Let's Put Kids First, Finally
Getting Class Size Right
Small is better, especially in the early years of schooling
How can we put into action what parents and teachers have known for years? Small classes for young children just make sense, and now research proves it. This accessible book provides the evidence to bring common sense into the classroom.
In this clear and concise book, Achilles offers:
- Interpretation of findings from a solid foundation of research: the Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR); the DuPont Study; and the Lasting Benefits Study (LBS)
- Vignettes, stories, and observations by practitioners on the front line that demonstrate specific applications of teaching and learning activities in small classes
- Positive effects and lifelong outcomes of small classes
- Insights into the impact of class size on social problems, physical and monetary considerations, and environmental conditions
- Evidence to back up supporters who advocate small classes in school
This book is designed for school leaders, teachers, administrators, students, and anyone who cares about the future of education in America. Don't let good research go to waste. Small classes may come just in time to save the next generation of children.
"Achilles undertakes three basic tasks: he presents the considerable research done in the US on class size and student outcomes, tracks educators’ and public policy makers’ interest in implementing these research findings, and analyzes the case for school improvement through use of small classes. Achilles never places his position above detractors’ and thus encourages the reader’s individual decision making."