CPST class-what to study?

scatterbunny

New member
Okay, I'm pretty much an encyclopedia of all the "best practice" stuff, and seatbelt types, but I know I don't know my FMVSS stuff. What else should I go over before class (starts March 13th)?
 
ADS

bensmom

Admin - CPS Technician
Honestly, that should be sufficient. They just redid the curriculum, and I believe that there's more of a focus now on practical material.

Do you have the materials? You could probably look at them ahead of time.

The only other thing I can think of is belt types (basically Heather's locking clip page).
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
You should study public speaking, so you can teach the class better than the teachers probably will :D.
I think the FMVSS stuff and the Haddon Matrix were maybe the only things I didn't 'know' (turned out the seatbelts were a breeze, even though they worried me the most).
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Yep, it was the FMVSS stuff that I sweated the most, too. There were a few "trick" questions in which the Best Practice answer and the available answers were not the same, as well.
Like:
"What do you do with a 45 lb 3 year old?" the old answer would be a booster because a HWL seat would not have been an option.
or:
"22 lb 15 month old should be RF or FF?" their answer was FF (IIRC)


That type of thing.
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
You should study public speaking, so you can teach the class better than the teachers probably will :D.

That's what I thought as soon as I saw who started this thread... :p Jenny, I didn't study anything and walked into the class only knowing what I learned here on this board in a couple of months. And I still had to finally bite my tongue to stop myself from adding to what the instructor said. And you know more than I do and have been interested in CPS longer. Remember, most of the other folks in your class won't even know the different types of belts, probably have never installed a car seat, have never heard of LATCH, don't know an infant carrier from a shield booster, etc.

When you become an instructor some day, I'll come take my refresher/recert classes from you :)
 

cpsaddict

New member
I took the class in April 2003 and I was amazed at what people did not know. On the second day of class, we were looking at the different parts of the seats. About five people were gathered around an On My Way and they could not figure out how to get it off the base. Then, after they got it off the base, somone else came along and put it on the base backwards and got it majorly stuck. I was thinking, "Uh, does that even look close to right?". Half of our class failed. I could not believe that! I learned almost everything from the Parents Place and Babycenter boards and I had to really bite my tongue!
The only thing that got me was the seatbelt types. Oh, and we had to do an excercise where we had to find the mistake. I could not figure out the problem with the Evenflo Joyride. Turns out it had a weird harness adjustor. The 0-ring thing and it was not threaded correctly. I felt so dumb when the instructor finally pointed that out.
Also, in my class, any child over 1 yr and 20lbs was ff. That was the correct answer to any question like that. As they say, "that was so four years ago!" :rolleyes:

Good luck and have fun! I LOVED the class, although my knees didn't! :D
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Oh yeah, it's O for Open and C for Closed on that old type of infant seat...god I hope all those are expired and burned by now! (I wouldn't have got that right if so many people in my class hadn't already been doing checkups with the instructors and knew about it and thought it was really worth talking about, a LOT, lol)
 

Robert

CPST Instructor
Study the questions in the back of each section, don't be afraid to ask questions. As far as the new curriculum goes, that is not being taught until June 2007.

And above all, enjoy the class as you most likely will.
 

Namegirl

Senior Community Member
At my class, they told us throughout the week the things that we would NEED to know for sure, so we were able to be very prepared. I never really studied, though, I just paid attention during class and that was enough.
 

Namegirl

Senior Community Member
At my class, they told us throughout the week the things that we would NEED to know for sure, so we were able to be very prepared. I never really studied, though, I just paid attention during class and that was enough.
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Are they still using the old test for the class right now? I don't think they've changed anything yet.

FMVSS 208: seat belts and air bags; lockability standard went into effect in MY 1996 (but you know that already); just for FYI, all seating positions must have l/s belts by MY 2008
FMVSS 213: car seats up to 65 lbs.; LATCH on the car seat
FMVSS 225: LATCH in the vehicle; required in at least 2 rear positions; 3 tether anchors required

I don't think the test gets very specific on actual numbers, but don't hold me to that. It's been a few years since I've taken it :D.
 

scatterbunny

New member
Thanks, everyone! :)

So since this is still the old curriculum/test, I should expect to have to answer questions about a 45# 3yo going into a booster, and a 22# 15mo going FF?

I hope these instructors will discuss extended rear-facing and extended harnessing. If they don't, I'll have a hard time biting my tongue.

And I hope my recline bar arrives in the mail before the class starts, so I can try to install the Husky according to manufacturer's instructions. If not, I'll take it out and put the Futura in, just to be on the "safe" side.

I'm giggling at the suggestion of taking public speaking. I have such a fear of public speaking, and it was pretty much awful at the class last year, having to speak up on certain things are basically being treated like I didn't know what I was taking about. So I just hope these instructors are totally awesome like all of you here.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
If it's the old test, make sure you know how big an armadillo is (there's two versions of the test, and one asks about that, and it's hilarious that people have no idea... uh, sorry for those of you who don't know...quick, google it ;) )
 

CrabbyBunchX3

New member
googled armadillo FAQs
size=
14. How big does an armadillo get?

An adult nine-banded armadillo is about the same size as an average housecat. The body length ranges from 15 to 17 inches; the tail is 14 to 16 inches long. They weigh between 8 and 17 pounds; males are heavier than females. Weight and body length information for all of the armadillo species are included on the Armadillo Species page.

why is this on the test?
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
Thanks, everyone! :)

So since this is still the old curriculum/test, I should expect to have to answer questions about a 45# 3yo going into a booster, and a 22# 15mo going FF?

I hope these instructors will discuss extended rear-facing and extended harnessing. If they don't, I'll have a hard time biting my tongue.

And I hope my recline bar arrives in the mail before the class starts, so I can try to install the Husky according to manufacturer's instructions. If not, I'll take it out and put the Futura in, just to be on the "safe" side.

I'm giggling at the suggestion of taking public speaking. I have such a fear of public speaking, and it was pretty much awful at the class last year, having to speak up on certain things are basically being treated like I didn't know what I was taking about. So I just hope these instructors are totally awesome like all of you here.

You should get the recline bar today or tomorrow, I sent it priority mail on Friday and I am only 1 state away from you :D
 

scatterbunny

New member
Ugh. :( No-go in my van, forward-of-the-bight lapbelt-only, with the recline bar, short belt path. :( :( I tried three times and could not get it to work. The belt is just too far forward of the bight to work with anything but the long belt path.

I'll try it in Mark's truck when he gets home from work.
 

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