Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:
“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the
elementary and fundamental stages.
Constructivist educators focus on how students make sense of their experiences
and socially, construct meanings.
Self-directed learning allows the students to be actively involved in their own
learning process and to work on their own.
Cooperative learning is key in multigrade classes because effective learning
takes place when the students collaborate with each other to generate new
knowledge in a student-centered environment.
Differentiation refers to how the same teacher organizes learning for different
individuals and/or groups of learners
Multigrade teaching adheres to the following principles:
(1) Children are unique.
(2) Children can learn best from experience.
(3) Children can do and learn well from one another.
(4) The role of the teacher is to provide a conducive learning environment.
(5) The Curriculum must cater to varied interests, abilities and levels.
Physical environment refers to the overall design and layout of a given
classroom and its learning areas.
The essential areas in multigrade classroom
Group Instruction Area. This is where the class discussion and group work
happen.
Individual Work Area. This is where students do independent work
Teacher Work Area. This is where the teacher pans and prepares the lesson.
Additional Areas. areas we consider required, other areas are necessary to cater
the needs of the students. Some of these are the reading area, arts and crafts
area,
Classroom management can be defines as the process of establishing and
sustaining appropriate student behavior
There are three (3) distinct phases of classroom management:
1. Planning before school begins.
2. Implementing plans.
3. Maintaining good discipline.
Types of Groupings
1. Random grouping. Students of varying ability levels and ages can work
together
2. Interest grouping. When groups have to work on different topics within a
theme
3. Ability grouping. Students with the same achievement level or abilities are
placed in the same group.
4. Grade grouping. In this grouping situation, students are grouped according to
their grade levels.
5. Cross-age grouping. In the multigrade classroom, the varying age of students
can serve as an advantage. Older students can assist or tutor the younger ones
6. Friendship grouping. At times, students are asked to form their own groups.
Work roles can be divided into three categories based on the tasks that
they perform.
Task-oriented roles. These roles are responsible for task-related activities
Relations-oriented roles. These roles emphasize the development of
interpersonal relationships
Self-oriented roles. These roles prioritize the individual needs and, frequently at
the expense of the group.
Instructional time refers to the period of time during which students receive
instruction
Practices and Strategies in Implementing Multigrade Instruction
1. Organization- Students may be combined by grade
2. Teaching-learning process- use of teaching approaches and strategies
such as cooperative learning activities, self-regulated learning,
differentiated instruction and peer tutoring.
3. Learning environments and facilities- These include setting spacious
areas that can accommodate mixed grade activities,
4. Curricular development and implementation- Varied curricula may be
used such as prescribed national curricula, integration and “jump
jump”approaches, modular curricula, localized curricula and needs-
based curricula.
5. Teaching-learning materials- The national government may provide
syllabi, teacher’s manuals, textbooks, self-instructional and peer learning
modules, and reference materials
6. Assessment- Assessment may be done by the teacher (internal) or by the
national government (external).
Effective teaching in a multigrade classroom takes place when
(1) the students are afforded opportunities for self-directed learning,
(2) peer tutoring is properly used
(3) learners are engaged in cooperating learning,
(4) learners’ learning styles are recognized and
(5) the students are given opportunities to learn from their families.
Roles of a Multigrade teacher
1. As a Researcher
2. As a facilitator
3. Community liaison or resource persons
4. Social worker or counselor
5. Evaluator
6. Material Designer
7. Financial advisor
8. Parent Teacher
