My second grade daughter's spelling "curriculum" is a joke!! Basically, it's all homework because there is really no way for them to include it in their schoolwork, are you following me??? They start with a "rule," such as Short-A Words. On Monday, each student has to make a list of 5 such words. They return to school Tuesday and I think they compile everyone's list. Then each student chooses 10 words from that list to be their spelling list.
A couple problems exist here already. Number one, if you have a child like mine, Monday's homework is moot because inherently she find 10 OTHER words that are better than hers! Secondly, every child in the class has a different list!! For this reason, there is no seatwork or schoolwork for this "curriculum" because there is now way of knowing what the spelling words will be for any given class any given week. I happen to think this is a poor excuse for a "curriculum."
On Tuesday, students are to complete a "hands-on spelling activity" of their choice. They can use the guide booklet sent home at the beginning of the year (including all the activities they did in KINDERGARTEN to learn letters) or do anything else they want. Kt typically writes her words three times each, or more if she spells them incorrectly. Not interested in Play-doh words, writing them in a tray of rice or drawing them on the driveway in sidewalk chalk. I wonder if I could grab her attention with lipstick on a mirror??? (of course, then I'd be cleaning it all up!)
On Wednesday, they have to write for 15 minutes on any topic they choose. NOTICE the absence of any use of their spelling words. To me, this is writing homework. If you aren't using your spelling words, then don't call it spelling homework. Why not use each word in a sentence? or use 5 words in a paragraph??? Makes no sense to me, and I'm a teacher! Of course, in over half of the week, they have had one spelling lesson, on Tuesday night. Wow!
On Thursday, they are to "study" for their spelling test and take a practice test. Studying words that are used all week might actually be fun, but words that we have seen only once? For this, I use this Puzzlemaker site and make either a word search, a crossword puzzle or both for her. I mean, if her teacher can't handle doing one of these I guess I better.
Friday, a test on her 10 words. Now, you are probably wondering as we all were about how a teacher goes about administering a spelling test when every student has a different list. Well, it's easy, for the teacher! Each student takes turns with their neighbor and they give each other their spelling test!! Which would work great if every student could read your child's list. One parent said the first week her child didn't have any of the same words on her test that she had been studying!! Absolutely ridiculous.
I happen to think this second grade spelling is pretty lame. It's no wonder these kids can't spell! This is not a curriculum at all. Of course, I meant to share something completely unrelated with you all, but I had to get this rant off my chest... My ONLY consolation is that ALL second graders in the whole county are subjected to this insane "curriculum."
What I REALLY wanted to share is that this week, being a 4 day week, the teacher actually send the list home on Tuesday. I don't know if all the kids have the same list or not by my child has the word "terrorist" on her r-controlled word list. How sad. I'm quite certain that when I was in second grade I didn't have a clue what a terrorist was. Maybe it's a good thing they don't have to write for 15 minutes using their words.
Howard County, MD, BOE, please give us a real spelling curriculum for second grade!!!
A couple problems exist here already. Number one, if you have a child like mine, Monday's homework is moot because inherently she find 10 OTHER words that are better than hers! Secondly, every child in the class has a different list!! For this reason, there is no seatwork or schoolwork for this "curriculum" because there is now way of knowing what the spelling words will be for any given class any given week. I happen to think this is a poor excuse for a "curriculum."
On Tuesday, students are to complete a "hands-on spelling activity" of their choice. They can use the guide booklet sent home at the beginning of the year (including all the activities they did in KINDERGARTEN to learn letters) or do anything else they want. Kt typically writes her words three times each, or more if she spells them incorrectly. Not interested in Play-doh words, writing them in a tray of rice or drawing them on the driveway in sidewalk chalk. I wonder if I could grab her attention with lipstick on a mirror??? (of course, then I'd be cleaning it all up!)
On Wednesday, they have to write for 15 minutes on any topic they choose. NOTICE the absence of any use of their spelling words. To me, this is writing homework. If you aren't using your spelling words, then don't call it spelling homework. Why not use each word in a sentence? or use 5 words in a paragraph??? Makes no sense to me, and I'm a teacher! Of course, in over half of the week, they have had one spelling lesson, on Tuesday night. Wow!
On Thursday, they are to "study" for their spelling test and take a practice test. Studying words that are used all week might actually be fun, but words that we have seen only once? For this, I use this Puzzlemaker site and make either a word search, a crossword puzzle or both for her. I mean, if her teacher can't handle doing one of these I guess I better.
Friday, a test on her 10 words. Now, you are probably wondering as we all were about how a teacher goes about administering a spelling test when every student has a different list. Well, it's easy, for the teacher! Each student takes turns with their neighbor and they give each other their spelling test!! Which would work great if every student could read your child's list. One parent said the first week her child didn't have any of the same words on her test that she had been studying!! Absolutely ridiculous.
I happen to think this second grade spelling is pretty lame. It's no wonder these kids can't spell! This is not a curriculum at all. Of course, I meant to share something completely unrelated with you all, but I had to get this rant off my chest... My ONLY consolation is that ALL second graders in the whole county are subjected to this insane "curriculum."
What I REALLY wanted to share is that this week, being a 4 day week, the teacher actually send the list home on Tuesday. I don't know if all the kids have the same list or not by my child has the word "terrorist" on her r-controlled word list. How sad. I'm quite certain that when I was in second grade I didn't have a clue what a terrorist was. Maybe it's a good thing they don't have to write for 15 minutes using their words.
Howard County, MD, BOE, please give us a real spelling curriculum for second grade!!!
4 comments:
Wow...I'm not sure I knew what a terrorist was then either!
Aside...did you know that washable markers wash right off of mirrors? I imagine that would be fun to a kid getting to write on the bathroom mirror.
Ahhh.. what a wonderful idea!! Washable will be good, because my almost 5 year old will definitely want to join in, and she's pretty random about messy things. She decided just the other day to "decorate" her clothes with a pen that I can't seem to get off. There goes another Gymboree outfit down the tubes!!
Terrorist... what has come of our world?
I actually got the idea from my son's occupational therapist. The key is washable...she told me a story of a kid who got to use the markers on the floor length mirror at therapy and went home and put the sharpies to work to her mom's decorative mirror in the family room...now they are careful to tell the kids that they are special markers...but it does just wipe right off with water.
Yes - I'm very leary of Sharpies with Em around!! She is my one who has given herself 4 haircuts already, and she'll be 5 on Tuesday!
I think we'll try the washable markers next week, then I'm sure to find them used elsewhere. Thank goodness for the Magic Eraser!!
Post a Comment