Handwriting

[Pashley1]

I am a calligraphy student about to graduate and would like to start up as a handwriting tutor. I am interested in helping not only young children but also kids with special needs and even teenagers who would like to improve their writing skills. I just wondered if as mums you would be willing to give me some feedback on this concept. Thanks!:-)

I can imagine paying for a calligraphy class if it was something my DC wanted to do, but not paying for a handwriting tutor, because I can get cheap workbooks to help them with handwriting myself if required.

Could you sell your services to schools? I can imagine that learning calligraphy would be a fun way for older primary kids to improve their handwriting and presentation skills.

Have you seen the handwriting without tears programme? You could get certified then offer that service to children with handwriting issues.

Great to hear this response to calligraphy. I could certainly make some enquiries. I suspect state schools may require a teaching qualification but I don't think private schools have the same rules.

I haven't heard of this. Will look into it. Very interesting.

I don't think that calligraphy is particularly helpful to students struggling with handwriting. They are better off developing their general fine motor skills, visual percetpion.

Hello OP

I think it is a great idea, but maybe rethink your target market. Calligraphy would probably more beneficial to those not struggling with handwriting or as an activity for anyone interested.

I speak as a parent whose dd struggled terribly with handwriting right up until leaving school at the end of Y3. I have found a simple strategy that has helped her to progress to be an excellent writer. It cost me nothing and was very simple to facilitate.

However, I can see a time when she may want to do this as a hobby or a one off workshop and I would gladly pay for this.

I agree that calligraphy is unlikely to help a child who struggles with handwriting because of fine motor skills. It would be the equivalent of offering sprinting lessons for a child who can barely walk. Most parents in this position would be looking at touch-typing software rather than a handwriting tutor.

For younger children with no SN, I think you would need to be careful that the style of writing you teach is the same style as the one they are using at school. Otherwise it may be confusing for a child who is being taught one method at home and another in class.

I have terrible handwriting but I can do calligraphy. Ordinary hand writing is very different.