Spring Classroom Teacher Questionnaires

APPENDIX D.2
ECLS-K
Spring 2007 Mathematics Teacher Questionnaire

Spring 2007
Grade 8
Math Teacher Questionnaire
Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education
National Center for Education Statistics by:
Westat
1650 Research Boulevard
Rockville, Maryland 20850

LABEL

Use a #2 pencil to complete this questionnaire.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0750.
Approval expires 01/31/2009. The time required to complete this information
collection is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time to
review instruction, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and
complete and review the information collected. If you have any comments
concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the survey
instrument, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
20202-4700. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your
individual response to this survey, write directly to: National Center for Education
Statistics, 1990 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006-5650.

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by Public Law 107279 Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part C, Sec. 151(b) and
Sec. 153(a). Participation is voluntary. You may skip questions you do not
wish to answer; however, we hope that you will answer as many questions as
you can. Your responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute (PL
107-279, Title I, Part C, Sec. 183). All responses that relate to or describe
identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical
purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other
purpose, unless otherwise compelled by law. Data will be combined to produce
statistical reports. No individual data that links your name, address, telephone
number, or identification number with your responses will be included in the
statistical reports.

INTRODUCTION
Dear Teacher,
This questionnaire is a vital part of a unique longitudinal study of students’ educational
experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through grade 10. You have
received this questionnaire because one or more of the students in your mathematics
class(es) have been participating in this study for many years. The student is identified on
the cover of this questionnaire.
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998 – 1999 (ECLS-K) is
collecting information from teachers of students who are in the study to investigate the
relationship between students’ achievement and various school, classroom, teacher, and
home factors. We are interested in collecting information on this student’s mathematics
instruction in your classroom. Obviously, only you can provide this information.
Therefore, although we realize you are very busy, we urge you to complete this
questionnaire as accurately as possible. The information you provide is being collected for
research purposes only and will be kept strictly confidential.
This questionnaire contains one section about the student identified on the cover of this
questionnaire and a second section about the math class in which this child is enrolled.
Your best estimates are acceptable answers.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

2

MARKING DIRECTIONS
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND USE A SOFT LEAD (#2) PENCIL TO COMPLETE THIS
QUESTIONNAIRE.
CHECKING BOXES
It is important that you check the box next to your answers and print clearly.
Shown below is the correct way to mark your answers, along with examples of incorrect ways.

Correct Mark:

Incorrect Marks:
Light and thin, outside the box, thick or scrawled.

PRINTING ANSWERS IN BOXES:
Print entire answer in box. Answers should be printed clearly and should not touch or cross any of
the box lines. Do not cross zeroes or sevens. That is, do not write a zero with a line through it like
this – 0, and do not write a seven with a line through it like this – 7.
Write digits like this:

1234567890
Write words like this:

Harry Potter

3

STUDENT INFORMATION
Please answer these questions about the student identified on the cover of this
questionnaire.
1.

Does this student usually work hard for good grades in your class?
Yes
No

2.

Does this student seem to relate well to other students in your class?
Yes
No

3.

Is this student exceptionally passive or withdrawn in your class?
Yes
No

4.

Does this student talk with you outside of class about school work, plans after high
school, or personal matters?
Yes
No

5.

Has this student fallen behind in school work in this class?
Yes
No (GO TO QUESTION 7 ON PAGE 5)

4

6.

If YES, why has this student fallen behind in school work?
MARK ALL THAT APPLY.
Health problem
A disciplinary problem
Lack of effort
Disorganized
Lacks prerequisite skills
Some other reason (specify)

7.

When you assign homework for this class, how often does this student complete it?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
Homework not assigned
Never
Rarely
Some of the time
Most of the time
All of the time

8.

How often is this student…
MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.
Never

a.

Attentive in your class?

b.

Disruptive in your class?

c.

Absent from your class?

d.

Tardy to your class?

Rarely

Some of
the time

Most of
the time

All of
the time

5

9.

Have you spoken to a guidance counselor or other member of the school staff this
school year about the following? MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.

Yes

No

NA (No guidance
counselor or other staff
member to speak to)

NA (student did
not exhibit this
behavior)

a. Student’s poor school
performance
b. Student’s disruptive
behavior in class

10.

Have you recommended this student for academic honors, advanced placement, or
honors classes?
Yes
No
Not Applicable (No such honor available)

11.

Please rate this student's skills in the following areas, as exhibited in your class.
MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.
Very
Outstanding good

6

a.

Ability to apply mathematical
concepts to “real world” problems

b.

Ability to complete or conduct
proofs or demonstrations of
his/her mathematical reasoning

c.

Ability to talk about his/her
reasoning or thinking in solving a
problem.

d.

