TOS Crew: Peterson Directed Handwriting

WARNING:  This information could change the way your child writes forever! 

After applying and being accepted to the TOS Crew this year, I prayed.  I prayed that the Lord would bless us with reviews that would be beneficial to my children in areas that we struggled in.  I was so very thankful when I found out that we would be reviewing the Cursive Program - Step 1 from Peterson Directed Handwriting.  It was an answer to prayer because our cursive handwriting has been, well I will just be polite and say not great. 

After going over the instructions and learning the process in which Peterson Directed Handwriting teaches, I was quite impressed.  They really focus on the position of your paper, the grip of your pencil and your movements.  The method in which they teach is a 4 step process,  Illustrate and Describe, Air Writing, Finger Tracing and last but not least Write and Say.

The program gently starts the child out by having the them practice the four basic movements that are used through out the cursive program, first in the air and then later on paper.  While practicing the four basic movements, the student says the name of the movement, which is the name of the action there are making.  This "write and say" technique really helps seal the movement in their mind.

In the beginning when the student is first writing, I really liked how they start the children off on extra large lines.  To me this makes much more sense, especially for the younger child.  I had the Lil' Chef and Computer Girl both practicing and both found the larger lines to be most helpful in learning the new cursive movements.

Peterson Directed Handwriting is a mastery program.  It is a very thorough program with detailed instructions that are simple to understand and easy to implement.  As with anything that is to be done well, practice is required. 

Prior to this review opportunity, we were using the handwriting method that went along with our phonics program.  Two children later I see the need for a change.  As rand suggested, I plan to use the Peterson Directed Handwriting method with our phonics handwriting books, after we get all of the movements down and they have mastered each letter, of course.

I would definitely recommend Peterson Directed Handwriting's Cursive Program.  The ebook format is perfect for families with multiple children, you can use it over and over again.  At $19.95 how could you go wrong!  Hope your family enjoys this program as much as we are.

Please know that we received this product free of charge for review purposes. The opinions stated in this review are our own and we were not paid in any way.