A Quote to Start Things Off

""I'd love to go to Santa Fe at some point, Emmett said, but for the time being, I need to go to New York. The panhandler stopped laughing and adopted a more serious expression. Well. that's life in a nutshell, aint it. Lovin' to go to one place and havin' to go to another. Amor Towles in the Lincoln Highway.

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Pictures of Memories I

Pictures of Memories I
Snow kidding! These "kids" now range from 17 to 23

Friday, September 3, 2010

A strange request for a day off.




We took yesterday off school as is our custom on a child's birthday. We spent the morning at my folks house where I am helping my him with some grunt work on their new deck (I grunt expertly). As we were packing what we wanted to bring over to my folks house the kids came to me with a strange request. Bunny Girl served as spokesperson.


"I know we don't do school tomorrow, but is it okay if we bring Handwriting Without Tears?"



We didn't end up getting to it, but it still shows a drastic shift in handwriting instruction at our home school. My children hate to write. They would rather (insert gross disgusting boring or painful activity here. Ex: Have their hair set on fire) than practice their handwriting.


So last year at the home school convention my wife bought Handwriting Without Tears books for all 3 of them. I was skeptical. Skeptical? No, I was dubious. Dubious? I was more apprehensive. Apprehensive doesn't quite do it either. I was thinking, my kids will be the kids who make Handwriting without tears change their name. I thought that when we are done with it, it would have to be called "Handwriting Without Tears except for students at the Izola Becker Home School, they cry quite frequently".




The truth is the kids love it, as their desire to do it on a non school day attests. It is very easy. My 4 year old, 8 year old and eleven year old all work independently and often ask to do another page. Today they enjoyed it so much they broke into whistling. I immediately got the camera out and took some footage.





I can see that the kids are getting better with their handwriting and this is just the second week.



Here are some examples of their progress. . .



















































The simplicity of the instrtuction and the compelling illustrations make this one of the best programs I have ever used. I would recommend it highly to anyone who might be looking for a handwriting curriculum. Handwriting without Tears works for me. Unless of course you like tears, then you may have to try something else.



For more Works for Me Wednesday head over to We Are That Family. For more of this week's Carnival of Homeschooling click here.





Next Time: The Time Traveler's Wife.



7 comments:

Melissa said...

Good to hear that they've found something that works for them!

Kara said...

We like HWT here too. :-)
http://homewithpurpose.blogspot.com/2010/09/zone-cleaning-concept-for-kids-rooms.html

It Feels Like Chaos said...

Thanks for sharing this! I don't homeschool, but my 2nd and kindergarten kids definitely could use a little extra practice on their handwriting and my oldest hates doing it, would much rather be doing math. These books would be great to do with my kids next summer!

Anonymous said...

HWT was the greatest thing ever for my son!!! Glad it works for you, too.

Heather said...

I'm going to buy this for my son. Thanks!

The Saved Quarter said...

My son is in public kindergarten and they're using this system. His teacher said it's their second year with the program and it was such a great program, truly tear free, and the kids actually enjoy writing time! My not-yet-writing son is excitedly coming home with HWT sheets of completed letters, unheard of when I tried with him at home a few months back!

groovie mom said...

HWOT had the same effect on my 9-year-old who hated writing just as much as your kids. I dreaded teaching him cursive, but he LOVED HWOT and would beg to work ahead. I'm planning to go purchase a book for my 5-year-old tomorrow.

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