Test Anxiety Begone!
So you’ve signed up for the Association Credentialing Exam or you’re thinking about signing up, and you like to feel prepared. You may have already checked out the Handbook, Code of Ethics, and Core Competencies, but you’re looking for guidance on what it’s really like to take the exam. Here’s what to expect, from someone who has already been there:
The Interface
The OWL interface for taking the Association Credentialing Exam is straightforward and pretty hard to mess up, honestly. The Association (and by that, we mean the one and only Sheila Watson) will send you registration information with plenty of advance notice, so you’ll have time to set up your account, test your equipment, and take the “Ice Cream Test,” which is a 5-question mock exam that gives you a sense of how to navigate through the real thing. No stress, unless you hate ice cream!
One note: In order to navigate *backwards* to review or change your previous answers, you need to fill out the question you are *currently* on. Until you select an answer or fill in an open response, the navigation arrows will be greyed out. As soon as you select an answer, you can navigate to any section or question you like!
The Structure
The Association Credentialing Exam is split into the following five modules:
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Emotional, Verbal, & Social Skills. This section will test things like: the purpose of ESD, how to differentiate ESD from other forms of self-defense, communication, intuition, boundaries, spectrum of violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, emotional manipulation.
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Physical Skills. The second module will test things like: misconceptions about physical attacks and responses, when appropriate to use physical techniques, context and risk evaluation, goal to escape safely, choosing effective physical techniques, physical moves (such as palm heel strike, rear elbow strike, strangulation response, etc.), after confrontation.
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Safety and Trauma Sensitivity. Module three will test things like: physical safety in teaching environment, safety equipment, alternate exercises to accommodate student injuries or limitations, modeling safe behavior with physical interactions, emotional safety with role play, emotional safety when personal stories are shared, trauma (plans, physical signs, management, etc.).
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Ethics & Social Change. Module four will test things like: differentiating ethics, morality, expected behaviors, inclusion & equity, appropriate touch, confidentiality, sexual harassment, intimate relationships, child abuse, reporting, recognizing own bias, intersectionality, gender/identity-based violence.
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Classroom Management. The final module will test things like: class plans (creating, adapting, contingencies, etc.), setting up role play, emergency reporting, time management, co-teaching, body positivity/movement.
Each module includes a variety of multiple choice questions, followed by several open-ended questions.
The Multiple Choice Questions
They’re tricky, but they’re not trick questions! What do I mean by that? There are a lot of questions that have more than one apparent “right answer,” but they’re not trying to trick you into answering incorrectly, they are just trying to get you to stop and think. So you need to take your time to think through what is being tested (is this the section on Verbal Skills or Trauma-Sensitive Teaching, for example), and in the context of those core competencies, decide what would be the best (not the only) choice.
Of course it always depends, context is key, there are no one-size-fits-all answers in ESD, and the same goes for ESD instruction! However, multiple choice means you can only choose one answer, and you don’t get a space to justify your process, so breathe, release the need to explain your decision-making process in essay form, and just choose one. Hard as it may be, try not to go down a 10-minute rabbit hole of reflection. If you have already taken a couple of minutes to decide, you may need to let go of perfectionism and flip a coin. (That’s what I do, anyway, and it’s been working for me since high school!)
And, you can always note down the questions you weren’t sure about, make a gut decision your first time through the test, and then go back to review them after you’re done and see if you want to change your answer.
The Open-Ended Questions
Don’t write a multi-page essay. Seriously, just resist the urge. The beauty and the challenge of open-ended responses is that you can dive deep into this ESD thing that we’re all so passionate about and dig into the juicy complexities of context and culture, the things which multiple choice does not allow. Nuance is amazing, and this is totally a place to demonstrate your depth of knowledge and experience.
And, you don’t need to overdo it. There might be 20 great points you want to make in answer to one question. But just because there are 20 right answers, doesn’t mean you have to give all of them! Pick 5 that seem especially essential to you, and the ones to which you feel you can speak with the most expertise or confidence, and touch on those. This exam is about demonstrating our competence as ESD professionals, but that doesn’t mean you need to say everything in every answer. Remember that someone has to read your answers, and my guess is they will appreciate your ability to be concise and to the point even more than they appreciate your exceptional nuance and clever turns of phrase!
That reminds me, no one is judging us on grammar or spelling (Sheila said so!), so this is really, seriously not the place for perfectionism. Write in bullet points, write in fragments, use the easy words if you can’t think of the big words in the moment. The point is to communicate your understanding of ESD clearly, and I think that can happen even with imperfect grammar, missing punctuation, and choppy sentences.
The Time
Test-taking depends on so many personal factors like attention span, writing/typing speed, personality type, and more. The exam is expected to take approximately three hours, but that time can vary greatly depending on… you! Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, and leave yourself extra time, especially if you already know you tend to be slow on written exams. The important thing is getting it done with a minimum of stress, so try to make the inside of your own head a pressure-free zone.
The Space
I find classical music extremely helpful when I need to focus on a long task (like taking an exam). You probably already have all your focus hacks, so use those. Make the coffee, light the candles, play the music, close the door, tell your kids/partner/dog to stay outside. Close all your extra tabs, or open a new, distraction-free browser window. Do whatever you need to do to clear your mind and create the environment that will help you to concentrate fully for a few hours. Oh yeah, and make sure you have a solid internet connection!
Other Things to Keep in Mind
I wish I had read the Ethics Code and Exam Handbook just a little bit more carefully. There are some questions based directly on these documents that would have been a breeze had I been a bit more diligent in studying the study materials. In the same vein, if there is a core competency you feel uncertain about, ask colleagues or ask Sheila ahead of time. No one is trying to trick you, and it’s totally possible you teach the same thing using different words. If you are unsure, remember: There are no stupid questions!
It’s possible you will feel uncertain about a few questions, and that’s okay. Don’t agonize over getting every question right. You don’t need a perfect score. Test-taking 101: If you’re stuck for more than a couple of minutes on multiple choice, just choose something and move on. Come back to it later if you have time. Take a minute to organize your thoughts before starting your answer on the open-ended questions. If you realize that you are spending longer than 5 minutes on an answer, take a deep breath, find a stopping point, and move on.
Don’t try to “play the system,” guessing at what the test reviewers want to hear. Be authentic with who you are and the way you teach. This exam was in fact designed for you, so if you are a passionate, competent ESD professional, you should be able to pass the exam being your own sweet self.
Ask for what you need! Three hours seems too long to sit still? The Association (Sheila) can break down the exam into smaller sections for you. Would you rather give recorded audio responses to the questions instead typing them? Sheila can make that happen. Wonky, unreliable internet connection? We’ve got it covered.
Good luck, and happy testing!
Want to learn more about the Association of ESD Professionals Credentialing Program. Check out the Credentialing Page here: www.esdprofessionals.org/credentialing-home.
