Download the article: The Older Child in the kindergarten
From the results of the last North American survey, 30% of the groups surveyed contained children aged three or three-and-a-half to six or seven and 60% of the groups contained children aged four or four and-a-half to six or seven. Here are a few more comments about the benefits of having younger children in the mixed age kindergarten from our colleagues in North America:
1. The older and younger children balance each other out. When the older children go through their six year old change/crisis, the younger children reignite the older children's excitement for beautiful, lively and fanciful play.
2. Mixed age groups provide children with the advantage of staying with one teacher for more than one year usually.
3. Younger children look up to the older children and aspire to future privileges. In their looking forward to the opportunities to do these things another year, they help to carry enthusiasm for the kindergarten curriculum. Yearning for future events helps them to grow into the capacities to achieve them.
4. Younger children can help the older ones from becoming prematurely hardened. The wide-eyed wonder and innocence of the younger children can be the leaven for the group. They make things rise.
5. Mixed age groups provide greater diversity. There is a great disparity between the developmental stages in early childhood and children are more able to find their equals in a group spanning one-and-a- half to three years. This also helps the teacher to receive more accurate signals as to the proper placement of the grade one ready child.
6. A first-born child in a family has the opportunity to experience what it's like to be the younger child in a mixed-age kindergarten and the youngest child in a family could be the older child. In this way, children are able to expand their life experience, in relationship with others.
7. The mixed age group benefits only if the activities can be structured so that there is enough movement and real meaningful work and adult authority presence for the older children. If these are not strong, then the little ones can be overwhelmed. At the same time, the teacher must hold the younger children in a reassuring, tender and close gesture. A balanced age distribution is also important.
The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
Ruth Ker is a kindergarten teacher from Duncan, BC and a WECAN Board member.