The purpose of this study was to determine whether looping, a multi-year teaching arrangement where the teacher remains with the same group of students for two or more years is a practicable alternative, as assessed by teacher opinion, to the typical one year grouping of students. Because the teacher is the pivotal figure within the classroom and…

Describes looping or multiage, multiyear teaching at two elementary schools (Rocklin and Sierra) in the Rocklin Unified School District in Pacer County, California. Includes several Internet sources about looping. (PKP)

Educational opportunity in the United States and Mexico is an important factor in the process of expanding social and economic opportunities, as well as political and civil rights in both countries. Yet, by national and international indicators, many Mexican American and Mexican children are underserved by public schools in both countries; and…

Every student deserves a school that is inviting, academically challenging, and safe. A Maryland elementary school's appealing exterior and cheerful, warm interior create a welcoming atmosphere for both parents and students. A successful looping experiment that keeps teachers with the same students from fourth through sixth grade helps kids…

Discusses recent findings on looping's effects in our educational system and on parent/teacher attitudes in the school community. Analyzes parent survey data gathered at an urban elementary school in a large midwestern school corporation. Results suggest guarded support for multigraded classes, as effects on achievement gains are unknown. (13…

A Tennessee elementary school's adoption of a looping program, allowing teachers to stay with their classes for two years, resulted in improved student confidence and teacher/parent relationships. Looping places less pressure on young students to learn all curriculum objectives in one year. Lessons and benefits are summarized. (MLH)

Looping is an instructional design whereby students progress to the next grade level with the same teacher(s) for two or more years. This book was designed to help teachers and administrators explore, implement, and evaluate looping programs. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1, "Exploring Looping Configurations," identifies the primary…

Teachers at Fort Wayne (Indiana) Community School are groundbreakers in "looping," a practice involving multiyear teaching assignments and no historical antecedent. Experienced loopers participating in an evaluation study reported that looping was great for students (especially at-risk kids) and hard on teachers; fostered a family…

Discusses looping, or multiyear assignment of children, as a strategy to ease the retention/social-promotion dilemma. Multiyear assignment gives teachers extra time to bring low-performing students up to grade level and develop stable, caring relationships with students. A suburban Kansas school's successful program is profiled. (24 references)…

Betsy Rogers is the National Teacher of the Year. She teaches elementary school in Leeds, Alabama, near Birmingham, where she developed a looping class, staying with the same students for two years, from first through second grades. A teacher for 22 years, Rogers earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1974 at Samford University.…

The revived interest in multiage and looping (multiyear) classrooms addresses today's children's needs for a long-term, caring, learning environment. Although these practices are not panaceas, they are time-effective and instructionally efficient, allowing for continuous learning and less repetition, when teachers have adequate support, training,…

This compilation of resource materials includes article and book chapter reprints, checklists, and other materials of potential interest to early childhood and elementary school teachers. The book's seven sections are: (1) "Issues"; (2) "Multiyear Education"; (3) "Early Childhood"; (4) "Upper Elementary"; (5) "Assessment"; (6) "For Further…

"Looping" is a practice that allows single-grade teachers to remain with the same class for 2 or more years. Organized in a question-and-answer format, this book answers 72 questions about looping commonly asked by teachers and parents, including questions about its benefits, disadvantages, and implementation. Chapters include: (1) "What Is…

Who says learning always has to be drudgery? Sarah Butzin, the founder of the Institute for School Innovation, proposes "triangulated learning" as a way to give children time to play and develop, even as they pursue high standards. Triangulation is a metaphor for strength. A triangulated learning system taps the power of three to meet…

Looping, a multi-year teaching assignment whereby a teacher remains with the same group of children for more than one grade, is designed to meet the individual needs of students and improve student learning. This booklet describes the practice of looping in American schools. The booklet details the underlying theories supporting the practice and…