Which of the following statements is true regarding merit pay?
A.It is not part of the current reform movement.
B.It reduces the “political” factor in deciding who is an effective teacher.
C.It links students’ performance to teachers salary.
D.It can be easily linked to measurements such as test scores and attendance.
Which of the following dimensions of emotional intelligence is demonstrated by people
who are popular, are good leaders, and who can make others feel comfortable and
connected?
A.Knowing emotions
B.Managing emotions
C.Motivating oneself
D.Handling relationships
Schools that offer high-quality programs for talented students and have been used as a
method of voluntary racial desegregation are known as:
A.magnet schools.
B.open enrollment schools.
C.charter schools.
D.for-profit schools.
The next major growth area in technology-enabled education appears to be:
A.hybrid or blended courses delivered neither completely online nor entirely
face-to-face.
B.completely virtual school courses for all students.
C.podcasting lectures and discussions.
D.the use of social networking sites such as Facebook as effective instructional tools.
Which of the following books would likely be included in the “Great Books” favored by
perennialists?
A.A book on feminist ideas written by a female author
B.A book on alternative medicines written by an Asian writer
C.A love story written by a African American writer
D.A theology book written by a classical author
Why did social reconstructionistssplit from progressivists?
A.Unlike progressivists, they wanted to advocate teacher-centered classrooms.
B.They grew impatient with the slow pace of change in schools and in society.
C.They disagreed with progressivists’ idea that schools should concentrate on the needs
of students.
D.Unlike progressivists, they wanted to sharpen students’ intellectual powers and
enhance their moral qualities.
A professor asks her students to discuss globalization for a paper on world affairs. She
asks students to make a presentation on how people from the East view globalization
and its impact on their culture and economy. This example is most representative of the
_____ approach to multicultural curriculum.
A.contributions
B.additive
C.transformation
D.social action
Which of the following statements is true?
A.African Americans have the highest suicide rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
B.Suicidal behavior remains the same across gender and ethnic groups.
C.Females are three times more likely to attempt suicide than males.
D.Suicide is the most common cause of death among adolescents.
Which of the following is an accurate statement about the famous Brazilian educationist
Paulo Freire who opposed social Darwinism?
A.He believed that schools should perpetuate the status quo views of the rich and
powerful.
B.He envisioned schools as a place where the poor can acquire the skills to regain
control of their lives.
C.He believed that those without money deserve their lot in life, and poverty is a
normal, preordained part of reality.
D.He believed that schools should be viewed as “banks,” where the privileged deposit
ideas.
A call for accountability in financing of schools means that _____.
A.the teachers want to hold the public accountable for lack of funds
B.the public wants to see academic progress for their tax dollars
C.the public wants to hold the students accountable for their academic progress
D.the teachers want to see a raise in their salaries as a result of increased funding
Teachers should ask higher order questions when students:
A.are involved in a creative or affective decision.
B.work on drill and practice.
C.are introduced to new information.
D.review previously learned information.
The “Lau Remedies” were important because they required:
A.bilingual instruction to be banned in public schools.
B.students to be English-proficient in order to attend schools.
C.teachers to be more focused on mathematical skills than on language and
communication.
D.positive steps to be taken by schools to eliminate language barriers to learning.
Grace Fernald, Marianne Frostig, and Heinz Werner are noted for pioneering research
in the field of _____.
A.gifted education
B.neuroplasticity
C.learning styles
D.special education
If Barbara, a teacher, follows the principles of behaviorism, she believes that _____.
A.she should act as a facilitator, rather than delivering lectures to her students
B.positive reinforcement can be used to promote desired learning
C.scaffolding is the best way to promote learning among students
D.the learning environment should be based on the individual needs of the students
In the context of approaches to assessment, identify the accurate statement.
A.The portfolio approach is a more comprehensive approach to assessment and
evaluation as compared to traditional methods.
B.Pencil-and-paper tests on logical ability are the best measure of newly identified
areas of intelligence.
C.The portfolio approach saves time by eliminating the need of student artifacts like
videos, exhibits, and projects.
D.Pencil-and-paper tests on math and linguistics are the most comprehensive approach
to assessment and evaluation.
An essentialist would argue that essentialism is an approach to _____.
