New teacher wants slightly different handwriting style and its upsetting DD

[pinkunicornsarefluffy]

I am posting for some perspective, and wonder what other schools/teachers do. DD is in year 4, has been taught up to class 3 to do joined up handwriting and taught to add curls to her long letters, g's y's etc. A new teacher has joined the school in Class 4 and has told them that she does not like the curls and they are not allowed to do them.

DD has really struggled with her handwriting and this is making her very anxious as she keeps forgetting and then the teacher tells her off and makes her do it again, telling her "no curls".

I emailed the teacher and HT and got no response, so emailed again a week later and the HT replied and said she thought it had been dealt with and that the school use the Nelson method of handwriting. At parents evening the teacher said that she prefers the (something) Nelson (can't remember what she called it. I also asked HT what happens if Class 5 or 6 prefer curls and make them do it that way again.

I asked the HT if it is right that a teacher can come in and demand the children write differently to suit herself, but she didn't respond to that point. The current year 3's are still being taught with curls, so they will have the same problem when they reach class 4. As it happens, the class 5 teacher is also new and has told them that she prefers the other way but she will accept their way as long as she can read it.

I would have thought that all teachers across the school should stick to one policy that the school teaches, not what they prefer personally? or AIBU?

Really need some perspective/advice before contacting the HT again, as DD is coming home in tears on a regular basis about the handwriting. She has had several problems with the teacher already, which is what is holding me back as I don't want to be one of "those" parents who is in there repeatedly about stuff!

A "Complaints Governor". There should be no such thing. There is a complaints policy but there is no need to involve the Governors on this. A parent must see the teacher, Literacy Co-ordinator or the Head. No response from the teacher is not satisfactory and you should be able to request a copy of the handwriting policy. No-one, as yet, knows if the teacher is doing her own thing or following a new school policy. I can't see the point of making children change part-way through school. I am sure the school secretary will set up an appointment with the Head to talk through your concerns.

I'm obviously very out of touch with this as I hadn't even realised primary schools taught this anymore. I used to teach secondary until I retired and we accepted any form of handwriting as long as we could read it - most pupils didn't join their letters at all but printed them individually. I always thought this was called "infant script"!
I write in infant script too - and used to do so when writing on the board. It's much easier to read. I do remember being forced to do "joined-up" at primary school, but that was in the 1950s! I hated it, and I thought things had moved on.

Leonard primary teachers often moan that children's beautiful handwriting is abandoned as soon as they start year7

"I thought things had moved on." Yes they discovered the importance of good handwriting for learning

Beyond ensuring that pupil work is legible, handwriting has nothing to do with learning.

I thought things had moved on. Yes they discovered the importance of good handwriting for learning

Granted that good handwriting helps, but I have never seen any evidence that "joined-up" handwriting is in any way superior to infant script. To me it just looks messy and hard to read.
I mark real exam papers and I always find that the work of candidates who don't join the letters together is much clearer.

No research has show there is a correlation between handwriting and memory ... being able to write fluently supports learning

No research has show there is a correlation between handwriting and memory ... being able to write fluently supports learning

I totally agree. To me, writing fluently - and quickly - means forming each letter individually. And since the purpose of writing is to communicate with other people, legibility is of prime importance.
Futhermore, my GCSE pupils who preferred not to do joined-up writing seemed to have no problems with learning at all. They went on to do A levels, degrees at well-regarded universities, etc.

"To me, writing fluently - and quickly - means forming each letter individually" not supported by research I'm afraid

To me, writing fluently - and quickly - means forming each letter individually - not supported by research I'm afraid

Can you send a link? I would be interested to read about it. Although even if there is evidence to suggest that joined up writing is quicker to write, I would be surprised if it were found to be easier to read.

I would complain, I wouldn't have originally but not getting back to me after weeks would've made me.
There should be a school handwriting policy. Everyone should use it. My school uses a scheme with loops on the descenders. It's not my natural style of writing and I've had to work at it as all teachers and TAs are expected to use it.
Ridiculous that the children would be taught one way in year 3, another in year 4 and then maybe another in year 5
My personal experience is that there's a big push on handwriting at primary but once children start year 7 it's not so important. My DS1, 13 has never joined since he started secondary, he really hated it at primary. He could never get the r join so it didn't look like an n.

