The Secret School by Avi Comprehension Questions

The car was a Model T Ford.

Ida steered the car while Felix used his hands to push the brake and clutch pedals down.

Ida and Tom often talked about their plans, their friends, their families, and what was going on in the valley.

The setting was a narrow, twisting dirt road in Elk Valley, Colorado, surrounded by high ring of snowcapped mountains. Dust twirled out behind them as the car bumped along, and they encountered Tom Kohl and his younger sister, Mary, riding bareback on their mule, Ruckus.

Ida initially dismisses the idea but is intrigued by the possibility.

Ida's ability to drive the family car indicates her resourcefulness and determination.

Ida returns home to her family's log cabin, which was built by her father during the gold rush in the surrounding mountains.

Felix supports her and accepts her unconventional approach to handling their situation.

Ida's ambition to become a teacher reflects her determination and resilience.

The story portrays a young girl's struggle to overcome obstacles and achieve her dreams in the face of adversity.

Ida is determined to continue her education and become a teacher to escape a life of farming.

Miss Fletcher, Ida's teacher, expresses regret for Ida's situation and encourages her to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher.

Ida is upset because her mother's illness may prevent her from attending high school.

Tom suggests that Ida become their teacher when Miss Fletcher leaves.

The story reflects Ida's determination and resilience in pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher despite facing obstacles.

Ida returns home determined to keep her school struggles a secret from her parents to avoid worrying them.

Ida and Tom won't be able to take their exit exams, which are necessary for them to move on to high school in Steamboat Springs.

Mr. Jordan dismisses Ida's concerns about missing the exams, suggesting that she should focus less on herself and more on Miss Fletcher's situation.

Ida dreams of teaching in a big city and traveling the world, while Tom considers a correspondence course to continue his education.

Miss Fletcher earns only $40 per month.

They decide to make the most of the situation and have some fun.

They feel a sense of helplessness, loss, frustration, disappointment, and resignation.

They face limitations in pursuing their educational and career goals.

They express concerns and barriers they face in pursuing their educational and career goals.

It creates a sense of loss and frustration for Ida and Tom.

They decide to make the most of the situation and have some fun.

It reflects their concerns about their future and the barriers they face in pursuing their educational and career goals.

It conveys a sense of disappointment and resignation as the characters grapple with the impact of the school's closure on their aspirations and opportunities for advancement.

Mr. Jordan

The schoolhouse is a wooden building with a pitched roof, bell steeple, and peeling white clapboard walls, located in a small valley with hills, woods, and mountains.

The schoolyard contains a flagpole, water pump, privies, and a lopsided teeter-totter.

Old benches, student desks, a boys' and girls' wardrobe, a teacher's desk, a wood-burning stove, kerosene lamps, and educational materials such as maps and pictures.

Miss Fletcher

Miss Fletcher appears distressed and lacks a morning greeting.

Tom, Mary, Herbert, Charley, Susie, Natasha

The arrival of Mr. Jordan and Miss Fletcher's behavior

The setting and characters, including Ida, Felix, Tom, Mary, Herbert, Charley, Susie, Natasha, Miss Fletcher, and Mr. Jordan.

Hills, woods, and mountains

Mr. Jordan is seen going through Miss Fletcher's school account book.

A significant event or revelation to unfold

Ida faces the dilemma of not being able to take her final exam and its impact on her high school plans if the school closes.

Ida's mother expresses concerns about Ida's workload and responsibilities on the farm.

Mrs. Bidson acknowledges the financial strain because of the impact on farm work without Ida.

Ida is unsure whether she would be good at teaching, given her family's limited education.

Ida's mother encourages her to consider the unconventional idea, recognizing that it would be an unusual but not harmful endeavor.

Ida grapples with the potential impact on her family and farm duties if she pursues teaching.

Ida worries about balancing her farm responsibilities with teaching.

Mrs. Bidson acknowledges that Ida's potential as a teacher may be uncharted territory but believes it wouldn't harm her.

The potential closure of the school would prevent Ida and her friend Tom from taking their final exam, affecting their high school plans.

Mrs. Bidson is concerned about the impact on farm work without Ida if she becomes a teacher.

Ida is unsure if she would be good at teaching, given her family's limited education.

Ida considers not informing her father about her decision.

Ida stepped into a stirrup made by two boys' hands, rose up, slid open a window, and squirmed inside headfirst.

Ida had put up her hair with the pins her mother had given her and spoke in a prim teacher-like voice, declaring that school was closed for the day.

Ida closed the door and then peeked out to confirm that everyone had left.

Felix was the last child to remain at the school after the others had left.

