Are Small Class Sizes Better?

We recently read an article for Dr. Mullins' class that I thought was especially applicable to our situation. The author mentioned the standards movement and how it revealed inequality in schools. She went on to profoundly reveal that students in schools with large populations of disadvantaged students perform the worst on standardized tests... duh. I find it very unfortunate that my honors students are constantly brought down by their peers... and it's no fault of their own. This is an issue that has been thoroughly discussed among my classmates. Reducing class size seems to be an obvious solution.

Before reading the article, I had been told by several people that research suggested that class size had no effect on student performance. Like most things related to education, I really had no opinion on the matter until this year. Because of this year, I have a very hard time believing that class size doesn’t affect student performance. My average class size is about 28 students, and on the random days when students are pulled out for testing I am left with a mere 12-15 students. I wish there was a way to adequately articulate how much more engaged the students are on those days. Their hands shoot up to answer questions... maybe it’s because they know they have a better chance of being called on... but once I get them started on the day’s activity, I have no problem getting to every one of them for some individual attention. Of course they retain more information. I'm not sure why research says that class size doesn't matter. But I simply have a hard time believing it.

Phonics vs Whole-language

I thought that The Reading Wars was a decent look at both sides of the debate over how children should learn to read. I have thought about this topic extensively, especially now as a teacher, but until a couple of years ago, I thought phonics was the only way to learn. My first real-world exposure to whole-language learning was this year. I tried not to let my students' inability to read affect the way I approached this article. After reading it though, I must say that I still came to the same conclusion: phonics is better.

What I took from the whole-language side of the argument:

1. It’s trendy. At one point in the article, Nicholas Lemann described the whole-language approach as “a natural, unconscious process best fostered by unstructured immersion... a rich atmosphere.” Later on he described it as “a joyful, humanistic, intellectually challenging alternative to deadening phoneme drills.” If these adjectives don’t scream 21st century, California-trendy, then I don’t know what does. Sure it all sounds pretty... but I need more substance than that.
2. Whole-language can work if it’s done right. If you have teachers that understand the big picture concept behind the method, then sure, it can work. But how often does that happen? What happens if it doesn’t? We’ll get to that later.

What I took from the phonics side of the argument:

1. It’s tried and true. Phonics worked for decades and the English language hasn’t evolved enough to give us much motivation to change our way of teaching it. The best thing about phonics is that it’s formulaic. There are very few variables so it’s easy for teachers across the country to teach the same thing and keep it effective.
2. Phonics sets children up for success as adults. With the whole-language method, a child is really never taught how to “sound out” a word, so later on in life, when they come across a word they don’t recognize, they have far less of a chance of figuring out how to pronounce it. Throughout this first year of teaching I have seen this first hand. My students were not exposed to adequate whole-language teaching, so the small amount of word recognition they retained hasn’t served them very well. A student once looked at the word, “carnation” and instead said, “celebrate.” When I told him to go back and sound it out, he couldn’t get past the “c” sound at the beginning. That is why he just pulled a random c-word out of his head. 

It seems that one of the main arguments from the whole-language side is that phonics is boring and deadening, thus children lose interest. To me, that's just the price of success... and I think (as Lemann mentioned) that the main motivation to teach whole-language is that it’s more fun for the teachers. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s practical to jump straight from illiteracy to reading whole words. That would be like handing a beginner a set of golf clubs and sending them to the first tee for 18 holes. They would fail. First they need to go to the driving range and learn how to swing. Next they need to spend time hitting golf balls... the boring, deadening, monotonous task of hitting golf balls. Before students can read a book (or play the metaphorical golf course), they need to learn how to break down the smaller parts - the words on the pages.

Free Write

Essential thoughts: 
I’ve never really had guiding principles in terms of grammar. I don’t even remember the last class in which I was taught grammar. I suppose it was somewhere around seventh grade, but if asked specifics about what I learned, I would probably stare blankly. I suppose my desire to make my own class memorable and beneficial for my students stems from that realization - grammar education is excruciatingly forgettable.

Newly found principles on grammar: 
While grammar and the ability to speak properly have always come easily for me, I realize those two things are not innate. Until recently, I never realized how much my upbringing influenced my speech, and consequently my writing. I, like most people, write the way I speak, so my writing has always been at least passable. My mother has a fantastic vocabulary and is exceptionally articulate, so as a child, I had constant exposure to proper English. As a toddler phrases like, “Consider your actions!” were not uncommon. It was easy for me to learn how to write higher level essays because I didn’t have to think about word choice and mechanics, I just had to learn how to organize an essay and develop my thoughts. The area in which I teach is not one that is known for its residents’ ability to speak formal English. As a writing teacher, I am slapped in the face daily by the reality that what I teach is cancelled out several times over as soon as my kids go home. Fifty five minutes a day (or 20 of my talking) is not enough to impact them.

