Part of the success of Ontario’s publicly funded education system over the past two decades is due to ongoing efforts by teachers and education advocates to improve the classroom experience, by addressing issues such as class size. But in many cases class sizes are still too big, and Ontarians have had to fight to keep them from getting bigger.
Smaller classes mean teachers can spend less time on classroom management and more time on preparation and instruction. They also allow for more student engagement. Students in smaller classes stay on-task, with more one-on-one teacher-student engagement.
Closely related to class size is the issue of class composition. Ontario’s classrooms are incredibly diverse, including students with mental and/or physical disabilities, learning exceptionalities, language barriers, and a variety of socio-economic circumstances, among other factors. These different classroom compositions require substantially different sets of resources and supports to meet all students’ needs.
Ontario schools need investments to enable teachers to create a positive learning environment for all students. Tell the government that classrooms need more resources, not more students.
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