Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

“I did something really dumb.”   Those were Michael’s first words to me as I walked in our home from taking the dogs on their morning walk.

Quick, what could he have done while I was gone that was dumb?  The house wasn’t on fire, his brother was with me so it wasn’t anything to do with him, he hadn’t invited a dozen kids over. Not being able to come up with anything I asked the obvious, “and what was that?”

“Remember the essay I submitted last evening?”   How could I not remember it?  He had worked and worked on that and then accidentally turned his pc off losing all his work.  He spent more time re-writing it over.   Hopefully  he learned that lesson — save your work periodically.

“Yes, what about it?”

“I sent it in without proof-reading it.” 

In the light of the morning he had reread his essay, found numerous grammatical errors that his AP English & Language Composition teacher were sure to find, and knew it would not be the stellar essay he hoped it would be.   He knew he needed to proof-read the essay.  For the last 5 years when he has handed me something to read I have asked him, “have you proof-read this?”

Mistakes happen.  I know that.  This making mistakes is part of moving through the high school years.  Even when you think you have helped them to learn what they should be doing sometimes they think and do otherwise.   It happens.  Hopefully he’ll learn to proof-read without me asking him.  Although maybe not.  Just today he was writing on the pc, asked me to read the work over, and I discovered the paper had not been saved, yet.    Please tell me that there will come a time when he remembers to save his work and proof-read his work.