AS THE return of children heading back to school edges ever closer, a County Fermanagh teacher believes that staff and students alike cannot wait to get back into the classrooms after a Covid-disrupted 12 months.

March 8 will see primary schoolchildren head back through the school gates, while March 22 is the date for the return of Years 12-14 in Northern Ireland.

Talking to The Impartial Reporter, the teacher – who wishes to remain anonymous – said that nothing compares to teaching in the classroom, and if everybody follows the covid-19 protocols put in place in schools, the risk is minimal.

With vulnerable family members, the teacher has chosen to work from home to keep them safe, but is ready to get back in the classroom.

They said: “I absolutely can’t wait [to get back into the classroom]. I think it’s because at the beginning [of the lockdown] it wasn’t so bad, with the novelty of working from home and all the rest, and this lockdown from Christmas we were much more prepared.

“After the first lockdown, with remote learning we knew a bit, but we didn’t know half as much [about what remote teaching would entail].

“We had a lot of training between September and December, sort of in preparation that if we were off again, that we would be much better equipped to do it.

“Online learning, Zoom [online] talks, Microsoft Teams [meetings] – all of that is great, but it just does not compare to being in the classroom, and to physically seeing the children.”

Social aspect

As well as the benefits of face-to-face learning, this teacher believes that the social aspect of being in school can’t be underestimated.

“I think for most others, even a teacher like myself, the social aspect of it [of being back in school is so important]. I think that this is a huge thing for the kids. It’s not just the work – it’s seeing their friends and engaging.

“I have children, and they are desperate to get back and communicate [with friends],” added the teacher.

There have been concerns raised about the safety measures in place in schools as they get ready to return, and while the teacher admits that there is a risk of some students bringing the virus in to the school environment, in their opinion, it is at the lower end of the scale.

“If we’re in school, we do exactly what we’ve been doing – washing hands; kids are just washing constantly throughout the day; they wear their masks all the time; socially distance as much as possible in classrooms, and in corridors we follow all those guidelines.

“If you carry on following the rules, the risk is minimal, I think. That’s why everybody wants to get back into the classroom,” they added.

Possibility

They also feel that if there was a priority for school staff to get the Covid-19 vaccine, and even students, that would rule out the possibility of schools closing if another lockdown came into effect.

While schools have been closed for the majority of students, this teacher believes it is important to point out that school work has continued.

Some students have continued going to school for various reasons, with staff also working from the classroom, while others have been working from home.

“School has been open the whole time – that’s an important message. A lot of people think schools have been closed through all of this. But schools have been open, and I know some of my colleagues have been in every day,” said the teacher.

They now hope that with a return date on the horizon, a return to something like normality is on the way, and that teachers can get back to fully doing the job they love to do, in the classroom, as soon as possible.