Cork teacher lands RTÉ role to keep kids learning during Covid-19 crisis

CORK teacher Ray Cuddihy has surely secured his place in Reeling in the Years 2020, after becoming one of three teachers chosen to teach the nation’s children during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ray is a primary school teacher from Doneraile in North Cork and he is one of three host of RTÉ’s new Home School Hub programme airing on RTÉ 2 every day between 11am and 12pm.

RTÉ and Macalla Teo, with support from Mary Immaculate College, have collaborated to introduce a cross-platform teaching initiative for primary school kids across the country.

On RTÉ2, RTÉ Player, and rte.ie/learn, children will be able to watch, download and engage with curriculum-based content, project work, and fun activities that will keep them entertained and learning.

Mr Cuddihy is a recent graduate with a masters in education from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

Previously Ray has worked with RTÉjr as an actor and puppeteer and has further background in educational theatre for young people.

Speaking to The Echo, Ray, 37, said he recognised the privileged position he was in to be able to engage and teach the adults of tomorrow through the medium of television but said he was slightly freaked out by people telling him he would be on Reeling in the Years in time.

“I’ve no idea how long it could go on for. It’s the maddest production I have ever been involved with. I am aware of the responsibility, I am giving it my best shot, we are all in this together. I’m making the most of it.” Ray said that every teacher wants to help at the moment as parents are under enough pressure.

“It’s important that the work is engaging, interactive and stimulating. All the lessons are approved by the Dean of Education at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.

“The idea is to bring structure to their lives, a little bit of structure and routine.” As well as this, Ray said that there was also a clear emotional need for the educational programme and he was not shying away from the hard issues.

“We are also aware of the emotional need for this, we discuss why we are in the situation we are in and there will be characters popping up and also there could be staff room sketches for a bit of light relief.” The lessons are being taught in separate classrooms by the three teachers, with a skeleton staff, remote cameras and everyone is communicating via walkie talkie.

As well as being on from 11am to 12pm, there is a catch-up programme later in the day, RTÉ Home School Extra at 4.15pm, where primary school kids from all over the country can reconnect by uploading and posting video messages and content that RTÉ will showcase.

This programme will be an opportunity to gather all uploaded user-generated content in one space and showcase it to the entire country.