren't suited for females. Visitors to his college in Pennsylvania are often surprised to learn that more than half the students are women.
Fun While Learning
The lack of resources in many schools and the misconceptions people have about the STEM fields means you might have to put some extra effort into encouraging your kids to explore them. But it will be worth the effort if it sparks your child's curiosity.
Libraries. Learning doesn't have to cost money. Next time you take your children to the library, encourage them to borrow books about subjects that interest them. Maybe they'd like to know more about the cicada shell you found in the park or how to make paper airplanes fly farther.
Museums. Check out museums near your home and in cities you visit on vacation. Marvel at a planetarium show or walk through a life-size model of the human heart. Take the kids to special traveling exhibits.
Local colleges. Science and engineering departments at colleges – from community colleges to big-name universities – often host day-long programs for families to learn while having fun. Harrisburg University, for example, organized an event about the science behind making chocolate.
Summer camps. Does your child take apart the electronics in your house? She might love a computer camp. A kid who captures the toads in your yard would have fun during a summer program at the local zoo.
After-school clubs. A lot of schools have clubs for kids to have fun practicing science. Kids can work together to build robots or plant a garden.
Professional websites. Whether your child is interested in chemistry, physics, math, computers or weather, there are professional associations for adults who work in those fields. Brown says most of their websites have resources for parents.
Science, engineering, technology and math are the keys to many of the jobs of the future. But these subjects also offer kids plenty of opportunity to have fun while learning. Encourage your kids to explore their interest in how the world works, and you might just lead them to their lifelong passion.


Music education is a great way to help middle-school students express their creativity while also gaining an understanding of instruments, rhythm and the importance of music in society. Additionally, studies have found that students who participate in music education are more likely to excel in other academic areas, including standardized tests such as the SAT.
Combine a history lesson with music education by exploring the life and influential legacy of Elvis Presley. Provide students with a brief background on the biography of Elvis Presley. Challenge students to do research in small groups to find out more about the influence that Presley's style had on modern rock, and assign each group a specific topic to report on, such as current musical performers who draw from Elvis' style, and the evolving social views on rock music over time.
Instrument Group Composition
Create a lesson plan that introduces middle-school students to the four families of orchestra instruments: strings, winds, brass, and percussion. Once students have become familiar with the various instruments and their associated sounds within each group, assign students the task of composing a 15-second song including at least one instrument sound from each family. Songs may be composed by using musical software, such as "Garage Band" for Mac, on the classroom computer.
To kick off music education, help students realize the prevalence of music in their everyday lives by instructing them to create a "music journal." For one week, require students to jot down every place that they hear music. Provide examples such as background music in a television show or in the grocery store. Require that students think about the role of the music and how it may have affected their mood or train of thought. By becoming more aware of the presence of music, students are more likely to become interested in the topic.
Exploring Music's Cultural Influences
Examine music's relevance to historical and cultural events by assigning students a research project about music during the Civil War, times of slavery, and life in the United States. Provide historical music samples for students to listen to, and challenge them to find examples of other songs, both historical and current, that relate to culture and societal conditions. Lead a discussion about the ability of music to provide hope for a sector of society, express anger, or inspire change.
- Children's Music Network; "Twelve Benefits of Music Education", Carolyn Phillips
- Teacher's Network; "Elvis Lives", Vivian Nash
- Data Dragon; "Learn About Instruments"
- Teacher's Network; "Ready-Set-Tech With the Instrument Families"
- Music Education Madness; "Beginning of the Year Middle School General Music", Karen Stafford
- Teachers.net; "Looking at the Old South: Music and Culture", Virginia Martin,
- piano and music notes image by Franc Podgor...¡ek from Fotolia.com


Education chiefs in South Tyneisde say they are already addressing the gap which puts girls ahead of boys in their basic language communication skills as they start school.
A Save the Children report puts South Tyneside as the second worst council area in England for the difference between the two genders.
The national study found children are struggling to speak in full sentences or follow simple instructions, crucial skills when it comes to learning to read and write.
Boys are less likely to take part in activities including story-telling and nursery rhymes, stay focused on a task or have the concentration, motivation and self-confidence to learn.
In the long term, it can impact on job prospects, health, relationships and behaviour.
In South Tyneside, 33% of boys did not meet the standard, while 17% of girls failed to reach the level, with a gender gap of 15.9% identified through the University of Bristol research.
We know that we still have work to do to address standards overall, but we are confident that the improvements in 2016 will be replicated in future years.Councillor Joan Atkinson
Councillor Joan Atkinson, South Tyneside Council’s lead member for children, young people and families, said it had been working with nurseries to take action.
She added: “We recognised some years ago that we needed to address children’s early development and the quality of our childcare offer. “The gender gap is compounded by an imbalance in the numbers of boys and girls in recent years, with up to 80 more boys than girls per year group.
“We have invested significantly in provision for our two-year-olds and we have the highest uptake nationally of the funded early education offer at 91%.
“Every child taking up their entitlement since 2013 has been included in our Basket of Opportunities child development programme which focuses on the three prime areas of development, in particular communication and language.
“Nurseries and schools also run very effective targeted literacy development programmes such as the Raising Early Achievement in Literacy programme for children aged three to four.
“Following the increase in entitlement to 40% in 2014, we are already starting to see a real impact.
“This year’s scores for language and communication at age five show a significant reduction in the gender gap for all elements.
“We know that we still have work to do to address standards overall, but we are confident that the improvements in 2016 will be replicated in future years.”


