Turkey Term is a nightmarish hybrid between the worst of fall and winter. We lose the long daylight hours, but we’re still constrained to class dress. We lose our relaxing afternoons spent by the river and Shriv, but the Lower Fields aren’t yet turned into a winter wonderland. But above all, Turkey Term poses an unmanageable course load; after a weeklong break, we are immediately drowned in new material, then bombarded with an onslaught of major assessments. To alleviate this academic pressure, Deerfield should restrict teachers from assigning major graded assignments during Turkey Term.
Because Turkey Term is sandwiched between two breaks, teachers often try to fit an entire unit into the span of two to three weeks. But two weeks is simply not enough time; classes meet only six or seven times during this period, and perhaps as few as three meetings will be dedicated to covering new material before assessments. Because learning becomes so condensed, students’ ability to absorb information decreases. In addition, students face a deluge of back-to-back major assessments in the last few days—the only possible time for teachers to administer them. In short, when teachers force-fit a unit before winter break, the resulting pressure falls on overloaded students, who have to internalize too much material in not enough time.
If we prohibited teachers from assigning major assessments during Turkey Term, we would fix the immense pressure placed on students, as well as improving the quality of teaching. Classes dedicated to assessments could be repurposed to going over the material at a slower pace and in significantly more detail. For example, science classes could use the time to add labs while humanities classes could incorporate more discussions. Furthermore, since there is more flexibility in scheduling major assignments during January, students will be more able to reschedule assessments, and it is less likely for so many assessments to align.
Admittedly, it is due to the Deerfield schedule that teachers are pressed to fit an entire unit within Turkey Term as winter midterm grades are due only three weeks after winter break. To make the proposition feasible, winter midterm grades could be pushed back a week.
Turkey Term is currently an undue burden upon the Deerfield student. Yet Turkey Term reveals the greater problem of grading in general. There has been nearly four decades of research that grading has a negative relationship with learning. Turkey Term is a microcosm of this greater issue of assessments impeding on student’s learning by both applying immense pressure and taking away time from more in-depth exploration. While limiting major graded assessments during Turkey term is a first step, Deerfield must consider the fundamental problem with assessments.
