It struck me funny this week when a Kindergarten teacher I work with said that she had attended a conference about how markers were making our children lazy writers.  Let me say that again.  Markers are making our children lazy writers.  Really?  I nodded and kept on doing my business.  However, after teaching 4 art classes in a row, and using markers of all different types–it got me thinking.  (Shocker–I know)  Is it really markers that make our children lazy writers?

Let’s remember that some Kindergarten children have had no background, no pre-school and no guidance in writing.  Let’s take that further.  (Stay with me on this) How about the special needs kindergarten children who enjoy the easy feeling of using a marker, and the fantastic sensory sensation it gives them.  Markers usually glide with ease on paper, walls, hands, tables, etc.  How wonderful (and awful).  They come in rainbow colors, pastels, metallic, glitter, neon, etc. etc.  They have different sizes for ease of grip, and different size tips to give you different kinds of lines.  Oh no!  Now, we are learning elements of art with our damaging markers.  (insert sarcasm)

I used to fight the marker thing.  I did the whole, “You should use a pencil and write this way”, with Phoebe. I forced a pencil in to her right hand and told her to write letters.  I gave her stencils and wrote letters myself to have her copy.  She hated it.  Hated every minute of it.  Had meltdowns and threw the pencils at me.  I got her fat pencils, short pencils and mechanical pencils.  NOTHING worked.  She hated them, and me.  Then one day I thought, “Screw it…I’m giving her markers.”  Needless to say, the marker went straight in to her left hand (oops), and she drew all her letters without one meltdown.  Over and over.  She made lists and lists with me.  She scribbled on paper and drew on herself.   Lightbulb moment for me.  Did it matter what tool?  Did it matter that she was like everyone else and used the exact tools forced on everyone?  Nope.  I had great school people that accommodated her.  They let her type letters, let her use tools that most kids did not.   It worked.  She was happy.  (This brings up a whole new set of bigger questions.  Does she need to write at all anymore?  She can type.  Does she need to be like everyone else?  Uh- no…I think we have established that she isn’t like anyone else.)

How about we guide children in our teachings, and our parenting?  Rather than assume.  Use these things to our advantage.  Should Kindergarteners use markers every day for everything?  No.  They should try all the tools, and be taught how they can use them…and when.

Thats my 2-cents.  Lazy marker writers??  Please.