Charleroi HS teacher offers unique lesson on Andy Warhol

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

With students learning virtually for nearly the past year and field trips and other extra curricular activities still on hold, Charleroi Area High School social studies teacher Mary Ann Schaefer found a way to give her students a memorable lesson. 

For the past three years, Schaefer has taught the history of Pittsburgh to upperclassmen in the district. 

The class touches on regional staples such as PPG, Heinz and Westinghouse and famous city residents like Andy Warhol. 

After thinking about all the opportunities students missed this year, she decided that even while students are not able to go on field trips, she could teach from anywhere, including a cemetery. 

“I realized I live about 15 minutes from where Andy Warhol is buried,” Schaefer said, “so I thought, why not teach class from his grave?” 

While Schaefer had never visited the gravesite before, she stopped by the cemetery to see if she could find it, which turned out to be easier than she expected.

“There were two big cameras on it, so I googled Andy Warhol’s grave and it took me to a website that you could watch the cameras,” she said. 

When students logged into Google Classroom Jan. 14, instead of joining a Google Meet with Schaefer, they were given instructions to follow.

Around 8 a.m. they were told to click a link, which revealed Schaefer on the cameras standing at Warhol’s grave. 

“They were confused at first, almost worried, but once they realized what was happening they were excited,” she said. “I always try to be as creative as I can, and being that they are not able to go anywhere, I still am, so this was something fun and different for the kids.”

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