Top Banner
Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 45 The Benefits of the Mix by Lilian G. Katz Dealing with Staff and Parent Concerns by Jeanette Allison Multi-Age at Riverfield Country Day School by Marty Clark and faculty Making Multi-Age Groups Work by Roberta Bergman and Sue Gainer Photograph by Bonnie Neugebauer Beginnings Workshop Multi-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864
16

Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Mar 07, 2021

Download

Documents

dariahiddleston
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Page 1: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 45

The Benefits of the Mix by Lilian G. KatzDealing with Staff and Parent Concerns by Jeanette AllisonMulti-Age at Riverfield Country Day School by Marty Clark and facultyMaking Multi-Age Groups Work by Roberta Bergman and Sue Gainer

Photograph by Bonnie Neugebauer

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

➤M

ulti-Age Caregiving

Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864

Page 2: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood education at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)where she is also director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She is a pastpresident of the National Association for the Education ofYoung Children, and recently served as the chair of the board of directors of the National Society for the Study ofEducation (USA). She is the author of more than 100 publications, including Talks with Teachers of YoungChildren (1995) and Engaging ChildrenÕs Minds: TheProject Approach (with S. C. Chard, 1989).

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 46

Some years ago I arrived at a child care center justin time to observe a caregiver struggling bravelyto get eleven two year olds upstairs to the second

floor activity room! While her co-caregiver was helpinga few others in the bathroom, she was challenged byone girl stubbornly fixed to the bottom step pleading tobe carried. Another moaned pitifully with thumb in themouth as he kept dropping the remains of what surelywas once a lovely blanket. Another slowly made herway climbing on all fours, as others attempted to holdhands with any willing co-climber.

But imagine how much more manageable this mighthave been if among the eleven were three or four twoyear olds, a few three year olds, and the rest fours. The caregiver would be ready to help the youngest andencourage the oldest ones to give helping hands to themiddle ones. The fact is that when two year olds are ina group together they are of little value to each other.Even though itÕs not natural for young children tospend large proportions of time in same-age litters, weseem to insist that they be cared for and educated inthem!

Young children these days have limited experience ofcross-age interaction for several reasons. First, the sizeof the family has substantially decreased in the last 50or more years. Second, the amount of time young children spend in out-of-home child care settings hasincreased; and third, increased family mobility depriveschildren of frequent and regular informal contact withcousins of various ages. Together, these trends meanthat children spend more and more time in age-segregated settings.

The good news, however, is that there is evidence ofmany potential benefits to both children and adults

by Lilian G. Katz

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

TheBenefitsof the Mix

Page 3: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Many children who are socially less mature than theirage-mates are less often rebuffed by the younger onesin the mixed-age group. In this way, when the ages aremixed these timid older ones have opportunities topractice and polish social skills with younger ones andthereby learn to use them with the greater confidencerequired for competent interaction with their own age-mates.

■ Benefits to the Younger Ones

In mixed-age groups, older children are encouragedand expected to help the younger ones. Youngerchildren who are assisted by older ones will do thesame in their turn when they are the seniors. Suchearly nurturing behaviors can and should be encouraged in preschools not only because it is good for children in need of comfort and assistancebut because it provides a model that the youngrecipients will use themselves. These help-giving and nurturing behaviors are life skills. Indeed, theyare early forms of parent education! All through the growing years, children should have genuineopportunities to be nurturant and helpful to thosewho need it.

In a mixed-age group, incidents are inevitable inwhich younger ones are denied access to activities,materials, or equipment for which they are not yetready Ñ either because they are too small or forother developmental reasons. When adults say tochildren something like ÒYouÕll be able to do thatnext year when you are bigger, or stronger, or under-stand . . . better, etc.,Ó children are helped to learn toaccept their limitations. Children shouldnÕt be misledinto believing they can do anything they set theirminds to Ñ none of us can! Even adults sometimesneed adult help in accepting their limitations.

Intellectual Benefits of Age Mixing

Research on the development of communicative com-petence Ñ a major aspect of development during thepreschool years Ñ shows that even three and four year olds modify their statements depending on theages of the persons they are addressing. For example,they modify the length and complexity, voice and tone of their verbal expression to create a favorablecommunication environment depending on the age ofthe recipient. This means that both the older andyounger ones in a mixed-age group have ample opportunity to sharpen their communicative skills bytaking note of the characteristics of others around them, and by ÒreadingÓ their feelings and wishes.

when children are mixed with others of different ages(see Katz, 1990). The accumulated evidence of mixingages throughout the elementary school years indicatesthat while there are no strong academic benefits, thereare consistent social benefits in the form of importantlife skills. However, during the preschool years, researchindicates several advantages to childrenÕs social andintellectual development, as well as to the adults whocare for them and teach them.

Social Benefits to the Children

Research indicates that children associate differentexpectations by age very early. Preschoolers will modifytheir behavior when trying to comfort a baby versus asame-age peer. Even a three year old assigns differentattributes and behavior to the picture of a younger thanan older child. By about the age of four, children them-selves feel pressure to match their age-mates in manybehaviors and abilities. Needless to say, this pressuregives rise to strong competitive behaviors and earlyforms of one-upmanship!

■ Benefits to Older Children

Many parents mistakenly believe that mixing the agesonly benefits the youngest children. However, thebenefits go both ways. For example, in mixed-agegroups older children more often exhibit leadershipthan the very same children show when they areamong their same-age peers. Indeed, many older children who are not confident leaders in their own age group seem to feel less threatened when attemptingto be leaders in mixed-age groups. They also engage inmore help-giving, explaining, teaching, and sharingbehaviors, and show greater sensitivity to the complexi-ties of group processes in the mix. These are useful lifeskills to develop.

