Without Fear of Failure: The Attributes of an Ungraded Primary School.

Kentucky's Pacesetting Program of Flexible Grouping Makes Childhood a Journey, Not a Race

"Childhood decides." This succinct statement by the early-childhood pioneer Maria Montessori a half century ago supports the importance of the bold mandate passed by a courageous Kentucky legislature in 1990, which states: "An ungraded primary program shall be fully implemented for all students who have not yet entered the fourth grade in every elementary school in every district by the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year."

This ungraded primary program that Kentuckians call the Primary School Program is defined by seven critical attributes. Since 1993-1994, these have been implemented in all Kentucky classrooms.

The major premises of the ungraded program are that all young children, ages 5 through 8, can progress continuously, without fear of failure, in flexible groups and at their own pace and that all children can learn when they experience developmentally appropriate activities that are carefully planned, implemented, and assessed.

I shall briefly define and discuss the seven critical attributes of the primary school program, focus on the challenges faced in implementing the multiage/multiability and continuous progress attributes, and offer suggestions for administrators whose schools and districts are considering the initiation of primary schools.

In Kentucky, the legislature has provided tremendous flexibility for implementation. Their landmark contribution was in asking every Kentucky school to develop a learning community that is successful for all young children. The legislature removed the barriers that traditionally hindered educators from implementing child-centered, developmentally appropriate environments where children can progress continuously.

Basic Training

The Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, Ky., began work on developing the Primary School Program for their 32 elementary schools just 12 days after the Kentucky Education Reform Act was passed on July 13, 1990. A representative group of schools adopted a pyramid model (see page 8) for teacher training that had as its base three of the critical attributes of the Primary School Program: developmentally appropriate practices, authentic assessment, and qualitative reporting.

Teachers were trained first in developmentally appropriate practices in writing, whole language (including phonics instruction), integrated theme development, and the Box It, Bag It math program. The science program, Science Curriculum Improvement Study, already had been implemented.

A program developed by the Galef Institute known as Different Ways of Knowing was introduced in 1993, since then, 2,500 elementary teachers statewide have chosen to receive training. The program emphasizes whole school reform through developmentally appropriate practices and focuses on curriculum and instruction, assessment, and intensive teacher training.

The curriculum integrates social studies themes with the visual and performing arts, literature, writing, math, and science. Each year principals and teachers attend two days of initial training. Then teachers use their training in the classroom before returning for three additional days of training throughout the first year. This continuous training, over a period of three years, coupled with classroom demonstrations and technical assistance, enables teachers to try strategies, see what works and what doesn't, ask questions, and continue to improve their expertise.

As the pyramid suggests, developmentally appropriate practices are the foundation of the state's Primary School Program. Without these practices a quality program could not exist.

Continual Assessment

Authentic assessment ensures that children know and can demonstrate knowledge and skills. Assessment is continuous and focuses on demonstrations of learning that can be analyzed. It is no longer appropriate to talk about ability groups, but rather to determine where children are within a continuum of beginning, developing, competent, or expanded stages of their learning and to flexibly group them accordingly.

On my first day as an elementary principal, a five-year-old came to the front office. "I have to call my mama," she announced.

"Do you know her phone number?" I asked.

"Oh yes," she replied, smiling quite proudly.

"Then go ahead and dial the number." (We were still using rotary phones.) Then the smile vanished and tears filled her eyes.

"Why what's wrong?" I asked, concerned I had caused her tears.

"I don't know how to dial the dash," she said, clearly devastated to have had to make such an admission.

In the Primary School Program, not only do children memorize their phone numbers, but they are asked to demonstrate their knowledge by using a phone. They also are asked to measure the length, width, and height of objects in their rooms.

In reading, one way children demonstrate progress is through the use of "Running Records," a Reading Recovery strategy administered by their teachers. Other strategies include anecdotal observations, portfolios, work samples, and open-ended responses. Authentic assessment ensures understanding and application of knowledge, and skills and concepts.

Documenting Progress

Qualitative reporting is based on how well children meet standards. Progress reports in Kentucky are based currently on narratives that describe each child's learning and suggest next steps. An assessment system called the Kentucky Early Learning Profile details four strategies for assessing young learners:

* Parent conversations,

* Anecdotal records including the Running Record,

* Eight specific performances, and

* Learning descriptions.

