WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MARCH 26, 2020 7
Jackson Heights teacher shares an uplifting
online learning themed cover of ‘I Will Survive’
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Jackson Heights’ I.S. 145Q took to
Twitter to share a video of their science
teacher, Andrea Feldman, singing
an uplift ing cover of “I Will Survive”
by Gloria Gaynor with an online learning
twist as teachers prepare for the
abrupt transition due to the coronavirus
outbreak.
“At fi rst I was afraid, I was petrifi
ed, kept thinking I could never live
without you in my class,” Feldman
sang in the video, uploaded to Twitter
on Wednesday, March 18. “But then I
spent these last three days planning
lessons all day long, and we’ll be strong,
Google classroom all night long!”
Feldman has taught at I.S. 145Q for 11
years and created the school’s running
club.
But her students mainly know her
for her ability to make everything
into a song — for instance, she’s eager
to show them her Plate Tectonics song
in the coming weeks.
“I oft en use songs to reinforce the
material I am teaching because kids
know the words to every song that’s
out there,” Feldman told QNS. “Aside
Andrea Feldman, a teacher at I.S. 145Q, sings “Science Will Survive.”
from the fact that it’s fun, and they are
laughing — with me or sometimes at
me, and I’m totally OK with that — if
they can remember some simple verses
from the songs we do in class it can
help them to remember key information
that we are learning.”
When asked how the past few days
of training have been for her and her
colleagues, Feldman said I.S. 145Q has
Screenshot of I.S. 145 video
come together to make the best plan for
their students, mostly by using Google
Classrooms as well as other ways to
implement video and live chats.
“Our school is an awesome community
where teachers are always willing to
share best practices and that is exactly
what has been happening this week,”
she said. “As a science department,
we met and planned out the units for
the next few weeks for what our kids
should and will be learning. Most of
our teachers and students have used
Google Classroom and have experience
with it so the past couple of days
teachers were sharing some of their
expertise on what they know.”
Feldman believes her active lifestyle
helps her stay positive during this time
of uncertainty, and she plans to help
her students with that too because “it’s
more important now than ever.”
“I started a running club at my school
and I created a Google Classroom for
that crew as well,” she said. “Even if
they can’t get outside and run, there
are some fi tness activities I am hoping
they will do in their homes to remain
active. Exercise releases endorphins
which help to keep you happy and
positive.”
She hopes teachers will stay positive
and help their students get through
this time, most of all.
“Our kids are probably going
through a mix of emotions from being
worried, curious, scared and nervous
about what lies ahead,” Feldman said.
“If my silly songs and jokes can help put
a smile on their faces and get through
this, that’s the most important thing
to me.”
Live streamed events keep Astoria community connected
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
As bars, restaurants, stores,
and gyms have been closed
in a state-mandated eff ort to
slow the spread of the coronavirus,
residents have been mostly stuck at
home unable to enjoy their usual fi tness
classes, meet-ups with friends,
and take part in Astoria nightlife.
However, many businesses and
event organizers have been using
livestreams and social media to
continue reaching out to the community
by having online classes and
digital events for their audiences to
maintain a sense of normalcy and a
source of relief while the city is at a
standstill.
James Orfanos, the co-owner of
New York Martial Arts Academy,
which has one of its four locations
on Broadway and Crescent, has been
letting his students continue their
Jeet Kune Do training by providing
live streamed classes via the school’s
Instagram and YouTube pages Monday
through Friday at 7 p.m. and a
Saturday class at noon.
Orfanos immediately made the
decision to keep classes going in
some way for students to continue
enjoying the benefits of the martial
art from home.
“Our livestreamed classes will be
taught the same as regular class,”
said Orfanos. “Our students can still
get good information and train in
their living room. We’re obviously
not giving up. I want to make sure
that the students are still training,
especially now when everyone is
stir-crazy at home. It’ll be a good way
to get the students energy up.”
While personal trainers and fitness
facilities seem to be following
suit in offering their classes online
for members to work on their physical
health, Astoria Music Collective
founders, Miguel Hernandez and
Karen Adelman have decided to
keep their music showcases going
through live sessions called “AMC
Digital Sessions” streamed through
their Facebook page for artists and
listeners to enjoy.
Normally, the AMC performs
throughout bars and venues in the
neighborhood, but the duo is determined
to keep the show going any
way they can.
“Although we can’t gather in person,
through digital sessions we
can come together to support and
rejoice in each other, and maybe
bring a little warmth to uncertain
times,” said Adelman. “It may not
be exactly a sense of normalcy, but
it’s extremely comforting to see
and hear our friends continue to
celebrate life through our shared
love of music.”
Queens Craft Brigade, which holds
monthly makers markets, will be
having an online event on April 19
in order to bring people together and
to continue being a platform for artists
to show and sell their work. As
their events for the next few months
will likely be postponed, the group’s
founder Robert Duffy took their
event online which will also include
showing home-bound residents different
ways to tap into their creative
side as well as continuing to show
other’s work.
“We want to find a way for people
to still connect,” said Duffy. “We
hope to have a forum for people to
talk with each other, maybe learn
a skill, and just be with each other.
If it goes well we may do them on a
more regular basis; we’re all in this
together.”
Photo via Getty Images
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