Jahrgangsmischung als Irritation des Zeitregimes der Jahrgangsklasse [Age-mixed grouping as an irritation of school’s time regime? Learning-experiences from pupils]

Dõgmus, Aysun; Huf, Christina; Idel, Till-Sebastian

Abstract

This article explores how pupils’ narratives about their learning contribute to understanding how time coordinates teaching and learning in school. Starting with the assumption that age-mixed grouping has a potential to irritate schools age-graded time regime, the article analyses interviews with pupils who learn in age-mixed groups from year one to year ten in the ‘Primus-Schule’. Building on analyses guided by the Grounded Theory Method (GTM), the paper explores how pupils experience possibilities of structuring their learning according to their individual rhythm, yet at the same time experience being responsible for their learning and being members of their learning group. The findings of the paper meet the idea of an ‘irritation of the age graded regime’ with the ambivalence that the time-regime may be experienced as less powerful in age-mixed learning groups, although the pupils remain involved in manifold practices of optimizing their individualized learning time.