The Multigrade Classroom
Curriculum
The Adventist multigrade curriculum enables learners to develop a life of faith in God, and use their knowledge, skills, and understandings to serve God and humanity.
Classroom Management
A well-planned behavior management and organization system is key to creating a classroom conducive to learning, while establishing norms of behavior that help each child feel safe and protected.
Overview
Professional
Development
Ongoing learning opportunities for teachers, staff, and administrators are provided by professional development products and experiences.
Classroom Management
Administration
Being a Seventh-day Adventist teaching-principal is an awesome opportunity and responsibility to serve God, change lives, and further the mission of the world church.
Overview
Standards
Standards are what learners should know (content) and be able to do (skills), and serve as the framework for curriculum development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a question to reveal the answer. Have a comment or question that isn't covered here? Contact us.
Are there required number of minutes to spend in each subject?
Each Union may have a policy on the required or recommended minutes for each subject. Sometimes is a matter of weekly rather than daily minutes. Another suggestion would be to talk to your conference personnel for advice.
How do I teach all grades and textbooks?
It depends on how many grades you are teaching, but getting familiar with the alternation plan will help. You can find this alternation plan/scheduling in the textbook list.
What do I do with students who finish their work and I am still teaching?
You must teach your students a procedure to help with this situation. Here are a few solutions you could implement:
Whatever procedure you implement, be sure to teach the procedure before you start to expect them what to do.
How do I have a PE class with so many different levels of students?
This can be challenging, in a multigrade classroom, but simply concentrating on personal physical improvement can be a start. Time the students so they work against themselves, running, sit ups, rope jumping, bean bags etc. Also working on pre-skills for different sports is another idea.
Is a Classroom Aid/Assistant required?
No, an aid is not required, but many conferences do have policies in place to help out the teacher in the multigrade setting. You should talk to your associate and/or superintendent for clarification. Some conferences provide help because they consider Kindergarteners and first graders a 1 ½ FTE.
What do I do if the School Board wants me to teach Kindergarten, too?
This is a delicate question, since most boards want their school to grow, so kindergarten is a good thing. However, you must consult with your conference/superintendent, not just the board. The needs of the school are important, but so are the needs of how to best serve the students.
What are some of the supplemental materials useful in the multi grade classroom?
Check with your union and conference offices to obtain their list of recommendations.
How do you schedule the class time to meet the requirements?
Schedule class time by using a rotation system with the students. One group works on spelling, one works on handwriting, one is in instruction with you; then you rotate them.
The same with Math. One group works on math skills with games, apps, one works on instruction, and one works on classwork. Using a timer helps keep everyone on track, including the teacher! If your students are more independent you can even schedule other subjects to rotate with, such as reading the science lesson while others are getting math instruction, then switching.
How do I know which rotation
year I should be on?
Check the Elementary Textbook List found on the Adventist Education website. See Alternation Plan for more information.