Fourth Grade Standards

When I first entered my college education I always said I wanted to teach first or second grade. However, after working with some really amazing kids the past few years I've decided I really enjoy fourth grade. As stated in the Common Core California Standards for Language Arts this is the time when students go from learning to read and begin reading to learn. These students will be able to decode words accurately, understand and state how an author is making his or her point, make oral presentation, and learn new grammar rules. Chomsky says that our students’ “knowledge extends far beyond their experience”. (Crain, 354) Our students are hard wired with an understanding of how 
grammar should work. Even though our students are all from different cultures “they are guided by an innate knowledge of Universal Grammar; they automatically know the general form any language must take”. (Crain, 355) Language is such an important part of our lives. It is something we use every day, and need to have a clear understanding of. Even though our students may be able to grasp how grammar should work they still need someone their teaching them all about it. This is why as teachers we have such a HUGE responsibility to actually teach our students. We must go beyond talking at our students and simply stating facts. We must engage them and ensure that they are gaining all the knowledge they need. 
Crain, W. (2011) Theories of Development Concepts and Applications.  Upper Saddle River, NJ; Pearson Education, Inc. 

Grade Level Attributes

Student Information: Madison, a 7 year old in the second grade.

Physical Attributes: At the age of seven students are growing quite a bit every year. However, they still have their young children bodies. They will not begin to experience bodily changes for another couple of years. 

Madison has grown a few inches this past year. However, she still is a young girl and her body won't begin to change for another couple of years.  

Emotional Attributes: At age seven students are in the Latency Stage. Erikson says at this stage children can begin to feel "inadequate and inferior". (Crain, 290) The ego begins to grow a great deal in this stage. 

Madison does have days of feeling inferior. The other girls can shut her out and it makes her feel bad about herself. It is my job as her teacher to help her navigate through these feelings and stay strong. 

Cognitive Attributes: At age 7 children "are entering the stage of concrete operations" and can use identity, compensation, and inversion arguments. (Crain, 130) Madison can make decisions and has firm reasons behind that decision. Students should now be able to take others into account when making decisions. For example, they could buy a present for someone and it would be something that interests them. Students are currently transitioning between playing in an egocentric way to "following the rules and winning according to them".  (Crain, 135) Piaget also says that at age 7 "children usually complete their discoveries" of dreams. (Crain, 137)

Madison fits this model for the most part. She makes very clear decisions and is always taking others into account. Madison has already left the egocentric play stage though. She follows the rules and wants others too as well. 

Psychological Attributes: Frued's theory would place Madison at the Latency Stage. "As the name suggests, sexual and aggressive fantasies are now largely latent; they are kept firmly down in the unconscious."(Crain, 266)Frued says that in the latency stage the "child possesses a new composure and self-control" (Crain, 267) 

Madison has great self control, but doens't always retained good composure. She is young and can still get upset over little things. For the most part, however, she is always happy and bubbly. 

Moral Attributes: In Kholberg's Stages of Moral Development Madison would be at stage two: Individualism and Exchange. Kholberg says at this stage "children recognize there is not just one right view". (Crain 160)  Madison understands that everyone has there own point of view and that its okay for it to be that way. 

Social Attributes: Vygotsky says that "at the age of 6 or 7 years, children begin to carry out dialogues more inwardly and silently". (Crain, 229) He also says that students at the age of seven ignore memory aids. They will rush into a task without taking time to really hear whats being asked of them. Piaget says that "between ages 4 and 7 years about 25% of all speech is egocentric". (Crain, 234)

Madison has become more quite and does more inward thinking. She also rushes into tasks. However, she will stop and ask for help when she needs it.

Sociogram Inventory

I decided to do a sociogram inventory of my class at the daycare I work at. My class is comprised of students from kindergarten through sixth grade. I asked my students "Which three friends would you most want to play with in class?" Throughout the time they were answering I observed a few interesting things. 

My younger student (kinder through third grade) chose students of the same gender. On the other hand, my older students (fourth through sixth grade) seemed to choose students based more on popularity. Gender didn't seem to play a role with my older students like it did for the younger students. 

I also noticed among my younger students there seemed to be a short of clique if you will. Faith, Ariel, and Ashley seemed to be with each other and that's it. So after I was done with my inventory I watched them interact throughout the day and it turns out I was correct in my assumption. These girls hang out with each other a few other selected girls.  

