This was written October 23, 2024
Introduction
Hello everyone, It has been quite a while now, although not from lack of trying. Life has been hectic, but I think I’m finally finding some stability, albeit at the cost of a busier schedule. More on in a separate post!
Still, I will share a relevant update. I will soon start teaching English, which will involve writing on the board and correcting homework, both of which involve my handwriting. Currently, it’s no secret my handwriting is atrocious, whether cursive or manuscript. For this reason, I plan on improving it. And what better way than to set up a new challenge? As a bonus perk, I’ve read that handwriting and drawing skills are allegedly related, which means improving my handwriting could help with learning how to draw.
Plan
Obviously, I should highlight a plan of action. Starting tomorrow, I will practice my handwriting daily. However, I’ll limit how much time I spend on it to a session of about 15 minutes per day. I also plan to divide this into different stages.
First, I will work on my manuscript handwriting while writing on paper. For this, I’ll use grid paper (since I’ve already purchased some to write in Chinese, and can use the grids as guidelines) along with a fountain pen. I’ll need to work on both my pen holding technique, along with the actual strokes. Just as with drawing, I’ll need to build up “stroke confidence” and stability. Note that I will be working my way from individual letters to whole sentences, focusing on a mix of lowercase and capital letters. As for the duration, I’m arbitrarily deciding to limit this stage to one week. By the end of the week, I can evaluate whether it should be extended.
Since I’ll be teaching using a whiteboard, the next logical step is to work on my handwriting on a whiteboard. This will once again involve working on my writing implement holding technique, along with strokes. I expect this to be very similar to the previous stage, other than needing access to a whiteboard. Luckily, I go to a school with whiteboards in every class, and I should be able to access some classrooms during the day, giving me an opportunity to practice on campus. However, I won’t be able to practice on weekends or holidays. I plan to also devote roughly a week on this, subject to change on the basis of progress.
Once I’m satisfied with manuscript, it’ll be time to graduate to cursive. In my opinion, this is less relevant when it comes to teaching to children English as a second language. I therefore feel less pressed on time. I plan to mostly focus practicing on paper, although I might explore different types of scripts. I once again plan to dedicate one week.
Conclusion
And thus begins a new challenge. As of now, I do not know at what cadence I will be posting updates, since I have less opportunities to be on the computer. Additionally, I plan on writing significantly shorter posts than I have in the past. Nonetheless, expect more updates in the upcoming week.
Take care everyone, and I wish you success in your learning endeavors!