As I browse the Spring 2013 WEA (teachers' union) newsletter, my eyes are attacked by a sea of red on page three and I see numerous teachers holding signs that read "Class Size Matters".
Yes it does, sort of.
If you follow education at all, you know that one of the most persistent talking points from educators and administrators is about class size. Large class size = BAD,
Small class size = GOOD. The truth is one step more detailed than that.
Class composition is at least as important as class size. By composition I mean which kids make up a particular class. Are there a lot of students who need extra academic attention? Are there kids who have behavior issues? Are there kids on the autism spectrum who need special accommodations? What are the students' health concerns and what do I need to do to manage them? All of these factors impact the day to day teaching and learning far more than the raw number of kids who show up in my classroom in the fall.
I have had relatively small classes that have been very challenging to manage because there are 3 or 4 clowns who disrupt my teaching and their classmates' learning. Conversely, I've taught classes of nearly 40 that have been a breeze because all of the students were focused, attentive learners.
So a word to the wise - Don't drink the class size Kool-Aid. There's more to it than that.