Tulips on Assessor's Day

We had our assessor with us today. I'd never met her before, so I was a bit nervous. However, it was all good. I met her in her hotel this morning for breakfast and we went to school together. In the morning she goes through a selection of the trainees' portfolios, checking to make sure our feedback on their lessons and plans is accurate, balanced and developmental; looks at their assignments and our marking; and checks that our course includes what it should and is well designed. She also checks the facilities and then meets the trainees and gets some feedback from them - all positive. She sits in on one group of classes in the afternoon and this afternoon she was with me. We agreed on the lesson grades . . . phew! She was very enthusiastic and complementary about the way I conducted the verbal feedback session, which is nice to hear - especially as she's the Joint Chief Assessor for the region and this goes on the report for Cambridge! Always encouraging to hear you're doing something right from a high heid yin! I got approval a while ago to get trained up as an assessor but I'd let it slip because of one thing and another. Anyway, she said she'd be happy to do it, our schedules permitting over the next few months. That might mean a little trip to Turkey! All in all, a good day. It made up for my disappointment at one of the trainees' lesson plans this morning, which was very weak for this penultimate lesson. This trainee had potential too, but just isn't making an effort with his plans, and unfortunately they're an assessed part of the course.

Bb left for Barcelona this afternoon. The flat feels very quiet without him. He'll be back soon though and he left me those lovely tulips :-)