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Process to Finding the Right
Parent’s PAGE2 3
THE
Interview PAG E 7
PEOPLE WHO WE
ADMIRE PAGE22
A MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY KIDS FOR KIDS Creativity PAGE
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Educators
Arts PAGE
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Thom Markham: Psychologist, Writer, Speaker and Founder& CEO of PBL Global
Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.
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WELCOME
Index: Welcome .............................................2 Editorial Calendar .............................3 History .................................................4 Creativity ............................................5 Technology ..........................................6 Interview ............................................7 Poems ..................................................8 Art.........................................................9 Science................................................12 Arts and Science ...............................13 Educators ...........................................14 Parent’s Corner .................................15 Fun images ........................................16 College Voices ............................ 18-19 Teacher’s Corner .............................20 People we admire ............................22 Parent’s Corner .................................23
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Welcome
H
ow to be an innovator? How to raise an innovator? What does it take? In the last few decades, our society has been rapidly progressing toward a project-based economy. There is a trend showing a shift from full-time employment with benefits to part-time employment with projectbased assignments. This means that today’s youth will enter the marketplace where people will be changing their professional identity frequently. True success in the future will most likely be determined by originality, creativity, achievement over time, and personal strengths. Today, more than ever before, children need opportunities, both at school and at home, to creatively express themselves, to explore, to experiment with things, to figure out how they operate, and to apply what they know. October 2015 issue of Kids’ Standard Magazine - Creative Spark of Innovators - is offering practices, perspectives, and reflections on learning experiences that lead to personal motivation that inspires innovation. Happy reading!
Arina Bokas
Arina Bokas Editor Kids’ Standard Magazine
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Contributors: Darian Razdar, Camron Razdar
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ORION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY 825 Joslyn Road Lake Orion MI 48362 248.693.3000 Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:30a-9:00p Fri & Sat 9:30a-5:00p Closed Sundays Dragon Award—Vote for Books! Monday, September 14—November 3 Vote for the Third Annual Dragon Award! Details online at orionlibrary.org/youth. Save the Date: Dragon Award Victory Party-Wednesday, November 4 @ 7:00p Game On! Tuesdays: September 22—December 15 @ 6:30p Drop into the Youth room for a fun evening playing games! Board games, card games, chess, checkers, and more! Grades K-5, drop in, limit 20 Haunted House October 26-29, 6:00p-8:00p Drop in if you dare for the annual kid-friendly Haunted House put on by teen volunteers. Ages birth to 5th grade For more program details or to register visit orionlibrary.org/calendar
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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R
2015-2016 Editorial Calendar September 2015 Learning for Life
failure, how can a teacher help to develop a growth mindset in students; stories about overcoming failure)
others, stories about self-discovery, understanding of others; papers about differences in people)
December 2015
April 2016
Peace on Earth
(What does it mean to learn, what learning experiences matter, what should be taught in schools; stories of memorable learning experiences)
October 2015
Creative Spark of Innovators
(What is global citizenship, how can schools and communities promote ideas of globalization and understanding of other cultures, why global awareness is important, international experiences and learning that promote peace and acceptance)
January 2016
The Digital Kids
(How can technology be used in classrooms to facilitate learning; why technology is a priority; how can parents use technology to engage kids in learning and discovery; coding; stories involving use of technology or about technology)
Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn
May 2016
Listen to Your Art (Importance of art, how art can be used to inspire thinking and learning; stories about various art genres and their transforming power) (What is creativity, how teachers/parents can promote a creative mindset, projectbased learning and making; inventing, experimenting, and solving problems)
November 2015
Growing through Failure
(What’s a culture of thinking; how can schools promote independent thinking; opinion or position papers, learning through thinking)
February 2016
Heartfelt Learning (Ideas for social and emotional learning; how can schools and parents teach emotional intelligence to children, stories of love, kindness, gratitude, a positive mindset)
March 2016 (What value does failure have, how can failure be used to develop grit and perseverance, what life lessons could be learned from
October 2015
I Want to be Me (How can children grow understanding of SELF: how I am smart, how I belong, how I am different; multiple intelligences, self vs.
June 2016
Learning is Everywhere (Learning with families, opportunities to learn outside of school: trips, library visits, museums)
July-August 2016
Family Dinner (Stories about relationships in a family, connections between kids and parents, meaningful experiences involving families; how can parents connect with children amidst of constant competing priorities; how to find time for important discussions)
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H I S TO R Y
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
By: Brian Tamjdi 8th Grade
T
he battle of new Orleans was a major victory for the Americans. Even though it was after the war, the British thought they could go walking into the United states and claim what they wanted. The British wanted New Orleans back, so they decided to go and claim it not long after a treaty was signed between the United states and Great Britain. When the people in New Orleans found out about this, they turned to Andrew Jackson for help. When Jackson arrived in the late fall of 1814, he brought his own army along to help. He also recruited freed African American slaves and the militia of New Orleans to help fight. When the British arrived on December 23rd, two American officers came running to Jackson to give him the news. That night, Jackson launched a surprise attack on the British camp. After the attack, the British were so surprised that they delayed their attack plans giving the American army time to recreate. Jackson retreated 3 miles to the Chalmette plantation on the banks of the Rodriguez canal which was basically a big ditch. Here, Jackson’s men constructed a 3/5 mile long rampart. It was the perfect position too because they had the rampart up front, the Mississippi river to the right and the cypress swamp to their left. As General Pakenham prepared to attack, the Americans dug trenches and settled into their surroundings. On December 28th, the British tried to break through the American defenses but were turned back with the help of a ship called the Louisiana stationed to the right of the troops. Four days later, the British tried to bombard the Americans with their artillery but once again were turned back. On January 4th , 1815, the British received a fresh supply of troops
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which greatly increased their chance of success. General Pakenham decided to cross the Mississippi river and overwhelm the thin line of defense. Their plan was simple. They would construct ladders from bundled sticks to get past the ramparts. There was only one problem however. The British had forgotten to bring their ladders so an easy task of climbing a ladder got a whole lot harder. The British had two forces that were to meet up and overwhelm the Americans but the secondary force on the west side of the Mississippi was delayed so the main force had to attack without them to take advantage of the early morning fog. As the British army of more than 10,000 walked across, the badly out numbered U.S. rag tag army were crammed behind narrow fortifications prepared to fight.. Even though the Americans were outnumber 4,000 to 10,000, the British made easy targets marching across a quarter mile of open ground wearing bright suits, and marching in perfect rhythm like “civilized” men. When the firing started, the British army started falling like dominoes. The two most senior British Generals were killed along with general Pakenham. Before he died he told his successor not to retreat. The man was obviously not a lunatic like Pakenham and gave the order to retreat. In the end, the Americans killed were 8 and 13 wounded; The British on the other hand had well over 2,000 killed or wounded and more than 100 captured.
