Blazing New Trails - Connexions

Principals and Teachers Stated Beliefs as Compared with Their Perceptions of Multiage Implementation 193
the participants, no prompts were suggested. Since prompts were not provided in the
questioning, the answers reflected the participants’ highest priority, not necessarily all their
priorities in answering the interview question. Table17 represents the eight emergent themes
from the teachers and principals in response to the open-ended question: “Please describe any
difficulties you have encountered in implementing multiage; in other words, barriers or
challenges that your school has had to overcome?”
Table 17. Barriers in the Implementation of Multiage.
Focus Teacher (20) Principal (10)
Differentiated Instruction (lack of) 20 03
Not having an understanding of curriculum 19 01
Not enough collaboration time with teachers 18 00
Balanced classroom (social and academic) 12 00
Lack of Professional Development 10 10
Time (planning, adapting curriculum) 10 00
Parents not understanding multiage 05 05
Not understanding multiage 02 10
All the principals believed that lack of professional development and not enough time
planning and adapting curriculum were the major reasons a multiage program would fail.
They thought that new teachers, who do not understand the philosophy of multiage programs,
could find implementation difficult. They believed that if teachers had not previously taught
in a multiage classroom before being hired in their school, or if they did not understand the
concept of multiage, they would need to be trained. Another area that emerged during these
interviews with principals was the education of parents. They believed that parents needed to
understand how multiage classrooms were taught; otherwise, the parents might question if the
instruction was age appropriate.
Teachers agreed with the principals regarding one of the barriers to a successful
multiage program which was the absence of professional development. Teachers believed that
multiage programs would not thrive if teachers did not have a good understanding of
curriculum and the skills to differentiate for all children.
Other areas that teachers believed would have an impact on the sustainability of a
multiage program were lack of time for the purpose of differentiating instruction and time to
develop thematic units. According to Hunter (1992), teachers need time for planning with
fellow teachers and sharing ideas about students. These teachers agreed that teaching in a
multiage setting requires more preparation time and long-range planning.
Balancing classrooms was another factor that the teachers believed was needed for a
successful multiage program. If classes did not have students with diverse academic and
social needs, a program would be more apt to fail. The last area that teachers indicated as an
area of necessity was the need for a culture of collaboration. Teachers needed opportunities
and time to collaborate and plan with peers. According to Stone (1998), professional
teamwork is an integral part of the successful multiage program. Collaboration among
teachers and other staff is important in meeting the needs of all students in a multiage setting.
Regular time set aside for planning and sharing by staff members is essential for a successful
program.
The major themes that emerged from this question for the teachers were the same as
for a successful program. The teachers expressed that if you did not have differentiated
instruction, an understanding of curriculum, collaboration with colleagues and a classroom
that was balanced both socially and academically, the multiage program would fail. Most of