EDUW 695 Debate Essay Lindsay Rudebusch

On the issue of class size affecting student achievement, I side with yes, class size does
affect student achievement. In smaller class sizes starting with early intervention, students
receive intense treatment, allowing them to develop appropriate, close relationships with their
peers and teacher, create a sense of community at school, and learn through active
participation and engagement. Small class sizes for a minimum of three years, if not four, allow
for students to have social benefits, academic achievement, and long-term gains.
Going into my eighth-year teaching elementary music, I have had class sizes that were
small, regular, large and class and a third. Having taught different class sizes, I agree that having
smaller class sizes allows myself to give students individual attention and allows me to utilize
different methods of teaching and assessment. Small class sizes have fewer students to
motivate and maintain appropriate behavior. When students are engaged and on task, teachers
are able to support students in their learning and achievement. With fewer students, there is
more time to spend getting to know each other, building a community and developing strong
self-efficacy within students. Small class size benefits all students.
Long term gains students achieved from being in smaller classes for a minimum of three
years include college entrance exams, high school graduation, and social benefits. Students are
more apt to take the SAT and ACT. “The benefit for Black students was substantially greater
than for White students, thus reducing the Black-White gap in college entrance test taking by
54%” (Koonce, p. 231). Students were more likely to graduate from high school having had
small class sizes and positive academic achievement in elementary school, leaving fewer school
dropouts and lower retention in-grade. While in high school, students worked towards taking
the highest levels in foreign languages and mathematics. High school graduates then become
college-bound students. Students who have received positive academic achievement from
small class sizes early on are less likely to have juvenile criminal behavior and/or a teen
pregnancy, but more likely to be a high school graduate, college graduate, and responsible
citizen through demonstrating financial wisdom, owning a home, and being married. When
students grow up to be respectable employees, small class sizes in education benefit society.
Small class size does affect student achievement positively. Class size reduction is an
education policy that is favored amongst students, parents, teachers and policymakers. With
this policy are short-term effects that will turn into long-term effects with these students.
Schools will have improved test outcomes, improved school engagement, reduced grade
retention, and greater benefits for poor, minority, and male students. Society will reap the
long-term effects as students graduate high school and college, contributing back to society.
Knowing my students is not only a teaching standard but also a personal goal of mine. In small
class sizes, I know my students socially as well as academically, facilitate their learning, and in
turn, my students have positive academic achievements in my classroom. As I build community
with my students, they participate more as they feel comfortable, interact with myself and
others, develop peer relationships and are respectful and responsible students. Class size
matters as it effects student learning. Small class sizes allow students to receive the time and
instruction needed for increased academic achievement.