That time of year is coming again, semester one is almost finished which means only one thing: Midterms. While some classes don’t give Midterms, others do. The five main subjects that are worried about the most are Math, English, Science, History and Language Arts. But the question is: are they helpful? Do we even need midterms?

Ms. Redding who teaches Chemistry and is the head of the Science department here at Franklin High gave her insight on the science midterms. She lets us know that Biology does not take midterms, which sophomores, juniors and seniors may remember. Freshman may not have to worry about midterms in their science department but Chemistry students do have midterms which they should be aware of by their teachers. Most other science classes do not take midterms, but the teacher will notify their students if they do or do not.

Ms. Redding tells us, “Midterms to me do seem as a helpful tool to keep in mind what students learned over the past year. While students may feel it is a hassle, the tests let teachers know where their students are in the class. It is hard though to stop in the middle of the year and review, which is why most science classes continue on. Teachers like to have a large test to take place for the midterm.”

She did give a helpful tool to study for midterms, “Teachers should be giving their students study guides for midterms and many of the questions on the study guide will be on the midterms or resemble the questions.”

English does not take midterms as well other than seniors taking a semester English class.

Ms. Arthurs, head of the English department, let us know that, “English teachers do not like to do midterms. We feel that it takes up unnecessary class time and we use it for writing time or time that allows us to use as a period to teach a longer lesson than usual.”

Language does not take midterms as well and Ms. Dohm told,

“We do not like to take midterms in language and we usually just go on with class as another regular day, only a longer period.”

Many students get overwhelmed by all of the midterms. So, should we even have them?

Junior Conner Wardrop is not keen midterms.

“I feel that Midterms helps with reviewing what we learned already this past year, we still have everything that we learned from the beginning until now on our finals. I think that we should have maybe like a test wrapping up the second quarter instead of having a a midterm.”

Sophomore Nicole Shine feels the opposite.

She says, “I may be weird, but I like midterms. I forget a lot of what I learned from the beginning of the year, so making the midterm to have us study, I look back and remember what I did learn from September until now.”

Midterms may not be a choice, but the need for them is clear that many people would disagree on whether we should or should not take midterms.