Class Size Matters!

Overcrowded schools are one of the many reasons why America is falling backwards. With high birth rates and continuous immigration flow the classroom has become overcrowded. The best way a student can learn is if the attention is not so divided. With large classrooms having over 30 students, it makes it almost impossible for a teacher to attend to each student equally. “Slavin (1989) reviewed those studies that lasted a minimum of 1 year and had 20 students or fewer. He concluded that substantial reductions in class size have a small positive effect on students” (Synopsis of Class Size Literature). Classrooms should be small enough for a teacher to perform well without divided attention. In smaller classrooms, students are recognized for their contribution and participation. Students can respect the work of their peers individually and learn from them and help maintain order. They have more time to be collaborative, work creatively, think critically and draw their own predictions. In “Every Classroom Teacher’s Dream”, Patricia Handley states that “Teachers have more opportunity for personalized assessment with students, such as individual conferencing. With a small class, teacher can maximize best teaching practices, heightening students’ academic achievement” (6). There is ample evidence on how a small classroom can improve so much.

hesis Statement: Research suggest that smaller class sizes are better because as the class size is reduced academic achievement increased, the academic achievement gap decreases, students receive higher wages later in life, and students receive more one-on-one time with the teacher. ____________________________________________________________________________ Naomi Dillon. Class size and student achievement: Research review. Center for Public Education.                         http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Class-size-and-student-achievement-At-a-glance/Class-size-and-student-achievement-Research-review.html     This article found 19 different studies to determine the outcome of reducing class sizes.

Researchers studies on the class size have differed. Some have found no significant impact; others have discovered that student achievement declines slightly as class size increases. More recently, others have found that students in a smaller class learn more because of the size and one-on-one time. Medium classes have

A small class is consider to be twenty students or less. In smaller schools there are not as many students so the teachers will be able to help the students more one on one. Students can have a better idea of the content that they are learning and even if they don’t understand then the could talk to the teacher to have a better understanding. In a recent study, students and teachers were randomly assigned to a small class, with an average of 15 students, or a regular class, with an average of 22 students. This large reduction in class size (7 students, or 32 percent) was found to increase student achievement by an amount equivalent to about 3 additional months of schooling four years later. Also, increasing the pupil/teacher ratio in the U.S. by one student would save at least $12 billion per year in teacher salary costs alone, which is roughly

This year, the united federation of teachers, New Yorks teachers union, did a annual survey and they found out that 7,000 classrooms exceeded the limits acceptable for proper learning. Students should get more individual attention for their learning process and to be able to perform better in grades. The size of a class is very important for many schools like this one because of educational

Class size has a significant effect on education and should be taken into consideration when adding students to a particular course. Schools seemingly do not care too much about class size, but it could also be their inability to do anything about it. The size of schools are quite big, so trying to make smaller class sizes means having more classes available, which means hiring more teachers, which means needing more space, all which require money that the school most likely does not have. Class size has been one of the main deciding factors when it comes to differentiating good and bad schools. When faced with the decision of attending a public or private school, class size inevitably comes up, and usually as a benefit; this misconception

Reduced class sizes can show better behavior in students and earlier improvement of grades.In smaller classes, teachers have a better chance to get to know the student more, so there are less chances that the student will feel like need to act and lash out. Since the teacher and pupil will get to know each other better, the teacher can take the time to discover what areas the student needs help in and can make more of an effort to help the student fix those needs in a smaller, less crowded environment. (Rios, Robert J).According to a survey done by Mitchell and Mitchell in 1999, students in grades K-3 that were placed in smaller classes scored better on achievement tests in reading and mathematics than students in large classes did. Having smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade creates the most academic improvement in students. Reading and Mathematics are the subjects that the most information is retained in that sticks with students in older years. Also, students of minority

