Stress, studying, and various take-out meals typically fill the hallways of Parker during Upper Schools finals week. Aspects of finals this year will look very different for members of the Upper School, from being remote, to the content of the finals, and the last-minute cramming of information with teachers or peers.

Many cities around the country are still requiring in-person exams where the only difference is that students must be masked. Although Parker’s finals are still occurring this year, I am thankful that they will look different. This year has been filled with so many academic differences that would make a typical finals exam not compatible. 

All of my classes have run smoothly, but there is still a part of me that wonders what content I am missing as we have lost 50 minutes of fundamental learning time in each class. 

I believe Parker’s Upper School finals success depends on the teachers’ ability to come up with creative and cumulative ways to exhibit this semester’s learning. Last spring, my math final was a graphing Desmos project, and my science final was creating a social media account about one part of evolution. Math and Science are classes where there is typically a test, but these finals were crafted with elements that made me confident in my learning. 

This year teachers are tasked with choosing how they assess our learning. I believe that projects are the way to go, as we are in a pandemic. Yes, tests are important. It is necessary to know the information, and tests are a good way for teachers to ensure that students have learned all of the curricula, especially in a time where distractions and lack of time is inevitable. Tests are often deemed to be the superior way to test knowledge. They can also help teachers to be the best version of themselves by teaching differently if their students are not learning. 

I understand that side, especially from a teacher’s perspective, but I do not agree with it for multiple reasons. First, there are many barriers that I think prohibit the effectiveness of tests. One of them is cheating. At the end of the day, cheating on the tests is tempting to some, and does not truthfully test one’s understanding. Second, I think that there are creative ways to work around formal tests that are more personalized, honest, and beneficial. Lastly, the ability to present or create a project on a topic shows much more learning than an assessment, where dishonesty is a possibility, and is more meaningful to students and teachers alike. I think that there are creative ways to work around this that will make it a more meaningful experience for teachers and students alike. I am not saying that tests are not ever effective, but amid a global pandemic, there are millions of better ways to close the semester. 

Now that where I stand on finals as a whole is clear –we should not be having normal finals this year — I would like to address my specific classes. School this year, for me, has had its ups and downs, but in all it has been okay. Two of the hardest things for me have been performing as well on quizzes or tests that I would in school and being confident in the work that I turn in. These are both two elements that will be very important during finals. Tests this year have been more of a challenge than expected. Honestly, I am not sure why, but I think part of it is that I have struggled to patiently wait for the “ah-ha” moment in our online environment. I am hoping that I will perform well on all my finals, and that all of the hard work I have put into this semester will show. 

Going into the end of the semester, I was expecting to have a test in math and science. Instead, my math final was a 17 problem proof packet and a presentation of one of the proofs, but the catch is we do not know which problems will be graded or which proof we had to present. I am very happy with this final. I think it is a great culmination of our semester’s learning. A core part of our class this semester has been doing proofs, presenting them, and learning from each other, so I think this matched the vibe of our class. I think that this final sets me up to be more successful than tests as I have struggled with that in the past. It was really frustrating for me when I would be able to do the homework confidently by myself, but the tests would relay different information. Another reason I am content with this final is that my math teacher was more than willing to help us, and let us collaborate with our peers. 

Following in the footsteps of math, I also have a project for my science final. At first, I was happy about not having a test, but now that I am in the midst of trying to do it, a test is looking good to me. The reason that I am having difficulty with this project is because it is researching a brand new topic. I do not think that this project truly showcases my learning for the semester, but on the other hand it is offering me the opportunity to apply chemistry to my life which is equally as important. I do believe that a project is better than a test, so I am happy, but I am just feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. My topic is PVC, so maybe my next piece for “The Weekly,” will be a feature of PVC’s relevance in our life. 

Last year, my Spanish final was a test. Although that did a good job showing my learning for the semester, I think my Spanish final this year does an equally as good job, if not better. My Spanish final is two parts: a written dialogue and a five minute conversation with my teacher. The written dialogue is supposed to incorporate many of the different grammatical concepts we have learned this year as well as new vocabulary. The written aspect does not necessarily address if I can apply the new aspects without assistance, but it still shows how I can apply it and be creative. I am quite nervous for the speaking part because I think this is harder to prepare for, and I am not as confident in my speaking ability, but I understand that this is an important way to show my learning. I also think the speaking part is a perfect COVID-19 final, as it is hard to use outside resources on. 

On the humanities side, I was not expecting to have any tests. My expectations were met. For English, our final is a graded discussion on the book we have been reading, “A Small Place” by Jamaica Kincaid. I am excited for this final, and I think it is a great way to feel connected with my peers. Overall, English this semester has been a place that has fostered a sense of community, so I am happy that this theme will stay prevalent. A graded conversation also provides ways to show comprehension, analytic skills, and speaking skills, so it will have a little bit of everything. 

I will become a documentary filmmaker for my history final. We were tasked with creating an eight to ten minute documentary on a terrorist group with a partner. My partner and I chose the communist terrorist group The Shining Path. This has proven to be more difficult than expected, but since our class is about exploring different terrorist groups, it is a great culmination. I also like this choice for a final because the second half of the documentary is to tie The Shining Path back into the concepts that have guided our history class Randall’s Laws of Terrorism and the moralization gap. 

Although I will not be sitting in a coffee shop this weekend studying with my friends or cramming for a test, I am confident that my finals experience this year will reflect the past semester. I am happy and thankful that my teachers have adapted their teaching style to the unknown challenges of the coronavirus.