Failed my Education K-12 cert twice, finally passing next month?

I'm at my wit's end with this exam. Took it in February and scored a 68 — needed a 75. Retook it in April, got a 71. I've been using a generic study guide that covers everything under the sun but honestly I don't think it was targeted enough for the K-12 specific content. My school district is giving me one more shot before they rescind my conditional hire offer, so I'm treating this next attempt like a full-time job.

What actually helped me was finally getting serious about the pedagogy side of things. I'd been ignoring differentiated instruction and just cramming curriculum standards. Found the Education K-12 Teaching Methods & Pedagogy practice test and holy cow, the questions are so much closer to what's actually on the real exam. Scored a 78 on my first attempt at that practice set.

Anyone else who struggled early but eventually passed — what clicked for you? How many hours per week were you putting in, and which topic areas gave you the most trouble? I'm targeting at least 20 hours this month.