Next GACEs Planned
I just registered this week for the next GACE administration, in October. I decided to take Special Education Academic Content Concentrations, and for the first time so far, I decided to double down and take Biology as well. I’m a little nervous about taking both tests at the same time, but I’ve got about a month to prepare, and I’m getting started now, so I am confident that I will pass both tests.
I chose the Special Education Academic Content Concentration tests because I already have Special Education General Curriculum on my certificate. That means that I am certified to teach as a Special Ed inclusion teacher in any subject, and that I can be the content teacher in the areas I’m already certified in. Passing this test will give me many, many additional certificates, and will allow me to teach the content in a Special Ed setting in every topic in elementary and middle school.
I have all the Social Studies certificates except History, so I decided to branch out and go for certificates in other areas. Anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered from other teachers I’ve spoken with leads me to believe that science is another need area in Georgia, so I thought I would get a certificate there. It was a toss-up between Biology and Chemistry, but Biology has less math, and there’s already math on the Special Ed test, so I thought I would spread it out a bit. Chemistry might be next.
I’m also making a concerted effort to network more with teachers I’m friends with in my area. This is giving me inside information and tips on getting started in teaching. This information, I’ve come to learn, is critical to getting my foot in the door, so I’m trying to visit at least one friendly teacher a week. So far it’s been productive, and besides that, fun, to catch up with friends.
I’ll be making my study plan for the GACEs this week since I’ve got to much to learn.
Jide said,
November 13, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
Hi Mike,
lt was refreshing to read about all the Gace tests you have taken and passed. More grease to your elbow – well done.
l have taken the Economics and behavioural Science tests and passed too. l intend to take the Geography test next. Please do you know of any study guide or any books that will assist me while preparing for this test.
Hoping to read from you. Thank you.
Jide
admin said,
December 3, 2009 @ 2:10 am
Hi Jide,
As of today, there aren’t any published study guides for the Geography GACE.
You have plenty of time, so I recommend the following approach: Go to the GACE website and find the section for test preparation materials. There’s a bunch of PDF files for each test. One should have the exact subjects covered by the test on it line by line. Also look for the one with sample questions and practice tests in it.
As you’re going through the test curriculum, you might benefit from a book like Geography for Dummies [not sure if that exists]. In a pinch, you can Google countries for factual information. Wikipedia has issues, but in a pinch, it’s better than nothing.
That’s about all I can recommend–I took a bunch of geography classes in college, so I had an advantage in that I wasn’t starting from scratch, but you should be able to figure out what you need to know for the test.
Best of luck!
–Mike