Originally Posted by blackcat
His writing improved dramatically within 2 days of being with the new teacher, because she recognized that he was regressing and wasn't doing his best work. She firmly (but kindly) told him that she was expecting more and he obliged. Kids tend to do what is expected of them. You expected nothing of him and ignored him, and he did no more than what he could get away with.

Thank you for posting this! I wondered if that was what happened to DS8's handwriting this year as it became illegible. DS8 and I had a chat after I reviewed last year's handwriting compared to this year. It really is all about expectations.