If you are here, I assume that you are trying to figure out how to pass your art content praxis exam. When I decided to earn my degree in Art Education, I knew there were several hurdles to clear before I could become a certified teacher. While the basic Core Subjects test was straightforward, the specialized art praxis (5134) was a much bigger challenge.
I didn’t have access to high school art classes growing up or online tutorials. I was mostly self-taught, painting along with Bob Ross and practicing with drawing books. So, when I returned to college in my 30s to get my teaching license, my formal art background was pretty limited.
I knew I needed a solid strategy so I thought up all kinds of “pass your art content praxis” strategies. By organizing my approach, I am happy to report that I was able to succeed. I passed my art praxis exam the very first time I took it. Here are the four steps I took to prepare for the Praxis Art Content Knowledge exam.
My Study Strategies for the Art Praxis (5134)
1. Understand the Test Topics. Initially, studying for the art praxis felt incredibly overwhelming. My professors warned me that the test covered every major artist and medium from prehistoric eras to modern day.
To avoid information overload, I went straight to the official ETS website and downloaded their free study guide. This document was a lifesaver because it broke down the exact topics covered and showed the percentage weight of each category on the actual exam.
2. Take a Baseline Practice Test. Once I had the official guide, I needed to figure out my starting point. I looked for practice exams specifically designed for teacher certification. While ETS offers a practice test, I wanted a wider variety of questions, so I bought a bundle of practice tests from ExamEdge.
I took a “pre-test” to gauge my current knowledge. My initial score wasn’t great, but it clearly highlighted my weak areas. As I continued studying, I took more practice tests to track my improvement.
3. Create a Structured Study Plan Using the results from my pre-test and the official ETS guide, I prioritized my study list. I grabbed two highlighters: pink for topics I needed to learn immediately and yellow for the less urgent subjects.
Next, I printed the ETS study companion. This document includes columns to track study dates, resources and your confidence level for each topic. Filling this out gave me a concrete schedule and kept me organized as I prepared for the Praxis Art exam.
4. Gather the Best Study Resources Along with the ETS materials and ExamEdge practice tests, I relied on several other resources to build my knowledge base:
- The Annotated Mona Lisa (affiliate link): If you only buy one thing to help you prepare for the art praxis (5134), make it this book. It is fantastic for cramming art history, and several questions on my actual exam seemed to pull directly from its pages.
- Otis College’s Art History Playlist: This YouTube series breaks down major art movements from prehistoric to contemporary times into short, manageable videos.
- Quizlet: I used this site to create custom flashcards. The platform makes it easy to switch between traditional flashcards and fill-in-the-blank quizzes.
- MoMA Learn: The Museum of Modern Art’s website acts like a comprehensive online art dictionary, perfect for reading up on specific artists and movements.
- College-Level Art History Courses: I took Art History 1 and 2 right before my exam. This requires advance planning, but taking these classes gave me a massive advantage on the art history portion of the test.
Conclusion. Preparing for the art praxis (5134) doesn’t have to be intimidating if you break it down into manageable steps. Figure out what you need to study, find your weak spots, make a plan, and use the right tools. Get a good night’s rest before test day, and you will be ready to pass your art content praxis and move one step closer to your own art classroom.
Additional Resources
- The Praxis Study Companion for the Art Content Knowledge (5134) Exam – This a PDF booklet that describes what’s on the test, how you answer questions, etc.
- “The Ultimate Guide to Acing the Praxis II Art Test” by The Art of Ed – A short article packed with resources for studying and preparing for test day.
- Quizlet – The particular Quizlet is well-rated by users studing for their art exam.
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