COMPILATION: Big Classes

Large class size: strategies, room size; liability

COMPILATION: big classes: strategies for learning; room size; liability

In July, 2010, Mark Hughes posted the following. Mark teaches five sections of physics at a public high school in suburban Los Angeles -- on block schedule. He has used Modeling Instruction for a decade, and he led Modeling Workshops in North Carolina with Matt Greenwolfe. All of his classes have 40 or more students. (California is hard-hit economically.)

Mark Hughes wrote: How do we, as modelers, deal with large class sizes? What do we do to ensure that every student learns as much as they can every day?

The problem arises due to many things. The state of California has moved to making all kids A- G eligible at the time of graduation. ------Requirement D -- d l Laboratory Science - 2 YEARS REQUIRED, 3 YEARS RECOMMENDED. Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of these three foundational subjects: biology, chemistry and physics. Advanced laboratory science classes that have biology, chemistry or physics as prerequisites and offer substantial additional material may be used to fulfill this requirement, as may approved engineering courses or the final two years of an approved three-year integrated science program that provides rigorous coverage of at least two of the three foundational subjects. ------Our district has mandated three years of science for all students. But in most schools there is an imbalance of science teachers -- there are more biology teachers than chemistry and physics teachers. If other courses are not offered (such as Earth Science), there is nowhere for the kids to go other than the traditional Biology-Chemistry-Physics progression.

For example, at our school last year, we offered 21 sections of biology, 15 sections of chemistry, 7 sections of physics, and 3 sections of Earth Science. We were told next year that our current Earth Science teacher will not be allowed to teach it any more because he is not considered highly qualified. California is at a budget impasse yet again, so the chance of hiring another Earth Science teacher is slim.

None of this really matters, as it is all outside of my control -- I did send the following email to a counselor in March of this year when my class sizes climbed over 40 -- and it seemed to work. ------Hi Tram, If corrections are not made by 12:49 p.m. Thursday, March 04, 2010, there will be 43 students enrolled in my 5th period class - exactly the same enrollment as last week at this time. Per your request to "ask for volunteers" to transfer, I referred multiple students to the counseling office earlier this week -- of which, only one was transferred (which brought the count back down to 43 from an earlier transfer that took the count to 44). The other students I sent were counseled not to change schedules by other counselors.

1 Large class size: strategies, room size; liability

As a reminder, California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Division 1, Chapter 13, Subchapter 1 entitled "School Facilities Construction" (downloadable from http://government.westlaw.com/linkedslice/default.asp?SP=CCR-1000) § 14030.i.1.B requires and reads in its pertinent part: `Science laboratory design is consistent with the requirements...specified in both the "Science Facilities Design for California Public Schools," published by the California Department of Education, 1993, and the "Science Safety Handbook for California Public Schools," published by the California State Department of Education, 1999.' The Science Safety Handbook (downloadable from http://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/documents/scisafebk.pdf) Chapter 1, Section B, page 3 reads, in its pertinent part: 'teachers and administrators need to take several considerations into account in establishing reasonable limits on the number of students in a laboratory setting to ensure maximum safety within the science laboratory.

These considerations include: ... 4. The number of students that one teacher can supervise during a potentially dangerous activity 5. The nature and degree of increased hazard and liability when the class size exceeds 24 students ... "the number of students in the laboratory classroom should be determined by factors such as safety...rather than school scheduling needs.'

Please balance all of my classes prior to the start of 5th period tomorrow or I will escalate my request to the next appropriate level. ------

[Suggestions by Mark Hughes on doing Modeling Instruction with 40 physics students in a class. Sent to Jane Jackson on July 13, 2010.]

As far as teaching when you have classes consistently that large -- here are a few things that I do:

1) Get to know the kids. Every period, every day, every passing period, every free moment, go out, find a student you don't know or don't usually talk to, pull up a chair and say "so, tell me about your life." Spend 5 minutes talking to them. Kids respond to people who care about them. I shake their hands, I hug them on their birthdays and act like their arrival in the classroom is the best part of my day.

