Appendix - Tips for Classroom Safety under Health Restrictions

Teachers should always comply with school board and school protocols in addition to guidelines from federal, provincial, and municipal public health agencies. CODE recommends that teachers use professional judgment when considering the use of any suggestions offered in this resource.

• General Tips
• Dance-specific Tips
• Drama-specific Tips
• Physical Distancing Adaptations
  • Using Materials and Resources
• Equity Considerations

• Stay home if you are feeling ill, have been exposed to someone ill, or are showing signs or symptoms of an illness
• Avoid contact before, during and after school hours with people who are ill
• Follow federal, provincial and municipal public health guidelines and school board and school protocols regarding Personal Protective Equipment and distancing.
• If you have more than one classroom door, designate an in & out door
• Greet each other with a smile, bow or nod
• Agree with the students on a signal or word they will use if they feel others are getting too close to them; practice it to normalize its use
• Open doors and windows to allow air flow
• Work outside whenever possible
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
• If soap and water are not available, sanitize your hands at the beginning and end of class
• Post info-graphics about coughing, sneezing and mask wearing etiquette
• Practice good cough and sneezing etiquette (see infographics posted)
• Avoid touching your face
• Project or send electronic versions of handouts & course outlines rather than using paper
• Post or project handouts and success criteria on the wall
• Consider the use of synchronous and asynchronous platforms for student conferencing.

If masking

• Practice mask wearing etiquette, as applicable (see infographic posted)
• Because students are not touching one another, masks should not be a safety problem in dance or drama work.
• Ensure students are hydrated at all times as masks can be hot. 

If distancing

• Use assigned seating
• Class circle should be larger than normal or staggered to accommodate physical distancing
• Use more groups with smaller numbers of group members

• Teachers can move around the perimeter of the space to ensure distance from students while providing side coaching.

• When limited space is available consider having two sessions. Half the group sits while the others work.

• Have a class discussion about the fact that some activities will make them want to engage or work more closely in the space, as we normally would, but physical distancing must be maintained at all times.

• Mark out "personal space" bubbles or spaces for students to occupy. Alternatives to using tape on floors to mark personal space:

  • hula hoops
  • Yoga mats
  • Floor foam squares
  • poly-spots

• To ensure adequate distance practices, tape out designated spots for students which are 1 or 2 metres apart. Use different colour tape to mark out pathways for across the floor work and designated teacher instruction space.
• If space and safety allow consider working in outdoor settings in order to maximize on space
• If using mats ensure proper sanitizing practice and encourage students to bring their own
• If going across the floor work consider using tape to indicate pathways
• Avoid the use of costumes and props; if used, never share them
• Store individual costumes and props in a separate plastic or garment bag
• Clean equipment and props (e.g. lighting and sound) before and after use
• Special attention must be paid to sanitizing barres (if used) and floors

• Consider students' comfort and safety by providing them choice in working as a soloist, in a duet or in a small group.

• Students work in designated physical spaces to maintain physical distancing. 

• Allow for performances to be pre-recorded and shared digitally. Follow legislation, school board and school protocols regarding privacy.

• The sharing of the final work will be informal within the classroom while maintaining appropriate distance to maximize student safety or outdoors if possible and appropriate.  

• They may choose to record whole group discussion ideas on a shared electronic document. Discuss privacy agreements and not recording anyone who does not wish to be recorded.

Safety Adaptations specific to the instructional strategies and dance conventions should be considered.

• Avoid the use of costumes and props; if used, never share them
• Store individual costumes and props in a separate plastic or garment bag
• Avoid the use of equipment; if used, limit the number of people using each piece of equipment
• Use disposable (one-time use) or personal gloves only while using sound & lighting equipment
• Clean equipment and props (e.g. lighting and sound) before and after use
• Roll-up carpet, if applicable and possible
• Wall-to-wall carpeting will require regular disinfecting. Use chairs that are more easily disinfected, ensuring students use the same chair the entire class (secondary) or the entire day (elementary). Chairs may have to be disinfected between classes in secondary schools.

• In lieu of having physical objects in the classroom, project images of these artifacts on a screen or wall in the classroom.  

• For all vocally focused activities, it is important to ensure the students are separated physically and all facing the same way rather than facing one another. If wearing masks, muffled choral reading may be the outcome but the students will still be speaking aloud together, hearing one another, seeing one another and working together in a variety of ways. The creative process here will be more important than the product.  

Safety Adaptations specific to the instructional strategies and dance conventions should be considered.

When conducting warm-ups and conventions, it is important to adhere to the Physical Distancing guidelines from your school board. Students should remain 2m apart at all times. When masking, CODE recommends that all dance and drama work be done with 2 metres of physical distancing in effect due to the embodied nature of drama and dance work. Think about using alternate learning spaces such as the gymnasium, library or school yard. 

Whole Class Instruction: With floor tape, demark areas where students can stand in the classroom with a metre grid or a peripheral circle so that they can participate in drama/dance conventions at a safe distance from one another. Floor tape that is slip-resistant and made of vinyl to prevent wear and tear during cleaning is recommended.

Partner work: Students can face a partner 2m across from each other. When face to face, outstretched hands should not touch one another. Refer back to personal-space warm-ups. 

Small Group work: No more than 3 or 4 students per group to allow for recommended spacing of 2m between students. 

If you must move your desks to create space, please ensure that each student is moving only their own desk and chair and then retrieving their own desk and chair in order to avoid contact with others belongings.

In a classroom following physical distancing guidelines it is important to reduce the amount of paper and other materials distributed in class. Many Dance & Drama experiences include source images and text which can be projected safely instead of distributed to students. To avoid the use of hand-held manipulatives and artifacts, take photos of them and project the images to students. 

Often printed versions PDFs are given to students to generate ideas, report, self-assess, peer assess, reflect, and to use as final exit cards. Some PDFs and Appendices in our resources can be projected, or uploaded into online learning management platforms before they can be used by students. Occasionally, PDFs may need to be converted for independent or group use before they can be distributed.

A few ways to do this include:

1. Convert the PDF to an editable file type and assign it to individuals or groups of students via an online learning management platform approved by your school board:
   1. Download the PDF onto your hard drive
   2. Use a tool like PDF24 or other PDF editing program (e.g., Google Drive, Adobe)
   3. Upload the PDF into the tool
   4. Reformat as needed
   5. Share copies with students
2. Create slides and assign them to individuals or groups (e.g., using screenshots of the original document). The slides have the original document as a background and add a text box on top of it so that students can type into it.

Reminder: CODE's materials are copyrighted and as such these materials should not be distributed without credit to CODE.

When inviting students to create something at home to bring to the classroom for personal use, teachers need to be aware of possible equity issues for students without the resources or ability to do this without support; teachers may choose to have craft materials in their original packaging available to distribute to those who need them. 

When deciding if technology and online applications or software is the best route for your adaptation to physically distanced learning, you must be aware of the technological needs, internet capability and capacity of your students. The utilization of technology to substitute in person collaboration can create equity issues related to the socio-economic status of the household, or access to the internet (e.g., rural versus urban internet capacity). Please take into account the differentiations and adaptations that meet the needs of your students. 

If operating under Health restrictions in the Drama and Dance classroom, we must remember that hearing and communication can be impeded by masking and thus restrict understanding, and this will not be the same for all students/peers.  

Fear and anxiety around interacting in the space will create barriers, etc., that we must be cautious of in executing lessons and activities.