Elisaveta Merkuryevna Bem (Elisabeth Bohm ) is an outstanding Russian artist, famous for creating postcards and most successful author of postcards of the 19th century. Elisaveta Bem is also known for creating a technique of lithoprint Silhouettes, and is also awarded creator of art work in glass, ceramics and metal.
She was fond of drawing form the early age put in small drawings of dolls and animals with the letters to her Petersburg friends. Elisaveta writes that this attracted the attention of people of art to her small works and advised to study.
It has to be noted that the attitude to women's education in the second half of the 19th century changed. Girls from aristocratic families were encouraged to study art and music. Elisaveta's parents did not mind her desire to study art, so at the age of 14 she entered the School of Painting at the Society for Promotion of Artists there she studied under Ivan Kramskoi and Pavel Chistyakov. Elisaveta graduated with the Large Silver Medal in1865. She then continued her art education through private lessons from Kramskoi. She studied further at the Imperial Academy of Arts, receiving a Large Encouragement Medal for animal paintings.
In 1867 Elisabeth married a prominent Russian-Hungarian violinist Ludwig Bohm, professor of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. This was a happy marriage that lasted of life time.
Elisaveta was becoming successful and known, her art work was gaining popularity and awards at various exhibitions. She did a great deal of work in water colors and became known for illustrating children books published by the Folk Library. As a result of her work there she met famed writer Leo Tolstoy.
Elisaveta Bem also experimented with glass and ceramics. From the 1870th she started to experiment in the technique of lithoprint silhouettes, which she factually created. She did not cut out silhouettes from black paper, which had been a wide spread technique, but drew on the stone and then made printing copies. This let make the tiny details like lace on the clothes, grass stems, animal's fur and curls on the children's heads visible on the silhouettes and added special charm and expressiveness to her works.
From 1875 Elisaveta Bem started to publish the whole albums of silhouettes which were very popular in tsarist Russia and soon gained international recognition. For her silhouettes, etchings and works of glass she received medals of the World Fairs in Chicago of 1893, Paris of 1900, Munich of 1902 and Milan of 1906.
The main theme of Bem Silhouettes were the children, whom she expressed with touching naivety in her own sentimental style. Her works were welcomed with delight and admiration even by the prominent artists of that time. Arts critics wrote that she took on the Russian children's world; her silhouettes expressed the soul, characters and moods, grace and reaks of children. Totally 14 albums of Bem's Silhouettes were published in several editions both in Russia and abroad.
Elisaveta Bem is considered to be the author of one of the first Russian comic strip. Her book illustrating how children decided to bake a pie, which was later eaten by a cat and a dog getting underfoot was published in 1880 under the same title "Pirog" ("A pie").
Elisaveta Bem is known as a as an illustrator of children's magazines, books by Turgenev, Krylov. She illustrated Old Cyrillic alphabet creating the true masterpiece.Still she is mostly known as one of the most prominent Russian authors of postcards. Elisaveta Bem created more than 350 postcards that ere published in thousands editions. Bem was the most reprinted author of postcards in the Russian empire Her water-color were purchased by Pavel Tretiakov, and members of Royal family which was the certain recognition of an artist.
Elisabeth Bohm died in 1914. However the interest to her art works is still alive. Her postcards are hunted for by the completists, the exhibitions of her works regularly take place in Russia.
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Art and disability : the social and political struggles facing education
- Alice J. Wexler ; foreword by Roger Cardinal.
- 1st ed.
- New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
- Physical description
- xvi, 248 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
Education Library (Cubberley)
|LC4025 .W49 2009||Unknown|
- Wexler, Alice, 1942-
- Includes bibliographical references (p. -244) and index.
- Introduction Overview Autistic Spectrum Disorders Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Learning Disabilities Emotional Disturbance/Behavioral Disorders The Blind and Visually Impaired Traumatic Brain Injury and the Northeast Center for Special Care Community Outreach and Alternative Settings Lesson Plans.
- (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230606296 20160528
- Publisher's Summary
- This book argues that the arts are most effective when they are in service of social growth, which is so critical to identity formation and advances art education as a tool to achieve this end.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780230606296 20160528
- Supplemental links
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- Publication date
- 9780230606296 (cloth)
- 0230606296 (cloth)
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Edouard Manet (French pronunciation: [edwaʁ manɛ]), 23 January 1832 - 30 April 1883, was a French painter. One of the first nineteenth century artists to approach modern-life subjects, he was a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. His early masterworks The Luncheon on the Grass and Olympia engendered great controversy, and served as rallying points for the young painters who would create Impressionism. Today these are considered watershed paintings that mark the genesis of modern art.
Born into an upper class household with strong political connections, Manet rejected the future originally envisioned for him, only to become engrossed in the world of painting. The last 20 years of Manet's life saw him form bonds with other great artists of the time, and develop his own style that would be heralded as innovative and serve as a major influence for future painters.
Edouard Manet was born in Paris on 23 January 1832, to an affluent and well connected family. His mother, Eugenie-Desiree Fournier, was the daughter of a diplomat and goddaughter of the Swedish crown prince, Charles Bernadotte, from whom the current Swedish monarchs are descended. His father, Auguste Manet, was a French judge who expected Edouard to pursue a career in law. His uncle, Charles Fournier, encouraged him to pursue painting and often took young Manet to the Louvre. In 1841 he enrolled at secondary school, the College Rollin. In 1845, at the advice of his uncle, Manet enrolled in a special course of drawing where he met Antonin Proust, future Minister of Fine Arts and subsequent life-long friend.
At his father's suggestion, in 1848 he sailed on a training vessel to Rio de Janeiro. After Manet twice failed the examination to join the Navy, the elder fManet relented to his son's wishes to pursue an art education. From 1850 to 1856, Manet studied under the academic painter, Thomas Couture. In his spare time, Manet copied the old masters in the Louvre.
From 1850 to 1856 he visited Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, during which time he absorberd the influences of the Dutch painter Frans Hals, as well as the Spanish artists, Diego Velazquez and Francisco Jose de Goya.
In 1856, Manet opened his own studio, His style in this period was characterized by loose brush strokes, simplification of details and the suppression of transitional tones. Adopting the current style of realism initiated by Gustave Courbet, he painted The Absinthe Drinker (1858-59) and other contemporary subjects such as beggars, singers, Gypsies, people in cafes, and bullfights. After his early years, he rarely painted religious, mythological, or historical subjects; examples include his Christ Mocked, now in the Institute of Chicago, and Christ with Angels, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
- Amberger, Christoph Germany, 1505 - 1562
- Ambros, Raphael von Austria, 1854 - 1895
- Amerling, Friedrich von Austria, 1803 - 1887
- Ames, Ezra United States, 1768 - 1836
- Amiconi, Bernardo 1859 - 1875
- Amigoni, Jacopo Italy, 1682 - 1752
- Amyot, Catherine -Unknown
- Ancher, Michael Peter Denmark, 1849 - 1927
- Andersen, Carl Christian Denmark, 1849 - 1906
- Gogh, Vincent van Holland, 1853-1890
- Gauguin, Paul France, 1848-1903
- Modigliani, Amedeo Italian
- Anderson, John Macvicar 1835 - 1915
- Anderson England
- Anderson, Sophie Gengembre England, 1823 - 1903
- Renoir, Pierre Auguste France, 1841 - 1919
- Dali, Salvador Spain
- Cole, Thomas American, 1801 - 1848
- Correggio Italy, 1489 - 1534
- Cranach, Lucas the Elder 1472 - 1553
We can do all styles and subjects: People, Landscape, Still life, Portrait, Impressionism, Abstract, classical paintings, Seascapes, Cityscapes, romantic sceneries, flowers, fruits, winebottle, animals, horse, monkey, tiger, dog, chicken, and modern oil paintings, religious paintings, art deco, POP art, oil painting with figures and nudes, contemporary artworks, realistic paintings by photo. Choose best material for all oil paintings, Attractive image and vivid color, assured quality.


By Talia Soglin
The hottest buzzword in education right now is STEM: Science, technology, engineering, and math. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several years, you’ve probably heard about American students’ depressingly low math and science test scores, and how science and engineering are the key to helping women and girls break through the glass ceiling, and how teaching technological literacy is of utmost importance in this day and age.
These things are, for the most part, very true. STEM is important. Viewing it as the end all be all of education, though, is more an indicator of what our society values at this particular place and time rather than an indicator of any particular objective truth.
Technologically, our world is exciting and rapidly changing, meaning educators are concerned about making sure students are able to operate in that world. Politicians push for STEM emphasis because economically, tech jobs are in demand and lucrative. But part of the reason STEM has emerged as such a prominent force is cultural: There has been, in recent years, a pushback against liberal education. Technical skills and “hard” subjects like math and science are just valued more highly in our society than the “soft” social sciences and humanities.
It hasn’t always been like this, though. Educational trends go in and out of style like fashion, depending on the political and social climate of the time. For most of our history, the United States was unique in its broad-based approach to education. While most European countries were focusing on technical skills, the U.S. was giving its students a well-rounded education.
From that point forward sprang a tradition of a fairly rapid pendulum swing of educational values. Today, Common Core governs education, especially elementary education. But when my peers and I were in elementary school, it was No Child Left Behind that defined our experience. And there’s an endless litany of smaller educational trends that cycle in and out of fashion, like flipped classrooms, co-teaching, project-based learning, technology use in the classroom, student-led learning and more.
These trends come from a place of wanting to do the very best for students. And they arguably do a lot of good: We should be experimenting with what works in the classroom.
But in many ways these trends are just that — trends. There is no holy grail. No flipped classroom or nationalized curriculum or focus on project-based learning is going to replace the basics: Teachers who can reach students where they are, who understand their students emotionally and intellectually, and who can undogmatically do the grueling work of educating our youth. Administrations that support and value these teachers. And educational systems and officials who treat children with respect.
The best teachers in my life have been the ones who encouraged intellectual curiosity with discussion and pointed questions. They know the subject matter well, and more importantly, they really want to share it. They treat us with respect, even when we are very young. Anything else — any new seating configuration or push to read more nonfiction, is secondary. These things may enhance a learning experience, but they do not define it.
Again, this is not to discourage experimentation and innovation in the classroom. But the intensity of focus on buzzwords and trendy new strategies often draws energy and money away from making sure students’ basic needs in the classroom are met.