Furthermore in the mix, older ones often facilitate theefforts of others rather than try to outdo or sometimeseven thwart them! In these classes, they are providingmodels of positive social behavior that the next genera-tion will be able to apply when they, in turn, are theolder ones.

In some cases, older children who have difficulty inregulating their own behavior improve when encour-aged to help younger ones observe the rules of thegroup. Once teachers or caregivers ask such children toremind the younger ones about the rules, they seem tobe better able to do so themselves. Of course, the care-givers and teachers may have to stay close by to helpresist the temptation felt by such children to becomeheavy handed sanctimonious law enforcers!

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 47

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 4: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

General Benefits

Among the many benefits of mixing the ages are thoseto the adults who are in charge. The wider the agerange, the more likely the demands made on the care-givers and teachers will vary. Indeed, research on theproblems facing the rapidly increasing numbers of multiple-birth siblings and their parents indicates thatvirtually all the challenges of child rearing are intensi-fied by having to meet the needs of children very closein developmental status, roughly linked to age (Katz,1998). Evidence suggests also that when children are insame age groups those who take care of them are morelikely to compare them and to pressure them to be alikein behavior and development. So the mix helps toreduce the temptation of caregivers and teachers totreat all their young charges alike and to expect themall to be at the same place on important developmentalmilestones.

Evidence suggests also that in a mixed-age group care-givers and teachers are much more likely to addressindividual differences not only between children but alsowithin children. Some children, for example, are close totheir same-age peers in physical prowess but not in ver-bal expressiveness, or vice versa. The wider age rangein the group somehow makes it easier for adults toacknowledge and accept these individual zigzags inpatterns of development; they feel less pressure to getthem all to the same place at the same time. Parentsoften need help in understanding how important it is toallow for differences between and within children intheir developmental trajectories.

From the point of view of the children themselves,mixing the ages also helps to postpone the need forvery young children to conform to whole-group rulesand routines. In this way, the mix provides a groupatmosphere that resembles family life more closely than the highly regimented nature of institutions likeschools.

There are many good reasons why caregivers, teachers,and parents might be hesitant about mixing the ages inearly childhood settings. They may fear that older oneswill overwhelm younger ones; or that perhaps olderones will not be sufficiently challenged, or will evenfind the younger ones a nuisance or a burden. There isno evidence to suggest that these and other potentialrisks are any greater for mixed-age groups than theyare for same-age groups. In any group, there is a rangein maturity, ability, and experience. In any group, it islikely that some children will need help in copingeffectively with others, regardless of the age rangewithin it.

■ Benefits to Older Children

As soon as the age range of a group is increased, thenumber of teachers and helpers also increases. Naturally occurring opportunities for older children to explain things to younger ones, to write things down for them, to read to and for them all serve tostrengthen their own skillfulness. Having to teach orexplain something to others causes the teacher to thinkcarefully about his or her understanding of the problemÑ life skill of great value. Furthermore, when the olderchildren help younger ones in this way, their sense ofself-esteem and feelings of competence are strength-ened by the clear firsthand evidence that they are being

useful in a very real way.

Occasionally it happens that an older child reads orwrites or explains something incorrectly for a youngerone! In this case, the adult in charge learns somethingabout the helper as well as the recipient that shemight not have known otherwise! She is then in agood position to aid both of them.

Of course, it is always possible that younger ones willpester the older ones for help with various tasks andchores. The adults can teach the older ones how tosay to the younger ones something like ÒI canÕt helpyou right now, but as soon as I have finished whatIÕm doing IÕll be along to help.Ó Being able to respondto a request for help in this way is a life skill Ñ itresembles something parents say daily! The olderones learn graceful ways to respond to demands, andthe younger ones learn that their needs sometimeshave to be postponed Ñ all of which are life skills!

■ Benefits to the Younger Ones

Participation in complex play is more frequent foryoung children when they are among older childrenthan when they are in groups of same-age peers. This is particularly true with three and four year olds. It

has been shown that when three and four year olds aremixed with fives or sixes they can and do participate inand contribute to much more complex activities thanthey could ever initiate if they were all by themselves.The older children initiate and set up the activity, andthe younger ones are stimulated to follow along andcontribute to it as best they can.

The younger ones in the group are likely also to becontinually exposed to more mature problem-solvingbehavior than would be true in a same-age groups. Inthis way, their own development is stimulated, andthey often try out new approaches to problems basedon these observations.

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 48

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

Page 5: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

small and young all occur naturally in a mixed-agegroup.

The two year olds in the incident described at thebeginning of this article were observed in a state whichspecifies staff-child ratio by age group. In this way,state regulations in early childhood settings seem torequire early age segregation, depriving both adultsand children of the many potential benefits of an agemix outlined above. Discussion with the state and localauthorities concerning flexibility on age grouping canoften help on this issue. It is certainly worth taking upat state meetings and conferences.

Keep in mind that every way to organize groups presents some risks. But, with good teaching, thepotential benefits of grouping children modeled onthe family rather than the factory are great enough towarrant serious consideration and support.

References

Katz, L. G. (1998). Twins in school: What teachers shouldknow. ERIC Digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearing-house on Elementary and Early Childhood Educa-tion.

Katz, L. G., Evangelou, D., and Hartmann, J. A.(1990). The case for mixed-age grouping in the earlyyears. Washington, DC: National Association for theEducation of Young Children.

As already suggested, it is important to take naturallyoccurring opportunities to encourage children to helpand seek help from each other in appropriate ways.Adults can help by encouraging older children to thinkabout ways to involve younger ones in their plans aswell as how to graciously divert them from interferingwith their plans.

