"My students are all English Language Learners. Although they are all bright, often they do not perform as well as the monolingual students on English literacy assessments given by the school. With language and literacy games, they will be able to expand their English vocabulary, recognize letter sounds, rhyming, and decoding." (Ms. B., New York, NY)

Today’s public schools often lack resources for students to thrive.  As a result, teachers are spending $1 billion from their own pockets each year on supplies.  DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need through school donations. 

Here's how it works: public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from gelboards for kindergarteners, to language photo cards for autistic students, to math games for engaging students.

Kaplan Early Learning Company wanted to sponsor a teacher’s project, and we narrowed down the candidates to five great projects.  From March 15-26, 2010, visitors to our Web site were given an opportunity to read descriptions of each project and to vote for the one they found the most compelling.

The day before voting closed we were delighted to discover that the project receiving the largest number of votes, Puppets and the Alphabet Go Hand in Hand, had been fully funded by other donors.  We were pleased to sponsor the runner-up, Help Us Become Super Readers, a project for Ms. B and her class of kindergarteners in the Bronx. 

“I truly believe that education is the key to empowerment and this is why I try to provide top quality instruction for my students. My goal is to ignite a life-long love of reading within my students,” wrote Ms. B. “I feel that I can better accomplish this goal with a variety of literacy games. I believe that if I make learning to read a more enjoyable experience for them, they will become not just readers, but SUPER READERS!”

Once a project reaches its funding goal, DonorsChoose.org delivers the materials directly to the school. Donors get a thank-you letter from the teacher, a cost report showing how each dollar was spent, and photos of the project taking place.  If you give over $100, you'll also receive hand-written thank-you letters from the students.

“I am so lucky to teach a class of wonderful kindergarten students every day.  Our school is located in a high-needs community in the Bronx.  Although most of my students come from low-income homes, they always come to school happy and eager to learn,” shared Ms. B.

DonorsChoose.org grew out of a Bronx high school where teachers experienced first-hand the scarcity of learning materials in our public schools. Charles Best, then a social studies teacher, sensed that many people would like to help distressed public schools, but were frustrated by a lack of influence over their donations. He created DonorsChoose.org in 2000 so that individuals could connect directly with classrooms in need. Since the site's inception, over 75,000 classroom projects have brought learning alive for students, primarily in high poverty neighborhoods, and over 2,000,000 students have received books, technology, supplies, field trips, class visitors and other resources. 

We encourage you to consider giving any amount to one of the projects highlighted on our DonorsChoose.org Giving Page or to browse project requests and give any amount to the one that inspires you.

Does Music Make You Smarter?

Throughout history, in all cultures, music has provided the soundtrack to human life. Archaeological evidence of musical instruments such as bone flutes and drums predate agricultural tools!

Music researchers have found correlations between music making and some of the deepest workings of the human brain. Research has linked active music making with increased language discrimination and development, math ability, improved school grades, better-adjusted social behavior, and improvements in "spatial-temporal reasoning," - a cornerstone for problem solving.

To help grow a young child’s brain, music is essential. What can you do to incorporate music into the lives of your children?

With a newborn baby, we automatically know how to sing while rocking him to sleep. This natural instinct to surround a new infant with music and song is also a natural way to start building brain connections. Music affects all levels of development: social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth.

Music brings people together and helps them interact with one another.  The same thing happens with you and your children. Play music and watch the children respond. They will move in different ways, clap their hands, and tap their feet. Singing will make a difference in their brain development.

Music has the ability to comfort and soothe us. Children will often sing to themselves for comfort. You can use music to help calm your baby, or get your toddler to relax for naptime. If a child is tired or sad, singing a song or playing lively music can change their mood.

Music and movement go together. Children naturally respond to music by moving and being active. Music helps children learn about rhythm, timing, and coordination.

In addition to being fun, The "Hokey Pokey" dance, line dancing, square dancing and all group dances help children learn: their body parts (put your right foot in, raise your hands), sense of direction (turning around, going left and right, moving back and forth), or rhythm patterns (tapping to the beat).

