Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 1991

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Dale E. Otto

Second Committee Member

Parker C. Fawson

Third Committee Member

Calvin Greatsinger

Abstract

The focus of this study is the comparison of two different ways of grouping primary-level children and their teachers across grade levels. The two ways compared are the "class continuance" model, which is the maintenance of a structured same-age "family of learners" through the primary years, and the traditional practice of reassigning children and teachers to new classroom groups each year. Areas of comparison are the children's social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Nineteen children who remained with the same teacher during their kindergarten year and first grade were compared with 19 other children who were regrouped after finishing their kindergarten year and assigned to a new teacher for first grade. The results showed that the children identified as at-risk in the continuance model made significantly greater gains in the areas measured. Implications for utilizing the continuance model are discussed.

Download
COinS