I got nervous and missed the first round word in our school spelling bee: which. I spelled it witch, and THE TEACHER GAVE ME ANOTHER TRY, if you can imagine! So unfair. I knew it, and I spelled it wrong the second time because I couldn't bear to stay in unfairly.

For weeks afterward, other kids said, "I can't believe you went out of the spelling bee so early!"

Spelling bees are hard!

Okay....so long as we are doing "true confessions", I'll 'fess up too. I was a whiz at math, although not to the extent that DS is. Still, I was considered "smart" and my class had high hopes of me winning our school bee. I went down on the first round too, on wench! What kind of a word is that for elementary school? ROFL! I spelled it w-e-n-c-e. It's amazing how we remember these insignificant mistakes so many years later!

OK, I'll chime in with my experience. I got to regionals in 6th grade. I forget how many rounds I went through, maybe about half. Then my dress got caught in the folding chair and I tore it getting loose. It wasn't a big tear, about an inch or so. I was mortified, then I choked on my word. I can't even remember the word I missed but I can remember what dress I was wearing. I did the school bee again but my heart was never in it after that.

Oh, how awful, OHG!

I'm getting the sense that for a fair number of people, spelling bees have very little to do with spelling and lots to do with getting past embarrassment. What a shame.

I'd have kicked heiney on a written test, BTW. To this day, I can spell virtually any word if I can write it down. I never learned all those visualization tricks the high-finishing kids use nowadays. I'll bet I'd have gotten past the first round if I'd used one of those!

...and managed to avoid ripping my dress. Oh!

I'm very impressed that all of you would actually get up in front of people as a kid. I was the kind of kid who would have rather DIED than get up in front of people to do anything.
So the fact that you, and your children, were willing as young people to get up in front of other people and try something like this is wonderful. Kudos to all of you for just trying!

Thanks EandC, but I don't remember it being presented as an option....ROFL!

My dd's teacher has decided to make the last two book reports oral presentations. She wants the children to be comfortable with public speaking. I just love the way this teacher is so invested in the children's learning. Every teacher should be like her!!

bianca that is great! My kids have performed at school in various things since they were in kindergarten and had to do oral reports since first grade and I really think that is very important too. My first oral report was in 7th grade and I was a shy kid and it was AWFUL. I am so glad that they think about these things these days and get kids up in front of others at a young age before they become so embarassed about it.

I'm glad your teacher is doing such a good job with your DD!

She is awsome. A few weeks ago my dd decided that she wanted to learn American Sign Language. Her teacher said she would learn it with her. So they learned the National Anthem together and then showed the rest of the class!! Also, at the beginning of the year my dd and another girl decided to start research projects on their free time (when they finished their work early). Not only did the teacher encourage this, but informal group presentations evolved from this. Children were allowed to pair up with their friends and choose the subject (my dd and her best friend chose birds) and then present to the class what they had learned.

Wow bianca!!!! She sounds fantastic. How old is your DD?? I've forgotten, sorry. You and she are very fortunate to have such a great teacher. Wish they were all that way!