My Little Pony Free Coloring Sheets
There is a secret basketball court for staff in the upper third of the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland.
What are coloring books?
These coloring books, and coloring pages and sheets are ordinarily printed out on paper or cardboard, and some books are manufactured so that each page can be detached from the book once it is finished and used as a stand-alone coloring page. In the case where they pages of the coloring book have a sequence or tell a story, they can't be torn out or used as stand-alone pages because that would ruin the story. Coloring pages very commonly include animation or cartoon characters that little children are very fond of, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coloring pages or Cinderella Coloring pages. These are commonly used as advertising materials for upcoming cartoons or animated films. Other activities available in coloring books and coloring pages are: puzzles, connecting the dots, and mazes and number games. Certain types of coloring books come with stickers which can be added to the pages that the kids color. Thus adding more character and fun to the whole activity.
Coloring Book- The History
The USA is the origin and birthplace of coloring books. The reason behind the emergence of coloring books and pages was the process of democratizing art. The person who inspired this process was an English artist named Josh Reynolds. The other two teachers who aided this process were Johann Pestalozzi from Switzerland and the German Friedrich Fröbel who was his student. Teachers from all over agreed that an education in the arts was crucial in developing cognitive skills and enhancing peoples' perception of the world. Art education would prove to be beneficial in a person's adult life also as many of the skills he learns might end up supporting him in his future careers. As far as little children were concerned, many educators found that art played a part in a child’s mental and spiritual growth.
The inventors of the coloring book are the McLoughlin Brothers. The 'Little Folk's Painting Book was the McLoughlin Brother's first coloring book, and they made it in the 1880's. Kate Greenway helped them with this first coloring book, and the McLoughlin Brothers' coloring book publication continued into the 1920's. Following that, the McLoughlin Brothers became part of the Milton Bradley company. Richard Outcault is another primary figure in the history of coloring books. Richard wrote a coloring book in 1907 called Buster’s Paint Book which included a character he had created in 1902 called Buster Brown. The publication of this book was the inspiration that gave companies the idea of using coloring books for advertising purposes. These books were initially made to be painted instead of being colored, and despite the emergence and popularity of crayons in the 1930’s, this did not change.
Educational Uses of Coloring Books
Almost every classroom for youngsters and preschoolers has a coloring book available somewhere, as these books are used to educate children on a number of topics. Coloring books covering endless topics can be found, such as numbers, animal names, and names of cities and continents. Little children find these books easy and more engaging than other ways of learning as images are easier to remember and memorize compared to only words. It is a known fact that associating words with images is a fast way of helping people acquire a new language. Not to mention using images to expand people's comprehension of certain topics like geometry, which require graphic assistance to help understand the theories. Major publishers have been creating coloring books that target adults since the 1980's. These books were directed at graduate students of anatomy and physiology to make their learning experience better.


By Baby Professor
Technology should be difficult yet that does not suggest it cannot be made enjoyable for children to appreciate. all of it is determined by the presentation of the topic. for that reason, it is all concerning the blend of texts, examples and photographs. simply because your baby should be requested to respond to much examples, actual realizing will take root. safe a replica now!
Read Online or Download Molecules & Elements: Science for Kids | Children's Chemistry Books Edition PDF
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Reading and Language Intervention for Preteens and Teenagers
“I feel stupid.” By the time students enter middle school or high school, many have been struggling for years and lose hope that anything will help them. They see their abilities as fixed and unchangeable. This is where Fast ForWord is amazingly powerful, becoming the key that helps so many adolescent learners unlock their own learning potential. The program helps struggling learners in middle school and high school quickly improve their reading skills and overall academic performance.
What It Does
Target the Underlying Problem of Reading and Learning Struggle
For one reason or another - gaps in schooling, poor attendance, attention struggles, etc. — many middle and high school learners enter grades 6+ missing the foundational skills needed for reading. Past 4th grade, they are expected to read to learn, not to be learning how to read. Thus begins the vicious cycle, where the remediation they need is not readily available, and illiteracy continues. Fast ForWord provides an extensive library of reading and language intervention exercises that target the root causes of reading and learning struggle directly. Middle school and high school learners quickly fill in missing foundational language, cognitive and reading skills. When these building blocks for literacy are in place, they start to make significant learning gains, and are able to catch up to peers.
Provide Intensive Online Reading and Language Practice
Struggling learners in middle school and high school require significantly more practice to catch up to their peers. Fast ForWord provides 5 times the amount of intensive practice compared to other online intervention programs. Each exercise is designed to develop specific cognitive and English language arts skills, and adapt its delivery to meet each learners’ specific needs.
Deliver Fast Gains and Improved Test Scores
Fast ForWord provides all the tools struggling readers and learners in middle school or high school need to make rapid learning gains. The program is so effective with the hardest to reach learners in middle school and high school because it addresses the root causes of reading struggle, offers more intensive practice, and allows learners to reinforce their newly developed skills using patented speech verification technology. Fast ForWord is also proven to improve learners' performance on summative ELA assessments.
Who it is For
Fast ForWord’s middle school and high school intervention exercises are for struggling readers and learners age 12-18+. The program is effective with a wide variety of learner populations. Learn more.
Want to Learn More?


A full year of weekly activities that engage children in the study of words. It builds in complexity as the year goes on and meets Common Core standards for reading foundational skills.
Students cut out words and sort them according to specific spelling patterns. When finished, they practice reading the words they’ve sorted. Each activity targets a specific spelling pattern, giving the students a chance to develop an understanding of how these phonetic elements work together. Students enjoy the hands-on activity and develop reading fluency at the same time!
The lessons follow the sequence of phonics instruction for second grade. You can use them weekly throughout the year, or select the ones that are just right for your students at the time you need them.


As far as science for kids goes, my favorite classic project is Floaters and Sinkers. It explores the idea of object density. Clay boats are a perfect companion science experiment demonstrating that not only density but shape effects whether or not an object floats. To brighten up this classic project a bit we used colorful Sculpey. And don’t miss the storytelling offshoot of this project, all invented by a 4 year old….I originally spotted clay boats in this go-to book Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by Mary Ann Kohl.
Sculpey Ships demonstrates the concept of displacement; if a shape/object can push away fluid equal to its weight it will float, no matter how heavy it is. So here is the challenge for your kids:
Can you make a floating clay boat?
Before building anything you will want to show your kids that a mound of clay will not float. Give them a handful and have them drop it in the tub full of water. It will sink. Now challenge them to sculpt the clay into a shape that floats!This post contains affiliate links to products I love and recommend to my readers, plus it keeps this little blog o’mine afloat (no pun intended with this project)! Thank you!
Science for Kids: Scupley Ships
- Step One Fill up your tub full of water. It should be fairy deep to really illustrate the floating and sinking concept.
- Step Two Have you child start molding the Sculpey into the shape of a hull or flat-bottomed boat. They can test out the shapes as they create their boats. Dry off any shapes that sink and continue molding.
- Step Three Keep working until you have some shapes that float. When you have a few winners, try adding details to the boats and see if they continue to float. My daughter added “people” to each of the boats!
- Step Four Once you have a few floaters start adding drops of water into the hull with eyedroppers until they reach the tipping point and sink.
If you have older kids allow you kids to try the experiment first without any hints. If they are younger, however, you might want to make a sample boat that floats to show your kids. My son’s first several attempts sank to the bottom of the bin and he was convinced that they would never float. When I molded a simple shape that floated he was amazed and encouraged to try again. My daughter immediately made about 10 boats as soon as she saw a winner and couldn’t wait to test them out.
The Titanic. When my oldest turned 5 he went through a major Titanic phase. As in MAJOR. He was really obsessed with the idea of this massive ship sinking. The funny thing was that unbeknownst to him my mother also had a huge fascination with the story of the Titanic, so we had plenty of Titanic paraphernalia to share. It truly is a captivating story on so many levels, for me the engineering failure is the most interesting part of the disaster. Use the Sculpey ships to illustrate what happens when too much water enters a floating boat.
As usual, no project ever goes as planned in our home. When I originally decided on this project I thought of it as strictly science and design, but my 4 year old completely surprised me by incorporating pretend play and storytelling into the fun. As soon as we had a few boats Clara started populating them with little clay “people” and told me exactly who they were and who was in what boat together. When a boat sank, she created a little story about it. It was an offshoot of this project I never would have dreamed of and I was completely impressed by her creativity. So maybe I should categorize this project as Science, Design, and Storytelling for kids!
Sculpey ships are simple engineering project for little ones. It may seem too simple to engage your kids but trust me, try it! They are a great way to explain the concept of displacement with a hands-on activity and your kids won’t even realize they were designing and exploring science at the same time.
Here are three more classic science experiments to try with your kids. They will not disappoint!
- Rainbow Flowers from Pink Stripey Socks
- Egg Geodes from Tinkerlab
- Red Cabbage Experiment from Blog Me Mom
Clay boats and other artsy science experiments can be found in Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by Mary Ann Kohl. It’s one of our go-to books for offbeat projects!
And don’t miss out on more science for kids here on Babble Dabble Do! Subscribe below or like us on FB.
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Whether it's an oversized crayon in a kindergarten class or an artist's paintbrush and acrylics in the high school, Heritage students of all ages have many opportunities to cultivate their creativity in the visual arts. In visual art classes, students develop their practice of art-making in skill, expression, and originality with a wide variety of mediums and subject matter in both traditional and innovative techniques.
As image bearers of our creative God, elementary art students will view creation reflected in what great artists have made, as well as what they learn and make in class.
The Elementary Art Curriculum follows the four components of discipline-based art education: art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics. Our focus is on the elements of art, the principles of design, and a variety of art media, all designed around the National Art Education Association standards.
Students will begin learning technical skills in different art mediums such as; drawing, painting, mixed media, and 3-dimensional artwork. They will also be exposed to the artwork of famous Art Masters, understand that God gives artistic abilities to reflect Him as creator, and will work in a collaborative art community.
Art courses emphasize the basic understanding of the elements, principles and design concepts that serve as the foundation for all works of art. Students learn the major art media such as design, illustration, 2D and 3D art forms and will create their own art works using those media and their tools. Students also learn about various artists, art styles, and cultures while applying their knowledge to the major art media projects.
Four different Art courses can be requested at the Middle School level:
- 2D Art
- 3D Art
- Mixed Media Art
Heritage offers a wide variety of art courses to our high school students. Previous Visual Arts course offerings have included:
- Introduction to 2D Art
- Introduction to 3D Art
- 2D Design
- Advanced 3D Art
- Art Portfolio
- AP Studio Art: 2D Design or Drawing
- Advanced Photography
High School students also have the opportunity to be a part of Heritage's Academy of Fine Arts for Visual Arts. This would result in an “Academy” designation on an academic transcript if the student completes the required sequence of art courses along with an internship related to art during junior and/or senior year.


