With the first trimester coming to an end, the final exams for classes are in a couple of days. Since this is the first exam for freshmen, students share their thoughts stress is actually helping them through these nerve-racking times and how Beach has not prepared them for these exams coming up.
“So I feel like if we were to take a final exam last year, I wouldn’t do well on it, because none of us were taught to study,” freshman Lara Lawrence said.
In middle school, the teachers don’t really teach you how to study. Beach focuses more on learning base material that will set them up for harder classes in high school.
“They didn’t say you need this is how you make flash cards or anything like that,” freshman Vivan Parker said.
The teachers give the students review packets to work on and complete. Without a review packet, students would lack guidance on what to focus on and how to study.
“They teach you one way to study with the packet, but they don’t really teach you how to find out what way you like to study,” Parker said.
CHS is different. The students report that the teachers provide more individualized support and use teaching methods that better suit their learning styles. The school also offers honors classes for the more advanced students, which provides a variety of levels at which students can learn subjects.
“The teachers are very good at teaching here at the high school, because it’s not teaching when you’re just telling someone how to do something or just how it is,” Lawrence said.
Students describe that they are being set up for success through stress. Even though there is more work in high school, students believe that they are doing better in harder and more stressful classes.
“The school doesn’t really pressure you to be overly anxious about tests and exams,” Parker said. “But the teachers do pressure you to realize that things are more important now,”
Some of the classes are faster-paced with more material being learned every week, which means more tests come more quickly.
“Tests here at the high school come a lot faster and more frequently,” Parker said.
Freshmen mention “good stress”, explaining that it’s a feeling that pushes you to do well on bigger and more difficult assignments.
“When you’re worried about one school test or assignment, you’re most likely going to do better on it,” Konieczki said.
Students’ stress doesn’t just come from academics, other stress from sports and personal life can build on the existing stress. Students feel that teachers here at the high school are more caring when exams are coming up.
“High school has a better grasp on the fact that the students are stressed during exams and big tests,” Emma Busch said.
These types of stress can help the freshmen prepare for these coming exams by setting realistic goals for themselves to get A’s on their first exams.
“If you take a test, you want to be stressed about it,” Lawrence said. “Because then you’re going to study and you’re going to work harder to do well on that test.”
Overall, the freshmen feel more supported in high school than in middle school. Prepare them for these exams and later in the year for harder classes and future exams.
“Teachers here at CHS are understanding our academic needs coming into this new school,” Busch said. “I am stressed, but I am supported through these exams.”