A.encourage students to work together cooperatively
B.organize schools around the concerns and curiosity of students
C.ensure a common culture among Americans
D.organize schools around books, ideas, and concepts
The _____ is collected through payroll deductions, money deducted even before one
receives salary.
A.value added tax
B.sales tax
C.personal income tax
D.property tax
Textbook publishers are under pressure to dumb down textbooks. Hence, authors are
asked to avoid the use of difficult words and long sentences. What is the consequence
of dumbing down books in this manner?
A.It can make books harder to read rather than easier to read.
B.It ensures that the author uses shorter sentences and words that clarify relationships
between events and ideas.
C.It makes it easier for students to understand challenging ideas.
D.It ensures that the author replaces ambiguous standard terminology with more precise
simple words.
According to the Fourteenth Amendment, which of the following is an accurate
statement in case of suspension of a student for indiscipline or misbehavior?
A.The school administrator is legally bound to inform the student of the rule broken,
but no evidence is required.
B.The student is entitled to tell his side of the story in self-defense.
C.A student’s constitutional rights are not clearly established.
D.The Fourteenth Amendment does not guarantee due process rights to a student in
case of a suspension greater than ten days.
The principle of nondiscriminatory education:
A.supports the ban on zero reject principle.
B.supports the ban on tests that are culturally biased.
C.supports the ban on the use of children’s native language in tests.
D.supports the use of IQ tests for placing or tracking students.
Direct teaching model of effective instruction is:
A.based on students’ direct involvement with the material through hands-on activities.
B.practiced through direct interaction with students on an individual basis.
C.teacher presentation of new material followed by student practice and feedback.
D.student-centered and student-directed.
One of the reasons that teachers feel uncertain about educating special needs students is
that they:
A.do not understand what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires of
them.
B.do not always get adequate resources to work with special needs students.
C.do not feel inclined to address the needs of special needs students.
D.feel that special needs students should be taught by separate specially trained teachers
in each school.
When teachers and principals have to remedy antiquated buildings, they give higher
priority to _____.
A.rewiring for computer installation
B.installing modems for Internet access
C.repairing lights and air conditioners
D.replacing old benches and desks
In 1896, John Dewey founded the Laboratory School, a famous experimental school, to
test his educational ideas. Which of the following statements about this school is
accurate?
A.It enrolled more than 500 students in a single year, over a span of 8 years.
B.It had only one classroom but several facilities for experiential learning.
C.It promoted students from one grade to another after they mastered certain material.
D.It helped students learn different subjects through isolated exercises or drills.
Which statement would most likely be made by a proponent of Common Core
Standards?
A.”One of the challenges the U.S. faces is that it has no national curriculum. The
Common Core Standards solve this problem by establishing a uniform curriculum for
the nation.”
B.”What is great about the Common Core Standards is that students will encounter
more demanding assignments, and the end result will be a less superficial and more
in-depth education in America!”
C.”Under No Child Left Behind, our schools became obsessed with testing. The
Common Core Standards will end this culture of testing and focus our teachers and
students on the critical task of learning.”
D.”Other curriculum plans were very expensive to operate. The relatively small cost of
the Common Core Curriculum will free up education funds for other purposes.”
Why are first classes important for teachers?
A.The first class has a competitive atmosphere.
B.The first class is optional.
C.The first class creates a first impression.
D.The first class includes induction programs.
According to a survey, by the nonprofit Education Sector, most teachers:
A.support educational reform and change.
B.support a system that rewards longevity.
C.feel that student test scores are the best measure of competence of a teacher.
D.feel that most older teachers or teachers with graduate credits are more skilled than
younger teachers.
Which of these court cases led to the advent of Robin Hood reformers?
A.Serrano v. Priest
B.San Antonio v. Rodriguez
C.Edgewood v. Kirby
D.Abbot v. Burke
By the early part of the twentieth century, women constituted upward of _____ percent
of teachers.
A.50
B.10
C.90
D.20
Which of the following statements best reflects the findings of a 1990s survey
conducted by People for the American Way regarding the state of race relations in
America?
A.”As a reporter, I think the media is doing everything possible to effectively address
race relations.”
B.”I think that I’ve got a healthier attitude toward race relations than my mom and dad.”
C.”Yes, as a white person, I feel very comfortable dealing with members of other racial
groups.”
