Third grade is a critical transition between the primary elementary grades and the upper elementary grades. It is also when students take their first MCAS exam. In developing my goals for my students, I considered the unique academic and socioemotional impacts of the pandemic on this class of students.
Goals I set for my students:
Students will work collaboratively with their peers.
Collaboration has been particularly difficult for the students in our classroom given the impacts of remote learning. It is important to note that this class of students went home halfway through their kindergarten year and experienced first grade remotely. In their second-grade year, they were discouraged from partner or collaborative work due to reduce the spread of infection. Developing the socioemotional skillset of collaboration is integral to ensuring that my students can succeed interpersonal and academically.
Students will develop confidence as critical thinkers.
The cognitive struggle of critical thinking is often very uncomfortable for students and can result in students giving up. Much of the content above the primary elementary grades requires students to utilize critical thinking skills.
Students will make text-self and text-world connections.
Aiding students in identifying connections between themselves, their world, and their community, to meaningful learning is critical for learning to be meaningful and authentic to each student. When learning becomes a meaningful and authentic experience, students become life-long learners.