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. #31 Creating a Learning Environment at Home   What is required is sight and insight—then you may add one more: excite. ~Robert Frost   Part of helping your child succeed in school is creating a learning environment in your home. After all, you are your child's first teacher. You can create an atmosphere in which learning is valued by doing the things mentioned during the past month. Here is a checklist of the main points:   ●       Have you found a good time for D.E.A.R.? ●       Are the TV and video games turned off and your child turned on to another activity? ●       Are you making it a point to be a good role model? ●       Has your child set a goal for himself? ●       Have you begun to set ...

  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...