Learning How to Grow in COVID Times

Author: Jordyn Burton

As a new ArtistCorps member, this year's service looks a lot different than I imagined. While I was initially very disappointed that there would be little to no in-person or synchronous teaching opportunities, I have been learning how to grow as an educator through these disappointing circumstances. As someone with minimal experience integrating arts into academic subjects, the work I've been doing with my Arts Integration team has been a huge learning experience.

Recently, my integration team and I decided to delve into some historical topics that incorporate local North Carolina musicians. We will be creating video content for kids teaching them about great pillars of music such as John Coltrane and Nina Simone. While I still struggle with the disappointment of not being in the classroom, I learned this week that when my teammates and I are working together to create educational content, we are in turn learning from each other. Our growth as a team reflects the growth we are experiencing as individual teachers striving for excellence; even if that means our goal is learning how to create excellent videos for children we may never meet in person.