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- Newsgroups: sci.edu
- Path: sparky!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!seagoon.newcastle.edu.au!mdjdh.newcastle.edu.au!jdh
- From: jdh@medicine.newcastle.edu.au (John Hendriks)
- Subject: (Re: Why can't the liberals: etc...)
- Message-ID: <jdh.3.0@medicine.newcastle.edu.au>
- Keywords: Class sizes
- Lines: 18
- Sender: news@seagoon.newcastle.edu.au
- Organization: Faculty of Medicine
- Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 23:15:02 GMT
-
- I have read with interest the discussion re teacher moral and worth. As an
- outsider and ex-teacher (Australian) I would like to ask what class sizes
- are in the US. To me it seems that the profession of teaching will only
- become valued when it achieves the glamour that sport currently holds (
- gladatorial entertainment for the masses - keeps ones mind off the real
- issues). This value will be reflected in realistic class sizes - 10 to 15
- max. Currently here class sizes can be 30 - 35 (after all, to quote one
- illustrious politician, class size has no detrimental effect on the learning
- of the student). In a catch 22 senario the students of small classes would
- most likely enjoy learning, their teachers would enjoy teaching, and the
- social emphasis on education would therefore change ie more money for
- education (less for the armies etc) and for teachers salaries, for they
- would be valued professionals.
-
- John Hendriks jdh@medicine.newcastle.edu.au
- Faculty of Medicine
- University of Newcastle
- Australia
-