Description of the Multi-Age Education - Coursework Example

Multiage education is the practice of teaching children of diverse ages and the grades are deliberately placed in a room in order to apprehend the academic and social advantage. Therefore multiage education can be defined as the placement of children in a classroom who are a minimum a year apart in age thereby utilizing a single, individualized, child centered development approach. Students under such conditions, progress along a range of a simplified to more complex material at their own tempo. Thus an atmosphere is created wherein the students spend more than a year with the same teacher in a mixed-age learning society. Generally two-thirds of the students remain collectively year after year and only the oldest students advance to the next group. Multi age educations seek development and learning from and with each other. The design created is to place each child instead of making each child fit the program. Having established the definition and meaning of multi age education let’s examine the history and investigate as to how multi aged educational system came into vogue. Hundreds of years ago, education was administered to students in a single-room school house. Against this background learners of all ages were educated by the same educator for a number of years. Multi age education is employed worldwide and has its roots in the history of America, as viewed in the encircling use of the one room school house during the colonial period. In Massachusetts the laws required towns to operate public schools. But most public schools were able to afford only a single teacher. Thus the single teacher had to adopt the multiple approaches. Such one room and one classroom schools implemented, “individualized instruction, independent study, cross age tutoring, flexible scheduling and a continuous progress” (Stone, 1996). The industrial revolution in the eighteenth century, witnessed a shift in the American public education to the graded system and the curriculum centered approach. Horace Mann graded curriculum approach was considered as the most efficient for method of education to fit the industrial society. But in the search for the child centered education, John Dewey criticized the graded system. Late 1950’s and early 1960’s sought a re-evaluation of teaching methods. In 1959, Goodlad and Anderson in their book ‘The Non Graded school’ described ‘homogenous’ groupings and made a strong case for multi age grouping. Reform called for schools to be recognized into ‘multi-grades’ or ‘non-graded classrooms’ that depended on team teaching so that each child could progress according to their abilities. (Stone, 1996). During 1990’s reformation and reconstruction of teaching methods were sought after and this gave rise to the multi age educational pattern to be implemented. 2000 saw the rise in multi age system being adopted in schools and The National Multi Age institute at Northern Arizona University has become the leading institute in training teachers in this multi age application. Having established the background of multi age education, let’s examine the functioning of multi age educational pattern together with the positive and negative aspects of this system. To begin with certain basic and philosophical principles have to be established for a successful multi age classroom to function. Multi age education’s focal points are the child as the learner rather than the curriculum. In this system the child who is the learner and the receiver of information becomes the significant aspect when compared to graded system. For in the graded system the curriculum is given significance and the student is forced to follow the pattern and in failing to fall in line enables the student to fail in studies as well as in life. For education determines ones life in this world. A primary multiage classroom would constitute age groups four to six, five to seven years and six through eight years. At times multiage classroom can constitute two age levels together such as kindergarten and grade one or grade one and grade two together. But one must realize that having three different age levels in a classroom would enhance greater opportunities for interaction and learning between these ages. Development of ones self-esteem is further enhanced. This primary multi age classroom witnesses the student with the teacher for a span of three years. In other words a child begins its life with a family and begins its educational life with family. How? Three years enables the establishment of the idea of togetherness and family. Time factor becomes vital for the child is rendered with sufficient time to adapt to school and learning activities. Plus the teacher studies each student and becomes aware of the academic strengths of every student. Competition can lead one into rivalry, antagonism and war. But in a multi age classroom competition is condensed and the atmosphere is generally mutual. The students learn to be a supportive family. "Competition among students is replaced by a growing sense of community”. (Hime & Moore, 1995). Having established the base of a multi age classroom i.e. age and family, let’s examine other basic components. A heterogeneous balance should be established between every gender and age groups. Further since every child is different and unique, respect for he individual is important wherein time and support is forwarded towards every child. Success a striving force which enables progress with a positive attitude. Cross age learning occurs where there is collaboration between the older and younger and vice versa. Interaction between the different ages epitomizes the search and learning of knowledge and life and the presence of younger children assist in antisocial older children “Younger children are particularly helpful in reducing the isolation of socially withdrawn older children”. (Pratt, 1993). Further mentoring and leadership exhibits a student’s role from maturity to being mentored and leads to mentoring. Multi age learning moulds children into autonomous learners wherein a child is able to take charge of its learning abilities, organization, planning, implementation and assessments in the classroom. Groups are divided on the basis of student’s needs and their interest and opportunities to learn every aspect of all learning styles. Since there is no labeling there are no division and inferiority complexes. Learning, partition of knowledge are all child oriented. For assessment qualitative and quantitative tools are utilized. The unity and collaboration between the professional staff members provide a family based curricula in a multi age classroom. Similarity can be traced between the students in a multi age classroom and the real world. Miller stated “Certainly, grouping students strictly by age does not reflect a naturalistic life-like setting in which people of