Interview

PEOPLE WE ADMIRE
Most 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
CLASSROOM INNOVATORS
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
22 www.KidsStandard.org
Publication INC.