In an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19 in Australia in 2020 state and territory governments mandated the closing of schools for all but vulnerable children and the children of frontline workers in various parts of Australia for various lengths of time. In what follows, five English teachers from across Australia reflect on the everyday experience of teaching during lockdown. Using the framework of 'who' and 'what' stories (Cavarero, 2000), these narratives explore the individual and contextual experience of the everyday work of teaching remotely, while also contributing to the collective story of English teaching during a global pandemic. The narratives raise questions about teachers' identity and development as well as broader questions about subject English.