MSI Press Blog

  excerpt from  How to Get Happy and Stay That Way  (Romer) - What Makes You Happy? I guess every generation thinks it’s pretty special, but there’s no doubt that mine, the so-called “Woodstock generation,” was unique. In fact, for a long time it seemed that my happiness had to relate back to the 1960s and 70s, as if then and not now I was the real me . But over the last few years, I’ve realized there are other ways of being happy, ways that build on all the things I learned as a free-spirited flower child (and later, a fun-living feminist)—yet add new ingredients, a certain type of self-awareness combined with gratitude, that really bring contentment. “Follow your bliss,” advised mythologist Joseph Campbell. I didn’t hear him say that on TV till the mid-1980s, well into my second marriage and light years away from my former hippie happiness. Yet the words struck a chord because by that time I knew I loved to write— had to write, in fact, although I’d only published a fe...

  What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Each month, we share near-daily, or as often as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  Easter at the Mission  by Sula, parish cat at  Old Mission . Description Discover Easter Through the Eyes of a Church Cat! Join Sula, the now-famous church cat, on a fascinating journey through the meaning and traditions of Easter in her fifth book! With her signature mix of history, Catholic dogma, and humor, Sula explores questions like: 🐾 What is Easter, and why is it called the Paschal Mystery? 🐾 Why do Catholics observe Lent, Ash Wednesday, ...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #95 SQ3R: A Reading Comprehension Technique   There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all. ~ Jacqueline Kennedy     If your child has ever read something and afterward can’t answer many questions about it, you know her comprehension was insufficient. It is possible for a child to be able to read out loud fluently, even expressively, and yet not remember much (or anything) of what they read. It is important to keep in mind the true definition of reading which involves not just saying the words but also understanding the words and constructing meaning from those words. If your child is not doing that, is she really reading? Since informational text can be more difficult to understand and, therefore, to read, it is important to offer children strategies t...