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 […]

Six Critical Ways Writing by Hand Improves Language Literacy

A girl with a ponytail is writing in a notebook. A green illustration of a brain connected to an open book is superimposed in front of her.

By: Holly Britton When I began learning the cello as an adult, I started with variations of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The cello instructor wisely pointed out, “You are not learning Twinkle, Twinkle; you are learning how to play the cello.” His point was that the song was second to a greater lesson, namely skill. […]

Happy National Handwriting Day 2023

A close-up image of a fountain pen's nib resting on an old parchment with a bold, prominent signature "John Hancock" in cursive handwriting.

By: Holly Britton National Handwriting Day is celebrated January 23rd in honor of John Hancock, whose large, elaborate signature at the bottom center of the U.S. Constitution testifies to the importance placed on penmanship many years ago. The beautiful swooping letters presented a perfect finish to the world-changing document. His birthday, then, seems an appropriate […]