Interesting, I've also heard of benefits from multi-grade classrooms; I wonder if there's a connection there.
(I don't have a source for that on hand, that's mostly from discussion with relatives who teach.)
(I don't have a source for that on hand, that's mostly from discussion with relatives who teach.)
In general I think they provide different functions, though: stability of environment from the looping teacher, and diversity of information sources/instructors from the other student age groups.
Where I was wondering if there might be a connection is that a multi-grade classroom also (particularly in small schools) means that a student probably will have the same teacher for multiple years (2-4, in most of the cases I've heard of). I realize that's much less extreme than some of the cases mentioned in the article, but it may still be a secondary source of benefit.