Word Nerd

Okay – I admit it, I am a nerd. I don’t wear thick glasses or have an obsession with algorithms or computer programming, but none the less, I am a nerd. I love words. I guess you could call me a word-nerd.

I find a sense of voyeuristic self-righteous pleasure in finding spelling errors in advertising, books and anything published or written. Seriously – even your emails! I JUDGE YOU!!

Or at least, I used to.

Now that I think about it, more deeply - I judge your teachers.

Now I’m a teacher. So I too am being judged. I have come to the harsh realisation that spelling and grammar is just not everyone’s thing. I have also come to realise that it doesn’t make someone more or less intelligent than me just because of my arrogance in considering myself a good speller. Actually – I get that from my Mum….

I continue to judge advertising, books and anything published. But I will not judge you for your emails. It is not your fault that spell check cannot distinguish between for, fore and four. Or there, they’re and their. And who goes meticulously over every single email looking for their own errors. Who has that much time? Certainly no one I know.

Okay – here goes. Oh the shame of the confession…. I, too have been found guilty of a spelling or grammatical error from time to time. There, I said it. I hang my head in shame and tearfully admit that it has happened. And – due to my “loud and proud word-nerd” status, and my over-enthusiasm at correcting others when they may have been erroneous….. needless to say, my friends have been VERY quick to jump on the bandwagon to let me know when I have been wrong.

So I admit – there are times when an oversight or lack of care can cause an error. But. I stand by my judgement of people whose profession it is to check and correct and pass on to someone else to check and correct if it STILL COMES OUT WITH ERRORS!!

But – to those of you who may not be word-nerds. Who may rely heavily on spell check to keep your emails looking professional: I. Do. Not. Judge. You.

How could I? You’re probably much better at maths than me. Or playing the guitar. Or writing poetry. Or riding a horse….. or MYRIAD other things that I am *sigh* sad to say: average (or below) at.

Keep that in mind when you think about the students that just can’t get a good mark on their spelling test…. Sure, provide them with all the tools that you can to help them… but if all else fails, think about other things that they do really well at. We all have our strengths and preferences.

If I have unfairly judged you in the past, or have been too quick to correct you on a simple oversight. I apologise. Truly. I have been wrong. *Phew*….. I did it!

Until next time – I before e, except after c….. you later….

Team Future