Caroline Dolan, parent and teacher at Coman’s Wood Primary School
To be honest, I sometimes find it easier to work with twenty-six children in a classroom than with my own two at home! The first lockdown was difficult. My eldest son Ryen is in second class and he’s very big into the social element of school such as meeting friends and playing football. My youngest, Jack, is only in junior infants so he doesn’t know any different right now.
We’ve been much more successful this time around though. Psychologically, the kids are geared towards learning in a classroom environment, so I bought them a desk and a chair each to replicate that. It’s more about the routine and getting them up and ready to start at the time they’d usually be starting school.
I teach junior infants at Coman’s Wood and so I have to have my lessons prepared for each day, which means working later into the night. I send my class a video message each morning so they can see my face and they know that I am there for them.
The parents have been very good and I email them every few days just to let them know that I’m going through the exact same situation in my own house! They have been really understanding and supportive which is a great help.