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C R E AT I V I T Y By: Olivia Sanders, 9 years old, Clarkston
C
Creative!
hances to be creative are everywhere. And we can be creative in how we learn. Learning at home has been a great and happy experience for me because we learn in many new ways. Of course, we learn new subjects every day, like French, Music, Geography, History, Coding, greater reading, but we also go to the internet to look something up, when we need to. This wakes my brain up and makes me want to learn more on my own. And we learn all the time - at home, in the car, at the table eating a meal, at the supermarket and at museums. This makes my brain to work much harder and see things differently. I also do many other things, like ballet, play the piano, swim, ski, ride my bike, play in the garden, play make believe with my sister and our toys. I feel that this makes me a better and more creative person. We learn to do other things, like helping with the chores and running the household. This makes me feel responsible and independent. Learning in all these ways is a lot of fun, exciting, and interesting, too. It makes me happy, bubbly and alive inside. And it shows me what I can do and how.
What is Learning? By: Creative Look At Learning 4th graders, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston
October 2015
“Whenever you make a mistake, whenever anything happens, new knowledge is added to your brain. You can never truly stop learning.” “An experience of a subject that helps you get smarter in life.” “Is finding out about stuff in the world.” “Learning is a fun way to experience life tools while taking the tools in.” “Learning is when you see or do different things; then you learn what you see, hear, or do.” “A moment when you figure out something new and you know that it is finding a way into your brain.” “Learning is an amazing thing that helps
you strive in life. Learning is everything!” “Is the knowledge you put into everyday life.” “Is when you are taught something valuable that you actually can use.” “Getting to know what things mean.” “Learning is like eating. You are feeding your brain.” “To me, learning is a fun brain teaser that you take something away from.” “When you add things to your mind.” “Learning is thinking and listening.” “Learning is pushing your brain to try hard things or solve hard problems. It is when you don’t copy someone and do it on your own.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Can Smartphones
serving as a dictionary in foreign language classes, to accessing textbooks in Science, phones have become very useful. But on the other hand, phones can and do distract in classes, when students ignore teachers during History or text instead of writing in Language Arts. The question then lies in how we should use phones in school. Some teachers have creatively embraced the phones, having students use them to download apps to study or participate in class. Language teachers experiment with making social media posts in languages other
than English. Others will give easy access to textbooks on phones to save the backpacks of their students. There are also teachers who have resorted to taking all phones from students when they enter the classroom, or taking away a phone when it ventures out of its owner’s pocket. While extreme, this allows teachers to make sure their students learn effectively. I believe that teachers should learn how to incorporate these technologies into their lessons to promote innovative learning. By doing so, students will be in the center of what happens in the classroom, which will lead them to better learning habits. Only then a teacher can fully connect with his or her students. To raise innovators, teachers must innovate with new technology.
special occasions such as the Olympics, and offbeat little commemorations such as artist Edvard Munch’s birthdate. Hwang is modest about his celebrity, but admits he gets hundreds of fan e-mails every time a new doodle posts; sometimes thousands, if he’s done something “particularly surprising,” he say His family moved back to Knoxville when he was in middle school. Hwang found himself speaking no English, trying to follow what was going on. It didn’t take long for him to catch up academically. When it was time for college, he thought he wanted a pure art school, “but when I visited them, none felt like home,” he recalls. “The first place I went at Stanford was the art department and it just clicked. It’s a very free environment. The professors are almost like classmates.” Hwang immersed himself in fine art as well as some programming classes. He also was captivated by Professor Marc Levoy’s freshman seminar Science of Art. Levoy recalls two aspects of Hwang that still ring true: “He smiled a lot and he has a childlike exuberance. In the summer after his junior year, Hwang’s former resident adviser in Cardenal, an early Google employee, convinced Hwang to take an internship as an assistant webmaster. His life has barely slowed since. He devoted his senior year to Google, working 40 hours a week. From the beginning, Google had a sense
of humor. A little stick figure illustrative of the event on the Google logo is a clue to where they were. Users loved it, and soon the company hired an outside graphic artist to come up with other simple cartoons to mark special events. Hwang’s original job involved straightforward programming chores, but soon after his modification of a Fourth of July doodle caught the founders’ attention, word of Hwang’s art experience and his talent got around. Pretty soon, Hwang became the official doodler, completing about 50 doodles a year. Hwang creates the images, using an electronic tablet and stylus for his sketches. The doodles are fun, usually whimsical—and sometimes baffling. Know about Gaston Julia, for example? Visitors to Google on February 3, 2004, saw the Google logo with a hurricane-shaped “o” against a backdrop of equations to celebrate the French mathematician. Although he has little free time, Hwang tries to “keep up with the latest tools” in computer animation. His most difficult doodling tasks, he says quietly, involve honoring artists whose styles he has studied and admired for years, such as Claude Monet. Amid an almost infinite supply of people and events to doodle, “artists’ birthdays are the most precious to me,” Hwang says. “I’ve always studied art history and trying to imitate their style is the most pressure.”
