Republic of the Philippines

President Ramon Magsaysay State University

Castillejos, Zambales

College/Department College of Teacher Education

Course Code ELEC ED
Course Title Teaching Multi-Grade Classes
Place of the Course in the Program Elective Course
Semester & Academic Year First Semester, AY 2021-2022

Module 4

Management Strategies for Multi-grade Classrooms

Introduction
Multi-grade teaching is all about classroom organization, student management, and,
ultimately, the successful transmission of grade specific curricula. It is your responsibility as a
multi-grade teacher to plan and organize your classroom to get the best results from the space and
resources available to you.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, the students are expected to:
1. Identify effective management strategies for multi-grade classrooms.

Discussion
As a multi-grade teacher, you are the key to planning, designing, and managing a range of
both grade-appropriate and mixed-grade activities for children to keep them engaged in learning.
Your efficiency and effectiveness rest on creating a classroom conducive to learning by
developing exciting and stimulating activities ranging from group work to independent study. You
play a central role in managing the classroom in the following ways: •
 planning the use of the classroom “space”, especially flexible seating arrangements for
both you and your students •
 planning and carrying out multiple lessons at the same time •
 designing activities for students to keep them involved •
 creating, arranging, and using teaching and learning materials •
 establishing norms of behavior expected of students to keep them learning

What Is Management?
Management means organization that leads to an orderly environment. It includes control
and the application of rules. In a multigrade classroom, the teacher, who is the head of the
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class, has to control his or her class and create a good learning environment for the
children. The teacher must also make the learners understand how they can assist in
making their class manageable. The learners also play a role in managing the class.
Classroom management can be viewed in three dimensions. The dimensions are the
classroom, the teacher and the learners. Now look at the illustration below.

In managing the classroom, the teacher has to keep in mind the above dimensions. These three
dimensions must be managed effectively if learning is to occur. Each of these dimensions is
described below.

The Teacher Dimension

Multi-grade teachers must learn to manage themselves effectively. They must organize and plan
their time so that they meet student needs yet cover the prescribed curriculum for each grade.
Since they are unable to teach all the students all the time, they must delegate some of their
teaching tasks to older learners who can assist the younger ones. However, multi-grade teachers
are ultimately responsible for all the learners, the activities and the resources that are in a
classroom.

The Learners Dimension

Multi-grade teachers must manage the learners under their care. They must ensure that the
learners work diligently to complete their assignments, display appropriate behavior and act
responsibly. By guiding students and using themselves as exemplary models, the teachers help
students to develop healthy communication and relationship skills. It is important that multi-grade
teachers manage a caring and nurturing environment so that students can develop their full
potential.
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The Classroom Dimension
Multi-grade teachers also manage the physical conditions within the classroom, the materials,
activities and routines. The physical conditions of a classroom include the desks, seats and
facilities for storing material such as cupboard shelves.

The teaching and learning materials that both the learners and teachers need to enhance the
teaching-learning process are also managed by teachers. Frequently, these materials are referred to
as teaching aids.

Teachers are responsible for facilitating all the learning activities in the classroom and for
establishing and maintaining routines.

Routines are procedures that are used to make learning and teaching easier. For example, routines
may be established for cleaning the boards or changing displays.

The above dimensions are not the only areas we could consider. However, the three dimensions
model is one of the ways we can help you as a multi-grade teacher realize how much is under the
umbrella of management.

Managing the Teaching in a Multi-grade Classroom

When you have a wide range of abilities, and often ages, all together in the same room, it
is not always effective to try to teach the class as a whole in all subjects and all the time. There are
a number of teaching strategies that a multi-grade teacher could use. These strategies are equally
as useful in a traditional classroom of one grade level.

 WHOLE CLASS TEACHING

 SMALL GROUP TEACHING
 INDIVIDUAL TEACHING

Whole Class Teaching

This is the simplest approach for the teacher. There is only one lesson to prepare and the
lesson is aimed at the average ability in the class. It is easier for you to keep an eye on the students
and keep good discipline.

There are disadvantages for the multi-grade situation if you use this way of teaching all the time.

 The whole class teaching is often very teacher-centered

 The lesson is aimed at the average student and in the multi-grade classroom; there will be a
wide range of abilities. Low achievers may get frustrated, high achievers may get bored.
 Discipline can become a problem with students who are not interested because the work is
too hard or too easy.

Whole class teaching is still important in the multi-grade classroom, but student-centered
activities should be presented most of the time. Some activities where whole class teaching works
well are:

 Story telling and reading by the teacher

 Students’ news
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  Introduction to lessons, where the whole class works together with the teacher, then breaks
into groups to complete activities.
 Modeled reading and writing by the teacher to introduce the language lesson
 Physical education, music, drama.

Individualized Teaching
The teacher works on a one-to-one basis with a student. The student may be working on the same
task as others, or may have special work to suit the level of the student’s ability.

The rest of the class must be engaged in purposeful activity if the teacher is to focus on one
student only. This can be hard to organize if you have a lot of students in a crowded classroom.

