In this Issue: Overview • Meet Our Trainers • Stockton, CA: Total Literacy K-8 • Bridgeport: TL Birth-9 (Congruence between the TL Curriculum and the CT Pre-K and Elementary Curriculum Standards • 2006-07 formative evaluation of K training materials • Participant responses – summer workshop post-training survey) • Princeton, New Jersey: Total Literacy K-8 • Hot Off the Press! • In the Office • IDEAS ‘Family’ News • Calendar

Overview

What an exciting year we are going to have! There are many new faces, implementations, and products here at IDEAS! With implementations in Bridgeport, CT; Princeton, NJ; and Stockton, CA; and a related initiative in Dubuque, IA we will be very busy. Looking back at the summer, there were very successful trainings, and we have several new trainers. We have new products and curriculum designs that have been developed over the past year, and ideas continue to be developed by our trainers and teachers. All of our work builds on a foundation of 30 years working in integrated curriculum design that focuses on the child at the center. This newsletter will bring you up to date on all the moving pieces, and help us plan together for an amazing year ahead.

Meet our Trainers

Training trainers was held the week of July 9, 2007. There were six Connecticut participants, four from Stockton, CA, one from Tennessee, one from New Jersey, and one from Iran (yes, the country). Several trainers from previous years joined us for a day or two, bringing their expertise and good spirit. Days were intense, but as with all IDEAS workshops, the time flew by and a good time was had by all.

Then we were all off to our individual locations to plan for the year ahead.

Thanks to Allison Abucewicz, who's taking an increasing leadership role in Total Literacy this coming year. Allison will have managerial responsibility for the Bridgeport initiative.

Stockton, CA: Total Literacy K-8

Three trainers are working in Stockton, CA: Barbara Williams at King Elementary School, Theresa Schatteles at Fremont Magnet, and Sandra Weigand at Commodore-Skills Elementary. Mary Adams-Moore, Assistant Principal at Commodore-Skills also attended the Trainer's week and is prepared to support the initiative from an administrative vantage point.
Two 2-day workshops were held over the summer to prepare teachers for the year-long embedded professional development experience.

Every day there are exciting discoveries and surprises in Stockton.

Here are a few from August:

Barbara Williams writes:

One of the 7th grade teachers has been stressed about implementing TL. On Monday, she told me, "Barbara, I want this to work. I know how important the arts are (she was the drama teacher at the previous arts magnet school; I was the inst. teacher there too) but these kids are just not shaping up; I'm having to be a tyrant on class management. You're going to get silliness and giggles when you start, because they just don't appreciate the arts." We talked a little bit more about how hard this entire group of 7th graders is to control.

Fast forward to Wednesday, when I was delivering the last of the materials to her room. We talked about what possible subjects might start to work into the arts activities, and she mentioned a poem by Langston Hughes in their book, and that they were studying ancient Greeks and odes were part of that unit. The students had looked up the definition and it was up on the wall. I mentioned that perhaps we could find an ode to bring into the adaptation lesson next week. Came home and dug out my book Visiting Langston to take to school the next day. So, on Thursday I stopped by during their prep time, and Bev has a wall up in the hallway titled "Arts through the Curriculum," with some copies of pages from the text about odes and epodes. She showed this to me, asking if she was on the right track about infusing the arts - then said, "Come in my room, here's what I did today." She proceeded to turn on her CD player, and a song began to play - "Ode to Billy Joe." She had her students listen to it, then they discussed the lyrics and the strong emotions, what the characters had done. She said her students were really listening and talking about the song.

Then she asked, "Am I on the right track here?" My answer was that this was one way to hook them in; then they could possibly choose an emotion, write their own odes, even make up melodies to go with them. I told her about Garage Band, where the students could create an accompaniment.

Fast forward to yesterday - I went in to observe the students one more time before next week's lessons begin, and they were taking an assessment quiz on the social studies unit. Bev told me that NOT ONE of them missed the definition of ode. She was thrilled - and told them that listening to the song and discussing it helped them remember what an ode was. I asked her to fill out one of the bright IDEAS sheets, which she immediately did - then I took it and shared it with the principal. Her response: "You're going to make me cry!"

