Comments on: Class Size and Achievement http://educationmatters.us/2005/07/19/class-size-and-achievement/ Reform Education because Education Mattes Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:37:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: site admin http://educationmatters.us/2005/07/19/class-size-and-achievement/#comment-391 site admin Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:54:38 +0000 /?p=173#comment-391 I have an idea. Let's fund each child regardless of it they go to Private or Publics schools. This would create more private schools lowering the burden and the class size in public schools. I have an idea. Let’s fund each child regardless of it they go to Private or Publics schools. This would create more private schools lowering the burden and the class size in public schools.

]]> By: Angela http://educationmatters.us/2005/07/19/class-size-and-achievement/#comment-390 Angela Thu, 20 Jul 2006 17:35:25 +0000 /?p=173#comment-390 I am a teacher. I cannot understand the opinions of the non-teacher and with the studies that are not taken in the same exact situations. First of all, changing the classroom size is important. But, remember, that the reason to have smaller class sizes is to give more attention to each child. What I mean, is that a teacher is aware of a child that is getting lost before they teach the next lesson. All students learn differently. A teacher must teach to the audio learner, visual learner, kinetic learner, etc. Observing and knowing when to re-teach, give peer tutoring, or the teacher's one-on-one explanation is better implemented with fewer students. So, a teacher who lectures, and there are many, will not have a change whether the class is large or small. The teacher who lectures, and uses cooperative learning, and discovery learning, and physical and project learning, will best influence most children. There is a difference. As far as inclusion is concerned, the special education practices are great for all students. We need help from the special ed. teachers, even when there are not enough of them to stay in your class all day. Collaborate with them. Special ed. teachers attend all general ed. professional development classes. General ed teachers should attend some of the special ed. professional development classes. This helps a great deal. Special ed. teachers have very little problems with general ed. students because of their extensive training; including teaching practices as well as behavioral situations. These practices help all teachers and students. I am a teacher. I cannot understand the opinions of the non-teacher and with the studies that are not taken in the same exact situations. First of
all, changing the classroom size is important. But, remember, that the reason to have smaller class sizes is to give more attention to each child.
What I mean, is that a teacher is aware of a child that is getting lost before they teach the next lesson. All students learn differently. A teacher must teach to the audio learner, visual learner, kinetic learner, etc. Observing and knowing when to re-teach, give peer tutoring, or the teacher’s
one-on-one explanation is better implemented with fewer students. So, a teacher who lectures, and there are many, will not have a change whether the class is large or small. The teacher who lectures, and uses cooperative learning, and discovery learning, and physical and project learning, will best influence most children. There is a difference.

As far as inclusion is concerned, the special education practices are great for all students. We need help from the special ed. teachers, even when there are not enough of them to stay in your class all day. Collaborate with them. Special ed. teachers attend all general ed. professional
development classes. General ed teachers should attend some of the special ed. professional development classes. This helps a great deal.
Special ed. teachers have very little problems with general ed. students because of their extensive training; including teaching practices as well as behavioral situations. These practices help all teachers and students.

]]> By: Education Matters US » BOE Minutes 1/17/06 http://educationmatters.us/2005/07/19/class-size-and-achievement/#comment-389 Education Matters US » BOE Minutes 1/17/06 Tue, 24 Jan 2006 01:58:35 +0000 /?p=173#comment-389 [...] Ellen has done a lot of research. [Class discussion on my site earlier this year] [...] [...] Ellen has done a lot of research. [Class discussion on my site earlier this year] [...]

