Teaching is a very noble vocation, especially during a global pandemic. As a teacher, you will participate in molding the next generation of young minds. The job itself may not pay much, but it is highly reliable and stable, and you also get a lot of vacation time.
Given the instability of the economy, it is advantageous to have workplace security.
Regardless of your pragmatic or idealistic goals, you must first pass the TET before you can become a teacher.
Personally, I am not a teacher. Writing essay writing website reviews is my bread and butter, although I am fascinated by any learning-related topic. This article should be viewed as a compilation of advice and tips gathered from those who aced their TET’s.
What is the TET?
The TET or Teacher Eligibility Test is an examination that you must undergo in order to obtain the qualification to become an entry-level teacher in Indian public schools. When I say entry-level, I am referring to professing grades I to VIII.
It is subdivided into two papers:
- Paper one – required to practice in classes I – V
- Paper two – required to practice in classes VI-VIII
This Teacher Evaluation Test is not optional, and it cannot be skipped. Both the state and central authorities will conduct this evaluation, with regional specific variances.
Search for the tests given in previous years
This advice applies to all types of exams, not just the TET.
There is little chance for profound changes in the exam structure from year to year. Even if a massive change is scheduled, the authorities would have announced such a change, of course.
Given this predicament, you can safely rely on the previous year’s tests. The odds are that these papers will be similar to what you will receive during the current year.
The questions won’t be identical, so do not rely on memorizing each answer.
Still, even if the subjects are not the same, they will be similar. You will be able to familiarize yourself with the test structure, the number of required answers, the type of questions, and the marking scheme.
Complete as many mock tests as possible until you enter the rhythm of this challenge.
Here’s an example of a TET practice paper.
Learn to take notes
The TET is no different from any other test. As a result, most test-taking tips apply here. Don’t try to memorize entire manuals word-for-word. This will drive you insane, you will not understand most of it, and you might misremember. You will be giving the exact same advice to your own students someday soon.
Understanding a concept stores it in your long-term memory.As a consequence, you must learn to take notes.
Notes not only lessen the volume of information, but they also force you to think. When taking notes, you are forced to analyze the subject and select from it the core info. Notes by definition should be short, so you must only retain what is essential.
Get familiar with the Subject Interface.
In order to maximize your chances of passing the TET, you must familiarize yourself with the elaborate syllabus and the subjects from which the questions will be pulled. The main subjects are:
- First language
- Second language
- Child Development
- Mathematics
- Environmental Science
Here’s a link to most of the study material that you will need.
As an additional tip, most yearly examinations feature a predominant number of questions from the Higher Secondary and Madhyamik literature. You can focus on that without neglecting the other grades.
Search for proper didactic materials
Depending on when you are reading this, there may be a ton of free online manuals/materials. Most information that I have found is featured on outdated blogs, and many of the links are broken.
There are also newspapers that are worth your attention.
Publications such as Jibika Dishari, Karmasagasthan, Karmakhetra can feature interesting question-answer formatted columns.
Exercise proper discipline during the exam
Although there are individual exceptions, there are options ways of taking the exam.
For example, the Teacher Eligibility Test lacks negative marking. It would be best to take a quick first pass over the test, solving the questions that seem most manageable for you.
Many find the language-related questions to be the simplest. It only requires test-takers to comprehend a block of text and answer questions based on their understanding of that content.
Many people get stuck on a question, and instead of moving on, they waste most of their time on that particular elusive answer. Then, they find themselves with 15 minutes left to complete the rest of the exam.
Do not fall into that trap, and learn to manage your time. Focus on what you know first. After, try solving the subjects you almost seem to remember. Finally, if there is time left, tackle the tough question that eludes you.
Warning: Any type of electronic device is prohibited during the TET. Also, do not attempt to copy the answers from another candidate’s paper. The test booklet containing the exam questions may be different.
Optimal order
The optimal order in which to solve subjects depends on what you know best. However, assuming that you are well prepared, you should first start with the Pedagogy subjects. It doesn’t require much aside from reading text, and the question can be solved quickly.
Follow up by solving Language I and Language II subjects, as they also require many reading and context-based questions.
Environmental science comes next because you should leave mathematics questions for last. Maths is by far the most demanding and time-intensive of the subject matter, and it demands calculation and formula application. Try to leave yourself as much time as possible for this section.
Starting with maths is not ideal, as you risk getting caught in a problem and wasting the entire exam time.
Conclusion
From what I’ve gathered from the successful TET exam takers, they have prepared for it just like you would for any other exam.There are no special tricks, aside from proper notetaking, prioritizing, and time management.
You have official publications or more unreliable and obscure blogs that can post previous year’s exams and answers in terms of study materials.
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