Section 2: How to Prepare for the Exam
This section of the preparation manual provides information to help you prepare to take the TExES Principal as Instructional Leader examination.
Learn What the Exam Covers
You may have heard that there are several different versions of the same exam. It's true. You may take one version of the exam and your friend may take a different version. Each exam has different questions covering the same content areas, but both versions of the exam measure the same skills and content knowledge.
You'll find specific information on the exam you're taking in the Overview and Exam Framework section of the preparation manual, which outlines the content areas that the exam measures and what percentage of the exam covers each area.
Begin by reviewing the preparation manual in its entirety, paying particular attention to the content specifications. The content specifications detail the knowledge and skills to be measured on the exam. The Principal Standards section of the preparation manual lists the standards that served as the basis for developing the certification examination.
Once you have reviewed the preparation manual and the standards, you can create your own personalized study plan and schedule based on your individual needs and how much time you have before exam day. Be sure to also seek other resources to strengthen your content knowledge.
Keep in mind that study habits are individual. There are many different ways to successfully prepare for your exam. Some people study better on their own, while others prefer a group setting. You may have more energy early in the day, but another test taker may concentrate better in the evening. Use this guide to develop the approach that works best for you.
Assess How Well You Know the Content
Use your review of the competencies to focus your study time on those areas containing knowledge and skills with which you are less familiar. You should leave yourself time to review the content of all domains and competencies, both the familiar and the less familiar ones, but the focus of your preparation time and priority in your studying should be placed upon those areas about which you are least confident.
Think carefully about how well you know each area; research shows that test takers tend to overestimate their preparedness. People often glance at the specifications, or at the exam questions (with "a peek" at the answers at the same time), and think that they know the content of the exam. This is why some test takers assume they did well and then are surprised to find out they did not pass.
The exams are demanding enough to require serious review. The longer you've been away from the content the more preparation you will most likely need. If it has been longer than a few months since you've studied your content area, make a concerted effort to prepare. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose from such an approach.
Familiarize Yourself with the Different Types of Exam Questions
The TExES Principal as Instructional Leader examination includes several types of exam questions, which can be broken into two categories: selected response (multiple choice) and constructed response (for which you write a response of your own that is scored by trained raters based on scoring guidelines). You may be familiar with these question formats from taking other standardized tests. If not, familiarize yourself with them so you don't spend time during the exam figuring out how to answer them.
How to Approach Unfamiliar Question Formats
Some questions include introductory information such as a table, graph, or reading passage (called a scenario) that provides the information the question asks for. New formats for presenting information are developed from time to time. This exam includes video scenario materials (e.g., a movie clip of a teacher presenting a lesson).
The exam also includes interactive types of questions. These questions take advantage of technology to assess knowledge and skills that go beyond what can be assessed using standard single-selection selected-response questions. If you see a format you are not familiar with, read the directions carefully. The directions always give clear instructions on how you are expected to respond.
For most questions, you will respond by clicking an oval to choose a single answer choice from a list of options. Other questions may ask you to respond by:
- Selecting all that apply. In some questions, you will be asked to choose all the options that answer the question correctly.
- Typing in an entry box. You may be asked to enter a text or numeric answer. Some questions may have more than one place to enter a response.
- Clicking check boxes. You may be asked to click check boxes instead of an oval when more than one choice within a set of answers can be selected.
- Clicking parts of a graphic. In some questions, you will choose your answer by clicking on location(s) on a graphic such as a map or chart, as opposed to choosing from a list.
- Clicking on sentences. In questions with reading passages, you may be asked to choose your answer by clicking on a sentence or sentences within the reading passage.
- Dragging and dropping answer choices into "targets" on the screen. You may be asked to choose an answer from a list and drag it into the appropriate location in a table, paragraph of text, or graphic.
- Selecting options from a drop-down menu. This type of question will ask you to select the appropriate answer or answers by selecting options from a drop-down menu (e.g., to complete a sentence).
Remember that with every question, you will get clear instructions on how to respond.
