New resources for multi-age classrooms

Teaching Pre K-8, Feb 1997

The "Multi-age classroom. " It can provide the most satisfying and exciting teaching position available, if it's done for the right reason: the benefit of the children. In our travels, we've seem some super multi-age groupings.

In each classroom, teacher and children are the vital elements. But here are some products teachers in multi-age classrooms recommend:

A good reference shelf stocked with books like...

Creating the Multiage Classroom (by Sandra Stone). Goodyear Books, Scott Foresman, 1900 East Lake Ave., Glenview, IL 60025, 8/2x11, 275 pages, $15.95 plus s/h if purchased directly.

A veritable bible that covers organization and philosophy of a multiage classroom through creating one's own multiage philosophy, designing the physical environment, planning curriculum, strategies for teaching content, sample curriculum plans, assessing through portfolios, getting started and evaluating your program. A must-have.

Exploring the Multiage Classroom (by Anne A Bingham). Stenhouse Publishers, P.O. Box 1929, Columbus, OH 43216, paperback, 264 pages, $19.50 plus s/h.

A comprehensive handbook that provides ideas for whole class work while preserving the developmental level of each child, suggestions for adapting all subject areas to a multiage setting, integrated themes, literacy, teaming and ways of adapting school programs to include two-to-four grade span. Classroom materials list, bibliographies of professional resources and children's books included.

Integrating Mathematics Across The Curriculum (by Hope Martin). IRI Skylight Training and Publishing, Inc., 2626 S. Clearbrook Dr., Arlington Heights, IL 60005, 8-1/2 x 11", 292 pages, $31.95 plus s/h and worth every penny. For grades 5-10.

There are integrated explorations and shared explorations, units on the stock market and on the human body, literature involvement and art, music and truly something for every child and teacher in this book. There are wonderful additional reading lists for each of the 13 chapters. Get to know this company.

Choosing to Learn: Ownership and Responsibility in a Primary Multiage Classroom (by Penelle Chase and Jane Doan). Heinemann, 361 Hanover St, Portsmouth, NH 03801, 163 pages, $21 plus s/h

These authors have co-taught for seven years and they share what they've learned about providing choice and ownership for kids aged five to eight. Truly teacher-tested ways of creating and managing learning environments to insure that children become active participants in their own learning. A rock to lean upon.

Inside New Zealand Classrooms (by Allen Trusell-Cullen). Richard C. Owen Publishers, P.O. Box 585, Katonah, NY 10536, 208 pages, $18.95 plus s/h.

This is a nuts-and-bolts book which lets us look at five New Zealand classrooms with students ranging in age from five to thirteen. This book will be your constant companion.

Lots of Children's Books

The experts (read "teachers") agree: any multiage classroom absolutely must have a good, broad classroom library. We feel that's true for any classroom, but critical for multiage approaches. It would be unfair to list just a few titles here, so we assume you have a good selection from Avi to Charlotte Zolotow and hope you'll find ways to keep adding to it.

We're listing three special authors and books. First, Pam Conrad, because her books are collectors items and we can have no more. Her books are gifts to the world and to classrooms, especially. The new one, published after her death is The Rooster, Gift, HarperCollins.

Second, Kevin Henkes, because he has achieved success in the picture book genre while also conquering middle school readers' hearts. His newest picture book? That incredibly wonderful Lily's Purple Plastic Purse. In the fall of '97 look for Sun and Spoon for middle school kids. It's rumored to be Kevin's best yet, Greenwillow Books.

And third, Ginny Rorby, an unknown author to remind us of the joys in store when we give every book a chance. Her first novel is Dolphin Sky, and it's truly smashing. Motherless 12year-old, Buddy Martin (she's a girl), struggles with dyslexia, righting an environmental wrong and losing a beloved grandfather. All the elements are in place for a surface, maudlin story, but this one isn't. Your classroom really needs this excellent pageturner. A great read-aloud (if you don't choke up). G.P. Putnam's Sons.