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Essay Instructions: Topic:
Debate the Pros/Cons of charter schools versus public schools. First describe the organization of charter schools, then answer the questions: Which is better? Which provides a more stable education? Which would you send your children to and why? How does accountability for the child?s education differ in each setting?

Please address each of the elements below and use the following to guide the structure of your paper: (Use the APA format to configure your paper)

Introduction:
*Provide a one to two paragraph brief summary of the importance of the topic from the perspective of a teacher.
*Discuss why the topic/focus that you have chosen to examine is relevant to you and beginning teachers.
*Explain how a greater understanding of this topic may help you become an effective teacher.

Discussion:
*Examine, interpret and explain the issues that surround your topic. Because you are considered the ?expert?, you should be able to provide your audience with the best insights and understandings.
*Conduct a mini-literature review of your topic(s). What did you discover in reading the research on this topic that either altered or reinforced your original perspectives? Are your claims supported with quality empirical evidence from research studies?
*Identify at least (3) perspectives or issues that you think are most relevant and explain why they are important based on your research and review of the literature.
*How do the literature findings support your claims?
*What information did you seek but were unable to find? What?s missing?
*Substantiate your argument and counter arguments with quality literature findings and not simply on opinion.

Conclusion:
*In clear, unambiguous and direct language explain what conclusions we may draw from your analysis of the topic that you have selected.
*In what ways does your paper inform the knowledge-based we are acquiring in becoming a teacher?
*What are three practical suggestions that you learned from this research to become an effective educator?
*What suggestions can you make for additional study in this topic---where can we go from here?

This major term paper should be constructed in cogent, concise, and well organized manner. It should be about 10 double-spaced pages in length (excluding title page, abstract, figures, tables, and references).

Essay Instructions: These are comprehensive examination questions. Question 1 should be 12 pages in length. You must include the reference cited in the question.

"The Charter School concept has the potential to utterly transform public education." (N.P.)

Review the literature to determine how well Charter Schools are serving and meeting the needs of urban students of color. Contrast and compare the performance of the Charter Schools to the performance of Public Schools in educating students of color. Identify opportunities and barriers to implementing best practices in your proposed Charter School.

Finn, C., Manno, B., Vanourek, G., (2000). Charter Schools in Action: Renewing Public Education: Princeton: Princeton University Press

Essay Instructions: These are comprehensive questions. Each question should be 12 pages in length. You must use reference provided with additional.

Question 1
There is a plethora of research that has been conducted on the long-term effectiveness of charter schools. Much of the research shines negatively on charter schools and their ability to retain students over a long period of time. It appears that these alternatives to public education are, at best, average; however, their performance over the long-term decrease exponentially. A number of possibilities exist for the poor performance of charter school but many conclude that a substantial part of the difference is due to high student turnover in the charters. According to Bracey (2005), "the attrition rate is much higher in charters than in regular public schools. That rate declines with the number of years that school has been open, but even charter that have been open for five years lose almost twice as many kids as their public school counterparts" (p.555).

Review the research that has been completed on charter schools and synthesize the findings in the form of a questionnaire that can be used to gather information from parents, educators, administrators, and community members related to the charter school in Tennessee. Present the questions that you pose and explain the rationale for the development of the specific questions. Finally, provide an explanation as to what methodologies you intend to use in your research.

Reference: Bracey, G.W. (2005). Checking up on charters. Phi Delta Kappan, 86, 7, 554-555

Question 2

?Best Practices? is a phrase that permeates educational research. Recently the National Academy of Sciences released a report concerning how children learn best. This report suggests that there is a set of best instructional practices that can be gleaned from a review of research in education. Review the published research concerning best practices in reading instruction. Develop a set of categories or dimensions that comprise best practices in reading instruction and include a review of the studies that support each category. Conclude your review of the literature with discussion of the ways that the different dimensions of best practices in reading instruction relate or do not relate to each other.

Reference: National Academy of Science Report on best practices in reading instruction.

Essay Instructions: Using the below references identify the goals or research question(s) the articles in the studies addressed and the findings and results related to each of the research goal(s) and question(s). Include the complete citation in correct APA style, and the URL for each of the below articles. Finally, provide an assessment as to the credibility of those report findings by answering the following questions:

1. Do they seem defensible in light of the way the research study was carried out?
2. Why or Why not?


?Fourth-Year Report: 2000.? (January 2000) U.S. Government Website.
Retrieved 10 Jan 2005 at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/charter4thyear/b3.html#4

Harvard University. (2004) ?Harvard University and National Bureau of Economic
Research: Achievement in Charter Schools and Regular Public Schools in
The United States: December 2004. Charter Schools Website. Retrieved 10
Jan 2005 at http://www.wacharterschools.org/learn/index_studies.htm

Schemo, Jean. (Aug 17 2004) ?Charter Schools Trail in Results: U.S. Data
Reveals.? New York Times. Section A1. Retrieved 10 Jan 2005 at
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/17/education/17charter.html