Fourth Grade: Really, Nothing To Do?

Now I am going to admit I am a helicopter parent to some degree. My oldest entered into the fourth grade last year and I am here to say, 4th grade was a complete waste of time. Typically students are required to do the proverbial mission and cereal box projects. Sadly, today those projects come with lower expectations. Students are no longer required to do major parts of these projects like building a physical mission or doing oral presentations for each project. Today, kids are required to do powerpoint presentations, where they literally just need to stand up in front of the class and read of the screen what they typed. While I understand class sizes are higher, meaning less time to do such elaborate presentations, expectations should not drop for excellence. Then there is in class reading assignments. This is the first year where my daughter and other advanced reader were told they were not allowed to read ahead in class or even worse made to sit in the class and listen to book being read on tape!

What’s interesting, when I asked about other parents experiences in 4th grade, when we were in the thick of third grade. The vast majority of parents said it was a “easy” or a “breeze”. I’d like to add “not challenging” at all and “just the basics”. I know many parents have issues with every aspect of any level of schools. We all have different needs when it comes to our children’s own personal paths through education. I’ve learned in these last 5 years, someone is going to be left behind. It truly doesn’t reflect 100% on the educators but it really is shared across the whole community of the school. The district  has it’s fair share of responsibility. Last year I had learned that our district actually does not require each school to a curriculum plan for each of the grades.

Another portion of responsibility are the parents who make up the school community. This section is controversial because as parents we are truly delicate flowers when it comes to our children. Our children can do no wrong, our children are perfect, our children should be afforded all the luxuries that a private school has? That last one is the big bell sound you hear at a boxing match. At a private school, you get what you paid for, literally, money talks in a private institution. Money buys you those fun perks. In public education, money is nonexistent. The teachers receive fractions less in pay compared to their private comrades. Then there are special classes like art, dance and music which public or government funds do not pay for in public. That’s where the public parent clubs or PTA’s come into play. Their fundraising brings in the money for these basic and core programs that reaches every student in the school. But these parents who more for their child, want things that private schools provide. Those extras just for their child, cost more money. Money that some parents believe can just be taken from other students and used to pay for special services and programs for their child.

I digress! As parents we need to recognize more, that not only do our children (students) have limits and challenges, so does public education. As parents we need to recognize our one child is one many. Finding alternatives outside of other school is always your best option. The classroom has limitations and same goes with a public school. While I may sound down on 4th grade, I personally do not regret my choice in public education. While 4th grade was a bit like coasting in neutral, I made my voice be heard and some people listened. Did I change the process, maybe a little but my oldest experience so far has been stellar.