Reduced Class Size: An Inefficiency in School Improvement

I got a chance to chat with with a successful former Yahoo! manager the other day at a VC in Palo Alto; the discussion focused almost exclusively on school improvement at the k12 level.  Of particular energy was our conversation on class size.  My perspective, confirming Dan Meyer, is that class size is more or less besides the point and not worth pondering too much as a school improvement tool; but worth pondering, no actualy highly concerning to me, is that the movement to push down class size is probably the most inefficient, least cost-effective way to improve our schools.  To boot, the backbone of the movement is based on controversial and misappropriated research that kind of resembles Mortgage Backed Securities (it’s meta-analysis of less than scientific studies, like divvying up the findings of so many research projects that even the authors can’t keep track of where their data comes from or what’s in it).

No, actually, I can think of an equally inefficient use of money: one-to-one computing and the One-Smart-Board-per-classroom movement.  But, back to class size.

Smaller class sizes show a correlation with increases in performance, sure.  But it’s teachers 1) having control over the classroom and 2) building relationships with students that are behind the performance increases.  There are simply more cost effective ways to achieve these same elements of a good education.

My major thesis about class size is that it totally depends on the point in the lesson cycle the students are in.  Students benefit from effective, relevant delivery – but this could happen in groups of hundreds, through a textbook or through programs like Sesame Street.  Students benefit from rigorous, diverse, and differentiated activity – but this can happen in small groups and independently as long as there is focus and guidance.  Students benefit from cooperative, creative activities with analytical problem solving – but that’s more likely to happen in the performing arts.  And students benefit from formative assessment, re-teaching, and performance and content evaluation – but this can happen with a combination of an adaptive learning environment, a learning journal, and a college-student grader.

Really now, I think the conversations in education should move away from expensive diamond-studded, silver-bullet ideologies (based on opinionated research) and move towards outside-of-the-box, common-sense thinking.  Is that too much to ask?

13 Responses to “Reduced Class Size: An Inefficiency in School Improvement”

  1. wilfred71drapeau April 12, 2009 at 3:14 am #

    Really now, I think the conversations in education should move away from expensive diamond-studded, silver-bullet ideologies (based on opinionated research) and move towards outside-of-the-box, common-sense thinking. Is that too much to ask?Completely off subject, Karls Mortgage Calculator but nevertheless important to me … When will your prebuttal to the lovely Miss Klein be available for a watch or listen, or read? Also, since those on the left are often prone to be swung ideologically by the romantic or sentimental (and thus, ipso facto art), I would suggest anyone who favors bailouts or stimuli to watch this little masterpiece:

  2. Sarah Summer May 15, 2009 at 1:22 pm #

    Smaller class sizes show a correlation with increases in performance, sure. But it’s teachers 1) having control over the classroom and 2) building relationships with students that are behind the performance increases. There are simply more cost effective ways to achieve these same elements of a good education.

  3. ed hardy June 12, 2009 at 7:07 pm #

    Starting with Von Dutch, Christian Audigier specializes in lifestyle clothing, accessories, energy drink, jewelry and motorcycles branded by the godfather

  4. happyeveryday July 13, 2009 at 3:00 am #

    hello,your blog is interesting.
    welcome to my page!

    tiffany jewellery

  5. cheap nhl jerseys July 20, 2009 at 7:09 am #

    it’s teachers 1) having control over the classroom and 2) building relationships with students that are behind the performance increases. There are simply more cost effective ways to achieve these same elements of a good education
    <h1>Cheap Ed Hardy</h1>

  6. winter123 July 24, 2009 at 7:25 pm #

    This way, you can limit your audience. This is crucial for the 95% of higher education that still think that being .tiffany bracelets
    tiffany necklaces
    Tiffany Co. diamond necklaces such as Sliver Necklaces, Heart Necklaces, Beaded necklaces and Chain necklaces, select from a wide variety of Tiffany Rings
    Tiffany Bracelet

  7. Christian Louboutin shoes August 16, 2009 at 6:58 pm #

    You are right!

  8. pass4sureuk August 21, 2009 at 12:46 am #

    Pass4sure, a professional training website in IT certification exam, is designed for IT candidates who want to pass any IT exams. With its high quality products and 24*7 considerable services, Pass4sure has strengthened its leading position in this field, and attracted many famous vendors like Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Sun, compTIA, HP, etc.
    The Most Popular Vendors List :http://www.passforsure.co.uk/642-533.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>642-533|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/642-373.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>642-373|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/350-018.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>350-018|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/650-251.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>650-251|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/000-330.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>000-330|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/646-204.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>646-204|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-672.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-672|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-290.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-290|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/642-515.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>642-515|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-432.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-432|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/000-331.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>000-331|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/P0-S16.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>P0-S16|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-652.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-652|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/646-230.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>646-230|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-642.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-642|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/SK0-002.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>SK0-002|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/642-586.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>642-586|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/640-863.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>640-863|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/642-436.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>642-436|http://www.passforsure.co.uk/70-291.html&#39; rel=”nofollow”>70-291|!

  9. xiapiao August 24, 2009 at 12:56 am #

    cheap ed hardy

    ed hardy

  10. abard June 29, 2010 at 7:02 pm #

    This is the method the wow powerleveling have used since closed beta and I finally got one of them to give it up. It is by no means the way to go if you want to maximize your experience in the game as this method will bypass almost all the content in the game and essentially ignore many of the fun, unique aspects of WoW

  11. baby furniture August 27, 2010 at 5:57 am #

    I liked this article very much as it is based on the issue that is very important. I agree with this idea of reducing the class size and it will be good for students as well as teachers .Thanks for sharing this with me.

Leave a Reply:

Gravatar Image