Each student learns and develops at his or her own individual rate. Children learn best when they can learn at their own speed. Education experts tell us that age is a poor predictor of a child’s developmental stage. Some students are already reading at age 4 or 5 while others take much longer to distinguish letters and words. Yet those same “slow readers” may be able to master mathematical equations much quicker than their peers. Multi-age classrooms, paired with Evergreen’s educational concepts, allow for flexibility. Multi-age classrooms accommodate the developmental continuum of all students—from remedial to advanced.
In a multi-age classroom, age distinctions are greatly reduced. At Evergreen, students are grouped into four levels, which generally correspond to developmental stages: Multi-age pre-school consists of 3, 4 and young 5 year olds; Team 1 comprises students traditionally in kindergarten and grade 1; Team 2 includes students in grades 2 and 3; and Team 3 is made up of students in grades 4 and 5.
In a multi-age classroom the “older” students model learning, appropriate behavior and can explain how their team works to younger or new classmates. The “olders” are not the only ones leading. Younger students’ learning can be challenged or enhanced by learning with older students. All students are able to learn from each other--building a sense of community and teamwork. The skills children develop when they learn how to work together stay with them for a lifetime.