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With the national debate on education raging, you may have heard
a lot of talk about class size in our public schools. Studies and
first-hand experience have shown that small class size aids in
fostering a productive learning environment - the only problem is how to
limit class size, and how to fund the greater number of teachers and
other resources required by schools with smaller classes.
Of course there is one spot on the educational landscape where
small classes have always been the norm - our nation's private schools.
Though there are dozens of different kinds of private and independent
schools, almost all of them strive to provide small classes for their stu-dents, as well as low student-to-teacher ratios.
"Small class size is the foundation for everything we do here," says
Jeane Perzyk, assistant to the headmaster at Alexandria's Thornton
Friends school. Thornton Friends, a Quaker school that emphasizes individual
instruction and also puts a premium on community service, was
founded 26 years ago on the basic principles of hard work, personal
responsibility, respect for others, and pride in the community as a whole.
As a school that targets bright underachievers who may not be getting
the most from their current school environment, Thornton sees its
share of students who were not well served by the larger classes and less
personal environment of the public school system. "We see children
come here after becoming disenchanted with the public school system,"
says Perzyk. "They come from schools with huge class sizes, which tended
to make them feel a little lost."
By keeping classes small, Thornton can help keep kids interested in
learning. "We try and reinstate that thirst for learning. Our small classes
make it possible for our wonderful teachers to really shine."
A Clear Preference
Americans seem to like the idea of small classes. A Belden &
Russonello public opinion poll taken in 1991 revealed that, "Americans
believe ten to one that private schools do a better job at keeping class
size small, giving students individual attention, and maintaining discipline."
In fact while the average student:teacher ratio in public schools is
18:1, the average student:teacher ratio in schools that are members of
the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is 9:1. That's like
having a second teacher in every classroom.
"Enrollment pressures for independent schools are different from
those facing the nation's public schools because of the very nature of the
institutions," states NAIS president Peter Relic, a former superintendent
of public schools. "Whereas public schools must accommodate all comers,
independent schools intentionally define and limit their size to preserve
the class size and sense of campus community which parents find so important."
Courtesy National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Visit
the NAIS web site at www.NAIS.org, which contains a searchable database of independent schools and hot links to school web pages. For a list of member schools, call (202) 973-9743.
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