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On 25th July I received two messages and a phone call that made my day: two of the candidates I had been preparing in face-to-face classes this year got a post: Not bad at all, considering that there were finally 28 places for “Accesos 1 y 2”.

My congratulations to both Andrea and, especially, Nieves, who despite all the family suffering she’s been through this year managed to get a good position. This was a sweet victory for them and, consequently, for myself. I really feel over the moon. Well done and well deserved, girls. Now, don’t forget —but I know you won’t— that the only thing that has changed is that you won’t have to go through the ordeal of having to show your knowledge once again in a competitive exam.

You are, have been and will be good teachers who enjoy the job, care for your students and are constantly innovating, questioning yourselves, looking for better ways of reaching and motivating your students.

And it was also a bitter result:

•  For those other candidates who passed both parts, some with a good mark  —clearly contradicting the “placing knowledge over interinidad”- argument which the Education Authorities in Madrid have  so often misused. Some of them have been consistently passing the two parts of the exam over the last few years but have not managed to get the permanent post.
• For those who passed the first part but not the second, even though I must say that in this case it is usually due to some problems they still have to overcome as English teachers. So chin up and keep on learning and improving.
• For those who did not pass the first part. Some of them passed the exam on previous years and some others are very good teachers who motivate their students and help them discover and develop an interest in learning the language.

I feel your bitterness towards an often unfair system, which leaves so many good teachers outside and lets so many students down. POPPIES will try to give you the opportunity of telling us about  your day-to-day experiences in your classes and in your schools.

But life just goes on, so enjoy now a well-deserved holiday and keep on being good teachers, loving your profession, helping your students discover and enjoy English…You’ll get there in the end. Just as Nieves and Andrea did this year, or Bego, Maria, Ana, Sandra, Juan, Cati and many others before them.

Have a great summer and thank you for the beautiful things you say and make me feel.