There's some common ground, though.

DeRosa says the benefits of reduced class size depend completely upon the quality of instruction. I think that's absolutely correct.

While I advocate small class size, I think quality teachers must come first and foremost. I gotta admit, a big class with a good teacher is highly preferable to a small class with a bad one.

With a bad teacher, actually, the number of students makes no difference whatsoever.

In our suburban district, my daughter gets small classes with consistenly excellent teachers.

I'd like to see them try that in NYC. The third element I'd like to see, as someone who teaches in a trailer behind a building at 250% capacity, is decent facilities.

We may, in fact, see that third factor become reality.
NYC Educator | Homepage | 04.29.06 - 9:53 pm | #

Our elementary has been over crowded for years and years. All three Bog children started, and ended, elementary school there. The many portables have put down roots.

The kids eat in their classrooms. But because of the high winds we have here it is dangerous for the kids to exit the doors and, even if they could, their lunch trays are blown away. So on windy days we used to have children seated up against the walls up and down the hallways in the main building.
If you look next to the library you used to be able to see the LAP teacher in a custodian closet. She now has her own classroom. In a portable
Mrs. Bog | Homepage | 04.30.06 - 4:22 pm | #