Final Countdown Comes For Finals Week
The Pony Express Editorial Board
The Pony Express Editorial Board
As the end of the school year approaches, everyone is burnt out or on a low percentage handling tests, projects and presentations in a single week that requires the utmost flexibility and patience which is a test in itself. Finals are an academic pressure for any student and the school should take some initiative to set apart time to mitigate the effects of stress on students.
Other schools such as Lincoln High School and San Lorenzo Valley High School provide stress relief and comfort tools for their students. At Lincoln, students are provided with snacks and are able to play with newly hatched chicks courtesy of one of the biology teachers, according to student Olivia Diaz, 9. At San Lorenzo Valley, test-takers are given hot chocolate and snacks such as gum, chips and fruit, according to student Jorin Fields-Rapley, 10. These not only serve as an incentive for students to show up to class to do their work, they also place them in a positive mindset and prepare test-takers for a long day of exams.
On our campus, several teachers have made final exams optional for students so long as they have above a certain grade. The minimum grade falls on a wide range depending on the teacher. Spanish teachers Lisa Vitale and Karem Siyag Cardenas opted to have the minimum in the lower “A” range while history teacher Peter Glasser brings that minimum to 69% for the AP United States History classes.
An effective way to motivate students is to give incentives. Solutions can vary from eating dark chocolate since it has been shown to improve memory two hours after consumption. It's a bittersweet treat that also would help students cram for finals. Chocolate also helps to release endorphins and serotonin chemicals in your brain which can help in overwhelming situations. It’s also a more affordable investment compared to other methods that raise students’ morales.
Research also shows that test results are worse when performed under high stress levels. So cramming in just one more hour at the dead of midnight is not as effective as getting an extra hour of sleep. When preparing for finals it's important that one is sufficiently well rested and well fed, as even eating something small for breakfast would be better than nothing. It's the school’s responsibility to ensure students can have the environment to achieve their goals. But it is also on each student to keep accountable that they are sufficiently prepared mentally and physically for finals.
As a way to prepare students for upcoming finals, our school should implement more stress-mitigating activities and ways to help students destress.
It is also important for students to remember to separate self-worth from academic validation, which is a difficult process for some. Remember to put forth your best effort and be proud of any score you get.
Other schools such as Lincoln High School and San Lorenzo Valley High School provide stress relief and comfort tools for their students. At Lincoln, students are provided with snacks and are able to play with newly hatched chicks courtesy of one of the biology teachers, according to student Olivia Diaz, 9. At San Lorenzo Valley, test-takers are given hot chocolate and snacks such as gum, chips and fruit, according to student Jorin Fields-Rapley, 10. These not only serve as an incentive for students to show up to class to do their work, they also place them in a positive mindset and prepare test-takers for a long day of exams.
On our campus, several teachers have made final exams optional for students so long as they have above a certain grade. The minimum grade falls on a wide range depending on the teacher. Spanish teachers Lisa Vitale and Karem Siyag Cardenas opted to have the minimum in the lower “A” range while history teacher Peter Glasser brings that minimum to 69% for the AP United States History classes.
An effective way to motivate students is to give incentives. Solutions can vary from eating dark chocolate since it has been shown to improve memory two hours after consumption. It's a bittersweet treat that also would help students cram for finals. Chocolate also helps to release endorphins and serotonin chemicals in your brain which can help in overwhelming situations. It’s also a more affordable investment compared to other methods that raise students’ morales.
Research also shows that test results are worse when performed under high stress levels. So cramming in just one more hour at the dead of midnight is not as effective as getting an extra hour of sleep. When preparing for finals it's important that one is sufficiently well rested and well fed, as even eating something small for breakfast would be better than nothing. It's the school’s responsibility to ensure students can have the environment to achieve their goals. But it is also on each student to keep accountable that they are sufficiently prepared mentally and physically for finals.
As a way to prepare students for upcoming finals, our school should implement more stress-mitigating activities and ways to help students destress.
It is also important for students to remember to separate self-worth from academic validation, which is a difficult process for some. Remember to put forth your best effort and be proud of any score you get.