A Student Voices Article
Unlocking Student Potential: The Advantages of Smaller Classrooms
*This “Student Voices” article is told from the perspective of a student researcher and writer.
Class size is one critical variable that impacts student learning and performance.
Although there can be some benefits to larger class sizes, an increased student-to-teacher ratio also raises concerns about crowding, productive learning environments, and the impact on student achievement. Many concerns touch on mental health issues, grades, and the overall quality of learning.
This is where smaller classes can offer a helpful alternative, particularly for students who thrive in such environments. There are many advantages to smaller class sizes, particularly in student achievement, mental health, and social skills.
Achievement
First, smaller class sizes have a demonstrated effect on student grades.
THE NEPC, the National Education Policy Center, has a comprehensive report on the effect of smaller classes, including using information from Project Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR), an analysis of smaller classes. These studies compared results from smaller class sizes to larger ones, and found that students in smaller classes during the earlier years had advantages during their school career, and even after. Students in smaller classes from kindergarten to grade 3 (K-3) showed increased math and reading scores, as well as capacity for learning. From these studies on K-3 students, they found that “Students in small classes exceeded their counterparts in regular classes in every grade and were about a half year (from 2.8 to 4.7 months) ahead in their schoolwork by the end of grade 3.”
Additionally, students who were in smaller classes in the early years were shown to have a 5% higher rate of graduation in high school than students in larger class sizes. They were also more likely to gain honours and perform in the top 10% of their graduating class. The effects continued even after the students left school, with students from smaller classes reporting higher wages.
Building Better Schools (BBS) contains a comprehensive collection of tools and resources with a mission to improve the quality of education. One resource indicates that smaller elementary school classes generally provide a higher level of education and improve student achievement earlier on.
Mental Health and Behaviour
Beyond the academic and real-world benefits, smaller classes have also been shown to have positive effects on the mental health and well-being of students, both inside and outside of school.
The Acsenda School of Management in Vancouver lists improved student well-being as one of the main positive effects of their programs, which offer smaller class sizes. Students in smaller classes tended to experience less stress and anxiety, as well as a general sense of belonging and community, allowing for more effective collaboration and opportunities for assistance.
A study from the Pivot Point Family Growth Centre in British Columbia also lists a number of positive mental health effects, including a lower rate of triggers for anxiety and depression in smaller class environments. The study also goes in-depth about how smaller classes allow students to create and improve decision-making skills and working memory, which have been linked to risk-taking behaviour according to research by the Society For Research in Child Development.
Social Skills
Yet another valuable advantage of smaller classes is the social skills that students develop while in a smaller class environment.
A smaller class allows for more interaction with the teacher. Regular interaction with teachers, as well as being in an environment where help is more readily accessible, builds future skills, such as seeking out authority/assistance to help with problems, which can then lead to habits such as attentiveness and a willingness for increased collaboration.
Additionally, smaller classes can lead to more in-depth class discussions. Fewer students means that students and teachers alike can facilitate a much more productive discussion where every student can be involved and put forth questions to the group. This also encourages students who may be shy or hesitant to join the class discussion, as a less crowded environment generally means one that is less intimidating, where each opinion can be heard more thoroughly. Small class discussion encourages pupils to be active participants, thus allowing for the increased development of social skills.
An Expert’s Take
Bryan Levy-Young, MA, is an experienced educator and advocate for smaller class sizes with a background in therapy. He noticed a need for programs for students who exhibited academic talent, but were underperforming due to factors in their environment, with many of these students commonly being deemed as “Gifted.”
On the topic of the main advantages of smaller classes, Bryan emphasizes smaller classes as a place where students are able to express their learning in different ways. Smaller classes allow more personalization in the curriculum, letting students with different learning styles flourish, as well as allowing students to directly communicate with teachers in a more personal way. Bryan says, “There’s a small cohort of kids who know each other well and have an opportunity to have a conversation and explore things verbally. It gives you the flexibility to do different methods of assessing.”
Having experienced alternative learning education with smaller class sizes, I can personally attest to the fact that attending such a school helped me develop into a much more productive, inspired, and focused student. I find alternative/supplementary learning programs, including this school and Top Edge Class Learning, to be useful yet underutilized by the majority of students. The resources are out there; you simply need to look for them. Most students, if they were willing to advocate for themselves and seek out alternative options for the support they may need, could perform much better academically.
Conclusion
Smaller classes have a wide variety of advantages, and it’s critical to consider alternative/supplementary methods to better set up students for the future.
Written by: Mason Helman (Article Researcher and Writer) and Francesca Cadhit
Edited by: Francesca Cadhit and Top Class Edge Learning
References
Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach – National Education Policy Center, nepc.colorado.edu/sites/default/files/pb_-_class_size.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Project STAR – Aft – American Federation of Teachers, www.aft.org/sites/default/files/STARSummer99.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
“Smaller Classes for Elementary Students.” Building Better Schools, www.buildingbetterschools.ca/smaller_classes_for_everyone. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.
Davidweir. “The Top Benefits of Smaller Class Sizes for Students and Teachers.” Acsenda School of Management, 23 Feb. 2023, acsenda.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-smaller-class-sizes Ascenda school of management on Smaller Classes.
Watt, Rochelle. “Less Is More: The Benefit of Smaller Class Sizes – Pivot Point Family Growth Centre Inc..” Pivot Point Family Growth Centre Inc. –, 18 Jan. 2023, pivotpoint.ca/less-is-more-the-benefit-of-smaller-class-size-by-bailey-thompson/