A long, long journey
It's a long time since I used this blog, and a lot has changed since then; I lost my first job as a result of my depression and spent 6 months unemployed. Not something I every expected to happen!
That time was hard, and not only because I was unemployed and depressed. Life was suddenly empty and in all honesty, I was not sure I was ever going to go back to teaching. I had suffered from depression before in my youth and was incredibly anxious that I would never cope with the stress of a full time job, especially as I had just lost this one because of it.
Eventually I recovered (as far as one can) from the depression and, as no jobs were available at the time that matched my skill set, signed up to a supply agency. I was lucky enough to get a term long placement at a local secondary school for 3 days a week which paid well but also wasn't too much stress, this was a great introduction back into the world of teaching and reminded me why I was in this job in the first place. Then, something amazing happened...
It was one of my days off when I got a phone call at 7:30 in the morning. I wasn't too impressed, I wanted to sleep and I thought it would be the agency calling for more work, but no, it was my local sixth form; they needed a new teacher in September and remembered me from a previous interview. This was an amazing opportunity and I jumped at the chance; it was a real confidence boost after everything that had happened in the last year. And so started my current journey...I started the year part time and gradually took more hours until, this year, I went full time again. This was fraught with anxiety for me, would it end in the same manner as my previous full time job? However, thanks to very supportive SLT and an amazing line manager I have thrived this year and am taking on more and more responsibility.
I now feel confident in my teaching again and back to a place where I can contribute to the on-going education research world so expect plenty more blogs!
That time was hard, and not only because I was unemployed and depressed. Life was suddenly empty and in all honesty, I was not sure I was ever going to go back to teaching. I had suffered from depression before in my youth and was incredibly anxious that I would never cope with the stress of a full time job, especially as I had just lost this one because of it.
Eventually I recovered (as far as one can) from the depression and, as no jobs were available at the time that matched my skill set, signed up to a supply agency. I was lucky enough to get a term long placement at a local secondary school for 3 days a week which paid well but also wasn't too much stress, this was a great introduction back into the world of teaching and reminded me why I was in this job in the first place. Then, something amazing happened...
It was one of my days off when I got a phone call at 7:30 in the morning. I wasn't too impressed, I wanted to sleep and I thought it would be the agency calling for more work, but no, it was my local sixth form; they needed a new teacher in September and remembered me from a previous interview. This was an amazing opportunity and I jumped at the chance; it was a real confidence boost after everything that had happened in the last year. And so started my current journey...I started the year part time and gradually took more hours until, this year, I went full time again. This was fraught with anxiety for me, would it end in the same manner as my previous full time job? However, thanks to very supportive SLT and an amazing line manager I have thrived this year and am taking on more and more responsibility.
I now feel confident in my teaching again and back to a place where I can contribute to the on-going education research world so expect plenty more blogs!
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