English teacher Vanessa adapts to working online
BRAY woman Vanessa Keogh has found some unexpected benefits to online learning through her role as a teacher with Dublin-based language school.
Vanessa also has a drama school with her sister Sophie, the Keogh School of Speech and drama, which has returned to lessons under changed conditions.
As far as teaching English is concerned, she and her students made the move from face-to-face classroom-based teaching, to distance learning.
‘A lot of the students are still in Ireland,’ said Vanessa. ‘Some did go home and plan to come back at some stage.’
She said that most of the students are based in Dublin.
The day it was announced that all schools were closed, they stopped working face-to-face.
‘It was a while before distance learning went fully online.
‘We used Google Classroom briefly, which is online, but didn’t really work for us.
‘We had a break of a few weeks then announced that we would be going fully online.’
That’s what they have been doing for the last few months. ‘It has its advantages and disadvantages,’ said Vanessa.
She and the students got on to Zoom, where Vanessa can screen-share, deliver online materials and do the syllabus.
‘When I want them to do group work, I send them into their own virtual breakout rooms,’ said Vanessa.
‘They can work away in groups and I can check in on them.’
There is a bit of disconnect compared to the classroom. ‘I can’t see exactly what people are doing and it’s a little harder to engage when you don’t have the intimacy,’ said Vanessa.
‘There might be distractions such as a doorbell ringing, or a lot of people might be sharing a house and sharing communal space.
‘People were dubious about it at the start, myself included,’ said Vanessa. ‘I had never even used Zoom before but it’s fairly straightforward and everyone is in the same boat.’
‘It’s great to have it rather than having no classes at all,’ said Vanessa. ‘I think there will be more of it even after the pandemic. It will be another way of delivering classes. I think it will be across the board in all industries and areas.
‘Because we had to do it, were forced into it, people are now embracing it.’
So, many of Vanessa’s students opposed using the platform at first. ‘We had a discussion this week and a lot don’t want to go back,’ she said.
‘They’re saving money on transport, get to make their own coffee at home and eat when they want. They don’t have to get up as early and once a class is finished they’re free – the commute is gone. It’s more convenient for a lot of people.’
She said that those who are working can perhaps do more hours, because they don’t have to take into consideration the hours they spend commuting.
‘I can sit and work with my dog Wagner beside me, and I get great comfort from that,’ said Vanessa.
‘You can do other things because you have more time.’
Vanessa said they are taking plans to return to classroom-based learning ‘day by day, week by week’, depending on Covid-19 figures and state guidelines.
Meanwhile the Keogh School of Speech and Drama has returned to Bray’s Epworth Hall.
‘We continued doing speech and drama online,’ said Vanessa.
‘It was the first time any of our students had done online.
‘It worked really well. They did exams and all did so well.
‘They felt like they had achieved something during lockdown, which was fantastic.’
Vanessa said that she and Sophie have really been looking forward to getting back to faceto-face lessons.
‘You can’t beat live interaction,’ she said.
They have done relevant courses to ensure that they adhere to guidelines and they and the children are safe.
‘The kids were dying to get back,’ said Vanessa.
‘It’s going to be a new world. We’re just going to have to adjust and I’m sure we will rise to the occasion.
Vanessa said that she and Sophie did whatever they could to ensure they would be able to open up again, with the safety of students paramount.
Call Vanessa on 086 2198028 or Sophie on 086 0749296.