One Room Schools Still Successful
commentary by Shelby Till | February 02, 2012
Rural schools have dealt with a number of hardships within the past several years. From budget issues, to closing down schools all together, it seems like the existence of small rural education is ending at an alarming rate. But, through all the hardships, people are still continuing to fight for the ability to keep small schools within their community and I believe it's time that we take a step back and look at the success that these educational institutions have had, especially one-room school houses.
There are only about 400 one-room school houses left in the United States at this time. A decade ago, that number was about double. Most of the schools are located within impoverished or isolated areas around the west and mid- west. Montana has the largest number of schools—around 90, while Nebraska, who comes in second, has about 75 one-room schools that are still functioning.
In most of these schools, there are only a limited number of students. That number can range from one student and one teacher to about 18 students, one teacher and a teacher's assistant and the students can range in grade from kindergarten to high school. A benefit of a smaller number of students is the smaller student-teacher ratio that is a current problem in many public schools today. As a result, teachers are able to have more one-on-one time with each student and create customized curriculums for each student that fits their specific needs.
Students who attend one-room school houses are able to learn at their own pace also. They have more time to spend on a certain subject, instead of having to keep up with the rest of the class. If a student is having a hard time with fractions, the teacher can just create more lessons and exercises for the student until they master the topic. The teacher at Lennep Elementary in Meagher County, Montana says that all four of her students are advancing at a extremely rapid pace because they are able to truly grasp each concept before moving on to the next. A large amount of students are even learning material a year or two ahead of their actual grade, allowing them to continually be challenged.
Studies have even shown that rural students, like the ones in Montana, normally do better on standardized tests, compared to children enrolled in a larger, more traditional public school. Teachers say these children are able to learn the core topics such as math, reading, writing and science, but they also have time for subjects that include cooking, woodshop, music, arts and crafts and physical education; which are all subjects that are being cut from larger schools now.
"You know, I think eventually education is going to have to stop and look at the example set by a one-room school and say, 'Oh, my, maybe they weren't deprived," said Moni Hourt, a teacher at Glen School in Sioux County, Nebraska. "Many, many things have been done correctly in a one-room school and the results are there to read in history, if you just turn the right page."
The last thing I want to mention, that really gives small school houses an advantage, is the community involvement with the schools. Residents of those communities take pride in their school and will support it in anyway possible whether it is by a donation or attending the annual Christmas pageant. Many times, the school is the only thing holding the community together. Without it, the town would fade into oblivion and students would be forced to travel hours a day just to attend school. Parents are extremely involved with their children's education, which is also something that traditional public schools are often missing.
So while everyone is asking for reform in education, maybe people should look back to the basics and move to a simpler system where students earn a well-rounded education with individualized instruction time and have the support of the community. One-room schools houses may seem out of date, but their values can still be used for years to come. These children are not missing out on anything. In fact, it seems as though they are gaining more of an education than the average public school child is today.
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