VISITING FOR THE LAST TIME

I start interviewing students and making my final school visits in about two weeks. Sad but true.

I started teaching DP visual arts 26 years ago in an international school (International School Moshi) set in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, and stayed for eight years, and during that time also became a visiting examiner, so I was able to visit and interview students in international schools in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.

I also bounced about the Far East for a while (teaching DP visual arts in schools in Yokohama and Taipei) and visited schools/examined candidates in that region, before returning to Europe and examining candidates in many schools in some major European capital cities (Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen etc)

One of the things I will miss as a teacher and a visiting examiner is the opportunity to see and learn from the art departments, schools, art teachers and students I talked to.

It’s not the main purpose of the visit, of course, but as an opportunity for professional development for an art teacher it takes some beating.

This year I will be visiting and talking to students in nine schools in the UK. I’m already looking forward to it – it is always exciting and exhilarating to have the privilege of being a visiting examiner, talking to art students who have spent almost two years developing and creating the work that is the focus of their exhibition.

It’s a pleasure and an honour.

I will savour these last visits and interviews.

(And yes, I did climb Kilimanjaro a number of times!)