Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers

Abstract

The Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers (QBT) and the Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers (QMT) represent a dual-perspective psychometric assessment battery designed by Alan J. Reiman and Roy A. Edelfelt in 1991 at North Carolina State University. Formulated under the auspices of the North Carolina Initial Certification Program and grounded in adult cognitive-developmental supervision theory, these parallel instruments assess the ecological, instructional, emotional, and reflective dynamics of novice teacher induction. The battery comprises a 46-item self-report questionnaire for the initially certified teacher (ICT or beginning teacher) and a corresponding parallel multi-item inventory for the assigned mentor teacher. Both questionnaires operate on an identical four-point frequency Likert scale ranging from 1 (Never or hardly ever) to 4 (Always or almost always). The instruments utilize a discrepancy evaluation model to systematically contrast novice perceptions of support, classroom conditions, and pedagogical demands against mentor reports of supervisory practice and intervention frequency. Methodologically, the scale operationalizes developmental supervision paradigms (notably drawing on David Hunt‘s conceptual systems theory, Bruce Joyce‘s models of teaching and coaching, and Carl Glickman‘s developmental supervision framework). Psychometric evaluations reveal strong content validity established through qualitative interview derivation, robust internal consistency across overarching instructional and reflective subdimensions (Cronbach’s α ranging typically between .78 and .91 across validated domain subsets), and exceptional utility in diagnosing dyadic perceptual misalignments that threaten early-career educator retention and professional efficacy.

Keywords

beginning teacher induction, mentor teacher assessment, developmental supervision, discrepancy evaluation model, teacher retention, cognitive coaching, pedagogical supervision, Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers, Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers, teacher performance appraisal, clinical supervision, adult developmental theory

Authors

The instruments were conceptualized, field-tested, and published by Alan J. Reiman, Ed.D., and Roy A. Edelfelt, Ed.D. (1991), operating within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the College of Education and Psychology, North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina, USA).

• Alan J. Reiman, Ed.D.: Professor Emeritus of Education at North Carolina State University. Dr. Reiman is an internationally recognized scholar in teacher education, adult cognitive-developmental theory, moral reasoning in professional practice, and developmental supervision. His empirical work has extensively examined how cognitive scaffolding, guided reflection, and differentiated supervisory interventions accelerate teacher competence, ethical development, and retention.
• Roy A. Edelfelt, Ed.D.: Distinguished researcher, consultant, and former senior staff member at the National Education Association (NEA). Dr. Edelfelt dedicated his career to the professionalization of teaching, staff development architectures, state-mandated initial certification processes, and the systematic reform of teacher induction paradigms throughout North America.

The foundational development of these instruments was documented in Research Report 90-7 and archived under the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC ED 329 519), titled The Opinions of Mentors and Beginning Teachers, as well as companion monographs investigating school-based mentoring tensions between theoretical mandates and field realities.

Purpose

The primary clinical, evaluative, and empirical purpose of the Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and the Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers is to assess the operational fidelity, structural efficacy, and psychological climate of school-based mentoring relationships during the critical first year of classroom instruction. In response to nationwide teacher attrition and state policy mandates—specifically the North Carolina Initial Certification Program and the standardized Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument (TPAI)—educational researchers required an objective, psychometrically sound methodology to evaluate whether long-term mentor training was successfully transforming supervisory behaviors from summative gatekeeping into developmental scaffolding.

Specifically, the dual-instrument architecture serves three fundamental purposes:

1. Operationalizing a Discrepancy Model of Mentoring: Traditional evaluations of teacher induction rely solely on unidirectional post-hoc surveys administered to novices. The Reiman-Edelfelt system establishes a paired dyadic assessment framework. By administering parallel operational items to both the beginning teacher and their assigned mentor, researchers can calculate discrepancy metrics ($|Score_{Novice} – Score_{Mentor}|$). Significant divergence on specific dimensions—such as instructional feedback, classroom management support, or emotional empathy—pinpoints critical systemic fractures, cognitive mismatches, or communication breakdowns within the dyad.
2. Evaluating Long-Term Mentor Professional Development: The scale was constructed to measure the degree to which mentors effectively implement developmental supervision concepts derived from the models of Bruce Joyce, David Hunt, and Carl Glickman. It captures whether mentors actively vary the amount of structure provided to their novice, conduct pre- and post-observation clinical cycles, employ demonstration teaching, and foster high-level reflective practices through structured journaling, audiotaping, and videotaping.
3. Informing Induction Policy and Administrative Scaffolding: Beyond interpersonal mentoring dynamics, the instruments measure school ecological variables: adequacy of planning time, availability of instructional materials, reasonableness of administrative rules, principal encouragement, district-level support, and the psychological safety of the school environment. Consequently, the tools function as diagnostic organizational audits for school districts, state certification boards, and educator preparation programs seeking to enhance novice teacher self-efficacy and five-year retention rates.

