Help me improve DS (K) handwriting skills?

[Sahmqui]

Hi, still a newbie to this forum. :001_smile:

My DS wants to learn to print like mom (I never use cursive). I told him it took years and lots of practice. We have used various trace and dot-to-dot worksheets to learn basics handwriting skills but no formal program. He can write all his letters but just not the way he wants. DS can write his full name with no formation problems.

 

I am homeschooling currently on a very tight budget and everything needed for Handwriting w/o Tears was out of the budget because it was spent on math, reading, and science curriculum.

 

I did not realize the importance of formal handwriting skills for DS since he could write his name. I thought that was all that he needed to do at this age. :confused: He is very interesting in writing better so that he can write the answers to the math problems without my help. He also wants to write "nicer" in his journal so he can label his paintings himself. Also, he stated recently that the worksheets and reusable handwriting workbooks are frustrating and too hard.

 

HELP US PLEASE...any suggestions????

[Mommy22alyns]

Here's a website that offers a lot of free printable handwriting worksheets:

 

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript.htm

 

 

But HWOT doesn't actually need anything more than the workbooks to be effective. :001_smile:

[yslek]

You don't need everything for HWT. It's just nice to have. You could just get the HWT K book (if your budget allows for it) and work with that.

 

I switched both of my older boys to HWT and neither of them used any of the any of the "extras"...just the workbooks. I did buy some of the extra things for my preschool-age dd, because she wanted her own schoolwork to do. :)

 

Kelsy

[Sahmqui]

He is starting to get frustrated with worksheets I print out from websites and the reusable handwriting workbook.

 

I guess I want reassurance that if I spend the money on the HWT K book that I will not waste the money. KWIM

[Mommy22alyns]

What is it exactly that's frustrating him about printable worksheets and the reusable workbooks?

[Anne]

What is frustrating him about the pages you print out?

 

Anne

[dawn of ns]

There's penmanship paper at the bottom of this page. If he wants to print like you, take him literally! Write down a couple of words for him each day and make is personal, "Mom loves ____" or "____'s feet are stinky". Works for my kids. :D

[Sahmqui]

What is it exactly that's frustrating him about printable worksheets and the reusable workbooks?

 

He said it's too hard. He tries to write the letters EXACTLY like the worksheet own his own and it does not look the same. He puts his head down and puffs this is to hard, I will never write like that. I try telling him its a tool to help you letter the form of the letters and you will have your own way of writing like a fingerprint. I show him how mom and dad write different but it's still readable to all. I have showed him how dad cannot write like mom and vice versa.

 

dawn of ns-

He has penmanship journals from starfall.com that was gifted to him. That lets him draw a picture and then write on the double lines below. I do write in his journal and then let him copy what I wrote but he gets upset that the word do not look the same

[Sahmqui]

I started googling and researching I was wondering should I stop teaching him to print and try cursive. May moms rave that there sons did better handwriting by learning cursivve first and stated that boys found it easier. What do you think?

[Anne]

If I understand you correctly, he's not getting frustrated "with what you're giving him" - he's just frustrated with the whole process. He wants it to be perfect when he does it, and of course, it's not.

 

I wouldn't go out and spend money on something else, unless you just want to do so. The main educational task here is: you have to learn how to do certain things, and it takes practice.

 

This is a hard lesson to learn - after all, who wants to work hard and practice? Until he grasps this a bit more, you will be walking somewhat of a tightrope: find ways to make it a bit more enjoyable and easier, yet help him learn that just giving up is not a good response and that he has to learn to work at it.

 

One thing that might help is to show him examples of work by other kids his age.

 

Another thing is to tell him about things you had to work and work at before you could do properly. Allow him to SEE you struggling with something.

 

Above all - don't you stress over his handwriting! He's very young and he will get it eventually!!:)

 

Anne