Teacher Questionnaires

	Fall 2010 Kindergarten Teacher Questionnaire
	Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics by: Westat 1600 Research Boulevard Rockville, Maryland 20850

L A B E L

Use a black or blue ball point pen or #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 03/31/2012. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information requested. 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. 20202‑4537. 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., Room 9086, Washington, D.C. 20006-5650.

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by Public Law 107-279 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.

Dear Teacher,

This questionnaire is an important part of a major longitudinal study of children’s early educational experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through grade 5. You have received this questionnaire because one or more of the children in your class or classes are participants in this study.

This questionnaire contains three sections:

1. Classroom and student characteristics

2. Views on school readiness, school climate, and the school environment

3. Teacher background

Taking part in the study is voluntary. You may stop at any time or choose not to answer a question you do not want to answer. However, only you can provide this information. Although we realize you are very busy, we urge you to complete this questionnaire as completely and accurately as possible. The information you provide is being collected for research purposes only and will be protected from disclosure to the fullest extent allowable by law. Information from multiple individuals will be combined to produce statistical reports; no information that identifies you will be included in any reports or provided to students, their parents, or other school staff.

Please record your answers directly on the questionnaire by marking the appropriate answer (as instructed on the next page) or by writing your responses in the space provided. Your best estimates are acceptable answers.

Many of the questions ask that you respond separately for each kindergarten class that you teach – half-day morning and/or afternoon or full-day.

• Report on half-day morning and half-day afternoon classes separately, in the appropriate columns. If you teach only half-day classes, do not report any information in the full-day class column.

• If you teach a full-day class (the same children are with you for the full day), please record your answers in only the full-day class column; do not report on the morning and afternoon sessions of the class separately.

• If you teach a class with a day care component, please report only on the instructional portion of the class, in the appropriate class column. For example, if the instructional portion of the class is held in the morning, and the day care portion in the afternoon, record your answers in the morning class section.

DEFINITIONS

Reference is made to English language learners (ELL), as well as to English as a Second Language (ESL), bilingual education, and dual-language programs in this questionnaire. For this study, the following definitions apply:

• English language learner (ELL): A student whose native language is one other than English and whose skills in listening, speaking, reading, or writing English are such that he or she has difficulty understanding school instruction in English.

• English as a Second Language (ESL): An instructional program designed to teach listening, speaking, reading, and writing English language skills to students with limited proficiency in English. The program may focus on a student’s level of proficiency in general English. As a language instruction educational program, the ESL program should be connected to academic achievement with the goal of meeting the academic standards that all children must meet.

• Bilingual education program: A program in which native language is used to varying degrees, in conjunction with English, to teach English and academic content to students with limited proficiency in English.

• Dual-language program: Also known as two-way immersion, the goal of these programs is for students to develop language proficiency in two languages by receiving content instruction in English and another language in a classroom that usually consists of both native English speakers and native speakers of the other language.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

MARKING DIRECTIONS

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND USE A BLACK OR BLUE BALL POINT PEN OR A SOFT LEAD (#2) PENCIL TO COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. DO NOT USE A FELT-TIP PEN.

MARKING BOXES

It is important that you mark an “X” in 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.

      

How to Change an Answer:

Completely black out the box of the incorrect answer and mark an “X” in the box next to the correct answer.

      

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:

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  0

Write words like this:

John Smith

SECTION A. classROOM AND STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS

A1. Which of the following describes the kindergarten class or classes you currently teach? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Full-day
b. Morning half-day class
c. Afternoon half-day class
d. One class, some children stay for a full-day, some for a half-day

FOR THE QUESTIONS BELOW, PLEASE ANSWER FOR EACH OF THE CLASSES YOU TEACH.
SEE COVER PAGE FOR INSTRUCTIONS.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
A2. How many hours per day does each of your classes normally meet? WRITE THE NUMBER TO THE NEAREST HALF HOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, 2.5, 3, 3.5.	hours/day	hours/day	hours/day
A3. How many days per week does each of your classes normally meet?	days/week	days/week	days/week

A4. What type(s) of kindergarten program(s) do you teach? MARK ONE PROGRAM TYPE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Regular kindergarten class 1-year program; traditional year of school primarily for 5-year-olds prior to first grade
b. 1st year of a 2-year kindergarten program
c. 2nd year of a 2-year kindergarten program
d. Transitional (or readiness) kindergarten (extra year of school for kindergarten-age eligible children who are judged not ready for kindergarten)
e. Transitional/pre-1st grade class (extra year of school for children who have attended kindergarten but have been judged not ready for first grade)
f. Ungraded class with at least some kindergarten-aged children (a classroom containing kindergarten-aged children, possibly in combination with other ages, not formally identified as a "kindergarten" class)
g. Multigrade class with at least some kindergarten-aged children (a classroom containing kindergarten and some combination of other grades – for example a combination pre­kindergarten/kindergarten)
h. Special education class (a classroom containing primarily children with disabilities)

A5. Do you currently teach a multigrade class?

