When my brother and I went to school we were taught writing — not to express what we had to say, but to learn to stay within the lines. For those for whom small muscle coordination had not yet been achieved, this was a daunting task. Cramps and frustration were often the result.
Of course in modern times it is unclear if any handwriting is necessary. Well at the moment there is the signature on documents like checks and credit cards, but this too will pass.
I often had students “sign in” with some special distinguishable moniker for attendance taking and a kind of commitment to the class. It meant engagement more than anything else, like showing up to vote.
Perhaps instead we should wait til High School and offer Calligraphy 101. Drawing, Painting, sketching, schematics, architecture, Darwinesque recordings. Get the flavor of something you really like: a flower, a hand, a town, a mountain.
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