It’s optional at our elementary school. Last year my child was a good speller for his age because he had been at Catholic school for the two years prior. They had weekly spelling test. Unfortunately, the test to be eligible to compete in the spelling, spelling bee had words that were pretty far above grade level, and the kids had to get a perfect score on that test in order to be able to participate in the Bee. There wasn’t any time given at school to study the words, we were just trying to do it on our own at home and he didn’t quite get there. It didn’t bother him that he didn’t make it. This year I’m not even bothering to encourage him because his spelling has regressed now that he’s in a school district that doesn’t bother to teach or correct it. I agree that it’s ironic that they want to have a spelling bee when they don’t even teach the kids spelling. Our school has a lot of kids who are several grade levels ahead, and the spelling bee seems to be geared toward them. As if they already need more recognition and people telling them how smart they are. It is kind of a shame, because I remember being able to participate and doing pretty well in the spelling bee without needing to be that far ahead. The words were more in line with the spelling words that we actually studied at school.

Spelling Bees are a fun challenge. It's hard but when you win, it's a great feeling.

So this has many rounds?

Because everyone does it. They unexpectedly won the junior bee and that encouraged them to study and win the regular bee. County level is where they realized just how seriously some people take it and they were out the first round and stopped caring

Anonymous wrote:I hope this doesn't become required my Dyslexic kids would be really upset by this. Heck I hated them back in the day and I'm just not a great speller, but I'm not dyslexic.

The move has been toward making it non-required. It's now an optional activity in most schools around here, while when I was a student 25 years ago it was required to participate in your class spelling bee every year and it was done during the english/language part of class.

It's not required in our school, it's an optional afterschool activity-- there's a few afterschool days with practice, rounds, and then the finals, spread out over a few weeks. For the right kid, it's fun, and it's actually quite popular at our school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that FCPS wants to sponsor a spelling bee when they eliminated spelling books!

What are "spelling books"?

Tools that don't work to teach spelling, but that can be gamed by UMC parents who want to feel superior, often at the expense of their children's development.

I hope this doesn't become required my Dyslexic kids would be really upset by this. Heck I hated them back in the day and I'm just not a great speller, but I'm not dyslexic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that FCPS wants to sponsor a spelling bee when they eliminated spelling books!

What are "spelling books"?

Why not?

Anonymous wrote:Name one reason you want your kids participate in this

Because both of my kids asked me to sign them up.

Anonymous wrote:It’s interesting that FCPS wants to sponsor a spelling bee when they eliminated spelling books!

What are "spelling books"?

It’s interesting that FCPS wants to sponsor a spelling bee when they eliminated spelling books!

It's fun and challenging for the right kid but it's certainly not going to be for every kid.

The right fit would be a child that is or has developed to be a decent speller to begin with so this success/aptitude will naturally motivate them to study and compete. If a child doesn't have this to start with, it's probably not going to be an activity that they enjoy or are motivated to participate in.

Name one reason you want your kids participate in this