changing grades

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Home : 2003 : January : 21

changing grades
By fiona

I have taught fifth and sixth, very much enjoying fifth in particular. But I have been in third for a few years and absolutely love it. The children are very much like fifth graders in that they are "on the brink'- ready
to launch into new developmental and intellectual areas- so much growth and limitless enthusiasm for learning and growing! They are tender little hearts and need TLC and the expectation to become independent- gradually. All teaching is such a huge responsibilty, but third grade is one of those ages where the chilren are beginning to "separate" a little from parents and really look up

to you- flattering, but more importantly, a lot of responsibility and the potential for lifelong memories of learning and love of reading,math and lots of interesting content area topics. Good luck- I hope you love it as much as I have been blessed to love such a job- sappy but true.(can you tell the gang I had last year is a distant memory?) Read up on some child devlopment tests- Gesell Institute are some of my favorites "Your Eight Year Old" "Your Nine Year Old" etc.. these are just for benchmarks- not set in stone. Alos, become very familiar with leveling of texts and reading asessment- this year is crucial to pulling reading together and comprehension at higher levels as well as idetnifying children who may need more intervention. In math, your upper grade levle experience will come in very handy- you know what the outcome of basic concepts willl become and can waeve some more advanced and integrated topics into your teaching with fluency. Your more advanced students will be stimulated and stretched while you are still teaching the "average"
students and more- everybody benefits.
Again, good luck- sorry I wrote so much- just a great age!!!!!!