Writing letters to religious

[NadaTeTurbe]

Ignatius, I lack of strength in the hand (more in the finger, in fact) , too, and a great help for me is to use these : 

(mines are bigger and I also use little thing on my phalanx)

It looks like nothing, but there's less pression in my fingers with this, and I need less effort to write  Then, I learned to incline piece of paper on a specific angle, to reduce the pression on the wrist. 

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Ignatius, I lack of strength in the hand (more in the finger, in fact) , too, and a great help for me is to use these : 

(mines are bigger and I also use little thing on my phalanx)

It looks like nothing, but there's less pression in my fingers with this, and I need less effort to write  Then, I learned to incline piece of paper on a specific angle, to reduce the pression on the wrist. 

Thanks for the suggestion! These would be useful to have "just in case," although so far I've managed to find "workarounds" for not being able to hand write much more than a check. In the U.S. we have something called the "Americans with Disabilities Act" that requires doctors and most businesses, etc. to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. I hate playing the "disability" card and avoid it whenever possible, because there are people far more disabled than I am. But, for example, one time the receptionist for a new doctor did not want to send me the "new patient" forms ahead of time and I knew I would have problems filling them out, so I told her "I'm disabled." (I get disability payments from the U.S. government, and have a card to prove it.) Immediately the receptionist (who may have been new) asked someone what she could do for me, and it turned out that, although they don't like to do it (not sure why), they sent me the forms online. I was VERY glad they did because they were very detailed. I also have created templates for myself with my medical information that I just update for each new doctor, and bring them with me whether the doctor asks for them or not. Sometimes doctor's forms (or the doctor) forget (or don't know) to ask questions that are important for my particular circumstances. Plus, most medical forms in the U.S. leave a small line or two for medications--For me, that's a joke, I need at least half a page--longer if I include a short explanation of what symptom each medication is trying to treat.

[John Paul]

They don't teach you cursive, now ? But how do you write ??? In script ? But it's awfully slow ! How can kids write their lessons in script ? And what a lack of culture... 

I always write cursive and in italic (it's faster and prettier) I'm chocked by the number of people using a computer in class. We are 17 in my class. I use a computer because sadly I can't write a lot (I can't learn what I write on a computer. When I get home, I spend hours re-writing my lessons), but at least 5 or 6 students write on their computers ! In some other class, it's nearly half of the class !! It's sad that we are such a zombie with technology that some people can't even write their lessons. 

We use chromebooks

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

I think taking notes on a computer would be amesome. My handwriting has always been bad even when I was a young'n (they think I had undiagnosed polio as an infant/toddler). Sometimes after class I couldn't read my own class notes. Plus, I can type much faster than I can write by hand. In college, when I took exams that had essay questions I felt very bad for whomever was reading my exams.

[catholicamama]

I think as long as you realize you may not get letters back, i think any Sister or Nun would enjoy it.  That said, it also depends on the Order.  I know some Orders they are able to receive any amount of snail mail, but are only allowed to write to family and non-male friends; writing back to someone who isn't family may only be permitted a couple times of year.

[NadaTeTurbe]

Chromebooks ? What is this sorcery ? 

In my school (primary and until the middle of middle school), we had special class to learn how to write, write well, write fast, taking notes, etc... They used a special method by a specialist of handwriting. The method began at 3 years old and ended at 11 ! I have two disabilities who involved difficulties to handwriting, and never had any (well, I wrote in mirror until my 15/16, and I still can.) Handwriting is very complicated - it requires to use the whole body, different parts of the brain, etc... Teachers need to be formed about it. 

I have found taking notes on a computer horrible. I can't remember what I write. I just write under the dictation of the teacher. I have to re-write everything when I get home. It's very, very, very long. 

[Gabriela]

In college, when I took exams that had essay questions I felt very bad for whomever was reading my exams.

I am that person and thank you for your sympathy.

Chromebooks ? What is this sorcery ? 

https://www.google.com/chromebook/

It's basically a laptop that can only do stuff online. You have to use Google apps for everything (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.).

Pretty much all American classrooms have wifi these days, so these could work most of the time. Except for when the wifi is down. Which is, like, all the time here.

[NadaTeTurbe]

But it means that the little students spend their days on a laptot ? But how can it be good for their eyes ? And how can they learn to write if they don't practise ? And how do they pay this ? And it means that parents have no choice but to let their children using a computer (I know a lot of catholic parents who are against their kids using screens - any screens) ? So much question. Thankfully, my country is 30 years late when it comes to technology, so when we will have these, I'll stop teaching. 
My university is amazing. When we don't need the wifi, it's here. When our teachers want us to do work on a computer, the wifi is gone. Every single time. 

