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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. What about Mr. Turner's phone call habits irks Codell in the first few entries of the book?

2. Who provides Codell with an explanation as to why her substitute got stabbed in the back with a pencil?

3. What is Codell's opinion of teaching about Anne Frank and concentration camps?

4. Why is Codell angry after she breaks up a fight between two girls on December 8th?

5. What film, the first classic film Codell shows, is shown in October 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. What February 15 incident nearly results in Codell quitting the school?

2. What steps does Codell take to prepare her classroom for the first day of school?

3. Why does Codell resent the "educational chiropractor" brought in by Mr. Turner?

4. Explain the story of Ozzie becoming ill at school.

5. How does Ms. Federman convince Codell to remain a teacher at the school on February 15?

6. Describe Codell's experience with the teachers union representative.

7. Why is Codell relieved when she refrains from yelling at Latoya for continually coming in late one week?

8. As related in Part I's first entry, what happens in Codell's first interviews for the position at the new public school?

9. What award does Codell win early in Part III, and why is it important to her?

10. What happens with Perry, the gang member Codell confronts regarding an incident on October 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Codell's own ambition plays a key role in the text.

1)How does ambition guide Codell's teaching philosophy, and the choices she makes with her curriculum and teaching methods?

2)What does the Fairy Tale Festival proposal say about Codell's ambition? Is Codell's ambition rewarded or punished?

3)At the end of the Epilogue, Codell agrees with adage that "Those who can't do, teach." How does Codell relate this statement to her own ambition? In the end, how has Codell's ambition affected her career, and the degree of success she's had?

Essay Topic 2

What does the Miss Clark incident as well as the stabbing of the substitute teacher incident reveal about the right and wrong way to behave as a teacher? How do these incidents validate Codell's own philosophy about how to behave in front of one's students?

Essay Topic 3

Codell uses innovative (and sometimes controversial) teaching techniques for her lessons.

1)Choose three instances of Codell using an unconventional teaching technique.

2)Argue why these teaching techniques might be effective in getting the students to learn the material.

3)Take the other side, and argue why these teaching techniques may not be effective.

(see the answer keys)

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