Handwriting sloppy??

[brewer13399]

My boys are 1st and 2nd. My 2nd grader has really nice handwriting when he takes his time and does it right, my 1st grader has the formed letters and all but it is just sloppy and he just hates to write even if it is just copy work. So my question is do you make your kids do their papers really nice or what? I was looking back over their work for the last 4 wks and their papers look so sloppy on their copy work and dictations and spelling. How can I really push nice writing? Should I make them redo the work if they do it sloppy handwriting?

[SailorMom]

Well - I kinda take an odd view on this one. I'm sure my opinion is the minority - so take it for what it's worth.

Boys tend to hate writing in general. I try to only count neatness if the assingment is either a final draft, or written specifically for good handwriting.

This allows them to enjoy the creative side of writing while not having to worry about neatness.

[texasmama]

Neither of my boys has very neat handwriting. One has fine motor issues and the other...well, I just think he is not developmentally ready to write neatly all the time. When he is doing copywork (the younger, who is in second grade), I ask him to do his neatest handwriting.

 

In general, handwriting is not something I am overly concerned with, though. I am still working with my second grader on using lower case letters rather than random upper case letters in the middle of a word, if that makes you feel any better.:001_smile:

[Guest]

If there are no fine motor issues, I would have them do it over. They need to understand this is your standard. Hopefully, they will learn to do their best on everything. I cannot tell you how many assignments I have made my older two redo for sloppiness. The older one now does everything neat and tidy, the second is still testing me on it.

[MaMa2005]

If there are no fine motor issues, I would have them do it over. They need to understand this is your standard. Hopefully, they will learn to do their best on everything.

 

:iagree: I don't ask DS to do a great deal of handwriting, but what I do ask to be done needs to be his best work. I have erased more pages than I want to count and DS has redone them.

 

There is a poem in FLL1/2 called Work. Each time I erase and DS has to rewrite something, he recites the part that states:

All that you do,

Do with your might;

Things done by halves

Are never done right.

 

Slowly, oh so slowly, he is starting to get things on the first try.

[brewer13399]

Well - I kinda take an odd view on this one. I'm sure my opinion is the minority - so take it for what it's worth.

Boys tend to hate writing in general. I try to only count neatness if the assingment is either a final draft, or written specifically for good handwriting.

This allows them to enjoy the creative side of writing while not having to worry about neatness.

 

 

This kind of what I was leaning towards but I do have to turn some papers into our school district so they can see the kids are doing something and I really don't want them to turn in sloppy work. My younger one I think just isn't totally ready to do nice work even though this morning he did a wonderful job so we will see. I know another thing is he gets burnt out on the writing part.

[whybenormal]

My boys have fine motor issues and struggle with handwriting. Their brains move much faster than their little hands can write their thoughts. I require them to do their absolute best when doing their actual handwriting practice books. But for all other subjects, I just need it to be readable by me. Plus, we incorporate a lot of dictation in our schoolwork....meaning they dictate their answers and write them. Or we just do the work orally. It has made for happier days.

[Lovedtodeath]

Do you have some average PS kid's handwriting to compare to? I thought my DDs handwriting was bad until I saw her friend's (3 years older) oh my. It may not be that bad if you compared samples from lots of boys their age.

 

You also might want to evaluate how much writing you are requiring.

 

"a 9 year old should be writing perhaps the equivalent of 3-5 sentences per day by hand"

[KrissiK]

I've been struggling with this with my own 1st & 2nd grade boys. My first grader has fine motor issues, so as long as his writing is legible I don't make a deal out of it. My 2nd grader works fast and wants to get it done. I guess when we actually do something that "counts" and I"m not sure what that will be, I may insist on neat writing, but now, it's just legibility that I'm concerned about.

[brewer13399]

I've been struggling with this with my own 1st & 2nd grade boys. My first grader has fine motor issues, so as long as his writing is legible I don't make a deal out of it. My 2nd grader works fast and wants to get it done. I guess when we actually do something that "counts" and I"m not sure what that will be, I may insist on neat writing, but now, it's just legibility that I'm concerned about.

 

 

That pretty much how I am doing it right now. My first grader does complain it hurts his hand if he does to much.

[twins05]

I've tried to gradually increases my standards for my ds7. Last year was our first year hs-ing and he was still forming many letters incorrectly and his handwriting was quite sloppy IMO. I tried to watch him and push him to make his copywork as neat as possible and make sure the rest was legible. This year I'm being more of a stickler because I know that he can do it neatly if he goes slowly enough and because I've noticed that he doesn't complain about the physical act of writing. Fortunately his handwriting is finally starting to get a bit neater.