Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Leibowitz Stephanie Fleischer Bell.
Maya Leibowitz, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
What if something as simple as holding a pencil could change the way a child feels about school?
For two teachers, that question became the beginning of something much bigger.
Maya and Stephanie saw firsthand that the skills children need to succeed in the classroom often begin long before the first sentence is written. Strong hands, coordination, pencil control, and proper posture all play an important role in helping young learners become confident writers.
That idea inspired the creation of Pencil Pals, a fine motor and handwriting program built around kids learning while they’re having fun. As educators, we spent years in elementary classrooms watching children struggle with fine motor skills, handwriting, and confidence, and we saw that many students needed more individualized support than they were receiving.
We combined our backgrounds in education with specialized Handwriting Without Tears trainings to create a fun, engaging program designed to meet those needs. In addition, Stephanie is completing her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree, bringing a perspective that further strengthens our approach. Together, our experience allows us to create purposeful, evidence-informed activities that support each child’s development.
Since launching Pencil Pals, we’ve been incredibly encouraged by the positive response from families, students, and schools. What started as an idea to fill a gap we’ve witnessed in classrooms has grown into a program that supports young learners. As we continue to grow, our mission remains the same: helping children build strong foundations through purposeful play, movement, and meaningful learning experiences.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of our biggest challenges has been introducing people to a concept they may not have realized they needed. Many parents know when their child is struggling with handwriting, but they don’t always recognize that fine motor development, hand strength, and foundational skills play such an important role in academic success.
We’ve even heard comments like, “My child has graduated from working on their fine motor skills,” or “My child’s handwriting looks perfect!” While those statements are often made with the best intentions, fine motor development is about so much more than neat handwriting. These skills continue to support children’s success in tasks like cutting, manipulating classroom materials, maintaining endurance for writing, developing independence, and building confidence as learners.
Starting a business while balancing family responsibilities has also required a great deal of flexibility and perseverance. We’ve learned to adapt, listen to feedback from families and continually refine our program to best meet the needs of the children we serve.
Every challenge has reinforced why we started Pencil Pals in the first place. Seeing children gain confidence, improve their skills, and actually enjoy practicing handwriting makes all of the hard work worthwhile and motivates us to continue growing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Stephanie and Maya first met while teaching at a local elementary school, where they worked together for several years. Even after moving to different schools, they continued to share ideas, collaborate, and support one another as educators.
In 2023, Maya moved back to Houston and reconnected with Stephanie, who had recently left the classroom to pursue her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree.
By combining their years of experience in education, Stephanie’s occupational therapy training, Maya’s love of art, and their shared passion for helping children succeed, they created a program that bridges the gap between learning and development.
What matters most to you? Why?
Above all, we believe that learning should be fun. From the beginning, their goal has been to create a program that never feels like extra schoolwork, but instead feels like a place where children are excited to learn through play.
Purposeful play is at the heart of everything we do. With increasing academic demands, many elementary-aged children have fewer opportunities for play during the school day, despite its critical role in development. Pencil Pals intentionally brings those opportunities back through hands-on activities that build necessary developmental skills while children simply enjoy being kids.
The program is screen-free and places an emphasis on literacy. Every lesson is thoughtfully designed to incorporate an engaging book, crafts, movement, and play that reinforce both early literacy and fine motor development.
Just as importantly, every class provides opportunities for children to build essential social skills by sharing, taking turns, encouraging one another, solving problems together, and learning alongside their peers. We believe these experiences are just as valuable as the fine motor and handwriting skills.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pencilpalsTX.com
- Instagram: @pencil.pals.tx