different ages learn from each other”. (Miller, 1996). “The children simply do not think being in a class with kids of different ages is all that unusual. In fact, their classroom has just caught up with the rest of their lives”. (Larosa, Patty & Moon, 1995). Students in a graded classroom are anticipated to be academically on the same level and are to learn at the same rate and pace for the simple reason that they are all chronologically the same ages. Instead multi age classrooms which include students of various ages expect the students to be at diverse levels. Further students learn to accept each others unique strengths and weaknesses and thus learn to respect the individuality in everyone. Multi age classrooms are more beneficial for a weaker student; for the student is provided with ample time to master the continuum of talents and theories without having to fail a grade or being detained. The most important point is that the teacher plays a significant role for the strategies and teaching techniques that is input in the teaching methods that goes towards the development and acquiring of knowledge by a student. One must realize that there are many domains to a child that interacts with the other. Psychologist Jean Piaget states that children go through stages of cognitive development and at certain stages are capable of only certain types of intellectual endeavors. The child is viewed as an active learner and learning is a process. A student understands the learning process when the activity is relevant. Social interaction plays and active role in a student’s learning process. “A teacher who works with the same group for two or more years is also in a better position to evaluate each youngster’s cognitive process and to prevent fragmentation or necessary repetition of instruction.” (Milburn, 1993). The teachers role combined with the school authorities all play a vital role in the modeling and modulating the learning process of a child. A classroom is also given significance in this process of learning for unless the surroundings are conducive can learning becomes a happy enterprise. The individual desk can be limited or removed thereby allowing space to be dominant and enhancing group and project organizations to be functional. If one enters a multi age classroom one would notice that there are no rows of desk, instead the children are engaged in group activity and are making decisions about the pattern of learning they are interested in. Though there are older kids, one would find that they are not shy or embarrassed about mixing with the young but the older become a teacher and guide. The upper classes also are buzzing with enthusiasm and the students are involved in either solving problems or learning history utilizing the project work, for example recreating Egypt and its pyramids. The significant advantage a teacher has is the additional time they have to work with the same students. Thus this provides ample time for the teacher to ensure that every student learns and establishes a special relationship with every child. “We don’t change doctors or dentists every year, and for good reason. So why should we change teachers?....Everybody knows each other and what to expect, and they get right to work without spinning their wheels for days or even weeks”. (Miller, 1996) Ultimately multi age learning facilitates and allows self learning, decisions making, open mind, visual access, and organization, rekindles interest in books and the search for knowledge etc. Such students become leaders, goal drives, and positive attitude and adopt strategies to cater to life’s requirements and ordeals. Debbie Ross stated, “The research supporting multi age classrooms indicates that academic achievement is the same as, or better than, the academic achievement of children in the same grade classrooms. Mixed-aged classrooms do not negatively affect student’s achievement, and students in these classrooms have significantly more positive attitudes toward school, themselves and others”. (Stone, 1996) Finally when children are small they are taken care of and are assisted with spelling, studies and tying their shoe laces. Once they grow older they learn to help the younger ones. There is no special class or teaching technique for all this instead children learn through everyday life examples and soon realize their importance and their turn to teach again to the others their lessons of life. Everything in life has a positive and a negative phase. Likewise though multi age classrooms appear beneficial, yet certain unfavorable notions are present against multi age technique of teaching. Let’s begin with the age of the students. As mentioned it is a combination of different ages. So ultimately once the younger students become older they in turn teach and assist with the young. So instead of the older spending valuable time and pursuing the search in knowledge, they spend their time tutoring the young. Another aspect is that in a multi age classroom the children of various grades are too dissimilar to be effectively instructed under the same surroundings. Again the older or talented students may be neglected as the young are always nurtured over. “Every effort needs to be made to challenge advanced learners”. (Grant, Johnson & Richardson, 1996). The combination of various students into a mixed age classroom wherein adjustments to teaching and appraisals practices are not implemented will only lead to failure. The assessments and monitoring of children’s development becomes complicated for there are fewer children to judge against in multiage grouping. The requirement for the teachers becomes more catastrophic for proficiency needs to be adequately provided in order to create an environment for extensive ranging of ages together with extended challenging goals for the students. Teachers who have not received professional development on working with different ages in the same classroom may initially be resistant to multiage practice. They may think of the class as a split class or combined class and try to teach a different curriculum for each grade level in the class. This type of instruction does not fit the critical attributes of multiage education. (Stone, 1995) In some cases one can find that the teachers are not teaching across the ages. Instead they tend to teach the first graders something and the second graders something else. The result of such a situation is because the teacher is unable to understand the basic concept of non graded ness or rather unable to comprehend the functioning of a multi age classroom. Team teaching and team building can be a problem for certain teachers. For when the creation of the team of teachers occurs, personality traits and teaching styles are essential. For a teacher who is inexperienced and who is doubtful about the program would only lead the students and the program to failure. The teacher can