A third year elementary student’s recent thoughts were clear, “I’m a third grader who is really trying to get my spelling words done.”
So when Stephen recalled a student-initiated math-a-thon a year ago, he thought, “let’s just cross out math and put in spell!”
With the freedom to present his idea in his Montessori classroom to do just that and have his classmates vote to support him, Mountain Shadows’ Elementary I class spent a recent three-hour morning work cycle honing their spelling skills.
Dressed in pajamas for the day and armed with pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals if wanted, children worked in pairs or small groups studying and practicing any one of 60-plus lists ranging from 3-15 words, and then quizzed each other.
They earned a well-deserved hot chocolate break, “which really helped us focus while we continued our work,” said Stephen.
“It’s hard to learn spelling and we were all kind of yawning at the end of 3 hours,” he explained. “But it was worth it!”