Help Innovative Learning? By: Justin Osborn 9th grade, Clarkston Schools
A
s I look around my class and see students engaged with their smartphones, I wonder how this technology has affected the classroom. Has it helped learning or taken away from it by causing distraction? How will it affect the classroom in the future? With technology becoming regular in class, the line of distraction and utility has become increasingly blurred in recent years. From
The google artist By: Sonne Kimbad 12 th grade International School, Bloomfield Hills
E
very Stanford dorm seems to have that creative, go-to person. The felt-pen artist who enhances the hallway white board, the annoyingly smart kid who cuts class to make posters for Big Game and still aces the midterm . . . the only one you’d trust to design the T-shirt. Dennis Hwang was that guy. He graduated with a degree in art and a minor in computer science. Hwang is still that guy. Webmaster manager for the search engine powerhouse Google, Hwang is the “Google doodler”—the cartoonist who embellishes the firm’s wide-eyed typographic logo. With tens of millions of people viewing Google’s home page daily, the guy who used to design Burbank and Cardenal’s dorm shirts is, in CNN ’s words, “the most famous unknown artist in the world.” Hwang, 28, manages a team of 23 people charged with keeping Google’s heavily visited pages technically fit, fast and sleek, but he also has charge of the creative drawings that decorate the Google logo on holiday,
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I N T E RV I E W
Interview with Clarkston Optimist Club What made you decide to join Optimist Club? Andrea Schroder I was really involved with other things in the community like the PTA, the school district, and I did a lot of volunteering for all sorts of different causes. So I encouraged my husband to also give back to the community. He got involved with The Optimist Club and really enjoyed it, so I became a member as well, and I’ve been involved for 7 years now. It’s a great group. Don Brose I didn’t know much about it, but I decided to join because I like working with the community. I have been here for 23 years. Tom Middleton I enjoy the speakers. Every week there is a speaker at Optimist Club. Often, these are not speakers that I would’ve necessarily chosen for myself, but I learn about different subjects and broaden knowledge. I also enjoy the friendship and the camaraderie that develop there. What is the best part of the Optimist Club? Andrea Schroder The friendship, and the fellowship, and the people you meet - service-oriented, community-oriented good people that do a lot of different things. A bunch of people are in the Farm Garden club, for example; I can’t grow anything, but I know people who can and how to get a hold of them. There’s a professional network also, especially when it comes to other community events and services. It’s a great network. Don Brose Working with kids in schools with the Optimist Youth Clubs. We have seven different youth clubs in Clarkston right now.
October 2015
Andrea Schroder Business Consultant; married, three children
Don Brose Lighting Showroom Owner and Manager, married
Tom Middleton We laugh every Wednesday morning. People ask, “why in the world would you want to get up at 7:30 in the morning?” But we laugh; we have a lot of subtle jokes amongst the forty members that regularly attend the meetings, and we always have a great time. With your professional work and family, how do you manage to have time for volunteer work? Andrea Schroder When it comes down to a choice between having a clean, tidy and neat house and doing the things in the community that are important to us, we’re going to choose the community. Every one of us has an obligation to society to do what we can to give back; we take that seriously and we enjoy it, too. So you have to be willing to make the time.
Q A
Don Brose I make it a priority. It’s like a hobby. If you like what you’re doing, it’s not an effort.
Tom Middleton You have to try and fit the volunteer work into your schedule, and that is easy to do if you really enjoy it.
Tom Middleton County Commissioner, Farmer; married, three children, four grandchildren
Who do you think should join Optimist Club and why? Andrea Schroder I think anyone who has an interest in improving the quality of life in our community and improving opportunities for kids should join. It’s a very social group, and you can be either very or minimally involved. It is always fun; we are always laughing. If anybody feels life is too busy or something is missing, the Optimist Club is a great organization to join. Don Brose Everybody should! It’s for anyone that wants to be around good people and stay connected with the community. Tom Middleton People that are about forty, with kids in school, would get a lot out of the club. We learn a lot about what’s going on, especially with Clarkston Schools. There are teachers and principals that are members of the Optimist Club. We have kids who are honored for being good citizens in their school. It’s really refreshing to see the good things kids do. We also see the leadership that Optimist Club teaches to the kids in the Octagon Clubs. So even our kids and their friends can capitalize on the things that the Optimist Club does.
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POEMS
Creativity
Remix of watermelon day
Tell me my name
I am everywhere you look I am inside of your mind
It’s National Lazy Day.
I need to be used, not be abused
Nothin’ left to do but soak up the TV.
I am new, unique to your mind, one of a kind
Feel the numbness go up and down your spine, stiff and crackling after that long nap.
I am a breath of fresh air if you know what I mean
Laze around and dream of a soft and fuzzy couch to lay on.
I make you sing
Relaxing Gatorade down your throat and nice cool air conditioning.
I make you play I make you think
Lie in a chair and play effortless games like Happy Soccer.
I make you solve------- problems as you see
Imagine a bunch of servants doing your work for you.
You use me every time you make something People use me when they build something
Think about catching your favorite reality show tonight.
Light me up, watch what happens. Turn me on. I am yours whenever you need me. Turn it on
Watch as a relaxing day passes you.
