Parent Survey:https://greatheartsamerica.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cH2QICBciAKOTdQ
Raising Confident 4th Graders: Why Struggle Is a Gift
Fourth grade is a turning point.
Kids at this age suddenly care more about what others think. They start comparing test scores. They notice who finishes first. They feel embarrassment more deeply. And somewhere in the middle of math homework and friend drama, confidence can wobble.
As parents, our instinct is often to smooth the path. Clarify the directions. Fix the project. Step in before frustration turns into tears.
But here’s the truth: confidence doesn’t grow from things being easy.
It grows from doing something hard — and surviving it.
If you want to build real, lasting confidence in your 4th grader, here are some practical ways to do it.
Let It Be a Little Hard
When your child says, “I don’t get it,” resist the urge to jump in with the answer.
Instead, try:
-
“What part do you understand?”
-
“What’s the first small step?”
-
“What could you try next?”
Productive struggle means they’re working at the edge of their ability. That’s exactly where growth happens. If we rescue too quickly, we unintentionally send the message: You can’t handle this without me.
And they can.
Praise the Process, Not the Person
“You’re so smart” feels good in the moment. But it can quietly create pressure.
Instead, notice effort:
-
“You kept trying different strategies.”
-
“You didn’t give up when that got frustrating.”
-
“You went back and fixed your mistake.”
When kids connect success to effort and strategy, they feel in control of their growth.
Don’t Fear Imperfect Work
Let them turn in the assignment that isn’t perfect.
Let them forget the folder once.
Let them experience the mild discomfort of natural consequences.
Confidence doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from recovery. When a child realizes, I messed up and I handled it, something powerful shifts.
Add the Word “Yet”
Fourth graders are famous for declaring permanent truths:
“I’m bad at math.”
“I can’t write.”
“I’m not athletic.”
Add one small word: yet.
“You’re not comfortable with fractions yet.”
“You haven’t figured out your writing style yet.”
That tiny shift turns identity into progress.
Give Them Real Responsibility
Confidence grows when kids feel capable.
Fourth graders can:
-
Pack their own backpack.
-
Keep track of homework.
-
Help plan a family meal.
-
Read the weekly blog (with parent guidance).
-
Manage a weekly chore.
When we trust them with responsibility, we communicate belief.
Model Calm Frustration
They’re watching how you handle hard things.
When you’re stuck assembling something or dealing with a stressful moment, narrate it:
“I’m feeling frustrated. I’m going to take a breath and try again.”
That’s resilience in action.
Create Struggle Outside of School
Try something new together — baking something complicated, learning a new sport, doing a challenging puzzle.
Let them see you not be good at something.
When they watch you learn, fail, laugh, and try again, they internalize that growth is normal.
Focus on Improvement, Not Comparison
Instead of asking, “What grade did you get?”
Ask, “Did you improve?”
Instead of “Who got the highest score?”
Ask, “What did you learn?”
Comparison erodes confidence. Growth builds it.
Protect the Basics
Sleep. Food. Downtime.
An exhausted 4th grader has very little emotional margin for struggle. Sometimes what looks like low confidence is simply fatigue.
Celebrate Comebacks
We celebrate A’s and game-winning plays.
But don’t miss the quieter victories:
-
Trying again after a bad test.
-
Practicing after striking out.
-
Apologizing after a mistake.
Those moments build deeper confidence than any trophy.
The Shift That Changes Everything
Our job isn’t to make life easy for our children.
Our job is to help them become capable.
When a 4th grader learns, struggle helps me handle future challenges, that belief carries into middle school, high school, friendships, sports, and beyond.
Struggle isn’t something to avoid.
Handled well, it’s one of the greatest gifts we can give them.
Here is a helpful TedTalk on this topic.
NEWS:
Thank you to the 4th grade parents who helped out on the field trip! We had a very fun and smooth trip last Thursday to the We Make History event and the park. We also had a great deal of effort from class parents and Mrs. Thompson to make Great Hearts Day very special. We appreciate the support to help make 4th Grade an amazing experience for all!
The PSO is updating how the Medieval Faire will run this year. Instead of each 4th‑grade class having its own booth, the entire grade will run one shared booth: the Royal Cupcake Court (a musical cake‑walk–style game) on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 11 AM–2 PM. Parents are asked to volunteer to run the booth, help with setup and cleanup, and donate individually wrapped treats a few days before the event. Volunteers also help staff one bounce house.
