Problem. This study examines the instructional practices, perceptions, and attitudes of multi-grade teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system.
Method. The researcher developed a survey and mailed it to a randomly selected stratified sample of 500 teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in the United States and Canada. Two hundred eighty surveys were returned; 276 were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics give a demographic picture of these teachers--the practices used, their perceived levels of expertise, methods of grouping students for instruction, and their assessment of multi-grade students' cognitive and psycho-social development in comparison to single-grade peers. Qualitative questions were asked concerning what teachers liked and disliked about teaching in the multi-grade room, what would strengthen their multi-grade teaching, and whether or not they would choose to stay in the multi-grade room if they had the opportunity to teach a single-grade class. Data from two sub-groups who were either very satisfied with multi-grade teaching or who were very dissatisfied were compared.
Results. (1) Individualized and small group instruction were strategies multi-grade teachers reported using most; learning centers, computer instruction, and portfolio assessment were used the least. (2) Less than 20% of the teachers responding to the survey considered practices specific to certain subject areas essential to their multi-grade program. (3) Few teachers reported grouping across grade levels for instruction. (4) The two most frequently stated reasons for use of a practice were \"effective for multi-grade\" and \"it fits my teaching style.\" (5) Most teachers rated the psycho-social development of multi-grade students \"superior\" and their cognitive development \"comparable\" to the psycho-social and cognitive development of single-grade peers. (6) Multi-grade teachers appreciated their autonomy; they were troubled by the workload and the isolation. (7) Teachers indicated that training and curriculum materials specific to multi-grade needs would strengthen their multi-grade teaching. (8) About 50% of the teachers indicated they would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom if it were offered, about 30% would consider the offer, and about 20% would prefer to stay in a multi-grade classroom.
Conclusions. Most multi-grade teachers would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom. They need training in methods for organizing multi-grade curriculum and using instructional practices valuable for the multi-grade classroom. They need stronger support from pastors, parents, boards, and conference personnel.
Those teachers who are most satisfied with their multi-grade assignments indicate higher levels of use and expertise in instructional practices effective for multi-grade teaching and are more likely to group grade levels for instruction.
","abstract_html":"<p>Problem. This study examines the instructional practices, perceptions, and attitudes of multi-grade teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system.</p> <p>Method. The researcher developed a survey and mailed it to a randomly selected stratified sample of 500 teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in the United States and Canada. Two hundred eighty surveys were returned; 276 were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics give a demographic picture of these teachers--the practices used, their perceived levels of expertise, methods of grouping students for instruction, and their assessment of multi-grade students' cognitive and psycho-social development in comparison to single-grade peers. Qualitative questions were asked concerning what teachers liked and disliked about teaching in the multi-grade room, what would strengthen their multi-grade teaching, and whether or not they would choose to stay in the multi-grade room if they had the opportunity to teach a single-grade class. Data from two sub-groups who were either very satisfied with multi-grade teaching or who were very dissatisfied were compared.</p> <p>Results. (1) Individualized and small group instruction were strategies multi-grade teachers reported using most; learning centers, computer instruction, and portfolio assessment were used the least. (2) Less than 20% of the teachers responding to the survey considered practices specific to certain subject areas essential to their multi-grade program. (3) Few teachers reported grouping across grade levels for instruction. (4) The two most frequently stated reasons for use of a practice were "effective for multi-grade" and "it fits my teaching style." (5) Most teachers rated the psycho-social development of multi-grade students "superior" and their cognitive development "comparable" to the psycho-social and cognitive development of single-grade peers. (6) Multi-grade teachers appreciated their autonomy; they were troubled by the workload and the isolation. (7) Teachers indicated that training and curriculum materials specific to multi-grade needs would strengthen their multi-grade teaching. (8) About 50% of the teachers indicated they would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom if it were offered, about 30% would consider the offer, and about 20% would prefer to stay in a multi-grade classroom.</p> <p>Conclusions. Most multi-grade teachers would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom. They need training in methods for organizing multi-grade curriculum and using instructional practices valuable for the multi-grade classroom. They need stronger support from pastors, parents, boards, and conference personnel.</p> <p>Those teachers who are most satisfied with their multi-grade assignments indicate higher levels of use and expertise in instructional practices effective for multi-grade teaching and are more likely to group grade levels for instruction.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Anderson, Judith Leist"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jimmy Kijai","Bill Green","Ray Ostrander"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1996,"date_issued":"1996-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1996-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:53:44Z","subjects":["Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/189","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jimmy Kijai","Bill Green","Ray Ostrander"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Anderson, Judith Leist"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Counseling Psychology, Ph.D."]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/189"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Problem. This study examines the instructional practices, perceptions, and attitudes of multi-grade teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system.
