Kathryn and Jazmine are in different grades, but they are in the same class in the Mexico school district's New Haven Elementary -- a multiage classroom called the Beehive. Full Story »
Posted by Kristin Gorski
Would have better been called an opinion piece or a human interest story, since it gives many of the opinions of those in the school with no backup from outside experts or from research. I would think that the Montessori schools would have enough research, since they commonly use multi-age classrooms and many keep good stats.
Both of my children started school in multi-age classrooms, in part because of my own positive experiences in early elementary school. Because of over-crowding during the peak of the baby boom, a small number of my age-mates and I were often placed with slightly older students. We were the ones at the top of our classes, and had work of our own, but received the stimulation of the teacher's work with older, theoretically more advanced students. It was great, but not as good as the ... More »
Since this has been tried in the '60's and '80's and generally dismissed, it seems like the author owed her audience a bit more information as to why it has been generally abandoned. "
My son was in a multi-age classroom from 2nd through 4th grades. It's great if the parents and the student are on good terms with the teacher (which we were) and the other students and parents in the class (which we were). It's not so great if the teacher and the student don't hit it off the first year regardless of fault. We saw that happen too, and the parents didn't realize what was going on in time request that their child be moved. The kid stuck it out with a teacher for 3 ... More »
In fact, talk to officials at any of the local schools with multiage classrooms and they all mention the same advantages: More »
Interesting Article that sounds, good, but like everything The proof's in the pudding. Give it some time, see what happens.
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