NO to Proposed Class Size Increase!!!

[mari posa]

We already have the 4th largest class sizes in the nation, and the district is trying to increase them even further in the new contract they are proposing. We all know that this is detrimental to our children’s education. Our kids deserve better!! And so do our teachers, for that matter. Please consider, for the good of our community as a whole, taking a minute to send a message to the board to let them know that we want SMALLER classes, not bigger ones.

schoolboard@seattleschools.org

Thanks!

Mari

Share This

[mari posa]

Here is an easy way to make your voice heard in several places at once: http://action.washingtonea.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8343

Share This

[oddreality]

What are class sizes now and what do they want to increase them to?

Share This

[mehud7]

For grades K-3 the current class size limit is 26. The increase comes in grades 4-12 where SPS wants to increase by 2 students per class. Currently grades 4 and 5 have a class size limit of 28, not sure about 6-12. As it is now, classes can be overloaded but teachers receive a bit of extra compensation for additional students.

Share This

[Smitty]

According to this, it’s more about the quality of the teacher than the size of the class – until the size of the class is 16 or fewer.

We appear to be well beyond the point of hoping for 16 per class, so going from 26 to 28 seems reasonable.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2056571,00.html

Share This

[mari posa]

Increasing class sizes may seem reasonable to those in favor of business-type reforms, but it is not. If unsure, speak to any teacher about the difference between teaching 24 (what we should be aiming for – or fewer) and 28-30. The person who wrote that article is NOT a teacher, and if you look at the people on staff at his non-profit, you will see that most if not all are NOT educators. It is unrealistic and naïve to think that class size is irrelevant except for in the case of classes of 16 or fewer. (When reading an article like that, it is important to take into consideration the writer’s own agenda, which in these Race to the Top types is rarely based on the well-being of our children.)

Share This

[Smitty]

“(When reading an article like that, it is important to take into consideration the writer’s own agenda”

I agree with full disclosure.

Your turn.

Share This

[oddreality]

Hmm… so a potential for 2 more students. When I went to school we never had a class size less than about 30 and somehow we learned.Of course kids were different back then.So were teachers.I am sorry but for 2 potential extra students per classroom I could not be against it.Kids can learn with good teachers and even in old schools with still 30 or less students per class.If you were talking 5 or 10 I might be able to be against it.Not 2.That is ridiculous.

Share This

[mari posa]

I can see that there is definitely a need to educate the public about what a teacher’s job entails. It is obvious that there is a lot of ignorance around the topic, and that is not the public’s fault. It would be great for educators to have the support of the public since most of us work at least a 10-hour day + much of the summer and put the best interests of the children above all else. It must be inconceivable to most people that almost all of a teacher’s work must be done outside school hours because during our official work hours we are working directly with the kids. The prep work, making of materials, emailing or calling parents (or trying to reach them, anyway), correcting work, grading work, posting grades, creating curriculum, making photocopies for the students (since there are not enough books), arranging field trips, collaborating with colleagues, and everything else that is not direct instruction, must be done on our own time. We are efficient, effective, and dedicated. But I don’t think that most people understand what it is like to teach kids with special needs & gifted kids & limited-English speakers & kids who can barely read and kids with behavior issues etc etc in one class with 30 students, let alone fit them and their desks into the classroom!! Thank you for making me realize that often people think that because they have been students, they know what goes into teaching a classroom full of students. — That is not the case. I suggest volunteering in a classroom daily for at least a year and not going home each day until the teacher does, and then doing homework each evening as the teacher does (correcting, grading, updating websites, planning instruction, making materials, etc). Only then might the impact of a few additional students become very apparent. Of course it impacts workload, but most teachers are much more concerned about their students’ learning and progress than about a few more hours work per week. Higher class sizes in today’s classrooms will be detrimental to student learning. If you care, please contact the school board and let them know you expect better for our children, for our future.

This isn’t the best forum for this type of discussion. I hope that we can continue it sometime in a setting more conducive to the amicable exchange of ideas! For now, I just want to get the word out about potential changes which will negatively affect our kids so that people can advocate for our kids and support our educators in providing the best possible education. Thank you for your time and support.

Share This

[Smitty]

No offense, but I am not sure why teachers think they are the only ones taking work home. Most people do (at least white collar). After nine hours at the office. Year-round. And I am not even counting “blackberry time” every day of the year.

That said, you are absolutely right. Until we walk in your shoes it’s tough to comment.

Good luck, and thank you for your dedication.

Share This

[miws]

Smitty, I would argue, and this is pure speculation, that most of the white collar folks are much, much, better compensated for their work, including salary, bonuses, perks, tax deductions, etc.

Mike

Share This

[Smitty]

I agree Mike,but I have been hearing about “underpaid” teachers for close to 30 years now, and I assume if you pick that profession you understand that. 2 months off is nice too!

Share This

[Author]

Posts