fadagaski: (take it easy turtle)
Hoo-boy! So things are spiralling rapidly towards the future! But let's back up, and track how it's come to this point.

  1. I decided I wanted to be a freelance writer.

  2. I put out my CV into the world.

  3. I received a job offer as a contracted writer in the education sector, which I had to turn down because of the hella long notice period required of teachers.

  4. I handed in my notice.

  5. I thought, off-hand, about looking for teaching jobs abroad.

  6. I looked at teaching jobs abroad.

  7. I applied for a bunch (literally, like, 100).

  8. I signed up for 10 agencies.

  9. I was offered two jobs, and rejected both as unsuitable.

  10. I signed up for one more agency.

  11. I got a job in Fujairah, that starts in August.

And that's where it's at! Wow! School ends here next Friday, and I fly out on 19th August. I'll be down in London tomorrow sorting out some paperwork. It's kind of crazy that 4 months ago I was all gung-ho about leaving teaching entirely. Not anymore, it seems.

Also, my family are looking to move to the Orkneys in 3 years' time, so there's that to look forward to as well.

All aboard the Emirates Express!
fadagaski: (hamster love hearts)
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!
fadagaski: (no parking)
I might be moving to China in 5 months.
fadagaski: (teacher me)
I'm marking the first Teacher Assessment for my Year 6 kids and every. single. one. triggers a mental chorus of OMG OMG OMG D:D:D: I am the worst teacher ever. That's the only explanation for 25/27 kids scoring so abysmally.

Actually want to cry. Think I might.
fadagaski: (teacher me)
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.

Masters!

Oct. 1st, 2013 09:35 am
fadagaski: (teacher me)
I'm going to apply to the OU next year for a Masters in, probably, Childhood and Youth Studies (to be drawn out over 4-7 years). My main interests are:

  • The sexualisation of children and what we need to do to manage that.
  • Feminism and equality in schools.
  • What schools can do wholesale to manage the impact of media images and messages.
  • Broadening policies on Body Image, Sex, Consent teaching to include the most teachable ages (middle school and younger).


I think I can stretch to monthly repayments on a loan from the SLC. Should be fun!

ETA (05/10/13): I would love to do a paper entitled, "High School Mythical: Perception and Perpetuation of American High School Culture in British Schools".

D-Day

Sep. 4th, 2013 05:38 pm
fadagaski: (blue sky over the sea)
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.
fadagaski: (teacher me)
I survived my first Parents' Evening with only a minor brush with Demon Mother. All other parents were lovely, and I offended absolutely no one!

In fact, two parents who came to see another form tutor spoke to me about their kids in English, and were very VERY complimentary (in full hearing of my NQT mentor, so yay!).

This weekend I have a date with a pile of Year 8 essay drafts. Woo.

My life this year maintains this pattern: school - sleep - school - sleep.

I wish AmeriBoy wasn't so far away.

Success!

Apr. 27th, 2012 08:28 am
fadagaski: (teacher me)
Eighth interview was a success at last! I have a job at a school in Bedfordshire, starting in September.

Words cannot describe my relief.
fadagaski: (take it easy turtle)
It is an important and well-known fact that goldfish have better memory capacity than I do. I would forget my head if it wasn't attached to my neck. Case in point, today I left school ... without my netbook. Just - omg.

In other news, I have an interview on Monday and another on Wednesday. Both down south. I still have to teach on the Tuesday in Hartlepool though. SIGH.

All things considered, it being a Friday and all, it's not been a bad day thus far. Still got Pub tonight. In the immortal words of Princess Leia: "It's not over yet."

Hopefully!

Mar. 8th, 2012 06:57 am
fadagaski: (teacher me)
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.
fadagaski: (teacher me)
I drove to school today in floods of tears.

I left school grinning, having had a really good day. (All my problems are, of course, still there, but whatevs. I taught kids shit today).

Pretty sure I'm doing the PGCE emotional rollercoaster thing backwards.

2am ramble

Feb. 13th, 2012 02:01 am
fadagaski: (dn L)
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.
fadagaski: (take it easy turtle)
Legitimately didn't know how I did in the interview, so being left on tenterhooks for 2 days was ... Well. I have bitten my nails down to the quick.

Still haven't had even an email from the school, and as it's half term, I must assume I was unsuccessful. Have sent the Head of English an email thanking them for inviting me and asking for feedback.

Onwards and upwards I guess. I'm so not in the mood for applications this weekend.

ROFL

Feb. 8th, 2012 03:28 pm
fadagaski: (teacher me)
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!
fadagaski: (dn L)
1) I have another job interview! At a very nice school in Bedford. Going down next Tuesday, interview is Wednesday, and then I'll meander slowly back up in time for work Friday night. LOL.

2) There is a Boy on my course and I think I have a crush on him. Ohhhh dear.

Oh well :)

Jan. 27th, 2012 04:45 pm
fadagaski: (teacher me)
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!

Gaaah!

Jan. 25th, 2012 09:06 pm
fadagaski: (teacher me)
Omg! Ok. So. I'm currently at mum's house in Milton Keynes. Let me catch you up on why.

Tue 6.30am: I applied for a job at a VERY nice school down south. The deadline was 9am.

Tue 9.50am: missed call.

Tue 11.30am: call back. Invited to interview! At 8am on Thursday. Eep!

Tue afternoon: waiting waiting waiting for information so I know what I'm doing.

Wed 6am: receive information! Panic. Go to school.

Wed afternoon: plan lesson to deliver tomorrow. Drive south.

Tomorrow I need to leave at 6am to beat the M1 traffic and omg I am so excited and nervous and I just want it to go well. Eep! I'll report back tomorrow.

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