Last week our school had parent teacher conferences, and this year I only have twenty-four students. I found that I knew each student better than the years I have had 28- 30 students, and I could give parents more detailed information about each subject. This is because I have the chance to get to each student during the course of a lesson. Because I know each student better, I can tailor my instruction accordingly.
Even four or five more students in a class makes a difference. My school day is divided among that many more needs. Multiply that times the time it takes to correct papers, make thoughtful comments, and address misconceptions for each child...if you are a teacher reading this, I don't need to continue. There are only so many minutes in a day. I feel like I can go deeper with each lesson.
I don't know if this will translate into higher test scores this year. That's usually how programs are evaluated. What I do know is I have hardworking students and satisfied parents.
We do not work in a factory.
