Re: "If I had my time again...."
If I had my time again there are many things I'd do differently.
At my grammar school I used to piss about, made absolutely no progress and completely wasted my time and good fortune of having been accepted for the school.
I opted for the Arts curriculum, whereas I now know that I would have been far better off taking the Science curriculum, considering my abilities.
I left with the impressive qualifications of two GCEs at grades 4 and 6, and one CSE grade 1!
Having worked in an office for six years, which I found incredibly boring, I enlisted in the RAF and trained in air traffic control. This turned out to be a 'dead end job' as ex-aircrew (grounded for such things as medical reasons) came into the job above my grade which, of course, limited promotion prospects.
Had I had the foresight, I should have gone into an engineering discipline which I think would have suited my abilities and interest much better.
When I left the RAF, I decided to train as a radiographer. I enjoyed this immensely and ended my training with results at the top of the cohort.
I later made the stupid mistake of thinking I'd like to teach; a big career change. Again, I passed my degree with the highest marks in my intake. Despite this, and probably because my advanced years qualified me for an instant pay grade advancement, I initially found difficulty in obtaining a permanent post and worked temporarily as a supply teacher. However, it was not long before I was offered an appointment in a small and pleasant school which I enjoyed very much - initially!
What I didn't know at the time was that the school began to deteriorate due to the influx of families of, shall we say, very little interest in their kids' education and a remarkable proclivity for making unfounded complaints about anything they could think of. I think we've all met the type!
Added to that, OFSTED inspections and the National Curriculum began to raise their ugly heads. Both, in my opinion, have led to a negative effect on the enjoyment of teaching. No-one likes incessant and unnecessary paperwork, dictatorial rules and undeserved criticism for petty matters when nothing worthy of real criticism presented itself.
Had I known what I now know, I would have remained a radiographer, though at that time of life I thought it best to stay put and make the best of things.
There you have it: a lifetime of silly mistakes and rather a long list of things I should have done differently.