A One-Sided Show?

Do teachers have it as bad as students for finals?

One only needs four words to describe finals: stress, anxiety, and carpal tunnel. For a high-school student, this time to prove to yourself and to your teachers that the grade you have been working for all year is the one that you deserve.

However, while cramming for their exams and studying hour after hour to get the grade they want, students seldom ask themselves what it is like to be in the teachers shoes during this stressful time. Is it as stressful for them as it is for the students? The Talon went to find out.

“I think it is much more stressful for students,” says history teacher Ms. Stephanie Roybal. “After being a teacher for so long we kind of get used to this kind of stuff.”

One of the many difficult jobs for the teachers during finals week is making the final exam for their students. This can be just as taxing as taking a final exam. Along with this. teachers may have the most time consuming portion of all — grading.

The grading process varies by teachers. Some use Scantron for quick grading. while some have essays to cover a more detailed topic. And some use a combination of multiple choice and essay, creating the perfect exam to test both knowledge and applicability.

“As a teacher I think the most difficult part is grading,” Ms. Roybal says. “It is difficult to decipher students’ writing to see I they really know the informati0n.”

However, a student may see the finals week a little differently than a teacher. Take it from CB student Mathew Spain (’15).

“I think the students have a more stressful time preparing for finals.” he says. “Mostly teachers teach the same subjects so it is easier for them to prepare one final since they only have one subject to prepare for. As students we have 6-7 finals dependending on our schedules.”

Is the finals period a one sided affair? While teachers seem to have their fair share of stress, it seems that the students have more weight to carry on their shoulders during this time.