T H E F I N A L C O U N T D OW N Students prepare for the return of exams Veda Thangudu
A
thangved000@hsestudents.org
fter three semesters of not taking final exams, the administration has reinstated them this year. Currently, students and staff are preparing for the finals. “I expect [the exams] to be difficult with the AP classes I’m doing,” senior Lizabeth Cardona said. “Because of a long break, it’s going to feel longer and more stressful.” Though upperclassmen have taken finals previously, they have not taken them since 2019. For underclassmen, this year will be the first time taking final exams at the high school level. “I’m assuming it’s just going to be kind of a wrap up of the whole semester,” sophomore Kiley Fields said. The score for final exams accounts for 20% of the overall semester grade. “It is important for students to be able to demonstrate what they know, and the final exam is one of those ways we can do that,” Spanish teacher Sarah Druelinger said. “I think that students will perform as they have been performing all
Page 6
Tiger Times
semester. Hopefully, some will do a little better.” Druelinger believes that it is important for teachers to know about how the student is feeling so they can help before the exam. “Always communicate with your teacher if you’re not sure what to expect,” Druelinger said. “I’ve been working with a lot of students in Targeted Instruction trying to bring up some of those grades.” During finals that take place on Dec. 15 to Dec.17, the schedule includes optional office hours in the morning for students to be assisted by teachers before the exam. After a year of hybrid learning, a lot of teaching methods have changed. “It’s been a little bit challenging,” Druelinger said. “Curriculums have changed, especially in my class. It’s a lot of work to put the final exams together. My exams are going to be a little shorter.” While everyone has different methods of preparing, Cardona has a few ways she studies for exams. “Sometimes making flash cards
helps,” Cardona said. “I go over the review guide.” Students take advantage of Targeted Instruction blocks before finals. “During Targeted Instruction, I study with a group of friends and we help each other out,” Fields said. “It’s incredibly helpful to have a study group.” Fields believes that not properly preparing for finals can be an issue for students. “You have to make time. You can’t just be going through your day and say, ‘Okay, I’ll do this’ and never get to it,” Fields said. Students will get feedback on the written responses part of the final exams. However, there is no date for when feedback should be shown to students. When it comes to preparing for final exams, Druelinger has advice. “I recommend first going through all of your notes, all of your files, every single thing you’ve done for the entire semester,” Druelinger said. “Especially with those things you did back in August and September, it’s been a long time. Good luck on the exams.”
December 2021
