HSLS Appendix G - Science Teacher Questionnaire

Appendix G
Science Teacher Questionnaire

1. Do you have a bachelor’s degree?

• Yes

• No

1a. In what year did you receive your bachelor’s degree?

1b. What is the name of the college or university where you earned this degree?

______________________________________

College/university

In what city and state is it located?

______________________________________

City State

1c. Was this degree awarded by a college/university’s school or department of education?

• Yes

• No

1d. What was your major field of study?

___________________________

1e. Did you have a second major or minor field of study?

• Yes Skip to question 1f

• No Skip to question 2

1f. What was your second major or minor field of study?

______________________________

2. Do you have a master’s degree?

• Yes Skip to question 2a

• No Skip to question 3

2a. In what year did you receive your master’s degree?

X1. What is the name of the college/university where you earned your master’s degree?

______________________________________

College/University

2b. Was this degree awarded by a college/university’s school or department of education?

• Yes

• No

2c. What was your major field of study?

___________________________

3. Have you earned any of the degrees or certificates listed below?

[If so, same three sub questions for each that applies]

• Vocational certificate

• Associate’s degree

• SECOND Bachelor’s degree

• SECOND Master’s degree

• Educational specialist or professional diploma (at least one year beyond master’s level)

• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies

• Doctorate or first professional degree

4. Which of the following college courses have you completed?

• Chemistry

• Earth/Space Sciences

• Environmental Sciences

• Life Sciences

• Physics

• Other

5. How many college science courses have you completed?

6. Which of the following describes the teaching certificate you currently hold in THIS state?

• Regular or standard state certificate or advanced professional certificate

• Certificate issued after satisfying all requirements except the completion of a probationary period

• Certificate that requires some additional coursework, student teaching, or passing a test before regular certification can be obtained

• Certificate issued to persons who must complete a certification program in order to continue teaching

• I do not hold any of the above certifications in THIS state  Skip to question 8

7. In which grades does this certificate allow you to teach science in THIS state? (Select all that apply)

• Any grade, kindergarten – 5th

• Any grade, 6th – 8th

• Any grade, 9th – 12th (biology/life sciences)

• Any grade, 9th – 12th (chemistry/physics/physical science)

• Any grade, 9th – 12th (earth/space sciences)

• Any grade, 9th – 12th (other science)

8. Did you enter teaching through an alternative certification program?

• Yes

• No

X1. Did you work in a field or a job in which you used science before becoming a teacher?

• Yes

• No

9. Are you male or female?

• Female

• Male

10. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

• Yes

• No

11. What is your race? (Mark all that apply)

• White

• Black/African American

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

• American Indian or Alaska Native

12a. Including this year, how many years in total have you taught at the elementary level

(K-8)?

Years

12b. How many years in total have you taught in the secondary level (9-12)?

Years

12c. How many years have you taught any grades (K-12)?

Years

13. Counting this year, how many years have you taught science at the secondary level (9-12)?

Years

14. Counting this year, how many years in total have you taught in this school?

Years

15. Are you currently collecting a pension from a teacher retirement system or drawing money from a school/system sponsored 401(k) or 403(b) plan which includes funds you contributed as a teacher?

• Yes

• No

16. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements as it applies to your science instruction:

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Disagree Agrees Agree

a. The amount a student can learn

is primarily related to family

background. О О О О

b. If students aren’t disciplined at

home, they aren’t likely to accept

any discipline. O O O O

c. A teacher is very limited in what

he/she can achieve because a

student’s home environment is a

large influence on his/her

achievement. O O O O

d. If parents would do more for their

children, I could do more

for my students. O O O O

e. If a student did not remember

information I gave in a previous

lesson, I would know how to

increase his/her retention in the next

lesson. O O O O

f. If a student in my class becomes

disruptive and noisy, I feel assured

that I know some techniques to

redirect him/her quickly. O O O O

g. If one of my students can’t do a

class assignment, I am able to

accurately assess whether the

assignment was at the correct level

of difficulty. O O O O

h. If I really try hard, I can get through

to even the most difficult or

unmotivated students. O O O O

i. When it comes right down to it,

a teacher really can’t do much

because most of a student’s

motivation and performance

depends on his or her home

environment. O O O O

17. How would you compare boys and girls in...

Girls are Girls Girls and boys Boys Boys

much are somewhat are the are somewhat are much

better better same better better

a. Reading О О О О О

b. Math О О О О О

c. Writing О О О О О

d. Science О О О О О

18. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about science teachers at this school:

