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Monday, March 22, 2021

‘One step closer’ Stillwater schools look forward to return to normalcy By Alli Baden After two months in the classroom as a student teacher at Stillwater High School, Emily Dacon has not seen some of her students’ faces. “If my students even attend Google Meets, they don’t have their cameras on,” Dacon said. “I know what their icons look like, but necessarily what they look like.” For many student teachers in Oklahoma, this is the reality of their clinical practice experience. Depending on the school district, the COVID-19 pandemic has led school districts to initiate several protocols that have left teachers having to adjust to online or hybrid learning. Although teach-

ers have had the ability since the beginning of the school year to adapt to the school’s health and safety protocols, student teachers entering the classroom for the first time this semester are having to learn how to manage a classroom, teach material and keep students safe during the pandemic. Hannah Childers, a first-grade student teacher at Richmond Elementary School, said she has found it hard to stay optimistic during her student teaching experience. Stillwater Public Schools has changed its COVID-19 protocols twice this semester, switching from determining the type of learning based on the number of cases to allowing students to be in the classroom

Alex Mangold

on a hybrid schedule, Childers said. “I really truly cannot think of any good things to have come out of these protocols and changing

schedules,” Childers said. “Student teaching during COVID has presented us with constant and continuous difficulties. This has been very difficult

on not only me but on my students, especially with them being so young and in such an important grade level.” See One step on pg. 2

Three things to watch for: OSU vs. Missouri State to see some normal starters get some rest in the lineup moving forward. Can the Cowboy bats find their stride again?

Chris Becker The Oklahoma State baseball team is back in O’Brate Stadium for a midweek showdown against Missouri State. The Cowboys beat Missouri State in Springfield 7-0 on March 2. However, the Cowboys are coming into this meeting losing five of their last seven games. Here are three things to watch in this matchup. Who will find their name penciled into the lineup? When the Cowboys played ULMonroe in a midweek meeting last Tuesday, coach Josh Holliday

penciled in a couple of different names into the Cowboys starting lineup. Dominic Johnson and Marcus Brown both got the start in the game in the batting

order. LSU transfer Eric Walker got the start on the mound after only having one appearance prior to the start. Later in the game Orlando Salinas

The Cowboys bats were rolling to begin the season, and then the Vanderbilt series hit. Since then the bats have been up-anddown for the Cowboys. In order for the Cowboys to get back into the swing of things and get back to winning, the bats will have to wake up. Luckily for the Cowboys, Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s bat is keeping them in games with the power Joshua Cleary stroke. Runs aren’t easy to come by in baseball, which makes Jr. got his first two the ones a team can at-bats of his young get even more valuable career. With the ULand it starts with the Monroe game being bats waking up. the first midweek series before conference play it could be a trend See Three on pg. 7

Page 2 Tuesday, March 23, 2021

News One Step... Continued from pg. 1 The uncertainty of what school is going to look like the following week is one of the biggest struggles Childers said she has experienced during her clinical practice. “The learning environment could change every week,” Childers said. “I often found myself planning for three different options of the same lesson or having to wait until the last minute to plan for the following week.” Jill Metzger, a professor who works with all the elementary education student teachers, said every student teacher in the College of Education and Human Sciences is paired with an experienced mentor teacher. Mentor teachers have been teaching for at least three years and pass down teaching strategies and advice to students. Metzger said she believes the clinical practice for students has been difficult because they are not getting the same advice from teachers they would in a normal year. “With our interns, I think the biggest issue is, it is new for everybody, including our mentor teachers,” Metzger said. “Whereas before when students were going out into the classrooms, the teachers have been doing this day in and day out for X amount of years. This is new for them.” Rather than having a mentor relationship, Metzger said this year student teachers are more like assistants to the teacher, trying their best to help each other adapt to a new type of student learning. Addie Chapman, a thirdgrade student teacher at Westwood Elementary, said she has had to help her teacher digitize a large number of class activities and worksheets so students could access these resources from their home. “My teacher did not have a lot of experience with Google Classroom prior to this, so I ended up having to set up a lot of the online classroom and ended up teaching her how to use it in an effective way,” Chapman said. Regardless of the mentor teacher’s adjustment to COVID-19 protocols, Dacon said she has appreciated her mentor teacher’s transparency during this time. “[My mentor teacher] is very real and does not mince words,” Dacon said. “I think that is really nice and the culture of our school is to just be direct and clear. At this point it is important to know what the [normal] experience would be like and not what it is right now.” Rather than seeing her mentor teacher’s adjustment to a different kind of instruction as something to be fearful of, Andrea Short, a student teacher at Deer Creek High School,

