- Larger Class Sizes, Education Cuts Harm Children’s Chance To Learn
- Welcome to the D.C. summer jobs program, where work’s in progress
- Parents: DCPS forcing special needs kids into unfit public schools
Larger Class Sizes, Education Cuts Harm Children’s Chance To Learn
NEW YORK — When Shania started third grade at P.S. 148 last fall, she was thrilled to be back at the Queens public school. An outgoing eight-year-old, she said she was happy to be among her friends again, and she had loved her class the previous year. Her second-grade teacher would take the time to explain tricky topics like addition and subtraction one-on-one. She had even been named “student of the month.”
Welcome to the D.C. summer jobs program, where work’s in progress
A pair of giant tiger eyes stares down at a dozen teenagers zigzagging around the gymnasium of Wilson High School in Northwest Washington.
The teens, 10 boys and two girls, dribble soccer balls around multicolored cones, following the instructions of their trainer. They’re breathing hard, but the air conditioning is a respite from the heat of the outdoor basketball court, where they spent the morning. Their cheers and laughter reverberate off the gym’s walls, which are emblazoned with images of the school’s feline mascot.
Parents: DCPS forcing special needs kids into unfit public schools
Polk Emerson is mute. He cannot go to the bathroom by himself. He frequently runs away from caretakers, sometimes into the street. He is 19, but has the mental age of an 18-month-old, according to evaluations by specialists. He attends year-round a private facility for students with special needs in Pennsylvania.
In SY 2010-2011, my second grade colleagues and I had 23-24 students in each class. We all had students with behavioral issues – some known and some unknown. Creating class room resources, lesson plans and homework packets took us well beyond our 3:30 pm contractual work time. We found little time for constructive collaborative planning and RTI.
In SY 2011-2012, we each had 20-21 students with about the same amount of behavioral concerns as the previous year. At the beginning of the year, we kept having the feeling that we were missing a student or two. We discovered that it was simply our having a shorter line. We also found ourselves with more time after school due to the decrease in class size.The fact that amazed us was that the decrease in students was not a significant one and yet the increase in planning time was greatly increased.
I have read a lot of studies which conclude that student size does not make a difference. That may be true. What I believe does make a significant difference are the various outside influences which can disrupt students’ lives. I feel that many more children today are under stress and suffering from anxiety which prevent them from attending to their normal daily routines. I would love to see a more current study on whether children in the 21st century are under more stress than children from 10 to 15 years ago. -CMHarn
You have a unique position on this topic. Many focus on the amount of students and not the specific situation of each. You offer a refreshing perspective that we would enjoy you elaborating on through a blog post. If you are interested in submitting one, please contact info@wtulocal6.net