One of the common ways teachers spend individual time with students is hearing the student read
aloud. You can organize to hear every student read over a period of a week if you schedule the
times when the rest of the class is working independently.

You must be sure that all students at some time get your individual attention, not just the ones
who may be experiencing difficulties.

Small Group Teaching

This is the most effective way of allowing for student-centered learning at a level to meet the
needs of the student.

Small-group teaching is a specific method of instruction that is strongly related to active learning.
It lets students to practice, make errors, and figure out how to think about what they're learning on
their own terms, generally in groups of eight to twelve.

There will be children of all ages, skills, needs, and interests in the multi-grade classroom (as well
as the standard classroom). We cannot offer everyone the same task to perform all of the time if
we are responding to the requirements of the pupils in the class. A range of activities with varying
results might best represent the particular student.

Classroom Routines
(Adapted from Collingwood, I. (1991) Multi class Teaching in Primary Schools UNESCO.)

Classroom routines are those rules and procedures, set up by the teacher and understood by the
students, which set the pattern for every day behavior and actions.

Having clear rules and everyone knowing what they should be doing is essential in a multi-grade
nclassroom. Because students are required to do different things at different times, and take
responsibility for their learning, routines that are understood by the students in the classroom are
vital.

Time at the beginning of the year getting the rules right and routines firmly established will be
time very well spent.

Teacher’s Routines
As well as the students having routines, the teacher should also have some routines which should
be followed daily.
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 Planning – Apart from being planned well ahead, adequate preparation time should be
allowed either before the students comes to school in the morning, or after school.
 Preparation – Blackboards should be prepared with the tasks and various groupslisted and
all teaching and learning resources should be organized for the day.
 Effective routines allow the students to start work quickly and purposefully in the
morning. They know if the teacher is properly organized.
 Try to plan your day’s work so you have some time for individual help (marking,
discussing, reading, etc) to a variety of students in the different groups within the day.

Students’ Routines
Students need to know how the classroom operates and what they are responsible for doing.
Clear routines assist students in developing responsibility for their learning.

 Students should know what work they should be doing at any one time. The teacher
needs to establish the ways in which work will be set. It may be for the whole class, for a
group or for an individual. Blackboards, verbal and / or written instructions, worksheets,
etc can be used.
 Students should know how books and other learning materials are distributed, collected
and stored. The individual or group should be responsible for returning teaching and
learning materials to their correct place.
 Students should know what to do when they need help but the teacher is unavailable.
If a student is having difficulties with the instructions or the task, they should know who
they can ask for help, eg the group leader, their partner, etc, before they approach the
teacher.
 Students should know how to have work marked or checked. Teachers should avoid
long queues at their desk of students waiting to have their work marked. They quickly get
bored and restless. It is good to have other activities they can carry on with on their own.
Many teachers find it better to actually leave their desk and move around the room to the
students. They can sit beside the student to help them and to check their work. Other ideas
include letting students mark their own work, or make self-check work cards with answer
keys.
 Students should know what to do when they are finished. When students are working
in small groups or individually, they must know what to do when they are finished so they
will not cause disruption to the teacher and the class. The students who finish early should
know what they can carry on with without the teacher’s help. They should know where to
go, what to do and why they are doing it. A list of activities could be put on the board, they
might go to the learning centre, finish incomplete work, play some games prepared by the
teacher for such times, read etc.
 Students should be given responsibility. Multi-grade teachers can help themselves and at
the same time help their students by giving them real responsibility in the classroom. They
should tell them which tasks and duties are the responsibility of the students. The use of
monitors or helpers for particular jobs is most useful. These students should be rotated so
that different students have an opportunity to develop responsibility.

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Leadership Styles
As a multi-grade teacher, you are a leader in the class. You have a leadership style. By that, we
mean you have a way or a pattern of doing things. In your case, you should have your own way of
running your class.

Teachers are generally known to use one of three styles of leadership. Research has shown that
each teacher tends to adopt one style. Let us look at these styles individually.

Democratic Participatory Style

Teachers who exhibit this style give the learners the opportunity and privilege to assist the teacher
in the management of the classroom. For example, they will make classroom rules with the
teacher, they will be allowed to choose projects and how their work will be organized, mounted or
displayed. If you have a democratic participatory style, learners are more likely to offer
suggestions and willingly take part in classroom activities.

Autocratic Style
Autocratic teachers make all the rules and plans. The teacher also selects assignments and decides
on the materials that should be displayed in the classroom. The learners may be afraid of the
teacher. If you follow this style of leadership, your learners may not ask questions, make
suggestions or volunteer to do things for you.

Laissez-Faire Style
If you follow this style of leadership, you will appear to have little control. Learners will do what
they wish to do. There will be no order in your class. Many of your learners may see you as a
friend, while others will feel constraint because they want and need your guidance.

In multi-grade classroom situations, the democratic style of leadership is preferred because the
learners have a chance to practise independent learning skills. Learners also make decisions and
solve problems on their own. You will then have time to help those learners who might need
special help.

