We find ourselves right in the middle of winter and right
in the middle of the school year. The frigid cold is upon us, the snowy banks
make for exhilarating snow slides and obstructed driving conditions. The
closets here in Room 202 are overflowing with winter gear and the floor is
sopping wet with the melted snow trudged in by all who spend their day here.
While winter is fast upon us it will change...soon.
We
often tell our children that life is about "change". We reiterate by
telling them that the only thing that really stays constant is the fact that
things change. They must journey through the changes in life and it's ours to
help them along.
As
a teacher working through my 13th year in a 4th grade classroom I can say with
confidence that fundamental changes occur during this particular grade level
unlike any other grade level. Yes, each grade level presents opportunities for
change and they most certainly do occur; but in 4th grade the change comes
threefold; emotionally, socially, and academically...intertwined with one another that produces a fascinating
effect.
Children's
emotional worlds are fragile at best. Winding through the road of life while
growing up presents many opportunities for first experiences with the human
emotions...often times one right after another. Kids easily go from one extreme
to another within minutes as they slowly learn how to deal with everything they
face. I find that kids of 9-10 years of age begin to gain more awareness of their
emotions; they seem to be more consistent than their younger counterparts.
Maybe that's why I enjoy teaching this age so much...for the most part they are
happy, content, and find fun in life.
The
social world of a 4th grader takes on new meaning just around this time of
year. Being confined to the indoors more often than not provides opportunities
for them to network with one another. Friends become all-important. Fitting in
with peers becomes a focus. Expressing their true colors becomes an art form of
sorts as they explore and find out who they really are. All the while, the
fragile emotions play a role in how they interact...testing limits and finding
comfort zones in their world. Another reason I enjoy working with this age
group...it allows me the opportunity to help guide kids in making good choices
for themselves.
Fourth grade bridges
the gap between primary and intermediate learning. It challenges kids to find
ways to organize themselves, to make meaning of complex ideas using a variety
of resources. It introduces a host of abstract concepts, pulling away from the
concrete-type learning that had taken place in years previous. As kids move
from concrete to abstract thinking, the connections in their brains multiply in
excess. They become more independent because they most likely feel more like an
"adult" in terms of how they view the world. At the same time,
however, they still must work through the emotions stated before as well as
navigate through the social situations in which they find themselves. The light
bulbs of knowledge "turn on" often in 4th grade, which for me, makes
for a rewarding experience.
The year is half-over.
I have already seen changes in kids since the first day of school. This becomes
my favorite time of year for the simple reasons that I feel I can more easily
relate to my students, I can teach them more abstract concepts, and I can watch
as they develop friendships...ones that often end up lasting a lifetime.
Mr. Casten
Jan. 10, 2014
Comments
Post a Comment