D.”Speaking on behalf of African Americans, I can say that almost 80% of us have
become comfortable with dealing with members of other racial groups.”
Paula is an elementary school teacher who often feels that the last thing in the world she
gets to do is teach her students. She feels as though much of her day is spent on
determining who gets to speak, when to line up for lunch, how the class will work when
broken into groups, and so on. In this example, Paula occupies the role of a(n) _____.
A.organizer
B.gatekeeper
C.tracker
D.administrator
Which of the following is a characteristic of charter schools?
A.Charter schools carefully select their students through admissions tests.
B.Charter schools can be closed down if they do not meet expectations.
C.Charter schools must conform to all the state laws and rules applicable to traditional
schools.
D.Charter schools do not receive public funding.
Describe some of the ways teachers can protect themselves if they decide to use
e-communications and social networking as part of their educational plan.
Describe the evolution of teacher preparation programs from colonial times to the
present day. Be sure to discuss the role of Teach for America in the preparation of
teachers.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
What is your take on the current emphasis on standards, tests, and academic
performance in schools?
Answer:
Answers will vary.
What are your views about the statement, “In short, more educational differences exist
within the genders than between the genders”? Based on your interpretation of this
sentence, what can educators do to provide effective instruction to males and females in
their classes? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your interpretation and
arguments.
Answer:
Answers will vary
The authors note that many argue that teaching is an “emerging profession,” while
others view it as a ‘submerged profession.” Discuss what you think would need to occur
for teaching to be able to attain full professional status. Be sure to provide examples to
support your argument.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Imagine that you are a teacher addressing a group of students considering teaching as a
career. One of the students asks you about the pros and cons of teaching. How would
you answer that student? Be sure to provide specific examples where appropriate.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Discuss some possible ways through which school boards can be improved.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
According to the authors, Western society tends to value formal education at the
expense of other educational models such as oral tradition and informal education.
Discuss the potential benefits that Western educators could derive if they adopted oral
tradition and informal education into their current, formal educational model. Be sure to
provide examples to support your arguments.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
What does it mean when a curriculum becomes obsolete? What factors could make the
curriculum obsolete? How do we as a society keep what we teach our children from
becoming obsolete? Be sure to support your ideas with specific examples and analysis.
What are the steps that you can take at this point in your teacher education program to
begin preparing for a teaching position? Briefly describe what each step might look as
you continue your development into a teacher. Be sure to give specific examples.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
How would you define adequate education? Based on this definition, would you say
that you received an adequate, inadequate, or superior education? Be sure to provide
specific examples to support your arguments.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
To what extent do you believe that social Darwinism exists in schools (classrooms,
extracurricular activities, curriculum, etc.) today? How aware are educators that they
may be engaged in this process? What sort of influence do you think social Darwinism
has on philosophies of education?
Answer:
Answers will vary
Many people believe that the most important issues facing U.S. schools are ethical. To
what extent do you agree with this statement? Why do you think people are concerned
with ethical issues in schools? Mention some examples of ethical issues in education?
Be sure to provide specific examples to support your answer.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Advocates of the back-to-basics approach argue that it ensures a common culture
among Americans. What is this common culture referred to by the supporters of this
approach? How does this approach ensure a common culture among Americans? Be
sure to provide specific examples to support your arguments.
Discuss how technology can enhance the learning experience in traditional schools and
homeschools. What can educators in these settings do to get the most use out of
technology? Be sure to use specific examples to support your discussion.
Jeannie Oakes argues that the tracking debate is symbolic of a larger struggle over the
purpose of education. How do you feel that tracking fits into the larger discussion over
the purpose of education in America? Be sure to provide specific examples to support
your positions.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Discuss the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process.
What is the goal of becoming NBPTS certified? What is involved in gaining
certification? What are the advantages of becoming NBPTS certified? Are there any
challenges teachers face in becoming certified? Based on what you know, would you
attempt NBPTS certification? Why or why not?
Answer:
Answers will vary.
At the school where you teach, the issue of “helicopter parents” has become a real
source of tension for teachers, administrators, and students. As you have an excellent
track record of dealing with parents, you have been asked to help train school personnel
in dealing with these parents. What sort of advice will you give them? What would be
some of the examples you would provide in effectively working with such demanding
parents?