Sandy Weigand reports from Skills/Commodore School

This past week I have finished the schedule for the Arts Infusion program at my school site. I will be servicing 10 classes a week for approximately 45 minutes per class. Fridays will be make up days for when class has been canceled due to a holiday or special event. At this point in time I will be servicing 2 Kindergarten classes, 3 First Grade Classes, 1 Second Grade Class, 1 Fourth Grade Class, 2 Fifth Grade Classes, and 1 Sixth Grade Class for a total of 248 students or 22.5% of the student body (assuming the classes are full).

All our teachers have had the opportunity to check out materials including scarves, unpitched instruments, CDs, videos, etc. The teachers I have given "Dance Music For Children" CD by Shenanigans and/or the "Down in the Valley" CD and Booklet are excited. They are also very thankful for the directions contained in the booklets. Teachers have also been given the binder (Details or Interactive Arts) that is appropriate for their grade level. Binders have been ordered for both our Kindergarten teachers who have also received the book Total Literacy: An Arts-Based Guide to Building Early Literacy Skills.

The teacher/administrator survey has been placed in all teacher's and administrator's boxes and I have asked people to return them by today. As of this point in time only a handful have been returned, but here is a sampling of responses. When asked about the quality of the arts-infused instruction in your classroom, a teacher responded with "excellent - it's easy to incorporate and makes a real difference." This same teacher also mentioned how easy it was to incorporate arts infusion into any lesson. Another teacher liked that the arts infused lesson allowed for creativity. The most difficult issue that the teachers have found is time.

Monday, the actual lessons in the classroom will start. One Kinder teacher already has most of the team-taught lesson thought out and adapted (the use of rhyming CVC words for the messenger song). We're also talking about video taping this classroom as part of the teacher's National Board Certification as well as for portfolio and PR purposes. Next week should be fascinating - full of new challenges and ideas.

Teresa Schetteles reports:

Everything is going great here at Fremont! The principal is supportive, helpful, and truly committed to the Total Literacy Initiative. The teachers are a bit stressed with the typical beginning of the year issues such as not having enough materials, etc., but they are also eager to get started with the TL Initiative.

Teacher concerns at this point are few: First is the weekly reflective journal; they are not sure when they will have time to work on it and I assured them that I would help until they are comfortable. Second is the survey (pre-assessment); the K and 1st grade teachers don't feel their students will understand it so I suggested that they do it orally, using developmentally appropriate terminology. Again, I offered assistance to anyone who needed it.

I think that our Friday trainers meeting went well. We agreed to meet weekly, for now, on Friday mornings 8:00 to 9:40. We reviewed the lessons you e-mailed us and agreed to present them in the same order, following the TL Multi-sensory strategies matrix. We definitely have enough to keep us going for the next few weeks. Thank you so much for helping us out!

It is interesting to note that these responses come from trainers before they officially begin the embedded professional development. Enthusiasm and energy are high, and the startup issues are minimal.

As we spoke by phone on Friday morning, we decided the following:

• Reducing teacher stress is very important.
  
• The trainers will provide time for the teachers to write journals during the first five minutes of their conference time. Otherwise, the trainer will ask teachers the journal questions and the trainer will record responses to take the writing responsibility off the teacher's shoulders.
  
• Lower grade teachers who are not comfortable applying the student survey will be relieved of the responsibility. We will have other anecdotal measures of attitudinal and academic change. An arts checklist that matches the goals of the basic strategies will be ready within a few weeks, and can be used at multiple points during the year to track growth over time.
  
• Lesson applications will be developed flexibly. If teachers are more comfortable imitating the first few lessons rather than adapting them, it is OK. Just like child students, the teachers are first going to learn the process, then we can focus on deeper application. There's no need to add to their stress, but it will help us enormously if we can relieve some stress.
  
