I'm convinced that would revolutionize American education. We must reduce class size in the early grades to no more than 18 students per class and focus on reading . Smaller classes lift student achievement, particularly for minority and disadvantaged students. We must have small classes with teachers who are experts on reading and who can help all children to become good, independent readers by age 8. If we accomplish this one goal, a lot of our other education problems in the later grades will go away all by themselves.
Research shows that a combination of the two is the best way to go.
So let's stop fighting about reading and start teaching reading. The arts must become a part of every student's basic education. Children love to sing and dance and draw and create. The arts aren't a frill, they're a thrill for children. It's time to stop thinking we can get good teachers on the cheap .