For the last few years, I've seen and heard criticism towards educators for no longer teaching/prioritizing writing by hand, whether it be printing or cursive. My initial reaction to that criticism is one of defense. It is a fact, in the 67 Language Arts and 27 Math standards that I am required to teach my kids, handwriting is no longer part of the curriculum. What is part of the curriculum is producing writing on the computer using a keyboard. While I understand the need for kids to be keyboard literate, I will save my rant about giving WPM requirements to people whose fingers aren't long enough to type correctly on the keyboard for another day. With the emphasis on creating career-ready individuals the need for handwriting skills is, if we are being honest, no longer a priority. Ask anyone in business, technology has inundated every part of the work day and handwritten anything is essentially nonexistent. Going further, the amount of pressure put on districts, sites, and the teachers in regards to standardized testing, not one of those entities is going to put the time into something that will not end up on that test. And I also have a third, personal, take on it as well. Kids are picking up pencils at a younger age. Parents send their kids to academic preschool, and those kids are being given homework to complete. However, no one is teaching them HOW to form letters, and many of those kids are not developmentally ready to do so either. With a year or two of preschool and maybe even a year of pre K, kids who are entering kindergarten are coming in with some terrible writing habits. For example, starting from the top, down when forming printing letters is not a skill most small children have, so they start from the bottom, up. A lot of young kids also feel more comfortable holding the pencil with a fist, again due to developmental control, rather than the correct hold. Both can lead to a lack of control, and very sloppy printing. Those habits are extremely hard to break in the span of a school day when other curriculum is deemed more important. Writing by hand has definitely been left by the wayside.
And part of me agrees with that decision. On the other hand (no pun intended) handwriting is a form of expression, and it does sadden me some that kids aren't being given the chance to perfect it. And after watching this video, that feeling is reinforced. This guy is amazing!
Writing by hand is truly an art form.
In our current educational system with the emphasis on standardized testing and quantity over quality, removing handwriting is what we have to do. If the teachers had any input into what we taught and how we tested, I suspect we'd find a place for it.
Frankly I'm amazed that Penman in married. Even I a fricking arch nerd wanted to punch his lights out. I'm of two minds about this. Yes it's a pity things have moved so much that handwriting is an anachronism for everyday life and, yes, it's a pity that after 2000 plus years an Art form is vanishing from the lives of those that might need an Art most. Mind you, the number of times I thought of handwriting as an Art are few and far between, for frankly mine is like a hen crossing a page. You know I can tell how badly my sugar consumption is by the quality of my hand. If I drink a coke or a fanta my hand will go from ishy legible to incoherent shorthand. You might try a smaller as in narrower pencil/pen for the kids. We tend to forget much of an adults control of a pen stems from being above it with a freely hanging upper arm. And for what it's worth I think an artists maulstick was used in scriptorium's to aid control for just that reason. I seem to remember reading that even today Torah scribes use such a device to allow the range in the wrist. It rather defeats me that none has developed a kids keyboard. It's actually remarkable when an adult with shorter fingers uses a smaller keyboard.
In the comments section of the video, about half raged about how arrogant and unlikable the guy seemed. So you're not the only one who felt that way. :). I didn't really notice that, rather impressed myself. The product placement on the other hand was another story. I'll return after work to fniish my thoughts.
Did you have to take specific handwriting courses there? I know my mom, who has beautiful, textbook cursive writing, took separate cursive classes all the way through college and my dad, who was a lefty, was whacked over the knuckles by the nuns because of it during writing classes. We learned it in elementary school, but after that nothing. I found my own handwriting shifted from correct formation to my own "style" with curls and hearts and what have you. And in college we worked on the computers, so my handwriting slowly worsened. When I started teaching I had to really work hard to make my printing correct since letter formation is still important with the little ones. I'm good now, but my first year or so teaching I really had to think about it. It is interesting that these master penmen are, in fact, men. I know very few men with what you'd call beautiful handwriting. Most are what you've described yours as. :) I had a friend in high school with handwriting just like my mom's and he'd write me notes to the office "from my mom" to get out of class. ha ha! As for the keyboards, there definitely are various sized keyboards, but that doesn't mean the schools are buying them for us. I have my kids on the iPads (with keyboards) in my room, which are must smaller. But it does really come down to whether they are developmentally ready to do it or not. Their fine motor skills are just developing. It's just too early, in my opinion. Not too early to get them on the computer, but too early to require and test WPM.
