[For Parents of Elementary School Students] Part 3: 'Third Grade' is the Explosion of Intellectual Curiosity. The Beginning of Social Studies and Science, and Changes in the Heart.

When children reach the third grade, their expressions begin to change little by little.

The 'childishness' of the first and second grades fades away, and it is a time when they begin to look not only at things around them, but also at the wider world outside.

'I feel like studying has suddenly become difficult.'

'Social studies and science have started, and the preparation is tough!'

'Whispering among friends. Are there more things they aren't telling their parents?'

To the moms and dads who are surprised by such changes:

I will share some tips on how to enjoy this period of 'intellectual adventure' that is the third grade, which I have observed over my 40-year teaching career.

◾️ From 'Life Environment Studies' to 'Social Studies and Science.' The excitement of a widening world.

A major change in the third grade is the start of the new subjects 'Social Studies' and 'Science'.

While 'Life Environment Studies' until now focused on personal experience, from now on, they will objectively learn about 'how the community works' and the 'wonders of nature'.

Many parents are surprised by how much thicker the textbooks have become.

However, the point here is not to 'make them memorize' things, but to 'find the fun together'.

When you go shopping at the supermarket, try talking about 'Where did this vegetable come from?', or when you find an insect in the park, ask 'I wonder what kind of creature this is?'

The moment the knowledge learned at school links with real life, a child's eyes begin to sparkle.

This energy of 'I want to know more!' is exactly what becomes the foundation for academic ability from the upper grades onward.

◾️ The turning point in arithmetic where 'abstract thinking' begins

In terms of learning, 'division' and 'fractions' appear in arithmetic.

From a world where things could be counted using fingers as before, children are now required to use 'abstract thinking' to expand images in their minds.

It is not uncommon for children to feel a stumbling block here.

If your child stops and says 'I don't understand,' please do not rush, but return to 'concrete objects' to help them.

Share snacks or cut origami paper to make things visible to the eye.

Third-grade learning is a time when we want to value the sense of 'I see, so that's what it is!' rather than aiming for perfection.

Teachers will also carefully nurture the 'ability to think' while using plenty of concrete examples.

◾️ The entrance to the "gang age." The distance between parent and child

Mentally, the awareness that "friends are more important than parents" gradually becomes stronger.

They may keep secrets within their close-knit groups or use language that seems a bit rough from an adult's perspective.

This is a healthy step toward independence known as the "gang age."

It might feel a little lonely that they no longer tell you everything like they used to.

However, that is proof that your child has begun to build their own "world."

Rather than trying to force them to talk, this is a time when watching over them from a slight distance—letting them know, "I'm here to listen whenever you need me"—is most comfortable.

If you are concerned about how they are doing at school, please feel free to consult with us, their homeroom teachers.

The face they show at home and the face they show to friends at school.

By knowing both, we can support your child's multifaceted growth.

Conclusion: 3rd grade is the ignition of the 'second engine' toward independence!

3rd grade is the time when the 'second engine' starts, allowing children to walk powerfully on their own two feet.

Satisfying intellectual curiosity, deepening bonds with friends, and sometimes stumbling and stopping.

All of that becomes irreplaceable fuel for growth.

Dads and moms.

Your child is now a little adventurer about to row out into the vast ocean.

Please be a 'safe harbor' they can always return to when there is a storm.

We will continue to support that adventure with all our might in the field of school.

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