HHS/ACF/OPRE Head Start Classroom-based Approaches and Resources for Emotion and Social skill promotion (CARES) project: Impact and Implementation Studies- Trainer Interview Guide

Appendix A.11: Head Start CARES Trainer Interview Guide

January 15, 2009

Name:

Head Start center:

Program model:

Coach mentored:

Date:

Head Start CARES: Trainer Interview Discussion Guide

Introductory script:

Hello, my name is _____, and as you know we are conducting the Head Start CARES study and evaluating the implementation of <program model>. The purpose of the implementation study is to help inform replication in the field and help interpret the impact of <program model>. Your experience and opinions are very important to us, and we want to thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

We would like to understand more about the coach mentoring that is involved – how you conduct the coach mentoring sessions and classroom observations. We would also like for you to share your ideas about what can be done to improve the implementation of the program model.

Your comments will remain confidential, and we will not quote your name in any publications or presentations about this project. Do you have any questions for me before we begin?

1. Background

   1. How many coaches to you work with?

   2. How many centers do you work with?

Please answer the following questions for each coach. Tell me about the mentoring sessions with your coach(es).

2. Trainer Mentoring

1. What role does mentoring play in implementation of <program model>?

2. Please tell me about the mentoring sessions you have with your coach.

   1. How are the sessions structured? How has this changed over time?

   2. How do you determine what you talk about?

      1. Coach raises issues?

      2. Your Classroom observations of teachers?

      3. Other?

3. What are common issues that the coach raises? Please provide examples.

4. What are areas that you found the coach needs the most guidance?

   1. How have you helped the coach work through these issues? Please provide examples.

5. What methods do you use to assist the coach?

   1. Are there methods that have been more effective in helping the coach? Please provide an example.

   2. Are there methods that have been less effective? Please provide an example.

6. Have mentoring methods changed over time? If so, why?

7. How do you integrate information from your and/or the coach’s classroom observations of teacher performance into mentoring sessions?

   1. How has the coach integrated your feedback into their coaching sessions with teachers?

8. Is there anything you would change about the mentoring sessions? Please explain.

III. Relationship with Coach

1. Tell me about the relationship you have with the coach you mentor.

1. How proactive is the coach in telling you what s/he needs help with?

2. Does the coach seem comfortable raising questions and concerns about how to coach <program model>?

3. Do you find that the coach is generally open to receiving feedback? Please explain why or why not.

4. Is there mutual respect? Please explain.

2. Does the quality of your relationship affect how you mentor the coach? If so, how?

3. What feedback do you receive from the coach?

   1. How do you integrate this feedback into your mentoring sessions?

4. How easy is the coach to work with? What makes it easier or harder to mentor the coach? Please give examples.

Transition: Next, I’d like to discuss your classroom observations of teachers’ implementation of <program model> and your perceptions of their experiences with <program model>.

IV. Teacher Implementation

1. How do you obtain information on teacher implementation of <program model>?

2. What do you see as the most important elements of <program model>?

3. Among the teachers your coach works with, how effective are the teachers at implementing these elements?

   1. Are there certain elements that teachers seem to find easier to implement? Please explain.

   2. Are there certain elements that teachers find more difficult to implement? Please explain.

4. Based on your observations, what factors do you think affect teachers’ ability to implement <program model>? Please explain.

   1. Knowledge/understanding of program model elements

   2. “Fit”/ease of integration with core Head Start curriculum

   3. Teacher attitude

   4. Center support

   5. Coaching

   6. Others

5. Does the teacher/teaching assistant relationship influence implementation of <program model>?

   1. In what ways has the teacher/teaching assistant relationship helped the implementation of <program model?

   2. In what ways has the teacher/teaching assistant relationship challenged the implementation of <program model?

6. What are examples of adaptations that have been made to <program model>?

   1. What factors contributed to the need to make adaptations?

   2. To what extent were you involved with helping the coach or teachers make adaptations?

   3. Overall, what is your assessment of the adaptations?

Transition: Now let’s talk about how the centers and classrooms are run and the effect that this has on the way that <program model> is implemented. Please respond for each center with which you work.

V. Organizational Factors

1. In your view, is <program model> a priority at the center where your coach works? Please explain.

2. Does the center director set clear expectations with regard to teachers’ implementation of <program model>?

3. In your view, how well does the center director support the implementation of <program model>?

4. In your view, are there other organizational issues that influence the implementation of <program model>? Please explain.

   1. How were they addressed?

VI. Additional Comments

1. Is there anything else that you would like to add regarding your experiences as a mentor implementing <program model>?

2. Do you have any other general comments, concerns, or suggestions?

Closing script:

On behalf of the Head Start CARES evaluation team, we’d like to thank you for your time and efforts in helping to evaluate the implementation of <program model>.

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