Brian Krawetzke, or as everybody calls him, "Mr. K", is an AP Art History and Visual Art Instructor at Shawnee High School. Creating a space that is safe, following rules, yet still a creative atmosphere has been a challenge.
He's placed dividers at all workspaces and spread out between multiple classrooms to ensure distancing. He even got rid of his own desk to create more room. Art supplies are also washed after every use, and split up between students. This works for those learning in person, but what about the remote classes?
“In a drawing class, it involves students coming in and picking up a lot of their materials," explains Krawetzke. "I pre-record a lot of my lessons so they can come back and watch that at a different time. There’s a lot of YouTube videos I send them to watch.”
Mr. K says his students have adapted well and young learners can handle more than some think. That doesn't mean they haven't struggled though. While budgets have been tight during the pandemic, the art department has persisted. Mr. K says keeping the arts strong in schools is more important than some may realize.
"Kids are working out there problems in this class. They’re thrown into this mix, they have a range of emotions. Just everything that’s going on in the world around them, and they need an outlet to express that," he says. "I’m really proud of the artwork they’ve created. Their artwork just describes their experiences throughout the year and I’m really happy with how they’ve evolved as artists and have adapted through this entire situation.”
One of the biggest challenges for his students has been creating a yearbook. With many events cancelled or changed, editors say sections that normally get overshadowed have been in the spotlight this year. Working on the publication has also helped them look for the positives over the last year.
Kennedy Jensen, a Junior at Shawnee High School and yearbook editor says, “It gives you an appreciation of what life was like before but also we can appreciate life now because of the little things I guess.”