Music instruction is first mentioned in a school report in 1845. It was 43 years later in 1888 that the first music teacher was employed by the district to teach singing, in part to "soften and subdue the harsh and unpleasant feelings which may, and often do, arise in the breasts of children."
What is the current status of music education in the Mohawk District schools?
Students in grades K-6 have a weekly music class. These music classes have become much more than singing, as instruction is now guided by the national standards. Students in grade 3 also take recorder lessons, and 4-6 graders are able to choose to take a band instrument as well. Chorus is also offered in most of the elementary schools for students in grade 4-6, again by choice. Every spring the Chorus and Band students fill Mohawk's auditorium with an enthusiastic audience of family and friends for their performance at Kids in Concert.
Band and Chorus are offered as an elective for all Middle School students (grades 7-8), led by Middle School Music Director Gina Glover. Until recently this was the only offering for music for a middle school student, but now Music Director Scott Halligan is offering a Percussion Laboratory (which is a non-traditional percussion, composition, and improvisation class inspired by "STOMP".) It's in the 7th grade Related Arts rotation, meaning all 7th graders have the class. It's an elective for 8th Graders. The Middle School Band and Chorus has several public performances every year, including the Winter Concert, Spring Concert, Memorial Day Parade (Band), Springfield Indians hockey game (Chorus), Boston Statehouse (not this year due to scheduling conflicts). They also compete at the Music in the Parks Festival at Six Flags New England.
|The Middle School Chorus sang "God Bless America" to a crowd of 5528 hockey fans before the start of the Springfield Falcons 20th season home opener in October 2013|
Music classes are all electives (no required classes for graduation), with the following options taught by Music Director Scott Halligan listed in the High School Catalog 2013-2014:
- String Orchestra (3 credits; this course meets every other day for a semester)
- Rock Band/Guitar (3 credits; this course meets every other day)
- Concert Band (6 credits; this course meets every other day for the year)
- Concert Chorus (6 credits; every other day for the full year)
- Select Chorus (6 credits; every other day for the full year)
- Music Theory/Piano Lab (3 credits; this course meets every other day)
- Electronic Music (3 credits; this course meets every other day)
- Senior Capstone Seminar (6 credits; one semester in the fall) A music-based project is an option for a student to study.
- Jazz Band may be offered in the Fall of 2014.
|Mohawk Select Chorus at Keene State College in October, 2013.|


Every Dog Must Have Its Day
This is an exciting new resource for teachers seeking a creative way for children to develop and showcase their musical aptitude. The song collection focuses on improving and supporting music skills such as singing, rhythm and note reading, listening, and playing Orff and classroom instruments. Wonderful for performances, there are also creative opportunities for incorporating movement and drama. Fully reproducible, the songs and their campy canines will delight and challenge your students. Perfect for classrooms, Orff ensembles, and choirs, the CD includes all musical tracks with both full performance recordings and instrumental versions as well. Every Dog Must Have Its Day will engage and enchant your students and concert-goers alike while addressing the standards and offering a solid music education. Recommended for upper elementary grades.
Okay, how much fun can we have when we sing? These 13 crazy songs about creepy creatures are a blast from beginning to end. Learn a lot about each one of these critters, their habits, and their habitats. This entertaining collection of songs can be performed individually (25 minutes of music) or combined into a 35-45 minute program, tied together by having students read some or all of the informative “Animal Factoids” before each song. 100% Reproducible and 100% creepy-crawly fun! Enhanced SoundTrax CD includes reproducible PDF files of student pages and Cover Art. Recommended for Grades 1-6


MPS have called for the Government to launch a new national campaign to promote the importance of adult literacy and numeracy amid fears that the country is lagging behind other nations.
The Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee has also urged Ministers to move away from “their preoccupation” with GCSEs as the gold standard for adults in a new report published today.
It warns there are many adults who have low levels of literacy and numeracy skills – young and old, in and out of work, who are trying to live their lives “without the skills that many people take for granted”.
It warns that this low level of literacy and numeracy among adults needs to be tackled as it traps people in a cycle of either low-skilled jobs or unemployment. A survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in October 2013, based on interviews with 166,000 people in 24 countries found that England and Northern Ireland was ranked 22nd for adult literacy and 21st for numeracy.
The issue is a particular concern in Yorkshire where for five years from 2008 to 2013 the region had the highest proportion of pupils failing to get five good GCSEs including English and maths in the country. BIS committee chairman Adrian Bailey said: “Problems with reading, writing and maths have a huge impact on people’s daily lives, including getting and keeping a job, understanding bills, forms and documents, and guiding children through education. It can affect adults in many walks of life, but it also undermines the economic performance of our country. There is no silver bullet to tackling the problem of low levels of adult literacy and numeracy but a national campaign will help to get the message out to those who are most in need of support.”
The committee have questioned why “there was little rigorous assessment” in place for when adults claim unemployment benefit. The MPs said this was an ideal opportunity to help adults to gain essential skills needed to get a job. Their report calls on the Department for Work and Pensions, BIS and Jobcentre Plus to ensure there is assessment of skills at the earliest possible stage of unemployment benefit claims.
The report also urges the Government to take a more flexible approach to adult learning.
MPs said they were concerned about reductions in funding to adult learning schemes and calls on the Government to reverse its decision to cut funding to Unionlearn, a scheme which it said has achieved “outstanding results at a fraction of the cost of full-time formal education”.
The committee also recommends the Government move away from its preoccupation with GCSEs as the ‘gold standard’ for adult skills, as less linear and traditional learning schemes are often more effective in engaging adults.
Comment: Page 10.


