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I PLAY = I learn
Parent’s PAGE 1 8
PAG E23
PEOPLE WE
ADMIRE
Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.
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F E AT U R E
Index: Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Arts........................................................4 Fiction...................................................5 Book Review .......................................9 Reflection............................................10 Sports..................................................14 Graduates...........................................16 People We Admire............................17 Interview............................................18 Teacher’s Corner................................20 Trivia ..................................................22 Parent’s Corner..................................23
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Time for Work, Time for Play?
I
n our world, work and play often occupy two very different dimensions. They are seen as alternative, if not as opposite categories. Work has to be endured; play is to be enjoyed. What happens when an individual enjoys his or her work? Perhaps the ancient Chinese sage Confucius had the best answer: “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Work and play become one of the same. When it comes to learning, it is frequently associated with the process of studying (i.e. work) that has to be endured. In hopes to improve student learning outcomes, schools have been rapidly expanding curricula, placing children in a formal educational setting earlier and giving extensive homework. Learning, however, cannot be achieved by cognition and memorization alone. It results from the powerful mix of emotion, motivation, as well as cognition, that are intricately intertwined. When learning and playing coincide, whether in classrooms or anywhere else, humans learn best.
Arina Bokas
Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities
Kids’ Standard’s October 2016 issue I Play = I Learn offers perspectives on learning that arises from everyday situations, when we pursue our interests and passions when we play. Happy reading!
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Our Sponsor Clarkston Optimist Club Disclaimer: All editorial and advertising material submitted to Kids Standard becomes the property of Kids Standard to be reproduced as seen fit. It will not be returned unless by prior arrangement. Submitted material includes advertising artwork and editorial content (including but not limited to: articles and images, art work and creative writing). All the designs remain the copyright of Kids Standard. Kids Standard welcomes comments and suggestions, as well as information about errors that call for corrections. Kids Standard is committed to presenting information fairly and accurately. Feedback: info@kidsstandard.org
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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R
2016-2017 Editorial Calendar November 2016
Lessons from History It is often said that history is a great teacher. Why is it so? What lessons can history teach us about our world and ourselves? How can our own individual history (our individual past) teach us? Is there an event, person, or time in World or American history that taught you something valuable? Why is this important today?
December 2016
I am a Citizen of the World What does it mean to you to be a citizen of the World? What does it mean to live and interact across many countries, time zones, and technologies? What knowledge and understanding are necessary for you to be a responsible citizen in our increasingly interconnected world? What school or life experiences helped you become aware of global problems and understand people from other countries and their views that might be different from yours? Is there a person whom you consider a global citizen? Why so? Do you have a perspective on a world event that you would like to share?
January 2017
My Element Is doing something makes your eyes spark and heartbeat faster? Is there something that you can do forever and hardly notice the time? This is your element, or your passion. How did you discover it? How does it help you in life? What lessons do you learn from it? What can you tell your readers about it?
February 2017
Making a Ripple By making a choice to be helpful, kind, or just smile to someone who is upset, you can start a ripple of positive energy and actions. How can what you think, OCTOBER 2016
say, and do make a difference in someone else’s life? How do your actions affect other people? What can we do today to make the world a better place? What did you do to make a ripple? What ripples can be made in schools to make them better places for learning? Are there any people whom you consider ripple makers? Why?
March 2017
Simply Different
Why do we need differences? What does it mean to be different? Does being different mean being a bad person? Do you know of someone who is not like other people around you? How do you think of people who cannot sit still in school, take too long to complete a task, or just always seem out of step? Do you know of someone who is different? What makes him or her a special person?
April 2017
Number Talk When we learn to count on our fingers, we “see” our math. Do you see math around you? What helps you see when
you learn math? What pictures do you create in your mind? What makes math interesting and relevant to real life? How can we learn from numbers? If there were no math or numbers, how would our world look like? Share with us stories about numbers.
May 2017
Stories that Matter As human beings, we are wired to like stories. Since the beginning of times, stories have been the way for human beings to pass their knowledge to next generations. Is there a person or place that adds special meaning to your life or lives of other people? Why does this person or place matter? What is your own story? What can we learn from telling and listening to stories? How can stories be used in schools? You can tell any story, just make sure to explain why it is important.
