Handwriting Course New Schedule ;-)

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
January 16, 2007

Hello Kim, Stefan and Stuart!
Thanks for your messages...see my answer below...

Kimberley Shaw wrote:
> Sounds good to me, Val - you do so much already! Better, I think, to
> do a little, and thoroughly, then to plan a lot and need to drop it.
> So glad handwriting interests so many folks.
> Kim from Boston

------

Stefan Wöhrmann wrote:
> ....I am looking forward to see more of your own Handwriting!  
> (especially
> Handwriting Priting SW)  To compare your way of writing the arrows,  
> the
> circles, the handshapes,..with my own exercises so far is most  
> interesting
> to me. So please think about this and if possible think about your  
> coming procedure
> a second time. Feedback to this posting is most welcome! Stefan ;-)

------

Stuart Thiessen wrote:
> I think Stefan has some wisdom here. With this many students, it is  
> too difficult to give individual feedback on all of our sentences.  
> But if you can identify some common mistakes or suggestions for  
> improvement, that might be a good place to start. I'm sure we will  
> be able to see what you mean and apply it to our writing. Thanks,  
> Stuart

------

Hello Kim, Stefan and Stuart!
Thank you for your responses...I can see you really want to learn  
Handwriting! THAT IS NICE TO KNOW...believe me...that makes me  
happy ;-))

Stefan's email painted such a nice picture of teaching Deaf children,  
and I admire your teaching skills, Stefan, and I also think your work  
with SignWriting, with so many students coming in and out of your  
class, is quite remarkable. I am happy to know that students visit  
you from other classrooms! That is a good development...they sound  
like they are interested in SignWriting too!

And I realize that you are right, that it is important that I develop  
this new course, which I have never taught before, which goes into my  
own personal notes and shows you how I personally write by hand, when  
no one is looking - ha!

Basically I write with the Shorthand blended with the Printing...that  
is the truth....and that blend, I believe, creates a  
Handwriting...and I believe it can lead to true cursive, connected  
writing too...but that is true development time needed...and is not  
something I have ever taught before...and it may just be that the  
Shorthand in its own right, should be taught as well...The old book  
SignWriting Shorthand for Sign Language Stenography should probably  
be updated and posted on the web...it was first published in  
1982...and to this day, I use the Shorthand personally...so all these  
subjects need ongoing exploration and will not be abandoned...it just  
will take time...and cannot be accomplished this month!

I truly hate to bring up my personal situation...but I did mention it  
in my last email a little...Three nights ago I was pretty ill. I am  
doing better now, but I have an infection... A normal person would  
have no problem with this, but unfortunately I have an immune system  
disorder, which means I do not fight infection in a normal way, and I  
have to be in bed half days now to be sure I can handle our Board  
meeting on January 27th...

So my day-job is complex...I wear many hats...it is running the whole  
organization in my meager little way...and the teaching is when I  
feel I can squeeze it in, in-between doing the required paperwork I  
must do for the annual meeting...I got a grant, by the way, at the  
end of December, and I am so proud of that, but we have to discuss  
non-profit paperwork at the meeting and when I got ill, I panicked  
that I would not be able to handle everything by the time of the  
meeting on January 27th...

On top of that, there are other pressures I am not going to detail to  
you, that are important for SignWriting too, in the long run, and  
that also has deadlines behind the scenes...and then so many students  
started to send in their homework...it did become overwhelming for  
me...but nice to know so many people are interested!

And as soon as I wrote the email saying I was going to do less, I  
immediately felt better! Which makes me think that my health will be  
just fine, if I have less stress and pressure...

So...ok...I understand what you are saying...

The curriculum for the course is not developed yet...this is not a  
course that has been taught before...so there is some work to prepare  
the new lessons...

I suggest that I finish posting the student's homework on the web  
today, and then go to bed again...Then tomorrow I should work on the  
paperwork for the Board meeting so I feel less pressure there...

So here is my decision...

I promise I will finish the course, but I cannot promise exact  
dates...It may get finished in February or March, but I cannot make  
any promises...I will need to squeeze it in, between other jobs and  
resting...

I am afraid you will have to accept that, since I need to feel less  
stress now...

I am fully aware that some of the students may lose interest, but  
that is ok...I don't blame you...I would too!

Since I am posting everything on the web no matter what, the course  
can always be re-visited by students later...and in that way..the  
dates as to when lessons are posted do not matter as much - thank  
goodness!

You may find that I will come through faster than expected, but I do  
need a week now to rest more...

Thanks for your eagerness!

Val ;-)