With nerve-wracking multiple-choice tests equipped with everything we learned from semester one now gone, a new way of having finals has come in its place. I had never expected to be creating slideshows, screencasts and drawings for my 10th-grade finals. 

Now that distance learning has taken an impact on the preparation of finals, it’s only normal for teachers to decide on doing their own thing. Last year in English class, we did an in-class essay for our finals. However, This year we’re doing a personalized project on one of our most recent books. This subtle, yet indefinite change is a clear example of how teachers are not only doing their own thing, but adapting to the change due to distance learning which is most needed at this time. 

Another thing to take into account is the time schedule of these finals. I believe if we were back in school, everything would be taken during the same week with schedules to adhere to that. Despite that, I have what feels like “finals” all month long. I was introduced to most final projects even before winter break and got extra time to prepare. The only finalized date is the deadline. I consider this very beneficial because it lessens the anxiety of completing it all in one day. Up until the due date, we get that time to prepare, work and ask questions. 

Finals are the most important thing when it comes to calculating your final grade. This may be another reason why there is no unfinalized schedule. Perhaps the teacher wants students to move at their own pace, and fully understand the curriculum before giving out something worth 40% of your grade. If teachers were to do that, then a finalized schedule should be given.   

This decision raises questions for future final schedules. Will semester two be the same? Despite the outcome, teachers should be focused on accommodating students’ needs when creating a finals schedule next semester.