decisions, decisions

So I moved to London with the original plan of doing supply work until I felt more settled and familiar with the English school system. Then I was going to look at long term roles, and hopefully get my own class (isn't that what every teacher wants?).

And here in lies Decision #1.

Supply vs Long Term

Supply Pros

1. No planning (HUUUUGE...should count for 5 pros)
2. No serious marking (sometimes I have to check mark completed work...no essays or anything though)
3. No staff meetings
4. No real boss
5. When called in to a school on the morning of (last minute emergency supply), I move as slow as possible, and sometimes miss the whole first hour, but still get paid for the whole day! Should I admit this? Probably not. Will you think less of me? If you do, it will bother me about as much as the secretary who glares at the clock when I finally arrive.
6. New kids everyday...so if one group are shit, it is the last time you will see them and that thought gets you through the day.

Supply Cons

1. New kids everyday...sometimes getting to know them actually helps.
2. Boring lessons left by teachers...I find this is the main reason kids act up with supply teachers. Loooots of teachers are boring. Lots. Or rather, they make their materials as uninteresting as possible. (I suppose they could just be lazy, and end up leaving some last minute easy stuff. Probably what I would do actually...so I can't really knock them)
3. Timesheets. I really hate working through a middle man. That is why I hated office temp work. I hate agencies and I hate getting that bloody timesheet signed every day/week. Pretty weak con I think...
4. Possibility of being stabbed...does this really happen? I've heard lots of stories about kids in London...and to be on the safe side I'm only doing supply work in primary schools. That way if I do get stabbed it will just be in the foot or leg, not any of the major organs.

Long Term Pros

1. Able to do my own creative, fun lessons that students will brag to their friends about so everyone in the school will want to be in my class (don't worry, I'm not that naive, but since I'm not doing it yet, I can dream).
2. Building relationships with students...(and I mean all of them, unlike now, when I learn the names of the five worst behaved students so I can yell at them).
3. Knowing where I am going everyday.
4. Can start getting my QTS (qualified teacher status...which I need if I want to get rid of agencies and still get paid properly!).
5. I'm sure there are more, but I'm getting tired of this post already.

Long Term Cons

1. PLANNING...so I am still naive (yes, in some ways I am), and I like to believe that I will go on and on for years, attempting to create fun and innovative lessons. And this takes alot of time. Alot.
2. Marking.
3. Head Teachers. I really haven't got anything to say against them, I just imagine that one day they will be a pain in the ass for me.
4. Report cards...IEPs...etc

So I'm thinking that if the right long term role came along, I would accept it, but I'm being really picky. And in London, you can afford to be picky. There are more jobs than teachers here. I don't want to travel too far. I don't want to work in a religious school (which for some reason I keep ending up in...and when the kids say "Miss, you have to do prayer now" I laugh, then I catch myself and say "Uh, you can do two tomorrow"). I don't want to work for a dickhead.

And until recently I would have said that I don't want to work in a primary school...but my thoughts are slowly changing....

And here in lies Decision #2

Primary vs Secondary

But I'll leave that for another day...