When I think of first days of anything, whether it be elementary school, high school, or even my first day of the education program here at IUK, there is no way I can leave out the jitters, butterflies, or whatever else you want to call it that overcame my body. I think all first days come with at least some excitement, but sometimes they also come with a heaping helping of anxiety that has the potential to swallow this excitement whole. Katie Carew, an anxious, but hopeful incoming fourth grader and main character in the Katie Kazoo Switcheroo book series by Nancy Krulik, can definitely relate to this feeling as she is walking toward the list that holds the names of her classmates for the whole year. As Katie approaches this famous list, she puts her fate into its hands. She wonders, will my best friends Suzanne or Jeremy be in my class or will I end up alone? Will I have the teacher everyone in fourth grade wants to have? Let's just say, Katie is going to have a rough start to her fourth grade year.
I felt sad when Katie discovered that she will start her first day without her best friends by her side. When describing Katie's reaction to what she saw on the list, the author reveals, "It was hard to see through all the tears that were forming in her eyes" (p. 5) It seems like Katie is really upset by not being in the same classes as at least one of her best friends. I began to think of my days when I did the same exact thing Katie did. I walked to that list in what seemed like slow motion. Yes, that's how dramatic I was. Hopefully I wasn't the only one. It made me think of how disappointed I was one year when I realized I did not have class with by best friends. There was a feeling of fear that took over my body. So many thoughts ran through my head. What if my other friends forget about me? Or even worse--what if they replace me? Will I even be able to make friends in my new class? I am almost certain Katie had the same questions flooding into her mind and overtaking her thoughts.
When I saw the title Who's Afraid of Fourth Grade?, I immediately thought of my class full of third graders that I am getting to know and learn from through my field placement. I wonder if they will have the same thoughts and feelings as Katie had when they start the fourth grade. Katie describes her thoughts about fourth grade by saying, "In fourth grade, you got real textbooks to keep for the whole year--not just worksheets that the teachers handed out. The fourth, fifth, and sixth-graders all got to play in the big yard--the one without the swings and seesaws" (p. 2). She is describing so many changes that she will be going through and she feels like she might be going through these big changes all by herself. I hope that no child feels like they are going through these changes alone. I also hope Katie can overcome her fear of being alone and losing her friends. So, do you think Katie will just have a rough first day or a rough year?
Hi Abby!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I love your choice of book! So fun. I also get really nervous and excited before starting something new. I think we all do. It sounds like Katie was wondering all of things you are, will my friends forget about me and how will I make new ones. I wonder if the idea of making new friends makes her worried because she doesn't want to replace her old friends either, like she is afraid they will replace her. Does she act out or do anything to fight moving on without her friends? I remember in fourth grade I moved schools in the summer. I didn't know anyone and it seemed like all the rest of the students already had friends. Of course, back in those days I couldn't image someone having more than two or three friends. It is a scary thought for a 10 or 11 year old to have!
I can definitely see our students from field getting upset in June when they move on from their class. They will probably be sad to see us go when we leave! Vise-versa. However, I think Elwood Haynes is such a close knit school that the students feel like family no matter which classroom they are in.
I love Katie Kazoo! I used to read all these books and I remember that I read every single book in the series except one, the third book in the series. I don't remember what happens in all of them now, but I also want to start reading some of the series again as part of the 20 book challenge for the semester. In this book, who does she turn into? I know throughout all of the books she turns into someone when there is conflict going on or when she meets someone new. Also, did you read this series when you were growing up? After reading the book, did you learn anything new that would help you in the classroom and help students not be so afraid of starting a new school year?
ReplyDeleteI also can connect with being afraid I wouldn't know anyone going into a new school year. In middle school, I remember asking all of my friends which hallway they had that year and I was nervous starting a new school year.
Hi Abby! First off I want to say I think I have figured this out, well kind of :) . I can completely relate to Katie and her having the jitters before the first day of class. I still get those jitters everyday I walk onto campus because I feel like I am going to fail at something or I am afraid that I am not going to completely understand something and the Professors will think badly of me. It sounds like Katie is experiencing everything that we all experience every year or every time we start something new. I think it comes with having to grow up and realize that we are making everything out worse in in minds than what they really are. I think Katie is just going to have a rough couple of days but after she realizes that her friends haven't forgot about her and she starts making new friends in her classroom, she will start to realize it was nothing to be worried about. Does this series continue to her entering new stages of her life? Have you read many books by this Author? If so, what is your favorite thing about this author that you like you?
ReplyDelete