Spelling

Spelling was never my strongest subject in school.  I recall many many tears over the subject in grammar school.  I can honestly say that I couldn't really spell until I was in college.

Thankfully that is not Turkey's case.  He's an excellent speller, on spelling quizzes at least (spelling in context not so much, but that's a different story), but he typically tests great at spelling.

Today he came home with a 90% on his weekly spelling test.  Many parents would be thrilled, but his spelling tests grades have been slowly declining over the last few weeks.  But the declining grade wasn't really what bothered me; what bothered me is that he misspelled  the word try.

I know he can spell try.  I know this for a fact.  He can recite how to spell this word without thinking twice, and spells it correctly when he writes stories and letter.

He spelled his bonus words of "frequency" and "magnify", but he misspelled try.  For the record he spelled it t-r-i-e.  Really???

When I asked him about this, he said "Why do I have to spell it right on the test?"

Me: "Well, that's the idea of the test.  It's to make sure you can spell the words right."

Him: "I don't see the point.  What do we have spell check for than?"

Me: "You need to, you must, spell the word correctly on the test IF you KNOW how to spell it."  And with that I imposed some real studying guideline for his spelling quizzes, which are in effect until he starts doing what he's suppose to be doing.

Such an odd problem to have.  Many parents make their kids study so they learn.  I need to make mine study to ACT the right way.  Sigh.