• We will use the ArtSmart lesson design for adaptations for all grade levels from K-8. Sue will use the above lesson described by Barbara to refine this idea. By documenting these lessons weekly, at the end of the year it should be fairly easy to compile them for all participants.
  
• Teresa is going to explore reproducing the arts maps in a larger size so teachers can post them on their boards.
  
• IDEAS will design graphic representations of all 20 Level I strategies so teachers can post them sequentially, creating as a border around the room that shows increasing capacity to use the arts for learning.
  

Bridgeport: TL Birth-9

The Total Learning Institute is the umbrella program for Total Literacy in Bridgeport. It is a partnership between ABCD (Bridgeport's anti-poverty agency), the Bridgeport Board of Education, arts education IDEAS, Music Together, Child FIRST. Total Literacy is the K-4th grade component of the initiative.

In an oral report to the CT State Department of Education officials overseeing the state appropriation, on August 23, the following report was presented by Dr. Sue Snyder:

Congruence between the TL Curriculum and the
CT Pre-K and Elementary Curriculum Standards

Dr. Sue Snyder:
"This year we moved from 1 infant/toddler class to 4, from 1 preschool classroom to 10, from 1 Kindergarten classroom to 16, and from 0 first grade classrooms to 1 pilot. Another way to state this growth is that last year we impacted 57 children and their families, and this year will impact 673 children and their families. That's and increase from 57 to 673 children and families.
I will tell you about the K-4 congruence with the CT and Bridgeport Curriculum and Frameworks, then Jackie Jacobs will discuss the infant-toddler and preschool components.
The Total Learning K-4 approach is designed to deliver the state and district Elementary Curriculum and Standards. The approach introduces teachers to a set of multi-sensory strategies - visual auditory, kinesthetic and linguistic - that can be applied, hopefully logically, to any concept or skill in any subject area.
As we plan each grade level's strategies, we compile the grade level curriculum from available documents, and also collect the state frameworks and standards. Then we utilize research-based and best-practice strategies to provide multi-sensory delivery of the curriculum. In order to do this, the teachers learn through an embedded professional development model. We first demonstrate through model lessons that teach the strategy, and then teach teachers how to apply the specific strategy to their curriculum.
I've brought along with me the Kindergarten training binder that was created last year, and will be utilized in our 16 classrooms. It has model lessons which are then applied to the teacher's specific curriculum, providing the opportunity for team planning, team teaching, and coaching by highly qualified trainers. There are student and teacher outcomes specified. The binder comes with materials, and also DVDs so the teacher can watch each segment of each model lesson. Although the model lessons are fixed, they are designed to encourage higher level teacher and student thinking while building essential skills; and also to deliver strategies that, once learned, will be applied flexibly across the curriculum. So there are multiple layers of learning at work.
So, rather than being a curriculum, the Total Learning approach will help the teacher deliver the curriculum and standards in ways that will reach all learners.
Jackie Jacobs will now speak about the congruence between the Pre-K Framework and the infant/toddler and pre-school components."

Jackie Jacobs:
"Music Together is an international, research based early childhood music and movement program. The program was founded 20 years ago and pioneered the field of early childhood music and movement education in the United States. There are MT parent child and preschool programs around the US and in Canada and overseas including my own which encompasses over 1,000 children and their parents and is the largest of it's kind in the US.
There are also numerous outreach projects currently being conducted around the US.
The largest outreach program we have running to date is in Trenton NJ, where for the last 7 years we have taught our preschool program in every public preschool in the city. This project has been evaluated by the Educational Resources Group and the results, although not yet released, are statistically significant. We received a Federal Arts and Education Dissemination Grant as well as a grant from the Geraldine Dodge Foundation for this work.
I've provided you with a couple of DVD's from the Trenton program so you see this outreach project in action. This DVD includes interviews from the superintendent of schools in Trenton as well as school principals.

