tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post2657079117710726923..comments2024-02-20T07:57:47.756-08:00Comments on Carol Hedges: Caveat InvigilatorCarol Hedgeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-49800867501574083572014-05-18T12:09:31.777-07:002014-05-18T12:09:31.777-07:00I used to be a secondary school teacher - now reti...I used to be a secondary school teacher - now retired... Definitely write some poetry..it clears the mind and soothes the soul!! Fiction does that for me! Thanks fro dropping by.Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-88463040327508112542014-05-18T11:00:09.037-07:002014-05-18T11:00:09.037-07:00Enjoyed your post Carol. I've been teaching i...Enjoyed your post Carol. I've been teaching in Secondary schools for 35 years, I had a proper job before that in the Chemical industry. I remember the endless hours of invigilation; I used to use them to write poetry! We examine our children to death these days. Far too much time is spent on monitoring progress at the expense of moving the students on educationally. I'm retiring at the end of this term....maybe I'll go back and do some invigilating. I might even write some poetry. pfmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06713426835116678341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-17410569035677749472014-05-18T06:13:51.147-07:002014-05-18T06:13:51.147-07:00We have invigilators at uni too - they won't p...We have invigilators at uni too - they won't pay for outsiders where I work. I was let off this summer as I took on quite a bit of extra teaching but I guess I'll be on duty for the resits in August. We also sometimes have to invigilate students who can't work in the main room. I actually quite nejoy the peace and quiet. <br /><br />Used to be a high school teacher and when I took my daughter into school when her kidney flared up in the middle of GSSEs and they were short I ended up in the exam room! <br /><br />Perhaps I'll do some when I retire in two years' time. Gill Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00632631163777155215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-76009392341419534852014-05-12T08:40:07.544-07:002014-05-12T08:40:07.544-07:00Quite ..for the first time last year, I had studen...Quite ..for the first time last year, I had students who'd decided NOT to go to uni -didn't see the point. Sad isn't it.Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-15269905355580697602014-05-12T08:39:14.898-07:002014-05-12T08:39:14.898-07:00Honestly,,, tell him NO!! It will be checked... we...Honestly,,, tell him NO!! It will be checked... we also have wipes to remove anything from their hands!! Good luck to him!!Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-10032753521130004762014-05-12T08:07:40.716-07:002014-05-12T08:07:40.716-07:00Great post Carol, my son began his GCSE exams toda...Great post Carol, my son began his GCSE exams today but I think I am the stressed one! He takes it all in his stride but I have cold sweats thinking of my own exams. I showed him your post and he was very impressed with the water label idea...hmmm! Shelley Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07513209160436996810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-72336243333560802062014-05-12T06:37:34.880-07:002014-05-12T06:37:34.880-07:00It's so tough for young people - but we make i...It's so tough for young people - but we make it even more difficult when we keep telling them they must work hard, get good grades, pay to go to uni because that's the only way to get a good job ... and then let them find out the hard way that we fibbed and there are no jobs so they'll be saddled with debts forever.JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-17188972877736869822014-05-11T09:52:54.242-07:002014-05-11T09:52:54.242-07:00You're a busy lady. I think you should defini...You're a busy lady. I think you should definitely have leather jackets etc. I have to say I don't remember getting excessively stressed or worked up during my studying years, I ahd moments of panic when things were due in (last minute girl) but aside from that nothing out of the normal. From what I observe of my friends teenagers they seem so much mord stressed out especially at exam times, I don't know if they are under more pressure or what. <br /><br />Although I don't envy them now as things are different now with regards jobs, buying homes etc. I think we need more apprenticeships etc.<br /><br />Kate xKatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02352923647954339788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-77453551260976433732014-05-10T14:13:01.117-07:002014-05-10T14:13:01.117-07:00Haha. Fun post, Carol. I have to say that invigila...Haha. Fun post, Carol. I have to say that invigilating was easier in my day, though. We were allowed to read.Francis Pottshttp://www.francispotts.