Promotion intention

I blogged about the last promotion round. It was very successful. I hadn't applied for anything. I have been hesitant about this for a long time! Firstly; given the contract I am on, I will have to prove teaching innovations. And I don't see myself as a particularly innovative teacher. Some of that might just be an ego thing. Some of it is also that things have been getting in the way; firstly, my RSI made it difficult enough to do my job to an acceptable standard on the best of days, and I also knew that if I worked really hard and took the extra burden on off applying for a promotion, the school might very well turn around and try to make me redundant as a reward. That wouldn't be the first time. You can tell my motivation wasn't very high.

A few years ago I didn't feel particularly encouraged either. My line manager was actively trying to talk applying for a senior lectureship out of my head. I didn't enjoy that very much. And it was quite a difference with my previous line manager; he had basically told me to apply for the senior version of junior lecturer when I was an opportunity that I wasn't even aware of. The good thing is, though, that my current line manager has changed his ways, and even says things such as "you could use this or that in an application for a promotion". So that inspires more faith!

Yet another thing that I didn't like was that I thought it was a disgrace that there were so few women in high positions in the School. And the logical thing to do about that is, of course, apply for promotion. But I was moody about feeling feeling that pressure. I should just apply for promotion when I think that is a good idea. I don't want to have to represent my gender. The men don't have that! If they don't want to apply for a promotion it is not a big deal. There are plenty of men at the top! 

Some of my colleagues, especially Lynda, I had already been encouraging me for years to apply. But after the last around that choir got bigger. Dei and Martin joined it. And also; the whole school now felt different to me, with are much improved gender balance. So I promised that I would apply in the next round. Martin said that it might be in January. 

I have already downloaded the form, and the supporting information. I'll be seizing snippets of time to fill this form out to the best of my abilities! And who knows; maybe 2024 will be the year I'll become a senior lecturer. If it has an application round, then it surely will be the year in which I give it a go! Watch this space…