Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth

November 2003

“Multilevel classrooms are based on the premise that the students are innately active

learners who learn in developmentally appropriate ways within a learning

community.” 2.3

•Constructivist theory•Outcome-based curricula•Brain-based research•Model of Explicit Instruction•Formative assessment•The Continuum of Learning, IT, vii

Theoretical Underpinnings

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Characteristics of Successful Multilevel Classrooms: What the Literature Says

• Well informed educators and parents• Classroom-based assessment• Differentiated instruction• Integrated curriculum• Inquiry• Independent learners• Community of learners • Time

Benefits of the Multilevel Classroom

When parents and educators understand what successful multilevel classrooms

look like, there are benefits for all partners in the learning community

AND all students can thrive …. Kasten, 1998.

More Time for Quality Learning

• In-depth units and/or integrated themes• Workshops• Goal setting, self assessment and reflection• Continua• Risk taking and confidence• Leadership roles• Independent learners in an inquiring learning

community• Parents as partners

Supporting Multilevel Educators

• Offering time for professional learning and collaborative planning

• Understanding student-centred authentic learning

• Valuing formative assessment

• Celebrating the benefits of a multilevel learning community

Administrators Supporting Multilevel Teachers

• Developing an understanding of the philosophy of successful multilevel classrooms

• Visiting the classroom(s) frequently• Planning to have the multilevel classroom(s) for two or more years• Bringing the whole school on-board• Time tabling to accommodate large blocks of time for workshops• Offering teachers release time for professional learning and

collaboration with colleagues• Providing open-ended and authentic resources that support a broad

range of learners• Celebrating learning with the multilevel learning community

Independent Learner in an Authentic Learning Context

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

“…the focus moves to individual learning along a continuum” 1.6

Assessment as/for Learning

•Teacher observation •Student goal setting and reflection•Self assessment •Peer assessment •Student led conferences •Action plans

Differentiated instruction looks like-

• Continuum of Learning• Goal setting• Formative and performance assessments• Co-operative Groupings• Flexible Groupings• Integrated Curricula• Inquiry• Open-ended tasks• Workshops

Integrated or Thematic StudiesCHARACTERISTICS OF INTEGRATION IN MULTILEVEL CLASSROOMS

• Address broad topics across subjects• Target learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and

strategies and attitudes) from Foundation document(s)- 1st column

• Meet the needs of a broad range of learners• Dependent upon planning from Foundation documents-

2nd and 3rd columns, Suggestions for Instruction and Assessment

• Support inquiry across subjects• Facilitate demonstration of learning (processes and

products) through performance assessments

Curriculum Integration

•Learning to listen, speak, view, represent, read and write by doing Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education/Health Education and Information and Communication Technologies

•Thinking about bigger ideas that include several subjects

•Making connections and reflecting on learning

Inquiry: A Guided Planning Model

• 4 column planner to integrate curricula and plan for assessment

• “Third column” to engage students in planning for inquiry

• A planning tool to choose a variety of entry points depending upon learner and teacher needs

INTEGRATED THEME/TOPIC: Teacher Choice, Negotiated or Student Choice Time/Date: 4-8 weeks

GOAL(S): What do I want my students to know and do to show or celebrate their learning? What do I want to do to facilitate the success of my students' inquiry?PERFORMANCE(S)/DEMONSTRATION(S)/PRODUCT(S): How will my students show what they know and can do.CLASSROOM PROCESSES: How will I design the learning teaching context? [Choose one or two of: inquiry, workshop approach; multiple intelligences; …]

CurricularConnectons

What subjects do Iwant to integrate?

Curricular OUTCOMESWhat do I want the students to know and/or be

able to do?

Instruction: LEARNING/TEACHING/ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES How will I find out what they already know?/What will I see and hear? How will I facilitate student inquiry?/ What learning will I see and hear? How will I/they know what they have learned?/ What quality of learning will I/we seeand hear?

RESOURCES/SOURCESPeople; technology; print;multimedia.

ELA

Mathematics

Science

PhysicalEducation /Health Education

Information andCommunicationTechnologies

Focus on 1-2 Learning Outcomes fromeach curriculum.

INQUIRY PROCESSActivating: Teacher led Shared-Negotiated Student led Choosing theme/topic. Identifying andrecording prior knowledge. Asking initial questions. Exploring and selectingprimary and secondary sources. Planning for inquiry.

Acquiring Gathering, processingand recording information. Focusing the inquiry.

Applying Planning to expresslearning Creating performance(s)/product(s) Celebrating andReflecting

Optional: Culminating event

Primary: Field Trip Expert Artifacts

Secondary (Text Set): Mulitmedia Print Web

Instruction: Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies How will I find out what students already know? / What will I see and hear? How will I facilitate student inquiry? / What learning will I see and hear? How will I / they know what they have learned? / What quality of learning will I / we see and hear?

Inquiry Process

Activating Teacher-Led

Share/Negotiated

Student-Led

Choosing a themeor topic. Identifying andrecording priorknowledge. Asking initialquestions.

Exploring andselecting primaryandsecondaryresources. Planning forinquiry.

Acquiring Teacher-Led

Share/Negotiated

Student-Led

The Third Column

Inquiry within the

Model

of

Explicit Instruction

Workshop: The Hourglass Model Dorta, 1995

Co-operative Groups

Flexible Groups

Individual

Observation

Conferencing

Whole-ClassReflection; Goal Setting;

Mini Lesson

Whole-ClassSelf assessment; Reflection

Strategic Instruction

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

INTEGRATION

DIFFERENTIATION

For More Information

• MECY print document: Independent Together: Supporting the Multilevel Learning Community, 2003

• Multilevel web site http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/cur/multilevel/index.html

Independent Together: Supporting the Multilevel Learning Community

“Multilevel classrooms are built on the premise that diversity is

not a challenge to be overcome but an asset and a resource to promote learning.” (1.6)

For Your Information:

This PowerPoint template is only a suggestion for a parent or staff presentation. Hide the slides that do not describe your learning community. For example, Slide 8 applies to schools where the administrator is also the classroom teacher. Slide 9 represents a school that also has single-graded classrooms. You may want to insert your own images to reflect your community of learners. Several images reflecting rural, colony and urban multilevel classrooms are available in the online Media Gallery contained within Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth’s Multilevel website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/cur/multilevel/index.html Adapt the presentation for the needs of your community of learners.

NOTE: Select “Hide Slide” from the Slide Show menu to bypass specific slides.