In one of my classes, there are only nine students. Yes…nine. Only nine.
At first I didn’t like that idea. I wasn’t sure how to deal with so few students, wasn’t sure how to conduct class discussions when there was barely a class.
I even went so far as suggesting to the administration that they “collapse” my small class. It’s been done before; sometimes the administrators will have to close a class and funnel those kids into other classes because of low enrollment.
Alas, that didn’t happen with my class, and--at first--I was very disappointed.
However, now that I have gotten used to such a small class, I am thrilled. It’s so fun, productive, and conducive to serious learning; and I am beginning to realize exactly what is possible to accomplish with a class this small, and the possibilities are literally endless, limitless.
In my other classes, I don’t even know all of the kids’ names. I just learned two new ones today, and I certainly don’t have a handle on their writing ability or individual needs.
However, in my small class, I already know each of my nine students pretty well, and they already know each other well, too. They can already work as a group to help each other--despite the fact that we have only been in school for three weeks and that my class is a mixture of kids aged 14 to 18; and I already know exactly how they write and what they need from me as a teacher.
Basically, I can meet their needs. Whatever they may be.
Such is not the case with most classes. Even if a class has only 22 students--which is considered very small relative to the classes that have 34 or 36--I can’t really meet each kid’s needs. I can’t get to know them well enough to know what works best for each student.
Really, I think I have unwittingly stumbled upon the cure for our educational woes…give us smaller classes, MUCH smaller classes, and just watch as the possibilities unfold.
Chris Marsh--mother, teacher, runner, coach....
And how would you implement this grand plan? I suggest mandating a cap- testing and then taking the top 33% or whatever gives you this perfect ratio and telling everyone else to go home - to hell or anywhere but your classroom... class space is filled, try again next year.. am I close??-Na, that only works in real life.... Gee, and to think that some of us have to work in the real world without a perfect client to staffing ratio, I do...If we were to actually accept this model and implement the numbers, then how will we be able to satisfy the in place affirmative action guidelines that are statute in today's society.. Obviously we can't go with ability and testing scores alone, that would be logical and tend to improve the species, but not equatable as to overriding politics... Should we go with percentages of population as criteria? that will only get the disadvantaged to cry foul, inasmuch their needs are crucial to equating the racial and ethnic inbalance of this biggoted and historically oppressive nation, and also it's mandated by federal law for public institutions to accommodate , so that might cause more headache than relief... better just let them in too...don't fight city hall...And then what do you do once the kids who are only trying to better their life and just barge in to the classroom uninvited, what can we do with them? just say no? After all, they are just trying to make a better life for themselves - despite our new rules,Better just make room for them and hope everyone doesn't do the same - and make an exception for them in your new rules...Whoops the classroom is filling up, - seems that water is finding it's own level again -doggone laws of nature... that only leaves building more schools and hiring more teachers.. but funding is pretty hard to get in today's stingy climate - the ignorant and blockheaded voters are balking once again in mortgaging their own and their childrens future with bond issues and soaring uncontrolled property tax hikes to fund a largely perceived failing system - so maybe sneaking in a user fee might be in order- get to Harry Mitchell on that... Or..Maybe a car wash...I wonder how those Japanese students do so well in overcrowded classrooms that normally reach over 50 students to a class, and they seem to run circles around our Public School students in testing - maybe it has something to do with order... and local control.. and teaching method - but what would I know-So it seems Chris, your idea of improvement is doomed to be counterproductive in it's actual acceptance and represents only an improvement in your personal condition when exposed to the harsh light of reality - happens to all of us.. that one class is an abberation, kind of like borrowing a Mercedes for the afternoon, enjoy it while it lasts....
Eric,,,,if you did not mean "tutu", then I totally miss your reference to "to to" that you were wearing when you made you last post. Where and what do you teach?
3.2 million unionists, but the record shows a paucity of educators.
sam
Sam, there are plenty of dedicated teachers in the system, the problem is the system... hard to tend to business with your hands gaffed.... and where did the kit kat come from ?? I'm lucky she is small, she's a tiger - pound for pound she would tear you up.....
