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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 argued that the basic model of curriculum and teaching was "not just mistaken and impossible, but bad in the sense of morally wrong"?

2. What type of questions make up the majority of the standardized test?

3. What did Ayers state is required for "greatness in teaching"?

4. What do educators become when "talk turned to skills" according to Ayers?

5. According to Ayers, what are standardized tests?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Ayers, what does culture include?

2. In Chapter 4, "Building Bridges," what did the second grade newsletter contain?

3. What were Ayers's feelings during the Illinois Teachers Basic Skills Test?

4. What can't standardized tests measure?

5. How does Ayers suggest people meet the problem of guidelines and mandates?

6. In Chapter 7, "The Mystery of Teaching," describe the students at Imani School.

7. In Chapter 5, "Liberating the Curriculum," what did Sarah's mother discuss?

8. Based on Chapter 4, "Building Bridges," describe why Zayd's project, a project focused on values, was an important hopeful approach to teaching.

9. What did Ayers mean when he linked "consciousness to conduct"?

10. How did Ayers describe Zayd's pursuing of his "coming of age" ceremony?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ayers discussed culture and the many things culture was and was not.

Part 1) According to Ayers what was culture?

Part 2) Who did Ayers believe determined the culture of a community?

Part 3) What cultures did Ayers discuss in the book?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Ayers said that teachers play various roles with the classroom. One role is to be a detective.

Part 1) Explain why and how Ayers believes that teachers are detectives.

Part 2) What role does observation play in this process according to Ayers?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 602 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample