Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is weird thw you bothered the teacher about this.
Just get a handwriting workbook from Amazon or B&N and spend time at home on it.

This.
OP you sound lazy.

+1. So there are 27 kids in her class. You want extra handwriting homework, and for the teacher to dig up extra resources and worksheets for your DC. Larlo's mom thinks he needs more work on adding 2 digit numbers (even though Larlo is keeping up with the class) and Larla's mother thinks it would be nice if the kids had an advanced spelling track for future national spelling bee stars. Pretty soon, the teacher is putting together 27 extra packets to supplement (not remediate) according to the whims of each parent. No, under these circumstances, it's not reasonable for you to ask the teacher to do something you can easily do yourself.

Also-- do you want the teacher to pay for the workbook? Out of her pocket? When she says she doesn't have the resources, she doesn't have one. So, she gets it where?

The teacher could have provided OP with suggestions. A teacher should have some thoughts on resources that might be helpful. It would have been easy to say that she didn't have anything available to send home, but xyz might be helpful if you get it and do it at home. If a second grader can't read their own writing, I think it's cause for concern. Even if it isn't a cause for concern, a good teacher would at least make a couple of suggestions. Telling OP she should just look on the internet seems lazy and disinterested.

Are you at a high FARMS school with a teacher who's spread thin?

OP. I have the same issue and have basically learned that our school (in FCPS) really just does not invest in resources that would help facilitate better penmanship. They have few if any workbooks which is part of the problem and then the worksheets they have available are random and aren't picked in order to facilitate good penmanship. Luckily there have been enough minor complaints at the PTA level about this and offline discussions with teachers that they are starting to make amends and choose materials that foster better handwriting. There are basic things they can do. For instance, the K teacher made a change and now has sheets for the kids to write on that have 3 lines instead of just a bottom line so the kids can practice writing letters at the right proportion. The 2nd grade teacher can provide graphic organizers for writing activities with lines instead of empty space. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-Venn-Diagram-wlines-908461 .

The easiest way to get this for your child is to have him/her evaluated for dysgraphia and then make facilitating handwriting part of the 504/IEP plan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice. I did feel the answer didn't provide any suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion of an assessment. I will look into this on what that entails. It's a GS rating school of 10 and there are 20 children in the class. Thank you again.

I was not a big fan of Handwriting without Tears. We do Kumon. We practice a lot. We don't allow it to be an option and there is no screen time without workbooks.

This one is really simple but good for the repetition. Much more colorful. They have two books on sentences which is basically writing them.

This is the second one:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/my-book-of-writing-words-kumon/1106030788/2673861603659?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Professional_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP3644&k_clickid=3x3644

NP here. We just started my 1st grade DS in Kumon. His problem is reading and blends. I was surprised that they worked on writing. I never focused on that but DS used to flip certain numbers backwards and letters were all over the place. It has gotten so much better!

I really like the Kumon workbooks. I looked into the Kumon class and it seemed like a waste of money given what it was vs. buying the books targeting specifically what my son needs. We just do a few minutes a day, when we can, sometimes more. Writing was a big issue for my son and we started making it a focus last summer and the improvement is significant. Costco sometimes has them cheaper.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice. I did feel the answer didn't provide any suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion of an assessment. I will look into this on what that entails. It's a GS rating school of 10 and there are 20 children in the class. Thank you again.

I was not a big fan of Handwriting without Tears. We do Kumon. We practice a lot. We don't allow it to be an option and there is no screen time without workbooks.

This one is really simple but good for the repetition. Much more colorful. They have two books on sentences which is basically writing them.

This is the second one:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/my-book-of-writing-words-kumon/1106030788/2673861603659?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Professional_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP3644&k_clickid=3x3644

NP here. We just started my 1st grade DS in Kumon. His problem is reading and blends. I was surprised that they worked on writing. I never focused on that but DS used to flip certain numbers backwards and letters were all over the place. It has gotten so much better!

