Who knew when we woke up on January, 2020 that we would be in store for a year like the one we are experiencing! It is now July 30th and I can only hope and pray that you are safe and healthy; and, that you are doing whatever you need to do to keep joy, and happiness and sanity in your life! For me, it is teaching Zentangle ... it is truly my passion! I had never used Zoom before this year, but I found myself strongly motivated to stay connected with my students; and, to continue teaching them what they love (Zentangle). So I downloaded the Zoom App, watched a lot of "how to" videos, played with all my equipment and eventually figured out how to take what we do in the classroom and transfer it to Zoom! Well, I am now 7 classes in! And it has been wonderful!
The upside:
1. I get to see everyone of my students' beautiful faces! (Wearing masks and sitting 6 feet apart from one another just doesn't do it for sharing the joy of tangling!)
2. Students can see each other and friends they've made over the years of Zentangle classes.
3. Students can watch close ups of what I do; this can be even more effective than watching in a classroom.
4. And most importantly, students can enjoy what they love, tangling, without putting their health and safety at risk.
The downside:
1. We can't hug each other. (This is definitely the biggest downside!)
2. And, as a teacher, it is obviously more difficult to see what everyone is doing and get a pulse for timing ... but we work around it and have found ways to overcome those barriers. When everyone is ready to move on, they give me a verbal and/or non-verbal "thumbs up!" And if someone needs help or has a question, I can spotlight them on the video, look at their work, and try to help.
So, the upside definitely outweighs the downside!
Being engaged with what you love doing is the best way to combat the anxiety and stress associated with the difficult time we're living through. And being grateful that we CAN engage in what we love is also important! I never forget that for a minute!
My students are a blessing! And I thank them for being on this journey with me!
Audrey🤗
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