Yes (GO TO Q A6)

No (SKIP TO Q A7)

A6. What grade levels are included in each of the classes that you teach? MARK ALL THAT APPLY FOR EACH CLASS THAT YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Prekindergarten
b. Transitional (or readiness) kindergarten
c. Regular kindergarten
d. Transitional/pre-1st grade
e. 1st grade
f. 2nd grade
g. 3rd grade or higher

A7. As of today's date, how many children in each of your classes are the following ages? WRITE NUMBER IN BOX. IF THERE ARE NO CHILDREN OF A PARTICULAR AGE, WRITE “0.”

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. 3 years old
b. 4 years old
c. 5 years old
d. 6 years old
e. 7 years old
f. 8 years old
g. 9 years old or older
h. Total class enrollment (sum of a through g)

A8. As of today's date, how many children in each of your classes belong to each of the following racial/ethnic groups? WRITE NUMBER IN BOX. IF THERE ARE NO CHILDREN OF A PARTICULAR RACE/ETHNICITY, WRITE “0.”

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Hispanic/Latino of any race
b. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
c. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
d. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
e. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic origin
f. White, not of Hispanic origin
g. Two or more races, not of Hispanic origin
h. Total class enrollment (sum of a through g)

A9. As of today's date, how many boys and girls are there in each of your classes? WRITE NUMBER IN BOX. IF NONE, WRITE “0.”

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Number of boys
b. Number of girls
c. Total class enrollment (sum of a and b)

A10. How many of the children in each of your classes are repeating kindergarten this year? IF NONE, WRITE "0."

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Number of children repeating kindergarten

A11. What proportion of the children in each of your classes demonstrated the following skills when they started school this year? MARK ONE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

a. Recognize letters	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

b. Read words	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

c. Read complete sentences	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

A11. (CONTINUED) What proportion of the children in each of your classes demonstrated the following skills when they started school this year? MARK ONE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

d. Recognize numbers to 20	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

e. Count to 20	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

f. Add or subtract two numbers	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Less than ¼ of the children
About ¼ of the children
About ½ of the children
About ¾ of the children
More than ¾ of the children

A12. At this point in the school year, how would you rate the behavior of the children in each of your classes? MARK ONE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
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.

A13. In a typical day, how much time does a child in your class spend in the following activities? MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH ROW. DO NOT INCLUDE LUNCH OR RECESS BREAKS.

	No time	Half hour or less	About one hour	About two hours	About three hours	Four hours or more
a. Teacher-directed whole class activities
b. Teacher-directed small group activities
c. Teacher-directed individual activities
d. Child-selected activities

A14. Does your classroom have the following interest areas or centers for activities? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW. IF YOU TEACH MORE THAN ONE CLASS, CONSIDER ALL CLASSES WHEN MARKING YOUR RESPONSES.

	Yes	No
a. Reading area with books
b. Listening center
c. Writing center or area
d. Math area with manipulatives
e. Area for playing with puzzles and blocks (Legos, etc.)
f. Water or sand table
g. Computer area
h. Science or nature area with manipulatives
i. Dramatic play area or corner
j. Art area

A15. In some schools, certain activities are used to make the transition into kindergarten less difficult for children. Are any of the following done in your school? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. I (or someone at the school) phone or send home information about the kindergarten program to parents
b. Preschoolers spend some time in the kindergarten classroom
c. The school days are shortened at the beginning of the school year
d. Parents and children visit kindergarten prior to the start of the school year
e. I (or another teacher) visit the homes of the children at the beginning of the school year
f. Parents come to the school for orientation prior to the start of the school year
g. Staggered school entry where kindergartners start the school year in smaller groups before meeting with the full class

A16. How much time per day would you estimate that you spend on classroom discipline and handling disruptive behavior?

Less than ½ hour a day

½ hour to less than 1 hour a day

1 to less than 1½ hours a day

1½ to less than 2 hours a day

2 to less than 2½ hours a day

2½ to less than 3 hours a day

3 hours or more a day

THE NEXT SERIES OF QUESTIONS ASKS ABOUT THE USE OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IN THE CLASSROOM BY TEACHERS, CHILDREN, AND OTHER ADULTS

A17. Are any languages other than English used by teachers, aides, or other adults in your classroom?

