02 : 789 (NET)
Ms. Deborah Burnside
2023-2024 (Term 1)
Teaching in the Multiage/Multilevel Classroom
Course Outline
Course Overview
02:789, Teaching in the Multiage/Multilevel Classroom, was the final elective course I took in my Master of Education program. I completed this course in the fall of 2023. As with previous courses, we met for weekly Zoom classes and participated in whole-class and small group discussions about the weekly readings and course textbook (Manitoba Education and Youth). The purpose of the course was to explore teaching pedagogies related to multiage and multilevel classes. Topics of focus included the overall learning community, assessment, differentiation, curriculum integration, and inquiry-based learning. Because many students in the course were from the educational administration stream of the graduate program, a number of topics were explored through the lens of how leaders can support teachers working in multiage classrooms. Assignments included reflections posted to the Moodle site, an educational research review, case study analysis, and final multiage topic presentation.
I am currently teaching a multiage grade 7/8 class. As someone who has spent most of my career teaching in multiage classrooms, I was curious to see what new ideas, if any, I could learn through this course. I was pleasantly surprised to find that much of what I was already doing as a multiage teacher was reinforced by Manitoba’s Department of Education and much of the literature we explored weekly. I have long been a proponent of multiage classes and, upon completing this course, I continue to advocate for their use – especially in elementary schools. Having said that, in some ways, I was hoping for some slightly more challenging content. Perhaps I was too familiar with the strategies associated with multiage classrooms, but the course left me longing for a bit more of a mental stretch, similar to what I had experienced in previous courses. Regardless, it was a worthwhile course to take and was full of practical strategies that teachers and school leaders can use to support the students in their care.
Artifact 1
REVIEW OF THE PRAIRIE VALLEY TRANSITION TO MULTIAGE ELEMENTARY
For this assignment, we were asked to review an article related to the multiage classroom and provide a commentary on it, including a summary, its purpose, critique, and analysis. I found an article called The Prairie Valley Project (Bailey et al.), which focused on two schools’ transition from single grade to multigrade classrooms. My response to this article focused on the many factors that led to the successful implementation of multiage classrooms in these schools and how the article could be used as a possible blueprint for school leaders and/or teachers looking to make the transition themselves. Within the assignment, I drew on ideas presented in the course textbook and other articles that discussed the advantages and disadvantages of multiage classrooms to triangulate the conclusions made by Bailey et al.
I included this assignment because I see real value in the implementation of multiage classrooms, especially in elementary schools. While there are certainly advantages and disadvantages to the use of multiage classes, this brief review explores many of the ways that they can be successfully implemented. However, in order for successful implementation, school leaders must be willing to support their teachers through the transition with collaboration, meaningful professional development targeting areas of concern raised by teachers, and capacity-building. Cognitive coaching and learning-focused conversations facilitated by leaders would be essential. When not implemented with care, multiage classes can easily fail. However, the positive outcomes that can come from multiage classes makes it an option worth exploring.
Artifact 2
MOVING TO MULTIAGE: A PROPOSAL FOR ÉCOLE SOUTH POINTE SCHOOL
For the final assignment in this course, we were asked to prepare a presentation on a topic related to multiage or multilevel classrooms. The presentation was to include research, theories, practical experiences, and resources. In essence, we were expected to draw on what we had learned throughout the course, combine it with our own research, and present on a topic of our choice. Ideally, all students in the class would choose a different topic so that we would be exposed to a breadth of topics connected to the implementation of multiage classes, which is exactly what happened.
My presentation evolved as I was working on it. Initially, I wanted to explore how multiage classes could be used to support my school’s goal of inquiry-based learning integration. However, as I delved further into the course and the research, my presentation shifted into a proposal to implement multiage classes completely across my school. I presented the current structure of our school and the issues that currently face multiage teachers (as these classes are often put together to make up for too many or too few students in a particular grade, rather than being an intentional, pedagogical choice). I then looked at how multiage classes could be used to support our school goals related to literacy, numeracy, inclusion and citizenship, and inquiry-based learning. My presentation also drew on research that suggested students benefit from having the same teacher for two years, develop stronger social skills, and acquire a deeper sense of empathy. In many ways, fully embracing the multiage approach could support the work that we do at my school and help us, as educators, achieve the goals we have for our students. My plan is still to deliver this presentation when my school administration team starts their planning for the 2024-2025 school year.
