Spring '98 Newsletter |
Table
of Contents |
by
Sharon Dyer, Brenda Kilfoil, Bob Brown, & Mary Turnbull |
| Bristol Elementary, a school of 150 students
located within District 13 in the village of Bristol, NB, houses children ranging in age
five to ten years old. Children aged five to seven years are organized into four multiage
classrooms with four teachers who work within two teams, as well as the larger team of
four. Children aged eight to ten years are taught in the more traditional single age
classrooms. Several years ago Bristol Elementary became an Early Years site for the Department of Education. With the implementation of classroom best practices (i.e. developmentally appropriate practices) it became increasingly clear to the teachers involved that their practices and beliefs did not coincide with the traditional graded system which was in place within the school. So a change was initiated. This change involved the support of the four teachers, the administration, the remaining staff, and of course, parents. Multiage learners at Bristol Elementary are flexibly grouped and benefit from interaction with peers of various ages. Our daily activities are structured to allow children to make choices and decisions about their individual learning. This is achieved through a developmental child centered approach. The curriculum is spread over a three year cycle and is taught through themes.
Many reading and writing skills are taught in context twice a week
during a special whole group activity called Morning Message. In addition, the direct
teaching of literacy skills is carried out three times a week in mini-lesson format, or
more often if necessary. |
Communication Workshop is a time for readers at any stage in
their development to practice literacy skills in a supportive environment. Children are
reading quietly, listening to recorded books, interacting with living books on the
computer, or participating in the games which build phonemic awareness. Communications
Workshop also allows children time to develop their writing skills. Children could be
involved in drawing pictures, copying words or text well as writing independently. Each
child is modeling what is reflective of their unique abilities.| by Karen D. Ingersoll and Laura Leigh Guilfoyle | |
Background: Karen and Laura have been teaching in a K-2 class as team teachers since 1995 at Coles Island School in District #17. The school has an open door policy to visitors and parents. "Good teaching requires that we consider each student as an individual. Multiage groupings may even make it easier to see our children as individuals because we are forced to assume differences rather than likenesses." (pg. 54, Family of Learners, Kasten and Clarke) This quote seems to describe what we've experienced over the last three years teaching and assessing students in our multiage class. When we thought about how to assess we were trying to identify how the multiage classroom differs from the age segregated room. In fact, we have discovered that many of the methods we use are the very same as in a single grade setting. The assumption in the single grade is that because we have students of relatively the same age we expect similar abilities. In reality we know this is not true. We experience a wide range of students. In the multi age class we expect different abilities from different ages - different individuals. It is very important to know the curriculum expectation for each age group and how to determine if a student is working at "grade level." We must know the curriculum guides well for assessment. Curriculum outcomes should be of prime importance when deciding what to teach and therefore what and how we intend to assess. Parents and administrators alike have been asking for more uniformity in reporting signposts. We as a district and school have adopted the First Steps Reading Continuum for this reason. It is our district's attempt to insure that all students receive the teaching of sequential skills at their level of reading development. It provides a uniform method of recording and tracking students' progress as well. We try to keep our reporting periods specific to individual children. We like to tell the parents where the child is currently, where we have noted growth and where we intend to take them next. This reflects our expectation that different individuals have different abilities. Mathematics assessment is through teacher made tests. When starting a unit we go directly to the curriculum checklist and item bank and use sample questions given. Daily work and math centers focus on the skills outlined in the curriculum guidelines. After the students have moved through the centers in small multiage groupings they are interviewed individually by the teacher. If they seem to excel at the grade level test for that unit then the questioning would probe from the next grade level up. This year all the students have math problem solving journals. All ages have the same math problem for homework but solutions are open ended and vary according to age and ability. The assessment tools we use include: SKILL ORIENTED TEACHER MADE TESTS INDIVIDUAL CURRICULUM CHECKLISTS FIRST STEPS WHOLE CLASS PROFILE SHEETS FIRST STEPS JOURNALS READING LOGS PORTFOLIOS which include art work, math exercises,
individual projects, writing in response to science or other discovery
projects. We note evidence of known skills in writing and use of
appropriate vocabulary. |
|
| by Connie Hooper | |
The staff at Island View participated in a Multi-age Grouping Project, which consisted of grades K-2. The theme that the staff decided on was the Winter Olympics. This lasted for six weeks, every Tuesday morning. The first session was 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. and the second session was from 9:50 to 10:20 a.m. There were eleven teachers that taught various subjects such as Reading, Art, computer, Cooking, Science, Math, Social Studies, Writing, Drama, French and Physical Education. There were eleven groups of students, with nineteen students in each group. I taught computers. I paired a grade two student with a kindergarten student. The students were given a country taking part in the Olympics and were asked to find that flag. Using the computer program MacGlobe, the students were directed to go into "country flags." Once the flag was found, the pair would choose from an assortment of precut flags and decide together which one they needed. They would work together and colour the flag that was on their screen. When this was completed, they were asked to go back into MacGlobe using country maps and using the same country, find the picture of the flag they just completed and listen to that country's National Anthem. I enjoyed working with the students and staff on this project. It gave me a chance to work with some of the students again that I had taught in previous years. All students had the chance to work in an environment that encouraged cooperative learning. I feel that this Multiage Grouping Project that our school participated in was a learning experience for all. Return to Table of Contents |
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| We
would like to thank all of our readers who responded to the survey
which was included in our fall issue. We would particularly like to
thank Heather Jones and the K-3 teachers in District 2 who sent us
very thorough and thoughtful comments. The following is a summary
of what you said about the newsletter. Over 3/4 of you said that you receive and read the paper. We have some faithful cover to cover readers, but most of you indicated that you read at least ½ of the issues. When asked how the material was relevant to you, you said that it gave you ideas, confirmed what you were already doing, and informed you about what other teachers in the province are doing. One reader felt that the material was more relevant to older children. Many readers had favorite issues. The issue on Music was named most frequently with Linking Home and School running a close second. One reader indicated that the photos were important additions. Although you enjoy articles, most of you do not share them with parents, politicians or other professionals. Many did say though, that they would be willing to share copies of the newsletter with others at their school as a cost saving measure. On the question of “voices” - most of you felt that we achieved a balance between teachers, parents, children and early childhood educators. One response suggested that we might want to include day care workers. There was also one response that indicated there were too many “voices” and another that indicated that there should be more workshops on these topics so that we might all be able to talk together. You offered a wide range of suggestions for further issues. Here are just a few: overview of teaching reading in New Brunswick, time management in the classroom, literature based programs, portfolios, implementing First Steps, appropriate discipline, story telling and readers theatre, integrating science, social studies and health, outcomes and what they mean to our practice, and parents in the classroom. You have given us “food for thought” as we plan for the coming school year. We will keep you informed as decisions are made about this publication. Return to Table of Contents |
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Some
of the new resources recently listed in the Department |
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Newsletter Information |
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Early Childhood Centre News is published by the: Early Childhood Centre, We welcome your submissions. Please sign your letters and include your mailing address and telephone number. Editors: Anne Hunt, Pam Nason and Pam Whitty |
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