The Kentucky Early Learning Profile provides teachers with a continuum where children ages 5 to 8 proceed developmentally through a seven-phase design. The labels "Beginning," "Developing," "Competent,' and "Expanded" categorize the learning. Descriptions in reading, writing, math, science, social studies, arts and humanities, independent learning and citizenship, and motor development. A variety of reporting formats are provided for teachers to describe each child's phase of learning development.

While Kentucky teachers may choose other systems of assessment, the Early Learning Profile is one system that is successful in schools where teachers have been trained in its use. In these schools parents know the progress their child is making on each learning continuum. Parents also know the next developmental skills and concepts and how they can help children learn them.

Positive parent involvement and professional teamwork were difficult for some teachers who had been isolated in their classrooms for many years. Schools with outstanding principals and PTA leadership have been able to develop an atmosphere where parents feel welcome to contribute and where teachers have adequate planning and conference time and are encouraged to work cooperatively with colleagues and parents.

Grouping Challenges

Understandably, the major challenges facing the Primary School Program are continuous progress and multiage/multiability grouping. Most Kentucky elementary schools, including those in Fayette County, have organized by placing two ages in each room, for example, 5-and 6-year-olds together, and 7- and 8-year-olds together.

Some schools have kept their 5-year-olds separate. Others have placed 6- and 7-year-olds, and 8-and 9-year-olds together. Still others have placed 9- and 10-year-olds (traditionally fourth and fifth graders) to implement an ungraded elementary school. Some teachers are working successfully with classes consisting of three or even four ages. Again, the Kentucky legislature has given schools permission to put children's needs first in organizing and reorganizing classes.

Continuous progress basically guarantees that no child fails prior to fourth grade. This is important because of the damaging effects of failure or retention on children's self-esteem and because of the high correlation of early retention and later dropout rates.

Multiability grouping is especially difficult when teachers traditionally have been expected to teach a graded classroom and three to four groups based on ability. The challenge of teaching two or more ages in groups that do not convince children they are Blue Birds, Sparrows, or Buzzards often has been overwhelming.

Common Confusion

The following scenarios clarify some misconceptions that have surrounded multiage/multiability classrooms:

Misconception: Children always must work in whole group instructional activities to avoid placement in ability groups.

Scenario--Grouping for reinforcement:

The concept of "shared experience, individual response" is implemented by many teachers. The whole class hears the story of "Tikki Tikki Tembo," retold by Arlene Mosel. Based on students' individual Running Record assessments, some children then engage in a phonics lesson to pronounce the great long name of the story's main character. Others will choose a buddy and work on fluency by reading other stories related to China at their appropriate reading levels, while others will work in the library on reports about families in China. Children are grouped and regrouped as the day progresses.

Misconception: In quality primary classes, children must be in multiage groups all day, every day.

Scenario-Grouping for instructional needs: While teaching writing, the teacher discovers that some children have progressed to the point where they are ready to learn how to establish and maintain an authentic purpose in their writing. All the children who demonstrated this need happened to be seven years old. The teacher does not hesitate to take this flexible group aside for lessons over a period of several days or more to focus on this skill. Children are grouped by instructional needs, not by age or grade.

Misconception: Groups of children of the same age must never be grouped flexibly in team-teaching situations.

Scenario-Grouping for reinforcement: Four teachers have classes that consist of 5- and 6-year-olds. Fourteen of the 5-year- olds do not understand basic concept words, have trouble following directions, such as "please sit in a circle" and "let's line up." The teachers agree that these 14 children will go to one teacher's room for 1 1/2 hours a day for one month to work on identified needs. This teacher would continue with some of her students while others would go to one of the other classes to continue their work. At the end of the month, students again will be assessed and decisions on regrouping will be made.

Because these teachers are comfortable with team teaching and the children are comfortable with this family of teachers, grouping and regrouping is expected and accepted by the children.

Misconception: Children work in cooperative groups or older children tutor younger children all day so that the learning of older children is jeopardized.

Scenario--Grouping for cooperative learning/peer tutoring: Teachers emphasize in conferences and conversations with parents and in letters home that while children work in groups during parts of the day and older and younger children assist each other when needed, there is a balance of individual/group/teacher-directed work depending on the curriculum and on individual needs.

Young children must learn to be both followers and leaders, both teachers and learners, both speakers and listeners. Without opportunities to work in cooperative groups and to assist each other they will not learn these important life skills. These activities are balanced with the equally important strategies of receiving teacher-directed instruction and working independently when appropriate.