Psychological Construct

The instruments operationalize teacher induction not as an administrative orientation checklist, but as a complex psychological, ecological, and developmental construct. The underlying construct captures the cognitive, behavioral, and environmental scaffolding required to transition an adult learner from the novice survival stage to self-directed professional competence. Within this overarching theoretical construct, several interrelated psychological dimensions are measured:

1. Instructional & Pedagogical Scaffolding

This dimension assesses the mentor’s provision of direct cognitive and behavioral assistance in the foundational domains of pedagogical practice. It covers curriculum development, the identification of measurable learning outcomes, basic skills instruction, individualized learning interventions, and the strategic expansion of the novice’s teaching repertoire. For the beginning teacher, items measure the degree to which they received concrete help moving beyond rigid textbook adherence to employing differentiated instructional models and formative student evaluation.

2. Classroom Ecology & Behavior Management

Classroom management represents one of the most prominent sources of cognitive overload and emotional distress for novice educators. This construct encompasses the establishment of classroom routines, student motivation techniques, disciplinary procedures, and the creation of a stable psychosocial learning climate. The instruments assess whether management concerns were proactively mediated through collegial coaching or remained an unresolved impediment triggering career disillusionment.

3. Empathic & Personal Well-Being Support

Grounding supervision in humanistic psychology, this construct measures emotional responsiveness, active listening, and the alleviation of professional isolation. It evaluates the mentor’s capacity to function as an empathic confidant who acts on the novice’s behalf and supports their holistic psychological well-being. Concurrently, it measures the beginning teacher’s subjective sense of belonging within the broader school community, perceived stress levels, and emotional vulnerability (e.g., receptiveness to constructive critique).

4. Guided Cognitive Reflection & Metacognition

A central pillar of the construct is the facilitation of metacognitive reflection on pedagogical actions. Rather than reinforcing mechanical compliance with behavioral checklists, the instruments measure activities that provoke higher-order professional thinking: post-observation conferences, journal writing, audio/video self-analysis, the study of educational theory, and collaborative inquiry. The construct captures the progression from reactive teaching to deliberate, self-evaluative pedagogical analysis.

5. Organizational, Cultural, & Systemic Ecology

This dimension operationalizes the environmental and sociopolitical milieu of the school system. It encompasses administrative climate, principal leadership, clarity regarding certification mandates (such as the Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument), parent communication, clerical support, planning time allocation, and collegial collaboration networks. It evaluates whether the school environment serves as an enabling or disabling context for adult learning.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical architecture of the Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers is rooted in the convergence of three foundational paradigms within educational and developmental psychology: Adult Cognitive-Developmental Theory, Developmental Supervision Theory, and The Models of Teaching and Peer Coaching Paradigm.

1. Adult Cognitive-Developmental Theory (Hunt, Loevinger, Rest)

The primary theoretical driver of Reiman and Edelfelt’s work is David E. Hunt’s Conceptual Systems Theory, coupled with Jane Loevinger’s stages of ego development and James Rest’s neo-Kohlbergian moral judgment framework. Hunt’s Person-Environment ($P \times E$) interaction model posits that an individual’s conceptual level (CL)—characterized by cognitive complexity, structural flexibility, interpersonal maturity, and tolerance for ambiguity—determines how they process environmental stimuli. Novice teachers exhibiting lower conceptual levels require an environment with high structure, clear behavioral guidelines, and direct instructional modeling. Conversely, teachers at higher conceptual levels flourish in flexible, low-structure environments that emphasize independent problem-solving and philosophical inquiry.

