Teaching accross classes
1. Foreword
Due to the heterogeneous pupil body and the small class sizes, the concept of teaching across classes is particularly suitable for GSIS.
In learning across year groups, social skills are strengthened by the children helping each other. For example, learning mentors are established between second and first graders and between third and fourth graders.
Heterogeneity is considered as an opportunity at our school, so we do not see the existing differences in the children's learning development as deficits, but rather we regard each child as an individual, as a person with strengths and weaknesses. Learning is enriched by the different levels of knowledge and development of the children.
In addition, the children grow into an existing class community and can orient themselves towards older pupils. First-graders, for example, adopt existing rituals and agreed rules and settle into everyday school life more quickly. By changing from one year class to the next, the children experience a change of perspective in their school years from those seeking help to those helping others. Learning groups across classes correspond to the natural social environment (e.g. in the family, kindergarten and all other areas of life).
In addition, the individual development of the children is the focus in mixed-year groups. Each child can learn successfully according to the level of development, can help others or accept help from others.
2. Initial situation / actual status
Since the founding of the school, teaching across classes has been an integral part ofthe GSIS. Classes 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8/9 learn together. After every two or three academic years there is always a change of classroom and class teacher.
Arrangements are made regarding the individual performance level of the respective children, the already developed methods, rules and rituals in order to facilitate a smooth transition.
In our mixed-year learning groups, there are always phases of individual work in addition to phases of mutual learning. In addition, we teach the children on a yearly basis in order to deal with topics that only correspond to one grade.
In order to adequately support and challenge children in our school, there is a system for diagnostics, support plans, support materials as well as sufficient space for differentiation, support and therapy. In addition, we have an occupational therapist who enables the school to offer additional individual support in individual care.
The following innovative forms of learning, teaching and working accompany our everyday school life to varying degrees and support mutual learning:
- Discovering learning
- Cooperative learning
- Work stations
- Project-oriented work
- Time for Talents
- Support and Challenge
- Computer assignments
- Open forms of teaching
- Methods training
- Individual support in small groups
- Consolidation of the first foreign language
- Work plan
- Monday ritual
3. Target group
All GSIS students and teachers support and enrich cross-year learning on a daily basis.
4. Concept goals Learning across classes is carried out in different forms by the individual teachers. The aim of this concept is therefore to consolidate and deepen the various forms of learning across clases for all teachers. Therefore, a basic catalogue of measures will be developed and defined.
Basic catalogue:
- Patent system at the beginning of the school year
- Children who serve as experts and helpers
- Method training twice a year
- Acquisition of suitable teaching materials (e.g. Fermi file)
- Adapted learning environment (e.g. materials accessible to students)
- Support plans
- Class council
- Pair-partner system
- Regular work plans
- Breakfast together
- Common school rules
- Joint- team lessons for teachers
- Uniform interior design
5. Coordination of the implementation
- Teacher-training/further qualification
- Exchange of ideas with colleagues
- Presentation during meeting
- Confirmation
- Deepening the implementation during the preparation week
- Update during the team hours
6. Financing
7. Obligation
The concept is valid for all subjects and teachers of the GSIS.
8. Validity period
The implementation started in the 2015/16 academic year.
9. Evaluation
The evaluation took place at the end of the 2015/16 academic year.