Toddlers and preschoolers love rhymes and songs and they teach about numbers, letters, and sounds ("ABC song", "This Old Man"). As children's brains are developing at their fastest when they are very young, with 80 percent of brain development occurring by age 3, and 90 percent by age 5, music helps with making connections in the brain.

Music is linked to improved math, memory and reading skills. When children make up their own rhymes and songs, they are developing their language skills and building the connections in the brain.

Playing in a band or orchestra helps children with social and emotional development. Learning an instrument like the recorder or violin helps with hand-eye coordination.

There is no doubt that all music matters

Research conducted by psychologist Frances Rauscher of the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh and physicist Gordon Shaw of the University of California at Irvine specifically links the study of music to necessary brain development. They demonstrated that preschoolers who were given early exposure to complex multi-sensory stimulation -- in this case, musical key-board lessons and group choral singing -- scored higher on tests measuring spatial reasoning, a skill used later in math, science and engineering.

·    Research shows that piano students are better equipped to comprehend mathematical and scientific concepts. Neurological Research February 28, 1997

·    Young children with developed rhythm skills perform better academically in early school years. Findings of a recent study showed that there was a significant difference in the academic achievement levels of students classified according to rhythmic competency. Students who were achieving at academic expectation scored high on all rhythmic tasks, while many of those who scored lower on the rhythmic test achieved below academic expectation. Source: "The Relationship between Rhythmic Competency and Academic Performance in First Grade Children," University of Central Florida, Debby Mitchell

·    A ten-year study, tracking more than 25,000 students, shows that music-making improves test scores. Regardless of socioeconomic background, music-making students get higher marks in standardized tests than those who had no music involvement. The test scores studied were not only standardized tests, such as the SAT, but also in reading proficiency exams. Source: Dr. James Catterall, UCLA, 1997

·    Music training helps under-achievers. In Rhode Island, researchers studied eight public school first grade classes. Half of the classes became "test arts" groups, receiving ongoing music and visual arts training. In kindergarten, this group had lagged behind in scholastic performance. After seven months, the students were given a standardized test. The "test arts" group had caught up to their fellow students in reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22 percent. In the second year of the project, the arts students widened this margin even further. Students were also evaluated on attitude and behavior. Classroom teachers noted improvement in these areas also. Source: Nature, May 23, 1996

·   Music education can be a positive force on all aspects of a child's life, particularly on their academic success. The study of music by children has been linked to higher scores on the SAT and other learning aptitude tests, and has proven to be an invaluable tool in classrooms across the country. Given the impact music can have on our children's education, we should support every effort to bring music into their classrooms." Source: U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM)

In his book Keeping Mozart in Mind by Dr. Gordon Shaw, he presents the latest scientific findings on how music affects reasoning and learning.

Dr. Shaw was world-renowned for his leadership in the music and the brain studies and discoverer of the "Mozart effect.

In the first years of life, the brain is undergoing rapid physical development. Studies show participation in music can influence that process, with ramifications that last a lifetime.

A growing body of evidence suggests that when parents and/or teachers and caregivers engage young children in music activities on a regular basis, they are helping to hardwire the children's brains for successful lifelong learning.

Sing, dance, listen, and grow your brain all at the same time!

This post was contributed by Jackie Silberg, who has an M.S. in child development.  An early childhood advocate and popular keynote speaker, Jackie received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Emporia State University, recognizing her current achievements as well as her long and prolific career. Jackie founded and directed the Jewish Community Center School of Music in Kansas City, Missouri, and worked for Channel 41 television, planning the music and performing her original music for "41 Treehouse Lane," a children's program.  She wrote and produced a television show for Time Warner called "Just Kids," which addressed children's needs and interests. Jackie has worked as a consultant with the Discovery Channel, setting up their music streaming website. She has given workshops, keynote addresses, seminars, and family concerts throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, Germany, and in Singapore. Jackie has served as an adjunct instructor at both Emporia State University and the University of Missouri at Kansas City and lectures at Johnson County Community College. Jackie is the owner of Miss Jackie Music Company.

Books by Jackie Silberg: Games to Play with Babies , Games to Play with Toddlers, Games to Play with Two Year Olds, Revised, Reading Games for Young Children, Brain Games for Babies, Brain Games for Toddlers & Twos 

Wendy Haner, the Director of Product Sourcing & Design for Kaplan Early Learning Company, answers frequently asked questions regarding disinfecting and sanitizing items for classrooms.

