multigrade classroom debate

April 23, 2007

I am unable to make it to the meeting this evening, so here are a few comments regarding the three-way multi-grade classes.

I have no particular expertise on the pedagogical (sp?) pros and cons of the 3-way multi-grade class, so I can speak only from our personal experience at Lady Evelyn. (Our son has been in Ms. Dawson's class for grades 4, 5, and 6.) Overall we have been very pleased that he has had this opportunity and we generally support the concept of mult-grade splits.

We feel that students can benefit enormously from the consistent learning environment over three years and from being in a classroom that includes children in a fairly wide age range. The peer learning opportunities are rich, and our observation has been that a sense of responsibility grows in the older students. Our son has been able to experience the change from being one of the youngest in the class to being one of the "big kids", with a responsibility to help the younger ones. This can help to prepare kids for the many situations in life where they will find themselves working together with people of varying ages and abilities. It can also help to diminish the emphasis on competition, as it becomes a given that each child will be working at a different level or speed.

Students have a wider range in which to find their niche - both academically and socially.

Having said this, I think it must take a high level of organization, creativity, and flexibility on the part of the teacher to manage the varied curricula and levels of ability. I could understand why the multi-grade split might not be a popular concept with some teachers. We are extremely impressed with (in awe of, in fact) Ms. Dawson's ability to manage the 3-way split and to provide a challenging, fun, creative learning environment.

I think my son would say that overall he has really enjoyed the mix of students in his three years of being in a 3-way split. One downside, however, has been that he feels disoriented each fall as the composition of the class changes and he has to adjust to losing some good friends who move on to grade 7 and getting used to "strangers" in their midst - as the grade 4s are perceived until everyone gets used to each other. This is uncomfortable at first, but is also a good learning experience in adjusting to changing social situations.

For what they are worth, these are a few off the cuff observations about the multi-grade-grade split. Generally, I think it presents more benefits than detriments - if the teacher is supportive.

Thanks for listening.