Fifth-graders’ desks in Vicki Robertson’s class are arranged in clusters for two reasons: It’s easier for students to do group work, and it gives her 29 students more space to move around the room.
That’s one of the adjustments the Pinckney Elementary teacher has made to accommodate her large classes. She has 30 students in one English lesson, which is the maximum allowed by state regulation.
So what does Robertson think about the state potentially eliminating the cap on the size of some classes statewide?
“Oh wow! I’m making it work with the space I have,” she said. “But when you have more students, they have more needs and challenges.”