Method. The researcher developed a survey and mailed it to a randomly selected stratified sample of 500 teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in the United States and Canada. Two hundred eighty surveys were returned; 276 were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics give a demographic picture of these teachers--the practices used, their perceived levels of expertise, methods of grouping students for instruction, and their assessment of multi-grade students' cognitive and psycho-social development in comparison to single-grade peers. Qualitative questions were asked concerning what teachers liked and disliked about teaching in the multi-grade room, what would strengthen their multi-grade teaching, and whether or not they would choose to stay in the multi-grade room if they had the opportunity to teach a single-grade class. Data from two sub-groups who were either very satisfied with multi-grade teaching or who were very dissatisfied were compared.
Results. (1) Individualized and small group instruction were strategies multi-grade teachers reported using most; learning centers, computer instruction, and portfolio assessment were used the least. (2) Less than 20% of the teachers responding to the survey considered practices specific to certain subject areas essential to their multi-grade program. (3) Few teachers reported grouping across grade levels for instruction. (4) The two most frequently stated reasons for use of a practice were \"effective for multi-grade\" and \"it fits my teaching style.\" (5) Most teachers rated the psycho-social development of multi-grade students \"superior\" and their cognitive development \"comparable\" to the psycho-social and cognitive development of single-grade peers. (6) Multi-grade teachers appreciated their autonomy; they were troubled by the workload and the isolation. (7) Teachers indicated that training and curriculum materials specific to multi-grade needs would strengthen their multi-grade teaching. (8) About 50% of the teachers indicated they would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom if it were offered, about 30% would consider the offer, and about 20% would prefer to stay in a multi-grade classroom.
Conclusions. Most multi-grade teachers would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom. They need training in methods for organizing multi-grade curriculum and using instructional practices valuable for the multi-grade classroom. They need stronger support from pastors, parents, boards, and conference personnel.
Those teachers who are most satisfied with their multi-grade assignments indicate higher levels of use and expertise in instructional practices effective for multi-grade teaching and are more likely to group grade levels for instruction.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Instructional Practices and Attitudes of Teachers in One- and Two-Room Schools in the Seventh-day Adventist School System in North America"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jimmy Kijai","Bill Green","Ray Ostrander"],"dc:creator":["Anderson, Judith Leist"],"dc:description.abstract":["Problem. This study examines the instructional practices, perceptions, and attitudes of multi-grade teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system.
Method. The researcher developed a survey and mailed it to a randomly selected stratified sample of 500 teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in the United States and Canada. Two hundred eighty surveys were returned; 276 were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics give a demographic picture of these teachers--the practices used, their perceived levels of expertise, methods of grouping students for instruction, and their assessment of multi-grade students' cognitive and psycho-social development in comparison to single-grade peers. Qualitative questions were asked concerning what teachers liked and disliked about teaching in the multi-grade room, what would strengthen their multi-grade teaching, and whether or not they would choose to stay in the multi-grade room if they had the opportunity to teach a single-grade class. Data from two sub-groups who were either very satisfied with multi-grade teaching or who were very dissatisfied were compared.
Results. (1) Individualized and small group instruction were strategies multi-grade teachers reported using most; learning centers, computer instruction, and portfolio assessment were used the least. (2) Less than 20% of the teachers responding to the survey considered practices specific to certain subject areas essential to their multi-grade program. (3) Few teachers reported grouping across grade levels for instruction. (4) The two most frequently stated reasons for use of a practice were \"effective for multi-grade\" and \"it fits my teaching style.\" (5) Most teachers rated the psycho-social development of multi-grade students \"superior\" and their cognitive development \"comparable\" to the psycho-social and cognitive development of single-grade peers. (6) Multi-grade teachers appreciated their autonomy; they were troubled by the workload and the isolation. (7) Teachers indicated that training and curriculum materials specific to multi-grade needs would strengthen their multi-grade teaching. (8) About 50% of the teachers indicated they would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom if it were offered, about 30% would consider the offer, and about 20% would prefer to stay in a multi-grade classroom.
Conclusions. Most multi-grade teachers would prefer to teach in a single-grade classroom. They need training in methods for organizing multi-grade curriculum and using instructional practices valuable for the multi-grade classroom. They need stronger support from pastors, parents, boards, and conference personnel.
Those teachers who are most satisfied with their multi-grade assignments indicate higher levels of use and expertise in instructional practices effective for multi-grade teaching and are more likely to group grade levels for instruction.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/189"],"dc:subject":["Curriculum and Instruction","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"dc:title":["Instructional Practices and Attitudes of Teachers in One- and Two-Room Schools in the Seventh-day Adventist School System in North America"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Counseling Psychology, Ph.D."],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:53:44Z"}