The rigorous writing exercises called l'écriture in the French school system begin in the early years of maternelle (preschool). However numbing it is for my son to labor through lettres and chiffres (numbers), I must say that in the age of computing and typewritten words, I find it wonderfully gratifying to see so much attention paid to handwriting...
Apart from being so lovely to look at - especially on those chalkboard menus beautifully decorated in flourishes and pretty loops - did you know that many of France's businesses still routinely use graphology (handwriting analysis) to identify the character of prospective employees? It's really true! And even though many believe it is highly unscientific, isn't it worth putting pen to paper every now and again...
I believe in the days where your signature said so much about you. The fact that it serves as a required element for all important document means your script is still a unique artifact of you. I adore that thought.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree Allyn, handwriting can say so much about you (it was interesting reading about graphology and some of the very accurate analyses made from politicians' signatures!) Would be fascinating to find out what a graphologist had to say about our own handwriting!
Deletep.s. Hi, Allyn!! I agree with you on script being a unique artifact. Perfect how you worded that, love.
DeleteLoving the cursive here, Catherine. Seeing it in French makes it even lovelier. I think you are doing a great job having your son learn some of his native tongue--even though I'm sure that it is quite rigorous. Good for you! :)
ReplyDeleteYou know Charmaine, I wish I could post about my son learning (as well) Tagalog or Kapangpangan (deep sigh)... I lament not having been pressed to continue speaking it early on and not following up and learning it myself afterwards. So my husband and I put a lot of work on making sure our sons learn and study the French language (as well as the French and Filipino cultures)... Thank you so much for your encouragement :)
DeleteI love French penmanship & the elementary school notebooks. A teacher in Paris gave me some to share with my students who marvel at the precision & the various lines. I remember staying in for recess to practice my cursive writing in 4th grade. I took great pride in my penmanship, and today, despite my constant connection to technology (laptop, iPhone, iPad...), I still love pretty pens , paper, and handwritten notes. Isn't it amazing how we all learn how to write the same way yet our penmanship is as unique as our fingerprints? I wonder if our handwriting is a reflection of our personalities, our personal styles, etc.!
ReplyDeleteVery true Melinda, especially in the States, each person's penmanship is so very different. The funny thing is whenever I got cards from my French family, I always wondered how/why their letter forms were so similar, now I realize why!! On the analyses of our writing, it would very curious what a graphologist had to say! Thank you for sharing your story and love for the art of handwriting, being 11 and practicing on your own time is so wonderful. I'm curious how you reconcile your (equal) passion for technology - how do you make lists, schedules, etc - by hand or using apps? (this is a dilemma I struggle with at times)...
Deletebtw, Amazon sells cahier d'ecriture... http://www.amazon.com/Cahier-decriture-Graphilettre-CE2-CM1-CM2-Edition/dp/2210746892
I have always been interested in what a person's penmanship reveals about his/her personality, and have always thought it would be fun to consult a graphologist. I used to be so precise, especially in my printing. I had my "neat" printing and my "fast" writing. Over the years, my penmanship has morphed into a combination of printing and writing, and is definitely, uniquely my own. I do enjoy seeing my writing on the whiteboard and in my "Pirate Planner" (school-issued assignment notebook). I always write notes and cards by hand. I enjoy the convenience and organization of technology, but I love the personalization and creativity of writing things in my own hand.
DeleteI did discover a website, http://www.fontifier.com/, that allows you to "use your own handwriting for the text you write on your computer. It turns a scanned sample of your handwriting into a handwriting font that you can use in your word processor or graphics program." Maybe this is a way to reconcile my two passions. I think I might try it!
I didn't know that you could by the graphilettre cahiers online! Thanks for the tip :)
So love your love for handwriting Melinda! I wonder if a graphologist would/could notice how slants and curves of letters change based on mood/state (relaxed, tired, happy etc)... I notice it in my own penmanship (do you?). Thank you for suggesting fontifier, I'll have to try it!
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