Interview

www.kidsstandard.org 

ISSUE 7 | NOVEMBER 2015 

Interview 

PAGE 7 

THE 

Parent’s 

PAGE23 

A MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY KIDS FOR KIDS 

People we admire 

PAGE22 

My view 

PAGE12 

Who are these 

famous people? 

Editor’s Pick 

PAGE13 

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.

WELCOME 

Index: 

Welcome ..............................................2 

Editorial Calendar ..............................3 

History..................................................4 

Food for Thought ...............................5 

Poems....................................................6 

Interview .............................................7 

Art..........................................................9 

My View.............................................12 

Editor’s Pick.......................................13 

Learning Lesson................................14 

Kids Corner........................................15 

Harvard Contributor........................16 

Educators...................................... 18-19 

Parent’s Corner................................20 

People we admire .............................22 

Parent’s Corner..................................23 

Contact Us: 

Submissions 

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For events, donations, 

subscriptions and inquiries 

info@kidsstandard.org 

To get a group rate for 

subscription contact 

maggie@kidsstandard.org or 

248-384-8748 

Contributors: 

Darian Razdar, Camron Razdar 

Growing Through Failure 

It seems rather indisputable - no one is perfect. And 

by virtue of this fact alone, there is no human who 

is immune to failure. More often than not, we fail 

to act like the ideal parents we’d like to picture in our 

minds; the best friends we dream to have; the caring 

neighbors we desire to see next door; or these continuously 

successful professionals we know live inside us. 

Throughout our lifetime, there are thousands of big 

and little failures that make us feel unsure and dissatisfied. 

Yet, as Confucius wisely advised centuries ago, 

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising 

every time we fail.” 

As children grow, they grow through failure. 

Through figuring out who they are not, they discover 

who they are. Through understanding what makes 

something wrong, they grasp what makes it right. 

The world has certainly changed since the times 

of Confucius, but human beings still perfect themselves 

through failure. Growing Through Failure, our 

November issue, is a tribute to learning to rise. 

Arina Bokas 

Editor 

Kids’ Standard Magazine 

Arina Bokas 

www.kidsstandard.org 

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EDITORIAL CALENDAR 

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) 

December 2015 

Peace on Earth 

others, stories about self-discovery, understanding 

of others; papers about differences 

in people) 

April 2016 

The Digital Kids 

(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 

Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn 

(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) 

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 value does failure have, how can 

failure be used to develop grit and perseverance, 

what life lessons could be learned from 

(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 

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) 

November 2015 

3 

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HISTORY 

By: Joey T 

6th grade, Clarkston Schools 

Abraham Lincoln was the 

16th President of the 

United States and 

the first Republican. 

Lincoln had very little 

schooling, but he chose 

to read a lot when he had 

time. Since he was seven 

year old, Abraham Lincoln, 

like many children of his time, 

had to work to support his family. 

He worked harder and longer 

than most other children, because 

he was exceptionally tall and strong 

for his age. He was physically capable 

of handling work around the 

farm, especially after the death of 

his mother, when he was only 9 

years old. 

Lincoln entered politics in 1834, 

when he was 25 years of 

age. He first served in the 

Illinois Legislature and 

later in the U.S. House of 

Representatives. Then, in 

1860, he was elected the 

President. When he took 

office, the north and south were 

bitterly divided. Abraham Lincoln 

was the one and only President of 

the United States of America during 

the American Civil War. To this day, 

we still celebrate Lincoln’s birthday 

because of his great personality and 

leadership. 

By: Matthew Adams 

8th grade, West Bloomfield Schools 

Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian inventor, architect, 

scientist, musician, and an artist. Leonardo was born 

in Vinci, Italy. From the early years, he was exposed to 

his dad’s painting tradition. When he turned fifteen, his father 

apprenticed him to the famous workshop in Florence. 

One of Leonardo’s first big successes was to paint an angel 

in Verrochio’s “Baptism of Christ.” Leonardo’s painting was 

so much better than his master’s that Verrochio allegedly resolved 

to never paint again. Today da Vinci is best known for 

his art, including two paintings that remain among the world’s 

most famous and admired, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Art, 

da Vinci believed, was connected with science and nature. 

Largely self-educated, he filled dozens of secret notebooks 

with inventions, observations and scientific theories. His natural 

genius crossed so many disciplines that he epitomized the 

term “Renaissance man.” Even though he was proclaimed by 

his contemporaries as a great artist, they did not fully appreciate 

his genius - the combination of intellect and imagination 

- that allowed him to envision such concepts as a bicycle, a 

helicopter, and an airplane, based on the physiology and flying 

capability of a bat. 

Da Vinci had an interest in engineering and made detailed 

sketches of the airplane, the helicopter, and other 

flying machines, the parachute, the submarine, the armored 

car, rapid-fire guns, contact lenses, and other incredible 

inventions that were centuries ahead of da Vinci’s time. 


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FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

WHEN FAILURE MEANS SUCCESS 

By: Erin McNeil, 


I 

shy away from the unknown. That’s not 

to say I won’t take part in it eventually, 

but it takes careful thought and reasoning 

beforehand. It involves a lot of self-given pep 

talks. Once I begin something, though, I try 

my hardest to succeed. I’m no stranger to the 

“try, try again” mantra. 

When I first learned to drive, the only 

vehicle available was my mom’s stick shift. 

