Handwriting Curriculum

[eloquacious]

I've been able to get my hands on at least samples of most of what I'll need in the next few years, but I haven't really seen a handwriting curriculum, and I find myself wondering: what on earth do you even need it for? If you can find the handwriting fonts online, and create free worksheets, then what does the curriculum do that you couldn't do yourself?

 

Please help me to understand why any curriculum, let alone multiple years, is needed. I may be completely clueless here, and I'm prepared to be instructed. :)

[Aurelia]

It was already printed. Everything was in the workbook, and since our printer wasn't functional, I needed everything pre-printed. I found it helpful when Ariel was learning to form her letters because it let her focus on the shapes of the letters instead of spelling. We switched to copywork once she could print well. I'll likely use a cursive curriculum for the same reasons. Plus I want her to have a prettier cursive hand than I do. ;)

[ChiknGirl]

In Handwriting Without Tears, which is the only handwriting curriculum I have any experience with, students learn proper pencil grip, proper paper placement and proper letter formation. For example my son likes to make is lowercase b like a six, but it is meant to be draw with a line straight down and then come back up and around to the bottom again. I think even copying dotted lines on a sheet wouldn't have taught the correct steps to form the letter. Seeing it on the page in a 1, 2, 3 step process was much more helpful to him than anything else I tried.

[noah&emmasmommy]

I agree with previous poster about HWOT. I use it with my daughter, and otherwise, I wouldn't know exactly how to help her have better handwriting. There is a correct way to make letters, and if you don't have some kind of guide, you would be way shocked to see what kids to do make their letters! (backwards, upside down, you name it!) I think definitely in the K-3 years, but when your child has a good grasp on letter formation, cursive and print, I would say it's okay at that point to drop it. It is something that needs to be learned and practiced, just like any other subject. Writing is the foundation of much learning and should be done as correctly as possible to prevent frustration by both the parent and the child later on.

[JudoMom]

For me, it's a time issue.

 

With my oldest, I didn't use a handwriting curriculum. I don't think I started out with a handwriting program with my 2nd, but I know I ended up with one. My younger three have all used handwriting books. I just didn't have the time to make the worksheets.