Class sizes put stress on lab safety, student learning

West science classes are filled with students peering through microscopes, adjusting the flame on Bunsen burners, and measuring compounds for chemical reactions, safely conducting experiments and gathering lab data. All too often, however, these classrooms are also the site of students crowding around one another to grab lab equipment, scrambling to contain chemical spills, and carrying out trials without an easy means of teacher supervision. The National Fire Protection Association advises schools to set maximum class size for lab science classes at 24 students for classrooms with one teacher and standard square footage and safety features. NFPA also suggests that schools allocate 50 square feet of space per student in a lab, or 60 square feet in a combined lab-lecture room. However, many science classes at West have well over 24 students, leading to concerns from some staff and students.

Physics teacher Steven Oppman sees large class sizes as a potential safety hazard in science classes. He observes that science courses with high numbers of underclassmen generally have larger enrollment numbers, which presents additional challenges because these students may lack maturity and familiarity with the lab setting.

“It’s hard to supervise 27, 28 students, especially the freshman level where maybe they’re not as used to their procedures and how those operate safely,” he said. “It's just not physically possible to watch everything to make sure they’re behaving safely, wearing their goggles, making sure their Bunsen burner is attended, things like that.”

In the past, being unable to supervise students while they use Bunsen burners has created problems for Sara Dobish, a biology teacher and the chair of the science department at West.

“I’ve actually had a student set her hair on fire one time because her hair wasn’t tied back good enough, and we were working with Bunsen burners and it just lit up very quickly,” she said. “If I had had smaller class sizes, I don't think that would have happened because somebody bumped into her.”

Oppman has had a similar experience while teaching.

“I’ve had a freshman light a piece of plastic on fire, not intentionally, but it did produce a large flame momentarily,” he said. 

Sophomore Colton Wolff, whose biology class currently has 28 students, can see the difficulties created by limited lab space, although he is not as concerned about student safety.

“Sometimes it’s just kind of hard getting around, and trying to grab stuff for the lab,” he said.

Wolff also believes that more supervision could help manage the behavior of some students he has encountered in science classes. He described an incident when students broke a beaker because they were not properly following lab procedures.

“I think it was an accident, but they were still a little bit rowdier than the other kids,” he said.

Overcapacity is a widespread problem in the school’s science classes, according to Dobish.

“This affects pretty much all of them,” she said. “I think CAPP physics and CAPP chemistry are the only two that are under 24.”

Dobish also notes that the layout of some classrooms with lab spaces around the room instead of in one dedicated area exacerbates the possible safety issues caused by high numbers of students.

“The two chemistry rooms have an actual lab setup so that the teacher can see what everybody’s doing, but in other classrooms, when students are working at the side lab counters, their backs are to the teacher, so that makes it really difficult,” she said. “And then we’re so crammed in here, too, that when you have 28 kids, there’s literally nowhere to go.”

Junior Piper Crawford has experienced these crowded lab conditions, especially when she was a freshman in physical science.

“It was hard to even make it around the classroom because there wasn’t enough room for backpacks, so we would trip over them, which I imagine wouldn’t be safe if we’re handling fire,” she said.

Dobish notices that these challenges are not exclusive to West.

“I teach at North, too, and our classrooms over there are also small and packed tight,” she said. “The middle schools actually have better lab space than both high schools.”

According to Jacquelyn Kiffmeyer, the OASD’s Director of Secondary Schools, district administrators have been approached about safety concerns regarding chemical spills and student use of lab equipment in the past. Kiffmeyer says that administrators work continually to ensure student safety.

“When such concerns arise, district administration typically reviews safety protocols, class configurations, and resource allocation to address the issues,” she said. “In cases where class size becomes a concern, adjustments may be made to either split the class into smaller sections or provide additional staff support to ensure student safety and an effective learning environment.”

District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Samuel Coleman explains that the district must balance several considerations as it sets class size guidelines for schools, but remains devoted to student safety.

“Our class size guidance that we use is one to 27, and we use that for staffing purposes,” he said. “Then we have square footage allowances or restrictions that would help us determine how many students will be able to be accommodated in the classroom.”

The district makes special consideration for the unique hazards of certain classes and activities, according to Coleman.

“If it was a classroom where machines and power tools are being used, certainly the ability for one adult to be able to supervise however many students in that environment and things like that also are factored into considerations that would be identified when determining how many students would be in a classroom,” he said.

Kiffmeyer affirms that the district conducts routine safety drills and inspections to mitigate safety risks in lab settings, while also working with students and teachers to guarantee safety protocol is followed.

“The district takes several steps to ensure the safety of students in science classes,” she said. “These include training teachers on safety procedures, maintaining up-to-date safety equipment in the labs, and ensuring that class sizes are manageable to allow for proper supervision. Additionally, safety rules are reinforced with students regularly, and labs are closely monitored to ensure compliance with safety standards.”

Dr. Coleman notes that, while the size of many lab classes exceeds 24 students, the district adheres to regulations set by agencies overseeing the school district.

“We follow guidance that will be issued by the Department of Public Instruction as it pertains to supervision of students, also as it pertains to students and their use of equipment like power tools or equipment that would be used that will require additional supervision,” he said. “Those are considerations and then guidance that would be made available to us through the Department of Public Instruction through other oversight agencies like OSHA.”

During his time in the district, Coleman has not been made aware of teachers’ and students’ concerns about safety and overcrowding.

“What I’d be interested in is learning more about from a student perspective and staff perspective, have there been safety concerns identified, and if so, who have those concerns been communicated to?” he said.

Dobish recognizes that class size is ultimately dictated by student population and school funding, which are difficult to control. She describes steps that can be taken in the classroom to alleviate potential issues caused by overcrowding.

“On lab days, depending on what we’re doing, I'll have everybody move their backpacks to the back of the room or underneath the front counters, just to clear the walkway space a little bit,” she said. “We always give the lecture about making sure your hair is tied back, make sure you’ve got goggles on. Those are all safety things that we would do regardless of the size, but it is more important when you have big groups of kids.”

Beyond safety, fewer people in labs could offer advantages for students, according to Crawford.

“Smaller classes could mean more space,” she said. “You have stuff more spread out to work, so you learn more.”

Oppman sees potential instructional benefits of reducing the number of students in science courses.

“An extra three students, whether it’s lab work, whether it’s homework, that’s an extra group to get through,” he said. “It means I have to divide my time between more students. If everybody’s doing well, it’s not a big issue, but if a lot of people in the class need help, it’s hard to get around to help everybody that needs help before the end of the class.”

by Aria Boehler 

Published on February 24 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue V