There are times in life when you really make conscious decisions Scully, and others when you have the feeling of living through a novel written by some force beyond your control - then you think if 'a' had not happened then 'b' wouldn't have happened, or why was I in that place at that particular time ? I never planned to emigrate to Germany and spend over 30 years here, and often wonder what would have happened if I had stayed in the UK.
When I left school, I somehow managed to score a job in the Tax Office - Collector of Taxes. Part of my job was to chase up Schedule D returns around Watford - and Watford FC were one the businesses I had to visit. Another part of the job involved checking that the calculations on the handwritten employee tax records were accurate - and this allowed me to see how much players were being paid. I hope I'm not breaking the Official Secrets Act here, but in 1967 the senior players were all paid the princely sum of £30 per week - at the time I was being paid £30 per month and I can remember thinking 'lucky buggers'. Strangely, there was never any mention of win bonuses - I often wondered if there was some sort of fiddle going on.
I obtained my teaching twenty years ago. Although I've encountered a few 'sticky moments' with pupils and parents since then, I enjoyed every minute of it, so it was never a mistake for me.
I just wasn't a born teacher BB, having been taught by some superb teachers I could tell I wasn't. It wasn't the pupils as I had a job in a school which had a good catchment area. There were a few bampots but in those days they could be disciplined. I will say that I had some very good classes which I enjoyed teaching and got a lot of satisfaction from.
I went into teaching post degree as probation work was a two year post graduate course and teaching one year.. I quickly realised that I wanted to work with those who were troubled and my career moved forwards in that direction. I reached a point in time as a headteacher when i clearly recognised this was not best for me and managed to change direction again... It is always possible... To follow what is best for you.. As a teenager i spent time as a dustman, a porter at Christies the auctioneers, in an insurance office, and worked on a production line at a paint spraying company..
