In online school many electives have been cut or made a different experience. Choir is a vocal class based on being able to hear each other and be in person, due to online school that has changed because the classroom feels different. McNarys choir teacher Mr. Joshua Rist now teaches grade level choir classes and has clubs for the extra audition choirs. 

Mr. Rist said “It is almost like I am creating a new job for myself”. Many things about the choir program at McNary have changed making the learning different, making other inconveniences arise and be more prominent than they were before.

Before virtual classes the stress and focus of the choir was having four concerts a year and learning songs to perform. Now the changes have made it harder to understand how to add technology to the music side of things, Mr. Rist has started including music making on the computer using an online recording studio. 

By using an online recording program it allows the students to still work together on song projects. However one problem with this kind of learning is that students now have to sing solo rather than with a group which for some students is a difficult task. Mr. Rist is working with the students to help them be more confident individual singers. Having certain tech issues has created a divide in keeping kids involved in the class itself.