Question:My 5 year old daughter still can’t recognize her alphabets and she just started to have spelling tests every Friday. How can I make her learn her spelling words? I’ve tried making her write the word a few times but she still can’t get it right. I’m so stressed. What should I do?
Answer: To retain words as vocabulary in the mind, the words need to draw a context and meaning for the child. Whilst I am a believer of practising to gain familiarity, the retention level will be very short if the comprehension aspect is absent. At 5 years, a child should have some basic concepts toward literacy and even some phonics background. Work first on her ability to understand and reproduce the letters in the alphabet, both in the upper and lower case, independently. When the next spelling list comes home, work through the words with your child and communicate the meaning of the word(s) to her.
I would also suggest that you have a talk with the teacher and manage the number of words that the teacher might want to ‘test’ your child. Crashing the child’s self-confidence with a ‘failed’ spelling test is the last thing that we should see happening. Make some arrangements with the teacher in class and start off with 2 to 3 words for your daughter. Increase it as she gains better grasp of the language.
LEAP Schoolhouse has an ‘Ask and Learn’ section every Thursday. If you have any questions regarding language or literacy development, feel free to drop your questions in the comment box below, or post them on LEAP SchoolHouse Facebook page.
In this Ask The Expert section, we asked Esther Lim, CEO and Founder of LEAP SchoolHouse, about language and literacy development in children. Born and educated in Singapore, she holds a Master Degree in Education (NTU/NIE), Bachelor Degree in Arts (NTU), Diploma in Marketing – Top student for the year 2000 (Chartered Institute of Marketing). Esther has more than 10 years of teaching experience and has taught widely in both Secondary and Primary schools. She was also involved in curriculum planning and development work for the primary unit at MOE for several years. Esther has also conducted workshops and talks for educators, locally and overseas. Besides all the above credentials, Esther is also a mother of three children.
For more info, visit leapschoolhouse.com.sg
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The Arts at Villa Maria
The arts play an important role in the whole-education approach at Villa Maria. Here, in a smaller, more inclusive arts environments, our students are able to participate, take risks, and express themselves as never before, through a variety of arts forms, including music, theater and the visual arts.
Many students, who may be struggling with academics or having difficulty realizing their niche, find in the arts an arena to demonstrate their exceptional talents and abilities. They discover an exciting energy, a newfound confidence – a chance, at last, to shine.
Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” To that end, Villa Maria seeks to help students develop a lifelong appreciation of the visual arts, through a study of art history as well as exploration and experimentation in a variety of art media and techniques – including painting, sketching, collage, ceramics and more. We are proud of our artists (and they are proud of themselves), as their many wonderful creations are displayed throughout our school for all to see.
Music is a universal language, a bridge between verbal and non-verbal expression. Music education promotes self-discipline, higher order thinking skills, and perceptual motor development. Villa Maria believes all students can learn to perform and appreciate music, as we provide a wide range of musical experiences for students – from younger students learning new songs and how to keep the beat, to older students reading musical notations and keyboarding with the use of electronic keyboards.
Each year, Villa Maria students participate in a musical, an opportunity to demonstrate their talents while building self-esteem and confidence. All students participate, whether as actors, chorus, set design and creation, or stage crew. Recent productions have included Willie Wonka, The Music Man, Into the Woods, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.
Students are also encouraged to showcase their many talents in the annual talent show. In addition to singing, dancing or playing an instrument, the students display artwork, crafts, poetry, photography and trophies related to accomplishments in sports, horseback riding, chess, and crafts.


Information here provides parents and guardians with the knowledge and guidelines and tools to provide support, guidance and learning experiences for their child to grow and develop according to his/ her unique abilities.
As children develop from infants to teens and finally to adults, they go through a series of developmental stages that are quite important to the person they become i.e. socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally. Your role as a parent is to provide encouragement, support and access to activities that enable the child to master developmental tasks. As a parent you are your child’s first teacher, and you should remain their best teacher throughout life.
Child development is a process that every child goes through. This process involves learning and mastering skills such as sitting, walking, talking and playing. These skills are what we would call developmental milestones. Child development specialists have learned that from birth, children are goal directed to experiment and learn from experience. As a parent, you need to expose your child to age appropriate challenges to encourage development as well as experiences that will allow your child to learn from interacting with the environment. A parent needs to provide the necessary support for a child to allow them to safely and productively learn from the environment.
Children develop skills in five main areas of development:
This includes the child’s ability to learn and solve problems. For example this includes a two-month old baby learning to explore the environment with eyes or a six year old learning how to solve math problems.
Social and emotional development
This involves a child learning how to interact with others. For example a five year old knowing how to take turns when playing, a six week old baby smiling back at you or a ten month baby waving goodbye.
Speech and language development
This is the ability of the child to both understand and use language. For example this may include a one year old learning to say his first words or a five year old learning to say “feet” instead of “foots”.
Fine motor skill development
This is the ability of the child to use small muscles to pick objects, hold a cup or use crayons to draw.
Gross motor skill development
This is the ability of the child to use larger muscles. For example a six month old baby who is learning to sit up with some support or a five year old who is learning to play football.
What is a development milestone?
A development milestone is a skill that a child acquires within a specific time frame. Learning to walk for example is a developmental milestone. Most milestones develop in a sequential way. A child will need to develop some skills before developing new skills. A child will first learn to crawl before they can walk.
As parents and caregivers we all want our children to succeed and be the best they can be. From research we know that how your child succeeds is influenced by two factors: environment and genes.
Genes are the genetic material we pass onto our children. The other factor that influences child development is the environment. This includes the experiences of children in the homes, schools and community environments. The environment can either harm or improve a child’s genetic blue print. For example malnourished children who live in third world countries may not reach their IQ potential because of the impact of the environment on their brain.
Some of the ways in which we can encourage brain development in children are:
Interact with your child by talking, playing, singing, reading and eating together. Your child will grow up feeling special to you
Learn simple parenting skills for helping your child to learn how to be around others. The most important parenting skills are having consistent rules, and rewarding behaviors you want to your child do more of, and have consequences for bad behavior.
Ask for help when and where you need it from other parents, your spouse, family, friends or even your child’s doctor.
Give your child lot of attention and love. No matter the age of a child, holding, hugging and listening are important ways to show your child they matter.
Limit TV time and video time to no more than 1-2 hours of educational viewing per day
Lastly read, read and read some more. Studies show that children who are read to by their parents have a larger vocabulary than other children.
However, when in doubt or have questions, do not hesitate to talk to a professional like your child’s doctor, a nurse, or a trained child development specialist. There is always someone in your community you can talk to.


Learning targets and I Can statements are new to my school this year. In fact, I officially heard about them for the first time a few weeks ago. Learning how to write learning targets for my kids got me thinking about my own learning targets concerning things I'm trying to improve upon this year.
- I can build math tasks around children's literature.
- I can use and teach the calendar in a more authentic way.
- I can allow and expect students to lead math discussions.
- I can position my students to let out their greatness.
- I can develop better systems for organizing conferring notes, assessments, and goals.
- I can improve the communication skills between students.
- I can use technology in authentic ways.
- I can continually seek ways to make phonics instruction more authentic.
- I can add whimsy to my classroom.
- I can use technology to build character.
- I can make charts with my students that are easy to understand and become tools that they refer to often.
- I can seek deeper conversations and deeper thinking with my students.
(Sometimes it helps to write them down.)


Enter the Subscription site Quality teaching materials. Kodaly Inspired Classroom: Lesson Planning. I have gotten a lot of questions on my Facebook page about lesson plans, from templates to actually planning, so this blog post will hopefully help you with just that!
Once I finish my long range (yearly or monthly) plans, I start to break it down, looking at what concepts I am preparing, practicing, and presenting in each month and begin to find the songs that will fit those concepts. For each lesson I make a column for rhythm and pitch so that I make sure that I am addressing both (no matter where I am in the Prepare/Present/Practice) in each lesson. It looks something like this. I start off just listing things and then I put them in order once I figure out how I want to weave the songs together (that's what the numbers are for):
Instruments of the Orchestra: A Monster Collection of Links for Music Teachers. Unit: Instruments of the Orchestra A unit about the instruments of the orchestra is frequently included in music education curricula around the world and there are lots of free resources online to help you introduce or expand upon the topic.


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An Indiana church that once stood up to the Ku Klux Klan after a 1930 lynching is in danger of being destroyed by the passage of time.
Shaffer African Methodist Episcopal Church of Muncie, a historically black congregation founded circa 1893, has several structural problems to its historic building.
Ivy Farguheson, reporter with The Star Press, wrote of the situation Monday as a local group, Whitely Community Council, seeks to raise funds for the church's repairs.
"With broken stairs, cracks in the facade, uneven landscaping and an old historical marker, Whitely residents and members of its neighborhood association are calling on Munsonians to donate to the Shaffer Chapel fund," wrote Farguheson.
"With the help of 20 Ball State University elementary education students, the neighborhood association will create fundraisers for the Chapel."
Back in 1930 two black men, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, were lynched near in the area after being arrested under suspicion of raping a white resident.
Shaffer's pastor at the time, J. E Johnson, agreed to bury the two lynched men even as the local Ku Klux Klan chapter made threats against him for deciding to do so.
When the Klan arrived to attack Johnson, they were met with a large all-night vigil for the two murdered men organized by Shaffer AME. The KKK backed off in response.
The aging, dwindling congregation belongs to the AME Church's Fourth Episcopal District, headed by the Rt. Rev. John Bryant.
Bryant, who serves as presiding prelate and senior bishop for the Fourth District, told The Christian Post that Shaffer's problems were shared by other congregations in the area.
"We have 250 churches and they are one of our churches in the district and one of the oldest in the district," said Bryant, who had visited the church as part of a tour of the congregations in the Fourth District.
"It is probably in a shared kind of condition; that area of the country of course is depressed, the economy in Muncie is very depressed."
Bryant attributed the issue to the economic downturn of 2007-2008. Bryant said that as many as 25 percent of the Muncie area population have left.
"Muncie has been struggling with a combination of unemployment and underemployment and struggling with dwindling population," said Muncie. "Of course that affects the churches and everything else."
The Whitely Community Council did not return comment to The Christian Post by press time.


