Factors Influencing Art Teachers’ Perceptions of Multiage Classes

This study re-examines survey data collected from multiage art teachers working in public elementary schools with a new purpose of uncovering factors that may impact art teachers’ perceptions of multiage education. The re-analysis involved the tabulation of crossbreak tables that explored relationships between teachers’ overall support or opposition for multiage education with other self-reported variables. The results showed that respondents with fewer years of teaching experience were most uncertain in their opinions of mixed-age instruction. Art teachers who had participated in training were more supportive of multiage art education than those who had not. Respondents who experienced inconsistent student rosters due to flexible regrouping practices were less supportive of mixed-age instruction than those who had consistent rosters. The article concludes with suggestions for structuring multiage art education at other schools.