MSI Press Blog

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #211 Roll of the Dice   Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game. ~ Michael Jordan   Materials: two dice, paper, pencil, calculator (for younger children)   Objective: to be the first to reach 100 points (or other agreed upon number) by rolling the dice.   Sometimes the best part of playing a game, for children, is rolling the dice or spinning the spinner. Use your child's love of dice to play this game that helps practice addition and subtraction. Here's how to play:   1.      Everyone playing picks a number from 1 to 6. That number will be his or her unlucky number. 2.      The first person rolls the dice. If her unlucky number does not show up, she adds the dice together and writes the sum down on paper. 3.      Now, she h...

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.   #172 “Write" Across the Curriculum If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right. ~Marykay Ash   In classrooms all across the country, informational writing in the  academic  areas is coming to the forefront. Writing across the entire curriculum has been shown to increase comprehension of the material as well as help children become proficient writers. There are various ways to provide opportunities for your child to write across the curriculum. Start by making (or purchasing) a journal to write in. She could use the journal for any subject. Below are just a few suggestions: ●        Math Journal : When your child conquers addition, have her use  words  to describe how to solve a simple addition problem. She can imagine herself explaining how to solve th...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.                                            #143                                      Compare and Contrast   Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. ~Rodin   It is becoming increasingly popular to select a much-loved children’s book and transform it into a movie. Given a choice ( seeing the movie or reading the book), most children would choose to see the movie. As a parent, you have an opportunity to encourage your child to get the most out of the movie while also increasing writing skills in an authentic way. Take a trip to the library or bookstore with your child and find th...