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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When was Kelly School built?

2. What happened to Lisette, one of the quiet children in the room, in October?

3. What did Mrs. Zajac allow the students to do on the first day?

4. What was Holyoke's primary industry at the turn of the century?

5. About how many "personal interactions" does a teacher need to manage successfully in order for students to feel secure?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were the demographics of Kelly School? Were they in line with the demographics of the community? What else do we know about the families attending Kelly School?

2. What were some of the tips Mrs. Zajac gives Pam Hunt before her three days teaching in the classroom alone?

3. Why did Clarence immediately catch Mrs. Zajac's eye? What were some of his behaviors in the classroom? What did she and her student teacher Miss Hunt notice about Clarence?

4. What is the subject of Kidder's story? Is it fiction or non-fiction? How does he go about learning about his subject?

5. Why did Mrs. Zajac allow her students to choose their own desks on the first day of school? What message did she want to send to her students? What did she learn about the children by allowing them their choice of seats?

6. What were the work conditions for female teachers of the late 19th and 20th centuries?

7. What subject did Mrs. Zajac's students have on Wednesday afternoons? How was the behavior in the classroom different from other times as the students prepared their Halloween project?

8. What is the concept of "dual captivity"?

9. What were the specific goals Mrs. Zajac had for all of her students in the fifth grade? Why did she consider these goals important?

10. What happened in the 1970's to the town of Holyoke? How did this affect the town and its economy? What plans did the state and local governments come up with to renew Holyoke?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Zajac took her fifth grade class on a field trip to Old Sturbridge Village and had two different agendas for the field trip. What were those two agendas, and how did she work to accomplish both? Why was this trip important to Mrs. Zajac?

Essay Topic 2

At the Science Fair, Mrs. Zajac decided to speak to Al about rethinking the fair because it may not be appropriate for Kelly School. Later, when she saw the disappointment and frustration of the students who did not receive an award, she told herself to remember to give all students awards next time. Why did she think a science fair might not be appropriate for the school? Explain how Mrs. Zajac could feel both things simultaneously. What does this say about her as a teacher?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the Puerto Rican and white cultures as evidenced in church, in school, and in the city of Holyoke.

(see the answer keys)

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