It seems, at the moment, that the only way I can keep my job is to get Czech Maturita! I know, it's crazy, and indeed, the law says that as a native speaker I don't even have to use Czech at all in my job - but as there are no studies available for native speakers in CR, then I find myself in this Catch 22 situation.
So, as from the end of August, I will not only have a full-time job continuing my teaching at SGO, but I will also begin 'distance studies' at another Gymnazium. Because some of my studies have been accepted as proof of a certain level of education, the good news is that I only have to study for one year, and then hopefully pass my exams! And if I'm successful, then (I hope) that should be the end of my problems with the Czech Ministry of Education...
Of course, I will have to do the English State Exam - this is a great irony, not just because I'm a native speaker & it really shouldn't be a problem...but mainly because I have already done a course on how to examine in this exam!! :-) I shall have to resist examining the teachers!!
Czech will be the biggest challenge for me - I have already had a look at the list of books & have some ideas of what my 20 titles will be, but I'm dreading Czech poetry ;-) But it's encouraging to know that I know quite a few of the books, being a keen reader, and I've even read one of them in Czech :-) However, it is the written exam that will be a problem for me - the essay & the 'didaticky test' - 3 students failed this year, so I know it's a tough one. At the moment, I have set myself the strategy of keeping a diary in Czech, which my wonderful wife will correct (we'll need more red pen refills at this rate!), and I therefore hope to be able to learn to express myself freely in the written form of Czech. My speech is littered with grammatical errors, but I'm sure the one will help the other, and I'm more confident in speaking in Czech than writing. During the summer, I shall also begin to work through my list of books (I aim to read them in Czech, if I already know then in English, and in English first, then Czech if I haven't read them before).
As for the other two subjects - well, I've still got the summer to think about them - but I'm leaning towards Geography (which I always enjoyed at school), and perhaps the Theory of Physical Exercise! (not available at SGO!).
It looks like I'll have to reorder my life for one year to combine my work & studying more intensively - but as one of my colleagues said, I have to consider this one year as an investment to last me until I retire, perhaps? It's good to have a goal & motivation - and this is a sound one.
At this stage in my life (coming up to 56 years of age), it's hard to imagine that I have to be studying to keep my job, but such is life in CR. In England, we tend to go with the experience that a person has in their job - here, it seems that you can be incompetent & not care much about your work, but if you've got the signed & stamped piece of paper, then you can do anything! That is VERY frustrating for me!
But, in the end, what else is there to say?
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