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From: govett@avsd.UUCP (David Govett)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,misc.headlines
Subject: Re: Reducing class size said waste
Message-ID: <85@avsd.UUCP>
Date: 6 Apr 88 16:27:20 GMT
References: <882@nuchat.UUCP>
Organization: Ampex Advanced Technology Division, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 39

> 
> From AP newsitem:
> 
> Reducing class size in publis schools is very expensive and likely 
> "a waste of money and effort" for those seeking improved student
> achievement, according to a study issued Wednesday by the Department
> of Education.
>    There now re 24 pupils  in the typical  public elementary school
> classroom, down from 30 in 1961. Past research has indicated
> classes would need to be 15 students to have any appreciable impact.
>   But that would cost upwards of 69 billion and require hiring a 
> million new teachers, when school systems already have problems
> finding qualified teachers.
> 
> "the number of students they teach has never been fewer and .. their
> workload has never been lighter," said he report,
> "Class Size and Public Policy: Politics and Panaceas."
> "lowering class size has become an ersatz reform goal around the
> country. There are a lot of better and less costly things you can
> do and get better results."
>    The preport emphasized that Japan has achieved the world's highest
> math achievement scores with math classes that average 41 pupiles.
> 
> "available resources should instead be directed to improving the
> quality of instruction and teachers' ability to manage the
> demands of classrooms as they are currently configured."
> 
> ---------
> Commentary: If we continue to teach our children using the same
> old outdated methods that we've been using for the past 50-80 years,
> class size could be FIVE and still not be "low enough".
> 

Only in the last 10-20 years have educational indices declined.
Maybe we should go back to some of the basics discarded in the
late 60s.  

Speaking of class size, a Japanese class of 2000 would
be more manageable than an American class of 10 due to cultural
differences (docility, conformity, respect for authority, etc.).