The School of Jack Yr2

[Jack]

Due to a lapse in entertainment experienced on the forum, the School of Jack has returned for a second thrilling installment.

The School of Jack is pleased to present its second year course 201 'So you think your ready to be a supervisor?'

So sit back, pin back your earlobes, shut your noise-holes, get out your pen and paper and be prepared to be assaulted by the egotistical, meglomanical and offensive spoutings of The School.......

[Hamish]

As well as sitting back and shutting my noise-holes I tried switching my brain off too, but the rocker switch won't budge.

I keep thinking how can we be at the start of the Second year of School of Jack when the first year didn't start until 30th May - four months ago.

[VGC]

I keep thinking how can we be at the start of the Second year of School of Jack when the first year didn't start until 30th May - four months ago.

Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so!

[Wax]

The school of Jack exists in an alternate universe with a different temporal alignment (as do most supervisors: discuss

[Dinosaur]

Funnily enough was having a conversation in the office yesterday re. how short Uni terms seem to be these days [local Uni library was on 'holiday times' at the start of June this year, much to my annoyance, but back in my day there term ran till the twenty-something] - maybe the School of Jack is showing the way?

[Unitof1]

I imagine and expect that this course will be pc

[Jack]

201 'So you think your ready to be a supervisor?': Getting on in the world of commercial archaeology
Course introduction

As the practitioner gains experience of commercial archaeology through time on site, a mastery of the basic techniques should start to come into reach.
An experienced digger should be capable of excavating, understanding and fully recording an 'area' of remains with minimal input from their supervisor. However,
A good digger should know when they are out of their depth, and consult a supervisor.
Each site, each feature presents a new set of questions that will evolve as the dig progresses.

In the constant battle to rescue as much of the significant archaeological evidence, the archaeosoldier must be quick to adapt, but must keep the objectives in sight.

With experience comes a greater understanding of the bigger picture, a greater understanding of the tactics employed by the supervisors and managers, a greater understanding of the problems presented by the differing geologies, or the differing types of site.
Some actions on site may seem incomprehensible without the insight gained from what has happened in the planning stages or what will occur in post-excavtion assessment, analysis and publication. The excavation is only a part of the campaign, a vital part, but is only a link in a chain of events.

To the experienced archaeologist the site written scheme of investigation (WSI) is not an incomprehensible or uninteresting document of jargon, it is the detailed plan of attack that everyone is (or should be) following. The site desk-based assessment (DBA) is not a boring mass of tables and dots to be skimmed, it is a detailed plot of the battle zone; within its depths lurk the hints and traces of what is to come.

But even so, with experience and understanding, the practitioner may not be ready to make the leap from digger to supervisor.
To do so successfully requires a huge leap in skills, a mass re-evaluation of the what archaeology is, a shouldering of the burden of command amongst other hidden surprises.

The ascendance from digger to supervisor is not the end of the journey, it is the start. Suddenly the practitioner opens a door to find the wider world awaiting on the other side.

So read on, listen to the lessons of The School and hopefully the world of commercial archaeology beyond the site may come more into focus.

[barkingdigger]

Suddenly the practitioner opens a door to find the wider world awaiting on the other side.

"Sir! Sir! Is it Narnia, Sir?"

[kevin wooldridge]

Isn't it normal to have Freshers Week before settling down to a new term? I want my chance to join the 'School of Jack Country Dancing Club and Christian Fellowship'....

[Dinosaur]

I dont think Jack appreciates how much cutting-and-pasting goes into the average WSI - suggests he rarely reads all that irrelevent detail if he thinks they're often all that tailored... :face-stir: