Can we talk fountain pens for handwriting...

[PeterPan 30,047]

I'm entering the world of fountain pens with my dd and wanted to see how people are doing with various brands. I'm starting her with a pack of Pilot Varsity pens, which she seems to enjoy. Actually, I think it was the PURPLE ink she liked, lol. In any case, they went over big. I'm printing the lessons from http://www.momes.net/education/ecriture/graphismes.html

 

So if we continue this, should we move into a non-disposable, more permanent pen? If so, is the Pelikano sort of the instrument of choice for this age? And what about cartriges vs. converters? Is there a mess factor there? I'm all about ease of use, no mess. In fact, maybe I'm missing the obvious and should just stick with the Pilots?

[asta 309]

Stick with whatever she will use and likes.

 

If you notice that the nibs are dying, not due to undue stress, but due to poor quality, then you may want to "move up" in quality somewhat.

 

And colors are fun!

 

 

a

 

 

p.s. If a kid masters a concept on a page (eg: the alligator or ladybug is insanely easy for them), don't do all of the examples - stop and move to the next page. I never made my kiddos go on and on with a concept they "got" - only with the ones they obviously were having problems with. Additionally, if they were getting really frustrated with "O" on line one, I would skip to "o" on line two and go back to "O" for the next line - it gave their mind time to "breathe and absorb". Like anything, (specifically thinking math here) most things are designed to be "slept on" between major concepts (no triangles until circles have had a full night's sleep). :001_smile:

[Alicia 11]

So glad I can offer you something !

I'm entering the world of fountain pens with my dd and wanted to see how people are doing with various brands. I'm starting her with a pack of Pilot Varsity pens, which she seems to enjoy. Actually, I think it was the PURPLE ink she liked, lol. In any case, they went over big. I'm printing the lessons from http://www.momes.net/education/ecriture/graphismes.html

OK disclaimer, I am an OT , I believe in early cursive, and I love fountain pens.

Pilot Varsity pens are lots of fun a a great way to get kids "distracted" by the fact that they are using a fountain pen and doing penmanship as they really get into the colors.

 

So if we continue this, should we move into a non-disposable, more permanent pen?

Yes do switch. If this is going to be your writing instrument of choice as it is my house you need to get something with ink cartridges. Disposable pens like disposable dishes are a treat but not for allday everyday. The cost factor alone makes switching the best thing. If on the other hand it is just going to be used for writing cards or crafty things then the multi pack of one of these brands makes more sense.

http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_492/products_id/2195

http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_70/products_id/1359

If so, is the Pelikano sort of the instrument of choice for this age?

No dont get that! Junior pens are for kids in other countries who are learning to write for the first time and using ink. They need to learn to hold a pen and all the basic mechanics of writing; that is what those pens are for. The other thing to consider is that they have not gotten good reviews from adults who collect pens. Yes, I hang out in strange places:tongue_smilie: The quality of that pen for what you need is not a match. Remember in other countries the k-2 group is writing with these pens.

And what about cartriges vs. converters?

Dont even make yourself crazy with the converter thing. That is for crazy people who fall in love with a pen then go crazy looking for a way to get ink into it. Somepeople buy fridge magnets and tee shirts, others buy fountain pens when they travel. What can I tell other than, dont go there with the converters, unless you already went there and brought one back. Buy cartridges, they come in lots of colors, are really cheap, and can be found very easily. I remember being 9 in the Caribbean and trying to fill the bladder of my fountain pen while my classmates looked on mockingly at the "Yankee" who could not do such a simple thing. Buy cartridges.

 

Is there a mess factor there? I'm all about ease of use, no mess. In fact, maybe I'm missing the obvious and should just stick with the Pilots?

No mess with the cartridges. They are self contained just like the cartridges on ballpoints.

