School drops grade levels for groupings

Next fall, students there won't be assigned to traditional grade level classrooms, like first grade or second. Instead, they will learn in multi-age grouped classrooms.

Reminiscent of one-room schoolhouses, multi-age grouping places children of different ages in the same classroom. At Cohoes Catholic, the groupings will consist of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, first and second grade, third and fourth grade, and fifth and sixth grade. The seventh and eighth grades will remain separate.

Successes

"The research has shown that multi-age grouping produces positive attitudes toward school for children," she said. "It also builds the child's self-esteem and helps them achieve success."

Other benefits, she said, include providing more time for learning, allowing the students to have the same teacher for two years (which allows the teacher to better understand the child's strengths and weaknesses), and permitting children to learn at their own rates.

Home example

Offering a multi-age program fits in with the mission of Catholic schools, said Cohoes Catholic first grade teacher Maureen Ferris, who noted that Catholic schools strive to see each child as an individual and help them develop their talents.

"Multi-age grouping will benefit the children," she said, "and that's what we're there for."

Making the move

"For the teachers, there is a lot of preparation," she noted. "The faculty knows that this summer will be devoted to preparing for the fall."

Mrs. Ferris said she is not focusing on the additional work that she is facing. "This is a ministry and a job," she said. "Seeing the children excited to learn will make it worth the extra work."

Seeking examples

After 15 years teaching, Mrs. Ferris said this change is something that will benefit her as well. "It's a learning experience for me, and it's made me excited," she said.

She is looking forward to having students for two consecutive school years, explaining that the first month of school is typically spent teaching the students the classroom routine. With multi-age grouping, half of the class will already know the routine and will assist the younger children in learning it. That will cut down significantly on the amount of time spent learning class rules and will give the students more time to be engaged in active learning.

New look

The school is planning a meeting for parents where they will hear from one of the experts in multi-age grouping and will be provided with additional information. Mrs. Ferris said she thinks that the parents will also be excited by the change.

"Our parents are committed and are involved in their children's education," she said. "They want them to strive and excel. With multi-age grouping, we can challenge the children."

(01-24-02) [[In-content Ad]]