Everything changes or does it?

So I went into school today to liaise with my maternity cover ready for me to return next month. Olivia spent the day at nursery with her fantastic auntie Gemma. Whilst I was at school I sorted out the paperwork to apply for childcare vouchers and also caught up on some of the gossip!

I also had a chat with the head teacher who had a few things she wanted to discuss with me. the first being that one of the teachers has been signed of sick for 2 weeks but maybe for longer and so when I come back I may be teaching her class instead of going back to my class - fair enough I know the class well enough I have already taught them for 2 years - however if the teacher comes back I will be team teaching with my maternity cover and I guess a floating teacher to cover any sickness!

She then moved on to talking about next year, any primary school teacher will know this time of year thoughts turn to what will happen in September and what year group we would quite like to teach. We mentally analyse year groups which are challenges and which seem like lovely classes. What years shall I put as my choices. My only request usually is not year R and year 6! I don't mind any other year group. Well I wasn't asked this today I was asked if I would perhaps like to come out of class and do 2 part-time jobs to make a full time contract. One part would be as the cover teacher for the senior teacher release time and the year 6 booster class teacher, the other part of the job would be to become a reading recovery teacher. This was a bit of a shock as I thought they had already decided that the teacher doing my maternity cover would do this.

So now I have a dilemma do I stick to what I know and have my own class or do I take the challenge and train for this new role and develop my career further. I have no intention of ever becoming a head teacher but have always had an interest in special needs, I am already trained as an Irlens screener and reading recovery would complement this.

Also what happens if the government cut funding and my position goes? Will they find me something else? Lots of questions but exciting opportunities hopefully.

We did however come up with some great ideas to teach my class after half term with the other teacher. Our topic is Wild Things and we are going to use safari parks as our starter. I'm actually looking forward to going back even though I know I will miss my gorgeous daughter loads.