I *may* be over analyzing this. Or it may be that because I'm very pregnant I'm extra irritable lately, but either way, I'm going crazy over William's pencil grip.
I know. Pencil grip.
There are lots of things to agonize over so I'm not sure why this issue has to be such a big deal, but it is. I can't stand it. He's long past the Palmar-Supinate grip, skipped the Digital-Pronate grip (grasp? Can't remember) and is now using the quadropod grip. When, oh when will he remember to follow my instructions for the tripod grip? I'm not sure if I'm going overboard here, but he holds his pencil with his thumb bent (yah!) but then grips the pencil with BOTH his index and middle finger, instead of resting the pencil on the middle finger. He's going into Kindergarten this fall...is this something I should be concerned with? I want him to develop a love for learning, and that includes writing, but it seems the more I bicker with him over this the more frustrated he gets.
I may be the one who needs an intervention.
It should be noted that I am not focused on teaching him writing or handwriting or proper letter formation or anything of that sort. That can come later. He's a typical boy who simply doesn't have those motor skills yet. But when he colors I'd like him to hold the crayon properly.
I know there are tools out there to help with proper grip, but those triangle crayons and pencil grips still allow for a wrong grip. Trust me, I've tried them. I've done Internet searches regarding pencil grips, and it seems like most "experts" say either the quad or the tripod grip is okay. But I don't agree.
Am I being unreasonable? Other teachers please help me out!
5 comments:
Yes...I would say that you DEFINITELY need an intervention ;-)...I wouldn't worry about it, but I'm not a teacher. People do more typing than they do writing anyways...why not use whatever grip for writing that is most comfortable?
Sounds like the grip you're describing is the same as mine! My pencil rests on my ring finger and not my middle finger. Many artists and right brained people use this grip, and I think I read somewhere that this allows for greater tactile responses to the brain as well as a more relaxed grip biomechanically.... if that helps at all. :-)
Did you ever make it down here for the conference? Hope your plants are surviving the heat out your way!
~ Deb
Okay...maybe I'll let up about it. He colors SO great (stays in the lines and everything!) and he loves to do anything that involves a crayon, pencil, marker, etc. so maybe I'll just let him run with this particular grip. Abby does the same grip, too.
Yes! I made it to the conference! It was SO great. Came back home exhausted but refreshed, if that makes any sense.
Totally makes sense! :-) Glad you made it and had a great time!
Since you're into healthy eating, I thought you might like my friend Kelly's blog, "The Spunky Coconut".
http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2012/06/spunky-coconut-podcast-episode-10-kelly.html
Very yummy recipes! I made her chocolate donuts with coconut icing for my birthday and they were SO good! :-) She's highlighting a new book, "Eat like a dinosaur" which I thought you might like too.
If you haven't tried cooking with coconut oil and coconut flour, oh my gosh, give it a try. You'll love it!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~ D
Prior to age 6, you can still encourage a correct grip. The MOST important issue, though, is that the fingertip of his index finger is making good contact with the pencil. There is a nerve in the index finger which has a direct connection to the thinking center of the brain. So a 2-fingers + thumb grip is not too big of a deal, as long as he's hiting that pressure point on his index finger. BUT because he's only 4, I'd still try for a correct grip.
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