7
The Elementary School Years
Teacher Questionnaire
Spring 1990
Teacher's Name ______
Grade Taught ______
School ______
Teacher Gender ______
PART I. Weekly Classroom Schedule
First we would like you to describe what your class schedule is like during a typical week. This will give us an idea of what activities students experience in school on a regular basis. Please indicate the number of times per week a subject is taught, the number of weeks a subject is taught, and the total number of hours per week a subject is taught in your classroom. Use the following guidelines in generating your responses:
1. Estimate total time to the nearest half hour.
2. For gym, music, art, drama, library, and foreign language that are taught in separate classes, please indicate those hours on the next page where space is provided. However, if you spend additional time on any of these subjects, please include your time in your responses below.
3. For any other subject taught primarily by another teacher (e.g. science, math, etc.), include it in your estimate below.
Subjects/Activities that / Number of / Number of / Totalstudents are taught / Times per / Weeks / Number of
Week / Hours/Week
Reading -including skill workbooks,
basal readers, literature
Spelling
Writing - including book reports,
journals, stories
Math - including math skills, math
games, logic, problems, etc.
Science
Social Studies
Computer Programming
Physical Education
Music
Drama
Art
Foreign Language
Next, we would like you to describe what other subjects a student takes in a typical week. This will give us an idea of what activities students experience outside of your classroom on a regular basis. Please indicate the number of times per week a subject is taught, the number of weeks a subject is taught, and the total number of hours per week a subject is taught outside of your classroom. Use the following guidelines in generating your responses:
1. Estimate total time to the nearest half hour.
2. Please specify the number of weeks another teacher only teaches these subjects.
3. Remember, if you spend additional time on any of these subjects, please include your time in your responses on the previous page, not on this page.
Subjects/Activities that / Number of / Number of / Totalstudents are taught outside of / Times per / Weeks / Number of
your classroom. / Week / Hours/Week
Physical Education
Foreign Language
Music
Drama
Art
Library
PART II. Classroom Organization and Content Covered
These questions ask about how you organize instruction in different subject areas, and about the content covered in each area this year.
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS - Organization
1. Are students grouped for reading instruction?
___ Yes How many groups are there? ______
___ No (Please specify how reading instruction is organized.)
____ whole group instruction
____ individualized
____ other (please explain) ______
(Go to "Reading/Language Arts Content Covered" section, pg. 5.)
2. Are the reading groups identified by skill level?
___ Yes
___ No How are they formed? ______
(Go to "Reading/Language Arts Content Covered" section, pg. 5.)
3. Please circle how important each of the following was to you in assigning students to ability groups in reading/language arts.
a. Standardized test scores:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
b. Report of last year's teacher:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
c. Your evaluation of child's ability:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
d. Parent requests:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS - Content Covered
1. What reading series are you using in your classroom?
Title of series: ______Publisher: ______Year/Ed.: ______
2. If you use ability grouping for reading, answer this question. If not, go to Question #3, pg. 6.
Please check the average reading level in the series that each reading group will have finished by the end of the year. If you team teach, please answer for all the students in your homeroom, whether or not they are in one of the groups you teach for reading.
If you don't teach a particular group, please indicate who does.
You need only provide information for those reading groups that apply to your grouping system.
Go to question #4, pg. 5 when done.
3. If you don't use ability grouping for reading, how far in the series on the average will most students have gotten by the end of the year?
4. Many teachers use supplementary activities to enhance the curriculum, such as book reports, additional workbooks or worksheets, etc.. In addition to these, are there any special supplementary topics or units you cover, texts you assign, or activities you use that most teachers do not?
____ No ____ Yes (please list)
For reading:
For writing:
5. Do you use any special motivational techniques besides praise, stickers, or grades in teaching reading/language arts?
_____ No
_____ Yes Please check all that apply:
____ contests ____ games
____ rewards, like candy ____ reports to parents
____ special recognition, ____ special opportunities to do
like class announcement additional work in reading/writing
____ special privileges ____ other (please specify): ______
6. How often do you assign homework in reading/language arts? (Please check one)
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
7. How often do you schedule competitive academic games or contests in reading/writing?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
8. How often do you schedule cooperative academic activities or games where students must work collaboratively to plan and carry out a group activity or produce a group product in reading/writing?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
9. How often do you use individualized lesson plans or learning goals for each student in reading/language arts?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
MATH - Organization
1. Are students who are mathematically talented taught in separate classes?
____ Yes ____ No
2. Are other students not identified as "talented" grouped for instruction?
____ Yes How many groups are there? ______
____ No (Please specify how reading instruction is organized.
____ whole group instruction
____ individualized
____ other (please explain) ______
(Go to "Math Content Covered" section, pg. 9.)
