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Yet, in EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL I HAVE EVER WORKED IN, I have taught with teachers who are unable to spell correctly, routinely present information using incorrect grammar and punctuation, and, when this is pointed out, whether by parents unimpressed at the written instructions given for assignments or comments on work or general correspondence, or by colleagues gently pointing out that having the wrong "your/you're" or "there/their/they're" on a large classroom display looks less than professional/credible, shrug and say, "Well, I don't teach/didn't major in English."
I have never heard that from teachers in high school at all. We did have a vice principal who could not spell and her emails and letters home were a disgrace.
Teachers at my school had to pass basic reading and writing tests as well as math tests.
Except it's not in many places. I don't need math to be an amazing Spanish teacher, regardless of what you think or what your experience is, just like you don't need to know Spanish to be an amazing math teacher. I just found out about the NYS requirements, which are awesome, because NYC is exactly where I want to teach. Seriously. Thanks for your concern.
It is interesting that you want to teach in NYC. Most of the people I know who currently teach there are having a hard time now with the evaluation system. Just a word of warning on that. Your students are evaluated on math and English regardless of what subject you are teaching and their scores factor into your evaluation.
It is interesting that you want to teach in NYC. Most of the people I know who currently teach there are having a hard time now with the evaluation system. Just a word of warning on that. Your students are evaluated on math and English regardless of what subject you are teaching and their scores factor into your evaluation.
I am aware of that. It's good, though; I'll deal with that as it happens. For now, I know that I look forward to teaching in NYC!!
I was going to try to help you find a solution because according to you:
Quote:
I am compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, empathetic, hard-working,
The mathematics in the Pre Praxis/Basic Skills is written at an eighth grade level. Anyone who cannot pass the math portion of the Pre Praxis should not be allowed to teach.
Anyone who cannot pass the other portions of the Pre Praxis should not be in the teaching profession either.
Please, by all means, stay in New York.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 04-15-2015 at 11:37 AM..
Reason: removed the jerk comment
The mathematics in the Pre Praxis/Basic Skills is written at an eighth grade level.
This was my experience, as well. Even with minimal high school math and no college math outside of the embedded statistics models taught in education coursework on assessment, as noted, I was able to pass by a wide margin, so it can't have been that complex at that point.
I suspect that the OP's skills are not necessarily as low as believed, but that there is a significant mental block going on, as happens when people become convinced that they are "not good at math." As a person "not good at math," but who has to take a variety of statistics and assessment-related coursework in grad school, I understand this block. Revisiting and brushing up on 8th grade level math as an adult should be sufficient if one has been away from it for a number of years, however.
OP, as others have noted, you will be called upon to analyze scores, test design, etc., which will involve functional math, no matter what you are teaching. They don't just include math skills in pre-professional skills assessments because it's fun to watch people teaching languages and arts and such sweat geometric proofs. There is a reason for the requirement of basic competence. Typically, a great deal of defeatist attitude, academically (barring legitimate learning disabilities, naturally) is simply panic and self-defeat. You will have students you will have to counsel about this as well, including those who have decided they just "can't" get whatever it is that you are teaching. It's generally a confidence issue and an anxiety issue.
Thanks, Tabula Rasa!
I am really bad at it, trust me, and I am perfectly fine with it.
I have lots of other strengths as a teacher that math wizards may or may not possess. We are all different, and as a teacher, I absolutely get that.
Where I substitute teach currently, we have an automated system that does everything as far as analyzing and weighing scores and test results for report cards and such. Teachers don't have to do anything beyond the simplest arithmetic, which is awesome, as far as I'm concerned.
This was my experience, as well. Even with minimal high school math and no college math outside of the embedded statistics models taught in education coursework on assessment, as noted, I was able to pass by a wide margin, so it can't have been that complex at that point.
I suspect that the OP's skills are not necessarily as low as believed, but that there is a significant mental block going on, as happens when people become convinced that they are "not good at math." As a person "not good at math," but who has to take a variety of statistics and assessment-related coursework in grad school, I understand this block. Revisiting and brushing up on 8th grade level math as an adult should be sufficient if one has been away from it for a number of years, however.
OP, as others have noted, you will be called upon to analyze scores, test design, etc., which will involve functional math, no matter what you are teaching. They don't just include math skills in pre-professional skills assessments because it's fun to watch people teaching languages and arts and such sweat geometric proofs. There is a reason for the requirement of basic competence. Typically, a great deal of defeatist attitude, academically (barring legitimate learning disabilities, naturally) is simply panic and self-defeat. You will have students you will have to counsel about this as well, including those who have decided they just "can't" get whatever it is that you are teaching. It's generally a confidence issue and an anxiety issue.
The thing is I could have probably helped him or her figure out where the disconnect is and assisted in overcoming it as I have offered many times in this forum with others. For reasonably intelligent adults, there is usually an easily identifiable obstacle and it can be overcome.
This person is too antagonistic and should not be in a classroom.
I did an alternative certification program in Missouri. I only had to take a secondary knowledge test (questions about teaching situations) and the test for my certification area.
"First, high school algebra and geometry are NOT higher level math.
Second, I have no sympathy for teachers who cannot pass simple tests. We expect our students to pass all kinds of crazy tests, so we have to be able to take and pass them too."
I think that was my post, not Everdeen's post.
What about that says anything about everyone learning by the same method. It says people should all be able to learn the concepts, but not that they must be learned in lockstep or in the same way.
As for the testing, it only gets worse. Thus teachers need to be able to test or they can't help their students to do well on the state tests. I hate the testing emphasis, but it is not going to change.
Thanks, Tabula Rasa!
I am really bad at it, trust me, and I am perfectly fine with it.
I have lots of other strengths as a teacher that math wizards may or may not possess. We are all different, and as a teacher, I absolutely get that.
Where I substitute teach currently, we have an automated system that does everything as far as analyzing and weighing scores and test results for report cards and such. Teachers don't have to do anything beyond the simplest arithmetic, which is awesome, as far as I'm concerned.
But you do need to UNDERSTAND the principles behind it. Automated systems are also susceptible to various amounts of user error, and if data is gathered and input erroneously, the system will still just work with whatever data is provided, even if it's incorrect. A person who actually understands what the program is quickly and automatically measuring and analyzing will be able to identify errors and problems at a glance, whereas a person who has no real clue, conceptually, but is just plugging in raw data, won't even necessarily notice or absorb that something is not right/doesn't make sense.
I use spell check, but I still understand the basic rules and concepts of the English language. One of the most dangerous messages being passed along to students today is that if there's some program that can be used as an assistive tool, there is no reason to learn. It's lazy and makes people dependent upon such tools, and ultimately less independent and knowledgeable, overall. Automated programs are intended to be timesavers, they are not intended to take the place of actually obtaining the knowledge.
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