The Blob

At 6.30am I began the best interview of my life! Isn't Skype amazing? The Principal who interviewed me was unbelievably nice and it felt like having a chat with a friend instead of an interview. I hope I get offered the job! It would be a brilliant place to work!

I might be moving to China in 5 months.

Today I was observed by an Ofsted inspector, who judged the 20 minutes of my lesson he saw as 'Requires Improvement'. In my feedback, he assured me that there were "lots of strengths" - my marking, the task, the differentiation - but that I stood in the wrong place so children went off task, and also their 'neat' books didn't show progression after marking.

I didn't think I'd be this thoroughly demoralised by getting a poor score. I think the worst thing is that it's not a dialogue. Someone has come in, seen 20 minutes of a lesson, and decided that's the grade. No dialogue. No conversation about my marking, or the children. Just: this is what you are.

Normally I am in school for 7am and I don't leave until about 5pm. I run 2 clubs and help run a 3rd. In the run up to the inspectors coming in, I stayed at school to work solidly for 14 hours on Monday and Tuesday. I was in again at 6am this morning. I care passionately about these children and their progress. And I wasn't able to express that. Just: this is what you are.

I'll be fine. I will be fine. I'm not an outstanding teacher, and even if I was I would still need to improve, but I think a fairer assessment would have been 'Good'. I am a GOOD teacher.

Fuck Ofsted and fuck Gove too.

Is it possible to start the school year organised, prepared and ready to hit the ground running?

Year 2 of teaching: so far the answer is no.

Eighth interview was a success at last! I have a job at a school in Bedfordshire, starting in September.

Words cannot describe my relief.

A school that included in its job specification that applicants should have a 'dash of eccentricity' has invited me to interview on Monday. Hee!

First official lesson observation yesterday went super well. Love my kids.

Busy day today is busy. :S Lots of printing to do.

1) What sucks about not getting the job at that school isn't the failure of getting the job (though that sucks). It's the uncertainty. What if they were trying to call me but I didn't have signal at the time? It's such a stupid sliver of hope, but it might explain the lack of email. Stupid optimism is stupid.

2) My half-term 'holiday':

- write essay
- submit essay
- plan other essay
- submit plan for other essay
- read two novels for school
- plan two schemes of work based on aforementioned novels for school
- try to figure out what the third scheme of work is supposed to entail
- work 31 hours at the Pub

3) In two years' time I will be camping out under the stars in the Australian bush drinking whisky and laughing at my past self.

4) I'm putting weight on again. Bah humbug.

So I'm at my interview, waiting to be collected for the final stage! Am feeling excited, nervous, and cold. But it's been a really great day, and the school is wonderful. Not sure I'll get the job - at least I was one of four to be invited, and one of those didn't show! - but it's been wonderful anyway.

And get this. I am legitimately here with Kurt Hummel. I mean, if Kurt Hummel were a mid-20s Oxford graduate from the Lake District, but still! The voice, the mannerisms, the vocabulary - 100% Kurt. Hilarious. I've had to bite back a smile all day!

Didn't get the job at the school, but it was an invaluable experience and my confidence isn't really knocked so much as shaped. Need to improve my interview technique. :)

Onwards and upwards!