The Ultimate Montessori Blog

In the Montessori circles the phrase “Mixed age group” is used often because this is one of the very important features of any Montessori environment, irrespective of whether it is a preschool or a primary classroom. What does the term mean? Montessori, as a rule, reckons learning according to the age of the child rather than the class, grade or standard in which the child studies. When, in a working room, children of three, four and five years of age work together without being segregated into divisions it is termed ‘mixed age group’. Many educationists find this absurd and unproductive. When there is freedom to work there is freedom in education. In such a case the mixed age group reveals its advantages.

Human life presents a picture of interdependence. Plant, animal or human life cannot exist without others. We can say the same of the child and adult life. Needless to point out that members of any community depend on each other. In a Montessori House of Children also this is very evident. But this interdependence can be understood only when there is plenty of opportunity to give and take. Give and Take cannot happen, in its real sense, if all the members of a community have the same need in the same measure at the same time. When the community has mixed age group the older children offer help to the younger children. By giving that help they become better and stronger individuals. Receiving help gracefully comes naturally to younger children. In turn thay offer help to the older children also. The classroom is a miniature world where this healthy interaction takes place.

This interaction leads to a degree of social cohesion that becomes very visible to even an ordinary eye. Very often workers in Montessori Houses of Children remark how the new entrants to the House of Children get accustomed to the life there mainly because of how the older children endear themselves to the younger ones. It has been noticed that the new children settle down faster when helped by the older children. This can happen only when they live in the same room. Almost like magic the togetherness grows. How can this be possible when all the children are of the same age and have the same needs?

Speaking in the reverse order we find the older children taking charge of younger ones spontaneously. The sense of responsibility with which they take over amazes the observer. This is specially seen during the first days of newly admitted children who are still passing through the stage of ‘transplantation’ as it were. Some older children literally ‘adopt’ younger ones and hold themselves responsible. This situation occurss only in a mixed age group.

This social cohesion is evident and the natural outcome of this is the disappearance of any type of envy, jealousy, if there was any. Normally children do not have these negative emotions. But, Montessori would remark that these inputs come from the adults in the environment. Words seemingly meant as encouragement put these seeds into the child’s mind. “See, how your friend comes first in the class, see how your friends can recite all the poems teacher has taught”, etc. When we realize that each child is unique we would not be making these comments. In a House of Children the teacher has the responsibilty of not outwardly comparing children. When the children make such comparisons themselves it is very healthy. Children have been seen to show off their friend’s work. “How nice this is! My friend did this” is an often-heard statement. The mixed age group gives plenty of opportunity for this.

Educationists often remark that competition is good for development. True enought that it provides the impetus to function and to function better. In implementing this idea, adults, very often, resort to methods that lead to unhealthy competition. When the children themselves make the comparisons it is in a spirit of joy and appreciation. It is not always that younger children compete with older ones but vice versa also.

Spontaneous and uninhibited appreciation of work at various levels and, therefore, from various points of view, becomes possible, in the Montessori classroom, there is work done at different levels of efficiency. Children learn to look at different aspects of things.

There is an unsaid rule that the child can work with those materials, only that have been presented to them. He would see materials meant for other age groups and needs to restrain himself. Such exercise of the Will strengthens it. Needless to say how important in life is the exercise of one’s Will power.

We recognize this fact that the mixed age group ensures a judicious distribution of the materials to children of all ages. If the class consisted of the same age group there would be more demand for the same materials and some materials will lie unused because the children have not reached the stage of using them or have gone past the stage.

The child learns to practise the code of conduct that mobilizes his consideration for others. Children do not need constant reminders about behaviour from the adults in the environment. The older children live those codes of conduct and the younger children learn by example rather than by precept. The mixed age group makes it possible.

The performance of activities of different levels of development proves to be indirect stimulation for further activity. The younger ones seemingly have ‘a preview’ of things to come in future. This happens when they see the older ones working. Presumably this observation stimulates the children to ask for presentations. When the older children watch the younger ones performing they almost relive their previous activities. This serves as a reinforcement(or, shall we say revision) of what they have already mastered. Can we ever imagine a child in the second standard doing what he had already done while he was in the first standard!

Montessori says that the absorbent mind in the child is not completely disappeared. Children belonging to all age groups would be performing activities belonging to all areas of developmental activities. In a manner of speaking the educational concepts would be ‘alive’ (being practiced) in the environment. Without being conscious of it the child learns several things, the effort that does not tire the child at all! What else do we want for a happy, healthy, enduring Education?