Today I am going to write about "race". This topic important to me because it is a source of much of my frustration with the world and my lack of interest in continuing a conversation with someone that asks me, "What are you?". believes that the .
In order to build a foundation for a better understanding of our species I must first summarize what our society believes "race" to be. Then I seek to tear that understanding down and introduce you to the truth, as our current scientific understanding defines it.
"Race" as many of us know it
Very simply, many of us believe that the human species is composed of several unambiguous, clearly demarcated, biologically distinct groups. We have been conditioned to think that as groups, blacks are different and perhaps inferior than whites. This is just a simple example of our social conditioning; I'm sure that you can think of several more "racial" prejudices but I won't waste time on that because there is no scientific evidence to support these "racial" differences. None. The American Anthropological Association (AAA) has this to say about that:
Evidence from the analysis of genetics (e.g., DNA) indicates that most physical variation, about 94%, lies within so-called racial groups. Conventional geographic "racial" groupings differ from one another only in about 6% of their genes. This means that there is greater variation within "racial" groups than between them. In neighboring populations there is much overlapping of genes and their phenotypic (physical) expressions. Throughout history whenever different groups have come into contact, they have interbred. The continued sharing of genetic materials has maintained all of humankind as a single species.
The truth is that physical variations in the human species have absolutely no meaning except for the social ones that humans put on them. This was an idea that was sold to rationalize the horrific mistreatment of others. From the AAA:
From its inception, this modern concept of "race" was modeled after an ancient theorem of the Great Chain of Being, which posited natural categories on a hierarchy established by God or nature. Thus "race" was a mode of classification linked specifically to peoples in the colonial situation. It subsumed a growing ideology of inequality devised to rationalize European attitudes and treatment of the conquered and enslaved peoples.
As they were constructing US society, leaders among European-Americans fabricated the cultural/behavioral characteristics associated with each "race," linking superior traits with Europeans and negative and inferior ones to blacks and Indians. Numerous arbitrary and fictitious beliefs about the different peoples were institutionalized and deeply embedded in American thought.
Ultimately "race" as an ideology about human differences was subsequently spread to other areas of the world. It became a strategy for dividing, ranking, and controlling colonized people used by colonial powers everywhere.
So, what are you?
The next time that someone asks about what you are, take that opportunity to provide a smidgen of education about how we use the concept of race to maintain our prejudice. What they really want to know is what part of the world your family come from; instead of saying race, you could say population, ethnicity, or country of ancestral origin.
In closing I offer a bit more from the AAA:
we now understand that human cultural behavior is learned, conditioned into infants beginning at birth, and always subject to modification. No human is born with a built-in culture or language. Our temperaments, dispositions, and personalities, regardless of genetic propensities, are developed within sets of meanings and values that we call "culture." Studies of infant and early childhood learning and behavior attest to the reality of our cultures in forming who we are.
"AAA Statement on "Race"." American Anthropological Association. American Anthropological Association, 2006. Web. 3 Oct. 2012. http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/racepp.htm.


(North) Wales and Anglesey circa 1900
At the time this map was produced in 1900, it was a period of huge social change and upheaval. Living standards were low and much of the population lived in poverty. Despite the Mines and Collieries Regulation Act of 1842, where it became illegal for women or any child under the age of ten to work underground, mining remained a significant form of income for many families and it was more important to bring home a wage than to get an education.
Life was very hard and the successful exploitation of child labour was vital to Britain’s economic success. Children were cheaper to employ than adults, easier to discipline and often forced to work longer hours than their adult counterparts. Before the Mines and Collieries Act was introduced in 1842 it was common practice for whole families to work underground together in order to provide enough money for the family to live on. Children could work alone, in the dark, for up to twelve hours a day. Most children started working underground at the age of eight, sometimes as young as five. Life was cheap, injury and death common place. Despite the hardship, miners showed a high degree of solidarity and often lived in isolated villages where most of the population were workers. At the end of the nineteenth century the Penrhyn Slate Quarry, North Wales, was the largest in the world.
In nineteenth century Britain, schools were few and far between, and there was no such thing as a free education for everyone. Education was solely for the rich and most schools were church run, focusing on religious education. It was not until 1870 that the government introduced free education in Britain for all children and 1880 when the Elementary Education Act made schooling in England and Wales compulsory until the age of ten. Although attitudes to children were steadily shifting in to the twentieth century, and the need for education was being recognised, child labour remained commonplace in the poorest areas.
The Isle of Anglesey, “Hook Island”, the largest island in Wales and the seventh largest in the British Isles, is a county of Wales and includes Holy Island, amongst others. The coastal areas have been designated an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Unesco World Heritage Site Beaumaris can be found there. Pary’s Mountain, located south of the town Amlwch, has been mined for copper ore since the Bronze Age. Excavated in 2002, prehistoric evidence, for the beginnings of the British metal mining industry, was found there. At the time of this map, two copper mines - Mona to the East and Pary’s to the West, had been extensively exploited since the late 18th century and the copper mined there dominated the worlds markets until their decline in the 1880’s.


Step inside the classrooms of Discovery Education Community members from around globe with Discovery Education in Action. Learn how peers are using digital media in their classrooms, hear how they solve problems, and experience Discovery Education through their eyes.
Name: Amanda Pond
Role: Middle School Math Teacher (grades 6-8)
School: Loving Middle School
School District: Loving Municipal Schools, New Mexico
Subjects/Grades Taught: Math 6-8 grades
Degrees/Certificates: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education/Highly Qualified in Mathematics
How long have you been teaching?
I am finishing my 10th year of teaching.
How did you find yourself in teaching?
Like any teacher, I wanted to change lives… I wanted to make a difference.
What is your favorite thing about Discovery Education Math Techbook?
My favorite thing about Math Techbook is all the different approaches to concepts. Hands-on activities, students moving at own pace, incorporating games into learning.
How has using Math Techbook changed your opinion of your role as the teacher?
I really feel more like a facilitator. It’s awesome to watch the students learn and teach each other.
Math Techbook in Action
Ms. Pond facilitates her eighth grade students as they Understand Rules of Exponents. (Discovery Education Math Techbook, Grade 8, Unit 1.1, Investigation 4)
What tips do you have for beginning users of Math Techbook?
Be prepared with printed work and materials for lessons. Be flexible. Be ready to change or discuss at any moment.
What other tools, resources, or strategies do you incorporate in your instruction with Math Techbook?
We use the overhead projector to begin a lesson and walk through the introduction together. I do a lot of think-pair-share in my class.
Ms. Pond facilitates her sixth grade students through a unit on Dependent and Independent Variables. (Discovery Education Math Techbook, Grade 6, Unit 9.1, Investigation 3)
How do you organize your classroom and planning to maximize your students’ learning experiences?
My classroom is currently set up in groups of two students, which is different from the video. I found that pairs work better than groups of four in most cases because pairs can work more closely so others are not left out. There are still times, however, that I have two pairs partner up and work together.
How do your students respond to the use of Math Techbook? What do they like about it?
They have responded so well! They love the technology part of it. They enjoy the hands-on activities and being able to work at their own pace.
Want to see how other educators are using Discovery Education Math Techbook? Check out our entire Discovery Education in Action series.