Turn me on turn them on-n-ON-n-ON-n- ON I AM CREATIVITY..SPARK IT! By: Rochelle Debuis 6TH grade Waterford Schools
2015 Clarkston News Reader’s Choice
Place 8
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Listen to the lazy silence. And love the brownies before your Dad gets them. By: Cale Herzenstiel 8TH grade Clarkston Schools
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Logan Robinson, 1ST Grade, and Clarkston School
Regan Hakala, 5th Grade, Clarkston School
Ellie Britt, 5th grade, Lake Orion
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Terms & Conditions: This voucher entitles a maximum of 6 people to $5.00 off each full paying standard adult or child individual. This voucher is not valid in conjunction with any other offer or with online booking. This voucher has no cash value. The voucher is valid at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium until February 29, 2016. Check opening dates/times on attraction website. This voucher must be presented at the Attraction entrance and surrendered. Final interpretation resides with SEA LIFE. Code V00024
Sloan Museum, Longway Planetarium & Buick Automotive Gallery
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SCIENCE
Antibiotics: One Innovation that
CHANGED THE WORLD!
By: Brianna Gangjii 7th grade Lake Orion Schools
S
ome innovations have definitely been a breakthrough in the medical industry. Perhaps a giant step in the field of medicine, antibiotics saved millions of lives by killing and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. Scientists like Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister were the first to recognize and attempt to combat bacteria, but it was Alexander Fleming who made the first jump in antibiotics, when he accidentally discovered the bacteria-inhibiting mold, known as penicillin, in 1928. Antibiotics proved to be a major improvement in antiseptics—which killed human cells along with bacteria—and their use spread rapidly throughout the 20th century. Nowhere was their effect more obvious than on the battlefield: While nearly 20 percent of soldiers who contracted bacterial pneumonia died in World War I, with antibiotics that number dropped to only 1 percent
The Clarkston Haunted House Design Challenge By Kylie Kalinowski, 10th Grade Clarkston Schools
I
n a small section of Sashabaw Middle School’s hallways, utilizing Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), students from sixth to twelfth grades will
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during World War II. Antibiotics have gone on to fight nearly every known form of infection, including simple ear infection, influenza, malaria, meningitis, tuberculosis, and most transmitted diseases. After a lot of use, however, many people
use their imagination and creative thinking to design a haunted house. At the final public showing of the hallways, students will perform as actors, completely outfitted in frightening costumes, to show off their talents in haunted house magic, full with realistic props, scary sound effects, and much more! There will be many notorious giants of the haunted world helping out with the project, including the infamous Edward Terebus - the man who co-created the world renowned haunted house Erebus. Also attending are members of professional makeup companies and of the Society of Women Engineers, who are
have been developing immunity toward antibiotics, which means the antibiotic is not effective any longer. Now there are more research and discoveries at work to make sure scientists can still be able to have a catalyst to stop deadly diseases.
helping create animated props. There is a lot of learning that comes from hands-on experience while creating many elements of an incredible haunted house: the engineering behind drop panels, the scientific research behind the creation of realistic monster makeup, and the chemistry that goes into rolling fog machines. To acquire the skills, students will be learning from professionals after school one day a week, in seminars with handson projects. This is an incredible opportunity to learn the essence of teamwork, to discover a whole new world of STEM, and to apply science and technology to an exciting common goal.
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Power of
Classical Music By: Zoe Patterson 9th grade Rochester Schools
M
usic is part of my life! It’s not because I will choose music for my future studies or career. It’s because music is part of who I am. Music has many benefits. It has been known to increase creativity. Children, who had more than 3 years of training with classical musical instruments, often have high selfesteem and perform well in innovative activities. Playing an instrument teaches how to coordinate with others. Many times you have to adjust the high or loud sound, especially in a group. Discipline is another benefit of playing an instrument. Being good at anything requires practice, but to become great at it, we need more and more practice. That is when we also learn about priorities and making right choices: to watch TV or tweet or to practice to be great at cello. Sometimes I think I am slow to become great at things. It takes me a long time to get good at a lot of activities while many of my peers catch on immediately. But when I play cello, I am in a different world. My imagination rises high with inner satisfaction. After having played cello for 6 years, I am now comfortable with writing my own music. Classical music gave me the spark to express who I am through my own music.
October 2015
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E D U C AT O R S
Should Innovation Be a Standard?
collaborative skills. An open mind friendly to divergent thinking is a prerequisite for innovation. In practical terms, that means asking questions, failure, and persistence become key traits to be nurtured in early grades and rewarded in upper grades. That implies a radical realignment of elementary outcomes,
By: Thom Markham
S
everal years ago, at the height of the testing mania, I heard a comment that still resonates with me. In response to a call to reinvent learning and make it more creative, a tall teacher stood up and shook his head. “There’s no way to do that,” he said in a resigned tone, “It’s a standards-based world.” Among all the commentary about standards, this statement always stands out to me as the least true. The world appears to be a dynamic scene of constantly shifting problems, creative response, idea generation, and haphazard events that yield a million different opinions on how to proceed. The new standard is no standard. The underlying question is more challenging: What do we do about standards in a world where, increasingly, people live a highly personalized existence built on lifestyle preferences and a set of information sources tailored to their needs? And when the chief skills center on the ability to adapt, collaborate, solve, be flexible and resilient, and move on successfully? What standards unify us in that world? The standardized test, in short answer or multiple choice formats, will not survive the 21st century. The new standards need to be about process, not content. Most core content can be downloaded these days; it’s the how that is crucial. So it will be necessary to design standards for thinking, feeling, and invention. And think about grit, perseverance, and resiliency. How would you assess them? Let’s start by naming the process. I’ll use the term innovation, and suggest that innovation be instituted as the new standard for education. That means what it says: no one graduates unless they can demonstrate basic proficiency in innovation. So how might we begin to hold innovation in our minds?
