If you are a junior right now, you had the luxury of attending a so-called “boot camp” for the ACT.
Taking place over the course of a week, this boot camp was what could be called a “reminder lecture,” going over important topics for each test (grammar, equations, etc.), but it largely focused on one thing: pacing.
A few students and teachers, including myself, feel as if the boot camp—while good—could have been better. The boot camp had a setup that significantly disrupted the schedules and plans of teachers, as classes were cut down for students to participate. This led to what one person called a “wasted week,” as teachers, fearful of students falling behind, ceased teaching new material. Instead, it became a week of review or simple assignments, which while acceptable for regular classes, did not work well for AP classes, which must finish their material before AP testing and cannot afford to lose an entire week.
Some students were unaware of the boot camp schedule. While most knew which group they were in, they did not know exactly when they were supposed to report to the boot camp due to the apparent lack of a posted schedule via email or StudentSquare. This was compounded by the lack of announcements over the intercom during the week and a seeming lack of enforcement of participation. For example, one student, wrapped up in classwork, forgot to attend the boot camp and, to my knowledge, has yet to receive any consequence, such as a tardy.
Along with this, there was a general sense that the boot camp felt rushed. Topics were often covered quickly, leaving little room for note-taking. Several students reported being unable to take notes during the math and science sections due to the lecturers’ style, which was largely verbal and seemed to assume immediate familiarity with the material. Maybe a printed notetaking packet would have been helpful.
All in all, while the ACT boot camp was a useful reminder for some, if it is brought back, it would greatly benefit from better coordination between the school and students as well as more time for instruction and at least some guided notetaking materials.
