Physical education, art, music teachers adjust to online learning

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Some classes are easier to transition to online learning while schools are closed due to COVID-19, but other classes provide a challenge.

"It's a little bit like building an airplane while you are flying it. That is really what we are living right now," said Stephen Rew, a music teacher for the Raymore-Peculiar School District.

Classes that are deemed "special" by many school districts are harder to move online. Those include art, music and physical education classes.

For those instructors, teaching online is new territory.

"Trying to encourage them to do the things they like to do and then maybe give them some more content," said Kristin Mallory, a P.E. teacher at Southwest Middle School in Lawrence.

Mallory never imagined she would have to teach online. But she is making things work by starting off with weekly Zoom sessions.

"I had all my sixth-graders and I had, in my first class, 48 out of my 50 students," Mallory said.

As for getting her students active and involved, she is letting them do whatever makes them happy but also gets them moving at the same time.

Rew, the music teacher, said adjusting to online learning has been difficult.

"There is no technology that currently exists for you to sing at the same time with another human being on the other side of the computer," Rew said.

But he is finding ways to teach from home.

"I have created tracks for the kids, YouTube links, where they go see the music go by and it sings their part," Rew said. "I put up a discussion question each morning that challenges them to experience music today."

Because of the virus, Rew's choir is missing out on competitions and concerts they have been working toward. But the music teacher has hope for this new normal and being able to sing again.

"I feel for them and I know we will come back together sometime, even if it's in June, even if it's in July ... we are going to sing that music we were supposed to do for contest on this Saturday," Rew said.

Art teachers in the Lee's Summit R7 School District are at an advantage. Many of their art students have tablets that let them draw.

Students are getting creative with the colors and lines they are adding to the art.

Despite the challenge, teachers are finding ways to keep their students educated and learning a little something themselves along the way.