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said she embraced the idea of a clean slate. Deer Creek has been on a hybrid schedule for the whole semester where students only attend in-person classes twice a week. “I tried to remind myself even veteran teachers are in the same boat I am this year,” Short said. “I also tried to remind myself education is experiencing a change the likes of which it has not seen in a long time. This is a great opportunity to learn and fail within a system as people are willing to try almost anything.” Dacon said distance learning especially has allowed her to refresh and perfect skills she believes are important to have in education. “I really see the benefit of having experience with technology,” Dacon said. “This virtual format has allowed me to learn how to make distance learning interactive and impactful to students.” Childers said she was thankful for the support her mentor teacher has provided during her clinical experience. When it comes to teaching in a format in which she might not be familiar with, such as teaching over Zoom, Childers said her mentor teacher allowed her to ease into the transition. As the mentor and student teachers are trying to be flexible through their school’s safety protocols, Childers said she feels as though the students are suffering the most from this experience. “These protocols have 100% been affecting my firstgraders,” Childers said. “My students are incredibly behind academically, socially and emotionally as well. They are constantly expressing how sad they are when they are home and how difficult it is to learn from home.” Short and Dacon said

it is challenging to teach all the material necessary for the students to be successful. “When you only have students for a limited time, it is difficult to cover topics efficiently,” Short said. “I was taught teaching should be so much more than giving students content to know. Engaging students has been put on the back burner, which is difficult. You also want students to learn without diminishing their personal lives because some of them have new responsibilities at home. The other part is the lack of student interaction.” Dacon said her school has incorporated a new late work policy that does not penalize students for submitting work after its due date. She said this has directly impacted the motivation of her students. Short said it is challenging for students to understand the purpose of the content they are being taught and said she has struggled to help them achieve learning goals. “The method of teaching I was taught was not built for students to only be at school two days a week,” Short said. “There is quite a bit of disconnect between classroom learning and them working on assignments. Part of what I was taught to do is encourage lifelong learning and help them to be critical thinkers. My current reality is far from that, and I don’t think I was prepared to combat that with such little influence in the time I have them.” Along with teaching five days a week, student teachers are also in a class that meets sporadically throughout the semester. Metzger said these classes are opportunities to check in with students to discuss what they have been learned and bounce ideas off one another. Dacon said these classes have provided her with the opportunity to learn from

her fellow students what is working well. The classes are also an opportunity for the professors to extend their support to the student teachers and equip them with the tools needed to be flexible within the classroom, Metzger said. “The one thing I hope interns are learning from this is flexibility and patience,” Metzger said. “I have harped over the years that if you cannot be flexible, you are going to struggle. Well, we have just thrown everyone into how to be flexible and so I am hoping that this is one of the things they will learn. They are also learning how to rely on others for help; they don’t have to do it all.” Despite the challenges she has had to face, Dacon said she is grateful to be student teaching in a pandemic year. “I feel like I have had the best of both worlds,” Dacon said. “The first part of the semester has been that full distance learning and so I had to fully start at ground zero, not knowing anything about them or what they look like. But now we are transitioning into a classroom. So, I think I have benefitted from really having to struggle through the distance part but now I am able to see them in person and see their personalities and accommodate that into their learning.” Through the protocols and the distance learning, Short said she believes this experience has pushed her out of her comfort zone. “[COVID-19 protocols] have forced me to be more creative, which I don’t know that I’m currently doing well at, but I’m trying,” Short said. “At the end of the day, this is my dream job so I’m happy to be one step closer to being in my own classroom.” news.ed@ocolly.com