Yes (GO TO Q A18)

No (SKIP TO Q A20)

A18. How often is a non-English language used by teachers, aides, or other adults in each of your classes in the following ways? MARK ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

a. For academic instruction in reading/literacy	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Never
Less than half the time
About half the time
More than half the time
All the time
b. For academic instruction in mathematics
Never
Less than half the time
About half the time
More than half the time
All the time
c. For academic instruction in other subjects
Never
Less than half the time
About half the time
More than half the time
All the time
d. For instructional support (e.g., explaining directions, etc.)
Never
Less than half the time
About half the time
More than half the time
All the time

A18. (CONTINUED) How often is a non-English language used in each of your classes in the following ways? MARK ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

e. For conversation	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Never
Less than half the time
About half the time
More than half the time
All the time

A19. What languages are used for academic instruction in each of your classes? MARK ALL THAT APPLY FOR EACH CLASS THAT YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. English
b. Spanish
c. French
d. Vietnamese
e. A Chinese language
f. Japanese
g. Korean
h. A Filipino language
i. Arabic
j. Other language (PLEASE SPECIFY)

A20. In which languages other than English are the books or other written materials in your classroom? MARK ALL THAT APPLY. IF YOU TEACH MORE THAN ONE CLASS, CONSIDER ALL CLASSES WHEN MARKING YOUR RESPONSES.

None other than English

Spanish

French

Vietnamese

A Chinese language

Japanese

Korean

A Filipino language

Arabic

Other language (PLEASE SPECIFY)

A21. Do any of the children in each of your classes speak a language other than English (aside from native English speakers who are learning a foreign language)? MARK YES OR NO FOR EACH CLASS THAT YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Yes (GO TO Q 22)
No (IF “NO” FOR ALL CLASSES TAUGHT, SKIP TO Q A23)

A22. Which languages other than English are spoken by one or more children in each of your classes? MARK ALL THAT APPLY FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Spanish
b. Vietnamese
c. A Chinese language
d. Japanese
e. Korean
f. A Filipino language
g. Arabic
i. Other language (PLEASE SPECIFY)

A23. Do you have any children who are English language learners in each of your classes? (English language learners are children whose native language is one other than English and whose skills in listening, speaking, reading, or writing English are such that they have difficulty understanding school instruction in English.) MARK YES OR NO FOR EACH CLASS THAT YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Yes (GO TO Q 24)
No (IF “NO” FOR ALL CLASSES TAUGHT, SKIP TO Q B1)

A24. How many English language learners (ELL) do you have in each of your classes? IF NONE, WRITE “0.”

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
Number of ELL children

A25. How many of the ELL children in each of your classes receive instruction designed to teach listening to, speaking, reading, and writing the English language to children with limited English proficiency in the following ways? WRITE NUMBER IN BOX. IF NONE, WRITE “0.”

	Number of Children
	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. Receive no instruction for ELLs in the school
b. Receive instruction for ELLs within the regular class
c. Receive instruction for ELLs outside the regular class

A26. If you provide specialized language instruction in your classroom for English language learners, would you say this instruction is primarily (MARK ONE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH):

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. English as a Second Language (ESL)?
b. Bilingual education?
c. Dual-language program (also called two-way immersion (TWI))?
d. No specialized language instruction provided

A27. Which languages other than English are spoken by you or any other teacher or aide to the ELL children in each of your classes for instructional support or conversation? MARK ALL THAT APPLY FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
a. No language other than English
b. Spanish
c. Vietnamese
d. A Chinese language
e. Japanese
f. Korean
g. A Filipino language
h. Arabic
i. Other language (PLEASE SPECIFY)

A28. How much time per day do you and any other teacher or aide speak any non-English language in each of your classes? MARK ONE FOR EACH CLASS YOU TEACH.

	Morning class	Afternoon class	Full-day class
1 - 15 minutes a day
16 - 30 minutes a day
31 - 60 minutes a day
More than 60 minutes a day

section B. VIEWS ON READINESS, SCHOOL CLIMATE, AND SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

B1. How important do you believe the following characteristics are for a child to be ready for kindergarten? MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH ROW.

	Not important	Not very important	Somewhatimportant	Very important	Essential
a. Finishes tasks
b. Can count to 20 or more
c. Takes turns and shares
d. Has good problem-solving skills
e. Is able to use pencils and paint brushes
f. Is not disruptive of the class
g. Knows the English language
h. Is sensitive to other children's feelings
i. Sits still and pays attention
j. Knows most of the letters of the alphabet
k. Can follow directions
l. Identifies primary colors and shapes
m. Communicates needs, wants, and thoughts verbally in primary language

B2. Please indicate the extent to which you agree with each of the following statements on children's preparation for school. MARK ONE RESPONSE ON EACH ROW.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. Attending preschool (for example, nursery school, prekindergarten, or Head Start) is very important for success in kindergarten
b. Children who begin formal reading and math instruction in preschool will do better in elementary school
c. Parents should make sure their children know the alphabet before they start kindergarten
d. Most children should learn to read in kindergarten
e. Parents need help in learning how to teach their children how to read
f. Parents should set aside time every day for their kindergarten children to practice schoolwork
g. Homework should be given to kindergarten children almost every day
h. Parents should read to their children and play counting games at home regularly

B3. How much control do you feel you have IN YOUR CLASSROOM over such areas as selecting skills to be taught, deciding about teaching techniques, and disciplining children? MARK ONLY ONE.

