Advertisement The small, white envelope was hidden in the usual onslaught of bills and credit card offers.
I smiled when I looked at the return address, knowing a thank you from a wedding would be inside.
I attempted to read the newlywed’s kind words, but all I could see was an unsigned, word-processed note staring back at me.
It appeared mass produced and was hardly personal.
But in a computer world, I thought, maybe this is the new norm.
Other than the occasional thank-you note, it seems as though there isn’t much that still requires good penmanship.
Office communication is done by e-mail.
Job applications are online.
School papers are typed in a word-processing document.
But Patty Bunce, a national workshop presenter for Handwriting Without Tears, said handwriting still plays an important role in our society.
“Everything does not have to be typed,” she said. “Computers are not available 100 percent of the time.”
Students still take notes and need to record things clearly.
And then there’s the written component to the ACT and SAT college entrance exams.
“Children who can write well and efficiently express themselves better,” Bunce said.
But efficient handwriting isn’t something children pick up on without proper instruction, she said.
Arcadia elementary school teachers learned the Handwriting Without Tears method earlier this week at a workshop Bunce hosted in the school district.
She explained the developmental aspects and talked to teachers about what is appropriate for specific age groups.
“Handwriting is difficult to teach as a teacher, professional or parent,” Bunce said. “It is difficult if you are not aware of the developmental sequences kids have to be approached with.”
In complexity, handwriting is second only to speech and language development, as it combines fine motor and visual perceptual skills, Bunce said.
“It is a complex task, and if you don’t attack it developmentally, it’s hit or miss,” she said.
The Arcadia teachers will deliver the new method to their students this fall, Bunce said. The younger grades will be taught printing, while students in grade 3 and older will learn cursive, she said.
Maybe the students can practice their skills by handwriting thank-you notes.
They say practice makes perfect.
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 791-8424 or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
