UPDATE: Although it was the lowest score compared to the other two tests, I passed.
ATS-W The ATS-W is the assessment of teaching skills. It’s more like assessment of the ideal/perfect teacher that no one can become and will only become insane trying to become it. Seriously. The answers to the questions are subjective and impractical. Some questions are common sense while others will drive you nuts because more than one choice seems plausible. Again, the essay wasn’t too difficult and I would recommend taking a look at the topic first. The multiple-choice questions would definitely guide your essay. I don’t think there is any way you can prepare for this exam besides doing the practice exams. I would also review some of the child development theories of Piaget, because, although they do not ask for any specific information, they expect you to be able to apply them in the education setting. I have no clue how well I did and I will be suffering one month waiting for the results. Good luck to anyone taking any of the exams.
UPDATE: After a long month, the wait is over, I passed. =)
LAST Over the summer I took the LAST exam and passed. It wasn’t too hard but it can be very draining. The questions have nothing to do with teaching. It is a test of general knowledge from all different subjects. There are many multiple-choice questions and one essay. I think the essay was the only question that was related to education. The rest of the test had items that covered all sorts of area ranging from art to math to science etc. The part I found most tedious and mentally draining was the reading passages. The last few questions consisted of long readings only to have you answer two questions. I spent the whole four hours completing the exam. My suggestions to anyone planning on taking the exam is to get a practice test from the library and refresh your mind of the basic math, English, science, and even art material. Also, before answering the multiple-choice questions, read the essay question so you can develop an idea of what you will be writing. Sometimes questions on the test can help guide your essay.
Certification is NOT Cheap The purpose of today’s entry is to inform future teachers that getting certified is not cheap. Before you can begin student teaching, all students must get fingerprinted. It is required for everyone working in schools; therefore student teachers cannot escape it. The price of getting printed can run you up to 115$. The two blokes who did the printing didn’t make the experience pleasant either. The next expense on the list is the four seminars education students must attend before getting certified. Each three hour long cost 35$, running you up to 140$ in total. Although the seminars can be informative, three hours is a really long time. 35$ per seminar and refreshments aren’t even provided, so in the end you end up paying for a piece of paper stating you’re certified in an area you’ve probably spent 3 three hours daydreaming. There are three certification examinations everyone must take. They are Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), Assessment of Teaching Skills (ATSW), and the Content Specialty Test (CST). Each tests cost 88$, totaling up to 264$. The general message this entry is trying to say is to start saving because certification is not cheap, unless you have 519$ at your disposal.