Two or three skips can mean disaster. And if a student is still suffering from lingering effects prior to finals week, the results could be hazardous. A five-day period before finals will not only allow students to review the work we may have missed, it will also us give us time to receive treatment for illnesses which may hamper our ability to take exams. Of course, some students may use the break not to study, but to take a final road trip before the end to the school year. I encourage students to take a day or two to relax.
Morale is just as important to test taking as preparation.
If a student is depressed, you really can't expect him or her to focus on studies. A road trip to the beach, a shopping trip or a simple trip back home may be the perfect remedy for a stressed student. And most of all, the final week of class is normally a waste of time. In most of my classes last semester, the final three days were spent filling out evaluations. In some cases, the evaluation form was all we accomplished during the class.