I know what you're thinking... Normally when I say I am going to "toot" my horn, I mean something much more unpleasant. In this case, I mean I am going to brag. I just got the results from my first teaching test. It is a hard test and I know many people who didn't pass the first (or subsequent) time. I am happy to say that I exceeded the average score (and that required by my state) by about 30 points. Believe me, it was a shock. I am waiting for Brian Williams to report about how ETS messed up and scored the Praxis tests incorrectly.
Now generally, I try to reserve this space for inane stories about my family, but the fact that not only did I pass the state requirements, but I did much better than the average score begs a question more pressing than "Why does The Boy stand on tippy-toes when he is going to have a bowel movement?" Yes, what could be of more importance, I know... After the initial shock of my scores wore off, I realized that of the 32 states that have qualifying score requirements for the Middle School Language Arts test, only 5 states (CT, KS, MO, PA, VA) grant certification to teachers whose scores are within the average range (163-184 out of 200). The other 27 states that use the middle school tests have requirements below the average score with Alaska the lowest at 139. Obviously, not all states require that teachers take this test. To get my teaching certificate in WA state, for example, I didn't need to take the middle school exams or any other Praxis.
I have mixed feelings about states granting certification based on Praxis scores. What is the point of going through at least 4 years of school if at the end you still aren't qualified to teach? I have a very smart and capable teacher friend who not only went to prestigious schools for undergrad and graduate degrees, but she did well in both programs. She missed the state requirement by a few points so she had the choice to retake the test or teach in a state with lower requirements.
What are teachers learning in college if not the skills and content needed to teach? After all that time and money spent in school and in the classroom to gain certification, teachers should be qualified with the basic knowledge and skills to do an above-average job. Let's face it, teachers can look up facts and figures outside their subject-area knowledge and curriculum requirements (Is it necessary that I can identify the difference between iambic pentameter and trochaic pentameter? Do you know the difference? Is this piece of info what makes me a good and productive citizen?).
Maybe some states don't have Praxis requirements because they realize that ETS is making a ton of money off these tests and the academic world isn't reaping any benefits. I have to take 2 tests middle school tests and each costs $90 plus an additional registration fee of $50 ("charged once per testing year"). Then there are the costs for test prep materials, parking, childcare, and an additional fee of $30 if you want to find out your scores by phone (True, you can wait for a copy in the mail, but I considered paying the 30 bucks multiple times over the 6 days it took for me to get my copy in the mail).
My main concern over this whole situation is if we are so worried about leaving children behind and this test is required for certification, why on earth are most states accepting teachers who score below average in their content area? If the test is not a good indicator of teaching ability or knowledge, why on earth is it required? This seems to me to be another case of teachers having to jump through hoops to please some "authority" on how best to meet the needs of the students.
