Real-Life Learning: Why A Mixed-Age Classroom Makes Sense
Take a glance at any adult professional environment: Usually, it is made of people of varying ages, knowledge and personalities. For a professional environment to be effective and productive, adults need to cooperate and communicate with people of different ages, different talents, different levels of knowledge and expertise and different personalities.
The Montessori Lower Elementary classroom is no different: It is a mixed-age learning environment comprised of children between the ages of 6 and 9 years old. Every child has different experiences (however limited in their young life), different talents, different aptitudes and most certainly different personalities. And just like a real-life workplace, Lower Elementary students learn to cooperate with, communicate with and appreciate the different individuals in their environment.
When capable older students are given the opportunity to present lesson to younger students, the benefits of a mixed-age environment are beautifully illustrated. In this one example, the children benefit from the experience in so many ways and on so many levels.
Cultivating leadership through mentoring.
For older students, mentoring and teaching lessons offers them opportunities to exercise leadership. With some initial guidance from the teachers, students are able to take on the hefty responsibility of acting as role models and mentoring younger students on “best practices” during the course of a lesson. Even before the academic components of the lesson are shared, older students remind younger students about the expectations throughout the lesson: Listening and observing carefully, sitting properly, labelling work neatly and raising their hands when they wish to ask or share something.
Older students show mastery by presenting lessons to other students.
“See one, do one, teach one.”This training model – widely used in professional and vocational training in many industries – mirrors the process of learning and sharing in the Montessori classroom. Having students present a lesson is the truest test of mastery, in that the students who are teaching must fully comprehend the topic they are sharing to their younger counterparts. They must be able to articulate the concept, give examples and offer ideas on follow-up work that enable the students to show their understanding, before being given the privilege and responsibility of sharing new information with a classmate.
Students learn readily from their peers.
For younger children, learning happens naturally and readily when the information is shared by their peers. Children can communicate with each other on a direct level – often more effectively than adults can with children. Respect for knowledge and experience is naturally planted, and younger students are likewise motivated to emulate their classmates, to reach their level of mastery. Instead of being a one-way process, learning goes both ways.
Having mixed ages within one classroom truly helps prepare children for real life. It cultivates essential life skills in effective and positive communication, cooperation, appreciation for others and respect for knowledge and experience, all during the critical formative years of human development. The mixed-age grouping is a unique and integral part of the Montessori environment, and is invaluable in setting a foundation for lifelong success in our children.
OTHER NEWS:
OCTOBER LESSON THEMES – Please CLICK HERE to view this month’s lesson themes.