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Jager (save)
Senior Member
Username: save
Post Number: 36
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 - 06:21 pm: |     |
I use Getty and Dubay like Alisha. So far so good. We do 1 page a day. |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 257
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 07:19 pm: | |
Sarah learned to type at age 12, when she started to correspond with her friends, and at age 13 it greatly improved as she starting IMing with them as well.
I just showed her the basic finger positions, and she took off from there.
There is a typing game on yahoo...typing shark I think it is called, that is fun and teaches speed and accuracy.
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 10 years and still going strong!
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Alisha Hauser (alisha)
Senior Member
Username: alisha
Post Number: 46
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 02:40 pm: | |
"How important is good penmanship?"
Thats a good question Susan.
"In this day and age, I have heard the position that penmanship is obsolete, that learning keyboarding is more important."
I had not heard that! But, it makes since. I don't use it much anymore.
I think it is a good thing to learn though. You don't always have your computer around.
We have always used the Getty & Dubay Italic handwriting series & I like it. They have terrible posture and I am always after them. I had not thought about putting something under their feet maybe that will help!
But Susan's question leads me to ask, when & how do you teach typing to your children. I do the two finger peck myself. :-)
Alisha><>
In NC,Wife to Frank, Mommy To Thomas 9, Christina 7, Rachel Joy 3 yrs, & Abigail 1yr |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 254
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:36 pm: | |
How important is good penmanship?
In this day and age, I have heard the position that penmanship is obsolete, that learning keyboarding is more important.
In schools all papers must be turned in typewritten, even starting in elementary years, 3rd and 4th grades.
In middle school and high school, students are marked down for not typing their papers.
Forms and documents are filled out in manuscript.
The only time I really seem to use cursive other than for my own notes is to sign checks.
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 10 years and still going strong!
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Mary Sue (marysue)
Member
Username: marysue
Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 06:20 pm: | |
We used workbooks for my three boys and one daughter. All three are left handed. Though they each used a different type of workbook, only my = middle son has decent printing and cursive. My other two boys say they just = don't really care if it is neat, I wonder if this is because anything having = to do with writing is a struggle for them. My daughter (kindergarten) started because she really wanted to learn to print her letters. She thinks it's fun. I keep trying new things for the boys to find something easier for them. But so far nothing has been easy. Someone just mentioned a book = called Write Now. Do any of you know anything about this?=20
My husband says they will always struggle with it like he did. His = expertise is in thought not on paper. Being boys and left handed is tough.
I do agree posture makes a difference. |
Kerrilyn (kerrilyn)
Senior Member
Username: kerrilyn
Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 05:05 pm: | |
> I haven't used a book with either of my two school age children. I > wrote the letters out neatly on a sheet of paper and photocopied off > several. I stuck one in an exercise book then as we learnt them the Ruth > Beechick/Gameway method I had them practise them under my supervision in > their books. At first I ignore the lines, it can be too hard. I was > most concerned with doing them in the right order of formation and > starting in the right place. My second child(6) is at this stage now. > My eldest(9) writes quite well and is learning cursive with a book > because she wants to. We decided not to teach them cursve except to > sign their names. Neither of us use it except for this purpose. Her > writng practise now is associated with the other things we do. For a > while I did get her to write out that sentence The quick brown...while I > watched to make sure she had the letters right still. We worked on any > problems as needed.
Kerrilyn |
Jaana (jaana)
Senior Member
Username: jaana
Post Number: 16
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 06:23 am: | |
Hi,
So, how do you all teach penmanship? Did you use a book? How about = practice?=20
With 11yo dd I used ACE for the first year, but with 9 yo ds, I have = just shown him how to write the letters and he practices in copywork = (occasionally) His writing is very neat, surprising really considering = he doesn't write every day.
One thing I have noticed with the children , if I pressure them about = writing their handwriting becomes messy. |
Susan (susan)
Moderator
Username: susan
Post Number: 246
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 05:02 pm: | |
PENMANSHIP – pages H-9 through H-10
The Early Years ages 8 and younger
Research has shown that children do not develop proper eye-hand coordination until at least this age. Asking a child to write before he is ready stresses him and can cause discouragement and failure.
Instead of insisting on formation of letters, have the child build coordination and skill by doing dot-to-dot pictures, mazes, coloring, and many other fine motor control activities, such as are listed in the Manual under the appropriate age group.
Implementing Proper Writing Skills
Proper posture, handling of the pencil , and placement of the paper on the table is essential. Feet should be flat on the floor, or on a footstool or stack of phone books if the child is not tall enough to reach the floor from the chair. The pencil should be held on top of the middle finger, with the pointer finger and thumb holding it in place on top. There should be a distance of about 1 inch from the point of the pencil to the fingers. If left-handed, the distance should be 1.5 inches. The top of paper should be slanted to the left for a right-handed student, and to the right for the left-handed student.
The Writing Process
The student should be relaxed, and not pressing down so hard on the paper that it cannot move. The whole arm is used in writing, with the most movement happening between the elbow and the hand.
When The Child Is Ready
Be sure the child knows you expect him to try his best. The Moores suggest the Zaner Bloser writing books, as they provide you with the correct letter formation for both printing and cursive.
The second page of this section has examples of incorrect and correct manuscript and cursive letter formation.
Discussion/Confession Time:
Okay, I just want to say, that I haven’t taught my kids much in this way. I used a book that I picked up at Zany Brainy Toy Store to show Sarah how to write in cursive because it was a cute book that had her practice a letter then copy a short poem that used that letter and the ones previously taught several times over, but basically, I just showed them how to make the letters, then let them go for it as we did our schoolwork.
I did insist on correct posture and paper placement, however, and it improved their handwriting 95% right off the bat. So I would suggest have them copy a short phrase or two, then correct the way they sit and hold the pencil and paper placement, and copy it again, and let them compare the two samples to see the improvement.
My daughter learned to write cursive in kindergarten, because she wanted to. The teacher told her she wasn’t allowed to use it in class though, because she was the only one who knew how. (Go figure…same reason they told her she wasn’t allowed to read in class…..)
My son, however, just started doing copywork as part of his daily routine. He is just starting to write cursive. We copy a bible verse or a stanza from a hymn each week. He only has to do a few words a day, but they have to be in his very, very best handwriting, so it takes a long time.
So, how do you all teach penmanship? Did you use a book? How about practice?
Susan McGlohn
Homeschooling 10 years and still going strong!
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