Website Created For: ECE 413/513 Summer 2015
Created By: Ashley Herges and Jayna Wagner
Jan Olsen
Occupational therapist Jan Z. Olsen is the founder and developer of
the Handwriting Without Tears® program. Handwriting Without Tears has been around for over 30 years. The latest edition of the curriculum in 2013 includes new ideas from collaborations with teachers, occupational therapists and administrators across the country. Jan and her team work together to create materials and books that meets the eductors' needs in a way that is fun and engaging. This curriculum is also developmentally appropriate and effective for all students.
Jan co-created the Get Set for School® Pre-K program in 2003, with Emily Knapton, Occupational Therapist and Director of Product Development for Handwriting Without Tears. Get Set for School is an award-winning complete school readiness program that prepares young children for kindergarten using play-based, developmentally appropriate activities and materials. It won two of the most prestigious national education awards: The Children’s Curriculum Winner from the Association for Educational Publishers and The Teacher’s Choice Award from Learning Magazine.
Each year, Jan leads a team of certified presenters that deliver over 500 Handwriting Without Tears workshops to train teachers, therapists, administrators, and parents to teach handwriting and school readiness skills. Jan has presented at numerous conferences.
Handwriting Without Tears and Jan Olsen have been nationally recognized and featured in Newsweek, “CBS Evening News”, National Public Radio, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Times, Parents, and Parenting.
Jan co-created the Get Set for School® Pre-K program in 2003, with Emily Knapton, Occupational Therapist and Director of Product Development for Handwriting Without Tears. Get Set for School is an award-winning complete school readiness program that prepares young children for kindergarten using play-based, developmentally appropriate activities and materials. It won two of the most prestigious national education awards: The Children’s Curriculum Winner from the Association for Educational Publishers and The Teacher’s Choice Award from Learning Magazine.
Each year, Jan leads a team of certified presenters that deliver over 500 Handwriting Without Tears workshops to train teachers, therapists, administrators, and parents to teach handwriting and school readiness skills. Jan has presented at numerous conferences.
Handwriting Without Tears and Jan Olsen have been nationally recognized and featured in Newsweek, “CBS Evening News”, National Public Radio, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Times, Parents, and Parenting.