Ignoring Spelling in the Classroom

* Less than a week before the May 29 article on problems with teaching children spelling in California schools appeared, I was in the principal’s office of my daughter’s school expressing my concerns on this same issue. My daughter attends a good school and has had wonderful teachers, but I fear she will never learn to spell. Spelling errors in her tests and written work have almost never been corrected in her five years in school.

Clearly, children cannot learn to do anything properly without feedback on their errors. I appreciate the good intentions of many educators who believe this constant correcting will be detrimental to children’s self-esteem, but I disagree.

During my daughter’s piano lesson every error is pointed out, and the teacher helps her make the necessary correction. Clearly a musical piece in which all the notes are played correctly but the rhythm is not is unacceptable. And only by correcting each error does she learn the proper way to play the piece.

I believe the same holds true for her schoolwork. Children do not derive self-esteem because we have lowered the goal post for them. Self-esteem comes from working hard and seeing the positive results of that hard work.

LINDA SUMMERS

Brea