The School Year Is Ending (12/1)

Back home we don't really have "final exams" -- not like here anyway. As I prepared final exams, I was told that I needed to incorporate the material from the entire school year. Well, we covered a lot of material during the year. So you can imagine the tests were long. I did give them a list of things to study and sent home study guides so that at least they had a good idea what was on the test. But, I am still sure that it seemed looming and daunting to study for a test where anything from the school year could be asked.

I won't say it was torture for them. Here students got out early so they could go home and study. The last two weeks of school students only come to school for the first three periods. And every other day is a test day. The final exams took at least two periods, but then we had fun activities to review for the next exam. But, then they went home to prepare for the next exam. (At least, that's what they were supposed to be doing.)

This final exam grade then is worth one fifth of the year's final average in each subject. That's a lot of weight, especially if you don't do well. So, it was important to everybody that students do well on their finals. I also just recently found out that if students end the year with a "D" in two or more subjects they have to repeat the year. I am praying for some of the students.