Kendra Williams ’16: The Episcopal Academy Upper School has implemented a new semester exam schedule and midyear course review activities as a result of the absence of midterm exams this year.
Sarah Baker, Member of the Upper School English Department and VI Form Dean, clarified that exams for one semester courses “will be held on December 19th.” Students “will take those exams in the morning, and then they’ll rejoin their classmates after the exam.” Moreover, students who are only enrolled in yearlong courses, will go to class as usual.
Dr. Delvin Dinkins, Head of Upper School, added, “Two-thirds of semester exams are in religion and the other third of those exams fall under history.” With only two subjects being tested, only two exam slots are necessary.
The lack of review of first semester material in year-long courses also serves a cause for concern. In response, Dinkins presented the idea of synthesis activities. He explained that during “the last few days of the semester in December, students in yearlong courses will have a chance to review what they learned so far.” They will get to “engage in some activities which help to bring all the information together in a way that makes sense to the teacher and to the curriculum.”
Regarding the synthesis activities, Baker provided an example: “In history perhaps you studied four different cultures and you want to do something like a mingle where you’re having a little dinner party and each student portrays a character from a different civilization.” Essentially, the student would be “thinking about how one civilization gave ideas to another or how they interacted with each other.” For the most part, Baker continued, “The hope then is that even though we have this prolonged break from normal classes – winter break and then J Term afterward – when we get back to class in January a teacher can refer to the synthesis activity in starting the second semester’s work. This would provide some continuity in the classroom and may help make a more seamless transition between units.”
Photo Courtesy of Brittany Belo ’14
Another issue with the new schedule is how the removal of midterms will affect the final exams. Baker explains “The first semester doesn’t have an exam factored into it. That 40% of the final grade is fully coursework: tests, papers, quizzes, homework, participation, etc..” Therefore, the final exam percentage of a student’s final grade will not be increased.
Baker also clarified, “We are going to bear in mind when we’re testing freshmen in particular that they haven’t had the midterm experience.” Dinkins advises all students “to focus on the central concepts throughout the year with probably a stronger emphasis on second semester.” Overall, Baker feels, “finals are going to be the same as ever, in as much as they’ll be hard but they’ll be fair. And [the students] will be prepared for them.”