The Devil called PRAXIS

BirthaBlue4 · #1 08-13-2004, 11:56 AM

Who's taken it and who still needs to take it?

I passed PRAXIS I the first time, no prob.

I gotta take 3 PRAXIS II tests to graduate:

Elementary Content Knowlede
Early Childhood
BOTH Special Ed tests

I only have four tries to fit in all three, so PLEASE pray for me!

#2 08-13-2004, 12:02 PM

I still have to take 2 out of the 3 Praxis 1 exams this semester.

JupiterTC · #3 08-13-2004, 12:06 PM

I passed Praxis I a long time ago. I have to take 2 of the Praxis II exams this year:

Music: Concept & Process
Music: Content Knowledge

I feel your pain Birtha

Kevin · #4 08-13-2004, 05:13 PM

What is PRAXIS?

KSUViolet06 · #5 08-13-2004, 05:56 PM

Basically standardized tests for education majors.

Praxis I- Basic Competency Exams in Reading, Writing & Math
Usually taken in your first 2 years. You can test out of any or all of the 3 depending on the scores of your freshman placement tests.

I tested out of reading and writing and passed math in the spring of Sophomore year.

Praxis II- Taken in the semesters prior to student teaching. You usually take the main exam for the grades you will be teaching & a second in your content area.
My major is English Education- Secondary (7th-12th grades):

So, I'll be taking Secondary Ed Content Knowledge and English: Concept & Knowledge.

carnation · #6 08-13-2004, 06:21 PM

Spanish is a killer. The year I took it, only 33% passed.

AWJDZ · #7 08-13-2004, 11:41 PM

uh, yeah...the Praxis is the devil! I passed Praxis I with no problem my soph. year. Praxis II was a different story. I was an Exercise Science major with a cert. in Physical Education and Health. I waited until the summer after graduation to take it because I really did not know if I would go into teaching. I got a job teaching right after graduation, so I signed up. First time, missed it by 3 points. Second time, missed it by 1. Third time, passed it by 17 points! I did nothing different study-wise on the third try. I hated that test with a passion!

For some unknown reason...I have signed up to do the National Boards this year. here comes another test....

kateshort · #8 08-14-2004, 10:03 AM

Strange that we don't have PRAXIS out here... Illinois has a Basic Skills test that you're supposed to pass before you get into a specific education-major program, though if you don't take ed classes until grad school I think you can take it your first semester of classes.

Then there's a content area test that you're supposed to take for your major area of concentration. I think the elementary people had an "elementary" one if they're going for a K-9 certificate, but there's got to be a content area if you're going for a 6-12 "secondary" certificate. (I'm not sure how that's changed given the new pedagogical test.)

There's also a pedagogical test that's new for people who didn't get their certificate applied for by last July. I don't recall if you have to take it before or after student teaching. Of the pedagogical and content areas, one must be taken before and the other can be taken after.

SO glad I got my K-12 Library Media Specialist cert taken care of last year. I would *not* want to have to take a third set of tests!
I do think it's nice to have a pedagogical test to make sure you have some clues about teaching... if you're in classes that are covering what's going to be on the test! Lots of ed. schools have seemed to say the same thing with different terminology, which makes it just a smidge harder to figure out which item on a test is closest to the answer that you'd say.

Is the PRAXIS like that with three sets of tests-- basics, content, and pedagogy? It kind of looks like the PRAXIS is our Basic Skills, and the PRAXIS II is the pedagogical and the content rolled into one...

BirthaBlue4 · #9 08-14-2004, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kateshort
Is the PRAXIS like that with three sets of tests-- basics, content, and pedagogy? It kind of looks like the PRAXIS is our Basic Skills, and the PRAXIS II is the pedagogical and the content rolled into one...

There are actually 3 PRAXIS sets:

PRAXIS I: Reading (multiple choice), Writing (written and multiple choice) and Math (multiple choice)

PRAXIS II: your specific subject area. Some of these tests have "exercises" that require more than a multiple choice answer.

PRAXIS III: "Classroom Performance Assessments comprise a system for assessing the skills of beginning teachers in classroom settings. ETS developed Praxis III for use in teacher licensing decisions made by states or local agencies empowered to license teachers. Under the guidelines that govern its use, Praxis III may not be used for the purpose of making employment decisions about teachers who are currently licensed."

I don't think Maryland uses PRAXIS III, if they do, they can kiss my butt right about now LOL. For our program, you have to pass PRAXIS I and II to graduate, because getting our liscense is a part of our requirements, which is cool, kills two birds with one stone kinda thing. However, some graduate programs I've seen, I don't recall them having to take PRAXIS II, just PRAXIS I (for those programs that help people become certified)

Glitterkitty · #10 08-14-2004, 02:28 PM

I didn't think they were that hard.

ajuhdg · #11 08-14-2004, 02:45 PM

Y'all are making me a little nervous! I'm taking the Praxis II next month. I've been studying my butt off. I'll student teach in January...if I pass...and the practice things I've done make me nervous for the real deal!

aj

Rio_Kohitsuji · #12 08-14-2004, 04:30 PM

Arg. The dreaded Praxis....

Thankfully I didn't have to take the Praxis I, got out of that due to my ACT score.

Praxis II...well..I'll be taking it here in the Fall.

Good luck BerthaBlue!!

hannahgirl · #13 08-14-2004, 05:48 PM

I luckily tested out of taking Praxis I. We were exempt if we had an A in Math and English. I would've had to take the computer part, however, I took a college computer course my senior year of HS and was exempt from that also following proof of credit and grade.

I took Praxis II last summer and passed...THANK GOD! I only had to take the Early Childhood (Pre-K - 3) exam. Very thankful that I didn't have a concentration!

I will hopefully be taking Praxis III next year if I find a job. This year I'll be subbing in two counties and trying to become known in a school district.

ADPiSAI · #14 08-19-2004, 01:46 PM

I took the Praxis II (French Content Knowledge) in June, and I found it to be really easy.
I never took the Praxis I because I wasn't an Ed. major, and the program I'm doing doesn't require it.

Good luck to all of you who still have to take it!

AWJDZ · #15 08-19-2004, 07:55 PM

Like I had posted earlier...I passed Praxis I on the first time, took Praxis II for my content areas and passed, and I do not have to take Praxis III for North Carolina.

I am going into my 4th year of teaching now...so (shoot me in the head now!) I have registared for the National Board Certification program. The state of NC pays for it, unlike most others, and there is a huge bonus offered by most states if you are NBC. Has anyone done this? I heard it was a lot harder than Praxis II, but much like Praxis III? Has anyone taken Praxis III? Not only does this process require me to take another exam, but I also have to build this huge portfolio. I guess it will all pay off in the long run....