Monday nights are tough around the Martin household. Because Monday nights mean new spelling words for 2nd grade at Libby Elementary School.
Lucky is not a fan of new spelling words, and in turn we are not a fan of him getting new spelling words. 99% of the time, it's a terrible struggle. I've come to dread Monday nights. It means at least 2 hours of frustration and tears (on both of our parts).
This...from a kid who has been described by many as "the happiest kid in the world." Really, he is an unusually cheerful kid. Except when it comes to practicing spelling. He starts out anxious knowing what the evening is most likely going to bring. In turn, he senses my frusturation. When he spells c-o-n-f-u-s-e right the first 1 or 2 times, and on the 3rd time it turns into c-o-n-f-u-o-o-s . Or when r-e-s-c-u-e turns into r-e-s-c-e-w, g-e-n-t-l-e into g-e-n-t-u-l, etc.,it goes downhill from there because I just can't see how he can spell several words correctly the first couple of practice rounds, and then they start turning up completely, and I mean COMPLETELY wrong!
Monday evening is only the first evening, there is more practice on Tuesday, and more on Wednesday. And if we are up and moving in time, sometimes, we squeeze in practice in the morning before school. Thursday is the practice test at school. If they score at least a 90% on Thursday, they don't have to take the test on Friday. 95% of the time he passes it on Thursday...the few times he hasn't I've blocked out, because that means we are back at it on Thursday evening.
Frankly, I don't care if the moment he finishes the test (as long as he passes) he forgets all of the words! He is an excellent reader and I know that as time goes on, he will become familiar with seeing many words and spell just fine. But until then, we have got to get through 2nd spelling without pulling our hair out. And believe me, I don't have any hair I want to spare.
Thankfully some Mondays it works out that JD is home. On those Monday's he picks the kids up from school and jumps right into spelling with Lucky when they get home. I think it can start out a little rough, but he has a way with Lucky...I think it must be a father/son thing, and before long they are in a groove and Lucky is well on his way to scoring 100% on this Thursday practice test.
We have 3.5 more months of Mondays this school year. But we're determined that Lucky's final grade in 2nd grade spelling will be an A. Then...we'll worry about 3rd grade spelling...
