Site-Based Decision-Making

Appendix C - The Teacher Adaptability Quotient Scale

If you are presently a classroom teacher, answer the following questions to reflect your attitude toward the issues raised. If you are no longer a classroom teacher answer the questions as if you were still a classroom teacher.

1. The School Board is voting on a teacher exchange program to establish partnerships with similar districts in other states to exchange teachers for a year at a time with no loss of pay or benefits. How likely would you be to sign up for such a program?

_a. when can I leave?

_b. interested if various problems can be resolved

_c. unlikely

_d. no way

2. During the last month, how often have you varied your route to work?

_a. 1-3 times

_b. almost daily

_c. never

_d. four or more times

3. When was the last time you arrived to spend the night in a distant city without a hotel reservation made in advance?

_a. never

_b. 10 years ago

_c. as a college student

_d. this year

4. What is your preferred system for travel?

_a. make your own reservations and itinerary in advance by researching several books and other sources.

_b. follow the planned itinerary in a travel book.

_c. make it up as you go.

_d. sign up for a package tour.

5. What is your approach to lesson plans?

_a. Students help plan and direct the unit and the daily lessons through their reactions and questions.

_b. I set major objectives make sure I have good material to stimulate thought and then I see what happens.

_c. I spend hours each week detailing the strategies and writing out how I will teach.

_d. I follow the sequence recommended by M. Hunter.

6. Given a choice, what would your preference be?

_a. Two preparations daily for 3 sections of one course and 2 of another.

_b. Five preparations daily for 5 different courses.

_c. One preparation daily for 5 sections of the same course.

_d. Four preparations daily for 4 different courses.

7. What happens to last year's lesson plans?

_a. I use them again each year unless something dramatic has changed.

_b. I keep them as a reference, but I tend to build around needs of the students I have now.

_c. They are carefully saved and then modified somewhat for the new year.

_d. I throw them away and start fresh each year.

8. How often has your assignment changed during the past 5 years in terms of courses or levels (i.e., honors, AP, college prep, etc.) taught?

_a. Several times

_b. Once

_c. Yearly

_d. Never

9. How many components (such as cooperative learning, concept attainment or learning styles) have you added to your teaching repertoire during the past 5 years?

_a. 5 or more components

_b. 3-4 components

_c. 1-2 components

_d. None

10. When the leadership in your building or district changes, which of the following strategies would you be likely to adopt?

_a. Sit back, keep a low profile, see what develops.

_b. Ask for an appointment to present a list of suggested improvements and programs.

_c. Keep business as usual.

_d. Greet the new leader and offer assistance.

11. How do you react when students raise current event issues at the beginning of class?

_a. Point out how frequently they have used current events as an excuse to avoid "real work."

_b. Briefly entertain the issues and then get on with the lesson.

_c. Remind them of the class subject or topic and get on track.

_d. Convert the issue into a teachable moment related to the class.

12. If the district advertised a weekend white water rafting trip, all expenses paid for teachers and administrators, what would be your response?

_a. How tough is the river?

_b. What's the point of this trip?

_c. Sign me up!

_d. No way!

13. How many professional magazines do you read each month?

_a. 5 or more

_b. 2-4

_c. 1

_d. None

14. When was the last time you visited classes in a school in a different district?

_a. Several years ago.

_b. This school year.

_c. Never

_d. Last year.

15. When was the last time you voluntarily participated in a course or staff development experience outside of the regular work day?

_a. Never

_b. Last year.

_c. Several years ago.

_d. This school year.

16. Given a teacher's guide for a text or course, how frequently would you consult and utilize the lesson strategies, suggestions and sequences provided therein?

_a. Rarely

_b. Occasionally

_c. Almost never

_d. Frequently

17. Thinking back to 1985, how many new software packages and/or educational technologies have you learned to use since then?

_a. 5 or more

_b. 2-4

_c. 1

_d. None

18. When learning a new software package, what is your preference?

_a. Give me a few classes and a good manual and let me proceed through it step by step with lots of time to practice.

_b. Let me just put it in the computer and see if I can make it work.

_c. I want formal classroom training with a good deal of support before I have to use it in the classroom.

_d. I like to learn it with an informal group of friends or colleagues who support each other.

19. How many of the following have you learned to use and now use frequently?

videodiscs

on-line database searches

telecommunications - electronic mail or databases

HyperCard or Linkway

desktop publishing

desktop presentations

CD-ROM

_a. None

_b. 2-4

_c. 1

_d. 5 or more

20. Looking ahead, how different do you expect your classes and teaching to be 5 years from now?

_a. Quite a bit different

_b. Somewhat different

_c. Dramatically different

_d. Basically unchanged

Scoring Sheet

1 5 9 13 17

a a a a a +4 points____

b b b b b +2 points____

c c c c c 0 points

d d d d d -2 points____

2 6 10 14 18

a a a a a 0 points

b b b b b +4 points____

c c c c c -2 points____

d d d d d +2 points____

3 7 11 15 19

a a a a a -2 points____

b b b b b +2 points____

c c c c c 0 points

d d d d d +4 points____

4 8 12 16 20

a a a a a +2 points____

b b b b b 0 points

c c c c c +4 points____

d d d d d -2 points____

Total points____

-40 0 40 80

High Stability High Innovation




Copyrighted 1991 by Jamie McKenzie, all rights reserved.