Spring break is always a period of relaxation and a chance to get away from school for students. This week typically contains fun and games, and this can negatively affect students when they come back to classes. Math in particular can be a difficult subject to come back from, especially if new material was taught right before the break.
Some math teachers, such as Ms. Ann Erdle, did not give her pre-calculus students new material before the break. However, this could have been due to difficulties with getting together with her class. She was gone one day that week, and then since students were dismissed 30 minutes into fourth hour because of the snow on Thursday, then Friday was a snow day, new material was out of the question. “I definitely don’t remember learning anything before break,” said Sami Slenker, a sophomore student in Ms. Erdle’s pre-calculus class.
Yet after break was a different story. Directly after break, Ms. Erdle’s class jumped right into polars and had to take a quiz on Thursday, April 9th. “I didn’t actually take the quiz. I was in Florida on spring break and didn’t come back until Thursday, so it would be slightly difficult to take a quiz on something I haven’t learned,” commented Slenker.
Mrs. Debbi Marks, AP Calculus and chemistry teacher, takes a different approach to the break. Her only class is AP Calculus, and they must maintain a strict schedule to be ready before the AP test, so there was no leeway before spring break. Students were learning new material, and were given homework for over the break. More work was also given because of Friday, March 26’s snow day. Overall, students had bookwork, an AP Multiple Choice practice test, and AP Free Response practice test to complete over the break.
“The homework load was intense,” said senior and AP Calculus student, Tara Adams. Though it may seem as if a lot of homework, for a full week off, it was nothing in comparison to the usual. “The chapter test when we came back [taken Thursday, April 9] was really hard. I don’t know if it was because of the break or just because it was a tough chapter,” said Adams.
Mrs. Marks has been teaching math classes for many years. AP Calculus is her only math class currently, and then she has chemistry. When talking in terms of spring break, she continues on “lessons as usual.” “I don’t even like to have tests on Mondays. After breaks I plan other things and in the worst case scenario, I give kids one day before the test,” said Mrs. Marks about testing.