Ida's family learns about her new position as a teacher when Ida's father gives his cautious approval for her to try being a teacher during dinner.

Ida struggles with the responsibility of being a teacher and maintaining authority over her classmates. She feels uncertain about how to start the school day and feels insecure about her abilities. The students are rowdier and less disciplined without their previous teacher, and Ida feels overwhelmed and anxious about her new role as a teacher.

Ida tries to assert her authority by correcting a student's behavior.

The text portrays Ida's internal struggle and anxiety as she struggles with the responsibility of being a teacher, maintaining authority over her classmates, and feeling overwhelmed and anxious about her new role.

Ida starts her day at 4:30 AM by doing farm chores before going to school.

Ida's father gives his cautious approval for her to try being a teacher.

Ida and her brother, Felix, have kept her new role as a teacher a secret.

Ida struggles with the responsibility of being a teacher, maintaining authority over her classmates, feeling uncertain about how to start the school day, and feeling insecure about her abilities. The students are rowdier and less disciplined without their previous teacher, adding to Ida's challenges.

The text portrays Ida's struggle with the responsibility of being a teacher, maintaining authority over her classmates, and feeling overwhelmed and anxious about her new role.

Ida's new role as a teacher affects her family as they learn about it during dinner, where her father gives his cautious approval for her to try being a teacher.

Miss Fletcher's departure leads to Ida and Tom struggling with the responsibility of being a teacher and maintaining authority over the classmates, as the students become rowdier and less disciplined without their previous teacher.

Ida feels uncertain about how to start the school day and insecure about her abilities as a teacher.

Ida starts the day with a song to regain calm and control in her classroom

Herbert, a disruptive student, challenges her authority

Ida refuses to use physical discipline and instead tries to reason with Herbert

Ida threatens to expel Herbert from the school if he doesn't comply with her instructions

Herbert's demeanor changes when faced with the possibility of expulsion

Tom, a student, offers support and encouragement to Ida

The challenges and emotional toll of being a teacher

The students respond positively to Ida's efforts to restore order in the classroom

Ida receives encouragement from a student, reaffirming her identity and the importance of her role as a teacher

Ida's emotional turmoil is evident as she doubts her ability to handle the situation

Ida threatens to expel Herbert from the school if he doesn't comply with her instructions

The text highlights the challenges and emotional toll of being a teacher

reading, memorization, geography, history, penmanship, bookkeeping, grammar, and math

Natasha and Tom

a homemade crystal radio

setting up an antenna on the school's bell steeple

Herbert

challenges due to the nearby mountains

growing awareness of her students' behaviors and learning styles

marked by challenges and small victories

the day-to-day experiences and interactions in Ida's classroom

an old wind-up clock

manages to handle the situation without using physical discipline

relax and allows her students to work at their own pace

The crystal radio symbolizes excitement and adventure for the children, allowing them to explore and listen to different radio stations, contrasting the formality and inspection of Miss Sedgewick's visit.

Miss Sedgewick's visit brings a sense of formality and inspection to the classroom through her formal attire and her interaction with the children and Ida, marked by a sense of inspection and evaluation.

Miss Sedgewick advises Tom, an eighth-grade student, to study hard for the exit diploma examination, revealing her recognition of him as a student who needs to focus on his studies.

The crystal radio excites the children as it provides a sense of excitement and adventure, allowing them to explore and listen to different radio stations, symbolizing a sense of freedom and possibility for the children.

Miss Sedgewick's visit brings a sense of formality and inspection to the classroom, making Ida and the children feel self-conscious about their appearance and the order in the classroom.

The children experience excitement and a sense of freedom while using the crystal radio, contrasting with Miss Sedgewick's formal and inspecting demeanor during her visit.

The crystal radio allows the children to "go anywhere" and mark the locations on a map, symbolizing the freedom to explore and listen to different radio stations from across the United States.

Miss Sedgewick's recognition of Ida and her questioning about Miss Fletcher's absence demonstrate her thoroughness and attention to detail, as well as her formal and inspecting nature.

The children's excitement and exploration with the crystal radio contrast with the sense of formality and inspection brought by Miss Sedgewick's visit, highlighting the contrast between freedom and restriction.

The crystal radio allows the children to "go anywhere" and listen to different radio stations, providing a form of escapism from their everyday lives and routines.

Miss Sedgewick's advice to Tom to study hard for the exit diploma examination reveals her perception of the students as individuals under evaluation, and her role as an inspector focused on their academic performance.

The crystal radio allows the children to listen to different radio stations from across the United States, symbolizing a sense of adventure and exploration beyond their immediate surroundings.

