Congrats RB!!

Being educators some think life is great. We get an extra long Christmas break, long summer, and every major holiday off. Well, all of that is really good! However, dealing with parents is not always easy, and the great state of UT has some wonderful legislators who always put education first. Haha. I wont get into all the things we are/were supposed to be getting and now are not. Well one hoop we have to jump through is taking some tests to make us "highly qualified teachers." These tests cost about $120 each. You do get reimbursed for them once you pass by your district but this only when you pass. If you do not pass these tests within your first 3 years of teaching then your district can fire you. There are two tests you have to take.

Test 1 is a content test. It is all multiple choice and takes a full two hours to finish all of the questions. Being elementary teachers our content test has questions from 1st to 6th grade. Yes we are supposed to have a fountain on knowledge where answers come readily now that we are educators. The only problem is nobody tells you were this fountain in located at inside your brain. Anyways, RB had to take this test before he graduated. I took it my first year of teaching. Both passed with flying colors.

Test 2 is more complicated. It is a principle and application test. It consists of multiple choice questions based mainly on theorists. Then there are short essay questions that consist of a,b,c, and sometimes d parts. So you have to make sure you answer all of the questions to the fullest or you get doced (? on spelling) points. Once again it takes the full 2 hours to take and I'm talking scrabbling to read and write and fast as you can full 2 hours. I barely finished with 2 min. to spare. The first time RB took it he didn't finish 2 parts of an answer. This time he didn't finish 3 parts.

RB was not feeling very confident with this last test and was anxiously waiting for his results. Well they haven't come yet. However, the ETS site that gives the test has a new option on it now where you can view your results. (I wish they had that when I took mine.) YEA, HE PASSED. I'm so proud of him. RB struggles with tests but he passed this one. We are very excited to have both tests over and done with for both of us. :)