multigrade class in primary school

strawberry1

i have a multigrade class for the first time this year, split senior infants and first class, with large numbers. i know this is more common than teaching one class, but has anyone any advice on how they deal with the multigrade situation?:D

lily09

Thats my class exactly for the past few years . Its a rotten split I can tell you because there is a huge difference in the work of both classes. My main advice to you would be plan plan plan. Have your termly and fortnightly schemes up to date and a timetable that you stick rigidly to otherwise you wont get the work done.Plan each day and try and stick to it. Make sure you have filler activities for both groups, I have fun folders they can do when they finished their work www.activityvillageco.uk great for colouring in sheets etc.
Also try and overlay as much in subjects as possible, I dont use many workbooks for this reason, for eg do water in sese with both classes.
My one tip that i have found is to make a list each day for the children that you must listen to for reading spelling etc.
Make life easier for yourself have 2 homework copies etc so you can bring one home to correct.
Do all the "hard stuff" with the older class when the younger have gone home spellings etc you will need to plan your timetable to suit the difference in infant and full time hours.
Last point is you will have to run a tight ship as regards discipline and make the parents aware that the children are in a mixed class and unfortunatly this means that you will be restricted. I am a big believer in not ensuring complete silence in an infant and younger classes room, unfortunalty you will need a system that ensure silence for one class while you teach the others. I use a noiseometer (http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/thumbs591-595/sb595prev.html) and they love that.
Best of luck its tough going but you will never be bored and the day flies!!

E.T.

There's loads of threads on forum.educationposts.ie about multiclass teaching. If you log in and use the search function you'll get answers to anything you can think of.

strawberry1

thanks for all the advice! much appreciated!