Kindergarten Spelling Tests

[happymom]

I don't remember ever having a spelling test in kindergarten. That said, I don't remember much of kindergarten. But now I have a kindergartner and I feel like his spelling words are way too hard.

I don't really know anything about education. I feel like an idiot saying this, but I try to be involved in the school. He's my oldest/only school aged child. He's pretty typical, he's learning to read and spell and math pretty well.

But today is his third spelling test, ever. We've been "studying" his words all week together, and I wish I could feel confident for him. He is crushed when he misses words on his spelling test. I don't want to put too much pressure on him, as HE IS FIVE.

His words this week are :

thermometer
whip
thirteen
wheel
think
whiskers
thumb
whistle
thorn
thimble
whale
thermos
wheelbarrow

This is more of a vent than anything else. He goes to a charter school that is known for being tough. I just never imagined he'd need to be spelling these kinds of words at 5. What about KID, CAT, DOG, MOM, DAD, PIG -- we just should skip those words and go straight to ELEPHANT and THERMOMETER?

None of these kids even know what a thimble is!

[happymom]

Sorry, maybe this should be in the off topic chat. My bad

[daycarediva]

Welcome to common core.

The push down of academics that most of us complain about is just that. Kindergarten is the new first grade.

Are these words from books they are reading in class?

They're assuming the kid learning pre-k dolch sight words in preschool. They're assuming they can read, write, spell well enough to understand these words.

The sad fact is, the great majority cannot. I WOULD NOT worry about this- maybe even ask the teacher if he can opt out if possible.

Instead, work on word families at home- -AT bat, rat, cat, sat, fat, mat, pat. etc. and the dolch sight words (words like one, and, you, that you cannot sound out, you can google search for these by grade level)

[Annalee]

Welcome to common core.

The push down of academics that most of us complain about is just that. Kindergarten is the new first grade.

Are these words from books they are reading in class?

They're assuming the kid learning pre-k dolch sight words in preschool. They're assuming they can read, write, spell well enough to understand these words.

The sad fact is, the great majority cannot. I WOULD NOT worry about this- maybe even ask the teacher if he can opt out if possible.

Instead, work on word families at home- -AT bat, rat, cat, sat, fat, mat, pat. etc. and the dolch sight words (words like one, and, you, that you cannot sound out, you can google search for these by grade level)

Yep...commom core at it's best. My sons are jh and hs now but when they were in elementary, I was told by the teachers if they could prove 2+2 is 3 and the sun is purple then they are correct. Some crazy stuff out there!

[happymom]

It's not that he can't spell the easy words. It just seems like once you learn those words, wouldn't it make more sense to go to --um, I dunno, 4 letter words like "this" and "then" and "math" (I know they are focusing on the TH and WH sound right now) -- WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CHOOSE THERMOMETER FOR A 5 YEAR OLD?!

[happymom]

Yep...commom core at it's best. My sons are jh and hs now but when they were in elementary, I was told by the teachers if they could prove 2+2 is 3 and the sun is purple then they are correct. Some crazy stuff out there!

It's definitely hard to understand and hard to help him with his homework. I can't even follow the directions, it scares me for what's in store when he gets older.

I'm really lucky to have a kid who wants to do well and wants to learn and can easily stay on task and will sit on his own and practice his spelling and is always reading, wherever we go.

But these spelling words are really quite discouraging.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

My daughter will be starting K next year. I was dead set on home school... then thought maybe she would actually enjoy the classroom setting of going to school (she's that kid that would). And then I read this kind of stuff and think NO NO NO. We're going to enter the lottery next month to try to get in one of the charter schools... Do they not teach phonics at all anymore?

[happymom]

My daughter will be starting K next year. I was dead set on home school... then thought maybe she would actually enjoy the classroom setting of going to school (she's that kid that would). And then I read this kind of stuff and think NO NO NO. We're going to enter the lottery next month to try to get in one of the charter schools... Do they not teach phonics at all anymore?

We got into the Charter school we wanted. They still follow the common core.

I guess it's okay. It just seems too hard, like how does a 5 year old get anything out of learning how to spell words like this? They DO teach phonics, and sight words. Most of the stuff they do seems pretty on point....but I do not understand why the spelling words are so hard.

[kendallina]

That's idiotic. My dd is in 3rd grade and these words are closer to what she's learning. Seems nonsensical to me.

[Poptarts22]

Common core. Ugh!!
I homeschooled my three kids through high school. I am now the mom to a pharmacist, a future veterinarian and a police officer. Best years of my life were teaching those kids around our kitchen table. Priceless memories!

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

We got into the Charter school we wanted. They still follow the common core.

I guess it's okay. It just seems too hard, like how does a 5 year old get anything out of learning how to spell words like this? They DO teach phonics, and sight words. Most of the stuff they do seems pretty on point....but I do not understand why the spelling words are so hard.

Yuck. I think this is insane for Kindy.

[Mom2Two]

Thumbs down on that list. In fact, if it were me, I'd go talk to admin.

Here's a link to the Utah ELA Parent's Guide.

https://www.schools.utah.gov/file/a88645e5-4cc3-4480-873f-29e16bdcb62f

[LysesKids]

Common core. Ugh!!
I homeschooled my three kids through high school. I am now the mom to a pharmacist, a future veterinarian and a police officer. Best years of my life were teaching those kids around our kitchen table. Priceless memories!

This was me... I now have a Navy daughter with 2 bachelor degrees ( one was earned before she joined), One child started her own company & a son that runs a major business. I did ok because all speak at least 3 languages also and I did it as a single mom

[happymom]

Thumbs down on that list. In fact, if it were me, I'd go talk to admin.

Here's a link to the Utah ELA Parent's Guide.

https://www.schools.utah.gov/file/a8...f-29e16bdcb62f

They place the kids different spelling lists depending on their abilities. I don't know how the placement works or any of that. I think there are 4 levels, the first two are for kids who are having a lot of trouble, and the third one seems pretty reasonable (can, fin, chin, bun, win, thin, sun, van, plan) but then the fourth one jumps to words like this.

I know they are following the common core guidelines (the page that comes home has the common core logo thing on top).

My boy also had to do an oral report with a poster board in front of the class (he rocked it) and cover a list of criteria, but it also seemed to be not very appropriate for his age.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Whoa! Those words are way too hard and not in line with phonetics. They usually learn the long and short vowel sounds so the words go in line with those. Hence words like cat, bat, hat, ect. I do not think those words are age appropriate. We didn't have tests till 2nd grade.