Mixed-age learning is a trademark of Montessori schools. It is also often seen in Scandinavian early education programs. In this post, we will explore the benefits of mixed-age learning and offer some ideas on incorporating it at home. Researchers find many benefits to mixed-age learning groups. This can be in combo grade levels and/or in preschool and early learning education.
Mixed-age learning can:
- Increase social-emotional understanding
- Increase collaborative and individual learning engagement
- Enhance positive peer interactions
- Increases leadership for older students
- Increased language development in younger students
- Decrease in behavior issues
- Increases empathy
When you think about it, learning with a grade level of 20-25 of your peers the same age is a rather new advancement in our human existence. Yet for eons, human babies and toddlers have been learning. For them, learning is making connections, trial & error, imitating, and mimicking. Who better to teach you how to stack the blocks than a little one a year or two older than you are? When evaluating the research on mixed-age learning, much of it focuses on grade levels that are combined, and this is beneficial only when there is a smaller difference in age and developmental levels. For preschool ages, mixed-age learning has MANY benefits as the academic demands are not there yet. Preschool programs focus on social-emotional learning which has greater benefits to mixed-age learning.
Incorporating Mixed-age Learning at Home
- Have more babies – just kidding!
- Make friends with your neighbors and neighborhood kids. In our neighborhood, a gaggle of young ones roams the streets on bikes, trikes, and scooters as soon as the weather warms.
- Join a mixed-age activity. Tinkergarten is a great place to start! Music classes, tumbling at the YMCA, and other community activities promote mixed-age learning.
- Explore your library offerings. They often have a “Family” storytime for children of all ages.
- Create or join a play group. Encourage families to bring all their children so that children to mix and explore together.
References
Some benefits of multi-age grouping – Univeristy of Wyoming
Differences in Social Behavior of Toddlers and Preschoolers in Same-Age and Multiage Groupings
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Multiage Classrooms
in the Era of NCLB Accountability