First said

After stepping on these blessed little heel bruisers for the last three or four years, it's nice to finally put the magnetic letters to good use.

This week's spelling homework included the option of spelling the words using magnetic letters. AJ was quite proud that he remembered to drop the tail of the 'g' below the line. That's a big deal when you're six. He's lost several test points for forgetting that seemingly basic detail.

If only he could remember three other key details: the spelling of first, tell and said.

Until now, AJ has breezed through his spelling homework. Whatever technique they're using in class - whether it's sounding out letters or memorizing the words to recognize them by sight - it works for him. AJ has had little or no trouble with his weekly spelling tests.

But that was before he was confronted with this list of stumpers.

He seems to have a mental block regarding which vowel is in 'first', and he also has a tendency to forget the 't' at the end. With 'tell', he keeps forgetting the second 'l' (never mind that he has no problem spelling tall, call, ball and all.) And 'said'? On the rare occasion he remembers the correct combination of vowels, he lists them in the wrong order.

Over and over I had him list those three words with the magnetic letters. Finally I came up with a memory clue to help with 'first'.

"I like to be first in line."

 
Ah ha! Behold the look of enlightenment. (And while you're at it, behold the permanent teeth coming in on top.)
 

We've got until Friday to figure out memory clues for the other two words. In the meantime, AJ sensed a moment of bonding.

He told me, "I like being first in line. Do you know why?"

"Uh, why is that?" I asked.

"Because then a lot of children follow me. Do you like to be line leader, too?"

"You know, I don't have many chances to be line leader when I'm at work."

"Oh," AJ looked disappointed. Maybe first grade and spelling lists aren't so bad. Where's the joy in learning if you can't be line leader every once in a while?