PE teachers have had to adjust to teaching during the era of Covid-19. A big adjustment for teachers and students has been wearing masks while in PE. Teachers in the physical education department work hard to make sure students don’t have to wear masks when it is possible for students to be socially distant. 

PE is all about students getting the exercise they need, but some students find it difficult to exercise while wearing masks. Masks cause many students to have trouble breathing. PE teachers are working hard to limit the amount of time students spend wearing masks in class while still staying safe and healthy. 

Jarvis Bliss Recreation Sports teacher said, “It’s been interesting. We have been trying to get to where we can do our workouts, where they (students) don’t have to wear their mask, and been trying to keep social distancing, it’s been a challenge.”

 Scott Russell weight training teacher said, “In our class we really dont take off our masks unless we are outside. We are wearing our mask almost non-stop.”

Cold weather is coming, which could make it difficult for the P.E. teachers to allow kids to take off their masks due to classes staying indoors. Bliss said in regards to his class during the winter, “Depends on the class, like my class, we are outdoor PE, we still go outside as much as we can even in the winter.” Russell said, “I think what we are living with right now, with the Covid, I don’t  think we have any alternatives… I think you gotta take all the precautions you need in order to try and stay healthy, and that means right now masks.” Based on what they are it is really based on the type of PE class you are in determines how much you wear your mask. 

There are many things that students have not been able to do this year due to the on-going pandemic. Many sports and activities were cancelled. Bliss said “We (the recreational sports classes) have not done rock climbing. I am not sure we could keep up with sanitizing enough in between students.” 

Russell said, in regards to changes to his classes, “Right now we have to be in pods, and that means we have to be in smaller groups. We also don’t use all the equipment that we have been using because we don’t want to keep cleaning all the equipment.” Unfortunately due to Covid some students have not been able to experience the full PE experience.