1. How critical to our nation do you see the provision of “universal schooling?”

2. The argument of what students should learn, how long they should attend school, who should pay, and compulsory attendance is ongoing.  What is the status of these discussions today?

3. Should education be explicitly addressed in the Constitution?

4. Are we preparing students to live in a global society?

5. What challenges do you see in being a teacher at a one-room school?

6. What benefits do you see in the practice for teachers? Students?

7. “Rows of desks bolted to the floor” is referenced as standard practice in the early 20^th century.  What does that tell you about student engagement?

8. “Dick and Jane” readers reflected white middle-class lifestyles.  How would these impact non-white students?

9. Compulsory attendance was an early school concept. Looking back on its roots, the length of school sessions increased over time. What are your thoughts on this trend?

10. What were some possible implications of placing admission tests as a requirement for high school enrollment?

11. What do you see as the benefits of a middle school configuration?  A K-8 configuration?

12. How do you see technology driving education in the future?

13. What did John Dewey mean by “education as critical to changing society?”

14. How do you see the educational inequities of the 1800s-1900s contributing to later racial tensions?

15. What is meant by de facto segregation?  Does it exist today? 

16. How do you see teacher behavior as it has evolved and continues to evolve impacting the profession?

17. As the process of schooling has evolved over the years, in what ways has the process never changed?

18. Who is influencing the school curriculum in the state where you will be teaching? Do you think the curriculum taught adequately reflects the current values of society? How do you think the families you will serve view the current curriculum?

19. How have new initiatives to teach more STEM courses (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) changed the course offerings for secondary students over the last five years? Do you think this initiative trickles down to early childhood and elementary grades? Should these concepts be more present in the younger curriculum?

20. In what ways are schools naturally re-segregating today? Is there any effort or initiative to stop this suburban sprawl trend? Should there be?

21. Are today’s schools valuing the cultures of the students we teach by reflecting those cultures in our policiies and procedures? In our curriculum? In the way we manage and discipline our students? What should we be doing differently?

22. How has the expectation for teachers changed over the last 10 years? Do you think there are different expectations for teachers in different regions of the United States? Why is there such a difference between the regions in terms of valuing teachers as professionals?