For Total Learning, MT will be providing two types of classes: Parent Child, which is for infants and toddlers, and preschool, which is for children ages 3 - 5. In addition to musical growth, we know through our research that early childhood music making provides children and their adult caregivers with a learning activity that integrates social, emotional, physical and cognitive development as well as a high quality bonding and nurturing experience. Music learning that involves parents and caregivers as teachers can provide a measurable impact on all of these areas of development simultaneously, making it an outstanding activity that helps ready the child for success in their educational life and beyond.

We say "Music Learning supports all Learning." If you take a look at the slide I have prepared you can see how our curriculum integrates learning in the four domains listed in the CT Preschool Curriculum Framework. If we use the guiding principles from the Framework as a lens to examine the work we are doing, you will see that they all apply; the developmental domains of music learning are highly interrelated and dynamically interactive, all children are capable of achievement in music and movement, and children are treated as individuals, with their unique learning styles honored.

We will be providing 4 parent child classes and 10 preschool classrooms. In the parent child class, the concept of parents as teachers is predominant, with the parents learning how to become good music making role models for their child both at home and in the class. Parent Education is also a focus in every class so that they can understand and support their child's overall growth. Parents gain a new vocabulary of activities to enjoy with their children that reduces stress and bonds them in a special way. We expect to see the quality of the parent child interaction improving over the course of the three semesters. Parent education events are held each semester. Each child goes home with materials the first week of class - 2 CD's, a songbook and a parent guide that help integrate the music and movement experience into the daily life of the child. .

For the preschool program, the learning is triangulated as it involves the preschool classroom teachers, the parents, and the child. We hold weekly classes in the pre-K class taught by the MT specialist, who works closely with the classroom teacher and provides ongoing professional development. Our goal is for the classroom teachers to learn a repertoire of purposeful music and movement activities that support the child's learning across all the domains. We train them to integrate music and movement into the classroom on a daily basis, using the materials - CD's and songbooks as well as teacher handbooks that are full of practical activities that are easily utilized in the classroom.

In addition to the classroom teachers, the parents are once again involved as role models. The child is the conveyer of the experience to the parent, as they "Bring the Music Home" to the parent with the songbooks and CD's. Parents and extended family members are invited into the classroom for family events, held twice a semester. Our attendance at these events has been upwards of 90% in the pilot classes we held this spring. The children demand that their parents sing the songs and read the songbooks with them because they enjoy these activities so much in school. The program acts as a bridge between the preschool and the home.
We will be providing 36 weeks of instruction and professional and parent development beginning in late September 2007. We will also be evaluated by the Michael Cohen group so that our results with the children will be scientifically documented."

The Total Learning K-4 initiative for 2007-08 will be comprised of a randomized control study in 32 Kindergarten classrooms, 8 with just the PD in-school model, and 8 with the full model, and 8 classrooms each as control groups. In addition, we will have one first grade classroom in which we will develop the training module. The Michael Cohen Group will be conducting the evaluation component, including formative and summative evaluation.

The 2006-07 formative evaluation of Kindergarten training materials resulted in a very positive and helpful analysis by an outside independent reviewer.
An overview stated:

"[Total Learning/Total Literacy] is an extremely ambitious project in scale, content and intention and has, if well executed, the potential to positively impact not only individuals within early childhood classrooms but also the fields of early childhood education, arts education, literacy education and public education in general.
It offers a remarkably well conceived interweaving of complimentary and largely discrete fields in the service of improving what public education has to offer children who are most vulnerable to inadequate teaching practices.
It stands to benefit a great number of children, teachers, schools and communities and to support the achievement of both quantifiable (test scores, retention rates, etc.) and affective (quality of life) goals.
Specifically, this program is more than capable of helping to ensure that the academic gains made by children in Head Start programs are retained throughout their elementary school experience and beyond."

Allison Abucewicz will be the IDEAS' manager of the Bridgeport initiative.
Louise Topie and Patricia Bogart will be full-time trainers in the classrooms.
The Bridgeport Board of Education will collaborate throughout the year, and monitor the progress of the Kindergarten randomized control study and the Grade 1 Pilot.
Participating kindergarten classrooms will be at Barnham, Caesar Batalla, Dunbar, Hall, Longfellow, Roosevelt, and Waltersville Elementary Schools. Other classrooms may be included.

