MIT Mystery Hunt 2004 - Maps and Time Bandits | Main | Talk: Visual Illusions
January 26, 2004
Movies: Spellbound
This documentary on the finals of the nationwide Spelling Bee from some years ago really is quite amazing. Eight children from incredibly different backgrounds are shown as they prepare for the nationals and it is amazing how different they and their families are. Some are from very poor backgrounds with limited resources (such as learning from the dictionary) while others are from rich families which have invested massive effort, money and time on rigorous training programs and spelling tutors. For some of these children, this event seems to be, for them and their families, perhaps the most important event ever in any of their lives. The kids however seem to handle the pressure quite well from what we see. Highly recommended ****.
Posted by aarondf at January 26, 2004 02:21 PM
Comments
Oh, I forgot to mention but, as with game shows like Who Wants to be a Millionaire, it turns out to be incredibly important and luck-dependant what one's stack is - that is what words one is asked. You may know all the words in a round but one and get that one and be out. A double or triple elimination scheme (where you aren't out until you misspell 2 or 3 words over the course of the competetion) would take much longer but would much more effectively pick the best speller.
Posted by: Aaron at January 26, 2004 02:25 PM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)