A Week in the Life..

I have been floating on a cloud all week. Nothing can seemingly burst my bubble of happiness and calm. I have applied for lots of jobs, some of them even suitable ones. I have a number of agency meetings lined up, and I have had half a dozen phone calls from people interested. If anything, it is me being choosy about what I want to follow up that is slowing down the transition from "teacher in the ghetto" to "living happily again".

Even the teaching itself has been less than arduous, as I release the need to perform in order to avoid being slated for not following the impossible. I no longer care what they think - I'm leaving.

The school is having a crack-down on what they term "school standards". In other words they are breathing down the necks of students who are late, don't wear the uniform correctly or are rude. This is supposed to improve the grades of the students, but it is actually putting their backs up.

It also causes more work for us teachers, and much more hassle, as the sanctions we can give to the students haven't changed. Consequently the threat of "writing a referral" is often met with derisive laughter, especially from the regular rule-breakers, who have had as many as 50 written on them last term. Notably, neither their behaviour nor grades have improved following the small rain-forest of paperwork on them.

My top set Year 11s (16 year olds) were in fine spirits on Thursday. The boys were being particularly lively. I had to remove a collection of small crocodile clips from them, because they were trying to attach them to each other's nipples. They were comically surprised that metal pegs with sharp teeth actually hurt when attached to tender parts of their anatomy. A few minutes later, I had to remove the set of forceps too, because they were trying to pluck each others eyebrows. (Yes, this is still the boys I'm talking about.)

The thought of what I would write on a referral about those incidents had me cracking up with laughter.

So, today, I have had a nice quiet day. I took the kids to school, then helped out in their library, changing the books for the pupils in Saskia and Eartha's class. This is a voluntary thing I do at their school every Friday. I think the kids love that I come in to help. After that I took the dog for a walk in the forest, where he got thoroughly muddy. Back home, I finished Andy Cave's book on climbing Changabang in the Himalayas.

I had another phone call from an agency, and then a call from Mum. I did three loads of washing. After that, yet another call from another agency. This one was from a chap called James. We chatted for a bit, and then he asked me if I'd ever considered consultancy work. He then detailed a fantastic sounding job, which he thought would suit me. I don't know how much to believe, but if it is as fantastic as he says, and they want to interview me, then I'm up for it. It would consist of advising head-teachers on how to get the best out of their schools. It would also pay me twice what I'm earning now!

I have got to say 'yes' to an interview, just because I have never ever even applied for a job earning that much money before. Just to have the interview would be a delightful coup. Just telling my current bosses that I have an interview for a job where I could end up advising them is hilariously funny. After all, they really don't listen to any of their staff at the moment! I don't for one minute think I would actually be offered the job, but it tickles my sense of humour.

Finally, just when I thought I could cope with the job I'm doing, so long as I'm in a good mood, I logged on to my work e-mail this evening. I had a short, sharp message asking me to 'Explain myself'. Apparently there was a meeting on Wednesday evening, that I completely overlooked. I went home, singing merrily to myself instead and now, once again, I am in the sh*t.

Oh, well. Here's me, trying to care...