Remembering everyday class schedules takes time to get used to, but having a stable learning environment can help students adjust to having a daily routine. Students at Coral Gables Senior High are to visit eight classes in total, alternating the same four classes each day. However, when there is a bump on the road, students are led to confusion and chaos, unaware of which class to attend and at what time.

Most commonly, the months of April and May, unanimously known as testing season, can cause many disruptions to these environments. These exams can be vigorous and time-consuming, so schools make sure to provide a still environment for students to study and take their tests. For the weeks leading up, students and teachers are cramming in the last bits of information to secure a passing score.

This demanding time of testing calls for displaced classrooms, affecting all teaching and learning environments. Teachers and students are frequently moved to different rooms all throughout the school when the majority of the buildings are occupied for testing. Furthermore, some teachers are required to proctor these exams, and with a substitute teacher shortage, many classrooms are left with no choice but to move to another room.

“Honestly, having displaced classes could be fun because sometimes I end up in a classroom that my friends are in, but it gets hard to keep track of all of my assignments and where I’m supposed to be going,” freshman Jason Hurtado said.

When schedules are constantly changing, students find themselves running all over the school looking for their classes. This presents a problem, as it stirs up a hectic environment. Students are either being sent to different classrooms or the pavilion which takes away from their allotted learning schedule.

Many students adjust to the new work environments smoothly while others may not move with the same ease. To combat this, teachers change their teaching scheme to accommodate their students, making it easier to navigate throughout the testing season. Knowing that testing season pulls them away from their normal rooms, some teachers tend to get teach the most challenging material prior to that. This allows the students to carry less on their plate and focus more on studying for their exams.

Other educators know that some students might forget the due dates for their assignments, so they turn to software such as Microsoft Teams and Remind to keep students in the know. Because of the dedicated and resilient teachers, students are able to manage the heavy load that testing season is putting on their backs.

While teachers should aid their students and keep them in the know, students should also make an effort in altering these learning environments smoothly. Showing up to class and collaborating with their teachers to get over these challenging times are key to successfully maneuvering their way through displaced classes and testing season.