Mixed-Age Learning Activities Boost Patience and Cooperation

Written by Ms. Rebekah Davis, Specifics Level Lead Teacher

In the Specifics B classroom we’ve been doing some mixed-age activities, which focus on getting to know some younger students better. In my homeroom class (“India”), students range from ages 9-10, while the Tanzania/South Korea students are just a year younger at 8-9 years. All these homerooms fall within the ‘Specifics’ level. 

Students write and present a puppet show together as forum for learning more about their classmates.

On the first day back to school, students were eager to share about their winter breaks. Mrs. Benoit and I partnered up and assigned each India student a younger partner from the Tanzania class. They interviewed each other about their breaks and prepared to present to the whole class what they had learned from their partner. Their creativity was highly entertaining!  Two students chose puppets as their form of presenting, and they proceeded to do a live show with Lincoln the Pig asking Walker the Cow about his Christmas vacation. My favorite question to Walker the Cow was, “What did you eat for Christmas dinner.” The ironic reply from the cow, “My favorite, Beef Brisket!” 

This kind of mixed-age activity is highly recommended by experts, encouraging gentleness and patience in the older students, as the younger ones learn by watching and imitating their older peers. (CLICK HERE for more info) I love to set up opportunities for my students to engage both older and younger students!