What should you do first after missing school?
Start by finding out exactly what was taught, what was assigned and what needs to be handed in. These are three different questions. A learner might have missed an explanation of a concept, a classroom practice activity and instructions for an assessment. Watching a video may help with the explanation, but the school remains the source for the task instructions, deadlines and assessment arrangements.
Ask for a concise list of topics, page numbers and outstanding tasks. If a classmate shares notes, check that they include the teacher’s instructions rather than only the answers written on the board. A useful catch-up list names the subject, the topic, the source of the missing work and the next action. This makes the problem concrete enough to plan around.
Avoid starting with an entire term’s worth of videos. A large collection of material can make a short absence feel overwhelming. Identify the next lesson you need to participate in and work backwards to the knowledge it assumes. Catching up becomes more manageable when each study session has one clear purpose.
How dorKk fits into a missed-lesson plan
DorKk provides pre-recorded CAPS-aligned video lessons for Grades 1–12, with English and Afrikaans catalogues. The public website lets you explore grade, subject, module and lesson titles. Use those titles to find an explanation related to the work your class covered. Check current video availability and subscription access in the app before purchasing access for a particular topic.
A recorded explanation gives a learner an opportunity to revisit a method without needing the whole class to repeat the lesson. You can pause while writing a step, replay a difficult explanation and return to your school materials afterwards. The useful outcome is the learner’s ability to attempt the work independently, rather than simply finishing the recording.
A catalogue match is a starting point, not proof that every detail of the missed lesson is covered. Your teacher might have used a particular text, experiment, example or assessment instruction. Compare the explanation with your class notes and keep a list of differences that need clarification. For an overview of the records behind the public catalogue, see coverage and sources.
Build a catch-up list that separates urgency from difficulty
Put current classroom participation first. If tomorrow’s lesson depends on yesterday’s method, that prerequisite may matter more than producing beautiful notes for an older activity. Next, identify work with a school deadline. Finally, schedule additional review for concepts that remain uncertain. Ask the teacher to help prioritise when several subjects compete for the same afternoon.
Use a simple record with four entries: topic, evidence needed, next action and status. “Fractions” is too broad; “compare fractions with different denominators and explain the comparison” gives you something to check. A status such as “watched” tells you little about understanding. Better statuses are “can explain”, “can attempt with notes” and “need help with this step”.
Do not quietly discard tasks you cannot finish. Tell the teacher which items remain and what you have already tried. An honest record of partial progress gives the school more useful information than an apparently complete book containing copied answers. It also helps the learner see that asking a focused question is part of catching up.
A practical catch-up session, from topic to independent attempt
Begin with the relevant class instruction or textbook question. Read it before opening a video so that you know what you are looking for. Try any part you already understand. This first attempt can reveal whether you need a full explanation, a reminder of a term or help with one operation in a longer method.
Next, browse the grade and subject catalogue. Choose the appropriate language and inspect module headings as well as individual lesson names. When you find a relevant explanation, watch with a notebook available. Pause at a meaningful step and describe why it was taken. Copying every sentence can distract from the particular gap you are trying to close.
Close the explanation and attempt a related question from your school materials. Check the working, not just the final answer. If you are still stuck, record the first step you cannot justify. End the session by writing one sentence about what you can now do and one question for the teacher if necessary. This produces a clearer next step than repeatedly restarting the same video.
Example: returning after missing an algebra explanation
Consider a hypothetical learner who returns to class and discovers that the next exercise involves factorising quadratic expressions. The learner recognises the notation but cannot choose the factors. This is an example of a study workflow, not a report of an actual dorKk learner or a promise about results.
First, the learner checks the class exercise and confirms the exact method expected. They try a question and notice that multiplying the brackets is familiar, while finding the pair of numbers is not. That narrows the video search to the relevant algebra topic. During the explanation, they pause before the factors are shown and make their own prediction.
Afterwards, they use multiplication to check a new factorisation. If the middle term does not match, they compare the signs and number pair rather than copying a solution. They bring the unsuccessful attempt to class with a question about the choice of factors. Our public quadratic-equations example offers a separate written practice resource; it is not a transcript of a paid lesson.
When a teacher is absent
An absent teacher creates a different situation from an individual learner’s absence. The class may need a supervised activity aligned with the planned topic. A teacher or school can inspect dorKk’s catalogue to identify potentially relevant explanations, then decide how those explanations fit the school’s arrangements and available access.
A useful activity gives learners a purpose before viewing: identify a key term, follow a worked method or answer a small set of questions afterwards. The supervising adult should have the school’s instructions for collecting work and handling questions. A video does not take responsibility for supervision, school policy or checking every learner’s understanding.
Schools should confirm access arrangements and suitability before planning classroom use. Do not assume that an individual subscription includes every group-use arrangement. The integration page provides a starting point for organisational enquiries. The aim is continuity of learning with appropriate oversight, not an unsupported claim that a recording can replace a teacher’s role.
What parents and caregivers can do
Help organise the work before trying to teach every subject. Ask the learner to show the class list, explain which topic comes next and choose one achievable task. A calm, specific conversation is more useful than repeatedly asking whether all the missed work is finished. Let the learner take ownership of identifying the next step where their age allows.
For younger learners, sit nearby while they locate the correct material and make sure the language and instructions are understood. For older learners, ask them to explain their attempt rather than demonstrate only a completed answer. You do not need to know every method to notice whether the learner can describe what they are doing.
If the absence was extended or the learner cannot manage the workload, contact the school to agree priorities and reasonable arrangements. Follow any school guidance about return-to-class work. Supplementary videos are one resource within that plan; they do not determine deadlines, attendance requirements or the support a learner may need from the school.
Common catch-up mistakes to avoid
One common mistake is filling an exercise book from a friend’s answers without reconstructing the explanation. The book looks complete, but the next lesson can expose the same gap. Use shared notes to locate the topic and instructions, then attempt at least one question yourself before deciding that the work is understood.
Another mistake is treating all missed tasks as equally urgent. Repeatedly moving between subjects can leave several activities half started. Agree a short priority list, finish one meaningful piece of work and review what remains. Where the deadline cannot be met, tell the teacher early rather than assuming that watching a video resolves the outstanding task.
Finally, avoid measuring progress only in minutes watched. A learner may spend a long time viewing and still be unable to explain the method. Use evidence such as a corrected attempt, a short summary from memory or a question that is more precise than before. These are practical checks, not formal grades or guaranteed indicators of later results.
Questions about missed lessons
Can dorKk tell me exactly what my class covered?
No. Your teacher, school materials and classroom instructions establish what was covered. DorKk’s catalogue helps you locate related video explanations once the topic is known. Compare grade, subject, language and module titles, and confirm uncertain matches with the teacher. Do not assume that the catalogue order is identical to your school’s weekly timetable.
Can I catch up on several subjects at once?
You can plan catch-up across subjects, but it is usually clearer to give each session a specific topic and a defined task. Ask the school which gaps affect current lessons and which outstanding tasks have deadlines. A short plan with priorities is more workable than trying to watch every missed topic in one sitting.
Does watching a lesson count as completing schoolwork?
Only the school can decide what counts as completing an assigned task. A recording can support understanding, but a worksheet, project, practical activity or assessment may still need separate work. Keep the teacher’s instructions visible and check what must actually be submitted. When in doubt, ask rather than treating viewing time as proof of completion.
Where should I begin on the website?
Start with subjects and grades, then use your class topic to narrow the module and lesson list. Review the pricing options and verify relevant video access in the app before subscribing. If the main problem is an ongoing backlog rather than one absence, the catch-up and revision guide explains how to organise a broader plan.