A three-day orientation and training was held from August 14-16, 2007. Twelve Bridgeport Kindergarten and first grade teachers participated in an inspiring workshop. Their responses are here:

Bridgeport Total Literacy Post Training Survey
Participant Responses
August 14 - 16

Thinking back to your expectations for this Total Learning teacher training session, did the training meet those expectations? If not, in what ways was the training different from what you had expected?

• I expected this to be an overview of the program, which it was, but we also were able to be the students in the lessons and experience them first hand. It surpassed my expectations because it was engaging, exciting, exploratory and enriching.
  
• All my expectations were met and beyond. The goals of Total Learning were demonstrated and it was demonstrated how to incorporate them into the curriculum that is mandated.
  
• Yes, it did! The training enhanced my teaching style through art and music. It provided more structural strategies for literacy and other fields.
  
• Yes, my questions were answered and the information far exceeded my expectations.
  
• Yes! It has surpassed my initial expectations. I knew that it sounded like a fun experience, but I never thought it would be so meaningful at the same time. What a way to raise our DRA's!
  
• My expectations were definitely met.
  
• The training for the Total Learning was excellent. It definitely met the expectations.
  
• Absolutely! Trainers exceeded beyond my expectations! This was absolutely wonderful, exiting, and I am confident that this will enhance student learning. Thank You!
  
• The total learning teacher-training session was wonderful. I was not really sure what to expect when I came. I knew this was going to be a new, exciting program to help teach the students. Not only was it fun, but it was nice to actively participate in the workshop, not lecture style.
  
• I didn't realize how much it revolved around the arts! I really didn't know what to expect but I think it was wonderful. I've always found ways on my own to expand the traditional curriculum so having all of these new ideas is so helpful.
  
• I had no expectations. I am pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of new experiences and information I have acquired over the past three days.
  
• This training went beyond what I originally thought it would be. I thought it would be a quick overview of the program, but it was so much more! I have gained so much information and knowledge.

What was your impression of the focus of the training? Was the emphasis on particular areas appropriate? (too much? Too little?) Please provide details.

• I thought the training put a great deal of focus on the appropriate areas. It showed us the basics of the program and how it would combine with our curriculum.
  
• I feel the total training was great. I enjoyed all the singing activities along with all the movements and using all the multi-modal strategies.
  
• Very well focused and the emphasis very appropriate.
  
• The training was very focused and covered all areas. The modeling was so effective and perfectly administered in terms of time and understanding.
  
• I believe that Total Learning has the capacity to become a national asset in the realm of education. Each area of training was appropriate and meaningful in all ways.
  
• I feel that the emphasis on all areas were appropriate.
  
• The focus of the training was very well met in all areas. The training was informal and relaxed. A great deal of information and activities were presented but in a very effective and interactive way. I feel I understand the nature of the program much better after the workshop.
  
• This is a dream come true. Total Learning reaches a new level of thinking that is beyond the "traditional" rote memorization. This is Bloom's Taxonomy of higher order thinking coming to life. I think students will be engaged and love this approach. It will "hook" students and reach out to the intellectual and emotional students especially students who are stressed. (more to come)
  
• The focus of the training was to show us how to teach using the specific skills; auditory, linguistic, visual, dramatic, movement. I found the emphasis on each skill/development appropriate. I enjoyed going over the prenatal through 6 year-old developmental time line to fully appreciate all the skills in development.
  
• Personally (but I'm sure it's just me), I am not a big fan of jumping around and singing and skipping in this setting. It's just not me and so I thought it was a little too much. I do that sort of thing on my own with the children and enjoy that very much!
  
• I liked the way we jumped into the class activities from the very first. It gave me the feeling of how the children might react to the program. By the second and third day we were then exposed to the research which was helpful.
  
