Teacher Training Workshops For The PPR Test

To become a teacher in the state of Texas, you must pass the PPR test.

The right preparation for this test is critical, since this will be one of the final requirements you must meet before earning your certification. 

Some teacher training programs offer PPR (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities) review courses to help you gain the knowledge you need in order to pass your PPR test.

However, not all programs offer these important courses as part of their curriculum, and not all of them are of the same quality. In fact, if your certification program does not offer a PPR preparation course as part of its curriculum, you may be missing out on a course that can provide best practices and techniques on how to answer questions on the exam, helpful studying tips and a full-length practice test with on-site grading.

You may be asking yourself, “Do I really need a teacher training workshop for the PPR?” 

A high-quality, thorough PPR preparation course will put you in the best possible position to achieve success on this important test. The key, however, is choosing a course that provides the most helpful information possible. 

Below are some curriculum features to look for when choosing a PPR workshop to ensure you get the highest quality training possible.

Question Types Are Explored

Developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the PPR measures a candidate’s knowledge of teaching best practices. 

The PPR covers the same content that certification program participants have learned throughout their training. However, success on this test also comes down to whether you are prepared for the types of questions you will see on the test. 

For example, the PPR is formatted to include both selected response (multiple choice) and constructed response (essay) questions. Within the selected response questions, there are single questions and clustered questions.

• Single questions offer a direct question or an incomplete statement. They may be in relation to a passage you must read, a movie clip you must watch or a table you must navigate.

• Clustered questions comprise a stimulus and two or more questions that relate to that stimulus. These types of questions also may relate to a passage you must read, a movie clip you must watch or a table you must navigate. 

While you may be familiar with content or a certain subject, how that content is presented in the test may vary. In other words, different types of questions may warrant different types of strategies to solve them. 

You can look over some format examples of questions that appear in the PPR in our article, How To Pass Your PPR Exam.

Common Mistakes Are Analyzed

Familiarization with the different formats that will appear on the PPR can be an important tool to have with you when taking the PPR, as can familiarization with common mistakes you should avoid. 

Sometimes knowing where other test takers get tripped up can be some of the most useful knowledge you take into the test in order to avoid making those same mistakes yourself.

For example, at ECAP, we have been able to research and isolate some of the topics most often missed by our interns so that we can help others who are in the process of preparing for the test. Some of these topics include:

• Developmental Stages and Characteristics (Competency 1)

• Knowledge of English Language Learners (Competency 2)

• Differentiating Instruction (Competency 2)

• Designing Instruction (Competency 3)

• The IEP Process (Competency 13)

The best test preparation courses will help prepare you by sharing what you should AND should not do. Teacher training workshops should place an emphasis on some of the most commonly missed topics and question types so you have all the knowledge you need in order to pass the PPR test.  

Content Is Comprehensive

Sometimes knowing a test’s content is not enough. There are several aspects of taking a test that help ensure success.

The best teacher training workshops for the PPR offer comprehensive content that draws knowledge from several areas of best practices and techniques. These include:

• How to approach unfamiliar question formats
• Suggested approaches for common question formats
• What kind of study materials you need
• How to develop the best study plan
• The best study materials to use
• Any other tips for success

The best training sessions will also offer a full-length practice exam with on-site grading so you can see what areas you excelled at in real time and which areas you will need to focus on improving before taking the PPR. 

This on-site grade component makes it important to choose a preparation course that is available in-person in order to maximize the benefits you receive.

Course Is Offered To All

While some alternative teacher certification programs offer PPR review courses as part of their curriculum, those who enrolled in a program that does not offer them may find themselves struggling to locate additional preparation help. 

To help all individuals maximize their preparation for this critical test, the best PPR training courses are open to both the program’s interns and individuals outside the program. 

Preparing for your PPR can feel overwhelming. The more high-quality preparation you put in, the more confident you will be when it comes time to take your test … making signing up for a review course a worthwhile investment in your future.