Summer 2017 Family Magic
Our families are important to us. Tell us about relationships in your family, connections between kids and parents, and meaningful experiences that you had with your family. What makes spending time with your family important to you? What do you learn from your family members? How do you learn together as a family? 3
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KAIRDTSS C O R N E R
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Hockey, A Game I Love!
By: Jake Roth
4rd Grade, Angel Elementary School, Berkley
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It’s exciting and fast, you don’t want to be last! A stick and a puck, and maybe some luck! A helmet and mask, a challenging task! Protective gear, and mom and dad’s cheers! Fake to the left and to the right, you have to grip your stick tight! Just you and the goalie, your adrenaline flows, holy moly! You take your shot down low, right through the goalies five hole! Win or lose it’s the game that I choose! Hockey, a game that I love!
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FICTION
CANDY
MAN By: Emma Bradley,
5th grade, Clarkston Elementary
I
n a land far far away, there lived a Twizzler stick. He was velvety red and very skinny. He also tasted wonderfully! He lived in a milk carton on the edge of Blerk Street. His name was Bimblebob, but everyone called him Bob. One day, Bob was walking his ladybug, Claira, down Banner Street, when he heard the snapping of Kit Kats, the general store. Bob looked up at the store as it tumbled inward. Then he gazed upon a hole in a mammoth’ brown boot, revealing the purple polkadotted sock. “It is the end of the pantry!” Bob started to run as fast as possible, but the giant saw him. He caught up to Bob and grabbed him with his giant hands. Bob screamed, “Help me!”
No one heard him over the screams of terror. When the giant started to walk, Bob asked, “Where are we going?” “The land of Clarkston. You look too delicious. I have to take you home to share with the others.” The giant responded. “Others?” “Yes, Bimblebob, 23 others.” Bob’s eyes opened widely in shock. “Yikes, that is a lot.” Few minutes later Bimblebob saw a sign 15 times the size of his 3-bedroom milk carton, telling him that they have arrived to the land of Clarkston. Soon, they were at the giant’s mansion. It was 40 times as big as the Kit Kat general store. “I am scared,” exhaled Bob.
s r e t i L i H e Th By: Sophia Morris,
5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston
O
nce upon a time, a girl named Shelby had a bright yellow Hi-Liter in her desk at school. She also had a bright pink Hi-Liter, and whenever she would close up her pencil bag, the Hi-Liters would take off their caps and write all over her homework, notebooks, and sticky notes.
OCTOBER 2016
They thought they were playing. Whenever Shelby would come back, they would quickly snap their caps back on and scramble into the pencil bag. One day, Shelby noticed that all of her papers and sticky notes were covered in yellow and pink ink. She went over to look into her desk. She didn’t see anything, but she heard a bang coming from inside of her desk. So, she came up with a plan. Her plan was to very quietly, very sneakily, very mysteriously creep up to her desk and see what was going on inside.
“You should be.” Said the the giant. When the giant got Bob tied up, the giant’s wife said, “Gerald, fetch me some lemonade.” The wife wore bright red lipstick and a flower dress; she was a foot smaller than Gerald, the giant. “Fine, Kelley.” He said with a sigh. While Gerald was getting the lemonade, Bob bit through the rope and escaped. He ran all the way out of the town! He ran for many days and many nights. When he started to slow down, he saw his milk carton. He was relieved to see his carton and began to feel very tired. His eyes began to feel heavy, he laid down, and took a long nap.
