Returning to school for in-person instruction during a global pandemic can reveal a whole spectrum of emotions for everyone involved including the students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members. We are ready to be back and see each other, learning together in the same place as a community. Yet, we are also anxious and unsure of what it will be like and if we can stay healthy as the world continues to battle COVID-19.
As teachers we have to be on the offensive with our precautions so that we can create the safest environment possible for our students and also for ourselves. I have had to rethink how I will do almost everything in the art room so that we can continue to meet in person safely and create artwork in a hands-on environment. To put our minds at ease, I would like to share some of the procedures that have been put in place to create the safest possible art classroom to start out the year at New Buffalo Middle School and High School.
1. Masks - Students and staff will be wearing face masks at all times while inside the building. The only exception to this policy will be at lunch when eating socially distant or when taking a “mask break” outside, six feet apart. You may see me also wearing a face shield over my mask, because I want to stay healthy and present for my students. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to tell that I’m smiling beneath my mask because my eyes scrunch together!
2. Blue X’s- No, it’s not a scavenger hunt for treasure! I’ve created a walking path with blue X’s that are each six feet apart to remind myself to walk around the classroom instead of walking through the tables where I would be too close to my students. I measured the walking path while holding my arms out so I wouldn’t be too close to the tables. The X’s are also in place for students standing in line to wash their paint brushes and hands at the sinks or to enter/exit the room without crowding. One of the sinks has been marked off to keep social distance.
3. Tables- The art room tables were in groups last year but have been spread apart and facing the same direction so that there is less risk of face to face contact. Each table has only two chairs with a plastic divider and the room is capped at eighteen students.
4. Teacher Zone- To reduce the amount of communally shared materials, students will be picking up and dropping off personal art supply bags and art portfolios in groups of two from the teacher’s zone. This is a do-not-cross red line so that students are not walking about as a class touching the same cabinets and drawers where their work and materials are stored. When their table is called, each group of two will come to the teacher table to pick up their art supply bags and artwork for class. This is also the area where I will be sanitizing supplies during passing period away from the students.
5. Outdoor Art- Almost every day that we have good weather, art classes will be held outside. We will have access to the courtyard during class so after picking up their art supplies and drawing boards from the teacher zone, students will proceed out the door in groups of two. While outside, six feet apart, students can remove their masks during class.
6. Class Dismissal- Zones of the building will be dismissed at different times so that the hallways have less people together all at once. In the art room, students will be entering and exiting from the door closest to the senior photo hallway to avoid a bottleneck effect at the other exit next to the science classroom.
While these precautions may seem a little overboard, I would rather be over prepared with safety guidelines and healthy students so that we can continue to have art class in the school building together. Let's get this year off to a great start!
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