Tips for the Assessment Center

Tips for the Assessment Center

· Get directions to the assessment center well in advance. Make sure you know how long it will take you to get there. Another candidate and I did a timed dry run.

· You have to take off all jewelry and keep your possessions in a locker. I made the mistake of wearing earrings, rings, necklaces, etc. and had to take all of it off (including my wedding band). I also brought a bag of stuff (water, snacks, notes) and had to cram it into the locker.

· You can study for the exams...you really can.

· You can go to nbpts.org and practice how the assessment flows. It is good to do this as the screen is divided into 3 areas.

· Practice your typing as you only have 30 min. per question.

· Study national standards in your area to step out of SC state standards and to look at levels you may be assessed in that you are not currently teaching.

· Check out text books from Coastal's Library for areas you are not familiar with.

· Remember there are many listservs, discussion boards, etc. out there to talk to others in your field. Many candidates and NBCTs report that Yahoo groups are helpful.

· Anyone working toward AYA certification in the core areas should get the AP review books (unless they teach AP). For example, I certified in Biology, even though I had to be ready for questions in Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science. The level of biology questions was much more difficult and so I used the AP Biology review to prepare for the biology questions.

· I made my way to the university to purchase texts on Economics, American History, World History, Geography, and Government. I then took the sample questions and ideas from NBPTS for the Early Adolescence-History certificate area, and made my own study guide. The study guide that I had initially from NBPTS was VERY vague. I would suggest breaking up each component and devoting a reasonable amount of time to studying that discipline (i.e. Physics, Economics, etc.) in whatever your secondary content is. I had a question for each area of the social sciences listed above. I scored quite well on my assessment questions, so I know that my strategy worked.

· .The only thing I can say is that the advice on studying is right. I teach only Psychology and have for over 8 years so it’s been a l o o o o ng time since I taught – or studied – history (over 18 years), so I reviewed my American and world history books the week beforehand and one of the questions on the test covered material I had just reviewed the night before. Would not have done very well on that question without the review. So I strongly recommend study, study, study.

· The link at NBPTS takes candidates straight into the assessment center practice assessments. That will help them know what to expect.

· Be clear about the area your certificate covers. For example, I was teaching 3rd grade and was a middle childhood generalist. I had to know content up to 8th grade. I needed to study content AND developmental issues. The same is true for someone teaching 2nd grade but certifying as an early childhood candidate. There are developmental issues with young children they may need to study. I am sure the same is true of other areas. Candidates need to widen their scope for this assessment.

· For ELA or Literacy certification, come prepared with strategies that you would use to help ESOL students. There is no reason to get caught off guard by this question.

· Register for the assessment center early.

· For anyone taking the adolescent to young adult art, Art Talk by Rosalind Regans is a good resource. The first three chapters are important, and multicultural artists and modern artists who are represented in the book are important.

· For math teachers, some exercises can be answered easily using the computer, while for others you need to show work in the booklet. Be sure that you familiarize yourself with the booklet because it is separated by the six questions, and if you do not use all of the pages for question 1, you need to make sure that you flip to the section for question 2 (and do not continue on the subsequent pages of question 1 to write your answers for question 2). If you answer in the booklet, type “see booklet” on the computer screen.

· Watch the time on the top of the screen, as I found myself running out of time. Actually, since you can go back to questions it is not a bad idea to read all the parts of the question prompts and then go back and start typing. This way, you know how much time you have and how much time you can spend on each part. For example... if the first prompt is tough, but the second is easy, and the third is tough, then you know you can fly through the second and spend more time on one and three.

· I used Streamline videos to help me study for the content areas I was not accustomed to teaching.

· Get a good night’s sleep and eat a well balanced meal…wait…is that for HSAP…MAP…SAT??? It works for NB’s too! J

· Find some practice questions ahead of time and practice responding to questions by typing them in timed situations. It helps understand the time constraints.

· On test day, begin each section by quickly skimming to see how many questions there are so you aren't surprised or unable to finish. On the last section of my test, there was one more question than the other sections had had. (Just be careful when scrolling through not to go too far--you wouldn't want to accidentally submit your answer before you were ready because you would not be able to return to that section.)

· Make sure to ask for headphones if they aren't provided. (I had a finger tapper next to me.)

· Dress in layers, even in warm weather. Make sure you are comfortable.

· Use a few seconds at the beginning of each question to look at each section of the question to be familiar with how the three parts connect together. That will also give you an idea at a quick glance on about how much of your time to spend on each section of the question. The timer does move you on when time is up. If you spend too much time on parts one and two and don't get to three that hurts. Unless it has changed, the test is designed so that you can look at all of the question and then go back to begin working on it.

· EMC Literacy - If you teach in a higher grade, visit the 4 year-old program and get some information on emergent literacy. Learn some of the current researchers’ names and be able to write about their work and strategies. That way you will sound knowledgeable about strategies when you have to answer questions about how to teach or what to teach.

· Physical science teachers - you may be tested on college level physics and calculus. My test was a bear, and if I hadn't hit the college physics books, I would DEFINITELY have failed.

· Individually compare each assessment center exercise description, scoring guide description, and scoring rubric level 4. Try to predict the types of questions that could come from the combination of all three descriptions.

· The scorer may be looking for more than a basic answer. If you have time, show the reader that you know more.

· Read all of the questions in each exercise. They may be on more than one screen.

· Go to the website and practice. This alone will enable you to be ready and know what to expect. Practice the answers, type the answers, and review the answers before you go.

· The questions come quickly so don't wait too long to start writing. I made it a point to read the questions through twice before I started. For the literature, it is important to remember that we are always correct as long as we can back up our answers in the materials that they have provided.

· Take your break, don't work straight through, fuel your brain with a drink and something healthy, and talk with the facilitators about the day to unwind a little before restarting. This will get you ready to work again for part two. I know a lot of people who didn't take the break, and I think that it is important to stop, shake out your arms from typing, and regroup.

· Smile, laugh, and remember that you are prepared for this, so go in with confidence and just do your best. It is not a race, so don't even think about the person in the next booth; I had a problem with pacing myself according to what my neighbor was doing, so I simply pulled my chair closer into my cubicle so I no longer could see my neighbor.

· My screen at the Center was very "jumpy." I wish I had asked for a different computer. It was extremely disconcerting.

· All of my questions were multi-leveled. I would suggest that people read through the whole question before they start answering to ensure they have enough time to finish the whole thing.

· Make certain their application for NB has the exact name that appears on their driver's license. My name on my ss card (and thus all my employee info) is one thing. But my DL still said another name. I had to fight to get my license name changed, and then had to pay to get my name changed at the last minute on all my NB stuff. It was a nightmare!!! The testing center is absolutely serious when they say the DL must match the name on the NB paperwork!!