During your senior year in high school, many are confronted with multiple post-secondary options. Months are spent diligently going over the pros and cons of each institution. While choosing the perfect college, one significant argument is whether to go to a public or private institution. There are many topics to debate within this argument itself, such as, cost, degree options, and class size. This last one (class size) is a leading argument about whether smaller class sizes are better than larger class sizes. Attending St. Cloud State University this fall and spring semester has led me to ponder the benefits and the drawbacks of an education provided by this university. My purpose in writing is to argue that the larger class sizes at St. Cloud State University are worse than the smaller classes because of professor feedback, teaching assistants, and limited contact with our peers.
To start off, all classes are affected by this debate of whether small classes are better than large classes. Every class should have the right to be small so
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It is easier for students to fall behind in larger classes. Students are not as engaged in the material. TA’s are given too much work to do. Large class sizes do not permit students to form relationships with their professors. A small class setting is more essential to a quality education than a big class setting at this University. My point is that St. Cloud State has both large class sizes and smaller class sizes, but it is important to note that the small classes benefit the professors, students, and teaching assistants more than the classes that have a multitude of students. College is not only a time commitment, but also a huge financial commitment. If I do not have a fair opportunity to learn in a smaller class setting, then this will end up being a waste of time and money if I am not able to have the privilege of setting up a successful academic future and
Smaller class sizes are a pivotal reason as to why parents should send their children to private school. Private schools have smaller class sizes, which allow for more individualized instruction on various subject matters, and they improve student-teacher relationships. For instance, “Small classes allow teachers to give students more individual attention and lighten the teacher’s workload, and therefore are generally considered desirable” (Choy 14). Subsequently, by having a smaller class size, a student
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.
During a 2012 U.S. presidential debate, the topic of class size came up within the context of global competitiveness. Although the candidates debated the benefits of small classes in K-12 education, the issue deserves attention within higher education. With the growth of online classes, including massive online courses, and with the slow upward in class size, budget issues brought many subjects to worry. It brings the question, does size of classes matter? Do the teaching methods, the learning objectives, teaching standards, and workload expectations vary depending on the class size?
When it comes to school size, there is no right size that works for every student. Some students thrive in a smaller environment where they get lots of attention, while others prefer the variety of activities and peer groups available in a larger school. Certainly, small and large schools each have their pros and cons. There are many reasons why this statement is true. One of the reasons why is if there are smaller schools they are gonna have smaller class sizes so there is more one on one with the students and teacher. Smaller schools are more lenient with test days and focus more on every student understanding the content.
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
In recent years, the topic of class size reduction has come to light in the United States. "There is little doubt that reducing class size can boost student achievement in some circumstances," Matthew Chingos of the Brookings Institution Brown Center says. Class size reduction is becoming more and more demanded to help meet the needs of todays society and education. According to the Center For Public Education, 'student achievement in grades K-3 increased when the class size dropped'. Class size reduction has been debated about for years in the US and is now being extensively studied. Class size reduction continues to have positive affects on school districts and is now more commonly practiced in the United States because of the high
With the lack of high-quality research related to the effects of class size on student achievement, there is not a valid argument for decreasing class size in our schools. Additionally, taking on the extra 1-2 students in each class will only help with master scheduling issues and course offerings. If we continue to reduce class size, our students are the ones who will be negatively impacted as we will be unable to provide certain courses for all students. There are instances when a teacher may have one to two sections of a given class, and if we are a few students over, those students cannot take the course they want, or possibly need. This is not an issue we want to face, nor do we want to deny our students a proper education that fits their own individual needs. The flexibility of being able to include up to 36 students in any one class ensures that there is enough space for more of our students. In an effort to convince the Teachers Association to concede to this change, it is appropriate to offer them something in return. In this instance, it may be fitting to offer to keep elementary class size pupil-teacher ratio to 1:28, making it clear that we will not ask to increase their class size if they agree to the 4-12 growth. Increasing class size is vital for the district as we are forging ahead into uncertain times with the closing of our primary source of revenue, Diablo Canyon. We have to be
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
Changing classes up just for a size is not a good excuse. It does not matter on the size because each student will still get the education they need.They will still be learning but with more or less students. If with more students then there are more people to talk to about the topic and if there were less people there are still people to talk with because the size still has students. Changing class because of size won't impact the education because there are still teachers and they will teach the amount of students they
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.
those who believe that the size of a class doesnít affect the way students learn.