Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers

Reiman, A. J., and Edelfelt, R. A. (1991). The opinions of mentors and beginning teachers. Research Report, North Carolina State University. ERIC ED 329 519.

Comments: The questionnaires were designed to study beginning teachers and their mentors. They were developed to check the influence of long-term mentor training, with a focus on developmental supervision, and to examine the degree to which the intent of the North Carolina Certification Program was being carried out.

Scale Construction: Questionnaire items were created from an earlier study where ideas and themes were explored through interview techniques. Parallel forms of the instrument were developed for the mentor teacher and for the beginning teacher. The questionnaires employed a discrepancy model of investigation and scoring. The items with the largest discrepancy among respondents were critically analyzed. The respondents were instructed to indicate on a four-point scale the degree to which each condition in the questionnaire was operative in their situation.

Sample: Questionnaires were sent to 22 mentor teachers and 16 beginning teachers.

Reference

Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers

1. I have had adequate time to plan.
2. My mentor provided assistance with classroom management.
3. My mentor provided help with instructional concerns.
4. My mentor provided assistance with personal concerns.
5. I received help from the district office on salary and certification questions.
6. My mentor was in my classroom.
7. I was receptive to criticism.
8. Feedback from classroom observations was helpful.
9. My teaching assignment was realistic for a beginner.
10. I discussed all aspects of teaching with my mentor.
11. My mentor helped me keep current professionally.
12. I had opportunities to talk with other novice teachers.
13. I got help from colleagues.
14. I sought feedback from students.
15. There was time to reflect on my teaching.
16. I got adequate clerical support.
17. I found satisfaction in teaching.
18. Professional development opportunities were provided.
19. I have been helped to develop my own teaching style.
20. I followed the textbook in my teaching.
21. I have been helped to develop a repertoire of teaching strategies.
22. I felt a part of the school community.
23. Teaching included mundane duties.
24. The materials I needed for teaching were available.
25. I got help and encouragement from my principal.
26. I was assessed by administration on the Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument.
27. The climate in my school supported a good learning environment for students.
28. The climate in our school supported a good learning environment for me as a beginning teacher.
29. I have thought that I would have liked to have been involved in the selection of my mentor.
30. I had opportunities to visit and observe exemplary teachers.
31. I had opportunities to read and to review educational research and theory with my mentor.

32. My mentor is empathic.
33. My mentor can describe teaching concepts in a way that is understandable.
34. My mentor has acted on my behalf.
35. I participated in decisions on school policy.
36. Teaching was what I thought it would be.
37. I think I will be teaching five years from now.
38. I felt pressured to teach in certain ways.
39. We used technology to great advantage in our school.
40. There were opportunities to exchange ideas with colleagues.
41. Students were responsive to the way I taught.
42. Motivating students was very difficult.
43. Classroom management was a problem for me.
44. I communicated with parents.
45. Our school functioned in an efficient and productive manner.
46. The rules and requirements in our school were reasonable.

Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers

I have enough time to work with my ICT.

I confer with my ICT.

I make formal observations of my ICT.

I make informal observations of my ICT.

I visit my ICT’s classroom.

I consult with my ICT on

• discipline.
• classroom management.
• school routines.
• the content being taught.
• changing the way teachers and students work together.
• finding materials.
• selecting materials.
• making materials.
• developing curriculum.
• skills in questioning.
• cooperative learning.
• personal concerns.

I support my ICT in

• maintaining his or her well-being.
• fostering self-evaluation. increasing student self-direction.
• and decision making.
• individualizing instruction.
• finding effective ways to group.
• students for learning.

I help my ICT understand

• the community.
• the goals of school.
• different cultures, races, and lifestyles.
• democratic values as they apply in school.
• instructional theory and research.
• dialects and language.
• usage.
• the issues in promotion and retention.
• the initial certification program
• . managing time.
• school policy.
• school district policy.

I assist my ICT with

• identifying student needs.
• identifying student interests.
• motivating students.
• teaching basic skills.
• planning lessons to achieve.
• measurable learning outcomes.
• working with the high-risk child.
• working with exceptional children.
• developing critical thinking.
• employing democratic values.
• fostering problem solving.
• helping students help each other.
• developing homework assignments.
• evaluating student learning.
• designing teacher-made tests.
• interpreting standardized test scores.
• reporting student achievement.
• communicating with parents.
• relating local issues to the curriculum.
• planning professional development.

I challenge my ICT to

• be an active listener.
• employ positive reinforcement.
• analyze his or her teaching.
• reflect on teaching.
• encourage original expression.
• evaluate his or her teaching.
• use technology.
• use computers.
• develop learning centers.
• document student learning.
• stay current professionally.
• promote equal opportunity.

I encourage ICT reflection through

• conferences.
• journal writing.
• audiotaping.
• videotaping.

I have been able to use the knowledge and techniques learned in mentor training. I do demonstration teaching.

I use developmental theory in my work with my ICT.

I use the research of Bruce Joyce in my work with my ICT.

I vary the amount of structure employed in working with my ICT.

Scoring: Scoring is identical for both questionnaires. Never or hardly ever = 1; Sometimes = 2; Frequently = 3; and Always or almost always = 4.