Praxis II: Mathematics Content Knowledge (0061)

Previously, I mentioned that one requirement to get state certification for teaching is to pass the Praxis exams.

These exams are administered by Educational Testing Services and they are used by every state for teacher certification. The Praxis I is a test of general knowledge, and can be taken online at approved testing centers. Or, if you have test scores from the SAT, ACT, or GRE that qualify, you can opt not to take the Praxis I.

The Praxis II exams are specific to the subject area(s) and grade levels you want to be certified to teach. You can find out from your state's department of education or from the ETS website which exams you will need to take, and what a passing score will be.

I am going to focus on the Praxis II: Mathematics Content Knowledge exam, (test code 0061) since that is the one I needed to take to teach secondary level math.
In the state of MD, a passing score on the exam is 141 out of 200. The math exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions with 2 hours to complete. You are required to use a graphing calculator on the exam as well, so make sure to dig your old one out if you still have it and review how to use it.

The Math exam is considered to be one of the most difficult, even for people with extensive math backgrounds. So, it is highly recommended that you prepare for this exam. Here are some resources that I used to prepare:

The ETS website has information about the exam, and offers 25 practice questions (pdf).

Study guides: There are several study guides available.

I used a CliffNotes Test Prep book that I got from the public library. The book I had was published in 2006, which appears to be the most current edition. (available from amazon here)

I also purchased a study guide from Research and Education Association (REA) at a bookstore. (available from amazon here)

I recommend using more than one book to study, as well as making sure that the resources you use are the most current versions available. I noticed differences in the type of questions being asked from in each book and I am glad that I worked a large variety of practice problems. Most test prep books cost around $20, and are well worth the investment.

Another source I looked at was on the following website. The site is trying to sell you study materials for the test, which I did not purchase or use, however there are 10 free sample questions worth taking a look at. The author of the site also has some good advice about the test, as well as a link to an interesting blog article on Eduinsights regarding the way the test is scored.

When it comes to scoring the exam, I originally assumed that with 50 questions, and a total score out of 200 point, then each question must be worth 4 points. That is not how it works. There is a scoring system ETS uses to calculate the points and it depends on the difficulty of the questions. So, this makes it hard to know how many questions you can miss and still get a passing score for your state. I highly recommend reading the above mentioned article.

Ideally, you should give yourself ample time to prepare for the exam, and I think the best way is to just do lots of practice tests. Then review the things you missed. If there are some areas where you need significant review, you may want to consult text books, or I have heard of people using the AP Math exam preparations books as well.

Good luck to anyone taking the exam!