Friday, April 19, 2013

Homestyle Education, Part III

This piece is one I wrote two decades ago, about the innovative classroom my oldest child was in. I’m including the entire piece, in three parts (with name and places changed—and I didn’t start referring to my son as Political Sphere until I began this blog; he has a normal name), with some commentary about how this can be useful today. Part I introduced what the classroom looked like; part II covered some of the research being implemented. Today’s part III looks at how the innovations were affecting children in the class.


Results
As a writer involved in education, and a parent of school children, I’ve been particularly interested in Mrs. Crane’s classroom. My own child, Political Sphere, is in his second year with Mrs. Crane. I would describe Political Sphere as bright and creative, a little on the quiet side, but very sociable. My concern, after a delightful kindergarten year, was that he continue to have the kind of freedom and creative opportunity that would keep him interested. He has thrived in Mrs. Crane’s class. And I’m quietly pleased that Mrs. Crane even appreciates his sense of humor.
I wondered whether Political Sphere’s success was just that the multi-age classroom worked for him, or whether it was as successful with other students. My curiosity led to this article. There are other multi-age classrooms in the Tripletown area. There are even others at Blue Sky Elementary. However, I’m leaving an exhaustive study to experts. Mine is, rather, a case study.
I talked with parents of nearly half the students. Most parents were not just pleased, but enthusiastic.
Sherry Beaumont, whose son Drew is a first grader, said, “Drew is not a child who likes to sit still.” The individual learning style, the experiential, tactile approach, works for him. She compared that to his older sister’s first grade experience, which was “very structured. It didn’t provide for difference.”
Jessica Williams, mother of Monica, a first grader, said she was skeptical at first, but Monica has done so well, “her reading and writing are tremendous—even punctuation and capitals.” Jessica, a parent volunteer in the class, observed, “Working there, you see children work well together. It seems odd and unorganized at first until you see what Mrs. Crane is doing.”
A couple of mothers told me the class has made a significant difference in their children. One girl, in her second year in the class, started first grade in a different class. It was with a teacher her older brothers had had and enjoyed. And after a very good kindergarten experience, mother and daughter started the year with high hopes. Jenna is a very quiet girl. Her kindergarten teacher felt it was a great accomplishment if she came out of her shell enough to talk and giggle with friends. But at the beginning of the first grade year, notes came home saying Jenna needed to be disciplined because of too much talking and giggling. Jenna began having stomach aches, even started having bed-wetting problems. She was aware that she was behind her class in reading ability and dreaded being called on in class. And she said her teacher didn’t like her.
Jenna pleaded with her mother to let her stay home. The situation was emotionally tense enough that her mother considered home schooling to avoid the distress. But Mrs. Turner, Blue Sky’s principal, said there was one more opening in the pilot multi-age class and suggested they try it.
Jenna’s attitude toward school changed dramatically right away. She enjoyed going to school, and the stress-induced illness disappeared. Her mother says it has taken until now, well into the second year, for Jenna to regain her self-confidence. Her reading isn’t perhaps as good as many second graders, but she is learning and enjoys school.
Another mother described her first-grade daughter as a “right-brain thinker—very creative.” Unfortunately, she spent her kindergarten year in a very structured environment. It didn’t work for Tanya. Comments from the kindergarten teacher were discouraging to both student and parents. The teacher described her as dull, spaced-out. She stared out into space and didn’t even answer when the teacher talks to her. Tanya’s mother said she was nothing like that at home. She was lively and excited about everything. The teacher suggested counseling, which the mother now regrets. Tanya didn’t have a problem; that class was just wrong for her.
For Tanya’s first grade year, her mother went to the principal and insisted on something better—a teacher that would nurture and understand. This year, in Mrs. Crane’s class, Tanya’s reading and math have improved tremendously, and Mrs. Crane describes her as a happy girl.
A couple of parents had neutral, rather than positive, comments about the class. They thought students would be better off separating into grades. They thought this was just one more theoretical fad, and one parent said, “We’ve been through them all.” But even these parents said their children were doing well in the class.
My unofficial poll showed this: Unanimously, parents praise Mrs. Crane. They describe her as nurturing, loving, caring, and responsive to parents. Everyone thinks Mrs. Crane would be a wonderful teacher in any classroom.
All parents I talked with say their child is doing well in reading and math skills. All parents say their child likes Mrs. Crane and enjoys being in the class. Most parents like the flexible, experiential approach Mrs. Crane uses; it works for their child.
About half the parents like the multi-age classroom. Several say Mrs. Crane’s style of teaching would work just as well in a single grade classroom. Most disagree with Mrs. Crane and Mrs. Turner that the multi-age class should expand to include third graders. (Personally, if I could keep my child in the class a third year, I would.)
All second grade students had Mrs. Crane both years. All first grade students plan to stay with Mrs. Crane next year.
I also talked with a couple of parents whose children were second graders the pilot year of Mrs. Crane’s multi-age class. They say their children were very well prepared for third grade. Their basic reading and math skills were well above average for their grade level. But they miss Mrs. Crane’s approach. The more structured classroom just doesn’t work as well for their children.
I have yet to find a young child who prefers structure and regimentation to freedom and experimentation. But, then, I didn’t poll for that. So, to be fair, let’s just say, in an age when education reform in many places is an attempt to get guns and gangs out of the classrooms, it’s nice for a change, to see a class where parents and students have nothing but good to say.
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That finishes the original piece. After two more decades I can’t say that multi-age classrooms are seen as a solution. But there are several things I think we can learn from this one classroom that worked. I’ll cover those conclusions in a part IV followup.

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