In Addressing Learning Differences… Small is

Better at The Concept School

by Harry Hopkins
In business or the public sector, the size of an organization can make all the difference in how quickly it
can change and adapt new ideas to our incredibly dynamic world. I believe that in educating students
with diverse abilities and learning differences, small can also be better. At the Concept School (TCS)
just such a dynamic school exists — small classes, student leadership/mentoring opportunities between
middle school and high school, and a highly integrated interdisciplinary. As a teacher at The Concept
School, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to both witness and contribute in the effectiveness of the
“small is better” idea.
Often students with learning differences must attend large schools where classrooms can number 20 to
30 or even more students. The ability of a teacher to understand a student and adapt a lesson for that
specific student is extremely difficult, if not impossible, with high classroom numbers. The teacher of a
classroom with a large number of students is also hard pressed to continuously access and provide
feedback to students at a tempo that students with learning differences require.
A TCS classroom size averages a ratio of eight students to one teacher. This small ratio allows a TCS
teacher the opportunity to focus and understand their individual student’s motivations, abilities and
learning preferences — thus enabling the development of specifically targeted lesson plans. This small
classroom ratio also allows time, on a regular basis, to work one-on-one with a student — accessing
their understanding and giving them specific feedback on their progress.
The small size of my computer class allowed me to take advantage of the special interests and creative
ideas of my students. For example, my students worked on individual spreadsheet projects that
connected to their unique interests, like roller coasters and baseball. The small class size also allows a
spontaneous redirection in a lesson plan when a new idea or learning opportunity arises. Case in point,
after working on a computer-based research project on pioneers, one of my students had the idea of
creating a set of pioneer trading cards using the Internet and graphics software. With a big class,
redirecting an assignment, providing new guidance and instruction on the fly would be a Herculean
effort. The small class size made it very doable.
A small school can also enable leadership and mentoring opportunities for students. At TCS we have a
Peer Leadership Council which is comprised of selected students (peer leaders) in the 11th and 12th
grade. The peer leader both learns and develops from their experience of setting an example for a
younger student with respect to behavior and accountability. TCS also matches younger students with
older student mentors who have similar learning differences. This relationship can give the younger
student a successful model to emulate and strategies to better self-manage their learning differences.
At TCS, we also use a class-to-class leadership approach. My high school geometry class created,
developed and successfully supervised an outdoor geometry riddle/scavenger hunt for the middle
school. This activity was ideal for activating prior learning for a middle school class about to start a
section in geometry. The middle school students also enjoyed the challenge of an activity created by
their upper schoolmates. For the high school class, the exercise not only reinforced their geometry
knowledge, but provided an opportunity for the development of their leadership skills as well. In a
separate middle and high school system this would have been a most challenging and time consuming
enterprise.
Perhaps the most compelling reason for the success of our small school/small class approach is the
ability to have a truly integrated staff — administration, teachers and learning support. When I worked
at a large, traditional school it was not uncommon for me to deal almost exclusively with other math
teachers. I hardly ever talked with school administration or teachers from other disciplines (e.g.
English, Social Studies, etc.). Such “stove-piping” can create blind- spots in a teacher’s knowledge of
students — especially students with learning differences. At TCS, the “whole school” is the student’s
team. A given student’s progress and development is discussed among the staff on an almost daily
basis. This allows the staff to not only keep current on a specific student’s progress, but to address
significant student issues in a consistent and timely manner.
The small size of TCS also allows content to be connected from different disciplines with much more
ease then a larger school. For example, many of the projects in my computer class were designed to
support content in other classes. I had students use PowerPoint and Excel software to complete work on
their solar system study. This supported the student’s ongoing work in science class. These assignments
not only developed computer skills, but reinforced concepts learned in other classes. This can be very
productive for students with learning differences who might need the lesson material presented from a
hands-on/visual perspective. In our learning environment, where curriculum is always adaptive to meet
the needs of the students, we are able to identify and develop cross-discipline connections because of
the daily teacher interchange.
A small, integrated staff also readily supports the use of guest-instructors. A small school is attuned to
the talents and special skills of its staff, so opportunities are easily identified and coordinated. Guest
teaching can present different expertise and teaching styles. For students with learning differences
exposure to multiple approaches can increase the chance of the student connecting and understanding
the lesson objectives. At TCS, I had the pleasure of guest instructing in a physical science class for
several weeks. I took advantage of my experience as an engineer and taught the students basic
aeronautics while they designed and constructed a wind tunnel. I was also able to put my military
experience to good use while guest instructing in a film seminar class — guiding students through an
historical and leadership study of the movie “12’ O Clock High.”
I believe small classes within a small school setting can significantly improve the learning environment
for all students, especially for students with learning differences. Smaller classes give teachers time and
space needed to establish a relationship in which specific lesson activities can be targeted to a given
student along with the appropriate feedback. A small school also provides fruitful connections between
the middle and high school students. So students in leadership and mentor roles can help other students
as well as themselves. A small, highly integrated staff enables the whole school to act on behalf of a
given student and provide consistent and timely support. A small school can also foster
interdisciplinary connections and the full use of the school’s expertise as guest or supporting teachers.
When it comes to education, “small is better” may be a method to seriously consider.