Anyone a GCSE examiner

[GretchenWiener]

I was idly thinking about the summer and this year my son has results. I was wondering how far down the marking process things get by now. Are they all being moderated? How close to results day does it get to before its all finished?>

Plus - does everyone hate exam marking?!

In answer to some your questions;

A) Most papers will be marked by now
B) moderation is on going. Firstly a standisation process is undertaken with markers going through the same range of answers for each question, this is then discussed in full details of this given to all markers. As marking is done online,there is continous moderation throught the process

whilst I don't love marking (the pay isn't brilliant either) I do it to inform my teaching

I usually do A level marking, but this year took on some GCSE and literally have just finished (day before yesterday). One of my colleagues is still finishing her marking off!

And yes, it can be very painful. I often do several contracts (because I'm no longer teaching once marking gets going) and they vary as to how bad, but I think GCSE is the worst, because it is so bitty and unlike A level, there's no essay you can get into.

Worth every minute for the teaching tips though.

Exam. marking is great when you feel that a candidate has done their best and even enjoyed thinking about and answering the exam. Can be very sad and disappointing when you get the opposite impression.

Happy. I meant external marking.

Surely there's only so long it can inform teaching though? Not every year ?

It's useful every year; it's just miserable while you're doing it!

I've done GCSE & A-Level science this year. GCSE finished a month ago, A-Level finished last week.

There was moderation throughout.

Two different exam boards.

I loved the GCSE marking (slight over exaggeration!) but A-Level was not worth it for the money.

I have learned LOTS to inform my teaching though. :)

How do you get into that MTC?

Do you need to still be teaching to do GCSE marking, does anyone know? Its 9 years since I taught my subject at GCSE - I suppose that would be too long?

That might be too long-I'd ring the board and ask. You'd need to be up to date on the syllabus.

Thanks Antoinette - safe to say I am very unlikely to be up to date atm, though it would probably be possible to become so. Just pondering really, but may contact the boatd for the requirements.

Lots of retired teachers do exam marking so I expect as long as you can show you can learn the new syllabus they might be interested? It'll probably depend on how many markers they already have on their books too. In English they're always looking for more markers.

Thanks again Antoinette - I guess it can't hurt to ask the board, once I've looked into getting hold of a syllabus. I did teach English, hate admitting it on MN though as I am afraid somebody will pick on me for any spelling errors I might make if they know :o

Oh me too! Well I know that iGCSE English was really in demand this year-and I've marked that before without having taught it, so that might be a good place to look...

I looked into it recently (5 years out of teaching) and it required 2 recent teaching years....

Thanks Journeying, that's something I thought might be the case. Antoinnette I'll look into iGCSE though.

Just really looking into expanding what I can do from home atm - I do a bit of EFL teaching atm, but as I live rurally there is a limited market for it, especially as my own kids are home by lunch time, and making well paid tutoring impossible as everyone wants that in the afternoon!

*stray "and" crept into the last post - this is why I hate outing myself as an English teacher!

I've marked wjec English and in my team were many, many ex teachers who didn't have very recent experience.
It's horrendous whilst doing it but the cheque is nice
Wjec English are always on the lookout - especially language

Ah, interesting! Thanks Auntie :)

Applying for January may be an option, although there are less examiners needed. They'll be on the lookout for summer series from about Easter onwards. Join their twitter feed for more info/ updates or sign up on their website. Wjec training is v good and the team leader I've had is fantastic. I'm going to do it next summer when I'm on mat leave with my second- ill need the money!

I'm up for anything I could do from home/mark too.

I thought the govt had cracked down hence the first disclaimer you tick when you apply online - that you've had 2 years recent experience.

I know I could do the job fine, experienced teacher etc. I'd apply for anything I could do :)

Thanks Journey and Auntie ... does that mean I need to get my head around Twitter then? :o I signed up ages ago, but was put off by "having" to follow a set number of people and just left it - never did get my head around how it works... old before my time ... or maybe it is my time actually... :o