A little daunting, but “I’m a smart kid and I 

catch on pretty quickly,” I thought. Except I 

didn’t. I stalled over and over to the point of 

tears. Things went downhill fast one day. I 

stalled first at a busy intersection at a green 

light, then again before turning left onto a 

ramp for I-75. A car behind me proceeded 

into oncoming traffic around me, sending 

me into a panic attack expressed in a vibrant 

string of curses and hyperventilation. After 

that, I called it quits. 

Months later, my dad forced me back 

in. Stalling twice, we got to the first hill 

in my neighborhood. Frustrated and annoyed, 

I parked the car right on that hill 

and stomped home, leaving my dad inside. 

I vowed to never drive a manual transmission 

again, even though it was my only option. 

I stayed resolute until my own craving 

for freedom and independence finally won 

out - I admitted to myself that I was afraid 

of failing. So, I plucked up my courage, 

swallowed my pride, and, after many more 

nerve-wracking attempts, conquered that 

manual transmission. Freedom grasped, independence 

achieved, I had worked hard 

and succeeded: Exhibit A, proving the validity 

of the “try, try again” motto. 

However, perseverance isn’t always the 

answer. After years of playing National level 

and Varsity volleyball, accompanied by one 

spinal fracture and two hip tears, I came to 

realize that I no longer loved the game. But 

quitting? That was taboo since “no one” 

quits a Varsity sport in Clarkston. I struggled 

for weeks with self-doubt: Would my 

teammates still respect me or would they 

shun me at school? Would I disappoint my 

“Instead of taking one approach or the other 

in every situation, make the decision whose 

outcome will improve your life. Take your 

time, think about it, give yourself a peptalk 

if you must, but then act confidently, 

knowing it will be right for you.” 

coaches? I took a few weeks off volleyball to 

think and realized that I was simply happier 

without it. 

With all the courage and confidence I 

had, I broke the news to my coaches and 

teammates. To my surprise, they were impressed. 

They, too, were aware of the stigma 

of quitting athletics and respected me 

for making the choice that was right for me. 

Even more surprisingly, I felt respect for 

myself as well. I felt like I was getting back 

who I was, what I wanted, and what made 

me happy. It was terrifying to leave the 

sport I’d lived and breathed for the previous 

six years, but starting a new life without 

volleyball opened up new opportunities and 

room to try new things. Quite simply, it was 

the bravest thing I’d ever done. 

In the candid words of W. C. Fields, “If at 

first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then 

quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool 

about it.” There is never one solution for 

everything. Instead of taking one approach 

in every situation, we should make decisions 

that improve our life. Take your time, 

think about it, give yourself a pep-talk if you 

must, and then act confidently, knowing it 

will be right for you. 

November 2015 

5 

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POEMS 

Storm of the Year 

I heard a sickening crunch 

and I could only watch helplessly 

as the boat cover was torn off before my eyes. 

I could see every bent, 

destroyed, 

screw fly out, 

and each metal post 

torn and ripped apart. 

Leaving nothing but twisted and wrecked metal. 

I saw ragged, ripped pieces 

jolted from the frame, 

and launched through the stormy air, 

only to land halfway across the lake. 

Our faces were the ideal picture of “Shocked”. 

And the only thing I could mutter was 

“Oh my God.” 

The cover was completely in the air now, 

fully at the mercy of the ruthless wind. 

It tumbled through the air, 

jagged pieces still flying off at every angle, 

until it caught our dock. 

The metal supports crunched 

and contoured around the dock. 

Twisted in place, 

by a warped and rough 

makeshift brace. 

Only to hang on there 

throughout the storm. 

By: Derek Gruebnau, 


Swirling Tunnel of Fear 

The weather was cold and warm 

The perfect in between. 

The pool was pure serenity 

Until the wind whipped up. 

I decided to go on the playground instead. 

Almost simultaneously after leaving the water 

I dried off from the intensity of the wind. 

I curiously glanced behind me 

A grey tunnel of wind was heading straight toward me. 

The piercing screams of children arose from behind me 

TORNADO!!!!!! 

Everyone began to sprint in seperate directions. 

The tornado was leaving a trail of disaster. 

Trees torn into two 

Houses completely ripped away from the ground 

Cars being flown through the air 

And I was next in its path. 

Even through the screaming, I could hear my heartbeat. 

My instincts took action, I bolted to the car. 

I could hear the loud slap of my flip flops slaming against the pavement. 

My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, I couldn’t grab hold of the handle. 

My family came to join me, opening my door 

“Come on, it’s time to go”. 

As we drove away, I gazed through the back window 

There was a loud screeching sound 

The swing set was separating from the ground 

There was a snapping sound, and the swing set flew into the air. 

I turned back around, everyone was dead silent. 

All the pain, and destruction 

The people who didn’t have a car to escape 

The ones in those houses that flew into the sky 

I am lucky to have made it out with no harm done 

And those images will be forever burned into my mind. 

By: Daniel Andary, 


The Unexpected Sprain 

One hot summer day 

we had so much fun. 

We jumped and played 

underneath the sun. 

We lost track of time and didn’t 

have a worry. 

Here I am to tell the story: 

The anticipation rose, 

our pounding hearts quickened, 

our excitement increased. 

“ONE, TWO, THREE” we yelled. 

We jumped off the slide, 

soared through the sky 

feeling like birds, 

thinking we could fly, 

my friend and I. 

We landed with a boink, 

sinking into the rubber. 

But then we bounced upward, 

laughing at each other. 

