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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. Who was an exemplary teacher that argued that one central organizing goal in our schools must be the creation of communities of care and compassion?

2. What became a helpful guide to teaching for Ayers and other teachers?

3. What object did Ayers compare teaching to in Chapter 1, "Beginning: The Challenge of Teaching"?

4. In Chapter 1, "Beginning: The Challenge of Teaching," what did John struggle with?

5. What did Ayers's students do preschool through high school that was considered a class job or responsibility?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does learning require, according to Ayers's research?

2. In the classroom described in Chapter 1, "Beginning, The Challenge of Teaching," what were students expected to do in the classroom?

3. According to Ayers, what is every child?

4. How did Ayers build a laboratory for discovery and surprise?

5. What did Carolyn Jackson suggest about what it means to be black in America?

6. What does Ayers say that childhood is a time for?

7. Why are people called to teaching, according to Ayers?

8. Citing Ayers's research, describe the negatives of big schools.

9. Why did Aaron have trouble focusing as suggested by Ayers in Chapter 2, "Seeing the Student"?

10. What did Ayers say the child running in a pre-school area saw?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Teachers choose to teach for many reasons.

Part 1) Why did Ayers choose to teach?

Part 2) Describe Ayers feelings on the state of education and how it affects the teacher.

Part 3) What reasons did Ayers state teachers begin to teach?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the book, Ayers discussed how to become a great teacher. Ayers also discussed how the teacher's job is never finished.

Part 1) Do you agree with Ayers when he states "Teaching is never finished"? Explain.

Part 2) How did one become a "wonderful teacher"?

Essay Topic 3

William Ayers spent most of his professional life teaching. Ayers classroom was a laboratory for teaching.

Part 1) Describe Ayers's research shared in the book.

Part 2) Explain Ayers's focus of the book, To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher.

Part 3) What teaching "tips" or suggestions does Ayers hope the reader takes away from the book?

(see the answer keys)

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