Letters

Bravo Sunnyside

As I arrived to work on Friday morning (January 16, 2015) I was greeted by the silence of being the first employee to enter into the cubicle maze of doom that consumed me five days a week.

Just a few minutes later as I was coming out of the break room to begin my daily routine of turning computers on, in walked a co-worker with a great big smile on her face.

I was in wonder as I had remembered her saying she was going to some kind of “event” at her granddaughters elementary school the evening before.

Moments later after she had removed her coat she rounded the corner of an adjoining cubicle and her glowing smile remained.

Before I could inquire as to what was making her seem so happy she began to tell me about the “event” she had attended.

She started by telling me her granddaughter’s 4th grade class had been working on a project called Classroom City.

She then explained the evening event which had the parents, grandparents, etc.

of the students arrive and receive monopoly money.

The adults then could go to the different “Cities” and spend their monopoly money at various “businesses” the students had created.

There was a plethora of businesses such as face painting, paper airplane sales, nail polishing and many more.

My co-worker then went on to tell me how her granddaughter was so professional in her conducting of business. She also explained as part of this teaching strategy how the children arrived in their classroom one morning to find all of their desks upside down and other items in the classroom were spread all around. This was apparently done to simulate a tornado or other natural disaster. This was done to teach the students how to come together as a community and pool their funds to help each other in times of need.

I was amazed at what I was hearing! You mean to tell me this school was actually teaching the children about “Real Life situations!?” These days there is so much emphasis on tests, homework and doing above level this and that.

At the school my daughter attends she has so much homework (none of which has to do with real life) every evening, by the time she is done with dinner, shower and homework it is time for bed and we have had no time for what really matters.

This is on a good evening too.

Other times she is in tears over the amount of homework.

Her school also requires the students to read on the weekend.

I am all for reading and believe it is very important, however as far as I am concerned the school has from 8:25-3:15 with my child and any time after that she is on my time, especially on the weekend.

Therefore she should not be doing school work (most times referred to as “homework”) during what I would deem as family time.

Time spent in “community” (whether family, friends or neighbors) is just one of the many important things that should be taught in school.

I am sure the definition of what really matters is different to everyone.

In my book it certainly is not tests and homework.

In my opinion a very important part of what matters is community.

You can’t learn that from homework and tests.

The kids at Sunnyside elementary who are involved in “Classroom City” are being taught what I would consider to be valuable information.

They are learning not only about community but also customer service, communication skills, work ethic, manners, and money handling as well.

What better way to teach that than to have the students be a part of community by participating in this “Classroom City” event? I would like to throw a big shout of support out to Sunnyside Elementary school of Pullman, Washington, for allowing these students to be a part of what I would consider to be some wonderful teaching tools.

I hope and pray that more schools in our community will follow the lead of this school and figure out that they need to be teaching real life and not just push students to the point of failure by putting so much pressure on them to take so many tests.

So again I say thank you to the administration, staff and students of Sunnyside Elementary school.

You should be extremely proud of yourselves.

I know I am proud of your creative teaching.

Rebecca “Reba” Poland,

Colfax

CHS ‘63 tribute

Been thinking of writing this several years, but Kay Krom’s letter got me busy.

I too remember Elizabeth Nelson (and many other teachers) from a great school system in Colfax. My freshman year I had her for World History. She gave us “only” 8 months to write a term paper. About 1 week prior to the due date I scrambled something together and turned it in. She responded with an “F” for that semester. Doing quick math, I realized I would not graduate if I failed twice more. She got my full undivided attention; I never failed another class, put a little more effort into the work involved on my part. I have never forgotten her, and just wish I could have told her how much I love history, and how much she meant to me, and helping turn my life into a productive one.

I also appreciated many of the adults in Colfax who “corrected” many of us while in our youth (sadly, something they would probably be arrested for now). Sometimes I would get punished for some mischief, and when I arrived home my mom “took care of it again:” double jeopardy!

Thank you Colfax, for a wonderful education and many wonderful memories.

Rich “Dick” Skeate,

Crestline, Calif.

CHS Class of ‘63