learning from exams

I've been exam invigilating this week. I have no idea how much the children have prepared or learnt, but I have learnt several things....

When I child puts up its hand and asks for something it is a Very Good Idea to make a mental note of their seat number. You think you will remember who they are, but in a room of 120 children, none of whom you know, in fact there is no chance you will. They all wear navy blue..... All the girls have long hair.

The most frequent initial of children in a maths exam will be J. There were 3 Jordans, and Jamie, James, Jack, Jake, Joshua and Jason. There was also Janice, Julie, Jennifer, Jane, and Jemma.

If it is a maths exam there is a 78% chance that the child won't have all the equipment it needs. Even though they have been told what to bring. The maths department will leave you a box with a few rulers, 2 calculators, no compasses, one rubber and one protractor. Thankfully the office will give you pens and pencils. 

If there are 100 children then it is highly probable that at least 7 won't even have brought a pen........

Once you have given out the only rubber the only thing left to do is hand out pencils with rubbers on the end. You know the ones, that just make a smudgy mess of what you are trying to rub out. And then make sure you never catch that child's eye again. They will rubbed a hole in their paper trying to rub out whatever mistake they made.....

Art teachers are the most likely candidates for having sugar in their classrooms. This is very useful to know when you are in an exam in a remote corner of campus and the art classrooms are the only ones nearby.  Most children who put their hands up want a ruler or a new pen.  A girl today said "Miss, can I go out and get some sugar, I'm diabetic and I'm having a hypo." 

My favourite moment from the week so far?
"Please Miss, can I borrow one of those round things?"