In this classroom, children ages four and five continue to explore early literacy and math concepts to gain confidence and build foundational skills. Play-based projects increase independence, provide for social growth and encourage curiosity. Phrases grow to include Me, My friends and My neighborhood.
The daily program is child-driven with a play-based curriculum. Curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for each child includes In the Kitchen/On the Farm for Language Arts, Handwriting without Tears for letter and handwriting instruction and HighScope Math, which allows children to explore counting, geometry, shapes and problem solving quantities.
Preschool students can attend full time or part time.
School Day: 9:00 am-4:00 pm Before and After School Care: 7:00-8:50 am and 4:00-6:00 pm


Always remember: "Respect is the key, you must give it to receive it."
Past News ReleasesRSS
Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) September 21, 2010
As the 2010 school year begins, teachers and parents may find themselves with difficult children and are unsure of the best way to discipline them. To help, Andrea Billingsley Whitfield provides energetic, educational, and inspiring workshops. She discusses how to deal with issues ranging from disrespect for authority to aggressive behavior.
Andrea has a deep concern for developing a positive image in students. Her "Behavior Chart" utilizes behavior modification techniques which are designed to help teachers and parents gain and keep control.
An innovative way to measure and control behavior is by implementing a chart with pockets. Symbols or names will be placed on each pocket. If a child is disobedient, a strip is placed in the pocket.
To help students develop into productive citizens of society by learning good virtues, she implements and introduces Character Education traits. These traits include trustworthiness and responsibility.These help teachers and parents create positive influences that will instill a sense of belonging in youth and a belief that they are loved. In her workshop, she demonstrates how to integrate Character Education with the Curriculum.
Helpful Strategies for Parents Raising Kids is an example of one of Andrea's workshops. It includes valuable tips and strategies on topics such as, love and connect. Barbara McCoy, principal of Hard Elementary School said, "Andrea was the Professional Development Presenter at our school. Her presentation kept the audience involved, informed, and entertained. She has been invited to come back in October."
Recently, Andrea was the guest speaker sharing Everyday Parenting Tips on a global talk radio show, http://www.radioeearnetwork.com/ and WAGG, Heaven 610.
Andrea has been consulting teachers and parents for 32 years. Presently, she is a third grade teacher. She is certified in elementary education, special education, and principalship k-12. For more information email Andrea at andrea_whitfield(at) bellsouth(dot)net or visit her website at http://www.andreabwhitfield.com
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Check out the latest research and reports in the STEM field:
Johns Hopkins University Study finds that black students who have at least one black teacher in elementary school are significantly more likely to graduate (Johns Hopkins University)
Having at least one black teacher in third through fifth grades reduced a black student’s probability of dropping out of school by 29 percent, the study found. For very low-income black boys, the results are even greater – their chance of dropping out fell 39 percent.
Results of a two-year project to test an equity-driven approach to community-based “making space programs and pedagogies” with youth from historically marginalized communities.
Solving the STEM Shortage (Eduventures)
Colleges of education play an important role to play in supplying STEM teachers to the education field, but this recent survey shows that those programs are likely to continue experiencing difficulty recruiting STEM educators. Nearly a third of the Education Majors are planning to study early childhood or elementary education. Only 14% express interest in one of the federally reported shortage areas: special education, math, science, English as a second language (ESL), and bilingual education.


Historically, in the United States, local public control (and private alternatives) have allowed for some variation in the organization of schools. Elementary school includes kindergarten through fifth grade (or sometimes, to fourth grade, sixth grade or eighth grade). Basic subjects are taught in elementary school. Typically, the curriculum in public elementary education is determined by individual school districts. The school district selects curriculum guides and textbooks that reflect a state’s learning standards and benchmarks for a given grade level. Learning Standards are the goals by which states and school districts must meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) as mandated by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This description of school governance is simplistic at best, however, and school systems vary widely not only in the way curricular decisions are made but also in how teaching and learning take place. In general, a student learns basic arithmetic and sometimes rudimentary algebra in mathematics, English proficiency (such as basic grammar, spelling, and vocabulary), and fundamentals of other subjects. Learning standards are identified for all areas of a curriculum by individual States, including those for mathematics, social studies, science, physical development, the fine arts, and reading. While the concept of State Learning standards has been around for some time, No Child Left Behind has mandated that standards exist at the State level.


Engagement with the visual arts provides students with repeated opportunities to make choices and create unique pieces of art using their own skills. This direct correlation between decision-making and production instantly stimulates all students and promotes self-confidence. The visual arts program fosters an appreciation and understanding of the many aesthetic properties of our world. This appreciation allows the maturity of a student to progress while jointly utilizing creativity and imagination.
In the elementary theatre program, children act out their perceptions of the world while learning to appreciate the perception of others. The primary emphasis is development of self-expression through reading texts and then applying understanding to vocal, physical and emotional characterization.
Music education involves musical production, aesthetics, history and evaluation. Each of these disciplines provides a different perspective that contributes to a fuller understanding of music. The goal is for the students to learn how to create, perceive, comprehend and critique music.
The elementary dance program provides students with the opportunity to explore a variety of movement genres, each focusing on skill development, active participation, creativity and self-expression.
Mornings times: 7:00-7:50
Monday morning: Ukelele & (Cup Stacking at 7:25)
Tuesday morning: Boys 'N Black & 5th grade Violins
Wednesday mornings: Hand Bells & 4th grade Violins
Thursday mornings: Drum Group & 3rd grade Violins
Friday mornings: 4th & 5th Chorus, Beginner Violinists & (Cup Stacking at 7:25)
After School groups begin at 2:30
Monday after school:
Pottery by invitation
Thursday after school:


5 Ways to get the Most out of Music Lessons
These guidelines will help you to have a successful and rewarding experience learning a musical instrument. These hold true whether you’re taking piano, guitar, voice, violin, ukulele, drums, saxophone, clarinet, or flute lessons. They are practical tips that we have discovered from our experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.
- Start at the right age
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing they are to commit to practicing However, starting a child at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you “the sooner the better” but this attitude can actually be a negative. If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off of music just because they had one unpleasant experience which could easily have been prevented. Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons their progress can be much faster. Here are our age recommendations for each instrument. These are general age suggestions. Every child is different and some may be ready to start a bit earlier.
- Piano Lessons: 5+
- Guitar Lessons: 7+
- Voice/Singing Lessons: 7+
- Violin Lessons: 5+
- Ukulele Lessons: 5+
- Drum Lessons: 8+
- Saxophone/Clarinet/Flute Lessons: 7+
- Preschool Music Classes: 2 – 5
- Take Lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment.
Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher but also having an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional music school environment, a student cannot be distracted by TV, pets, ringing phones, siblings, or anything else. In a music school the lessons are not just a hobby for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.
- Make Practicing Easier.
Improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight for parents to have their students practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:
Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of the routine. Generally, the earlier in the day the practicing can occur the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.
For a young child 20 or 30 minutes can seem like an eternity. Instead of setting an amount of time to practice use repetition instead. For example, practice this piece four times every day and this scale five times a day. Then the child does not pay as much attention to the amount of time they are practicing but to the amount of repetitions they have completed.
Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. Praise tends to be the best reward. At the Academy we use a unique Musical Ladder System so that students are rewarded for their progress consistently. Of course there is no substitute for a pat on the back from a parent or teacher for a job well done.
- Use Recognized Teaching Materials
There are some excellent materials developed by professional music educators that are made for students of all ages. There are many books that can start a student at any level they are comfortable. These materials have been researched and are continually improved to make learning easier. The workbooks ensure that no important part of learning the instrument will accidentally be left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country then qualified instructors will recognize the materials and be able to continue from where the previous instructor left off.
- Have Fun!
Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. Don’t put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to enjoy the journey.


Ferry, Jules(zhül fĕrē`), 1832–93, French statesman. A member of the government of national defense established after the defeat of Emperor Napoleon IIINapoleon III
(Louis Napoleon Bonaparte), 1808–73, emperor of the French (1852–70), son of Louis Bonaparte (see under Bonaparte, family), king of Holland. Early Life
..... Click the link for more information. in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), he later rose to prominence as minister of public instruction (1879–80, 1882). He was twice premier (1880–81, 1883–85). Ferry established the modern French educational system with universal, free, and compulsory education in the primary schools. He secularized the public schools, abolishing religious education in them and barring members of Roman Catholic orders as public-school teachers. Ferry is best known, however, as the builder of the French colonial empire. An exponent of imperialism, he was willing to cooperate with the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck in order to secure French expansion overseas. During his premiership the French occupied Tunis, entered Tonkin and Madagascar, and penetrated the regions of the Niger and the Congo. Ferry was overthrown after a temporary French defeat in Indochina. He was assassinated by a religious fanatic.
See study by T. F. Power (1944, repr. 1966).
Born Apr. 5, 1832, at St. Dié; died Mar. 17, 1893, in Paris. French political and state figure. Lawyer and publicist.
Ferry was one of the leaders of the republican opposition in the corps législatif in 1869 and 1870. After the September revolution of 1870, he became a member and secretary of the Government of National Defense, prefect of the department of the Seine, and, in November 1870, mayor of Paris. He led the suppression of the January 1871 uprising in Paris. At the time of the Paris Commune, Ferry fled to Versailles. Between 1879 and 1883, with brief interruptions, he held the post of minister of education. He was minister of foreign affairs from 1883 to 1885 and premier from 1880 to 1881 and from 1883 to 1885. Ferry was instrumental in the passage of the laws on free and compulsory elementary education in 1881 and 1882 and on the elimination of religion from the curricula of state schools in 1882.
The policy of colonial expansion practiced by Ferry’s government resulted in the seizure of Tunisia in 1881, the beginning of the conquest of Madagascar and the valleys of the Congo and Niger rivers, and the wars of aggression against Vietnam in 1883 and 1884, which led to the Sino-French War of 1884–85.
REFERENCESReclus, M. Jules Ferry, 1832–1893. Paris, 1947.
Legrand, L. L’Influence du positivisme dans l’oeuvre scolaire de J. Ferry. Paris, 1961.