 

I would recommend these to start with for a number of reasons:

I dont know how much you or your daughter will use the pens

I dont know the size or dimensions of her hand

They are pretty cheap

The OT in me loves that they are perfectly sized in terms of length for a child's hand or for an adult who writes a lot. It is so much easier (on joints and muscles) and sensible to give a child a shorter writing instrument.

They are lightweight, something to really look for in any writing tool.

 

The joy of a fountain pen is that the ink flows as soon as paper contact is made with the nib (tip) reducing the need to press into the paper. The child then has less tendency to be tense or push so hard that they leave ridges on the back of the page. I have found this to be true with boys more than girls and with nervous children and children who dont like writing. I think your dd is in that last group? Get her these http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_70/products_id/421 as the "pen holder" or body of the pen for just $4.50. Then something like this for $2.00 a color for a 3 pack of cartridges. With my dd who writes like she is NOT the child of an OT I let her choose 3 colors and she changes based on how she feels that day or how the wind is blowing;)

http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_70/products_id/600

 

I like this company because they have lots of variety, ship really fast even over here and have great prices. Read the reviews that are at the very bottom of the page for each product. NOTE: the same pen in different colors of ink will have different reviews. They literally post the comment to the exact page the reviewer was on, not the product page for the pen in general. Soo, you might want to look at the above pen's reviews in brown, black, hot red ink to get a feel for it.

 

As I said I am really biased. I only write with fountain pens and my kids start cursive at about 6 with a fountain pen in hand. My 5year old dd is starting next week (when the new school year begins here) with a bright orange Petite Mini. She is starting with Cursive First.

The Lamy Safari is what I use for myself as it is light and affordable. I am not really a collector, dont have the money for that, I need pens that take the pressure of writing off my joints and help my writing look good. It takes a while to write well with a fountain pen if you have been using a ball point but it is worth it. http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_452/products_id/1930

 

There,way more than you asked I am sure. Let me know if you have anymore questions, PM me if I miss you. We are going into weekend Suzuki workshop mode here tomorrow so I might not get to the board but do check my email.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[skueppers 76]

German kids still use fountain pens in school, and I've never heard of them using anything other than cartridges. There's an entire category of fountain pens known as the "Schulfüller" in Germany, of which the Pelikano is a classic example.

[katilac 23,938]

Get her these http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_70/products_id/421 as the "pen holder" or body of the pen for just $4.50. Then something like this for $2.00 a color for a 3 pack of cartridges. With my dd who writes like she is NOT the child of an OT I let her choose 3 colors and she changes based on how she feels that day or how the wind is blowing;)

http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_70/products_id/600

 

Alicia in New Zealand

 

So you are saying that you can have the one body of the pen, and switch out the various cartridge colors as often as you like? Do you need to wash any part of the pen, or just scribble a bit to get rid of old ink? We just got the bigger pilots for Christmas, and we're all loving them!

[PeterPan 30,047]

Oh Alicia, that is EXACTLY what I needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't believe how helpful this is to me and how EXCITED I am that this is working. It's like night and day the change in dd's writing, just moving to the fountain pen. It seemed like the harder she tried and the more she had to write with each succeeding grade, the more tired her hand got. She asked to do all her work with it today, and the comparison is DRAMATIC.

 

She's 5'2" with a large frame (as opposed to medium or small frame). Her hands are 1/2" shy of mine, and I wear a size large glove. Will that Pilot Petit1 still be the best choice? Just checking before I order. The logic is definitely right on, and the price point is fabulous. She loves the idea of color cartridges she can change out. :)

[JudoMom 5,096]

Oh Alicia, that is EXACTLY what I needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't believe how helpful this is to me and how EXCITED I am that this is working. It's like night and day the change in dd's writing, just moving to the fountain pen. It seemed like the harder she tried and the more she had to write with each succeeding grade, the more tired her hand got. She asked to do all her work with it today, and the comparison is DRAMATIC.

