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| Homeschooling Parents |
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This has been the biggest,,, Pain. We are at the cursive stage (3rd grade). While that is like pulling hair, just plain old script is like waiting for molasses to drip.
My daughter totally dislikes to write. Now, she doesn't mind sitting down and writing a story, as long as it has nothing to do with school. Anotherwords, I can't just tell her to write a story; then it becomes not fun and would probably never happen. Or, even worse, will be two incomplete unreadable sentences!
On some of our subjects it requires us to take notes. To prevent the school day from being 10 hours long, I do half of it. An example would be; she writes the vocab word and I write the definiton. Or, I use "fill in the blanks" for parts of the definition. That way, she only has to write minimally, and we can get on with learning.
But, we do have handwriting day twice a week. No matter what it is; which I usually combine it with our spelling words, she whines, and moans, and has to go the bathroom, and this and that.
Do any of you, have some ideas that would make her want to write nice? Sometimes it seems that she writes real slow and makes it messy or purpose...!!
Tina
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| Posted by tina on 01/24/2007 04:23 PM
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This is a sticky subject for me as well. I am absolutely ANAL about handwriting. Why? When I was 11 my handwriting was horrendous. On my own I decided I wanted to learn calligraphy and bought a Ken Brown Calligraphy kit. I'm sure my mother was just rolling her eyes at what she thought would be the worst calligraphy in the history of written commnication.
She never said a word to me - that was key. I did it all on my own. I spent a few minutes some days and a few hours other days, and I learned calligraphy - yea! So I know you can go from exceptionally awful to exceptionally elegant in not that much time.
I learned to make all my letters the same size, to keep my angles consistent and to slow down. When you learn all that stuff well slow - can do it well slowly - you can gradually increase your speed and keep up your quality (kind of like pacticing the piano).
Fast-forward to now: I still have great handwriting. I was stressing so bad about the kids' handwriting and my husband finally convinced me 1) no one's gonna have the little alphabet chart that shows how to make the letters when they get out in the real world; 2) millions of people, mostly men I think, get by just fine never using cursive; 3) even my handwriting is my own mixture of cursive, printing, and other styles, not pure cursive.
Now all I require is that I be able to read it without having to ask. If I can't read what they wrote, it's wrong...period. And amazingly, since all I ever say is, "I had to mark it wrong because I couldn't read it." their handwriting has improved.
I have purchased several creative lettering books and various kinds of pencils, pens, and markers because I scrapbook -- I can't keep my daughter out of them; so I know she's refining her writing skills.
I've also decided not to do a formal typing curriculum -- I have one and they hated doing it. My dad can keyboard with two fingers faster than most people can talk. So I figure, if I give them plenty of computer and internet time, they'll figure out a way that works for them...or they'll pick up that software on their own someday, and do it on their own.
I don't want to try and tell you what your daughter needs to learn or doesn't. I know you're more qualified to know that. I just want you to know I've been a lot happier since I quit worrying about the handwriting.
Was that a long enough answer for ya'...all to say, "Don't sweat it!" |
| posted by Kelly on 01/24/2007 05:02 PM
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Thanks for that, you triggered something in my way back memory... Oh yeah, I am left handed.... (The older folks call me a "south paw".)
I am lucky that I missed being forced to learn to be right handed. However, teachers even then were not equipped to teach left handers to write (unless you had a left handed teacher; I had no such luck). So slanting was a BIG problem. I got tired of the teacher asking me why my letters slanted the "Wrong direction" (and then of course the kids would laugh (ahh homeschooling; nice isn't it?))
My dad has always had beautiful handwriting. My mom's well.... YIKES. I would always Love it when my dad signed my report card. So beautiful and perfect. And, just like you said; his didn't look just like the letters you are supposed to make. Everyone makes their own handwriting. And that's what I did. I love to write (as long as my hands don't cramp). I love to make beautiful letters.
You've given me a lot to think about on how I should handle (or not) this.
As far as typing, my daughter was estatic to learn to make the "clipity clipity" noise that I make with my nails on the keyboard. She got through one lesson terrific and enthusiastic. Then next lesson; well that was it. It's not fun. I haven't made her take any more lessons; although I schedule them; we never seem to make it there, and she doesn't remind me either... I think I will wait until she asks. I have one little program, and the other is online; free ford kids.
Tina
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| posted by tina on 01/24/2007 06:07 PM
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