The mathematics department aims to develop pupils’ abilities to calculate; to reason logically, algebraically, and geometrically; to solve problems and to handle data. We offer a stimulating environment and a variety of approaches to teaching and learning to engage and motivate students and demand their active participation.
Courses taught at the school include varied and frequent practice with increasingly more complex problems over time so that students develop conceptual understanding and the ability to apply knowledge accurately. We set challenging targets with high expectations of achievement and progression for all pupils. The department also looks to explore enrichment opportunities both within and outside the curriculum to enhance pupils’ enjoyment of mathematics.
Key Stage 3 mathematics
In years 7, 8 and 9 students follow the National Curriculum in which students are required to develop mathematical fluency, reason mathematically and solve problems. The key strands of study across each of the Year 7, 8 and 9 include; Number; Algebra; Ratio, proportion and rates of change; Geometry and measures; Probability and Statistics. In year 7, students receive an additional lesson of mathematics per week and the focus of this hour is to improve numeracy skills.
Key Stage 4 mathematics: Edexcel GCSE (1MA1)
Students continue to follow the National Curriculum across both Year 10 and 11 with an emphasis on reasoning mathematically and solving problems. The content is structured in the same strands as those at key stage 3 with differing emphasis according to the tier of entry:
|Strand||Foundation Tier||Higher Tier|
|Ratio, proportion and rates of change||25%||20%|
|Geometry and measures||15%||20%|
|Statistics and Probability||15%||15%|
Regardless of tier of entry, students will sit three 1.5 hour exam papers at the completion of the course, each with equal weighting. One of these papers is non-calculator while the other two are calculator allowed. The focus of the exam papers for the two tiers varies slightly; the foundation tier has a greater proportion of using standard techniques while the higher tier has a greater focus on solving problems as illustrated in the table below
|Focus of examination assessment||Foundation Tier||Higher Tier|
|Using and applying standard techniques||50%||40%|
|Reasoning, interpreting and communicating mathematically||25%||30%|
|Solving non-routine problems in mathematical and non-mathematical contexts||25%||30%|
Key Stage 5: (exam board yet to be confirmed)
Students can choose to study either mathematics or mathematics and further mathematics in the Sixth form. Students will have the opportunity to study:
- Mathematics: topics in pure mathematics as well as both statistics and mechanics
- Further mathematics: topics in pure mathematics as well as two optional areas chosen from statistics, mechanics, discrete mathematics or additional pure mathematics.


If your kids balk at the idea of putting sunscreen on AGAIN, it might be time for a little sun prints science. In this experiment, children will see how UV rays break down the chemicals that make up colors and reveal the hidden shapes below. This project is best when completed on a day of full sun. The more bright and direct sunlight you have, the more dramatic the results will be.
Outdoor Sun Prints: Summer Science for Kids
Kids will love seeing the shapes left behind the objects placed on paper. For more fun, have the kids try to identify the objects after making the prints. You’ll need just a few things for this activity:
- Plastic film wrap
- Outdoor objects (leaves, rocks, sticks, etc)
- Construction paper
Have the kids arrange their objects they collect onto their papers. The can just lay them down randomly, or make a scene or design.
Cover each design in plastic wrap. This helps prevent objects from blowing away and targets the sunlight.
Leave the objects out for about 2-3 hours. The longer you leave it out, the more dramatic the results will be.
Remove the objects to reveal the dark prints of the objects left on the paper.
It’s amazing how powerful the sun is!
Sun Prints Science Experiment Explained
The sun’s UV rays break down chemical bonds in objects, which removes colors and bleaches fabric, paper, and paint. Sun prints work by shielding certain areas of paper from the sun, which remain the dark original color while the rest of the paper gets lighter. The results are more dramatic the longer the paper is left out in the sun. After this experiment, you should have no trouble getting your kids to put their sunscreen on. If the sun is that powerful on paper, just imagine what it is doing to your skin!


My Little Pony Printable Coloring Book Pages for Kids
The fastest ride at Disney World is Test Track which reaches speeds of 65 mph.
Coloring Books - What Are They?
Coloring books incorporate images produced to be filled and coloured utilizing a number of tools such as pencil, crayons and sharpies. While most coloring books are intended for youngsters, there are many that are intended for adults. Coloring books and coloring pages are fashioned on cardboard sheets or papers. Some of the coloring pages are available separately or can be torn off from the coloring books that are designed to permit that. Some coloring books may incorporate a story that small children could follow, therefore the pages can’t be torn out of books. Many coloring books these days include coloring pages of extremely popular cartoon characters, such as Lego Ninjago coloring pages or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coloring pages. These coloring books are utilized by huge companies as advertising materials and ways of popularizing new cartoons or films. Lots of other fun activities can be found in children’s coloring books, like number games, mazes, connecting the dots and of course puzzles. There are also types of coloring books where youngsters can use stickers to stick on the pages and tell their own stories with them.
Coloring Books History
Coloring books first appeared in the US. A process called the democratization of art was the cause of the birth of coloring books. Josh Reynolds, an English artist was the person responsible for this process. The artistic works of Johann Pestalozzi who was an educator from Switzerland and Friedrich Fröbel who was a German student of his, also inspired this process. Different teachers and educators from all over the world knew the significance of art and the value of teaching art to people, specifically children. The development of cognitive abilities, problem solving capabilities and social skills were all parts of benefit art provided. Art education would prove to be beneficial in a person's adult life also as many of the skills he learns might end up aiding him in his future careers. Spiritual, social and mental growth are all enhanced in young children who take part in artistic activities.
The McLoughlin brothers are the two people who invented the coloring book. The 'Little Folk's Painting Book was the McLoughlin Brother's first coloring book, and they made it in the 1880's. Kate Greenway helped them with this first coloring book, and the McLoughlin Brothers' coloring book publication continued into the 1920's. It was then that the McLoughlins joined the Milton Bradley firm. Richard Outcault is another man who really helped the progression of the coloring book. A coloring book called Buster's Paint Book was written by Richard in 1907. He had created a character in 1902 called Buster Brown, and this coloring book he made was based on this character. This book is what began the process of companies using coloring books as a means for advertising their products. These books were initially made to be painted instead of being colored, and despite the emergence and popularity of crayons in the 1930’s, this did not change.
Educational Uses of Coloring Books
These days coloring books are commonly used in schools for teaching young children about different things. The topics for coloring books cover everything under the sun, like flowers, cartoons, alphabets, and even fruits and vegetables. Images are easier to recall for small children, and coloring them is more exciting than other methods of learning, which is why coloring books are an excellent way of learning. It is a known fact that associating words with images is a faster way of helping people acquire a new language. They are also utilized in specific classes as a method of enhancing creativity and knowledge of different topics such as geometry. Coloring books for adults and graduate level students have been created since the 1980’s by big publishers who aimed to target these groups and educate them on physiology and anatomy, as these images with different colors facilitated learning and memorizing also.


Do you want to know a fun and versatile way to teach the solar system to your toddler/young preschooler?
It’s never too early to expose your children to science—especially seemly complicated topics like the solar system. Aaron has always been intrigued by the moon and stars, so I took it a step further and decided to explore with him the entire system. We used a couple of great books we borrowed from the library as our guides (What is the Solar System and And My Place in Space). The books were good at explaining the solar system. For example, the book entitled, What is the Solar System? described the solar system as the Sun’s family. That description was golden for Aaron. All he needed to hear was the word family. He only needed to understand that these planets were high in the sky serving as the sun’s family, which didn’t take long.
Our solar system project was inspired by The Dad Lab. I found on their instagram account, a picture of what was a hand crafted spider web with branches and colorful yarn. Soon after the idea came to me to turn it into a solar system project. So we started on our adventure searching the ground for branches and collecting our materials. It took us some time to finish, but he was proud of his work when we were finally done.
In this project, we covered the following learning areas:
- Learning the order of the planets from the closest to the furthest from the sun. I asked Aaron clarifying questions such as, “what planet comes next.”
- Counting the number of planets by pointing with the index finger.
- Organizing planets by categories of small and large planets
- We first read about the solar system before digging into this project. Since Aaron can read most words, I encouraged him read much of the book himself.
- Using scissors to cut out our planets and prepare our rope (fine motor skill development)
- Using crayons to color in our planets (fine motor skill development)
- Using his pincer grasp to interweave the rope in between the connected branches, as you will see in the video below (fine motor skill development).
- Learning to use glue properly
- I created a little tune (in video) to help him remember the order of the important parts of the solar system.
To see what we did in the creation and learning process from beginning to end, click the play button below.


