I taught at a very large public school for a number of years. I had about 34 students in each class, which makes it very challenging to provide each student with the individual attention and support they deserve. Then I became a teacher at 91¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ. What a change it has been! I teach in a small townhouse setting with small class sizes that allow me to tailor the lessons to my student’s interests. The largest classes at 91¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ have 9 or 10 students. As a result, I can provide each of my students with individualized attention.
During my first year at the school, I had a student who was very shy. She did not want to say a word.  At our school you notice this kind of thing. I knew that English was not her first language, and wondered if this contributed to her shyness in class.   However, once she started turning in her homework, I realized that she was a wonderful writer in English! I had the opportunity to stop her after class on day and complimented her on her writing. Â
I also took the opportunity to ask her why she did not participate in class discussions. She told me she was very shy and was afraid she would be teased. I told her that, at 91¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ, she did not have to worry about that in class. In our small classes, students embrace differences. She listened! And the next day, she bravely answered a question in class. Nobody laughed; in fact, it generated a great conversation!
All of her teachers took the time to give her individual attention, and by the end of the year, she’d developed into a confident public speaker, ready to share her opinions! I think that having small and supportive classes at 91¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ encouraged her as she found her voice in the classroom.