The next day, she very quietly, very sneakily, very mysteriously crept up to her desk. In shock, she watched the HiLiters playing tricks on her again: they were busy writing on her papers. The Hi-Liters finally noticed and scrambled back into the pencil bags. Shelby quickly grabbed the pencil bag and took out the yellow marker and pink marker and threw them both in the trash can. That night, the janitor came to take out the trash, and put the bag of garbage in the dumpster outside. Those two markers were never to be seen again. They learned that playing tricks leads to trouble. 5
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BOOK REVIEW
Embracing Change in “Fallen Angels” by Walter Dean Myers By: Morgan Stringer,
10th Grade, Clarkston High School
W
ar is tragic, but it also teaches us many lessons about life. Fallen Angels helps us understand this by connecting our world to that of Richie’s - a soldier who goes to Vietnam to fight in the war. Through the series of events, that impacts big or small, author Walter Dean Meyers changes our perspective on many things. To start, Myers illustrates that an impactful event changes one’s personality. As a newcomer to war, Richie wasn’t aware of the mental strength it took to be in his line of work. The war has molded him into something that he wasn’t expecting. He states, “I knew Mama loved me, but I also knew when I got back, she would expect me to be the same person, but it could never happen. She hadn’t been to Nam. She hadn’t given her poncho to anybody to wrap a body in, or stepped over a dying kid” (Myers 267). Richie had experienced a transformation
OCTOBER 2016
and he knew it. He was not able to live the way he did in the past. He had seen more in Vietnam than most people will in their lives, for good or bad. On the other hand, Richie was unsure on how he was supposed to feel. He soon was enlightened to the fact that the less emotionally attached one gets the less one has to deal with the mind games later. Myers elaborates through the plot that people have to make some changes to benefit themselves. Richie reflects on his dreams many times throughout the book so readers can understand his intentions to join the army. “My plans, maybe just my dreams really, had been to go to college and to write like James Baldwin. All the other guys in the neighborhood thought I was going to college. I wasn’t, and the army was the place I was going to get away from all the questions” (Myers 15). People made assumptions, and because of them, joining the army seemed like the only option. Richie is aware that by choosing to go in the army, he had altered his view of
the world. Myers demonstrates that how we see things changes with experience. While he was young, Richie, like most other Americans, saw soldiers as good samaritans. Once he becomes a “good samaritan” himself, his perspective is changed. “I didn’t like having to convince anybody that I was the good guy. That was where we were supposed to start from. We, the Americans, were the good guys. Otherwise it didn’t make the kind of sense I wanted it to make (Myers 112).” There was no sugar coating anymore; he saw reality for reality. This piece of literature embraces the reality of change within people. Myers is very successful in delivering this message to his reader. The book really spoke to me because I felt that it brought up many questions that are relevant to my life and lives of others around me.
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REFLECTION
The
Jacket By: Bryna Halligan,
Clarkston High School
I
t all started with the search for the dance jacket. My sights were set on finding the one, choosing a size, and reporting back to Miss Stephanie. The store was crowded and busy; from the doors, it looked like a discombobulated beehive. The employees were rushing around like worker bees, trying to please every customer in sight. The customers, like newborn bees, were unsure of their place, unclear of what to do and where things were. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Considering that my plan was to lounge around all day on that Sunday afternoon, I wasn’t too thrilled to be stuck in such a chaotic mess. After waiting for what seemed like forever, one of the worker bees finally tended to my mom and me. We conversed, all while the employee tried to help four others, and soon she scurried off on a search for the jacket. Another long while of waiting passed, the worker returned only with 10
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the information that pertained to my dance studio. The search had started. It reminded me of a scene from a movie: my mom and I split off into two different directions like undercover spies. Looking high and low, searching through every inch of the store that the jacket was supposedly located in. As we regrouped, following the intense quest, we turned to find the long sleeved, high necked, black athletic jacket. I began trying it on by stretching my arms in every direction possible, touching my toes and arching my back as far as it could go. I grasped the zipper of the black athletic jacket and pulled it up and down quickly; the sound of the jacket closing and opening couldn’t help me to stray away from the flood of thoughts rushing through my head. After about a half of an hour of waiting and searching and trying, I had finally found the perfect jacket, but something wasn’t sitting quite right inside of me. As we withdrew ourselves from the store, I couldn’t help but share the not-soperfect feeling with my mom. “It doesn’t really feel right,” I started. My mom looked at me puzzled, and in a tone that made me feel nearly insane, she exclaimed, “We were just in the store and you said it felt perfect! Are you saying we have to go back into that nuthouse?” “No not at all,” I giggled at the sight of her face, trying to stall the words from falling out of my mouth. “Dance, it just doesn’t feel right anymore. I’ve been going back and forth over the last year or so, and today looking at the jacket, I finally realized something. With all that you put into dance for me and all that I put in for
