Principal Interview Treatment

AMSTI Teacher Interview Protocol

Name of Teacher: _____________________
AMSTI Lead Teacher: ___ Yes ____ No
Type of Class Observed: _______________
School Name:_________________________
Interviewer Name: ____________________
Date of Interview:_____________________
Did Teacher attend the AMSTI Summer 2006 Summer Institute? ___ Yes ___ No
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. We are conducting brief interviews with
teachers who were trained in AMSTI as part of a study of AMSTI. I would like to ask
you a few questions about your classroom instruction in (math/science) and your use of
the AMSTI program and materials. We would like to offer you a gift card in appreciation
for your participation in the interview. Is this a good time for a 15-20 minute interview?
If not, when can we reschedule?
The interviews we are conducting are intended to provide us with teachers’ perspectives
about their experiences implementing AMSTI, student learning and achievement from
AMSTI, and any additional training or assistance needed relevant to using AMSTI.
Your responses to the interview are completely confidential. Your responses will not be
disclosed to anyone in this school. Data from the interviews of all teachers we are
interviewing in a number of schools will be combined. Your responses will not be
connected to you or your school.
Do you have any questions before we begin?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
I. Instructional Practices
1. What comments do you have about the lesson you taught that I observed earlier?
(Note to Interviewer: Skip this question if teacher’s classroom was not observed).
Probes: Was it a typical lesson? Did my presence alter your instruction in
any way? If so, how?

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2. How would you describe your overall experience with using the AMSTI materials
and instructional strategies?
Probes: What has worked well? What has been challenging?
3. How have you integrated, if at all, AMSTI materials and instructional strategies
with other curricula materials?
4. How have you integrated technology into your (math/science) instruction?
Probes: Are there specific AMSTI program tools or technologies that
have been particularly useful? Were there ways you increased or
enhanced students’ use of the computer or other technological tools?
5. How much opportunity have you had to use AMSTI?
Probes: About what percent of your total instructional time in (math or
science) have you used the AMSTI program and materials?
II. Student Response
6. To what extent have your students been engaged (e.g., attentive, interested) in the
AMSTI instruction and materials?
Probe: How would you describe their level of engagement? What have
students liked? What have students not liked so much? Has student
engagement varied among different types of students (e.g., English
Language Learners, students with disabilities)?
III. Training and/or Technical Assistance Needs
7. What additional training, if any, in AMSTI or in providing math/science
instruction would you like to receive?
Probes: Training in specific math or science content? Instructional
strategies? Assessment methods?

8. What types (if any) of support, assistance, or coaching on implementing AMSTI,
following participation in the 2006 Summer AMSTI Institute have you received?
Probes: Worked with the AMSTI lead teacher in their school (if
interviewee is not the lead)?

9. How has this support, assistance, or coaching been helpful to you?

10. What additional support, assistance, or coaching, if any, would be beneficial to
you to maximize your effectiveness to implement AMSTI?
Probes: Mentoring from more experienced teachers? More support from
school principal?

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IV. Closing
11. What other comments do you have about your experiences with AMSTI?

Thank you very much for participating in this interview. Your responses will assist us in
designing and providing future professional development to teachers.

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Control Teacher Interview Protocol

Name of Teacher: _____________________
Leadership Role in School (e.g., department head, role equivalent to AMSTI lead
teacher)? ___ Yes ____ No
Type of Class Observed: _______________
School Name:_________________________
Interviewer Name: ____________________
Date of Interview:_____________________

INTRODUCTION
Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. We are conducting interviews with math and
science teachers as part of a study of math and science instruction in Alabama. I would
like to ask you a few questions about your classroom instruction in (math/science) and
your use of math/science curricula and materials. We would like to offer you a gift card
in appreciation for your participation in the interview. Is this a good time for a 15-20
minute interview? If not, when can we reschedule?
The interviews we are conducting are intended to provide us with teachers’ perspectives
about their experiences implementing math/science instruction, student learning and
achievement from math/science instruction, and any additional training or assistance
needed relevant to teaching math/science.
Your responses to the interview are completely confidential. Your responses will not be
disclosed to anyone in this school. Data from the interviews of all teachers we are
interviewing in a number of schools will be combined. Your responses will not be
connected to you or your school.
Do you have any questions before we begin?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
I. Instructional Practices
1. What comments do you have about the lesson you taught that I observed earlier?
(Note to Interviewer: Skip this question if teacher’s classroom was not observed).
Probes: Was it a typical lesson? Did my presence alter your instruction in
any way? If so, how?

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2. What math/science curriculum materials, including both primary materials and
other supplemental materials, are you using this year in this classroom?

3. How would you describe your overall experience with using the math/science
curriculum materials and instructional strategies available to you?
Probes: What has worked well? What has been challenging?
II. Student Response
4. Thinking about the primary curriculum and materials you use, how have your
students responded to math/science instruction and materials?
Probe: How would you describe their level of engagement? What have
students liked? What have students not liked so much?
III. Training and/or Technical Assistance Needs
5. What types of professional development related to math/science have you
participated in during the past 12 months?

6. What additional training, support, assistance, or coaching, if any, would be
beneficial to you in providing math/science instruction?
Probes: Training in specific math or science content, instructional
strategies, or assessment methods? Mentoring from more experienced
teachers? More support from school principal?
IV. Closing
7. What other comments do you have about your experiences with teaching
math/science?

Thank you very much for participating in this interview. Your responses will assist us in
designing and providing future professional development to teachers.

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