Tips for New Teachers of the Fourth Grade

Fourth-grade teachers should instill in students a passion for learning.

New teachers are often full of anticipation and excitement at the beginning of a school year. Fourth-grade teachers should follow several tested tips for developing an effective classroom environment. Students for this age group are often eager to learn and to please authority figures. Fourth-grade teachers can implement several strategies to ensure an enjoyable and educational year for everyone involved.

Build a Positive Environment

Educators should work to build a positive learning environment. This begins with a trusting relationship between the teacher and students. Students should feel comfortable enough to share ideas and questions aloud. The teacher should show students that he is willing to help whenever it is needed. Hands-on activities can be used to give students a positive attitude toward learning and academic subjects. When students have an opportunity to use their hands, the monotony of worksheets breaks up. Educators should plan to use hands-on activities multiple times throughout each school day. When teachers emphasize the idea that students can become independent learners, students can enjoy learning more.

Establish Procedures

Various procedures should be established at the beginning of the school year. Teachers should show students procedures for everything that happens throughout the day. For example, when a teacher plays a certain song, students might line up for a particular class. A bulletin board should clearly state all the procedures. Students should know what is expected of them as they line up for the bathroom, turn in papers and find a reading spot. When teachers establish procedures, their fourth-graders will have a clear idea of how to behave correctly. Implementing these procedures early in the year will ensure that educators have more instructional time to spend with students and behavior problems will occur less frequently.

Create a Timeline

New teachers should develop a timeline for the year. Although this does not have to be followed every day, this gives new teachers an outline of the overall lesson structure and a strong plan to follow. By creating a timeline, educators realize what all needs to be covered and they can estimate the amount of time that should be spent on each concept. A timeline will help ensure that teachers do not spend time reviewing concepts they have already covered when the class should be learning new things.

Open Communication

Consistent communication should occur among the teacher, parents and administrators. Open communication will help ensure there is a strong support group established. The educator can use newsletters, a website, blog or phone calls to stay in touch with parents. Each adult should regularly communicate concerns or questions they may have with each other. This communication will help build a strong educational team that will have the best possible results for each student.

References

• "50 Ways to Motivate Kids"; Caralee Adams; September 2006
• "The Learning Strategies: Helping Students Learn How to Learn"; Masato Tsuchida; Feb. 20, 2002