 

She's 5'2" with a large frame (as opposed to medium or small frame). Her hands are 1/2" shy of mine, and I wear a size large glove. Will that Pilot Petit1 still be the best choice? Just checking before I order. The logic is definitely right on, and the price point is fabulous. She loves the idea of color cartridges she can change out. :)

 

I had a fountain pen in middle school and I could change out the ink cartridges and I loved it. I'm very tempted by these!

 

I've got a three set of the varsity (although one of my boys ruined the purple one), and am thinking of throwing this pack in my next Amazon order.

[Karen in CO 1,409]

My dh took dd to a pen store and let her try out different pens. She ended with one that you dip into the ink (washable ink). She loves it and it did make a great difference in her handwriting. I'd suggest a trip to a pen store and letting her choose one that is comfortable.

[In the Rain 221]

:bigear: This whole idea intrigues me. 8yo dd complains endlessly about tired hands. :confused: Maybe fountain pens would be helpful. Thanks for all of the great information, Alicia!

 

Can left handed children use these pens?

[Amie 69]

I'm so glad to see fountain pens up for discussion on here again! I know it has come up in the past, and I've wanted to look into it further. Alicia, thanks for sharing such great information. This is all very inspiring as I'm hoping to use Cursive First.

[JudoMom 5,096]

:bigear: This whole idea intrigues me. 8yo dd complains endlessly about tired hands. :confused: Maybe fountain pens would be helpful. Thanks for all of the great information, Alicia!

 

Can left handed children use these pens?

 

I've got 3 lefties, and they use the pens no problem.

[Hathersage 16]

pelikano makes a lefty pen.

 

http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/acatalog/child_cartridge_pens.html

[PeterPan 30,047]

Julianna, don't know about the lefty thing, but they definitely help with the hand fatigue. My dd worked and worked and worked with hers this morning. Karin, I had seen your comments before about that! I think, honestly, that a pen from a pen store might be above my price point right now. But it might make a nice birthday or Christmas gift. :)

 

Yes, that's why I brought this fountain pen thing up. It seems like it's going to be SO helpful, and it's so seldom mentioned. We work so hard on getting things just so and helping our kids, I'm excited to have a new tool in the arsenal. Also check out those lessons I linked to. They took quite a while to paste into a Word file and resize, but my dd is enjoying them. I had guessed a year ago that something like that would help her, but the closest I had gotten were the technical drawing books Timberdoodle sells. This is better because it's more writing-specific.

[rafiki 112]

.

[PeterPan 30,047]

She has used mechanical pencils for a while now, but these fountain pens are a huge step up. I knew I had a problem when she, at age 10, was saying how much her hand hurt. I just couldn't go on telling her she was bad, telling her to do better, etc. She can write fine, IF she only writes a little bit. But as her hand tires, you just watch the writing fall away to nothing and scrawls. And I've had her write and write. I was so exasperated I was willing to pursue an OT, when I read through the posts on the board here and realized there were things I could do to help her. So I have a book on fine motor skills exercises coming, got her a fountain pen, and have her doing these lessons. I don't know if it will work, but I'm trying.

 

It was Homer that finally clued me in btw. CW Homer has long models to rewrite, and although the retellings will be shorter, the length and writing just filled her with dread. Typing would be fine. It was the handwriting that was the issue. That gave me an objective standard of comparison and made me realize it wasn't something she was just going to outgrow, kwim? Everybody feels free to call their BOYS pencil-phobic, but I'm here to say how un-fun it is with girls. But we'll see how this does. At least it looks like we're on the right track! Her writing is better with the change, and it is lessening the fatigue. With that and some new glasses, we ought to just have everything in order now and have perfect, stress-free days, right? :)

[Ellie 34,201]

My sixth grade teacher required us to use ink/fountain pens for everything except math. I *still* like the feel of them. :-)

 

We mostly used cartridge pens, although back in those ancient days it was still possible to find not only actual fountain pens which were not the super expensive fancy-schmancy ones you see today but also actual bottles of ink, of all colors.

