Adult Modeling

As a successful teacher for many years, I have observed that one of the elements that is a significant help in teaching children, but is often overlooked or missed, is the importance of role modeling.  Not the role modeling of other students, though good student role models are certainly important, but the role model of another adult in the class,

Authentic Learning Experiences -

The fact that institutional education in America is failing is not news.  Most experts, including even Arnne Duncan, the Secretary of Education,  would agree with that, although what to do about it is a matter of great debate.  Mr. Duncan's solution is that since 82% of Americas schools will fail  NCLB this next year, to issue a waiver, suspending the accountability of public schools under current law.

The arts in education, What happened? What now? and What next?.

Much  of what is said by arts teachers and arts advocates is in defense of the arts and their importance to children, students, and education.  I believe that the time to defend the arts in education is past.

High Tech and High Touch

In the art of teaching, the challenge is to communicate information to the student in such a way that they receive, process, interiorize, apply and retain new knowledge.  To do that the teacher has available to them the seven senses of learning

- Arne Duncan "Boost Academic Achievement

I'm certainly not the only one who reads and listens to our nations Secretary of Education, Arnne Duncan and sees a great disconnect between what he says, and what he sees as a solution to the problem.  

Music Makes You Smarter ?????

In another blog,  JNM-Teachers Corner, I am spending time each week going over specific portions of the RITMMAP study because of its value to practitioners in finding, and applying those portions of it that were most helpful in extending the language learning capabilities of the students involved.   Before going into that study in depth here however, I want to make it abundantly clear that I do not believe that teaching the arts is ever justified by the 'instrumental' effect that it has on other learning.

Reading Improvement through Music, Movement and Play 'RITMMAP'

Up to this point, I've shared some principles and insights of educators, psychologists, and even neuro-biologists that have proven to be particularly instructive in my own understanding as I've taught thousands of students over the last two decades.  These insights are not new.  What is new however, is the convergence of the various sciences of cognition, neuroscience, learning theory, and psychology - especially as it relates to emotional development.