Misconception: Children who are held in primary school after four years will know they have failed and will be devastated.

Scenario-Grouping for flexibility: John, an 8-year-old, was very small, still liked to play much of the time, and had limited concentration. In his class of 7- and 8-year-olds, he played with the younger children. Developmentally he was successful in skill areas typically demonstrated by younger children. His teacher did nothing to indicate differences in age or grade of the children in her class. His teacher felt that he would benefit from another year in the Primary School Program. Because his friends were younger, because he trusted his teacher, and because his family approved of the recommendation, John was happy to spend an additional year continuing to progress with his friends and his teacher. His records will show he was in primary school for five years.

Beneficial Practices

Notice that if the model of the pyramid was turned upside down so that the apex of multiage/multiability grouping and continuous progress became the base, the pyramid would topple. Similarly, the Primary School Program will fail to succeed if the base of developmentally appropriate practices, authentic assessment, qualitative reporting, parent involvement, and professional teamwork are not firmly in place.

The issues surrounding multiage/multiability grouping and continuous progress will be solved only by those educators who have a firm grasp on the best practices for teaching young children and the support and collaboration of colleagues and parents.

School district administrators who are responsible for developing multiage/multiability programs will benefit by:

* Using a term other than "ungraded" or "nongraded" to describe the program since it encompasses much more than ungrading a graded organization;

* Focusing principals' individual growth plans and leadership training on the philosophy of primary programs. Additional training could include visits to successful primary schools to talk with principals; use of teacher evaluation instruments that reflect the critical attributes of a primary program; peer coaching sessions to provide support as principals complete their teacher evaluations; networking sessions for principals to discuss difficult issues, such as scheduling of special classes or parent misconceptions;

* Providing thorough ongoing teacher training to implement sound programs that incorporate developmentally appropriate practices and authentic assessment; include visits to quality programs in successful schools; provide ongoing training that emphasizes feedback.

* Focusing efforts on parent understanding and involvement. Strong support from administrators is needed to design assessment systems that document children's progress more descriptively than letter grades; assure parents that children are learning the basics; and invite parents to become true partners with teachers and administrators in the learning process;

* Employing instructional assistants to work in primary classrooms;

* Reassuring teachers and site administrators through practical articles in newsletters, visits to faculty meetings, and informal sessions as they raise issues about multiage/multiability grouping.

The latter attribute is the most controversial in Kentucky because some educators continue to connect it to a rigid mandate and not to a logical, research-based educational program. Multiage/multiability grouping provides broad flexibility for some children to progress quickly after spending two or three years in preschool programs while providing additional time for children who are developing at a slower rate.

Respectful Stance

The Kentucky legislature in its extraordinary wisdom gave elementary teachers and administrators permission to build a program that respects and supports young learners during their most crucial years. Permission has been given for childhood learning to be a journey, not a race.

The possibilities and the flexibility provided in the Primary School Program are vast, and the opportunities for young children to become successful, lifelong learners are greater than ever before.

Nawanna Privett is on leave as director of elementary schools in the Fayette County Public Schools to work with the Kentucky Department of Education.

Critical Attributes of Kentucky's Primary School Program

Each critical attribute is followed by some important characteristics of that attribute that support a quality primary program. These are taken from the Kentucky Department of Education's The Wonder Years.

Developmentally Appropriate Educational Practices

* Integrated curriculum that recognizes the importance of basic skills

* Active child involvement, interaction, and exploration

* Use of manipulative/multisensory activities

* Balance of teacher-directed and childinitiated activities

* Varied instructional strategies and approaches, such as whole language, phonics, cooperative learning, independent learning activities, peer coaching/tutoring, teacher-led instruction, thematic instruction, projects, learning centers

* Flexible grouping and regroupings for instruction based on interest, learning style, problem solving, skill instruction (short term), reinforcement, etc.

Multiage/Multiability Classrooms

* Heterogeneous groupings

* Flexible age ranges

* Family groupings

Continuous Progress

* Assumes students progress at own rate as determined by authentic assessment

* Promotes social, emotional, physical, aesthetic, and cognitive development

* Success oriented 

* Based on non-competitive learning

* Documents pupil progress through anecdotal records, observations, portfolios, journals, videotapes, computer disks, etc.

