Last summer, when we first started homeschooling second grade, my son begged me to teach him cursive handwriting. It was the only thing that he insisted we learn. I purchased a handwriting curriculum, and we began to learn. This year we were given Peterson Directed Handwriting to review. At first, I thought that this wasn’t going to help us because Cole knows how to write in cursive, but then we started and I found out that we didn’t know as much as we should have.
Peterson Directed Handwriting is a very unique handwriting curriculum established in 1908 that focuses first on the controlled movement in a rhythmic manner with the aid of our voice. This way we can master the movements even before we begin to write on paper.
With our curriculum last year, it focused on the form, shape and slant so much that it drove us both crazy. It was trace this or that and for my son became so tedious that he quickly dreaded it and for me I became frustrated because he would find every excuse not to do his handwriting. With Peterson it wasn’t like that, we were able to print a worksheet for each letter and quickly move through the letters.
The first thing that we were taught was how to finger trace and by creating a game out of it, it was easier to teach. Another thing that we learned was that as a leftie Cole didn’t have the paper in the proper position. So I tried to teach him the correct way to hold the paper and Cole told me that it was harder this new way. I keep trying to teach him the correct way, however I may have to give up on it, because he just resists too much.
I used the PDF by Hand Cursive step 1 first to learn the basic movements and review the letters the Peterson way. It has 81 pages that include the steps to learn the rhythm and four basic movements for the letters. I then moved on to PDF by Hand Cursive step 2 it has 59 pages and gives you “sequenced movement practice for cursive letters and words.”
Both of these are e-books that were designed to work with a digital tablet. We don’t have a digital tablet, so we printed a worksheet a day and moved through the lessons at our own pace. They are in color, but if you don’t have a color printer it can be printed in black and white. They are individually priced at $19.95. But if you wanted the PDF by Hand full version, which includes the note pad (digital tablet), picture pad, On Your Mark Game, Print step 1-3, Cursive step 1-4, and Word Masters 3 and 4. All for $125. I recommend that you contact Rand at Peterson Directed Handwriting for the best fit.
One of the unique features of Peterson’s is that they offer a series of handwriting webinars at no extra charge for those who register. I found the few times that I “sat in” on the webinar with Rand, I found him extremely informative and helpful. They also have a wide variety of tools from pencils and position guides to textbooks and training classes.
I do believe that if we had started with Peterson Directed Handwriting it wouldn’t have been as much a struggle to learn cursive handwriting, and I also believe that he would handled it much better. Cole said that he liked Peterson better than the one last year, but he doesn’t particularly like that we have to learn everything over. I reminded him that this time we were doing it the correct way.
I am a member of TOS Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in an exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, and experiences on the products and services that I receive.
