Grayslake North teachers have been finding new ways to connect with their students through e-learning, and P.E. teachers have been using social media platforms to do so. 

Teachers have been giving assignments to their students every day, including the P.E. teachers; however those assignments don’t keep students as active as they would be every day at school. 

“Exercise is such an important part of living a healthy life,  especially in times like these where we can get caught in sedentary habits,” said P.E. teacher Tyler Hansen. 

Hansen and Shelli Wiliiams, also a P.E. teacher, have created Instagrams to connect with their students and encourage them to be active while stuck in their homes. 

“I felt like I just wanted to do my part in helping out during this crazy time.  I asked myself what I had to offer that could be beneficial to others. The obvious answer to me was to try my best to do what I was already doing before all of this, to help people move well and move often,” Hansen said. 

Both of them started their new Instagram shortly after finding out school would be closed due to COVID-19, and they didn’t hesitate to start uploading workout videos. 

“I am using exercises that are common to most students and easy to follow and trying to keep the workouts fun, yet challenging! I am hoping a familiar face encourages each student to follow along,” Williams said. 

Both of them want to help inspire students to continuously be active and stay healthy while school takes place online. It also gives them a reason to keep up with their own fitness. 

“I love fitness, but when it is dark and cold in my home garage gym, sometimes I don’t want to get out of my bed.  Then I think about how not only am I going into my garage to train, but to try and help others find the motivation to train. It gives me that inspiration that I need,” Hansen said. 

With that motivation, they are finding lots of creative ways to show students what it means to be active while staying inside. 

“The low impact class and the pound class was a big hit, so possibly continue to share those ideas, and I also want to take things outside once the weather improves and then I can get a little more creative,” Williams said. 

Overall, teachers are coming up with all sorts of creative ways to connect to their students, and for the most part, students have been enjoying that connection and inspiration. 

“I have gotten a little bit of feedback from both staff and students, so I am hoping this is helping everyone maintain some type of normalcy in their lives,” Williams said. 

Hansen’s Instagram can be found at ‘GNHSstrength’ and Williams’ Instagram is ‘GNHSFitness’.