The California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST)
I went and took the CBEST nearly a month ago. ((((I PASSED!!!!)))) ❗ PARTYYYYYYY! WHOOOOOO! heehee 
It was an early morning call time. 8am. My information paper said that everyone was expected to BE THERE at 8am. WELL. I’ll share with all of you future CBESTers that it’s great if you are there at 8am but *my* proctor didn’t even start passing test materials out until 8:30. And then my TEST actually started at 8:50am after my proctor had finished reading her little schpeel to us about the procedure for the test.
Every prospective California educator (even prospective school counselors and psychologists, I believe) needs to take the CBEST. It’s a test that is meant to “assess educators’ basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills in the English language.”
(As I quote from their website *^-^*) http://www.cbest.nesinc.com/index.asp Check it out if you are interested…
La la laaaa
I started studying for my test a month before. I borrowed the KAPLAN study guide for the CBEST from my library. The book recommends starting to study one month before your test date. So, I was right on par! 😉 I strongly recommend that book for anyone who doesn’t feel über confident about his/her Math/English/Writing skills. I felt weak about my Math skills…so I practiced problem after problem after problem on all of the practice tests I could get my hands on. And look what happened to me–my Math score was higher than both of my Reading and Writing scores! HAHA 😆 Go figure…
In my opinion, I feel that the State of California has gone overboard with all of the burning hoops prospective educators need to jump through in order to become a teacher. Especially nowadays when jobs are scarce to none. Hmph* I’s is just-uh sayin’, tha’s all. 😐
So. One test down. Four to go. The CBEST was the bargain-priced test costing only $41.00 as of February 2011. I have three subtests within the CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers). Each subtest costs $70.00 to take. (So, $210.00 for my March 2011 test date) Each subtest tests on more than one subject. I’ll be tested on Reading, Writing, Literature, History (CA, U.S. and World), Science, Math, P.E., Human Development, and Music. And then I have to take the RICA. That test costs $130 for the written part. And I’m not even sure if I have to do both a written test and a video performance test which would be additional money. RICA stands for: Reading Instruction Competence Assessment and it is supposed to measure people’s abilities to teach Reading in the classroom. More about all of that fun stuff later.
Diary of a Hoarder’s Daughter
Oh somebody help me. I’ve been living with my father for three months now. Three months living with a hoarder. These are tough times, my friends. Just be grateful if you don’t know anyone who has this terrible condition.
Yes. It is a condition. To quote the all-knowing Wikipedia…
” Hoarding is the excessive acquisition of possessions (and failure to use or discard them), even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary. Compulsive hoarding impairs mobility(umm, YES!!!–shall I mention tripping over crapola everyday?!?!) and interferes with basic activities, including cooking (how long does it take me to FIND anything in a kitchen drawer stuffed with hundreds of implements?), cleaning, showering, and sleeping. A person who engages in compulsive hoarding is commonly said to be a “pack rat“, in reference to that animal’s characteristic hoarding.”
Well. My father officially falls under the “pack rat” category. Thankfully, none of his acquisitions are UNSANITARY, oh Lord, that’s probably the next rung on the “compulsive hoarder’s ladder…” OH LORD! 😯
I need prayers, people.
Today was the fam’s semi-annual yard sale (someone please put me out of my misery :sad:) and let’s just say it’s two hours after the end of the “sale” and the fam is STILL packing things up to be put away. 🙄 I actually had a little excitement about the yard sale and getting RID OF some of this shtuff…but five minutes into setting-up, I realized my dad didn’t want me to put out 95% of the stuff I was putting out. 😡
Oh, don't I wish he'd sell his valuables for $0.25!!!
And guess what!? I realized that if I clean out a drawer or organize a space and make it tidy, he will add –10 times as much stuff– than had been there before. 😥 What’s a gal to do!? I need my OWN place, that’s what I need. 😉
This is an interesting quote:
“We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing.” –Billy Graham
See, dad? Share the wealth (cough, cough) Ummm, share your shtuff…GOODWILL! SALVO!! THRIFT STORES! Homeless! They’re all calling out to you!
Grasshoppergrrl's Blog: Mashed Bananas! 