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Tips, Tricks, & Ideas for 3rd Grade Teachers

One day I have high hopes to stand in front of a classroom and be a role model to a class full of kids. Ideally, I would like to teach third grade, however, my passion for teaching will settle for other grades if necessary. One element that is nerve wrecking when going into the education field is the fact that the students' rely on you, and starting out without a lot of experience is scary. Below, I will discuss some various factors that can help me prepare for my future third graders.

  • Take advantage of their age - third graders are not little kids and they aren't anywhere close to being teens. They are at a young age where they still have an interest to learn, they yearn for a relationship with their teacher, and they care about their school. It is important to take advantage of this age group, because they are preparing to do things independently, however, still heavily rely on the teacher. 
  • Start the day with a "morning meeting" -  this can include a self-reflection, basic questionnaire, sharing good/bad news, "Word of the Day", etc. This fun way to start class gets the kids alert, in a good mood, and allows the teacher to make mental notes regarding her students for the day.
  • Brain Breaks - keeping a jar full of ideas for " brain breaks" can help motivate the kids to stay on topic in class. These Brain Breaks can consist of giving their classmates high fives, drawing for three minutes, the hokey pokey, etc. These fun ideas gives the kids a break, but then allows them to get back on track after they have a little breather.
  •  Invest in Fidgets - some children get antsy in class and this can cause disruptions in the classroom. They tend to grab or chew just about anything in order to keep themselves occupied. To avoid this teachers can invest in small toys such as squishy balls that allows them to have something in their hands, without making noise or being disruptive for others.

Comments

  1. Abby BaldwinOctober 30, 2018 at 4:27 PM

    Lauren, I also want to teach third grade. I love these tips, I am feeling the same way about not having as much experience when we first start out. Thanks for the ideas!

    ReplyDelete

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