Classroom Size and Learning

Both research and practical experience, this author can attest to that class size affects learning. California is a state that lowered its primary grade classes to a maximum of 20 for children to have more direct instructional time with teachers. One of the principles for development of special education is that class size makes a big difference to what and how children learn and what and how teachers can teach. Some special education (self-) classes have limits of 12-15 students with one teacher and, in general, a classroom assistant. Other classes (resource rooms) used to have a maximum of 28 students, from time to time during the school day, now may be but many are in grades teacher serves, sometimes 30 or even 50!

The problems

By increasing class size, population density is too large for comfort in classrooms designed for 30-32. Aggression increases because there is no personal space. Think about the psychology studies the behavior of the rat! When you increase the aggression, the teacher is the "cop on the beat" instead of teacher and self-employment "busy" is assigned more often to avoid interruptions down (in task performance means fewer discipline problems), give the teachers from a relative "peace and quiet" and one way to justify the ratings.

Administrators want teachers to manage their own discipline problems because they have no options of what to do with students. When students are out of the room, they can not learn. The current momentum for improving performance evaluation policy units to keep everyone in the classroom. Consequently, teachers do not have the opportunity to cover the content / process in depth. Most children do not learn a little the first time it appears, many behind the back. Teachers feel pressured to pass, often students do not ask questions (do not know how much fear as ridiculous to ask, etc.) When the gap is too large, behavior problems increase due to their levels of frustration unable to succeed in the classroom.

Throw in some additional problems: the prevailing "wisdom" is now serving special education students in general education classroom. These students tend to read 2-6 years behind their peers and can not work independently (can not read the directions, spelling, find answers in books, etc..) May or may not be another adult in the classroom with the general education teacher (again, increasing population density, but also establishes hierarchy of professional orders). Many students do not learn the content / process and get further and further behind, with more behavior problems, etc. The cycle continues.