also face problems in introducing and incorporating new students into established classes. Therefore problems arise for both the teacher as well as the student. So instead of leading a student on the pathway of knowledge, a teacher and a student may end up spending quality time trying to interact and cope with others in a classroom. Most often teachers are trained only in teaching techniques that cater to single grade classes. Generally teachers are opposing to change. What happens to the younger children? Other than being taught and natured in a pleasing environment, psychologically what can affect them? The young tend to copy the old for in their world the old are always right and will show them the right pathway of life. But what happens when the old portray the negative side of life which is horrifying? The young could compare themselves adversely with the aptitude of the older children. So if the older children after reaching a stage in their lives decide to discontinue their studies would that provide a stable influence on the young buds? Further the young can feel demoralized by the presence of proficient classmates, and they can become burdens on the older students by continuously requesting for assistance. Suppose the older students are not capable enough to meet the challenges in the classroom, then this may make the older students to become domineering with the younger students. Additional to this is if the older students require adult direction and who have a problem in focusing and who face problems on completing assignments, then such students would be uncomfortable in a multi age classroom setting. For more than a year the student and the teacher are together learning, but to what extent can one estimate the quality and quantity of learning? For the student will develop only one style of learning and that style as portrayed by that particular teacher. The bonding that occurs between the student and the teacher would almost be dense and when the time approaches for the student to move into another class, problems such as meeting and coping with the new teacher can occur. At times the new style of imparting knowledge adopted by the new teacher can cause rejection and refusal by a student. And this can become and cause a major obstruction in the learning process for a student. Thus the student undergoes psychological problems and therefore would not be prepared and ready to move on in life. Isn’t life more than just the teacher? What happens to friendship? Here again having been with particular friends in the same environment for more than a year, now suddenly the time arrives for a student to progress to another class. Again a student can face problems in making new friends and the worst happens when the student is not accepted into peer groups. Yes multi age classroom comprises of teacher and students. But what about the parents- they also play a vital role in not only ensuring that there children go to the best school but also receive the finest education. For today’s children and students are our future citizens and leaders of the country. Therefore a parent also can find it difficult to comprehend the functioning of a multi age classroom. To add to this confusion if a parent has an older child in a multi age class, the fear would be that the program is not au fait and the student would be wasting time. On the other hand if a parent has a young child in a multi age classroom their worry would be that the syllabus would be difficult for their age and standards. Therefore parents have to be educated about this multi age institution, for failing to do so would only result in parents assuming that their child is being hindered in academics. Life and books are inter-related for a book not only assists in the acquiring of knowledge but also forms a base upon which one can exist on. A book either a literary or scientific work or anthology or something regarded as a subject for study as the book of life etc. A book also exhibits the body of facts, traits, or circumstances that is connected with a person or subject. When the subject is on multi age classrooms why would one want to talk about books? Graded education relies solely on books combined with research and development. Whereas multi age education involves only practicality and organization combined with group activities. Books are secondary. So a student’s interest and quest for knowledge through books and reading is limited. Books provide the base and structure for one to understand and investigate as they continue their search in the quest for knowledge and fulfillment of life. Reading books develops one vocabulary and word power. Students facing problems in school whether it is academics or companionship problems can turn to books for solutions and answers. Play way method of teaching combined with organization, planning and implementation can be incorporated in the teaching styles for the younger students. This would form a strong foundation and base on which a student who has begun their exploration and learning to build on. Once the student has understood and acquired the trend of learning then books may be introduced to enhance ones skill in learning. For books encourages conformity and is unresponsive to the ranges of abilities found in groups of children. Ultimately education and teaching techniques are important for all as the quality time that is spent goes into the molding of students. As every parent wishes to give their best to their child similarly every educational institution also strives in imparting knowledge and shaping the children for a better tomorrow. As every form of education has their advantages and disadvantages similarly multi age education has also stated there’s. It is left up to every individual to consider what right and wrong and to decide what’s best for all. Knowledge is positive against notion. For as the saying goes, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, similarly notion only leads to a dismayed life. References Stone, S.J. Creating the Multi age classroom. Good Year Books, 1996. Hime, Debra and Moore Carolyn. Multi Age Classrooms. National Education Assocation, 1995. Pratt, David. On the Merits of Multiage Classrooms. The Multiage Classroom:A Collection. Ed.Robin Fogarty. Palatime: IRI Skylight Publishing, 1993. Miller, William. The multi age handbook: A comprehensive resource for multiage practices. Ed. Arlene Fredenburg. Comp. Jim Grant and Irv Richardson. Peterborough:Society for developmental education, 1996. Milburn, Dennis. The multi age classroom: A collection. Ed.Robin Fogarty. Palatime: IRI Skylight Publishing, 1993. Larosa, Patty and Moon, Mary Ellen. Multi age Classrooms. Ed.Karen Gutloff. National Educational Association, 1995. Grant, Jim, Johnson, Bob and Richardson, Irv. Multiage Q & A: 101 Answers to you Most pressing Questions. Peterborough: Crystal Springs Books, 1996. Read More