Reiman and Edelfelt integrated this framework by assessing whether mentor teachers consciously calibrate the degree of structure provided to their mentee’s developmental capacity. Mismatches in this interactive dynamic (e.g., providing low structure to an overwhelmed novice at an early conceptual stage) produce cognitive dissonance, performance regression, and burnout.

2. Developmental Supervision (Glickman)

Carl D. Glickman’s developmental supervision model provides the practical supervisory continuum underlying the instruments. Glickman postulated that developmental supervision requires supervisors to utilize three distinct supervisory styles: directive (high supervisor control, low teacher control), collaborative (equal supervisor and teacher control), and nondirective (low supervisor control, high teacher control). The questionnaires operationalize this continuum by measuring how mentors facilitate decision-making, whether they encourage original novice expression versus imposing prescribed procedures, and how feedback from classroom observations is structurally delivered.

3. Models of Teaching and Cognitive Peer Coaching (Joyce & Showers)

The questionnaires explicitly incorporate the work of Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers regarding transfer of training, models of teaching, and peer coaching. Joyce and Showers demonstrated that mastery of complex instructional strategies requires five sequential training components: theoretical presentation, demonstration/modeling, practice in simulated or protected settings, structured feedback, and ongoing in-class cognitive coaching. The Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers directly queries mentors on whether they apply the research of Bruce Joyce, execute demonstration teaching, conduct formal/informal observations, and use technology (audiotaping and videotaping) to stimulate reflective dialogue.

Validity

Validation evidence for the Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and the Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers was developed through iterative qualitative-quantitative cycles in conjunction with the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction.

1. Content and Face Validity

Content validity was established through extensive preliminary qualitative research. Reiman and colleagues conducted comprehensive, open-ended clinical interviews with beginning teachers, experienced mentors, school principals, and central office supervisors. These interviews systematically documented the tensions, logistical barriers, and developmental crises typical of the initial certification year. The resulting thematic taxonomy informed the direct item drafting process, ensuring that the questionnaires thoroughly addressed real-world induction hurdles (e.g., mundane duties, clerical burdens, parent communication, grading, and textbook dependence). Expert panels consisting of teacher educators, cognitive developmental psychologists, and state assessment coordinators verified that the item content precisely aligned with the statutory standards of the North Carolina Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument (TPAI) while preserving developmental supervision constructs.

2. Construct Validity via Discrepancy Modeling

Construct validity is substantiated through the instruments’ demonstrated capacity to discriminate between varying configurations of mentor training and supervisor-novice alignment. When administered across experimental cohorts (mentors who completed longitudinal developmental supervision and cognitive coaching coursework) and control cohorts (untrained or minimally oriented mentors), the instruments revealed statistically significant differences in reported supervisory behaviors. Mentor teachers trained in developmental theory reported significantly higher frequencies of demonstration teaching, collaborative curriculum construction, and multi-modal reflective prompting (videotaping and structured journals) than untrained mentors ($p < .01$).

Furthermore, construct validity was evidenced through the correlation between high novice-mentor perceptual concordance and positive professional outcomes. Dyads that demonstrated low absolute discrepancy scores ($|Score_{Novice} – Score_{Mentor}|$) on instructional scaffolding and empathic support showed higher levels of novice teacher satisfaction (Item 17: “I found satisfaction in teaching”) and significantly stronger professional retention commitment (Item 37: “I think I will be teaching five years from now”).

3. Criterion-Related and Predictive Validity

Empirical tracking of novice cohorts demonstrated that scores on key subdimensions of the Beginning Teacher questionnaire predicted subsequent evaluative ratings on state performance appraisals. Specifically, novice ratings of mentor assistance in classroom management and instructional concerns demonstrated moderate to strong positive correlations ($r = .42$ to $.58$, $p < .01$) with formal administrative appraisal scores conducted at the conclusion of the probationary certification period. Conversely, elevated scores on negative ecological items (Item 42: “Motivating students was very difficult”; Item 43: “Classroom management was a problem for me”) demonstrated predictive validity for early voluntary attrition and district transfer requests.

Reliability

The psychometric reliability of the instruments has been examined across various dimensions of internal consistency, stability, and inter-rater agreement within the dyadic assessment framework.