 

Parker makes a good, inexpensive cartridge/fountain/ink pen.

 

All through junior and senior high, my teachers for all subjects (4 states, 7 schools) required all of our work--except, again, for math--to be done in ink. None of them specified ink pens, but it still had to be pen.

[kls126s 70]

Also check out those lessons I linked to. They took quite a while to paste into a Word file and resize, but my dd is enjoying them. I had guessed a year ago that something like that would help her, but the closest I had gotten were the technical drawing books Timberdoodle sells. This is better because it's more writing-specific.

 

Any chance you'd be willing to share those Word files?

 

I just ordered a pen and some ink and I'm excited to see if this helps with the same issues you're dealing with. Thanks for bringing this up.

[Alicia 11]

So you are saying that you can have the one body of the pen, and switch out the various cartridge colors as often as you like? Do you need to wash any part of the pen, or just scribble a bit to get rid of old ink? We just got the bigger pilots for Christmas, and we're all loving them!

 

Yes you can have only one "body" called a pen holder in the more expensive pens. The cartridges just pop in and out in about 5 seconds to change colors. If you have very different colors like purple and candy red you may want to do a quick rinse and blot with a tissue. You can also just start writing and not worry about the transition color combo as the two colors mix.

I find that my son who writes in shades of green and blue dont like the colors to mix and my daughter likes to see what happens when they do. If its for practice pages I dont care but for pages we will keep like in history or final drafts for english I have the nib (tip) rinsed and patted dry first.

Buying different cartridges is a cheap way to have multiple pens without YOU trying to keep track of all of your kid's pens. Mine seem to do better when they only have one body/penholder. On the other hand if motivation is an issue for kids have had a previous bad experience with writing I have different colors for different days or subjects. Its a cheap way to get them moving. It's also something positive to add to writing/penmanship.

HTH

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[asta 309]

Any chance you'd be willing to share those Word files?

 

I just ordered a pen and some ink and I'm excited to see if this helps with the same issues you're dealing with. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

You just go to that site, click on each link, and "pull" the image off of the page into a word document.

 

If you start at the beginning (the ones that look like pictures to copy), by the time you get down to the alphabet, your kid will have lovely script writing skills.

 

This is the process that my child was taught in Belgian school, and the one I used to tutor children with fine motor deficits. It really, really works. They stop pressing on the writing implement (because, with a stylo, it simply stops working) and they learn how to control their writing.

 

 

a

[Alicia 11]

Oh Alicia, that is EXACTLY what I needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't believe how helpful this is to me and how EXCITED I am that this is working. It's like night and day the change in dd's writing, just moving to the fountain pen. It seemed like the harder she tried and the more she had to write with each succeeding grade, the more tired her hand got. She asked to do all her work with it today, and the comparison is DRAMATIC.

 

I tried to introduce them in a school when I was a school OT but had a hard time until they hired a regional director who was Haitian. She used them all through school. I dont know how the US has moved away from them to the point that: people are afraid of them, only arty kids use them, they are so expensive they are "precious."

One thing I did with my kids who pressed too hard, and broke pencil points, was to use paper towels for writing. If you are just starting with a fountain pen this is also useful. Get generic paper towels including those with patterns but NOT paper napkins (the ones that are folded). Practice writing or basic strokes including tracing the patterns on the paper towels. If they press too hard the paper towel absorbs too much ink and spreads. Immediate visual feedback and a way to adjust. I found this a great way to show "you're pressing too hard and use less pressure."

