Going from 6th to 3rd.. need all the advice you can give

I have only taught garde 6. After nine years I got excessed and got new job as a 3rd grade gen ed teacher in a ctt class. any and all advice about management, lessons etc is appreciated.

Message edited 7/14/2011 1:19:44 PM.

Re: Going from 6th to 3rd.. need all the advice you can give

Hi; honestly 3rd has always been my all time favorite. The children are still so anxious to please you; yet are still "babyish" enough to do fun stuff like "times table baseball" & want to play 7-up, etc.

3rd is a big jump from 2nd; chapter books; times tables.

(I never worked in a city school; just a private school--so not sure of specifics) & it may be tough b/c you're used to the middle school mentality. Personally 6th would be a nightmare to me (but I currently teach Pre-K) w/ the hormones & attitude & not wanting to work.

Good luck!

Re: Going from 6th to 3rd.. need all the advice you can give

Thanks so much

Re: Going from 6th to 3rd.. need all the advice you can give

I love 3rd grade!!! I agree it is considered a big transition grade, much more writing, chapter books, multiplication/division. The kids still love school, but are independent enough as well. Good luck!

Re: Going from 6th to 3rd.. need all the advice you can give

I taught 3rd grade for the first time this past year, after having taught 5th grade for the past 4 years (and 7th grade before that!).

Be patient with them in the beginning of the year. I used to expect much more stamina than they had to offer. By the end of the year, they had risen to the occasion, but in the beginning, I'd say that tasks were limited to 15 minutes for so.

Also, at the beginning of the year, I was convinced that my language was too sophisticated for them. My principal told me not to worry, to keep doing what I was doing because they would lift the level of THEIR work and THEIR talk to match mine. She was so right--and the administration was so impressed with the way my 3rd graders could discuss a math problem or a book with more sophisticated language.

It's definitely an adjustment..I'm actually going BACK to 5th because I didn't feel it was a good fit for me. But a lot of people that I teach with LOVE third grade--hopefully you will, too!