CHAPTER TWO

 

THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Knowledge-Level Items

 

  1. Which of the following best describes a trend in the prevalence of summer school for K-12 students in the United States?

a.           Summer school is rapidly expanding across the country because of increasing accountability.

b.           Summer school is expanding in the inner cities but is decreasing in other parts of the country.

c.           Summer school remains at about the same level as it has been for the last 20 years.

d.           Summer school is decreasing because parents object to summer vacations being disrupted.

 

  1. Some educational leaders advocate increasing the amount of time students spend in school, arguing that the more time students spend in learning activities the more they will learn.  Of the following which is the most valid assessment of this argument based on research?

a.        The argument is valid; in general the more time students spend in school the more they learn.

b.       The argument is valid for low-achieving students but not for high-achieving students; the more time low achievers spend in school the more they learn, but no positive effect of lengthening the school year has been found for high achievers.

c.        The argument is valid for high-achieving students but not for low-achieving students; the more time high achievers spend in school the more they learn, but no positive effect of lengthening the school year has been found for low achievers.

d.       The argument is not valid; in general, lengthening the school year has not resulted in any significant learning increases for students.

 

  1. Of the following which is the best description of modified school calendars?

a.        Calendars that increase the length of the school year by adding days beyond the traditional 180 days

b.       Calendars that increase the length of the school year by making summer school mandatory

c.        Calendars that increase the number of days students spend in school by shortening traditional vacations, such as the long winter  holiday break

d.       Calendars that eliminate long summer holidays without changing the total length of the school year

 

  1. Of the following which statement is the most commonly cited argument supporting modified school calendars?

a.        Modified calendars help prevent the negative impact of long summer vacations on learning (“summer loss”).

b.       Teachers prefer modified calendars to the traditional calendar.

c.        Students and their parents prefer modified calendars to the traditional calendar.

d.       The cost of operating schools on modified calendars is less than the cost of traditional calendars.

 

  1. Of the following which is the most commonly cited objection to modified school calendars?

a.        Teachers lack the energy to work with students throughout the calendar year.

b.       Parents resist intrusions on family vacations and other family activities.

c.        Schools lack the administrative staff to run schools throughout the calendar year.

d.       Students need a long summer break to assimilate what they’ve learned during the traditional 180-day school year.

 

  1. In the United States the 40-hour work week is the norm.  Which of the following statements, as a comparison to this norm, best describes typical teacher work weeks?

a.        Teachers’ work weeks are slightly shorter than the 40-hour norm.

b.       Teachers’ work weeks are approximately equal to the 40-hour norm (about 38-44 hours per week).

c.        Teachers’ work weeks are slightly longer than the 40-hour norm (about 45-50 hours per week).

d.       Teachers’ work weeks are much longer than the 40-hour norm (about 50-60 hours per week).


  1. Which of the following statements best describes the length of American teachers’ work weeks compared to that of other occupations in the United States requiring bachelor degrees?

a.        Teachers’ work weeks are slightly shorter than the work weeks of other occupations requiring bachelor degrees (about 38-44 hours per week).

b.       Teachers’ work weeks are approximately equal to the work weeks of other occupations requiring bachelor degrees (about 45 hours per week).

c.        Teachers’ work weeks are slightly longer than the work weeks of other occupations requiring bachelor degrees (about 50 hours per week).

d.       Teachers’ work weeks are much longer than the work weeks of other occupations requiring bachelor degrees (about 55-60 hours per week).

 

  1. Which of the following best describes the approximate percentage of a teacher’s workday that is spent with students?

a.        About 25 percent

b.       About 50 percent

c.        About 75 percent

d.       About 90 percent

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes the amount of time Japanese teachers spend directly involved in classroom instruction with students, compared to that of teachers in the United States?

a.        Japanese teachers spend only about half the time that American teachers spend directly involved in instruction (with the rest spent on planning and conferring with colleagues).

b.       Japanese teachers spend slightly less time (about 10% less) than American teachers spend directly involved in instruction.

c.        Japanese teachers spend about the same amount of time as American teachers spend directly involved in instruction.

d.       Japanese teachers spend significantly more time (about 25% more) than American teachers spend directly involved in instruction.

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes the professionalism of Japanese teachers compared to the professionalism of American teachers?

a.        Japanese teachers are significantly less professional than American teachers, since they spend so much time in direct instruction that their autonomy is limited.

b.       The professionalism of Japanese teachers is similar to the professionalism of American teachers, since they are directly involved in instruction about the same percentage of the time and have about the same degree of autonomy.

c.        Japanese teachers are slightly more professional than American teachers, since they spend a slightly smaller percentage of their time in direct instruction and have more autonomy than do American teachers.

d.       Japanese teachers are significantly more professional than American teachers, since they spend only about half as much time in instruction and thus have much more autonomy and are more involved in school governance.

