MCPS should bring back finals and midterms

[Anonymous]

Like the rest if the world, mcps needs to instill study habits from a young age. The kids needs to take mid terms and finals starting at elementary school levels. The rest of the world does it, thats how students learn and retain information. That should help with MCAP scores, and actually reduce the achievement gap as well as improve student performance.

[Anonymous]

I have no problem with that, but just want to point out that my son in high school has end of semester exams that count for the most points and already look suspiciously like finals.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

midterm and final for ES -- not a good idea. they already do too many standardized tests. maybe if they take away the pointless state test, then i might change my mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.

Why? Its posters like you who want mcps to lower standards but then complain about that too.
Why not? The whole world functions like this. Its only here that students are just promoted without learning the basics for the grade level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with that, but just want to point out that my son in high school has end of semester exams that count for the most points and already look suspiciously like finals.

This. My high schooler has endless tests -- all throughout the semester and larger ones at the end of each quarter.

[Anonymous]

I think many people do not remember how finals used to be. They were written by the county to be easily passable. They were usually the easiest test given. At least a week or two were spent prepping for them...often with a study guide that was very very similar to the test. There was no school for a week in order to give them and it was a transportation problem to get there and back or sit in the cafeteria for most of the day.

Given that AP exams are widely taken, I think the end of quarter thing is ok.

[Anonymous]

I definitely agree with finals at the high school level. I don’t see the value of midterms and finals though. And I definitely don’t think midterms or finals are needed at the elementary level. I could see an argument at middle school just to prep them for high school, so maybe at 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

They'd have to teach kids how to study and give them more curriculum to study with. Agree with starting in 8th, but in ES that makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like the rest if the world, mcps needs to instill study habits from a young age. The kids needs to take mid terms and finals starting at elementary school levels. The rest of the world does it, thats how students learn and retain information. That should help with MCAP scores, and actually reduce the achievement gap as well as improve student performance.

I get that some people like this but don't really see a lot of value to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many people do not remember how finals used to be. They were written by the county to be easily passable. They were usually the easiest test given. At least a week or two were spent prepping for them...often with a study guide that was very very similar to the test. There was no school for a week in order to give them and it was a transportation problem to get there and back or sit in the cafeteria for most of the day.

Given that AP exams are widely taken, I think the end of quarter thing is ok.

Agree, makes more sense for today's world but a lot of old folks have trouble adapting or accepting change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with that, but just want to point out that my son in high school has end of semester exams that count for the most points and already look suspiciously like finals.

I know. It amounts to the same thing and in some ways provides better preparation for college.

[Anonymous]

Wait, they don't have finals and midterms!!????

WTF are they even teaching these days!!??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many people do not remember how finals used to be. They were written by the county to be easily passable. They were usually the easiest test given. At least a week or two were spent prepping for them...often with a study guide that was very very similar to the test. There was no school for a week in order to give them and it was a transportation problem to get there and back or sit in the cafeteria for most of the day.

Given that AP exams are widely taken, I think the end of quarter thing is ok.

Also adding that the way the grading worked, if you had an A both quarters, you could get a very low grade on the final and still get an A on your transcript. I do not remember the details any more. Many kids did not prep for finals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, they don't have finals and midterms!!????

WTF are they even teaching these days!!??

Thats the point, More teaching less testing.