What Teachers Believe about Teaching Composite Classes |
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| Authors: | Alan J Watson Robert D Phillips Claire Y Wille |
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| Institution: | School of Teacher Education, Faculty of Professional Studies , The University of New South Wales |
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| Abstract: | Teacher knowledge of how to teach a composite class (a class of two or more grades) was studied by observing eight outstanding teachers at work and by eliciting their knowledge of the reasons for their own behaviour. From observation and interviews, 125 incidents, each with an explanatory teacher comment, were collected. A maxim was educed for each and the maxims were classified under six main headings: (1) management, (2) personalisation, (3) class climate, (4) teaching strategies, (5) curriculum, and (6) teaching contexts. The validity of these maxims was assessed by a group of 21 outstanding composite‐class teachers, including seven of the original eight, who also commented on the maxims’ usefulness for in‐service professional development. The majority of outstanding teachers agreed with almost all the maxims and they felt the maxims would be valuable for preservice and in‐service teacher education. This paper discusses the importance of teachers having knowledge and skills in the areas of personalisation of instruction, classroom management and creating a positive class climate. Also discussed are the implications of disagreements amongst teachers over the validity of some of the maxims and the issue of the extent to which composite‐class teaching requires different skills and knowledge from ordinary class teaching. |
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