Center Interview with Observation

8

CENTER child care observation interview questions

8A. CENTER INTERVIEW WITH OBSERVATION

NOTE:

1. Only ask questions about items that you were unable to observe or find information about in the child care program handbook or policy manual.

2. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Rafael Valdivieso, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 506E, Washington, D.C. 20208.

3. Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific program or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your program to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

1. Indoor space

7.2.¹ Can the ventilation in your room be controlled? If yes, ask: How is this done?

2. Furniture for routine care and play

5.4, 7.3. Do you use any other toys or materials in addition to what I observed? If yes, ask: Where are they stored? Could you please show me?

7.1. If cots or mats are not visible during the observation, ask: where are the children’s cots or mats stored?

3. Provisions for relaxation and comfort

4. Room Arrangement

5.1. If cots or mats are not visible during the observation, and the information needed was not acquired during questioning for Item 2, ask: Where are the children’s cots or mats stored? Could you please show me?

5. Display for children

7.3. Do you add to or change what is displayed in your room, such as pictures on the wall? If yes, ask: About how often?

6. Space to be alone

7. Opportunities for movement

2. Are there opportunities for the children to be outside of the playpens when they are outdoors?

8. Reduced stimulation

9. Greeting/departing

If neither greeting nor departing are observed, ask: Can you describe what happens when children arrive and leave? Follow up with more specific questions if needed, such as:

1.3, 3.3. Do parents usually bring the children into the room?

3.2, 5.1. What is done to prepare for children’s leaving?

5.2. If a child has difficulty letting his or her parent leave or has difficulty leaving the center at the end of the day, how is this handled?

7.1. Do parents ever spend time in the classroom at drop-off and pick-up times?

7.2. Is it possible for staff to talk to parents at pick-up times? If yes, ask: What

sort of things are discussed?

3. Is a written record of each infant’s day given to parents? If yes, ask: May I

see an example?

10. Meals/snacks

1.2, 3.2. What do you do if parents provide insufficient food for their children or

if the food they provide does not meet the children’s needs?

1.5, 3.5. What do you do if children have food allergies?

7.2. Do you have the chance to talk with parents about their child’s nutrition? If

yes, ask: What sort of issues do you discuss?

11. Nap

If nap is not observed, ask: Since I was not here to see naptime, how is nap handled? More specific questions can then be asked:

1. Where do the children sleep? How are the cots/mats arranged?

2. Who supervises naptime? How is supervision handled?

5.2. What do you do if a child is tired before naptime?

7.2. What do you do if a child wakes up very early from nap?

12. Diapering/toileting

13. Health practices

3. Is smoking allowed in the child care areas, either indoors or outdoors?

3.3. Are extra clothes available for the children, in case they are needed?

7.3. Do you make any health-related information available to the parents? If yes,

ask: Can you give me some examples?

14. Safety practices

3.3. What provisions do you have for handling emergencies?

Specific follow-up questions may be needed, such as:

How would you handle an emergency?

Do you have anyone on staff that is trained in infant/toddler first aid including management of a clocked airway (choke saving) and rescue breathing?

Is there a first aid kit available for you to use? Can you please show it to me?

Is there a telephone you would use to call for help in an emergency?

15. Primary caregiving

1. Is each child assigned to a particular? If so, could you tell me what happens if the child’s day is longer than the primary caregivers’? For example, is there another caregiver who takes over later in the day? What sort of transition occurs and what information is shared, if any?

2. Please talk about the caregiver’s responsibilities for each child. For example, who carries out routines with a child?

3. Could you please tell me what happens if the primary caregiver is absent? For example, who is then responsible for that child’s care? How is information about children communicated between two caregivers sharing the care responsibility for a group of children?

16. Continuity of care

1. Please describe what happens when children are ready to move to another classroom. For example, do you move them one at a time, in small groups, or as one large group? What does a caregiver do to accommodate differing developmental levels of children in their care?

2. Please talk about the steps you take to introduce a new caregiver to a group of children if their current caregiver leaves the program.

3. How do you introduce a child who is new to your program to the existing group of children?

4. Do staff have the opportunity to learn more about caring for different ages of children? For example, so that they can remain with their infants or toddlers to the next room as they become older?