d for schools to be recognized into ‘multi-grades’ or ‘non-graded classrooms’ that depended on team teaching so that each child could progress according to their abilities. (Stone, 1996). During 1990’s reformation and reconstruction of teaching methods were sought after and this gave rise to the multi age educational pattern to be implemented. 2000 saw the rise in multi age system being adopted in schools and The National Multi Age institute at Northern Arizona University has become the leading institute in training teachers in this multi age application.

Having established the background of multi age education, let’s examine the functioning of multi age educational pattern together with the positive and negative aspects of this system. To begin with certain basic and philosophical principles have to be established for a successful multi age classroom to function. Multi age education’s focal points are the child as the learner rather than the curriculum. In this system the child who is the learner and the receiver of information becomes the significant aspect when compared to graded system.

For in the graded system the curriculum is given significance and the student is forced to follow the pattern and in failing to fall in line enables the student to fail in studies as well as in life. For education determines ones life in this world. A primary multiage classroom would constitute age groups four to six, five to seven years and six through eight years. At times multiage classroom can constitute two age levels together such as kindergarten and grade one or grade one and grade two together.

But one must realize that having three different age levels in a classroom would enhance greater opportunities for interaction and learning between these ages. Development of ones self-esteem is further enhanced. This primary multi age classroom witnesses the student with the teacher for a span of three years. In other words a child begins its life with a family and begins its educational life with family. How? Three years enables the establishment of the idea of togetherness and family. Time factor becomes vital for the child is rendered with sufficient time to adapt to school and learning activities.

Plus the teacher studies each student and becomes aware of the academic strengths of every student. Competition can lead one into rivalry, antagonism and war. But in a multi age classroom competition is condensed and the atmosphere is generally mutual. The students learn to be a supportive family. "Competition among students is replaced by a growing sense of community”. (Hime & Moore, 1995). Having established the base of a multi age classroom i.e. age and family, let’s examine other basic components.

A heterogeneous balance should be established between every gender and age groups. Further since every child is different and unique, respect for he individual is important wherein time and support is forwarded towards every child. Success a striving force which enables progress with a positive attitude. Cross age learning occurs where there is collaboration between the older and younger and vice versa. Interaction between the different ages epitomizes the search and learning of knowledge and life and the presence of younger children assist in antisocial older children “Younger children are particularly helpful in reducing the isolation of socially withdrawn older children”.

(Pratt, 1993). Further mentoring and leadership exhibits a student’s role from maturity to being mentored and leads to mentoring. Multi age learning moulds children into autonomous learners wherein a child is able to take charge of its learning abilities, organization, planning, implementation and assessments in the classroom. Groups are divided on the basis of student’s needs and their interest and opportunities to learn every aspect of all learning styles. Since there is no labeling there are no division and inferiority complexes.

Learning, partition of knowledge are all child oriented.

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