Yes, we had hours I remember in infants and first second class 4/5/6/7 of making gigantic letters. It looked like they were training us to make road signs. And you can sometimes see the style with a grown woman, it looks a bit like a loose Ariel font. But it wasn't until I was in college and doing palaeography that a lot of things came clear. Mind you I've always loved nibs. And that fellows one I LUSTED after. Which had something to do with me calling him a tit.:-)
That oblique pen holder he used is something too. I understand why it's used, but the how is another story entirely. It looks like it'd be kin to writing with a stylus on the tablets with the head wanting it to go one place and the hand putting it somewhere else.
They aren't the ones. They are relatively simple. The above vid has a nib-holder that looks like it was fashioned in the bowels of Mt. Doom or the earbone of a sperm whale.
Hmmm, I don't know. After watching again, maybe a variation on those obliques? Maybe needing an even steeper slant? His look quite old and valuable though, which might be the difference.
Wow! That guy is impressive! (and he didn't come across as arrogant to me, but then I was too absorbed in his art to notice) I think if I had known about "Master Penmen" status forty years ago, I might have attempted to achieve it. (easy to say at this point in life)
Of course it's totally obsolete now, but when I was in college working on my degree, I spent hours and hours at the drafting board, practicing my lettering - and I loved it! I still have my original drafting pencil and use it to work my puzzles each morning. I took an introductory course in calligraphy and enjoyed it, too, but just never made the time to perfect it. I honestly prefer pencils to pens.
I can appreciate and respect your opinion on teaching handwriting in school, but I'll always feel that those who don't learn are missing out in many ways (including developmentally).
Vince has a point. Surely someone has seen a need for a child-size keyboard.
I know! I felt the same way! This is someone's job!?!?! Where do I sign up!?!?! :) I'm with you, I prefer pencils as well, sharp sharp pencils. When I write anything by hand that's not at school (other than my art journaling that I want to look nice) I do it fast and sloppy, more of like a short hand because typing/texting is much quicker. Even writing a check or signing my name anymore has turned into unreadable lines, not wanting to take the time. But I do like to write by hand. I guess it's just in the hustle bustle of life that it slows me down, and I like the time it takes when I'm working in my journals. I wish we had time to teach it and I agree that it is a form of expressing oneself that kids are soon not going to have.
I agree, we are asking to much to soon from our kids. My soon to be 5 yrs old nephew's nursery school is pushing us to havehim practice writing his name and using scissors. I am a retired teacher and I told his parents no way. He is not developmentally ready to hold a pencil. I watch him a couple of days a week. We use play dough, color and do puzzles together. That's how a five year practices his fine motor skill! I shudder to think what they are going to expect him to do in kindergarten
My team was just having this kind of conversation yesterday at a meeting about the standards. We were discussing the different math tools we make available and it turned into a conversation about how most of the kids use the manipulatives (blocks, unifix cubes, shapes, place value pieces,etc) for building and making pictures. Kinder is no longer for creative play and exploring and learning those fine motor skills. They come to us in 2nd and are missing all the basics because their poor previous teachers had to teach them skills that used to be taught in 1st and 2nd. But I'm preaching to the choir here. :)
Frankly I'm amazed that Penman in married. Even I a fricking arch nerd wanted to punch his lights out.
ReplyDeleteI'm of two minds about this. Yes it's a pity things have moved so much that handwriting is an anachronism for everyday life and, yes, it's a pity that after 2000 plus years an Art form is vanishing from the lives of those that might need an Art most. Mind you, the number of times I thought of handwriting as an Art are few and far between, for frankly mine is like a hen crossing a page.
You know I can tell how badly my sugar consumption is by the quality of my hand. If I drink a coke or a fanta my hand will go from ishy legible to incoherent shorthand.
You might try a smaller as in narrower pencil/pen for the kids. We tend to forget much of an adults control of a pen stems from being above it with a freely hanging upper arm. And for what it's worth I think an artists maulstick was used in scriptorium's to aid control for just that reason.
I seem to remember reading that even today Torah scribes use such a device to allow the range in the wrist.
It rather defeats me that none has developed a kids keyboard. It's actually remarkable when an adult with shorter fingers uses a smaller keyboard.
In the comments section of the video, about half raged about how arrogant and unlikable the guy seemed. So you're not the only one who felt that way. :). I didn't really notice that, rather impressed myself. The product placement on the other hand was another story.
DeleteI'll return after work to fniish my thoughts.