It's funny you should post this, OP as I've had a very similar discussion with ds and it's something I'll be asking at PE.

Ds doesn't do a cursive g and yet he used to. He told me the HT had told them not to loop the g anymore. I'm not sure when this was but I just assumed he'd got it wrong. After reading your post I'm now not so sure

Hi almost namesake! Sympathies to your DD but I would say that you could potentially have bigger problems if an individual teacher can come in and unilaterally change school policies. What else has she changed that you aren't aware of? Book an appointment with the Head and talk through your concerns.

You need to see their handwriting policy. There should be one. If there isn't, then the Head isn't doing his job properly.

TBH, fretting about their handwriting takes their focus away from the content of their work. I would be emphasising this to the Head and your daughter's emotional wellbeing.

This whole focus on handwriting is farce though (not the teacher's fault or the school's fault I might add!)

I found out from a primary school teacher this week that handwriting is now assessed - there is some sort of grace period but by Y6 I think your DD will be assessed on writing in a particular style.

www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/national-curriculum-england.html

The teacher sounds strict but is that necessarily a bad thing? Children should be tucking in shirts, and in Y4 are plenty old enough to be reminded s out the uniform policy.

Your DD may be upset about the change WRT handwriting but try to find out who is doing it right, this teacher or the Y3 teacher, before getting so irate with this one. If there is no policy, no-one is wrong here. But the Head may need to know this is causing issues.

Seems like the problem here is that the HT has talked to the teacher who has said yes of course I follow Nelson but omitted to say that she follows Nelson something else

So the school handwriting policy is probably Nelson but this particular teacher prefers Nelson something else I would definitely follow up as if there is little difference between the different Nelsons then I don't see why this teacher is being so particular about certain curls etc.

I think you should write another email to the headteacher and ask to meet with her. You should make it clear that you are not happy and want to make a complaint.

It's difficult as I don't want to look like I have a personal vendetta against the teacher but she has been so awful.

One parent went in because their child was hysterical about going to school as he hadn't done his reading and she would be cross. Another one went home crying because he had stripy socks on (out of his control and should have been addressed to parent). Another mum went in because she told the class she would rip up their homework if they made any mistakes in it. She is very scary and none of the children like her. They have previously had love and respect for their teachers, but only fear this one.

DD often forgets to bring home her homework, her reading book and her spellings and often doesn't do her homework. I asked if they could help me with reminding her to bring things home, they agreed but haven't followed it through. Their opinion is that she is away with the fairies. I said she has terrible problems with memory and concentration and anxiety. I have asked for assessments etc but can't get anywhere with either school or CAMHS with each passing the buck on to the other.

I have basically given up, I don't care if she does her homework or not , not all schools issue it. the school obviously don't care as they never do anything about it not being done.

I will bring this up again with the HT though. She referred to "when deputy HT is back" so I will email and ask when this might be and ask for a meeting and ask how a teacher can be allowed to change things to suit herself.

I think you need to speak to the HT about your concerns about your DD. Ask what the school are going to do to ensure she is not getting upset every time she has to write something. I would also make it clear that unless a school wide writing policy is issued that you do not support your DD being forced to change her writing style.

She isn't 'scary' for being cross about homework not being done, OP. That is her job. Another teacher might have a softer style but that doesn't make her a bad teacher or unprofessional. I had more and less strict teachers at school - it is just how it goes.

If the children are all scared of her, she is scary, surely, Trifle? Yes, you can be cross about homework not done without being scary, but it doesn't sound as if this teacher can.

Re. the handwriting - as long as the child was writing clearly and fluently, I can't see why the teacher would make such a big deal out of all the children having the same handwriting style.

My friend's ds was the same age as my ds2, and when he went into year 2, the teacher did pretty much the same as this teacher has - she made him change his handwriting style. This lad was writing a very tidy and fluent joined-up style, but she insisted he go back to infant script, without joined up writing.

It didn't upset my friend's son, but it did muck up his handwriting really badly - he went from having a beautifully neat (for his age) joined-up handwriting to a really messy and illegible infant script. I'm not sure he ever really got back to a tidy handwriting style.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius: I would be surprised if the OP had asked all the children!

Anyway, as I put up thread, handwriting IS now on the National Curriculum. It matters how the children are forming their letters. The OP needs to find out why the teacher is so adamant. There could be a very good reason for it.