An Invigilating Experience

May 22, 2016 – An Invigilating Experience

This week, I had a truly invigilating experience:  I invigilated.  In fact, I invigilated two mornings in a row – in the upstairs gym at Annandale High School.  For those of you who speak British English, this may not sound unusual.  Yet for Americans, invigilating sounds rather, ummm, X-rated and possibly illegal.  I was unfamiliar with the term although it turns out that I’d been invigilating for years without even knowing it!  It was only when I volunteered to help with the International Baccalaureate exams at my old high school that I encountered the word.  

You’ve probably guessed the meaning of invigilate by now.  Still, why couldn’t the Brits and the IB program use the perfectly respectable and easily understood English word “proctor?”  Of course, invigilate sounds infinitely more impressive.

As for the actual invigilation, I must say that it ranks dismally low on the scale of interesting activities.  While invigilating, I handed out tests and answer booklets, cleaned desks between tests with disinfecting wipes, and offered pens, pencils and tissues to test takers.  But mostly, I paced, and paced, and paced the upstairs gym for up to two hours at a time.  My main source of excitement was escorting a student to the restroom.  Of course, during the exam, I was not allowed to engage in reading.  There were professional invigilator standards to uphold! 

Although IB exams ended last week, my invigilating days aren’t over yet.  Another round of Virginia’s state-mandated Standards of Learning tests begins this coming week and I’ve volunteered to help.  Therefore, I must get to bed early tonight so I’ll be ready to transform myself at 8 a.m. tomorrow into The Invigilator.