]]> By: Lennie http://educationmatters.us/2005/07/19/class-size-and-achievement/#comment-388 Lennie Thu, 21 Jul 2005 01:43:30 +0000 /?p=173#comment-388 Lisa said, ------------Begin quote -------------- This post relating to smaller class sizes being ineffectual really fries me. You can find, as I did, other research to support small classrooms. Lennie, I have to wonder how much time you have ever spent in an elementary classroom... actually teaching lessons and witnessing your effectiveness in front of 30 eight year olds of varying abilities..??? The make up of today's classrooms is tremendously different than it was in the times when many of us attended elementary school. Sadly, parental involvement, which is vitally important to student success, is a great deal diminished ... it is truly sad to note how many parents are sending their children to school with the assumption that they can have a "hands off" approach in their child's education... Children return to empty homes, watch tv for hours and have little stimulating conversation ... Before you jump all over my vast generalization, I can acknowledge that there are many, as well, who value education and are involved with their children, but those parents are dropping in numbers. Sadly, there was a time when teachers felt supported by their students' families but they have been cast as "whiny" employees and respect has fallen. In addition, classrooms are comprised of a tremendous variety of ability levels at this time. I am neither condoning nor condemning inclusion, but it is a factor in the effectiveness of the classroom environment. To have 30, even more than 20, children in a classroom, along with a child who has outbursts, is prone to running away, cannot handle slight changes in noise, etc.... creates an atmosphere of disruption that is not conducive to learning for anyone. If anything, we are understaffed with regard to these children with special needs and the classroom teacher more often than not, must deal with the needs of everyone. There is not "cookie cutter" child out there... some are more able in one area than others and classroom teachers recognize that and plan lessons accordingly to meet everyone's needs... this is next to impossible in large classes and teaching turns into behavior management. Observe, please, the gains made when children are pulled in small groups for extra help... it works! I have no doubt that you can find "research" to support any opinion you have of education... but until you walk in the shoes of the classroom teacher, and truly spend years doing the job, you have no credibility! " Select Releases 2005 Releases 2004 Releases 2003 Releases 2002 Releases 2001 Releases 2000 Releases 1999 Releases Date: May 8, 2005 Contact: David Partenheimer Public Affairs Office (202) 336-5706 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEVERAL YEARS IN SMALL CLASSES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YIELDS BIG REWARDS AT GRADUATION TIME – ESPECIALLY FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO STUDY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON — It is well established that small class size in the early elementary grades boosts student achievement in those grades and allows students to be more engaged in learning than they are in larger classes. But there has been little research on the long-term effects of small class size. A new study involving a large sample of students followed for 13 years shows that four or more years in small classes in elementary school significantly increases the likelihood of graduating from high school, especially for students from low-income homes. The study is reported on in the May issue of the Journal of Educational Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). Study authors Jeremy D. Finn, Ph.D., and Susan B. Gerber, Ph.D., of the University at Buffalo-The State University of New York and Jayne Boyd-Zaharias, Ed.D., of HEROS, Inc., tracked nearly 5,000 students from kindergarten through the 12th grade in 165 schools in connection with Tennessee's class-size experiment of the 1980's. The experiment, known as Project STAR, involved randomly assigning students entering kindergarten to a small class (13-17 students), to a full-size class (22-26 students), or to a full-size class with a full-time teacher aide within each participating school. The class size was maintained throughout the day and all year long. Students were kept in the same class arrangement for up to four years, with a new teacher assigned at random to the class each year. Results show that for all students combined, four years in a small class in K-3 were associated with an 11.5 percent increase in high school graduation rates. This effect was even greater for low socio-economic students (students who were receiving free lunches). In fact, after four years in a small class, the graduation rate for free-lunch students was as great as or greater than that for non-free lunch students (more than doubling the odds of graduating). The study also revealed a strong relationship between mathematics and reading achievement in K-3 and graduation from high school. "Our results contradict arguments that just one year in a small class is enough to reap long-term academic benefits," Lisa said,
————Begin quote ————–
This post relating to smaller class sizes being ineffectual really fries me. You can find, as I did, other research to support small classrooms. Lennie, I have to wonder how much time you have ever spent in an elementary classroom… actually teaching lessons and witnessing your effectiveness in front of 30 eight year olds of varying abilities..??? The make up of today’s classrooms is tremendously different than it was in the times when many of us attended elementary school. Sadly, parental involvement, which is vitally important to student success, is a great deal diminished … it is truly sad to note how many parents are sending their children to school with the assumption that they can have a “hands off” approach in their child’s education… Children return to empty homes, watch tv for hours and have little stimulating conversation … Before you jump all over my vast generalization, I can acknowledge that there are many, as well, who value education and are involved with their children, but those parents are dropping in numbers. Sadly, there was a time when teachers felt supported by their students’ families but they have been cast as “whiny” employees and respect has fallen.

In addition, classrooms are comprised of a tremendous variety of ability levels at this time. I am neither condoning nor condemning inclusion, but it is a factor in the effectiveness of the classroom environment. To have 30, even more than 20, children in a classroom, along with a child who has outbursts, is prone to running away, cannot handle slight changes in noise, etc…. creates an atmosphere of disruption that is not conducive to learning for anyone. If anything, we are understaffed with regard to these children with special needs and the classroom teacher more often than not, must deal with the needs of everyone. There is not “cookie cutter” child out there… some are more able in one area than others and classroom teachers recognize that and plan lessons accordingly to meet everyone’s needs… this is next to impossible in large classes and teaching turns into behavior management.
Observe, please, the gains made when children are pulled in small groups for extra help… it works!

I have no doubt that you can find “research” to support any opinion you have of education… but until you walk in the shoes of the classroom teacher, and truly spend years doing the job, you have no credibility! ”

Select Releases 2005 Releases 2004 Releases 2003 Releases 2002 Releases 2001 Releases 2000 Releases 1999 Releases

Date: May 8, 2005
Contact: David Partenheimer
Public Affairs Office
(202) 336-5706

——————————————————————————–

SEVERAL YEARS IN SMALL CLASSES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YIELDS BIG REWARDS AT GRADUATION TIME – ESPECIALLY FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO STUDY

——————————————————————————–

WASHINGTON — It is well established that small class size in the early elementary grades boosts student achievement in those grades and allows students to be more engaged in learning than they are in larger classes. But there has been little research on the long-term effects of small class size. A new study involving a large sample of students followed for 13 years shows that four or more years in small classes in elementary school significantly increases the likelihood of graduating from high school, especially for students from low-income homes. The study is reported on in the May issue of the Journal of Educational Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Study authors Jeremy D. Finn, Ph.D., and Susan B. Gerber, Ph.D., of the University at Buffalo-The State University of New York and Jayne Boyd-Zaharias, Ed.D., of HEROS, Inc., tracked nearly 5,000 students from kindergarten through the 12th grade in 165 schools in connection with Tennessee’s class-size experiment of the 1980′s. The experiment, known as Project STAR, involved randomly assigning students entering kindergarten to a small class (13-17 students), to a full-size class (22-26 students), or to a full-size class with a full-time teacher aide within each participating school. The class size was maintained throughout the day and all year long. Students were kept in the same class arrangement for up to four years, with a new teacher assigned at random to the class each year.

Results show that for all students combined, four years in a small class in K-3 were associated with an 11.5 percent increase in high school graduation rates. This effect was even greater for low socio-economic students (students who were receiving free lunches). In fact, after four years in a small class, the graduation rate for free-lunch students was as great as or greater than that for non-free lunch students (more than doubling the odds of graduating). The study also revealed a strong relationship between mathematics and reading achievement in K-3 and graduation from high school.

“Our results contradict arguments that just one year in a small class is enough to reap long-term academic benefits,”

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