Adults can also help children gain perspective on theirown growing competence and where they themselvesso recently were as they teach them to appreciate theefforts of younger ones. At the same time, the teachercan discourage age stereotyping when older ones mightbe tempted to call the younger ones ÒbabiesÓ or ÒcrybabiesÓ and tease them about the behavior they sorecently engaged in themselves.

Conclusion

The benefits of mixing the ages are not automatic!Adults in charge of mixed-age groups in early child-hood settings have a significant role to play in makingthem happen.

The potential benefits to children outlined above represent life skills that are not on anybodyÕs stateachievement tests! For example, learning at an earlyage how to offer comfort, reading to and for those whocannot yet do so, learning how to request assistancefrom more competent peers, confronting and acceptinggracefully the limitations that come with being very

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 49

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Special Thanks in shaping this Beginnings Workshop to:

Jeanette Allison, Roberta Bergman, The Child Care Group, Marty Clark and the faculty of Riverfield Country Day School, Sue Gainer, Lilian G. Katz, and Jan Brown McCracken.

Page 6: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Jeanette Allison,Ph.D., is a facultymember in the College of Educationat Arizona StateUniversity Westwhere she specializesin early childhoodeducation. She co-authored (with Lilian Katz) TheCase for Mixed-Age Grouping inEarly Education.

She also co-authored an article, ÒAdvocating and Implement-ing Multiage Grouping in the Primary Years,Ó and the bookCreative Childhood Experiences in Mathematics andScience.

It happens since the day we are born. It is a constantexperience throughout our entire lives. Every daywe are in the company of mixed-age groups. At

home, around town, and at work, we socialize andwork with people from different backgrounds alonglifeÕs Òtimeline.Ó Yet, in caregiving and school settings,children are segregated by age.

Placing children into same-age settings is an institu-tional function, not a human one. For convenience,

Dealing withStaff and Parent Concerns

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 50

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

by Jeanette Allison

schools have channeled children into groups based onage, not their learning needs. Consequently, childrenhave lost out on rich learning and caregiving opportu-nities that await them in multi-age settings.

Even though multi-age caregiving offers wonderfulexperiences for children, people will be concernedabout practices, such as multi-age caregiving, withwhich they are unfamiliar. Therefore, this articleaddresses common concerns that staff and parents mayhave about multi-age caregiving. Also considered is theunique impact of multi-age caregiving on infants andtoddlers.

Sources of Concerns

Concerns arise from many different sources. One ispeopleÕs natural tendency to question any kind ofchange. Do not be alarmed when your ideas andactions are questioned. Try to understand the root ofeach concern, and address each one. An effectivesolution can be implemented once a director identifiesthe root of the concern.

Two other common sources of concerns are mis-communication and poor program development. Miscommunication involves a lack of communicationand misinformation. Find out whether others simply donot have the information they need about multi-agecaregiving or whether they have been misinformedabout it. To deal effectively with concerns, directorsmust have a strong understanding of the rationale for,the implications of, and the stages of multi-age care-giving.

Page 7: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

grouping. Do not use it for other purposes such as abil-ity grouping, cost-effective budgeting, or an alternativeto retention and remediation.

8. Provide ample training for staff. Effective programsare based on quality staff training and mentoring. Besure that staff network with multi-age colleagues.

Strategies for Dealing with Concerns

■ Effective Communication

Research shows that effective communication amongstaff and parents is a key strategy for successful pro-gram implementation (Byrnes, Shuster, and Jones,1994). Effective communication is based on interac-tions that are respectful, responsible, and reciprocal.Communication must be genuine and occur face toface. Use a variety of communication approaches:coffee chats, home visits, photograph displays,videotape, parents informing parents, visitations to other effective programs, and so forth. Have aprogram liaison who regularly communicates withfamilies and children who speak English as a secondlanguage.

■ Staff Concerns

Remember that when people question change theyare demonstrating a natural human response. Staffwill have many questions about changes that impacthuman and material resources, management,curriculum planning, staff training, and employeeperformance evaluations. Most staff will supportmulti-age caregiving, and agree with the idea of it.But when push comes to shove, they will want toknow ÒHow will we handle this on a daily basis?Ó

Directors must be committed completely to qualitymulti-age caregiving and the support it requires.Here are four ways to show your support to staff:

1. Provide budgetary and human assistance for staff tofollow through on program requirements (e.g., increasethe budget for materials and supplies, hire more aides,develop intergenerational connections).

2. Institute staff training well in advance of changeand throughout program development (e.g., sendteachers to see multi-age programs, provide funds forstaff to attend conferences/workshops, set aside paidon-site time for staff to work on the program).

3. Jump in and help your staff. Roll up your sleevesand demonstrate the possibilities of multi-age care-

Concerns also can be rooted in poor program development.Two threats to program quality that lead to skepticismare moving too quickly and scrimping on resources andsupport.

An Ounce of Prevention: Proactive Program Development

It is crucial to focus on quality program development. Youare not in a race to put into practice a multi-age pro-gram. Set forth a reasonable pace in order to preparestaff and parents. Program success directly depends ontheir support. Without it, your energy will be directedconstantly toward trying to convince others of the mer-its of your plans. Here are eight ways to be proactive:

1. Do your homework. A rich information base pro-vides for a strong rationale that is shared with others(Katz, Evangelou, and Allison, 1990). The more youknow, the more effective you will be when facing avariety of concerns.

2. Do your groundwork. Network with everyone whoimpacts your program: caregivers, staff, parents, sib-lings, extended family, and the community. Plant seedsof information and justification in advance of change.

