Friday, May 19, 2006

Cramming for the CBEST exam

On June 17th I'm taking a four hour exam called the California Basic Education Skills Test, or CBEST. Passing this exam will enable me to be eligable to teach ESL or be a substitute teacher. I ordered my transcripts from one of the community colleges I attended way back over 10 years ago because I must have 20 units of a foreign language study or English or a combination. At one particular community college, I took many French classes because I wanted to become fluent. I felt I wouldn't be truly educated unless I knew another language. Unfortunately because I never had an opportunity for full immersion, I never became fluent, but I still remember a lot of French. This will help me in my foreign language requirement, although I will likely be teaching more Spanish or Chinese speaking people here in the Bay Area. The thing is that my transcripts show only 19 units of completed English and French. I'm sure I took one more English class at a different community college (I attended three of them!) so I think I'm alright, I just have to request one more set of transcripts.

The frustrating thing is that it will take a long time -- almost another month before the test, then I have to wait an additional month for the results. Then I have to pay application fees and such. It's gonna take at least another 3-4 months.

Well, I'm rather relieved I have about a month to study though. My dear sister Alise sent me a book to study the CBEST and the darn thing is over an inch thick! Good thing too that it's mostly math review because I'm HORRIBLE at math and boy, I have a lot of studying to do in the math section. That's the main thing I'm concerned about. I'm studying any spare moment I can get, which is about an hour and a half per day, more if I can squeeze it in. My investing studies will have to be put on hold for now til I take this test. Undoubtedly the math review ought to help me in my investing studies though!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is a very easy test! You will be fine.

Indiamommy said...

Good luck! If there is a sample test of this test, take it, even if you have to buy the book. That would likely tell you HOW the questions will be phrased, and WHAT type of things to study. This is what I did with the NCETMB.

I could have sworn I flunked it, but when I came out, I had done well.

Best of luck, and I am sure you will do well!