“There are too many kids in that class! How can they learn with a class size that big?”
“How can my student get the attention they deserve with all those kids?”
But I thought bigger is always better, right? Not exactly. When it comes to class size, most families immediately assume that bigger is definitely not better. This perception can cause families to make decisions about schools and share feedback based on how many kids sit in a classroom on a given day. However, that feedback doesn’t always tell the full story.
Cate Reed, seasoned administrator, current Senior Vice President of Teach For America, and Possip Reporter, walks through tackle concerns raised from families about class size.
Families often have questions or feedback on the size of the classes their students are in. That is fair, since we can all agree that one on one instruction can be helpful when kids need targeted support. However, families likely have varying levels of information on how that is determined. Nor do they know the constraints that a school has when creating class size. And, they may not realize some of the advantages that larger classes can offer. We can all agree that we want as many kids as possible in front of the best teachers out there–within reason!
Below are 6 tips that can help you consider how to get ahead of concerns about class size, and position yourself to also share the opportunities and tradeoffs that come with various class sizes.
Listen Actively to Concerns About Class Size
Ensure you understand parents’ root concern – is it about the size of the class or what is happening in the classroom that is the real concern? Sometimes a family may be experiencing a child struggling with a concept, or a student dispute and automatically assume it is because the teacher cannot devote adequate time to the situation.
Tip: Asking questions like, “What caused you to bring this to my attention?” may elicit helpful information as you consider what to do next, and potentially help solve the real problem.