Approaches to Answering Selected-Response Questions
The information below describes some selected-response question formats that you will typically see on the exam and suggests possible ways to approach thinking about and answering them. These approaches are intended to supplement and complement familiar test-taking strategies with which you may already be comfortable and that work for you. Fundamentally, the most important component in ensuring your success is familiarity with the content that is covered on the exam. This content has been carefully selected to align with the knowledge required to begin a career as a principal in the state of Texas.
The questions on the exam are designed to assess your knowledge of the content described in the competencies of the exam. In most cases, you are expected to demonstrate more than just your ability to recall factual information. You may be asked to think critically about the information, to analyze it, to compare it with other knowledge you have, or to make a judgment about it.
Be sure to read the directions carefully to ensure that you know what is required for each exam question. Leave no questions unanswered. Your score will be determined by the number of questions you answer correctly.
Question Formats
You may see the following types of selected-response questions on the exam:
- Single Questions
- Clustered Questions
Below you will find descriptions of these commonly used question formats, along with suggested approaches for responding to each type.
Single Questions
The single-question format presents a direct question or an incomplete statement. It can also include a reading passage, movie clip, graphic, table, or a combination of these. Four or more answer options appear below the question.
For each single selected-response question, it is helpful to apply the cognitive and test-taking strategies needed to answer the question. They can be used to help candidates unpack the key information in the question and determine the correct answer.
When candidates consider cognitive processes needed to respond to a single question, they should ask themselves questions that help them understand the content of the question.
A frequent error that candidates make when answering selected-response questions is misreading and/or misinterpreting the question. Applying test-taking strategies can help candidates follow a process to guide their thinking and reduce errors.
Suggested Approach
Consider the following cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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Example
Read the following selected-response question and choose the correct answer.
In order to support a strong school culture, a middle school principal proposes a counseling program that integrates career, character, and leadership education into classroom academic lessons. Implementing the program involves collaboration between teachers and school counselors to teach integrated lessons. After introducing the new initiative and its core principles, the teachers and counselors are ready to begin implementation. Which of the following is the principal's best next step?
- Preparing a schedule of team-teaching opportunities for teachers and counselors to begin teaching lessons and measuring student mastery
- Allowing time for counselors to observe classes to get a sense of each teacher's teaching style
- Providing the program's student-learning objectives with a list of selected academic classes and lessons for integration
- Having teachers and counselors review content standards and the program's student-learning objectives to determine appropriate lesson placement and sequence
Suggested Approach
Candidates can apply the cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies to this single selected-response question as follows.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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What knowledge and skills does the question intend to assess?
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| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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How can you rephrase the question in your own words to ensure you understand it?
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Below are rationales for each of the answer choices for candidates to check their thinking.
Option D is correct because collaboration between school counselors and teachers will ensure a mutual understanding of state academic standards and the scope and sequence of the curriculum. This will lay the foundation for the entire initiative and allow counselors to gain an understanding of the academic scope and sequence to best determine where counseling lessons logically fit into academic lessons.
Option A is incorrect because preparing a schedule of specific team-teaching opportunities for teachers and counselors would not be the next step in creating valuable lessons in which counseling concepts are blended with academics, since the foundation for the curriculum should be well understood before the lessons are scheduled.
Option B is incorrect because allowing time for the counselors to observe each classroom and become familiar with various teaching styles is not the best next step in the task of creating lessons that blend counseling concepts with academics, since it is more pressing to establish a foundation for understanding the academic standards and scope and sequence.
Option C is incorrect because determining which counseling objectives will be infused in the academic lessons should be made by teachers and counselors when they work together. It is more important for the counselor to understand the academic standards and scope and sequence to determine how counseling objectives can be integrated.
Clustered Questions
Clustered questions are the second type of selected-response questions on the exam.
Clustered questions are made up of a scenario and two or more questions relating to the scenario. The scenario material can be reading passages, a description of a classroom observation, a video, graphic, table, or any other information necessary to answer the questions that follow.
