Northeastern University Prof. Gary Goshgarian included a chapter of The Emergency Teacher in his course textbook “The Contemporary Reader”.

The Emergency Teacher comes with a thought-provoking “Readers Guide” designed to assist professors in thinking and analyzing The Emergency Teacher.

Questions include

1. The Northeast Manual Training Center was a radical concept when it opened in 1903. Discuss why and how perceptions of the role of public school have changed over the last 100 years.

2. Were Asquith’s expectations for her year realistic? Compare her expectations to Ms. Vinitzsky’s belief that it takes five years to learn to teach. What should school recruitment centers tell teachers to expect in their first years?

3. Discuss the recurrent theme of complicity in the book; the idea that teachers who do not stand up to the administrators are contributing to the school’s problems?

4. How did Asquith begin to turn her classroom around? What lessons did she learn?

5. The news media’s reaction to the school shooting at Bartram exacerbated the situation. What did Asquith learn about journalism from stepping inside the classroom? What did she recommend reporters do differently in covering educational issues?

6. Asquith encountered many upsetting situations at Julia de Burgos. Discuss one situation that resonated with you. What was it that alarmed or outraged you? How would you have handled this situation?