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Swimming in Language

I grew up on the coast in San Diego. I knew the ocean. I knew the beach. I swam in the waters, body surfed, and boogie boarded. I caught crabs on the shore and dragged kelp to my sandcastles. I tasted salt water on my lips, felt the stickiness on my skin, and experienced days […]

Coloring Pictures Aids Handwriting Skill

A line drawing of a cartoon rabbit wearing glasses and a ring-tailed lemur touching the rabbit's arm.

When I was a young mom in the 90s, there was a cultural discussion around the topic of coloring “in the lines.” People were arguing whether children should be taught to color inside the lines of a picture in a coloring book or whether the child should be encouraged to simply “freestyle” to their heart’s […]

Wisdom-Bound Series: A Peek into Script & Scribble by Kitty Burns Florey

A person holds a book titled "Script & Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting" by Kitty Burns Florey, with a red pen drawn on the cover, illustrating the nuances of handwriting.

By Holly Britton HOH Rating: 5/5 I first “met” Kitty Burns Florey when I discovered her book, Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences. I was drawn immediately to her wit and charm and fascinated by the way she presented this much-forgotten skill. Script and Scribble: The Rise and […]

Wisdom-Bound: A New Book Review Series for Educators

A teal mug next to an open notebook with a pencil rests on the notebook. The image includes text: "Wisdom Bound" at the top and "New Book Review Series!" over the notebook.

Wisdom-Bound! On this National Day of Handwriting, I’m thrilled to announce a new book review series I am calling Wisdom-Bound. I want to share the wisdom bound between the covers of books I am reading with other teachers, parents, brain researchers, and education professionals, each of us on our own life-long journey bound for wisdom. […]

What If My Kid Hates Writing? Parts 1-3

A person is sitting at a table with their head resting on an open notebook, looking frustrated. Various pens and a pencil are scattered on the table.

Over recent three months, I had the privilege of writing as a guest blogger for homeschool.com. The three-part series, titled “What If My Kid Hates Writing?” covers three broad-but-important areas to address when trying to help your reluctant writer. It offers possible reasons and suggestions to help. Certainly, writing is necessary and beneficial for life […]

Handwriting Enables Kids to Power Ahead

Person in gloves pouring oil into a car engine with the text "Tend to the Basics" displayed on the right side.

By Holly Britton My dad knew it was important that I got the basics down pat when it came to car maintenance. He didn’t want me breaking down ever, but if I did, he wanted me to have the skills to take care of the problem. So, I learned to watch the gas gauge, fix […]