What is a disinfecting solution?

A disinfecting solution may be a self-made solution or a commercial product that meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards for “hospital grade” germicides (solutions that kill germs).  A self-made solution must be prepared daily and placed in a closed or labeled container.  To disinfect items such as toys and eating utensils, use a solution of one tablespoon of liquid household bleach to each gallon of water.  To disinfect surfaces such as bathrooms, crib rails, and diaper-changing tables, use one-fourth cup of regular strength liquid household bleach to each gallon of water. Use a commercial product that meets the EPA’s standards for hospital grade germicides according to label directions. Commercial products must not be toxic on surfaces likely to be mouthed by children, like crib rails and toys.

May I use a dishwasher or washer machine to sanitize items at my child-care center?

Items that may be washed in a dishwasher or the hot cycle of a washing machine do not need additional disinfecting, provided the machine runs at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for five or more minutes.   

First, a few facts;

Two-thirds of all American women are working by the time their first child is one year old, compared with only 17% four decades ago. Single-parent households, most of them headed by women, constitute a quarter of all U.S. families. Hence, finding excellent, affordable care is a major priority. These facts lend themselves to the “school-age” after school student population as well. (National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies)

Cost varies considerably when it comes to location, type of program, before school, after school or combination thereof. On site, turn- key programs can provide after school administration, supplemental teacher income, financial assistance and additional revenue streams within a safe, familiar setting for a successful, cost effective, extended day program.

                                           When I see I forget.

                                           When I hear I remember.

                                           When I do I understand.

                                                                  -Chinese Proverb

 As within the regular school day, reaching out to all “Learning Styles” is key when effectively making a difference in what your students take away from your after school curriculum efforts.  School agers are only in that program for a short time, and that doesn’t include all the necessary parental interruptions!

A balanced curriculum within your student age groups, touching on academics, enrichment and physical activities will help support monthly themes and those skills taught during the school day. Students are looking for variety and choices within a routine.  The curriculum should present opportunities to work in preferred activities involving games, imaginative play, structured clean-up, social interaction, language arts and mathematics.

Hands-on lesson plans that apply to family and community are a must whether you are putting forth your efforts within an “Interactive/Homework” structure or an “Academically, Curricular Based” program. Quality programs should emphasize learning that is fun and safe. You should feel confident in providing a seamless choice for parents in the same familiar setting that your students experience throughout the school day. Your partnership should lead to the most effective use of those after school hours when successful teaching and learning provides the springboard to a student’s success in life.

When you support a program that works with those students that participate, word travels fast through parental/teacher portals and your program will grow! 

A successful, cost effective program will help you maximize your after school instructional time while optimizing student learning.

Contributed by Alan Jones, Executive Account Manager, AlphaBEST Education, Inc.  AlphaBEST Education, Inc. designs and operates academically focused extended day programs that offer opportunities for elementary school students to learn, develop, explore, and have fun beyond the normal school day in a safe, educational environment.  Our safe, caring, child-centered programs meet the needs of families and schools. Our academically enriched extended day programs are interactive and engaging for children to promote life long learning. AlphaBEST's team of trusted educational professionals values their role in creating a well balanced atmosphere for children to build pathways to success.  To learn more visit http://www.alphabest.org. 

When a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti nearly two months ago, all schools in Port-au-Prince collapsed. Haitian children who survived the earthquake experienced trauma that could negatively affect them for life.

To help restore children’s sense of well-being, Kaplan Early Learning Company has partnered with Mercy Corps and the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, a global workplace childcare provider, to bring comfort to displaced children.

The Comfort for Kids counseling methodology was first developed in New York by Mercy Corps and Bright Horizons to help children recover from the trauma of 9/11. Subsequently, Mercy Corps has used Comfort for Kids to help children recover from the China and Peru earthquakes and Hurricane Katrina.

Over 4,000 Comfort Kits, assembled and delivered to Haiti by Kaplan Early Learning Company, have now been distributed Mercy Corps.  Presented in small, child-friendly backpacks, Comfort Kits are designed to promote emotional security, comfort, and basic developmental support to infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The youngest children received kits that include a stuffed animal, toys, and a book. Preschoolers received kits that include a stuffed animal, crayons, books, a doll and play people.

