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LOOPING Research Findings Team Navigators
What Is Looping? • Looping, a term coined by Jim Grant, refers to the not-so-new but increasingly common practice of keeping groups of students together for two or more years with the same teacher. • Other terms for Looping: “continuous learning”, “multi-year grouping”, “persisting groups”.
Looping Redefined
Looping, for our team’s purpose, is the practice of moving a group of students together with their staff to the next grade level. In this case our current 7th graders will stay with us as they are promoted to the 8th grade.
The History of Looping • Looping has been around for a while in various forms. In fact, looping was first given consideration by the US Department of Education in 1913. • Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Waldorf Schools,believed that a long-term relationship with teachers was beneficial to children. • Deborah Meir, award winning NYC educator, introduced looping to NY schools in 1974. She considers looping essential because it allows the teachers and students a chance to form stronger bonds. • Today, many teachers, administrators and superintendents are “rediscovering” the logic behind multiyear placements.
Benefits and Advantages ACADEMIC BENEFITS
SOCIAL ADVANTAGES
Researchers claim that students gain an additional 6 weeks of learning time.
Students have reduced apprehension about the new school year.
Teachers gain extra teaching time. “Getting to know you” time becomes virtually unnecessary during the second year. Teacher knowledge about a child’s intellectual strengths and weaknesses increases in a way that is impossible to achieve in a single year. Long term teacher/student/family relationships improve student performance. Long term teacher/student/family relationships improve job satisfaction for teachers. Offers greater possibilities for summertime learning such as summer reading lists, mini projects and field trips.
Students reap benefits from time spent on developing social skills and cooperative group strategies in subsequent years. Long term relationships result in an emotional and intellectual climate that encourages, thinking, risk-taking and involvement. English language learners adjust to their new school and become comfortable with their teacher, developing confidence in their newly acquired language. Looping encourages a stronger sense of community and family among parents, students, and teachers.
Operating Principles • Looping schools keep groups of students together for longer periods of time. The size of the groups is not as important as is the continuity from year to year. • The teacher is “promoted” along with the students to the next grade. • The period of time students and teachers stay together is determined by the school personnel.
Conclusion Looping has existed for many centuries. In the days of the oneroom schoolhouse, when only one teacher was available, all students were taught by a single teacher over a period of several years. In addition, looping has been in practice in German Waldorf Schools since the early part of this century. Closer to home, the US Department of Education considered looping in 1913. Deborah Meier and Anne Ratzki revisited the concept of looping in the 1970s and 1980s respectively. Thousands of schools all over the country are now looping successfully. Recently, Marlborough elementary students, teachers and parents have enjoyed the benefits of looping. Some have expressed an interest in looping in the upper elementary and middle school years.
Looping Research …
Brain based Improved Community
Teacher satisfaction Looping
Differentiated Instruction ELL comfort level
Improved Test Scores
