Published Dec. 14, 2022
By AVERY PALSHAW
The Carmel High School testing schedule, which was implemented about 15 years ago, has been used among teachers with the purpose of relieving students from the stress of preparing for multiple tests, yet many students are either unaware of the schedule or think it isn’t being followed by all teachers.
Since its implementation, a schedule that designates specific testing days for each department has been in place, but teachers feel as though the use of it has its pros and cons. Because tests were typically being given on Fridays in years past, the testing schedule created an opportunity for students to have more time to study by staggering test days.
“We tried to create a schedule that would distribute that testing load throughout the week so that when students were studying, they could study for one test at a time,” says Barbara McBride, CHS English teacher and department chair.
While the schedule lends itself to helping students, many advanced classes end up using block days as testing days, for they cannot fit Advanced Placement tests or essays into a 50-minute period. Teachers often adjust their agendas based on the time they have to test their students.
“The science department is supposed to only test on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday,” informs Don Freitas, CHS physics teacher. “In this matter, I can’t speak for the other science teachers, but personally it is sometimes inconvenient to only be able to test on those days, but I adjust things to make it work.”
According to the schedule, English, visual and performing arts and physical education departments are required to test on Mondays; math and world language departments test on Tuesdays; and science and history departments test on Fridays. Since CHS has 95-minute block periods on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they remain open for any subjects to hold tests. Quizzes are an exception to this rule, however, and teachers are able to give quizzes any day of the week.
Though the majority of CHS teachers try to follow the testing schedule, their curriculum plans sometimes lead to fluctuating days. (graphic by AVERY PALSHAW)
Though numerous CHS students are aware that there is a testing schedule in place, some feel as though it’s underutilized or simply not followed by teachers.
“Teachers need to have better communication with each other,” says sophomore Alexander Norbraten.
Others believe that it has good intentions for students, but the schedule is flawed.
“I see that schedule really benefiting the students, so I think it does have a purpose,” senior Piper Mahoney notes. “They just need to enforce it more.”
With the convenience of the test schedule for students, there are some disadvantages regarding communication among teachers and what days they are allowed to give tests.
“Our department really tries to stick to the testing schedule,” explains Joe McCarty, social studies department chair, “Our tests are supposed to be Fridays and block days, and I believe most people stick to that. Fridays seem to cause some problems because a lot of teachers give ‘quizzes’ on Friday, when it is supposed to be [for] history and science.”
Though there have not been any new additions to the testing schedule at CHS, the majority of staff and students concur that while the schedule is beneficial for students in need of more time to study for tests, it isn’t always well managed or followed.
