Yesterday the first marking period of the second semester came to an end, and many students have mixed reactions about the length of it. With the marking period being sixteen days and cut off by both FON and the Winter Recess, many feel grades cannot accurately represent a student during the time span, and that it puts unnecessary stress and pressure onto students and teachers.
Sophomore Tafhim Islam states that, “I think a shortened marking period is more stressful than a long one because teachers usually try to have as many tests or quizzes possible during the short period. Also, there is more to study [in less time] and it feels like we’re taking tests more often than we are learning.”
Similarly, Sophomore Weidong Hu says that shortened marking periods, “aren’t accurate because teachers usually give students one test, and that is not enough to accurately judge their knowledge. It also forces teachers to provide more work if they want to get more grades in, causing more stress on students.”
Upperclassmen aren’t the only people who feel the side effects of this change, and even freshmen feel more stressed. Freshman, Sanjar Ahmed notes that “ [it’s] especially frustrating for students because it puts more pressure on us to do well, in addition to the constant and everyday pressure of high school life.”
Others feel as if the shorter time strengthens the motivation to study harder for tests during this marking period.
Junior Marina Aweeda states, “A short marking period encourages students to work harder because their marking period average is dependent on less grades than usual.”
Since final grades are cumulative across marking periods, it means that lots of room for improvement could be left for the remaining time in the semester if this marking period doesn’t work out to the level some students are hoping for.
Sophomore Elana Muradov states, “[The marking period] gets in a limited amount of grades which leaves much more room for improvement throughout the course of the year.”
Nevertheless, shortened marking periods are a mixed blessing; an opportunity to some and a liability to others.
