Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.

Smaller class sizes do not necessarily create an environment that’s more conducive to learning.  While larger class sizes are obviously an issue, Gladwell points out that we have become “obsessed with what is good about small classrooms and oblivious of what can also be good about large classes.”  A classroom with a medium size, 18–24 students, is ideal. Anything less and you lose the unique excitement that comes from a critical mass of engaged students, the vibe of discussions, the thrill of discovery.