Consider the following cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies for answering clustered questions.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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When reviewing the cluster scenario: What is the context of the scenario? What are the central issues presented in the scenario? What key questions can you ask yourself when reviewing the documents and/or video? What conclusions can you draw from the information in the scenario? When answering the questions: What knowledge and skills does the question intend to assess? What is the context of the question, and where can evidence of this be found in the scenario? What is the primary decision or issue to be addressed? How can you apply your knowledge of best practices to answer this question? How does evidence from the scenario support your conclusion? |
Candidates can use several different approaches to respond to clustered questions. Some commonly used strategies are listed below.
| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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Strategy 1
Strategy 2
Strategy 3 When reading each question in the clustered set, you should consider each of these questions before selecting the correct answer choice.
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Candidates should be sure to consider the questions only in terms of the information provided in the scenario. They should take care to avoid projecting information from their own school or district into the scenario that is not present or applicable.
Cluster Sets: Scenario
Questions 1–2 refer to the following information.
Mr. Ramirez is a principal in a 9–12 high school. A few days ago, he observed the eleventh-grade English literature class of Ms. O'Toole, an experienced teacher. The class had just concluded their study of the novel Candide, and Ms. O'Toole had planned an independent practice involving small groups of students discussing open-ended questions and drawing conclusions about the novel.
During the post-observation conference, Mr. Ramirez asks Ms. O'Toole to identify an aspect of the lesson that did not go as planned. Refer to the following video where Ms. O'Toole responds to the principal's question.
As candidates consider approaches for addressing the scenario and questions, they should make sure to base their choice on only the information that has been presented.
Candidates should consider the following cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies based on the cluster scenario.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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Cluster Scenario What is the context of the scenario?
What are the central issues presented in the scenario?
What key questions can you ask yourself when reviewing the documents and/or video?
What conclusions can you draw from the information in the scenario and video?
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Candidates can use several different approaches to respond to clustered questions. Some commonly used strategies are listed below.
| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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Strategy 1
Strategy 2
Strategy 3 What can you learn by skimming the questions before reading the scenario and watching the video?
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Candidates should read the scenario carefully and watch the video critically with these questions in mind. Candidates may want to take notes during the video to help them remember important points.
Example 1
Ms. O'Toole seeks advice from Mr. Ramirez about how to plan the lesson for the next day, considering that many students drew inaccurate conclusions about the novel's main character. Which of the following is the best strategy for Mr. Ramirez to recommend?
- Asking students to reconsider the previous day's discussion questions during a whole-class meeting
- Using direct instruction to point out evidence in the novel that supports the dynamic evolution of the main character
- Modeling a think-aloud for students that demonstrates how to cite the novel to support conclusions
- Providing students with a scholarly commentary about the roles of the different characters in the novel
Suggested Approach
After reviewing the scenario information and video, the candidates should consider the following cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies to answer this question.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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What knowledge and skills does the question intend to assess?
What is the context of the question?
What is the primary decision or issue to be resolved?
What evidence from the scenario addresses the question?
How can you apply your knowledge of best practices to answer this question?
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| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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How can you rephrase the question in your own words to ensure you understand it?
What are the key phrases presented in the question?
What important scenario information is provided to support the question?
Can you eliminate any obviously wrong answer choices?
Select the correct answer choice and mark your answer.
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Below are rationales for each of the answer choices for candidates to check their thinking.
Option C is correct because the students have learned the content and interpretative skills to be able to draw valid conclusions in the lessons taught earlier in their novel study. Ms. O'Toole will help the students best by modeling an effective thinking process using associated evidence from the novel to support conclusions.
Option A is incorrect because the students are unlikely to reconsider their conclusions if they are not provided with additional guidance in activating and applying their prior knowledge.
Options B and D are incorrect because neither using direct instruction nor providing a scholarly commentary allows students to apply their prior knowledge to reconsider their conclusions.
Example 2
Mr. Ramirez concludes that Ms. O'Toole will benefit from coaching on how to address the problem of students reinforcing misconceptions or misunderstandings when participating in independent practice. Which of the following is the best recommendation he can give Ms. O'Toole?
