An evaluation of multigrade class teachers? thoughts towards the application of the new primary school programme

The purpose of this study is to determine the multigrade class teachers? thoughts about the application of the new primary school programme.In this study, following questions are the main ones to be answered:1.What do the multigrade class teachers think about the new primary school programme as a whole?Are there any significant differences among their thoughts in terms of the variables such as;a)Level of educationb)Length of professional servicec)Length of multigrade class experienced)Class sizee)Class grade?2.What do the multigrade class teachers think about the application of the same programme in both multigrade and monograde classes?3.What do the multigrade class teachers think about such domains as acquisition, content, teaching-learning period, and evaluation-assessment of the new primary school programme?Participants of the study are 82 multigrade class teachers working in the multigrade class primary schools in Düzce. Sample of the study consists of the thoughts of 45 volunteer multigrade class teachers.In this study, Scanning method is used and data are collected through a questionnaire designed by Yapıcı ( 2007). Data are analyzed via SPSS 16,0 package programme. Data about the first question are analyzed via frequency, percentage, anova and tukey test. On the other hand, data about the second and the third questions are analyzed via descriptive analysis.In the end of the all analysis, it is observed that the multigrade class teachers are of the same opinion that this new programme is not appropriate to apply into the multigrade classes owing to the fact that the classes are too crowded, time is limited, equipments and teaching-learning environment as well as in-service training activities on the new programme are not enough. Moreover, it is observed that level of education, length of professional service and length of multigrade class experience variables affect the multigrade class teachers? thoughts about this new programme; on the other hand, class size and class grade variables do not have a significant effect on their thoughts.Most of the participants are of the same opinion that a common programme should not be applied into the multigrade classes and the monograde classes and a new programme should be designed regarding the conditions about the multigrade classes.The multigrade class teachers suggest that acquisition, content, teaching-learning period and evaluation-assessment domains of the new programme are too intense; they also think that planned time and necessary equipments are not enough for a healthy application of the new programme into the multigrade classes. They state that this new programme are above the students in the multigrade classes. The multigrade class teachers stress that their insufficient financial supplies prevent them from applying this new programme into their multigrade classes.Key Words : Multigrade Classes, Constructivist Approach, The New Primary School Programme