3rd grade vs. 4th grade

[liv luv laf]

I am a teacher at a k-8 school and I am currently teaching 7th and 8th grade science which I love. I was very hesitant when the principal first asked me to take on Science and these grade levels. I have worked in kindergarten and third grade classrooms and loved being with the younger students... I was afraid of the big kids, their attitudes, hormones, etc. but I have found that I love it!! I am able to do so much with them academically and they work well independently. I have recently been offered to teach 3rd or 4th grade. I am familiar with the third grade classroom as I was a teacher's assistant for two years. I am not as familiar with fourth grade . If anyone has taught both grades and can enlighten me on some differences that would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Bucki]

taught both

and there isn't much difference. You might want to check out the curriculum for both grades and see what excites you more.

 

[SusanTeach]

3rd and 4th

It really depends on the person, but I can tell you how I feel. I'm a looping teacher, so I've taught 3rd and 4th grades, and had the same group of students for both grades. I absolutely loved teaching 3rd! I thought it was just the group of kids that I had, but I know now that it was the grade. I love the curriculum, the way the students still love me and school, etc... In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I requested to go back down to 3rd and stay there. The "stress" factor (although I don't consider it one) is the state testing in 3rd grade. The "stress" factor in 4th is the state writing test. I don't prefer to teach writing, so that's part of the reason I don't enjoy that grade as much. However, if you like the older kids you might like it. I have colleagues that love 4th and would prefer that grade because they like older kids. Works out great for me!