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Innovation is not about tech. This is a necessary first step. Innovation refers to thinking and seeing the world differently in the global age, not more gadgets and apps. It’s about reinventing deep assumptions about national borders, equality, opportunity, religious division, and the host of issues that need resolution. Innovation can’t be the exclusive domain of STEM programs. Innovation implies creativity and knowledge. Creativity is the topic du jour, mostly because it is a healthy and natural response to the stifling orderliness of the educational landscape, which looks like a formal English garden set in the middle of the Amazon. But a deeper vision of creativity is necessary that values knowledge as well as artistic impulse. Personalized paths
Innovation should be instituted as the new standard for education. That means what it says: no one graduates unless they can demonstrate basic proficiency in innovation. to learning, with varied outcomes depending on personal goals and inclinations, are inevitable. But not having to read 12 plays of Shakespeare or take Algebra 2 will result in knowledge gaps, so eventually a necessary body of knowledge, appropriate for the 21st century, will need to be identified. Innovation begins with openness. ‘Openness to experience’ is one of the big five personality traits. Openness is associated with creativity, curiosity, humility, empathy, and
Thom Markham, founder and CEO of PBL Global, is a speaker, writer, psychologist, and internationally respected consultant in the critical areas of inquiry based education, 21st century skills, project based learning, and innovation. He is the author of the best-selling Project Based Learning Design and Coaching Guide: Expert tools for innovation and inquiry for K-12 educators and the forthcoming Redefining Smart: Awakening Student’s Power to Reimagine Their World.
away from stringent requirements for testbased knowledge and far more emphasis on developing healthy psyches. Innovation becomes visible through design thinking. Inquiry-based classrooms and project based learning have suddenly established themselves in mainstream education. These are extremely promising trends. Given the times, there is absolutely no reason, other than lack of will or imagination, that every student should not have been engaged in deep, reflective, extended problem solving many times during his or her school career. But there is not yet a system for teaching and honoring innovation as a core outcome. That outcome is captured by the term design thinking, in which students engage in creative problem solving through design challenges, whether the challenges are technical, scientific, or social policy issues. Through the process of design, every student can learn the new basics: How to brainstorm ideas, create and prototype solutions, share ideas, take and offer constructive feedback, and critique and reflect. Again, this need not be confined, as it now is, to engineering and science. Design thinking is a way of reinventing the world and making visible the results of a very deep process of creation.
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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R
CREATE AN INNOVATOR: EDUCATION WITH PURPOSE
By: Tom Neal iTEAM Instructor, Technical Campus - NW Oakland Schools
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t is both a complex and exciting time in education. As a parent and educator, I understand that it is easy to get confused by all the learning opportunities that exist for kids today: traditional schooling, online courses, hybrid learning, specialized programs, dual enrollment and early college.
Is this really necessary? The truth is that there is an entirely new level of demands placed on education. No longer can a student work through the traditional process, choose one path - either of industry or post-secondary learning - and then find success. Demands from industry are rigorous, and the costs of post-secondary schooling are higher than ever. Combine all of these factors with our kids - a generation of Millennials - who
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learn, function and react differently than we do, and we end up with a complex set of challenges. I believe in education with purpose and that experience is everything, especially for our children’s generation. Fortunately, teens in Oakland County have great opportunities to experience education with purpose. There has been a substantial investment in Career and Technical education (CTE) through the four Oakland County Technical Campuses, and through 27 of the county’s 28 districts that directly offer CTE programs. Students who attend the multi-million dollar campuses are thoroughly trained using high-quality, industry-standard equipment with the latest technology. Each program at the campus is taught by professional instructors who have years of industry experience and extensive knowledge in their profession. Why consider CTE? Kids are different; many of them often don’t know which direction to take. Career and Technical education is designed to help them explore and experience a variety of different paths, as well as excel in the real world after graduation. CTE programs greatly expand their opportunities, preparing them for additional training, college, and a career. Programs include Engineering and Health/ Medical to BioScience, Visual Imaging, Culinary, Construction Technology, Automotive and Business/Marketing/ Information Technology. There is something for everyone. Another reason to consider CTE is related to something near and dear to all of us, finances! The campuses offer high school and college credit for free, helping students get a great head start on
foundational college classes while developing their professional skills to give them the edge. The campuses also offer challenging student leadership opportunities, numerous national industry certifications, paid internships, and scholarships, all through a no cost/convenient block schedule with district-provided transportation. At this point, I would like to take a minute to highlight my program. I teach in iTEAM Information Technology, Entrepreneurship, Advanced Marketing. When students join iTEAM , they are transformed into professional employees. This program is managed as a business, where students are recruited by their instructors (the CEO and CIO), develop resumes, and interview for a VP, Management or Associate position. Students work in one of four departments based on their interests (Tech Support, Sales & Marketing, Web/Multimedia, or Employee Relations) completing projects for real industry clients. This is an incredible opportunity to learn in a business setting, immediately apply knowledge to real projects, and earn national certifications, college credit, and meet academic credit/ graduation requirements for Senior Math, Algebra I & II, ELA 12, Economics, and Civics. Does CTE work? Statistics show that nationwide, 9 out of 10 high school students enrolled in a CTE program graduated on time (compared to 7 of 10 nonCTE students). According to a study by the research group MDRC, students who graduated from career academies are earning, on average, 16% more than their traditional high school peers eight years out of high school. If we want our kids to be innovators, we have to give them an experience!
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FUN IMAGES
1
Can you spot the three identical shapes?
