Dear Oak,
At one point, the whole Oak class was either waiting by the swing for a turn or on the swing. You were all trying to figure out how long each turn should be.
When you’re on a bike or digging in the sand or building with blocks, you get to use the tools you need for as long as you need them. Then, when you’re finished, someone else can have a turn.
Waiting is hard! Aarrgh. Then there’s the swing. Usually, you can swing until you are done just like any other work you’re doing at Rainbow School. The person waiting can go play chase, or ride a bike, or stand around and wait until you are done. I’ve even kept a list of who is waiting for a turn so that I can call them when there’s space.
Today was different. We don’t have our four person tire swing. And everyone was waiting for a turn. It’s a bit like our bus, where we pick up new riders at the bus stop, and those on the bus get off to make room. They can wait at the bus stop for another turn if they wish.
Someone said that the turns on the swings should be a hundred minutes. That’s an hour and forty minutes. That’s a long time. There wouldn’t even be enough time for two groups to swing before it was time to go home. Those waiting didn’t want to wait that long.
I wonder what ideas you have about a long line at the swing and what’s fair.
Love,
Teacher Michelle