Aspiring teachers are invited to participate in free workshops on Feb. 1 in Soledad to help them pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test, or CBEST, with sessions designed for first-time and repeat test-takers.
Participants will review test-taking strategies, review preparation materials and complete practice tests, including writing prompts. The opportunity is designed to speed the flow of new teachers needed to meet intense demand throughout Monterey County and across California.
In addition to current college students pursuing a teaching career, the CBEST workshops are open to individuals who hold a bachelor's degree and would like to teach as substitutes in grades K-12. Passage of both the math and English/writing portions of the exam is required prior to substitute teaching or entering a teacher credential program.
"It's a way to get your foot in the door and see if teaching is right for you," said Jesus Clemente, who coordinates the Teacher Pathway and MAESTROs programs at Hartnell College, in partnership with California State University, Monterey Bay.
The four three-hour workshops, focusing separately on the math and English-writing portions of the CBEST, will be presented at Soledad High School. To register or more information, email teach@hartnell.edu or call (831) 770-6110.
For students preparing to take the CBEST for the first time, the math workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by the English/writing workshop from 1-4p.m. Those times will be reversed for students who have taken the CBEST before and failed to pass one or both of the subject areas. Lunch will be provided.