Social Adjustments
Social Ranking
Only a few short months ago, your fourth grader was the “big 3rd grader” that their younger peers looked up to. Now they find themselves at the bottom of the upper-grade totem pole, so to speak. Many fourth graders are excited to be grouped with the older upper-elementary kids on the playground, however, while they have classmates their age to play with, for some fourth graders, this may still be somewhat of a difficult social situation to absorb.
Classroom Ratios
Upper-elementary grades have a higher student ration per classroom (34 students) than most students are accustomed to. Initially, this may be appealing to your fourth grader; however, students will still be expected to focus on the lessons at hand with less one-on one attention. This can be difficult for those students that see the larger class sizes as an opportunity for further socialization, and are easily distracted from their academics.
Fewer Recesses
Upper-grade students have only two recesses, as opposed to the three recesses that lower grade students are familiar with. While an extra 15 minutes in the classroom may not seem like much of a difference to an adult, believe me when I say it is the equivalent of a l.i.f.e.t.i.m.e. to a fourth grader! Students need to understand that their recesses are not just a social gathering time, but rather are opportunities to use the drinking fountains and, more importantly, the restroom!
Gray Matter & Tattling
Most incoming Fourth Graders still see the world as black and white. By this logic, however, if something isn't right, then naturally, it must be wrong, and visa versa. This kind of thinking can lend itself to tattling, however, and often for fairly insignificant acts. I address the differences between tattling and telling in great detail throughout the entirety of the school year, but it is always important to reaffirm these ideas in the home as well.
Friendships
As fourth graders begin to develop a sense of self, they commonly try on various personas. Some kids, for example, may become much more social than they were in the past, while others find a new interest in sports, a certain musical group, etc. This newly found individuality naturally leads students to form new friendships. Unfortunately, it can also mean pushing old friendships to the side. Obviously, this type of abandonment may be quite the traumatic experience for children who have not also developed new friendships.
Problem-Solving Expectations
Fourth graders are expected to solve most of their own social issues. As previously mentioned, tattling often becomes prevalent during this school year. Students will be asked to self-reflect, and most often will be re-directed to problem solve on their own (of course, emergency situations or repeated bullying will be handled by an adult). We will discuss the difference between tattling and telling, but there will be significantly less “hand-holding” as they mature into pre-teens.