By Abi Wiseman
New year, new systems, new rationale. So far this year, students have taken Early Morning Assessments for four mornings. While some teachers do not mind the elongated tests, students tend to be stressed by these exams. So, why the different ranges of opinions? What is the purpose of these longer tests?
Early Assessment Mornings, also known as EAMs, are a new system the TLS High School has adopted for the year and possibly years to come. What remains unclear for many students is the reason for these elongated tests and how this new system arose through the doors of Leffell. Eric Bassin, the High School principal notes that
“Early Morning Assessments have been in discussion for 2 years,” Eric Bassin, high school principal said. “ to find a system that would accommodate for students with both regular and extra time. It’s very difficult for students to take tests in more than one sitting…both teachers and I additionally considered academic integrity and the challenge students may face without the great temptation to receive help”
Over the past years, multiple solutions have been offered to make the test-taking system at TLS the best for students. Ultimately, it was decided that EAMs were the best solution.
“There were two approaches to solving this problem for students who have extra time: One, shorter tests and assessments; meaning every person has an opportunity to finish that test within that class period,” Bassin says, “And two, teachers wanted to give a test longer than 37 minutes so we decided on creating EAMs.”
Furthermore, from a teacher’s perspective, these EAMs were to help the students. “We wanted to target kids with extra time so they would be able to take a longer test in one sitting.” noted Bassin.
Common misconceptions about EAMs were created by students since they did not fully understand the reasoning behind this new system. However, Bassin emphasized that EAMs were not so teachers could take tests that cover more materials but in order for students to have more time to complete these tests.
“It’s the environment that feels stressful, not the test itself,” Bassin said. “It does feel like a final exam, which naturally creates more stress…part of that is adjusting to the environment itself.”
An abundance of preparation from the teachers goes into planning these tests.
“Teachers are preparing 4 or 5 tests for all your classes…and they’re grading around 80 tests which is a very heavy haul for teachers” Bassin adds “We have these WhatsApp proctor groups that notify which teachers are needed in what room, and it gets very chaotic.”
Unfortunately, from the point of view of some students, these Early Morning Assessments feel stressful and challenging.
“I sacrifice a lot of my time to study for these EAMs.” Sophomore Jack Kriegel said., “These tests are scary and the environment is very formal which contributes to the stress students experience in anticipation of these tests.”
While some students like Kriegel express similar feelings about these tests, others don’t mind these unfamiliar tests.
“I think it’s good to have these longer tests since it allows students to have more time to complete their assessments,” Freshman Alice Bohrer said.
Even though Bohrer doesn’t particularly mind these new tests she still believes that regular testing is more beneficial for students since these high-stakes EAMs tend to raise student stress levels.
Moreover, Bassin believes that EAMs were not made to contribute to the stress levels of students but to allow students more time to complete a test and demonstrate their knowledge. Students and teachers are to treat EAMs as any other assessment. For Kriegel, the study halls after the tests have been helpful, and “all students have a larger amount of time to complete these tests which help with academic performance.”
Early Morning Assessments are helpful for students who have extended time accommodations. Yet, students with regular time are still able to reap the benefits of study halls following the exam. Ultimately, these tests are not intended to intimidate students or induce mind-wrenching stress; rather, they are a means for assessing students on the material within an extended timeframe. While opinions among students and teachers may vary regarding these assessments, it is crucial to understand the rationale for their implementation within TLS high school.