multigrade classroom debate

Hello.

My name is Lisa Howell and I am the mother of Darius Fazilat, a Grade 3 student in Ellis Lynn Duschenes Mulit-grade 1-2-3 classroom.

Darius began his journey through the multi-grade classroom in September of 2004, in his First Grade year. He is now completing his three years with Ellis Lynn and with many of his classmates that have been in his class for the entire time. The multi-grade classroom allows the relationship between the teacher and student/parent to develop, grow, evolve and blossom over the years spent working together.

My reasons for choosing the multi-grade classroom are meshed with my strong belief in community-based classroom education. In the multi-grade classroom you have a diverse blend of learners, ages, skills, social competencies, interests and abilities. My experience through Darius has been that the beauty of the multi-grade classroom is in this bringing together of ages and stages. Children are able to work at THEIR actual level rather than at their grade level. A grade 1 student may do Grade 2 Reading, while a Grade 3 student may need to work on Grade 1 math skills. The child, then, has the space to explore activities that are developmentally appropriate for them as individuals rather than as "Grade 1" or "Grade 2" students.

Another dimension that I have witnessed in the multi-grade classrooms is the mentoring and leadership that goes on among the age groups. The Grade 1 students work with and are exposed to concepts by the older students. They learn to trust their older peers as fellow-learners (they also learn to assert themselves in appropriate ways!)Darius led a Science group this term,guiding younger students in their observations and questions. The opportunity for leadership and patience is ripe in multi-age classrooms.

It is important for an alternative programme to offer alternatives to mainstream education. One of these choices at Lady Evelyn are the multi-grade classrooms. We are empowered by our freedom to choose, using logic and reason when we make these educational choices for our children. Choice encourages this contiplation and reflection. Chioce allows different families diverse options. I believe that the option to choose a mulit-grade classroom for our children is an integral and inherent core of the Lady Evelyn Alternative School's philosophy, foundation and future.

Thank you,

Lisa Howell