Miss Sedgewick's abrupt departure and her statement about looking into the situation reveal her skepticism and concern about Ida's teaching endeavor, indicating that she may not be supportive of Ida's unconventional approach to keeping the school going.

Tom's statement to Ida about doing a good job and Ida's response indicate that they both acknowledge the challenges they are facing, but they are uncertain about the impact of their efforts on the situation.

Ida's contemplation of the places she heard on the radio reflects the theme of expanding horizons and the impact of her teaching journey by symbolizing the broadening of her and the students' perspectives and experiences beyond their immediate surroundings.

The overall anxious mood of the afternoon and Ida's recollection of the places heard on the radio suggest that the characters are grappling with uncertainty and the significance of the events unfolding in the story, highlighting the impact of their actions on the broader context of their lives and community.

Miss Sedgewick, the county examiner

Crack the whip

Their desire to be in school

To the eastern hills

Her laughter

Restless

Twelve

Join the students

Springtime glorious, with the promise of summer

Falls asleep without doing any schoolwork after a tiring day

Dripping wet

She is flung into a pond

To check on a missing student, Herbert

He questions her authority and expresses resentment towards the school's interference

The contrast between school and farm life, raising questions about education and societal expectations

Farm work

Uncomfortable and uncertain about her role as a teacher

Mr. Bixler

Rundown, with a small house, rusty equipment, and a horse in the corral

Herbert

She is Herbert's teacher and expresses concern for his absence from school

Ida's father, Noah Bidson

The school's interference in Herbert's farm duties

Drives to the farm

Ida visits the student's home to inquire about his frequent absences, but Mr. Bixler expresses disinterest in schooling and threatens to involve the school principal. This encounter leaves Ida feeling regret and frustration, prompting her to abruptly decide to visit another student, Tom.

Tom's family owns a well-kept farm in contrast to the Bixler farm, and Tom is working on a small printing press.

Ida feels a mix of embarrassment and pride at Tom's words, while Tom offers reassurance and expresses confidence in Ida's abilities.

Ida finds joy in teaching and sees progress in her students' learning and attendance, even Herbert's. She feels a growing confidence in her teaching abilities and sees positive changes in her students.

Felix's mention fuels Ida's determination to focus on her own studies, as she is inspired by Tom's confidence in passing a final exam.

Despite the challenges, Ida finds fulfillment in her teaching journey and sees signs of progress and success in her students. She observes her students engaging in various learning activities, helping each other, and performing school chores.

Ida's teaching journey reflects her determination and resilience as she navigates challenges, finds fulfillment, and sees progress in her students despite the obstacles she faces.

Ida's encounter with Tom and her students boosts her confidence as a teacher, as she finds joy in teaching, observes positive changes in her students, and feels reassured by Tom's confidence in her abilities.

Tom offers reassurance and expresses confidence in Ida's teaching abilities, which influences Ida's feelings of pride and confidence as a teacher.

Ida's interaction with her students, especially Tom, fuels her determination to continue her education and pursue her dream of becoming a teacher, as she finds joy in teaching and sees progress in her students.

Ida feels a growing confidence in her teaching abilities and sees positive changes in her students, which impacts her with feelings of joy and fulfillment in her teaching journey.

The text emphasizes Ida's awareness and growth as she becomes more observant from the teacher's desk, noticing positive changes in her students' learning and behavior, and finding joy and fulfillment in her teaching journey.

Ida feels the responsibility to ensure all students perform well in their tests, struggles with the workload, faces challenges with her daily chores, spills milk and feels like a failure, is conflicted about whether to continue teaching or pursue her own education, and feels overwhelmed by her responsibilities.

Tom seeks help with a passage from Shakespeare, indicating his need for guidance and support in his studies.

Ida seeks comfort and advice from her father after feeling like a failure. Her father reminds her of the difficulty of the path she has chosen, emphasizes the need for Ida to make her own decisions and take responsibility for her choices, and encourages her to face the reality of her situation and make decisions like a grown-up.

The text highlights the struggles of a young teacher in a rural community and the pressure she faces to balance her personal and professional responsibilities, as well as the uncertainty and challenges she will have to navigate.

Ida feels the weight of teaching and expresses a desire to be young like her brother, Felix.

He emphasizes the need for Ida to make her own decisions and take responsibility for her choices.

Ida is conflicted about whether to continue teaching or pursue her own education. Her father encourages her to face the reality of her situation and make decisions like a grown-up.

Ida struggles with the workload, feeling exhausted and falling behind in her own studies, and feels overwhelmed by her responsibilities.

Ida faces challenges with her daily chores, such as milking the cows, and feels overwhelmed by her responsibilities. She also spills milk and feels like a failure.