Bible Based Homeschooling
There are many ways to use the Bible as a basis for Bible based homeschooling.
Some ways use the Bible as the main textbook.
It is advisable to have a seperate math curriculum.
You can use the Bible, as a base for language arts, including, grammar practice, reading comprehension, spelling etc.
There are resources to use, with a Bible based and Bible centered, educational homeschool.
Free Bible Study Notebook Page Worksheet
Note: The second or third pages are great printed off a bunch and put in a notebook.
Free Bible Study Notebook Pages
Bible Based Homeschool Curriculums For Multi Age Teaching
There are some great Bible study curriculums, for Bible based homeschooling.
Multi Age Homeschool Bible Curriculum
tbsbibles.org has nice reference Bibles in different covers and sizes. Note: Search for Bible in the search box on their site.
Bible Based Homeschool Language Arts Education
Bible Based Grammar Puzzles and Scripture Copywork: acresoft.com
Bible Based Language Arts options
A person may learn best, when they are given a chance to share, what they have learned.
Here are some different ideas:
You could read the daily reading, using the book above, and then narrate what you learned.
They could draw what they read, or something that stood out to them:
They might want to draw an overview of each book.
Maybe making a computer presentation, giving a speech, or creating puppets would appeal.
Let your imagination run.
Bible Based Phonics
Here are two options:
Beginning Steps To Reading
Rod and Staff Phonics
Both at: milestonebooks.com
Bible and Study of Countries
Bible Road Trip is for studying the Bible, praying for countries of the world, and writing/notebooking about the Bible.
One Bible Based Homeschooling Option:
1. At the beginning of the week the parent should pick out 10 words from the next chapters to learn.
(For younger children pick words with 4 letters or less. For older children pick words with more than 4 letters.)
2. Take a chapter a day more or less as needed.
3. As you read through the chapter mark the major words (ie. animals, plants, nature, places, cities) with a colored pencil.
4. Study the words marked in books or on the internet.
* Keep a nature journal of Bible plants, animals, birds, insects, and creation. Draw, describe, and write other references for it. Optional Journal: Classical Conversations Nature Journal
* Keep a Book of Centuries to record the people and major events in the Bible. One Option See: Book of Centuries
5. Make drawings of the chapter and write the chapter in your own words, to illustrate each of your drawings.
6. Show your pictures and tell the story to the rest of the family, class etc.
7. For one book of the Bible as you go through the chapter(s), each day, mark all the nouns, another book of the Bible the adjectives, another book adverbs, another punctuation etc. Another option is to use AcreSoft Bible Memory Grammar.
Note: Use a phonics course and a math course, besides the above. See Bible based language arts options here.
Bible Based Social Studies and Science
Note: Lessons can be picked and chosen, if desired.
In the books the primary lesson is for 1-3 grade, junior section grade 4-6, intermediate research questions grade 7-9, and advanced research questions grade 10-12.
Science and Social Studies Curriculum
Bible Based homeschool History Education
A Book of Centuries is a book with 2 pages for a century. This can be used to keep track of Bible history and other history. It is great for history notebooking. More Info on AcreSoft Book of Centuries
Creation to Canaan sold at: milestonebooks.com
Understanding the Old World 7th grade social studies (can be used for any grade) sold at: milestonebooks.com
Draw & Write Through History Book 1
Draw & Write Through History Book 2
History Through the Ages
Mystery of History
Bible Application Homeschool Science Curriculum
Bible Based Homeschool Art Education
Bible Based Drawing
Draw & Write Through History Book 1
Bible Based Coloring and Craft Books
How Great Thou Art
hymnal.net has free printable sheet music.
Note: Another option is to use curriculum with less work so you have more time for Bible or Bible curriculum.
Easy Homeschooling with few Problems
Reference Books: Homeschool Reference Books


MI-Pro website editor, Laura Barnes, says: “It is time to make music lessons accessible for every child.”
Dr Nina Kraus explains the vital role of music in learning at this ARTSpeaks event in Illinois in 2017.
A study by Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia found that musically trained children had better melody, rhythm, and frequency discrimination, and were better at statistical learning.
Dr Beatriz Ilari, assistant professor of music education at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, explains how music affects the brain development of children.
Researchers at the University of Southern California have studied the effects of music training on brain activity.
The results of Northwestern University research published in 2015 show that music training is related to the development of selective attention and inhibitory control.


Amazingly, YouTube has become a good source of educational materials. We have been using YouTube more and more for fun learning materials. It is now one of our go to places for science videos for kids. We shared 6 YouTube Channels for Hands-on Science Experiments You Can Do at Home. Today we share YouTube channels of fun science facts, explanations, and news.
15 YouTube Channels Explaining Science for Kids
Bill Nye: although the channel has not been updated for couple years, the content already there is enough for kids to explore. I like that the video titles tell you exactly what the videos are about, making it easy to look around.
SciShow: It is a great collection of science videos of different topics: historical science figures, science news, science talk show, science quizzes, most asked science questions. The topics they cover are simply fascinating.
SpanglerScienceTV: from Steve Spangler, this channel has a ton of fun science facts, experiments, and more. Unlike his other YouTube channel, most of experiments here need special equipment and safety measures, so it is safer to watch him do them in videos.
asapScience: a fun site using fun drawings to explain various interesting topics from science point of view. The topics they cover are either questions people have always been asking, or things you never thought about before, like How old are your ears? Can video games make you smarter? Can you be scared to death? Most topics are kids safe. The only one I noticed that may not be kids appropriate is Can science improve your sex life? Even this one is strictly science with no inappropriate visual.
LabofOrnithology: if you like birds, you will love this channel. It is established by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, an institute conducting research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. You will find many amazing videos about different birds.
BrainCraft: hosted by Vanessa Hill for PBS Digital Studios, BrainCraft explains why we act the way we do, using psychology and neuroscience. You will find topics like How movies control your brain? How exercise can improve your memory?
ScienceBob: does all kinds of cool science experiments. Most are not safe to do at home, so it is better to watch them on video.
Minute Physics: explaining science in a similar style as asapScience, but all topics are around physics. You will find topics like What is gravity? Is it better to walk or run in the rain? How an airplane is made? It thrives to explain science in the simplest way, and it does a good job in that aspect, so it is a great channel for kids of all ages.
Minute Earth: from the same creator of Minute Physics, but all topics are about our planet. Do you know Where did the water on Earth come from? Why is all sand the same?
Periodic Videos: all things chemistry. You will find a video about each element on the periodic table. There are new videos every week about science news, interesting molecules and other stuff from the world of chemistry.
Best of Science: A fun science channel covers a wide variety of science topics: physics, space, nature, chemistry, and more.
National Geographic: As their magazine, the YouTube channel covers many natural science videos.
Fizzics Education is a science outreach organization in Australia. They share their outreach efforts and science activities they do.
DNews: science news and exploration from Discovery. It is not designed for kids, so there will be videos that are not appropriate for young children. But many videos are kids friendly.
NASA: every thing is space related, from This Week at NASA, to Space to Ground, to ISS Expeditions.
Enjoy! Let us know if you find any other sources for fun science videos for kids.
If you are on YouTube, you definitely want to check out 9 YouTube Channels of Hands-on Science Experiments to Do at Home. Different from today’s science YouTube channel list, these 9 channels are all about easy hands-on science experiments you are safe to do at home in your kitchen.
You may also like 9 Math YouTube channels for kids
Another of our favorite STEM resource is the STEAM Kids, a book with 52 STEAM activity ideas for kids.


Whether your child is attending preschool, kindergarten or returning to classes, there are some simple ways to help make their transition into the school year a happy and productive one. You’ll need to take some practical steps, such as scheduling and providing them with the necessary tools, however it’s also important to prepare your child mentally and emotionally for the upcoming year.
If you’re feeling the weight of an upcoming school year and aren’t sure where to start, use the below tips to ensure your child is prepared for all aspects of the upcoming year.
Get a head start on learning
Encourage your child to read in the time prior to school so that the pattern endures throughout the year, or read to them. Children learn many important skills from reading, as well as useful lessons. Choose books about school or topics that are relatable him or her. As well, there are at-home learning activities you and your child can participate in to prepare them for the tasks ahead. Learning the alphabet, writing their own name, simple math and art, for example.
There are many skills that are important for your child to learn in order for them to have a great school year. Listening and self-reliance skills are important, but you should also teach your child the best way to handle conflicts that arise. Send a child with only items they can do themselves, such as zip up coats and velcro sneakers. As well, reading books about bullying or dealing with conflicts at school will help them to better prepare.
Beginning school for the first time, or entering a new school year, can bring a level of stress to both you and your child. Buy school supplies and clothes together in an exciting trip, bringing a positive attitude toward school. It’s recommended to visit the school together and get to know the teacher. As well, speaking with other parents will help you to better learn any concerns they might share.
Preparing your child for school is simple by taking these steps. Emotional, mental and practical preparation are all important facets of the new year. As well, your child’s school year would greatly benefit from before or after school programs.
Contact Childventures Early Childhood Learning Academy today to learn more about our education programs. Our programs enrich your child’s education and help to develop their learning skills, leading to a positive school year.


Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
The article discusses how the English language arts practitioners work with the Latin immigrants who are newcomers in learning English language in middle and high school in the U.S. Accordingly, practitioners provide more instructional time to contextualized learning and literacy on first and second language and advocate them to attain a high level of literacy. Moreover, it states that the literacy development of the newcomers must be anchored in patience, flexibility and conscientiousness.
The English Journal
Musetti, B., Salas, S., & Perez, T. (2009). Working for and with Latino/Latina immigrant newcomers in the english language arts classroom. English Journal, 99(2), 95-97.


State-funded Catholic schools fundamentally object to teaching religious pluralism
In Ireland one of the key issues in the Primary school Curriculum is pluralism. The Curriculum says it has a responsibility to promote tolerance and respect for diversity, in both the school and the community. Despite this, State-funded schools with a Catholic ethos fundamentally object to teaching religious pluralism within schools.
The first thing to note here is that the pluralism referred to in the Primary school curriculum includes religious pluralism. There are over 126 different religions in Ireland, and the State claims that it equally recognises their beliefs, values and aspirations. The State does not go so far as to equally recognise non-religious world views. The Primary School Curriculum reflects this (see page 58).
It is bad enough that State-funded schools are allowed to give priority to religious beliefs over nonreligious beliefs. However, State-funded schools with a Catholic ethos are not even happy with that level of privilege. They have made this clear in their response to the proposed new State course about Religions, beliefs and Ethics.
The Catholic Bishops object to promoting even pluralism among religious beliefs within schools, as they believe that it goes against the philosophical basis of Catholic religious education. The Church accepts that freedom of religion is the bedrock of western democracies, but insists that promoting pluralism within schools is against their ethos.
What the Primary School Curriculum says
“The curriculum has a particular responsibility in promoting tolerance and respect for diversity in both the school and the community. Children come from a diversity of cultural, religious, social, environmental and ethnic backgrounds, and these engender their own beliefs, values, and aspirations. The curriculum acknowledges the centrality of the Christian heritage and tradition in the Irish experience and the Christian identity shared by the majority of Irish people. It equally recognises the diversity of beliefs, values and aspirations of all religious and cultural groups in society.”
In a recent Submission to the National Council of Curriculum & Assessment, the Catholic Bishops said:
“2. Pluralism and freedom of religion
The principle of freedom of religion is part of the bedrock upon which western democracies are constructed.”
“These approaches require teachers to adopt and promote a pluralist approach to religion. This is an approach to religion that goes against the philosophical basis of Catholic religious education. Such a contradiction would place teachers in a very difficult position where conflicting philosophical approaches to religious education would have the potential to create significant confusion.”
For many parents, this means that the State ‘provides for’ the education of their children in publicly funded schools that see pluralism as something that undermines their ethos.
Over half of the primary schools in the country are what the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism referred to as ‘Stand Alone Schools’. This means that all of the children in particular areas attend the only local school. This, of course, is a publicly funded National School with a Catholic ethos.
It is impossible to see how this respects the inalienable right of parents under Article 42 of the Constitution. The State then gives exemptions in equality legislation, that permit publicly funded schools to discriminate on the grounds of religion while still claiming that they promote pluralism.
In Ireland, the commitment to pluralism (a bedrock of western democracy) is promoted by segregating small children according to the religious affiliation of their parents. The larger religious groups in society attract state funding, and the smaller groups are left sending their children to schools that see pluralism as something that undermines their ethos.
If you are an atheist, please join Atheist Ireland and help us to challenge these breaches of fundamental human rights.
If you are religious, please support the joint campaign by Atheist Ireland, the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland for a secular State education system that respects everybody’s rights equally and gives no privilege to any religious belief or institution.


In honor of Earth month this year, the Mural Arts Big Picture, an art education program that provides youth ages 10-14 with mural training and visual arts education, has made recycling and trash disposal more exciting to participate in through art.
In 2009-2010, the city put out 1,000 super-efficient BigBelly solar-powered compacting trash cans. This was part of a city-wide initiative to decrease litter and be more environmentally aware. BigBellies only need to be emptied once a day, and have helped the city reach an amazing recycling rate of more than 20 tons per day.
During October 2010, Big Picture artists Ben Woodward and Thom Lessner, and their students, got a hold of some of the city’s BigBelly cans. Since then, the team has decorated 50 BigBellies with captivating fluorescent graphic vinyl wraps, transforming each bin into vibrant “litter critters” that offer a fun reason for everyone to properly dispose of their trash.
The installations can be seen along Headhouse Square and up South Street from 2nd to 10th Streets. If you happen to be in the areas, take a look at these imaginative creations.
The litter critters are an extension of Mural Arts’ Design in Motion recycling truck project that was completed in April 2010. The city-wide public art and graphic design project took 20 city recycling trucks and decorated them with artwork created by Big Picture students who utilized their study of textiles and the The Design Center’s textile collection to create one-of-a-kind vinyl wraps.
Stop by Headhouse Square tomorrow, April 27 from 4-5 p.m. as Mural Arts officially reveals the litter critters.
For more information about the BigBelly project or the “litter critter” scavenger hunt please contact Lisa Murch, Big Picture Program Manager, at email@example.com


For those who
prefer to teach manuscript writing (printing) rather than cursive, this
255-page workbook will provide your child with the foundational skills of
manuscript writing before he learns cursive writing in second grade. The
formation guide gives you and your child a template to follow. Each lesson
features warm-up exercises as well as an example of the letter that is being
practiced that day. Help your child master letter formation, size, spacing,
correct posture for writing, and correct position for paper and pencil. Begins
with single letters and progresses to phonics blends of more than one letter,
special sounds, and words for your child to trace and copy. Phonics, spelling,
and creative writing skills are built into the exercises.
Available on these devices
*Some features only available on iOS devices.


Awareness Raising Toolkit
ELINET has developed an Awareness Raising Toolkit including 8 practical tools that can be used for effective awareness raising activities. The tools target literacy learners, intermediaries and policy makers. The tools were developed, piloted in 7 countries, evaluated and redeveloped based on the experiences of the pilot.
The report 'Guide to literacy awareness raising in Europe' explaining the process that resulted in the final Awareness Raising Toolkit and the Awareness Raising Toolkit flyer can be found using the links below.
Former literacy learners are indispensable in raising awareness: they know from their own experience what it means to have literacy difficulties and what it is like to work on your literacy skills.
Intermediaries are crucial in tackling literacy difficulties: they serve as a link between a potential literacy learner and opportunities to improve their skills. Furthermore, they are in a position to open up the conversation, develop initiatives and implement policies to stimulate literacy development.
Policy makers are involved in and have the authority to formulate policies and set policy frameworks. As such, they strongly influence the structures, opportunities and practices necessary to tackle literacy difficulties
Awareness Raising Toolkit: 8 practical tools
To download the complete toolkit with all the material for the 8 practical tools in it, click the link below:


