2. Classroom environment and management in light of Covid-19 restrictions

"An effective teacher manages a classroom. An ineffective teacher disciplines a classroom" - Harry Wong

Covid-19 is taken very seriously in Glenart’s College. Covid-19 protocols are challenging for practical subjects like art. All of the Units of Learning I am delivering can ony feature materials the students have in their art packs. No materials can be handed out. This reduces the number of projects we can deliver. It has been challenging to prepare lessons that are creative and safe. Keeping a distance from the students is difficult. Art is a hands-on subject. The tactile element is strong feature which has now been lost. Students have to supply their own tools which means students are losing out if they can’t afford the schools art pack. It is an unnatural approach to teaching, we should be standing up, sharing materials and moving around the classroom in a organic manner. Instead, we are chained to our desks afraid to be close to each other.

Digital media has assisted the learning greatly over the last few weeks. Live demonstrations have been replaced with video demonstrations. The whiteboard is the most important tool, images and support studies are shared and discussed. Peer evaluations now happen over the whiteboard, the students work is photographed and projected. Usually this will happen around one table where notebooks are shared. Video demonstrations have pros and cons. Pre-filming means I am organized and prepared for each lesson, the videos can play on a loop guiding students throughout the class and they are resources I will use in the future. Whereas live demonstrations are more personal students can be invited to get involved, questions can be explained better and the videos filming, and editing takes hours. This time could be redirected towards assessment and differentiation planning.