Benefits of Multi-Graded Classrooms
Every day, students of different ages are given opportunities to work together side-by-side and learn from one another what it means to step up academically and socially.
Each year half of the students are new to the room and half are veterans. The older students serve as mentors and leaders to their new classmates.
Learners and leaders, prepared to take on the academic challenges ahead

Academic Benefits
In multi-graded classrooms, as individuals and as mentors and mentees, students take greater personal responsibility for their learning, thereby enhancing their academic achievement. Students are in the same classroom for two years so teachers get to know them deeply. This allows teachers to meet their students where they are and to challenge them along their own continuum.

Social Benefits
When multi-graded students share a classroom they form friendships with other children in their grade as well as in the grades above and below. In this way, students quickly get to know everyone in the school.
“We love the multi-grade classrooms, especially since our child has often been more drawn to older children academically, but younger kids socially. Aurora is a place where the teachers really know our child well.” – Aurora parent

Emotional Benefits
The interdependence and peer tutoring that takes place in multi-graded classrooms leads to a positive self-concept and a propensity for children to lead. You can’t change your birth order in your family but at Aurora youngest children get to experience having mentors and oldest children get to be role models. “Only children” get to experience the pros and cons of having siblings.