How long for a handwriting page?

[3lilreds in NC]

We've recently started Classically Cursive, and while my girls are doing well with it, I'm still having issues with perfectionism causing tears and all kinds of trauma, which leads to lots of dinking, which leads to nothing getting done. :glare:

 

How long is reasonable for a page of handwriting? This morning I set the timer for 20 minutes, but neither of them were done yet, and asked for a little extra time. I have no problem with that. They do know that whatever they don't get done gets added to the Saturday homework list.

 

Also, if they're having a hard time with a particular letter, even after a whole page of it, I should have them do extra practice before moving on, right? The book starts with l, then h, then k. Since one dd doesn't have the hang of l quite yet, it's making h and k more frustrating. I have StartWrite so it's not a big deal to whip out some extra practice pages.

[Joanne]

This will probably not help you, as you are using a handwriting curriculum.

 

But I've decided that if I have a child for whom handwriting is a problem, I'd multi task it instead of making handwriting its own subject. I'd rather have a well done dictation/copy work than a whole page of well done "K", you know?

 

Is there a way you can incorporate good handwriting practice with other school work?

 

Relatedly, I'd rather have 3 terrific "k"'s than a page of tortured ones.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I would set the timer for 7 minutes, and stop wherever when it goes off. The next day, I would simply pick up where they left off.

 

However, I would encourage them to do their very best handwriting in those 7 minutes. I would want them to concentrate and go slowly to make the best copy of the model that they are capable of.

 

After the 7 minutes, I'd have each dd pick what they think is their best letter, and I'd circle it and put a little happy face next to it. Then, I'd put it away.

 

I'd do that for about a week, then I'd increase the time to 8 minutes. I'd slowly work up to 10 minutes, but wouldn't ever go over that for handwriting practice. The object is to slowly create neural pathways that will become deeper and stronger. It is important that they not practice sloppy handwriting because it creates sloppy neural pathways. 5 minutes of focused practice of perfect letters will do much more good than 20 minutes of goofing off, or crying, or making sloppy letters. (per the Handwriting Without Tears author)

[3lilreds in NC]

This will probably not help you, as you are using a handwriting curriculum.

 

But I've decided that if I have a child for whom handwriting is a problem, I'd multi task it instead of making handwriting its own subject. I'd rather have a well done dictation/copy work than a whole page of well done "K", you know?

 

Is there a way you can incorporate good handwriting practice with other school work?

 

Relatedly, I'd rather have 3 terrific "k"'s than a page of tortured ones.

 

This is the first time I've used a handwriting curriculum. I've used MFW for K & 1, and the handwriting did just what you said it should - it was incorporated into other things so it didn't seem like this chore. For cursive, though, they recommend using some workbooks by Carson-Delosa, which I have but cannot locate, so I got Classically Cursive, which is essentially the same thing as far as I can tell.

 

I do prefer copywork and such - once they know how to form all of the cursive letters. Since we're still working on learning letter-by-letter, there isn't much I can do in the way of copywork for the moment. However, I believe I will combine your advice with Suzanne's and it will work out beautifully. :) Thanks!

[3lilreds in NC]

I would set the timer for 7 minutes, and stop wherever when it goes off. The next day, I would simply pick up where they left off.

 

However, I would encourage them to do their very best handwriting in those 7 minutes. I would want them to concentrate and go slowly to make the best copy of the model that they are capable of.

 

After the 7 minutes, I'd have each dd pick what they think is their best letter, and I'd circle it and put a little happy face next to it. Then, I'd put it away.

 

I'd do that for about a week, then I'd increase the time to 8 minutes. I'd slowly work up to 10 minutes, but wouldn't ever go over that for handwriting practice. The object is to slowly create neural pathways that will become deeper and stronger. It is important that they not practice sloppy handwriting because it creates sloppy neural pathways. 5 minutes of focused practice of perfect letters will do much more good than 20 minutes of goofing off, or crying, or making sloppy letters. (per the Handwriting Without Tears author)

 

Suzanne, thank you so much for this! You've just made my handwriting instruction ever so much easier. I like the Classically Cursive book and I will have to check again to see if it comes with teaching ideas but I don't think it does. I just looked at the HWT stuff..... maybe I should consider switching. It's not my favorite "look" for cursive but it does look like it would be easier to teach - AND they have a TM! I'm all about a good TM!

 

Thanks again!

[Kay in Cal]

"I'm still having issues with perfectionism causing tears and all kinds of trauma, which leads to lots of dinking, which leads to nothing getting done. :glare: "

 

I must ask... what is dinking? I first read that as "drinking", but it seemed unlikely that kids that age would reach for a beer.

 

Sorry I don't have a good reply, I'm just curious.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Both of my kids went through the HWT cursive, then switched to a more traditional, slanted style. They had no trouble transitioning, since the basic strokes are the same. Dd has fun adding more loops as well, while ds's is simpler, but slanted.

[3lilreds in NC]

"I'm still having issues with perfectionism causing tears and all kinds of trauma, which leads to lots of dinking, which leads to nothing getting done. :glare: "

 

I must ask... what is dinking? I first read that as "drinking", but it seemed unlikely that kids that age would reach for a beer.

 

Sorry I don't have a good reply, I'm just curious.

 

Dinking is doing everything possible to keep from doing what one is supposed to be doing. Fiddling around, putzing, asking me questions that are in no way related to the task at hand, that kind of thing. Normally dd7 is my world-class "dinker" but dd8 puts her to shame when she doesn't want to do school work! :D

[Kay in Cal]

Thanks! I need to update my slang, obviously!

[3lilreds in NC]

Thanks! I need to update my slang, obviously!

 

I don't know about that. It could be my very own idiolect. :D

[MerryAtHope]

Suzanne, thank you so much for this! You've just made my handwriting instruction ever so much easier. I like the Classically Cursive book and I will have to check again to see if it comes with teaching ideas but I don't think it does. I just looked at the HWT stuff..... maybe I should consider switching. It's not my favorite "look" for cursive but it does look like it would be easier to teach - AND they have a TM! I'm all about a good TM!

 

Thanks again!

 

I avoided HWT for awhile because of the look. But then I realized that my kids' writing didn't look like what I WAS using either, LOL! HWT is great for the methods & your kids' writing probably won't end up looking just like that either! My dd is currently switching bt. HWT and A Reason for Handwriting, because she got her HWT book done so early in the year. We limit handwriting to about 10 minutes too (like you, I'd rather have them doing some quality copywork, but nothing beats a handwriting book for learning formation I think).

 

Merry :-)