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She should make a personal spelling list and keep it handy when she writes. You can help her make this spelling list by using a small notebook and labeling each page A, B, C, and so on. When your daughter encounters a word she can’t spell, she can look it up in a dictionary or ask you for the correct spelling. Then she should write the word correctly in her personal spelling list. The next time she needs that word, she can use the notebook and eventually, through repetitions, she will learn how to spell the word. If a notebook is too cumbersome, try making a chart on a standard sized piece of paper. If you mount the chart on brightly colored cardboard, it will be easy for her to locate in her book bag or desk and will probably last for the rest of the school year. Once your daughter has her own personal spelling list, she won’t have to look up every word she doesn’t know in a dictionary or always rely on someone else. Repetition is the key to learning spelling, so the more she sees the troublesome words and spells them out loud when she’s writing them, the quicker she will commit them to memory. You could even use the personal spelling list when you play word games, such as Hangman or Scrabble or ask her how to spell certain words when you’re writing something yourself. Encourage her to keep improving. When you focus on one skill such as this for a few months, you are bound to see improvements. Success can be the very best encouragement for a young student who is trying to learn new skills. I’m bothered when my child comes home with homework over vacations. My son’s teacher has always given a few assignments over each vacation, and although they usually haven’t caused us much trouble, we’re going away on a trip over the spring vacation, which we purposely planned to not conflict with the school calendar. I feel it’s unfair that, when we’re away, my son has to be saddled with homework. I don’t want to lug books and paperwork along with us, and I don’t want to make my son do his assignments while we’re supposed to be having fun. Should I mention this to the teacher? Try this: Let the teacher know that you are planning to be away for a week in April on your family vacation. Because you’ve noticed that there were homework assignments over other vacations, you would like to know ahead of time if there will be homework assigned over the April vacation. If there will be assignments, tell her you would really appreciate the work a few weeks ahead of time, so your child could complete it before you begin your trip. I would think the teacher will accommodate your request because she wants your son to get his work done and will probably appreciate your thinking ahead. Be business-like with your request and give her a few days to prepare the material. Get it done ahead of time and have a great vacation.
Send questions to: Answers from the Teacher, P.O. Box 54, South Egremont, MA 01258. Questions may also be e-mailed to answersfromtheteacher@adelphia.net.
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