Ooh long past time for a blog post!
Life's been so busy and tiring, I have spent what seems like every waking minute either working or thinking about work, and quite a lot of sleeping time dreaming about it too.
In September I took on a one term supply teaching assignment at a Secondary School entailing a 60 mile a day round commute.
Now I don't know if it's me getting older, the commute (beautiful but over desolate moorland roads), or the stressful nature of the job (imminent OFSTED - that actually happened this week) but I have never felt so utterley shattered by a job in my life. Maybe it's the combination of all three.
What it has done is made me take stock of what I want at this stage in my life. Up till now I have still been looking for another permanent full time teaching job, maybe another head of department role.
No more.
These words "At the time I earnt more money than anyone else I knew but hated every
minute of my existence and was a nightmare to be around. The bravest and
best thing I ever did was to admit enough was enough, clear my desk,
resign and reclaim my life." in this post by Vix really struck a chord and her follow up post where she said "Every morning I wake up I still thank whoever's up there for giving me the guts to escape that life and just be me." even more so.
I have made my decision that this will be the last full time, long term supply I will take on, come Christmas I will be free and will only accept short term or daily work. We have never remortgaged so our monthly repayment is a pittance and we have no outstanding debts. The children are all grown and have fled the nest so now it's time for me and what I want to do, and I want to start living my life and escape the life of a wage slave.
When the dreaded OFSTED call came earlier this week (for those of you not in the field of education, the school is informed at lunch time the day before the OFSTED visit). Lunch was immediately cut short and I was at school until 10:40 that night and back again at 7am the next morning with a sleepless night in between. As it happened I was observed by the lead inspector and received glowing feedback which prompted the head of department to ask if I would reconsider applying for the job on a permanent basis...
... no way!!!!
I have made my decision - I want my life back. I am increasingly disenchanted with our education system, I find myself feeling that like in the Pink Floyd song I am expected to put bricks in the wall - that's not what I went into teaching to do. I hate this culture of league tables and "corporate" teaching - stop the (education) world, I want to get off!
Hopefully I will soon have time for the things I want to enjoy in life - the simple things ...
... more blogging,
lunch with old friends,
picking my granddaughter up from school and making tea together,
crafting,
charity shopping,
walking,
spending time on my allotment...
and
living!!!
