Mixed-Age Learning
Patterns and Paradigms
From the early 1800’s to the middle of the 20th century, most educational facilities throughout the United States were one-room schoolhouses. These institutions were facilitated by a single teacher who instructed students from about 5 years up to 18 years old in a single classroom. The basic curriculum focused on reading, writing, arithmetic, and other life skills. The teacher would use a combination of whole-class instruction, group work, and individualized lessons. The teachers and students would work together on chores like keeping the school room clean, lighting the stove, or sweeping the floor. These schools were often centers of community life as well, where social gatherings, town meetings, and church services took place.
Homeschool families will recognize this structure as very similar to what happens in their homes every day!
With the rise of larger schools in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the need for these small schoolhouses declined. Larger schools began to separate students into classrooms by age, and sometimes by gender. This allowed teachers the ability to present lessons that were appropriate for the developmental stages of the students.
Even the Primary organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints soon adopted this trend. In 1929, the Church formally divided the Primary children into graded classes as opposed to teaching them all together in one group.
Thus, most of us are very accustomed to dividing children into groups by age in order to provide the most effective instruction.
This raises the question: are homeschool students missing out on the benefits of learning in a classroom with their age-related peers who have similar cognitive abilities?
Older Siblings As Mentors
My youngest son reviews his math lesson with the help of an older brother.
My personal experience is that homeschoolers are not at a disadvantage as they learn in a mixed-age environment. Rather, there are many rich and powerful benefits to this arrangement! A 1995 study (Veenman, Cognitive and Noncognitive Effects of Multigrade and Multi-Age Classes) affirms this observation:
“There is no empirical evidence that student learning suffered in any way in multi-age (mixed age) classrooms. Students in such classrooms did not learn more of less than students in single-age classes. In fact, students in multi-age classes scored higher on attitudes towards school, personal adjustment and self-concept than students in single-age classes.”
Learning together fosters not just increased knowledge, but improved relationships. Older children become leaders and mentors to their younger siblings, which improves their own confidence and understanding of concepts. They learn to be patient as they help the younger children do new things. And the younger siblings are very interested in emulating their older brothers and sisters. They observe older siblings closely and are motivated to achieve what they admire in them.
Divine Principles
In Matthew 18:20, the Lord says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” If we prayerfully gather our children together for learning in our homes, we can invite the Spirit of the Lord to be present. Neither small nor significant age differences will diminish the value of sharing time engaged in learning experiences. Both older children and younger children benefit from learning together. Elder M. Russell Ballard stated, “Siblings, especially the older ones, can be powerful mentors to young children if parents will … enlist their help and support.” (Family Councils, April 2016). He further explained that counseling together as a group “will give each family member a feeling of worth and importance; and most of all they will assist us to be more successful and happy in our precious relationships, within the walls of our homes.”
The spiritual benefits of learning together as a family and improving our relationships with each other are advantages that outweigh a typical peer-focused classroom. There is nothing lost and so much to gain.
Personal Application
Our homeschool experiences are designed to be like the one-room schoolhouse approach so that we can work together as a whole family. We use a parent-led family-style approach for some of our daily lessons. I prefer to choose curriculum that provides lessons and activities that can be adapted to a mixed-age group (note that this is how the Come Follow Me materials are organized in the Gospel Library). Every day, each child also has time to work individually, or in one on one lessons with me. We also share the responsibilities of keeping our school room tidy and our workspaces organized. Sometimes my older children step in to teach or assist the younger children in their lessons or activities. And in all of this, our experiences together are enriched by inviting the Spirit of the Lord to be in our home.
Ask yourself how you have seen the benefits of teaching your children of different ages as a whole group. How have you been able to adapt your learning experiences to include a variety of abilities and developmental stages?
Counsel and Record
Share with your spouse (or a parent or a friend) what you have learned about mixed-age learning. Discuss how you can adapt activities or lessons to include every member of your family, where it is appropriate. Remember to prayerfully ask for the Spirit of the Lord to be in your midst as you gather as a family to learn. Write down your thoughts, impressions, and conclusions.
