Opinion – Teachers get just as stressed as students during finals

Zoey Frausto, Reporter

Do you ever think about how stressed your teachers are during finals time? This can be one of the most stressful times of the year for teachers. The pressure of preparing for the exam, making sure to help every student prepare and be ready, grading the exams, etc. can make teachers just as stressed as the students. 

High school teachers can have up to 6 or 7 classes with 30 students or more; therefore, that’s over 180 exams to grade. Luckily, here at Enochs High School, some exams are digital and instantly grade themselves. Nonetheless, not every exam is able to be graded by a computer. 

According to the Kansas State Collegian, Ilia Zharkov, an associate professor of mathematics, “The exam itself isn’t what’s hard, it’s when you actually give the final grade. You have to make the right decision, and it’s a problem I face every time. Who deserves an A and who doesn’t deserve an A. That’s where it’s stressful for me.”

Fortunately, some teachers here allow students who have over a specific percentage to not take the final. This successfully takes the stress off of some students who work hard all semester and have their hard work pay off.

However, it can also put more stress on teachers. They have to be inputting grades all week before finals and keep track of who and who is not taking the final. Students should be appreciative for the teachers who do this because not many teachers do. 

Ms. Matthews, a science and health teacher here at Enochs, commented on whether many of her students struggle or not. “I feel like it’s a mixed bag because some students prepare and study, while others do not come prepared and have not studied. Students who turn in assignments and do their notes all semester long tend to do okay while others who don’t turn in assignments and do notes tend to struggle.”

Many teachers stress out over preparing their students and feel at fault when students don’t do fairly well. To combat this, students need to study and come prepared. 

Teachers should be able to enjoy their break without worrying about their students’ grades and kids who don’t pass. Many of them are trying their best to accommodate us and our needs. As most students prefer online tests and exams, many teachers choose to do it digitally to satisfy their students.

So, students should take time out of their day to study and make their teachers proud.

Mr. Nguyen, an algebra and geometry teacher, who teaches here at Enochs, stated, “I do get stressed a lot, mostly concerned about students and their performance. I probably get even more stressed than the students themselves. It takes me a while to prepare for the exam, maybe around 10 hours.”

Be grateful for our amazing staff, as they spend a lot of time and energy planning for finals. Don’t be rude and impatient with teachers during final weeks; they are under a lot of stress and pressure just as you might be.