myself, is it really worth it all if I don’t enjoy it? If I’m not passionate about it?” She looked at me stunned. “You’re kidding, right? Ten long years of dance and you’re giving it all up?” I twisted away from her concerned expression and once again, I took all of what she was saying into consideration for about the one-millionth time. Sure I’d miss it. All of my friends, my coaches, performing on stage in front of countless people, hanging out at the studio, making memories. But would I miss having to go to class every day, year round, with no breaks? Absolutely not; in fact, I wouldn’t miss it one bit. “I’m not going to do it if it doesn’t make me happy. It has stopped being fun.” When I faced towards her once again, I saw a small grin stretch across her face. “I would never expect you to force yourself into doing something that you weren’t passionate about, I’ll call Miss Stephanie right now.” At that moment in time, I felt a rush of anxiety push through an exterior of happiness and fill my body from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. Soon my stomach endured what felt like an anchor dragging me to the ground. I could feel the panic brush over my face, my expression quickly developing into one of worry. In no time at all, ten years of hard work and wholehearted performances were left back in that mall. For many years, dancing was my play, my fun, my outlet, but at some point it stopped being it. When the call ended, with my mom by my side, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and my life change before I could register what had just happened.
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REFLECTION
American Lessons
By: Thao Diep,
12th grade, Exchange Student, Lake Orion High School
M
y name is Thao and I come from Vietnam - a small tropical country in Asia. Like all children, I was raised up in a happy family, full of love. When I was a sophomore, my parents thought of sending me to America for studying abroad. I was very excited when I heard about that idea because it was giving me freedom! Unlike many Vietnamese parents who sent their children to America to stay with their relatives or in the dorms, my parents chose a host family program. I
OCTOBER 2016
got done with my application and visa very quickly, but I didn’t not know where exactly I would be staying in America. At that time, I kept imagining living in New York City, full of tall buildings, huge highways, delicious restaurants, and especially the Statue of Liberty! One day I received an email from my agency with my new host family’s profile and information. I was very excited, but when I looked at the address, my heart sank: I would be going to a very strange
state, which I had never heard about: NORTH DAKOTA. I did a quick search on Google, and the first thing on Wikipedia stated: “small population”, “rural area”, “very cold in the winter.” I didn’t know what to think. I lived in Ho Chi Minh City – the largest city in Vietnam, with almost twelve million people! The entire state of North Dakota didn’t have one third of my city’s population. My excitement turned into fear as I wondered how I could survive in North Dakota.
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REFLECTION
The day I had to say goodbye to my family came faster than I expected. I did not cry at all until I arrived in Hong Kong International airport, completely by myself. My mom called me, and hearing her voice made me realized how much I really loved and missed my family. I wished I could come back home, but I knew that I had to go on. When I arrived to North Dakota and met my host family, I considered them my second parents. My host family was very nice and friendly, but I had to get used to the school. My school in Vietnam was big - about 30,000 students. In Colfax, North Dakota, there were only one elementary school and one high school. “Richland 44” was the name of that high school; its enrollment from 7th to 12th grade was 150 students. That was a huge difference from my Vietnamese school. I’m very sociable and friendly and can talk to everybody. My English is not a big problem, so it was pretty easy for me to make friends and keep up academically at the new school. Richland had nice and friendly kids, who were curious about their first Asian exchange student. They kept asking me lots of questions showing how little they knew about my country: “Do they have buses in Vietnam?”, “Do you guys have iPhones in Vietnam?” or “Does your country have same 12
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bathroom like here?” I got involved in many clubs at school, such as FFA, FCCLA, Student Council, Musical, and played volleyball and basketball, because I believed that keeping busy was the best way to make friends, get experiences, and avoid homesickness. I played and I learned. I played Powder Puff football in Homecoming, and even came to Prom last year. I had good relationships with some of my friends, and we still keep in touch now. The school year went by quickly, and I returned to my country. Because of the successful year in North Dakota, especially the great experiences I had, I decided to get my high school diploma in America by becoming an exchange student once again. This year, I was not dreaming of New York or worrying about where I would live. I was independent enough to survive in any circumstances. When I heard that Michigan would be my next destination, I was happy – Michigan is a very beautiful state with many lakes and nice people. It would be not like North Dakota: no buildings, no trees and wind blows all the time. Lake Orion High School is a place where I will graduate this year. Even though I’m looking forward to that day, I have to adjust again. Being transferred from the tiny school in the
middle of North Dakota to this huge school in Michigan is a big step, but I know that I can make my senior year the greatest year of my life. I want to play again: to join some clubs and sports, play Powder Puff football in Homecoming, and do some community services to help people. It is through many bonding experiences, through enjoying myself and appreciating people around me, I have learned that I can do anything and have fun doing it.
