We started our oldest on Abeka cursive early on, and continued using Abeka handwriting books up through the beginning of his sixth grade school year.  The Abeka practice sheets remind me of the old Palmer method writing exercises that our parents and grandparents learned in school.  If you’re familiar with the Palmer method, you can instantly spot a Palmer writer.  Recently, I watched a Commerce Bank CSR as she filled out paper work for my new checking account.  Even reading her writing upside-down I could spot her Palmer training.  That woman could have forged my mother’s handwriting without even trying.  They were a spot-on match.  I asked her which Catholic school she attended.  She laughed, and told me about her childhood in inner-city Philadelphia and the nuns that trained the school in proper cursive writing.  That explained it!  Their other faults aside, no one can drill-and-kill a subject like a nun in a habit with a sturdy oak ruler!  That also identifies the key to developing good handwriting – PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Developing good handwriting is no different than learning to throw a ball, shoot a free throw, swing a golf club, or shoot a bow and arrow.  It takes repetitive practice and care.   Handwriting is a mechanical movement that must be practiced until “muscle memory” makes it habit.  Unfortunately, learning good handwriting skills isn't quite as exciting to a child as learning to throw a ball or shoot a free throw.  Therein lays a home schooling parent’s big challenge.   Since we do not have a nun to step in with strong oak ruler or threat of eternal punishment to coerce our young charges’ minds into mastering the lost art of penmanship, homeschool moms and dads must ask themselves if this is a battle in which they wish to engage?  There can be a lot of whining, crying, fighting, sulking, and foot dragging over daily penmanship exercises.  There is no magic curriculum that, once engaged, will create beautiful writers out of children who seem to have had their hands replaced with chicken feet when it comes to the physical act of writing.  While some penmanship curriculum is a better fit for our children than others, good penmanship still boils down to care and lots of practice.   And so, mom and dad, how hard are you going to battle with your reluctant writers over the quality of their calligraphy?

Our oldest printed his work from preschool through second grade.  He began his cursive practice in second grade. The lessons took no more than 10 minutes each day, if he focused on his work and stopped worrying about the density of his navel lint and other distractions.  During third grade his work was a combination of printing and cursive.  When he entered fourth grade we required that all work be completed in cursive.  He continued daily cursive practice and completed all his work in cursive through the first part of his sixth grade year.

Something amazing happened over the summer between fifth and sixth grade.  His hands were returned to him and some chicken somewhere got her feet back.  The kid has pretty good handwriting.  The years of practice were worth it.  I highly encourage all home schooling parents to fight the good fight.  Make your children practice.  It is another way that homeschooled children will stand out from their peers when they grow up, move out, and head off into that big, big world that we are preparing them for.  Every advantage helps!  And the public schools just aren’t teaching cursive like they should.