Oral Presentations - Guzman 301

Location

Guzman 301

Start Date

4-23-2015 6:40 PM

End Date

4-23-2015 6:55 PM

Student Type

Graduate

Faculty Mentor(s)

Madalienne F. Peters, Ed.D.

Presentation Format

Oral Presentation

Abstract/Description

In a public school setting, multiage or combination classes are becoming increasingly prevalent. In most cases these classes are created out of necessity rather than a desire to engage students in multiage learning. Teachers are pulled from the general teaching pool and often do not have specialized training around the intricacies of multiage teaching.

A review of the literature indicates that the United States has a long history of multiage classrooms, with the first schools being all-inclusive and taught by one teacher. Over the years, the practice of graded schools took over, however the multiage school never went away (Anderson, 1992). Progressive education programs often use a multiage classroom paired with looping as a way to deepen the relationship between teacher and student, and give the teacher greater insight into their students' learning needs (Baran, 2010). There is strong evidence that multiage programming is beneficial to students of all grades, from early childhood (Aina, 2001) to the crucial middle school years when students can slip through the cracks (Baran, 2010). Today, there are many successful programs, both public and private, that are strictly multiage and can serve as a model for how to implement successful multiage programs (MAP) in public school.

The purpose of this study is to examine what an intentional multiage program looks like in both private and public school settings, and their effectiveness based on teacher and administrator satisfaction. By understanding what is working, we can begin to think about how that can fit into the traditional public school model.

This study involves interviews with teachers from school a, a private school, and school b, a public school, with a dedicated multiage track in grades three through five. This research paper will examine the best practices and professional development involved in creating an effective, intentional multiage program.

Aina, O. E. (2001). Maximizing learning in early childhood multiage classrooms: Child, teacher, and parent perceptions. Early Childhood Education Journal, 28(4), 219.

Anderson, R. H. (1992). The nongraded elementary school: Lessons from history, paper presented at the annual meeting of the american educational research association (SanFrancisco, CA). American Educational Research Association, , February 23, 2015.

Baran, M. (2010). Teachers' and students' perception of looping during the middle school years. International Journal of Learning, 17(8), 1-17. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.dominican.edu

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Apr 23rd, 6:40 PM Apr 23rd, 6:55 PM

Effectiveness of Intentional Multi-Age Programs: Informing Public Schools About Combination Classes

Guzman 301

In a public school setting, multiage or combination classes are becoming increasingly prevalent. In most cases these classes are created out of necessity rather than a desire to engage students in multiage learning. Teachers are pulled from the general teaching pool and often do not have specialized training around the intricacies of multiage teaching.

A review of the literature indicates that the United States has a long history of multiage classrooms, with the first schools being all-inclusive and taught by one teacher. Over the years, the practice of graded schools took over, however the multiage school never went away (Anderson, 1992). Progressive education programs often use a multiage classroom paired with looping as a way to deepen the relationship between teacher and student, and give the teacher greater insight into their students' learning needs (Baran, 2010). There is strong evidence that multiage programming is beneficial to students of all grades, from early childhood (Aina, 2001) to the crucial middle school years when students can slip through the cracks (Baran, 2010). Today, there are many successful programs, both public and private, that are strictly multiage and can serve as a model for how to implement successful multiage programs (MAP) in public school.

The purpose of this study is to examine what an intentional multiage program looks like in both private and public school settings, and their effectiveness based on teacher and administrator satisfaction. By understanding what is working, we can begin to think about how that can fit into the traditional public school model.

This study involves interviews with teachers from school a, a private school, and school b, a public school, with a dedicated multiage track in grades three through five. This research paper will examine the best practices and professional development involved in creating an effective, intentional multiage program.

Aina, O. E. (2001). Maximizing learning in early childhood multiage classrooms: Child, teacher, and parent perceptions. Early Childhood Education Journal, 28(4), 219.

Anderson, R. H. (1992). The nongraded elementary school: Lessons from history, paper presented at the annual meeting of the american educational research association (SanFrancisco, CA). American Educational Research Association, , February 23, 2015.

Baran, M. (2010). Teachers' and students' perception of looping during the middle school years. International Journal of Learning, 17(8), 1-17. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.dominican.edu