It is often assumed among administrators, teachers, and parents alike that the smaller the class size, the better the instruction, and consequently, the greater the academic achievement. After all, each teacher possesses a finite amount of time, focus, and energy, so it would seem that smaller class sizes would be ideal for preventing teachers from being spread too thin. But what if this assumption is wrong? Or, at least, what if the relationship between class size and academic achievement isn’t so simple? This is precisely what Malcom Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, explores in a chapter of David and
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