- Placing students in mixed-ability groups rather than same-ability groups
- Anticipating and preparing for errors that individual students or groups might make
- Differentiating the content and product rather than the instructional activity
- Providing less capable students with questions that require low-level thinking skills
Suggested Approach
After reviewing the scenario information and video, the candidates should consider the following cognitive process questions and test-taking strategies to answer this question.
| Cognitive Process Questions for Candidates |
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What knowledge and skills does the question intend to assess?
What is the context of the question?
What is the primary decision or issue to be resolved?
What evidence from the scenario addresses this question?
How can you apply your knowledge of best practices to answer this question?
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| Test-Taking Strategies for Candidates |
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How can you rephrase the question in your own words to ensure you understand it?
What are the key phrases presented in the question?
What is the important scenario information provided to support the question?
Can you eliminate any obviously wrong answer choices?
Select the correct answer choice and mark your answer.
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Below are rationales for each of the answer choices for candidates to check their thinking.
Option B is correct because a teacher who has taught a unit before can reasonably predict the common misunderstandings and errors that students will make as they learn the content or skills in a lesson. Anticipating and preparing for student errors will allow Ms. O'Toole to put appropriate scaffolding in place for helping students avoid likely misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Options A and C are incorrect because neither action alone addresses the problem of students reinforcing misconceptions or misunderstandings.
Option D is incorrect because providing students with activities requiring low-level thinking skills may reduce the occurrence of misconceptions and misunderstandings but serves no purpose in advancing their learning.
Preparing for this Item Type and Content
During preparation for the assessment, candidates should enhance their knowledge, skills, and mind-set around the observation and feedback cycle. Candidates should work with their preparation program to ensure that they have experience reviewing lesson plans, observing instruction, reviewing student work samples, planning for and facilitating pre- and post-observational conferences, and creating and implementing a coaching action plan.
| Reflective Questions for Preparation Programs |
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How can you design courses to provide candidates with a strong foundation of the observation and feedback cycle? How can you strengthen candidates' understanding of effective pedagogical practices and how to apply those practices during the coaching cycle? How can you provide candidates with experiences that will ensure they are familiar with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the state-mandated assessment expectations for rigor and alignment, and how to coach teachers to apply best practices during unit and lesson planning? How can you give candidates experiences coaching teachers to use formative and summative assessment data to inform instructional decisions? |
| Reflective Questions for Candidates |
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Do you understand the principles of effective observation and instructional coaching? Have you had multiple opportunities to watch and reflect on effective coaching by master instructional coaches? Have you had multiple opportunities to facilitate the observation and feedback cycle for teachers of different grade levels and core subjects? Have you received feedback on your coaching and worked to address areas of improvement? Have you recorded a coaching conference you facilitated and completed a self-reflection to enhance your learning? |
Understanding Constructed-Response Questions
Constructed-response questions on the Principal as Instructional Leader (268) examination require you to demonstrate your integrated knowledge in an area by providing in-depth written responses.
See Section 5 of this preparation manual for detailed information about the content, format, and scoring of this exam's constructed-response questions.
Gather Study Materials
For all content areas, think about where you might be able to obtain materials for review:
- Did you have a course in which the area was covered?
- Do you still have your book or your notes?
- Does your college library have a good text in this area?
- Does your local library have a text covering a specific area?
Do you know a teacher or professor who can help you organize your study? Would a study group suit you and help you maintain momentum? People have different study methods that work for them — use whatever you know that works for you.
The prep manual provides a combination of exam preparation and practice, including sample questions and answers with explanations. The interactive practice exam is another useful preparation resource. The interactive practice exam includes questions representative of the actual exam. It also simulates the test-taking experience of the actual exam and provides automated results reporting on the selected-response questions.
Plan and Organize Your Time
You can begin to plan and organize your time while you are still collecting materials. Allow yourself plenty of review time to avoid cramming new material at the end. Here are a few tips:
- Choose a testing date far enough in the future to leave you plenty of preparation time. For exam date information, refer to the exam's information page on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website.
- Work backward from the exam date to figure out how much time you will need for review.
- Set a realistic schedule — and stick to it.