3. Communicate. Others must understand the value ofmulti-age grouping. Offer numerous open meetingsdevoted to having conversations with others. In orderfor others to have confidence in your leadership, theyneed to see the fruits of their communications with you.

4. Do not rush. Change takes time, period. Plan on theprocess taking at least three or more years. You are cultivating a way of life.

5. Start small and focus on quality. Make programdevelopment and implementation a voluntary processon a trial basis. This enables directors to deal with con-cerns and kinks in a more manageable manner. Youmay even start with a partial-day multi-age programwhere children are mixed during strategic times of theday and then separated by age at other times.

6. Be flexible. Start out knowing that you will be imple-menting ÒPlan B.Ó You may start out with an ideal plan,but othersÕ concerns and ideas about multi-age care-giving will shape how the program actually is imple-mented. Your plans should be shaped by childrenÕsindividual needs as well.

7. Do not misuse multi-age grouping. Follow closelythe principles and practices of effective multi-age

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 51

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 8: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

peers. Be sure that older children allow younger ones todevelop self-help skills.

Concern: Preschool-age children may be intimidated by olderchildren.

Strategies: Younger children usually are not intimidatedby their older peers. Younger children often welcomeinteractions with peers of different ages. If intimidationis an issue, however, group children and their person-alities strategically. Be especially encouraging ofyounger childrenÕs efforts to become independent, andto express their wishes to older peers.

Older Children

Concern: Older childrenÕs needs will be sacrificed for theneeds of young children.

Strategies: Highlight strategies and times during eachday that older childrenÕs needs are especially attendedto. For instance, during nap times caregivers can offerolder children activities tailored to their interests.

Concern: Older children will become burdened by caring foryounger peers.

Strategies: Encourage younger children to assist olderpeers in simple ways. Be sure that younger children aredeveloping their own self-help skills. Designate respon-sibilities that appeal to older children (e.g., assisting theteacher with the more challenging tasks, helping theirsame-age peers, hosting older children from otherprograms who visit for an hour Ñ like a buddyexchange).

General Concerns

Concern: Children from multi-age settings will have diffi-culty transitioning into same-age settings.

Strategies: Encourage parents to enroll their child in adistrict or program that offers multi-age programs.Designate caregivers who are liaisons between thecurrent center and the same-age program. The liaisonand children visit the same-age programs together,meet the teachers, and talk about new expectations. The liaison-caregiver role is helpful especially for busyparents, and same-age teachers, who will transitionwith the children into a new setting.

Concern: Children from multi-age settings will performpoorly on standardized, grade-level tests.

Strategies: There is no evidence that children frommulti-age programs perform worse on same-age stan-dardized tests. Multi-age children do as well, or betterthan, their same-age peers. Plus, multi-age children

giving. One of the best ways to build staff rapport andprogram allegiance is to circulate, assist, encourage, anddo what your staff does on a daily basis. You will gain aclearer perspective of the challenges that staff face andappreciate democratic solutions.

4. Monitor and adjust as staff and the program change.Involve staff in consistent ÒGlow-and-GrowÓ discus-sions. Encourage them to share positive outcomes Ñthe ÒGlowÓ Ñ as well as their challenges Ñ theÒGrow.Ó Reward them for their efforts, and help themface their challenges.

■ Common Staff and Parent Concerns

Infants and Toddlers

Research clearly shows that infants and toddlers haveneeds that are unique to early development (Lally,1998; Surbeck and Kelley, 1990). Two of the most com-mon concerns relate to issues of early identity forma-tion and attachment. Staff and parents will be moresupportive of mixing very young children when theyare assured that these special needs are prioritized.

Concern: InfantsÕ and toddlersÕ identity and attachmentneeds, basic needs, and physical safety will be compromised.

Strategies: Designate primary caregivers who consis-tently care for their groups of children. Caregivers become a secure ÒbaseÓ for their designated children.Lower caregiver-child ratios and reduce group sizes,allowing caregivers to attend closely to infants andtoddlers. Be sure that ratios are set by the youngestchild in the group, and follow guidelines establishedby the National Association for the Education ofYoung Children. Have teachers loop with a family ofchildren to ensure continuity of care. Siblings can be apart of this family away from home. Keep a BondingLog where special bonding moments between care-giver and child are recorded and shared with parentsthroughout the week.

Concern: Infants and toddlers may become overwhelmed ina multi-age setting.

Strategies: Infants and toddlers can become over-stimulated by too many voices and extra activity.Reconfigure routines so that infants and toddlers haveconsistent times for peaceful and nurturing down time.

Preschoolers

Concern: Preschool-age children will rely too much on olderchildren.

Strategies: Designate tasks and responsibilities for pre-schoolers. Encourage them to assist older and younger

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 52

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

Page 9: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

together.Ó And then they would say, ÒI want my twochildren together.Ó

Parents spend less time being surprised by thechanges, and more time on helping with programdesign. Finally, once parents and staff see firsthand howwell multi-age caregiving works, they can become itsstrongest allies. This principal described her experi-ence with the school board:

I had a parent information meeting. I had them sit in smallcircles and share times when they were in a multi-age set-ting, like camp and church. [From there] we talked about thebenefits of multi-age settings for all ages. Later on, I took200 parents to the governing board and that was wonderful.All the parents stood up and sold multi-age grouping tothe governing board. We just cheered Ñ the whole roomdid. It was just the most exhilarating experience!

ConclusionUse staff and parent concerns as opportunities tohave them help with program development. Payparticular attention to the initial stages of change;they set the tone for any future steps. Be sure thatothers are well informed of what multi-age care-giving has to offer, otherwise misunderstandings will lead to skepticism. If staff and parents areincluded throughout change, they will more thanlikely work for change, not against it. Multi-age caregiving is responsible caregiving. Childrendeserve caregiving environments that are consistentwith their lives in and outside the program.

