Why do we offer 3rd and 4th graders the opportunity to participate in Fly Movement?
A Pivotal Time In Student’s Lives
3rd grade is the most important grade for an individual because small differences in learning ability, health, and self-esteem grow into large ones. At this age, children go from learning how to read to reading to learn. In regards to health, thirty years ago, one in twenty kids at this age was considered overweight. Now it’s one in five. If a child is overweight at this age, there is an 80% chance they will be overweight as an adult.
Around 3rd grade, kids start to develop their self-esteem based on the opinions of their peers and media. If a child is not receiving positive feedback and encouragement that she/he is doing well to reinforce their self-esteem, they can find challenges to be a source of anxiety and frustration. We believe one one of the best investments we can make is passing enthusiasm along to our children especially at this age in their lives.
Additional resources:
Why Third Grade Is So Important: The ‘Matthew Effect’. Children who have made the leap to fluent reading will learn exponentially, while those who haven’t will slump.
Pivot Point: Why Third Grade May Be The Most Decisive Year In A Child’s Education
What’s so important about 3rd grade? For parents, third grade is easily overlooked. But for experts, it’s a crucial milestone and the reason why kids need to nail reading basics before that first day of school.