2) Wireless Microphone -- I mic myself everyday, and for a brief period recorded my short lectures; here are some examples. http://education.hughesmark.com/mod/glossary/view.php? id=490 I use Hisonic microphones ($50 for the mic & transmitter). I also have wireless hand microphones for the kids to use when they're whiteboarding. This has multiple benefits. First - you can walk around the entire room, speaking in a normal voice, and be heard by all students. Talking to large groups, I tend to shout to be heard --

2 Large class size: strategies, room size; liability students don't tend to talk to someone who is shouting at them. Second, you can then record your mini-lectures for kids to listen to again if they wish (or are absent, etc...)

3) Paper whiteboards - Whiteboards are great, and I use them -- but it's often hard to keep 40-50 whiteboards organized, stored, and ready to use. I was finding that kids were accidentally erasing their classmates' whiteboards just moving them around -- so I ordered large 18" x 24" sheets of white paper. (500 sheets is $24 from our local warehouse). Kids still do everything they used to -- and when we're done, the best ones go up on the wall.

4) Thinking Corner -- This year I had the best group of kids I've ever had. But even in the best of groups, there are always a few knuckleheads, and it only takes one disruptive student to ruin it. I handle these kids extremely proactively. In the front of the room there is a small corner (labeled thinking corner) that is walled off from the rest of the class. There's seating for four. In good times, it is the location that kids go to make up tests. In bad times, when students are having difficulty learning in a modeling-style setting, I turn on 4 separate 750W floods for a combined 3000W (so there's plenty of lighting) and give the kids a paper and pencil assignment (it is so bright that they can't look up from their paper). I had to move three kids there (all from one class) for one period for one day at the beginning of the year, and that was the end of their disruptions. Word spread quickly and I never had to use it again. All I had to say from then on out was "child, do not make me ask you a second time."

5) Email grades every week. You don't have time to go over grades all the time. Email them to the kids with a program such as EasyGradePro, and if a mistake was made, fix it. With that many kids, I make mistakes all the time, I always err on the side of the kid. It avoids hours of argument during the year over piddly points.

6) Grade fairly -- I've noticed that even with a very strict rubric that my assigned grades vary from the beginning to the end of an assignment (e.g. I'm more lenient at the beginning than at the end, etc.) So I grade the assignments, scan them all into a PDF file, and then redistribute them to the kids where I go over the correct answers along with the point assignments. I let the kids re- grade their own work and then if there are mistakes, after class they can show me where the problems are. I pull up the PDF to make certain they didn't change anything, and then award them the points. I've never had a kid successfully cheat that way. (Once they see you referencing the originals, they don't even try).

7) Team building -- People come together when they build something together. Our class projects include tending the lawn in front of the classroom, keeping class pets (fish and whatever lizards, insects, mice, etc. we catch in the classroom throughout the year -- icky I know, but we do it). The kids weed, mow, water the lawn in front of the classroom. The baseball kids tend to do the best job, and they even keep kids off the lawn (via shouting, peer-pressure, water hose, etc...) They take care of the room, sweep, etc. it gives them a sense of ownership in the room. And the best way to get it started is with the Tom Sawyer method. Go outside and start painting something; kids will see, want to help; profess to the large amount of trouble you could get in if you let them, and eventually give in. Once you've got a kid painting, go grab the water- hose and go through the same routine. Kids insist on helping.

8) There are limits to what you can do. Granted, physics experiments are inherently safer than chemistry, but there are limits. The only legal limits to class size that I am aware of lie in the fire code -- find them and cite them. DO NOT sign any paperwork with your administration agreeing to monitor a larger than normal group of kids. You can be held jointly and severally liable if a student injures themselves in a classroom. Fight the large class sizes. Keep documentation of any and all emails you send to your administration. Send an email to your administration at the beginning of the year and every month or so telling them that you do not feel comfortable having a large number of students in the classroom and document all of it.

9) Do not agree to work for a pittance. If your district offers to open an additional section, and you agree to work it, be certain that it is for a proportional amount of pay. Don't work for hourly pay -- work for a proportional increase. (e.g. working a 6/5 contract should pay an additional 20%). ------Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2010 From: Frank Noschese

The California Administrative Code [Title 2 Subchapter 4, Section 1811(g)] requires that school design provide 1,300 square feet for 24 students. This figure includes preparation areas as well as apparatus and chemical storage space. So, for a 40-student classroom, that means 2,170 square feet. Are science classrooms in California typically this large? That's twice the size of my (small) home.