The "to to" was a reference to a tu tu, Sam. "...a smart enough feline to to point out..." I was looking over my words AFTER I posted and didn't want the claws to come out for the wrong reason. I really enjoy exchanging ideas but people to often pick apart the words and ignore the ideas.
I remember 10 years ago flying in to Milwaukee to visit my in-laws for the first time. I had a wonderful opportunity talking with a fifth grader's parent. Being a fifth grade teacher at the time, I found it stimulating to be able to hear all about education from this parent's point of view. When we approached the airport my wife said something like "there's one of the Great Lakes"...I asked which one and the guy, after 4 hours of conversation, remarks "And you're a fifth grade teacher????" Now, Sam, once I look up paucity I am sure I will find out I've been insulted once again. I have taught5,6,7 and 8th grades. Most recently, I taught language arts and reading remediation. I am currently, gulp, the president of my local union....incoming!!!!
posted by eric6564 on Sep 1, 2007 at 09:27 AM
"Kitty, kitty, kitty"
for quite some time midnights used a photo with a dog in it.....funny how someone who doesn't know him from previous posts starts calling him kitty,kitty, kitty.....just because of the current photo..........
She's a he? I am guilty as charged...saw a cat and sexually profiled the blogger. If I saw a dog...well all men are dogs, LOL...It is very difficult when people hide their identity. Although it does make it easier to post anything you want....hmmm. Thanks BlueKahlo!
And you had that JD green land rover, whazzup wid dat ?? this is a pic of Midnight, one of my bosses.. hence the name Midnightsstaff.. ya know dogs have masters, cats have staff.. Hell Bodo keeps refering to me as Butch- I thought I might have given him the shake once , but he like Inspector Clouseau quickly sniffed me out - Bodo looks French doesn't he??.. I wasn't trying a make over, but had problems with the set up when this site went through their mid life crisis.. I think my true calling will be as a greeter at walmart, I am warm and personable, I have the deepest respect for my fellow human beings, and I just seem to light up the room when I walk in... just ask eric- BTW eric, don't get into a linguistic pissing contest with Sam, he is for real- I on the other hand barely have a grasp on conversational english..
Once again, for the ones who skim over the content, and miss much, I believe wholehearedly that there are many dedicated teachers in the system.. I know a few, and they are not the problem- the system they work in is the problem.. and as far as unionism, hell, I am union... and not particularly proud of it..
LOL...nice kitty...purr-purr......LOL. Actually, I do like midnight better than the canine...as an avatar, at least. Such a negative connotation to "what a great picture of that dog!"....:>) OR "Nice kitty"- - -"What a dog!"
Eric, I was serious about the question re: tutu- -to to. I wondered if I was learning a new pun.
Any assumed insult would be a misappropriation, not an attribution. I was commenting on the current situation related to our education system, and the influence of the NEA and the weakest links in the teaching profession.
sam
But, you say, "I really enjoy exchanging ideas but people to often pick apart the words and ignore the ideas." How do you justify this comment with the comments you posted about Midnight and others of us who you attacked for our ideas, withminimal comment on our ideas? You will find, after some open-minded and reasonable digestion of posts by "kitty", "blueKahlo" and some others, that you will receive some challenging discussion of ideas and alternative opinions. But, to be taken seriously, and to receive an exchange of ideas, you first need to present an idea, as opposed to insolence.
You will find that there are several on here besides Midnight and Blue who offer ideas to contemplate, and reasonable discussion of those submitted by other posters...including reasonable opinions of those who only post vitriol and insult.
Looking forward to some ideas of your own.....soon?
sam
Meanwhile, back at the hacienda .....
I'm sure Chris knows as well as anyone here how unprepared we are to achieve such terrific class sizes. But let her enjoy this aberration and let her dream a little. It won't hurt anyone. Will it?
Margaret, you are right...I do know that we are unprepared to create such small classes, but we could certainly do some things to help. Instead of always piling more on teachers, I think that a "less is more" attitude would actually create far better results. I could write about examples of extra work/responsibility that is piled on us to solve a problem that could also be solved by lowering our class sizes. All of that extra work also costs $ that could be put towards lowering class size.
