Build a climate throughout the school and community that is characterized by open communication and trust. Include people in the process and take time to explain the changes. Provide opportunities for direct involvement in decision-making, community forums, and other strategies for parent education. In the school, learn together as a staff while discussing and evaluating beliefs and practices. Create an environment where people feel safe taking the kinds of risks necessary to change classroom practice.
Implementation requires planning, patience, time, and an understanding of the process of change.
Plan at least one to two years in advance of implementation. Ultimately, it is people who are being asked to change. It can be difficult for people to let go of traditional grade-level thinking and instruction. Because mixed-age grouping creates classrooms where individual differences are more likely to be accepted and, more importantly, expected. One of the benefits of mixed-age grouping is that younger children can learn from older ones.