17. Group size and structure

4. Do any of the infant and toddler classrooms combine during the day for outside play, arrival and departure times, or any other times during the day? Can you please describe when, how and why this is done?

18. Cleanliness of play materials and environment

2. How often are the floors and surfaces cleaned? How often are they disinfected?

4. How often are toys and equipment washed? How are the toys usually washed?

19. Helping children understand language

20. Helping children use language

21. Using books

7.3. Do you add or change the books that are put out for the children to use? If yes, ask: How often do you do this? What kind of books are added?

22. Helping children reason

5.3. Do you do nature/science activities? Can you give examples? How often?

23. Facilitation of cognitive development

24. Fine motor

7.1. Do you have any additional fine motor materials that you use with the

children? If yes, ask: Could you please show them to me?

25. Active physical play

1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1. Are any areas used by this group for active physical play, including space indoors and outdoors? If yes, and not observed, ask: Could you please show me these areas? How often are they used, and for about how long?

26. Art

1.2, 3.2. Are art materials used with the children? If yes, ask: What materials are used? May I see these art supplies? Are edible materials ever used for art?

3.1, 5.1. How often are art materials used with the children?

7.1. How do you choose what art materials to offer the children?

27. Music and movement

3.2, 5.3. Do you use any music with the children? If yes, ask: How is this

handled? How often is this done?

7.1. Do you have any other musical toys or instruments that the children can use?

Could you please show me? How are these used?

7.2. What types of music are used with the children? Can you give me some

examples?

28. Blocks

29. Dramatic play

30. Sand and water play

1.1, 3.1, 5.1, 7.1. Do the children use san or water? If yes, ask: How often is this done?

3.3, 5.2. Are any toys used for the sand and water play? Could you please

describe them or show me?

7.2. Are there any other activities or materials used with sand or water in addition

to what I saw today? Could you tell me about them?

31. Nature/science

5.1. How often are children taken outdoors. Could you describe any experiences

they have with nature when they are outdoors?

32. Use of TV, video, computer

1.1, 3.1, 5.1, 7.1. Are TV, videos, computers, or other audiovisual materials used

with the children? If yes, ask: How are they used? How do you choose the materials?

1.2. Are other activities accessible to the children while the TV or videos are used?

3.3. How often are TV, video, or computers used with the children? For what length of time are these available?

5.3. How do you supervise when children watch TV or use the computer?

7.1. Do any of the materials encourage active involvement by the children? Please give some examples.

7.2. Do you use TV, video, and computer materials that relate to classroom topics or other things that the children are interested in? Please explain.

33. Promoting acceptance of diversity

7.2. Are there any activities used to help children become aware of diversity? If yes, ask: Can you give some examples?

34. Supervision of play and learning

35. Peer interaction

36. Staff-child interaction

37. Discipline

1.1. Do you ever find it necessary to use discipline? Please describe what methods you use.

7.3. What do you do if you have a child whose behavior is extremely difficult to handle? Do you ever ask for help from others? If yes, ask: Can you give some examples of who might be asked?

38. Supporting development of friendship

39. Understanding feelings

40. Encouraging peer interaction

41. Respect for infants’ initiatives and choices

42. Schedule

5.1. What do you do if a toddler seems tired before naptime or hungry before mealtime? Is flexibility possible in nap or meal times? If yes, ask: How would that be handled?

43. Free play

7.2. Do you have any additional play materials for children to use? If yes, ask: How often do you change the materials in the room?

44. Group play and activities

If group activities are used, but not observed, ask: Do you ever do activities with groups of children where the children are expected to participate? If yes, ask: How are these activities handled? What do you do if a child is not interested or wants to wander off? What kinds of activities are done at this time> About how long would the activity last?

45. Provisions for children with disabilities

Could you describe how you try to meet the needs of the children with disabilities in your group?

1.1, 3.1. Do you have any information from assessments on the children? How is it used?

1.2, 3.2, 5.2. Do you need to do anything special to meet the needs of the children? Please describe what you do.

1.3, 3.3, 5.3. Are you and the children’s parents involved in helping to decide how to meet the children’s needs? Please describe.