High in the air, 

midway through flight, 

I began to realize that something wasn’t 

right 

I started to panic so I flailed and 

shrieked, 

hitting the ground, 

my ankle went weak. 

Sitting up and realizing what happened, 

I laughed. 

I laughed through the pain, 

not feeling it at first, 

not expecting a sprain. 

But then it hit me: 

My ankle ached. 

It hurt. 

It throbbed. 

I couldn’t cry. 

I couldn’t sob. 

I tried to stand. 

The pain made me wince 

and I clenched my hands into a fist 

--- 

All good times must always end. 

I’m sorry but it’s true my friend. 

Some unforeseen events may happen, 

the results may very quickly sadden. 

But continuing onward with the pain, 

I had to deal with it, 

I had a sprain. 

By: Nathan Aberlich 



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INTERVIEW 

Interview with Kevin Kast 

ELA teacher, football and softball coach 

By: Owen Britt 

7th grade 

Lake Orion Schools 

What led you to be a teacher? 

When I started at CMU, my goal was to 

become a teacher. However, instead of 

getting a teaching degree, I actually got a 

bachelor’s degree in journalism. From there 

I went into sales for about 9 years, but there 

was always something missing - working 

with young kids. I knew I had to become 

a teacher and a coach. I went back and 

earned my teaching certificate and master’s 

degree from Marygrove College. That was 

one of the best decision I ever made for 

myself. I taught for five years at Orion Oaks 

Elementary before moving onto the middle 

school, where I now teach 8th grade ELA. 

Lake Orion is a great community to raise 

a family, to teach, and to be a community 

member. I love teaching in the community 

where I live. 

Did you face any failure on the road 

to be where you are now? If so, 

how did you overcome it? 

I would say that I wasn’t the best sales 

guy. Sales wasn’t satisfying. There was 

always something gnawing at me. That 

was the first step in realizing my desire 

to be doing what I really wanted to be 

doing: teaching! It wasn’t easy though. 

I had to quit working for 2 years while I 

went to school. It was financially hard. But 

the sacrifice in the end was worth it. I love 

what teaching brings for me. 

Did you have a teacher/coach that 

influenced you or helped you overcome 

a failure? 

While in high school, I wrestled for Tim 

Fagan. He was relatively young and a former 

wrestler for Michigan. I learned from 

Q 

A 

him more about life than about wrestling. 

He had high expectations for his team. He 

made us work as hard as we could. He 

pushed us to be the best we could be. However, 

he also cared about us as individuals. 

He took time to get to know us, learned 

what made us tick, and used that to get 

the most out of us. My senior season we 

reached the state finals. We would never 

have gotten to that point if it weren’t for 

Coach Fagan’s enduring belief in our ability 

to reach our full potential, regardless how 

many times we had failed before. 

How do you think sports can impact 

a student’s success? 

Athletes can learn life lessons on the playing 

field, such as putting the team above 

individual success, working hard pays off, 

and every member of the team is important. 

Sports is just like life. When you become 

older and begin a career, it’s not all about 

yourself. Just like in sports, you want to 

make your teammates better for the success 

of the team. Just like in sports, where if you 

work hard to be the best you can be, you 

are likely to be a starter, if you work hard 

at your career, you are likely to move 

up in the ranks. And lastly, each person 

with whom you work has value to the 

company. Like in sports, you’re only as 

good as the weakest link. 

Do you think playing a sport can 

change a student’s ability to overcome 

a failure? 

Failure and sports go hand in hand. There 

is no team or a player that experiences only 

success. On any given play, a football player 

might lose an individual battle. In softball, 

a player might boot a ball and make an 

error. A professional baseball player makes 

millions if he or she gets a hit every 3 out 

of 10 times at the plate. That’s 70% failure. 

However, it’s how we deal with failure that 

defines us. If a person makes it a priority 

to win the individual battles, it will lead to 

success. 

What advice would you give 

to a student on how to become 

successful? 

Keep trying. I teach writing, which is 

not an easy task. We write and we write. 

Many times the writing in the beginning is 

not very good. However, we continue to 

write, continue to revise, and by the end, 

all of my students are better writers. The 

only way to fail is not to put in the practice, 

to accept failure, and to give up. Students 

should always strive to do their best. Don’t 

ever give up!!! 

November 2015 

7 

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November 2015 

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MY VIEW 

Fictional Tale about the 

REAL WORLD 

By: Evan Hall 

9th Grade , Clarkston Schools 

NASA’s famous slogan is “Failure is 

not an option”. In my opinion, it was 

inspired by a place that we all know 

very well - our schools. 

In the past ten years of school I have 

learned a lot - from the simple ideas of addition 

to the complicated issues in foreign 

policy. Yet, I have a weakness that surfaces 

whenever the subject matter of school 

comes up during a conversation. Failure. 

It’s probably my most feared word. 

Once I was asked by a teacher after a test 

if I was okay with the idea of failure; my 

immediate response was a “no.” Why not? 

I became a deer in headlights. No one ever 

asked me about why my fear existed. My 

“I have failed a lot 

when it came to life 

skills. But at school, 

I couldn’t recall a 

moment when I had 

actually failed.” 

explanation at the time was a bland stale 

piece of bread - “Failure is bad.” But why? 