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S P O RT S
I RUN,
I LE ARN
By: Mattea Muscat,
5th grade, Pine Tree Elementary, Lake Orion
I
love Girls On The Run! Girls On The Run is a group that meets up two days a week at school. We talk about respecting other people by choosing to do the best we can do and find the positive in ourselves and others. We choose to respect others by keeping an open mind and encouraging them to express themselves. I find that encouraging others is very 14
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important, and at Girls On The Run we are all about that! We always encourage each other on the track by giving each other a thumbs up while running or by giving each other a happy smile! Encouraging people around me makes me a better person; plus it just brightens up everyone’s day! It is so amazing to see a person smile at you; it sends a tiny tingle through your fingertips and out your feet! I recommend Girls On The Run for anybody who loves to run. Even if you don’t enjoy running, I would still try it. At first I
didn’t like to run either, but then I gave it a second try and just loved it! I learned to persist until I reach my goal! At the end of the year, you get to run a 5K with your team and teams from other schools that have the same program. For this event, the whole team wears a costume that is made during our weekly sessions. Running for me is a learning experience, because I learned to relax and not have a care in the world while running. It brings people together by building lasting relationships through teamwork.
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S P O RT S
Soccer Teaches
Me OCTOBER 2016
By: Samantha Nidiffer,
5th Grade, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston
I
love soccer. It teaches me many things. It teaches me real life lessons. It teaches me about responsibility, respect, following directions, focus, keeping my body healthy, and commitment. The most important things that soccer teaches me are teamwork, how to deal with disappointment, and how hard work pays off. Teamwork is a big part of soccer. To become a successful team, teamwork is key. In soccer you have to listen to other people, just like at school when you are doing partner work. Listening can lead you to victory or a good grade. A team is about everyone, not just you. Everyone faces disappointment. We face disappointment in soccer, too. It’s just like school: if you lose a game or get a bad
grade on your test, you must keep fighting or studying. You don’t quit. You keep fighting and learning from your mistakes, knowing that eventually you will get better. Working hard and challenging yourself is a huge part of soccer. If you don’t work hard or challenge yourself, you won’t get better. If you don’t study or work hard, then you won’t do the best you can do. Same with soccer. If you don’t push yourself or work hard at practice, you won’t be as good as you can be. You might even get worse if you don’t put the work in. Work hard and challenge yourself or else you won’t go where you want to be. By playing soccer I have learned that teamwork is key, don’t let disappointment get you down, and work hard to challenge yourself to be the best! Set goals and beat them because you will not only get better, but you will feel good about yourself, too!
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G R A D U AT E S
College Tour:
Amanda Ennis Senior, Oakland University
A
manda Ennis is Hartland High School graduate. He is majoring in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education.
What inspired you to pursue a teaching career?
I have always enjoyed being around children, and I feel very comfortable with them. I have six younger siblings, so I grew up watching them go through all of the stages of development and learning. I love to watch young children learn new things and reach new goals.
If you could change one thing about your own education, what would it be and why?
I was fortunate to have teachers that really cared about their students and their academic progress, so there isn’t much I would want to change about my education. One thing that does come to mind though is adequate funding. For many years I was in grade school, there were major roof leaking issues, and I remember several times that the pipes burst in a classroom and flooded it during the winter.
