................... Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 (We are not talking about math which IMO should always be in pencil) My dd 7th grade, has always had major spelling issues, which are greatly improved after using Apples and Pears for two years. She also has learned how to type and enjoys that as well though she is rusty from summer break. She is absolutely begging me to use pens in all her written work. However, her handwriting looks SO SHAKY in pens. In general her handwriting isn't where it should be for her age, her spelling isn't where it should be, and she doesn't press hard enough with pencil, and really make her writing flow smoothly. So would you allow her to switch knowing that it's going to look super shaky AND she will have to use white out to fix mistakes in spelling all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Here's an article by Andrew Pudewa on using pens. http://www.iew.com/help-support/resources/articles/convert-pens 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Why would she need to use white out? Why not write the first draft in whatever messy fashion she needs so as to just get the rough draft onto paper. She can skip lines if she is using lined paper. Then she could go back through to proof read and cross through anything that needs correcting, then write the corrected word above? Then she could type the final draft for any paper that needs to look really neat. And yes, if she wants to write with pen I don't see why not. I agree with Pudewa, let that first draft be messy. And if that is the only draft, but it isn't a formal paper, as long as it is legible (not beautiful if that is really hard for her to accomplish) and can be reviewed I don't see this as an issue. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Yes. I attended a convent school and we started pens in 2nd grade. My DS10 is interested in using pens more often. He tries and picks what he likes. We don't use white out, instead we just cross out and write above or beside. I had used pens for math since 2nd/3rd grade including for math exams. I'll let her try. For me, Sheaffer pens and Cross pens are the least straining. My kids are so far okay with the BIC 4 color pens. Their german class teacher requires a red pen, a blue pen, and a green pen for grammar from kindergarten. https://www.amazon.com/BIC-4-Color-Medium-Assorted-3-Count/dp/B002JFR8Q8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Frixion pens (by pilot) erase very nicely. Dd is dysgraphic and we let her use these pens because she prefers the feel. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Does she have dysgraphia? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 Seven Daisies- I love that article. Thanks! Arcadia and Jewels Mommy- great recommendations I will look into those One Step- we aren't necessarily talking about compositions- there's a lot of other writing for a 7th grader- worksheets, notes, flash cards, science labs and notebooks etc etc. you don't do drafts of these things ... Also- there's something different but she passed all the online screenings, book screenings and even a basic dyslexia/ dysgraphia test given to her by the developmental optometrist who also works woth a lot of kids with dyslexia and dysgraphia. She can even read "fake" words that Mimic an 11th grade level. Sooo.. The long answer is I don't think so... The more of her right brain she is using the more she can spell. If she is writing a story she spells pretty well. If she is doing Science or history or research project that is fact-based her spelling goes down the tubes. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 I think I should just let her get started, what's the real reason not to, I guess. I will definitely consider those pens though! With the Frixion- Does the writing become invisible if it's just sitting in a sunny warm spot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I think I should just let her get started, what's the real reason not to, I guess. I will definitely consider those pens though! With the Frixion- Does the writing become invisible if it's just sitting in a sunny warm spot? It could, but it would need to be pretty warm. It can come back with cold too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 flash cards - she can use pens, treat it like copywork Notes, science labs and notebooks - pencils until she is more confident, then a mix. I think regentrude mentioned lab books in pen so you do not end up erasing what might end up being useful in hindsight. Composition, math, worksheets - let her choose We went to Staples and OfficeMax, and just try out the available tester pens to see. Target has the Frixion pens but no testers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Fountain pens are great for handwriting. They require much less pressure since the pen glides on the ink and are far superior to pencils. I would have switched a student with handwriting issues to a fountain pen years ago; in my home country, kids begin to learn how to write with pen in 1st grade and are only allowed pencils for drawings in geometry. I would greatly encourage you to make the switch, but avoid ball point pens like the plague since those are terrible for handwriting. get her a nice student fountain pen. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 My kids use pens for everything, including math. Why don't you like them? I like to be able to see mistakes and corrections. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesmom Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 In my exposure to tween girl pen culture (haha) the favorites are Flair pens, which write very easily and come in fun colors. Frixion pens are nice too. You can get them on Amazon in a marker style, which would have a similar writing feel to Flairs or Sharpies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 So would you allow her to switch knowing that it's going to look super shaky AND she will have to use white out to fix mistakes in spelling all the time? Yes. When she makes a mistake, she writes *one line* through the mistake and rewrites it. No wite-out. And if she makes more than three mistakes on a page, she has to rewrite the whole page. Sometimes you have to be tough. :-) As a society, we use pencil for too many things. Children need to know that some things *must* be written in pen (if they cannot be done on a computer), and they should learn that at home. A paper written in ink, with a fountain pen, is a thing of beauty, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanDiegoMom Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I buy Pentel Energel Pens in different colors. My kids love the colors and they flow very easy (without coming out TOO fast and making blots). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I would not allow it personally. My 12 yr old really wanted to use pens and over and over again, I had to change this. He finally now goes straight for the pencils. Really, nothing other than a final draft of a paper should be in pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 My kids use Frixion for almost everything, including math. I don't save the math for posterity, but we haven't had any problems with ink disappearing even with leaving the notebooks in the car. We use inexpensive fountain pens for handwriting practice. My oldest has dyslexia and dysgraphia. I let her use anything* she wants that makes it more likely for her to write! :) What about something like a Flair pen? The shaky part of your description makes me wonder if there isn't some kind of dygraphia or low muscle tone thing happening. Your insurance may cover an OT eval, which was very helpful for my DD. The therapist helped her choose writing grips and gave her exercises to do with therapy putty that really did help with her handwriting. You can google for the exercises online, but that isn't a replacement for an expert. How is she at filling in standardized test bubbles? Not that it really matters for homeschooling, but for the SAT or ACT and future college classes, that could make a difference! :) *Not Sharpies. Ha. We have little ones, and that would be a hot mess in a math notebook! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Frixion pens (by pilot) erase very nicely. Dd is dysgraphic and we let her use these pens because she prefers the feel. I love these pens!!! We use them for math too. They erase cleanly unlike other erasable pens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 My DD prefers pens as well, and her handwriting is better with them. I think it's because she knows she can't easily erase it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 My kids use Frixion for everything, including math. We love them and haven't had any issues with ink disappearing (were in Alabama, so it's hot). I don't think a sunny window let's in enough heat to make the ink disappear. Maybe if you left it on the dashboard of your car, it might... Being out of direct sunlight in our hot van has not caused ink to disappear at all. The only issue we have had with these pens is that the ink runs out very quickly, and the refills cost as much as the pens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I would not allow it personally. My 12 yr old really wanted to use pens and over and over again, I had to change this. He finally now goes straight for the pencils. Really, nothing other than a final draft of a paper should be in pen. Why? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 I don't understand why you won't let the kid use a pen? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 It just so happened that our church had an event in which we were writing prayer notes to foster families yesterday and the only writing implement was of course a pen My dd wrote very well and very smooth. She actually smart almost everything correctly which is even more surprising given we haven't done school for 8 weeks! I'll check out the Frixion Maybe even for math, and I'll teach her about the rule of crossing out with one neat line (that is what we were taught to do in catholic school and we even had to use our ruler!) Maybe it was just a matter of being ready... Thanks for all the thoughts and advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Here's an article by Andrew Pudewa on using pens. http://www.iew.com/help-support/resources/articles/convert-pens I listened to his podcast discussing pens a couple weeks ago - loved it. I have converts this year. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Absolutely, let her switch. I strongly prefer to write with a high(ish) quality pen, where the ink flows smoothly. Pencils feel icky to write with (unless it's math with a nice, sharp pencil). Years ago, when I heard Andrew Pudewa talk about using pens for rough drafts, I actually tried to swtich dd over to pens, but she's too perfectionist and fought me over it. I agree with pp--use pn for rough drafts, with plenty of space. Type final drafts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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