A deep conversation with myself was on 

order to discover the mysterious answer to 

the idea of failure. At first it was difficult 

to know where to begin. I had failed before 

in life. My first steps as a child weren’t 

the perfect example of how to walk, and 

when I started to ride my bike, the parking 

lot at my local middle school grew into 

a landmark of tears and frustration. With 

my Dad’s reinforcement, I finally made 

it, and now my bike is my sole method of 

transportation for traveling anywhere. I 

have failed a lot when it came to life skills. 

But at school, I couldn’t recall a moment 

when I had actually failed. 

My old report cards dating back to fourth 

grade show series of A’s repeated over and 

over again. I was motivated by fear. The 

fear of failure. Each school year, I was 

told that if my grades did not meet certain 

requirements, I would fail. Kids could 

think of a million different things of what 

could happen then - from a time out to 

being sent to a faraway island because 

Mommy and Daddy don’t love them anymore. 

Unfortunately, it’s still the current 

state of our education. 

If taking first steps or learning to ride a 

bike never requires a punishment for not 

knowing how to do it at first, why is school 

different? It’s hard to understand why 

schools promote only success and disown 

failure if failure is part of life. Many of those 

who failed at school are now the innovators, 

business workers, world leaders, and 

even the CEO’s of the largest companies in 

the world. 

So am I okay with failure? I would fail 

every class to prove that grades aren’t 

everything, but in the secluded world of 

education, they are the only thing that 

keeps me alive. For all my years in school, 

I have relied on a lifeline of blood that only 

pumps the letter “A” through my system. 

Failure is not an option; my goal in life is to 

succeed. I choose to keep walking down a 

narrow hall of success, passing doors leading 

to new experiences and opportunities. 

For too long, I have heard that success is 

the only way in a place where our children 

go each day to learn a fictional tale about 

the real world. That is not the real world at 

all. Success is not a letter or percentage; it’s 

character. Failure isn’t a cliff that leads to 

death; it’s a journey up a hill that becomes 

your life. 


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EDITOR’S PICK 

Who are these famous people? 

During his life, he only sold 

ONE painting out of 900 that 

he had made. 

1 

As a sophomore, he was rejected 

from his high school’s varsity 

basketball team. 

His first children’s book was 

refused by 27 publishers. 

His early businesses failed and 

left him broke five times before he 

founded his successful company. 

2 3 

4 

He was fired by a 

newspaper editor because 

“he lacked imagination 

and had no good ideas.” 

5 

His teachers felt he was 

hopeless and would never 

succeed with the violin or 

in composing. 

7 

Teachers told him 

that he was “too 

stupid to learn 

anything.” Work 

was no better - he 

was fired from 

his first two jobs 

for not being 

productive enough. 

6 

A recording 

company’s experts 

told them “no” 

because they didn’t 

like “their sound, 

and guitar music 

was on the way 

out.” 

8 

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November 2015 

13 

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LEARNING LESSON 

There is Always a 

Lesson to Learn: A 

Tribute to My Teacher 

By: Katelin Fields 


IT’S OKAY 

Everyone has gone through failure. 

You have failed; your best 

friend has failed; everyone has 

failed at some point. 

But when you fail, let’s say a test, 

you learn from it. For example, you 

couldn’t figure out 9x8. You might 

have gotten 81. All in all, you see 

when you get your test back that 9x8 

is not 81. 

You may go up to your teacher and 

ask how to get the right answer. Your 

teacher surely would help you figure 

it out. 

It’s not how badly you fail; it is 

how you overcome it that matters. 

For instance, if you get a lot of problems 

wrong on a test, you have a few 

choices: 

1. Start crying 

2. Check with your friends to help you 

figure out the right answer 

3. Keep to yourself until school is out 

4 Ask your teacher for help 

Obviously, some choices are better 

than others. The first one would draw 

attention to you quicker than a bull in 

By: Alison Martino 

5th grade, Lake Orion Schools 

lipstick. Plus, people would want to 

know what is wrong and if/when you 

tell them, they will want to see your 

test score that you probably aren’t 

happy with. It’s up to you if that is 

okay. 

The second choice would tell your 

friends what problem you got wrong. 

Most people would be okay with that, 

but some people want to keep their 

scores to themselves and that is completely 

okay, too. 

The third choice would probably either 

annoy your friends, because you 

are not talking to them, or upset you 

yourself because you are not talking 

to your friends. This would be hard for 

most people. 

The fourth choice is most likely the 

best bet, because your teacher will 

always help you and this way you 

don’t have to tell anybody or annoy 

anybody in any way possible. 

It’s okay to do badly at something; 

you just have to realize you are human. 

But, the way you handle the 

problem just shows how much you 

think before you do something. 

It was my first day of 4th grade at Springfield 

Plains Elementary. 

“Did everyone understand the 1,000 model?” 

asked Mrs.Kroll, my new teacher, at the end of 

math. 

“I didn’t,” I said. I was nervous as I was the only 

one to raise my hand. 

“Why didn’t you understand?” she asked. 

“Well, I don’t understand how you make a 3D 

model that represents 1,000,” I answered for myself 

and my math partner, Brandon. 

“ I will visit you tomorrow and see what you have 

come up with,” she promised. 

With that we ended math. 

The next day, we worked on the same concept, but 

this time, during math Mrs.Kroll came to Brandon 

and me, “So have you two come up with a plan?” 

she asked. 

“Not yet,” we answered in unison. 

“How about...” she started, but I was faster and interrupted, 

“A 3D box that can open and hold 1,000!” 

I shouted out. 

“Brilliant, now get to work!” she said. 

