Comparison of Self-Contained and Departmentalized Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Structure and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Most elementary schools adhere to a self-contained format to deliver student instruction. This case study explored the implementation of a nontraditional format typically used in middle and high schools known as departmentalized instruction. Twelve of 29 first through third grade teachers were asked by their administration to implement departmentalized instruction for a trial year. This study compares levels of perceived stress and morale in relation to job satisfaction between the departmentalized teachers and self-contained teachers within the same school. This case study utilized focus group interviews as well as data collected from pre-and post-surveys comprised of Likert-scaled items and open-ended questions. The survey responses informed the study about various dimensions of teacher morale and job satisfaction and the focus groups informed the study about departmentalized teachers' own comparison between the two models of instruction. Consistent with related literature, findings revealed departmentalized teachers experienced higher morale, lighter workload, and increased overall job satisfaction in comparison to self-contained teachers in the same school. Further, in comparison to their prior self-contained teaching experiences, departmentalized teachers overwhelmingly preferred the new structure.

Departmentalization in Elementary Schools: Contradictions Teachers Confront

“…Departmentalization was most often viewed as reducing the complexity of elementary school teaching and perhaps reducing the workload as well. These findings parallel those of Strohl, et al (2014). At the same time, there were fewer benefits mentioned for students under either organizational scheme.…”

Estimating the nationwide transmission risk of measles in US schools and impacts of vaccination and supplemental infection control strategies

“…The SBA model considers two sets of parameters for primary and secondary schools investigating the impacts of students’ age and activity patterns on the risk model results. As the majority of elementary schools in the United States have self-contained classrooms [ 64 , 65 ], we considered students less than 14 years old in elementary (or primary) schools with teacher self-contained educational formats and students between 14 and 18 years old in departmentalized high (or secondary) schools [ 66 ]. The estimates of quanta generation rate back-calculated from the teacher self-contained elementary and departmentalized high school case studies in the previous section were used as the only infection-related inputs of the SBA model.…”

A Case Study on Specialization Models in Primary School Teaching

“…When the related international literature is examined, it is seen that various studies have been carried out with the purposes of determining which model is the most appropriate and effective one for students, specifying the decision criteria in putting the specialization models into effect, revealing the advantages and disadvantages of each specialization model from the viewpoint of teachers and students, and determining the effects of these models on the teacher-student relationship and students' academic success (American Association of School Administrators, 1965;Anderson, 1962;Berry & O'Connar, 2010;Gerretson & Schofield, 2008;Hill & Jones, 2018;Hood, 2009;Martin, Fergus, & Noguera, 2010;Markworth, Brobst, Ohana & Parker, 2016;Myrberg, Johansson, & Rosen, 2019;Parker, Rakes, & Arndt, 2017;Reitz, 2012;Strohl et al, 2014).…”