”If we want to do it, we can do it” | The story of a multigrade teacher

AllGrow’s programs are built by people, with people, and for people. Behind remarkable results, there is always a teacher eager to learn more, give more, and help students grow. That is why we are starting a series of stories about the educators we work with — people who are changing a small corner of the world, each in their own way. We hope their stories will inspire other teachers as well, and we believe their voices matter.

We continue the series with the story of  Ana Maria Apostolie, a teacher at Fitionesti Secondary School and a participant in the “Future in multigrade classrooms” project, implemented by AllGrow Association with the support of Fundația Dacia pentru România.

It was in 2019 when Ana Apostolie joined a project designed for teachers under the age of 35. Called School as a Social Hub, it was the first time the English teacher from Vrancea used the design thinking methodology in her classroom. Her students noticed that bullying was becoming more common at school and decided to create a short film to help address the issue. They wrote the script, directed the production, filmed the scenes, edited the footage, uploaded the final video to YouTube, and promoted it themselves.

At the end of the project, Ana became part of AllGrow's community of innovative teachers. Since then, she has continued to champion the design thinking approach in rural schools and small-town communities across Romania, working alongside a dedicated team of teachers who volunteer their own time to support students and lead educational projects of their own.

Multi-Grade Classrooms: Advantages and Challenges

The idea for the Future for Multi-Grade Classrooms project came directly from Ana during one of the team's monthly meetings. She was in her second year of teaching a multi-grade class after many years of teaching single-grade classes.

"It felt like a distant world to me. I thought multi-grade teaching only happened somewhere far away—until I found myself living that reality," Ana recalls.

"At first, I taught a combined fifth- and sixth-grade class, which turned out to be a great pairing. While the sixth graders were working on their lesson, the fifth graders listened in and picked things up naturally. Then, when I was teaching the fifth graders, the sixth graders had the opportunity to review and reinforce concepts they hadn't fully mastered the previous year," she explains.

That year, however, Ana was faced with an even greater challenge: instead of teaching one or two grades together, she had students from five different grade levels to teach English to within a single class period. Yet the students were so well-organized and worked together so naturally that they showed her how they managed their routines—and how an English lesson could fit into that structure. That was the moment she realized that the design thinking approach could thrive in multi-grade classrooms. These students had already learned, out of necessity, how to be flexible, collaborate, and adapt quickly to new activities.

For Ana, the differences between multi-grade classrooms and the single-grade classes most teachers are familiar with are striking. While students in traditional classrooms often take the learning environment for granted, assuming they have plenty of time and can complete tasks whenever they choose, students in multi-grade settings become highly adaptable. They transition more easily from one activity to another, and they are more engaged because they understand that their teacher's time and attention must be shared across several groups.

In Ana's experience, qualities such as adaptability, responsiveness, and a genuine eagerness to learn are far more evident in the multi-grade teaching environment.

"If We Want To, We Can"

A few weeks ago, as Ana and her students reached the Reflect stage of the design thinking process, they paused to look back on everything they had accomplished. They realized they had become better at identifying problems in their community and working together to develop solutions. They had learned how to collaborate effectively, without conflict, and how to create meaningful projects simply because they wanted to make a difference.

More than anything, though, the most important lesson they took away was this: If we want to, we can.

As part of one project, the students created a poster about protecting the environment. Ana printed photos of them working on the project, and they added the pictures to the poster. The result was so beautiful that even the parents who saw the children during the activity were impressed. Today, the poster hangs on the school's front door, where everyone who enters can see it.

What's the Deal with Multi-Grade Classrooms?

To help parents understand what it's like to teach in a multi-grade classroom, Ana offers a simple comparison: "Imagine being at work and trying to do two different jobs at the same time with the same mind. That's what teaching a multi-grade classroom is like—you constantly have to divide your attention. Even if it's the same subject, you're teaching different topics. It's like trying to read and write at the same time, but on completely different things. Imagine reading a cookbook while writing a literature essay. It's hard." That is why, Ana believes, it is so important for parents to stay closely connected to the school, be active members of the community, take an interest in their children's education, and get involved in school activities. Their encouragement and confidence can make all the difference, helping children believe in themselves and in everything they are capable of achieving.

About AllGrow, the Community of Innovative Teachers, and Future for Multi-Grade Classrooms

What Ana appreciates most about AllGrow is that its community of innovative teachers never carries out activities simply for the sake of doing them. Instead, they carefully review each project, make sure every step of the design thinking process has been followed, and approach their work with commitment and professionalism. Their shared goal is to bring this methodology to as many children as possible.

When Ana thinks about the Future for Multi-Grade Classrooms project, she also remembers one particular student—the child she saw smile for the very first time during one of the activities.

"At that moment, I told myself that it no longer mattered how the project ended. We had already achieved what we set out to do."

Ana remains humble when her colleagues say the project began with her idea, but she admits that it fills her with joy to hear this year's participants say how much their students enjoyed it. Knowing that an idea she helped spark has grown into a successful initiative with lasting impact is deeply rewarding.

Ana believes that creative, empathetic people with fresh ideas are always welcome, and that the doors of AllGrow's community of innovative teachers are open to anyone who wants to make a difference. "We want to accomplish many things, and we need new ideas. We will always need people who are willing to get involved."

Ana Apostolie is one of the 25 teachers participating in the Future for Multi-Grade Classrooms project and a member of AllGrow's core team of educators.