What are the advantages of Mixed-Age Kindergarten?
Clouder and Rawson (1998, pp 25-26) describe the Waldorf philosophy of mixed age kindergarden. Children are taught in age groups with their peers in undifferentiated classes. That means there is always a wide range of ability in any class. This has considerable significance for the social development of children. Being in mixed ability groups has the obvious – though by no means easy to achieve – social value of learning to appreciate the other person’s gifts and to support them in their weaknesses, especially where the competitive element is not in the foreground. Competition can be a healthy motivation when it is self directed – namely, when the individual thinks “can I do better than I did last time?” rather than “can I do better than them?” The role of the teacher is to facilitate this healthy focus inwardly directed. Pupils in Waldorf classes have relationship akin to members of a family. Children learn through them and occasionally in spite of each other. Through this mixed age g
Clouder and Rawson (1998, pp 25-26) describe the Waldorf philosophy of mixed age kindergarten. Children are taught in age groups with their peers in undifferentiated classes. That means there is always a wide range of ability in any class. This has considerable significance for the social development of children. Being in mixed ability groups has the obvious – though by no means easy to achieve – social value of learning to appreciate the other persons gifts and to support them in their weaknesses, especially where the competitive element is not in the foreground. Competition can be a healthy motivation when it is self directed – namely, when the individual thinks “can I do better than I did last time? rather than can I do better than them? The role of the teacher is to facilitate this healthy focus inwardly directed. Pupils in Waldorf classes have relationship akin to members of a family. Children learn through them and occasionally in spite of each other. Through this mixed age group