Watch this moving video of Mercy Corps workers handing out Comfort Kits (small, child-friendly backpacks stuffed with blankets, soft stuffed animals, toothbrushes, crayons, paper, and other comforting items) to the children in Haiti.

To lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery, Mercy Corps recently announced a partnership with Haiti's First Lady, Elisabeth Delacourt Préval, to implement Comfort for Kids trainings for adult caregivers. The First Lady and UNICEF will organize “safe spaces” in camps to run arts, sports and music activities for children, while Mercy Corps will run simultaneous sessions — in French and Creole — to educate parents and caregivers about child symptoms of trauma and how they can be addressed.

Over the years, I have seen many families face the dilemma of what to do for child care when their child, who has been going to the same daycare center for 4 years, will be going to elementary school.  If the center your child attends has a school-age after school program with transportation provided, it may be an easy decision but, if not, you will need to start your search for the perfect program for your child.

Start your search by asking neighbors, friends and family about which after school programs they are using and which programs they recommend. If you are new to the area, call your child’s school and they will have a list of centers where their students go. It could be local In-Home centers, Daycare centers, a local church, or they may even host a program directly in the school. Some counties have child care locator services. With your list compiled, all you need to do is find the right program.

Fortunately for you, competition in the after school market over the past few years has been a catalyst for all programs to step up their game. Programs that were once just a “Stay & Play” have had to change their ways to remain competitive. While recreation should be a component of the program, it shouldn’t necessarily be all that the children do. Family schedules are hectic, so one component to look for is homework time. With sports, boy/girl scouts, and various clubs, families have limited time together. If homework is completed in the after school program, it allows for more family time. Another component is curriculum. What curriculum do they use? Is it age-appropriate? Is it aligned with what they will be doing in the regular school day? How is it balanced with other activities? If it is a program that is housed away from the school campus, ask how the children are transported. Do the buses pick-up and drop off? Does the facility provide transportation via a van or bus? Do you even want your child being transported? Do your homework and visit each center so you can get a feel for the program. Make sure each program is clean and welcoming. How do the teachers speak to the children? What do they do on a typical day (schedule)? How long do activities last? How are different ages grouped? Do they have a current license? What kind of teacher turn-over do they have? Do they offer snacks? There are enough questions to make your head spin. How will you remember all of them? In order to simplify this process, you will need to tackle it the same way you would go about eating your average four-ton elephant, piece-by-piece. This elephant-sized task must be broken up into pieces in order for successful completion.

1. Write down all available options (In-home, daycare center, program at school, etc.
2. Write down a list of interview questions to include topics such as: health, safety and emergencies, daily schedule, hours of operation, availability, cost, learning opportunities, homework time, and teacher to student ratios… and ask for references! This step can be done over the phone or if you have time schedule a time to see the program (remember a picture is worth a thousand words!). It wouldn’t hurt to bring your child along.
3. Check those references. Not only can you get additional information from another parent’s perspective, you can also get to know the other parents at the center.
4. Ask your child for their input. After all, it is your child that will have to be there every day.

Remember that after all of your research, above everything else, you need to make sure your child is happy. But beware what you wish for. In a recent survey I administered to our families, I found one parent’s response that warmed my heart and made me laugh at the same time…

“My son is in 1st grade, and he cries and yells if I pick him up too early. He gets his homework done (most of the time) and he loves the art and free play-time. I wish it wasn't as much fun. Maybe I could get him home earlier :)”

Contributed by John Putnam, Director of Logistics, AlphaBEST Education, Inc.

AlphaBEST Education, Inc. designs and operates academically focused extended day programs that offer opportunities for elementary school students to learn, develop, explore, and have fun beyond the normal school day in a safe, educational environment.  Our safe, caring, child-centered programs meet the needs of families and schools. Our academically enriched extended day programs are interactive and engaging for children to promote life long learning. AlphaBEST's team of trusted educational professionals values their role in creating a well balanced atmosphere for children to build pathways to success.  To learn more visit http://www.alphabest.org.