Keystones, talking about stress! From Monday, May 16 – May 24, Keystone testing is going on. The subjects you test on are Algebra 1, Biology and Literature. Students test for four periods, usually 1-4. This year they alternate between 1-4 so we get all four classes equally.

I feel the keystones should not be in the mornings, they should happen 6-7 or start it fifth period, then you go eat lunch then after lunch periods are over you come back for sixth period till eighth period to test. If teachers are afraid of finding ways to cheat then keep their phones while they are still at lunch. The reason why the Keystones should take place in the afternoon is because in the mornings students are extremely tired, some fall asleep during the test and some hurry up and guess so they can sleep. Yesterday after I finished mine at a reasonable time and most kids were already done and sleeping, I also went to sleep because I was tired but not tired enough to guess random answers. When I woke up for a minute or so and looked around everybody, and I mean everybody (student wise), where sound asleep. The only time people woke up was when Mrs. Fischer came in with our phones and even them some kids got their phones and went back to sleep. So having the Keystones in the morning may not be the best idea, by having it in the afternoon kids could prepare more and actually get themselves ready plus then kids won’t be taking the Keystones on a empty stomach, by taking tests on a empty stomach it makes it hard to concentrate.

Another benefit from having the Keystones later on is that most kids don’t have main classes in the afternoon, for the VoTech kids that’s different. So why not make the VoTech kids take the tests in the morning and the non VoTech kids take theirs in the afternoon. By doing so less classrooms will be taken up for testings. Also it will help kids gets their other work and finals done in the mornings instead of having to worry so much.

Upon benefits from taking the Keystones in the morning there will always be a few non benefits. One non benefit is that there may be kids who will try to cheat if you make it so you test fifth period, go to lunch then come back and test till eight and also keep the phones and make all the testing kids eat A lunch then that problem may not happen. Another non benefit is that some kids may try to go home, well jokes on them it will just make the testing time more stressed for them as in as they are make up testing kids will be working on their final so they will have to work harder to get the test done in time to take their finals.

By changing the Keystones a bit it would be a huge benefactor thing to students and maybe even teachers. It may even relieve stress from both students and teachers. It is worth a shot.