The most asked question I’ve gotten since I posted about teaching in-person in school has been “how do you do it?”
I teach largely the same way that I’ve always taught. There are many adjustments that I have made, but overall, it’s the same job. I have always seen myself as more of a teacher than a musician so not teaching band isn’t a big mental adjustment. While I prefer teaching music, I would find teaching other subjects interesting and rewarding. That being said there are many things that I have figured out over the summer and in these two weeks that have helped me teach.
This year I’m teaching grades 4, 5, 6 & 8. Usually I teach grades 3, 5, 6, & 8. The two older grades are concert band and the two younger grades are general music. This year the school decided to not do concert band or choir, also we are not permitted to sing, which effects all of the grades, especially the lower ones. This all means that I have to come up with a new curriculum.
Basically, what I am doing is having 4th & 5th grade have the same curriculum and 6th & 8th grade have the same curriculum. I’m making adjustments for the developmental level, but I’m not trying to create four disparate experiences. I am pulling up my “greatest hits” lessons, ones that I know work, and that I enjoy teaching.
Teaching students in masks has not been something that I’ve thought about much or made adjustments for in my instruction. I do miss some of the subtleties of facial expressions, so I am focusing more on body language and the tone of speech to sense how students are doing. I've always focus more on how the room feels, the vibe to see how a class is doing and masks doesn’t affect that at all. The students needing to be distanced from each other and staying in the desk space also hasn’t been much of an adjustment at all. Having students sit in rows doesn’t feel cold or inhumane at all. Now that I’ve seen desks spaced out, I feel that in some context students should always have this much space around their body.
After buying five or six different kinds of masks, I’ve landed on a mask made by a local toy shop. I slide in a mask bracket which gives me some space between my mask and my mouth so I’m not eating my mask, while I talk. I also wear a mask strap extender which turns my mask into a headband which keeps pressure off my ears. I didn’t feel a need for all of this stuff until I had to wear a mask on for hours a day.
I now use a microphone when I teach. I learned over the summer while taking my children to the park that it is hard to project your voice through a mask. I used to be macho about my teacher voice and laugh at the idea of using a microphone. Now that I’ve used one and had great success, I will definitely use it after the pandemic. It feels different to teach when you are simply talking and not thinking about projecting. It almost feels more intimate and personal, which in this time is comforting.
I now travel to different classrooms to teach. So, I carry a bag with my laptop, iPad, and Bluetooth speaker. I carry multiple cords and adapters with me, because between the ten different classrooms I teach in, there are different ways that the A/V works, so I’ve learned to bring back up.
I usually dress up for school. I wear nice jeans, and a buttoned-up dress shirt. I teach younger kids so being able to sit on the floor and dance is necessary so jeans help with that, though I do avoid my weekend jeans with holes in them. I like to wear dress shirts so I can have a level of formality that I present to my students.
This year I’m ditching the dress shirts for a couple reasons. It has been recommended to wash clothing we wear at work more often, and I don’t want to wash my dress shirts every day. Also, I feel like I need to present myself as more fun and casual to make up for my lack of visible smiling. I have many fun t-shirts that reflect my interests It’s a great topic of conversation when students ask and it’s a way that I can draw students out a little bit more.
Now that I’ve gotten the practical stuff out of the way, I’m going to get to the crux of what I think many people are wondering: How do I walk into building filled with hundreds of people during a pandemic and feel comfortable enough to teach?
I feel that the layers of safety procedures at my school mitigates the risks to my health to a level an acceptable level. The combination of social distancing, small pods of students, sanitation (hand-washing, and cleaning), and mask usage creates layers of protection that lowers the risk of spread even if one of those factors is compromised. I do want to note that there are faculty and staff at my school that disagree with my assessment and feel that the school is not doing enough. My views are my own are not meant to be representative of other teachers at my school. Furthermore, some feel that even with more strident safety procedures the school should not be in-person because of community infection rates.
I do not disparage or disagree with these viewpoints as adults in my school have very different experience depending on their role at our school. I do not claim to fully understand what other people are going through. I run around the school teaching music. That’s a very different experience then spending the day with five-year-olds, or working as a teaching assistant.
Am I worried? Yes. In quiet moments do I get scared? Yes. Do I feel the risk is worth what I am bringing to my students and how this experience of teaching enriches my life financially and mentally? Ye. Between deep breaths, and in the gaze of students’ eyes, I let the rest of the world leave me, and I am there present physically and mentally with and for my students.
I do not feel there is anything extraordinary with what I’m doing. I feel privileged and blessed to have a job that pays me to think and not strain my back. I feel honored and fortunate to spend time with wonderful faculty and amazing students, and I feel hopeful that we can do something of some meaning behind masks, spaced out from each other, and together under one roof in this school we call a model home.
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