I know I am in the minority on this, but I would accept less pay for lower class sizes. Anyone who knows me knows that that's the honest truth.
And you're right...it's nice to dream a little :)
Chris Marsh--mother, teacher, runner, coach....
Easy Kitty :) Forgetting all of your other ranting and sarcasm but focusing on I wonder how those Japanese students do so well in overcrowded classrooms that normally reach over 50 students to a class, and they seem to run circles around our Public School students in testing - maybe it has something to do with order... and local control.. and teaching method - but what would I know-It has everything to do with their society and the premium they put on education. Thou shall not shame thy family in Japan. Are their educators threatened? Can parents make any demand and have it satisfied? Are students allowed to continue disrupting the education of others? Are all students entitled to an education or is their some student accountability?
largely perceived failing system When you have to educate every student regardless of the rhetorical questions above, I believe our state and country does quite well. Help me understand how the test scores that everyone seems to site from other countries are really apples to apples. The majority do not educate all. Take the rhetorical questions from above and tell me we have the same societal committment to education. It is my opinion that we outperform everyone based on what we have to overcome in societal resistance.
While we're dreaming ... there's a scene in the movie "Dave" where the imposter president gets his accountant buddy to find enough federal budget cuts to re-fund a social program. There's enough money to not only cut class sizes to a third of their current levels, but to also buy all the textbooks and supplies teachers need. It just depends on what our priorities are. The startup costs wouldn't be that much; you might need to triple the number of classrooms, but you don't really need any more desks; kids can only sit in one seat at a time. Besides, that one investment would get returned in short order. Every child who fails to thrive at school costs the taxpayer many times what it would cost to meet his/her needs in the first place. Unfortunately, lawmakers and other public officials tend to like complicated, expensive solutions (ala No Child Left Behind) rather than the obvious simple one.
Eric, you are obviously a product of the guvmt' edicatshion system -eh? sarcasm is not to be confused with satire.. it's more than just a different spelling...
But I do thank you for making my point, why do you think our education system has failed to instill or promote a sense of premium and safety in the public system??- could it be a systemic problem, one that is common to federal bureaucracies ??
And if you think that the testing scores are an inequitable factor, how do you explain all that transfer to our schools are possibly two years ahead of the lesson plan ??- time warp- alien infusion ??
Nice try but study up, quit carrying water for the NEA and get back to me later...
Has anyone considered that our public school system might actually be doing the job that our government wants it to do? How is success defined?
Also, it is never fair to compare a homogenous society like that of Japan to the salad bowl of diversity known as the United States.
And fred, that is my viewpoint.. you seem to get it.. but order is order.. either through natural behavior traits to the species, or reinforced.. 1950's US society was multicultural, but not encouraged to become - balkanized and unruly - that is the intended byproduct of Political Correctness in this brave new world.......
Kitty, kitty, kitty. Where did you get your "training"? You are obviously a smart enough feline to to point out some better word usage but the point is made. As for the water carrying, the NEA is the voice of 3.2 million educators. Try attacking the message and not the messanger.
And if you think that the testing scores are an inequitable factor, how do you explain all that transfer to our schools are possibly two years ahead of the lesson plan ??- time warp- alien infusion ?? I guess I'm not as edumacated as you because me no understand. Assuming these statistics are true(major assumption but since I like your sleek coat) where are these superstars coming from? If they are from countries other than our own, wouldn't that back up my point about the way education is held in a family and societal eyes?
Be gently (inappropriate term) cat, I am only one of those teachers you so easily deride...gentle...
messenger...and yes I have my "to to" on. shouldn't rush a post...keep the claws retracted cat of the night. And the inappropriate term was close to putty cat...no Mary Manross favorite restaraunt/body part reference meant.
Eric, you make a good case for mandatory urinalysis for public school teachers.. but I guess it's the weekend.. actually your train of thought has left the tracks so it appears there is no where to go with you in a rational conversation...
Atta Kit-Kat - Blind them with bombastic verbosity......way to go!