Before becoming an Elementary Instructional Coach I was a
middle school Math Teacher. However, it wasn’t until recently that my thoughts
around the drop in student academic achievement and performance, and a
student’s academic mindset were challenged. Like many middle school teachers I
often placed the blame on students lacking basic skills and knowledge, as well
as overall preparedness and motivation on their elementary experiences and
elementary school teachers. However, after reading and present the article, “Research Says… / Don't Wait Until 4th Grade to Address the Slump,” to our current 4th grade team of teachers, I found out that the drop in student performance and
academic achievement is much more than a simple blame the elementary teachers,
and in fact is a common observance that begins with student as early as fourth
grade!
In the article researchers share ideals around the top
contributing factors to a drop in student learning and achievement beginning in
fourth grade. Three noted contributing factors include: Lack of domain specific
knowledge, variations in vocabulary knowledge, and “learning to read” vs. “reading
to learn”
Some key takeaways that I gathered from the article that I
found extremely beneficial to my work of supporting teachers includes the
following suggestions: 1.) Boosting vocabulary 2.)Providing consistent direct
instruction to build content knowledge. 3.) Establishing a positive school
culture.
I invite you to read the article “Research Says… / Don't Wait Until 4th Grade to Address the Slump,”
and to share your thoughts…Do you agree that the positive academic mindset for students really shifts as early as 4th grade?
Woods,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! As a teacher, it often bothered me when I would hear teachers say " my students do not come to me with any skills." In fact, my first few years I often said it too. Perhaps, it was the school culture, or I was repeating the things I heard from older teachers. It wasn't until later in my career that I begin to understand that as a teacher we teacher no matter what level our students come us. However, that is a different topic. All that to say that 4th grade is slippery slope like many other grades. In my opinion, 3rd grade is the critical grade when we need to catch students slumping. It is my opinion that earliest grades teachers should focus heavily on helping children with social skills, loving school, and taking on challenges. I put that theory to test my one year in kindergarten and was rewarded by all my students enjoying school and having the most academic growth in the entire school for that year. Once, kids enjoy school they can learn easier; moreover, that love should carry them directly to 4th grade and beyond. I think once kids start to stop liking school their learning will begin to dwindle. Unfortunately, after kids get a good taste of third grade, their love learning is often lost before it reaches 4th grade.
Recently, I begin to ponder what if leaders were better motivators of people and in return, teachers were better motivators of students. Would this help to boost more student growth?
Gerard,
DeleteI absolutely think leaders play a critical role as motivator which in turn affects teachers. I am a firm believer of the growth mindset and as educators we need not only model this but have to teach it to our students so that they can view learning differnetly.
I too was a middle school teacher. However, I used to tutor students PK-12 as a homeless tutor with APS. I agree with Gerard; students seem very enthusiastic about school in my experience until they start standardized testing. My cousin who tutored me in Calculus had to get her son a math tutor in 3rd grade because of all of the battles with homework. How can we balance the love and joy of learning with the need to test students?
ReplyDeleteJatisha,
DeleteStandardized testing is a huge barrier for several students and their love for learning. In regards to balancing the love and joy of learning with the need to test students, like a stated to Gerard, I think helping students to develop a growth mindset is one way.