ReferencesAldridge, J., Eddowes, E. A., and Kuby, P. (1998). No easyanswers: Helping children with attention and activity leveldifferences. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Educa-tion International.

Allison, J., and Ong, W. (1996). Advocating and implement-ing multiage grouping in the primary years. Dimensions ofEarly Childhood, 24(2), 18-24.

Byrnes, D. A., Shuster, T., and Jones, M. (1994). ParentsÕ andstudentsÕ views of multiage classrooms. Journal of Research inChildhood Education, 9(1), 15-23.

Katz, L. G., Evangelou, D., and Allison, J. (1990). The case formixed-age grouping in early education. Washington, DC:National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Lally, J. R. (1998). Brain research, infant learning, and childcare curriculum. Child Care Information Exchange, May/June,46-49.

Surbeck, E., and Kelley, M. F. (editors) (1990). Personalizingcare with infants, toddlers, and families. Wheaton, MD: Association for Childhood Educational International.

have the advantage of having developed more socialand complex thinking skills.

Concern: The needs of differently-abled children will becompromised.

Strategies: Increasingly, placing differently-abled children in multi-age settings is a recommendation of experts in fields such as special education and bilingual education (Aldridge, Eddowes, and Kuby,1998). The recommendations already discussed abovealso apply to differently-abled children.

How Staff and Parents Turn Around After Experiencing Multi-Age CaregivingMost staff and parents opt in to a multi-age caregivingapproach; however, a few may be less supportive of it. Their reservations should not stop you. Be patientand do not become discouraged if certain people arenot supportive. Often, staff and parents become passionate advocates for multi-age caregiving.

The research literature contains many stories attestingto how staff and parents Òturn aroundÓ once theyexperience multi-age caregiving. Allison and Ong (1996) interviewed principals and teachers aboutimplementing multi-age grouping. Below are excerpts from their interviews with two principals and a multi-age teacher.

One teacher talked about how her own colleaguesbegan to support multi-age grouping:

. . . like . . . the special education teacher. Once he saw[multi-age grouping] he [preferred] to have his kids stay in a [multi-age] classroom. He saw the growth that wasoccurring and said, ÒYou know what? I need to work withinthe multi-age classroom instead of pointing out [criticisms].I need to [create] curriculum that is totally different fromwhat is already going on in my current classroom.Ó

This principal described the contagious support ofparents:

Parents see how excited their kids get and then every parentwants their child in the ÒfamilyÓ setting. [Once parents]had one of their children in a multi-age setting, the parentswanted to bring another child into a multi-age classroom.We had brothers and sisters all over the program!

Another principal shared the advantages of winningover parents before implementation begins:

[As we started designing the classrooms] parents would callme and say, ÒI donÕt know if you know this, but Johnny and Billy live on the same street and they really play well

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 53

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 10: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

by Marty Clark and faculty

Multi-age grouping! This is not a new idea. Itis a wonderful idea being recycled. In fact,when I went to grade school during the Õ40s,

in a one-room schoolhouse, there were children fromgrades one through eight all in the same room. I canstill remember the teacher, Mrs. Way. She made mefeel welcome from the very first day.

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 54

As the youngest child in the neighborhood Ògroup,Óand one who was not officially old enough to go to firstgrade with my buddies (no kindergartens in those daysin Pennsylvania!), my mother convinced Mrs. Way thatI should come with my friends. I remember all of theolder children helping us with our arithmetic. We readto them frequently, and they also read to us each day.On the playground we all jumped rope together andplayed hopscotch and marbles Ñ just like a family.When we walked home for lunch and after school eachday, the older students helped us cross the streets andsaw us safely home.

No wonder I felt right at home in the early Õ70s when Ivisited some of the British primary schools in theirprime. A class of 40 five, six, and seven year olds withone teacher would run so smoothly that one hardlynoticed the teacher in the math area helping some children with their sums or reading to a child in thebook corner. There were imagination areas in each roomwhere a supply of junk materials encouraged childrento make creations Ñ boxes, tubes, packing material thathad been brought from home. One principal told methey received $12 per year per student for supplies, sothey depended on this junk for their art program. Allthe school purchased was paint and glue; everythingelse came from donated, discarded materials.

Shortly after this life-changing trip to England, I wasable to help start a school in Colorado Springs for K-6thgrades and to teach the K-2 class for four years. Fortu-

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

Marty Clark is past-president ofOKAEYC, and aboard member ofthe Child CareResource Center.She served on theMayorÕs Commis-sion on Women,and Tulsa JuniorCollegeÕs TaskForce for EarlyChildhood Educa-tion. She is also a

validator and mentor for NAEYC.

Multi-Ageat RiverfieldCountry Day

Page 11: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

they ever questioned the multi-age concept. They haverepeatedly told us they are very pleased with thegroupings and their childÕs progress. Here are a few oftheir comments:

One mother writes: ÒSince this is my sonÕs second year inthe red class, I have had the opportunity to watch his pro-gression in a multi-age class. During his first year, heseemed to really enjoy learning from some of the older children who helped him with his seat belt on the bus ortaught him new soccer skills. Now that he is in his secondyear, he seems to enjoy being the one to help the youngerones and heÕs happy to have some of his friends still with him from last year, too! With the mixed ages, it allows thechildren to interact with a variety of ages and skill sets andteaches them to help each other.Ó

Another parent says: ÒWhen my son became one of theolder children in the three to five class, it was gratifyingfor me to witness the marked growth in self-confidenceand leadership abilities that occurred.Ó

The beginning of the year was smooth for teachersand parents. One parent immediately saw a notice-able change at home, as her son Òfeels like he is oneof the older children. He is more responsible andtakes the initiative with usÓ (at home). Parents alsosee social growth and are pleased to hear their chil-dren Òusing their wordsÓ to solve their problems athome and at school. Children in a typical Òall threesÓclassroom are dependent on their teacher for helpand are somewhat ÒbabyishÓ; whereas the threes in amulti-age three and four year old room mature andbecome independent more quickly.

