What If You Wrote...?

The end of a long and tiring week. Congratulations one and all. We're there. Kick back, relax, make it a good one. It's going to be Monday again soon. Too soon.

Another TEN international school job applications sent out tonight. Who knows what they want us to say, how they differentiate between the tonnes I'm certain they receive, how a candidate can put him/herself ahead of the pack in such a limiting and limited application process. You know my approach, I've posted it on here! A lot of the time, I'd love to go along the following lines...

Dear X,

you must read hundreds of these, so I'm going to spare you the agony of repeating what you've already heard dozens of times and avoid the need for you to go reading between the lines. I am eager, nay, DESPERATE to land this job. And let's not beat about the bush, I'm applying for your school AND a bunch of others, because I know there's a fair chance I'll never hear back from any of you at all.

As a teacher, I have my pros and cons. I think my biggest pro is the fact that I know that much. I can tell you that, in your staffroom, I'll be quiet and possibly scornfully cursing some of my co-workers under my breath because I can't handle how they openly don't care about their jobs or the students they teach. This will make me popular with some, and hugely unpopular with others. The truth of the matter is, I don't care about that. The reason being, I can guarantee you that I'll be popular among the students because THEY are the ones who see how much I put in, and how much it matters to me that I'm good at my job.

I feel as though I'm pretty well-qualified, but no doubt, you'll come across applicants who blow me out of the water. In my defence, I'm young(ish), I'm hungry, I'm chomping at the bit to start putting all the things I've been studying through my undergrad, PGCE, and MA, into practice. There are LOTS of things that I'm really, really not good at. I've lived in Korea for over three years, but can barely order myself food in the language. I have sung in bands for more than a decade, but can't play an instrument. I'm on the verge of getting a first class honours MA degree in Citizenship Education, but I can never seem to remember where I last put my pen down. I am, though, a good teacher. And I want to be better.

I will move ANYWHERE in the world to get back to teaching something I'm passionate about and inspire young people to be the best they can be, and have as great an impact on their community (local, national, global) as is humanly possible. Give me the opportunity to throw myself 100% into a new and exciting phase of my life.

I wonder.... Have a great weekend everyone.