General Support for Class Size
“Of course class size is important. You have to find the child before you can teach the child (Archived… 2000).” Though this opinion may seem radical to most people, you can see the underlying theme in the argument. Smaller classes allow students to have more personalized, individual attention from teachers. Many teachers and smaller class size advocates believe that such classes will allow for more constructive group activities, strengthen students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills, and accommodate for a wide range of learning paces. These advocates also believe that a reduced student to teacher ratio will give teachers more time to be innovative and develop new ideas, lead class discussions to further understanding, and give more practice exercises. For parents who want the best education for their children, these proposed effects of small class size make you wonder where the hard evidence is to back them.
Project STAR
Case studies have been key in generating research information on the effects of smaller class size. Similar results have been attained from studies in Tennessee, California and Wisconsin. Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio) in Tennessee is “one of the most important educational investigations ever carried out (HEROS, 2001).” In 1985 the Tennessee passed the proper legislation to put into effect a four year class size study of students in grades K-3, using three million state dollars. The study chose a cross section of inner city, suburban and rural schools to participate as experimental and comparison groups. The groups were divided into classrooms with small enrollment (13-17 children), regular enrollment (22-25 children), and regular en...
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The growing case for smaller classes.(2001). American Teacher v.85(no.8), p.2.
Retrieved 10/9/01 from WilsonSelect database. This short resource takes a general look at project STAR in Tennessee. It also discusses how to close the racial achievement gap.
Study confirms value of small class size.(2001). American Teacher v.85(no.6), p.2.
Retrieved10/6/01 from WilsonSelect database. This resource discusses project SAGE. It describes why class size reduction was successful in Wisconsin.
Toch, T.(1997). Does class size matter?. U.S. News & World Report v.123, p.22-5.
Retrieved 10/9/01 from WilsonSelect database. This periodical discusses whether or not class size matters in achievement. This resource discusses class size in specific cases in which class size matters. It takes a look at Tennessee and California class size reduction initiatives.
The United States of America has placed low on the educational ladder throughout the years. The cause of such a low ranking is due to such heavy emphasis on standardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency.
The latest amendment to the Florida constitution reduces the average class size in schools around the state. Although many people believe that smaller class size will help students learn by giving them more time individually with their teacher, studies prove that class size has little or no effect on student achievement. The class-size amendment is a waste of non-existent money, and in the long run, it will only hurt Florida’s economy and the education program.
The genocides in Rwanda and Nazi Germany are just two examples of how the world sat back and watched as masses of innocent people were killed. Both were a result of political powers wishing to solidify control and create a better society, through the mass killings of those who were taught to be enemies of the state and sub-humans. Both relied on the use of propaganda to control knowledge common people had access to, thus controlling them. The differing methods of mass killing was a result of the varying reasons for killing, resources available, and power of the party in charge. The rest of the world can and should learn through these acts of hate that any unjust killing must be stopped, as country’s internal affairs can not be allowed to include massacres of innocent people.
...ned. A group study published by the Teachers College Record Journal compares high school students who attended small classes to those who did not. The results reveal that students who participated in smaller classes were “2.5 months ahead in all school subjects, and as much as five months ahead in some, compared to their counterparts who attended regular classes” (Finn et al. 168). Similar research supports that idea that small classes produce even greater long-term benefits when class-size reduction is extended for additional years during primary education. Longitudinal studies reveal that a longer duration in small class primary education equates to more considerable, enduring benefits in secondary education (Finn et al. 166). The seemingly short-term participation in class-size reduction enhances a student’s entire academic career and chance for achievement.
Since horses were the key to a family’s livelihood, they took the time to care for their horses’s hooves because if their horse went lame, they were in trouble. When looking at hoof structure we see that hooves are prone to wearing down on hard ground, and they cannot grow fast enough to beat the wearing down. When horses suddenly went lame, I’m sure it was a surprise to families - and then they had to learn how to counteract the wearing down of the hoof.
It is about that time for families to start sending their children to school. The first thing that crosses their mind is “I hope my child gets the best education I can give them.” These parents want their children to excel in their math classes, pass that test in science class, and they want them to be the best they can be. These families want the teacher to give their child the best education that they can offer. So what if the best way that teachers could give the best education to that child was to have a class size reduction? What if the smaller the class, the more that child could achieve? That teacher would be able to focus on any
In today’s world, it is of the utmost importance to learn from mistakes of the past. Certain events, especially tragedies that could have been avoided, hold within them the lessons and wisdom that should be used to prevent similar disasters. The 1994 Rwandan genocide resulted in over 800, 000 deaths of the Tutsi people, at the hands of the Hutu; the genocide, and the international response to it, is a lesson about the humanitarian responsibilities, successes, and shortcomings of the United Nations.