2
Can you guess the word written on the folded paper?
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3
Trace the lines connecting the circles to find out what the second word is.
CASTLE
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Which kite is the hand holding?
5
Can you see which picture exactly matches the silhouette?
A
B
D
E
C
Rearrange the scrambled letters to form a word.
answers: 1-circle 2- caste, 3- shaped, 4-c, 5- B, 6- permanent & practical. 16
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www.KidsStandard.org
Gymnastics (Ages 1-18) Tumbling (Ages 5-18) Dance (Ages 2.5-16) Karate (Ages 3-18) Piano (Ages 5-Adult) Preschool
We have activities for all ages, skill levels and interests. Stars & Stripes Kids Activity Center offers SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
Competitive Cheerleading Competitive Gymnastics Birthday Parties Summer Camps
At Stars & Stripes we understand how important it is to stimulate a child’s mind from developing motor skills & coordination. Our instructors know that confidence built at a young age lasts a lifetime. Preschool registration for the 2015-2016 school year is going on now. Limited spaces remain for our educational & fitness based preschool.
Schedule available at www.StarsandStripesKids.com 4630 White Lake Rd. Clarkston, MI 48346 248-625-3547
C O L L E G E VO I C E S
COLLEGE VOICES By: Matt Pasco College of Engineering Michigan State University Class of 2014, Clarkston Schools
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am majoring in Computer Science. My hope is to become a software developer, solving problems through technology. Thus, I believe that creativity is a must in schools. It allows students to really enjoy what they are learning and to think outside of the box. Personally, I have been taught a lot about innovative thinking through after school programs, such as Team RUSH, Business Professionals of America, or CSMTech trip to Cumberland Falls. Clarkston teachers have taught me skills that cannot be taught in the classroom. In fact, I think that the most important factor that made me successful in college was joining FIRST
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Robotics. From time management, to leadership, and to technical skills, FIRST Robotics was the most impactful learning opportunity that I have had. Academically, I was also well-prepared for college courses. I was able to transfer 21 college credit from high school. The workload in college is demanding, but completing it has never been too difficult for me. Still, I believe, it is not only the academic skills that are worth learning. There are also the social skills to develop. Students must learn how to work in teams and collaborate with students for whom they may not particularly care. This is vital in college and, later, in a workplace. When I look back at my k-12 years, I remembers experiences that taught me something about myself or others. In the fourth grade, I did not do very well in a section of social studies. My teacher, Mr. Gifford, gave me the opportunity to try again and resubmit a packet. I now realize that he cared more about my learning than about me getting the grade. In secondary school, I remember a computer science exam, where one question asked me to figure out what the code would do if a line had a trick piece of
code. The four resulting answers were ‘none of the above.’ I thought there would be no way that four answers in a row were ‘none of the above.’ When I received my exam back, however, I saw that I had aced it! You really have to “trust your gut reaction.” I really enjoyed learning German for 5 years, but it is so much easier to learn a foreign language at a younger age. I wish
There should also be more focus on hands-on learning, not just the theory, in schools. Projects are a much better approach to learning, retaining, and applying the material. that I could have started learning it earlier. I think classes where the exam is worth ~50% of the grade are not worth taking. I do not think that one exam is a fair representation of a student’s knowledge. Big exams lead to unneeded stress. Projects are a much better approach to learning, retaining, and applying the material.
www.KidsStandard.org
C O L L E G E VO I C E S
Interview of Kids’ Standard Magazine’s Student Mentors
with Kids’ Standard, I asked my fellow student mentors to share their perspectives on this publication as well.. What affect do you think Kids’ Standard had on the students writing for the magazine? Matt Dargay I think it greatly improved their ability to express themselves in writing, which, in turn, will make them more confident in stating their beliefs.
Natasha Oldford By: Natasha Oldford Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Student Mentors, Class of 2015, Clarkston Schools Camron Razdar University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Jay Wright Michigan State University, East Lansing Susan Arnold Northern Michigan University, Marquette Matt Dargay University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Elizabeth Starnes Oakland University, Rochester Hills
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ow children of all ages have a place to express their ideas and interests. Kids’ Standard keeps the students engaged in their learning by allowing them to pursue information and research on their area of choice. It helps students improve their literacy and writing skills outside of the classroom. It unites the community because of the wide range of authors and topics. It highlights what students find important. In short, this magazine is a fun and exciting way to encourage students to spend time on academics. Even though I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and experiences from working
October 2015
Jay Wright Kids’ Standard has offered children an outlet to explore their passions and utilize that youthful creativity in subjects they enjoy. It also makes students more aware of the outside world and more attuned to what is happening in the small sphere of their elementary school. Elizabeth Starnes I saw kids achieve their goals and succeed at a very young age. Do you think that Kids’ Standard does a good job in motivating, activating, and celebrating students? Susan Arnold Yes, I really do! It is a fantastic organization that has been able to inspire so many students. When mentoring the students, I saw how motivated they were to write about their favorite things and how they were activating their minds by studying their topics before writing began. It was nice to give the students prizes for their hard work and to celebrate their achievements! Jay Wright If I had this opportunity as a child, I would’ve definitely written an article for Kids’ Standard. It would probably have been about the positive and negative effects of video games on kids, as video games were a large part of my childhood. I find it important to represent a medium and industry that receives a lot of flak for being a negative influence on young children. This motivates and activates.
Kids Standard is an excellent way to engage students, and I see it as a powerful tool that can be expanded to more schools.”
