Does Class Size Really Matter?
I'm currently reading Malcolm Gladwell's book "David and Goliath" where he writes about some of the studies regarding the effects of class size on education. The conventional wisdom being that a smaller class size means a better education.
The findings if I'm reading him correctly is that smaller classes make it easier for the teacher because there are fewer papers to grade, they can get to know their students better and they can spend more time at home with their own families. They are not piece workers and all things considered they get paid the same.
Gladwell talks a lot about tipping points and this one where there seems to be some applications for students, teachers, and parents. There probably is an ideal class size for students and teachers and it may be a little bit different from teacher to teacher and from class to class. There seem to be few studies where class size makes a significant difference in math and science class performance.
Too many students and the teacher may feel dumped on overwhelmed and challenged by classroom management issues, too few students and the educational environment can suffer as well. The loudest, more aggressive kids have an even easier time drowning out the others. This is as much an art as science and being able to see a more diverse group and getting it working can be a really magical thing but it needs enough students to work.
Parents may think that smaller, more expensive private schools may be better. For some that may be true but Gladwell rightly points out all stuff and small classes used to justify a high tuition may not translate into anything meaningful, except being able to network with a bunch of other rich kids which may count for something but it might not relate to education.
If classes get too small, there may be political and financial pressures to cut teaching jobs and that is another dynamic that can screw up the works.
Finding: No silver bullet in class size.
The findings if I'm reading him correctly is that smaller classes make it easier for the teacher because there are fewer papers to grade, they can get to know their students better and they can spend more time at home with their own families. They are not piece workers and all things considered they get paid the same.
Gladwell talks a lot about tipping points and this one where there seems to be some applications for students, teachers, and parents. There probably is an ideal class size for students and teachers and it may be a little bit different from teacher to teacher and from class to class. There seem to be few studies where class size makes a significant difference in math and science class performance.
Too many students and the teacher may feel dumped on overwhelmed and challenged by classroom management issues, too few students and the educational environment can suffer as well. The loudest, more aggressive kids have an even easier time drowning out the others. This is as much an art as science and being able to see a more diverse group and getting it working can be a really magical thing but it needs enough students to work.
Parents may think that smaller, more expensive private schools may be better. For some that may be true but Gladwell rightly points out all stuff and small classes used to justify a high tuition may not translate into anything meaningful, except being able to network with a bunch of other rich kids which may count for something but it might not relate to education.
If classes get too small, there may be political and financial pressures to cut teaching jobs and that is another dynamic that can screw up the works.
Finding: No silver bullet in class size.
Comments
Post a Comment