The Upper Elementary Years; Ensuring Success in Grades 3-6

by Christine Finnan

• ISBN13: 9781412940986
• ISBN10: 1412940982
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-11-10
• Publisher: Corwin Pr

Summary

"This book reminds me that I became a fifth grade teacher because that time in a child's life is amazing and critical. This book should be required reading for every teacher, especially ones going into the upper elementary grade levels." -Tracy Pinnell, Fifth-Grade Teacher Sheppard Accelerated Elementary School, Santa Rosa, CAHelp your upper elementary school students thrive and achieve!A positive educational experience in the upper elementary years sets the stage for a child's long-term success in school. With increased testing and accountability requirements, upper elementary teachers are challenged to help students master required content while responding to each child's unique needs and way of learning. This inspiring book presents a child-centered teaching approach for Grades 3'6, one that helps build students' sense of confidence, belonging, and accomplishment.Written by a passionate advocate for upper elementary students, this guide offers teachers detailed information about child development and effective teaching practices uniquely targeted for 8- to12-year-olds. Readers will find: A thorough look at how upper elementary children develop as learners, based on comprehensive research Teaching strategies and assessment techniques to help students master upper elementary curriculum A discussion of diversity issues, including race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic background, language, and exceptionalities Informative case studies and firsthand insights from students, teachers, and administratorsGain the knowledge you need to grow professionally and serve your upper elementary students more effectively.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Purpose and Audience	p. ix
Background	p. xi
Organization of the Book	p. xii
Data Sources and Collection	p. xii
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Publisher's Acknowledgments	p. xvii
About the Author	p. xix
Why Focus on Upper Elementary Grades and Students?	p. 1
Upper Elementary Children and Grade Levels	p. 4
Defining Upper Elementary Teachers: Their Practice and the Profession	p. 5
Developmentally Appropriate Practice	p. 5
Professional Support	p. 7
Advocating for Upper Elementary Students	p. 8
Development of 8-to 12-Year-Old Children	p. 11
Development as Learners	p. 13
Cognitive Development	p. 14
Language Development	p. 18
Development as Individuals and Members of Society	p. 19
Development of Sense of Self	p. 20
Autonomy and Relatedness	p. 22
Doing What Is Right	p. 23
Physical Development	p. 25
Refining the Broad Strokes of Generalizations	p. 26
Children as Members of Groups	p. 29
Situating Group Differences: Biological, Cultural, and Societal Influences	p. 30
Biological Influences	p. 30
Cultural Influences	p. 31
Social, Historical, and Economic Influences	p. 32
Ethnic and Racial Group Affiliation	p. 33
Race and Ethnicity: Relation to Achievement	p. 35
Race and Ethnicity: Relation to Social Development	p. 37
Socioeconomic Group Affiliation	p. 39
Socioeconomic Influences on Achievement	p. 40
Socioeconomic Influences on Social Development	p. 42
English-Language Learners	p. 42
English-Language Learners and Achievement	p. 45
English-Language Learners and Social Development	p. 46
Gender Affiliation	p. 48
Gender and Academic Achievement	p. 49
Gender and Social Development	p. 50
Gender and Physical Development	p. 53
Exceptional Learners	p. 53
Achievement of Exceptional Learners	p. 54
Social Development of Exceptional Children	p. 54
The Holistic Child: Mixing Group Identities	p. 56
Individual Developmental Differences	p. 59
Individuals as Learners	p. 62
Variation in Cognition and Intelligence	p. 63
Variation in Motivation to Learn	p. 64
Variation in Expressions of Creativity	p. 66
Exceptional Variation	p. 66
Variation in Development of Self-Concept and Social Competency	p. 67
Physical Variation	p. 69
Summary	p. 71
Children's Lives Outside of School	p. 73
The Multiple Contexts of Children's Lives	p. 75
Family and Home	p. 76
Friends and Peers	p. 79
Neighborhood and Community	p. 82
Other Important Contexts	p. 86
How Children Spend Time Outside of School	p. 88
Adult-Organized, Sponsored, or Supervised Activities	p. 90
Child-Driven Activities	p. 91
Summary	p. 94
The School Environment: Supporting Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 95
School Role in Developing a Sense of Accomplishment	p. 98
Defining and Measuring Accomplishment	p. 98
Adult Expectations for Accomplishment	p. 99
Student Expectations for Accomplishment	p. 99
School Role in Developing a Sense of Belonging	p. 99
Inviting Spaces and Warm Adult Relations	p. 100
Belonging Within the Peer Network	p. 102
Extending the Sense of Belonging to Family	p. 103
Extending Belonging to the Community	p. 104
School Role in Engaging Students Academically, Socially, and Physically	p. 105
Academic Engagement	p. 105
Social Engagement	p. 105
Physical Engagement	p. 108
School Culture, Organizational Structures, Policies, and Procedures	p. 107
School Culture	p. 107
School Organization, Policies, Procedures, and Resources	p. 108
Summary	p. 116
The Classroom Environment: Supporting Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 119
Classroom Role in Developing a Sense of Accomplishment	p. 122
Academic Accomplishment	p. 122
Social Accomplishment	p. 124
Physical Accomplishment	p. 126
Classroom Role in Developing a Sense of Belonging	p. 126
Belonging in a Community	p. 126
Joy and Cooperation	p. 128
Democracy and Equity	p. 129
Care and Nurture	p. 130
Extending Community to Others	p. 132
Classroom Role in Developing a Sense of Engagement	p. 132
Academic Engagement	p. 133
Social Engagement	p. 135
Physical Engagement	p. 137
Summary	p. 138
Teaching and Learning	p. 141
Important Knowledge	p. 143
Addressing What Students Are Expected to Know	p. 143
Addressing Student Interest and Knowledge	p. 146
Using Knowledge to Meet Student Needs for Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 146
Selecting or Designing Appropriate Assessments	p. 150
Assessing Acquisition of Desired Knowledge	p. 150
Assessing Students' Prior Knowledge and Knowledge Assimilation	p. 152
Using Assessment to Meet Diverse Students' Needs for Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 155
Delivering Instruction	p. 156
Teaching the Content	p. 156
Teaching the Students	p. 158
Using Instruction to Meet Diverse Students' Needs for Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 161
Importance of Aligning Content, Instruction, and Assessment	p. 161
Putting the Pieces Together	p. 161
Issues Surrounding Teaching and Learning	p. 163
Aligning Content, Assessment, and Instruction to Promote Accomplishment, Belonging, and Engagement	p. 165
Supporting Upper Elementary Students: Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Professionalism, and Advocacy	p. 169
A Framework of Upper Elementary Developmentally Appropriate Practice	p. 171
Actions of Students	p. 172
Actions of Teachers	p. 173
Characteristics of the Classroom Environment	p. 173
Characteristics of the Teaching and Learning Process	p. 174
Professional Identity	p. 177
Becoming Upper Elementary Teachers	p. 178
Supporting Upper Elementary Teachers in the Profession	p. 179
National Board Middle Childhood/Generalist Certification	p. 180
Advocating for Upper Elementary Children	p. 181
Compiling and Encouraging Research on Upper Elementary Children and Teaching	p. 183
Examining Policies and Practices	p. 184
What Can You Do for Upper Elementary Children?	p. 187
Developmentally Appropriate Practice	p. 188
Professional Identity for Upper Elementary Teachers	p. 188
Advocacy	p. 189
References	p. 191
Index	p. 207
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