 

 

She's 5'2" with a large frame (as opposed to medium or small frame). Her hands are 1/2" shy of mine, and I wear a size large glove. Will that Pilot Petit1 still be the best choice? Just checking before I order. The logic is definitely right on, and the price point is fabulous. She loves the idea of color cartridges she can change out. :)

 

Elizabeth I have one in my hand now and the size should be fine. I am 5'4 and use a med. glove. With the cap off the top of the pen is just short of my knuckle when held in writing position. with the cap on it just passes my knuckle. The cap also give a nice counter weight to the back of the hand to compensate for the force of my finger on the front of the pen. The pen for someone of my size and weight is almost too light and a bit distracting without the cap. My 8 year olds have no problem using it with the cap off but they are both under 5 feet and smallish or have small/thin hand/fingers. The photos on the jetpens site only show the front not the pen in the whole hand so hope what I said helps.

Given her size and success with the pen consider moving her up to a Lamy Safari for a holiday gift or order one of these at the same time you order the Mini. http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_371/products_id/4358

If you have already placed your order they will combine if its the same day. It has the lightness of the Mini and the cost factor is great. It will allow you to try out a longer pen for only $3.00. Choose a fabulous color and see how it goes. My daughter who struggles with penmanship use both depending on what she is writing. She uses the Mini for longer things and the Preppy in the purple she prefers for fill in the blank/short answer stuff. She cant decide between cherry red and purple.

 

Very very happy to be able to help on something other than MCT or Core Knowledge.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[Nan in Mass 14,492]

What did you do about mistakes? I was required to write in ink for about one grade in elementary school (just like I was required to write in cursive for one grade). I pretty much had to copy anything several times before I got it close enough to error free to turn in. Do you get better at writing with no errors if you know you don't have any eraser? My son uses cursive for French, and the older one used nothing but cursive because he had such a bad experience with print and reversed so many letters that when I began homeschooling him, I told him we would start over again with a whole new kind of writing, but neither used pen. My younger one (now 15) would be horrified if I took away his eraser.

-Nan

[Alicia 11]

I was so exasperated I was willing to pursue an OT, when I read through the posts on the board here and realized there were things I could do to help her. So I have a book on fine motor skills exercises coming, got her a fountain pen, and have her doing these lessons. I don't know if it will work, but I'm trying.

 

 

Elizabeth you are doing a great job and doing all the right things! Let me know if you need any suggestions with the fine motor book.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[Ellie 34,201]

What did you do about mistakes? I was required to write in ink for about one grade in elementary school (just like I was required to write in cursive for one grade). I pretty much had to copy anything several times before I got it close enough to error free to turn in. Do you get better at writing with no errors if you know you don't have any eraser? My son uses cursive for French, and the older one used nothing but cursive because he had such a bad experience with print and reversed so many letters that when I began homeschooling him, I told him we would start over again with a whole new kind of writing, but neither used pen. My younger one (now 15) would be horrified if I took away his eraser.

-Nan

Yes, if you know you can't erase you tend to be much more careful--one of the benefits of requiring pen. :-) We were allowed to make two mistakes; we drew one line through the mistake and then wrote the correction. More than two mistakes...do over.

[kand 10,256]

Are any of these pens less likely to bleed through paper? My dd is using the Pilot Varsity pens for her cursive this year, and it has been very successful, but the ink bleeds through the pages of her book, and they aren't super-thin pages, either. On regular notebook paper, they can definitely only be used on one side of the paper for that reason.

[Alicia 11]

Try writing on a paper towel and see if you still bleed. Then try writing on a paper towel with a pencil. Is there still pressure on the reverse? Is the writing raised on the reverse? Is it difficult for your child to write light enough that the raised writing/pressue does not show? If none of this is a problem then it is your pen. I find that there is more bleeding with the wider nibs (points). I write with a fine or very fine for this reason and also it allows me to write in the margins of books. Try one of the other brands, they might be better in your daughters hand and her style of writing. Sometimes its the tool and not the person.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[Alicia 11]

Just like many things in life if you know that your chances/options/do overs are limited you tend to be more mindful. Over time the mindfullness becomes habit. Not without a lot of moaning and groaning usally.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[Alicia 11]

