Re: Pre K – Grade 3 Praxis… Worth It? – Teachers.Net (OH Teachers)

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

OH Teachers

MEMBERS

4 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Ohio Teachers Chatboard

Pre K - Grade 3 Praxis... Worth It?

by Just Curious

May 10, 2009

I'm considering earning a degree in Early Childhood (Pre- K to 3) and was happy to see that there is a Praxis exam for this area. I know of several horror stories (and have even seen posts on this chatboard) about people who couldn't pass certain parts of the elementary (thru grade 8) exams.

So I have a few questions. If you have taken the Pre-K - Grade 3 exam, how was your experience? Also, if you have managed to obtain a job, either in the past or recently, was the competition for positions greater due to those with the elementary license or would say that the Pre K- Grade 3 license carries merit?

And before I get a bunch of links to the Praxis website, I'm all too familiar with the tests as I'm licensed 7-12 Language Arts. (And jobs are slim pickins in my corner of OH. Hence, the need for a change).

Great board here! Thank you for your responses!

Comment

(1)

report post

pksped I can't help you with the praxis question. I'm an oldtimer; I took the NTE. I remember the NTE early childhood test having lots of questions on child development and various educational theories (Bank Street, Montessori, Piaget, Erickson, etc.) Where other tests might seem tough due to content (proving you know algebra in and out), this one might s...See MoreI can't help you with the praxis question. I'm an oldtimer; I took the NTE. I remember the NTE early childhood test having lots of questions on child development and various educational theories (Bank Street, Montessori, Piaget, Erickson, etc.) Where other tests might seem tough due to content (proving you know algebra in and out), this one might seem tough to some due to theory. Hopefully some teachers with younger blood will respond.

Pre-k through 3 jobs are pretty tough to come by, too. I don't know which market is more saturated, but I would guess that they would be close. I assume that you are looking at going back to college since you are talking about a new area of concentration. Have you considered special ed? I know many teachers who started their career in special ed, then moved to regular ed once they had their foot in a district door. That was my intention, but 15 years later, here I still am. I would think that a special ed background would immensely help a reg ed teacher, what with so many students who have difficulties but still don't qualify for sped services.

In Ohio, if you have the pre-k through 3 licensure, you can take a few courses to add (I think it's) 4-6 to your licensure. That might be a good route, then you would be licensed preschool-12th grade. Of course, you'll go broke renewing all of those.

Our district has hired several pre-3rd grade teachers, and one of the biggest complaints I hear from elem teachers is that they fear they'll never have job stability --if Mrs. Smith has to be reassigned due to decreasing enrollment but is only certified through 3rd grade, then Mr. Jones, current 3rd grade teacher who loves his job, might be forced to go to an open 5th grade position just because he is qualified for it and she isn't.

I wish you the best of luck.

n 5/10/09, Just Curious wrote: > I'm considering earning a degree in Early Childhood (Pre- K > to 3) and was happy to see that there is a Praxis exam for > this area. I know of several horror stories (and have even > seen posts on this chatboard) about people who couldn't > pass certain parts of the elementary (thru grade 8) exams. > > So I have a few questions. If you have taken the Pre-K - > Grade 3 exam, how was your experience? Also, if you have > managed to obtain a job, either in the past or recently, > was the competition for positions greater due to those with > the elementary license or would say that the Pre K- Grade 3 > license carries merit? > > And before I get a bunch of links to the Praxis website, > I'm all too familiar with the tests as I'm licensed 7-12 > Language Arts. (And jobs are slim pickins in my corner of > OH. Hence, the need for a change). > > Great board here! Thank you for your responses! > >

May 10, 2009

report post