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Dance - Intermediate - Secondary Senior - Public
General Tips for Safety in our Classrooms:
- Stay home if you are feeling ill or showing signs of COVID 19
- Avoid contact before, during and after school hours with people who are sick
- Wear a mask and/or a shield. All teachers and students in grades 4 to 12 must wear them.
- Although the Ontario government allows people in classes with mandatory masks to work 1 metre apart, CODE recommends that all dance and drama work be done with 2 metres of social distancing in effect to maximize safety.
- Practice mask wearing etiquette (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 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 infographic posted)
- Avoid touching your face
- 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
- Project or send electronic versions of handouts & course outlines rather than using paper
- Post or project handouts and success criteria on the wall
Dance Specific Tips:
- 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.
Safety Adaptations specific to the instructional strategies and dance conventions are embedded in green throughout the lessons.