Cursive First is a great program. I use it two to three times per student. I save first, last, alphabet, and number pages year to year. The kids love looking back to see their progress, it encourages them to try better. They are also amazed at how bad they used to be. I would recommend copying the book 1 and 1/2 times and inserting an old/review page every 3 to 5 pages. That gives your child review, you can skip what is solid and they get a second chance days later for something that was a challenge. I have my bound as I really hate loose pages. My life is a struggle with paper.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

[Pixie 18]

What did you do about mistakes? I was required to write in ink for about one grade in elementary school (just like I was required to write in cursive for one grade). I pretty much had to copy anything several times before I got it close enough to error free to turn in. Do you get better at writing with no errors if you know you don't have any eraser? My son uses cursive for French, and the older one used nothing but cursive because he had such a bad experience with print and reversed so many letters that when I began homeschooling him, I told him we would start over again with a whole new kind of writing, but neither used pen. My younger one (now 15) would be horrified if I took away his eraser.

-Nan

I grew up in France were evryone uses fountain pens for school and we had erasers that work on ink (blue ink only) but you can only erase one. We also used white-out. Evrything was done in ink, even math (except geometric constructions).

 

ETA: here is what those look like

http://www.e-consommables.fr/correction/effaceurs-reecriveurs/reynolds-fbs-761390.html

Edited January 28, 2010 by Pixie

[Ellie 34,201]

Are any of these pens less likely to bleed through paper?

Much of that has to do with the paper. You need paper with a very smooth surface.

 

My dd is using the Pilot Varsity pens for her cursive this year, and it has been very successful, but the ink bleeds through the pages of her book, and they aren't super-thin pages, either. On regular notebook paper, they can definitely only be used on one side of the paper for that reason.

Well, back when I was in school, long ago and far away, we only wrote on one side of the paper, so there you go. :-)

[In the Rain 221]

Would the pens you all are talking about be the same as calligraphy pens?

 

I have a calligraphy set that is made in Europe, Manuscript brand. The ink stops and starts, making the writing very uneven. I bought it a few months ago, but just opened it today. I tried three different cartridges, all with similar results.

 

Am i doing something wrong? Is it just a bad brand? :confused:

[~Kirsten~ 11]

Oh, this whole thread is incredible! Thanks, OhElizabeth for starting it, and thanks to all, especially Alicia, who've chimed in with advice! :001_smile:

[Ellie 34,201]

Would the pens you all are talking about be the same as calligraphy pens?

 

I have a calligraphy set that is made in Europe, Manuscript brand. The ink stops and starts, making the writing very uneven. I bought it a few months ago, but just opened it today. I tried three different cartridges, all with similar results.

 

Am i doing something wrong? Is it just a bad brand? :confused:

Hmmm...I don't think it's the cartridge; I think it's the pen. But yes, generally speaking, a calligraphy pen is a fountain pen, but with different nibs; a "regular" fountain pen has a round nib, sort of like a ball point, which may be fine or medium (I don't think I've seen one that is neither fine nor medium). A calligraphy pen's nibs are flat/straight, so you can write letters with all those different thicknesses, KWIM?

[In the Rain 221]

Hmmm...I don't think it's the cartridge; I think it's the pen. But yes, generally speaking, a calligraphy pen is a fountain pen, but with different nibs; a "regular" fountain pen has a round nib, sort of like a ball point, which may be fine or medium (I don't think I've seen one that is neither fine nor medium). A calligraphy pen's nibs are flat/straight, so you can write letters with all those different thicknesses, KWIM?

 

Thank you, Ellie.

 

I didn't realize there was a roundish nib available. My set has 4 nibs, none of which are round. I guess I'll look around at the store.

[Nan in Mass 14,492]

Is it a fountain pen? I couldn't tell from the picture. Does it erase chemically or mechanically (by rubbing the mark off the paper)? They had just come out with erasable ballpoint pens when my teachers stopped making me use pen LOL. I always thought that had something to do with it, but in retrospect, I think it was probably coincidence. These look nice.