* Avoids retention/promotion problems

Authentic Assessments

* Occur continually in context of classroom involvement

* Reflect a continuum of pupil progress

* Use varied formats such as portfolios, journals, videotapes, narratives, etc.

Professional Teamwork

* Requires securing regular time for planning, sharing

* Makes use of varied instructional delivery systems such as team teaching, collaborative teaching, peer coaching, etc.

* Relies on regular communication among all professional staff (physical education, music, art, special education, gifted, Title 1, etc.)

Positive Parent Involvement

* Home/school partnerships

* School/community partnerships

* Continuous information exchange

Definitions for a Few Overlapping Terms

A confusing variety of terms are used in theoretical and practical discussions about student grouping practices in-schools.

The terms "ungraded," "nongraded," "continuous progress," "mixed-age grouping," and "multiage grouping" often are bandied about interchangeably, though they have distinctive connotations for teaching and the curriculum.

The ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education issued a digest, "Nongraded and Mixed-Age Grouping in Early Children Programs," to differentiate these terms. The digest serves as the basis for the following definitions. For a free copy, call 800-5834135.

* Nongraded and Ungraded. These refer to grouping children in classes without grade-level designations and with more than a one-year age span. The primary purpose is to homogenize groups of children for instruction on the basis not of age but of perceived readiness to acquire knowledge and skills.

* Continuous progress. The term generally implies that children remain with their classroom peers in an age cohort regardless of whether they have met or surpassed specified grade-level achievement expectations.

* Mixed-Age and Multiage. These terms refer to grouping children so the age span of the class is greater than one year but they extend beyond the homogeneity principle. Mixed-age and multiage grouping attempt to maximize the benefits of interaction and cooperation among children of different experiences and stages of development in all classroom activities, including the, mastery of basic literacy and numeracy skills.

The ERIC Clearinghouse prefers the term "mixed age" to avoid confusion between "multiage" and a practice known as "looping," in which a student re mains in a class with the same teacher for two or more years.

An AASA Manual Provides Strategies

Nawanna Privett

A booklet that has been particularly helpful in Kentucky is The Nongraded Primary: Making Schools Fit Children, published by AASA.

We adapted a section entitled "Different Ways to Group Children of Different Ages" and retitled it "Strategies for Flexible Grouping." These strategies are:

* Problem-Solving: Learners are grouped around a common unsolved problem or topic, such as a science experiment related to water pollution.

* instructional Needs: Students are instructed in a concept or skill, such as developing strategies for figuring out unfamiliar words.

* Reinforcement: Learners who need more work in a specific area or task are grouped together.

* Interest: Learners who are working on a common activity, such as a report on whales, work together.

* Multiple Intelligences: Students learn new subjects and ideas in different ways. They use, to varying extents, seven kinds of intelligences. These include linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

* Peer Tutoring: Children can learn from one another by giving and receiving help. For example, children are paired to read to one another.

* Cooperative Learning: Children can participate in the completion of a clearly assigned task without direct supervision of the teacher. This requires that children be trained in cooperative work behaviors and the teacher carefully orchestrates group work.

Selected Resources

Nawanna Privett, who has worked with educators across Kentucky to create multiage classrooms, suggests the following books and resources on the subject:

The Primary School: A Resource Guide for Parents by Bette Burrus and Nawanna Fairchild, available from the Pritchard Committee for Academic Excellence, The Partnership for Kentucky School Reform, P.O. Box 1658, Lexington, Ky. 40592; 800-928-2111.

The Nongraded Primary: Making Schools Fit Children," available from AASA, 1801 North Moore St., Arlington, Va. 22209; 703-875-0748.

Invitations: Changing as Teachers and Learners, K-12, by Regie Routman, available from Heinemann Educational Books, 361 Hanover St., Portsmouth, N.H. 03801-3959; 800-541-2086.

Creating the Child Centered Classroom, by Susan Schwartz and Mindy Pollishuke, available from Irwin Publishing, 1333 Burr Ridge Parkway, Burr Ridge, Ill. 60521; 800-634-3966.

"Different Ways of Knowing," available from the Galef Institute, 11050 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angles, Calif. 90025; 800473-8883.

"Kentucky Early Learning Profile," available from Capitol Printing, 4530 Bishop Lane, Louisville, Ky. 40218, 502-458-3117.

"Welcoming Schools Project," available from The Partnership for Kentucky School Reform, P.O. Box 1658, Lexington, Ky. 40592; 800-928-2111.