DON’T STUMBLE! (Part #3) “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate one another,” (Mt.24:9-10) All this I told you so that you will not go astray. (stumble) They will put you out of the synagogue, in fact a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.” (Jn.16:1-2) The are many places in the scripture that tell of persecution of true believers. Jesus said if they did it to me they will do it to those who follow me. (Jn.15:20) Many times this will separate the true believers from the false. No one likes hardships, difficulties and certainly persecutions, but the challenge comes and we don’t want to stumble and fall away.

Jesus speaks to the Smyrna church in Revelation: "I know your afflictions...slander...do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer...the Devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be careful..." Does God allow persecution and trials of different kinds? He certainly does! Couldn't God deliver them out of bad situations? Of course! Sometimes He will and sometimes not. He even governs how long the difficulties will last. These are times when we see the grace of God in wonderful ways. His grace is made perfect in weaknesses. (2 Co.12:9) That is why we are not to be offended at God's ways. Difficulties can seem to be hindering the very work of God, but the Lord is working in and through the situation to accomplish something good in the end.

Photo features

Joshua Cleary Spencer Sanders has a big spring ahead, looking to hone in on his skills and get back to game-ready shape.

Maddison Farris The OSU Student Union reflected in a car mirror on a dreary day.

Kolby Harvell-Peel returns to Oklahoma State a certified veteran, ready to make an impact on the young secondary core.

Joshua Cleary Mason Shipley, true freshman punter, has a chance to compete for a spot this spring.

Joshua Cleary

Joshua Cleary Mason Shipley, true freshman punter, has a chance to compete for a spot this spring.

Page 4 Tuesday, March 23, 2021

News

A Closer Look How safe is Stillwater? Sheyenne Mitchell-Brown

I witnessed a robbery a couple of months ago, and Stillwater hasn’t felt the same to me since. I was walking into Five Below with my husband, Cade. When we saw a guy chasing a girl. It looked like they were playing tag or just being playful, and it didn’t catch my attention until I

heard a noise that sounded like someone being body slammed into a car. There was still ice on the ground then, so I thought someone was hurt. It was then I realized that an employee was chasing a random girl and she was the one who hit the car. She then jumped into the car and yelled at the driver to go, and she threw a shoebox on the dash and continued yelling at the driver. The car raced off, going perhaps 40 mph in the parking lot to escape. Minutes later several cop cars arrived at the scene. It was at this moment that Cade and

I realized that we had just witnessed an entire robbery of a Rack Room Shoes. Since then Stillwater hasn’t felt safe. I hear sirens almost every night outside our window, and I’ve happened to witness other suspicious activity as well. From a single glance, Stillwater seems like the perfect, Oklahoma small town. However, if one takes a closer look, they may see a different story. So the question is, how safe is Stillwater? According to neighborhoodscout.com, Stillwater is only safer than 17% of cities

City-Data.com crime index showing comparison of national average and Stillwater’s crime rate.

in the United States. Property crime and violent crime are at if not a tad over the national averages as of 2019’s statistics. Stillwater’s property crime rate is not over the state’s averages, but close. Just remember to take safety precautions always. Lock all car and household doors, and carrying a mace is always a good option even if you never use it. Beautiful small towns are not always what they seem, and Stillwater is not the exception. news.ed@ocolly.com

Provided by city-data.com

16 T H O F APRIL The department of Design, Housing, and M e rchand ising presents its 10th annual Euphoria fashion show. This is a fully student-produced event where students gain valuable, hands-on experience in planning and executing all aspects of a fa shion show. For their final project, our graduating seniors create one -of-a-kind collections to showcase their skills and tale nt. For the first time in Euphoria histor y, these will be presented through individual designer vignet tes that display their creative vision to the audience. Please join us for an orange carpet af fair, coming to you virtually on Ap ril 16, 2021. To purchase tickets or learn more information about Euphoria, visit our Instagram @oksta te _e up horia.

