BOYS IN THE BAND

The So Kool Record company recently held auditions across the

country to find four singers to form a new band. The four guys chosen are now super-stars but can
you work out each guy's previous day job, his age (19, 20, 21, 22) and home town?

1. Greg is exactly two years younger or older than the guy from Cleveland who used to be a truck
driver.
2. Either Darren or the guy from Seattle (who may or may not be Patrick) used to deliver pizzas.
3. The guy from New York is younger than Daniel but older than the one who used to be a
carpenter.
4. The 22 year old from San Francisco isn't the one who used to be a waiter.

Solution:

SYMBO-LOGICAL
Can you work out the value of each shape from the following symbols? Each shape has a
different value and is a whole number. No shape has a value less than 1.

Solution:
 Impact Of Online Gaming On The Students
Introduction

Online gaming has emerged as a popular and successful source of entertainment and play
for people of all ages, especially for the students. It refers to the games that are played over some
forms of computer network, typically on the internet. These games are played online, in which
you can connect with multiple players. It is normally platform independent, relying on the web
browser and appropriate plug-in.
It is one of the best inventions that is made ever by human beings. It has the ability to link
players together. It has been one of the most popular activities in entertaining for younger
people. Because of this, almost everybody is into it. Its fantastic characteristic makes a lot of
students become hook on it. It provides entertainment and at the same time, online socialization
with different kind of people. But sometimes, it causes negative effects.
It has two kinds of impacts: the good and bad. It depends on the player itself.
In the book Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax (2007) presents a compelling argument that video
games rob boys of motivation to learn. Granted, it never actually cites research that proves this,
but he cites numerous studies that show a negative correlation between amounts of time spent
playing games and academic performance (see n. 6 on p. 235). It also reveals that he has not
found a single study that shows a positive correlation between academic performance and video
game playing.
To support this argument, it draws on the fact well established by research that violent
video games cause aggressive behavior in the players. It argues that video games are so addictive
because they satisfy the male need for power and control. To guard against the negative effects
of video games, it offers practical guidelines for parents to follow: prohibit video games with
graphic violence, especially those that depict killing police officers and noncombatant civilians;
limit video games to forty minutes a day on school days and one hour on other days; and do not
allow video games to displace other activities and priorities, such as family, schoolwork, and
friends.

Body

The most widely used "positive" impact video games are said to have on children is that
they may improve a player's manual dexterity and computer literacy. Ever-improving
technology also provides players with better graphics that give a more "realistic" virtual playing
experience.
This quality makes the video game industry a powerful force in many adolescent lives.
However, numerous studies show that video games, especially ones with violent content, make
teens more aggressive.
Part of the increase in aggressive behavior is linked to the amount of time children are
allowed to play video games. In one study by Walsh (2000), a majority of teens admitted that
their parents do not impose a time limit on the number of hours they are allowed to play video
games. The study also showed that most parents are unaware of the content or the Entertainment
Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating (see below) of the video games their children play.
In another study conducted by Gentile, Lynch, Linder & Walsh (2004, p.6) "adolescent girls
played video games for an average of 5 hours a week, whereas boys averaged 13 hours a week".

The authors also stated that teens who play violent video games for extended periods of time:

 Tend to be more aggressive

 Are more prone to confrontation with their teachers
 May engage in fights with their peers
 See a decline in school achievements. (Gentile et al, 2004).

The interactive quality of video games differs from passively viewing television or movies
because it allows players to become active participants in the game's script. Players benefit from
engaging in acts of violence and are then able to move to the game's next level.
Gentile & Anderson (2003) state that playing video games may increase aggressive behavior
because violent acts are continually repeated throughout the video game. This method of
repetition has long been considered an effective teaching method in reinforcing learning patterns.
Video games also encourage players to identify with and role play their favorite characters.
This is referred to as a "first-person" video game (Anderson & Dill, 2000, p. 788) because
players are able to make decisions affecting the actions of the character they are imitating. After
a limited amount of time playing a violent video game, a player can "automatically prime
aggressive thoughts" (Bushman & Anderson, 2002, p. 1680). The researchers concluded that
players who had prior experience playing violent video games responded with an increased level
of aggression when they encountered confrontation (Bushman & Anderson, 2002).

Tips on managing your child's media consumption

Because of the popularity of video games, completely eliminating them from your child's life
might be difficult. But you can decrease the negative impact that they have on your child. Here
are a few tips:

 Know the rating of the video games your child plays.

