Blog

Diagramming Sentences: Pictures Worth a Thousand Words?

In 1877, two professors at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg, published a book entitled, Higher Lessons in English, wherein they offered an altogether new way of teaching students how to structure sentences. Termed sentence diagramming, this technique used a particular graphic layout to demonstrate the relationships between the various parts of speech. By configuring the individual parts of sentences in this visual [...]

By Lori Becker|2018-10-25T15:04:38-04:00December 22nd, 2014|

Kicking It Old-School: Micro-Schools Bring Back One-Room Schoolhouses

Much of the rhetoric concerning the present state of America’s education system revolves around the need to create new assessments, new standards and new methodologies. But what if progress lies somewhere in our past? An interesting model of personalized learning—reminiscent of the old-time one-room schoolhouses—is just now emerging and beginning to gain some traction. Dubbed the “micro-school,” this divergent educational format breaks with [...]

By Lori Becker|2018-10-25T15:12:39-04:00December 22nd, 2014|

Intern Spotlight: Meet Mallory

My actuarial dad and scientist mom knew they had a budding writer on their hands when, at two-and-a-half years old and tottering from the weight of my jumbo-sized, sixty-page Lion King book, I came into their room in the middle of the night. I climbed into bed with them, sitting down to reverse the role of parent and child. I wanted to read them a [...]

By Publishing Solutions Group|2018-11-09T10:36:21-05:00December 17th, 2014|

Does Private Life Exist in an “Always-On” Culture?

Lounging by the poolside last summer vacation, I thought nothing could disturb the tranquil ambience of lapping water and the steady heat of the sun. With Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams in my hands and cabana music wafting over from the beachside snack shack down the road, life felt paradisiacal. Then it came: the dissonant sound of my father’s smartphone, buzzing on the chaise nearby. Not again . [...]

By Mallory Abreu|2018-11-08T11:04:34-05:00December 17th, 2014|

The Masterpieces at the MFA: Timeless Treasures or Cash Cows?

A museum is traditionally thought of as a meditative setting, an island of hush in a cacophonous world of ceaseless tumult. When I think about the last time I visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston—or the MFA, as it is commonly called—I can remember the ambiance of the dimly lit blue exhibit room as clearly as I can remember the art [...]

By Eileen Neary|2018-11-08T11:07:22-05:00December 12th, 2014|

Hydroponics: A Growing Field

by Andy Trossello Science Teacher, Waltham High School STEM Instructor, College Bound at Boston College How do you offset the growing epidemic of overly available, poor quality, cheap food in highly urbanized communities? By providing affordable, nutritious and locally grown hydroponic foods produced by minority youth who will become empowered with the tools they’ll need to pursue STEM careers! When people think of [...]

By Publishing Solutions Group|2018-11-08T11:16:11-05:00December 10th, 2014|

Employee Spotlight: Meet Kate

by Kate Carroll I came to PSG in the summer of 2012 as an intern. I was a rising senior at Emerson College, where I was part of the Writing, Literature & Publishing program and minoring in business studies. There, I had firsthand experience in publishing and all that it entailed, from learning InDesign and HTML to familiarizing myself further with copyediting to [...]

By Publishing Solutions Group|2018-05-24T15:06:58-04:00December 9th, 2014|

Time to Rhyme: Teens Find Artistic Outlet Through WordSpeak Poetry Program

Let’s face it. The typical high-school poetry experience is usually not the most inspiring or transformative. Toiling over iambic pentameter, archaic vocabulary and the subtlest of metaphors can strike many students as somewhat pointless and irrelevant beyond their obligatory English courses. In Florida, however, a poetry program run by Tigertail Productions called WordSpeak is offering an alternative poetic experience for 1,000 South Floridian teenagers. Each [...]

By Lori Becker|2018-11-08T11:19:30-05:00December 5th, 2014|

Can a “Math Person” Learn to Love Shakespeare?

“The difference between arts and sciences is not analytical versus intuitive, right?” That’s what Mae Jemison, the first female African American to travel in space, questioned during her 2009 TED talk. Both a NASA astronaut and a dancer, Dr. Jemison has lived her life in the crossroads between art and science. The fact that she didn’t view career choice as an either-or situation between [...]

By Mallory Abreu|2018-11-08T11:23:03-05:00December 3rd, 2014|

From Shadow into Light: How Job Shadowing Turned into a Summer Job

by Abby Murphy Senior at Wakefield High School Four months after job shadowing at PSG last March, I was lucky enough to become a contractor for the company this summer. The opportunity provided me with insight into the educational publishing field and allowed me to gain a great deal of knowledge through hands-on experiences. During my time at PSG, I was able to [...]

By Abby Murphy|2018-11-08T11:24:34-05:00November 26th, 2014|

Blog writing is a big part of our internship coursework. Staff writers drop in from time to time to chime in on industry trends, grammar and all things Boston.