At the Belleville High School, things look a little different this fall but in a beautiful way. Since classes are currently being conducted virtually, Art Teacher Jonathan Benash has had to find a new way to do the things he loves. He's found a new horizon line to aim for in his efforts to teach Art to his students. In short, Jon is thinking outside of the box, in order to teach outside of his normal classroom.

When I asked Jon what he was doing differently with his Art curriculum this year, he responded, "I've had to take a class like Ceramics where we introduce basic hand building and wheel thrown pottery to students and have turned it into a Sculpture class using non-traditional materials and supplies."

This fall, those non-traditional materials have included pumpkins and soap - things that could easily be found at home by all of his Art students. As a result, Jon's students are thinking beyond traditional mediums as well. Jon says, "I've seen some REALLY incredible work being produced from some very talented and hard-working art students. I have some that are really thriving in this type of environment right now."

However, changing an entire course curriculum from in-person to virtual learning does not come without having to look ahead and find new perspectives. To this end, Jon acknowledges there have been a few new lines to draw in the art of teaching. "My biggest challenge remains not being able to supervise or look over their shoulders when they are working. It's a HUGE part of who I am as a teacher - being able to make subtle suggestions, cheering them on, and motivating them to take things further."

But Jon has found new ways to do this through digital tools, like the Mote extension that allows him to leave voice comments when his students post their work in Google Classroom. He loves using Mote so that students can hear the joy and excitement in his voice when they play back the comments he leaves about the art they are creating in his class. This extension also allows Jon to give his students constructive feedback filled with tips and tricks to try with their work as they progress through each assignment he gives.

In his attempts to keep things as normal as possible for his Art students this fall, Jon is thankful for the regular bus delivery routes set up by the School District of Belleville. "The supply delivery system with our bus routes has worked out surprisingly well so far, and I can't thank Betty, Cindy, and, of course Jannan and the bus drivers, enough for making that a reality for us." These delivery services have made it possible for Jon's students to receive needed classroom supplies each week.

So, while teaching Art virtually might not be an ideal solution in a very interactive/hands-on subject like Art, it still is possible through the help of a willing team of students, colleagues, and administrative staff members. In the Belleville High School, Jon and his students are setting a course through the COVID landscape and are looking forward to finding a new horizon line. They are more than on their way to draw a new pathway forward and find exciting ways to create and learn, together.

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