Oversized Classrooms Are Becoming An Issue Nationwide--Guest Blog Post from Kathryn Rinaldi

With the recession still posing a problem across the United States,
education systems are being affected nationwide. School systems are
dealing with large budget cuts, resulting in the termination of staff and
programs. Accordingly, due to the limited number of staff members
available, children are being placed in classrooms with a much higher
number of students. This in turn is disrupting students’ ability to
effectively comprehend what they are being taught and hurting their
chances of receiving high grades.

Consider one example. In an article titled, Parents, Teachers Protest in
New York City Over Class Sizes In New York, Julia Lawrence writes,
“Organizers collected first-hand accounts of the impact of the $1.3
billion in education funding cuts on those inside the system.” Due to a
lack of funds, this current generation of students is suffering the harsh
consequences of a nation in the midst of a recession. Julia continues,
“Although the classrooms can have a maximum of 34 students, according to
the Union President Michael Mulgrew, a quarter of the students have at
least one class daily that exceeds that number.” It’s from my personal
experience growing up that I believe students learn better when there is
more one on one attention with a teacher to help them better understand
the material and allow them to ask questions to clarify any confusion.

Parents want what’s best for their children, and it’s hard to accept that
their child’s education is out of their realm of control. In addition,
with the elimination of programs, children have spare time to be
mischievous and get into trouble. Changes need to be made to accommodate
to this turn in the economy, as well as providing students with sufficient
knowledge that will allow them to succeed in higher education.

About the Author

Kathryn Rinaldi is an educational blogger for Plus Plus Tutoring. She writes
about various important K-12 education issues.