This may be tooting my horn, but, well, I'm just going to say it, I was really good at first
grade. Things like reading and spelling came easy to me. In fact, my
first grade teacher, we'll call her Ms. H., even had me help
struggling classmates with their spelling words, puffing me up
like a peacock.
When
I entered first grade, the school was just implementing a new method
to teach reading, known as the Letter People. Mr. C – Cotton Candy,
Mr. D – Delicious Donuts, Mr. L – Lemon Lollipops, Mr. M –
Munchy Mouth. Inexplicably, I remember being hungry a lot at this
age.
Nonetheless,
I breezed through first grade, with possibly an unnatural affection
for oddly shaped characters and gratuitous alliteration, but also
with a great deal of confidence in my spelling prowess.
Riding
high on my first grade successes, I charged into second grade with my
curly, red head full of consonants and vowels, possessing a capable
grasp on how they all fit together.
It
was well into the school year, and as a class, we were practicing our
spelling words out loud, but individually as the teacher called on each
of us. When my name was called, I braced for the challenge. My word
was 'hill'. Pfff. So easy. Straightening in my chair, jutting
out my chin, I sounded off.
“H,
E, L, L.”
A
satisfied smile on my face, I waited for my expected affirmation of
accuracy.
It
started with snickers, but erupted into full on shrieks of glee. Little glistening eyes filled with delight. Even
Mrs. C - Cranky Crab was laughing. Eyebrows furled, looking from one
to the next of them, I wondered what had gotten into these people.
Silently,
I spelled the word again. H, E, L, L. Yep, that's when I heard it. A
look of terror crossed my face. Would I be sent to the principal?
Would there be a paddling waiting for me at home? Was I in a hill
of a lot of trouble?
No
cause for alarm. Mrs. C – Crusty Cow offered me a second chance to
spell it. And this time, remembering my spelling rules, I put the 'i'
before 'e'.