Based on the very latest research into children’s brain development, Kindermusik combines singing, dancing, listening, children’s literature, exploring instruments, creating and eventually reading music in a joyful learning experience for children and their families. This rich assortment of musical activities is designed to promote language development, symbolic thinking, physical activity, coordination, and social interactions, while cultivating your child’s imagination. Kindermusik is a gently structured, flexible curriculum that allows the child to learn and develop at his or her own pace. Kindermusik is geared to the specific developmental stages of children ages birth through 7 years to help them grow musically, cognitively, socially and physically. Since its inception over 25 years ago, the program has grown to more than 3000 licensed Kindermusik teachers worldwide. Each of our age levels contains four units on a two-year rotating cycle, so your child can grow with Kindermusik from birth to age seven without having to repeat a unit! Did you know? Ongoing research indicates that music education in the early years enhances the overall development of the brain. Kindermusik at home Kindermusik believes that young children’s most important learning takes place in the home and family environment. Accordingly, all Kindermusik curricula include high quality Home Materials to assist families in extending a rich musical environment into the home. The CD’s are outstanding recordings of diverse musical selections used in the class, with extra songs for listening enrichment. Selections draw from traditional folk material from around the world, jazz, bluegrass, classical repertoire and more. Family participation at home is further enhanced by age-appropriate Kindermusik picture books or song books, information for parents on how to be involved musically with children at home, and a musical instrument to help build your home collection.


Professor of Psychology Ellen Winner has co-authored a new book that looks at the impact of arts education and its connection to fostering skills for innovation. In Art for Art’s Sake? The Impact of Arts Education, Winner and co-authors Thalia R. Goldstein and Stéphan Vincent-Lancrin look at previous studies and research databases and considered art education that encompasses in school art classes as well as art study undertaken outside the classroom. The book was commissioned by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The authors write that the primary justification of arts education is the intrinsic value of the arts, the mastery of craft and technique, and the acquisition of artistic habits of mind, such as close observation, envisioning, exploration, persistence, expression, collaboration, and reflection. Arts education should not be justified in terms of the collateral benefit it may have in other academic subjects.


David Kolb, the developer of Kolb Learning Styles, based his theory on the research of Jung, Rogers and even Piaget. The Kolb Learning Style Model is divided into four different styles which derive from a four stage learning cycle. This learning theory provides an understanding not just of individual learning styles based on the four quadrants but also explains a cycle of learning that can be applied to all learners.
Kolb’s Learning Styles are split into four general types including diverger, assimilator, converger and accommodator with two dimensions. The diverger learner is both concrete and reflective. These learners search for the answers to why and how. They learn best by observing and gathering information, avoiding conflict when possible.
An assimilator prefers the most logical course of action with their strength being thinking and reflecting over acting. Logic, organization and a strong sense of control are essential characteristics for assimilators. They benefit most when given time to reflect on new information.
Convergers also prefer to work alone but with their ideas. They search for well-defined tasks and learning by trial and error. This type of learner is an expert problem solver although they prefer to learn alone.
Lastly, accommodators are people oriented. They are the extrovert of the Kolb Learning Styles. Accommodators are action-oriented and task motivated. They are creative in their learning process taking risks while avoiding routine. Feeling and intuition have great value to these learners (McGill University, 2017; Pritchard, 2009).
McGill University. (2017). Learning Styles. Retrieved from https://www.mcgill.ca/thewelloffice/resources/yourwellness/academic/learning-styles
Pritchard, A. (2009). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY:Routledge.
By Tracy Atkinson
Tracy Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education and a master’s in higher education. Her passion is researching, studying and investigating the attributes related to self-directed learners. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.


A Beginner’s Guide to Becoming an Elementary School Teacher
Teaching is one of those careers that are always in demand. But ignoring the job prospects, do you really want to be a teacher? Do you believe you’ll find a teaching career rewarding. Because not every suited to the teaching profession, it’s important that you really deliberate on this matter.
Once you’re convinced that becoming a teacher is what you want, you’ll want to know what it takes to become one. This piece highlight the fundamental qualities every teach should ideally possess, plus the formal requirements for becoming an elementary educator.
Being a teacher can be rewarding or strenuous, depending on your character traits. If you enjoy working with kids, then it shouldn’t be a problem. A lot of people choose teaching as a career without realizing that they don’t really enjoy working with kids. Some of them will consequently ditch the profession after working a few years. Other vital qualities include:
The Path To Finding Better Teachers
Empathy–children will often have issues they’re struggling with, so it’s important to be able to understand things from their perspective before you can help them. This is to say you’ll need to exercise patience with them as you try understand where they may be coming from.
Inventiveness–kids are typically curious and have an expansive view of the world, which should be encouraged rather than discouraged or dismissed. You can help the children enjoy exploring and learning by giving them creative assignments and activities to work on.
The basic requirement for becoming a professional teacher is to completing a teacher certification program. In most cases, this is essentially a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. You may also need to embark on a master’s degree that centers on teacher preparation after completing your bachelor’s.
Before you settle on a certification program, make sure you understand your options first. Accreditation is one of the essential elements to look for. Because certification requirements will vary from state to state, teacher certification programs are required to be regionally accredited. This means you need to obtain certification from the state you want to live and work in.
Part of the requirements for your certification program is getting some classroom experience. This is an internship program, basically, in which you gain direct experience planning for lessons and instructing students under the supervision of an experienced tutor.
Prospective public school teachers are required to obtain a license from the state. Requirements for licensure may vary according to state, but the basics will include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited certification program, classroom experience (completing your internship) and some additional teaching experience. In your preparations, be sure to do your homework on the exact requirements for licensure in your state.


SPECIAL SCHOOLS – This is a programme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Children with severe multiple disabilities who have difficulty in coping with regular schools are referred to such special schools. Most of these special schools are located in urban areas and run by voluntary organizations. A majority of them are residential schools, and boarding- lodging and other services are provided free of cost. At present more than 3000 special schools for the disabled children are functioning across the country. Out of them approximately 900 institutions are specialized for the hearing impaired, 400 for the visually impaired, 1000 for the mentally retarded and the remaining 700 are for the children with physical disabilities. 40 per cent disability of any such particular types is a benchmark for identification and certification for admission in these special schools.
NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL (NOS )- The NOS was established as an Autonomous Registered Society in 1989 with the mission to provide education through an open learning system at the school stage as an alternative to the formal system. It is specially suited to the needs of certain categories such as school dropouts, girls, mentally or physically disabled, etc. It has also developed educational materials for teaching children with special needs in their own homes. At present there are 1459 NOS study centres in the country. It offers courses like the foundation course, notionally equivalent to class VIII level, secondary education and higher secondary courses and vocational courses. The NOS also provides the programme of Open Basic Education for Universal Elementary Education (UEE), which includes programme for the disabled children.
It offers Open Basic Education courses through the following:
a) Open Basic Education (OBE): This project is for out of school children in the age group 6-14 and also for adult learners. It has 3 levels : Preparatory, i.e. (A), Primary i.e.(B) and elementary i.e. (C), which are equivalent to a formal school standard of class III,V and VIII respectively.
b) Special Accredited Institutions for Education of the Disadvantaged (SAIED): To cater to the needs of the people with physical or mental disabilities the NOS has accredited institutions for education of the disadvantaged. Academic courses like open basic education (OBE), secondary and senior secondary courses and vocational courses are offered either independently or in combination with an academic subject(s) through SAIED.
Special Fe atures of NOS:
– It allows total freedom to learn at one’s own speed. One gets a period of 5 years and 9 chances to complete the course
– Flexibility in choice of subjects.
– There is no age limitation for admission in NOS programmers.
– For admission, a person is required to submit the following supporting documents:
– Attested copy of birth certificate, obtained in one of the following ways:
• From the Admission Register of the last school attended or
• Birth certificate from Registrar of Births and Death or
• From a recognized Hospital or
• Affidavit from parents countersigned by first class/sub division magistrate.
– Minimum Education Qualifications:
• Self Certificate or Certificate of class V / Matriculation/Higher Secondary pass.
– Five recent passport size (3cmx2cm) photographs are also required
– Handicapped are exempted from payment of registration and cost of course material.
• Candidates with disabilities are required to produce a certificate from a Government hospital and not from a private nursing home.
FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT:
• Contact persons in the State see Annexure-II.A
• Voluntary Organizations in the state (See list of NGOs at annexure IV)
Joint Secretary (Disabilities)
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,
CONTACT ADDRESS for more information and clarifications:
1. NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL
B-13/B, Kailash Colony
New Delhi –110 048.


