This phenomenological study highlighted the perceptions of teachers and parents toward the academic and social effects of looping in elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers and parents feel that looping in elementary school better supports student relationships, growth, and academic achievement. The sample for…

Increasing focus on the quality of childcare and Pre-K is calling attention to the circumstances of childcare and impact on the child's social and emotional health, specifically in terms of attachment. The early childhood profession recognizes that consistency in caregiving is essential for the child's attachment. Looping, the practice of keeping…

Originating from progressive educators who saw the need for student-centered educational designs rather than the traditional, single-age classroom design based on Henry Ford's assembly line, the multiage classroom design is returning as a viable alternative to the single-age classroom. The authors explored the perceptions of parents and teachers…

Teachers changing class levels is common practice in many New Zealand primary schools; however, it is not always seen as a platform for shaping pedagogies. In order to manage the change to a new class level teachers are compelled to reflect on many of their established practices. Engaging in this reflection can help teachers to see their practice…

The conceptual framework guiding this study focuses on local, state, and federal standards as well as demands on schools to improve performance of underserved student populations as impetuses for school structure changes. As related to the aforementioned framework, many schools have developed innovative school restructuring methods such as the…

The problem is the academic, social, and emotional needs of students with learning disabilities are not being met within the general classroom. Looping, the practice of a teacher staying with the same group of students for two or more years, has been suggested as an educational approach designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The…

When teachers move to the next grade with their students, they are sometimes referred to as teachers who loop with the children. In this descriptive case study, the authors describe the experiences of two teachers who collaborate with others as they move with a class of students from third to fourth grade (i.e., looping). The classroom context,…

One alternative to a traditional class is a looping class. What is "looping"? As described in the educational literature, looping is a practice that allows teachers to remain with their class for a period of two or more years. Looping has proved to be an effective process that increases student achievement, supports instructional time, and…

Looping, or multi-year teaching, is the pedagogical practice of allowing students and teachers to remain together for 2 or more years. This 2-year case study investigated looping practices and perceptions of looping among eighth-grade middle school students, teachers, and parents. Data from two middle schools were collected in the second year of…

Studies have criticized age-graded schools as creating a barrier to meeting the goals of equity and instructional excellence in schools. This handbook provides research on multiage classroom practices and argues that a multiage system better addresses and meets students' needs. Information is presented on the following topics: educational reform,…