Right before math ended for that day, Mrs.Kroll 

asked once more, “Did everyone 

understand the 1,000?” 

I knew I got and stayed quiet. 

“Katelin, did you understand the 1,000 model?” 

she asked now for the third time. It felt so great that 

she cared. 

“Yes, it was the coolest thing ever, thank so 

much for everything!” I blurted out with a ton of 

excitement. 

“Great, I’m so very glad you understand!” Mrs. 

Kroll smiled. 

From that time on, I learned that it’s okay if I am 

having difficulty understanding or if I make mistakes. 

Also, failing is always totally okay because 

there is always a lesson to learn! I never really had 

understood how I learned with my other teachers, 

but I did with Mrs.Kroll. She challenged me and 

encouraged me to never give up. Mrs.Kroll made 

learning fun and creative so I understood it better. 

Mrs.Kroll, you are so amazing, and I will never forget 

my 4th grade! 


Publication INC.

KIDS CORNER 

Conquering the Stride Circle 

By: Amaya Cruz 

6th grade, Lake Orion Schools 

You can do it, Amaya!” my coach said. I believed her. I 

“ always did. But for the first time, I really thought about 

these five words... 

After years at gymnastics, one day I got an offer to move up 

to level three - the first level at which one can compete. I was 

very excited about the news and to show my coach the skills I 

knew. The hardest skill for me was the stride circle (a skill on 

the uneven bars in which one does the splits and circle around 

the bar). I told my coach that sometimes I get nervous about 

doing this skill. She said that it was alright and that we could 

work through it. For the first few weeks, she helped me attempt 

my stride circles. 

Finally, I decided I was ready to try it on the low bar by 

myself. I was nervous. I tried it and banged my leg on the bar. 

It hurt. I failed and failed again. And I tried and tried again. 

About two weeks later, I was more confident with my stride circles 

on the low bar, even though I could never make it around. 

Still, I told my coach I was ready to try it on the medium bar 

- the size bar needed for the competition. 

I climbed on the medium bar and sat there for 30 minutes. 

My arms were getting sore. As my heart was beating faster and 

faster, and I pushed myself - COME ON, COME ON, and JUST 

DO IT!!! I finally flipped around the bar and fell off, worse than 

ever. I wanted to cry not because it hurt, but because of disappointment 

and anger. I paused stride circles for a while until I 

felt ready again. A month later, my stride circle on the low bar 

got better, so I decided it was time to do it on the medium bar 

again. 

“You can do it, Amaya!” my coach said. I believed her. I 

always did. But for the first time, I really thought about these 

five words… One, three, five, ten and fifteen minutes of thinking 

went by, and, to my own surprise, I attempted it on the medium 

bar. I knew it would be awhile before I perfected my skill 

and made it all the way around, but I tried and I was happy. 

From that time on, I knew what I had to do. I worked as hard 

as I could for a month until huge scabs formed on the back of 

my leg from falling. I took a short break and came back ready 

to work super hard and focus on EVERYTHING I had learned. 

I asked my coach to help me on the first stride circle just to 

get a feel. She was surprised at how good they were and said I 

didn’t need her help. 

I thought about all of my failures and what they taught me. I 

tried to relax and work at the same time. I knew, I really knew 

at this moment that I could do it. I let go of my fear, and I made 

it all the way around. I was so used to failing, that it seemed 

unreal. I tried it again. It was official. In my world, I was a 

champion. 

1. Vincent van Gogh 

2. Michael Jordan 

3. Dr. Seuss 

4. Henry Ford 

5. Walt Disney 

6. Thomas Edison 

7. Ludwig van Beethoven 

8. The Beatles 

if you can 

dream it 

you can 

do it 

-walt disney 

Answers of Page 13 

November 2015 

15 

Publication INC.

HARVARD CONTRIBUTOR 

Mistakes and Learning 

By: Maleka Donaldson Gramling 

Harvard Graduate School of Education 

What is a mistake? Mistakes 

happen when there is a 

mismatch between one’s 

expected and actual performance 

1 . Although each of us is familiar 

with making mistakes, we do not experience 

mistakes in the same way. How we 

define a mistake, how important a mistake 

feels, and how we eventually respond to a 

mistake can vary greatly depending on the 

person and the circumstances. This means 

that when two people make the same mistake 

in similar circumstances, one might 

feel sad or angry, while the other stays 

calm and immediately gives it another try. 

Moreover, when the same person makes 

an identical mistake in different situations 

(e.g., in front of the class at school or at 

home alone), he or she might respond to it 

completely differently. 

Even though the way we respond to our 

mistakes is subjective and situational, it 

has a powerful influence on our behaviors 

and learning. What exactly is happening 

to us? The brain and the body have a 

physiological reaction when we don’t 

get the expected outcome – neurons 

fire in particular patterns 1 , 

heart rate slows, and the 

palms might sweaty 2 . We 

also experience an emotional 

response, which is 

influenced by the type 

of feedback we receive 

and our disposition toward 

mistakes based on 

prior experiences and 

personality 3 . Often, 

during the learning 

process, making 

a mistake might 

feel like a very negative 

emotional experience. If 

children feel threatened 

by mistakes, they may be 

less willing to try again 4 . 

That is unfortunate because researchers 

have found that making mistakes, and 

subsequently receiving corrective feedback, 

plays a powerful role in helping 

learners to remember new information 

and get better at acquiring new skills 5 . 

So what can educators do to make the 

most of student mistakes? 

