4 Reasons Why Small Class Size Matters

One of the most prominent factors that influence a parent’s decision to send their child to a private Calgary junior kindergarten, preschool or elementary school is for small class size. While it is common knowledge that smaller class sizes increase educational achievement, our qualified teachers use the social, cognitive and emotional opportunities afforded to deliver an enriching curriculum.

Children have Optimal Space to Express Themselves

Small classroom sizes offer low student to teacher ratios as well as low student to classroom space ratios. The space a student has within the classroom is important to encourage a sense of belonging. Students need to feel like they have a home for their belongings, a proper space to learn, move around and socialize. As children grow, their understanding of their bodies is adapting to the space around them. Their need for space is complex and comes from their desire to connect with themselves, their community, their peers, nature and physical activities. Asasa Academy’s private classrooms provide rich learning spaces for children to play, learn, socialize and have a place they can call their own. Children are encouraged to attach feelings of security to the classroom and engage fully with their surroundings.

Less Students Equates to Less Noise

Noise in a classroom directly correlates to the size of the student body. In early childhood education, noise is an ever-present factor as students frequently talk in groups, practice their speech and are encouraged to express their thoughts. In larger classrooms, controlling noise for key learning objectives is harder to achieve. A 2013 study in the Journal of Urban Healthdiscovered 8 and 9 year old students experienced a decrease of 5.5 points in their math and French tests with just a 10 decibel increase in background noise. Additional evidence shows children who had been sitting near train tracks experienced decreased results in reading.

The evidence focuses on the adverse effects of environmental factors. But a chaotic classroom experiences the same increase in background sound that affects student learning as well as anxiety and alienation. It is essential that classroom noise stays at a level teachers can easily control to avoid disputes of temperament, anxiety and ensure all students’ voices are heard.

Enriched Peer-to-Peer Relations

In a small classroom environment, there are more opportunities for children to learn from each other, upon which Asasa Academy’s teachers have a distinct focus. One of these activities is our Cultural Awareness Day, where students come to class and share the customs of their culture. Students learn more about their peers, creating deep connections with others to build social skills, cultural awareness and grow confidence.

Research evidence shows that enhanced cognitive and non-cognitive abilities for students in grade eight are attributed to smaller classroom sizes. Our Calgary private school activities Classroom activities are unified by a strong classroom culture which helps develop those vital cognitive abilities. Meaning is added to education as it is surrounded by powerful social bonds.

More One-On-One Instruction with Teachers

Teachers at our Pinetown and Northmount private schools have more time to focus on the individual needs of each student than the average. The National Education Policy Centre asserted ”that children learn more and teachers are more effective in smaller classes.” The National Education Policy Centre’s conclusion referenced the Tennessee’s Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) experiment, where students in a class of 13-17 experienced higher scores on math and reading tests than students in a classroom of 22-25 students. Students at our Pinetown and Northmount campuses have ample opportunities to ask their teacher questions. Often, being able to strongly understand material is only a few questions away. The close bond between our teachers and pupils ensures students are taught in the way that best suits their learning personality.

Quality Childhood Education Starts with Small Classroom Sizes

Asasa Academy is a leading Calgary private school for children from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6. Our teachers deliver an empowering curriculum that inspires the social and intellectual leaders of our future. Small classroom sizes are the foundation to our culture that creates exciting, memorable and worthwhile experiences. RSVP for an upcoming open house at our Pinetown or Northmount facilities or book a private tour.