5.1, 7.1. How are intervention services such as therapy handled?

7.3. Are you involved in the children’s assessments or in the development of intervention plans? What is your role?

46. Inclusion for children with special needs

1. Does your program have a written policy about complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to children?

3. Is the program currently serving any children with special needs? Does the program participate in or engage in any recruitment efforts to enroll children with disabilities? What are these efforts?

4. What sort of training does your staff have for caring for children with disabilities? What sort of accommodations are made to meet the needs of the children with disabilities who are currently enrolled?

47. Provision for parents

1.1, 3.1, 5.2. Is any written information about the program given to parents? What is included in this information?

1.2, 3.3, 5.4. Are there any ways that parents can be involved in their child’s classroom? Please give some examples.

3.2, 5.3. Do you and the parents share information about the children? How is this done? About how often?

3. What is your relationship with the parents usually like?

5.1. Are parents able to visit the class before their child is enrolled? How is this handled?

7.1. Do parents take part in evaluating the program? How is this done? About how often?

7.2. What do you do when parents seems to be having difficulties? If answer is incomplete, ask: Do you refer them to other professionals for help?

7.3. Do parents take part in making decisions about the program? How is this handled?

48. Provisions for personal needs and staff

1.2, 3.4, 5.3. Do you get time off during the day when you can be away from the children? If yes, ask: When does this happen?

3.3, 5.2. Where do you usually store your belongings, such as your coat or purse? How does this work out?

49. Provisions for professional needs of staff

1.1, 3.1. Do you have access to a telephone? Where?

1.2, 3.2, 5.1. Do you have access to any file or storage space? May I see it?

1.3, 3.3, 5.3, 7.2. Is there any space you can use for parent/teacher conferences for adult group meetings when the children are present? May I see it?

5.2, 7.1. Is there an office for the program? May I see it?

50. Staff interaction and cooperation

1.1, 3.1, 5.1. Do you have a chance to share information about the children with the other staff members who work with your group? When and how often does this happen? What kinds of things do you talk about?

7.1. Do you have any planning time with your co-teacher(s)? About how often?

7.2. How do you and your co-teachers(s) decide what each of you will do?

7.3. Does the program ever organize events that you and other staff participate in together? Could you give me some examples? How often is this done?

51. Staff continuity

1.1, 3.1, 5.1. How many staff members work with this group everyday? Who are the main staff members working with this group?

1.2, 3.2, 5.2. How are children assigned to groups? How often are children moved to another group?

1.3, 3.3, 5.3. How is the transition to a new group handled?

1.4, 3.4, 5.4, 7.3. How frequently are substitutes needed? Who are the substitutes for staff? How are they prepared to be substitutes?

7.2. May a child stay with the same staff or group for more than a year?

52. Supervision and evaluation of staff

1.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2. Is your work supervised in any way? How is this done?

1.2, 3.2, 5.2, 7.3. Are you ever given any feedback about your performance? How is this handled? How often?

5.4. If improvement is needed, how is this handled?

7.1. Do you ever take part in self-evaluation? If yes, ask: How often?

53. Opportunities for professional growth

1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2. Is any training provided to staff? Please describe this training. What is done with new staff?

1.2, 3.3, 5.3. Do you have staff meetings? About how often? What is usually handled at these meetings?

5.4, 7.2. Are there any resources on-site that you can use for new ideas? If yes, ask: What is included? May I see them?

7.1. Is there any support provided so you can attend conferences or courses? Please describe what is available.

7.3. Are there any requirements for staff with less than an AA degree to continue their formal education? Please describe the requirements.

54. Representative staffing

1. Do you have a specific outreach plan for hiring, and is that plan written in any of the program materials (handbook, bi-laws, etc.)?

2. Does your program have volunteers from the children’s cultural community? If so, what opportunities ado the volunteers have to participate in the center?

3. What sort of input do families have when you are hiring new staff?

55. Culturally responsive care

2. Could you please describe anything you might do to incorporate the children’s different cultures into the program or classroom? (For example, what sort of questions do you ask on the intake form and how do you use that information?)

1 Using item 1 as an example, the number “7.2” refers to a scoring indictor for the item.