Mulit-age class

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Mulit-age class
By Shelly

I was in the same boat that you are in a few years ago. I was in a complete panic at the thought of teaching a combination class! I decided to look at my curriculum guide and I found that most of the second grade objectives
were the same as the first grade. This made my planning easier. I decided to map out a two year plan. I have an "A Year" and a "B Year" with different themes. I try to pull an equal amount of first grade and second grade themes for each year. This has made using the reading series a breeze. I do have to pull more literature for the higher readers if the selection is too easy (which

I did anyway when I taught a straight grade)and vice versa.
I do have help with the math. In the past the Title I math teacher would take the second graders for an hour (we use Everyday Math in our district and felt that the program would be difficult to multiage). This has helped a great deal.
I now love teaching a multiage class! It is nice having the same students for two years. The children that I had in first grade will know the routine and always help the new first graders out. I feel as if I know my students and their families better and I can start teaching earlier! The second graders are great role models and this makes learning class rules and procedures a piece of cake! I have also found that the first graders challenge themselves to become better readers (they see the older students reading more difficult books).
I will tell you that it takes more time to plan out and that you will have to be creative. I use centers, BigBook club (a twenty minute period where I meet with emergent readers to practice skills when the independent readers are silent reading), small flexible groups ( if a group of students have mastered a skill I can use this brief time to extend and enrich), buddy work, small groups, and whole class activities. I also try to implement as many hands on activities as possible.
I wish you the best of luck and hope that you enjoy teaching a multiage class as much as I do!