How do i group two year olds at preschool?

Question

we have three 2 year old classes at our school, should I group them in youngest, middle and older twos, some of which turn 3 two months into the year? or mix the age groups, so that when new children join they can blend into any class. In previous years the school keeps a very small age group maybe 5 or 6 month age gap?

Answer 1

I have been a Day Care Director for over 25 years and i woulod definitely mix them.  Children develop at such different stages and chronological age is not the best way to judge where they are.  When you mix ages the older children model behavior for the  younger ones and help them learn new skills.  the younger ones look to the older ones for guidance.  It is also the way it is in our real world and in families where siblings are not all the same age.  We mix ages right up until Kindergarten in our center and it works very well.

Answer 2

i used to be a preschool teacher and I'd suggest that you seperate them by young two's and older two's, because the all develop differently and some grow up faster, potty train faster, don't need a nap as long as some, then some don't.  i.s: refuse to give up the binky, bottle, need to be hand fed.  It helped us especially at craft time.  the level that the younger two's were on as apposed to the older ones was huge.  the younger ones couldn't do some crafts that the older ones could do.

Answer 3

I have been teaching early childhood for many years and we have always tried to place children of the same ages together.  We then look at their needs and then place children within certain groups depending upon what we think they may need (ie. socialization..ect).  I think you should group them accorindingly to what YOU think it best for them. You know them better than anyone else (besides their parents, of course).  You know what to do....think...reason..and you shall find.

Answer 4

I would mix them. It is espically importany for potty training! In my expierence the younger children will follow the older ones. The older children love modeling behaviors to the younger ones in the group. This teaches them compassion ( not the easiest thing for 2 yr olds to grasp in other situations. ) If you do chose to mix them make sure that your activities lend themselves to both groups. sorting by shape and colors for one group could have an increased level of difficulty if they have to line the shapes up to out lined images. Is you repeat the activities the older children will benifit from showing the younger children how to use materials and follow rules. rember the teaching prymid?  http://www.tcc.edu/students/specialized/... children will retain more information when they teach other children. This will give the children the ability to adjust to any envronment. ( If after a year you have a child that is still having a hard time with meeting the requiremants - a young child- then you can keep them back and they will model the following year- Its easier on the child to do this when they are 2 / 3 rather than in k or 1st grade.)

This is also easier on the teachers. Its much better to have a class of 14 with 2 teachers and 1/2 the kids are potty trained than to have a class of 7 with one teacher and no one is potty trained ( I know I have taught in both situations).

From a finical stand pointit is also cheeper for the school - you can get a lead teacher and an aid cheeper than what it would cost you to have 2 lead teachers in 2 classrooms.

Answer 5

I would keep the youngest half in one class, and the oldest half in the other class.

Answer 6

Mix them, which more accurately reflects the real world and allows more flexibility.