Few situations require a more unique display of knowledge than a spelling bee. I can’t think of many other instances where someone stands in front of a crowd and essentially says, “Here’s what I know.”Jeopardy has somewhat the same vibe, but if a contestant misses a question they can make up for it by answering the next one right. Mess up in a spelling bee and you’re out.Trivia nights have become popular in bars over the past decade or so, but that’s low-stress, and most people are amazed that anyone knows the answers. Alcohol helps, too.But nothing else combines drama with the display of knowledge like a spelling bee.My fifth grade son took part in the spelling bee at his elementary school this morning. He and eight other kids from his grade sat in chairs at the front of a common area, while the entire fourth and fifth grade sat on the carpet in front of them, and a couple dozen parents sat on chairs in the back.This was the culmination of weeks spent studying a list of 750 words. The kids practiced at lunch and after school. My son sat for hours as his mother and I quizzed him. He spelled words he’d memorized long ago, and learned to spell new words he’d never seen before.It’s easy to forget how tense a spelling bee can become.My son’s teacher introduced all nine kids, and then they had a practice round. All nine kids got their words right. My son spelled level and seemed happy to have the first one out of the way.Then the bee began.The first girl stood up and spelled a word that seemed appropriate for the first round. Then the second girl stood up and her word was clarinet. Many of you who just read that sentence probably have never tried to spell the word clarinet, especially not with 100 people looking at you.My son was up next. Knife. He took a deep breath, and rattled off all five letters, and turned to walk back to his seat. He knew he nailed it.We exhaled. I hadn’t even realized that I’d been holding my breath.I don’t remember the rest of the words that round, but nothing seemed as difficult as clarinet.In the second round, the first girl started to spell, paused after a couple of letters, and then continued to say letters as she made her way through the word. When she finished, the judge said, “Correct,” and there was an audible exhale from the fourth and fifth graders watching.The engagement of the other students is what surprised me most about the bee. When a speller was given a difficult word the students gasped, as if to say, “Uh-oh, will she know how to spell that?” When a speller missed a word the others groaned in disappointment. And at the end of each round they exploded into applause for the spellers who were eliminated, as well as those who continued into the next round.A spelling bee is just a constant build up and release of tension. I expected the parents in the audience to feel this, but the kids who were watching their fellow students experienced it as well. If a speller paused in the middle of the word, and then found his way through without a mistake, everyone in the room exhaled like a fan watching game seven of the World Series.Spelling is difficult. Spelling aloud in front of a crowd is difficult and intimidating. These kids did great.The girl who won, did so by spelling the word temperamental. How many of you could spell that word aloud without making a mistake?One kid was eliminated on chauffeur. (I just spelled it chauffer, googled it, and found out that I wrote the French word for heat.) A kid transposed the e and the i in chief. Another kid missed marinara, forgetting a syllable in the same way that I did when I spelled incapable as incaple back in fourth grade. Another kid misspelled preposition, which also eliminated a kid when my older son participated in the bee a couple of years ago.With a list of 750 words, most words we practiced weren’t used. Like queue. Why is that pronounced Q? That’s a whole lot of extra letters. Or words that are phrases: butyl alcohol, lily of the valley, and oyster cracker. Some other charmers: kookaburra, hellgrammite, and glockenspiel.After watching how those kids performed in an atypical, uncomfortable, high-stress situation, I’m reminded of a different word: impressed.Wasn't that well-written and fun to read? You should subscribe to my blog and we'll send you an e-mail every time I write a new one. Type your email address in the box and click the "create subscription" button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
PREVIOUS POST: My Childhood Obsession With Wrestling was Short-LivedIF YOU LIKED THIS POST I BET YOU'LL ALSO LIKE: When Did Ketchup Defeat Catsup?