The purpose of this qualitative dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of departmentalized elementary teachers, Grades 1-3, and how they addressed their students' affective needs. The main research question of the study was how do elementary school teachers perceive departmentalized instruction and describe their experiences of this structure's impact on their students' affective needs. Data from interviews were initially open coded into 47 categories. Nonnotable responses appearing in less than 75% of the transcripts were eliminated. The remaining open-coded responses were then grouped into 5 axially coded themes. This dissertation employed a qualitative interview and data gathering process. Phenomenology was used as the research design. This mode of inquiry allowed me to capture the lived experiences of teachers' perceptions related to addressing their students' affective needs. All subjects reported positive experiences and successes in this endeavor. Recommendations include piloting departmentalization prior to implementation, consideration of teacher personality and teaching style prior to pairing teachers, and investigating the impact of departmentalization on various types of learners. Appended to the paper are: (1) Confirmation of Participation E-mail; (2) Interview Guide and Protocol; (3) Invitation to Participate E-mail; (4) Selection Confirmation; and (5) Adult Consent Form.