 Do not install video game equipment in your child's bedroom.
 Set limits on how often and how long your child is allowed to play video games.
 Monitor all of your child's media consumption -- video games, television, movies and
Internet.
 Supervise your child's Internet use -- there are now many "video games" available for
playing online.
 Take the time to discuss with your children the games they are playing or other media
they are watching. Ask your children how they feel about what they observe in these
video games, television programs or movies. This is an opportunity to share your feelings
and grow closer with your child.
 Share with other parents information about certain games or ideas for helping each other
in parenting.
Conclusion

Most of this research on the negative effects of video games has focused on violence and
aggression. But what is the connection between video games and intelligence? Do video games
enhance a person’s memory and reasoning abilities or do they harm them? These questions
continue to be investigated, especially in connection with video games designed for educational
purposes (Stansbury, 2009). In the meantime, parents are advised to screen the video games that
their children play and limit the amount of time that they play.

My wife and I, for example, require our son to earn time on his Leapster by performing certain
tasks on time, such as getting out of bed, changing his clothes, and brushing his teeth. He is
given a poker chip for successful completion of such activites, and he can cash in four chips for
one game on his Leapster. This policy provides incentives and rewards for responsible behavior,
but it also limits the amount of time that he can spend on his video games. In addition, the video
games that he plays teach him reading and math skills. One of the ways that he can earn a chip is
by completing three daily tasks on the GoGoLingo website, which teaches Spanish through
interactive entertainment. So by playing an educational video game, he works toward the right to
play another educational video game.

References:

 Barlett, C.P., Anderson, C.A., & Swing, E.L. (2009). Video game effects confirmed,
suspected, and speculative: A review of the evidence. Simulation & Gaming, 40(3), pp.
377-403.

 Sax, L. (2007). Boys adrift: The five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated
boys and underachieving young men. New York: Basic Books.

 Stansbury, M. (December 18, 2009). Can gaming change education? eSchool News.
Accessed December 18, 2009 at http://www.eschoolnews.com/2009/12/09/can-gaming-
change-education/.
 SPECIAL EDUCATION SPELLING WEEKLY AGENDA

GRADES: 3-12

MATERIALS:

 spelling lists  writing materials

METHOD:

1. Monday: Students will write their spelling word 5 times in cursive, then write them on
file cards to be placed in their own file card holder. These words can be used to study or
as a word bank when writing.
2. Tuesday: Students are to place their words in alphabetical order and write them in a
sentence using correct grammar and punctuation.
3. Wednesday: I make up sentences spelling their words incorrectly, some sentences do not
begin with capital letters, others have incorrect ending punctuation. We go over these the
next day.
4. Thursday: I make up word searches and fill in the missing letters papers, sometimes the
students are to look up their words in the dictionary. Lower functioning students may just
write down the page number.
5. Friday: Grade the spelling tests in class, asking the students to correctly spell the word
they missed. Perfect papers get 3 mini-tootsie rolls or other small candy available.

MODIFYING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS OF

SPECIAL NEEDS: A LIST OF IDEAS

GRADES: K-12

There are many simple modifications which can be made to assist students with disabilities in the
regular classroom. Many of them are not that time consuming and can make a world of
difference. The list below includes a few of the ideas that have helped the students I work with.

1. When independent work is presented, try to give it to the student in small "segments". For
example, a test or worksheet could be folded in half. The student could be asked to do the first
half and then come up for further directions. This prevents the student from feeling rushed or
overwhelmed with the amount of work given.

2. Allow extra time (within reasonable limits) for students who have difficulty. Also, reducing
the length of an assignment is sometimes a good idea.

3. In your lesson plans, note in italics (or mark with a highlighter) the objective you want the
student to master. His or her objectives do not need to always be the same as the rest of the class.
Look at the students IEP (Individualized Education Plan) so that you know what objectives need
to be covered. For example: The whole class might be expected to write a paragraph about
something they learned. A student with mild mental retardation in your class might be expected
to write 3 facts she/he learned. A student with fine motor problems could write some; you or a
peer helper could take dictation on the rest.

4. Present information visually (overhead projector, posters, pocket charts, chalkboard) and
auditorally. Whenever possible, tie in a hands on component as well. I had a teacher who threw a
koosh ball to a student if he wanted them to answer a question. It helps to keep everyone
focused! Doing this will help all the students in your class; they each have their own unique
learning style after all.

5. Have students do simple exercises before writing (pushing palms of hands together, pushing
down hard on a desktop, squeezing and relaxing fists).

6. If a student cannot do what everyone else in the class is doing, modify worksheets. For
example, imagine most students are doing subtraction with regrouping in class. Cut the problems
out of the worksheet and use the rest of the original as a "frame". Create some problems
appropriate to the students level (double digit subtraction with NO regrouping, subtraction facts
to 18) and paste them onto the modified original. After you copy it, the student has a worksheet
that looks like everyone else's; but he or she can do work at their own level.

7. Have a large variety of multi-level reading books in your classroom. A listening center is also
a "must have". Have parent, high school and other volunteers put some of your textbooks
(relevant chapters) on tape so that students with disabilities may have these cassettes as a tool.

8. Use story maps and other graphic organizers to assist students with writing tasks. Advance
organizers (outlines) can help students search for meaning when they read. Make up a chapter
outline and give it to all the students. It teaches them to attend to the important points in a
chapter.

