EDUCATIVE MENTORING FOR PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
Interview Protocols for Three 60-Minute Individual Interviews of the Mentor and Mentee
Mentor Interview 1
Say to the participant prior to each interview: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me. The purpose of this interview is to better understand how you mentor your pre-service teacher (PST). Please keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers; I just want to understand your thinking. Do I have your permission to record on this day, (say date), 2013?
Interview Questions
Background:
1. How did you became involved in mentoring?
2. How would you describe your mentoring?
Orientations toward science teaching:
3. How would you describe your philosophy of, or orientation to, teaching?
4. What goals do you have for yourself and your students this semester?
5. What tasks have been assigned to the mentee, and what do you hope for him to learn about teaching biology from these experiences?
Knowledge and beliefs about science curriculum:
6. The next unit will be DNA/Protein Synthesis. What strategies do you plan to use to help yourPST determine what is important for students to learn in this unit?
Knowledge and beliefs about students’ understanding of specific science topics:
7. What misconceptions about DNA/Protein Synthesis might your students hold?
8. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PSTelicit and address possible student misconceptions or difficulties?
Knowledge and beliefs about instructional strategies for teaching science:
9. What strategies do you think work well for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
10. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about effective teaching strategies for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
Knowledge and beliefs about assessment in science:
11. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about what to assess regarding students’ understanding ofDNA/Protein Synthesis?
12. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about how to assess students’ understanding of DNA/Protein Synthesis?
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Mentor Interview 2
1. What additional tasks have been assigned to the mentee, and what do you hope for him to learn about teaching biology from these experiences?
2. What strategies did you use to help your PST develop knowledge of:
a. the curriculum for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
b. students’ misconceptions of, or difficulties learning about, DNA/Protein Synthesis?
c. effective strategies for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
d. how to assess students’ understanding of DNA/Protein Synthesis?
Knowledge and beliefs about science curriculum:
3. The next unit will be Evolution. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST determine what is important for students to learn in this unit?
Knowledge and beliefs about students’ understanding of specific science topics:
4. What misconceptions about Evolution might your students hold?
5. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST elicit and address possible student misconceptions?
Knowledge and beliefs about instructional strategies for teaching science:
6. What strategies do you think work well for teaching Evolution?
7. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about effective teaching strategies for teaching Evolution?
Knowledge and beliefs about assessment in science:
8. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about what to assess regarding students’ understanding of Evolution?
9. What strategies do you plan to use to help your PST learn about how to assess students’ understanding of Evolution?
Further exploration of mentoring strategies:
Explore points of interest from journal and planning sessions via the following:
In your journal, you wrote about ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
In a recent conversation with your PST, you spoke of ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
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Mentor Interview 3
1. What additional tasks have been assigned to the mentee, and what do you hope for him to learn about teaching biology from these experiences?
2. What strategies did you use to help your PST develop knowledge of:
a. the curriculum for teaching Evolution?
b. students’ misconceptions of or difficulties learning about Evolution?
c. effective strategies for teaching Evolution?
d. how to assess students’ understanding of Evolution?
Further exploration of mentoring strategies:
Explore points of interest from journal and planning sessions via the following:
Ex. In your journal, you wrote about ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
Ex. In your planning, you spoke of ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
Say to the participant: Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to share regarding how you mentor pre-service science teachers?
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Mentee Interview 1
Say to the participant prior to each interview: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me. The purpose of this interview is to better understand how your mentor supports your development as a science teacher. Please keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers; I just want to understand your thinking. Do I have your permission to record on this day, (say date), 2013?
Interview Questions
Background:
1. How did you became interested in teaching science?
2. How would you describe your field experience?
Orientations toward science teaching:
3. How would you describe your philosophy of, or orientation to, teaching?
4. What goals do you have for yourself and your students this semester?
5. What tasks have you been doing in your internship and what have you learned about teaching biology from these experiences?
Knowledge and beliefs about science curriculum:
6. The next unit will be DNA/Protein Synthesis. What questions do you have about how to determine what is important for students to learn in this unit?
Knowledge and beliefs about students’ understanding of specific science topics:
7. What misconceptions about DNA/Protein Synthesis might your students hold?
8. How might you elicit and address possible student misconceptions or difficulties?
Knowledge and beliefs about instructional strategies for teaching science:
9. What strategies do you think might work well for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
10. What questions do you have about identifying and using effective teaching strategies for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
Knowledge and beliefs about assessment in science:
11. What ideas or questions do you have about what to assess regarding students’ understanding of DNA/Protein Synthesis?
12. What ideas or questions do you have about how to assess students’ understanding of DNA/ Protein Synthesis?
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Mentee Interview 2
1. What additional tasks have you been doing, and what have you learned about teaching biology from these experiences?
2. How has your mentor helped you develop your knowledge of:
a. the curriculum for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
b. students’ misconceptions of, or difficulties learning about, DNA/Protein Synthesis?
c. effective strategies for teaching DNA/Protein Synthesis?
d. how to assess students’ understanding of DNA/Protein Synthesis?
Knowledge and beliefs about science curriculum:
3. The next unit will be Evolution. How will you determine what is important for students to learn in this unit?
4. What questions do you have about how to determine what is important for students to learn in this unit?
Knowledge and beliefs about students’ understanding of specific science topics:
5. What misconceptions about Evolution might your students hold?
6. How might you elicit and address possible student misconceptions or difficulties?
Knowledge and beliefs about instructional strategies for teaching science:
7. What strategies do you think might work well for teaching Evolution?
8. What questions do you have about identifying and using effective teaching strategies for teaching Evolution?
Knowledge and beliefs about assessment in science:
9. What ideas or questions do you have about what to assess regarding students’ understanding of Evolution?
10. What ideas or questions do you have about how to assess students’ understanding of Evolution?
Further exploration of mentoring influence:
Explore points of interest from journal and planning sessions via the following:
In your journal, you wrote about ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
In a recent conversation with your mentor, you spoke of ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
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Mentee Interview 3
1. What additional tasks have you been doing, and what have you learned about teaching biology from these experiences?
2. How has your mentor helped you develop your knowledge of:
a. the curriculum for teaching Evolution?
b. students’ misconceptions of, or difficulties learning about, Evolution?
c. effective strategies for teaching Evolution?
d. how to assess students’ understanding of Evolution?
Further exploration of mentoring influence:
Explore points of interest from journal and planning sessions via the following:
In your journal, you wrote about ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
In your planning, you spoke of ______. Can you elaborate on how that was helpful, challenging, confusing, etc.
Say to the participant: Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to share regarding how your mentor influenced your knowledge of science teaching?