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!          ...

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #248 Hidden Treasure   Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know. ~Daniel Boorstin               As you read about in Idea #20, the game “Hidden Treasure” is an easy and fun way to practice just about anything! Social studies is no exception. If you aren’t sure how to play, go back and read the directions. Basically, you are placing cards in a special box and taking turns pulling out a card. Questions/terms on the cards are read to each other, and points are earned for correct answers. For what to write on the cards, try: ●       states and their capitals; ●       dates and their significance; ●       presidents and their terms or major accomplishments; ●  ...