Opinion
Professional Development Letter to the Editor

For Best Results, Teachers Need Fewer Students

September 25, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

I am sad that someone as caring and insightful as Jordan Kohanim left teaching (“Why I Left Teaching,”, Aug. 22, 2012). Teaching is all about caring and human interaction. It is the very effective teacher and administrator who connects with students and advocates for them.

Yet I understand why Ms. Kohanim left teaching after seven years. She seems to have dedicated herself 100 percent to the students who needed her most: the “struggling students.” As she tried to garner support for these students and was denied support for what she says were the “neediest students,” she saw an abuse of power from those parents who were able to advocate for their students and manipulate the system to offer advantages to their children who were not in dire need.

How long can someone work diligently and ethically, serving those who do not have a voice, watching others who are financially secure take advantage of the system, especially when one has his or her own personal challenges to deal with?

How long can a teacher continue to connect with each and every student to build a relationship of care and concern when the teacher has 159 students and 159 essays to grade? Theodore R. Sizer, in his 1992 book Horace’s School: Redesigning the American High School, suggested that teachers should have no more than 80 students. Jordan Kohanim is not alone. I teach graduate students, most of whom are teachers, and they claim their teaching loads range from 120 to 160 students.

We need to diminish the teacher-student ratio to allow teachers to do their jobs: build relationships with their students and, in so doing, affect student achievement.

Phyllis Gimbel
Associate Professor,
Educational Leadership
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Mass.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 26, 2012 edition of Education Week as For Best Results, Teachers Need Fewer Students

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Professional Development Opinion How to Engage Educators When Leading Professional Development
The further removed a leader is from the classroom, the harder it is to turn training into practice. One PD facilitator has advice.
Michael Nelson
5 min read
Screen Shot 2023 05 07 at 7.03.55 AM
Canva
Professional Development Teachers Need PD on Artificial Intelligence. What It Should Look Like
Schools are just beginning to think about how to integrate AI into teacher professional development.
6 min read
Photo collage of teacher working at desk with laptop computer.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
Professional Development Q&A Can AI Do Teacher Observations and Deliver PD? In Some Schools, It Already Does
A school district in Washington state is trying out an artificial-intelligence-powered instructional coach.
4 min read
Photo collage of tablet computer and teacher instructing class.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
Professional Development Opinion Is Turnkey Training for Educators Really Effective?
Just because teachers attend a one-day session doesn't necessarily mean they can turn around and train others.
6 min read
Untitled design (1)
Canva