The Compounding Challenges of Middle School and Multiage Classes for Beginning Teachers

Abstract

Multiaging and middle schooling are two separate educational reforms directed to better meet the individual needs of students. Teachers working within these classes share overlapping and interdependent role expectations as well as some separate and independent ones associated with traditional teacher tasks. The experiences of two beginning teachers were examined after their initial 6 months in classrooms that combine multiage and middle school reforms. Training and collegial support were critical issues. Preservice training did not adequately prepare each individual for this beginning experience. Contextual differences in the schools' induction procedures affected their developing identities as teachers, helping one and hindering the other.