Special Speller

Last week, Mrs H, Mck's teacher, started "Special Spellers." On Monday, the class is given a pre test in spelling on words they have not seen/practiced before. If you get 100% correct, then you are a special speller. Your list of spelling words is significantly more difficult than the regular list. M* voiced an interest in learning the Special Speller words too. So we worked hard all week on learning the 4 vocabualary words, 10 regular spelling words, and then the 10 special speller words. She got up her courage and asked the teacher if she could take both tests. Mrs. H agreed. And M* proved that hard work pays off. She earned 100% on both tests!

To my utter surprise, she came home on Monday of this week, announcing that she was special speller...outright...b/c she had earned 100% on the pretest. (The incentive for "special spellers" is a trip to the treasure chest if you miss 1 or 0 words.) Well, as I said, the list is significantly more difficult. While reg. spellers are studying "make, cake, take this week," M* is studying the words:

observation
experiment
research
answer
question
information
senses
observe

(to name a few.)

She is a pheonetic speller and these words are tricky for her. She has worked really hard this week but the some of the words just get all scrambled in her head and her mouth. And then she starts saying nonsense letter combinations...and she thinks that she has really spelled the word. Tomorrow is her test so if you get a chance, say a prayer or think good thoughts for her. I told her to trust in all the practice that she did this week and to say a little prayer (as she tends to say "I can't when she makes mistakes) right before the test.

Today, I worked on some halloween costumes which are totally awesome...hehe...if I do say so myself. I'll post pix and a more indepth story tomorrow.