Teachers have had to make large adjustments to their teaching methods following the onslaught of COVID-19. Educators have the responsibility of keeping their students safe while at school, and with the pandemic on their hands, that has become a difficult task. 

At the beginning of the school year, students had the option of learning remotely or attending school in-person. Students in the 6th grade and above would go every other day and elementary level students would attend school every day. For fully remote students, materials were provided so that they could learn safely from home. 

LeeAnna Hooper, a third-grade teacher at Corl Street Elementary school, had to craft a plan for her fully remote students to successfully learn at home.

“For schoolwork, I gather it all up and send it home so students have what they need for the week,” Hooper said. 

Students attending school in-person are more vulnerable to getting sick because of their close proximity to others. Faculty members and students are taking extra precautions to limit the potential spread of cases by adhering to certain safety guidelines. 

“In between each class they make us wipe our tables down,” freshman Autumn Banfield said. 

District safety guidelines were set by higher administration. 

“They took most of the furniture out of the room to allow for the desks to be spaced 6 feet apart,” Hooper said. She added, “We all wear masks so everybody that’s in the building has to have a mask on at all times.” These precautions come from the CDC to make the classroom as safe as possible.

Despite the obstacles this year has posed, teachers are trying their hardest to make things feel normal for their in-person and remote students. This new way of learning is not the easiest, but despite this, teachers are trying to help students through all of this. One important thing teachers are doing is reminding students about the guidelines. 

“They remind us to not crowd doorways and to keep our masks on,” Banfield said. 

Making the classroom feel more like a learning environment is important as well.

 “We found ways to be creative to sort of have some of the normal feel that we need in order to do school, so for instance, the kids really shouldn’t be sitting on the floor so I got them yoga mats so that they can sit on the floor near their desk,” Hooper said. Keeping kids in the right mindset while at school is another important form of safety the teachers are looking out for. 

By following administrative orders and the CDC guidelines while still personalizing their rooms, teachers are determined to keep students safe and healthy. The 2020-2021 school year will be a crazy year, but, thanks to the efforts of teachers, a safe one.