Handwriting Ages & Stages

Natascha · 02-12-08, 05:47 PM

Boy, they sure do focus on handwriting at this school. I have no problem with it, but poor Trisha thinks she has the worst handwriting in her class.

At the parent/teacher conference, her teacher did mention Trisha's handwriting. I was a bit surprised because at the other school she had the best handwriting (according to her teacher) in the class.

She really did. They hang stuff out in the hallway, and I had noticed numerous times how her handwriting was really good compared to alot of the other kids. Well, I kind of just blew this teacher off, and told her I would work with Trisha.

Today I went to pick Aharon up for a doctor's appointment. I was waiting in the hall for him, and noticed stuff on the wall from 1A, which is Trisha's class. It was a timeline about Rosa Parks's life. Each child drew something, then wrote about it. Their handwriting was incredible. Trisha's handwriting was really the worst.

But she really has good handwriting. It's legible and pretty neat, but the others' was a whole lot better. Although, her drawing was the best.

I guess they really focus a great deal on handwriting.

How's your child's handwriting?

Oreo · 02-12-08, 08:55 PM

chicken scratch, but it's only first grade and we are working on it.

skyqueen · 02-12-08, 09:13 PM

*if* sarah tries, her handwriting is pretty good.

I'm still working with her on it because she really is still learning to write her letters properly. (one fluid motion and not picking up the pencil to finish 'the monkey tail' etc.)

But that's *if* she tries.

When I was in school, every year EVERY teacher told me my handwriting was terrible. And it was. (and it still is) but it is and was the best I could do. I'm like a lefty trying to write right handed or something

when I got to college, the teachers told me the same thing and I basically told my math teacher they were grading me on my math skills, not my handwriting so shove it.

I wouldn't worry about it - but do continue to keep an eye on it while at home.

Oreo · 02-12-08, 09:48 PM

Let me throw a twist in here -- I remember reading in "teacher school" (my graduate degree in English teaching) that students with messy work scored lower in handwritten assignments than students with neat writing did. (and compared to the same exact words typed and graded by the same person).

I work very hard to read for meaning as a teacher, but when handwriting gets in the way and I can't tell a comma from a period (differentiating between a correct sentence and a fragment, for example), it can affect a student negatively.

It's not the end of the world, but it is important to strive for legibility or better.

How do the Europeans do so well with handwriting? So many of my European students have had the exact same style writing and it is always perfect!!

tammiane · 02-12-08, 10:20 PM

Lauren has always had sloppy handwriting. Her teacher has been really correcting her this year, which has made a HUGE difference. When she has to write neat her handwriting is fantastic but most of the time she thinks faster than she can write and her hand just tries to keep up!

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