In the 1996–1997 school year, California instituted one of the most costly and far-reaching educational reforms in the nation, reducing class size to 20 to 1 in first grade classes. The following year the California legislature authorized the expansion of class size reduction up to four grades (Kindergarten through third grade). This study investigated teacher attitudes toward students, training, and teaching methods when working in reduced class size settings (20 to 1). The study used survey and in-depth interview data. In the 1996–1997 school year several questions on teaching in a reduced class size setting were included in a survey sent to all teachers in the Sacramento City Unified School District. In the 1997–1998 school year all teachers working in reduced class size settings were surveyed for this study. Over two hundred teachers (46.6%) returned the survey. Follow-up interviews were conducted with sixteen teachers. The survey data indicated that teachers felt that they were using individualized instruction, providing feedback, and monitoring student progress more because of smaller class size. Teachers were more willing to attend training in specific areas. Teachers also communicated higher expectations to students. Interview data strongly indicated that teachers were experiencing higher job satisfaction, and that they felt they had a higher level of effectiveness because of class size reduction. The results of this study confirmed the results of prior research that size reduction has a very positive effect on teacher attitudes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pacific.edu/oai:scholarlycommons.pacific.edu:uop_etds-3570 |
| Date | 01 January 1999 |
| Creators | Inchausti, Mary Elizabeth |
| Publisher | Scholarly Commons |
| Source Sets | University of the Pacific |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations |
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