New American Cursive teaches your child cursive
skills beginning in first grade. There are fewer strokes, a natural right
slant, and the strokes are simplified. The program’s philosophy is that
students have the motor skills to write cursive at the first grade level, but
when we wait to teach them at about third grade, they go back to the speed of
first grade writing as they transition from print to cursive.
Mr. Meerkat guides your child through each book as he shows
the way to draw each letter and encourages creativity. Each lesson includes 3
different types of practice pages. The first page is the instruction page on
which students follow a 3-step process under Mr. Meerkat’s direction. Students
first say the letter followed by feeling the letter. In this second step,
students trace large format letters with their finger and are also encouraged
to write the letters in the air or draw them on a table with their finger. The
third step is to write the letter, both upper and lower case, first by tracing
and then by forming the letter freehand.
The second page of the lesson is a practice page, and the
third page contains fun exercises and artwork. Students will practice letter
connections, words, and short sentences and even have an opportunity to draw
something fun. A reminder for proper paper placement and pencil position is
placed at the bottom of pages throughout the book.
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Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
