Some students at All Saints’ may call the week before midterms a panic week because teachers decide to load students up with tests and papers a week before our semester tests. Some students may think that it is unfair that they have to study for a major test for every class in one week, then come to school the next week and take an exam over that material, and previous material learned in the year. If we already took a test over the material, should we have to take another just to prove that we know it? Should all of these tests be scheduled in the same week so close to midterms? Many students disagree with the planning and execution of these big exams. Some may even say should we even have them?
Fort Worth Country Day School doesn’t test their students at the end of the semester over previous curriculum due to the stress it puts on their students.
“We take our final tests of the semester and then go off to break.” Adele Elkind ’16 at Country Day said. “We don’t get extra stress of midterms and I love it.”
When asked how Jessica McCastland ’17 feels about having major tests right before semester exams, she said, “Having all these exams before midterms isn’t good for students. Teachers want us to study for midterms this week but bog us down with studying for their exams that we’re going to get tested over again on the midterm.”
When asked the same question, McKenzie Keetch ’16 responded, “If you manage your time right, it becomes really easy to study for all of the tests. I do agree that all the tests weigh down the students, but time management is preached heavily by teachers and we should take advice and do that to pass our tests.”
Lauren McCauley ’03, now the digital photography teacher at All Saints’, shared her opinion on tests now and how it was when she attended All Saints’. “Dead week used to be actual dead week. There were no extra tests before midterms; this week was a week for preparation of our big midterms.” Ms. McCauley doesn’t give tests in her class, but this week she has been giving her students their class period to study for tests and midterms coming up next week.
In my opinion, I think teachers have given students students so much with tests right before midterms and it stresses me out studying for all these tests. I think the teachers should teach the last section of the semester and then combine the section test along with the midterm. There is no reason to stress the students out even more than midterms itself. Adding another week full of tests and essays is too much as a student.