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

a. Science teachers set high

standards for teaching. O O O O

b. Science teachers set high

standards for students’ learning. O O O O

c. Science teachers in this

school believe all students can

do well. O O O O

d. Science teachers make

expectations for instructional

goals clear to students. O O O O

e. Science teachers in this

school give up on some students. O O O O

f. Science teachers in this school

care only about smart students. O O O O

g. Science teachers in this school

expect very little from students. O O O O

h. Science teachers in this school

work hard to make sure all students

are learning. O O O O

19. Which of the following best describes this science course?

• Anatomy/ Physiology

• Biology I

• Biology II

• Biology AP

• Chemistry I

• Chemistry II

• Chemistry AP

• Earth Science

• Environmental Science

• Integrated Science I

• Integrated Science II

• Integrated Science III

• Integrated Science IV

• Physical Science

• Physics I

• Physics II

• Physics AP

• Other Science Course: ________________

For each class in which an HSLS student is enrolled:

(Note: program prompts the teacher; the linkage to class is preloaded into the computer.)

20. What textbook/program is primarily used in this class?

• Publisher

• Title

• Edition

21. Approximately what percentage of the designated textbook/program do you plan to cover this school year?

%

22. What percentage of the instructional time in this class do you anticipate will be based on the following:

Primary science textbook/program

%

Other textbooks/programs

%

Other commercially available instructional materials

%

Materials obtained at conferences/conventions

(e.g., National Science Teachers’ Association)

%

Materials created by you

%

Other (please specify)________________ [field test only]

%

23. Thinking of a typical student in this class, which of the following best describes the difficulty level of the primary textbook/program? (Mark one)

• It is much too easy

• It is somewhat too easy

• It is at the appropriate level

• It is somewhat too difficult

• It is much too difficult

24. How often do you plan the designated science textbook/program will be used in each of the following ways:

Some- All the

Never Rarely times Often time

a. I will follow the textbook/program

page by page. O O O O O

b. I will pick what is important from the

textbook/program and skip the rest. O O O O O

c. I will follow my district’s curriculum

recommendations regardless of what is in

the textbook/program. O O O O O

d. The textbook/program will guide the

structure (content emphasis) of my

course. O O O O O

e. I will incorporate activities from other

sources to supplement what the

textbook/program is lacking. O O O O O

f. I will read and review suggestions in the

textbook’s/program’s teacher guide to plan

my lessons. O O O O O

g. I will use the student textbook/program to

plan my lessons. O O O O O

h. I will assign homework from the

textbook/program. O O O O O

i. My students will use their textbook/program

during the science lesson. O O O O O

j. My students will use their textbook/program

for homework assignments. O O O O O

25. What percent of assessment materials that you plan to use in this class for determining student grades will be test items:

Included with the primary textbook/program

%

Drawn from other commercially available materials

%

Developed by the school/district

%

Developed by you

%

Other (please specify)______________ [field test only]

%

26. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about how high school science teaching assignments are made in this school?

