Being in small classes during first-grade positively affects students' overall academic performance in their later school years. In Tennessee, a Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio class-size reduction project found that students placed in small classes from kindergarten through third grade did better in high school, had higher graduation rates, had higher grade point averages and were more likely to attend college than other students. These positive effects occurred regardless of students' socioeconomic status.
In a large class, hands-on projects become time-consuming. If students learn how caterpillars turn into butterflies, for example, having each child physically observe the life cycle takes a lot of time out of the class daily routine. In a small classroom, however, the group of students can sit down together to observe the classroom caterpillar form a cocoon and then later watch it turn into a butterfly; they also can take turns caring for it, all in a reasonable amount of classroom time.
Small first-grade classes allow teachers and students more one-on-one interaction. If a student has a problem with a particular assignment, her teacher is can note it and address it more quickly than in a larger classroom. Furthermore, small classes have fewer distractions, allowing teachers to focus more on educating students and engaging them in activities than on dealing with classroom management issues.
Students who are in small classes are generally more motivated to participate in learning activities. At the first grade level, this desire to engage with learning materials helps to create a positive attitude for the future. Even in a classroom where all students work on a project together, small class sizes help everyone feel involved in learning, as opposed to feeling lost in the crowd or unable to get individual thoughts across.