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What Is Multi-age?

What is Multi-age?

What is Multi-age?

Multi-age is an innovative, real-world approach to learning that inspires leadership!

Oak Knoll loves this program and is looking at ways to grow it.

  • Oak Knoll currently has 3 multi-age programs: one K-2 and two 3-5.
  • Most children thrive in a multi-age setting and there is no specific learning profile required. Multi-age is open to everyone.
  • Multi-age is a program that consists of three classrooms that are connected, 3 teachers, and 3 classes of kids who are either K-2nd graders or 3rd-5th graders.
  • Each student has a homeroom teacher which is his/her multi-age classroom teacher. The student stays with that homeroom teacher for three years (K-2nd or 3rd-5th). This allows the teacher to develop a deep understanding of the whole child’s strengths and needs.
  • Our multi-age teachers are dedicated to supporting the child’s learning journey at Oak Knoll and are able to collaborate throughout the three years that your child is in the multi-program to encourage academics as well as social/emotional growth. Research tells us that students gain up to a month of school each time they have the same teacher. Multi-age students benefit from the built-in looping structure.
  • Throughout the day students transition between their homeroom and their grade level class. For example, your child would have their homeroom teacher for parts of the day and then other parts of the day they spend time with their designated grade level teacher. Each multi-age teacher is responsible for a specific grade-level curriculum in math and language arts.
  • The community between students and parents in the multi-age is evident. A sense of family is developed within the program.
  • Leadership is fostered in a multi-age environment! Equal opportunity for all ages within the multi to serve as mentors and to take leadership roles.
  • Our multi-age teachers teach multi-age because they believe in the program.  
  • Multi-age is innovative and Integrates open-ended curriculum and project-based learning that encourages children to explore, discover, and innovate.

Why would I not pick multi-age?

Good question! One teacher, and one class of grade-level peers might be a better fit for your child. Having a new class and teacher year-to-year might seem refreshing and exciting. Grade-level peer group seems larger when in the single grade program. In multi-age, there is a lot of peer interaction, but one class of grade-level peers, whereas in traditional it is one class of grade-level peers with more grade-level peer interaction.