From a child development viewpoint . . .the teacher is able to observe the childÕs growth overa two year period, in every area of development.There is no need for a Ògetting to know youÓ periodeach fall for the half of the class whom the teacherhad last year. Teachers say it is so encouraging to seethe growth and maturity over the summer, too. Theyobserve children doing things when their own timeclock says they are ready. Teachers are also grateful tohave a room of mixed ages, rather than one full ofthose Òwild and wonderfulÓ fours all at once!

It is very rewarding to see children in that second year,as they reinforce their learning by teaching others. Theyfeel more confident and outgoing and take responsibil-ity for transitions and important tasks like cleaning upthe room Ñ ÒI know how to put the blocks awayÓ Ñand immediately show three year old friends how tostack them on the shelf. Since children already knowthe teacher, the classroom, and the structure of the day,the fours enter the year as the Òbig guys on the block.Ó

nately, in the years since then, I always taught in a class(or started a school Ñ four of them) that had mixed ages.

Multi-age teachers need to establish a curriculum foreach child in a multi-age classroom which requires one tolook carefully at all students individually to see wherethey are and what they are ready to do. No more pour-and-store teaching or teacher-in-front-of-the-class-allday-teaching-everyone-the-same-thing-at-the-same-time. Of courseit looks very familiar to an early childhood person, asthis is the way many developmentally appropriateclasses work, even if they are not multi-age.

An early childhood teacher’s perspective . . .the plusses for multi-age are many. Riverfield CountryDay School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is now in its 15th year ofmulti-age teaching and learning. In preschool, three, four,and five year olds are grouped together. In the beginningof this school year, just two weeks after school began,teachers commented that the returning fours took suchgood care of the incoming threes, that they (the teachers)were free to interact more with the children on qualityissues, not just routines. One older child even explainedto a new one that ÒAfter you eat all of your lunch, youget a cookie.Ó It certainly helps to know the importantthings right away, and fours help to see that you followthe rules!

The transition was easy for parents and children, as halfof the group was already familiar with the classroom andthe routines. For example, the older children led songs atgroup time, taught the younger ones how to buckle theseat belts on the bus for their weekly field trip, tiedshoes, showed them the restroom and hand washing rou-tine, demonstrated how to use the swings and cross themonkey bars. They set the pace for ÒShare and Tell,Ó asthey had learned the previous year from their four yearold mentors, by asking, ÒDoes anyone have any ques-tions or comments?Ó

Threes seem to connect quickly with the fours and enjoyhaving a friend or buddy who can help them out. At first,some threes are quiet and observe the action. They oftenget to be the ÒbabyÓ in dramatic play. The fours organize,lead, and talk, often encouraging their younger friends.In using manipulatives, threes seem to dump and pouritems and carry them around for themselves. Fours sortand classify by several attributes and threes observe withinterest. The continuity from year to year is very evidentin these classrooms.

Sometimes it is a challenge to convince parents that it isall right for the children to be in the same room for twoyears and to have the same teacher again. But after ashort time, they see their child blossom and wonder why

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 55

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 12: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

One teacher says it is Òduck soupÓ the sec-ond year and Òhaving the parent partner-ship for two years is an added bonus.Ó

From an administrator’s point ofview . . .a mixed-age class is also helpful for enroll-ment slumps. One always strives to have abalance of numbers for each age, but therecan be more flexibility in multi-age groups.If there is a shortage of a certain age, a few children of another age can be enrolled. AtRiverfield, our preference is to have eachfamily group in the room have some threes

and some fours Ñ preferably about halfand half. With team teaching in everyclassroom, children can often be in thesame room with a good friend, but notalways in the same family group. Thisencourages them to make new friendsand also to have some time with old ones;and it pleases the parents to have them inthe room together.

At Riverfield Country Day School, themulti-age group does not stop atpreschool. In fact, it is just getting startedthere. Other mixed ages are kindergartenand first, second and third, fourth andfifth, and sixth-seventh or seventh-eighth.Nationally, there is a growing interest inmulti-age grouping for all ages, especiallyin the middle school, and we are happy tobe among the pioneers in the field ofmulti-age education.

In one of our teacherÕs college class, theprofessor asked his students what type ofschool they attended in grade school.When he realized several had attendedone-room schoolhouses, where multi-age

groups were the rule, he said, ÒThose arethe people who learn how to think!Ó IsnÕtthat what it is all about?

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 56

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

Page 13: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Sue Gainer, directorof product develop-ment at The Child Care Group, hasdesigned and managedearly childhood pro-grams for Head Start as well as non-profitchild care agencies fornearly 20 years. Aformer community college instructor, she serves as an accreditation validator

and a commissioner for NAEYC .

youngest children should ideally mimic nature Ñbabies at least nine months apart in age (i.e., a threemonth old and a twelve month old), with the 18-36month olds spread across that range.

Managing the day is made easier because all of thechildren are not awake and doing the same things atthe same time. The infants are sleeping part of thetime that the toddlers are playing, while the tod-dlersÕ naptime gives the caregiver the opportunity togive special attention to the babies.

