Summary-Response Essay 1 Draft

Smaller Class, Bigger Profit

In “Is Anybody Listening,” David Daniels claims his opinion about the present lecture system. He argues that the traditional lecture teaching is inadequate and the students don’t work hard on learning, either. He points out that it’s difficult to “listen intelligently;” however student should try to question the professors and give some feedback. He emphasizes the importance of small classes. Daniels thinks that in small classes, the ideal of “active learning” can be realized. Students can discuss with each other and with the professor, gaining individual attention, to get the better “intellectual growth.” As far as I am concerned, small classes can fit into the educational goals and benefit both students and professors with positive influence.

Small classes can offer students a more flexible and individualized curriculum. The professor can discuss the topic of each lecture with students, choose the suitable materials for them, adjusting the pace and styles of teaching depending on the condition of the students’ absorption and comprehension. Students can also participate in lecture planning more actively and pay more attention to what they are lectured. Owing to the negotiation between two sides, students can know and get what they need to and prefer to study and work on. Professors and students can fine-tune the contents and models in class whenever they think that the traditional ones are not adequate or not enough. On the contrary, the style of a big class might not be easy to be altered because of the large numbers of students, which results in the difficulties to meet everyone’s needs.

Active interaction and feedback can be best practiced in the small classes. Students in smaller class can be assigned with essays and get close, direct, and beneficial instruction and advice upon their work. When carrying the experiments, students in small class can observe the professors demonstrate in short distance and gain detailed information as well as instruction. Students can also form small discussion groups, which are under the assistance of professors, and begin to share and clarify their idea, opinion, criticism, and research on the subjects. They can study case report claiming and absorbing information they gather, and to discuss the question and suspicion from their studying, at the same time, solving their doubts and confusion about what they study.

The establishment of small classes shows a lot of advantages in schooling, which is beneficial to both teachers and students. Students can learn what meets their needs, gaining individual attention, well instructed. Professors can understand better about the students’ response upon learning. Even though large lecture classes in the university may still have its own necessity, small classes are certainly highly recommended for some courses. In this way, both teaching and learning can attain and maintain its efficiency and quality.