Essentials for Effective New Teachers
Are you new to teaching? New to the grade level? New to the school system? New to the curriculum? New can mean a lot of things in the world of education. Just ask teachers with twenty years of experience how their first year with Common Core State Standards went, and you’re likely to hear the word new. When new is the word you use to describe…
Overcoming Low Pass Rates on Teacher Certification Exams
Consider some 2017 pass rates on required tests for teachers: 25% on the ILTS Test of Academic Proficiency, (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/TAP_PassRates400_20170101_20170331.pdf), 43% for MTEL General Curriculum Math subtest, and 40% on the MTEL Foundations of Reading exam (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mtel/results/2017-1119.html). Content and basic skills tests are formidable for students attempting to enter teacher licensure preparation programs and for graduates of those 4-year licensure programs. With appalling failure rates, you may…
What Is the Illinois Licensure Testing System?
For thirty years, the state of Illinois has relied on the ILTS testing program to measure the proficiency of teacher candidates pursuing licensure. The infamous difficulty of this test has led to the creation of several online sources to help candidates prepare. Online test preps are considered the most effective means of preparation for anyone looking ahead to an ILTS test. The Test of Academic…
How to Prepare for MTEL Exams
The MTEL exam was designed to ensure that educators have the academic preparedness to succeed in a school community. You’ll need both academic proficiency and professional communication skills. Qualifying scores on the required tests indicate that you are knowledgeable in your respective areas of expertise and able to communicate clearly with students and their parents or guardians. Understandably, passing such all-encompassing tests is a challenge that…
Why Use Online Teaching Certification Preparation?
One of the minimum requirements for becoming a teacher is a bachelor's degree. Many teachers choose to pursue an even higher level of education, but a bachelor's is the bare minimum for teaching students from kindergarten to grade 12. If you're a full-time student, a bachelor's degree will take four years to get. If you're a part-time student, it could take six years to graduate. During…
“Yes! You will use this!”
Any student of history can recognize the connection between productivity and reward in the establishment of the American way of life. And what about today? Is the tight connection between work and reward lived out in your classroom? Far too many of our students question the benefit of school. They make Google their best friend and preface every assignment with, “Am I ever going to use…