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| CLASS DYNAMICS September 19, 1997 |
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Questions asked in this forum:
Do other influences have a greater impact on learning than class size? Are teachers being taught to present their lesson plans with ruthless efficiency? How might technology be used to help alleviate high student-teacher ratios? Where precisely does the size difference matter? Are there any good studies on small classes?
NewsHour Backgrounders
August 21, 1997:
Paul Solman talks with Education Secretary Richard Riley and school officials from around the country.
August 12, 1997:
Chicago Public Schools are looking into mandatory summer school to increase test scores.
February 11, 1997:
President Clinton announces plans to create national standards to measure the country's educational system.
January 16, 1997:
A report shows that despite a 15-year effort to improve public schools, performance still lags.
Browse the Online NewsHour's coverage of education.
Are you afraid your child is not receiving enough personal attention in his classroom? This fundamental question is being addressed in certain school districts around the country: will smaller classrooms pass or fail the test?
Nationwide, there are some 72 million children 18 years and younger. Together they represent 28 percent of the total population, and they are entering the school system in staggering numbers. This group of young people is largely a result of the Baby Boom Echo: Boomers are deciding to have children before it is too late and younger Generation Xers are beginning their families.
Proponents of smaller class sizes believe that educators will have more time to respond to individual students' needs. Class reduction legislation decreases a typical classroom of 32 pupils to 20 children or less. In the state of California, legislation to lower the number of students has gone into effect in hopes of improving sinking test scores and setting higher standards for American youth. California has watched their state test scores drop from some of the best in the country to some of the worst. But the state is fighting back. It is spending $800 million dollars to limit the number of students per classroom in kindergarten through third grade. California has become one of the first test cases for examining teacher-student relations in smaller classrooms.
Overall, parents and teachers agree that in theory, smaller classrooms have a positive affect on learning. Teachers find it easier to manage classrooms and parents feel reassured that their children will receive individualized attention. But opponents strongly disagree that improved teacher-student ratios actually results in higher academic performance. They are also concerned that due to the Boomer Echo, schools are currently bursting at the seams and smaller class legislation will not be able to accommodate the growing numbers of kids entering the school system.
The quality of teachers is also under scrutiny. To implement the new system, California's 1,000 school districts are hiring 20,000 new teachers. The question is whether these teachers have the necessary skills to teach children.
Smaller classes are also taking away precious learning facilities such as computer labs and libraries. Some schools are so restricted in their size that they are forced to use hallways and closets as classrooms.
In this forum Michael Kirst, Stanford University professor and director of Policy Analysis for California Education, and Sonia Hernandez, Deputy Superintendent for the Curriculum and Instructional Leadership Branch of California State's Department of Education answer your questions.
Some issues considered in this forum: Is it right to sacrifice smaller classrooms for uncertified teachers? Will children benefit from smaller classrooms? How will smaller class sizes impact our national learning standards? At a time when schools are pressed for physical space, is it right to start mandating fewer numbers of children per classroom?
Questions asked in this forum:
Do other influences have a greater impact on learning than class size? Are teachers being taught to present their lesson plans with ruthless efficiency? How might technology be used to help alleviate high student-teacher ratios? Where precisely does the size difference matter? Are there any good studies on small classes?
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