My sister just took the LET last April 2011, luckily my vacation period. She was focused, determined, yet anxious during her self-review. Today, we both learned she passed. Congratulations, Ate! Click here to view the Secondary Level LET Passers, April 2011.

Back in 2006, I also went through the agony of waiting for the LET Results. The closer the date of release, the more nervous I was about the outcome. It would definitely be a big joke if I didn’t pass. Well, I was not even looking at the Alphabetized names, ’cause I was hoping to belong to the Top 10 passers. Upon seeing 2006 list of Topnotchers, I was greatly humbled. My name was not on it.

90.20 was the average of the first while 87.20 was the 10th in 2006 Elementary Level LET. Mine? 86.4. It doesn’t matter.. I told myself I might not even want to teach in a regular school. And as I’ve observed, those who topped the LET don’t actually teach well. They are simply good at test- like me.

However, I can’t help but wonder why this year’s Elementary LET topnotchers got 85 and below. Was it because of the test? Did they really not anticipate the possible questions? Or it’s a rough reflection of a declining quality of teacher education in our country? (I hope it isn’t so.)

Last year, the topnotcher got 88.20, the 10th placer, 85.60.  Had the 10th placer taken the exam this year, he would have been number one. Why do I bother so much about scores anyway? Everyone says LET results are not the sole basis of a teacher’s capacity to handle her subject matter and discipline her students. The latter being the hardest to meet.

Perhaps so.