Are you a prospective teacher who needs to pass the Praxis Core Exam? Have you already attempted the Praxis Core and not been successful? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this course is for you.
You will get familiar with the different types of questions that appear on the reading and writing tests. You will master the many areas of math that you will be tested on: number operations, negative numbers, exponents, square roots, order of operations, decimals, fractions, percentages, algebra, geometry, systems of measurement, and probability and statistics. To prepare for the two essays, you will learn what constitutes high scoring essays and go through the process of writing each essay in the amount of time allotted.
You will also learn useful test-taking strategies and have the opportunity to take a full-length practice test in each subject area. Using clear explanations, numerous examples, graphics, animation, and videos, this course will not only prepare you for the Praxis Core, but do so in a fun and interesting way. After completing this course, you will be ready to pass the Praxis Core Exam.
Kt (Katie) Paxton is a certified teacher with a Master's Degree in Education focusing on Learning and Technology. She has more than 20 years of classroom experience and has been an online instructor since 2003. She also owned and managed a home daycare for five years and is the author of More Adventures With Kids in San Diego. Furthermore, Kt has trained and placed tutors with at-risk students in over 100 schools in addition to working with the students herself.
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
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Lesson 1
In your first lesson, you'll meet the Praxis I exam. As you begin this course, you probably have lots of questions about the tests. For instance, how many tests make up the Praxis I exam? Where do you go to take them? Do you have to take all the tests at once, or can you take them separately? You'll get answers to all these questions! Then you'll decide whether it's better to take the paper test or the computerized version. We'll also consider how much time you're allowed for each test and how many questions you can expect. By the end of the lesson, the tests will no longer be a mystery to you. You'll be ready to start preparing for all the elements each test encompasses.
Lesson 2
In this lesson, you'll become familiar with the Reading test of the Praxis I exam. You'll learn about the different types of reading questions that you'll come across. We'll discuss useful strategies and explore examples of reading questions. Then you'll have the opportunity to take a full-length practice reading test!
Lesson 3
Have you ever heard the phrase "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" and wondered how it relates to math? Today, as we begin preparing for the math portion of the Praxis I exam, you'll learn what this phrase means in the math world. You'll also discover the number line and the arithmetic of positive and negative numbers. We'll cover exponents and square roots as well, and by the end of the lesson, you'll have a solid understanding of math basics.
Lesson 4
In this lesson, we'll talk about decimals and fractions. If you're someone who has a fear of fractions, after completing this lesson you'll realize that fractions are indeed your friends! You'll learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals and fractions, as well as how to reduce and build up fractions. Finally, I'll share a shortcut to multiplying and dividing by powers of 10.
Lesson 5
How much is 25% of 544? If an item that was originally priced at $175 dropped to a price of $105, what is the percentage of decrease? Today, we'll answer these questions as well as others involving percentages. You'll also learn how to convert percentages into fractions and decimals, and vice versa. You'll discover what scientific notation is, and find out about ratio and proportion. Throughout the lesson, you'll have the opportunity to reinforce what you've learned with practice problems to try along the way.
Lesson 6
Does the sight of the algebraic equation 3x - 5 + 7x = 9x - 2 scare you? If it does, by the end of this lesson it won't. You'll discover everything you need to know about algebra to be successful on the Math test. This includes what algebraic expressions are, how to combine like terms, and how to solve equations and inequalities. I'll also reveal a test-taking strategy to help you find the correct answer to a problem without actually solving the problem. This backdoor method will definitely come in handy on the test!
Lesson 7
Have you ever wondered how much fencing you'll need for your backyard or how much carpet you'll need for your living room? To answer these questions, you have to know some geometry. In this lesson, you'll get a crash course in geometry, where you will learn about area, perimeter, volume, lines, angles, shapes, congruence, similarity, and the infamous Pythagorean theorem. Besides helping you with problems on the Math test, what you absorb in this lesson will help you solve problems long after you have passed the Praxis I exam.
Lesson 8
Have you ever heard the terms mean, median, mode, and range? Today we'll explore what these statistical terms mean and how to calculate them. After that, you'll learn about the many types of graphs that you'll come across on the test, including pie graphs, bar graphs, and pictographs. You'll see how to read and construct a Venn diagram. Then you'll discover a useful formula that will help you answer probability questions that you may come across on the Math
Lesson 9
How many centiliters are in a liter? How many feet are in a mile? How do you convert kilograms to milligrams? If you don't know the answers to these questions, you will by the end of this lesson. In addition to measurements and their conversions, you'll find out how to make xy tables, plot points, and graph lines. We'll end this final math lesson by going over some miscellaneous problems that are likely to appear on the Math test.
Lesson 10
In this lesson, you'll start preparing you for the Writing test of the Praxis I exam with a crash course in grammar. We'll go back to the basics by reviewing parts of speech, sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar rules. This grammar refresher will give you a good foundation for the Writing test.
Lesson 11
Is it better to say "PIN number" or "PIN"? I'll answer this question and others like it in this lesson. We'll also explore idiomatic expressions and commonly confused words. Next, you'll become familiar with the two types of questions that you'll see on the multiple-choice portion of the Writing test. You'll get some tips that will help you avoid common mistakes. These tips and what you learned in Lesson 10 will help you do well on a full-length practice test.
Lesson 12
For the last lesson of the course, you'll prepare for the essay portion of the Writing test. You'll see some sample essay prompts, and you'll learn how the essay is scored. You'll analyze examples of good essays and bad essays. Then, you'll practice the process for writing a successful essay in the allotted amount of time. After this lesson, you'll not only be all set to take the Writing test, but you'll be ready to take and pass the entire Praxis I exam!
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