SHANNON KOJAH
Classroom Size in American Schools
ECI 696
Dr. Bloom
7/6/2011
In this analysis I will look at the cons of having large classrooms in American schools. Smaller classrooms can allow for the teacher to have more interaction with the students and give the students more one on one teacher time. Larger classrooms can cause teachers more difficulty in classroom management and take away from the quality of lessons for all the different learners.
ISSUE:
The issue I felt was important to focus on was the issue of classroom sizes. Due to lack of funding less teachers and bigger classrooms are becoming a reality in our public school system. The reason this becomes an issue or problem in schools is the lack of specialized attention for each student. Some argue that classrooms that are over filled are not conducive to a good learning environment. These large classrooms not only affect the students but also the schools. When a school becomes underperforming they lose funding. It is a trickle down process, where everyone becomes affected by the issue. Although some teachers can be successful in larger classrooms, ultimately the climate has to be just right for it to work. For example a teacher who is in the southwest and has 50% ESL students, a class size of 35+ kids, 1st grade, and it’s her first year teaching, will most likely fail with a large class. A 6th grade teacher in the Midwest with 5% ESL , no inclusion, teaching for 15 years may fair better with larger class sizes. I think if this becomes the norm for our schools it is important to train teachers to successfully create a classroom environment with large numbers. I also believe that the reason some of these larger classes don’t work is because of the extra testing and responsibilities placed on a teacher. A teacher who has been around awhile might have the right tools to cover all expectations because he or she may know how to “play the game” so to speak. A new comer who not only has the expectations of the state on their shoulders but also a class of students that are a grade level or two below ability can face many different issues. There are so many variables that can be equated to this issue and problem. I think it is important for us as educators to consider a solution to better serve our students.
Context of Problem:
This is not a new problem, and I am not the first person to voice concern over large class sizes. I am certified in Arizona and have many peers that have gone out into the workforce in the region. Most of my colleagues have classrooms of 30 or more students. Some with 40+ in and ESL/Middle school setting. The biggest complaint is the inability to manage class and really support the students that need appropriate support. This is happening all over the country. Currently I reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Currently they will be cutting 500+ teaching jobs due to budget cuts and project that the class sizes could double over the next few years. This problem is also not grade specific but extends through grades K-12.
RESEARCH:
In today’s education we are continuously running on the political gauntlet. Schools budgets are cut, teachers are let go and classrooms are combined. The issue of classroom size has been an ongoing debate, with some people pro large classrooms while others are against. Lots of research has been focused on this issue. One of the most important studies in 1978 focused on the Meta-analysis of research on the relationship of class size and achievement by Glass and Smith. The researchers from this study collected and summarized 80 different studies. The primary conclusions drawn from this study were that reduced class size can be expected to produce increased academic achievement and major benefits from reduced class size are obtained as the size is reduced below 20 pupils (Finn, 1998). Although counter studies have shown that the findings were not completely accurate, the possibility that a smaller class could increase success in student achievement is realistic. Funding should be focused on opportunities that will help student achievement and creating large oversized classrooms is the wrong direction for our schools. Another more recent project called the STAR project showed positive results from shrinking class size. This project was a large scale, 4 year project in the inner city school system of Tennessee. The project served over 70,000 students and showed a positive correlation to smaller class sizes and student achievement (http://www.heros-inc.org/star.htm ). The study was based on progressive achievement over the 4 year period with the students. The results showed that the students who existed longer in a smaller class size showed improvement academically. HEROs is an organization that also looks at the advantages of smaller class sizes and recently had a press conferences that showed students who work in smaller class sizes are more likely to pursue higher education (http://www.heros-inc.org/star.htm). My argument for smaller class size is supported with this research in showing that even in a underperforming inner city schools, smaller class sizes can have an impact. If all schools in the American school system could follow this project and use funds to support smaller classes, then our system would show positive change in achievement.
The studies also reflect that not only do smaller class sizes effect achievement, but also other pieces of student success like personal relationships, student morale and interpersonal relationships (Barker, 1986). In a smaller classroom relationships can develop and community can be built. When you are in a large classroom a student with social anxiety may be apt to participate, but in a smaller more comfortable setting the student could prosper. Also as a teacher it is hard to meet all requirements as well as build relationships with your students in a large class setting. Smaller classes mean more time to foster those important relationships with your students.
Currently we are ranked around 14th in the world in reading, 17th in science and below average at 25th for math according to the PISA report (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/us-falls-in-world-education-rankings_n_793185.html ). This report is based on the results from over 40 participating countries. The United States is a powerful nation that needs its education system to be the pinnacle of its future. Investing funds to help minimize class size should be a priority for our nation. In Dr. Finns commissioned paper to the Department of Education on class size he emphasized the financial aspect of smaller class sizes as well. The input or the funding should correlate to the output which is student achievement. If we reference the project STAR we can clearly see that over the 4 year project in Tennessee that the money put into the project produced the appropriate output (student achievement).
Solution:
If it were up to me to solve this issue I would fund more money to create smaller classrooms. The funds that we would allot would be used to first train teachers to utilize the smaller class size to their fullest potential. We would model our school system transition according to the STAR project and monitor the success of this plan by following state testing scores of students working in this program. I think funding should be focused on this issue. We are trying so hard as a country to improve our education system but we fail to look at the easy solution. Adding more testing or more standards will not solve the problems in the schools, but create more headaches. I think if we look at the Finnish school system and how they function we can also find bigger solutions beyond classroom size. Finland’s students were rated number 1 in the PISA report where we are rated below the top ten.
References
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (1986). The Advantages of Small Schools. ERIC Digest. Washington D.C.: Barker, B.
Health and Education Research Operative Services. (2011). Project Star. Retrived from http://www.heros-inc.org/star.htm
National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students: U.S. Department of Education. Class Size and Students at Risk: What is Known? What is next?. (April 1998) Washington D.C: Dr. Jeremy D. Finn.