At some point, everyone is awake. A calm environ-ment, created by the caregiverÕs patient interactionswith the children, sets the tone for the way the children play. When the babies are on the floor, thetoddlers are reminded they are there. The toddlers

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 57

Making Multi-AgeGroups Work

The differences in abilities, skills, and interests in amulti-age group exude the feeling of a well-orchestrated symphony. Everyone belongs and has

a significant role in creating the harmony in the room,while the caregiver, as conductor, establishes the rhythm.

The caregiverÕs job changes significantly in a multi-agegroup. Planning for the ÒfoursÓ is not useful, but plan-ning for four-year-old Jessica is essential. The focus oneach childÕs unique developmental needs drives theprogram.

Infant/Toddlers

Infant/toddler multi-age groups work best if the groupsare small Ñ a maximum of five children per caregiverwith only two under 18 months old. The age span of the

Roberta Bergman issenior vice president ofThe Child Care Group,Dallas. She has over 30years of experience inthe development, man-agement, and market-ing of child careprograms. Her currentwork is focused on themarketing of productsand services derivedfrom The Child CareGroupÕs unique model

of Relationship-Centered Child Care¨ from which the content of this article has been adapted.

by Roberta Bergman and Sue Gainer

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 14: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

year olds or will exhibit enough language proficiency toexpress themselves as well as some fives. Some foursand fives will still be developing skills that one mightexpect of younger children.

It is because of these inconsistencies in developmentthat children can thrive in a multi-age group. Theyounger children will often follow the lead of olderchildren Ñ using new language, practicing new rou-tines, trying new skills. The older children will developmore helping and caring behaviors. They will oftentake the initiative and coach younger children in theprocedures and routines of the room.

The caregiverÕs role is to plan activities that are chal-lenging and interesting for the older children and chal-lenging but not frustrating for the younger children.She knows that three year olds like to dress up like theadults they know best Ñ mother and father Ñ whilethe older children like to be teachers, office workers,and firefighters, complete with props. She also recog-nizes that the older children may want to perform tasksfor, assign less mature roles to, or control the youngerchildren.

Megan, age four, enjoys dressing up and being ÒMommy.ÓShe always wants three year old Justin to be her baby becausehe is the youngest in the group. As the children are choosingtheir activities, Megan says, ÒIÕm going to dress up like amommy.Ó Ms. Newman asks, ÒWhat will you do whenyouÕre all dressed up?Ó ÒIÕll go shopping for food,Ó repliesMegan, Òand IÕm going to take my baby with me.Ó ÒWhichbaby doll will you take?Ó asks Ms. Newman. ÒIÕm going totake a real baby,Ó answers Megan. ÒJustin is going to be mybaby.Ó

Justin immediately speaks up. ÒI donÕt want to be a baby.ÓÒMegan, what else can Justin do since he doesnÕt want to bethe baby?Ó Ms. Newman asks. ÒI can sell the food toMegan,Ó replies Justin. ÒI want Justin to be the baby,Ówhines Megan. ÒI know you do, but he doesnÕt want to. Hehas decided to be the grocer. What else will you do when yougo to the housekeeping area?Ó asks Ms. Newman. ÒI donÕtknow. IÕll decide after I start playing,Ó replies Megan.

Younger childrenÕs participation in activities with olderchildren may change the nature of the experience forthe older child. The caregiver has to decide when itÕsappropriate to encourage older children to includeyounger children in their play and when it is not.

Three year old Marlin is playing in the block area withKeisha and Anthony who are four and five. Marlin has builta simple garage for a wooden car he enjoys playing with.Keisha and Anthony are building a structure that is almost

may sit on the floor to play with the babies, or theymay play around the babies, with toys that are soft andflexible. The caregiver watches for times when thetoddlers demonstrate care and empathy toward thebabies and then reinforces their concern. She uses theiremerging self-help skills to encourage their indepen-dence and to enable them to assist her.

Brent, an 18 month old, selects his favorite book about carsand trucks. Marisa, nearly three, is ÒreadingÓ to Ms. Wellsas they sit on the rug near the book shelf. Brent takes his bookto Ms. Wells and says, ÒCars!Ó Ms. Wells smiles, patting thepillow on the other side of her. ÒMarisa is reading now.Would you like to sit with us while she finishes, then weÕll

read about the cars?Ó Brent, clutching his book, nods hishead and cuddles on the pillow to hear Marisa read.

Four month old Noel, in his infant seat near BrentÕs pillow,begins to whimper and squirm. Brent immediately slides offhis pillow, toward Noel. Ms. Wells asks Marisa to continueher reading while she changes NoelÕs diaper. She tells Brentthat Noel will be fine . . . Óhe just needs his diaperchangedÓ . . . and invites him to come with her, but he set-tles back on his pillow. She completes the diaper change,washes her hands, and rejoins Marisa and Brent, holdingNoel on her lap as Marisa reads. When Marisa finishesreading, Ms. Wells asks if she would like to hear BrentÕsfavorite book. Marisa says ÒYes.Ó Brent beams and handshis book to Ms. Wells.

Flexibility is the defining attribute of the infant/tod-dler multi-age caregiver. She will be balancing a sixmonth old on her hip while helping a toddler put on asmock. She will be using her voice to soothe an infantin distress while tying a toddlerÕs shoelaces. She willplan the day so that the activities requiring the closestsupervision of the toddlers occur when the babieshave been fed, diapered, and are quietly content. Sim-ilarly, she makes time to cuddle and coo over eachbaby while the toddlers are engaged in quiet play orare napping.

