ok here is a post i made in Cadet World
people attempting NSCE this year should REALLY listen to this...coming from someone who has 2 years of attempting the NSCE and 1 more of Staffing NSCE (plus this spring break coming)
"the NSCE is the final level of testing that an army cadet takes, After NSCE (National Star Certification Examination) is passed, there are no more tests to be completed
Very much like your Levels, the army cadets have Green, Red, Silver, and Gold star...which I'm sure you are somewhat familiar with by now...NSCE would be somewhat equivalent to Level 5
after you complete your Gold Star training level, your corps can send you to a provincial testing called the NSCE. In BC, the first phase (Phase 1) is a written test compiled of all of the Fundamental Training, and Map & Compass that you learn. This is done at the corps level. The second phase (Phase 2) is completed over Spring Break at the Vernon Army CSTC, where all of the cadets who have passed the first phase come together for the week and complete the final phase, which is all of the practical exams. Consisting of Map & Compass, Knots, Physical Fitness, Drill and Classroom instruction.
here in BC, since there are usually over 100 cadets that are taking the second phase, they have split them up into 2 groups, and require cadet staff to fill in platoon warrant and Standards positions. The Vancouver Island/Vancouver Mainland area is tested at Vernon from the Sunday-Tuesday of spring break, while the remainder of BC is tests from the Wednesday-Friday of spring break.
If you are wanting to attempt the NSCE this year, you will need to do a lot of cramming...mostly concentrate on your Map & Compass, and second to that, the Fundamental Training. anything from those 2 sections of the Army Cadet Reference Manual is fair game for Phase 1, and you need 60% to be able to attempt phase 2
for phase 2, i suggest working on Map & Compass (again) and also your instructional techniques. And DO NOT FORGET!!! to have your lesson plans completed. If you are successful in phase 1, you will be assigned 2 class lessons, and 2 drill lessons (one of which will be your main lesson, the second will be a backup in case you fail the first) out of a possible 8 lessons each. The lessons required to teach are usually of a Green or Red star level, so they are not too difficult, you just need to know how to do them. I suggest having all 4 lesson plans completed before you arrive for the Phase 2 training, and ensure you have 2 copy's of EACH lesson plan, as you will be required to hand one in to the evaluator, before you start the lesson, and it also helps you have a copy in your pocket. Also, if possible, acquire all of the training aids you will need from your corps, for your class lessons, as the staff do not like running around photo copying and getting training aids for the cadets.
Another thing that i would like to inform everyone of, is instruct your lessons as if the cadets were green star level. Assuming that they know nothing,
I will use Attention/Stand At Ease/Stand Easy as an example. I would instruct it as if the cadets were brand new, and did not know anything. You cannot ignore the fact that the people you are teaching are going to be your peers and of a MCpl+ rank (usually), so take that into account. but i would still teach it as it they do not know anything...the evaluators like detail...also, for that lesson, i would start off by teaching the cadets how to stand at Ease FIRST! since that is the very first position they assume when falling in to ranks. I would then carry on to the position of Attention, then Stand Easy. And let me add, that there should only be one(1) squad for each position. I do not like seeing cadets standing on one foot, as the instructor is trying to explain the fundamentals of the movement from attention to standing at ease. The cadets are concentrating more on staying standing on one foot, than they are on what the instructor has to say.
well i think that is about it, if you have any more questions (ANYBODY) please feel free to PM me or catch me on MSN at ouyin_1726_182@hotmail.com "