It is important for you, as a multi-grade teacher, to understand that the leadership style you select
will depend on various factors such as your preferences, the background of your learners and the
environment in which you work. Note that although you may exhibit a democratic participatory
style most of the time, you may exhibit the other styles under certain conditions. If your classroom
were on fire, you would exhibit an autocratic style and tell students to leave the class. You would
not spend time discussing the issue or voting on what you should do. Similarly, you may display a
laissez-faire style during class breaks or when students are playing outside of the classroom.
Everyone has his or her own style.

Management of Behavior Problems

Some psychologists feel that most behaviors are controlled by how we respond to our
environment.

Learners’ behaviors are sometimes influenced by the culture or spirit of the classroom. They
connect easily with a warm and friendly environment. You need to set boundaries in your class
that will help guide your learners in cultivating desirable behaviors. You should help your learners
develop self-control or discipline within themselves. Self-discipline is an integral part of
responsible living, especially because your learners are going to work in groups.

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Learners can display disruptive behavior when they:

 experience physical discomfort,

 desire attention,
 have too much energy,
 find a lesson uninteresting,
 experience problems at home,
 have poor self-esteem, or
 are unable to do a task.

If you know your learners well, you will be able to identify their problems and act accordingly. If
they are bored, change your methods. If they are sleepy in class, make sure they are getting
enough sleep at night and ensure that there is fresh air in the classroom.

Who Should Make Class Rules?

You should ask your learners to assist you in developing class rules, as well as stating the
consequences of misbehavior. In this way, they will understand the rules better, own them and be
more inclined to respect and obey them. After developing the class rules, you should ask your
learners to hang them on the wall where everybody can see them. You will notice that they will
reprimand each other before you even say a word. Make sure you lead by example and that the
rules are applied fairly, without exceptions.

Positive Approach to Behavior

Change Are you one of the teachers who goes home tired every day because you had to speak
threateningly to your learners? Have you tried more positive approaches to change their behavior?

In most countries, corporal punishment is not allowed. If you apply it, you could be jailed.
Learners resent any form of punishment. It can destroy the relationship you have with your
learners. Before punishing your learners, you should try the following ideas:

Find the reasons for misbehavior.

 Make them think about the people around them and how what they do affects others.
 Counsel your learners and show them different ways of solving their problems.
 Treat all your learners equally.
 Reward good behavior because
· learners need attention,
· it develops self-confidence,
· learners like to please the teacher, and
· reward is more effective in changing behavior than punishment.
 Be a positive role model

Effective Use of Punishment

You may need to use punishment when you ask a learner to do something that he or she does not
want to do, or you need to correct his or her bad behavior. After reading the ideas mentioned
previously, you should know that punishment should be your last resort.

When administering any form of punishment, you should keep the following in mind:

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  Learners should know the reason for their punishment.
 Apply punishment as soon as possible after the misbehavior. The punishment must be
directly related to the bad behavior.
 The punishment must fit the offense committed. It must not be too light or too heavy.
 Don’t be emotional when administering the punishment.
 The punishment should come as a natural consequence. If the learner spills water, she must
clean it up. If the learner hits another student, he should be placed in the time-out area
away from the other students.

Forms of Punishment
There are different forms of punishment that you can administer. A few are outlined below:

 Loss of Privileges. Place them in the time-out area or isolate them in some way.
 Work. The learners can work in the classroom or schoolyard or in the community. The
type of work they do is frequently not what they would do on their own.
 Interview or Learner Conference. The learner, teacher and principal could discuss the
misbehavior. Then the learner signs a contract explaining what he or she will do to address
the misbehavior or how he or she will act in the future.
 Parent Conference. The learner, teacher, principal and parent can discuss the
misbehavior. Again, the learner signs a contract. If the learner breaks the contract, she or
he can be suspended.

You should get to know your learners and promote a good relationship with them and their
parents. You want to avoid negative behaviors, as they can be very disruptive in a multi-grade
class.

Final Thoughts on Classroom Management and Discipline

You are the adult. Maintain dignity. Do not let a student’s problem be in charge of the room; it is
already in charge of the student. You be in charge of yourself, the classroom, and your response to
the situation.

Respond; do not react to the situation. The student needs assistance in some way. If you can do
that, do it. If you also need assistance, get it. It’s not a big deal. You can not do everything all the
time.

Sources/ References:
1. http://www.education.gov.pg/TISER/documents/pastep/pd-mt-2-managing-multi-grade-
classroom-student.pdf
2. https://www.eenet.org.uk/resources/docs/ilfe/generic/Sp4.pdf
3. http://oasis.col.org/bitstream/handle/11599/725/Module02_Part2.pdf
Suggested Readings/Videos
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLceHJwbeb8
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiIcptKYNh4
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_XR6dy69f4
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Exercise
I. Essay
1. Explain what is meant by each of the following leadership styles:
a. Democratic participatory
b. Autocratic
c. Laissez-faire

2. Which of the above styles is preferred in a multi-grade situation? Give reasons for your
answers.

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