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|  | | | Mixed-Age Family Grouping
In addition to their different ways of learning, we also believe that children learn at different rates which do not necessarily correspond with their grade-level. Each child is a unique mixture of intelligences and abilities. Some children spend months or even years at a slower rate of achievement, then blossom as the pieces fit together. Other children have outstanding skills in an area and zoom ahead of peers and need a chance to shine in that area while working on skills with which they are less comfortable. Because of this, the grouping of learners at Expo is based on multiage homebase classrooms where children work with an educator for more than one year.
Activities in this setting are structured with open-ended possibilities that allow students to work at their own level of challenge and at their own pace. This model addresses the needs of a range of learners, from linguistic and logical/mathematical high flyers to those who need special help; diversity is valued for the richness it brings to the community. Older or more experienced children act as mentors for younger, trying out leadership skills but also reinforcing their own skills by teaching them to others. The classroom community builds over time, since each year there are returning students to pass on the class routines, traditions, and folklore. Educators have more than one year to learn the best ways to work with a student, and the long-term relationship that develops with parents is equally rewarding.
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