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Value of learning to write at early age
By Clark Hall
Contributor
Published November 6, 2009
Epictetus said: “If you want to write, write.” Our daughter, Lori, didn’t hesitate to write. She printed her name on the desk at which I now type.
When I asked her why she did this, she replied: “It’s my desk.”
Apparently, she was writing to establish her domain.
When her mother baked, Lori would drag up a chair and write the recipe on a piece of paper. She spelled the words. The amusing part was that, at the end of every recipe, she would write, “and you eat it.”
The recipes were filed and, today, they are on her refrigerator door. Every time I go to the refrigerator, I have to read and smile at the writing and spelling. Why don’t you keep a folder of your child’s work? It will bring some laughs.
Printing recipes was only a beginning of Lori’s writing career. After graduating from high school, she was one of the editors at the newspaper at College of the Mainland.
Lori received her degree in journalism. She worked as a housing director for the city of San Antonio, where she continued writing. She wrote some nice grants for the city.
Today, she is a housing director building nonprofit houses. In addition to this job, she continues conducting classes regarding housing in the nation’s major cities. As I write this, she is in Oklahoma.
Lori also has written a book about housing. I hope the proceeds are good, so I can borrow some money.
While writing about writing, I have a few words about writing in our public schools.
It’s unfortunate that many schools don’t devote attention to handwriting. Teaching handwriting requires a great deal of patience. Students experiencing problems with handwriting may be so preoccupied with forming letters that the content will suffer.
In addition to forming letters, there are problems of spacing between words, copying from the board and staying on the line.
Kindergarten and first grade aren’t too early for children to express themselves in written form. Many of us will recall the green cards with white letters in front of our classrooms.
You can help the teacher by providing opportunities for your children to write. Some suggestions are a sign for the bedroom door, a letter to a newspaper, starting a diary, or writing a letter to a government official, friend, teacher or relative.
Students should write in school daily. Children learn more by writing, just as they become better readers by reading more.
Writing should be incorporated in all subjects.
While children aren’t likely to begin formal handwriting until first grade, they should be able at least to write their name, letters and numbers by the end of kindergarten.
Beginning in the second or third grade, your child will learn cursive writing. By the end of third grade, most students should be comfortable writing in cursive.
Let the schools know you would like writing to be a focus of the curriculum.
Clark Hall is a retired teacher and lives in Texas City.
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