So... my guiding principles? Teach them the fundamentals. The fact that I didn’t have to learn the fundamentals does not mean that they don’t. I treat it as though I am giving a golf lesson to a player who has practiced bad habits for years. They may know how to play golf. They probably do it every day. But the more they ingrain the wrong practices, the harder it becomes to reverse them. So I have to break it down. I have to pretend the player is not an athlete, that they have never played a good round of golf, that they have only seen one played. This amateur hacker is analogous to my average student. They have heard people use proper English, but they have practiced bad habits for years. They may know how to communicate using English because they do it every day, but unless I take them back to the basics, they will continue to build on the wrong practices. They will forever make it to the 18th hole but be disappointed with the score on their card.

Sure, We Can Learn From Finland... Maybe.

I recently read a Boston Globe op-ed piece that suggested the United States look to Finland as an example for education reform. The author talks about the absence of standardized tests, idolization of teachers, and equal performance out of students regardless of social class. Wow. I would be lying if I said that didn't sound fantastic. Standardized tests are the bane of our existence in rural Mississippi. Of course I want to be idolized... and if my students performed as well as the rich kids of Dublin, OH, my job would be a whole lot easier.

But it's not fun to agree. Let's play devil's advocate.

Three reasons why I don't think Finland's methods would work for US

1. Finland is largely homogeneous - Finns do not face the same racial barriers as Americans.
Now, before I moved down to Mississippi, I would have rolled my eyes at that statement. "We don't have problems with race," I would've said as a proud Yankee. "It's the 21st century." Sorry, 2006-version of Andrea. You're wrong. Race is as much of an issue down here as it was 30 years ago. It is amazing how much of an inhibitor poor race relations can be. There are still parents who won't admit that a teacher of another color may do a good job. There are still parents who would rather have segregated schools. One of the main components of Finland's system is parental involvement and feedback. That can't work until parents and teachers of opposite races can sit in a classroom and respectfully collaborate.

2. Teachers won't be idolized here.
In Finland, teachers are required to hold higher-level degrees, so they have impeccable pedagogical skills and subject knowledge. When teachers are that highly-qualified, they automatically gain respect. Finns regard teachers with the same confidence as doctors. The problem for the United States is that teachers don't get paid enough to justify spending large amounts of money on advanced degrees. School districts would rather employ a recent education school graduate with no Master's degree than an experienced teacher with a PhD. It costs the district less. Even some of the better public schools allow teachers 5-10 years to acquire their Master's. So my shocking solution? Pay us more.

3. Getting rid of standardized tests is easier said than done.
Sure, I would love nothing more than to say goodbye to the Mississippi Curriculum Test, but phasing out standardized tests in the United States could take years. As it is set up now, a large amount of school funding comes from test performance. With the current system in place, if we pull the tests, we lose the money. Of course schools get some money from other sources, but until the government has figured out a new way to support and motivate struggling schools, I guess we have to stick with the way things are.

Finland, I tip my hat to you... we're just not there yet.

Perspective

Back in June, I remember thinking that the second years were too disengaged. I even got a little angry at what seemed like an unwillingness to help us.

"Don't they remember what it was like for them last year? They act like they're so tired... please! It's summer!"

So this is my official apology to the second years for what I thought but never said last summer. With the exception of the fantastic John Darnell, I unfairly tagged most of them as unhelpful and borderline selfish. I get it now!

I was talking to a fellow first year just a couple days ago about how much we are looking forward to summer vacation. At some point early in the conversation we realized that we had the entire month of June to consider before we went on summer vacation. Light bulb moment.

I realize how much effort it takes to get through just a semester of school, let alone the whole year. So by the time June gets here, I will be drained. I am sure that one of the last things I will want to do is teach some more.

So how has my perspective changed? I have even more respect for the second years now. I am half way to where they were when I first met them, so now I have an even better grasp of what they had just endured. I realize that any extra effort they chose to put forth must have come from a good place-the same philanthropic place that drove them to apply to MTC. I hope I can be as positive of an influence to our incoming class of first years.

A Day in the Life

When I was told to write a blog about a day in the life of Ms. B, I tirelessly racked my brain for a way to make it interesting... or at the very least save you from excruciating boredom. After seconds upon seconds of careful consideration, I am sad to say that I came up with nothing. So in contrast to my introduction and with the interest of all parties involved, I will attempt to proceed with careful brevity and try to make this as painless as possible. Here goes!

10:00pm: I turn in for the night and set my alarm for 5:30am intending to hit "snooze" at least six times at 5 minute increments the next morning.

5:30am: My alarm goes off the first time. I usually try to talk myself into getting up at that point, but sleepiness quickly takes over and I hit snooze.

6:00am: My alarm goes off the final time. At this point I've allowed myself to wake up slowly enough that it's not too hard to roll myself out of bed. I take the next 30 minutes getting ready.

6:30am: I try to walk out the door by 6:30. On the way out, I grab something small for breakfast. It's usually a Pop Tart. Today my students told me they thought only kids ate Pop Tarts.

6:40am: I pull into the same gas station every morning and I park next to the same construction trucks. I have never liked to consider myself such a creature of habit, but there is something comforting about seeing the same people at the gas station every morning. I walk in, wave to the usual customers who sit at the booths to the right, and walk over to the coffee and cappuccino machines. I make my daily cocktail of half coffee, half mocha cappuccino and I grab a bottle of water. As I walk up to the counter, the ladies typically say something about my outfit choice for the day. Last Friday they told me I looked like one of my students. I'm usually in and out within 3 minutes.

