New Teacher Diaries
Diaries: Less isn’t more
Oct 5, 2006 11:41 AM
Less money, fewer teachers but not fewer students! This is an equation sure to produce bad results. It means our students will receive less of our time and thus less of an education.
When the school year first began, I wasn’t really worried about class size. I knew it was an important issue, one that certainly needed to be tackled, but it was not one of my concerns when it came time to thinking about my own teaching.
Then I received my high school class rosters and my stomach dropped. I was truly shocked to find that I had been given 36 students in two of my double-period English classes in a course designed for instruction with 20 to 25 students. When I looked at the next roster, I was doubly shocked. Again, I had 36 students listed.
It seems nearly impossible that I can teach all of these students at once. How can I devote even a minute of my time to assist one student when I have 35 other students floating around my room engaged, yes, but in probably anything but learning!
I was so excited about all the projects and lessons that I had planned for the upcoming year. Now I am worried that all I am going to be doing is constantly trying to quiet, control and baby-sit my students.
When I came home and complained to my boyfriend, his reaction was: “Is that a lot?” To the general public, to those not in a classroom but in charge of our schools, does a 36-to-1 student-teacher ratio not seem wrong? Apparently not.
I found my AP could be of no assistance regarding this matter. Her initial response was to inform me that one or two of these students would be dropped and that some others would surely “test out.” I find it odd that a school would even put so many students on a roster when it is clearly in violation of our contract. The solution seems so logical in my mind — create another course to lower the numbers. That would necessitate another teacher, however, and the school has no money to hire more. My AP explained that “it’s what the city does.”
Who is to blame for this problem that occurs in nearly every city school? Is it the city? Is it the chancellor?
It’s an awful thing to say as a teacher, but for my own sanity and for the benefit of my students, I almost hope that half my students don’t show up. Thirty four, 35 or 36 — regardless of the exact number, it is absurd for any teacher, whether veteran or not, to be expected to educate all of these students at once.
Now four weeks into the semester, I have gotten to know the 36 names on my roster. I can put a face to nearly all those names — and I can almost pronounce them all, too! It hasn’t been nearly as bad as I feared. The classes are very large and I have already become inundated with papers, but it doesn’t feel out of control when we’re all in the classroom together as I thought it would. I’m exhausted at the end of the day, though, and rarely left with time to read the stack of essays, diary entries and homework.
I really want to read everything my students write, especially at this point in the year when I need to assess in order to help at all. I also want to learn about my students’ lives. Large class sizes don’t allow teachers to get to know their students; they don’t allow teachers to instruct any students independently, though many would truly benefit from extra attention.
My class sizes have been lowered to 33 and 32 [because of the expedited class-size contract provisions], but it’s still a lot. I’m feeling encouraged, however. This year has been nothing but great thus far, and I intend to do the best I can with what I’ve got.
Bimsmile is the pseudonym for a second-year teacher. A version of this post first appeared on the UFT blog, edwize.org, where “New Teacher Diaries” is a regular feature. Newer teachers are invited to chronicle their experiences in the New York City schools on the blog. If you’re interested in contributing, send an e-mail to blog@uft.org.
