I know, it's rather ridiculous, right? At the end of this academic year I'll have been in teaching for four years (technically - teacher training counts) and at St James for three years. That alone is a scary thought, and if you couple it with the fact that I'm only 24 years old it all gets a bit much (in fact, I'm only just closer to 25 than I am to 23. Now it's getting stupid).
Anyway. After much support and encouragement from my colleagues, I sent a cover letter to the Headmaster and was invited to interview two days later. Thus the bad sleep and the late night practice of A-level/Further Maths Calculus and Trigonometry (a trademark of my current Head of Department's interview technique... start by smashing the morale with a really hard maths question and then ask 'Why do you think you're suitable for this job?' 'I JUST DON'T KNOW ANY MORE')
It was very odd interviewing for an internal post. I mean, I couldn't embellish the truth even just a little bit. 'Oh yes, why I believe it's important to teach Sixth Form Mathematics outside the classroom regularly' (translation: I accompanied them to a day of Maths lectures that one time. Where I got a signed book from Simon Singh about the maths that appears in the Simpsons and in Futurama)
Ahahahahaaa.... Dog in a box. Hehehe.... that's excellent.
This joke was in tonight's episode actually. The book is really worth a read!
Anyway. It was a very emotional and soul-searching experience, to write the cover letter for this job. There were moments of realisation that actually, I'd achieved quite a lot in my time at St James. I'd registered my interest in the school quite early by pushing to be the Head of a House, and also by offering to teach one class of Year 9 Physics three times a week last year (some of the experiments I made up were quite hilarious). I have a Year 7 Form this year, and have been rather heavily involved in the Music side of things. But there were, however, times of great self-doubt and wishing I'd pushed to do more to make myself a more credible candidate for a Head of Department job.
My mindset for most of the build-up to decision time was that I didn't really have a shot at this position, Until I heard that the other two candidates didn't have any Head of Maths experience either, and following my disaster-free interviews I started to think that, maybe, I was in with a chance.
It wasn't to be unfortunately. I think this is right, it is quite early to be considering Head of Department (although I vehemently argued in my interview when asked the question 'I think you need another two years of teaching, don't you?' with 'Two years of teaching would make me a better teacher... but if I'm right for Head of Maths in two years, surely I'm ready now? I'm not going to gain management experience if I go the next two years without it, surely?') Which might just illustrate my naivety.
It was such a worthwhile thing to do, nevertheless. I look forward to receiving feedback on my probably slightly stupid interview answers - 'How would you deal with this particular member of staff, for example, if he were to disagree with your decisions about the Scheme of Work?' 'TELL THEM WHERE TO STICK IT.'
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