6:55am: I get to school, clock in, check my mail box, and head to my class room. At this point in the year, I have significantly cut time off of my morning routine. I used to get to school at 6:30 and wait for the principal to get there and unlock the building. No more. Upon entering my room, I flick on the heat- although lately Mr. Buford, the janitor, turns it on for me. The next few minutes are taken by mindless but necessary minutiae like changing the date on the board, straightening the desks, writing the day's tasks on the board, and hooking up the projector.

7:10am: Every other week I have duty in the main hallway from 7:10-7:30. This is perhaps my favorite part of the day. I get to see every student that rides a bus and most of the car riders... that includes kids as young as kindergarten. After only a few weeks of school, certain elementary schoolers started giving me hugs in the morning. When I ask them why, they just smile, shrug their shoulders, and keep walking. Adorable.

7:35-8:00: My homeroom class contains some of my worst students. They are required to read their Accelerated Reader books and take tests on them during homeroom. Getting this group of kids to do so if awful. They're starting to come around.

8:05-9:00: I am lucky to have some of the more rambunctious 7th graders in my first period class so they haven't had time to wake up. They are usually mellow enough to pay attention but not too tired to fall asleep. Perfection.

9:05-10:00: Second period is my favorite group of kids and whether it's recommended or not, I tell them they're my favorites. Some may say that this will give them a sense of entitlement and it may snowball out of control by the end of the year, but so far it has just given me a way to guilt trip them... which is why they're my favorites. Guilt trips and disappointment are actually deterrents for them.

10:05-10:20: Break

10:25-10:45: The first part of 3rd period before lunch.

10:50-11:15: Lunch

11:20-11:55: The second half of 3rd period. It is really becoming exhausting to try to calm them down after lunch. Third period is my honors class, but every new student gets put in there because it's the smallest class. Most of our new students this year have not only been below the honors level, but they have also been behavior problems.

12:00-12:55: 4th period is my SPED/inclusion class. I truly enjoy working with the students who have learning disabilities. It seems like they are so much more appreciative and eager. There are also several behavioral IEPs in that class though so a lot of my attention has to be focused on maintaining order.

1:00-1:55: Planning - I used to leave school and just drive around Byhalia to take a break. That is becoming less necessary.

2:00-2:55: 6th period is my worst class behaviorally but I really enjoy their personalities. There are many occasions when I have to put serious effort into witholding laughter.

I tutor after school on Mondays and Wednesdays. After that, I go to basketball practice until about 6:00.

On nights when we have away games, my nights are pretty late. The record so far is 10:00.

So at about twice the required word count, I'll cut it off here. So much for brevity.

A Deeper Understanding

Chapter 3 in Content Literacy for Today's Adolescents talks about increasing our students' text comprehension. I feel like I am always talking about how much my perspective has been changed because of this teaching thing... so here is yet another example. Before, I never really thought about text comprehension. I hadn't heard it being emphasized since my earlier years of schooling. I vaguely remember a "Comprehension" column on the standardized test score breakdown sheet. I didn't pay much attention to it then - when my mother and I stood over it in the kitchen sometime in early July as I got my scores back from whatever test we had taken that year. Now that I am a teacher, I realize how important that column really was. It's not that I didn't know that text comprehension was an important skill. I had just never really thought about the fact that some kids have a really hard time with it.

I was glad that we were assigned Chapter 3 because getting kids to comprehend text seems like a pretty daunting task. Where should I begin? What are some activities that would help? How much time should I spend emphasizing it for a writing class?

Of course the book suggested some of the same old methods... teach them to look at context clues! I feel like that was the only method I was ever taught and it worked for me. Unfortunately it's not coming so easy for my students. Last week, during a subject verb agreement lesson, we were talking about ambiguous indefinite pronouns in sentences with no prepositional phrase. Once we defined "ambiguous" as a class, it was surprisingly easy to get them to understand what I meant by the rest of it. We had learned about singular and plural indefinite pronouns the day prior. We learned about prepositional phrases the first 9 weeks, and they only needed a little prodding to remember how to find those. But when I explained that we have to use context clues in situations when the sentence has no prepositional phrase to help us figure out whether our pronoun is singular or plural, they went blank.

"Context clues, guys! Just look at the sentences around it to figure out how many we're talking about! CONTEXT CLUES!"

Nothing

"All (is, are) here? ......What is the sentence before it talking about??"

Still nothing.

So clearly context clues aren't cutting it. My favorite suggestion in this chapter was probably the one about bridging text ideas. It gave a list of common words that connect sentences and what they signal. For example, it listed the time words: then, presently, now, thereupon, somewhat later, hereafter, finally, since... While these words would not help with subject verb agreement, I like the idea of charting several words to help students remember what they indicate. Keeping things in categories has always been something that has helped me, so I'm going to try it with my students and for now, I'm throwing context clues out the window. Maybe they just need a break from that method.