Ripley Middle School

Students in Mr. Billings’s 6th grade Writing class spent the last few weeks of school learning to write in cursive. Each student spent class time learning the basics and putting those skills to practice by working on specialized worksheets which took them step-by-step through the alphabet. A week into the project, the students were writing cursive and replicating famous poems and the Preamble to the US Constitution. Since the students learned to write in cursive it also enabled the students to be able to read cursive writing as well. 


The overall goal of the lessons was to reach this day, which is referred to as, “Signature Day.” On signature day, the students are taught the importance of their signature, when and where to use it, and protecting it.On the last day, each student is given a final worksheet where they write their signature numerous times. The final test is writing their signature one final time, in ink, in front of Mr. Billings, who looks for smooth flowing penmanship and consistency in style. At the end of the  project, each student discovers his or her personal signature to be utilized when necessary. It was a lot of hard work but well worth the time and effort spent.