'Rona-Geddon..

In the game of Rona-geddon, I am finally OUT. I have been asked to self-isolate due to contact with another Ronageddon victim. I am hoping that they stay safe and well. In fact, if any of my  'rona afflicted friends read this, be well, be safe and drink lots of herbal tea with a splash of honey. 

So, now I have to face the one thing I have been dreading since the beginning of this fiasco - I have to a) work from home and b) not leave the house for 14 days. This is not my first rodeo, many years ago I contracted measles and suffered quite significantly. I was advised by the doctor to sit in a darkened room and not to leave the house or mix with others for 14 days. Of course the first few days were not an issue, it was a significant enough illness to leave my head on a pillow for a number of days. Eventually, I set up the high backed, green, nylon- clad chair next to the t.v, with the piano stool as a foot stool and watched countless episodes of: 'Wait 'till your father gets home', and 'Fame'. To this day, I don't have any particular affection for either of those programmes.

Despite my happy go lucky nature and my comedic output (yes it is true, I am very funny), I take my job very seriously. For a start, unlike some politicians, I am aware that my wage is paid by taxes. And secondly, I am essentially teaching small people the greatest gift in the world: I am teaching them to read. For two weeks I am going to have to try and transfer that job, online. My experience of this, so far is not entirely great. It takes a modicum of sophistication to learn through the cold, harsh glare of a screen, not to mention a quiet, neat and clean area and the support of an adult. It does make me wonder about how many of our children have these things - not to the mention the resilience needed to work without the 'real' human voice or a personalised nudge or even a kind scolding: 'You are better than this! You can do it'. It just doesn't 'feel' the same through a screen or apparently have the same effect.  It makes me understand, more than ever, that teaching is about understanding pyschologies and putting people at ease; to encounter pain (make no mistake progress can be painful) you have to trust another human explicitly -above all teachers need to be trustworthy and intuitive. I am glad that technology has not replaced the art of a good teacher, despite some individuals doing well online there will always be some that require the human touch.

For two weeks, I will see the perspective of the children we have sent to home learn. I will have to work from home without the motivation I crave: the busy bustle of my colleagues who work really hard encouraging me to keep going when my will is weak, without a joke - the kind that teachers tell when children are not around, without watching a child begin a lesson with no skill and end a lesson with some, without the kids dappy declarations of love  (I am really strict I cannot deserve that) and without the smiles, the sometimes tears, the curiosity, the innocence, the occasional naughty prank, the wonderful interactions children provide. I write this knowing that my job has saved me, as stressful as teaching can be, it is also wonderful and without the daily interactions those children have given me I would have struggled to see the point of this Corona driven year. 

In all honesty, I am so glad that as much as we can, we have endeavoured to make children's lives constant and uninterrupted. The well-being and happiness of children is hanging on a thread at this time. This is the beginnings of troubled times and not ended with the hasty roll out of a vaccine.  Whilst we are at liberty to discuss the ins and outs of the limited freedoms allowed at Christmas and the effect it may (or may not) have on the trajectory of this virus - I am going to keep this in mind, whilst I live in relative comfort and seemingly unaffected by the curtailment of freedoms, for some these curtailments are a matter of life and death. I am appalled that this virus has become yet another battle between the rich and the poor and that the suffering of the poorest does not seem part of the risk assessment in the decision making. A government who boasts about its democratic strengths and benevolence and then decides to toss street sleepers back to their country of origin, is not a government who will have the poorest people's interests at heart. It seems to me, sadly, the elite have finally achieved their goal and made the common man truly believe that poverty is a destination you choose for yourself and that damnation is the destiny you deserve.