How to Prepare for the NYSTCE

Passing the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations--NYSTCE--is a requirement for earning a license in NY. The exams cover general knowledge, specific subject areas, and teaching skills. If you are applying for a teaching license in New York state, here's how to prepare for the NYSTCE.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Visit the test maker's website for a full list of all the tests, requirements, and short PDF preparation guides. Every prospective teacher will have to take the LAST (Liberal Arts and Sciences Test), ATS-W (Assessment of Teaching Skill--Written), and a CST (Content Specialty Test). There are two versions of the ATS-W depending on whether you teach elementary or secondary.
   
   The PDF guides show the break down of each test by topic and question type (essay, multiple choice, etc). They are available at www.nystce.nesinc.com.

2. Begin your NYSTCE prep by studying for the LAST. This exam covers general knowledge in
   science and math (23%)
   history and social studies (19%)
   arts and humanities (19%)
   communication and research (19%)
   writing and expression (20%)
   
   The entire test is 4 hours long, and you can allocate your time however you wish. Since it covers areas you may not have studied for years, this could be the most difficult exam. USe a reveiw guide to study the most commonly tested concepts

3. Next, study for the ATS-W. For both the secondary and elementary exams, the topics are distributed as follows:
   student development (25%)
   teaching (38%)
   professionalism (175)
   teaching, essay questions (20%)
   
   The test is also 4 hours long, and you can divide your time as necessary. Study your notes from pedagogy courses, and use a NYSTCE study guide to make sure you can pass.

4. Study for your content area exams. For secondary school, this is the subject you will teach. For teaching younger grades, there is a multi-subject test. Each exam 4 hours long and consists of multiple choice questions, and essay responses. For modern language exams, there are also speaking and listening components. This is usually the easiest exam, since it is in your subject area.

5. Understand how the NYSTCE tests are scored. Each exam is scored on a scale of 100-300, with 220 being the minimum passing score. For the LAST and ATS-W, the multiple choice part is weighted 80%, and the essays are weighted 20%.

6. Practice by taking timed multiple choice quizzes, and writing essay responses on sample questions. If you study with other candidates, you can grade each others' essays.

7. Remember, if at first you don't pass, you can retake the exams you failed. NYSTCE gives test takers detailed score reports so that you can pin point your weak areas, and study smarter the next time around.