This year, Harwood Union High School brought back test weeks into the curriculum. Prior to the Covid Epidemic, there were finals and midterms and Harwood teachers believe that bringing them back could be beneficial.
“I was surprised when I heard they [Harwood] brought in test weeks. Doesn’t sound like something Harwood would do,” said a senior.
Harwood is making the dificult but necessary transition back to test weeks. Commonground talked with students and teachers about their thoughts and feelings around the return of these mid-terms and finals.
While test taking doesn’t always effectively measure one’s knowledge of a class, they do provide some real benefits. Primarily, these tests prepare students for college where, no matter the class, a college student can expect to take midterms and finals. These test weeks tend to cause students significant mental strain which can be rough if a student hasn’t learned effective study habits that work for them.
Practicing these tests over four years of high school will assist students in developing test taking skills, boost confidence while taking these tests, and help with time management and organization -all necessary skills for success later in life.
“The one time I have had to study for a test was in Math 3 where I had to create a reference sheet, which took me 30 minutes,” said senior, Steele Nelson, when asked about studying at Harwood.
Students at Harwood almost never need to study for hours on end for high stakes assessments. This could create real problems when students from Harwood are tasked with taking these tests in college. Harwood students will have to work significantly harder to gain confidence and produce high scores like the students around them who have been practicing test taking since their freshman year of high school.
According to Dan Morse, a teacher who played a key role in bringing these tests back, these test weeks will solely be for testing and studying. The tests will not offer retakes and be worth more of a students grade than the average summative.
When asked why he thinks these tests are important and how he thinks students should prepare, Morse stated that these tests won’t only better prepare students for college but for careers. He brought up the Bar exam which requires individuals to study a tremendous amount.
On the preparation side of things, Morse simply said “Students need to study when they can and pay attention to class content.”
Because test taking at Harwood is new this year, Commonground asked students for their input.
Some students are feeling that these tests will be beneficial.
“I think it is important that Harwood is taking tests more seriously, it’s for the better,” said Eli German, a senior.
Senior Cashel Higgins echoed German’s thoughts, saying “These tests will better prepare students for college.”
German also expanded by saying, “These tests will be great for underclassmen who will have their entire high school career to adapt to these tests but may be harder for upperclassmen.”
While these students are feeling that they are for the better, others are worried that they won’t do well.
“How am I supposed to remember everything from the year for one test?,” said a junior.
“I’m feeling pretty unprepared. Not many classes have talked about it and I haven’t taken tests like these before,” said senior Leo Costanza.
Students at Harwood may have mixed feelings around these test weeks but in the end, they will better prepare students for college and life after high school.
“There will actually be something at stake and students will need to prepare for these tests.” Concluded senior Chapin Rivers.
