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. #36 Communicate with the Teacher, Too!   Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you .~Ralph Waldo Emerson               Keeping up good communication with your child is essential, but chances are you will find that it may not be all that you need. Situations will surely arise that require talking to the teacher. Don’t ever let this intimidate you! Your child’s teacher wants what is best for her students and therefore wants and needs to know your questions and concerns. If you have a few quick questions, perhaps jotting them down in a note or email would be the best approach. Chances are, conferences or a curriculum night are just around the corner and in-depth questions can be brought up and answered then. Teachers appreciate written communication beca...

Exceptional teachers Cindy McKinley and Patti Trombly have put together a book that can help any parent through this extended period of sheltering in place. Packed with home activities for learning, readers can pick any number that appeal to them or fit their personal family circumstances. Here is one example that is bound to make the time spent in lockdown more fun: #144 Steal the Beat From a very young age, parents and teachers use song and rhyme to teach children information. From teaching the different sounds animals make in “Old McDonald” to learning the letters of the alphabet in the “Alphabet Song,” children grasp concepts and information easier when it’s presented in rhyme or song or both! Keep that in mind when you see your child struggling with a difficult task or concept. Try brainstorming with your child a rhyme that might help her spell a certain word or remember a definition.  It is usually easiest to utilize a song that everyone is familiar with. Song...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.  #34 Meet the Teacher   Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. ~Chinese Proverb               Have you met your child’s new teacher yet? If not, call or email him. Schedule a time when you both have a few minutes to chat. If he has sent home a lot of information, you may already have a pretty good feel for his philosophy, the schedule of the class, and his expectations for the year. You may just want to stop in to introduce yourself before or after school. If you are full of questions, it is usually best to call or write to schedule a time that is convenient for the both of you to meet. Keep in mind that before school teachers are usually busy preparing the classroom and materials for the day’s lessons. A lengthy discussion may be inconvenient the...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly. #54 Making the Grade   Have your child take responsibility for his grades. Don’t let him say, “The teacher gave me this grade.” Instead, have him say, “I earned this grade.”   Has your child ever come home very upset because of a poor grade on a project or assignment? He might not understand why the grade was so poor and may even think the teacher was unfair in his grading. Before you react, take a few minutes to sit down with your child and go over the assignment or project together. Can you see where he made his mistakes? Can he explain to you the goal of the assignment or project and then decide whether or not he achieved the goal? Together, you should be able to determine where he went wrong. If neither of you can find the errors that brought down his grade, make a list of questions for your child to ask his teacher...