cursive writing practice has begun in earnest.
we’re using juicy pens with dark flowing ink that moves smoothly across the paper. (thanks wishlist donors from earlier this year!)
we started with the lower case letters, just a few a day. naturally, the letters aren’t learned in alphabetical order, but rather are grouped together by the way they’re formed – a,o,c,d,g,etc., all the lower case letters proceed in this way.
now we’re learning variations of the upper case letters.
about 6 weeks after we started, we’ve moved on to copying quotes.
they also practice writing their spelling words in cursive.
it seems impossible when you begin, but like most things slow & steady wins the race.
they started out wobbly and unsteady, but their letters are getting smoother and more beautiful by the day!
21 years ago i taught it on the board, but flash forward to 2017 and i have a document camera and projector. when zoomed in close it makes the demonstrations so much easier.
i owe much to ms. griffin, who taught me how to teach cursive to students many moons ago. she was retiring and on her way out to greener pastures and i was just starting out. i remember her stressing the importance of having the students make the letters in the air over and over so they would understand and memorize the proper direction of each letter.
it’s a meditative 15 minutes out of the day when we can all slip into cursive trances, especially when we write the longer quotes.
have you seen these incredible vintage chalkboards boards that were uncovered recently in oklahoma? one of you sent me this a few months back, but alas i cannot remember who…
all images courtesy of oklahoma public schools twitter account.
Bravo to you Mary Ann Moss to teach something so lost to these children……I take my hat off to you !!!!!!! I love this and I read about these chalkboards here in Oklahoma but I am not the one who sent you the info…….
Wonderful vintage chalkboards! What a find that time hasn’t erased. I hold my hand up for teaching cursive. Your manner/technique is showing such great results. So impressed with the examples you are showing. You are one superior, A+ teacher.
I hope all children will learn cursive. I remember my mother (who had been a teacher) teaching me at a very early age. I love to write and to receive hand written letters. They seem to be fewer and fewer, now that we all use computers.
I taught myself cursive when I was in kindergarten with my Joan Walsh Anglund books. I love cursive and I hope the push to stop teaching it never takes hold. Cursive helps some people remember what they learn and it can be very relaxing too.
If busy work is going to be assigned, at least it’s good if it’s acknowledged as such….. lol……………. 🙂
i loved that too!! everything is so PC these days. “busywork” is a no no. pshaw!
My handwriting is atrocious, but I do write a lot in my journal and am glad I have the ability to do so.
I’m happy that you are teaching cursive. I heard they don’t teach it anymore in schools, which sounds utterly ridiculous. Maybe it’s just an ugly rumor.
children feel proud of themselves when they’re able to learn something that looks difficult. it takes so little time 10-15 min./day and eventually they can just reinforce for homework. i’ll keep teaching it regardless.
If I didn’t already think you are a fabulous teacher, now even more so! All kids should learn cursive!
😇 long live cursive!
And thank god for teachers like YOU, teaching cursive. I’ve heard it’s being phased out of early public education. That’s shameful. Ms. Moss saves the day yet again! xx
Yea cursive. So lucky they have you.
Loved the blackboards and flood of memories.
How splendid to be teaching something that is not really valued any more. That doesn’t seem as clunky as D’Nealian cursive. I have fond memories (being old) of the thrill of coming to cursive writing. Air writing first is especially helpful.
Let them play with cursive with their watercolors sometime too (then, embellish letters! woo hoo!)
YES! watercolor and brush pens. both excellent…and nice to outline with pen.
I did put that unearthing of chalkboards on my blog awhile back..fascinating. I hated teaching cursive even as I knew its importance. Good for you on the positive attitude regarding the teaching of it. I moved up a few grades just so I wouldn’t have to teach it any more!
Ya know, during the lettering lesson in Oh My Gouache, I found that it was very calming to paint the cursive alphabet. I bought that old lettering book you found for $1. These are great resources. My, my; such a good teacher crossing all age groups!
I love cursive and taught Hunter (since school here does not) when he was a little guy. We also used the ‘grouped by form’ method which reinforces the muscle memory for creating the shapes. Your post brought all those memories back. 🙂 xoxo
an excellent method.
lucky hunter!