School Organisation :
"Big guys" and "Little guys" in multi-age groupings

When you go into a cycle one class at Ste-Foy school after Christmas, you can't really tell a "little guy" from a "big guy". You can't tell with any level of certainty a first year portfolio from a second year portfolio, or a first year story book from a second year story book. And you certainly can't identify where first year students and second year students sit. These classes look nothing like the classic image of a "split" grade.

In September, the class organisation might be more structured, matching "a big guy" with "a little guy", later keeping the match as reading buddies. As the year progresses, the room changes. At the end of the year, many models will have developed, depending on the teacher and the on-going activity.

"There's no set way of doing things. The only hardened fact is that there is no line down the middle of the room." Peter Simons.

What does it take to make multi-age group work?
"For one, you have to stop thinking in terms of multi-age groups. You teach one lesson, not two. Having said that, our expectations are different." Peter Simons

Cycle groups and shared responsibilities

The cycle 1 teachers go beyond "simple" multi-age groups in their own class. Over time, multiple groupings develop to answer different needs. Music is done in Mr. Simon's room. The students regroup according to grade and level of ability with a one of the three teachers for mathematics. They regroup yet again for religion. Gym class often finds the three classes meeting together. That's not counting field trips and open-houses which are also done in common. These are just a few of the combinations.

The Cycle 1 team

Nicole Marquis, Julie Simard, Meredith Lowry, Peter Simons, Robin Francis.

The teachers share responsibility and get to know all the children in their cycle. They have developed the flexibility to apply many models of organisation to fit a variety of situations. Yet, they still retain their individuality:

"We don't all work the same way, but we adapt and make it work. And when a new teacher comes in, she gets into the team and just works with it!" Robin Francis

"We move in and out of togetherness, being apart, celebrating our similarities and our differences." Peter Simons

"It's not always easy. But it works. And we wouldn't do it any other way." Nicole Marquis

The Advantages of multi-age groups
Teachers really see many advantages to this type of organisation. The students learn to be flexible, moving around from a grade level group in one activity, to a mixed group for another. This is no mean feat for 6 and 7 year olds who first have to learn that the chair they use doesn't exclusively belong to them. Older students learn or consolidate their learning by helping the younger ones.

"Another wonderful thing about multi-age grouping is that it allows little Johnny to move on [...] it allows us to defer making choices about those children who haven't quite achieved the full level of competency we might expect by the end of his first year. At the end of grade one, there's often a lag in development that children often pick up the next year. They just have to develop. And with cycle-based instruction, they can have that chance." Peter Simons

They are unanimous. Given the choice, none of the teachers would go back to a grade grouping. Depending on enrolment, this can be a problem, but they are adamant about finding ways to maintain this type of organisation.