Besting the CBEST

Two weeks after my grueling Saturday morning spent with the CBEST exam, my results are in:

I passed with flying colors!

If you recall, I was less than enthusiastic with my performance following the ordeal. Looking at my results, I definitely started the test stronger than I finished. The reading section, which tripped me up numerous times, was actually my best score, followed closely by the math portion.My forte is words, not numerals, so this latter score is surprising to say the least. This leaves only the writing section, which was left pulling up the rear in a distant third.

“But,” I hear you say, “ aren’t you a writer? Shouldn’t you have completed those essays with absolute finesse?”

Although I do consider myself reasonably skilled with a pen, I’ve never been particularly adept at writing essays for an exam. Every so often I eek out something adequate, but typically, answering these essay questions is a minor Hell for me (especially since there’s no way to study or prep for them).

Now that I’ve passed and the CBEST is behind me, the real work begins.

The new school year is about to begin, and in some places it already has, which means I need to be ready to start teaching as soon as possible. In the next week or so, I’ll be registering with my local school districts and contacting some of my old teachers. With any luck, they’ll start requesting me to sub for their classes when the need arises.

I’m about to enter a whole new phase of my life, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.