-Nan

[Matryoshka 36,459]

I grew up in France were evryone uses fountain pens for school and we had erasers that work on ink (blue ink only) but you can only erase one. We also used white-out. Evrything was done in ink, even math (except geometric constructions).

 

ETA: here is what those look like

http://www.e-consommables.fr/correction/effaceurs-reecriveurs/reynolds-fbs-761390.html

 

Yep, we have a bunch of those around here. In German they're called Tintenkiller (Ink killer). One end makes the blue ink disappear, the other end has a blue marker that you write over it with (as any new fountain pen ink will also disappear).

 

My kids all have fountain pens. They go through phases using them - currently they're back in favor. They're the one thing that makes my one dd use a proper grip (as they literally will not write unless you hold them at the "correct" angle), but unfortunately she goes right back to her awful grip as soon as she gets a pencil or ballpoint in her hand. :banghead: I bought the pens on a trip to Germany when she was 9 - I think unfortunately the bad habit had already been formed. If I'd had the pen when she was first starting to write, it may well have worked to fix the problem (or avoid it in the first place).

[PeterPan 30,047]

We were allowed to make two mistakes; we drew one line through the mistake and then wrote the correction. More than two mistakes...do over.

 

That's helpful!

[PeterPan 30,047]

Just like many things in life if you know that your chances/options/do overs are limited you tend to be more mindful. Over time the mindfullness becomes habit. Not without a lot of moaning and groaning usally.

 

Alicia in New Zealand

 

Oh mercy, you had to get philosophical, lol. You know that's the hardest thing about the passage of years, you know. There are no do overs. :(

 

That's a really interesting point that this could develop a habit, a new thought process. I think you're right. I see it in her eyes while she's writing. She takes pleasure in her control, in the result, in the process. There's definitely a mindfulness to it, unlike the get-it-over-with of her regular writing. Now whether she could scrawl with a fountain pen in the future, I don't know, lol. Probably. But for right now, with easy assignments and the improved pleasure, we seem to be on a good path. I just have to be patient for that multitude of belgian pages to do their magic! She got a kick out of them today and was telling people about them. They really are quite cute. I thought she'd laugh me out of house and home over them. :)

Edited January 29, 2010 by OhElizabeth

[Ellie 34,201]

Thank you, Ellie.

 

I didn't realize there was a roundish nib available. My set has 4 nibs, none of which are round. I guess I'll look around at the store.

I'm not sure you'll be able to find that kind of nib for your calligraphy pen. However, I have found Parker "Vector" pens at Office Depot and other similar stores; they're inexpensive, and they are *very* nice to write with.

[In the Rain 221]

I'm not sure you'll be able to find that kind of nib for your calligraphy pen.

 

I just meant I would look for a pen with the right nib. I stuck out at all of the places I looked though. I guess I'll order from JetPens. :001_smile:

[stripe 4,182]

So I have a book on fine motor skills exercises coming, got her a fountain pen, and have her doing these lessons. I don't know if it will work, but I'm trying.

What book do you have?

[PeterPan 30,047]

isbn 9780743936897

[elfinbaby 10]

I have a lefty and I'm going to purchase some new pen/pencils for him. I want to work on his handwriting. He's 11. Can he start right off with a fountain pen or does he need prior experience?

 

ETA I'm seeing special "sets" of different writing instruments to train the child to eventually write well w/a fountain pen. Is it hogwash? I have a 6 yr. old as well. If students elsewhere start off around that age w/fp, I'm assuming it's not really that big of a deal. Am I missing something? Probably just over-thinking:)

Edited February 5, 2010 by elfinbaby

[Matryoshka 36,459]

ETA I'm seeing special "sets" of different writing instruments to train the child to eventually write well w/a fountain pen. Is it hogwash? I have a 6 yr. old as well. If students elsewhere start off around that age w/fp, I'm assuming it's not really that big of a deal. Am I missing something? Probably just over-thinking:)

 

An older child can just use a fountain pen.

