JDMcDsblog

Today was my 20th markers’ meeting for Credit/General Geography. The time seems to have flown since the 1990 paper, when Standard Grade was in its infancy. Scripts arrived in a hessian sack, and had to be posted back to Dalkeith envelope by envelope, each one stuck down by lurid yellow labels. Now they are sent off in two batches of high tech plastic bags, using ultra sticky irreversible gum. It used to give you some kudos to get hold of a marking scheme, as they were formerly strictly embargoed. Now they are online and at the back of the Past Paper books. Some questions have endured; old favourites like describe the course and features of a river, or explain the changes over time of a British Farm landscape are hardy annuals, almost. Other questions reflect recent changes in the UK economy; in 1995 we had a question on Chungwa Picture Tubes in Lanarkshire, which was a reflection of new investment in Scotland; now that is gone. Major international themes have remained fairly constant; deforestation, urbanisation and trade inequalities. Some questions from the early ’90s could easily be recycled for 2010; synoptic chart is a synoptic chart for example, and a corrie or ox bow lake is pretty much a banker for any year.

Being on the Geography exam team has been one of my best times in teaching. I liked the debates we had when putting together the papers and sharing ideas for questions at the “shredding meetings”, where questions were torn up and rewritten, but most of all the chat afterwards over a few pints. My favourite night was a celebrated Burns Supper at Keavil House in 2002, where each of us on the team had to do a turn, or perhaps the impromptu piano duet in front of Welsh rugby fans one February evening. Marking’s a grind at times, but it’s a great way to meet colleagues from other schools and parts of the country, and keep up to speed with your subject.