Developmentally Damaging Departmentalization? The Effects of Departmentalization on Elementary Students’ Student-Teacher Relationships and Academic Achievement

• In Event: Investigating K–12 Learning Environments

Abstract

Departmentalization is a prevalent practice in elementary schools, wherein students move between classrooms and teachers throughout the day. This study investigates the effects of departmentalization on student-teacher relationship quality (STRQ) and academic achievement among elementary school students in Grades 1 to 3. Multiple regression analyses were conducted using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (ECLS-K-2011) data. The results reveal that departmentalization negatively impacted student-teacher closeness in all grades and conflict in Grade 2. Furthermore, departmentalization significantly and negatively influenced reading and math performance across all grades, even after considering teacher-student closeness and conflict. These findings raise concerns about the potential drawbacks of departmentalization, highlighting the need to reconsider classroom organizational practices better to support young students' academic and social experiences.

Authors

• Jordan Donop, Texas A&M University

• Idean Ettekal, Texas A&M University

• Minoo Mohammadi, Texas A&M University