Ability to explain his/her
reasoning in solving a problem in
writing.

e.

Ability to use representations to
model mathematical ideas.

f.

Ability to use a calculator to solve
problems.

g.

Ability to use a computer to
complete mathematics
assignments

Not
applicable/
Good Fair Poor not observed

CLASS INFORMATION
12.

As of today’s date, how many students in this class belong to each of the following
racial/ethnic groups?
WRITE NUMBER ON EACH LINE. ENTER “0” ON THE LINE IF THERE ARE NO
STUDENTS IN A CATEGORY.
a. Asian or Pacific Islander
b. Hispanic, regardless of race
c. Black, not of Hispanic origin
d. White, not of Hispanic origin
e. American Indian or Alaska Native
f. Total class enrollment
(sum of a through e)

13.

At this point in the school year, how would you rate the behavior of students in this
class? MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
Group misbehaves very frequently and is almost always difficult to handle
Group misbehaves frequently and is often difficult to handle
Group misbehaves occasionally
Group behaves well
Group behaves exceptionally well

7

INSTRUCTION
14.

Which of the following best describes this student’s mathematics course?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY – IF THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN MORE
THAN ONE MATHEMATICS COURSE, PLEASE ANSWER FOR THE COURSE
THAT YOU CONSIDER MOST ADVANCED.
General mathematics
Introduction to Algebra/Pre-algebra
Algebra
Integrated or sequential mathematics
Algebra II
Geometry

15.

Which of the following best describes this mathematics course?
MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
Instruction for students performing below grade level in mathematics
Regular
Honors, Enrichment, or Gifted & Talented

16.

About how much time in total does this student’s mathematics class meet in a
typical week? MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
Less than 3 hours
3 to 4.9 hours
5 to 6.9 hours
7 to 9.9 hours
10 or more hours

8

17.

Are computers available for use by you or your students? MARK ONE RESPONSE
ONLY.
Yes, computers are available to my students and me. (GO TO QUESTION 18)
No (SKIP TO QUESTION 19)

18.

When using computers for mathematics instruction, how many computers are
available for your students? MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
One computer for each student
One computer for every two students
One computer for every three or more students
I do not use computers in my mathematics instruction

19.

By the end of the school year, approximately what percentage of instructional time
will you have spent during this class on each of the following mathematics
components? WRITE IN THE PERCENT. THE TOTAL SHOULD ADD TO 100%.
Percent

a. Number
(e.g., whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratio, proportion, percent)
b. Geometry
(e.g., lines and angles, shapes, congruence and similarity, spatial
relationships, symmetry, and transformation)
c. Algebra
(e.g., patterns, equations and formulas, relationships)
d. Data
(e.g., data collection and organization, data representation, data
interpretation, probability)
e. Measurement
(e.g., attributes and units, tools, techniques and formulas)
f. Other
TOTAL

100%

9

20.

How often do the students in this class engage in the following?
Once or Once or
MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.
Almost twice a
every day week

a.

twice a
month

Never or
hardly
ever

Solve mathematics problems in small
groups or with a partner

b. Discuss their solutions to mathematics
problems
c. Take tests or quizzes
d. Use a graphing calculator
e. Use a scientific (not graphing) calculator
f.

Use another kind of calculator

g. Use computers to practice or review
mathematics topics
h. Have assigned homework
i.

Write about how to solve a mathematics
problem

j.

Work on and discuss mathematics
problems that reflect real-life situations

k. Work on problems for which there is no
immediate solution

21.

How much time do you expect a student to spend completing homework for this
class on days you assign it? MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.
I do not assign homework
Less than 15 minutes
About 15 to 30 minutes
About 30 minutes to an hour
More than an hour

10

22.

Which textbook (or commercially produced workbook) constitutes the primary
source that you use in this class? WRITE THE TITLE, AUTHORS, PUBLISHER,
AND PUBLICATION DATE/EDITION.

Title
Author
Publisher
Publication date/edition
I do not use a textbook as my primary source for this class

23.

Which textbook (or commercially produced workbook) constitutes the secondary
source that you use in this class? WRITE THE TITLE, AUTHORS, PUBLISHER,
AND PUBLICATION DATE/EDITION.

Title
Author
Publisher
Publication date/edition
I do not use a textbook as my secondary source for this class

11

24.

How important is each of the following in assigning grades to students in your
class?
MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.
Not
Somewhat
Very
Extremely
Not
important important important important applicable

a. Individual student’s
achievement relative to
the rest of the class
b. Individual student’s
achievement relative to
local or state standards
c. Individual improvement
or progress over past
performance
d. Effort
e. Class participation
f. Classroom behavior or
conduct
g. Completion of
homework

25.

Date questionnaire completed:

MONTH

DAY

YEAR

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

12