sports Scouting Continued from pg. 6

Three In the Cowboys seven games, in which they are 2-5, the Cowboys have left 51 runners on base and they’ve scored only 29 runs. In the Cowboys two wins they have only left eight total runners on base, six and two respectively. In the first meeting between Missouri State and OSU the Cowboys scored seven runs and left only five on base. Just like in the last storyline, runs are at a premium in baseball, and each of those runners left on base could be the difference in a win and a loss. In the Cowboys last game against Texas Tech the Cowboys lost 6-5 and left 12 runners on the base paths. The Cowboys will have to capitalize on opportunities in order to turn the season back around.

The Cardinal have four players averaging double digit point totals. Kiana Williams leads Stanford with an average of 14.5 points, followed by Haley Jones 12.7 and Lexie Hull at 11.3. A positive for OSU is that none of those three players are forwards. The Cowgirls will need to weather the storm if Stanford gets hot. Expect plenty of Natasha Mack possessions. OSU will not have a size advantage. Stanford forwards include 6-foot-5 Ashten Prechtel, Cameron Brink, Maya Dodson and Alyssa Jerome who are all 6-foot-3 or taller. Mack and Kassidy De Lapp will need to hold their own on the glass to keep the Cowgirls afloat. OSU forwards Bigue Sarr and Brittany Reeves might get extended opportunities if Stanford opts to go bigger. The Cowgirls believe they are clearly under seeded. They will have the chance to prove it on Tuesday night.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Continued from pg. 1 Cowboys have to capitalize with runners on base.

Page 6 Tuesday, March 23, 2021

sports

Scouting Stanford Cowgirls have a big test in NCAA Tournament

Jacob Sturm The final buzzer echoed around the stadium in San Antonio, Texas. The Oklahoma State women’s basketball team had just completed a dominant performance in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against 9-seed Wake Forest in the Alamo Region’s early game of the day. The biggest win of their 2021 season included passing the test with flying colors, preserving the final moments of the season for at least a couple of days. It took most of the day to learn the second-round opponent; Stanford played Utah Valley at 9 p.m. and looked convincing. The Cardinal ran wild, winning 87-44 while justifying their top seed title. Stanford is not Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons posed a threat early on Sunday, but couldn’t sustain the effort longer than the first quarter. The Cardinal won’t make the same mistakes. Stanford has made the Sweet 16 in every NCAA Tournament since 2007. They score more than 78 points per game, while allowing a mere 52.4. See Scouting on pg. 7

Rod Aydelotte Oklahoma State forward Natasha Mack, right, shoots over Baylor center Queen Egbo, left, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in Waco, Texas.

sports Scouting Continued from pg. 6

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Continued from pg. 1 Cowboys have to capitalize with runners on base.

Page 8 Tuesday, March 23, 2021

FOR RELEASE MARCH 23, 2021

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Business Squares

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy! Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Shop located on 128 N. Main

Business Squares

Needing to play a sport? Get a TEAM together and Play SASA Adult League. Deadline March 1st for Volleyball. Deadline March 12th for Softball.

Try Firo Pizza’s New Roman Style Pizza! The fastest drive-thru, authentic style-pizza offered in the US! Get a free drink with any Roman Style Pizza!

Church Meetings Join the New Covenant Fellowship for service every Sunday at 10am and share in our passion for Jesus Christ!” UKirk university group at First Presbyterian Church meets every week! Join us for Bible study every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.! For more information or for Zoom access, visit us at stillwaterfpc.com Join us every Sunday for our live streaming services! Matins @ 8:50am and Divine Liturgy @ 10:00am.”

