THE TEACHERS
Cliona get top marks for stepping up during lockdown
All the filming takes place in real classrooms in Scoil Lorcain, Monkstown, Dublin. Ray, who has been teaching first and second class
RTE’S Muinteoir Ray has admitted it’s bizarre to be fronting the new home school show after leaving the broadcaster following the axing of its kids department in 2016.
Ray Cuddihy debuted last week as one of new TV teachers taking over many households around Ireland each morning on the Home School Hub.
Recalling the “heartbreaking” time, geography, said: “It is presented from a normal classroom and we aren’t using any gimmicks or anything like that. There’s very little video footage or animation we are using
which led him to pursue a new field of work, the former puppeteer told the Irish Mirror: “There was a couple of things. When RTE got rid of its young people’s department that was a big decider.
“And the other was I was actually inspired by John my colleague.
“We used to do a Youtube channel in his house and I used to see him walking around and kids would be recognising him around the place and he’d
Primary School Teacher John Sharpson studied in St Patrick’s College before obtaining his teaching degree in London.
Before this crisis, he spent some years teaching in Mary Mother of Hope in Clonee.
John has also been presenting children’s television for the past five years.
So kids at home may also recognise him from the screen on Rtejr’s Bright Sparks, The Today Show with Daithi and Maura, Pop Goes The Weekend and Twigin. resources you would use in a normal classroom. And that was one of the hardest things for us.
“To put ourselves in the kids’ shoes as they try to get their heads around
converse with them As Gaeilge. And of course I was working in educational theatre before I got into TV so I thought I had these skills so I may take them further and get an education.”
And thankful for how it has all come full circle, with his return to TV as a teacher, the Cork man added: “It’s been a crazy couple of weeks but the reaction has been just brilliant.
“We only had about a week to get ready and it was a very hectic week. how much their world was turned upside down. I got a text there from a woman saying her daughter has been getting into her school uniform for the show every day.”
But we are up and running and we are flying now.
“It’s bizarre because I left RTE after doing bits and pieces with them and as a puppeteer I’m never usually above the table so to speak, but yeah this was a very unique opportunity.
“And my two colleagues, John and Cliona, we would have worked on
RTEJR shows together so we have this little squad and we are ready to roll.”
Cliona is currently working as a primary school teacher.
She graduated with a double honours in French and Irish in Maynooth University and later returned to complete a professional masters in education with the Froebel department in Maynooth.
And for those parents at home wondering where they have seen her before, Cliona has previously worked in stage and screen in productions such as TG4’S Aifric, An Triail, Reiltin , How To Do Everything and Tir na nog.
Where is it filmed?
Where and when can you watch it?
RTE’S Home School Hub will air each morning on RTE Two from 11am to noon.
In that hour, the three bilingual teachers will present short segments aimed at the groups of first, second, third and fourth and fifth and sixth class.
Following the show, the teachers will redirect the students to content and project work hosted on www.rte.ie/learn and RTE Player for extra learning.
Later, RTE Home School Extra will act as a catch-up programme at 4.15pm where youngsters can take over by uploading and posting video messages and content.