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-8861671124955199862014-05-10T05:20:23.339-07:002014-05-10T05:20:23.339-07:00I still remember the horror of exams. I also remem...I still remember the horror of exams. I also remember being told off for talking whilst invigilating- embarrassing!Rosalind Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05363027308436257933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-23200528976474958002014-05-10T03:15:19.909-07:002014-05-10T03:15:19.909-07:00Argh - this has brought my university finals back ...Argh - this has brought my university finals back in a Proustian rush!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07696031321661192857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-73331748826717990392014-05-10T02:56:28.171-07:002014-05-10T02:56:28.171-07:00The very whisper of the word 'exam' and my...The very whisper of the word 'exam' and my body goes into spasm as my brain scuttles off to find refuge in calmer areas such as reminiscences of the endless hours of agony I endured during labour! Indeed, whilst your goodly-ish self continues to explore the joy of invigilating I continue to flagellate myself over opportunities lost thanks to nerves getting the better of me, equating in all my learned studies being replaced by a pulsing tapestry of nothingness!<br />However, I could never have cheated ...regardless of the complexities of the paper before me...I've never understood the want to attain credit that wasn't earned...it would leave me quite flat...in fact during a particularly arduous history exam, in my youth, as panic set in and senses fled...rather than even considering cheating, I drew a very fine looking horse complete with rider resplendent in whatever garb was suitable to the historical point in question...my art tutor would have been quite impressed...unlike my history tutor, sadly........ah well...such is life. Btw I can see you in black leather jacket with studs on the back reading...'Hedges Hellions'...yep..I approve...Lynn Gerrardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18061020895933480996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-54514940662139374552014-05-10T02:17:26.741-07:002014-05-10T02:17:26.741-07:00Great post Carol. I think you'd look magnifice...Great post Carol. I think you'd look magnificent in a leather bikers jacket. thewhitespikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14164784970339110751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-35555649550563759372014-05-10T01:57:49.132-07:002014-05-10T01:57:49.132-07:00That's true. Exams themselves have always been...That's true. Exams themselves have always been hard but the pressure to succeed is greater now. It's awful when life just doesn't give them the break they need to fly.Vallypeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08309284606572565277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-23294440030708789272014-05-10T01:17:27.338-07:002014-05-10T01:17:27.338-07:00Most take 3/4 AS levels then drop one at A ..unive...Most take 3/4 AS levels then drop one at A ..universities still ask for 3, tho the grades are much higher. The IB is a different beastie - students study on a more general level and a wider range of subjects.Under Gove, they will not do AS levels , and so be back to the old 2 year system. GCSEs is where things have radically changed: we took 8 max, now they can take 10 + .... which is very stressfull.Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-50131202121077799232014-05-10T01:14:00.717-07:002014-05-10T01:14:00.717-07:00I feel sad that so many have high expectations of ...I feel sad that so many have high expectations of what they are going to do...and life will not live up to them..Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-89024902328196543352014-05-10T01:07:38.017-07:002014-05-10T01:07:38.017-07:00All good points, Ms Hedges. The pressure must be h...All good points, Ms Hedges. The pressure must be horrendous! And I'm amazed anyone dares to cheat with Harpendon's potential answer to a Hell's Angel warrior casting her X-ray eyes over them (love the idea of you invigilating in a brass studded leather!) But seriously, one question: School kids take many more A levels now than we did. I took three, my brother four, but that was exceptional. Now it seems they take five or more. How is it possible that they can do them to the same depth as under the old system? Is it a bit less, for example to bring them in line with exams like the European IB exams. Or do they work that much harder than we did? Vallypeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08309284606572565277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681775564258628407.post-79239417911520796272014-05-10T00:53:47.786-07:002014-05-10T00:53:47.786-07:00The pressure that these young people are under the...The pressure that these young people are under these days has got beyond ridiculous. As far as appearance is concerned, imperfection is not an option. Bullying on social media is rife and A* exam expectations can push some 'over the edge'. I would be interested to read the modern day equivalent of Jackie's Cathy and Claire problem page. I bet our problems at that age would seem pitiful in comparison!Amanda Nasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05194567267976764410noreply@blogger.com