No control

Slight control

Some control

Moderate control

A great deal of control

B4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements on teaching? MARK ONE ON EACH ROW.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
a. I really enjoy my present teaching job.
b. I am certain I am making a difference in the lives of the children I teach.
c. If I could start over, I would choose teaching again as my career.
d.. I am satisfied with my class size.

section C. teacher BACKGROUND

C1. What is your gender? MARK ONE.

Male

Female

C2. In what year were you born? WRITE IN YEAR BELOW.

1 9
YEAR

C3. Are you Hispanic/Latino? MARK ONLY ONE.

Yes

No

C4. Which best describes your race? MARK ONE OR MORE TO INDICATE WHAT YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE.

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

C5. What is the highest level of education you have completed? MARK ONLY ONE.

Did not complete high school

High school diploma or equivalent/GED

Some college or technical or vocational school

Associate’s degree

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

An advanced professional degree beyond a master’s degree (e.g., Ph.D., MD)

Don’t know

C6. What is the highest level of education completed by your own parents? MARK ONLY ONE.

Did not complete high school

High school diploma or equivalent/GED

Some college or technical or vocational school

Associate’s degree

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

An advanced professional degree beyond a master’s degree (e.g., Ph.D., MD)

Don’t know

C7. Counting this school year, how many years have you taught each of the following grades and programs?

WRITE THE NUMBER OF YEARS TO THE NEAREST HALF YEAR (FOR EXAMPLE, 2.5, 3, 3.5) PLEASE INCLUDE PART-TIME TEACHING. WRITE "0" IF YOU HAVE NEVER TAUGHT THE GRADE OR PROGRAM LISTED.

	Total Years Grade or Program Taught
a. Preschool or Head Start
b. Kindergarten (including Transitional/Readiness Kindergarten and Transitional/pre-1st grade)
c. First grade
d. Second through fifth grade
e. Sixth grade or higher
f. English as a Second Language (ESL)
g. Bilingual education program
h. Dual-language program
i. Special education program
j. Physical education program
k. Art or music program

C8. Counting this school year, how many years have you taught in your current school, including part-time teaching? WRITE THE NUMBER OF YEARS TO THE NEAREST HALF YEAR (FOR EXAMPLE, 2.5, 3, 3.5).

Years

C9. Counting this school year, how many years have you been a schoolteacher? WRITE THE NUMBER OF YEARS TO THE NEAREST HALF YEAR (FOR EXAMPLE, 2.5, 3, 3.5).

Years

C10. Have you taken the exam for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification? MARK ONLY ONE.

Not taken

Taken and passed

Taken and have not yet passed

Taken and awaiting test results

C11. What is the name of the college or university where you earned your highest degree?

COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

C11a. In what city and state is it located?

CITY AND STATE

C12. If you have an associate's or bachelor’s degree, indicate your undergraduate major field of study. MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Early childhood education
b. Elementary education
c. Special education
d. Other education-related major (such as secondary education, educational psychology, education administration, music education, etc.),
e. Non-education major (such as history, English, etc.)

C13. If you have a graduate degree, indicate the major field of study of your highest level graduate degree. MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Early childhood education
b. Elementary education
c. Special education
d. Other education-related major (such as secondary education, educational psychology, education administration, music education, etc.)
e. Non-education major (such as history, English, etc.)

C14. Have you ever taken a college course in the following areas? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Early childhood education
b. Elementary education
c. Special education
d. English as a Second Language (ESL) or teaching English language learners
e. Child development
f. Methods of teaching reading/language arts
g. Methods of teaching mathematics
h. Methods of teaching science
i. Classroom management

C15. Did any of the college courses mentioned in item C14 address issues related to the following? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Response to Intervention
b. Early Intervening Services

C16. Which of the following describes the teaching certificate you currently hold in THIS state? MARK ONLY ONE.

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 passage of 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 END)

C17. In what areas are you certified? MARK YES OR NO ON EACH ROW.

	Yes	No
a. Elementary education
b. Early childhood education
c. Special education
d. English as a Second Language (ESL) or instruction for English language learners
e. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY)

C18. This school year, do you qualify as a “Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT)” according to your state’s requirements?

Generally, to be Highly Qualified, teachers must meet requirements related to having 1) a bachelor’s degree, 2) full state certification, and 3) demonstrated competency in the subject area(s) taught. The HQT requirement is a provision under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Yes

No

I don’t know

Date Questionnaire Completed:

				2010
MONTH		DAY		YEAR

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