| Author | |
marianne
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 22 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 300
|
| Posted: Sept 04 2006 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I can't stand this! My 4th grade ds, newly turned 9, is exasperating me with his sloppy work. He has always been like this - he still can't color in the lines or write really neatly without going painfully slow. He doesn't care if things look "cute", colorful, or snazzy - he just wants to slap the info in the little booklets and slap the booklets into the folder and be done. Why bother with stickers or little bits of art? Why cut neatly when you can just hack around the lines? He's getting the material and is learning, and he says that he enjoys making these projects, but you would just laugh if you saw the finished product - he'll use a colored pen, but then he has to cross words or letters out to correct mistakes. So, I encourage pencils, but this doesn't look as good. My 7 year old dd's projects turn out 100% neater than ds' - not that they are more in depth.
I see all of these gorgeous lapbooks and folder projects on all of your blogs and other websites, and I'm just drooling over them. Maybe I should just make my own to satisfy my creative needs! Besides nagging, how can I get him to slow down and get creative? Thanks!
__________________
\
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
shartlesville
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 21 2006
Location: New Mexico
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 904
|
| Posted: Sept 04 2006 at 11:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We just started doing notebooks and have never done any of the lapbooks or folders so I really can't help much. My oldest son is 20 and he still writes very slowly because he wants it to be neat and my oldest daughter has always done sloppy work.  She just didn't care. 
First I would ask if his fine motor skills (required for handwriting, drawing, etc.) have matured to the point where this isn't difficult for him. If I remember correctly boys tend to develop slower in this area. 
Second does he always rush through them or are there ever occasions when he is REALLY interested in a certain subject to the point where he slows down to make it nicer?
I would suggest letting him find a topic he is very interested in and see if it makes a difference. He may be doing the work just to appease you even though he really has no interest (thus the rush to just get it done) or he may find it really difficult.
There could also be resentment on his part if he feels you are comparing his work to his sister's or to others. 
Anyway, I am sure others will have better advice for you.  There are a lot of smart homeschoolers on this board. 
Blessings,
Krisann
__________________
Krisann
DH Cris;
DC John, Elizabeth, Lilyann ^i^, Emily, Kate, Julia, Sam, & Jack;
DGC Kira, Auston, Travis, & Sarah.
My Blog: Isla del Esperanza
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
lapazfarm
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6082
|
| Posted: Sept 05 2006 at 8:09am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My ds has very sloppy handwriting, also. So I let him type anything that we want to look attractive and work on handwriting seperately in his copywork. He really enjoys typing things out and choosing different fonts and colors, borders, etc, printing them up on colored paper and cutting them to fit into the booklets, etc. It has helped him to take pride in the appearance of his work, which he did not have when he hand wrote things. Plus, his typing speed is getting pretty good as a bonus!
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Victoria in AZ
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672
|
| Posted: Sept 05 2006 at 9:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Marianne,
We also typed out the info for ds's lapbooks. Writing was always such a chore for him. When I didn't want to type, I did the writing for him while he narrated to me. I never saw that as a big deal.
At least your son's lapbooks will look like HE did them. In years ahead, you will treasure the lapbook all the more for that reason.
Yes, I DID make my own lapbook right beside my son once. It was on the 7 Sacraments. Both books turned out well and I nagged far less.
Also, I've noticed that for some kids lapbooks simply aren't their "thing" so they aren't going to get creative with them.
__________________
Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2006 at 8:27am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My oldest is 12, and struggles to write neatly and stay within the lines when he colors. He has always exhibited great skill with scissors, though, and manages to write beautifully in calligraphy. I know that he can write more neatly and color within the lines, because when I require it, he slows down and is able to comply. This has taken a lot of practice, though. I see it as habit training -- to require his best work and best effort, even if he only does a little bit each day. So when neatness is a requirement (I think it should be on everything, but we're not there yet), I remind him in advance that I expect it done nicely, with well-erased mistakes (not scribbles over the error), or he will be rewriting/recoloring the assignment.
We use the computer to print out most of their work. They love choosing colors and fonts. Add a sticker or two to the print out and mount it on patterned paper, and voila! you have a scrapbook page for their notebooks or lapbooks.
__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Kim F
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 03 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 326
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2006 at 8:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I vote for typing too! I can't stand my own handwriting so I can relate to my kids frustration. I am a bit of a font addict as well. ; ) If we are handwriting however we do it in very light pencil first then trace over it in marker.
Kim
__________________
Starry sky ranch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
katilac
Forum Newbie
Joined: June 24 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 32
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2006 at 9:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
>>he's getting the material, he's learning, and he says he enjoys these projects.
So, let it go, mom!
katilac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: sloppy lapbooks?
