Handwriting Specialist: Heather Boley — Learning Without Tears Certification

Heather Boley

Address:	Owings, MD
Years with HWT:	4
Biography:	I am excited to join the Handwriting Without Tears community! I have a Masters degree, in Occupational Therapy, and am currently working on my clinical doctorate in OT. I have been practicing school-based OT for 9 years, and have had great success using the Handwriting Without Tears program. My hope is to educate others about the benefits of using this strategy-based curriculum when teaching handwriting instruction. Handwriting has slowly become less emphasized in the school setting, and more and more children are struggling to keep up with writing demands and are becoming increasingly frustrated. I have seen childrens' poor penmanship be a catalyst for decreased motivation and self-esteem because of the difficulty they have with written work activities. Fortunately, I have also witnessed improved self-esteem and increased determination when students are given the opportunity to learn handwriting using Jan Olsen's Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. The curriculum provides children with lessons and activities that are developmentally appropriate as well as fun and rewarding.