Develop Your Study Plan
A study plan provides a roadmap to prepare for the exam. It can help you understand what skills and knowledge are covered on the exam and where to focus your attention. A study plan worksheet is available on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. You can use this worksheet to:
- Define Content Areas: List the most important content areas for the exam as defined in the preparation manual.
- Determine Strengths and Weaknesses: Identify where you have thorough understanding and where you need additional study in each content area.
- Identify Resources: Identify the books, courses, and other resources you plan to use to study for each content area.
- Study: Create and commit to a schedule that provides for regular study periods.
Using Study Materials as Part of a Study Group
People who have a lot of studying to do sometimes find it helpful to form a study group with others who are working toward the same goal. Study groups give members opportunities to ask questions and get detailed answers. In a group, some members usually have a better understanding of certain topics, while others in the group may be better at other topics. As members take turns explaining concepts to each other, everyone builds self-confidence.
If the group encounters a question that none of the members can answer well, the group can go to a teacher or other expert and get answers efficiently. Because study groups schedule regular meetings, members study in a more disciplined fashion. They also gain emotional support. The group should be large enough so that various people can contribute various kinds of knowledge, but small enough so that it stays focused. Often, three to six members is a good size.
Here are some ways to use the preparation manual as part of a study group:
- Plan the group's study program. Parts of the study plan template can help to structure your group's study program. By filling out the first five columns and sharing the worksheets, everyone will learn more about your group's mix of abilities and about the resources, such as textbooks, that members can share with the group. In the sixth column ("Dates planned for study of content"), you can create an overall schedule for your group's study program.
- Plan individual group sessions. At the end of each session, the group should decide what specific topics will be covered at the next meeting and who will present each topic. Use the content domains and competencies in the preparation manual to select topics, and then select practice questions.
- Prepare your presentation for the group. When it's your turn to present, prepare something that is more than a lecture. Write two or three original questions to pose to the group. Practicing writing actual questions can help you better understand the topics covered on the exam as well as the types of questions you will encounter on the exam. It will also give other members of the group extra practice at answering questions.
- Take a practice exam together. The idea of a practice exam is to simulate an actual administration of the exam, so scheduling an exam session with the group will add to the realism and may also help boost everyone's confidence. Remember, if you take a practice exam, allow only the time that will be allotted for that exam on your administration day. You can take the actual interactive practice exam or use the questions in the preparation manual for your practice exam.
- Learn from the results of the practice exam. Check each other's answers. Answers for the selected-response questions with explanations for the answers are included in the interactive practice exam and prep manual. For the constructed-response questions, look at the sample responses to those types of questions and see how they were scored. Then try to follow the same guidelines that the test raters use.
- Be as critical as you can. You're not doing your study partner a favor by letting him or her get away with an answer that does not cover all parts of the question adequately.
- Be specific. Write comments that are as detailed as the comments about the sample responses. Indicate where and how your study partner is doing an inadequate job of answering the question. Writing notes for your study partner may also help.
- Be supportive. Include comments that point out what your study partner got right and that therefore earned points.
Then plan one or more study sessions based on aspects of the questions on which group members did not perform well. For example, each group member might be responsible for rewriting one paragraph of a response in which someone else did an inadequate job.
Whether you decide to study alone or with a group, remember that the best way to prepare is to have an organized plan. The plan you follow should set goals based on specific topics and skills that you need to learn, and it should commit you to a realistic set of deadlines for meeting these goals. Then you need to discipline yourself to stick with your plan and accomplish your goals on schedule.
Smart Tips for Success
Learn from the experts. Take advantage of these answers to questions you may have and practical tips to help you navigate the exam and make the best use of your time.
Should I guess?
Yes. Your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly, with no penalty or subtraction for an incorrect answer. When you don't know the answer to a question, try to eliminate any obviously wrong answers and then guess at the correct one. Try to pace yourself so that you have enough time to carefully consider every question.
Are there trick questions on the exam?
No. There are no hidden meanings or trick wording. All of the questions on the exam ask about content knowledge in a straightforward manner.
Are there answer patterns on the exam?
