Sometimes The Only Way Is Jumping, I Hope You’re Not Afraid Of Heights…

I’m having a bit of a life freak out. In fact, I think it’s been brewing for a while now. I just feel a little bit stuck in a rut. (Normally when this happens, I get a haircut – the chat with my hairdresser and a new look normally sorts me out, but this time it hasn’t even come close!)

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I’m worried about the future, more specifically the next academic year. I am becomng so much better at completing goals and ticking things off my life bucket list, but I’m concerned that I am going to reach September and be unemployed with no money and no idea about where my life is going.

I know what I enjoy and I know where I want to be, I just don’t seem to be able to work out quite how to get there.

I want to spend some time travelling to new places, meeting people and seeing things that are more amazing than I ever could have imagined and really pushing myself to the limit. I want to learn some new things and teach people at the same time.

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I feel like I am making sensible choices in working hard for my TEFL course and trying to save some money, but it’s just difficult to see how these things are going to materialise in to the adventures that I want. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m scared, terrified in fact!

I can’t help but think that the choice to apply for jobs and move to a country that I may never have visited is stupid, but I can’t exactly afford to just pop off to these places for a few days first! I’m scared to go without a friend, scared that the whole experience may not be what I expect and want it to be, but I know that if I stayed in the UK I would regret it forever.

I need to put myself out there. Now is the time, I will be turning 24 this week. I have no ties, a fair amount of savings and a lot of supportive friends and family. I just need to bring myself to take the first steps…

Time To Make Some Serious Life Decisions.

This week saw the big opening day for the GTTR (the teacher training application system in the UK). If I’m honest, I feel less and less sure about the decisions I’m making with every day that passes.

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I was still debating what to do next year and with the rest of my life as recently as a few days ago, but have pretty much decided that I want to go abroad and travel and broaden my horizons as it were. Although these plans have always been lurking in the back of my mind somewhere, what worries me is that I have just made a pretty spontaneous decision!

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The logic behind my decision is this. I love to travel, and I love working with young people in an educational environment. Even if I decide after 12 months that teaching abroad is not the thing for me, at least I’ll have tried it and had an adventure in the process? Not knowing what you want to do is as helpful as knowing what you do, so it’s got to be worth a shot, right?!

Some Big Decisions.

I feel like I’m starting every post like this, but time really has been flying by lately and I didn’t realise that it was already that time of year again – decision time!

Around mid-October, course applications open all over the UK for the next academic year. this time last uear I umm-ed and aaahhh-ed about whether to apply for a teacher training course, but in the end decided against it as I wanted to spend another year in my current job. As much as I love my job, and am really settling in to the new year, the plan is to only spend another year here and then move on.

But on to what?!

I have a few ideas, but to be honest I am pretty clueless.

Option 1 – Apply for that PGCE, stick to the original plan and go and be an awesome Psychology teacher.

Option 2 – Spend my Easter holidays getting a TEFL qualification, and then go abroad next year to teach English.

Option 3 – Train in some sort of Counselling or Psychotherapy.

I guess there are a few more sleepless nights coming up over the next few months!

Feeling Out Of The Loop?! Me Too!

I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but I feel a little out of the loop on my own life?! Time is going to quickly at the moment, and soon it will be the end of another academic year! So, here’s a little update for you all on all things job and future and school related in my life…

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Umm where to start?! We are planning the school yearbook at the moment, and I need to ask a student to write my ‘profile’ for me. Seems simple, I know, but I’m worried about a) upsetting people, and b) having a balanced profile – I want it to be funny, for whoever I choose to state a few favourite memories of me, but I don’t want anybody I ask to feel like it’s too much pressure above the exam stress at the moment. Argh, stressful (for me, that is!)

That’s another thing – exams start next week. Seriously, were exams this early when I was at school?! It seems ridiculous! Everyone is starting to get anxious and very short with eachother. I feel arguments waiting to happen…!

