Multiage Strategies | Copycatchildren

Just imagine a Classroom at the beginning of every new school year where:

at least two thirds of the class knows the teacher’s expectations from the previous year and the teacher knows at least two thirds of the class on an individual and personal basis
the new class members have many ‘teachers’ to induct them into the workings and expectations of their new classroom
the parents of at least two thirds of the class know the ethos and workings of their child’s classroom and their teachers' expectations
the emphasis on happiness and security is equal to the emphasis on high academic performance and achievement
learning to learn is equated with the principles of continuity of learning
Copycats and Stickybeaks are recognised as the true learning traits of the Scallywags, as are all children
discipline problems are not blockages to high level learning and achievement
the children are breaking their necks to get to school and into their classroom for the excitement of their learning journey, every day
the children join their classroom as Followers, soon becoming Learners and end up as Leaders. All children in such classrooms Flourish.

Just imagine that!!!

What sort of classroom might that be? To put it simply it would look a lot like this, the original depiction we drew on a blackboard in 1984 which represented how a busy day in our Multiage Classrooms was operating, some with two teacher teams, some with a single teacher. The narrow sections of the day are whole of class, teacher directed sessions, sometimes being only a few short minutes, sometimes for a longer discussion period. The swollen parts depict the many activities that pupils are involved in, including some with teacher direction, but never with everyone doing the same thing at the same time. Why would you?

The multiage classroom timetable can be categorised into four broad themes, though not all of the children at any one time would all be on the same topic or theme, apart from when the diagram is at its narrowest, when TD is in place. The themes or time allocations would be easily identified and labelled as TD- Teacher Directed, TA - Teacher Assisted, SA- Self Actualised and SSR - Social, Sport, Recreation. Those four headings or categories or themes make up the entirety of a child centred learning environment, a Multiage Classroom. Some might identify them as Pedagogy, Andragogy, Heutagogy and just letting the brain have a break for a time. It is essential that every day at school every child has some part of their day to explore and learn about a topic or subject of interest to them personally. The learning that comes from SA is extraordinary. This is a non-graded classroom, a Multiage Classroom, and it operates on a thousand day continuous cycle of learning, with a team of teachers who support each other and learn to teach together.

Line one is a good plan to aim for and is preferable to line two where there is constant pressure between the needs and wants of the pupils and the demands of the system through its teachers. Many classrooms, possibly the majority, operate in this mode every day. Line three is a reasonable balance where the needs of the pupils are being met within the safety of the classroom, some direct teaching with some assisted teaching. Line four is the out of control classroom where the pupils are constantly in conflict, between themselves and also between themselves and their teachers. Line five for some is the ideal, where the teacher controls the learning environment yet the learners pursue their interests for a substantial part of each day. The "Social, Sport and Recreation" ratio may seem too high for some but it includes the part of the day outside the classroom where learning continues, sometimes not the sort some would approve of. Refer to the "Out of Classroom Curriculum" in Teaching Strategies which gives all the strategies to ensure learning success, all of the day, every day.

“There’s a glass and a half of learning in every glassful of Multiage classroom learning.”

All of the classroom strategies that ensure your success as a Multiage Teacher. They are also valid for "All teachers who have a pupil in the middle of their eye!" - The late Phil Cullen

The strategies will ensure your success as any 'child focussed teacher', not only as a Multiage Teacher. You might like to add to the list.

Learning in a Multiage Classroom is as much the responsibility of the learner as it is of the teacher. Every day every child is made aware of that mighty truth. "Learning to learn" is their mantra.

The Multiage Classroom Strategies.

They are also great for any classroom where "learning to learn" is important.

Ooze in to learning every day

The Invitations Noticeboard

Accelerators and Inhibitors

Learning Menus

End of term Kid Tracking Envelopes

The Education Digestion (Cow Gut) Model

One book/One folder policy

Clinics for needs based understanding, explicit instruction

Steep Ladder Syndrome

Accountability and Homework Policy