Do It Again

One of our weekly Spelling Activities is labeled "Spelling Peer Check". We usually work on it earlier in the week.

Ms. Leom reads the spelling words for the week, like a pretest. She encourages the students to pay attention to the questions they ask themselves as they take the test. For example, "high-tech" the "k" sound, does that end with a "k", a "c", "ck"? When students have a test-like experience in class, it helps them know what "answers" to pay attention to when they are writing the word.

In the second column, students open their "Gold" Home Folders and CAREFULLY write each word correctly. They are encouraged to double check the spelling of each word and make sure the letters are carefully formed. If students make an error, they will be asked to rewrite each word FIVE times on the back.

This is NOT a punishment. The students are NOT being picked on.

The goal: to have students spell words correctly. To spell words correctly, you have to practice spelling them correctly. An athlete goes to practice to practice the skills he or she will be using IN the game (meet, race, match, event). A student needs to correctly practice the skills he or she will need to demonstrate in life. If you have the correct spelling of the words available to you, they should be spelled correctly on the page. If you don't do it the first time, Ms. Leom will write it for you correctly, and you can copy it five times. The goal is to spell words correctly.

This is not the only assignment you will find this "do it again" idea. Ms. Leom wants students to LEARN. Sometimes we learn best when we make a mistake, and we realize we need to ask questions. The last half hour of the day is a "homeroom work time". Mr. Greninger is available to help students with Math and Ms. Leom is available to help students with their Language Arts learning. If your child is bringing papers home that say, "Fix and Return", and they don't understand, THEY HAVE TIME IN CLASS for help WITH their teachers. They may also seek help at home. We want students to be successful. Asking students to redo something is one way we show students with our actions that WE CARE.