Some parents are upset here in town because the second grade classes in three of the schools are too large. Two of them will have 24 students, one will have 27. The teachers will each have a full-time aid and the administration will try to get parent volunteers and maybe student teachers to help.
I think that’s a good idea, but how times have changed! I asked my sister if she remembered how big our classes were, and she got out her old class photos and counted. Duh! I could do that too. (First graders were about 6 years old. There were no teachers’ aides. I was bored part of the time, but on the whole I enjoyed it.)
First Grade………27
Second Grade…..41
Third Grade……. 45
Fourth Grade……51
Fifth Grade…….. 45
Sixth Grade……. 33
They had built a new school just before I went into the sixth grade, so that relieved the crowding.
Do you remember how many students were in your classes in elementary school? Did you enjoy it?
Around thirty per class is what my memory tells me. Less said the better about modern times. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/state-of-elementary-education-in-india-100-students-to-a-class-67-to-a-teacher/374878/
The article says the average of 40 students/teacher is “comfortable”. I think that’s a bit crowded. The schools singled out definitely have problems.
It would be hard to put what I think of schooling politely
My schooling wasn’t perfect, but I’m still grateful for it. It sounds as if you don’t feel the same way.
large classes in my day, don’t know the current numbers today…
But seem fun and funny to read that the classes are going to be bigger, just in the 20 students with the teacher needing an “aide”
One would have thought with so much on-line programmes to download to use as visual add-ons that it wouldn’t be necessary to have an “aide” – I know many ex-teachers who spent nearly another week/hours of writing and making their own visual aids.
A lot of classes here, so I’m told, are all with iPads and the like.
I think the aide is there to give the students more individual attention. Years ago I volunteered to help in a first grade class. I helped the students with their worksheets and also listened to them read. I think help like that can be invaluable, especially in the early years. Another time I helped with a remedial reading class for 12-14 year-olds. Again, individual tutoring can help a lot.