Welcome to week 2 of our discussion on how to return safely to the classroom during Covid-19.
While I know many of us are starting the year virtually, some of us are facing the reality and fears of face-to-face. My goal through this series is to help other’s find solutions to problems- sometimes through simply asking questions to help you think through what will work in your rooms. Please remember I am NOT an expert on Covid-19 or on teaching during a pandemic. Your own school, administration, district, etc. needs to be the primary source to guide you in making decisions that keep you and your students safe.
This week we will focus on masks and movement within the classroom.
Masks:
Problem- Where do we store them? / How do they keep track of them? / What about lunch time?
Solution- The BEST answer I have come across for this, and is actually quite simple, is the use of lanyards! In a lot of schools today students are already wearing a lanyard daily as they have to have a student ID. When students are not using their masks (maybe they are at their seats, have shifted to a shield, or are at lunch) they simply fold them in half and use the earpieces to clip them on.
I would also suggest adding a simple and small element to this idea. If you have been teaching for any amount of time (especially at the elementary level) then you have probably experienced the child that comes back from lunch wearing their entire meal or milk carton. Now picture the mask attached to the lanyard….it has now become a napkin or is soaking wet. Or, it’s just hanging there rubbing and touching all dirty surfaces.
Simply add a small sandwich bag to the lanyard and they can place the mask in there to keep it dry and clean.
To make mine, I added a small piece of duct tape to the corner so it would reinforce the plastic and it wouldn’t rip as easily. I then hole punched it and hooked it to the lanyard. I opted for the slide to seal bags so it would be easier for younger kids to use. Names are also visibly displayed so there is no mixing up masks.
At the end of the day, I would suggest having the students keep the lanyards at school. This will ensure that they aren’t going home to add germs or get lost. The students will (more than likely) be wearing their masks out for dismissal, so you won’t need to worry about them needing to clip to the lanyards. When storing them in the classroom I would suggest utilizing their toolbox or having clips (spread decently apart from one another) to hang them from.
Problem: Students aren’t wearing their masks correctly or taking them off correctly.
Solution: As with the start of every year, and more than ever with this year, teaching procedures is going to be a must! You will need to teach them the correct and incorrect ways to wear (modeling this will be great fun) and how to fold their masks in half so the clean side is facing in.
Movement:
Problem- Entering/Leaving Room
Solution- This is going to have to be well planned/rehearsed/explained event. This is also going to take longer than in previous years.
When I think about this, I picture a scene from a wedding. The wedding planner is at the door of the church and when a bridesmaid gets to a certain point, they tell the next one to go. You are basically going to have to become the wedding planner for when entering the room. And more than likely, it will be that the students need to enter and go directly to their seats until you can come in and monitor further movements.
Problem- Restroom and Drinks
Solution- If they have taken their masks off, they will need to put them back on before any movement.
Restrooms will probably remain a very similar procedure as in previous years. If you don’t have a restroom in your room, you will need to think about how many you send out at a time and making sure you have sanitizer for when they reenter (because we know how handwashing goes at school). If you do a group bathroom break you will need to think about spacing while waiting and sending in fewer kids at a time. Again, following up with sanitizer maybe a good idea.
Drinks however are another situation. Kids really need to be bringing bottles from home, and if they need more throughout the day they can fill the bottle. Drinking from a fountain needs to be off limits unless you are able to greatly sanitize after each use. So maybe think about getting some plastic cups (or extra bottles of water) that you can have on standby if someone forgets theirs for the day.
Problem- Lining up
Solution- This year, having a number/line order will be key! This is a way to reduce the number of contacts students have and can help with contact tracing. I suggest having marks on your floor (tape or other such things) so kids know where to stand. When not in the classroom, teach students how to place their arms in front of them to make sure they have a good 2-3 feet between each other.
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| Most of these are dry erase and you can write their numbers on them to help. |
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| purchase here |
Problem- Carpet Time
Solution- Spacing and is going to be the key to everything this year, and again having seating charts/number order. Depending on the size of your room, having carpet time may not be feasible anymore once you spread your desks out. If you do still have the ability, then using dots similar to the lining up stickers will help students know their place.
You can read about previous ideas for your classroom library and supplies by clicking here.
Again, I would love for this to be a team effort. If you have ideas or concerns, please share them in the comments below.
Next week we will tackle centers/small groups and classroom jobs. If you’re enjoying this series, please show some love and become a follower!
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