Over the past several years teachers at the Avon Primary School have “looped” with their students. Teachers are reporting that this idea has been a tremendous and rewarding experience for students and parents. The concept of “looping” is very simple: a teacher moves with his or her students to the next grade level, rather than sending them to another teacher at the end of the school year. The practice of looping is widespread in European school systems, but is still uncommon enough in the United States to be considered innovative.
The available literature on looping describes its numerous benefits. Students change from one grade level to the next with a minimum of anxiety. It also provides children with additional time to build the relationships on which much of the children’s learning depends. Looping also strengthens the home to school relationship. It also adds an extra month of teaching/learning time during the second year when the typical transitional period at the beginning of the year is virtually unnecessary. To access a 23-page booklet on looping from the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory click here.