9. Use color coded index cards in a file box to keep track of your students' objectives and
modifications. The students names should not be on these cards!!! By color coding, you have the
information handy without violating confidentiality. If you need to, ask the special education
teacher to help you find this information in the students' IEP's and PPT minutes.
 The Role of Musical Intelligence in a
Multiple Intelligences Focused Elementary School
Susan W. Mills
Frostburg State University

Participants

Trailblazer School is a Multimodal MI school in which the researcher taught and

consulted with elementary teachers to infuse music activities into the existing curriculum. Since
Multimodal design is common in new or newly adapted MI schools, this teaching and consulting
experience provided the researcher with insight into the process of curriculum adaptation to
include music activities.
Finally, data were collected at the selected site, Evergreen (Multimodal) School, to
examine the role of musical intelligence in four participating classrooms. Information provided
by the three groups of participants was compared with the information about music learning and
assessment from MI literature. These two sets of information are the sources of data on which
this report is based.
In order to find evidence of musical growth, three related research questions were
formulated. These questions were asked in the context of MI schools, defined as a school that has
a curriculum inclusive of teaching methods and learning activities based on the theory of
Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner, or based on subsequent work grounded in Gardner's
theory.
Case study methodology using interviews, observations, artifact review and a
questionnaire for parents and teachers were employed at Evergreen. Analysis of data included
coding of interviews, observations and follow-up discussions using a contact summary sheet and
a document summary sheet for artifacts. Field notes, a researcher journal, and all documents
were examined for patterns of perception, behavior and teacher theorizing. The questionnaire
was analyzed for frequency and percentage of item response and individual items were reviewed
by participating teachers for explanation of patterns and trends. Triangulation of all data
completed the analysis in the form of a naturalistic (Smith, 1990), descriptive report.

Findings
Answering questions about the importance of music as an intelligence, 57% of parents
stated that some of the intelligences are more important than others. This group listed the
intelligences they considered to be the more important. Their most frequent choices were verbal
(55%) and mathematical (62%) intelligences. Musical intelligence was the fifth most frequent
response. While 94% of parents indicated that musical activities should be part of the
elementary classroom, their reasons varied greatly. Most common was that music helps children
memorize or learn academic content, but parents also cited enjoyment of learning and relaxation
as reasons for inclusion. Several parents also stated that music was important because it was in
the curriculum. Exposure to a variety of music was parents' most frequent response to what
constitutes a valuable music experience, with instrument play as the second most frequent.
Parents clearly believed that their children were listening to music and playing instruments
regularly in their classes.

Teachers all agreed that it was very important for children to develop musical
intelligence, although the common belief was that strengthening one intelligence strengthens the
other intelligences. One teacher qualified her answer with this remark. "It may not be as practical
as some of the other intelligences. If you work in a factory, you need more verbal and analytical
skills. Musical intelligence isn't going to get you that job." This teacher cited verbal and
interpersonal as the two most important intelligences, but for her students, logical-mathematical
intelligence was important as well, because "the curriculum calls for more mathematical
intelligence." Another teacher disagreed with the curriculum, stating that the "musical activities
have to be justified academically because of the benchmarks." In her first grade classroom,
development of new music activities ceased due to her understanding of the priorities set at the
district level.

References

Duval, J. and Mark, T. (1994). The Pawlett Project: applications of Howard Gardner's multiple
intelligences theory in a rural Vermont elementary school. Paper presented at the annual meeting
of ASCD, Chicago, IL.

Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

 INCLUSION IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS OF STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES

Findings

The literatures reviewed above showed contradicting perceptions toward the practice of
inclusion. On one side, inclusion is a practice that should be implemented on every school
because of its advantages such as enhancing the self-esteem of students with disabilities as well
as helping them improve their cognitive skills and helping them learn how to socialize. On the
other, inclusion is problematic program to implement because of the confusions that are
associated with the practice. Inclusion is seen as a program that is poorly measured in terms of its
true effects to students with disabilities. It is also being criticized for the lack of capability of
general teachers to handle students with disabilities in their regular classes.
 
While there is great contradiction on inclusion beliefs, the practice still has a potential to
be proven effective considering that studies about its effectiveness with positive results will
increase. Currently, inclusion is not being taken seriously mainly because of its complexity as a
practice and as a philosophy. However, several studies like those cited above shows that there is
a possibility for an international acceptance and legalization of inclusion practices. Also,
proponents of inclusion should address quickly the issues that may ruin the credibility of its
practice. Requirements for an effective practice of inclusion should be constantly monitored,
tested and implemented. There should also be programs to educate stakeholders such as state
special education directors, school principals, teachers, parents and students about the what
inclusion really means and the means for effective practice. Proponents of inclusion should aim
to conquer confusion regarding its practice and they should start by developing a comprehensive
framework for an effective program.