As a future educator, what do you think about the theme of this issue - ‘I play = I learn’?
In early childhood, children learn so much from play! In dramatic play, they learn and practice social
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behaviors and learn how to solve conflicts with other children. When playing with small toys, they develop their small motor skills. When using toys in general, they begin to understand how objects take up space and how forces of physics work on them. When an adult (or an older child) plays with a child, it is a great opportunity for him or her to model good behavior and share new knowledge and ideas with the child. On the elementary level, play can be very valuable for learning and supporting social and academic concepts. While it cannot necessarily replace all academic instruction, play can reinforce many important ideas that have been taught. In my own experience, I remember that review games in grade school really helped me recall and solidify information before a test. Hands-on activities can be very beneficial to help students learn, especially in the younger grades. Being able to interact with materials in the lesson can be motivational and memorable for students. I also think that it is very important for students at any age to have “brain breaks” throughout the day to move around and play, even if just for a few minutes. Even as a college student, I have trouble concentrating for long periods of time without a break. Taking time to stretch and let the brain rest can help students pay attention more during a lesson.
How do you think you will be able to incorporate play in your future classroom?
In my early childhood classroom, I would make sure to have many different materials and objects available to encourage rich play experiences. In an elementary classroom, I would have time set aside for play and for small breaks in instruction for the students to move around. I would also try to have hands-on and participatory elements in my lessons to keep the students engaged.
Do you feel that Oakland University adequately prepared you to step into a classroom environment?
While I have learned some valuable things in my classes, what has really prepared me for the classroom is actually being in the classroom. At our university, future elementary teachers are required to be in classrooms often so they can observe experienced teachers and get some experience ourselves. We are placed in different environments and grades for different semesters, and we visit the classes four hours a week over eight weeks. In the Early Childhood program, we spend eight hours a week in preschools. These experiences have helped me feel comfortable about having my own classroom.
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PEOPLE WE ADMIRE
Patrick
Ewing GIVES BACK By: Lochlan Stoudt,
5th Grade, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston
M
any people who love basketball know Patrick Ewing as one of the most famous New York Knicks players of the 1990’s, but very few know him as a person who did his best to help out his community. By playing basketball, he learned that giving back is a must.
OCTOBER 2016
Patrick Ewing was number 33 his whole career. His full name is Patrick Aloysius Ewing, but most people know him as Patrick Ewing. He stands seven feet tall and weighs 240 pounds. When growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, he was excellent at cricket and soccer, but grew up to play in the NBA. His career began at Georgetown University, where he was voted the greatest basketball player to ever wear the Georgetown Blue and Gray. Patrick Ewing was drafted in 1985 in round one and was first pick overall by the New York Knicks. He also played with the Seattle Supersonics and Orlando Magics. He has been the associate head coach for the Charlotte Hornets since 2013. When Patrick Ewing was first picked by the New York Knicks, the fans thought the Knicks would never win. But it was when Patrick Ewing got traded to a new team that the Knicks quit making the playoffs for quite a few years. Patrick Ewing is a “NBA” hall-of-famer
and a “Dream Team Olympic” hall-offamer. But what makes him truly a great player is that he appreciated and respected the college that gave him a bright start and wanted to give back. Ewing and his agent David Falk donated 3.3 millions to Georgetown University towards the Thompson Athletics Center, named after the university’s famous coach. They chose the amount of 3.3 millions because 33 was Ewing’s number his whole career. “Coach Thompson was my coach, mentor, and friend,” Ewing says. “He guided me through a very formative period in my life and helped me prepare for success on and off the court. Giving back to the university in his honor is special.” Patrick Ewing’s son, Patrick Ewing Jr., also plays for Georgetown Bulldogs. Playing basketball taught Patrick Ewing an important lesson to never forget those who helped him and always give back. I admire this basketball player and I learn from him the importance of giving back.
