Frustrated 3rd Grade Teacher

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Home : 2003 : July : 22

Frustrated 3rd Grade Teacher
By Joy

As a third grade teacher, I am responsible for introducing cursive to my students. During the first few months of school we review printing and I introduce the students' names in cursive. Around November, we begin formal
cursive instruction every other day. At the end of the school year, I expect that my students will be able to write all written work in cursive. Of course, some struggle with connecting and spacing, but practice makes perfect. I don't formally grade cursive because we give effort grades for penmanship. I also provide each student with a review booklet for summer. Then grade 4 begins.The

fourth grade teachers do not review the formation of the letters with the kids. Instead, they have them use the books for practice and cursive is not required. By the time they get to the middle school, many cannot remember how to write in cursive because it hasn't been a requirement. So, as a third grade teacher I support your decision to make cursive a requirement. We work so hard in third grade and I sometimes feel as if the work is a waste of my instructional time if it is not being used.