Giuliana Berritto: Grade 4

The step from third grade to fourth might sound easy, but it is actually very hard. You are probably wondering how it can be hard, but being the leaders of the Lower School can at first seem exasperating. All of the younger kids look up to my peers and me. I wanted to interview some students to get their perspectives about being the leaders of the Lower School.

Here is my conversation with one fourth-grader:

Q: How do you feel about being a leader of the Lower School?

A: I love it. I like it, because you are the role model for the younger kids, and you get to do other things than you did in the other years.

Q: Do you think the curriculum is more challenging than last year?

A: I don’t think the curriculum is more challenging than last year, because some of the things we are doing in fourth grade are similar to the things we did in third grade.

Q: What advice could you give to a third-grader about being a fourth-grader?

A: The advice I would give to a third-grader about being the leader of the Lower School would be that when you are a leader, you get more things than you expected.

Another conversation I had was:

Q: How do you feel about being in fourth grade?

A: I think it’s enjoyable.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about going into fifth grade next year?

A: Having the freedom to go from class to class without the need for a teacher, the education, and being able to pick one sport to learn.

Q: What is your favorite subject in school that you can educate a third-grader about?

A: Math. I think it is fun to learn and to educate other kids about.

Another student told me:

Q: How do you feel about being a fourth-grader?

A: I enjoy it. I think it’s fun.

Q: Do you enjoy being a role model for the younger kids?

A: I love it when I’m walking in the hallway and I see kids and they say hi to me. It feels so good to have kids look up to me.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about being in fifth grade?

A: Having more freedom in my classes.

Another student said this:

Q: How do you feel about being a fourth-grader?

A: Stressed. I am stressed with work and emotional challenges with my friends.

Q: Do you enjoy kindergarten serving?

A: Often the kids don’t let me eat.

Q: Is being a role model for the younger kids good or bad in your eyes?

A: It’s good, so they follow me and think of me as a good example and also as a leader.

The students I interviewed had different opinions about being in the fourth grade. This is my opinion:

I think being in the fourth grade is an amazing experience for me to be able to be a role model for kids. I love every part of fourth grade: kindergarten serving, being a role model, the curriculum, and the enjoyable experiences I have with my friends. Fourth grade has been an amazing year, and I hope that next year in the fifth grade, it will be just as amazing.