This week
has been a hectic week to be an education major, no matter what your
concentration is. Majority of us found out the state certification test for
Generalist is changing. Now you may say well you are a Special Education major
so this does not affect you, this is false. To be a highly qualified SPED
teacher we need Generalist EC-12 certification test passed as well as the ESL
certification test. I was always okay with taking the Generalist EC-12 test
because I really want to teach elementary school before I jumped in and became
a SPED teacher, but these changes are ridiculous. I have heard many people say
well the test does not change until Fall 2014 just take the test before then.
The problem with that scenario is Prairie View A&M University's Whitlowe R.
Green College of Education will not let you. If you are in my boat, saying you
are a SPED major or any major other than Generalist, you cannot take any other
certification test until you graduate! Which by the way I believe is the most
ridiculous thing in the world and Prairie View is one of the few schools that I
know of, that do that. I have heard many explanations to why we cannot take the
test. Some say it is because you have not take the required classes for that
content area, but if I go to the review sessions and study on my own time, who
are you to say I am not prepared to take the test before I graduate! This whole
situation has stressed me out to a whole other level. I honestly think that is
why I was not open to the new TaskStream program; it was too many changes for
one week.
It's a state rule that you have to be approved by your EPP (Educator Preparation Program) before you can test, but I *think* EPPs can decide WHEN you're cleared? I seem to recall hearing that one university in San Antonio has its candidates take the PPR after their 3000-level CUIN courses.
ReplyDeleteI know my students have to move from ELAR 8-12 to ELAR 7-12 -- pretty much all the high school content exams have changed to grades 7 through 12. But I thought students have until August 2014 to take the old tests? Maybe that's up to the program, too.
Yes this is true, we have until Fall 2014 to take the "old' test, but my major is Special Education so I cannot take the test until after I graduate which is May 2015.
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