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Evan Schmidt
Mrs. Cramer
Comp. Pd.7
4 Oct. 2018
One of the most popular theories as to why smaller classes could benefit students is
because they would receive more one-on-one time with the teachers. Recently, people have been
examining class sizes and how it affects students' grades. As a matter of fact, twenty-four states
have implemented regulations that limits class sizes. If class size does play a role in student
achievement, then teachers and administrations want to adapt their courses and class sizes to
provide the highest quality education for their students. Smaller classes increase student
achievement because students get a more personalized experience, behave better and pay more
In a smaller class, the teacher doesn’t have as many kids to help and focus on, giving all
of the students more one-on-one time, and individualized attention. Teachers with smaller
classes can spend more time with individual students. When students get more time with the
teacher, it gives them time to ask any questions they need answered, and the teacher can try and
explain it to them in a way that helps them understand the material (West 3). When having more
one-on-one time with the teacher, it allows the students to develop a better understanding of the
topic, which increases their grades and tests scores in the long run. Plus, in smaller classes
teachers can also remember the students and how they learn. This allows the teacher to
personalize the students learning experience, so they can learn in the way that they understand
the best (Chingos 2). While in some larger college classes, some professors don’t even remember
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all of their students' names. For example, if a student learns best by doing activities with his or
her hands, often called a physical learner, a teacher who had a small class could implement more
projects to help that specific student succeed. In a larger class, professors just have a specific
plan for each day and that plan doesn’t adapt to help the students. If a student learned best by
seeing or watching PowerPoints and his professor didn’t do PowerPoints, he would be out of
Studies show that students naturally pay better attention in smaller classes because of their size
(Higgins 2). It is the teacher's job to make sure that the kids are paying attention, not on their
phones or doing something they're not supposed to. In a small class, the teacher can easily pick
out someone who is on their phone, or engaging in disruptive behavior. In a larger setting, the
teacher is less able to address problem behaviors, simply because it is more challenging to keep
track of everyone (Toth 4). Students in larger classes can get distracted easier because their
teacher doesn’t notice if they aren’t paying attention. If a student falls asleep in a small class his
teacher would notice in a short amount of time and wake him up to make sure he is paying
attention. In comparison, in a large class if a student falls asleep, the teacher may not even
notice. Plus, if that student is in a smaller class they won’t have as many people to distract them,
if they were in a larger class they would have a lot of people all around them to distract them at
any point in the lesson. Students also aren’t as prone to misbehave with their friends when they
are in a small setting. If a student is in a larger class, they have more people around them and
they could blend in more to the crowd, making it easier to be a disruption or engage in behavior
not conducive to learning. While if someone is in a class of fifteen people, the teacher can easily
As a result of paying better attention, kids test scores improve. It is proven by research
that students perform better on tests when they are in smaller classes. In the Tennessee study,
also known as STAR, they compared the grades of small classes of about fifteen students, to
regular size classes of about twenty-two students over a course of four years (“Class Size” 6).
What they found was that the small class performed better than the regular class. The students in
the small class performed much better than the kids in the regular class, who would have to take
three additional months of education to catch up to the kids in the small class. Not only did the
small class perform better they covered a lot more material than the regular class. An additional
study was conducted that included over a half a million kids throughout three thousand schools.
This study also concluded that the smaller classes within the target population performed better
than the classes that were regular sized or large. If all classes were to have seven to ten fewer
students it can have significant long-term effects on student achievement (Fernandez 3). Having
smaller classes has a positive effect on what students can accomplish, and it allows students to
In conclusion, students perform better when class sizes are small. Smaller class size can
lead to an increase in student achievement and satisfaction because they get a more personalized
experience, students behave better, and pay better attention in class. Students get a better
educational experience with smaller class sizes because they get more one-on-one time with the
teacher, which personalizes their experience and helps each student understand the topic better.
In smaller classes, students behave more appropriately and in a manner that fosters learning. In
larger classes, it is thought that students are not monitored as closely, and the instructor is not
able to build a strong relationship that can provide a positive impact on understanding and
learning. Furthermore, several studies such as STAR, referenced earlier, support that students in
Works Cited
Chingos, Matthew M., and Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst. “Class Size: What Research Says and
www.brookings.edu/research/class-size-what-research-says-and-what-it-means-for-state-
policy/.
www.centerforpubliceducation.org/research/class-size-and-student-achievement.
Fernandez, Juan, and Miguel A. Mateo. "Is There a Relationship between Class Size and Student
Ratings of Teaching Quality?" Educational and Psychological Measurement, vol. 58, no.
link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A20979030/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=e8c781b0.
Higgins, John. “Does Class Size Matter? Research Reveals Surprises.” The Seattle Times, The
news/education/does-class-size-matter-research-reveals-surprises/.
Toth, Linda S., and Linda G. Montagna. "Class Size and Achievement in Higher Education: A
Summary of Current Research." College Student Journal, vol. 36, no. 2, June 2002, p.
link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A89809976/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=d37bf581.
West, Martin R., and Ludger Woessmann. "Crowd Control: An International Look at the
Relationship between Class Size and Student Achievement. (Research)." Education Next,
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link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A104835536/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=ea38bf26.