Learning each childÕs likes, dislikes, temperament, andabilities allows the caregiver to become sensitive tobehavioral or physical changes in each child. Thecapacity to respond to childrenÕs cues Ñ to recognizewhen a child is tired or overstimulated or bored orhungry or wet or about to be wet Ñ is key to success in a multi-age infant/toddler group.

Preschoolers

The preschool multi-age group is a laboratory ofdevelopmental differences. Some three year olds willhave some of the same physical capabilities as the four

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 58

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op

Page 15: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

Scenario III Ñ The five year olds in a straight-age group allgo to elementary school. Here is an opportunity to createa whole new multi-age preschool class with threes,fours, and fives from the waiting list, even while thechange from straight-age to multi-age groups is pro-gressing more gradually elsewhere in the center.

Making the Case with Licensing Officials

In many states, multi-age groups require a variancefrom or waiver of one or more of the licensing stan-dards. Some states have provisions for obtaining these;but even if a stateÕs regulations do not address excep-tions, it should not be assumed that waivers or vari-ances are not allowable.

The key point to underscore with licensing officialsis that the request for the variance or waiver comesnot from the desire to do something wrong but fromthe desire to do something right.

Preparing the case for multi-age grouping includesthe following steps:

■ Identify all the standards that apply to multi-age grouping. Address each separately, clearly statingthe conditions of the waiver/variance.

■ Provide a program description that includes jus-tification for the request.

■ Include research, literature reviews, or refer-ences to other successful multi-age program mod-els that outline the developmental benefits to thechildren.

■ Be specific about how health and safety issueswill be addressed.

■ Describe backup coverage for infant/toddler multi-age groups.

■ Define any terms that might not be clear: multi-age, primary caregivers, constant care, etc.

■ Describe how the benefits to the children will beevaluated.

■ Secure letters of support from respected earlychildhood professionals.

■ Include other attachments such as videotapes ofmulti-age groups.

■ Consider requesting the waiver/variance for a

waist high. Marlin sees their work and wanders over towatch them. Mr. Todd notices MarlinÕs interest in the olderchildrenÕs structure.

Keisha eyes Marlin and immediately discourages him fromjoining her and Anthony. ÒYou build baby houses,Ó she says,Òwe build skyscrapers.Ó Marlin stands his ground. ÒI donÕtbuild baby houses. I build garages.Ó Mr. Todd assesses thesituation and considers if he can develop MarlinÕs growth toa higher level of block play. He thinks about encouragingKeisha and Anthony to include Marlin, but then reconsiders.Marlin is not at their level of skill with the blocks . . . includ-ing Marlin may not only hamper their creativity, it may alsobe frustrating to all three of them.

Mr. Todd decides to take some instant photos of multi-levelgarages on his way home. The next day, he and Marlin lookat the pictures and talk about different kinds of garages.

Transitioning from Straight-Age to Multi-Age Groups

The change to multi-age groups is a gradual process,best accomplished through attrition within a room orwhen a vacant room can be enrolled with all new children. The latter can occur either through expansionor when the two year old group turns three, moving topreschool and leaving an existing classroom vacant orwhen the five year olds leave to go to elementaryschool.

The most likely scenarios in which these changes canoccur are:

Scenario I Ñ Attrition occuring within a straight-age group.In this scenario, children who leave are replaced bychildren of complimentary ages. For example, in agroup of four year olds in which three are leaving, twothree year olds and one five year old could be enrolled.In a group of 12-18 month olds in which one is leaving,a two year old could be enrolled.

Scenario II Ñ A group of twos turning three is ready tomove to the preschool program. The children can be spreadamong the existing four year old class(es) and five yearold class(es).

Each of these rooms will then consist of threes andfours or threes and fives. The ÒmissingÓ ages in eachroom are filled in as openings occur. The existing threeyear old room is maintained, with fours and fivesadded as threes attrition out. The now vacant two yearold room is filled by infants and toddlers from thewaiting list.

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 59

Be

gin

nin

gs W

ork

sho

p

Page 16: Multi-Age CaregivingMulti-Age Caregiving Child Care Information Exchange ¥ PO Box 3249, Redmond, WA 98073-3249 ¥ (800) 221-2864 Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., is professor of early childhood

specified period (preferably three years) as a ÒpilotÓwith the understanding that a positive assessmentby licensing officials at the end of the term willresult in a permanent exception.

The Economics of Multi-Age Groups

The impact of multi-age groups on a centerÕs bottomline can be forecast by looking at current enrollmentand child:staff ratios. For many multi-age preschoolclassrooms, the effect will be minimal. The restrictionson the composition of infant/toddler groups is likely tohave a more noticeable effect. For example, a program

that enrolls 14 infants (0-12 months) with three care-givers and 18 toddlers (13-36 months) with three care-givers would be reduced from 32 children to 30,creating six groups of five infant/toddlers, each withits own caregiver.

Two high-demand, high-revenue spaces will be lost.But all the revenue for those spaces will not disap-pear. Some can be recovered immediately by institut-ing a multi-age fee which extends the current infantfee to toddlers. Applying a multi-age fee to thepreschool also will generate additional revenue fromthe parents of fours and fives.

Other cost offsets will be realized over the longerterm. Parents or third-party funding sources will paymore for what they quickly see as better care. Enroll-ment will be more stable, with parents less likely todisrupt their childrenÕs long-term attachments. Care-givers will become more invested in the childrenbecause they are with them longer. They will perceivetheir jobs as more challenging, interesting, andrewarding, resulting in greater retention.

The economic underpinning of multi-age groups isadded value . . . a compelling reason to move for-ward.

Child Care Information Exchange 11/98 — 60

Be

gin

nin

gs

Wo

rksh

op