GCCS Multi-age Instruction

All of our classrooms are set up to offer a multi-age teaching environment for teaching academics. Multi-age teaching, which allows for children of different age levels to be in the same classroom, is different from a “combined classroom.” A multi-age classroom with 5, 6, 7, and 8-year olds, for example, allows all ages to work together on similar learning projects, but to advance academically at their own level.

The advantages of multi-age teaching are many. A multi-age classroom is a true community of learners where everyone is respected for where he or she is on the learning continuum. All children have the unique opportunity to be leaders and to teach other students, thus reinforcing their own learning at the same time they may be learning from other students. Teachers in multi-age classrooms are more aware of each student’s needs; lessons must be designed to teach a variety of levels, so curriculum and techniques are used that are developmentally appropriate for students. Each child is allowed to progress at his or her own pace. Children in multi-age classrooms have opportunities to stay with the same teacher for two or three years, thus eliminating a month or so of adjustment that is normally needed to establish the teacher- student-family relationship at the beginning of the year.