The Next Normal: Physical education classes

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Gone for now are the days of team sports and group activities for the PE classes. Activities using lots of equipment are on hold for now too.

One PE teacher at Raguet Elementary School, in Nacogdoches, is preparing for the next normal.

Coach Dial has been hard at work creating lessons for the upcoming year that are both socially distant and able to be done from home.

“The goal for me is just to provide some sort of exercise that the kids can do at home,” Dial said. “Minimal equipment to no equipment, I don’t want students or parents to be stressed about having to use equipment.”

Dial said she’ll have some videos of her demonstrating skills for kids to practice. She will also be uploading videos of others doing different exercises like yoga, agility, and more.

“We’ll have a way that we can see that students logged in, how long they were logged in for. We’re still learning how that works, so like I said, it’s a little bit fluid for us as well,” Dial said. “But yes, there’s going to be accountability every single day, we’ll be able to see what students logged in and who we still need to reach out to and say, ‘Hey, remember you’ve got your virtual lesson.’”

For the students who will be attending in-person, Dial said the lesson will be very similar to those that the virtual students are doing, but there will be added safety measures.

“It’s going to be a lot more individual instruction, individual practice. When we do pull out equipment they’ll have their own equipment,” she said. “That equipment will be disinfected after they use it. A lot of this is your space, you stay in this space, and keeping everybody spread apart.”

Dial said they were able to modify the schedule to create smaller classes and practice six feet of space.

“So according to CDC, if they’re socially distant they do not have to wear masks. And that’s our goal, the kids are going to be wearing masks a lot throughout the day,” Dial said. “We would like to provide them with an opportunity where they can take the mask off, where they can safely be in a situation where they don’t have to have their mask on.”

Dial wants to remind students and parents that this is the plan for the start of school.

Things can change and they will adjust as needed.