If handwriting is so important to the educational process, why do the schools neglect the process so much when compared to the “olden days?
Other than how to teach “penmanship”, teachers today get virtually no handwriting training in this country and do not understand handwriting’s deeper implications. A historical perspective reveals why. Back in the “olden days,” (1920-40s) in this country, penmanship and the old Palmer “push pulls and running ovals” movement exercises were strongly stressed of the 3Rs — for years, not for days. Penmanship teachers had special training at the university level. During the depression in this country, school boards began to seek ways to save money — they quit hiring penmanship teachers. Colleagues who knew that it was strongly stressed elected to carry it forward for several years, but now this country is 3-4 teacher generations away from an awareness that such a concept or such an emphasis ever existed.
Related Questions
- What process should schools follow to increase instructional minutes on school days that have traditionally ended earlier (e.g., move Friday schedule to Wednesday)?
- When other leaders from out-of-state schools visit several days to conduct an accreditation process, what screening needs to take place?
- How does an educational consultant help in the search and placement process for schools?
