By Abigail Baum
The debate on whether class size matters has been discussed and tested many times over the years. The typical primary school classroom has about 23 students. Different studies have shown that the size of your class may or may not impact the way students learn.
Class size does have some sort of an impact on the way students learn and obtain knowledge. According to a Newsela article written by Seattle Times students in a smaller class are more attentive because the teacher does not have as many students, “Students behave better and get more involved when they cannot hide in the back of the classroom” (Seattle Times 2014). A Tennessee research study concluded that, “Students in small classes their outperformed students in larger groups.” (Seattle Times 2014). Researchers have noticed that smaller classroom sizes had better impact on kids that are inattentive in class and talk in the back of the room. Smaller classes have many benefits, “Researchers generally agree that smaller classes are linked to educational benefits, at least for the earlier grades. Among the positives are better test scores, fewer dropouts and higher graduation rates, especially for poorer children” (Seattle Times 2014).
On the other hand, according to Elizabeth Graue class size impacts the students very little or maybe not at all. “Class-size reduction alone will only get fewer children in a class, it doesn’t translate directly to a change in achievement.” (Graue 2014). People thought that teachers gave students more individualized instruction in smaller classrooms. However, observers did not actually see this happen. Several studies have found that teachers teach the same way they always have, even with smaller class sizes.
According to an interview with a teacher at Honeoye Falls Lima, Mrs. Henderson thinks there is a tipping point where class size is good and where it is too much. What affects the students the most is how they need individual attention and with big classes not every student is receiving the attention needed. Henderson has to arrange her plan to make sure they fit all the material into their schedule, with the distractions of her 28 student class. Many times with a big class if one student gets off topic it is like a ripple effect, where they get many other students off topic. Plenty of studies over the years have been taken to explain if class size really matters. The results say it does not matter, Mrs. Henderson says she has not taken any of her own test so she is not sure if it makes a different or not, but what she has seen is it does not affect the grades by much at all. It is not always the class size it is how interested the students are in the material, and if they are interested they will listen.
In conclusion, research shows both sides of the argument. On one side smaller classes can help improve students focus ability and understanding of the material. On the other side smaller classes does not do anything but cost more to hire teachers.
Sources:
https://newsela.com/articles/class-sizes/id/5937/
The debate on whether class size matters has been discussed and tested many times over the years. The typical primary school classroom has about 23 students. Different studies have shown that the size of your class may or may not impact the way students learn.
Class size does have some sort of an impact on the way students learn and obtain knowledge. According to a Newsela article written by Seattle Times students in a smaller class are more attentive because the teacher does not have as many students, “Students behave better and get more involved when they cannot hide in the back of the classroom” (Seattle Times 2014). A Tennessee research study concluded that, “Students in small classes their outperformed students in larger groups.” (Seattle Times 2014). Researchers have noticed that smaller classroom sizes had better impact on kids that are inattentive in class and talk in the back of the room. Smaller classes have many benefits, “Researchers generally agree that smaller classes are linked to educational benefits, at least for the earlier grades. Among the positives are better test scores, fewer dropouts and higher graduation rates, especially for poorer children” (Seattle Times 2014).
On the other hand, according to Elizabeth Graue class size impacts the students very little or maybe not at all. “Class-size reduction alone will only get fewer children in a class, it doesn’t translate directly to a change in achievement.” (Graue 2014). People thought that teachers gave students more individualized instruction in smaller classrooms. However, observers did not actually see this happen. Several studies have found that teachers teach the same way they always have, even with smaller class sizes.
According to an interview with a teacher at Honeoye Falls Lima, Mrs. Henderson thinks there is a tipping point where class size is good and where it is too much. What affects the students the most is how they need individual attention and with big classes not every student is receiving the attention needed. Henderson has to arrange her plan to make sure they fit all the material into their schedule, with the distractions of her 28 student class. Many times with a big class if one student gets off topic it is like a ripple effect, where they get many other students off topic. Plenty of studies over the years have been taken to explain if class size really matters. The results say it does not matter, Mrs. Henderson says she has not taken any of her own test so she is not sure if it makes a different or not, but what she has seen is it does not affect the grades by much at all. It is not always the class size it is how interested the students are in the material, and if they are interested they will listen.
In conclusion, research shows both sides of the argument. On one side smaller classes can help improve students focus ability and understanding of the material. On the other side smaller classes does not do anything but cost more to hire teachers.
Sources:
https://newsela.com/articles/class-sizes/id/5937/