[Gabriela]

But it means that the little students spend their days on a laptot ? But how can it be good for their eyes ? And how can they learn to write if they don't practise ? And how do they pay this ? And it means that parents have no choice but to let their children using a computer (I know a lot of catholic parents who are against their kids using screens - any screens) ? So much question. Thankfully, my country is 30 years late when it comes to technology, so when we will have these, I'll stop teaching. 
My university is amazing. When we don't need the wifi, it's here. When our teachers want us to do work on a computer, the wifi is gone. Every single time. 

Yeah, but it also means that they can conserve a massive amount of paper and so trees, store all their stuff in the cloud so they don't have to schlepp 200 pounds of notebooks and binders around every time they move house (like I do), save their backs because their bookbags are much lighter, etc.

But generally, I think you're right: They can't write and they just sit in class staring at Facebook the whole time. I would also rather remove computers from the classroom, except when being used for an activity. (This is, in fact, my classroom policy, even in a class I'm teaching about technology!)

The real problem is students' self-control. They just don't have any.

[Nunsuch]

I prohibit computers or tablets in my classes, unless students explain to me why they need them out. [I don't want to single out those with disabilities.] But once a student has permission, I have a "one strike" policy: if they are observed on any website other than one containing documents, or on their word processing program, permission is at an end. People complain at first, but they do find that they have better listening skills!

 

[TheresaThoma]

I love getting handwritten letters and exchanging them with friends. I also love that you can tuck little things into letters, stamps, a holy card, dried flowers. One of my friends and I actually had a thing going where with each letter we would include a random piece of paper that was on our desk. One never knew what would show up next. Another friend wrote me a letter while in Rome on the back of an program for a religious service she had been to. You can't do that with an email!

[HopefulBride]

I love getting handwritten letters and exchanging them with friends. I also love that you can tuck little things into letters, stamps, a holy card, dried flowers. One of my friends and I actually had a thing going where with each letter we would include a random piece of paper that was on our desk. One never knew what would show up next. Another friend wrote me a letter while in Rome on the back of an program for a religious service she had been to. You can't do that with an email!

So ummm does that mean a certain Sister should try and strive to get her "letters" out to you more often and also handwritten?

p.s.  I still have a "letter" to you announcing my vows and other things on my desk... lol which I am determined to mail out to you.  Now that E came and went and even sent you pics from said event I guess I can scratch sending you pics of that event.

 

To answer the OP I do enjoy getting mail but the issue for me was keeping up with the response.  AS TT can attest, very often a long time would go between me getting a letter from her and sending out a response (as a matter of fact, our mutual friend E once had to stalk me through a letter from TT because there was such a long silence from me, and it wasn't even Lent!!!!) and to fix that, I would just do a nice succinct but very informative "letter"; well more like a newsletter and enclose with it a quick handwritten note so that things don't keep piling up.

This helped me to balance my formation schedule, house duty schedule along with the time allotted for correspondence and not drive myself nuts with guilt over not answering the letters.  I always thought that once in vows I would have more time to respond to the letters, but as the time for that neared I realized I was kidding myself, because the last three/four months of my apostolic year showed me that yeah... the whole newsletter idea was GENIUS!!! though I felt a bit like I was cheating those who were writing to me by not putting pen to paper... but I really wanted to

Edited November 16, 2015 by HopefulBride

[chrysostom]

Thanks for the response!  I actually got around to writing the letter and it is long...but I haven't posted it off in the mail yet since it is the weekend.  Perhaps I should include a postscript clarifying that I'm not expecting a long note back, and by the way, here's my e-mail address if you want to pop off something quick, etc.

[TheresaThoma]

So ummm does that mean a certain Sister should try and strive to get her "letters" out to you more often and also handwritten?

p.s.  I still have a "letter" to you announcing my vows and other things on my desk... lol which I am determined to mail out to you.  Now that E came and went and even sent you pics from said event I guess I can scratch sending you pics of that event.

 

To answer the OP I do enjoy getting mail but the issue for me was keeping up with the response.  AS TT can attest, very often a long time would go between me getting a letter from her and sending out a response (as a matter of fact, our mutual friend E once had to stalk me through a letter from TT because there was such a long silence from me, and it wasn't even Lent!!!!) and to fix that, I would just do a nice succinct but very informative "letter"; well more like a newsletter and enclose with it a quick handwritten note so that things don't keep piling up.

This helped me to balance my formation schedule, house duty schedule along with the time allotted for correspondence and not drive myself nuts with guilt over not answering the letters.  I always thought that once in vows I would have more time to respond to the letters, but as the time for that neared I realized I was kidding myself, because the last three/four months of my apostolic year showed me that yeah... the whole newsletter idea was GENIUS!!! though I felt a bit like I was cheating those who were writing to me by not putting pen to paper... but I really wanted to

Hehe! No it is fine.  I did love the pictures on Facebook and the ones E sent me. 

[HopefulBride]