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.                                                             #118 DRTA: Directed Reading-Thinking Activity   Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words! ~A Tree Grows in Brooklyn               Directed Reading Thinking Activity is a comprehension strategy that focuses on helping children ask questions about the text and make predictions before reading. This technique encourages students to be active readers and gives them a purpose for reading. It also helps them monitor their understanding of the text as they are reading. In this strategy, the parent is involved. When your child has an informationa...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.                                                                     #112 Books as Gifts   Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside them, and it’s much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world. ~Neil Gaiman               How many times has your child been invited to a birthday party and can’t think of anything to buy his friend? When it is time for your child’s birthday, is he stumped for ideas? The next time you are stuck trying to figure out what to buy as a gift for a child, think about a book!          ...

  Why Might Emotional Abuse in a Christian Home Push a Child Toward Atheism? Emotional abuse—chronic criticism, manipulation, humiliation, or neglect—can deeply distort a child’s sense of self and safety. When this occurs in a home that claims Christian values, the resulting contradictions often undermine spiritual trust and coherence. 1. Contradiction Between Message and Method Christian teachings emphasize love, grace, and compassion. Emotional abuse communicates the opposite: rejection, control, and conditional worth. Children may experience cognitive dissonance : If this is Christian love, it feels cruel. The mismatch between proclaimed values and lived experience can lead to rejecting the entire belief system. This is especially potent when the abuse is framed as “discipline” or “godly correction.” 2. Erosion of Self-Worth Emotional abuse often targets identity: “You’re worthless,” “You’ll never be good enough,” “God is disappointed in you.” These messages can become interna...