 

  1. Which of the following best describes the length of the school year in Japan compared to the length of the school year in the United States?

a.           The length of the school year in Japan is significantly shorter than that in the United States (about 150 days in Japan compared to about 180 days in the United States).

b.           The length of the school year in Japan is about the same as that in the United States (about 180 days).

c.           The length of the school year in Japan is slightly longer than that in the United States (about 200 days in Japan compared to about 180 days in the United States).

d.           The length of the school year in Japan is significantly longer than that in the United States (about 240 days in Japan compared to about 180 days in the United States).

 


  1. Which of the following best describes block schedules?

a.        Organizing different content areas, such as math and science, into interdisciplinary blocks in junior high and high schools

b.       Creating blocks for areas such as art, music, and physical education that are not part of the core curriculum (math, language arts, social studies, and science) in elementary schools

c.        Creating blocks for basic skills areas—reading, writing, and math—in elementary schools

d.       Increasing the length of class periods, such as doubling the length of a typical class period, particularly in junior high and high schools

 

  1. Which of the following best describes a scheduling system in which students take four classes a day that are approximately 890-10 minutes long and they complete courses in one semester that take a year in a traditional system?

a.        A rotating block schedule

b.       A four-by-four block schedule

c.        An alternating-day block schedule

d.       An integrated-day block schedule

 

  1. Which of the following best describes a scheduling system in which classes are approximately 90-100 minutes long and students take eight classes that meet every other day per semester?

a.        A rotating block schedule

b.       A four-by-four block schedule

c.        An alternating-day block schedule

d.       An integrated-day block schedule

 

  1. Of the following which is the most commonly cited advantage of teaching in elementary schools compared to teaching in secondary schools?

a.        Elementary schools are more personalized environments than secondary schools, and relationshiops with students are a source of satisfaction in teaching.

b.       Since elementary classrooms are self-contained, elementary teachers have more autonomy than do secondary teachers.

c.        Elementary teachers are generally considered to be more professional than secondary teachers.

d.       The length of elementary teachers’ workdays is significantly shorter than that of secondary teachers.

 

  1. Of the following which is the most commonly cited advantage of teaching in secondary schools compared to teaching in elementary schools?

a.        Because of departmentalization secondary teachers generally have more autonomy than do elementary teachers.

b.       Because the students are more mature, teaching in secondary schools is generally more satisfying than teaching in elementary schools.

c.        Because they have only one or two different preparation, secondary teachers’ workdays are significantly shorter than the workdays of elementary teachers.

d.       Departmentalization in secondary schools provides more opportunities to focus on content areas of interest and share that interest with students.

 

  1. “Teachers’ abilities to empathize with and invest in the protection and development of young people” best describes which of the following?

a.        Withitness

b.       Overlapping

c.        Caring

d.       Artistry

 

  1. Of the following which is the best indication of teacher caring?

a.           Avoiding communications and learning activities that might damage learners’ self-esteem

b.           Demonstrating tht you respect students by holding them to high standards

c.           Designing learning activities to ensure that students are successful virtually all of the time

d.           Telling the students that you value each of them as an individual


Use the following information for Items 19 and 20:

 

In a study conducted by Boyer (1995), students were asked to identify characteristic of a good teacher.

 

  1. Of the following which did they rate most important?

a.        Being able to provide clear explanations of topics

b.       Being able to maintain an orderly classroom

c.        Being knowledgeable about what they were teaching

d.       Being kind and friendly

 

  1. Of the following which did they rate least important?

a.           Being knowledgeable about what they were teaching

b.           Being kind and friendly

c.           Understanding student problems

d.           Willingness to spend time with students after school

 

  1. The description “constantly evaluating the effectiveness of your teaching” best describes which of the following:

a.           Withitness

b.           Overlapping

c.           Reflecting practitioner

d.           Caring professional

 

  1. A teacher’s awareness of what is going on in all parts of the classroom all the time and communicating this awareness to students best describes

a.        reflection.

b.       withitness.

c.        decision making.

d.       caring.

 

  1. Which of the following is the best description of a productive learning environment?

a.        An environment in which all the students know that the teacher cares about them

b.       An environment in which all students are successful

c.        An environment that has clear rules and standards for acceptable behavior

d.       An environment that is orderly and focuses on learning

 

  1. According to research examining the benefits of home-school cooperation, which of the following are ways in which students benefit from parental involvement in their children’s schooling?

(1)  Higher academic achievement

(2)  More positive attitudes toward school

(3)  More acceptable student behavior

(4)  Better attendance rates

(5)  Greater willingness to do homework

 

a.        1, 2, 3, 4, 5

b.       2, 3, 4, 5

c.        1, 2, 3, 4

d.       1, 3, 4, 5

 


  1. Research examining home-school cooperation has identified several barriers to parental involvement in school activities.  Which of the following are most commonly identified as these barriers?

