Art teacher finds new avenues in tech to teach art

Sherry Diaz knows how to make beautiful art. But working on a computer, not so much.

An art teacher for 25 years, the only time she’s ever used a computer was to grade her students’ work, saying, “I’ve shied away from computers pretty much all my life”

All of a sudden, with spring break and coronavirus, Diaz said, “it was like oh no, I’m going to become an online art teacher.”

And that scared her.

“The first thing that went through my mind, well, there are only two or three months left of school, I think I’ll just quit, she said. “God forbid I’m going to sit in front of a computer screen every day.”

But Diaz didn’t retire early. Instead, she faced her fear. “I went ‘no I can’t leave the kids in the dark!’ I can’t do that.”

Her lifeline was fellow teacher Abbie Colla.

And Colla said she dove into it. “If Sherry can get it done and figure it out and start enjoying it then anybody can do it.”

Colla said her students are glad Diaz stuck with teaching because she is one of their favorite teachers.

Now, Diaz has found a whole new avenue for art. “Believe it or not I like it now because I can do one-on-one with a student through messaging and notifications and email and help them with their art … We’re helping families and we’re all working together.”

And that’s the definition of #GulfshoreStrong.