Sir, – At the end of another week of online school, I am moved to write and, perhaps surprisingly, express the joy that virtual learning brings me in these tough times.
Of course, I miss school life terribly and wish nothing more than for our students, particularly those struggling, to be back in situ. However, the triumphs of difficult times deserve recognition.
This week, in addition to their contributions on Wordsworth, computer programming and wellbeing skills, students repeatedly rejoin lessons after their wi-fi drops. They tend to toddler siblings while copying diagrams from a shared PowerPoint, they wait patiently as my internet shudders – then unmute to carefully explain a handy tech tip I might use in future. They ask how I am in every lesson and sign off with a cheery “Thanks a million”.
Yesterday, I signed hundreds of reports celebrating our students’ winter exam grades.
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Today, however, it is their resilience, camaraderie, patience and generosity of which I am most proud.
As debates about State exams continue, let us celebrate the real teaching and learning going on in our virtual classrooms. – Yours, etc,
CIARA McMACKIN,
Deputy Principal
and English Teacher,
Kishoge Community
College,
Lucan, Co Dublin.