Students have 30 days to complete projects, study for tests, learn units, read chapters, and keep high enough grades to stay on the court, field, or even the choir stands. In implementing trimesters, students could have twice that many days to complete those tasks and maintain their spot on the team. Trimesters are the better option.
The administration has brainstormed over several different schedules, and taking in account last year’s results, this year six-weeks won the verdict. However, there were other options, such as trimesters. Trimesters would consist of a 12-week period while taking five classes for half a credit each trimester.
Students have to worry about not only STAAR, SAT, ACT, EOC, but also 7-8 different six-weeks tests, six times a year. Trimesters could eliminate 27-32 tests a year. As a result, the homework load would decrease.
Because each trimester is twice the amount of time in a six-weeks, teachers will adjust their project due dates. Also, their class time will increase due to a five-class schedule.
Two thirds of overall students taking a class will attend each trimester. This is beneficial to both teachers and students because teachers could provide classroom sets of textbooks. Therefore, students would no longer need to carry textbooks that are now already in the classroom.
While a six-week period makes it easier to regulate failing students in extracurricular activities, it also puts excess stress on students because of time shortage. Teachers are also more stressed because they have to stay on top of their grades more closely because of working lunch.
We believe that students should be working under a trimester schedule in efforts to become less stressed and more focused on academics.