• The focus of the training was great. It provided me with enough hands-on activities to become familiar with several lessons and the the binder, CD's, and DVD's are also an awesome asset.

Do you have any concerns about Total Learning? If so, what are they?

• My only concern is that…….. I thought for a minute and I actually don't have any!
  
• I have no concerns at this time.
  
• Not at all. I think I will be willing to expand the help to all my students.
  
• Not concerns, just a little nervous. I am committed to giving Total Learning my full support and expect my students to be totally engaged in this learning.
  
• Yes! I think the other staff members will be anxious to try it out too!
  
• At this point I only have one concern. My students are Spanish dominant and I don't know if I would feel comfortable presenting and or translating lessons in the beginning of the year instead of observing the trainer. Not at this time. I feel comfortable that the trainers will assist me if and when any concerns occur.
  
• I think that the paraprofessionals should also receive the Total Learning training.
  
• My concerns about Total Learning are with regard to the first grade curriculum. There is not a first grade binder and it is hard for me to visualize some of the lessons, but I am very excited about it!
  
• Maybe I will once it begins but right now everything seems okay.
  
• I just hope I can do justice to the program.
  
• Something new is always concerning…. but I feel we will get the help and support we need at any time.

Do you have any other suggestions/thoughts about the training?

• I loved this professional development. It was one of the best ones I have been to. The days were pretty long and it was a lot to take in, so maybe breaking it up into shorter sessions.
  
• I think the training was great!
  
• Not now!
  
• The training was excellent and I am confident that what every support I need I will get!
  
• I loved this whole experience and I hope we can all work together to bring about positive change for all of tomorrow's future leaders.
  
• It would be nice to have a bilingual trainer.
  
• It was a wonderful workshop - enjoyable and informative.
  
• Trainers are enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable. This was truly a rewarding experience. Excellent training! Learned a lot and am so excited. Met great people!
  
• I've never been good at the technical side of certain things - adapting lessons on paper. I tend to be much more successful creating and adapting on the fly without over thinking.
  
• I would like to keep in contact with the other teachers and trainers we don't see every day.
  
• This was a great training! I'm looking forward to bringing Total Learning into my classroom!

What are your goals?

• My goals are to learn as much as possible from the trainers, to incorporate what we are learning into our everyday routine and to make the learning environment safe and fun.
  
• To make my classroom a successful learning environment that is fun, exciting and happy for all!!
  
• My goals are to challenge and engage all of my children in order to give them the task of success.
  
• My goal is to get the best of this program, which is a lot.
  
• Bring back the arts creativity; foster students to think critically; reach higher levels of knowledge; peace, harmony in the classroom; improve the emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of each individual student.
  
• Thank you to all the trainers~ You are all very passionate, knowledgeable, patient, and enthusiastic! I look forward to Total Learning!
  
• My goal is to learn as much as possible from the trainers and to use all this knowledge in all areas of my teaching.
  
• My goals are to utilize the lessons learned and combine them with our current reading program in the best way possible.
  
• To learn as much as I can about the program and from the trainers. To bring fun and excitement top my kindergarteners while teaching them the basic skills they need.
  
• To learn as much as I can about the program so that my children will grow!!
  
• My goals are to use this program hoping and expecting to better reach the needs of the children in a relaxed, interactive and fun way.
  
• To create the Total Learning experience for my students. To continue to have a complete understanding of Total Learning.

What help will you need?

• Modeling and feedback, insights and suggestions.
  
• Help! I will take any and all help I might need!!!
  
• I would like to be able to access Total Learning trainers/support whenever I have questions.
  
• I won't know until it begins. However, combining and adapting lessons on paper is difficult for me. I tend to be the most creative "on the fly."
  
• Support and guidance, training for the paraprofessionals.
  
• I'm not sure at this time. I'll let you know when I will need it.
  
• I am going to need help with the follow through and as we go.
  
• Support creating the first grade adaptations in the beginning. I look forward to working with all of you!
  
