I believe in what the teachers are trying to accomplish with this walk out. That said, I know the financial challenges our state faces and wonder how we can honesty get there right now. It seems like, to me, it will be a more gradual fix. I do think it's good we are addressing rather than ignoring the issue. Hopefully there can be a long term solution! But for me, it isn't black and while... I'm not "for or against," as the social media nazis push to try to force you to commit to one side or the other! I see it as good and bad on both sides... It's more of a gray issue, rather than black and white issue to me! Not to mention the less than honorable folks on both sides, hopefully not deterring real positive change for education and our kids. All of this said, in the beginning, keeping the kids active while the teachers walk out continues, was okay. We read our library books, worked on the upcoming state testing prep, even did a few special chores. But this idle time, while I'm at work is getting tougher to keep productive for them. I have to stay focused which often leaves them idle and drawn to quick fixes like video games. I set time limits for them but often get so busy myself, I don't stay on top of them. I don't want them to get zombie brains. So when our Promotions Director, who also has his son here, came in to the studio to compare notes on keeping the kids productive, we came up with what I thought was a great idea! A FIELD TRIP!
John, our Promotions Director has a super cool and very full office, of prizes! He is the organizer of all the goodies you win on all of our iHeart Radio stations here in OKC! So I thought it would be so cool for our kids to get to hear how all of that works and see all the things he has to work with on a daily basis, to keep all the prizes going for all 7 of our radio stations! So in between songs, we took the trek up the hallway to this exciting place....
Just as I thought, the "oohs and ahhs" confirmed what I already knew... That they would be blown away with all happens behind the scenes here at work!
But then... You'll never guess what happened next! In trying to encourage curiosity and actually teach something in this moment, things flipped! John asked the boys what they've been keeping busy with all these days here at work and when they mentioned play a game called RoadBlox (or some such)... He became very interested and my boys ended teach him and his son how to play! 😐 (insert eye roll here!). ha ha
What a memorable time indeed! So what have you been doing to keep your kids engaged during the walk out? Share your ideas here! LOL
If you support the teacher walkout; please call to let them know you are in favor of
Edmond school administration (405.340.2800)
Oklahoma City Public schools 587-0000 (you can also call this too)