Teacher Focus

PACIFIC CHILD: Teacher Focus Group Discussion Guide
Thank you for meeting with us today. The purpose of our visit is to learn more about your
experiences with the Pacific CHILD professional development program. Your point of view as
teacher participants is extremely valuable to us. We are especially interested in learning more
about how you feel the training sessions are going so far, and how you feel about your progress
in implementing key components of the Pacific CHILD pedagogy in your classroom.
Please keep in mind:
•

There are no right or wrong answers to the questions we have prepared. Our questions
are designed to stimulate discussion about your experiences with Pacific CHILD.

•

We will take notes during the discussion for our internal use only. We will not share
these notes with anyone outside of the BPA evaluation team. Your comments will be
kept anonymous and will not be traceable to you.

•

Please remember to be respectful of everyone’s opinion. Speak one at a time so that
everyone’s comments are heard.

•

Your specific comments will not be shared with other teachers, principal, reading
specialists, administrators, or any of the PREL staff.

•

Your participation in this focus group is completely voluntary and you do not have to
answer any questions that you do not want to answer.

Discussion Questions:
1. BACKGROUND
Now, let's start by everyone sharing their name, the grade you are teaching, and a
little about your experience teaching and working with ELLs.
Briefly explain what kind of professional development activities you have
participated in (general, not specific to ELL’s or the Pacific region) over the past
year?
2. NEED FOR ELL-SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Prior to the start of the Pacific CHILD program, had you had any training specific
to working with ELLs?
Probes: If so, what kind? Did you feel you had a need for this kind of professional
development? Why or why not?

3. CULTURAL CONTEXT
What do you think of the cultural component of the program? Do you think that
the focus on cultural context of the Pacific is helpful?
Probe: If so, how? If not, why not? Does the cultural focus impact your ability
to work with your students in anyway?
4. PACIFIC CHILD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS
Now that you have some experience with the Pacific CHILD model, how do you
think it will impact/has impacted your ability to work with ELLs?
Probe: Do you feel more/less confident about meeting the needs of ELLs?
Which part(s) of the Pacific CHILD model have been most helpful to you so far?
Which have been the least helpful?
Probe: Try to identify strengths as well as unmet needs/areas for improvement.
5. 2-WEEK INSTITUTE
Did you participate in the summer institute?
Probe: If not, probe why they did not participate (the schedule conflict, lack of
resources).
Please describe your experiences with the 2-week summer institute?
Probes: Did you have an opportunity for in-class practice? Were you able to
receive appropriate feedback about your teaching? What about the 2-week
institute worked? What were some areas that could be improved upon?
6. MINI-INSTITUTES
Did you participate in any of the mini-institutes?
Probe: If not, probe why they did not participate (the schedule conflict, lack of
resources).
Please describe your experiences with the mini-institutes? Did the mini-institutes
meet your needs/expectations?
Probes: What aspects of the mini-institutes did you find to be most helpful? What
were some areas that could be improved upon? Was the content of the miniinstitutes applicable/relevant to your teaching?

7. STRUCTURED LEARNING TEAMS
Do you regularly participate in the Pacific CHILD's Structured Learning Teams,?
Probe: If not, probe why they do not regularly participate (the schedule conflict,
lack of time, lack of resources, not interested, etc).
What has your experience been with the structured learning teams
Probes: How often are the structured learning team meetings held at your
school? How often do you attend these meetings? How useful do you find these
meetings?
So far, are the reading specialists who lead the structured learning teams meeting
your needs/expectations?
Probes: Is there anything that you feel you need from your reading specialist or
the structured learning team that you’re not yet getting (e.g. communication with
flexibility, content of sessions, how often they met, etc.)
What are some of the benefits you feel you have received from the structured
learning teams?

8. APPLYING PACIFIC CHILD PRINCIPLES/COMPONENTS
Now that you have had some experience with the Pacific CHILD model, how do
you feel about your skills with regard to working with ELLs?
Probe: How well do you feel you are able to enact the Pacific CHILD components
in your classroom?
We’re interested in understanding how you feel your skills are developing over
time. Can you give us some specific examples that demonstrate how well you are
adopting the Pacific CHILD principles?
How have your students responded to the Pacific CHILD activities?
What would you say are the greatest barriers to enacting Pacific CHILD
principles in your classroom?
9. SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEVEL SUPPORT
How well do you feel your school and district level administrators support the
Pacific CHILD program?

Probes: How well does your principal understand and support the 2-week
institute, mini-institutes, and structured learning teams? Does participation in
the Pacific CHILD Program mean extra duty for you? Can you think of other
ways that your principal or other administrators can support your participation
in the PACIFIC CHILD Program? (Probe: release from other duties, incentives
or rewards). Do you have any suggestions for improvement in school and district
level support for the Pacific CHILD Program?
10. OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH PACIFIC CHILD
Looking back at your experience with Pacific CHILD so far, how would you
describe your overall level of satisfaction with the program?
Probes: Do you feel you are making progress? Do you feel the program is
helping you meet the needs of your students? What is the most helpful component
of the Pacific CHILD Program so far? (For year 2 focus groups: Do you feel that
you will continue to enact the Pacific CHILD principals after the training
sessions have ended?)

THANK YOU