A Student Community United: Why Full Day Finals Dont Work

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A Student Community United Why Full Day Finals
Dont Work

• Milford/Lakeland S.A.B.

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HVS Mission Statement

• Huron Valley schools and our community will
  provide a premier education which prepares all
  students to thrive in a global society.

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Why are full day finals detrimental to student
success?

• The hour of review time before the actual
  testing gives students a false sense of security
  and promotes poor study habits.
• Students who participate in extra curricular
  activities claim mental and physical exhaustion.
• Testing methodology revised to accommodate
  reduction in grading time for teachers (ex.
  Multiple choice questions versus essay questions
  which provide teachers with additional insight
  as to whether or not students fully comprehend
  material)

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Why are full day finals detrimental to student
success?

• Teachers who have a prep hour the first day of
  testing are given virtually no time complete
  their grades.
• Students have expressed concern with the full day
  final format, saying that, for the
  afore-mentioned reasons stress levels accumulated
  to a more serious degree.

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Review Time before Examination

• Many students are not studying at home in hopes
  that the review time provided before testing will
  prove ample enough.
• Teacher led review, which is the most frequent
  occurrence during review time, is not as
  effective as individual review and is more
  general in nature. Students are also not
  developing the study habits crucial to later
  academic endeavors.

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Fatigue resulting from Full Day Finals

• Students involved in extra-curricular activities
  are physically and mentally exhausted after a
  full day of testing.
• Sporting events the day of finals impose
  tremendous stress on student athletes.

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Lowered Standards in English due to lack of
grading time.

• Most English teachers concur that composition is
  essential to a solid and comprehensive foundation
  in English.
• English teachers, accustomed to giving essays
  which would be graded after finals, English
  teachers now have forfeited administering essays
  because of the lack of time in which to grade
  them.
• Administration suggested that the essays be given
  before the day of the actual exam, however there
  would remain insufficient time for grading.

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Why Half-day Finals Reign Supreme

• More conducive to student success.
• Easier on the part of the teachers and the
  administration to facilitate.
• Provides incentive to students, and is more
  agreeable with students after school schedules.
• Promotes better study habits, and places the
  responsibility to succeed in the hands of the
  individual student.
• Promotes a more positive outlook on finals, and
  is less taxing on students and teachers alike.
• The PTA uses testing days as a fundraiser
  (selling food to students).