(1)     Economic barriers, such as parents holding more than one job and lacking resources such as child care or transportation to and from school

(2)     Attitude barriers, such as parents feeling home-schooled cooperation is unnecessary since it is the parents’ job to parent and its’ the school’s job to educate

(3)     Cultural barriers, such as parents having attended schools that were very different from the ones their children are now attending

(4)     Language barriers, such as children from homes where the first language is not English

 

a.        1, 2, 3, 4

b.       2, 3, 4

c.        1, 3, 4

d.       1, 2, 4

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes standards for parent’s roles in their children’s learning?

a.        Parents should be involved in their children’s extracurricular activities but should avoid involvement in activities directly related to what students learn in their classes.

b.       Parents should regularly communicate with the school and should play an integral role in assisting their children’s learning.

c.        Parents should communicate with the school and should be involved in their children’s learning, but decisions that directly affect their children’s learning are left in the hands of school professionals.

d.       Parents are welcome in schools to promote communication and support for their students, but learning decisions are left in the hands of school leaders, such as principals and guidance counselors.

 

  1. Teachers make up about what percent of the total number of school staff (with the remaining being administrators and support staff, such as secretaries and custodians) in the United States?

a.        30

b.       50

c.        75

d.       90

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes the percentage of total school staff that are teachers in the United States compared to that in other industrialized countries, such as Japan, Germany, Italy, and Belgium?

a.        The percentage of total school staff that are teachers in the United States is much lower than it is in other industrialized countries (about 50% in the United States, compared to between 60% and 75% in other industrialized countries).

b.       The percentage of total school staff that are teachers in the United States is about the same as the percentage in other industrialized countries (about 75% in both the United States and other industrialized countries).

c.        The percentage of total school staff that are teachers in the United States is slightly higher than it is in other industrialized countries (about 75% in the United States, compared to about 70% in other industrialized countries).

d.       The percentage of total school staff that are teachers in the United States is much higher than it is in other industrialized countries (about 75% in the United States, compared to about 50% in other industrialized countries).

 

  1. In the United States which of the following best describes the number of men in teaching compared to that of women?

a.        Men and women each make up about half the teaching force.

b.       Women make up slightly more than half the teaching force.

c.        Women make up about three fourths of the teaching force.

d.       Women make up about 90 percent of the teaching force.


  1. Attempts have been made to attract men to teaching in elementary schools.  Of the following which statement most accurately describes the success of these attempts?

a.        The attempts have been totally unsuccessful since the percentage of male teachers in elementary schools ahs dropped significantly in the last 10 years.

b.       The attempts have been largely unsuccessful since the percentage of male teachers in elementary schools hasn’t changed significantly in the last 10 years.

c.        The attempt shave been somewhat successful since the percentage of male teachers in elementary schools has increased about 10 percent in the last 10 years.

d.       The attempts have been highly successful since the percentage of male teachers in elementary schools has nearly doubled in the last 10 years.

 

  1. A man is attempting to maximize the likelihood of finding a job.  Based on the distribution of men and women in teaching positions, where will his opportunities be the greatest?

a.        In an elementary school

b.       In middle school science

c.        In high school English

d.       In high school social studies

 

  1. A woman is attempting to maximize the likelihood of finding a job.  Based on the distribution of men and women in teaching positions, where will her opportunities be the greatest?

a.        In an elementary school

b.       In high school math

c.        In high school English

d.       In special education

 

  1. Consider the percentage of cultural minorities, such as African Americans or Hispanics, in the teaching population.  Which of the following statements is most accurate?

a.        About 13 percent of the teaching force is made up of cultural minorities, but the percentage is increasing rapidly (about a 10% increase per year).

b.       About 13 percent of the teaching force is made up of cultural minorities, and the percentage is increasing slightly (about a 2% increase per year).

c.        About 13 percent of the teaching force is made up of cultural minorities, and the percentage has remained constant for the last 10 years.

d.       About 13 percent of the teaching force is made up of cultural minorities, and the percentage has decreased slightly over the last 10 years.

 

  1. The small percentage of cultural minorities in the teaching force has some school leaders concerned.  Which of the following is the most commonly cited reason for this concern?

a.        Research indicates that cultural minorities are generally more empathetic in dealing with students than are non-minorities.

b.       Research indicates that cultural minorities generally have a better grasp of the content they’re teaching than do non-minorities.

c.        Research indicates that cultur4al minorities better manage classrooms (i.e., maintain acceptable student behavior) than do non-minorities.

d.       Research indicates that the minority student population is rapidly increasing, and leaders believe they need minority teachers as role models.


  1. A number of school leaders encourage the active recruitment of cultural minorities for the teaching force.  Which of the following are reasons given for encouraging this active recruitment?

