You are told you are wonderful, thanked with relief and then left to get on with the job. What job? Any teaching position that desperately needs a teacher.

So you are the only person willing to be flexible and valuable. At least until the idea of promotion comes up and then you’re always not quite experienced in the right way, there is always someone who has done a bit more.

Never be so flexible it ruins your chances of seniority at the first hurdle of: head of department or co-ordinator. Flexibility is a wonderful attribute for a headteacher, but you won’t be considered as you can’t get into middle management.

It does not matter how glowing your references are, flexibility just does not wash!

So with three qualifications and experience of teaching every age from 5 to 18 you will get nowhere at all. Somehow, somewhere, there must be an answer.

In the meantime if I apply to teach upper school Geography, my flexibility will only extend to 25 per cent of the timetable...probably in three subjects! At least I can say I love my work and variety is the spice of life!

Sheila Keany
T.R.I.S.
Zijin Shan Lu
Hexi District
300074 Tianjin
Peoples’ Republic of China.