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. #215 ...The More They Stay The Same (Strategies for + -)   If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. ~ Maya Angelou   In the previous idea, you read about the fact that the way teachers teach math concepts to your child might be different from the way you learned how to do them yourself. However, some things never change. Here are a few basic concepts to reinforce with your child that will help her to become stronger in math: ●       It is important to transition from counting on her fingers to using mental math ( visualizing the math in her head). One way to reinforce this is by using a number line for a while. She can actually count on or back by moving her finger across the numbers to "see" the adding or subtracting. ●   ...

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #202 Cereal Box Math   The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. ~Plutarch   There's a multitude of math waiting on your child's cereal box or favorite snack box. Here are just a few questions to ask older children:   ●       If there are 120 calories in one serving, how many calories in two or three servings? ●       How much more Vitamin C is there than Vitamin A? ●       If you need 100 percent of vitamin B6 in a day and your cereal only gives 10%, how much more to you need? ●       Pour a normal bowl of cereal. Then, pour the cereal into a measuring cup. How many servings do you actually eat in a day?   Try these with younger children: ●       ...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #201 Body Math   To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~ Buddha   Few things interest children more than learning about themselves. Use this to your advantage to increase your child's math skills. Below are some ways to practice math and have your child learn cool stuff about her body:   ●       It is said that you are as tall as the length of your arms from fingertip to fingertip across your chest. Help your child measure herself and see if it's true for her. Then, have her measure you and the whole family. If it does not hold true for someone, use subtraction to find the difference. ●       Have you heard that your feet are as long as the area between your wrist and your elbow? Help your child me...