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handwriting
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My DDs 6 and 4 know how to write their letters but don’t write all of them “properly.”
Would it be best just to let them do copywork or should I get them a handwriting book to learn to write them “properly”?
DD6 really doesn’t like being told to do it differently. She says she knows how to write the letter and wants to do it her way.
I think a handwriting book at that age would be appropriate. You could make the lessons shorter, though. Also, now is a good time to explain that you need to obey God by teaching them the ‘best way’ to do things. If you believe that there is a best way to write (which probably most of us moms do) you want to make sure they learn it.
Blessings,
Cindy
Age 4 is considered too young to start formal handwriting. If the dd is interested, then make sure she’s only using crayons or chalk, as that is developmentally approrpriate; plus, you don’t want her to burn out. YOu can’t expect a 4 yr. to write them “correctly” no matter how obedient she is or how much practice; her little hands just aren’t ready.
The 6 yr. old is old enough to start formal training for penmanship and I would recommend using a program to teach proper writing from a workbook in whatever style you want to have them use. Some programs have copywork in them to trace over. Also, no more than about 5 or so repetitions of the letters are enough; CM recommended doing fewer in the best effort than many and getting sloppy as you went as that creates bad habits and a fatigued mind.
And as with all things, you’re the mom/teacher and it’s about obedience as”unto the L-rd” for her in all things; her handwritng won’t be the first thing that you are expecting her to do it the way she’s being told or shown. Plus, it is good training in attitudes and The Will about doing your best work and being under authority.
Rachel
We’re in the same boat – 2 dds 6 and 4, and the younger one is much better about properly forming her letters (though I hate to admit I never taught her the proper way). The older one doesn’t mind me showing her the correct way, but she’s been writing SO long that it’s a hard habit to break. When she was little I was just happy she was writing at all and I never really understood why it was important to use the correct motions if she could write them correctly. Now that she’s 6 I’m kicking myself for not having taught her the “proper” way. So I bought the hand writing without tears and my girls like it. I know that Sonya has used that program with at least one of her daughters as well. I bought the teacher’s manual as well as the student workbooks and I think you could get away with just getting the workbooks to save a little money.
Hope that’s helpful!
Rebekah
Just to throw in another option, I’m really looking at Peterson Directed Handwriting, using their cursive from the start (although it is done in a cursive “print”) instead of their manuscript. The starting with cursive from K or grade 1 is available as an ebook. The cool thing is that pretty much all the letters can be made nicely with 4 different strokes (a few letters have a “special” stroke added.). The main thing is that instead of tracing letters, which uses a drawing mechanism, it has the students learn to do the basic strokes in a way that puts them into muscle memory.
I’m just switching my grade 1 son over to this now, and will be doing my daughter that will be in K next school year. The program and site is made for teachers, physiotherapists, and other specialists, so it takes a bit of looking around… but there is a LOT of useful information, including working with Left Handed kids (which my daughter is).
http://www.peterson-handwriting.com/
I teach cursive from the beginning have used Cursive First & Pencil Pete very successfully.
Here are some other threads –
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/struggling-with-handwriting#post-17083
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/handwriting-a-homeschool-moms-confession#post-14014
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/handwriting#post-950
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/how-to-teach-cursive#post-14033
HTH,
Christie
Thanks for the input. I think I’ll get her something to continue to teach proper letter formation.
Rebekah – I know what you mean. My DD taught herself her how to write her letters when she was 3 and 4 and I was just letting her enjoy writing, but now to try and show her the “proper” way to write the letters is a major ordeal. She gets really upset and says she already knows how. I try to tell her that writing the proper way will help her to write neater and quicker but it seems to fall on deaf ears. DD4 is already writing all her letters but I would like her to start learning the “proper” way now so it isn’t such an ordeal in 2 years. I don’t plan to push her. She usually is asking to do school, so I want to have it available and she can move through it as she is ready to. I don’t see a real need in only letting her do typical Pre K stuff that she knows and is bored with just because she is 4. She might as well keep learning but not be pushed into a rigid schedule of it.
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