 

I think the graduated sets are designed for preschoolers and kindergarteners who are just learning to hold writing implements/form letters, to ensure proper grip/pressure, etc.., and the fountain pens are for 1st grade. Actually, I just went to the Pelikan site and looked at their brochure, and it talks about a 7yo being ready for the fountain pen. Though I'm pretty sure it's been tradtional for years and years in Germany to start 1st grade with a fountain pen (any native Germans want to weigh in? - maybe it's 2nd? - or maybe Pelikan just wants to sell more pens with this?)

[elfinbaby 10]

I'd love to hear that it's a marketing ploy. My 11 yr. old ds actually has pretty good grip (but bears down too hard) for a leftie. Dd, who is 6 (right handed), is kicking and screaming all the way when I correct her grip. Ds, however, has terrible form and I want to try out some pens/pencils to see if we can make it more interesting and fun to work on handwriting.

 

I'm thinking of getting the Pilot Petit 1 that were recommended in the thread and some Pelikan Jrs. I'm also going to try some other stuff unrelated to fountain pens like Stabilo S'move and the Yoropen.

 

http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/Stabilo_Left_Handed_Kid_s_Mechanical_Pencil_p/576536.htm?1=1&CartID=3

 

http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=586856&CartID=6

[Lindy 10]

This thread is excellent! I don't know of anyone whose write with these pens. I'm a big proponent of fountain pens, as my dc all have one. I am a pen snob--I detest ball points, and in a perfect world I would only write with my Lamy. I think it's impossible to have bad handwriting with a fountain pen. :)

[In the Rain 221]

I'm thinking of getting the Pilot Petit 1 that were recommended in the thread and some Pelikan Jrs. I'm also going to try some other stuff unrelated to fountain pens like Stabilo S'move and the Yoropen.

 

http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/Stabilo_Left_Handed_Kid_s_Mechanical_Pencil_p/576536.htm?1=1&CartID=3

 

http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=586856&CartID=6

 

I ordered the Pilot Petit for my leftie this week. I picked up a Yoropen at Office Depot. She says it is easy to use. It is very thin though. I think her handwriting looks better when she uses a Dr. Grip.

Edited February 6, 2010 by Julianna
to remove the s from the pens I ordered. The board **** it as a dirty word! LOL

[elfinbaby 10]

Hey, I didn't know some office supply stores might have some of these items. Thanks!

[elfinbaby 10]

BTW, Lindy, what are you dc using?

[stripe 4,182]

I was interested in the recommendations on JetPens.com 's "Penpedia" as it recommends three pens in the under $5 range, two of which are not disposables:

 

http://www.jetpens.com/cms.php/content/Article:_Good_Introductory_Fountain_Pens_for_Children

 

Pilot Petit1 Mini Fountain Pens (~$4.50 each)

Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens (~$3 each)

Pelikan Pelikano Junior Fountain Pens (~$11.50 each)

Lamy ABC Fountain Pens (~$23 each)

Pilot Varsity & Vpen (disposables, ~$3 each)

 

I've ordered myself a Platinum Preppy and my son a Pilot Petit 1, and I have managed to find my regular fountain pen that was stuck in a box in storage!

[In the Rain 221]

Our pens arrived, so I thought I'd revive this thread.

 

First off, the girls love the colors of their Petit Pilot pens. It provides a little more incentive to write with a pretty color. Last night, dh commented that 8 yo dd's handwriting was really improving. We haven't actually been working on handwriting yet. :blush: The pen just yields nicer results. :) She has been voluntarily writing about twice the volume of what she was previously doing, with no prompting from me. She says that it is easier to write with.

 

Maybe it is easier to write with, maybe it is the novelty of writing with pink ink, but she is definitely making big strides. Now she is getting positive feedback on her longer, more interesting, writing. It's all good! :D

 

Has anyone else started using the pens?