As the first semester comes to a close, Upper School students once again enjoy freedom from midterms and are welcomed back from break with experiential and unique J-Term courses. For the past three years, students and teachers have spent two weeks immersed in unparalleled and uncommon classes. These range from Kitchen Chemistry to Belize trips, with a diverse selection of courses to choose from in between. J-Term definitely provides an exceptional experience for students, by introducing and engaging them in real-life applications outside the classroom. But, the question still remains: Would all this be more beneficial if occurring in May?
In examining this potential alternative, the positives and negatives must encompass the opinions of all members of the EA community. The benefits for students may not be the same as the benefits for teachers. Lauren Rodio ‘18 says, “From an educational standpoint it would be better to have a May-Term because we would have more time to prepare for the AP exams and our academic year wouldn’t be broken up as much. But from a student standpoint, we like having four weeks off in the middle of the school year.” On the other hand, Daisy Learnard ‘18 explained, “I am in favor of keeping J-Term in January because I think our motivation is still high, because the middle of the year is still academic mode, whereas post-exams in May is summer mode. Unless it is all travel, this would make it less thrilling and there might not be as much dedication.”
As it stands, J-Term does provide an obstacle for routine classes. Especially in terms of AP classes that require sufficient class time for in-depth preparation, these two weeks influence the pace and as a result sometimes reduce the depth of the classes in the later months. Chuck Bryant, Chair of the Upper School History Department, explained, “J-Term is in a lot of ways a great idea. The problem is the location…The problem is not that J-Term does not work in January. It does. But currently we have an issue with what Mrs. Aldridge calls stride. Having a month off in the middle of the year causes students to lose their stride. Stride is continuity.”
Tracie Lee, Coordinator of Faculty Recruitment and J-Term Administrator, shared her views on some of the upsides of May-Term. She explained, “The thought of moving it to May has some benefits. For example, especially in AP’s, for those teachers and students, you leave here December 16 and you’re not speaking that language or taking that class again until January 17. That’s a lot of time missed, not just in the classroom, but also practicing that language and you can have a bit of a slip and need to recover.” She continued to explain that the lost time is even more difficult for AP courses that must follow the College Board curriculum. The new schedule adds some additional concerns about J-Term’s location in the year. As Lee explained, “The thing that teachers are thinking about is now AP courses meet about 10 out of 12 days but with the new schedule you’re only going to see your teachers 5 out of 8 days. But that makes some teachers feel like the combination of (I mean they’re going to have as many minutes in the classroom) seeing the kids less frequently and having J-Term, so then you have a month off of your regular courses, and then when you come back you’re only seeing them 5 out of 8 days.”
There would also be logistical benefits to May-Term. Lee explained, “To go through May and have Jterm after the APs, and possibly after the exams, it seems more like a culminating experience, and it also allows that full second semester, and also just the plain old planning of it, that you could plan different excursions for J-Terms, different day trips, not just the international trips.”
With the benefits of May-Term considered there are still some doubts. Lee shared some of the key questions to be considered with May-Term, “Are kids burned out if you do it after exams? How engaged will they be?”
Though there are definitely upsides to May-Term, many students still prefer J-Term. Felicia Zhu ‘17 said, “May-term wouldn’t work because by then, it’s very close to summer, so it’s very hard for students to focus on anything even if it’s not strictly classroom based education. Also, midterms are very stressful and I would not want to do that. It’s really nice to have a break in the middle of the year where it’s just winter break and then J-Term too. I guess I understand why [some people] want J-Term because after a long break and then J-Term, it’s hard to get back in the groove. But I think J-Term is definitely better than May-Term.”
Lee balanced the positives of May-Term with what’s working now for J-Term. It seems as if many people have a mix of opinions. Sam Willis, English Teacher and Form Dean for Class of 2017, explained, “Second semester used to be a lot longer than the first, so J-Term balances out the number of weeks. There’s a philosophical debate that occurred at the same time we were thinking about J-Term, easing back in after Christmas for both faculty and kids. Part of the history of not doing it in May is because there are fewer students involved in winter sports than spring sports.” Also, Head of Upper School Delvin Dinkins explained, “Students might have a different attitude towards J-Term in the middle of the year compared to the end of the year when they are fatigued from final exams.”
The question of May-Term versus J-Term resonates differently with students and teachers alike. Some feel strongly about this issue while others can be flexible. Willis said “I like the notion of having it in May because I think it provides a helpful end of the year experience, and I think naturally having more temperate weather would allow for more field trip opportunities and exploring opportunities but I also think that the inherent nature of winter sports versus spring sports makes it a lot easier to do it during J-Term. But in all honesty, I don’t feel strongly. I mean, those are practical opinions.”
Scholium is not proposing a change from J-Term to May-Term, but it is important to at least put the question out there. The new schedule merits consideration of this change, but that is not to dismiss the many benefits of J-Term. From the student perspective, many of us prefer J-Term, and it is something we look forward to after winter break. But it is undeniable that the break in the year destroys some sense of continuity. Although there are clear benefits on both sides, in order to uphold the same level of dedication and enjoyment for the students, January seems like the best option. With this said, May-Term could provide benefits in terms of our educational and class schedule. J-Term is working now, but the question of its timing in the year should be considered, especially as J-Term approaches and we begin to think about schedule changes for next year.

PDF Download