By Nysa Gandhi and Anna McGurkin
With Zoom calls and hybrid school left in the past and deadlines back in full force, a revamped program has been implemented at RPCS called Get Things Done, often referred to as GTD by those regularly assigned to it. The concept behind GTD is that when a student falls behind on schoolwork, they are sent to a proctored study hall where they can complete their work promptly. Yet despite the wholesome motives that inspired this program, GTD has quickly become a controversial topic within the halls.
From a purely academic standpoint, GTD has been a swimming success. With the looming fear of having to spend the afternoon stuck in the library, students are quick to turn in their late work without teachers having to hassle them. Previously, teachers often had to send countless emails hounding students for late work with no response, yet now with GTD, one short email mentions the mandatory study hall and students quickly catch up.
Mrs. Yoder, the learning specialist at RPCS, has reported that GTD has been 100% successful regarding the promptness of students’ work. She says that GTD makes teachers' lives easier, but it also teaches students accountability. When asked about why GTD is beneficial for students at RPCS, she says, “If you don't meet a deadline in the real world, you don't get a second chance. As a college preparatory school, it is our duty to prepare the students for what is to come.”
Yoder adds, "Coming off of a year with no deadlines because of COVID, and not even having in-school tests or assessments, the importance of offering students a supportive location to get things done was intensified."
Knowing the consequences of late work forces students to allocate their time better and prioritize the work that matters the most. Thus GTD has improved students' promptness and ability to turn in work on time. However, some students believe that this program has several flaws that the school does not see.
Mya Fedash, a senior, believes that Get Things Done is, "just detention with a different name." Most of the student complaints about the program focus on the fact that the school will not admit that they are just assigning detention to students who do not turn assignments in on time. Despite the fun acronym, many students view GTD as a mandatory detention that forces them to miss any after-school commitments regardless of the importance of the assignment. GTD can sometimes force students to miss important games or practices to complete assignments, which some argue is detrimental to the students and the team as a whole.
Some students are most frustrated by the reason they are assigned Get Things Done. Assignments like essays, discussion boards, or tests have deadlines for obvious reasons: grading schedules, the timing of the class, and making sure teachers do not have to wait to grade assignments until the last minute. However, a large concern among students is when seemingly unimportant assignments are prioritized over sports games or after-school work obligations.
A senior who preferred to remain anonymous explained how she was told she would be assigned a GTD to her surprise: “I woke up one morning to an email from my club sponsor, saying that if I did not complete a club commitment by the end of that same day, I would receive a GTD for that afternoon. Having this be the first time I was hearing of the assignment and knowing that the task at hand would take multiple hours and the help of more than one person, I felt extremely overwhelmed, stressed, and mostly, just a lack of support.”
While GTD could be productive in helping students prioritize school work and building healthy habits, the implementation of the program at RPCS has been flawed, and subsequently, has resulted in resentment from students. Overall, there needs to be a better balance between holding students accountable for their work and creating the feeling of unwarranted punishment.
If teachers and faculty can outline a specific duration of time that a student can complete their work before being assigned a GTD, rather than notifying students the day of, it will foster a more supportive and understanding environment. Communication between students and teachers is integral for the betterment of GTD and clarifying the guidelines on what is worthy of a GTD. With these improvements, GTD could be a fantastic program that can help students catch up on their work, catch their footing, and thrive in moving forward in their classes.
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