The Benefits of Giving Exams
Basically, exams are given in order for teachers to determine the learning status of the students. It is not given to scare them or demotivate. Results of the exam will be used for the evaluation of their learning process so that teachers can make adjustments as to their teaching style.
The education process consists both teaching and learning. Teaching refers to the transfer of knowledge while learning is the act of acquiring knowledge. Teachers have the prerogative as what teaching techniques to use in order to assure that students learn. Giving exams is an evaluation technique used by teachers to check if the students have acquired all his teachings. If the exam results turned favorable, teacher will proceed with his strategy and teach the next topic. But if the exam results turned unfavorable by majority, it only means that the teacher needs to use another technique in order for the students to easily acquire the desired learning.
During my five years of teaching, I make it a point to give chapter exam for my students. These exams don't necessarily be long exams. Usually it only consists of what I have teached. If majority of my students resulted favorable in the exam, another chapter will be discussed. But if most of them failed in my given exam, it only requires me to repeat the discussion in the lighter approach. If only few of the students failed, a make-up class will be requested or tutorial session will be held.
In my case, I never see exams as hinder to the education process. In fact, it is a big help for without it, I will never know the effectiveness of my teaching strategies and the level of learning of my students. Final exams give me the real scenario inside my class. It helps me determine my effectiveness as teacher and identify the strength and weaknesses of my students as far as my subject is concern.
My only concern regarding this issue is when exams are given for the purpose of torturing the students mentally. And this is true, there are teachers who are fond of giving exams not within the coverage of what they have taught. They just want to make an impression to the students as a strict teacher who gives hard exams. They do this as part of their status quo. On these cases, exams do not help students to learn, instead, it gives them traumatic experiences that demotivate them to continue studying.