Strategies to Foster Student Agency in Third, Fourth, and Fifth Graders

By Dr. Todd Feltman, Intensive Elementary and Middle School Reading Interventionist and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Childhood Education

Upper Elementary School Students as Powerful Navigators of School Success

Salutations, Educators! Would you like your upper elementary school students to transform into powerful navigators of school success? They can learn how to take charge of their education and develop agency. As teachers, we know that we strategically aim to provide them with a meaningful education. Thank you for helping your students navigate school success and be their best!

Each of the five strategies below can be internalized and applied. A brief rationale for each strategy is provided. Students must understand the why to fulfill their curiosity and investment.

Before you teach the first strategy, ask your students, “What one or two strategies do you use to have a successful school day?” It is important to listen carefully to your students’ responses. Before they begin talking to a partner, you can share and model a strategy that you used when you were a third, fourth, or fifth grader. Your brief share should set your students up for success. They will also get a perspective of you as a student.

You could model and then role-play one strategy a week. Your students will need opportunities to practice it daily. Your students can write down each of the strategies in a notebook. Next to each strategy, they can sketch it out. Recording and sketching each strategy should help with implementation.

As your students utilize the strategies with fidelity, your positive relationships with them may also increase.

Student Strategies

#1: If you are having a bad day, quietly inform your teacher(s) that day. Despite the type of day that you are having, you are still expected to follow the classroom rules. If you’re in a bad mood, you should not disrespect your teacher or the other students.

Rationale: Your teacher(s) will be aware of your mood and can support you in having a better day.

#2: If a classmate is bothering you, tell him or her to stop specifically what he or she is doing. Make sure to use a strong voice when talking to that classmate! If that classmate does not listen to your request, let the teacher know.

Rationale: You are standing up for yourself. You have a right to be respected. Telling the teacher is not tattling; it is a technique to resolve a problem after speaking with that particular classmate.

#3: Ask questions whenever you are curious or confused with any information. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is likely that other students have the same question but are not asking it.

Rationale: To achieve and be engaged, it is your responsibility to understand what you are learning. If the information is unclear, you must ask so you can know what is being taught.

Helpful Teacher Hint: During a lesson, you can pretend to be a student who is unsure of some new content and ask a question. You would be modeling what you expect your students to do in a similar situation.

#4: Raise your hand during a whole-class lesson and wait to be called on. Whenever you have something that you really want to ask or share, write it down so that you won’t forget to ask it. You can ask your teacher if you can write down your question or share information in the back of your notebook.

Rationale: You want to show your teacher that you want to speak. If you call out without permission, you are disturbing the teacher and other students.

#5: Whenever you are given a writing task, you can ask your teacher if you can draw your ideas first. Use your drawing to guide your writing.

Rationale: The opportunity to draw first provides you with a plan to use when writing. It can support learners who like visuals or reluctant (slow to get started) writers with producing detailed writing.

After your students are utilizing all five strategies, you can check in with each of them. You can ask, “How are these strategies helping you succeed?” You should always make the connection to middle school. As your students are frequently applying these strategies, they can continue to use them throughout their educational continuum. Students as Powerful Navigators of School Success is the way to go! Bravo to you for skillfully educating and empowering our next generation.

Todd Jason Feltman, PhD, is the author of Transforming into a Powerful Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Navigator of School Success published by SchoolRubric. Todd is an elementary school intensive reading interventionist. He has spent over twenty-five years working in New York City Elementary and Middle Public Schools and local independent schools. Feltman is also an adjunct assistant professor in Childhood Education at Hunter College. Feltman has three master’s degrees: one in childhood education, one in literacy education, and one in school supervision and administration. He received his doctorate in urban education from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. His dissertation examined the gender achievement gap in reading and writing of fourth and fifth grade boys versus girls. Feltman’s Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration is from the University of New Hampshire. He worked at The Mark Hotel for over three years.

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