ABSTRACT
A feature of work with very young children is that they often work in groups for much of the day. Further up the age range, more whole-class teaching may be usual, with creative artwork being taught to the whole class. Whether to put children in groups or not is a matter of choice, and the outcome reflects the educational philosophy of the school or teacher. The issue is one left open for debate. What is best is what organization is appropriate at the time, not simply what we happen to believe in, though personal teaching style naturally has an influence. There are enough opportunities for formal class teaching later on in children’s lives without introducing it too soon. Teaching in the early years usually demands far more flexible ways of looking at classroom organization if the best is to be gained from it.
