Exploring Teacher Student Ratio 1

When people talk about the education system, they often mention teacher-student ratio in the classroom as if it is a big source of the problem. They always push for a low student-high teacher situation, as if this is a panacea. The reality is much more complicated, as different student-teacher ratios will arise depending on the situation, since they all actually have their own advantages, uses, and disadvantages.

1. Two or more instructors to a student, pampering or inquisition?
This special situation happens more often than people realize when a student requires special attention. The benefit is that different instructors can perceive different needs of the student and thus offer a change that other instructors may not yet have considered. Often, there is an order of seniority among the instructors so that any conflict between instructors is swiftly resolved. The junior instructor may also be undergoing training from a senior instructor, and there is a good chance that the overall level of instruction will improve as time passes. While this special attention might appear as pampering a student, it can quickly degenerate into a sort of inquisition when the student or the junior instructor faces question from everyone else in the class. It is worth noting that this situation is similar to what some might face at a job interview or thesis dissertation.   While having many instructors can improve the chance that a student can learn the topic at hand, it should be noted that at least half the instructors will not be teaching in any time. Most education system can’t afford to “waste” valuable time, money, and resources to provide multiple instructors to a student for a class. There also is danger of the student feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by the presence of many “superiors.” It is the writer’s opinion that this situation is reserved for students with very special needs or with plenty of money to burn.