"Which three friends would you most want to play with in class?"

Faith- Ariel, Ashley, Jaylah

Ariel- Ashley, Faith, Jaylah

Ashley- Faith, Ariel, Jaylah

Isabella- Jayleen, Jocelynn, Anahy

Jaylah- Isabella, Jayleen, Ashley

Bryance- Jayleen, Melody, Isabella

Melody- Bryance, Nathan, Anthony

Nathan- Anthony, Melody, Kylah

Anthony- Nathan, Melody, Kylah

Kylah- Alyssa, Melody, Nathan

Alyssa- Kylah, Melody, Nathan

Jocelynn- Isabella, Jayleen, Anahy

Anahy- Jocelynn, Isabella, Anthony

Jayleen, Jocelynn, Isabella, Jaylah

Cultural Inventory

I was born in Moab, Utah, but was brought to California with my adoptive parents at two weeks old. I grew up as an only child. My parents always told me my responsibility was to get an education. I did chores here and there growing up and cooked a little. However, my number one job was always to be my schooling. I am currently finishing up my college degree in education. My father graduated from the University of Southern California. His parents, my grandparents, finished high school, but never attended college. My mother attended a few classes at Fresno City College, but never got a degree. Her father ,my grandfather, dropped out of school after sixth grade in order to be the man of the house and take care of his siblings. Her mother, my grandmother, finished high school, but did not attend college. My mother, her parents, and I only speak English. My father and his parents on the other hand, speak English and some Italian. I am trying to pick up some of the Italian. I think it is a beautiful language.
Being my parents only child they were very protective of me. They both wished I would not date util I was at least sixteen, however, that was not the case. As far as marriage goes, my parents must approve. Which is a rule of mine as well as theirs. My dad and his family are very old fashioned. They don't me living with a man until we are married. I can't bring a man home until we are basically ready to get married. My mom and her side of the family are much more welcoming. They are always inviting whoever I am dating or my cousins are dating to our gatherings.
Christmas is our big family get together. We use to get together more when my cousins and I were young, but now we are all adults. My mom's family has a fairly low key get together with southern food. It has never really been the same since my grandpa passed away. He was an amazing cook. My dad's family has very high class affairs with some amazing homemade Italian food. My favorite food at these gatherings is always my Grammy's gnocchi's, which my aunt now makes.
My mom was born in Oakdale, Louisiana just like her father (my grandpa). Her mom, my grandma was born in a town called Appleton in Colorado. My dad was born in San Jose, California. His parents, my grandparents, were born in Los Banos, California. My great-grandparents immigrated from Italy as teenagers. They found themselves in Los Banos, California and that's where the family has stayed.
My mom, her parents, and I are Irish, Scottish, English, and probably a few other things as well. My dads family is all Italian.

Teacher Juli

My name is Julianne Nicoletti. I have been working at local daycares since I graduated high school. Currently I am helping run a grade school program which has given me a peek at what my career will be like.

I have wanted to be a teacher since I started school at the age of five. However, my second grade teacher was and still is my biggest inspiration! I have always been helping kids younger than myself. I love that expression on their face when something finally clicks. To me that expression is moe rewarding than anything else in this world.

I would love to teach third or fourth grade! However, where I live jobs are harder to come by so I have to be realistic and would work kindergarten to fourth maybe fifth grade. I will need a few years under my belt before I try teaching sixth grade. We have a few sixth grade students in the program I run and I have the hardest time with them.

My personality type is ESFP. I am an action-oriented person. I live life to the fullest and like to get tasks done. I think this has and will continue to make me a good teacher. However, it does cause challenges from time to time. Young children like to talk and goof off while I am focused on getting the task at hand done. In my job now there are days where I feel stressed because there are students that have trouble listening and following directions. I feel that this is a challenge I will overcome with time and experience.

My learning style is auditory as well as visual. This posed its challenges when I was a student. However, I feel that as a teacher it will help me because I understand that I need to teach my lessons in every way possible. I need to have ways of teaching so tat every student has an equal opportunity of gaining the information. That being said, every lesson will have a visual part, an auditory part, as well as some form of a hands on activity part.