How will my child benefit from learning in a multi-age classroom?
Multi-age learning environments expose younger students to the lessons and expectations of older students. Such glimpses into the future broaden younger students’ frames of reference and prepare them for the next developmental stage. Older students, in turn, are empowered to take on leadership and mentoring roles, which enhances their sense of purpose and belonging. Studies on the benefits of cooperative learning show that students often learn best from one another. At Breakwater, even our Kindergarteners have opportunities to share their important discoveries with their preschool peers. We frequently observe and monitor students’ work to ensure that we provide learning activities that meet each student’s needs and challenges him/her at the appropriate skill level.
