LOOK! -> take the "california subject exam for teachers" free ->

You can do this at home on your computer at your leisure.

1) see what the tests for NCLB and highly qualified teachers are like!
California requires teachers in elementary school to have a multiple subject credential and/or pass this test if you have a single subject credential like special ed, math, social sciences, etc.

2)You have to take and pass this test or you will be fired,if you are a recently hired teacher, even if you teach kids who are handicapped, retarded, cannot read, write, or talk, no matter what.

3)And the best thing is this test is NOT tied to state standards, does not accurately reflect your ability to be a good teacher, and generates millions of dollars for faceless bureaucrats who have no clue how to be a good teacher.

OK, actually I have fibbed a tad. This test you can download is just a practice test, but it will give you an idea of what kind of exams the NCLB is requiring.

Here is how to take this practice test (3 parts, about 160 questions, including multiple guess and short essay). You can go back and change answers BEFORE you score your exam, but not after you score.

Go this website:

http://www.cset.nesinc.com/CS_viewPT_opener.asp

download the free JRE viewer from Sun Microsystems, which is required to run the practice test program.

Then download the test from the brown graphic link at page bottom.

Install everything, then read the directions on how to take the test in the instruction booklet. The test taking process is simple. Each section will take about an hour. You can see your score and find out what are correct answers for those you missed.

Remember kids, you CANNOT use a calculator, slide rule, or any other information assistance or source while taking this practice test. And the real test must be taken in pencil on paper, with all your math worth done on scratch paper by hand.

Actually many will find the test not too difficult, especially if you just graduated from college recently and have read ALL the latest research on every topic in the test. And pay no attention to the correct answers which are in fact entirely debatable as to whether they are in fact correct. That's just the way the statistical cookies crumble.

Just a tip so you can enter and share the world of teachers and NCLB.

Figure out your percent of correct answers (multiple choice only) and see if you PASS. Oh, sorry, I have no idear what percent is actually passing. Shhh, it is a state secret :-) But I figure above 80% ought to get you a job.

Msongs
www.msongs.com

I'm not even going to look, since I'm already dealing with Georgia's requirements.

if you don't get yourself highly qualified, you don't lose your job, they just reduce your pay. In my district, that is sub pay.

So you go to college for 4 years, graduate with a degree in education and earn $26K per year. Plus you get to work all summer doing something else since you won't get paid when school is not in session.

And if you had been hired as a fully certified teacher, you are taking a 15% cut in pay when they change the rules and decide your original certification is not good enough.

What a system, lemme tell ya.

(at least in my district) they simply send letters to the parents of your students naming you as a "not highly qualified teacher" who will be replaced as soon as they can find someone who is highly qualified to take your job.

I only took the first subtest. The History questions threw me. My dad would be so ashamed - he was a History teacher.

But I did okay on the questions over material I actually teach. I got all the Reading instruction questions right. And I thought my essay analyzing the spelling errors was pretty good.

Thanks for posting. That was interesting.

if they care to walk in a teacher's shoes so to speak.

the things that sink many people are:

you are shown a musical staff with sharps and flats indicating the key signature. then you are supposed to know the correct key signature!

in CA summer thunderstorms are caused by: ooooops, most summer thunderstorms in CA are NOT caused by the correct answer, in fact practically NONE are caused by the correct answer. Not many cold fronts go thru so cal in the summer.

If a pound of fudge costs $5, and a pound of fish costs $5, how much does a pound of plutonium cost? hehe just made that one up

of course the essay answers in the practice test are not "scored" for you but it helps to see what is coming on the real test.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/chinamart.htm

I am sure I could have easily passed. But if you don't use it you lose it. And I don't teach US History or World History. So I would have to do some major cramming. LOL

But I am pleased that I got the questions right that covered what I actually teach. I gave myself a smiley sticker for that. :)