Begin the Year with Nellie Edge Read and Sing Big Books™
All young children deserve to experience a collection of books that they can enthusiastically sing and read from cover to cover – books that are a part of our shared cultural heritage. Singing songs and playing with the sounds of language is a powerful strategy for developing phonemic awareness – the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds. Strong phonemic awareness facilitates phonics instruction and prevents many early reading difficulties. Incorporating song picture books or “Books that Sing and Rhyme” into the early literacy program is simply the most efficient and engaging way we have to develop English syntax, accelerate fluency with oral language, and teach children concepts about how print works. Using familiar songs and picture books allows us to develop language and reading skills simultaneously while fostering a love of literacy and honoring diverse learners.
The only things we carry into adulthood with word-for-word accuracy are songs. Our brains are uniquely designed to remember language through music. The musical brain chunks large amounts of information (the entire ABC song) into a single memory space. Group singing connects fluent phrases, satisfying meanings and memorable melodies into a joyful social experience. This accelerates acquisition of language by taking advantage of how the brain learns best. For those children who enter school with limited prior book-reading and language experiences, we must build a strong oral language foundation in the most brain-friendly, delightful way possible, so that children can hear, speak and manipulate the sounds of English. It is the familiarity with patterns of English language that will allow the child’s decoding to be error-free and reading to be fluent. Singing, memorizing, and reading song picture books is a powerful strategy that children delight in as they connect spoken and written words and begin the reading process. When children associate learning to read with pleasure and feelings of success, they have more motivation to build stamina as readers.
Systematic use of “Books that Sing and Rhyme” builds the oral language foundation necessary for success with phonics instruction, concepts about print, vocabulary development and comprehension. Young children have a natural desire to role play themselves as successful readers. We can breathe life into that desire by providing song picture books that facilitate this “magical memory reading” experience — joyfully bridging oral language into print. When we bring children into a supportive learning community where the entire class is singing and reading together, every child participates at their own level, allowing even the least-experienced readers to perceive themselves as successful. The child feels the security of belonging and begins building a confident “I can read!” attitude. Their desire to be a part of a community of readers allows teachers to more easily scaffold instruction to each child’s needs. When children are singing, they are joyful, focused, and engaged – the optimal state for language learning. Incorporating “Books that Sing and Rhyme” into the daily literacy framework provides all children with “Just Right: I Can Read!” books (a.k.a. “good-fit” books) that can be independently read with high levels of accuracy. This multisensory instructional practice is respectful of English Language Learners and often a missing component in differentiated and comprehensive early literacy programs.
“I Can Read” Resources
“I Can Read” Related Articles
Online Video Tutorials + Resources
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The Early Years Learning program (PK - 2) at LJBC informs a creative, play-based curriculum enabling children to connect with each other and their world; to have a strong sense of well-being and be confident and effective learners. It seeks to provide children with meaningful experiences that promote the development of spiritual, social, emotional, language, intellectual, creative and physical skills.
Through the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), we believe that building upon children's experiences and prior knowledge provides the best foundation for learning in early childhood. Our outstanding Early Year’s educators assess, anticipate and extend children’s learning in a play-based setting.
We aim for our Early Years Learning program to meld seamlessly with the Australian Curriculum (which commences at Pre Primary) ensuring that the foundational dispositions, knowledge and skills underpinning learning success are well established and meet the National Quality Standards for early childhood in Australia.
Literacy development is a major curriculum focus in the Early Years, with all teachers sharing responsibility for developing the skills of students in reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing and critical thinking. Literacy is integrated across all learning areas. Our Early Years Literacy programs are effective, exciting, contemporary and challenging. Innovative programs are used, and proven methodologies maintained. Our Early Years Intervention Program identifies levels of phonological awareness in students and targeted programs are put in place for students requiring particular support.
Numeracy and strong foundations in Mathematics are features of the Early Years program. Problem Solving and Working Mathematically are focussed on when developing skills in Number Competence and Calculation, Spatial Awareness, Estimation and Direct Measure, Conducting Research, Analysing Findings and Developing Logical Arguments. Meaningful mathematics activities extend outside the four walls of the classroom. There are a range of teaching approaches in individual, small group and whole class settings, with time devoted to exploration of topics using many concrete materials. Effective interactive and technology resources are used to support and enhance student learning. The time taken in the Early Years for students to really understand Numeracy concepts by discussing them, using concrete and play-based materials to experiment with, to reason and reflect about their findings, and ‘have-a-go’ in a safe environment, holds the Early Years students in good stead for transitioning to Upper Primary and Secondary School.
The Early Years curriculum follows the Australian Curriculum from Pre Primary and covers the learning areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Technologies, The Arts, Languages, Health and Physical Education, as well as Christian Education lessons. Primary Specialist teachers teach Physical Education, Visual Art, Music, Library studies and Languages to our Early Years students.
The Early Years classrooms are filled with colourful displays that celebrate learning, discoveries and achievements. Excellent facilities, fields, playgrounds and dedicated nature play spaces are provided to stimulate learning. Special events and excursions enrich the delivery of the curriculum.
There is a strong pastoral care and virtues program, which helps to make links between home and school and exposes children to a range of virtues and values appropriate to this age group.
The Early Years at LJBC aims to provide a happy, secure and motivating environment for all students.


Providing art programs in Colorado
How does art affect children?
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Visual Arts Affect Children
Academy of Art has discovered and researched facts about art and how art affects children of all ages.
Why is art important?
What does art mean to a child?
Is art still a part of our culture?
How will art influence my child?
My child is not artistic, why art class?
Academy of Art has found through teaching art we help a child grow in the following areas:
Recognition of the elements & principles of design
Eye/hand coordination (fine motor skills)
The ability to learn to create what they see
Learn art history and different cultures
Experience different mediums
Create a higher level of concentration and an interest in learning
Strengthen auditory processing
10 Truths About Art
1. The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships.
Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it
is judgment rather than rules that prevail.
2. The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution.
Questions can have more than one answer.
3. The arts celebrate multiple perspectives.
One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.
4. The arts teach children to solve problems based on circumstances and opportunities.
Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.
5. The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor number exhaust what we can know.
The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.
6. The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects.
The arts traffic in subtleties.
7. The arts teach students to think through and within a material.
All art forms employ some means through which images become real.
8. The arts help children learn to say what cannot be said.
When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.
9. The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source.
Arts allow children to experience and discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.
10. The arts’Äô position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important.
National Art Education Association
SOURCE: Eisner, E. (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind, In Chapter 4, What the Arts Teach and How
It Shows. (pp. 70-92). Yale University Press. Available from NAEA Publications.
Did You Know?
Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours a day three days a week for at least one full year are:
4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem


Dr. Ann Clements was a recent guest of the Music Education Department at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Among other outstanding presentations over two days, she gave one particularly thought-provoking talk on what music education can learn from video games, which was featured in the Miami Hurricane (the University of Miami student newspaper). Here is an excerpt of that article. The full article can be accessed by clicking the link on the title of this entry or the URL below.
Carlos Abril, director of undergraduate music education, is [co-editing] a book on innovative approaches to teaching music…He invited Penn State professor Ann Clements to the University of Miami’s Music Education Forum to talk to students about how “technology and gaming can inform music education practice.”
“Learning is a joy and a pleasure, and only in schools is it repressed,” said Clements, who is writing a chapter in the book. “Schools are just providing the game manuals and not the games themselves.”
The main point of her talk was how incorporating the idea behind video games into classrooms, of all grades and ages, would motivate students to learn. She also said video games would motivate students’ passion to learn. Clements believes that students will respond to failure in a more positive and constructive way if the failure is creative and fair. If so, the students will have more interest and motivation to overcome the failure and become successful, which is the goal in most video games. If schools collaborate using creative and sophisticated methods, they will see the average number of students retaining information increase dramatically.