Tom's need for help with a passage from Shakespeare reveals his academic needs and his need for guidance and support in his studies.

Ida's experience reflects the theme of personal and professional balance as she feels the responsibility to ensure all students perform well, struggles with the workload, and faces challenges with her daily chores and personal aspirations.

Her father reminds her of the difficulty of the path she has chosen and the uncertainty of her future, emphasizing the need for Ida to make her own decisions and take responsibility for her choices.

Ida is trying to convince Tom to print up a circular to spread the word about a secret school-board meeting to ensure the school stays closed, in response to Herbert's visit.

The conversation between Ida and Tom takes place in the Kohls' barn, a large structure sweet with the smell of stacked hay, where Tom and his father are repairing a truck.

Mr. Kohl initially expresses understanding of Tom's other tasks but ultimately supports Ida's request for Tom's assistance.

Mr. Kohl is described as a large man with big features and a loud voice rich with a German accent, similar to his wife's.

Ida and Felix's car skids into a ditch, Miss Sedgewick arrives late, Ida feels nervous and panics during the exam, and it rains during morning recess.

She reassures the students that she is sure everyone passed.

She informs them that they will be informed by mail after she grades the exams.

She feels drained and reflects on the day.

Ida asks Miss Sedgewick how they will know if they passed.

She starts the exams.

The students have both written and recitation exams in subjects like geography, arithmetic, and reading.

The rain stops.

Tom and Mary offer to give them a lift to school.

She provides time for the students to check their work and write their post box numbers on the booklets.

The rain has stopped, but no one wants to be outside for long.

Ida feels nervous and panics during the exam.

Eight schoolchildren and their parents

Mr. Jordan, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Morris, and Mr. Plumstead

Trespassing on township property

Trespassing is still trespassing

That they were just trying to continue their education and learn

She was not paid and actually saved the board money

Finish their schooling to attend high school and take the exit exam

They will allow the children to take the exit exam

A poem taught by Miss Fletcher and the chance to take the exit exam

The school board agreed to let the children take the exit exam

Ida

Tom

Ida was responsible for helping her students study and ensuring they were prepared for their exams, as Mr. Jordan expected every child to pass.

Ida felt tormented as she wanted to study alone at home but had to help her students. She also urged Herbert to pass and chose to study alone at home, causing a moment of hurt for Tom.

Ida was exhausted and emotionally wrought, feeling the weight of responsibility for her students' success. She also felt overwhelmed and snapped at Felix in the car on the way to the exam.

Ida's mother expressed pride in her hard work and encouraged her despite the challenges, showing unwavering support.

Ida's new role brought about financial constraints and limitations for her and Tom, impacting their educational plans.

Ida and Felix set off for the exam in challenging weather, with Ida feeling overwhelmed and snapping at Felix in the car.

The atmosphere was frantic, with students quizzing each other and focusing on studying to deal with the pressure of the upcoming exams.

Mr. Jordan expected every child to pass their exams, putting the responsibility on the teacher to ensure the students' success.

Ida and her students returned to the schoolhouse as a group of determined and resilient individuals after the incident at the pond.

Ida urged Herbert to pass and show everyone how smart he is, displaying her dedication to helping her students despite the challenges.

Ida's mother expressed concerns about the financial constraints and limitations that Ida and Tom would face due to the closure of the school and Ida's decision to become a teacher.

Ida worked late into the evening before the exam, feeling the weight of responsibility and the pressure to ensure her students' success.

Ida receives the opportunity to enter the high school at Steamboat Springs with honors, beginning September 1925.

Herbert Bixler is the only student who did not complete their exams with varying degrees of success.

Ida is specially recognized for graduating from eighth grade with honors and for acting as the schoolteacher.

Miss Sedgewick offers Ida a scholarship to stay in her Steamboat Springs home while attending high school, at no cost to her parents.

Herbert Bixler confides in Ida about his decision to fail the exam and join the navy in Denver.

Ida's encounter with Herbert Bixler reveals that he plans to join the navy in Denver when he's old enough.

Tom thanks Ida for being their teacher and for the idea in the first place, signifying the closure of the secret school.

The text ends with uncertainty about what the future holds for Ida and Herbert, as well as the closure of the secret school and its impact on the students.

Susie singing 'Amazing Grace' at the Last Day Exercises signifies the conclusion of the ceremony and the beginning of a new chapter for the students.

Mr. Jordan expresses hope that Ida will become a real teacher and return to work at the same school in the future.

The closure of the secret school brings uncertainty about the characters' educational plans and aspirations, leaving them with an uncertain future.

Ida's success in completing the course of study with honors opens up the opportunity for her to enter high school at Steamboat Springs and pursue her educational journey.