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Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2010 From: Mark Hughes (CA) Subject: Average classroom footprint

Frank -- I am not entirely certain that the section you quoted is useful in this discussion (I'm not saying it isn't, I'm saying I'm not sure) -- the numbers listed only appear to pertain to buildings being sold as surplus, not to a maximum (or even average) class size requirement.

As far as classrooms go -- I've only worked at two schools and visited a few more, so this is an limited sample. My classroom is part of the old workshop classrooms -- it's about 1400 sq. ft. + office + 2 storage areas. We also have 4 brand spanking new approximately 1600 sq. ft. rooms (http://www.sgvtribune.com/highlanders/ci_13158066). But that still leaves some teachers in the old quarters (ranging in size from 900 sq. ft. minimum to 1200 sq. ft. maximum)

I'd be interested to know what amount of space other teachers have.

------Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 From: Jim Schwagle

Our lab classrooms (Los Angeles) are approximately 900 - 1000 sq ft. We can have up to about 40+ students as well, especially for chemistry. More often it's around 38. You will find the state (Calif) does not require the square footage mentioned, I believe it is a recommendation. No suburban or city public school district I'm aware of in California comes even close to matching the square footage needed by providing smaller classes. If it is listed as a requirement in the Ed. Code, it is rarely followed and never enforced.

In Physics, if it's a 12th grade class the students generally are more mature and realize the relationship between labs and learning. If it's a 9th grade class (which we have) the teacher must be really skilled at establishing behavior norms and enforcing them. I've never tried to split the class for labs, we just don't have the time to stretch labs out that way, and, I'm not a good enough modeler to maintain the proper modeling flow under those conditions. I have difficulty enough supervising 40+ kids without splitting them into two groups. The most I've ever had was one class of 46 and the five classes totaled 208, and this in a room with 36 seats. That was an insane year. If the teacher agrees, the counselors will continue putting kids in the class regardless of numbers. Sometimes it’s done even with the objection of the teacher. But, the complaining aside.....

You do need to object, and find out if all of the science classes are that big. Talk to other teachers and find out their class size. If they're getting the same, there's not much you can do to alleviate the numbers. If you're the one being dumped on you have a right to say NO. The most effective complainers are the parents. If you have parents that will do it, gently suggest to them that a complaint from multiple parents will bring action more quickly than from you, and you can point out the better learning experience their student will have. A demanding parent in the principals office will get action far faster than you.

I guess the bottom line is that behavior must be tightly controlled, teaching and labs must be carefully planned and closely monitored. There can be NO slack time, forget about breathing. You must be consistent in enforcing behavior standards. You don't have to be a martinet, but Tough and Fair. Train the students properly by doing things the same way every time, modeling proper behavior and demanding the same of them and it does get easier as the year progresses. You just can't rest with that many kids in the room; and it's very very mentally and physically exhausting. ------

Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 From: Patrick McMahon (Coral Springs, Florida)

My room is about 24'x30', including 3 sinks and cabinets along 2 walls. That's 720 SF, woohoo!

They're telling me that I will average about 32 students next year, but one class will have 38. Since I have tables for 32 students, that will mean 6 extra chairs go in the aisles. Can you say "Fire Hazard?"

It hasn't been this crowded since about 1997. And I have no idea why they had so many students in my room back then, but I was young and didn't know I should be upset...

On the other hand, there are 4 lucky teachers in the *new* building has much larger lab rooms with desks in the front half and the sinks & stuff in the back. I'd guess they're about 30'x60' =1,800 SF ------Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 From: Meredith Smith (Wisconsin)

I have never had the situation with 30 + students, but I have had 29. When my numbers are much larger then what my classroom allows for (20 students) and my aisles and lab stations are blocked by desks I do minimal labs (I basically cut out all labs with chemicals, fire, glassware etc.). I email a letter to my curriculum supervisor and administrators (I will add the school board members in the future) with the NSTA guidelines, the NFPA guidelines, and the fact that I will not be liable for student injuries - I will reduce this liability by not engaging in unsafe practices outlined in the guidelines provided to them. The outcome is that they do not usually want to see students miss out on lab opportunities and they usually are pretty good about reducing my numbers. I need to do this sometimes on a yearly basis.