Due to COVID-19 restrictions, music class has been limited for students this year. High school and junior high are not able to have music class at this time. The music director, Isi Ofiu, teaches music to each class in classrooms every morning. He alternates classes, which helps make sure every class gets to practice music.
He has been doing this since school started in August. Restricting music class to one class, practicing together at a time, helps the school to do their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
"This year, music is a little bit different at Burlington Public School," Ofiu said. "My room is off limits so I became a traveling music teacher."
"My biggest concern is the uncertainty of how long this 'new normal' is going to last," he said. "The challenge for me is not being in my own space, instead utilizing the space of my colleagues. Thankfully, I have their full support and was provided with all the resources I need to help my students be successful during such an interesting time. I lug around a music cart with my keyboard, guitar, computer, music, and percussive instruments.
"As teachers, we need to always be ahead of the game. We are faced with many challenges and we work together to overcome all obstacles, whether it be creating individualized plans for distance learning and traditional in-school learning or an immediate plan for change to distance learning for a couple of weeks. We are conquerors of our craft!"
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