3. Are the math groups identified by skill level?
____ Yes
____ No (Go to "Math Content Covered" section, pg. 9)
4. Please circle how important each of the following was to you in assigning students to ability groups in math.
a. Standardized test scores:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
b. Report of last year's teacher:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
c. Your evaluation of child's ability:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
d. Parent requests:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all Very
Important Important
MATH - Content Covered
1. What math series are you using in your classroom? ______
2. If you use ability grouping for math, answer this question. If not, go to Question #3 below.
Please check the average math level that each math group will have finished by the end of the year. If you team teach, please answer for all the students in you homeroom, whether or not they are in one of the groups you teach for math.
If you don't teach a particular group, please indicate who does.
You need only provide information for those math group levels that apply to your grouping system.
Go to question #4, on page 10 when done.
3. If you don't use ability grouping for math, how far will most students be by the end of the year?
4. Many teachers use supplementary activities for math such as extra practice in basic skills through worksheets or games. In addition to these, are there any special supplementary math materials that you use?
____ No ____ Yes (please explain)
5. Do you use any special motivational techniques besides praise, stickers, or grades in teaching math?
_____ No
_____ Yes Please check all that apply:
____ contests ____ games
____ rewards, like candy ____ reports to parents
____ special recognition, ____ special opportunities to do
like class announcement additional work in reading/writing
____ special privileges ____ other (please specify): ______
______
6. How often do you assign homework in math?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
7. How often do you schedule competitive academic games or contests in math?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
8. How often do you schedule cooperative academic activities or games where students must work collaboratively to plan and carry out a group activity or produce a group product in math?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
9. How often do you use individualized lesson plans or learning goals for each student in math?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
SCIENCE
1. How is science taught in your classroom?
____ I teach science myself
____ I team teach science with ______
____ Other (please explain) ______
2. Do you use a science series in your classroom?
____ No
____ Yes (What series do you use?) ______
3. Please check the major science topics you covered during the year.
____ Animal and Plant Life
____ Human Studies
____ Physical World
____ Energy
____ Space
____ Chemistry
____ Machines
____ Scientific Processes
____ Other (please specify) ______
4. In addition to activities that are a regular part of the science series, are there any special supplementary science materials or activities that you use?
_____No
_____Yes Please check all that apply:
____ contests/science fairs
____ science-related field trips
____ "hands on" activities
____ projects (please explain): ______
____ other (please explain): ______
5. Do you use any special motivational techniques besides praise, stickers, or grades in teaching science?
_____ No
_____ Yes Please check all that apply:
____ contests ____ games
____ rewards, like candy ____ reports to parents
____ special recognition, ____ special opportunities to do
like class announcement additional work in reading/writing
____ special privileges ____ other (please specify): ______
______
6. How often do you assign homework in science?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
_____ As needed, very rarely
7. How often do you schedule competitive academic games or contests in science?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
8. How often do you schedule cooperative academic activities or games where students must work collaboratively to plan and carry out a group activity or produce a group product in science?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
9. How often do you use individualized lesson plans or learning goals for each student in science?
_____ Never
_____ Every two or three months
_____ Once a month
_____ A few times a month
_____ Weekly
_____ A few times a week
_____ Daily
COMPUTERS
1. In what ways do you or someone else in the school use computers in your classroom? Check all that apply:
_____ Whole group instruction
_____ Small group projects
_____ Individual projects
_____ Individual drill and practice
_____ Other(Please explain) ______
_____ Neither I nor anyone else uses the computer in my class
(Go to "Athletics" section page 15)
2. Do you use the computer regularly as an instructional aid, such as for demonstrations, etc. in the following areas:
3. Have you used the computer for any special projects this year or developed any special materials or programs for the computer in the following areas:
4. Has anyone else used the computer with students in your class in the following areas:
5. How frequently and for how long does each student in your class get an opportunity to work with computers?
Number of times per week ______
Average length of time per week ______
6. Teachers have various ways to structure children's access to computers. How often do you use the following strategies with students in your classroom. Please use the following scale:
1=Never
2=Every two or three months
3=Once a month
4=A few times a month
5=Weekly
6=A few times a week
7=Daily
Frequency Computer Access Strategy
____ Allow students to use the computers in their free time by their own choice.
____ Assign individual students to computers for specified periods of time.
____ Assign groups of students to computers for specified periods of time but
allow each group to work out who actually works on the computer
during that time.
____ Assign groups of students to computers for specified periods of time and
require that each child in the group works at the computer for a