In an environment that revolves around gaining knowledge, a high school is the ideal place to examine the sentiment that, “you learn something new everyday.”  Classroom-style learning, however, comes with not only learning new things, but also with regular testing schedules meant to reinforce the information learned.  Students expressed that they were curious and willing to learn when it came to subjects that interest them, but their study schedules for most classes were still minimal.

Regardless of what class interested them most, several students had no doubt that they’d learned something new everyday over the course of their school careers. For freshman Tobenna Obi, it was science classes. “I pay attention really hard. There’s so much about science, like the body,” explained Obi. Math is what captures the attention of sophomore Justice Weke, who said he enjoys anything with formulas and equations involved.

So when it came to talking about their favorite class, students didn’t make many complaints about the work load. Some students even said that they enjoy taking tests, so long as it is in a subject that interests them. The curiosity that students expressed towards specific classes, however, did not seem to provoke a change in their methods for studying for a test.

“I usually wait until last minute unfortunately,” said Weke.

“I review the day of the test, usually,” said Junior Anja Holland.

“I usually study my notes the night before,” said Senior RJ Rountree.

A recurring method that students use for testing is the cramming method of memorization, or attempting to learn a lot of material in a short time span. There is speculation on the effectiveness of cramming from many researchers; a study conducted by the University of California San Diego, for example, described cramming as a “‘last-minute’ preparation” that “denies the student the benefit of spaced repetition, and results in poor long-term retention of the information.”

For students like Obi, this study reigns true. “I learn and forget [material on the test],” explained Obi. “ I don’t really feel bad because I move on, quickly pass the grade, and then we work on something different.”

It isn’t uncommon for students to have to have the desire to simply pass. Many students have an attitude towards school like Holland, who said she goes to class “to pass class so I can get out of school,” or freshman Erica Lopez-Haz, who explained that “if it’s a class I am required to take and I don’t want to, then it’s really just to get a grade.”

The popular mentality that the purpose of attending school is just to pass and forget much of what was taught did not change many students’ opinion on the benefits of testing, though. Despite their tendencies to forget the material or the nervousness they said came with anticipating a test, students came to a consensus that regular testing is completely necessary, but could be improved with a bit of tweaking.

Students who learn visually or through taking a more active role in their education might agree with Weke, who suggested that projects be more prominent in learning environments than traditional tests. They would be better because “you have time and it’s very hands-on,’ he explained. As for written tests, there should be a longer time span between them, said Weke. “I wish we had tests like once a month, but a test every week, that’s too much.”

Those who need extra regular reinforcement to remember material might want a more frequent solution: quizzes. “I think taking quizzes that lead to tests are beneficial because they require the storage of information and the review of that information, so it’s more likely to stick,” said Holland.