Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

I would never survive as a contestant on the game show: “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” Be it the older televised series that was hosted by Jeff Foxworthy or Nickelodeon’s relaunched version with John Cena. Fifth graders nowadays are writing non-fiction and reading Little Women or Keeper of the Lost Cities. They dive into science lab work on a daily basis while studying in-depth state history and new math. 

I don’t remember my fifth-grade self being so challenged. I know there was not enough juvenile fiction or young adult authors in my school’s library. Each day I sat at the same desk and had the same teacher for every subject. My winter coat hung on a hook and there were no locker combinations to remember. What was probably my 7th or 8th-grade experience, occurs earlier at my children’s school district, like around 4th and 5th grade.

Despite the academic changes, I did recently survive being in a 5th-grade classroom. It was a fun experience, even though a lot has changed since my scrawny self was a pre-teen. There is more technology. Classrooms have comfy desk chairs, bouncy seats, or the option to sit on the floor. Young pupils have planners. School has evolved a lot from my 1990’s classroom.

Guest Speaker 

I found myself in the 5th grade again after a language arts teacher asked me to discuss writing with her students. It was a request I readily accepted. I am a total nerd when it comes to all things reading and writing. I could discuss these two subjects for hours! 

My voice was almost hoarse by the end of the day, but it was worth it. Speaking with students gave me a chance to discuss the things I love. It also offered a break away from my home office and potty training toddler. 

The school day was fun and (as always) I learned so much from the experience. I spoke with five different classes and talked to approximately 100 pupils. Each section of kids brought unique energy, an incentive to learn, and great questions. 

What I Discussed

My presentation’s title was “How to Be a Writer”. I knew I could talk this subject to death which got me worried that my information would be dull. Enter my wise sixth-grade daughter. She introduced me to Google Slides and helped me get started on a presentation that would be engaging.

I was able to create a dozen slides with talking points. I used cool fonts, as well as a nice color scheme, fun photos, and a few links that came in handy during my presentation. Everything I discussed revolved around the importance of writing and writing well. My main points involved:

• Write what you know.
• Keep it simple.
• Everything is copy.
• Getting started can be the hardest part.

My writing background and a lengthy preach session on the importance of reading also got worked into my spiel. I went to great lengths to point out how vital reading is in all facets of life. Specifically that in order to be a good writer, a person has to be a reader.

What the Students Asked Me

My biggest fear when it comes to public speaking is that no questions will get asked during the Q&A part. Awkward silences are like kryptonite to me. Therefore, if no one else is speaking up then I tend to ramble and embarrass myself and all others around me.

Thankfully the teacher in charge prepped her students well and they all came prepared. The Q&A was actually my favorite part. Each section of students was different. One group focused on my main message about reading and we had a great book discussion. 

They asked me about my favorite young adult novels, what genres I liked to read, and even for author recommendations. The interviewer in me could not resist turning the questions around on them. I, of course, had to know about the books they enjoyed. Warriors, Hatchet, According to Humphrey, and Land of Stories were popular recommendations from the fifth-graders.

Absolutely Everything is Copy

I spent a good amount of time telling the students that “Everything is Copy”. This means that a person can write about absolutely anything. It was a fun topic because it allowed me to reminisce about all of the different subjects I have written on in the past. Diaper bags, Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease, the month of February, house painting projects, snow days, youth softball tournaments, my dog dying, and more have all taken center stage as blog topics.

This talking point also segued into discussions about satire and creative writing. I have not written much satire lately, but it is a genre I want to revisit. There are so many parenting situations that call for sarcasm and laughter. While working on this presentation, my daughters begged to see some of my satire pieces that were published by MockMom. We all giggled as my girls read aloud Mom Goes to Bathroom Alone, Achieves Major Milestone on Her Bucket List and Mother Cleans Out Minivan and Lives to Tell the Tale. 

What I Learned

While I hope the fifth-graders found my insights to be helpful, they actually did most of the teaching. I learned so much from these ten and eleven-year-olds. It was equal parts motivating and heart-warming.

They showed me that an eagerness to learn can be contagious at any age. I also saw that while not all of them are destined to be authors, they still have an appreciation for the written word. This was refreshing, especially since I believe writing to be an essential life skill. The person who can write clearly and error-free, be it: a text message, tweet, email, or 1000 word essay; will be more respected and better understood.

I may not be as smart as a fifth-grader, but I was definitely able to hang with them for a day. It helped that the focus was on my two favorite subjects: reading and writing. Sorry arithmetic, maybe next time.