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.   #174 Step By Step   Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking. ~Tim McMahon   There are things we do every day without even thinking. We get dressed, make our beds (maybe!), cook meals, drive to the store and so much more. Yet, we rarely stop to think of all the steps involved in completing these tasks. If we did, we might go crazy. Well, here’s your chance to drive your child crazy for once! This is a super fun writing activity that is sure to have the whole family in stitches. Here’s how it works: ●       Have your child choose something very common that people do every day. (For an example, we’ll use making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.) ●       Ask him to write down all of the steps involved...

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.     #173 Paragraph Writing    Act as if it were impossible to fail. ~Dorothea Broude   Does your child receive any magazine subscriptions? If you are considering subscribing to a magazine for your child, consider subscribing to one that contains factual, informative articles. Magazines such as Ranger Rick and ZooBooks have informational articles about animals, people and actual world events. If you want to try out a magazine before committing to it, you may want to visit the library. The library has many different magazines to peruse that will help you decide if it is appropriate for your child. Here’s an activity your child can utilize after reading informational articles from a magazine or book. This activity will help with both her writing skills and increase her comprehension of expository texts. While readin...

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.   #172 “Write" Across the Curriculum If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right. ~Marykay Ash   In classrooms all across the country, informational writing in the  academic  areas is coming to the forefront. Writing across the entire curriculum has been shown to increase comprehension of the material as well as help children become proficient writers. There are various ways to provide opportunities for your child to write across the curriculum. Start by making (or purchasing) a journal to write in. She could use the journal for any subject. Below are just a few suggestions: ●        Math Journal : When your child conquers addition, have her use  words  to describe how to solve a simple addition problem. She can imagine herself explaining how to solve th...