Smaller classes would result in stronger student teacher connections. When there is a smaller group in a class there are fewer students that a teacher has to get to know in that class and can have a better one on one connection with the students. By having a smaller class they can get to know students deeply. A larger amount of staff means there could be multiple sections of the same class, making the classes smaller. That allows for stronger connections between students and teachers, meaning that a teacher can reach out to students, and can understand their students better. Smaller classes will also give students a greater chance to ask questions. Fewer students means that students can ask the questions about what they don’t understand because there isn’t 30 other people trying to ask a question. Smaller classes mean that questions are more likely to be answered giving the student an in depth understanding of the subject. The final reason that hiring staff would improve classes by making them smaller is that it is extremely difficult to teach a large class. A larger amount of people causes for difficulty in maneuvering around the classroom. This can diminish the class level and diminish what the students take away from that class. It is easier to move around 20 people and not 35. Having enough teachers means that teaching a class would be improved. With

The classes more discussion-oriented and students are expected to be ready to discuss reading and assignments each class. Most college students feel more comfortable asking for help in smaller class size. In addition, the teacher better understands student strengths and weaknesses. Also, teachers are more apt to help students and it is easier to class become a group of friends. However, in large college, the quality of understanding with professor is not as good and attendance is less likely to count toward your grade. Nonetheless, some people think it is more important to learn from famous professors than to have a small class. According to Stephen Pemberton, class size can make a difference in your education. (“The importance of class size, Match 09, 2009). Conversely, according to Mark Montgomery, educational consultant, smaller classes are taught by the least effective teachers.

The class sizes are getting bigger because of schools not wanting to haves as many teachers on staff which results to crowded classrooms and that can make children uncomfortable at times when trying to learn. According to the article Why Class Size Matters, it states that class sizes across America are increasing and an estimated 58,000 teachers were laid off in September, which was the same time of enrollment increasing in the country (Leonie Haimson). Also in the same article it talks about how children actually perform higher when they are in smaller class sizes. It says, “Studies from Tennessee, Wisconsin, and states throughout the country have demonstrated that students who are assigned to smaller classes in grades K-3 rd do better in every way that can be measure: they score higher on tests, receive better grades, and exhibit improved attendance,” (Leonie Haimson) and this could also be true because in smaller class sizes the children get more of a chance to connect with their peers and also can have more one on one time with their teacher if they are struggling with a topic or subject. “…There are numerous studies showing that smaller classes are correlated with achievement gains and/or lower dropout rates in the middle and upper grades as well” (Leonie Haimson). This previous quote from the article shows

RING!RING! The sound of the school bell. Students go to their class filled with 40 students how can they learn with so many kids in their class? So class size does matter and has an impact on the students education

While placed in a big classroom can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. According to the text, Does Class Size Matter? Teachers, parents of students, and the principal of New York’s Forest Hills High School, believes that big classrooms

First of all, should there be a class full of students that want to learn and cant get the attention they need students with bigger classes with one teacher some of the class may get the attention they need to learn but some may not. Passage 1 paragraph 3 states that "overcrowding a class means students don?t get the attention they need from their teacher, just don't".

Do you think class size really matter? Well I think class size matter and I say this for many reasons. 1 if you have a lot of kids in your class some don't get enough attention they need.2 the kids won't get the technology they need in order to reach their academic goals. And last but not the student to teacher ratio. But on the other hand the schools wont want to turn down kids just because they don’t have enough space or a teacher leaves or teaches another subject.

It is pretty apparent that in America, and elsewhere, most parents and general adults want what is best for their children in terms of education. This mindset can be seen reflected in the legislative aspects of our education system; there are many incentives pushing through the school boards and legislatures of our nation in order to attempt to further refine the education system. This is important as it allows us to refine traditional American education in order to improve upon it, and one of these attempt refinements and improvements has to deal with the subject of class size. For many people, large classroom sizes are a spawning ground for many issues with the education system: high distraction in the classroom, teacher inefficiency, among a plethora of others. Although it may seem regressive to favor small classes over bigger, more potentially diverse classes, small class sizes are more beneficial for education in that it is less distracting for the students and raises the possibility of staying focused, it potentially raises teacher-student relationships, and it allows for better results and better statistics coming from these smaller classes.