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Insult 5 Golden fruit that, legend has it, started the Trojan War 10 Heat in “The Heat” 14 First-rate 15 Stands at lectures 16 Like some hygiene 17 Midas stock item 20 Slept noisily 21 Period in office 22 Leered at 23 Left surreptitiously 28 Beatty and Kelly 29 “Walking in Memphis” Grammy winner Marc 30 Bill for svc. rendered 31 Berry who played Storm in “X-Men” 33 Israeli or Arab 36 Simple New England houses 40 From dawn to dusk Perot 42 Buzzer in a swarm 43 Half-moon tide 44 Office fill-in 48 Gobble up 52 “Wherefore art thou” guy 53 Weighty Kuwaiti? 54 Girl-asksguy dances, informally done for today, people” ... and hint to the start of 17-, 23-, 36- and 48-Across 60 Bequest beneficiary 61 Linney of “Ozark” 62 “Blue” or “White” African river 64 Matches audio to video, e.g. 65 Verbalizes DOWN 1 Lover of Delilah 2 Airport waiting area

By Peter Koetters

3/23/21

3 Prepare to use, as a lawn chair 4 Updated, as a Web page 5 Mimicked 6 For, to Fernando 7 “Get a room!” evoker, initially 8 Sonny who lost to Clay in 1964

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

bed”: “Hamlet” sign 24 2010s cookingthemed talk show 25 Kristen of “Bridesmaids” 26 Required wager 27 The “Y” of YSL 29 Be saccharine 32 Here, in Havana 33 Octagonal sign 34 Short aliens? 35 Extinct elephants

36 Uber competitors 37 “Match Game” host Baldwin 38 Earnest request 39 Algerian port 43 Land with fjords 45 Clarke who played Daenerys on “Game of Thrones” 46 Sheepishly 47 Deputized bands

3/23/21

49 Second attempt 50 Radio settings 51 Circular dashboard devices 52 U.K. fliers 54 Restorative resorts 55 Albeit, briefly 56 Barnyard layer 57 Disturb 58 Operate 59 Pendulum path

Daily Horoscope Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes (TNS) Today’s Birthday (03/23/21). Grow with community connection this year. Together, with planning, discipline and coordination, you’re unbeatable. Redirecting around itinerary or subject changes this spring inspires a creative summer communications surge. Discover solutions around a winter income gap before an adventure presents unexplored terrain. Teamwork is your superpower. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Focus on love, fun and beauty. Stick to reliable routines and simple pleasures. Expect delays with transportation and communication. Follow a creative passion. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Consider practical options for a domestic solution. Do the research before committing. Discover supply or transportation limitations. Get creative with substitutions for beautiful results. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Keep communications simple and clear. Don’t push. Avoid ephemeral fantasies and stick to pracCancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Keep lucrative gears in motion. Don’t chase a fantasy; stick to practical objectives. Wait for better conditions to travel. Produce great results from home. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Follow your heart to grow stronger. Wait for better conditions to advance or launch. Get expert support with a practical challenge. You’re learning valuable skills. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — The difference between a dream and the current reality could be wide. Don’t make expensive promises. You can get what’s needed. Draw upon hidden resources. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — You can collaborate and strategize with teams despite challenges or limitations. Find creative solutions. Text, Zoom and call. Reach out to include neighbors and friends. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Find clever solutions to a practical professional puzzle. Fantasies dissipate and illusions fade. Stick to reliable routines and sources. Generate solid results. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Investigate a subject of your fascination. Travel complications include delays and barriers. Avoid risk and discover adventures in your own backyard. Explore and learn. tions. Delays or miscommunications could stall the action. Keep communication channels open. Keep or change your bargains and agreements. File papers. Send invoices. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Partnership helps you through a challenge. Use gentle pressure rather than force. Honey gets farther than vinegar. Use your persuasive charms. Share and connect. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Balance work with health. Avoid risk and adapt for current circumstances. Slow to minimize accidents or mistakes. Energize physical performance with steady practice.

Level 1 2

3/23/21 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

Page 10 Tuesday, March 23, 2021

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