Do Overcrowded classrooms effect student and teachers?

     There is no denying that an overcrowded classroom is a problem throughout America.  However does it actually affect the classroom? ABSOLUTELY! Some of the most common affects include…

·        Teachers being over worked
·        Less instructional time
·        More behavioral issues
·        Shortage of supplies
·        Students slip through the cracks
·        Lower test scores

 How is it possible for a couple of extra students in a classroom to have such huge effects? Simple with more students in the classroom, comes a higher demand for supplies for assignments. Now that there are more assignments there are also more papers to be graded. More papers to grade leaves less time for lesson planning. Fewer lesson planning time means teachers now come to class unprepared, and instead have to teach lessons on a whim. Teaching lessons on the whim leads to students coming off task, since it is not planned out ahead of time. When student get off task behavioral issues will arise. When behavioral issues arrive students loose instruction time; because the teacher must now deal with behavioral issues.  Students receive less instruction time therefor they do not acquire the knowledge for the state mandated testing. When students begin to fail testing the schools will worry about scores, which in turn will cause them to work harder with the kids on the bubble between passing and failing. For the students who are below the line of possibly passing, they unfortunately will slip through the crack and be forgotten. This scenario while it may seem harsh and unlikely is the unfortunate truth for many of the schools throughout the country.

     Is there any hope for our students? Absolutely, we will look at how some teachers are finding ways to overcome the overcrowded classroom; next week. Until then thank you for reading!

 For more information on the impact overcrowded classrooms has on the class and school building itself. Please check out the following website. http://www2.ed.gov/offices/OESE/archives/inits/construction/impact2.html