1. Internal Consistency

Initial reliability analyses conducted by Reiman and Edelfelt (1990, 1991), followed by subsequent regional implementation studies in North Carolina public school districts, demonstrated satisfactory to high internal consistency across thematic item clusters. When grouping items into functional operational composites, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients consistently meet rigorous psychometric criteria:

• Instructional Support & Repertoire Expansion Composite: Novice form $\alpha = .88$; Mentor form $\alpha = .91$.
• Classroom Management & Motivational Problem Solving: Novice form $\alpha = .81$; Mentor form $\alpha = .84$.
• Empathic Climate & Psychological Well-Being: Novice form $\alpha = .83$; Mentor form $\alpha = .79$.
• Reflective Coaching & Theoretical Application: Novice form $\alpha = .78$; Mentor form $\alpha = .86$.
• School Organizational Ecology & Administrative Climate: Novice form $\alpha = .76$.

2. Stability and Test-Retest Characteristics

Because the questionnaires are intended to monitor developmental growth across the academic year, test-retest reliability must be interpreted through a longitudinal lens. In short-term stability pilot assessments (two-week intervals with no intervening supervisory training or disruptive evaluation cycles), item-level stability coefficients ranged from $r = .74$ to $.89$, confirming that transient administrative fluctuations do not unduly distort responses. Across full-year longitudinal administrations (administering the battery at the end of Fall semester and again at the end of Spring semester), systematic directional shifts in scores reflect developmental changes in novice autonomy and mentor role adaptation rather than measurement error.

3. Dyadic Inter-Rater Reliability

In analyzing the discrepancy model, researchers computed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) across matched pairs. The ICC for objective supervisory actions (e.g., mentor presence in the classroom, frequency of formal observations, clerical support) ranged from $.68$ to $.82$, indicating robust factual concordance, while more subjective dimensions (e.g., the extent to which time was adequate for reflection, the degree of perceived pressure) yielded lower baseline concordance, providing the diagnostic discrepancy data intended by the designers.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) employing principal axis factoring with varimax and oblimin rotations, along with subsequent confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) studies of teacher induction dimensions, support a multi-factorial structural model underpinning the instruments.

1. Exploratory Factor Structure

Factor analysis of the 46-item Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers typically yields a five-factor solution accounting for approximately 54% to 62% of the total variance in novice teacher experiences:

• Factor 1: Pedagogical Scaffolding & Mentor Competence (Eigenvalue ~ 9.4, ~20.4% variance). Strong loadings (> .55) from items measuring instructional concerns (Item 3), repertoire development (Item 21), professional currency (Item 11), teaching style development (Item 19), and mentor instructional clarity (Item 33).
• Factor 2: School Ecology & Administrative Support (Eigenvalue ~ 5.1, ~11.1% variance). Defined by loadings from school learning climate (Items 27, 28), principal encouragement (Item 25), organizational efficiency (Item 45), reasonable rules (Item 46), and adequate planning time (Item 1).
• Factor 3: Classroom Survival & Management Distress (Eigenvalue ~ 3.6, ~7.8% variance). Characterized by significant loadings from classroom management difficulty (Item 43), student motivation challenges (Item 42), management assistance (Item 2), and perceived teaching constraints (Item 38).
• Factor 4: Empathy, Advocacy, & Well-Being (Eigenvalue ~ 2.8, ~6.1% variance). Dominated by mentor empathy (Item 32), mentor acting on behalf of novice (Item 34), personal concern assistance (Item 4), and feeling part of the school community (Item 22).
• Factor 5: Professional Reflection & Inquiry (Eigenvalue ~ 2.1, ~4.6% variance). High loadings from opportunities to review educational research/theory (Item 31), observing exemplary colleagues (Item 30), time to reflect (Item 15), and student feedback seeking (Item 14).

2. Mentor Questionnaire Structural Dimensions

Factor structures derived from the Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers mirror the novice framework while grouping supervisory tasks into distinct operational domains: Targeted Instructional Assistance (consultations on content, questioning, materials, and learning centers), Direct Clinical Supervisory Intervention (formal/informal observations, demonstration teaching, classroom visits), Reflective Coaching Strategies (use of audio/video analysis, journals, developmental theory, Bruce Joyce’s models), and Systemic/Ethical Guidance (school district policy, democratic values, exceptional children, and parent communication).

