Introduction
Education is fundamental in today’s modern society and is the subject of endless debates across the United States. Recently, it has risen to the top of both state and national agendas (Finn, 2002).
One reform movement currently being debated is the effects of school and class size on the quality of student education. Advocates of smaller classes argue students learn more when there are fewer students in the classroom. Many studies are conducted to try to prove this theory. Although some studies show positive results, the many failed experiments led opposers of class size reduction to believe that there is no link among class size and student learning. (Bell, Crandall, & Parnell, 2009). Many studies have been inconclusive, however, and widespread initiatives to reduce class sizes are being undertaken by schools across the nation. Because class size reduction projects are so expensive, some schools have been forced to look at other alternatives to meet the same goals (Kennedy, 2003). Examples of these alternatives are adding more teachers to a single classroom or extending the school day or year.
Analyzing the negatives, positives, and alternatives of class size reduction has been a topic of constant debate by researchers, educators, and leaders across the United States.
Benefits of Small Class Sizes
Many researchers have discovered that smaller is better. Teachers from around the United States find that they can teach with more variety and depth in a small class rather than a large one. Teachers also feel they have more time to cover material and have better organization in class. Teachers with small classes spend less time on grading and paperwork which gives them more time to spend on instruction. A studen...
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... classes, and are more enthusiastic about teaching. Overall, educators believe that these methods to create smaller classes will allow teachers to help their students (Dixon-Krauss & Januszka, 2008). Other studies have been criticized, such as the Glass & Smith study because the final report was seriously flawed and was not reliable information (Mitchell & Beach, 1990).
The cost of reducing class size is enormous, which leads some schools to look for other alternatives. This included hiring more teachers, asking for volunteers, and extending the school day or year. Clearly, students overall benefit in a small classroom environment and small classes encourage a sense of family and community between students and their teachers. Although, this debate is nowhere near over, research clearly shows that smaller classes are the most advantageous for students to learn in.
America has not changed it’s educational system in over two hundred years. For this reason, our students and population are falling further and further behind. Our society has done nothing but move forward, so why hasn’t our learning? Everybody has a story, opinion, or response to education. We need to invest in refining our tools to succeed, to create a better sense of self, and a stronger, more well-rounded nation. The American educational system is hurting students by passing them without merit and relying on standardized tests; however, many are now running back to these hollowed halls to ensure better futures.
In Rereading America Michael Moore entitled “Idiot Nation” focuses on the failing educational system in the United States of America. The American nation has decreased in their studies and have lowered their standards, yet America still claims they have their priorities in order, which is education. Moore attempts to persuade his readers that the people who are to blame are lack of education in politics and the budget cuts they are making, however, politics blame teachers for making America decrease in their schooling test scores. Americas have many opportunities and useful tools to be successful; however,
The human mind is perhaps the greatest object on the earth, animate or inanimate, but without the proper training, the mind is a relatively useless tool. Through the development of formal education systems, humans as a whole have tried to ensure the training of all minds so as to continue prosperity for the world. Most of the time, though, education systems do not realize the harm they are doing to developing minds and the subsequent negative consequences. Among the largest of these inadequate education systems is the American primary schooling system. The American education system is in fact failing; it continues to deplete children of their natural creativity and thirst for knowledge while preaching conformity, which in turn creates an ill-prepared and incompetent public.
...er the teacher will have more time for each student, therefore, the students will get more out of the class than if the class was bigger. I think that smaller schools and smaller class sizes are much better than consolidating the schools into one large school.
“Of course class size is important. You have to find the child before you can teach the child (Archived… 2000).” Though this opinion may seem radical to most people, you can see the underlying theme in the argument. Smaller classes allow students to have more personalized, individual attention from teachers. Many teachers and smaller class size advocates believe that such classes will allow for more constructive group activities, strengthen students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills, and accommodate for a wide range of learning paces. These advocates also believe that a reduced student to teacher ratio will give teachers more time to be innovative and develop new ideas, lead class discussions to further understanding, and give more practice exercises. For parents who want the best education for their children, these proposed effects of small class size make you wonder where the hard evidence is to back them.
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the American educational system has undergone much transition in response to our changing society. Though there have been many problems raised throughout the years in regard to what our school systems should be teaching our children, there have also been many developments.
Now smart students should choose what class to go to, because they can be at a higher grade level learning , while the others ones still learning their grade and they can get bettter and be like the other smart kids. No, the class size don't affect the class , but a little bit becaus ewhen other and more students come in they won't have no seat and they'll have to seat on the floor. We also have bad computers that barely can work that's why we got chrome books which are better than the old broken torn down
It is about that time for families to start sending their children to school. The first thing that crosses their mind is “I hope my child gets the best education I can give them.” These parents want their children to excel in their math classes, pass that test in science class, and they want them to be the best they can be. These families want the teacher to give their child the best education that they can offer. So what if the best way that teachers could give the best education to that child was to have a class size reduction? What if the smaller the class, the more that child could achieve? That teacher would be able to focus on any
The costs and benefits of an excellent education for all of America’s children. Teachers College, Columbia University Levin, Henry, Clive Belfield, Peter Muennig, and Cecilia Rouse. 2007.
... Class size reduction is another area that would enable our school system to move forward. In a smaller size classroom, educational quality will be improved. Teachers have greater amount of time to build a solid ground for the students to flourish. Though changes need to take place in our current school system, I am thankful to be in a country where my children have the right to be educated.
Although everyone would agree that today’s children are the country’s future and education is an investment, the education industry has been short on funds for years. One would assume it would be the government’s top priority, but it is not. Along with stagnant teachers’ salaries and teachers’ furloughs one of the unfortunate outcomes of budget cuts isare larger class sizes. as a result the class should be smaller. When there class sizes that are too big a person has problems that effect students and the teachers and both the student and teacherhave problems. Class sizes may have an effect on Student’s’ success. Large c Class sizes are not fair to students for many reasons. because students and teachers’ come across problems when there are more students than classrooms. In a smaller class teachers’ would be able to do more hands on activities.
In preparing my analysis, I considered evidence from several sectors: student data, teacher observation, administrative interviews, artifacts and memoranda from training, published curriculum and research, student work samples, and personal experience. Many of the resources I used to form a conclusion can be found in the appendices of this paper.
Class size makes a huge impact on how the student learns. Along with many other things, there is more to the amount of kids in class than most people think. The quality one on one time is affected. Along with that, important questions that the students needs clarity on from the teacher might not be able to be answered because so many other students are in the room asking their own question. Students learn in their own ways. Teachers have to be flexible to how their students learn and in order to do that they need to know their students on a personal level. When class sizes are large, it effects students in negative ways in their learning.
Today, education is one of the most highly debated areas in America. Schools all across the nation employ teachers to make children and young adults ready for life, college, and the workforce. According to http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/breakdown, the federal government is set to spend 1 trillion dollars on education in the fiscal year of 2014. But the increasing pressure that is put on to teachers is actually harming the education system. The ongoing dilemmas that are the lack of incentive for teachers, the tenures of teachers, and the focus on the “outcomes” of students, are causing the students’ education to be lacking.
Second, end overcrowded classes, as population grows the demand of building more schools grow with it. In average, we should have six-hundred to eight-hundred students in each school. Nevertheless, some schools now have over one-thousand students, which make it very difficult inside the class room. In a big city like Raleigh the number of students is very large, and that leads to so many problems like making around year school, which have a negative impact on the students. Students will be able to understand more when there are fewer numbers inside the class room.