Tuesday 28 April 2009

Just for the Record

1.
It is the first day of the exam term.
Another year, another exam timetable.

2.
The Chair of the Board of Examiners
and the Educational Support Officer
sit in my office looking gloomy.

3.
Marks,
Modules,
Moderation,
Extenuating Circumstances,
External Examiners,
Appeals.

4.
The Chair of the Board of Examiners
has started to think in decimal points already.

5*.
I tell him that the invigilator
has emailed from Jordan to confirm
that she will be back in time for the first exam.

6.
The Educational Support Officer
is responsible for students with problems.
I admire him - it is a difficult job.

7.
I point to the traditional tin of chocolate biscuits
for the sole use of examiners.
It is a feeble attempt to lighten the mood.

8.
They dictate an email to be sent to all students.
My erratic typing makes them laugh.

9.
We agree that "Groundhog Day"
is a truly great film.

10.
The Chair of the Board of Examiners
takes the notices from the filing cabinet:

Quiet - Exam In Progress

11.
It will all be over in five weeks.

12.
I consider warning my blog friends
that I may be slow to respond to emails.

No change there either.

*with fivefold thanks to Quinn

10 comments:

Quinn said...

I remember the first time I heard the word "invigilator." SO much more interesting than "proctor," but both words are odd in their usage, aren't they? One more sinister-sounding, perhaps. While the other is just...unsavory?

P.S.
what happened to #5? Did it flee in terror from the Invigilator? ;)

Unknown said...

Best of luck with your busy term - roll on the end of exams

kristina said...

All sounds very scary to someone who gets panic attacks at the mere mention of the word exam. Yikes! K x

driftwood said...

I used to do invigilating sometimes, I found it sooooooooo stressful, almost as bad as sitting the exams. but at least I didnt have to worry about the results.
hope it all goes well for everyone

Eleanor said...

You know what? When your blog pops up on my screen and I see the latest post is a "Just for the Record" I clap my hands with glee and sing "Hoorah! Just for the Record!"

JFTR is my favourite series in the blogosphere. If it was available as a disc I'd buy the whole set.

Anonymous said...

It will fly by then it will be time to be quiet again.

Mary said...

Invigilators? Are they the people who yell very loudly that you have five minutes remaining - thus causing you to fall off your chair in fright?

The Coffee Lady said...

I love the signs in the filing cabinet. I don't know why, but I do.

The domestic novice said...

Gosh - I keep forgetting that it is that time of the year - which is shocking as my sister is sitting her finals soon. I was one of those 'extentuating circumstances' students, I have been indebted to Dr B ever since. xx

Unknown said...

Oh I do love the pictures you paint of your working life, I am thrilled by the idea of the "examiner only" biscuit tin.