how teacher intensive is hwot?

[srs]

And is it baby/toddler proof? I have a 5yo, 2.5yo, and newborn. I can't tell from the pictures online if the letter pieces are small enough to be choked on. Thanks!

[3peasinapod]

Do you mean the wooden letter pieces? They are about 8 inches long. You can make them out of craft foam from a model in the teacher's manual instead of buying the rather expensive wood pieces. big line, little line, big curve, little curve.

 

In the early years, the teacher will definitely be spending more time, making sure the child is forming good habits right off the bat that you don't have to correct later. You will help them form letters too. In the later years (even 1st you don't need to spend a lot of time with the child), I don't have to do anything with them, but make sure everything is beautiful.

[Farrar]

The K year is, but I think the majority of K'ers need a lot of attention on their handwriting in K. It's not an independent subject for them.

 

There's no way I can imagine that a baby could choke on those letter pieces.

[MomatHWTK]

It is teacher intensive, but the lessons are very short. The amount of time will also depend on what and how you teach. If you are doing the pre-writing activities with the wooden pieces, dough, etc. then you will have more clean up time than if you just use the workbooks.

 

If your child really isn't getting the process of forming curves, straight lines, etc. in written form, then the roll a dough, wet dry erase and wooden pieces are intended to help them form those tactile connections. I'm sure the supplemental materials are helpful, but perhaps not absolutely necessary.

 

I purchased the wooden pieces for my first child, but lost most of them by the time the 2nd child was ready to learn to write. So, child 2 and 3 have just had workbooks. They both learned proper pencil grip by watching child 1 write. :001_smile:

[srs]

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to know that it is still doable without all of the supplemental materials. Price and lots of small parts were the two drawbacks I could see, but if the parts aren't all that small and the components sold separately neither is a big worry. I'm planning a 3Rs kindergarten year, and handwriting is definitely my daughter's weakest area right now.

[raceNzanesmom]

I've found it to be affordable and easy to teach. All beginning writers need instruction and HWT only takes minutes a day. Their methods work well to avoid reversals and other problems many children have with handwriting.

 

The wooden pieces (homemade is fine) and chalkboard are definitely bonuses of using HWT. I wouldn't skip them. You can usually find a K TM for cheap on the used boards, make your wooden pieces for next to nothing, a box of chalk broke in half and a cut up sponge work great. All you really need to buy new is the chalkboard and student book. Everything, except the student book, is reuseable. I started HWT with my youngest and have now used with 3-4 daycare kids. It really does work! :D

[Mississippi Mama]

Do you mean the wooden letter pieces? They are about 8 inches long. You can make them out of craft foam from a model in the teacher's manual instead of buying the rather expensive wood pieces. big line, little line, big curve, little curve.

 

In the early years, the teacher will definitely be spending more time, making sure the child is forming good habits right off the bat that you don't have to correct later. You will help them form letters too. In the later years (even 1st you don't need to spend a lot of time with the child), I don't have to do anything with them, but make sure everything is beautiful.

 

I totally agree.

 

I'll add one of mine who is 5 is bored with the big wooden pieces! He just wants to skip to actually writing.

 

I like their TM's. I like the chalkboard and little sponges too. The cd's are nice , but I never use them.