Large vs Small School Differences

Every school is different. It doesn’t matter where your school is located, the demographics of your students, or their age group. Two seemingly identical schools on paper are still going to have vastly different cultures and norms, simply because everything within the school – including classes, other students, teachers, and more, are all going to differ between locations.

Something as simple as which parents choose to live in that particular community can vastly alter how students learn and what they respond to best. One of the most common differences between schools has to do with size. What works at a large school won't work at a small school (or may not be ideal) and vice versa.

As you research your teaching strategies, there are many issues that relate to school size that you need to take into account.

Demographics – While many will argue that class size is probably the most important difference between small and large schools, one of the most apparent differences is in demographics. Smaller schools tend to be in areas that attract a very specific type of people, while larger schools tend to have a far more diverse student population. These differences affect how you'll teach these types of classes and what needs to be done to guarantee success in the student population.

Class Size – Of course, class size is the most common difference that affects school size, and something you'll need to monitor closely. Class size also affects teacher quality. Some teachers may be better suited for larger classrooms.

Other may be better suited working one on one with individuals. These will play a role in student outcomes. Location and Culture – Smaller schools may be in rural communities or private.

Larger schools may be in big cities or rural communities with few school options. Location and culture matter, and relate back to the idea that demographic changes affect teaching methods, programs, and student outcomes. Class Choices – Larger schools have the option of offering a more diverse array of classes.

That means that larger schools need to study what classes should be available, whether or not there needs to be a class to bridge between two classes, etc. Small schools have fewer options, and maximizing those options as best they can needs to be their priority. Isolation – While this may affect smaller schools more often than larger schools – or at least, large schools in smaller areas – isolation may have an effect on teaching as well.

You need your students to be prepared to go into any school in the country. In large cities, students may have been exposed to a broader array of information. In small cities, the isolation may have caused students to miss out on important learning opportunities outside the classroom.

These may need to be addressed within the classroom to compensate. Teacher Biases – A problem that affects smaller classes is teacher biases. In a small class, because of the one on one instruction, a teacher's bias may become more apparent, and may affect how the teacher interacts with students.

In a large classroom, because the entire class is addressed at once, these problems may be muted. Student Life – School size can also affect student life dramatically. A bullied child has fewer friends to turn to in a small school.

A larger school may make it harder to develop deep friendships. A small school may be easier to manage in terms of misbehavior, but a larger school may have more after school programs and sports to keep children interested. All of these are examples of some of the ways that school size is important, and plays a role in how you develop your curriculum, the teachers you employ, and so on.

Your school needs to address issues relative to all of the factors that make it the unique school that it is. Size matters, and with the right tools and research, you can maximize how well you use that size to your advantage.