No. You might have heard this myth: The answers on selected-response exams follow patterns. Another myth is that there will never be more than two questions with the same lettered answer following each other. Neither myth is true. Select the answer you think is correct based on your knowledge of the subject.
Can I write on the erasable sheet(s) I am given?
Yes. You can make notes to yourself on the erasable sheet(s) provided to you by the test administrator. You may use your notes in any way that is useful to you, but be sure to enter your final answers on the computer. No credit is given for anything written on the erasable sheet(s).
Tips for Taking the Exam
- Skip the questions you find extremely difficult. Rather than trying to answer these on your first pass through the exam, leave them blank and mark them. Pay attention to the time as you answer the rest of the questions on the exam, and try to finish with 10 or 15 minutes remaining so that you can go back over the questions you left blank. Even if you don't know the answer the second time you read the questions, see if you can narrow down the possible answers and then guess.
- Keep track of the time. Keep an eye on the timer, and be aware of how much time you have left to complete the exam. You will probably have plenty of time to answer all of the questions, but if you find yourself becoming stuck on one question, you might decide to move on and return to that question later.
- Read all of the possible answers before selecting one. Then, reread the question to be sure the answer you have selected really answers the question. Remember, a question that contains a phrase such as "Which of the following does NOT ..." is asking for the one answer that is NOT a correct statement or conclusion.
- Check your answers. If you have extra time left over at the end of the exam, look over each question and make sure that you have answered it as you intended. Many test takers make careless mistakes that they could have corrected if they had checked their answers.
- Don't worry about your score when you are taking the exam. No one is expected to answer all of the questions correctly. Your score on this exam is not analogous to your score on other similar-looking (but in fact very different!) exams. It doesn't matter on the exams whether you score very high or barely pass. If you meet the minimum passing score along with any other certification requirements, you will receive a certificate. In other words, what matters is meeting the minimum passing score.
- Use your energy to take the exam, not to get angry at it. Getting angry at the exam only increases stress and decreases the likelihood that you will do your best. Highly qualified educators and exam development professionals, all with backgrounds in teaching and educational leadership, worked diligently to make the exam a fair and valid measure of your knowledge and skills. The best thing to do is concentrate on answering the questions.
Do Your Best on Exam Day
You followed your study plan. You are ready for the exam. Now it's time to prepare for exam day.
Plan to end your review a day or two before the actual exam date so you avoid cramming. Take a dry run to the test center so you're sure of the route, traffic conditions, and parking. Most of all, you want to eliminate any unexpected factors that could distract you from your ultimate goal — passing the exam!
On the day of the exam, you should:
- Be well-rested.
- Bring two pieces of original (no photocopies or digital ID) and valid (unexpired) identification, printed in English in the name in which you registered. Your identification must contain your name, a recent recognizable photograph, and your signature. For more information, refer to the ID Policy page on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled reporting time.
- Eat before you take the exam to keep your energy level up.
- Wear comfortable clothes and dress in layers.
You cannot control the testing situation, but you can control yourself. Stay calm. The supervisors are well trained and make every effort to provide uniform testing conditions. You can think of preparing for this exam as training for an athletic event. Once you have trained, prepared, and rested, give it your best effort...and good luck!
Are You Ready?
Review this list to determine if you're ready to take the exam.
- Do you know the Texas testing requirements for your field?
- Have you followed all of the exam registration procedures?
- Do you know the topics that will be covered in the exam you plan to take?
- Have you reviewed any textbooks, class notes, and course readings that relate to the topics covered?
- Do you know how long the exam will take and the number of questions it contains?
- Have you considered how you will pace your work?
- Are you familiar with the types of questions that you may encounter on the exam?
- Are you familiar with the recommended test-taking strategies?
- Have you practiced by working through the practice questions in the preparation manual and interactive practice exam?
- Do you understand the scoring criteria for the constructed-response questions?
- If you are retaking the exam, have you analyzed your previous score report to determine areas where additional study and exam preparation could be useful?
If you answered "yes" to the questions above, your preparation has paid off. Now take the exam, do your best, and pass it!
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