Great Program for BOYS! :)

by Ami
(IN)

Levels Used: We've used Get Set for School, Letters and Numbers for Me, and My Printing Book (currently using).

Dates Used: 2004- current (will continue to use through cursive)

Likes: The preschool program is great; it incorporates shapes, colors, etc. into learning the letters and how to write! Please don't only buy the workbook. Just bite the bullet and buy the wooden letters, the letter cards, the stamp n see screen, and DEFINITELY the song CD!

We started using the wood pieces before my son could write. The wood pieces with the cards taught him the order in which letters were formed. He loved them. They were like mini puzzles.

As noted above, you can't live without the song CD. It is fun, and the songs are great; they aren't annoying like some other educational CDs we have. We still sing these songs (3-4 years later!).

After preschool, we used the next workbook along with the slate. The slate and sponge approach really helped my son learn how to write the letters. He never got tired of it. :)

Now we are working through the 1st grade book (half-way done!); we still love Handwriting Without Tears. My son never complains about the workbooks. They keep the pages short and sweet. You focus on quality not quantity.

Dislikes:
My son can't write on any kind of paper except for HWOT paper. I hope he will outgrow this. I'm not sure what to do, but, for now, I make everything special with the HWOT lines for him.

I think the workbooks are too short. There aren't enough lessons for an entire school year. They don't sell supplemental books, so I'm not sure if I will start my son in the 2nd grade book or what when he finishes this one.

I don't think you need to buy a Teacher's Guide EVERY year. I can use the one from K with the 1st grade book.

Something else to consider is that the HWOT font isn't very "pretty"; I'm not sure this really matters, though, as everyone seems to develop their own style of handwriting anyway.