• I look forward to the help from the trainers.
  
• Follow through/support from administration.

Princeton, New Jersey: Total Literacy K-8

See photos and video of Princeton's 2007 Summer Workshop at http://totallearninginstitute.org/tlatl_tl_princeton.htm

Cordelia (Dee) Mann is the master trainer in Princeton, where she is also Johnson Park's music teacher. Her schedule has time allotted for team teaching and demonstration lessons within her school and across the district. She is a busy teacher!!! Dee is also completing a masters degree this year!
Dee and Sue conducted the second annual Total Learning workshop from August 6-10, 2007, with Levels I and II, and with graduate credit provided through Rider College.

Susan Frenchu, Kindergarten teacher, wrote to her PRS administration after the workshop:

"As the summer ends and I think back on what I actually did on my summer vacation, the Total Literacy workshop at JP with Sue Snyder and Dee Mann leaps to mind as a highlight. The week long workshop was a great follow up to last summer's workshop and several school year in-service times. It provided an opportunity for feedback and guidance from Dee and Sue as "wise and wonderful" leaders from near and far. I also greatly appreciated getting time to work with colleagues from throughout PRS and beyond as well as a chance to coordinate with K teachers and multi-grade teachers from JP and other buildings. I hope that we will be able to continue this collaboration by finding a way that we can meet throughout the upcoming school year.
I have made a personal and professional commitment to enhancing my teaching with TL because I believe that these multi-modal, brain-based strategies help me to reach a wider range of students - and it's fun!! This summer a group of us once again engaged our bodies and our brains in planning, creating and learning.
THANK YOU to all of you who have made the TL workshops possible with financial and academic support.
Susan"

Footage of the workshop's final 'informance' can be seen at http://totallearninginstitute.org/tlatl_tl_princeton.htm. It is not the best quality footage, but is a fabulous example of how teachers can synthesize their experiences into a deep understanding of teaching, learning, and Total Literacy. Listen to district Superintendent Judy Wilson, reflect on the 'informance' presented by the participating teachers. Also hear Dar Hosta, author, expressing her perspective.
The collaborative spirit in Princeton is part of the district's culture, and Total Literacy-Princeton is a powerful example of a teacher-led, administration-supported initiative. Dee will continue providing services and support to teachers during the coming year as they dig deeper into Total Learning together. We have already planned a workshop for July 28-August 1, 2008 that will offer Levels I, II and III. Come and join us!
Special thanks to Supervisor of Music, Linda Shaw, for her continuing efforts to move this initiative forward at the district level.

Hot Off the Press!

Total Learning Kindergarten
This training module has organizational materials, model lessons for twenty kindergarten multi-sensory strategies, related center activities for after-school programs, twelve large art prints in a portfolio container, a CD with all music and speech pieces, and five DVDs - one for each lesson - with every segment of each lesson taught to children. There is also a data CD with multiple adaptations of each lesson applied to specific curriculum content, along with templates of all forms.

TLK Book Bundle
The trade books that accompany the Total Learning Kindergarten model lessons.

Drumming and Literacy DVD
This captivating, two hour DVD features internationally reknown drumming educator Mary Knysh. It was created at Johnson Park Elementary School in Princeton, NJ, and can be used by teachers to learn the strategies, or in the classroom so teacher and children can follow along. Mary progresses sequentially from building basic skills to application through storytelling.

Sing Along, Sing Alone
The extraordinary composer and producer Linda Worsley has finally created her own dream! There are three Sing Along, Sing Alone volumes: Animals, Echoes, and Colors. Each includes 10 or 11 songs, with kid pages, lesson ideas, and a CD that has the songs sung, then sung with parts left out for "close" activities, and finally just instrumental versions so children can sing the songs alone. An additional CD includes all pages as pdf files, so you can make as many copies as you need.

Literacy Quilts
Everywhere we travel, the literacy quilts are a hit. Hand crafted by a talented colleague, these quilts can hold student work, or items for investigation. Only a limited quantity can be made, as they are all created with TLC. Color combinations vary.