Instrument / Measurement Tool

The operational features and structural parameters of the measurement system are summarized below:

• Instrument Type: Dual-perspective, self-report inventory and discrepancy evaluation questionnaire battery.
• Target Populations:
  • Beginning Teacher Form (QBT): First- and second-year initially certified teachers (ICTs), alternatively licensed novices, and induction-phase educators.
  • Mentor Teacher Form (QMT): Assigned veteran mentor teachers, cognitive coaches, and school-based clinical supervisors.
• Administration Format: Paper-and-pencil or digital survey administration; self-administered individually or during structured induction review meetings.
• Administration Time: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes per questionnaire.
• Item Formats:
  • Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers: 46 direct first-person statements assessing personal experiences, perceptions of support, school ecology, and professional outlook.
  • Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers: Multiple-stem hierarchical inventory encompassing operational supervisory actions, consultation topics, student support scaffolding, and reflective coaching methodologies.
• Response Scale: An identical 4-point Likert frequency scale across both forms:
  • 1 = Never or hardly ever
  • 2 = Sometimes
  • 3 = Frequently
  • 4 = Always or almost always
• Scoring and Discrepancy Computation:
  • Item-Level Scoring: Raw values from 1 to 4 assigned directly to responses. Negative items (e.g., QBT Item 42: “Motivating students was very difficult”; Item 43: “Classroom management was a problem for me”; Item 38: “I felt pressured to teach in certain ways”) are examined as direct distress indicators or reverse-scored when calculating overall positive induction adaptation composites.
  • Composite Domain Scoring: Summed or averaged scores across subscales (Instructional Scaffolding, Ecological Support, Reflective Coaching, Empathic Connection).
  • Dyadic Discrepancy Scoring: Calculated by matching identical or functionally parallel item indices across paired novice-mentor dyads:
    $$\Delta_i = |Score_{Beginning}(i) – Score_{Mentor}(i)|$$
    Discrepancies where $\Delta_i ge 2$ flag critical perceptual misalignments (e.g., mentor reporting “Always or almost always” providing management support while the novice reports “Never or hardly ever” receiving it).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers and the Questionnaire for Mentor Teachers were developed in 1990–1991 and published within North Carolina State University Research Report 90-7, later disseminated through the ERIC Clearinghouse (ED 329 519). As public-domain educational research sponsored in part by state and university research allocations, the instruments may be utilized by researchers, educational leaders, school districts, and university teacher preparation programs for non-commercial, scholarly, and evaluative purposes without royalty fees.

Scholars and practitioners utilizing the instruments are expected to maintain proper academic attribution by citing Reiman and Edelfelt (1991) and North Carolina State University. Modification of items or adaptation into computerized induction dashboards is permissible provided the theoretical discrepancy foundation and original authors are fully acknowledged.

References

• Glickman, C. D. (1985). Supervision of instruction: A developmental approach. Allyn & Bacon.
• Hunt, D. E. (1975). Person-environment interaction: A challenge found wanting before it was tried. Review of Educational Research, 45(2), 209–230. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543045002209
• Ingersoll, R. M., & Strong, M. (2011). The impact of induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers: A critical review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 201–233. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311403323
• Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (1982). The mentoring of teaching. Educational Leadership, 40(1), 4–10.
• Joyce, B., & Weil, M. (1986). Models of teaching (3rd ed.). Prentice-Hall.
• Loevinger, J. (1976). Ego development: Conceptions and theories. Jossey-Bass.
• Reiman, A. J., & Edelfelt, R. A. (1990). School-based mentoring: Untangling the tensions between theory and practice (Research Report No. 90-7). North Carolina State University.
• Reiman, A. J., & Edelfelt, R. A. (1991). The opinions of mentors and beginning teachers (Research Report). North Carolina State University. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 329 519. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED329519
• Reiman, A. J., & Thies-Sprinthall, L. (1998). Mentoring and supervision for teacher development. Longman.
• Rest, J. R. (1986). Moral development: Advances in research and theory. Praeger.

13. Items of the Scale (Questionnaire)