Imagine you're the parent to 8-10 children who are all the same age. They all have the same needs, often at the same time. Remember "Jon & Kate Plus Eight"? It looked hard right? 

That is very similar to the structure of a traditional classroom.

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One thing that makes families with multiple children more manageable is the fact that (typically) all of the children are different ages. They are going through different phases and stages at different times. They have different needs and they don't need you to meet those needs all at the same time. 

Montessori Classrooms

Montessori preschools are typically grouped from ages 3-6. 

In Montessori classrooms the older students engage with and help the younger children. This teaches the older children responsibility, empathy, and how to be a leader. It helps them develop confidence and a strong sense of self. It also helps them learn to deal with different-aged children and develop their ability to nurture others. 

 The younger children look up to the bigger kids in our classroom. They get to work and learn from them. They have extra help with tasks that are just out of their reach. They look forward to learning the material they see the older students learning, which is highly motivating. 

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• In Montessori classrooms students are not taught by age, but by level. Their education is individualized. If a three-year-old knows all of their letters and is starting to read, they can join the older kids in the reading lesson. If an older student is struggling with a concept, other children in the class are still learning that material as well.

• Teachers get the chance to work with a child over multiple years. This helps develop a strong bond with the student and family. The teachers really understand the child and no learning is lost (or retaught) from one year to the next. 

• The children become very comfortable with the teacher and the environment. They know the rules and expectations and are ready to jump in with very little time lost. 

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At these early ages children vary wildly in their abilities. It is not uncommon to have a student performing ahead of schedule or to have a late bloomer. Mixed-age classrooms are one way to help address these needs. 

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