Horses are used for lots of things!One thing they are used for today is competing. Whether you are competing in horse sports or just competing to have fun. Another thing horses are used for today is pleasure riding. When I say pleasure riding I mean just going on a ride with your friends or just taking a break from whatever else you’re doing. In the past people used horses for pleasure riding, like we do today. We do not use them for farming as much as the people in the past did. Back when we didn’t have all the ostentatious technology for our armies to use, we used war horses. One thing that is identical between today and the past is using horses a lot, as they did in the past.
In the United States today, there are over 9.2 million horses throughout the country, with each of the fifty states harboring over twenty thousand head of horses. The Equine population consists of many of the three-hundred fifty breeds that are present in the world. However, a certain breed holds a special place in the heart of the United States: the American Quarter Horse. This authentic American breed of horse was first developed in the seventeenth century, crossed between colonial Spanish mares and the high-end English Thoroughbred studs. The New World colonists soon found themselves with an extremely athletic, quick-footed horse, and they were soon found frequently on the racetrack. A flaw was soon found in the new flashy breed, though.
Horseback riding can be traced back more than 15,000 years. The Romans used horses for chariot racing during Medieval Times. Jousting was another sport used during the Medieval Times. Thus consisted of horses running face to face and the riders, with swords, fighting to the riders death. Equines were used for transportation as well as part of war and agriculture. Indians used horses for transportation more than 3,000 years ago. Farmers used horses to plow fields for crops, before the invention of tractors and plows. Equines were used for many forms of transportation, such as delivering mail and hauling wagons for moving families. Arabians (the breed) were used for endurance, in the desert, because of the horses high stamina and excessive strength with lack of water. Draft horses were used for farming and and plowing. Because of their size, they can haul and pull more weight than an ordinary horse ("The Use of Horses," n.d.).
Proper school funding is one of the keys to having a successful school. Americans believe that funding is the biggest problem in public schools. School improvements revolve around funding. There needs to be funding not only in the successful schools but also the schools that aren’t doing as well. In documentary, Waiting for Superman, it talks about how smaller class sizes will help students. Funding is what will help the smaller class sizes. State funding mechanisms are subject to intense political and economic scrutiny (Leonard). Studies have shown that funding is inversely related to accreditation levels (Leonard). School funding needs to be increased, but there must be accountability as well.
Class size makes a huge impact on how the student learns. Along with many other things, there is more to the amount of kids in class than most people think. The quality one on one time is affected. Along with that, important questions that the students needs clarity on from the teacher might not be able to be answered because so many other students are in the room asking their own question. Students learn in their own ways. Teachers have to be flexible to how their students learn and in order to do that they need to know their students on a personal level. When class sizes are large, it effects students in negative ways in their learning.
Five million years ago, one-toed, horse-like- grazers were the first in the form as Equus, today’s only living species. Evolution quickly shifted from the New World to the Old, where modern species of zebras and asses appeared. (Horses, Zebras, and Asses, 2009) In the early 20th century, paleontologies realized that the pattern in horse evolution was a further complex tree with a number of “side branches” a few lead to extinct species while others were closely related to the species Equus. (MacFadden,
If class sizes where smaller, teachers would be able to do more hands on activities and there would be less chance for distractions. Even through, teachers would be able to do more hands on activities and there would be less chance for distraction. Teachers could do more hands-on activities in a science class likesuch as experiments in class instead of homework outside of class. In smaller class sizes there would be less chance for distractions, more time to review for a big test, there would be more interaction with the teacher.. “In elementary schools, class sizes generally hovered around 20 in 2008, rising to 25 to 30 in many cases this year.” (Giuliani, 1)There would be more time to review for a big test in a smaller class. There would be more interaction with the teacher in a smaller class size. According to Scott Thill “The proposal by billionaire Bill Gates to increase cl...
... Class size reduction is another area that would enable our school system to move forward. In a smaller size classroom, educational quality will be improved. Teachers have greater amount of time to build a solid ground for the students to flourish. Though changes need to take place in our current school system, I am thankful to be in a country where my children have the right to be educated.