Hi everyone,
I hope you are all taking the time to enjoy the last few days of the Summer break before the return to school. Returning to school this year will be overwhelming for so many people and that is understandable.
I was listening to Dermot and Dave on Today FM last week and they made a very valid point. Front Line Staff and Retail workers have been working as Trojans since this pandemic began in March, and their working environments have had to change in response to it. This would have included lots of changes and safety checks initially and may have caused some people to become overwhelmed or anxious, but at this stage, this has become the new normal for them.
We, as teachers, have been working from home since March and we are now facing a return to work, with new safety measures and precautions and it will take time for everyone to adjust to it. And we need to remember that now, more than ever. There are different posts relating to individual schools but we can only do what is best for ourselves and the children in our class.
While I am on career break and not returning to a class next week, I fully understand the emotions and anxieties that teachers may have as they return to school. It is time for us to face ‘the new normal’ and it will take some adjusting. I hope to work in a subbing capacity for a few weeks and it is very daunting to be in and out of different schools at this time. But I will keep you all posted with my Career Break Diary.
For anyone who didn’t get a permanent, fixed term or maternity contract as schools reopen, don’t be disheartened. There will be so many schools who will need you over the next few weeks as there will be sick days and other leave that can now be covered by substitute teachers.
I hope to post some ideas for sub teachers over the next few weeks as I myself prepare for this new adventure. Watch this space for Aistear Muinteoir.
Best of Luck to everyone returning to school
Stay Safe
Aistear Muinteoir
Aistear Múinteoir 