Five Steps to Success on The PRAXIS TEST

1. Awareness - Become familiar with the test format, test directions, test material, and scoring by visiting the PPST Website at www.ets./praxis.

2. Basic Skills - Review the basic abilities required for success on the test in reading, mathematics, and writing in Part II, "Analysis of Exam areas." Know what to expect on the exam. This will help you to determine your strengths and weaknesses so that you can develop a study plan unique to your individual needs.

3. Question Types - Become familiar with the question types of each area on the test outlined in Part II, "Analysis of Exam Areas," so that you can practice difference versions of the same question type.

4. Strategies and Techniques - Practice using the strategies outlined in the next section of this book and decide what works best for you. Remember that if it takes you longer to recall a strategy that to solve the problem, its probably not a good strategy for you to adopt. The goal in offering strategies is for you to be able to work easily, quickly, and efficiently. Remember not to get stuck on any one question. Taking time to answer the most difficult question on the test correctly, but losing valuable test time, won't get you the score you deserve. And most importantly, remember to answer every question, even if you answer with an educated guess. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so it is to your advantage to answer all questions.

5. Practice - In addition to the sample practice problems in Part II, "Analysis of Exam Areas," this book offers you four complete practice test. Practice, practice, practice is the key to your success on the PPST.



- Joshua McFadden

National Board Certification

Nationally Board Certified Teachers can teach anywhere, can teach anything, and can teach anywhere. Those were the sentiments shared by Dr. Will Parker, who gave us clarity and direction on what National Board Certification looks like.  

He layed out the five core propositions of an accomplished teacher. He detailed how having a student centered teaching style, and keeping the learner at the center of instruction is evidence of a highly successful teacher.

In addition, he delved into the psychology of humans and what our triggers are.Triggers are what we innately react to, without thinking.  He explained that you should never take your innate "triggers" into your classroom, because you cannot let your own personal judgements hold you back from teaching your students.

All in all, Dr. Parker motivated the Fellows, to reach for best in the art of educating, and to not let anything hold you back from the teaching of your students.

http://www.nbpts.org/become_a_candidate/what_is_national_board_c

Pre-Professional Skills Test

The PPST is composed of three multiple-choice test and one essay:

The Reading Test. This Multiple-choice test requires your ability to read, comprehend, and evaluate passages or statements and answer questions based upon the content of these passages. The reading passages are taken from a wide range of subject areas, but no prior knowledge of the topic is necessary to answer the questions. All questions are based upon the content of the passage provided.

The Mathematics Test. This multiple-choice test requires a cumulative understanding of math basics from problem solving to quantitative reasoning. Knowledgeable should include basic math from elementary school to at least one years of high school and possibly one year of college.

The Writing Test. This test is divided into two sections. Part A is a multiple-choice section and contains question related to English usage sentence correction. This section requires your ability to detect and correct in standard written English. Part B requires your ability to plan and write a well-organized essay on an assigned topic.

Praxis

Assessment and Lesson Design: Prior knowledge or Diagnostics?

You’re in your classroom. Tomorrow is the first day of school. On your desk you have your lesson plan and your pacing guide. Your procedures and activities are prepared and then you come to the big “A”…ASSESSMENT. If this is you, let’s take a moment and demystify assessment in the instructional process.

This week in the institute, we have been discussing Common Core Standards and lesson plan design. Throughout the discussions, there continues to be a cloud surrounding assessment and its place in the instructional process. For any teacher, Pre-service or In-service, this can be a tricky and easily confusing topic. Much of what I know about assessment I learned from Rick Stiggins and Grant Wiggins, gentlemen who have revolutionized how we assess student knowledge, comprehension, and progression during instruction. So, let’s hear from these gentlemen as they explain the process of assessment in lesson design.

-Darrynn

Now Playing: Waiting for Superman



Check out the official film website

Finding Out Your Learning Style

After Mr. Yates beautiful presentation on Learning Styles.  HERE is the page on finding your learning styles and taking this back to your students.

