This is the first video in the Thomas B. Fordham Institute's summer series introducing education facts in a visual manner. This week's topic is the student/teacher ratio and its affect on student achievement.
SOURCES
Student teacher ratios, for primary school level: World Bank, 2007
Quote about students doing better in smaller classes: Class Size Counts: The research shows us why, by Daniel Gursky, American Teacher, April 1998
PISA math scores: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Programme for International Student Assessment, 2006 results
I'm enjoying the nice student to teacher ratio in America. My Calculus class has 3 students: 2 local students and 1 over interactive television. It doesn't make economic sense, but I am glad that these 3 advanced students have this available, especially as a dual credit course.
My philosophy is to reduce spending and save money, but education does sometimes require inefficiency for the good of the kids. My 3 students could be punished for forging ahead and do without a math course this year.
WaskiSquirrel 2 years ago