Classes

Why mixed-aged group classes?

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Happy Hearts chose to implement mixed age group classes for the many benefits it carries. Mixed-aged classes include children from two consecutive grades in one classroom. A mixed-age program allows each child to move through content and skill areas at their own pace, while teachers tailor instruction according to each student’s readiness level and ability. Renowned psychologists, pedagogists, and educators have highlighted the importance of group learning benefits in mixed-age classrooms. The Montessori method of teaching, for instance, stresses that multi-age groupings can greatly benefit children. Here are some of the ways that multi-age grouping can benefit children:

• Social and emotional development - Research has shown that children in mixed-age classrooms have increased social and emotional understanding, engage in both collaborative and independent learning with greater ease, and have more positive peer interactions than their counterparts in single-grade classrooms.

• Nurtures Early Childhood Learning and Leadership - allowing younger children to learn from older playmates, little ones could gain more emotional support and social learning from older children than from those near their own age. The older children, on the other hand, also get to practice nurturance and develop vital leadership skills by caring after their younger playmates. Instilling leadership qualities early on makes them more independent and proactive to opportunities.

• Makes Children Cooperative rather than Competitive - Since every learner is of the same age in a traditional classroom setting, the inclination to compete and come first becomes the sole objective for children. Instead of embracing the journey together, they forget to have fun while they learn. In mixed-age groups children likely become more cooperative. During learning sessions and fun activities, they learn to care for themselves as well as their peers while they learn together.

The mixed-age learning model thus opens up new doors of perspective and helps children see each other as individuals than contenders.

• Introduces New Ways to Develop and Grow - Children found in same-age learning environments tend to possess qualities on a similar scale, leaving little room for creative problem-solving. In a mixed-age room environment, each child is presented with ample opportunities to strengthen their weaknesses and develop solutions as they observe, interact, and grow. For instance, older children can teach their juniors the value of patience and empathy while younger children can ask seniors for assistance if they get stuck in between. By mixing together, children can also cultivate their bilingual skills and learn new languages along with their peers from different backgrounds. Such a dynamic setting inculcates valuable life skills along with academic knowledge.

• Grows Confidence in Children

Our teachers are trained to meet the diverse and varying learning styles of our students. Teachers use direct instruction with individuals, small flexible groups or the whole class to develop necessary skills and concepts, and to promote learning among peers. Our team has developed an integrated curriculum approach, which allows separate curriculum areas to be integrated in a meaningful way and develops student choice and ownership through activities that are tailored to their interests.

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