Classroom Interruptions in the Elementary Schools

Abstract

This paper examines the nature and effect of classroom interruptions. The researcher created and distributed an exploratory survey to teachers at a Rochester city school regarding the nature of classroom interruptions and methods used in dealing with them. The author then used this data to create a more extensive survey examining types, frequency, and number of classroom interruptions. This latter survey was distributed to a cross-section of elementary school teachers from seven graduate Education classes at the College at Brockport during the 1962 Spring semester. The researcher found that the most common reason for classroom interruption was individual music lessons, followed by banking, teachers interrupting other teachers, and bulletins and professional magazines, etc. The author suggests administrative changes to ease interruptions, including balancing class sizes, giving teachers adequate preparation and relaxation time, using teachers’ aides, and setting aside a separate time during the day for announcements/banking/communications, etc.