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I N T E RV I E W
Interview By: Brendan Flum,
Coach Chris Bell
12th Grade, Lake Orion High School
Athletic Director and Head Varsity Football Coach for the Dragons of Lake Orion High School
H
ow long have you been coaching? What made you want to choose this field? I have been coaching for 29 years. I spent two years working as a student assistant at Albion College and the past 27 years coaching high school varsity football, 24 of which I have been a head coach. I have also coached basketball and track. I've always loved sports, and as a player, I enjoyed learning the game as well as playing the game. I was an average athlete talent-wise, but I knew the game mentally, which is what helped me excel. Even before I was done playing, I knew I wanted to coach. I have been so blessed to stay in the game I love for so long and work with student-athletes to help them succeed. Kids Standard’s October theme is “I play = I learn.” What does play mean to you as an adult and a coach?
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Along with having fun and creating memories and friendships, playing sports or instruments or being on stage teaches many valuable life lessons. Students learn time management skills, physical fitness, teamwork, how to compete, how to deal with the highs and lows associated with winning and losing, leadership lessons, how to play fair,
how to receive coaching and instruction, and how to earn respect. They also have to learn how to represent their school and community, as well as being a positive figure in their school and community. Involvement and participation are valuable parts of growing up and the education of our young people. When you look at successful adults, more often than not they were involved in activities they enjoyed when they were growing up, such as athletics, dance, choir, band, clubs, etc. The key is to get involved, challenge yourself, and do something positive. Students today are busy with clubs, sports, and homework. How do you think a high school student should balance learning and play? Interestingly, our student-athletes do better academically when they
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I N T E RV I E W are in-season. Having less time forces them to be more organized with better time management skills. They also work with adult coaches/mentors that help them monitor their classes and grades. Balancing leaning and playing is about having priorities and making sure that after faith and family, school and activities they love come next. Do you think it is possible to play and learn at the same time? How so? Sports, hobbies, clubs, work, etc. give our students a mental break from cognitively heavy school activities. Even our best and brightest need to find a positive outlet to recharge. Doing that they enjoy, especially if it involves physical fitness, helps students stay mentally fresh and healthy, which allows them to focus better and do better in the classroom. There
needs to be a healthy balance between the physical and the mental. When you get to do it by having fun with your teammates, it's really special.
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What was your most memorable learning experience while playing sports? There isn’t one memory that stands out. As a player, I won a lot games and lost some games. As a coach, I've been a part of championship teams and teams that fell short. But the greatest memories I have are of my teammates, coaches, and players that I have had the opportunity to work with. The lifelong bonds and connections that are created through the process of becoming a team and working for success are the things that I remember and treasure the most.
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T E AC H E R ’ S C O R N E R
Technolog y, Playing and Learning By: Scott Cox, Science Teacher
Oakview Middle School, Lake Orion
T
eaching with technology in today’s world is imperative for so many reasons that not utilizing this resource should be against one’s philosophy. Our job as educators is to develop in students the skills of tomorrow. How can we do that without exposing them to some of today’s technology? Modern students often see technology as entertainment, separated from our classrooms and schools. When we combine their desire to play with opportunities to learn, we can trig their intrinsic motivation. Technology has transformed my teaching in many ways. One way is my journey of flipping my classroom. A flipped classroom refers to a type of instruction that flips what is traditionally done in the classroom (notes, lectures, etc.) with what is traditionally done at home (practice problems, lab questions, etc.). By assigning my students short videos to watch the night before a class for homework, I ensure that they are ready to discuss the topic of the video homework in a greater detail. With any flipped lesson, I allow my students to have some creative fun by coming up with questions, thoughts, 20
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comments, or even complaints about the topic, and these are used to lead our discussion to following day. What I found is that more often than not, students’ questions go above and beyond the topic of the video, while their awaken curiosity drives the discussion. Not only does flipping of my classroom change the dynamics of the discussions in my room but it also frees up time for some creative projects, which students often view as fun, as they use technology to create unique products that will help them on district unit assessments. One such project incorporating elements of play is recording a song, rap, or music video with the information from the unit. Students come up with lyrics and a beat using the app “Garageband.” They rehearse their lyrics and record themselves; then they use an app like “iMovie” or “Videostar” to create a video that helps tell their story. Another way I use technology in my room is to help me satisfy a student’s 504 or IEP. Quite a few students who have an IEP or 504 plan have an accommodation requiring that assessments be read to them out loud in a separate setting. This is not something that I can personally do; nor can I rely on our support staff to always be available. My solution