• Urge students to expect to make 

mistakes when they are learning 

Maleka Donaldson Gramling holds a Bachelor 

of Arts in Biology from Harvard College and 

two Master of Education degrees from 

Harvard Graduate School of Education, 

concentrating in Human Development & 

Psychology and in Learning & Teaching. 

Her doctoral research focuses on 

teachers’ responses to student mistakes, 

and aims to help teachers become more 

metacognitive about their feedback 

interactions with students. 

something new. In order to improve, 

they need to practice, and it is not 

likely that they will always get it right 

the first time. 

• Emphasize effort, not outcome 6 . Effort 

and hard work are what help students 

learn so you should encourage them 

be persistent and ask for feedback if 

needed. 

• Give prompt, very specific feedback 

framed in a positive way 7 . As someone 

who already knows a lot about 

what they are trying to learn, a teacher’s 

feedback can enhance student 

understanding 8 

Bottom line, students need to understand 

that if they aren’t making any mistakes, 

chances are they aren’t learning. 

References 

1 Gehring, Goss, Coles, Meyer, & Donchin, 1993; 

Kim, Iwaki, Imashioya, Uno, & Fujita, 2007 

2 Hajcak, McDonald & Simons, 2004 

3 Weiner, 1985; Smiley & Dweck, 1994 

4 Fredrickson, 2001; Tomaka, Blascovich, Kelsey, 

& Leitten, 1993 

5 Pashler, Cepeda, Wixted, & Rohrer, 2005; Huesler 

& Metcalfe, 2012 

6 Dweck, 2006 

7 Hattie & Timperley, 2007 

8 Vygotsky, 1978 


Publication INC.

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4630 White Lake Rd. Clarkston, MI 48346 248-625-3547

EDUCATORS 

By: Erika Lusky 

Special Educator 

Reuther Middle School 

Rochester Schools 

Let’s admit it: for a long time, we, 

teachers, have been protecting 

students from failure. We bailed 

them out due to lack of wait time on 

our part or discomfort with productive 

struggle. Perhaps, pressures from parents 

had something to do with it as 

well. It certainly serves as a 

quick fix, but what does it tell 

our students? 

Success rarely comes before 

failure. Every person is 

a testimony to this. We have 

known fear and doubt. Yet, 

we have also met courage and 

success. We have hit plateaus in 

our progress, but with confidence, we can 

name a time we felt triumph. Before we 

walked, we crawled. Before joy was discomfort. 

This is no different for our kids. 

Grit is not taught, but rather learned. 

What words we use in our classrooms can 

greatly influence students’ perceptions of 

themselves and affect formation of resilience. 

We need to give them courage to 

move forward even when they’re afraid. 

Carol Dweck, the Lewis and Virginia 

Teaching the Value of 

FAILURE 

Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford 

University, suggests that by emphasizing 

effort and actions with phrases such 

as “I can see you have pushed 

yourself,” rather than praising 

a person, “You’re so smart,” 

we can motivate students and 

hold them accountable to their 

commitments. 

How we talk about learning 

is very important. This can either 

truly stop kids in their tracks or graciously 

open up a new opportunity. Not 

only should our comments address what 

was done well or poorly (feedback) but 

also, and even more importantly, offer 

guidance for future learning (feedforward.) 

Yet, more than anything, our own actions 

- how we face our challenges and deal with 

our failures - set examples for students. As 

teachers, we should often and openly try 

new ideas and model different approaches 

with the understanding that failure may 

occur and it’s normal. It’s essential to give 

ourselves and our students permission to 

pursue own interests. As Robert Vallerand, 

a Professor of Social Psychology, points out 

- passion predicts practice. 

As human beings, we have a natural proclivity 

to question how others perceive us, 

what they think of us, and what will they 

say if we fail. The real power, however, 

comes when we are able to work strenuously 

toward challenge regardless of this 

external validation. As we go through life, 

we embrace a chance to start over again 

with a smarter approach; we discover that 

our first path isn’t the only path after 

all. We learn to value our efforts, not to 

blame others, and to feel sincerity over 

fluff. We learn what matters. A variety of 

influences will shape our students as they 

ride their own wave of finding out what 

matters to them. While we can’t always 

control the water, we can offer them an oar 

or two.` 


Publication INC.

EDUCATORS 

By: Glenn Gualtieri 

Principal , Glenn Gualtieri 

Bailey Lake Elementary Clarkston Schools 

Failure 

is an 

Option 

By: Glenn Gualtieri 

Principal, Bailey Lake Elementary 

Clarkston Schools 

I 

recently witnessed fifth grade students 

design, engineer, construct, and fly 

paper airplanes. They observed the 

flight of their plane compared to that of others. 

Some planes flew higher, longer, and 

straighter than others. After a trial flight 

and observations, students made modifications 

to the design and construction of their 

airplanes. The process of modifying and flying 

was repeated a few times, resulting in an 

obvious improvement in the airplanes that 

struggled to maintain flight during initial 

trials. Notably, the airplane flight was not 

the only factor that improved: the students’ 

sense of ownership during learning and celebration 

of success improved dramatically 

Sometimes what we call 

failure 

is really just 

that necessary 

struggle called 

learning. 

as well. A follow-up discussion had students 

conclude that their final product was 

a result of the failed attempts. 

Learning, as life, presents challenges and 

obstacles in your desired path. Struggles in 

learning are often seen as something negative 

in the journey to becoming successful. I 

would claim that, through failure, a learner 

gains an appreciation of the learning journey 

while exceeding the desired expectation. 

