A shite start to the week

It’s exam time again so I’ve been very busy with that. Unfortunately I had to work some of the time with someone who doesn’t share my idea of doing a job as well as I can. On Monday we were in half of a big exam room which is usually divided off. The room wasn’t divided so we shared with another exam group – that’s not a problem because exams are silent anyway so we didn’t disturb each other. The people supervising the other group noticed that my colleague was just sat texting or reading a folder, instead of walking around observing. I walked by the desk, her folder was full of photocopies of cartoons! She also went to the loo several times. At the end of the exam she was quite nasty to some of the students who didn’t understand her instructions (One of the rules of leadership I learnt in my bank training was that if a group botches up it’s usually the one who gives the orders who hasn’t explained well).

As usual in that place I had the start of a migraine (I think it’s the air-conditioning). Then when I left the building to go home, I slipped on the wooden walkway and landed flat on my back. A student came running and helped me up – bless her. Only my pride was injured, fortunately and I have a nice bruise on my derrière.

I discovered on Tuesday that someone had mentioned the problem in Monday’s exam to the exam office, I was relieved, though when I talked to Rob and Olivier about it they warned me to watch out as they know this lady has Latin blood and a bit of a temper. I saw her on the bus this morning and she was the same as usual towards me so, I’m still alive.

On the bus I also saw one of my pupils from when I taught problem children. She hasn’t changed, her mental age was always behind that of her peers, but now she’s physically grown up and living with her boyfriend, I wonder how that will work out. It was nice to see her again, but she’s not in contact with her classmates at all.

Roll on the weekend...