I need to re-train you in about a month. My district has made the switch from D'Neilian to Zaner Bloser. I know you have helped me for over 25 years....making "monkey tails" on all of my perfect slanted letters. Now, you have to help my pencil, white board marker and pens make smooth, straight, blunt lines. No more curls, tails, or swoops. Can we do it?
Sincerely,
A Freaked Out First Grade Teacher
What is a girl to do? I learned D'Neilian in school and have been teaching it for 9 years. Our district made the appropriate developmental choice, but oooooooo, I think it will be real hard to teach this old dog new tricks. : ) Ok...I'm not that old, but still.... Please reassure me that it will be ok....I've already had a freak out moment when the new letter line wouldn't fit in the perfect place where my old one went above my white board. I have since settled down and found a new home for Mr. Zaner that I can live with...wish me luck!
8 comments:
You'll make it and do fabulously! That's what teaching is all about...repeated adjustments in the interest of the children! ;)
Melly <><
http://staplersstrategies.blogspot.com/2011/07/whos-your-teamie-linky-party.html
My school does Zaner Bloser and I had learned D'Neilian first. It took me a bit to transition. I liked making the curls. I'm surprise they switched I thought D'Neilian made a smoother transition to cursive.
Lori
Little Priorities
If you mess up in front of the kids...you just explain that there are lots of ways to write and that you learned a different way. They will be very understanding:)
I feel your pain! I was taught D'Neilian as a child and I just can't break the habit! It must have been drilled into my brain! However, my school uses Zaner Bloser, so for the last 6 years I have been trying to perfect my "straight lines"-I still have to think about it though-and sometimes the kids catch me accidentally adding tails onto letters :)
~Meredith
Keen on Kindergarten
I have only ever used Zaner Bloser growing up and in my teaching. That D'Neilian stuff freaks me out! What is up with that letter k and why are the letters all slanty?!
www.firstgradebrain.com
Crud!! We were using D'Nealian and K-1 switched to Handwriting Without Tears and 2-6 does Zaner. I do not like it! The transition to cursive makes so much sense with D'N and is so smooth! Our 1st grade teachers do NOT like Handwriting W/O Tears at all! the kids don't know how to use the lines to write and their HW is terrible!
I have to say that I have used both growing up and only taught ZB. I have ALWAYS loved ZB. It is just so much cleaner to me anyway. I do have to say that in my own handwriting I use a combination of both. I just pick and chose the letters I like. Everyone changes their handwriting when they get older anyway. I don't sweat the small stuff.
You'll lean to love it or tolerate it. It is what we (teachers) do.
Ms. M
Ms.M's Blog
A Teacher's Plan
I understand. I've been teaching D'Nelian for a long time, too. We are switching to Handwriting Without Tears. I keep reminding myself of the name....but it's not working (the no tears part - for the teacher). I will miss my monkey tails and where did the top line go!
We'll make it - we always do. I am sure that I'll make many mistakes. I'll just remind them of all the different fonts on the computer....just making sure you are paying attention. :)
Shelly
projectqn@tx.rr.com
Post a Comment