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Coronavirus News: New York City teacher gives students lesson in human kindness

Saturday, May 9, 2020

NYC teacher gives students lesson in human kindness

Tim Fleischer has more on a teacher in Manhattan who is not just teaching her students about academic subjects, she's also giving them a lesson in human kindness.

LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A teacher in Manhattan is not just teaching her students about academic subjects, she's also giving them a lesson in human kindness.

Christine Drago has strongly connected with the students she teaches and the community reaches.

Drago is a Physical Education teacher at PS 20 The Anna Silver School, which is also a partnership liaison with the Lower East Side community.

"You're a teacher, you're a coach. Sometimes you're a guidance counselor," Drago said. "You are listening to problems they have. You are a friend. You play a lot of different roles."

Drago has been very involved in organizing and assisting an underserved community.

Teaching at PS 20 for eight years, Drago saw a need, especially for necessary clothing.

So she reached out to organizations and formed partnerships in the community.

Now she's helping to provide critical food.

"They are sending things like roasted chickens and fresh eggplants and bread and eggs and pasta and rice," Drago said. "And it's getting delivered to their door step every Friday."

As a teacher, Drago's website is unique. She engages her students and their health with her videos.

"I want to make sure our kids, their parents and their families are getting up and moving," Drago said.

And she quickly connects through Tic-Tac-Toe.

"I made a video to show the kids how to do it, and what's great is they are sending me videos of what they are doing," Drago said.

Like nothing else before, Drago has excelled in the virtual classroom.

"We just moved everything virtually to give the kids normal school. It just looks different," Drago said.

Her love of teaching draws accolades from her fellow teachers.

This week, all teachers are being appreciated. But Drago says there is more to accomplish.

"We are all going to have to continue to use these virtual platforms and master them and be positive and do the best that we can," Drago said.