This is an interpretive study that investigates the nature of the issues, dilemmas, and successes of planning and implementing a mathematics program with minimal reference to grade-level designations in a multiage classroom setting of fourth—and fifth-grade students.
The study focused on how one teacher conceptualized, designed, and structured a mathematics curriculum. An analysis of over 60 hours of interviews conducted over six months revealed a teacher who integrated her knowledge of elementary mathematics with her knowledge and practice of teaching and learning theories, mathematical understanding, curriculum perspectives, and classroom management. This integration is explained through a conceptual framework of the interaction of three domains the teacher generates: knowledge of learners, knowledge of mathematics, and knowledge of mathematical resources and tools. This interaction created a classroom mathematical atmosphere that was not dependent on grade-level texts or orientations. This framework allowed the teacher to adapt to diverse student learning styles and developmental differences. She implemented a mathematics program that can provide a model for multiage teachers as well as teachers of other classroom situations who are looking for and believe that mathematics instruction can be provided with a de-emphasis on sequential grade-level texts and an emphasis on the development of students with a diverse range of understanding and learning styles.
","abstract_html":"<p>This is an interpretive study that investigates the nature of the issues, dilemmas, and successes of planning and implementing a mathematics program with minimal reference to grade-level designations in a multiage classroom setting of fourth—and fifth-grade students.</p> <p>The study focused on how one teacher conceptualized, designed, and structured a mathematics curriculum. An analysis of over 60 hours of interviews conducted over six months revealed a teacher who integrated her knowledge of elementary mathematics with her knowledge and practice of teaching and learning theories, mathematical understanding, curriculum perspectives, and classroom management. This integration is explained through a conceptual framework of the interaction of three domains the teacher generates: knowledge of learners, knowledge of mathematics, and knowledge of mathematical resources and tools. This interaction created a classroom mathematical atmosphere that was not dependent on grade-level texts or orientations. This framework allowed the teacher to adapt to diverse student learning styles and developmental differences. She implemented a mathematics program that can provide a model for multiage teachers as well as teachers of other classroom situations who are looking for and believe that mathematics instruction can be provided with a de-emphasis on sequential grade-level texts and an emphasis on the development of students with a diverse range of understanding and learning styles.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["OConnor, Kevin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Curriculum and Social Inquiry","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Judith Zawojewski","Diane Salmon","Teresa Pigott"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1998,"date_issued":"1998-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1998-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:20Z","subjects":["multiage","elementary","mathematics","case-study","grade-level","curriculum","Curriculum and Instruction"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/823","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Judith Zawojewski","Diane Salmon","Teresa Pigott"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["OConnor, Kevin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-05-23T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Curriculum and Social Inquiry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["multiage","elementary","mathematics","case-study","grade-level","curriculum","Curriculum and Instruction"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/823"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This is an interpretive study that investigates the nature of the issues, dilemmas, and successes of planning and implementing a mathematics program with minimal reference to grade-level designations in a multiage classroom setting of fourth—and fifth-grade students.
The study focused on how one teacher conceptualized, designed, and structured a mathematics curriculum. An analysis of over 60 hours of interviews conducted over six months revealed a teacher who integrated her knowledge of elementary mathematics with her knowledge and practice of teaching and learning theories, mathematical understanding, curriculum perspectives, and classroom management. This integration is explained through a conceptual framework of the interaction of three domains the teacher generates: knowledge of learners, knowledge of mathematics, and knowledge of mathematical resources and tools. This interaction created a classroom mathematical atmosphere that was not dependent on grade-level texts or orientations. This framework allowed the teacher to adapt to diverse student learning styles and developmental differences. She implemented a mathematics program that can provide a model for multiage teachers as well as teachers of other classroom situations who are looking for and believe that mathematics instruction can be provided with a de-emphasis on sequential grade-level texts and an emphasis on the development of students with a diverse range of understanding and learning styles.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["De-Emphasizing Grade-Level Identities: A Case Study of Mathematics Instruction in an Intermediate Elementary Multiage Classroom"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Judith Zawojewski","Diane Salmon","Teresa Pigott"],"dc:creator":["OConnor, Kevin"],"dc:date.available":["2024-05-23T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This is an interpretive study that investigates the nature of the issues, dilemmas, and successes of planning and implementing a mathematics program with minimal reference to grade-level designations in a multiage classroom setting of fourth—and fifth-grade students.
The study focused on how one teacher conceptualized, designed, and structured a mathematics curriculum. An analysis of over 60 hours of interviews conducted over six months revealed a teacher who integrated her knowledge of elementary mathematics with her knowledge and practice of teaching and learning theories, mathematical understanding, curriculum perspectives, and classroom management. This integration is explained through a conceptual framework of the interaction of three domains the teacher generates: knowledge of learners, knowledge of mathematics, and knowledge of mathematical resources and tools. This interaction created a classroom mathematical atmosphere that was not dependent on grade-level texts or orientations. This framework allowed the teacher to adapt to diverse student learning styles and developmental differences. She implemented a mathematics program that can provide a model for multiage teachers as well as teachers of other classroom situations who are looking for and believe that mathematics instruction can be provided with a de-emphasis on sequential grade-level texts and an emphasis on the development of students with a diverse range of understanding and learning styles.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/823"],"dc:subject":["multiage","elementary","mathematics","case-study","grade-level","curriculum","Curriculum and Instruction"],"dc:title":["De-Emphasizing Grade-Level Identities: A Case Study of Mathematics Instruction in an Intermediate Elementary Multiage Classroom"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Curriculum and Social Inquiry"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:20Z"}