Markers' Meetings

Still no sign of any scripts but the good news is that the ETS Parcel Tracking system tells me that 6 parcels are "currently in transit" and the remaining 8 are "to be collected".


The markers' meeting last week was attended by all the usual suspects. Retired teachers supplementing their meagre pensions, newly qualified teachers (some of whom looked about 14) supplementing their meagre salaries, pregnant women on maternity leave and, as ever, more females than males.

There are always those (generally new) markers who regard this meeting as a chance for them to provide their own input to the mark scheme.
"I think we should allow this ...."
"What if they've written that ..."

They don't seem to realise that no Chief Examiner is ever going to change the mark scheme at their suggestion and the sole purpose of the meeting is to ensure, as far as possible, that all markers mark consistently.

Markers are divided into teams of about ten, each under a team leader who will monitor your progress throughout the marking period. It's best to keep on the right side of your team leader for it is he or she who will grade your overall performance and possibly recommend you for team leader next year.

One year I had a team leader who was very keen on team spirit and identity, and she insisted that we should each introduce ourselves so we could bond more easily.
"I'm Sally, I have Annabel who is nearly 4 and has just started nursery, Josh who's just learned to walk and is into everything, and I'm expecting another in 3 months. This is my first time marking cos I want to keep my hand in ready for when I go back."
"I'm pascal, my eldest is 43 and works very hard, as does my middle one who is 38. My youngest is 34 and she's a bit of a wanderer. I've been marking every year since 1973 and I do it for the money as it helps pay for my holidays."

This year's meeting was held in a very posh hotel, the food was excellent, the work space was inadequate, the chief examiner was efficient and clear and the admin was organised by two charming American girls in neat blouses and skirts. They were presumably employees of ETS, had very strong accents, spoke very quickly and, thus, were virtually incomprehensible.

Still, we got away by 5.00pm and I was in the garden enjoying a beer at 6.30!