The Effects of Classroom Size
Classroom size has been a hotly contested debate in the education realm for some time. Teachers and students alike have a stake in the size of a classroom, and the effects are far-reaching on both sides of the issue. In fact, many parents base their decision on whether to send their child to a particular school on the prospective size of the child's classroom.
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Significance
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The class size debate has raged on in the U.S. education system for the better part of a decade. USA Today states that while most people believe the smaller the class size, the better the quality of education given to each student, there is little by way of hard evidence to say one way or another. However, when there is one teacher for a large number of students, the level of individual attention paid to each student is lessened significantly.
Effects
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The effects of disproportionate classroom size are far-reaching. Burned out educators deal with more students than they are accustomed to teaching at one time; they put in extra hours outside of the classroom, grading more exams and homework assignments. Students don't receive enough attention from their teachers. Moreover, since classrooms without size restrictions often result in too many kids per class, effects can also include a lack of supplies for students, as well as more discipline problems, as it is harder for the teacher to watch everyone.
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Benefits
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There are numerous benefits of smaller classroom size. According to the Great Schools website, there are gains associated with classrooms with fewer than 20 students. These gains are even greater for younger students in lower grades. Students in smaller classes are more likely to graduate from high school, which results in higher earnings potential and better health than those who drop out. Moreover, minorities, immigrants and other disadvantaged groups do much better in smaller classes as well, likely because of the more individualized attention received from the teacher.
Considerations
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One of the best ways to get around issues of class size is to utilize teaching interns from local universities as classroom aides for teachers. When you have two teachers working with a class of 30 students, they can be much more effective than they might be if just one of the two attempts to teach that same class. The more help you can get in each large class, the more the students will benefit and the less stressed your staff will be.
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