Foster 1

Shaun Foster
Professor Suzanne Ingram
UWRT 1101
21 September 2014

Ringggg! The school bell sounded and pierced the ears of kids throughout the hallway it
was time to start class. I entered my 4th grade class oblivious to what I might expect. Was my
teacher going to be mean, was I going to know anyone, and would it be a hard class? I found my
friend Zach and plopped down next to him. Good morning class she said as she entered with a
quiet voice. She was a brunette with long hair and she wore a green dress that matched her
earrings. As she called out names for attendance all the students eyes wandered the room. I
noticed a few posters about reading and writing, and a bookshelf full of books that I hoped I
wasnt going to have to read. Then I knew that my teacher was an English teacher my least
favorite subject.
Hello my name is Mrs. Richardson, but you can call me Mrs. Rich. She announced after
finishing calling out names. Today we are going to be having a class spelling bee. The faces of
curiosity and interest quickly turned to worry and frustration. I look to my friend Zach and we
both drop our heads to our desks. What had we gotten ourselves into?

Foster 2
She started down the rows asking us easy words at first like Couch, Radio, and Tree.
Keep in mind this was only fourth grade. Then she got to Zach spell the word system. He
pauses, and I knew he didnt know how to spell it because he looks up in the air as if the answer
would appear above him. After he realized it wouldnt he repeats the word system and says
S,y,s,t,o,m. So close Mrs. Rich says as she marks his name off the list. People were dropping
like flies and I was up. Shaun spell the word Senator I look to Zach hoping the answer would
someone how come to me if I scanned the room. I didnt know It and I had to say something so I
eventually let out C,e,n,a,t,o,r . I knew it was wrong right when I said it because I heard quiet
gasps of air and an almost silent ahh from the girl sitting behind me that she though I didnt hear.
I shed a small tear as my teacher crossed my name off the list. I wasnt going to be able to attend
the school spelling Bee this year. This really set a standard for me that I wasnt the best at
spelling and I needed some practice.
How was I going to practice spelling I hated spelling and it seemed like everything I did
in school was related to reading and writing. There had to be a way that I could learn spelling
while still enjoying it. I went to my teacher for her insight because who better to ask about
English than an English teacher. She smiles when I ask her the question and doesnt say a word
as if she knew something I didnt. She gets up and tells me to come with her she takes me to the
bookshelf and grabs me a Hardy boys book. I blow off the dust from the top of the book from
being so old. I despised reading before that but I thought maybe I would like this book so I dove
in.

Foster 3
The book was actually great I could picture the scene in detail and there were clues and
killers that I could relate to because the main characters in the book were kids just like me. They
were solving mysteries and stopping criminals. I started reading more and more whenever we
had time in class and it really expanded my vocabulary as well as my spelling. I was more
cultivated with everyone now including my teachers and parents and even my friends.
I started using what I read in books for all my English work. I could write sentences in
essays with correct grammar. I could write papers with detail and correct spelling I was excited
to expand and build on my literacy. I started reading more difficult books and using them as
resources as well as a way of entertainment. I enjoyed finding books that had strenuous words in
them so I could use them in my papers and make my work that much better. I started reading
more than just books I used the Internet as a resource, newspapers, and even magazines. I was
reading what ever I could and implementing them into my work. Research papers were easy and
stories that I wrote were literate. I was no longer spelling words wrong and I was putting
complex words in my work that my classmates didnt know.
Everyone learns differently and I used books as my way to progress in writing and English in
general. Using books and the Internet as my resource I made my worst and least favorite subject
a thing of the past that I now can tolerate through reading. Learning something you dont really
enjoy is a difficult task if you arent interested in that subject. I found books to entertain me as
well as progress my spelling and literacy. Books made me a better speller and advanced my
vocabulary and I still learn today from this elementary school hobby.