Classes at Evergreen
MULTI-AGE GROUPING
Family grouping is achieved when children of more than one chronological age are together in a learning environment. Most classrooms have some age mix for many reasons. Family grouping accomodates social needs, maturation and learning styles. Family groups develop cooperative learning skills. Competition in younger children may put them at a disadvantage: children comparing themselves as inadequate. With a blend of ages in the same classroom, it is acknoledged by both class and teacher that all expectations within that room are individual ones. This empowers children to take more risks.
- Children have many levels of development, and with a blended family group there are many different bases to draw working ideas from.
- Multi-age grouping fosters collaborative learning, independent learning and responsibility. Children utilize one another's strengths from all different facets of the learning process.
- Older children often become peer teachers to the younger ones. This reinforces their own skills, and improves leadership qualities, giving the older child an opportunity to take on responsibility and independence.
- The variety of social development levels creates more varied problem-solving skills.
- Blurred grade lines provide an environment that diminishes the potential sense of failure for the less mature child.
- Children truly compete against themselves, instead of against each other. Success is then really a personal accomplishment. Learning is active, internalized and assimilated.
- Children are sometimes above level on one area and below level in another. Multi-age grouping enables the strengths of each child to become obvious.
- The classroom program is geared to each child's individual needs, rather than to a particular "grade" level. Flexible pacing fits learners.
- Teachers are able to explore the different potentials of each child without being restricted by the child's sense of competition.
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The Teacher in a Multi-age Classrom
- Sets the environment.
- Sets the parameters
- Conducts the overall activity
- Contacts individuals
- Keeps track of progress (i.e. scope and sequence charts)
Discipline in a Multi-age Classrom
is a matter of transforming energy and sharing power. The teacher
- Sets a positive attitude
- Sets behaviour
- Models expectations
- Sets routines
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"We chose Evergreen for it's warm welcoming atmosphere...the opportunity for parent participation, the small class sizes and the fact that various ages can learn from each other through family groupings."
-- The Daviau Family
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Click here to learn about parental involvement, or click below to explore other destinations in our web site.
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