…n…d…r…u…m. Conundrum.

No, this entry isn’t specifically about conundrums, but it is about spelling ‘conundrum’.

You see, that’s one of the words on the National Spelling Bee word list that M has been studying. She has chosen to participate in the schools Spelling Bee. Winners go on to regional competitions, then the big national competition.

M, being different than her brother, loves the idea of being in the Spelling Bee. As a third grader, it’s her first opportunity to be eligable, so she’s jumping right in.

I’ve been helping her with the list of approximately 150 words. Her spelling is not so bad. She doesn’t have the entire list down pat, but she’s got a respectable number of words, considering she’s only put about three hours into focused study. Mind you, this list contains words like:

• ‘photosynthesis’
• homonyms like ‘eight’ and ‘two’ , clearly intended to catch kids off-guard.
• ‘conundrum’
• ‘labyrinth’
• and others…

So her mastery of the list is quite impressive.

Her attitude is well balanced, I think. She wants to do well, but her primary goal is to participate. I let her know that it was perfectly okay to go for the win. “Finding a way to get you to regionals or nationals is a problem I’d love to have to solve for you”, I told her, “and, if you don’t win. Make sure to enjoy the experience. I’m proud of you, no matter what.”

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Update:  M came back from the Spelling Bee experience sad and frustrated. When I asked her how it went, she slid into tears of disappointment, and said “Oh, it was TERRIBLE!”  I asked her how come, and her answer was priceless: “Dad! They used words in the spelling bee that weren’t even on the list!”

She got her practice word right (‘straightforward’) but bobbled her vowels on her first real word. Out in the first round. Knocked on her heels by the realization that the study list was not all-inclusive.

We talked about it for a while. I told her about my grades school spelling bee misadventures (and eventually earning the family nickname of ‘the human dictionary’). She laughed at my stories and found strength in knowing that she now fully knows what to prepare for at next year’s contest. You can bet she’ll be there!