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 (yes, those are the two talented teachers). #21 Finding Success Every Day!   The sweetest of all sounds is praise. ~Xenophon   Praise at least one success a day. Even on a bad day, your child exhibits strengths. Look for them. Say them out loud. Remind him of his strengths when he is struggling, and encourage him to press on. Look back at the goals he set and focus on when those (or even parts of those) are reached. Make sure, however, that it counts. Make a conscious effort, then, not to overpraise. Parents, teachers, coaches, and many adults these days think they will “give” children self-esteem if they praise every little thing they do. “Way to take out your crayons!” “Great job on drawing that line!” “You put that crayon back in the box so well!” Of course, these are exaggerations but sometimes not by much. Kids can’t ...

  Today's tip for parents (from two talented teachers) comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly (yes, those are the two talented teachers). #20 “Hidden Treasure!”   An accomplishment sticks to a person. ~Japenese proverb   Learn how to play Hidden Treasure! In a never-ending effort to make learning fun, we have created this game to be used with just about any area of the curriculum to help kids learn reading words, spelling words, definitions, and more. We haven't met a kid yet who didn't like to play (and beat us at) it! Basic play consists of theses few steps: 1. Gather some note cards, a box, and two different kinds of counters (pennies and dimes work great!). 2. Write all words to be learned on index cards. Also create a few that say "Treasure!" 3. Place all cards in a box, mixed up, upside down. Take turns drawing a card and reading/spelling/defining it. 4. If the person gets it right, she e...

  Today's tip for parents (from two talented teachers) comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly (yes, those are the two talented teachers). #19 Creating a Life Long Learner   The important thing is not so much that every child be taught , as that every child should be given the wish to learn . ~John Lubbock   As your family takes the journey toward academic success together, there is something very important to keep in mind. Try to remember that your goal is not to fill your child up with information. You want to awaken his sense of curiosity, ambition, and desire to learn on his own. It's not so important what you teach him but that you teach him to think. If you can instill in your child a sense of wonder and a love of learning, your efforts will surely be rewarded. You will create a child who is not afraid to question, to try, to take a risk, and to think for himself. These are qualities that will ...

  Today's tip for parents (from two talented teachers) comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly (yes, those are the two talented teachers). #18 Creating a Study Area   If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them. ~Henry David Thoreau   Giving your child a special, well-equipped study space is a good foundation for quality accomplishments. When your child has a designated spot in which to complete homework, it will not only help her to be better organized, but also will offer her a welcome and ready place that is just right for producing her best work. It should be an area with enough space for her to spread out the things she will need to be working on. It should be a well-lit, relatively quiet area with no distractions (such as the TV, phone, or little siblings) so that she can concentrate. Some things that would be helpful to have i...