The Palmer Method of Business Writing · Lesson 16 · Part 4: First small letters
16. Drill 14: small m
Goal: Your child writes groups of four connected m's, using the over-motion for the parts and the under-motion for the joins.
You'll need
- Wide-ruled lined paper (several sheets)
- A sharp pencil or a smooth gel pen
- The book open at today's page
- A watch, clock or phone timer that shows seconds (only for the optional speed check)
What's in the book
Lesson 16 is drill 14, connected small m in groups of four, three groups to a line. The book calls small m perhaps the most important of the four daily drills.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
About three minutes: compact ovals (drill 3), a line of capital A (drill 6) and a line of small o (drill 11). The book asks for this opening at every lesson from here on.
Look at the model
Open the book page. Look at drill 14. Each group is four m's joined together. The joining stroke between the m's swings up from below.
Air first
Trace the first stroke in the air, starting below the line, and let the pencil touch down while moving upward.
Groups of four
Keep in mind as you practice, that the over-motion makes the parts of m, and that the opposite or under-motion forms the connecting lines.
Count "1, 2, 3" for each m, or "over, over, under." Four lines, moving the paper after each group.
Optional speed target: the four lines in one minute.
It will be awkward
The book is honest about it:
You will make the letters too large, irregular, and awkward at first, and will have trouble with the union (connecting lines), but keep right on.
Gentle check and finish
Find the best group of four. Are the joins clear, so you can tell where one m ends? Finish by writing "mom" or "moon".
Afterwards
The book now has four drills to begin every practice: compact ovals, capital A, small o and small m.