On November 24th, 2022 there was a meeting that was set up by Mrs.Steward, Ms. McMillan, and Mr. Vaughan. This meeting was to talk to the seniors about not finishing their work on time, especially CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service). There were also many students who were late to class, creating disruptions and frustrating teachers. Now there is one question that has to be asked: “What Has Really Been Going On With the Class of 2023”. Were they really performing differently from previous senior classes, and if so, why?
One of the biggest challenges facing the Class of 2023 has been meeting deadlines set by teachers. Some students need more time to complete their assignments, leading to the teacher having to reassign the deadline. This can create confusion and added stress for students who are already struggling to keep up with their coursework. To mitigate this, teachers use assignment calendars to avoid having multiple deadlines close to each other. This allows students to prioritize their workload and better manage their time. There are a total of 150 seniors in the class of 2023. Mr. Vaughan has the statistics, and he says that there are 214 MSH up until the late November meeting, an incredible amount. There were 74 incomplete Extended Essays that seniors must complete to earn an IB Diploma. The workload can be a challenge. With multiple assessments, projects, and assignments due each week, students were struggling to keep up with the demands of their coursework. This can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and burnout.
The Class of 2023 has had to navigate various obstacles during their academic journey that have affected their ability to succeed. These challenges have included meeting tight deadlines, excessive workloads, limited support during virtual school, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers have been forced to adjust their teaching strategies to ensure their students receive the necessary support, but some students continue to struggle due to a lack of time management skills, illness, or scheduling conflicts with other school activities. The pandemic has further compounded these difficulties, as students have had to adapt to a new learning environment while dealing with other adjustments required by Covid 19. While some students have been honest about their struggles, others may have used the pandemic as an excuse to skip work, potentially leading to a decline in academic performance and missed opportunities in the future. Despite these challenges, with the right strategies and support, students have been able to overcome these obstacles and achieve their academic goals.
Ing, a senior at ISB thinks that the real problem seniors faced were deadlines being too close together, making it difficult for students to complete their work on time. He says that “I feel like CAS is a bit annoying because we have to do all the reflections which I don’t really like”. He also believes that students should have more CAS core sessions to provide them with more time to work on their CAS projects. Ing stated that “CAS is mostly dependent on student time management." Saying that the students also have to take responsibility when they are unable to meet the deadline.
Will, another senior at ISB, feels that time management is the key to overcoming the challenges faced by the Class of 2023? He said that “Students should be responsible for their own time management, but sometimes the workload is too much, especially for seniors.” He believes that students who are involved in ROTC or other mandatory activities should be given separate deadlines. This would allow them to balance their coursework much more quickly. He also said that “I have a summative every week”. This means that most of his weekend time would be spent doing work instead of relaxing. Additionally, Will thinks that students who have a valid excuses should receive more time. This would provide them with the support they need to get back on track and stay caught up in their coursework.
To overcome these challenges, students need to take responsibility for their time management skills. However, schools can also help by implementing strategies such as providing more time for CAS projects, assigning specific deadlines for students with mandatory activities, and providing extensions for students with extenuating circumstances. Schools can also implement measures to hold students accountable for their actions, such as adjusting PowerSchool to reflect when absences occur during assessments. By implementing these strategies, students will be better equipped to overcome their academic challenges and achieve their goals.