— Camron Razdar How did working with the Kids’ Standard affect your life? Matt Dargay It helped me realize the importance of confidence and competence when it comes to gathering information and forming beliefs from them. Elizabeth Starnes It was really beneficial to me to know that my hard work and the students’ hard work paid off in the end. Students received prizes and awards. They were supported by the mentors, Ms. Razdar, and their teachers. It was also nice to see that if they didn’t make it in the paper one month, they could always try again next month. Being a mentor for the Kids’ Standard was very rewarding, and it made me think about what else I can do in college to make my community a better place. Susan Arnold I loved being able to work with all of the different kids and seeing all of their diverse ideas. It was also really cool to see how my volunteering for the Kids’ Standard helped the kids’ writing become a little better and how they began to enjoy writing as much as I do!”
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T E AC H E R ’ S C O R N E R
STARTING THE SPARK By: Nicholas Provenzano High School English Teacher Lake Orion Schools
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believe that creativity has a place in our classrooms because self expression is one of those things that makes us who we are. In my early years of teaching High School English, all of my projects for students were highly structured. I would outline every part of the project and I would receive multiple versions of it that were all the same. It was not very fun for me to grade and for the students to watch the same project presentation over and over again. One year, a student came to me and asked if the group could do a slightly different project. Something that still hit the assignment requirements, but allowed them to apply what they knew in a different way. It was then that I realized that I could give students the freedom to show what they learned in a way that suited their skills. When I backed away from controlling all aspects of the project, students took control over it.
Nick Provenzano
I believe that creativity has a place in our classrooms because self expression is one of those things that makes us who we are. Now, Free Choice Projects is one of my best ways to spark creativity in students. I establish the rough guidelines for the students to follow for each project and they come to me with a project proposal. For example, for The Great Gatsby, I ask students to demonstrate understanding of
two themes and two symbols visually. Once I’ve approved the project, they get to work. Moving to Free Choice Projects creates an inviting environment for my students to try new things and to take risks. I tell students they have to choose a different medium of expression for each project to encourage them to explore different ideas. This allows them to stretch their creative muscles and still explore the literary concepts discussed in class. The deeper students want to go with their projects, the deeper they reach into the content. The first time I tried it, I received some of the best projects in my career -- movies, art work, poetry, a puppet show, and so much more. The kids were excited and the presentations were amazing! They loved showing their work to class and seeing what other students had done. Students crave ways to express their creativity in class. It is our job as teachers to give all of them the opportunity to shine. We need to cultivate that in students. If we don’t, who will? These projects are not just a fun distriction to keep students busy; they are educational tools that get the most out of kids. Free Choice Projects is just one way I use to get my students going. Think of your own way and start this spark in yours!
Enjoy The Ride: Mini-Society of Student-Led Learning an Economics unit called Mini- Society, we instruction has shifted from ‘teacher-driven’ to got excited. For years, curriculum demands ‘student-led.’ It is not uncommon for students pushed economics concepts on the back to take a lead in meaningful shelves of our practice, and this idea conversations while allowed us to bring them back to teachers guide ducation seems to spin life. Together, we agreed that the their thinking, like a revolving door. best way for kids to understand clear up any Studies in developmental entrepreneurship, economics, and misconceptions, psychology have shown that the consumer issues was through this and celebrate superior learning and motivation self-organizing, experience-based apdiscovery. in children come from playful, rather than instructional, approaches to Bethany Rocho When last spring a fellow Blagica Taseski proach to learning. For several weeks, we were introfourth grade teacher dug learning. As teachers are continually ducing students to the basics of business out of the closet the idea of having our stumodifying their methodology to keep dents become entrepreneurs while studying students engaged, in many classrooms today, Continued on p21
By: Blagica Taseski and Bethany Rocho 4th Grade Teachers Clarkston Community Schools
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www.KidsStandard.org
Continued from P20 operations. They were expected to consider business partners, decide on what to produce (goods or services), apply for a business license (based on their product review) and a Bulldog Bucks loan, produce their product, and to keep track of an expense report. Along the way, students also advertised their products and created business cards. . These Shark Tank entrepreneurs quickly realized that building a business requires imagination, hard work, creativity, responsibility, and even team work. By operating their own businesses, students were "living" the terminology and concepts, rather than “memorizing” ideas for a routine quiz or test. They spent most of their time discovering and processing the learning through trial and error. The selling day was definitely our grand finale.
That day kids saw their true learning outcomes not in a letter on paper, but in their ability to repay their loan and acquire profits. So what was wrong with the way we used to do it? Well, in a world full of LOL’s, IKR’s, and SYL’s, we have to engage kids in rich dialogue and cooperative group work in order to prepare them for job interviews, face-to-face conversations, and real-life situations. Prompting students to do their own thinking, rather than thinking for them, is not a new idea, but at times, it is forgotten in the midst of rigorous curriculum. We need to slow down to foster an environment that makes the thinking happen. We need to take the time to listen to students, to notice things with them, and to guide them wherever their imagination takes them. Enjoy the ride!
