In the midst of a discussion of multi-grade classrooms as a response to the Florida class size law, we read:

“We don’t see them as sixth-graders or eighth-graders,” said teacher Moya Hanaway. “We see them as students with unique abilities and we teach them.”

They say some of the benefits are obvious early in the school year. Since only a third of their students are new to the class, they do not have to spend as much time learning their students’ learning styles and abilities. They can pick right up where they left off the previous school year with most of their students. That gives them more time to focus on teaching.

This is a prime example of the intersection of two aspects of the relationship load concept I put forth in my book: class size and teacher continuity. Maybe the teeth of of this law are forcing Florida to look beyond the conventions of age-grading toward more relationally promising possibilities:

“Kids don’t come in neatly counted increments,” said Sarasota Schools Superintendent Lori White. “It’s hard for me to see a situation where we wouldn’t want to consider this.”