Despite glitzy talent shows like “The Voice” or “American Idol,” music is less a road to riches and fame than it is a path to real learning for countless kids in communities across the nation.
When children study music, they are developing the part of their brains they use for language and reasoning. Music education is linked to spatial intelligence and creativity. It requires listening, then learning how to weave disparate ideas. Again and again, research shows music education is a critical component of the overall learning process.
At New Haven Community Schools, we’re seeing firsthand how music is helping our students learn and achieve.
This is happening as too many policymakers and communities are forced to treat music education as a luxury in times of tight finances and budget cuts in the classroom. To protect core academic programs, local public schools must make tough choices every day. Music is often the first to go.
Four years ago, New Haven was in that position. Much loved as it was, our music program could not escape the difficult cut.
Then something extraordinary happened. People in the community stepped forward and began working with New Haven Community Schools to bring the music back. They dug up old sheet music. They donated old clarinets, flutes, guitars, drum sets and more that had been gathering dust in attics, spare bedrooms and garages. In addition to musical instruments, the community gave our students their time and financial support.
We heard the same chorus again and again: These community residents, many of them products of New Haven Community Schools, kept saying how music had been such an important part of their education, how music had helped them become who they are today.
Our community came together with educators and students to help provide a solution to a challenge all public schools in Michigan face, and that was how to save a program the community wanted but could no longer afford.
Today, what had been an abandoned music room at the high school is alive with music, transformed into a space for learning where music and ideas are being harmonized and shared.
When New Haven was recognized nationally in 2014 for our commitment to music education by the National Association of Music Merchants, that award validated our community’s support and our commitment to musical education. Our children are not only better learners, they are more attentive and creative ones. They are solving problems, collaborating with one another and learning life skills with help from music.
Music education has been linked to so many singularly successful people that its impact cannot be ignored. Google co-founder Larry Page (high school saxophone), former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan (clarinet), Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (guitar), former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (piano) and so many other highly successful individuals credit their music education for giving them the courage to create, to collaborate for success, to see solutions where none may be immediately obvious.
Test scores are important. So are music and other forms of learning that may not appear on a standardized exam. Music is not on the MEAP, yet our experience in New Haven leads us to believe that musical education should be offered in all schools across Michigan.
Music may not make every child the next Bruce Kovner, Juilliard-trained pianist and billionaire investor behind Facebook. But what it can do is give all Michigan kids a better opportunity to succeed as learners.
By Keith Wunderlich,l www.freep.com, www.msidallas.com


VCAL Information Sheets
These information sheets outline various aspects of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning:
- Introduction to VCAL (pdf - 103.44kb)
Explains the history, aims and structure of the VCAL, what the qualifications are, the resources required, and examples of VCAL learning programs.
- Applied Learning (pdf - 126.7kb)
Explanation of applied learning, and information about applied learning in primary and secondary schools, TAFE and Adult and Community Education organisations.
- Integrated VCAL Approach) (pdf - 89.83kb)
Information about offering an Integrated Program, which learning outcomes can be integrated, and examples of some VCAL teaching and learning programs.
- Literacy Skills (pdf - 189.51kb)
Information about the VCAL Reading, Writing and Oral Communication units, the levels, the elements, the learning outcomes, and an example of integrated activity.
- Numeracy Skills (pdf - 138.57kb)
Information about Numeracy and Mathematics in VCAL, the levels, the elements, the learning outcomes, and an example of an integrated activity.
- Skills for Further Study (pdf - 90.65kb)
Information about the new VCAL Skills for Further Study unit, its purpose, structure, learning outcomes and elements.
- Work Related Skills Strand (pdf - 96.63kb)
Information about the VCAL Work Related Skills (WRS) units, structured workplace learning and resources to support the delivery of the WRS units.
- Personal Development Skills Strand (pdf - 95.38kb)
Information about the VCAL Personal Development Skills (PDS) units and resources to support the delivery of the PDS units.
- VCAL Assessment (pdf - 195.47kb)
An introduction to assessment in VCAL.
- I have been given a VCAL unit Where do I start? (pdf - 98.52kb)
Information to support a teacher who has been given a VCAL unit to teach for the first time.
- Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) in the VCAL - Certificates 22236VIC–22238VIC (pdf - 117.72kb)
Describes how CGEA units of competency/modules can provide credit towards the VCAL.
Newly accredited from July 2013.
Note: The document/s linked on this page are Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To open or print the file you will need Adobe® Acrobat Reader. If you do not already have this product on your computer, you can download it for free from the Adobe website (www.adobe.com).


There has been much controversy this week over a study released by the Whitlam Institute claiming that NAPLAN testing is being treated as a high-stakes program that is causing unnecessary stress among students and distorting the school curriculum across Australia.
But NAPLAN is not high stakes nor is testing students’ competence in basic skills new in Australia. It’s time to set the record straight about the purpose and role of NAPLAN in Australian schools.
NAPLAN tests students over a few hours spread out over a few days, four times from year 3 to year 9. The tests are not onerous and not high-stakes.
Their primary purpose is to give parents information on how well their children are developing fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy from a broader perspective than individual teachers and schools have.
The test results can reassure parents or alert them to problems, and provide a basis on which parents can have an informed discussion with teachers.
New South Wales introduced basic skills tests in 1989, with all other states and territories following suit. During the Howard years, David Kemp, Federal Minister for Education, made the assessment of all students and reporting to their parents a condition for some federal funds.
Later, the Council of Education Ministers directed that the results of the separate state and territory assessments be expressed on a common scale. In early 2007, with Julie Bishop as the federal minister, the Council agreed to use common assessments.
Off the back of these developments, the first NAPLAN tests were created in 2007 and used in 2008.
But prior to NAPLAN, there had been high-stakes, state-wide examinations at the end of primary school and in middle and at the end of secondary school. All of them controlled access to the next level of education but were abolished when they lost that function.
The only high-stakes assessments in Australia now are end-of-year 12 assessments, and the voluntary entry tests for selective schools and scholarship tests for non- government schools.
Teacher organisations resisted each new development in literacy and numeracy testing but, after two decades, the tests had become well-established and non-controversial.
The new round of opposition from teachers comes because the results are now publicly reported. NAPLAN provides information not only on students but also on schools.
If NAPLAN is being made high-stakes for students, with some reported to be anxious and even ill when the tests approach, this is due to teachers transferring stress to their students.
The results for all schools are published on the MySchool website. While the data have been irresponsibly used by some parts of the media to publish raw league tables that take no account of a school’s context, MySchool does not do that.
The most important thing it does is to compare each school with other schools with students from a similar level of socio-educational advantage or disadvantage.
The site has shown some schools with relatively disadvantaged students to be doing well and very much better than other schools with similar students. These schools show that the others cannot hide behind a claim that they could not do better because of the kinds of students they have.
We cannot let students’ socio-educational backgrounds determine or limit their opportunities. Showing what the best can do can lift the sights for all.
The MySchool site has also revealed some schools with advantaged students to be “coasting”, doing quite well in comparison with state and national averages but much less so than other schools with similarly advantaged students. They and their parents may well have been comfortable without this evidence but they deserve to know and be challenged by it.
Lessons to be learned
For their Whitlam Institute publication, Melbourne University researchers Nicky Dulfer, John Polesel and Susan Rice asked teachers and principals what they are doing in this new environment.
Many of them said they are now giving students excessive test practice, teaching to the test and narrowing their students’ experiences in various ways.
That is what teachers in 1989 in NSW said that they, or at least other teachers, would do once the Basic Skills Testing Program was in place. They did not.
If teachers are doing that now, their students are being poorly served. Students need enough practice with tests to ensure they are familiar with the form of testing that NAPLAN will provide. Beyond that, test practice is a waste of time.
Parents should challenge their schools if they are wasting their children’s time in this way.
The best way for schools to develop their students’ literacy and numeracy skills is to give them a rich curriculum with reading and writing and the use of mathematics in a wide variety of learning areas. This will build the skills that students need for NAPLAN tests and, much more importantly, as the basis for further learning.