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

a. Advanced courses are assigned to

teachers with the most seniority O O O O

b. Advanced courses are assigned to

teachers with the strongest

science background O O O O

c. All or most science teachers

are assigned at least one section

of advanced courses O O O O

d. Non-college prep courses are

assigned to teachers new to the

profession O O O O

e. Non-college prep courses are

assigned to teachers whose students

don’t perform well on standardized

tests. O O O O

f. All or most science teachers are

assigned at least one section of a

non-college prep course. O O O O

27. To what extent is each of the following a problem in this school?

Not Not at A A applicable all little Some lot

a. Student tardiness O O O O O

b. Student absenteeism O O O O O

c. Student class cutting O O O O O

d. Teacher absenteeism O O O O O

e. Students dropping out O O O O O

f. Student apathy O O O O O

g. Lack of parental involvement O O O O O

h. Poverty O O O O O

i. Students coming to school unprepared

to learn O O O O O

j. Poor student health O O O O O

k. Lack of resources and materials for

teachers O O O O O

28. In your view, to what extent do the following limit how you teach?

Not Not at A A applicable all little Some lot

a. Students with different academic

abilities in the same class O O O O O

b. Students who come from a wide range

of socio-economic backgrounds O O O O O

c. Students who come from a wide range

of language backgrounds O O O O O

d. Students with special needs

(e.g., hearing, vision, speech impairment,

physical disabilities, mental or

emotional/psychological impairment) O O O O O

e. Uninterested students O O O O O

f. Low morale among students O O O O O

g. Disruptive students O O O O O

h. Shortage of computer hardware/software O O O O O

i. Shortage of support for using computers O O O O O

j. Shortage of textbooks for student use O O O O O

k. Shortage of other instructional equipment

for students’ use O O O O O

l. Shortage of equipment for use in

demonstrations and other exercises O O O O O

m. Inadequate physical facilities O O O O O

n. High student/teacher ratio O O O O O

o. Lack of planning time O O O O O

p. Lack of autonomy in instructional

decisions O O O O O

q. Lack of parent/family support O O O O O

r. Inadequate opportunities for professional

development O O O O O

s. Inadequate administrative support O O O O O

29. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Strongly Strongly

Agree Agree Disagree Disagree

a. The principal deals effectively

with pressures from outside the

school that might interfere with

my teaching O O O O

b. The principal does a poor job of

getting resources for this school O O O O

c. The principal sets priorities, makes

plans, and sees that they are carried

out O O O O

d. The principal knows what kind of

school he/she wants and has

communicated it to the staff O O O O

e. The principal lets staff members

know what is expected of them O O O O

f. The principal is interested in

innovation and new ideas O O O O

g. The principal usually consults with

staff members before he/she makes

decisions that affect us O O O O

30. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about the Science department in this school.

Strongly Strongly

Agree Agree Disagree Disagree

a. Science teachers share

ideas on teaching O O O O

b. Science teachers discuss O O O O

what was learned at a workshop

or conference O O O O

c. Science teachers share and

discuss student work O O O O

d. Science teachers discuss

particular lessons that were not

very successful O O O O

e. Science teachers in this

department discuss beliefs about

teaching and learning O O O O

f. Science teachers in this

department share and discuss

research on effective teaching

methods O O O O

g. Science teachers in this

department share and discuss

research on effective instructional

practices for English language

learners O O O O

h. Science teachers in this

department explore new teaching

approaches for under-performing

students O O O O

i. Science teachers in this

department make a conscious effort

to coordinate the content of courses

with other teachers in the school O O O O

j. Science teachers in this

department are effective at teaching

students science O O O O

k. Science teachers in this

department provide support to

new science teachers O O O O

l. The science department’s

chair or curricular area coordinator’s

behavior toward the staff is

supportive and encouraging O O O O

31. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Strongly Strongly

Agree Agree Disagree Disagree

a. Teachers in this school help

maintain discipline in the entire

school, not just their classroom. O O O O

b. Teachers in this school take

responsibility for improving

the school. O O O O

c. Teachers in this school set high

standards for themselves. O O O O

d. Teachers in this school feel

responsible for helping students

develop self-control. O O O O

e. Teachers in this school feel

responsible to help each other

do their best. O O O O

f. Teachers in this school feel

responsible that all students learn.O O O O

g. Teachers in this school feel

responsible when students in this

school fail. O O O O

Supporting Statement Request for OMB Review (SF83I) G-0