(1)     The need for minority role models

(2)     The need for effective instructors of minority students

(3)     The need for teachers who are knowledgeable in particular content areas

(4)     The need for alternative perspectives

 

a.           1, 2, 3, 4

b.           2, 3, 4

c.           1, 3, 4

d.           1, 2, 4

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes teachers now entering the teaching force, compared to existing teachers?

a.        Teachers now entering the workforce are more likely to be male, younger, and a member of a cultural minority than those presently teaching.

b.       Teachers now entering the workforce are more likely to be female, older, and a member of a cultural minority than those presently teaching.

c.        Teachers now entering the workforce are more likely to be male, younger, and white than those presently teaching.

d.       Teachers now entering the workforce are more likely to be female, younger, and white than those presently teaching.

 

  1. When teachers describe themselves as dissatisfied with their careers, which of the following is the most frequently cited reason?

a.        Low salaries (salaries that are much lower than the salaries of other professionals)

b.       Lack of rewards in teaching (such as lack of personal or intellectual rewards)

c.        Difficult working conditions (such as problems with student discipline)

d.       Lack of opportunity for career advancement (such as no increases in professional rank for veteran teachers)

 

 

  1. By the end of their third year, which of the following best describes the percentage of teachers who leave the profession?

a.        15 percent

b.       25 percent

c.        40 percent

d.       75 percent

 

Items for Analysis and Critical Thinking

 

Consider the complexities of teaching as you read the following vignette, and then use this information to respond to Items 39-44.

 

Juan Alvarez is a fifth-grade teacher in urban elementary school.  He has 26 students, 4 of whom are absent, and he is working with a reading group of 8 while the remaining 14 are working on a seatwork assignment.  As Karen reads aloud, Juan sees Bill tapping Louanne on the back of her head with a pencil.  Karen finishes, and Juan then asks Ariel to read as he continues to watch Bill and Louanne.  Bill taps Louanne again, and she flails her arm back trying to hit him, just as the intercom says, “Mr. Alvarez?”

                        “Yes,” Juan responds.

                        “Is Clarice Torres in your class today?”

                        “Yes, she is.”

                        “Would you please send her down to the office?”

                        “Clarice,” Juan says nodding to her, smiling inwardly since announcements commonly occur during his reading period.


 

                        Clarice gets up and heads out the door, Juan tells Ariel to continue, and he gets up, and he gets up, goes over to Bill and Louanne, and warns Bill that another incident of misbehavior will result in a call to his mother.  Several of the students doing seatwork look up as Juan admonishes Bill and hear s Juan say that Bill’s mother is likely to be called.  Juan then returns to his reading group as he watches to be sure that Bill is working on his seatwork.

 

  1. The combination of a reading group in progress, students working on a seatwork assignment, and an intercom announcement best illustrates which of the following?

a.        The multidimensional aspect of teaching

b.       The public aspect of teaching

c.        The unpredictable aspect of teaching

d.       The artistic aspect of teaching

 

  1. Juan’s feeling that it was necessary to leave his reading group to intervene in the incident between Bill and Louanne best illustrates which of the following?

a.        The multidimensional aspect of teaching

b.       The immediate aspect of teaching

c.        The public aspect of teaching

d.       The artistic aspect of teaching

 

  1. The progress of the reading group, the students doing seatwork, the incident between Bill and Louanne, and the intercom all occurred at virtually the same time.  The fact that they did so best illustrates which of the following?

a.        The immediate aspect of teaching

b.       The artistic aspect of teaching

c.        The public aspect of teaching

d.       The simultaneous aspect of teaching

 

  1. The fact that several of the students looked up when Juan admonished Bill best illustrates which of the following?

a.        The immediate aspect of teaching

b.       The multidimensional aspect of teaching

c.        The public aspect of teaching

d.       The simultaneous aspect of teaching

 

  1. Even though he was conducting a reading group, Juan saw Bill tapping Louanne the first time he did it.  Juan’s awareness of all the simultaneous events occurring in the classroom best illustrates which of the following?

a.        His withitness

b.       His understanding of the public aspect of teaching

c.        His artistry as a teacher

d.       His pedagogical content knowledge

 

  1. The progress of Juan’s reading group was not interrupted when he intervened in the incident between Bill and Louanne.  His ability to do both at the same time best illustrates which of the following concepts?

a.        Withitness

b.       Teacher artistry

c.        Pedagogical content knowledge

d.       Overlapping


  1. “What are you doing?” Enrique asked Monica as Monica was laboring over a paper.  “Mrs. Aguilar made me do this over,” Monica responded.  “She said it was full of spelling and grammar and punctuation mistakes, and she wouldn’t accept it.”  “Was it?” Enrique continued.  “…I guess so,” Monica responded, a bit sheepishly.  Of the following which is the best description of Mrs. Aguilar’s actions with Monica?