Page 8, Portland Observer. August 20. 1986
Elementary Schools Are Key
to Leaning Smaller Class Size As First Step
"Making classes smaller would
permit more individualized instruc
tion and more opportunities to diag
nose student learning needs.” the
president of the 1 8 million member
NEA explained.
"Additionally, we need a funda
mental reexamination of elementary
education in light of what we now
know about how children learn,”
Futrell continued "The quality of
elementary education often deter
mines students' later success or
failure "
Elementary schooling has getter-
ally been overlooked by the educa
tion reform movement - an over
sight that can cost the country
dearly in lost human resources, Fut
rell noted
"Millions of children have drop
ped out of school because their
special needs were overlooked in
the early, formative years," explain
ed Futrell "It's time to concentrate
attention on the pre kindergarten
and elementary learning environ
ment. Children spend 9,000 hours
in that environment — more than
twice the time they spend in high
school, more than the time they
spend in high school and college
POIC Needs Help
The first OIC was founded in
Philadelphia, Pa in 1964 and has
expanded into a network of compre
hensive employment training pro
grams across the nation
A National Organization Opportu
nines Industrialization Centers of
America, Inc. (O IC /A I serves the
local OlC's in 36 states through an
administrative office located in Phil
adelphia, Pa providing each affiliate
with technical assistance in the
areas of programs and fiscal
management and program planning
and operation
Locally, the Portland OIC has
been operational since 1968 and has
provided training and employment
opportunities to more than 12,000
economically disadvantaged, un
skilled, and unemployed individuals
in the Portland Metropolitan area
POIC offers a variety of programs
which impact upon the disadvan
taged, encompassing not only em
ploy merit training but an alternative
education system and strives for
community economic development
POIC has been hard hit with
severe budget cuts which have al
most crippled the existing organiza
tion "W e are down, but not out."
POIC is uniquely fortunate in the
dedication and committment of
both local and national resources
and owes a debt of gnttfTtide to
staff members and volunteers at all
levels of the organization.
We call upon those committed
individuals to come forward now
and help keep POIC as a viable en
tity in the "grass roots" of our
neighborhoods and community
Where the problems are where
our services are most needed - our
goal and reason for being is to do
what we at POIC do better than
anyone else FIND THEM, men ft
women of diverse ethnic back
grounds who have a need, — TRAIN
THEM, foi every American has held
tiefore them "The Dream" of ac
complishment, PLACE THEM —so
that they, tho formerly disadvan
taged, unemployed and unskilled in
our community, can become parti
cipants in the mainstream of Amer
ica, heroin Portland, Oregon- help
mg to become stronger individuals
and helping to build a better
community
Funds are needed, but also volun
teers in every phase of the organiza
tion are essential
For more information, volunteers
call Minnie Belle Johnson at 282
4951
For funding pledges, call Jo Puzi
(POIC) at 287 1271
We shall be
honored if all the community gets
involved in our struggle to maintain
a source of pride that Oregonians
deserve
combined."
Educational
research,
Futrell
added, shows clearly that smaller
class size has a positive effect on
student attitudes and achievements
— especially for low achieving and
disadvantaged students.
Futrell noted that current demo
graphic protections on the growth
of minority populations make smal
ler elementary classes more impera
tive than ever. Tomorrow's schools
will face a much more racially and
ethnically diverse enrollment There
are already 14 million immigrants in
the United States today, represent
ing more linguistic and cultural di
versity than this country has ever
experienced.
"A growing number of young
Americans will be nonwhite, poor,
deficient in English, and from bro
ken families in the years ahead,”
said Futrell
' We have to provide
these children with safety nets —
smaller class size is one - and give
them the full learning opportunities
they rightly deserve as American
citizens ”
Futrell said recent studies have
shown that class size affects stu
dent attitudes, interests, and moti
vation Students in smaller classes,
for example, are more intersted and
involved in subject matter
They
also display less apathy and frustra
tion.
Class size in elementary schools
currently ranges from 25 to 35 stu
dents or more
NEA supports an
optimum class size of 15 students at
the elementary level
States. NEA President Futrell also
made clear, should help children to
a better educational start by provi
ding mandatoiy kindergarten and
making programs for four year olds
available to all families
Two years ago, an NEA Task
Force on Educational Excellence
called on schools to offer develop
mental education for students at
age four
Overcrowded classes.
Where bigger isn’t better.
Imagine trying to divide your tunc equally
among k? or 4C employees a «.lay.
Till» is the daily dilemma teachers lace in
overvn>»vded classrooms. They must spend more
time with the low achievers, extra rime w ith the
brightest stud« nts, leas ing little time lor the rest
ot the class.
In most whools, a student gets hours ol
daily instruction But when a child needs special
eiuourageiiK'iit or one-on-one teaching, die or I r
is lucky to get ten minutes ot mdiy idual
attention a day.
Regardless of grade level or ability,
students achieve more as c lass sue is
nea
National Education .Association
T he S ubject I s E xcellence
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reduced. A student in a class ot 40 will score
It? points kiweron national tests than the same
student would in a class of 20.
We’ve also seen that smaller classes decrease
discipline prolilems. And they increase a student’s
sell esteem while also increasing a teacher’s job
satisfaction.
Reducing class sue is a primary goal ot the
NEA. We k now it is one ot the surest ways ot getting
education hack in the picture and on the track of
excellence. And that is our goal.
In over 128 years, th at’s never
wavered. We stand tor excellence in every
classroom, tor every child.
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