Historic Effort for India
It has been 54 years since India gained its independence from Britain. And while the country has made progress toward educating every child during that time, education has been a privilege for children rather than a right.
But now, the government is launching an effort to ensure that all children receive eight years of free education. To do that, political leaders are seeking a constitutional amendment to state that attending school is a fundamental right.
Education leaders and observers from around the world are calling the move a historic stride toward achieving the long-cherished goal of universal elementary education in this developing nation of more than 850 million people.
The proposed amendment signifies "a firmer political commitment to ensuring elementary education for every child," said Suzanne Allman, the education officer at the New Delhi office of the United Nations Children's Fund.
As proposed, the initiative would be put in place in two phases, by guaranteeing five years of schooling by 2007 and eight years by 2010.
Over the past five decades, India has taken steps to increase the number of school buildings and teachers, and now almost every village has an elementary school. And so, enrollment in primary school has risen considerably.
Still, roughly 80 million of the 200 million 6- to 14-year-olds in India are not attending school, according to UNICEF.
Moreover, schools in the country are struggling with high teacher-absenteeism rates, huge numbers of vacant teaching positions, and dismally low student achievement.
However, Ms. Allman said the steady increase in enrollment suggests that "with strengthened commitment, additional resource mobilization, and willingness to build on successful experiences and approaches, there is a reasonable possibility of achieving the goals set."
Funding for education will also have to be increased, India's education officials said. The nation's Education Department is pushing for the government to allocate 6 percent of India's gross domestic product to education. As it is, a little more than 3 percent is spent on education.
Finally, the proposed amendment, while not guaranteeing education services for children under 6, says the state "shall endeavor to provide early childhood care and education for all children" under that age.
—Linda Jacobson email@example.com
Vol. 21, Issue 10, Page 16


Welcome to the Library of Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
Margaret Stokes was a leading authority on medieval Irish art. Her evocative writing and skills as an illustrator helped re-imagine Ireland’s visual past as a basis for forging a modern artistic identity.
From 1903 to 1909, Patrick Pearse was the editor of the Gaelic League newspaper An Claidheamh Soluis. He wrote articles on an array of topics, including education, politics, religion, literature and art. Having pointed to the growth of national revivals in literature and industry, he here asks if art is yet ‘an expression of Ireland’.
Pearse finds such national feeling in the work of Oliver Sheppard, ‘a great Irish sculptor’.
The poet and painter Æ (George Russell) was one of Ireland’s key artistic figures during the period. In this 1908 article, he explains that in Jack Yeats’s drawings he has seen ‘for the first time something which could be called altogether Gaelic’.
The poet Ella Young here catalogues the workshop of Irish metalworker Mia Cranwill. Young notes that several items were inspired by poems or lines from W.B. Yeats and Æ.
The adjacent photograph of Cranwill’s rings, brooches and reliquaries show her commitment to a revivalist style inspired by medieval Celtic designs.
This pamphlet is the text of a lecture given by Moore in 1904. He shocked his Dublin audience by stressing that paintings such as Édouard Manet’s Eva Gonzales were what the morally suppressed Irish capital needed: ‘That portrait is an article of faith. It says: “Be not ashamed of anything.”’
Irish newspapers and periodicals initially responded to Mainie Jellett’s abstract art with horror. Æ (George Russell) writing in The Irish Statesman in 1923 described Jellett as ‘a late victim to Cubism in some sub-section of this artistic malaria’.
In this 1932 article, Jellett defends her art as part of an alternative tradition to the mimetic representation dominant in the ‘Post-Renaissance West’. Her abstracted aesthetic, she argues, has more in common with ‘Indian, Egyptian, Chinese, Gothic and Celtic’ forms.
To-morrow was a short-lived literary and artistic magazine that consciously courted controversy. Having recently returned from training in Germany, where he had come into contact with the Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity) movement, the artist Cecil Salkeld here takes issue with Cubist artists ‘who maintain that Painting must be the contrast of purely abstract forms’.
This official government handbook from 1902 outlined Ireland’s chief economic resources. Alongside such sections as ‘the geographical and physiographical features of the country’, and the ‘economic distribution of the population’, it turns its attention to the provision for art education across Ireland.
Robert Elliott in Art and Ireland (1907) called for the Church to support native Irish artists when decorating its buildings. He writes of this relief by John Hughes: ‘It is, in the most forceful language that I can command – the work of an artist. It infects one with a feeling of a great and sorrowful joy.’
The poet Thomas MacGreevy was also an important writer on the visual arts. Printed just over a month after the ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty by the Dáil in 1922, this early article looks forward to the emergence amid Irish independence of ‘a genuinely Irish school … if political circumstances allow’.
After Dublin Corporation had failed to support the construction of a new building for the gallery of modern art in 1913, Hugh Lane removed his collection of continental paintings from the city. He died aboard the torpedoed liner the Lusitania only two years later, having in his will bequeathed these works to London’s National Gallery.
In a subsequent unwitnessed codicil, however, Lane had stated that the paintings should, after all, be given to Dublin. Years of legal and diplomatic wrangling over the fate of the pictures ensued. In 1931, President W.T. Cosgrave approached Thomas Bodkin, then director of the National Gallery of Ireland, to write an account of Lane and his pictures on behalf of the Free State.
Produced by the government of the Free State to mark the first decade of its existence, this 1932 handbook is a work of art in its own right. Its mapping of a remarkably wide range of aspects of Irish life and history includes chapters entitled ‘Early Christian Art in Ireland’, ‘Modern Irish Art’ and ‘Irish Architecture’.


London, Dec 13 (IANS) One in four adults in Britain has maths skills of a nine-year-old or worse, and struggles with the most basic everyday sums, a survey has found.
The "Skills For Life" survey found that more than eight million adults lack even basic numeracy skills, the Daily Mail reported.
These people have difficulty in understanding price labels and sums involved in paying household bills.
A further nine million adults have maths skills expected of a child aged nine to 11.
Those in this group are likely to struggle in calculating change, using train timetables or working out deductions on their pay slip.
The survey revealed that 49 percent of working-age adults - about 17 million in total - have maths skills of a child at primary school.
The number was 15 million in 2003, when a similar survey was conducted.
The survey, which questioned 7,200 people aged 16 to 65, also revealed that more than five million adults - 15 percent of the working population - struggle with simple reading and writing.
The Department for Business, which released the 400-page report, admitted that English and maths skills had "a long way to go".


As a certified music therapist, I am trained to use my musical abilities to help clients achieve goals, develop abilities, and improve their overall quality of life. There are countless approaches to music therapy, which are all based on different theories of psychology and musicality. My training allows me to select an approach that is appropriate for each client or group I work with in order to best serve each client’s special need, and to utilize the unique skills and abilities each individual possesses. One such method is the use of “adapted music lessons.”
So what exactly is an adapted music lesson? This is a question I am asked frequently when I describe my music therapy services to others. While music therapy is becoming increasingly known in everyday life, the concept of an adapted music lesson is still fairly new and unheard of. Essentially, an adapted or integrated music lesson is exactly what its name suggests. It is a music lesson where adaptations or modifications have been established to best suit the special needs of the individual(s) involved in the lessons. These adaptations may be few, or frequent depending on the needs of each individual student. While many concepts of an adapted lesson are similar to a standard music lesson, the modifications allow for the client to learn at a pace and in a style that they are comfortable with.
How does an adapted music lesson differ from a music therapy session? In many ways the two are similar. I consider an adapted music lesson to be a specific approach to music therapy that can be selected from a list of other potential approaches such as song writing groups, 1:1 improvisation sessions, or movement and music groups. In an adapted lesson, the focus is on learning instrumental and musical skills, with required adaptations applied as needed. These adaptations include modified lesson duration, modified lesson pace, focus on specific music skills, and instruction of an appropriate instrument. The latter is of particular importance, as an individual’s special needs may make some instruments more appropriate than others to learn. For example if a person has a fine motor impairment, the piano may be selected instead of the guitar as the guitar has a demand on fine motor skills that even the most highly developed individual can find challenging. Piano, while still being challenging, would be easier to play initially then the guitar. While the individual’s instrumental desires need to be incorporated as part of the lesson plan, strategic steps need to be taken to make sure the individual does not get overly discouraged, which could jeopardize future sessions.
The adaptation(s) used should be determined by the special needs of each individual, which makes each lesson unique to each individual. For example, if an individual with impaired fine motor abilities wanted to learn piano, modifications could include initial focus on single finger playing, smaller intervals, and allowing an increased amount of time to develop these skills. Adapted music lessons require a facilitator who has experience with music therapy, music education, psychology, and other related training. If done properly, these lessons can allow an individual the chance to develop musical and other similar abilities, as well as improve quality of life
While any individual can benefit in some way from adapted music lessons, I have found these lessons to be particularly appropriate for higher functioning individuals with a special need. These individuals are aware of how their special need(s) affect their everyday lives, and it is possible that they could associate a negative stigma to therapy, as it implies that something is wrong or needs to be fixed. By approaching clinical work through adapted lessons, the focus is instead on learning a new musical or instrumental skill. This will in turn lead to the potential for increased confidence and feelings of self-satisfaction as a result of learning a new and enjoyed skill, and reduced feelings of being held back by their special needs. In the words of Canadian music therapy pioneer Fran Herman, you are “accentuating the positive”.