Music Memory 2007-08
This is our 10th year of producing this popular set of 16 classical music selections that range across historical periods. Each year there are 16 new selections for 3rd to 6th graders. Get the Binder and CD package, the Deluxe package that includes the Teacher's Resource Binder, or the Total Year package that has a wealth of ancillary materials such as software and student handbooks/CDs.

In the office

Patty Beyer is your contact for orders and materials. She has a finger on the pulse of the office, and manages everything from creation of scarf kits to shipping of Music Memory. Helping Patty this year will be Sally, who will manage the flow of grant funds, making certain that our records are accurate and spotless. Patty's staff includes Eisybell, Ximena, Sarah, and Diane.
Linda Worsley, our producer, is also in the office most Mondays and Tuesdays. As we develop curriculum this year, Linda will help us keep up with recording each track so when it comes time to create a CD, the pieces will be ready to transfer.

IDEAS 'Family' News

• Allison Abucewicz continues to lose pounds after surgery this summer. She reports that she feels great, and we're all excited to see her healthy and fit.
  
• Aaron Snyder is off to Stockholm, Sweden for 8 months with the Boston Consulting Group. Mom and dad will go visit at Thanksgiving (Yes! A vacation at last!).
  
• Louise Topie is in CT from Michigan to be a trainer in Bridgeport this coming year. Talk about commitment! We'll get her back to see hubby John as much as possible.
  
• Aniela Savona, kindergarten teacher in Norwalk, is a TL trainer and will be implementing the TL Kindergarten program in her own classroom this coming year.
  
• Many TL trainers will attend the Orff conference in San Jose, CA this November.
  
• Ximena Castillo will be interpreting for one bilingual classroom in Bridgeport so the teacher can be trained without having responsibility for translation as well. Thanks, Ximena.
  
• Misty Beyer may be working with a special new program in Danbury, CT with the Greater Bridgeport Diocese and Western Connecticut State University. We'll keep you posted on what it is and how it goes.

Calendar
New dates are added frequently. We will try to update as possible.

DATE	EVENT
Full Year	Bridgeport, CT Total Learning Institute Music Together Birth-3 and Pre-School studies Kindergarten randomized control study Grade 1 development - 673 children and families - 19 teachers and 24 paraprofessionals - 3 trainers
Full Year	Princeton Total Literacy - Kindergarten - Grade 8 - Classrooms and teachers in five schools - Resource, Literacy and Arts Staff involved - 2 master trainers, one embedded
Full Year	Stockton, CA Total Literacy - Kindergarten - Grade 8 - 30 classrooms in 3 schools - Resource, Literacy and VAPA Staff involved - 900 children, 35 teachers - 3 trainers plus 1 trained administrator
September 18-19 October 18	Heartland Educational Consortium Arts Infusion Grant
October 2-4	Stockton, CA - Dr. Snyder model lessons
October 19, 20	Princeton Total Literacy - Dr. Snyder/Cordelia Mann support workshop
November 13, 19, 20	Stockton, CA - Dr. Snyder, Mary Knysh - support workshops
November 14-18	AOSA National Conference, San Jose, CA All TL trainers attending
March 4-6	Stockton, CA - Dr. Snyder, support workshops
April 9	MENC pre-conference session Enabling Independent Thinking Through Interweaving Music and Social/Emotional Curriculum
June 18-20 (tentative)	Bridgeport Summer Workshop - Grades K-2
July 14-18	Total Literacy/Total Learning Training Trainers By invitation only. Submit requests to sue@aeideas.com
July 28-August 1	Princeton Summer Workshop Levels I, II and III K-8 (separate middle school strand) Graduate credit through Rider College
TK	Stockton, CA summer workshop K-8
TK	Dubuque, IA summer workshop K-6

Write to us with your comments and questions! sue@aeideas.com for teacher type questions, and orders@aeideas.com for information about products and materials.
Thanks for all you do!

For a Printer Friendly PDF, enter here!