ProRodeo Sports News - May 15, 2020

HOME SCHOOLING TAYLOR-MADE TEACHINGS • Randy Taylor, ProRodeo announcer from Menno, S.D., and his daughter, Raelynn, 8 My wife, Carmen, and I are taking turns with Raelynn’s second-grade assignments, and we’ve acquired great respect for her teacher, Mrs. Harris. Keeping an 8-year-old’s attention span while doing homework is challenging. The teachers are underpaid and amazing. I’ve been listening to the teacher doing Zoommeetings with each child and how she coordinated and involved each and every student in these 40-minute Zoommeetings. Originally her classwork was all on paper, but now about half of it is on the computer. Her technical skills are already beyond mine. She has Zoom meetings with her classmates, and they had a virtual field trip. Most of the homework is done by her. The best part about all of this is having more family time. We have a nomadic lifestyle. I haven’t been home much since I was in chiropractic school at the University of Wyoming, and that was decades ago. The school provides meals, and that’s awesome because it gives her independence to prepare breakfast and lunch through the week. That’s been a very nice thing and good for her morale. I think the Lord works in mysterious ways and this will make us all better and make us appreciate more what we have in our country. • Raelynn Taylor weighs in – “It’s not my favorite. I don’t get to see my teacher and friends.”

BY MATT NABER U ntil things get back to normal, everyone is enjoying more family time together – but first they need to finish their homework. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the traditional “Three Rs” of education (reading, writing and arithmetic) have added a fourth R – rodeo. With many schools shut down for the remainder of the school year and ProRodeo competitions on pause, some PRCAmembers are trying their hand at homeschooling their children. Cowboys take the reins during homeschooling ‘R’ 4th THE

ANDREWS’ A-PLUS • James Andrews, ProRodeo stock contractor, from Blossom, Texas, and his daughter Alee, 13, and son, Kelon, 15 Alee is in seventh grade and Kelon is a freshman in high school. Right now, their mom (Pepper) is their main teacher. Most of it is online and they have to fill out booklets. Then, Pepper turns that into the school each Monday and picks up another booklet of assignments. I have them come work with me a day or two each week, too. I think they’d rather be at school with their friends, but they’re making the best of it. Honestly, the best part is just being home with the family more. I know this is costing us a lot of money, but it’s nice to be at home more with the family. It has been pretty hard though, since we have stock to feed but no income coming in. Personally, I wish they’d never shut the country down and just worried about the retirement homes and concentrated more on that, let the rest of us make a living. Photo courtesy Sammy Andrews Stock contractor Sammy Andrews, left, and his son, James, help teach James’ daughter, Alee.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/15/2020

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