is technology. There are multiple ways to have text read out loud. One way is to use an iPad’s accessibility function called “Speak Screen.” It reads any text on the screen from the top down. One can pause it, slow it down, or change the dialect. Another way to have text read is by using the “Narration” option on any computer with the Windows operating system. Both options allow me to put students in a separate setting, where they can guide themselves through the assessment. Lastly, I use apps like “Socrative”, “Quizizz”, “Charades”, “Goformative”, and “Kahoot” for both formative evaluation and additional opportunities for my students. Each app has its unique uses, but all are similar. I use them in class to gather informal information and at home to review material. Students can log in at home and participate in an online review game. They play and learn. As for my own playing and learning, one way I stay current and grow my PLN (Personal Learning Network) is Twitter. This is where some of the best conversations about education happen every week. Getting involved on Twitter was one of the best decisions I made because it has connected me to teachers all over the world. Join me @scottcox55
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F E AT U R E
Motivate. Activate. Celebrate Subscribe to 2016-2017 Kids’ Standard and Get it at Home! Kids’ Standard is a Michigan based, non-profit publication that features MOSTLY work of local students, AND SOME ARTICLES FROM parents, educators, and leading researchers to connect and empower our communities to excel! Because of the limited availability and overwhelming demand for the magazine, coming from children, parents, family members, teachers, mentors, and patrons, we cannot satisfy it with our own resources. To ensure that you receive all of the issues of Kids’ Standard in 2016-2017, we are now offering an annual subscription delivered right to your home or to your child’s Classroom! [ ] Yes, I would like to receive Kids’ Standard 2016-2017 in my Child’s classroom
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OCTOBER 2016
Questions? Call 248-410-3976
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TRIVIA
1. Who was the first baseball player to appear on a U.S. postage stamp? 2. The Canary Islands are named for what kind of animal? 3. What six-letter company can have its first and last letters changed to get the six-letter last name of its former CEO?
Answers: 1. Jackie Robinson (in 1982, 10 years after his death) 2. Canis, Latin for “dog,�because of the wild dogs found there 3. Disney/Eisner
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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R
Learn and Play
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here has been an abundance of research showing a strong connection between playing and learning. The articles in this issue, written by students an educators, also showed a link between play, learning, and children physical and social development. I hope that you enjoyed reading them. Read what our summer contest winners had to say when we asked them what inspired them to write.
Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder
Kelsey French, Elementary Division Winner
T
he person who inspired me was my grandma who I call Mimi. A reason she inspires me is that she believes that I can do things, and that I can do them well. She used to be a teacher so it is easy to do this kind of stuff with her. At first I did not want to write the essay, but once I sat down and started to write, I got so into it that I did not want to stop for quite a while! I think that if you really put your mind to it, you can make a great piece of writing.
Annelise Lemieux, Middle School Division Winner
I
nspiration has a different meaning for all of us. It can lead us all to mind blowing places. For me, inspiration unleashed something. I was too shy to share to anything but my own two eyes. My writing. I have always been a major book worm, and reading was more than just enjoyment to me. It inspired me to write. I wrote many stories based on what I read, every last one a fantasy. I hid my writing in a drawer. I kept reading, books, books, and more books! My creative juices flowed, and I felt like a pen became an extension of my hand, and the ink was my thoughts. After a couple years, I upgraded to typing out my stories, inclining me to write longer and better. I fell in love with words, I love reading writing, and all of the things in between. Look at me now, in a Kids’ Standard Magazine. It lead me to my own mind blowing place. Now I must ask you, the reader, a question. Where will writing led you?
Hannah Perry, High School Division Winner
W
hen I was in elementary school I had some amazing teachers who inspired and encourage me to express myself through writing. Now, in High School I understand the importance of being a good writer for college essays and definitely a great skill to have.
OCTOBER 2016
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