A sign‑up link is provided for all volunteer roles, and no fingerprint clearance is required. Each grade’s booth has a supply bin ready for pickup; 4th‑grade class parents should coordinate who will pick it up by Friday, Feb. 6. The booth has a $50 budget and access to a tent, tables, and chairs. PSO leads Sarah Davis and Kirsten Mussi are available for questions.
Stanza 7 of PRR is due this Friday, 2/20! This weekend is R&R, but students should still be ready to recite the poem.
CURRICULUM:
ELA:
POETRY "Paul Revere's Ride" stanza 7 is due this Friday, February 20th. This poem spans 13 weeks (into Q4) and culminates in a grade-wide reciting of the poem in entirety for the parents.
This Poem is a behemoth of a memorization task for scholars. It should be taken seriously and can be enjoyable to accomplish such a task. In Fourth Grade, we do not have any "at-home" projects per se. Consider the memorization and recitation of this work a 13 week-long project endeavor. It can even become a family practice to memorize the weekly stanza.
Helpful Practices for Memorization:
-Listen to the poem in it's entirety, daily
-Analyze the stanzas for the poetic elements including identifying the particular rhyme scheme
-Scholars should write out the stanza memorization for the week (hang it on the bathroom mirror)
-Illustrate or act out the stanza
-Look up unfamiliar words or phrases to understand the meaning
-Re-write that section in your own words (modern language)
-Perform a word while another person says every other word until scholar can say it independently
-Practice reciting in the mirror
-Make up body or hand motions to certain lines and phraes
-Write the stanza out on a whiteboard and erase a word or phrase
-Tell yourself everyday, "I can memorize this, and so did the Fourth Graders before me!"
LITERATURE This week we continue reading "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis. This week we will read chapters 8-10. We will read chapter 9 in reading groups on Wednesday.
In the COMPOSITION program for the week we will finish our Pets in Schools 5 Paragraph Essays and 2 days of different Reading Comprehension Skills practice packets.
In GRAMMAR, we will work from the WOL book on Compound elements and have reteaching lessons on the proper use of commas.
In Philosophy, we will enjoy sharing our many Great Hearts Day collaborations including our virtue banners.
In LATIN AND GREEK ROOTS we have 3 roots this week:
Q3 W7 Roots
Tues.
biblos – book (Greek)
Bi ble (n) the book of the Christian religion
bib li o graph y (n) list of books on a particular subject (graph=write)
bib li o phile (n) lover of books (philia-love)
bib li o ma ni a (n) – craziness about books (mania-madness)
bib li o pho bi a (n) fear or dislike of books (phobos – fear)
Wed.
liber/libri = book (Latin)
li brar y (n) – place where books are kept
li brar i an (n) – one in charge of a library
chronos – time (Greek)
chron o log i cal (adj) relates events in time sequence (logos=word,study)
syn chro nize (v) do at same time (syn=together, same)
chro nom e ter (n) device to measure time (metron=measure)
chron ic (adj) over a period of long time; “from time to time”
chron o graph (n) device to measure and record time (graph=write,draw)
Math:
In Math, we will continue working Chapter 8 area and perimeter concepts in our 4B Green and Blue Math books. This is a short and challenging chapter with the summative test on Friday 2/20. Have students review the concepts here:
Khan Academy Area and Perimeter
History:
In History in W7, we will continue our journey in African Kingdoms. We will read chapters 6-8 about Islam's influence of the development of regions of western Africa.
W6:
W5:
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe
The Ancient Aksom City of Meroe
Science: In Week 7 of Quarter 3, we will begin exploring how natural resources are used to generate electricity, with a focus on fossil fuels, nuclear energy, wind, and hydroelectric power. Scholars will learn how coal, oil, and natural gas form over millions of years and why they are considered nonrenewable, then compare them to nuclear energy, which also produces electricity by creating heat to spin turbines connected to generators. Later in the week, we’ll shift to renewable sources, examining how moving air and water generate electricity through wind turbines and dams. Throughout the week, students will practice cost–benefit analysis — identifying the advantages and challenges of each energy source — to help them think like scientists and engineers as they prepare for the unit assessment.
Remember, the blog is updated weekly. Be sure to come back frequently to see any upcoming events or changes in fourth grade.