I am frequently asked two questions about the General Curriculum Math MTEL.  The most common is: “is the test hard?”  The second is: “should I take the General Curriculum Math or the Elementary Math MTEL?”

The answers to those questions depend on two testing conditions—How good you are at math & how good you are at taking multiple choice logic-reasoning exams. If math scares you, it is hard.  If you think you suck at math, it is hard.  If you had trouble with SAT-like math, it’s hard.  The General Curriculum Math MTEL is a test of logical reasoning and not just math.

Grading the GC Math MTEL

The level of the math on the General Curriculum MTEL isn’t particularly difficult. It’s about 10^th grade-level.  When I did SAT prep back in the mid-90s, I taught exactly the same stuff as I teach for this test. I even use SAT-like problems for practice.  However, I think that it is the most difficult MTEL—relative to level—of the MTELs for Special Ed/Elementary/Early childhood track students; it is relatively harder that the Communication and Literacy Skills, Foundations of Reading, Early Childhood, and General Curriculum Multi-Subject MTELs for most people. 

Why is it so tough?  The math is disguised.  The questions aren’t structured like they were when you were in school.  The test-makers mess with your head.  Instead of asking something like what is 1/2 + 1/4, 

They will give you something like this:

They won’t ask you to

“Covert the following percent to a fraction” 

They will ask you to:

Find the value of Z if the fraction A/Z is reduced and the expression of 37.5%.

In short, the math on the General Curriculum Math MTEL is disguised. 

Grading the Elementary Math MTEL

The Elementary Math MTEL is technically more difficult.  The test includes higher-level math, but it does not disguise the concepts in the problems as much as in the GC Math MTEL.  There are advanced concepts such as logs, etc., but you will know what they are asking you.  If you were “good at math,” in elementary and secondary education, confident in your ability and did well in Algebra 2, you will probably be fine taking the Elementary Math MTEL.

If you need someone to walk you through basic math concepts like:

• Number theory
• Fractions, decimals, precents (operations and conversions)
• Ratios and proportions
• Algebraic reasoning and equations
• Functions
• Statistics
• Probability
• Geometry

…you’re probably better off taking the General Curriculum Math Test —especially if you’re not a confident math student and would need someone to teach you how to dissect the questions to see the basic math concepts buried in the questions. 

ETI’s General Curriculum Math program teaches the basic math concepts above, but redeveloped test-taking skills and strategies to help you perform under actual testing are embedded in every lesson.  You will learn how to untangle the confounding questions and get to the basic math you need to understand in order to get the problem correct. 

If you need to take the Elementary Math MTEL, our program for the General Curriculum Math MTEL has helped dozens of students who have taken your MTEL.  People pass both of these exams after taking our program.

We’ve been preparing people for this exam since before this exam even existed.  We have had a program for the General Curriculum MTEL since the exam was created when it was morphed from the Elementary MTEL in the early 2000s.  The DESE announced in 2008 that they would be splitting the General Curriculum exam into two parts, the Multi-Subject and the Math.  I went to work designing our program.  Since March 2009, when this MTEL was first given, I have worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of students who have taken it.

Do you really think a better program exists?

If you need help, start here.  We’ve been guaranteeing MTEL success since 1999.  You should find out why.