OKPLAC recently hosted the weekly #oklaed Twitter chat. Our theme of the chat was Parents Can. We wanted to get feedback from Oklahoma educators and legislators on what parents can to do be constructive partners with educators and helpful advocates for Oklahoma’s public schools.
May 2 - 6, 2022 is Teacher Appreciation Week, a tradition started in 1984 by the National PTA. To highlight our appreciation for Oklahoma’s public school teachers, here are some insights we learned from educators in the #oklaed chat that show how parents can understand, encourage, and advocate for our educators.
Parents Can Understand
We asked how parents can better understand the day-to-day teacher experience in order to be the partners our classroom teachers need.
Fort Gibson elementary principal Andrea Sifers was one of several people who said substitute teaching is a great a way for parents to better appreciate the experience of classroom teachers. Lawton Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Hime emphasized that parents can maintain perspective by understanding teachers must consider the needs of all students in their care. As both a teacher and a parent, Lauren Peña noted the importance of giving teachers the benefit of the doubt.
Parents Can Encourage
Oklahoma has had a teacher shortage problem for a long time, and it shows no signs of improving. We asked what parents can do to keep teachers in Oklahoma classrooms, and how to fill our teacher pipeline with new professional educators.
Teacher LeeAnne Power Jimenez emphasized that parents can help by being positive partners with teachers, and encourage our young people to stay Oklahoma. Principal Steve Gilliland suggested that teachers need a positive working environment with support, respect, and competitive pay. Superintendent Tonya Finnerty reminds us that it’s the little things like a personal note or a small gift that can make a teacher’s day and remind them how valuable they are.
Parents Can Advocate
OKPLAC is all about advocacy, so we asked how parents can act out their teacher appreciation through legislative advocacy.
Kindergarten teacher Staci Walling reminds parents how important it is to know who your state legislators are, be in contact with them, and to turn out and vote. Lawton Superintendent Hime pointed out how teacher pay must keep up with inflation, and parents need to raise this issue with the legislators who represent them. Oklahoma PTA President Lori Wathem reminds parents to share positive public school experiences with friends and local media so that our communities and legislators better understand all the good our public schools are doing every day.
Parents Can
Hosting the weekly #oklaed Twitter chat was a real honor. This Sunday evening tradition has been going for years, with passionate Oklahoma educators and engaged legislators sharing their views and learning from one another.
The news lately is too often full of negative commentary on public schools — it’s amazing what a very small and very loud minority of people can do to set the tone on an issue, whether for bad or good.
Parents can flip the script by raising our voices for the good of public schools. Educators need to see and hear the love from the majority of parents who know that Oklahoma teachers make magic happen every day in their classrooms.
Hosting the #oklaed chat reaffirmed that educators want parents as partners — PARENTS CAN!
Educators want parents to change the tone of the public education conversation — PARENTS CAN!
Educators want parents to show our appreciation through our advocacy — PARENTS CAN!
And educators want parents to be the change we want to see in public school funding and support — most definitely, PARENTS CAN!