New here with a question . . .

[Kirch]

Hi! I'm Heather, mom to two little boys (5 and 3). My older one is currently hs'ing Kindergarten, and will be ready for first grade in January. We will be going the classical route a la WTM, and I've got most of our curriculum choices settled (several things solidified as a result of a couple of months worth of lurking here--thank you!), but I've got a question about handwriting.

 

We've been using HWOT, and it's been working well for us, but I'm thinking about switching to copywork until we're ready to move on to cursive. When you give your kids copywork, do you write it (or print it off) in the same style/font they are using? For those of you who use FLL, do they copy straight from the book or do you write it out so they can see it in the style they're supposed to be writing in?

 

Thanks!

[Shelly in the Country]

I copy it off in the style my kids are to write it in, so they have a model. I used to do this by hand at the top of their handwriting paper.

[sagira]

I'm interested in this also. I wonder if he'll able to copy from a book soon or I will have to write everything right now. I have a neat handwriting, so no problem there, but I have to remember to copy it in the Italic way instead of my usual cursive. I think Italic is neat and pretty BTW.

[lionfamily1999]

I hand write it in my best handwriting. That way he gets to see how I write it (I try to use the proper posture and everything), he can see how it looks written and even if he doesn't know it, he's learning how to write (from body position up) just by watching me.

 

I would not recommend printing it, if only because the computer is going to print it out perfectly and, imo, that sets unreal goals. Sometimes, I might make my letters not perfect (it happens), and then he sees that mistakes happen, even to Mom.

[PeterPan]

When my dd was first starting, I wrote the copywork out in the handwriting we were using and had blank lines underneath. That way her eyes didn't have to transfer very far. Later she was able to go to copying from a separate book, but that was later, a stage, maybe 2nd grade.

[Tabrett]

I'm using Start Write and am making worksheets with the info FLL wants your dc to write. I use the italic font SW offers. SW also has the HWT font. You can do a free trial of SW to see if you like it.

[Shelly in the Country]

I'm using Start Write and am making worksheets with the info FLL wants your dc to write. I use the italic font SW offers. SW also has the HWT font. You can do a free trial of SW to see if you like it.

 

Yup, this is what I use now, too. We use D'Nealian here, and Start Write is a real time saver. But I used to copy it out by hand and that worked too if you don't want to buy anything right now :001_smile:.

[Kirch]

I hadn't thought about printing it out setting unrealistic goals. Since he seems to have some perfectionistic tendencies (don't know WHERE he gets them from!), that's definitely something to consider. Thank you!

[lionfamily1999]

I was a little surprised that so many people printed things out (not that there's anything wrong with that ;) ).

 

I just thought of it as teaching by example and showing the fallibility of the wise and wonderful Mommy.

 

I'm glad I could help :)