The legislative process.
The books of the Bible.
It's no secret that putting information to music helps people remember it. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise that Soldotna Elementary School music teacher Erin Southwick is finding success in using music to teach early reading skills.
Nonetheless, Southwick's combination of reading and music lessons is a fairly new and innovative program at the school.
"It was born out of a need in the kindergarten classes," Southwick explained. Kindergarten through second-grade students are given DIBELS tests a few times each year to measure their reading, or prereading, skills. Prereading skills, tested in kindergarten, include recognizing letters by sight and identifying letter sounds, while older students are tested on the number of words they can read per minute. Two years ago, Soldotna Elementary School teachers recognized that kindergartners were not meeting the expectations for their prereading skills.
Southwick submitted a proposal to the school administration to double up as a music and reading intervention teacher. She is working toward her master's degree in music education and thought she would try out some practical application of several field studies on the link between music and reading for her thesis.
"There are a lot of studies, but we didn't really know of it would work," she said.
However, she said, she thought the link probably would reach students.
"When you put a tune to anything, it's not only easier, but a lot more fun," she said. "Think of the ABC song: You remember it a lot better with music."
Southwick used the popular Zoophonics program, which assigns body motions and animal identities to each letter of the alphabet (Allie Alligator, Bubba Bear, etc.), as well as some of her own ideas.
"I use songs I find in regular music (education programs)," she said. "There's a lot of rhyming in music."
She also puts stories to her lessons made especially easy by the Zoophonics program to help students remember the "rules" of reading.
For example, she reviewed with students last week, Ellie Elephant (the letter "e") is bossy and makes vowels (or "hardest workers") say their own name when at the end of a word. Writing on a handheld white board, she gave students samples by writing words like "cap" and transforming it into "cape" with bossy Ellie.
She also reviewed double letter sounds, like "ch."
"When Catina Cat and Honey Horse get together to play, they make the 'ch' sound," Southwick reminded students.
In between such spoken and written lessons, Southwick led students in simple songs to reinforce the lessons. Some, using the same tune over and over again, simply repeat the double-letter sounds. Others, such as "I'm a little teapot," help students practice rhyming words.
Southwick said there are a number of academic reasons why the music-reading program works. First, she said, music helps students learn independently.
"They go home and sing and without realizing it, they're reinforcing the concepts," Southwick explained.
They may drive their parents crazy by repeating the same tunes, she joked, but they also are re-learning their school lessons at home.
Plus, the program also reaches all different kinds of learners. Southwick explained that some kids learn well by seeing a lesson, others by hearing and yet others by doing. The songs, body motions and white-board lessons combined target all three kinds of learners, she said.
Southwick works exclusively with one kindergarten class at the school. That class has music class with her every day, and two days a week are set aside for combined music and reading lessons.
The preliminary results, she said, have been phenomenal.
Though this year's end-of-the-year DIBELS scores are not yet available, the school does have statistics from last year the program's first and the year before the program started.
During the 2002-03 school year, prior to the implementation of Southwick's program, the kindergarten class at Soldotna Elementary School started the school year recognizing an average of 10 letters (lower- and upper-case) per minute on the DIBELS test. At the end of the year, that same class recognized 19 letters per minute.
Last year, during the first year of Southwick's program, the class came into school knowing an average of nine letters per minute and left at a rate of 36 letters per minute.
"It increased significantly, exponentially," Southwick said. "It actually blew me away. I had no idea."
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The future of phonics
13 October 2010Add to My Folder
The coalition government’s attitude to phonics teaching is yet to be made fully clear
In 2006, Sir Jim Rose conducted an independent review of early reading, where he stated that ‘high quality phonic work’ should be the prime means for teaching children how to read and write.
In light of this, The Primary National Strategies produced a phonics resource, Letters and Sounds: Principles and practice of high quality phonics (DCSF, 2007), that encapsulated the recommendations of Sir Jim’s Independent review of the teaching of early reading. The programme’s main aims were to help practitioners and teachers to develop children’s speaking and listening skills and to teach high-quality phonics work (from age five in most cases).
Many authorities recommend this extremely good programme. It provides support for teaching phonological awareness (which begins in Early Years and continues throughout the programme) followed by suggestions for teaching a systematic, synthetic phonics programme throughout Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
The CLLD programme
The Communication, Language and Literacy Development programme (CLLD), a funded initiative that also supports communication, reading and writing development, was produced in 2006. It is also based on the Rose Review and aligns well with Letters and Sounds. CLLD has now been rolled out to all authorities over the last few years. It is supported by a CLLD consultant in each authority, who selects and supports several schools each year. This academic year, 2010–11, is the final year of the funded programme, but good practice has been embedded in targeted schools, and authorities have been working to share CLLD as a universal offering to all schools.
More children are now entering KS1 secure at Phase 3/4 demonstrating the impact of CLLD. The application of their phonics knowledge and the rich language curriculum in which it is embedded has led to children’s improved scores in communication, language and literacy in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) data.
Every Child a Talker
Another two-year funded programme, Every Child a Talker (ECaT), was rolled out for settings in 2008 in three waves. This followed a report from I CAN (2006), that highlighted that 50 per cent of children (sometimes more) entered school with transient communication difficulties. Again, the results have proved very positive.
Letters and Sounds, therefore, together with CLLD and ECaT , have gone a long way to raising attainment nationally in EYFSP data and teachers in Year 1 should be finding that more children are entering KS1 with better communication (and phonics) skills.
- Teach an interactive 20-minute session daily.
- Use this sequence every day: Revisit/review, teach, practise and apply.
- Try some sessions outside.
- Try whole-class teaching – it really works.
- If your children haven’t been taught Phase 4 in Reception, combine it with Phase 5 in Year 1.
- Apply phonics teaching across the curriculum, ideally daily.
- Look at Support for Spelling (DCSF, 2010). It aligns well with Phase 6.
The new government
In his speech to the Reform think tank in July this year, Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb, stated: ‘We need to sharpen our focus on… teaching… starting with the basics. In particular, reading.’
The Government’s priorities lie in promoting improved reading and writing in all of our children by the end of KS1, using a systematic, synthetic phonics approach.
We are, as yet, unsure about what, if any, further funding may be available. However, results speak for themselves and I personally would very much like to see CLLD and the ECaT programme funded for longer, supported by continued use of Letters and Sounds.
Image © Sean Locke/istockphoto.com


Each student is required to invest an appropriate amount of time outside of class to be a contributing member of this ensemble. A recommended amount of time is 25 minutes per day, for some this may be enough time while others may spend an hour.
Practice sheets are used to record time spent learning music at home and is 15% of total grade. To earn full credit, students will need to practice 25 minutes per day. This form will be signed by the student and parents on the honor system. Be sure to fill out forms completely: Student name, band period, dates, times and PARENT signature are required to give full credit for practice times. Practice sheets can be printed by clicking on this link:
Melinda Enache has a great suggestion for storing band practice sheets: Tape a legal size envelope on the inside cover of the Band Music book. Cut up a supply of practice slips and put inside. This keeps them together and the signed slip can go back in the envelope. This may help your student to remember to turn in their signed sheets!
GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE
Be sure that your instrument is in good working order. Check important functions daily, i.e. reeds, valves, pads, slides, water keys, etc.
Warm Up. Like an athlete, a musician should begin each musical workout with a a slow warm up. Focus on beautiful tone quality.
PRACTICE DAILY. Twenty five minutes of careful daily practice is much better than two one hour sessions per week. Set a regular time, tell your family when it is, and stick to it.
Practice: Assigned music, Personal Technical problems areas (articulation, finger dexterity, tone, etc.), Sight reading, Theory sheets, Fun music – always end on a happy note so that you will look forward to the next practice session.
Difficult Passages. Slow down, get it right the first time and it will be easier at a faster tempo. Sub-divide, count rhythms out loud, clap your difficult rhythms.
Skyward is the an online resource that has been adopted by the school district to provide communications with you, the parents and guardians. You will get communications from teachers, as well as the ability to track your child’s grades and progress.
Mr. Haag, the music program director, uses skyward to communicate directly with parents regarding your student’s music education.
It is recommended that all parents signup for access as it is a vital communications tool.


Click on the title of each case study to download a PDF version.
Transforming Learning from the Ground Up Through New Hampshire’s PACE Assessments: This case study describes New Hampshire’s efforts at implementing a large-scale assessment system and the challenges and opportunities it poses for students with disabilities. The story is particularly important as more states and districts consider shifts away from standardized tests and towards performance-based forms of assessment.
Implementing UDL at D.J. Bakie Elementary School: This case study describes the work of a school in scaling universal design for learning as a framework guiding broader actions around personalized learning. The steps the school took are particularly important in highlighting that integrating equity and inclusion is not easy, but doable if a school is committed to the broader goal.
Extended Learning Opportunities at Hinsdale High School: Part of the appeal of personalized learning is that it breaks the paradigm of learning taking place in a single location, a single time period, through a single mode, and by single person. This case study describes how one rural high school broke down this paradigm through support for extended learning opportunities, while maintaining a commitment to excellence and rigor of experiences for all students.
Westminster’s Interventionist Approach: This case study describes Westminster Public Schools’ approach to delivering interventions in a competency-based system. The interventionist approach emphasizes integration and simultaneously addresses the needs of struggling and accelerating learners.
The UCCS B.A. in Inclusive Elementary Education: This case study describes how the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs has shifted its model of teacher preparation from including a specialized track for special education to ensuring all candidates have the skills to serve all students. Given special educator shortages nationally, the lessons of the College are particularly useful for other programs working to prepare candidates for more personalized, inclusive classrooms.
Leveraging Design-Thinking to Advance Change: This case study describes how actions in both policy and practice can be built upon a mindset of inclusion and innovation. The role of two actors, a teacher at a school implementing personalized learning and a non-profit supporting that work, are explored with specific focus on how they leverage design-thinking to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
Lake Wylie Elementary School’s K-1 Combination Class: This practical example describes the process an elementary school in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Schools implemented to ensure their personalized learning effort put inclusion front and center for its students. The effort is particularly important, because depending on the approach, personalized learning could otherwise lead to greater separation of students with and without disabilities.
The Role of Project-Based Learning at Warren New Tech High School: This case study discusses the systemic process a school can take to ensure project-based learning can benefit all students. The case study details a rural high school’s 8-step approach as well as its challenges and benefits.
Personalized Interventions at Landis Elementary School: This case study describes Landis Elementary School’s approach to strategically using technology to facilitate more personalized interventions for students with disabilities and other students. Stories like this are particularly important as schools and districts grapple with how to support struggling learners in personalized learning systems.