The goal of an elementary education is 

to help students develop dispositions to be 

successful in a chosen life path. Yes, we 

want students to learn skills, but more so, 

we want them to acquire dispositions to use 

those skills. Information is easy to obtain; it 

is literally at our fingertips. Students need 

to learn how to process, connect, and transfer 

this information. This is a deeper level of 

learning and thinking than a generation ago. 

Failure in the learning process will deepen 

the development of these dispositions. 

It’s difficult for parents to watch their 

child fail. It is instinctual to swoop in and 

assist to avoid seeing the one you love experience 

failure. I caution parents to fight the 

urge to intervene when they see that their 

child is failing on a task/ assignment or in a 

conflict with peers. 

Consider something in your life that 

brings you joy and satisfaction. Consider 

the struggles and challenges endured while 

“Failure is only the 

opportunity to begin again, 

only this time more wisely.” 

 

- Henry Ford 

creating or enhancing it. Would it have 

brought the same joy and satisfaction if 

there were not obstacles and challenges to 

overcome? Would you have been where 

you are now if failures were not experienced 

on the way? Failure is always an option - an 

unintended but desired detour on a productive 

journey of learning. 

November 2015 

19 

Publication INC.

PARENT’S CORNER 

I WANT 

MY KIDS 

TO FAIL 

By: Joshua Raymond, Parent 

Long Meadow 

Elementary / West Middle, 

Rochester Schools 

I 

want my kids to fail. Failure is one of 

the most important experiences they will 

ever have. The road to success is paved 

with failure because failure teaches us how 

to succeed. 

I want my kids to fail. It is only when they 

fail that they have an opportunity to pick 

themselves back up. It is only when they fail 

that they learn to work hard. It is only when 

they fail that they learn what doesn’t work. 

It is only when they fail that they learn that 

all people need help. It is only when they 

fail that they learn empathy for struggles of 

others. It is only when they fail that they 

learn that life is not always fair. It is only 

when they fail that they understand what 

being human is. 

I want my kids to fail, but not to the point 

that they are emotionally broken. Right now 

I am there to give a pep talk, spend time 

with them, and believe in them as they continue 

to try. But I will not always be there. 

This motivation needs to become internal; 

then they will succeed because they believe 

in themselves. 

I want my kids to fail, but not to the point 

that they are physically hurting, when they 

cannot afford to feed, shelter, and clothe 

themselves. While they are under my care, 

the consequences of failure are not threatening 

to their health and welfare. This is the 

time to fail in order to succeed. 

I want my kids to fail in the classroom. 

This is true education! When children learn 

with minimal effort and are rewarded with 

Joshua Raymond 

“I’ve missed more than 9000 

shots in my career. I’ve lost 

almost 300 games. 26 times, 

I’ve been trusted to take 

the game winning shot and 

missed. I’ve failed over and 

over and over again in my 

life. And that is why I 

succeed.” 

– Michael Jordan 

“The pupil who is never 

required to do what he 

cannot do, never does what 

he can do.” 

– John Stuart Mill 

A’s, they come to believe that success is 

easy. I want them to struggle, to not always 

succeed on the first try – or the twentieth, to 

learn that asking for help is okay, and to see 

that success is often a long process. 

I want my kids to fail. To do so, I supplement 

their education at home. Our kindergartner 

has learned by doing second grade 

math that there is a strong correlation between 

her effort and scores. When she has 

a rough quiz, she often chooses to do three 

or four practices to see a better result on her 

next quiz. This drive will take her further 

than her natural intelligence. 

I want my kids to fail, as every parent 

should. If children are struggling, help them 

to learn perseverance. If they are never having 

difficulties in school, wonder why not. 

Ask to challenge them and make them work 

harder. Failure is one of the most important 

lessons to learn. 


Publication INC.

FEATURE 

Spooky similarity! 

• Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. 

• John F Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. 

• Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. 

• John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. 

• Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. 

• Both wives lost their children while living in the White House. 

• Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were 

shot in the head. 

• Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's Secretary 

was named Lincoln. 

• Both were assassinated by Southerners. 

• Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. 

• Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. 

• Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. 

• John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 

1839. 

• Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 

1939. 

• Both assassins were known by their three names. 

• Both names are composed of fifteen letters. 

• Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.' 

• Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln' made by Ford Booth 

• Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater. 

• Booth and Oswald were both assassinated before their trials. 

• And here's the kicker: 

• A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland. 

• A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn 

Monroe. 

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Open Gym 

• Adult Open Gym, Capoeira 

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• Camps 

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500 East Second St 

Rochester, MI 48307 

21 

Publication INC.

PEOPLE WE ADMIRE 

What Led you to be a 

School administrator? 

Insights from Sarah Manzo, 

Principal, Oakview Middle 

School, Lake Orion 

I 

knew that I wanted to be in education 

right when I was little, because my 

parents and grandmother were teachers. 

When I was just starting teaching, 

seeing a strong woman in a leadership 

position, especially in science and math, 

was a rarity. It was odd. So that’s why I 

wanted to influence younger women to get 

into these areas. Once I got into education 

and became a teacher, I felt I had a positive 

influence on young women. I thought, “I’m 

doing a pretty good job of influencing the 

25 kids in my class; I’d like to have more 

of an impact.” As a school leader, I could 

influence the teachers, who then could influence 

kids in their class. I feel that my 

positive influence is reaching out to more 

people. 