Anonymous wrote:OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice. I did feel the answer didn't provide any suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion of an assessment. I will look into this on what that entails. It's a GS rating school of 10 and there are 20 children in the class. Thank you again.

I was not a big fan of Handwriting without Tears. We do Kumon. We practice a lot. We don't allow it to be an option and there is no screen time without workbooks.

This one is really simple but good for the repetition. Much more colorful. They have two books on sentences which is basically writing them.

This is the second one:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/my-book-of-writing-words-kumon/1106030788/2673861603659?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Professional_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP3644&k_clickid=3x3644

OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice.

If you already know the recommended books aren't helpful, what type of handwriting work were you expecting the teacher to assign specifically to your child? IF she could have provided something, it probably would have been the types of materials you already have, and you probably still wouldn't be satisfied. Or maybe you thought your DC would be more willing to do it if the teacher assigned it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is weird thw you bothered the teacher about this.
Just get a handwriting workbook from Amazon or B&N and spend time at home on it.

This.
OP you sound lazy.

+1. So there are 27 kids in her class. You want extra handwriting homework, and for the teacher to dig up extra resources and worksheets for your DC. Larlo's mom thinks he needs more work on adding 2 digit numbers (even though Larlo is keeping up with the class) and Larla's mother thinks it would be nice if the kids had an advanced spelling track for future national spelling bee stars. Pretty soon, the teacher is putting together 27 extra packets to supplement (not remediate) according to the whims of each parent. No, under these circumstances, it's not reasonable for you to ask the teacher to do something you can easily do yourself.

Also-- do you want the teacher to pay for the workbook? Out of her pocket? When she says she doesn't have the resources, she doesn't have one. So, she gets it where?

Anonymous wrote:OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice. I did feel the answer didn't provide any suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion of an assessment. I will look into this on what that entails. It's a GS rating school of 10 and there are 20 children in the class. Thank you again.

Lol.. I meant tears not years.. On my phone so probably more errors!

OP here.. I did buy the handwriting without years booklet and used it last summer. I also bought another practice notebook from Amazon for this year. So I am not lazy per say, it just isn't helping that much. The work that comes back from school is chicken scratch and hard to read. Even DC can't read back what DC just wrote. It's also a struggle to get DC to practice. I did feel the answer didn't provide any suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion of an assessment. I will look into this on what that entails. It's a GS rating school of 10 and there are 20 children in the class. Thank you again.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is weird thw you bothered the teacher about this.
Just get a handwriting workbook from Amazon or B&N and spend time at home on it.

This.
OP you sound lazy.

Hire a private OT to work with your child. That's what I did.

OP, education is too important to be left to the schools. Outside of OT issues, handwriting is all about practice, I make my preschoolers practice cursive 3 times a week @ 15 min session. Just buy some Kumon workbooks or open MSword and make a homework assignment yourself, it's pretty easy.

Anonymous wrote:If the teacher replied as OP says, it is unacceptable. She sounds young. I was a teacher and I would never have replied in that manner--even if I thought the parent was too demanding. In fact, I would have been thrilled if a parent wanted advice to help at home. However, I do wonder if OP is sharing all of the story........

I have a couple of questions for the OP:

Was this the first discussion with the teacher? Had the teacher said it was in the normal range, etc.?

It also sounds like OP wants more "homework" rather than to just have the kid practice at home. Improvement in handwriting normally takes practice. And, FWIW, I don't think it is taught anymore like it once was.

It sounds like OP was trying to practice at home but it wasn't working. OP, if you think your DC's writing is outside the norm, ask for an assessment by the OT. I know my friend's DC was assessed and was provided in school OT as a result. I think it would have been better for the teacher to say she didn't have resources to send home as additional homework, but suggest some the you could get yourself. To basically say she doesn't know anymore than OP seems dismissive and lazy.

Another vote for HWOT. Our school uses it and I just got DD a copy of the same level to have at home. I already know that FCPS doesn't teach cursive, so I will teach that.