Curriculum Resources

You might be surprised to know that third grade is typically thought of as the most important year in a child’s academic career. It’s the year that students move from learning to read — decoding words using their knowledge of the alphabet — to reading to learn. Where academic performance and school expectations are concerned, big changes occur in third grade!

When children enter into 3rd grade, the level of work and expectation becomes much more challenging than what they experienced in previous grades. The reading passages get harder, the amount of writing gets longer, and the level of abstract thinking in mathematics increases. There is a noticeable increase in homework because this is the year that your child has to memorize multiplication tables and other important foundational information.

As a parent, you can help your child lessen the increased stress of performing well at school by offering lots of encouragement. Praise the effort they put into learning a new concept, memorizing facts, or spending extra time to do an assignment well. Be sure to reassure your child that tests and grades do not necessarily determine future success. If your child faces difficulties, or even failure, help them see that these moments are all part of the learning process. I am here to work with you to make third grade the most successful year for your child!