Creating A Classroom Vision Statement

What does this mean? In 1968 Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson gave all the children in an elementary class a test. They then told the teacher that certain of these children were extremely intelligent (the children were actually quite average). At the end of the school year Rosenthal and Jacobson came back. The children they had identified as potentially high performers had made significantly more progress than the rest of the class, based on test scores.

Read more here

What is Your Learning Style?

On August 20, 2011, gentlemen from the Male focused TQRP heard from Dean Yates of Prairie View A&M University. Participants were blown away by his knowledge of different learning styles. More specifically, the guys were intrigued with learning of various domains. Never before had some of the men heard of some learning styles such as: students who need certain lighting, noise levels in the room and even those who need to snack while they eat. According to Dean Yates, all of these things have a direct correlation to student success. Even more, each male was supplied with an inventory that told of their best learning style! Knowing how the teacher learns just may prove to assist in his or her teaching.  

Think About It: Patience

How do you feel? What does patience mean to you?  What does it mean in the classroom?

Speak Life Enterprises.& Reaching the Educator's Soul

We all need to remember why exactly we are in education and what's our story.  Things happen to us that pull us into service.  Every child we shall impact will have a story. We need to realize what's ours and ways in which we can use our story to inspire a fire in the children we serve. Very powerful session.

New Must Read!!

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers

Have you taken the Praxis Series? Don't be afraid, here is some help.

About The Praxis Series™ Tests

The Praxis Series™ tests measure teacher candidates’ knowledge and skills. The tests are used for licensing and certification processes and include:

• Praxis I ® Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST®)
  These tests measure basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. In addition to licensure, these tests are often used to qualify candidates for entry into a teacher education program.
• Praxis II ® Subject Assessments
  These tests measure subject-specific content knowledge, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills, that you need for beginning teaching.

- Joshua McFadden

Are you being an effective classroom manager?

Are you an effective manager of your classroom? What is classroom management?  Do I need classroom management? Classroom management speaks to ways of organizing the resources, pupils, procedures and routines of your classroom so that teaching and learning can proceed in a safe and effective manner. It enables the teacher to manage energy levels, ensure appropriate learner participation, and create working patterns that have a positive impact on learning. It helps to motivate learners and ensures that different styles of learning are catered for and different needs met.

Extensive theory and practice is based around the work of Harry & Rosemary Wong, authors of The First Day of School. They have identified key components of classroom management that are critical to the daily process of education.

The following video provides a perspective from a veteran teacher:

Must Read!

Available on Amazon right now...

Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There addresses a crucial issue in teacher training and professional education: the need to prepare pre-service and in-service teachers for the racially diverse student populations in their classrooms. A down-to-earth book, it aims to help practitioners develop insights and skills for successfully educating diverse student bodies. Click the link for more...

The Lottery (2011) describes The Rise of No-Excuses Charter Schools

The Lottery is a movie centered around the open lottery for entry into the Harlem Success Academy, a successful charter school startup in Harlem, NY.  It takes a look at the failures of public education and how can we go about securing a better future for our children.  Over 2,000 parents signed up for the lottery for about 100 slots. 

Read more after the break...

A Warm Texas Welcome!

On Sunday, July 17, 2011, fellows of the Thurgood Marshall Teacher Quality and Retention Program (TQRP) were welcomed onto the campus of Prairie View A&M University. Gentleman came from all around the country, eager to learn more about themselves, the world around them and the many facets of becoming a stronger educator. The opening plenary session offered a Texas style barbeque with servings of: chicken, ribs, potato salad, cake, baked beans and even fleshly brewed tea. 

Students were not only welcomed with a nice meal, but were greeted with the words of an inspiring and stead-fast leader in the field of education, Dr. Will Parker. Dr. Parker is a representative of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and he lives in Washington, D.C.. Students were captured by his soft but firm tone when stood before the microphone and provided male educators with a charge to be the best they could possibly be. In addition, fellows were given a serenade, for he sings and acts when he is not working with educators.

This warm welcome by Dr. Parker, and a few others, was a small glimpse into what the fellows would receive later in the week.