By Avery Golub and Constantinos Zacharakis
News Reporters
Every teacher here at Newton South has come up with different ideas on how to teach their classes, despite the many challenges during this unusual year. Here are some of their unique teaching setups.
Sarah Maillet: Science
“Hey! I’m Ms. Mailet and I teach physics at both the Freshman level and as an elective for Juniors and Seniors. I took this picture immediately after being asked and while it is not pretty, it is pretty authentic. My desk/kitchen table is where I work from on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Monday and Thursday I teach three of my four classes, so I go into school. I do this so that I can have more space, can perform physics demos, and can use a whiteboard that is bigger than the one I have at home. It also allows me to escape my apartment for a couple days of the week. When I do work from home, my desk has my laptop, my bottle of water, and a random assortment of things I need for the day (Blue light blocking glasses, a mini notebook to plan, my glitter-covered calculator, socks to clean whiteboard… just to name a few). On this particular day, I was attempting to iron my new pink jumpsuit between classes! The separation of work and home is only a few inches sometimes.”
Amy Aransky: Wellness
“I teach Wellness classes for 10th, 11th and 12th grades. I have multiple options for working remotely, as you can see in the picture! Accommodations I have made are to use the stability ball much of the time when I am seated, as it helps with posture and core engagement 🙂 I use the desk with the box to create more of a standing-ish desk at times, and I have ordered a standing desktop too, to make it more ergonomic. I also sit on the floor on the yoga mat and use the coffee table for variety. And I use the yoga mat to teach stretches, do some yoga between classes, and during breaks which I try to follow the 20-20-20 practice: 20 minutes on screen then 20 second break to look 20 feet away from the screen, minimum! I keep some Eucalyptus essential oil on my desk which is invigorating when I am feeling less energy, as well as water with Emergen-C flavors. Being close to a sliding door that lets in lots of natural light and having nature right there too creates a relaxing environment to work – I love my workspace :).”
Rebecca Ledig: History
“I still have not had time to work on the background, but here is the foreground. Key elements: standing desk, mask, double timer to keep track of class and breaks/activities, thermos (coffee or water depending on time of day), agenda for myself, and of course, the corny jokes. You may also notice I have meeting passcodes but realized I should block them for the photo.”
Jeff Knoedler: Performing Arts
“I teach Intro to Acting, Video Production, Public Speaking, Tech Theatre, and Acting Exploration. I’m fortunate to have a computer with a fairly large screen and powerful processor, which is not only helpful in seeing my acting students’ faces, but in editing large video content like plays. I like my workspace because it is a sunroom that has windows on three sides. This tricks me into feeling like I’m not trapped on Zoom, but looking out on my yard and the numerous dog walkers going by on my street.”
Kelly Henderson: English
“This is my classroom corner featuring the ineffective teaching assistant, Desmond, occupying his usual spot. He sometimes finds a squeaky toy and interrupts class. Formerly my space for working on art projects, this is a great spot because it gets lots of light and I associate it with creativity and joy. I’m very, very lucky to have it!”
Laura Penney: Arts
“I’m pretty happy with this “classroom” in terms of the light and plant life. I hope this environment can be warm and calming for students. On the larger shelves, there are photography books and cameras, as well as a special book of student letters, put together by a NSHS alum. I’ve been rereading that book a lot lately. I think it’s also important to consider what you can’t see here. This tight corner of my space looks (fairly) put together, but I can assure you the rest of the room does not look like this. This is just a cropped snapshot.”
Daniella Speziale: Math
“Here is the story of my workspace – When we moved to remote teaching I had to buy a desk! Before teaching remotely I didn’t need a desk because I’d complete my work before coming home. The biggest change I’ve had to adapt to is using my room as my classroom. It isn’t ideal, but it’s making the best with what you have. I love to cook and I see this situation as making the most delicious meal I can with the ingredients I have at home. I teach Math to 9th, 11th, and 12th grades during the first and last blocks. So depending on the time I usually have a cup of coffee nearby and/or lemon water. I also have thank you cards from past students/families/colleagues on a bulletin board for days I need the extra love 🙂 I was very fortunate to get a new desktop this summer which has made remote teaching easier. By having multiple screens it’s easier to organize my virtual workspace. I like to model how to solve problems. So finding new ways to project notes in real time, and also collaborate with students in real time has been key. I started with Jamboard but my handwriting with a Stylus is unfortunate. Thankfully the Math Department was able to loan me an Elmo and now I can project my notes to the screen just like I do when teaching in person (Thank you Mr. Kraus!). This is all so new, but it’s about perspective! I’m constantly adapting to make the experience better for both students and myself!”
