Music program in the multi-age classroom

A system for multi-age classes contributed by Cheryl Burgemeister

One of the more tricky classroom management issues is the thorny question of how do I use a program like Music Room with multi-age classes?

Multi-age classes (or 'mixed grade classes' or 'composite grade classes') will always be with us and it is a challenge to keep giving the students lessons and activities that they 'didn't do last year'.

Our classroom music program, Music Room will consist of 7 books when complete. This equates with 1 full year of lessons for each of the primary years. We decided to number each book, instead of giving them a grade level, because each state has a different system. The beginning year is called variously 'prep', 'kinder' or 'reception'. Some states have a 'prep' year and 6 primary years. Some have 7 years. And so it goes.

Music Room book 1 is designed to work with the first school year - whatever it is called - and the rest of the books follow on.

But what if you have a prep/1, a 2/3 and a 4/5/6? How do you juggle the books?

Cheryl Burgemeister, a music/Arts teacher from South Australia, has kindly allowed us to share her system. You may like to add comments or post your own solutions in our blog.
Here is Cheryl's system.

2007 (1 semester)

Reception:
Year 1:
Year 1/2:
Year 2/3:

Book 1
Book 2
Book 2
Book 3

2008 (1 semester)

Reception:
Rec/Year 1:
Year 1/2:
Year 2/3:
Year 3/4:
Year 5:

Book 1
Book 1
Book 2
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4

2009 (full year)

Reception:
Rec/Year 1:
Year 1/2:
Year 2/3:
Year 3/4:
Year 4/5:
Year 6/7:

Book 1
Book 2
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4
Book 5
Book 5

Next year... who knows, depends on class levels and which students are in which class & what they did in the previous year. As a classroom teacher split level classes are not a problem... as a NIT teacher they are damn annoying, especially when they change from year to year!

Links

Bushfire Press - Primary School -

Music program in the multi-age classroom