MSI Press Blog

  We cannot tell the back story of 10 Quick Homework Tips without telling the story of is sister book, 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents . So, here is the link to that back story , which we shared last Sunday Back Story of  10 Quick Homework Tips by Cindy McKinley Alder & Patti Trombly [Please do read the back story for 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents to learn how Cindy and Patti met.] A few years ago, after listening to the frustrations of parents trying to find time for everything as well as struggling to work with their kids at home more during the pandemic, Patti and I decided to create a “quick tip” book to help. It seemed homework issues were especially overwhelming and challenging for busy parents.   So, we worked together again and wrote a short book on   easy ways parents could help ease the frustrations of homework battles.   10 Quick Homework Tips was not as time-consuming, but just as fun for us to write.   It feels great to share so man...

Back Story  of  365 Teachers Secrets for Parents: Fun Ways to Help Your Elementary Child Succeed in School  by Cindy McKinley Alder & Patti Trombly Nearly 30 years ago, I met Patti in the back row of a grad school classroom at Eastern Michigan University.  Our professor had us begin the class by writing out a “Bliss List”: all the things that made us happy.  When we compared lists, we were shocked to see they were almost identical! We were both due to have our first babies in a few months, both elementary school teachers, both working on a Masters in Reading, and both had a weakness for soft pretzels. We didn’t know it at the time, but that day sparked a decades-long friendship. Throughout the years, Patti taught upper elementary, and I taught the lower grades.  We met weekly with our four kids and, of course, always ended up talking about teaching and how eager the parents were to find ways to help their kids at home.  I eventu...

This book contains 100 miracles from the Gospels -- and similar true-story miracles for today, for a total of 400 (!!) miracles described, explained, and discussed in the book, with questions for individual or group reflection. Here is one of those miracles with its modern-day counterparts: A BIG FISH STORY  (Gospel account in Luke 5:1-11)  Peter and Andrew were fishermen by trade. They’d caught thousands of fish and no doubt loved to swap fish stories with their friends, but this particular fish story topped them all. Here is what happened: One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to hear this charismatic street preacher. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge—their owners had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. Then he sat down in the boat and continued teaching the people. When he finished speaking, he s...

  This week's blog post is the next in the series of book back stories and is the story behind  Practices That Work , edited by Dr. Thomas  Jesús  Garza. From the publisher -  This is one story whose back story I know very well. I created it!  For years, a What Works in developing high levels of foreign language proficiency was wildly popular, especially at government language institutes where outcomes are intently monitored. It was a simple book with a powerful message, a small book with a big impact, short recipes by famous "language chefs" who had, as a team, led the now-closed Coalition of Distinguished Language Centers. It was known by many as  " the little yellow book." Over time, it became dated. Over time the publishing rights migrated to MSI Press LLC (long story for another time). Over time, the original authors ("language chefs") retired (and, in some cases, alas, died).  What to do with the book rights became a question, especiall...

Available now on pre-order!  Nothing So Broken  - war, memoir, more. Today we provide a precerpt (an excerpt from a book not yet published) -  -basketball-   Steven and Johnny sped behind the back of the Bott house, past the above-ground pool, then circled round the front yard. Like a gazelle evading a mildly concussed cheetah, Johnny zigged and zagged, keeping his brother off balance just enough to maintain a small lead. Steven’s face blazed, a contorted mask of rage, a small red circle on his forehead from where the ball had struck moments before. The boys took a sharp turn into the garage and disappeared, the screen door slamming behind them. If my window was open and the nearby highway wasn’t busy with rush hour traffic, I could hear that screen door slam all the way from my bedroom. I would often look out the window to see who was exiting the garage. We named the Bott’s driveway, the Bott-on Garden, even though it resembled a miniature golf course more than the ...

  Coming Soon! Available now on pre-order!  Nothing So Broken  - war, memoir, more. Today we provide a precerpt (an excerpt from a book not yet published) -  -nemesis-   Most of my childhood mornings were marked by my father’s absence. Running five miles every day, he said. Just something he needed to do, he said. So, on weekdays before school, I’d wait at the kitchen window—teeth brushed, Space 1999 lunch box in hand—and watch the royal blue AMC wagon puff smoke from its exhaust in the Bott family’s driveway two houses away. My mother would run final checks with me—coat? gloves? hat?—from my brother’s bedroom because “Defiant Bryant” loathed mornings. He started each day looking like he’d slept through a cyclone. Dressing him for kindergarten was like Greco-Roman wrestling with a grumpy squid. When the old AMC wagon finally putted its way up the road, I’d book-it out of the house and wait at the end of our sidewalk. Mrs. Bott’s smile through the window served a...