Time for a change

The template has been changed to a (hopefully) more cheerful outlook.

This, I guess, is a clear reflection of my emotions too.

The time to move on has arrived - finally.
Three months of mourning, adaptation and settling is sufficient.

I will no longer say 'my school', 'my girls' or 'my panel' with reference to SA. I am no longer affiliated with it. Removing it comes with the removal of all things connected to SA - including the car sticker. So from now on, I come to visit as a visitor - no more, no less.

Being away for a three-day course, representing my current place of employment has opened my eyes to the facts that

• I no longer work there
• I no longer speak on its behalf
• the policies that are in place have nothing to do with me
• what's past is past

Another important factor is the fact that MPPH in SA is coming up. Finding out that my EX-panel has been awarded the best panel (on account of producing the best results) for English and English Literature made me swell with pride. The downside - an admission of bruised ego - is that I will not be accepting the award. If you ask 'why not?', the answer is that I have not been invited to receive the award. Simply because I don't exist in that school anymore. Painful but I will survive.

One further revelation as I chatted with some ex-students, was the fact that many were surprised that I had literally 'dropped off the face of SA' and it felt like 'I had never existed.' This is the work of someone who has felt threatened by my mere existence since her first day in SA. Hence, there has been no mention of my name since Jan, let alone the work that I have done.

So what have I learnt? 

That all the work done, was done for the love of my profession, regardless of who the boss is. That the main focus has and will always be the individuals I face in class, day after day. That I will continue to impart my love for the English Language to all and sundry who are willing to learn. That one day, I will stand before my Maker with a clear conscience, confident that I have carried out my responsibilities to the best of my abilities.

So, to all who have stood by me - THANK YOU.