AHHH Spring Break

Well the week before Spring Break has come and gone. It was a challenge to keep the kiddos going but we did it. I think they might have faired (fared?) better than I did. I am definitely needing a break, especially after writing report cards. YIKES. There may have been a time last week that I tried erasing the smartboard with a chalk brush and was completely confused as to why it wasn’t erasing. I may have even said “Hey, I have never seen it do that before!” As the lines on the smartboard just moved around with the brush. My students may have just had to explain to me that I had the wrong brush 🙂 I’m just saying I am in need of some much needed sleep.

This past week we started handwriting or as some places call it cursive (what do you call it?). I love teaching handwriting and seeing how some students go from being frustrated with not being able to do it, to being proud that they can.

For my handwriting I use a mixture of 2 resources. The first one is beginner pages from Learning Pages and it is FREE !!! Click on the picture if you want to check it out. These pages are pretty basic so work great for students starting out.

The second resource I just found this year and I LOVE. Not only does it include individual letter practice, it also includes word practice pages and then sentence practice pages for each letter. It is a paid item on TeachersPayTeachers but I think it is worth all 138 pages. Again click on the picture to go see it.

I have 3 students in my class who are not learning handwriting because they are still learning how to print letters and words. I came across this AMAZING. Yup AMAZING resource and the best part is it is free. There are separate pages for each letter (upper case and lower case), word printing practice, as well as pages for numbers.

I am hoping with these resources my students will have great handwriting. I know there is some debate on whether students should even learn handwriting. I say yes. I feel that they have to be able to read something if it is given to them in handwriting as well as be able to sign their name. My son was not taught handwriting (he is in Gr 8 now) and we had to teach him at home because when we were applying for his passport he didn’t know how to sign his name.

What do you think…should we be teaching handwriting in school?

Cheers from this Spring Breaker!!!!