What is the most rewarding part of your 

job? 

There’s a lot of rewards. Anything from, 

“I really like this part of the school” to 

people saying “We’ve really noticed that...” 

Sometimes, it’s just a smile from a kid, 

or just walking in the hall and looking at 

children. But probably the most rewarding 

part is hearing the positive comments from 

people. 

Did you face any failure on the road to 

be where you are now? If so, how did you 

overcome it? 

I’m a very reflective person, and I have 

high expectations for myself. So, yes, I have 

experienced failure, at least in my own eyes. 

If I’m launching a big project, or, like now, 

trying to get many ideas off the ground, and 

it doesn’t go exactly how I have planned, I 

might think of that as a failure. However, as 

I get older and a bit wiser, I look at it differently. 

Maybe some aspects of the program 

‘Set your good habits now. 

A lot of times, especially for 

teenagers, it’s easy to fall 

into bad habits. Practice 

hard work, self-motivation, 

perseverance. Understand 

different viewpoints and 

lifestyles.’ 

Sarah Manzo, Principal 

failed, but this means we need changes to 

make it better. 

What advice would you give to a student 

on how to become successful? 

I would say, set your good habits now. 

A lot of times, especially for teenagers, 

it’s easy to fall into bad habits. Practice 

hard work, self-motivation, perseverance. 

Understand different viewpoints and lifestyles. 

Be a caring, open person. The more 

open you are, the more things you learn. At 

times, I have to have difficult conversations 

with somebody, whether it’s a student or 

a teacher. It’s hard to point out to people 

that the things they do are not helpful, 

because they don’t see it. It’s important to 

understand that no one comes to work and 

says, “You know what, I’m going to be a 

really bad teacher today!” It’s important to 

be open. 

What do you like to do outside of work? 

My family is very busy. Both my boys 

play a lot of sports. I am an avid reader. I really 

love to read. We don’t get a lot of down 

time, but I get opportunities to read when 

sitting in a rink or in a field. I think family 

is very important. You can never get back 

those family years. 

By: Charlotte Anke, 7th grade 

Lake Orion Schools 


Publication INC.

PARENT’S CORNER 

Growing Through 

Failure 

Maggie 

Razdar 

Publisher/Founder 

You stumbled, and fell. Let me be the first to say, I salute you. You did something 

most of your naysayers are way-too-terrified to do. You explored a 

dream. Now, dust yourself off, patch up your cuts and scrapes, salvage your 

valuable lessons-learned, and get ready for what’s next. 

Let’s be real: failure is an inescapable part of life. I wish it wasn’t so, but everyone 

has had some sort of failure in his or her life. They may have taken a dive in school, 

their career, a business venture, or a close relationship. While many quickly abandon 

new ideas because of past failures, many of the most successful people of our 

time encountered numerous failures before reaching their goals. People like Steve 

Jobs reimagined failure as a critical component to success. At one point in his epic 

career, Jobs was actually fired from Apple - the company he created - once it went 

public. He explained, 

“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best 

thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was 

replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It 

freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” 

We all have choices about the failures we encounter. It’s not the failure itself, but 

the way we explain it to ourselves, that causes it to have a negative connotation. 

We all respond to failure and setbacks differently. What makes the difference is our 

self-talk, the stories we tell ourselves. This internal dialogue can either push us to 

persevere or spur us to run for the hills. The self-talk of successful people sounds 

something like this: 

“This is temporary. This will pass. While I can’t change the past, I can change my 

future.” 

Just as physical healing differs from person to person, timelines for overcoming 

failure are different for everyone. While some may be able to bounce back quickly, 

others may need some more time. So, don’t pressure yourself to power through it. 

Take the time you need to recover. Nurture your wounds, allowing them to heal 

properly, so you’ll be strong enough for the next leg of your journey. 

Fear of failure is often greater than the pain of the original failure itself, due to 

the long-term implications of emotional paralysis. Push through the fear. There are 

brighter horizons ahead. 

One of the best ways to overcome failure is to surround yourself with people 

who truly care for you and your success. One of the greatest things I have ever 

learned in my life is that while failure can be painful, it often brings us closer to 

those who matter most. If you’re struggling, look around. There are always people 

who are willing to be encouraging and supportive, even in our darkest moments. 

In the meantime, take time to laugh. Enjoy the small moments. Celebrate each 

and every victory, big or small. Begin to set new goals for yourself, keeping your 

eyes on the big picture. What may look like a pretty bad idea from close up may 

look much better from a distance. Don’t be afraid to step out again, believing that 

everything will work out the way it should. Because, it usually does. 

November 2015 

23 

Publication INC.

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL 

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. 

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! 

TO CONTACT CLARKSTON OPTIMIST CALL 

ROBIN BROSE 248-909-9289 

TO CONTACT LAKE ORION OPTIMIST CALL 

DONALD BROSE 248-736-8833 

LAKE ORION EDUCATION FOUNDATION PRESENTS... 

Destination: Dragon Dreams 

50/50 

Scholarship Raffle 

Drawing Open to Everyone! 

(Must be 18 to Purchase Ticket) 

Win up to $25,000! 

Tickets: $50 each! 

Optional Cash Payout! 

(After Taxes) 

Drawing Saturday, November 21, 2015 

LOEF Evening for Education at Indianwood Country Club 

Visit www.lakeorioneducationfoudation.org 

or call 248-608-2700 for more information or to purchase a ticket

Interview

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