There are a lot of challenges in a multi-grade classroom, but there are some great advantages to
having children of different ages learning together. Some of the students at Island Park Elementary
Charter School are working on curriculum that is one or two grade levels higher than the grade in which
they are enrolled. Others are working on grade level or below grade level materials. Each student is
getting the instruction and practice they need to grow in skills and confidence. Individual students can
move seamlessly between groups, depending on what they need. This week, two of our first graders
moved into the “big kids” math group. They had been working with a group of kindergarteners and first
graders on addition and subtraction, and they were excelling. I moved them to a higher group for two
reasons. First, I could see that they were ready for math at a higher level. Second, by moving them out
of the group they were in, that group would have fewer students and we could increase the attention
that each student would receive. The fewer students there are in a group, the more intense and
personalized their instruction can be. When we made the shift, the two first graders struggled a bit. I
must admit that I was beginning to think I had made a mistake by moving them. We continued working
on challenging problems. After four or five problems, both of the first graders started catching on. They
were solidifying their understanding of place value, and they grew more and more confident with each
problem they tried. I think it’s important for students to be challenged with work that really makes them
think. And the students love it! Rather than being bored and “tuning out” they were able to engage in
important work and were eager to learn more.
It is important to challenge students, but if they are pushed too far too fast, they experience
frustration. They need time to grow in skills and knowledge, and it’s important to build a strong
foundation of basic skills before moving on. We have some students who are working at a level that is
below their assigned grade. It doesn’t take them long to catch up, but it’s important sometimes to “go
back” to fill in gaps and build a stronger foundation for learning. When we take time to work on
foundational skills, they can build on these skills fairly quickly. They are then able to take on grade-level
challenges with greater confidence.
We do a lot of small group or individual instruction at the school, but we also do some lessons
with the whole class. Most recently, we have been learning about the American Revolution. The children
have learned about the Boston Tea Party, the Declaration of Independence, Betsy Ross, and George
Washington. With each lesson, we learn new vocabulary words. Students take turns writing these words
on the board as they are introduced. I spell the word and a student writes it while the others try to
“sound it out.” Even the kindergarteners are learning to read words like “continental army”
“government” and “independent.” As we work through the lessons, the children have many
opportunities to locate places on a map of the United States that hangs on a low spot on the wall where
everyone can see it. They are learning a lot about the history and geography of our country. By learning
with children of different ages, they are not limited to one grade level. Some are learning things they
wouldn’t learn in a “normal” classroom. Others are overhearing and reviewing concepts that they may
not have understood when they were younger. It’s really a win-win for students of all ages.