Whoever Wrote This Didn't Teach Real Students

I am convinced that the people who wrote our vocabulary curriculum have not spent time in front of actual students. If they have, they certainly haven't read aloud the script they expect me to read in front of real children. They would instantly recognize their mistakes.

"Mandate" is a word that if said to a group of ten and eleven-year-olds will bring an end to any serious discussion of vocabulary.  If you don’t believe me, try it some time and see what happens.

Explaining to students what a schwa is, will bring out the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in all of us.  For several weeks this vowel sound was a part of the vocabulary lists and for several weeks I had students yelling out “schwa!” in high pitched warnings of attack.  Then I found out that I still had several students who didn’t know Ə was a vowel sound.

When I noticed “dic” was a word part to be sorted the next week, I abandoned fidelity to the program.  This is why I write my own curriculum.