Discuss, identify, refer, analyze, solve and explain. These open-ended words constantly pop-up in the stressful IB exams that students have faced throughout this month.
The students taking IB classes have been working all year to get ready for their exams and now the time has come to put their knowledge to test. The workload for the students has only increased due to the amount of studying required to do well on the exams.
AHS provides IB students with a maximum of five study days to prepare for the exams. Students have the option to take a few days off in order to study, instead of attending class before they have an exam. Also, on the day of an exam, the student taking it does not have to attend any other classes.
Many students are taking more than one exam and are using the study days to help prepare for their multiple tests. Some teachers are missing over half of their students in their classes.
“Between 10 and 20 percent of my students are there [in class]. Most of them are studying or taking the exams,” IB Geography teacher John Hawes said.
When students miss class to study or take exams, some teachers have the remaining students in class work on projects or study for the exam of the class they’re in.
“If students are missing class for exams, the other students can work on the project that is due in June,” IB English teacher Samantha Spinney said.
Many may think that teachers are frustrated with the number of students that miss class to either study or take the exams, but in reality, the class disruptions do not bother most of the teachers. The majority of the IB class curriculum has ended because the information the students need in order to take the exam has already been taught, so teachers do not have any concern about students missing class. (Try to get a quote of someone saying that, because we can’t really generalize and say most of them are not bothered by it)
The IB program is always a challenge for students because of the exams at the end of the year and the increased workload.“There is three times as much work,” junior Lilas Dinh said.
It is difficult to take more than one IB class and do well in all of them. Students have to learn to keep up with all their assignments and extracurricular activities. A social life is also very important throughout high school and without knowing how to balance all the work and free time, students would not be able to make it past the first quarter.
“If you can’t manage your time, you are bound to fail. I try to split my time and take breaks,” Dinh said.
Time management is evidently an important skill to acquire while participating in the IB program. Especially during the time of IB exams, students need to be alert and focused.
Not only are colleges interested in students taking IB classes, but the exams can help students receive college credits also. If a student scores high on an exam, it can count towards college credit.
“I think the IB program has a lot more to offer and it prepares students and makes them great thinkers,” IB Biology teacher Claudia Lemus said.
The IB program provides students with extra knowledge and it gives them a chance to learn things that they normally would not learn in any other regular class. The challenges that the students have to overcome throughout these classes just make them more knowledgeable and understanding.
“I think IB classes are really good because they’re challenging enough that they don’t get boring, and everyone else is in the same situation as you so we all help each other,” senior Jenna Balicki said.
While some students enjoy the IB program and what it has to offer, there are other students who do not see it as a new opportunity but more as a burden during the time of exams.
