Why Final Exams!! ... a teacher's perspective

The purpose of a final exam in any class has many uses.  Students should try not view it with stress.  Sure, your grade will be affected by the results.  But, when viewed through the following lens, it is a valuable experience and provides vital feedback.  Mr. Haigh chooses to look at it as an opportunity to evaluate his own teaching and the information and the abilities that have been imparted to his students.  He assigns a grade to it because that provides the extrinsic motivation to those being evaluated to do their best to interact and learn the material and skills being presented. Words spoken by a teacher, "This will be on the test" is often a clue to the learner that it is important enough to the teacher to assess it at the end of the unit.  The state DOE provides standards to all subject areas to provide the same clue to teachers and students that the material is deemed important to success in learning a discipline of study.  So, as you prepare to take your finals view the process as a way to look back on everything you learned throughout the course.  And, yes it will likely provide feedback to you (and the teacher) about all things that we could have learned more thoroughly.  Good luck this week.