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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 did Mrs. Zajac's class smell like in the spring?

2. What response did one of Al's critics give after he made a suggestion to the teachers at a meeting?

3. On what did Claude build his model river?

4. To what did Mrs. Zajac compare her Irish ancestors' immigration?

5. Where did Mrs. Zajac go on St Patrick's Day?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who in Mrs. Zajac's class won a ribbon for their Science Fair project? How did the ribbon recipients respond to being awarded for their efforts? How did the other children respond to the award?

2. As the class approached spring break, how did Mrs. Zajac feel about her class? About herself? What were her parting words to Jimmy as the children leave for a week's break?

3. What were some of the differences Mrs. Zajac noticed between the English Mass and the Spanish mass? What did she learn about the Puerto Rican culture by attending the bilingual mass Father Joyce offered?

4. What did Mrs. Zajac begin to realize about continuing to keep Clarence in her class? What were her options?

5. Where did Mrs. Zajac take her class on a field trip? Why did she choose this place for the children to see? Why was this trip especially important to Judith and Arabella?

6. What did Mrs. Zajac experience during her trip to Puerto Rico that surprised and delighted her? Why was this an important experience on the trip?

7. What is the history of Puerto Ricans in the town of Holyoke? How were they treated in the second half of the twentieth century?

8. To what church did Mrs. Zajac belong for all of her life? Why was this? What did Mrs. Zajac enjoy about her church?

9. What was the Alpha class? Who decided whether a child was appropriate for the Alpha class?

10. What did Mrs. Zajac and her family do over spring break? Who organized the experience? Why did Mrs. Zajac decide to spend her spring break this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

At the end of the book when school is over, Mrs. Zajac described Clarence and Robert as "my failures." Do you agree that Mrs. Zajac had failed these two students? Defend your position.

Essay Topic 3

There are many differences in teaching in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and teaching today. There are also many things in teaching that have remained relatively the same for over a hundred years. Discuss the changes and the constants between teaching in the past and teaching today.

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This section contains 1,361 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample