Home » Writing & Publishing » Word Play » A Literate Insect?

A Literate Insect?

© Claire Thomas

On April 22, 1999, my sixth-grade daughter, Claire Thomas, shadowed me during my work day in honor of "Take Your Child to Work Day." Since I am a freelance writer, she spent much of her day in my home office. During the morning, we attended my writers' group where the group facilitator read some of her poetry.

During the rest of the day, we researched this article. While I worked on another client's project, I assigned Claire the first draft of this article. I thought I would then rewrite it and she could show her teacher the first draft. However, I believe she did such a superb job that with minor copy editing she deserved a guest writer stint at Suite 101.com

A Literate Insect?

by Claire Thomas

Spelling bees. Not literate insects but "spelling competitions won by the individual or team spelling the greatest number of words correctly," according to "The Random House College Dictionary." Spelling bees can be a source of paralyzing fear to any schoolchild who has nervously and stiffly scurried on stage in front of an audience to spell a word.

To those of you who have never participated in one, it might sound simple. It is, when you're all alone. But when you walk on to a stage in front of row after row of solemn people, your brain, not to mention your knees, lock up. It's all you can do to get out a word, any word. I have always been a good speller and even though I love to perform, I freeze when it comes to spelling bees. Since fourth grade, I have participated in a class spelling bee to determine who goes to the school spelling bee. My nervousness has always gotten the better of me. This year, in sixth grade, my last year in elementary school, I won the class bee. I was thrilled. Then came the school competition.

During the spelling bee, the air seemed thin, like air on a mountain. I stood my ground while, one by one, the other contestants were eliminated. Finally it was between me and a fifth grader. For several rounds we battled. Then the judges gave my opponent a word. "Cabaret." She misspelled it; the turn passed to me. I got it. For my final word, the word that could win the bee, I was given "chenille." After rattling off the correct spelling, I waited half a moment in silence. Then the judges announced me as the winner. I was to go on to the district spelling bee. I and the

The copyright of the article A Literate Insect? in Word Play is owned by Sandra Linville. Permission to republish A Literate Insect? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.