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.   #160 When To Edit   There are two types of people in this world: those who can edit and those who can’t. ~ Jarod Kintz   Editing is a very important skill for your child to learn. As she gets older, she will be expected to do so on her own. The most obvious and simple way to help her learn to edit is to edit her own writing. The trick, of course, is to know what to edit and when. In general, these Dos and Don’ts should apply:   DO EDIT: ●       Pieces that will be published in some form or displayed. ●       School projects that you feel should be. (Her teacher will most likely let you know of editing expectations of homework assignments, such as book reports.) ●       Letters etc. going to someone who may not be ab...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.   #159 Silly Sentences (Editing)   I've found the best way to revise your own work is to pretend that somebody else wrote it and then tear it to shreds. ~ Don Roff               A super fun way to practice editing and grammar is something we like to call “Silly Sentences.” It is easy and a fun way to sit and work with your child.             To do this: 1.      Figure out a skill your child needs to work on. (For a young child, this might be capitalizing and high-frequency spelling words. For an older child, it might be proper punctuation and tougher spelling patterns.) 2.      Now, write a few sentences, making sure to make plenty of mistakes along t...

  The Humble Pencil: A Writer’s Timeless Companion On this day in 1857, Hyman Lipman changed the way we write and revise by patenting the first pencil with an attached eraser. Nearly 200 years later, in an era of digital tools, voice-to-text software, and AI-generated prose, the simple pencil remains a steadfast ally for writers, editors, and creative minds. Despite the convenience of modern technology, there’s something uniquely satisfying about the tactile experience of a pencil gliding across a page. Unlike the unyielding permanence of ink or the cold efficiency of a keyboard, a pencil embodies the creative process itself—imperfect, adaptable, and always open to revision. For writers, a pencil isn’t just a tool—it’s a philosophy. It reminds us that mistakes aren’t failures but stepping stones. It gives us permission to erase, rethink, and refine. The whisper of graphite against paper is a quiet act of creation, a tangible connection between thought and expression. Editors, too, ...