Educational Issue

How do multi-grade
classrooms impact
students and teachers
intellectually, socially,
and emotionally?
Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Intellectual impact
i. On students
ii. On teachers
3. Social impact
i. On students
ii. On teachers
4. Emotional impact
i. On students
ii. On teachers
5. Discussion
6. Closing Thoughts/Other Considerations
7. Questions
8. References
Introduction
- All of us have been working in a multi-grade classroom for our practicum the last couple weeks. This
got us thinking about what its impact is on teachers and students. Today we are going to compare and
contrast the intellectual, social, and emotional impacts that multi-grades influence.

- Many benefits to multi-grades as well as downfalls. Multi grades used to be commonly used to save
money and resources, as only one teacher teaches multiple grades. E.g. If there are only five grade ones
in a school, this was a great money saver. However, now other benefits such as mentorship and
bonding are being realized and many schools use this strategy internationally.

- What is a multi-grade classroom? A multi-grade classroom combines two or more grades of

students into one class, such as 1/2 and 3/4 grades.. Teachers try to teach curriculum common to both
grades, with modifications for both of the grades present. For example, in mathematics a teacher will
find a common ground such as multiplication, and then tailor multiplication to fit expectations for
grade threes, and separate work to fit the expectations for grade fours.
Intellectual Impacts
Intellectual Impacts for Students
Positive: Negative:

Older students have the chance to review
material to reinforce knowledge.
Younger students are introduced to material for
the older students.
Not as much time for individualized instruction.
Getting back marked assignments later due to
the heavier workload of a shared age classroom.

Multi-age grouping relaxes the rigid curriculum

with its age-graded expectations, which are
inappropriate for a large number of students.

Placing students with a more diverse class can

stimulate intellectual growth.
Intellectual Impacts for Teachers
Positive: Negative:

Many students will be taught multiple Possibly puts strain on teachers and
years in a row impacts their motivation.
Social Impacts
Social Impacts for Students

Less competitive than same grade classes.
Increased nurture within peers, stimulates a
familial like environment.
Students have a chance to form relationships
with a more diverse range of students than is
possible in the traditional same-age classroom.
Multi-age grouping provides younger students
with the opportunity to grow and mature.
Older students have the opportunity to assume
responsibility for less mature and less
knowledgeable students.
Social Impacts for Teachers
Classrooms are behaviour settings. Teachers may work as partners or
The environment is the basis for social instruct their classes independently
actions and behaviour.

Students may have the same

teacher(s) for multiple years
Emotional Impacts
Emotional Impacts for Students
Positive:
Students have mentors in a grade above that can
help them, which builds their confidence.
Students are able to develop a bigger bond with
their teacher over two years and can therefore be
more connected to their teachers and peers.
Students learn other skills such as how to help
their peers, self-motivate, and be more
independent.
Negative:
Students are able to help others however they
then need to juggle their work and help others.
Students mature over the summer but
expectations of them / reputation may stay the
same.
The heavy curriculum may cause stress as well as
the responsibility of being role models. (?)
With greater ages in the classroom comes diverse
emotional needs.
Emotional Impacts for Teachers
Positive:
Teachers and students benefit from the ability to grow
and nourish relationships over a longer period of time.
Teachers have more time throughout the day to help
student individually, while the class partakes in peer
grouping.
Teachers can work to build stronger, more intimate
relationships with parents over the two year period.
Teachers can use lesson plans and activities two years in a
row.
High level of workload placed on teachers can lead to a
more positive and caring environment, with higher levels
of teacher commitment in student success.
Negative:
Teachers are required to put forth more effort and
planning towards lessons for two different grades.
Most teachers have found there is a lack of support
workshops provided by the Board of Education for
multi-grade classrooms.
Peer grouping, although encourages students of all levels
to learn from one another, may require more close
monitoring, thus taking away from teaching time.
Multi-grade classrooms require a greater amount of time
required for group instruction and teaching time.
High level of commitment required and can be
emotionally and cognitively draining.
Teacher Responses
More of a benefit to us and students!
The first year is the hardest, but I would never go
back to teaching a single grade classroom.
It is so much easier to build relationships with
students and parents over the two years, rather
than just one.
September the kids are already off and running.
Only prep for one lesson plan rather than eight,
which is less emotionally draining, but you have
to be in a collaborative setting with colleagues.
There is no textbook on multi-grade teaching,
which makes it hard to understand and change
your way of thinking.
Traditional report cards don't fit what we teach.
Not enough support from the Board of
Education.
Hard to meet needs of your lowest grade 3s and
the highest grade 4s at the same time, it requires
more attention.
Conclusion
Overall, through examination of many articles and interviews with teachers, our study shows that
multi-grade classrooms have proven to be beneficial to students and teachers.

With the two year program, students and parents can develop intimate relationships with teachers, which
allows teachers to better meet individual needs.

The biggest complications that come with multi grade classrooms, is the lack of support and materials
provided to assist teachers in teaching two levels from various Boards of Education. Along with the lack of
support comes the challenge of teachers finding ways to meet the needs of their academically lowest
students in the younger grade, while meeting the needs of the academically highest students in the higher
grade.

Overall Multi-grade classrooms have been seen to benefit teachers and students mostly through the use of
peer support and peer group work. Students are able to mature, learn and grow from peers throughout the
year, and eventually grow into the mature role models the following year.
What do you think is OR
the biggest benefit
for multi grades?
What is the biggest
downfall?
Group If you were a new
teacher in a school
Discussion using multi grades,
how could you make it
OR work best? What
With your table, discuss the teaching strategies do
If you were the idea of multi grades. If you you think would be
superintendent of a need help, we have provided helpful?
new school, would some prompts:
you put multi grades
in place or not?
Why?
 Would anyone like to
share their group
discussion or individual
opinions about
multi-grades with the
class?
 Closing
Thoughts
Questions?
References
Burns, Robert B. and Mason, DeWayne A. (1998). Class Formation and Composition in Elementary Schools, Vol. 35 (No.4), pp. 739-772.

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https://search.proquest.com/docview/232920891?accountid=12063

Proehl, R. A., Douglas, S., Elias, D., Johnson, A. H., & Westsmith, W. (2013). A collaborative approach: Assessing the impact of

multi-grade classrooms. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 16(2), 417-440. Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1690547572?accountid=12063

Ramrathan, L., & Ngubane, T. I. (2013). Instructional leadership in multi-grade classrooms: What can mono-grade teachers learn

from their resilience?. Education As Change, 17S93-S105. doi:10.1080/16823206.2014.865995

Little, Angela. (January 1995). Multi-Grade Teaching - A Review of Research Practice. Paper No. 12. Retrieved from
http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/12832/1/er950012.pdf

Veenman, S. (1995). Cognitive and Noncognitive Effects of Multigrade and Multi-Age Classes: A Best-Evidence Synthesis. Review of
Educational Research, 65(4), 319-381.