Phonics is a method of classroom reading instruction centered around the alphabet and its corresponding sounds. It is the combination of phonemic awareness and letter recognition. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, produce and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in words. This auditory component of reading becomes integrated with phonics when the printed letter is introduced. Teachers in kindergarten through second grade use phonics to help their students understand the relationship between letters and sounds, which will help them become proficient readers.
Phonics skills are taught in the classroom before a child actually begins to read. Letter and sound recognition are of primary importance in the prereading stage. Children learn each letter is represented by a corresponding sound. These skills are taught simulataneously in whole- and small-group settings in the classroom with activities and games that continually reinforce and review letters and initial sounds.
Once a child understands letter/sound correspondence, he can begin learning how to decode (sound out) words. Phonics instruction at this stage of the reading process includes teaching children how to look at a word, say the sound for each letter in the word, then blend the sounds to make the word. This takes much practice and reinforcement before children can read independently. Teachers help children decode with activities that provide provide practice in phoneme segmentation. Reading actually begins once a child can quickly break the word down to its specific sounds, hear and recognize the sounds, then produce the word.
As children begin to read books on their instructional level in the classroom, their vocabulary should increase. Phonics is important in vocabulary development because it teaches children spelling patterns that will help them sound out unfamiliar words they encounter. This enables students to remember these words when they see them again as they read more books.
Fluency is the ability to read accurately with smoothness and expression. Mastery of phonics is crucial for fluency. If a child has to spend a disproportionate amount of time decoding words, then the meaning of the story will be lost for him. Emphasis on mastery of phonics in the classroom has a direct impact on the development of fluency and comprehension.
- Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images


In today’s CAMPING themed activity and craft, we’re going on a nature walk, gathering a variety of materials and creating a one of a kind process-over-product painting.
Whether you’re on a family camping expedition or hosting an outdoor playdate in your own neighborhood, this project is sure to get the kids engaged. Exploring every inch of an outdoor space challenges children to notice new details, especially in the toddler and preschool age groups. They’ll begin to realize that not all trees are the same, that there are a variety of leaves in every garden, every plant has a unique texture, and that each flower has a different smell.
Craft/Activity/Snack: Nature Walk & Painting
Objective: To discover the variety of plants in your area and what makes them unique
Skills Utilized: Sensory development, size recognition, color recognition, gross motor development, natural sciences, environmental science, fine motor skill development
Suggested Reading: Looking Closely through the Forest by Frank Serafini, All Aboard! National Parks: A Wildlife Primer, Curious George Goes Camping
Explore a new (or familiar!) outdoor space. This can be your backyard, a garden, your neighborhood, a walking trail, or a campsite. I wore the baby and took Jasper and his Cousin M for a walk around our neighborhood.
Guide children to a variety of trees, plants, etc. and encourage a discussion about the color, texture, scent and size of each. What color is this leaf? Find me a leaf smaller than your hand. What does this flower smell like? (This was my favorite question – evidently peonies smell terrible to preschool boys. I kept getting “yucky!” and “disgusting!” each time they sniffed a blossom.) Can you find three pebbles? Let’s find a rough tree trunk; let’s find a smooth one. There are so many different directions you can take this and I encourage you to let them talk!
Remember! Leaves of three, leave it be.
Along the way, collect loose leaves, stones, sticks, pinecones, etc. The boys were resourceful and so happy to grab their favorites. Luckily for me the Ergo carrier has a handy pocket in front that the boys had me take full advantage of. 🙂
Once we got home, we planted ourselves on the sidewalk with Looking Closely through the Forest by Frank Serafini. After reading the book, I got out blue, green, and brown paint. We discussed the significance of each of those colors in nature.
Using the materials they gathered as brushes, I had them create paintings.
This was an excellent process-over-product sensory project where their creativity and unique usages of each material really shined through.


One of my favorite parts about teaching piano to a variety of ages is that I get to explore a lot of different musical styles and dig up fun arrangements of popular tunes.
As my inner kid would have it, I absolutely love when a student wants to learn to play a disney song on piano, since they can be great examples of fun songs that are actually manageable for a young pianists. Of course, we use different arrangements depending on the student’s skill level (and age), but we can often adapt most of the songs to be as easy or difficult as we need them to be!
Here are a few of my favorites.
Pocahontas is one of my all time favorite Disney movies, though that might mean I’m already beginning to date myself!
The best song to learn for a beginning pianist is Colors of the Wind, which is a popular choice throughout many music education books. The melody is simply, and there are only a few basic chords, which means students can have an easy “two-finger” version of the song to play!
Here’s an easy-to-follow tutorial if you’re interested in learning this one!
Aladdin is another great movie to go to, mostly because of A Whole New World, which is really well known even among my younger students, and is pretty easy to play.
I have several different versions of this song, which allow me to work on it with students at different levels of their piano career!
Of course I can’t leave off Frozen! Never in a million years! Not only is this the most popular Disney movie to have come out in the last decade, but it is filled with tons of great songs.
Inevitably, when students as about Frozen, they almost always want to play a version of Let It Go. This is by far the most popular song of the movie, and if I think it’s right for the student, and that they can have a good chance of learning it well, I’ll let them give it a shot.
Otherwise, I often recommend another song from the movie if I don’t think they’re ready for Let It Go. Do You Want To Build a Snowman, for example, is one song that is almost always a home run, and I have a really great transcription of it that’s easy enough for just about anyone!
I hope this post helps you get some good ideas for fun songs you might want to play. Again, one of the reasons I love to work on Disney songs with students is because they can be appropriate for every age and just about every skill level, whether you’re in your first few months of lessons or have been studying piano for years!


Skint! is an interactive and engaging financial education tool for young people aged 16-to-26 years old. It consists of two illustrated storylines that explore issues around money management such as attitudes towards money, consumerism, employability, and goal setting. In addition to helping develop financial capability,Skint! also engages reluctant readers to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.Use the links below to download resources for use with Skint!, find out about free training sessions and to order copies of the book.
You can also click here for more detailed information about Skint!, including information about its development, the author and illustrators.
An accessible version of Skint featuring signing, audio description and subtitles is available here.
There is also a list of useful links here.
Can't wait to get started? Read Skint! online or download a copy now.
Skint! has been designed to be used in a wide range of educational settings.


in the interlocutory space of visual culture, digital media and knowledge building
The intrinsic breadth of various types of images creates new possibilities and challenges for visual education. The digital media have moved the boundaries between images and other kinds of modalities (e.g. writing, speech and sound) and have augmented the possibilities for integrating the functions of the images and visuality in new forms of knowledge-building beyond traditional boundaries of school subjects. New learning cultures emerge and place the visual skills of decoding and meaning-making in the centre of future competences for citizens in a globalised world. This paper discusses the learning potential of images and visuality from two perspectives: 1) The perspective of digital media which are assumed to form an increasing part of experience and communication from the use of internet, tv and mobile devices. 2) The perspective of culture where images and visualisations are assumed to emerge in the interlocutory space of a global visual repertoire and diverse local interpretations. The two perspectives represent challenges for future visual education which require visual competences, not only within the arts but also within the subjects of natural sciences, social sciences, languages and the crafts.
Traces: Sustainable Art Education Insea 13 European Regional Research and Development Congress 2010, 2010
Digital kompetence; it og didaktik; billedkunstfag; Visual education; Digital competence; Digital media; it and educational potentials; visual arts education; visual competences; visual culture


K To Year 2
The early years of learning is when curiosity is very high and we kick start the learning journey. At this age, we strive to develop the child's interests in the world around them and nurture the spirit to explore as much as possible. Within this fun, discovery-based environment, we help young children learn reading, writing and numeracy skills.
We offer some group activities for kids at this age to give them the opportunity to develop their social skills by learning to co-operate with other children and learn collaboratively.
Children often require personal attention at various stage of their learning curve. Our teaching staff will make sure we identify any learning gaps through various diagnostic methods and address these before they become barriers to future learning.
Year 3 and 4
At this stage the child's ability to learn has grown but due to different levels of early exposure kids need a spotlight to identify their interests and problem areas. We develop a trusting relationship with children to enhance their sense of wonder and to provide support for any particular learning needs
Some kids do not feel comfortable in group activities and think that they will be left behind if they are not able to cope with classroom activities. Our teachers are patient and approachable and will help build confidence with a focused and unbiased attitude.
Some children have difficulty focusing in a group environment or they may get bored or lose concentration or they may not have the confidence to ask questions and give responses when there are others around. In these situations individual personalised lessons are a much better choice in order to ensure maximum benefits for the child.
Year 5 and 6
At this stage most kids are able to communicate their needs but because the level of skills required has increased a child may need personal attention to find out their learning gaps. With one to one tutoring it is easier to identify and tackle the issues. Periodic assessments will be part of the teaching methodology to gauge the students level of understanding of a concept or topic.
K12 believes in a productive environment for learning and to extend the child we promote group research activities. These classes help children discover their potential and are also cost-effective for parents. Such classes are also very useful because they preparation the child for collaborative learning. We arrange assessment and group activities to extend understanding and help children grow into confident and knowledgeable individuals.
If parents are struggling to provide a helping hand and a child needs help to complete their homework our teachers are there for you. We can offer occasional assistance as well as regular classes. Our approach is not to spoon-feed and provide answers but to help develop the ability to finish their own work with minimum assistance. Come and visit us or call to discuss how we can help your child and which arrangement will suit you?