Clarkston teachers were encountering problems in leading children to move from block printing to cursive handwriting.
Using a transitional method called ‘D’Nealian? printing, students in recent years have been encouraged to add ‘monkey tails? to printed letters. Many were not making the transition, however.
‘Children were crying because, ‘That’s not my name,?? according to Geri Moore, executive director for elementary education.
Moore and Springfield Plains Elementary teacher Jayne Bannister presented a new approach to handwriting with some old twists at the Monday, March 8 school board meeting. The board approved adoption of a curriculum entitled, ‘Handwriting Without Tears? at a cost of $30,000.
Moore said several factors have contributed to youngsters? angst, including the early exposure most children get to the computer keyboard. At the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year, some staff members voiced concern about ‘developmentally appropriate practices.?
Bannister said a district committee reviewed the special curriculum and found it to be ‘developmentally sound? for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Part of the curriculum’s approach is the recognition of handwriting as involving sensory motor, cognitive and psychosocial skills. The plan calls for significant teaching of those skills in kindergarten, including basics such as a proper pencil grip.
‘It does start off pretty early in kindergarten,? Moore said, ‘but we’re doing ‘pre-writing.??
With the continuing emphasis on new technology, some of the handwriting curriculum’s innovations are decidedly nontechnical. Bannister said part of the discovery at the kindergarten stage will use wooden semicircles and lines used to form block letters. Students then will use a chalk slate to draw those letters.
As children progress to first and second grade, the emphasis will be on mastery of printing upper and lower case letters, with introduction of cursive writing scheduled for third grade. A new twist on cursive will be an emphasis on ‘no-slant? writing, seen to be a nondiscriminatory approach for left-handers.
Even in fourth and fifth grades, however, there will be continued work on mastering printing skills.
‘There’s so many kids that you can’t read their handwriting,? Trustee Shelia Hughes said, voicing support for the new curriculum. She couldn’t help comparing the use of slates and wood shapes to ?40 years ago.?
‘What goes around comes around,? Hughes said. ‘I think it’s really going to help.?
Officials said the $30,000 cost is already in the current year budget. Bannister said the new curriculum will be introduced to staff during a March 24 developmental day, with actual instruction to begin this fall.