James and Sherron Bowen on thu 14 aug 08
There's more to education than class size. Facilities can have a great
impact. Have a look at this video about two schools just 25 miles apart.
http://blog.greateducation.org/showDiary.do?diaryId=375
Jim
Mike Gordon on thu 14 aug 08
I would have jumped for joy if I had only 32 kids per class, when I was
teaching. My ceramics classes had a minimum of 35 per class, and they
ranged from freshmen through seniors, beginners and second or third
semester students all together. Actually very few sophomores because
that was the year they loaded them up with academics and they had no
room for electives. Any art class with less than 35, was immediately
filled by the counseling dept., my average was usually around 37, since
there was always the extra kids who were waiting for another class, but
couldn't get in because that was filled and they had to put them
someplace within two weeks. Academic classes, you see, only had only so
many chairs, and I had 12 electric wheels, and 6 kick wheels, six
tables & stools, with all that extra space for kids to move around the
room going about their jobs, glazing, trimming and throwing. The key is
to do it with a smile and lots of work for them to do. Besides not
every kid needs your help every day. I often had an advanced student
help a beginner on the wheel and they seemed to enjoy it, plus by
having to teach another student on the wheel, they cemented what they
already knew. It was a good experience all around. It was great job and
I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Mike Gordon
Kim Hohlmayer on fri 15 aug 08
Having the advanced students help the beginners is always great in any class setting as it reinforces what the advanced students are learning while freeing you to help other students. However, when it comes to class size I bet you didn't go home at the end of the day with 160 pots to grade.
;^) --Kim H.
--- On Thu, 8/14/08, Mike Gordon wrote:
> From: Mike Gordon
> Subject: class size
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Thursday, August 14, 2008, 6:22 PM
> I would have jumped for joy if I had only 32 kids per class,
> when I was
> teaching. My ceramics classes had a minimum of 35 per
> class, and they
> ranged from freshmen through seniors, beginners and second
> or third
> semester students all together. Actually very few
> sophomores because
> that was the year they loaded them up with academics and
> they had no
> room for electives. Any art class with less than 35, was
> immediately
> filled by the counseling dept., my average was usually
> around 37, since
> there was always the extra kids who were waiting for
> another class, but
> couldn't get in because that was filled and they had to
> put them
> someplace within two weeks. Academic classes, you see, only
> had only so
> many chairs, and I had 12 electric wheels, and 6 kick
> wheels, six
> tables & stools, with all that extra space for kids to
> move around the
> room going about their jobs, glazing, trimming and
> throwing. The key is
> to do it with a smile and lots of work for them to do.
> Besides not
> every kid needs your help every day. I often had an
> advanced student
> help a beginner on the wheel and they seemed to enjoy it,
> plus by
> having to teach another student on the wheel, they cemented
> what they
> already knew. It was a good experience all around. It was
> great job and
> I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Mike Gordon
Ric Swenson on sat 16 aug 08
Mike,
I had similar experiences back in the 1970s teaching in Anchorage Borough Schools. Class size certainly matters. Backing by Admin and parents is essential too.
One thing that has not been mentioned is 'block scheduling'. We used it then and it was great to meet classes two or sometimes three times a week for more than 2 hours at a time. That really worked for art classes....maybe a little difficult for English, Math and Sciences, but folks adjusted to it, as did the kids in out Jr-Sr High school setting. I was there 10 years.
The pendulum swings in education ..............and sometimes things become 'in the vogue' again.
Just my 2 RMB
Ric
> I would have jumped for joy if I had only 32 kids per class, when I was> teaching. My ceramics classes had a minimum of 35 per class, and they> ranged from freshmen through seniors, beginners and second or third> semester students all together. Actually very few sophomores because> that was the year they loaded them up with academics and they had no> room for electives. Any art class with less than 35, was immediately> filled by the counseling dept., my average was usually around 37, since> there was always the extra kids who were waiting for another class, but> couldn't get in because that was filled and they had to put them> someplace within two weeks. Academic classes, you see, only had only so> many chairs, and I had 12 electric wheels, and 6 kick wheels, six> tables & stools, with all that extra space for kids to move around the> room going about their jobs, glazing, trimming and throwing. The key is> to do it with a smile and lots of work for them to do. Besides not> every kid needs your help every day. I often had an advanced student> help a beginner on the wheel and they seemed to enjoy it, plus by> having to teach another student on the wheel, they cemented what they> already knew. It was a good experience all around. It was great job and> I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Mike Gordon
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Mike Gordon on sat 16 aug 08
We had block scheduling also when I first started teaching in the
district, which had two high schools, mine being brand new and the
other had been there for 20yrs. The art dept., home ec., auto shop,
wood & metal classes all loved it, and p.e. of course. The rest of them
complained continually and eventually won the argument. The District
also wanted both schools to have the same schedules. Mike Gordon
On Aug 15, 2008, at 5:42 PM, Ric Swenson wrote:
> One thing that has not been mentioned is 'block scheduling'. We used
> it then and it was great to meet classes two or sometimes three times
> a week for more than 2 hours at a time. That really worked for art
> classes....maybe a little difficult for English, Math and Sciences,
> but folks adjusted to it, as did the kids in out Jr-Sr High school
> setting. I was there 10 years.
> ____________________
> News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get it
> now!
> http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx
>
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on mon 18 aug 08
Short 1998 interview with Joseph Chilton Pearce
http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/JCP98.html
Love,
Phil
l v
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