FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why mixed age classrooms? How are classes structured in the Mixed Age Classrooms? How do classes progress through the groups?

2. How do teachers communicate with kids about behavior? What about conflict resolution? How do you deal with bullying and teasing?

3. What about 7th and 8th grades? How do graduates do academically? How does the no-grading affect the children when they leave Walden? Is it ever a problem?

1. Why mixed age classrooms? How are classes structured in the Mixed Age Classrooms? How do classes progress through the groups?

Mixed-age classrooms allow for the greatest flexibility in accommodating the developmental needs of all the children. Teachers carefully present material in a variety of ways to meet the academic needs, and different learning styles of the children in the class. They create classroom environments that allow and encourage a wider range of responses, and creativity, than might be accepted in a more traditional classroom. Each year, teachers create new units of study, based on student and teacher interests. These units offer new ways to teach the skills and concepts appropriate for each grade level. In mixed-age classes, children have an opportunity to learn a concept one year, and master the accompanying skills the next year.

Teachers offer lessons that involve an overlap of expectations for a range of ages. They tell children, “everyone moves at her/his own pace” Advanced children feel challenged because they have the time to truly master a set of skills and then move on to the next level. They often act as mentors and/or teachers to younger, or less confident, children. Students feel motivated to progress, because they wish to move on and learn new things.These individual aspects of the curriculum allow teachers to introduce new skills within a unit of study, even if everyone is not ready to master the skill at that time. Because teachers don’t rely on textbooks, they can flex and mold curriculum to fit the needs of the group, as it changes from year to year.

The current class structure is:
• K-1 Lower Group
• 1-2 Lower Middle Group
• 2-3 Middle Group
• 4-5-6 Upper Group

Most children spend one year in the Lower Group and then Lower Middle Group, two years in the Middle Group, and three years in the Upper Group. There is, however, always room in a class for those children whose developmental needs do not follow the more common trajectory.

2. How do teachers communicate with kids about behavior? What about conflict resolution? How do you deal with bullying and teasing?

In order to set up clear classroom expectations about behavior and to give useful feedback about specific behaviors, at the beginning of the year, teachers set up classroom rules with the active participation of the children.Teachers clearly communicate about what type of behaviors are appropriate outside on the playground and inside the classroom, and the difference between the two. Teachers talk to the children about the need to have rules: that we need a physically safe and emotionally supportive environment in which to learn. We need to respect one another and show kindness toward each other, appreciating each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Children learn collaborative skills at every grade level and in each subject matter. The skills of collaboration include: listening, sharing, compromise, and negotiation, both within the context of a collaborative task as well as separately. Teachers try to be as clear as possible about the expectations involved in a collaborative task, such as respecting other people’s ideas, quiet voices, sharing roles, and taking turns.

Class time offers opportunities for children to get to know one another, share ideas, disagree and work through it. This sets children up for success for when they try to solve a conflict in the heat of the moment.Each classroom teacher uses similar language and a similar approach when it comes to helping children solve conflicts. Teachers model using words and ask the children to retell what the problem is in their own words. Children learn to say what resolution they would like to see happen and, if it is reasonable and everyone agrees upon it, that may be the resolution sought. It is important that children have some control over the process and they need to practice these behaviors over and over.

Walden has a "Respect for All" committee made up of parents and teachers meeting a few times a year to discusses current information on bullying and teasing, create an effective school policy, and to air concerns. The student handbook states that we will not tolerate teasing and bullying in any form. If we think that a situation is becoming uncomfortable for a child, we will communicate with the parents of the children involved in order to find the most effective course of action.

3. What about 7th and 8th grades? How do graduates do academically? How does the no-grading affect the children when they leave Walden? Is it ever a problem?

Teachers at Walden feel that 6th grade belongs at the elementary school level. To this end, they helped found the Community School of the East Bay, a middle school which carries much of Walden's philosophy into a 7th and 8th grade program. Walden students receive preferred admission to CSEB (now part of Park Day School). Because many middle schools begin at 6th grade, the number of children who stay through 6th varies from year to year. Nonetheless, Walden offers a strong 6th grade curriculum which offers leadership opportunities and a specially designed curriculum. Many families choose public middle school after Walden. Though the transition to a public school curriculum can take time, children usually welcome the large social circle it provides.

They even like the new experience of being tested and graded. Parents looking at private middle schools may have concern about their children getting in after 6th grade. Some schools, for example, have fewer spaces available for incoming 7th graders. However, many graduates have entered the schools of their choice at 7th grade after taking advantage of the full program at Walden. The staff works hard to support families of graduates in choosing schools and to facilitate the admission process.

Middle school teachers report that they enjoy teaching Walden graduates. They say that Walden kids are original thinkers. They know their strengths as learners, and they are used to good communication with their teachers. Because they have worked without grades, they approach school with an internal sense of motivation. Children who have done well at Walden continue to do well in a variety of middle school settings. Directly after Walden and beyond, many graduates continue in the arts, including film, writing, circus arts, acting, dancing, and visual arts.