Can small classes make the difference?

In the continuing debate over class size, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently remarked, “It’s the teacher looking a child in the eye, and teachers can look lots of children in the eye,” he added. “If you have to have smaller class size or better teachers, go with the better teachers every time.” While there is nothing more immediately important for the education of a child than an effective teacher, the value of small class sizes cannot be ignored, especially given that having a more manageably sized class can boost the effectiveness of a struggling teacher.

In my two years teaching in a Baltimore City public high school, I have had classes ranging in size from thirteen to thirty-two students. Class size has made all the difference in my ability to maintain order, provide differentiated instruction, and give immediate feedback to best meet my students’ needs. While it was a rare occasion for all thirty-two students to make it to class on the same day (typical attendance for my largest class was about twenty-eight students), I found any number nearing thirty relatively difficult to manage, even if I could handle the same students in a smaller group without problem. More experienced teachers would also benefit from the additional interaction with each student and reduced workload allowed by a smaller roster, even if they do not face the same struggles with discipline that I do.

As the article notes, there are potentially significant drawbacks to a shift to small class sizes (e.g., the creation of an even greater shortage of highly qualified teachers in urban districts) even when there has not been a clear correlation between class size and student achievement. Despite the fact that studies have shown that better performing schools often have larger class sizes, these schools typically serve a student population that doesn’t as desperately need the intensive remediation, support, and air-tight discipline that a small class environment can more readily provide.

Ideally, we should have great teachers in small classrooms throughout Baltimore; however, we know that precious few teachers in this system ever reach greatness. The question remains, how many passable teachers could become good; how many good teachers could become great, if provided with the resources to succeed?