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PEOPLE WE ADMIRE
CLASSROOM INNOVATORS
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ost people would probably credit the success of Edison to his hard work and inventive ideas, but I would disagree. A person’s success is not based solely on his or her abilities; it is also a result of influence of other people. School is an important place for everyone (even though some students might not want to be there ;) it’s a place where we learn about the world around us. I am a freshman in Clarkston, with short four years ahead of me until I will venture out in the ‘real world.’ I want to thank all of the amazing teachers I have had; every one of them has a special place in my heart for making me a good student and helping me become my own individual. Still, there are some teachers whose influence I can feel within my soul. Mrs. Cleland: Mrs. Cleland was my 8th grade ALA teacher and the one to show me the reality of the world. When on the first assignment in her class I was marked down a point, I walked up to her desk, frantically worried about my grade, to ask how I could make it up. She looked at me with the expression I will never forget, and then spoke the words that are still drilled into my head, “Evan, NO! You won’t be able to get extra credit in life. Besides, a grade will never define you as a person.” From there on, her classroom was not so much a place to get a good grade, but rather to spend time on what I found to be important in my life. I was able to write about things I hate (*cough* Standardized Testing *cough*) and about
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the best memories of my life. The best moment I took away from her class was the day my Grandma Jackie came in and spoke to the class about traveling around the world and about staying yourself no matter where you go. Mrs. Cleland is able to provide a creative and thoughtful environment for her students. Rather than feeling pressured to succeed, she wants her students to feel that they are individuals. Mr. Paddock Mr.Paddock is the teacher who isn’t afraid to do the craziest things in the world. His classroom is a true place of science and a wonderful example of how teachers can make their classroom feel like home. In the first week of school, Mr.Paddock mentioned one of the most innovative and creative idea that I have ever heard from a teacher: learning what you want. This meant that we would spend one day of each week exploring a realm of science that we desire, creating experiments and research projects to go along with it. This is his first year trying this idea, but regardless of the outcome, he is happy that students are able to control their own learning in the classroom. Ms. Shaw My 9th grade ALA teacher, Ms.Shaw, is a gem. She has a very straight forward personality, meaning she is always looking ahead in herself and in her students. On the first week of school, we had a fullfledged conversation about a topic I can’t even remember, but it’s good to know that teachers are becoming more of life coaches than
lecture givers. In her class I am allowed to ask questions, listen to music, write only awesome essays, and have inside jokes about the weirdest of things -I don’t know how to change it back to English, it’s stuck in German. Mrs. Rogers Mrs. Rogers is a history teacher at the Junior High, but to me, she is like my first college professor. Most of us can probably agree that US History is a bit neglected course, but Mrs. Rogers feels very differently about that. Her classroom is a powerful example of teacher creativity. When I go into her classroom, I know I will learn something each day; in part because we have to explain our thinking. One might think it comes naturally to students, but in reality, it takes a lot of sweat and tears in order to perfect it. Mrs.Rogers pushes her students to understand the history of the past to better understand the world around them today. And the “history” repeated itself for me. On the 13th day of school, I broke down in tears in front of Mrs. Rogers because I had received a bad grade. She gave me the same look as Mrs. Cleland did and repeated a similar line that I had heard just a year earlier. History teaches. Creativity in the classroom. Thoughtful ideas from students. Invitations from outstanding teachers. With the world changing every second, people that are coming to face it need good preparation in order to succeed. My teachers inspire me to be who I am and are the life coaches that prepare me for the future. They are the ones whom I admire.
By: Evan Hall 9th grade Clarkston Schools
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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R
T L W: I I A A U
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nnovation. We hear about it all the time in the news. Innovations are happening every day in technology, education, politics, science and math. Yet, even though it seems to be the “in thing” these days, the definition of innovation is not as clear.
Maggie Razdar Publisher/ Founder
What exactly is innovation? And who is considered an innovator? In the simplest terms, innovators are people who create new ideas, processes or products. But innovations are more than inventions; they are revolutionary. Innovations bring about positive change. They make life easier, address new needs and improve upon existing methods. The iPhone, for example, was one of the biggest innovations of our lifetimes. It vastly improved upon the cellphone of the time and solved a problem we didn’t know existed. So how can we recognize innovation? And can people become innovators? To support our “inner innovators,” we must first learn to recognize the characteristics that innovators share. Who knows, after reviewing these ideas, you might recognize you have an inner innovator in you just waiting to break out! Here are a few things all innovators share: 1. Passion: Innovation requires starting each day with an enthusiastic mindset. Innovators recognize their work is more than a job or chore. There is purpose behind what they do. 2. Curiosity: Innovation is sparked by recognizing opportunities for change. Yet, to see these opportunities, innovators must be curious about their surroundings
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and willing to draw connections that no one has noticed before. They do this by asking questions: How can this be improved, and what how can I contribute to that improvement? Opportunities for innovation are all around you; you just have to look at things differently. 3. Creativity: Innovators see problems as opportunities that require creative solutions. When a challenge arises, innovators don’t complain; they ask questions. And from these questions, they can begin to think about outside-the-box solutions. Creativity in innovation is all about looking at things from new angles. 4. Bravery: Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires a connection with the world around. Innovators are brave; they like to meet new people, make contacts and try new ways of doing things. And they’re ready to stand behind and defend their ideas. 5. Resilience: One of America’s great innovators Henry Ford once said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Innovators are determined. They try and fail. But they don’t stop when something doesn’t work out. They try again and keep going. The truth is we have an inner innovator in us, and with practice, we can all learn to become more innovative. The key is embracing the innovator mindset. Stay passionate, curious, creativity, brave and resilient. Then, you can start making innovations big and small in your life.
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O P T I M I S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L DID YOU KNOW?
For Every member of an Optimist Club, 33 young people are impacted positively per year? That’s 2.6 million internationally, 317,000 in Michigan, and 3800 in the Clarkston/Lake Orion Area alone!
Optimist International is a worldwide volunteer organization made up of more than 2,500 local Clubs whose Members work each day to make the future brighter by bringing out the best in children, in their communities.
TO CONTAC T CL ARKSTON OPTIMIST C ALL
ROBIN BROSE 2489099289
TO CONTAC T L AKE ORION OPTIMIST C ALL
DONALD BROSE 2487368833
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WINT NATURE CENTER
Madison Heights 248.585.0100
Year-Round Programs ∙ Family Nature Programs ∙ Scout Badge Days ∙ “Wild” Birthday Parties ∙ Starlab (portable planetarium) ∙ Field Trips for all ages—including pre-school!
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