1. What were your initial thoughts when you learned the state assistance team would be coming to your school?
• What emotions did you feel? • What type of pressure did you feel? • Others?
2. After the initial meeting with the state assistance team what were your thoughts? • What concerns did you still have?
• How did your initial thoughts change?
• What was your comfort level after the meeting? • Others?
3. Describe how you interacted with the team members? • How often did you speak to the team members?
• Did you met with one or more team members at a time? • Others?
4. How were staff members treated by the state assistance team? • Professionally?
• Were they treated as mentees or something different? • Others?
5. How did your perceptions of the work of the team develop as the year progressed? • What type of strategies did you see being utilized?
• Others?
6. In what areas was the state assistance team effective? • What improved because of their presence?
• What strategies did they bring and model that improved instruction? • What improved about school culture?
• Others?
7. In what areas was the state assistance team not effective? • In what areas was there no improvement?
• What strategies did they bring and model that did not improve instruction? • Any negative effects on school culture?
• Others?
8. In what areas has the state assistance team helped you to become a more effective educational leader?
• With regards to instruction?
• With regards to use of student data? • With regards to school climate? • How change leadership style • Others?
Category 2 (The Seven Correlates of Effective Schools)
Instructional Leadership. In the effective school, the principal acts as an
instructional leader and effectively and persistently communicates the mission of the school to staff, parents, and students.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
student achievement in your room?
Clear and Focused Mission. In the effective school, there is a clearly articulated mission of the school through which the staff shares an understanding of and a commitment to the school’s goals, priorities, assessment procedures, and accountability.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
student achievement in your room?
Safe and Orderly Environment. In the effective school we say there is an orderly, purposeful, business-like atmosphere, which is free from the threat of physical harm. The school climate is not oppressive and is conducive to teaching and learning. 1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
student achievement in your room?
Climate of High Expectations. In the effective school, there is a climate of high expectations in which the staff believes and demonstrates that all students can obtain mastery of the school’s essential curriculum. They also believe that they, the staff, have the capability to help all students obtain that mastery.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted student achievement in your room?
Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress. In the effective school, pupil progress over the essential objectives are measured frequently, monitored frequently, and the results of those assessments are used to improve the individual student behaviors and performances, as well as to improve the curriculum as a whole.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
student achievement in your room?
Positive Home-School Relations. In the effective school, parents understand and support the basic mission of the school and are given opportunities to play important roles in helping the school to achieve its mission.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
student achievement in your room?
Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task. In the effective school, teachers allocate a significant amount of classroom time to instruction in the essential
curricular areas. For a high percentage of this time, students are actively engaged in whole-class or large group, teacher-directed, planned learning activity.
1. Describe how this correlate impacted your teaching practices as the assistance team worked with you?
• What strategies did they suggest?
• How was the correlate worked into your classroom culture?
2. Describe how this correlate impacted student achievement in your classroom? • What strategies suggested by the team fit in this correlate that impacted
APPENDIX C