Shifting Away from Survival Mode: Tips, Tricks, and Affirmations Shawna Longo Durban Avenue School, Hopatcong Borough Schools shawnalongo@gmail.com
2020 has certainly proven to be an interesting year! If nothing else, I know that one this is for certain – change is inevitable. And with that change, we really have two choices – embrace it or fight it. Fighting it doesn’t always get us very far and tends to put us in a negative space. If we can embrace change, whether we like it or not, and focus on the positives, we may even find some lemonade hidden amongst the lemons! And I promise you – there are positives out there…we just might have to look a little harder than we normally do! This article will present tips and tricks that I’ve learned and affirmations that I’ve embraced while teaching during this COVID-19 pandemic. 1) Focus on the positive: My positive right now is that I get to see, sing, and move with my kiddos every day in school and virtually! Even though I may not be able to see their smiles under their masks, I can see their excitement and love for music class in their eyes! At the heart of it, isn’t that why we became music teachers? Sometimes we need to let go of all the stress and negativity around us and choose to focus back on our mission and purpose – why do we do what we do? Set aside a little time to think about that question, write down your thoughts, and live with them for a week or so. After you’ve really lived with your why, or mission, make adjustments and write it down. Then you can carry it with you, post it above your desk, or put it somewhere where it can serve as a daily reminder and grounding point of positivity for you. 2) You can’t cover it all, nor in the same way: With shorter classes, crazy schedules, and being prepared to go fully virtual at the drop of a hat, we can’t possible continue to do “business as usual.” We have to make choices and be willing and open to adapting to change. I spent some time over the summer going through my curriculum and scope & sequence for General Music to determine the main concepts that I MUST TEMPO
cover throughout the year. Then, I determined a road map of resources and activities to assist in teaching those non-negotiable concepts. Figure out your non-negotiable concepts and build out your plans from there. 3) Use a microphone: Our voices take a “beating” during a good year, but now we have a built in mute as we wear masks. I have found a work around to save my voice: my ear buds. My district gave each teacher a pair of wireless ear buds with a built in microphone. I was able to adjust the audio settings on my laptop to use those as a microphone and project the sound of my voice through the speakers. It is worth noting that I travel room to room and it works in every classroom through my laptop while streaming live to the virtual students. Protect your voice! 4) Get a second monitor: In order to see my virtual students and still be able to see the materials that I am “sharing” with them, I use a second monitor. I keep the Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams window on my laptop (where the “camera” is located) and move the window containing all of the materials/websites for the class to the second monitor. With many, if not most, districts going 1:1 with Chromebooks or iPads, there is probably a pile of monitors laying around in a closet somewhere. Find your tech guy, and ask if you can borrow one. If your school doesn’t have any available for you, then I recommend investing in one. At $100 or so, it will be well worth it! 5) Take it slow: There are millions of teaching resources and ideas out there on Facebook, Twitter, and other locations, but they don’t always work for everyone. The amount of ideas and options available can also be overwhelming! We need to remember that every student, every class, and every school is different. Figure out what you like and make it your own…at a reasonable pace! Don’t try out more than one 64
JANUARY 2021