Did you have to take specific handwriting courses there? I know my mom, who has beautiful, textbook cursive writing, took separate cursive classes all the way through college and my dad, who was a lefty, was whacked over the knuckles by the nuns because of it during writing classes. We learned it in elementary school, but after that nothing. I found my own handwriting shifted from correct formation to my own "style" with curls and hearts and what have you. And in college we worked on the computers, so my handwriting slowly worsened. When I started teaching I had to really work hard to make my printing correct since letter formation is still important with the little ones. I'm good now, but my first year or so teaching I really had to think about it. It is interesting that these master penmen are, in fact, men. I know very few men with what you'd call beautiful handwriting. Most are what you've described yours as. :) I had a friend in high school with handwriting just like my mom's and he'd write me notes to the office "from my mom" to get out of class. ha ha!
DeleteAs for the keyboards, there definitely are various sized keyboards, but that doesn't mean the schools are buying them for us. I have my kids on the iPads (with keyboards) in my room, which are must smaller. But it does really come down to whether they are developmentally ready to do it or not. Their fine motor skills are just developing. It's just too early, in my opinion. Not too early to get them on the computer, but too early to require and test WPM.
Yes, we had hours I remember in infants and first second class 4/5/6/7 of making gigantic letters. It looked like they were training us to make road signs. And you can sometimes see the style with a grown woman, it looks a bit like a loose Ariel font.
DeleteBut it wasn't until I was in college and doing palaeography that a lot of things came clear. Mind you I've always loved nibs. And that fellows one I LUSTED after. Which had something to do with me calling him a tit.:-)
That oblique pen holder he used is something too. I understand why it's used, but the how is another story entirely. It looks like it'd be kin to writing with a stylus on the tablets with the head wanting it to go one place and the hand putting it somewhere else.
DeleteTiz that oblique-offset one I'm on about. I, don't know why, but I want to try it, BIG-TIME. :-)
DeleteRight?!?!
DeleteI enjoyed reading this.
https://thepostmansknock.com/oblique-pen-holders-artisan-pen-giveaway/
They aren't the ones. They are relatively simple. The above vid has a nib-holder that looks like it was fashioned in the bowels of Mt. Doom or the earbone of a sperm whale.
DeleteHmmm, I don't know. After watching again, maybe a variation on those obliques? Maybe needing an even steeper slant? His look quite old and valuable though, which might be the difference.
DeleteWow! That guy is impressive! (and he didn't come across as arrogant to me, but then I was too absorbed in his art to notice) I think if I had known about "Master Penmen" status forty years ago, I might have attempted to achieve it. (easy to say at this point in life)
ReplyDeleteOf course it's totally obsolete now, but when I was in college working on my degree, I spent hours and hours at the drafting board, practicing my lettering - and I loved it! I still have my original drafting pencil and use it to work my puzzles each morning. I took an introductory course in calligraphy and enjoyed it, too, but just never made the time to perfect it. I honestly prefer pencils to pens.
I can appreciate and respect your opinion on teaching handwriting in school, but I'll always feel that those who don't learn are missing out in many ways (including developmentally).
Vince has a point. Surely someone has seen a need for a child-size keyboard.
I know! I felt the same way! This is someone's job!?!?! Where do I sign up!?!?! :)
DeleteI'm with you, I prefer pencils as well, sharp sharp pencils. When I write anything by hand that's not at school (other than my art journaling that I want to look nice) I do it fast and sloppy, more of like a short hand because typing/texting is much quicker. Even writing a check or signing my name anymore has turned into unreadable lines, not wanting to take the time. But I do like to write by hand. I guess it's just in the hustle bustle of life that it slows me down, and I like the time it takes when I'm working in my journals. I wish we had time to teach it and I agree that it is a form of expressing oneself that kids are soon not going to have.
I agree, we are asking to much to soon from our kids. My soon to be 5 yrs old nephew's nursery school is pushing us to havehim practice writing his name and using scissors. I am a retired teacher and I told his parents no way. He is not developmentally ready to hold a pencil. I watch him a couple of days a week. We use play dough, color and do puzzles together. That's how a five year practices his fine motor skill! I shudder to think what they are going to expect him to do in kindergarten
ReplyDeleteMy team was just having this kind of conversation yesterday at a meeting about the standards. We were discussing the different math tools we make available and it turned into a conversation about how most of the kids use the manipulatives (blocks, unifix cubes, shapes, place value pieces,etc) for building and making pictures. Kinder is no longer for creative play and exploring and learning those fine motor skills. They come to us in 2nd and are missing all the basics because their poor previous teachers had to teach them skills that used to be taught in 1st and 2nd. But I'm preaching to the choir here. :)
Delete