Lastly, remember all that freaking out I was doing about what I was going to do with my life, and whether to apply to do a teacher training course or look for more jobs? (If not, catch up here...) Well, I have been offered the opportunity to extend my contract at school for another year…which I have accepted and think is a good idea. Sure, the money isn’t great, and I get reallllllyyyy tired sometimes, but I love the job and it’s good experience plus I have nothing else to do so seems silly to leave.

And breathe…I feel better just having written all that down! Thanks bloggy world!

❤

Sophie

Last Week.

Wowzer, it’s been another busy week at school. Students are getting that ‘nearly the holidays’ feeling and are starting to cause problems – lying, suspensions, fighting. Nightmare!

The other night I was helping an Israeli boy with his prep though, and he told me that I was going to make a great teacher. It’s the little things like that that get me through the day!

And today I have been offered the chance to stay on next year should I wish to do so, which is a huge relief because between you and me I was starting to freak out a little!

Night off tonight, so time for some supper, hit the gym, and then settle down wth my book for an early night. I’m reading ‘One Day’ at the moment – has anyone read it? I love it, but it is taking me months (literally!) to get through because I’m always too tired to read in the evening (sadface!)

How’s your week going?

❤

Sophie

A Penny For Your Thoughts?!

No Thought for Friday today….just my thoughts I’m afraid!

I’ve been having a bit of a stress out this week about life, and have been feeling pretty overwhelmed. Remember towards the end of last year when I was stressing about whether to apply for a PGCE place or not and what my other options were for next year? Well, that’s back again!

I had some sensible chats with my mentor at school earlier this week, and upon checking out the ‘number of places to applications’ ratio at this late stage have decided to pull out on the university application front. I’ve left it too late, which I accept is completely my own fault and I’m mad at myself for, but I was feeling less than confident.

So I have a few options now, the most likely beng that I will stay at my current job for another year, which is not necessarily a bad thing, and then apply early doors again for September 2013 entry.

Anyway, the point that I’m trying to make is that I need to get pro-active about sorting a few aspects of my life out, and I guess I’m sort of making some belated New Years Resolutions..again!

I want to…

* Do more lesson observations, and organise going in to other schools.

* Consider doing a TEFL course.

* Get some sports coaching qualifications.

* Consider a position teaching at the Summer School.

* Start to build my confidence in other aspects of school life, and get a better understanding of the curriculum.

So there you have it, hold me accountable will you please guys?!

❤

Sophie.

To Do It Or Not To Do It?!

Hello lovelies 🙂

How is your weekend going?

Today’s post is really more of a ‘clear my head‘ entry. You may remember a few weeks back I posted about how I was unsure about whether to apple for a teacher training course. Well, I am still totally unsure, but I think I have decided that I am going to apply.

So here’s the deal…

I have always wanted to teach primary school (specifically, 8-10year olds) until I started my new job at an international secondary school. I love interacting with the students and us bouncing off eachother. I love working in a school and being around the kids in a pastoral capacity on a day-to-day basis. I am really enjoying the lesson observations and getting back in to my psychology. It sounds horribly cheesy but I really feel like I am making a difference to these students, and I want to pass my passion for the subject on to the next generation.

They’re my feelings, but here are the facts.

Places on PGCE courses are limited, so applications need to be completed early. Applications only cost £17, and my job is only secure until next September.

In light of all this information, I think it would be stupid not to apply. I just know that I will be kicking myself this time next year if I am unemployed and I wanted to do the course and I hadn’t even tried.

If I don’t get a place, I don’t get a place. If I get a place and decide I don’t want to go then, or at all, it can always be turned down or deferred.

It all comes down to this. This year I have a whole team of academic staff to write me references, help me compose my personal statement and am able to get in all the lesson obervations I want. I feel like I would be stupid to waste that help and leave my application until a later date.

So yeah, I’ve decided to go for it! AAAHHHHHHH!!!