Did you know this?

I don't  know where I've been lately, but I just found out cursive writing is no longer
taught in elementary schools. Did you know this?? At least this is true here in our area.

And when did this all start coming down?
I need to know so I can start printing my notes and letters to people under a certain age.
I need to know what age this all started (or rather ended.)

I have the ability to change with the times. Remember how I use to double space between sentences?
I try to live by the philosophy: when I know better, I do better.
But really, is getting rid of cursive writing "doing better?"

How is this new generation suppose to sign documents?
What if they want to quickly takes notes at a class or seminar
and don't have access to a laptop or Ipad or whatever it is they use?
Printing takes so much longer because you have to lift your pen up after every letter.

And how will this generation read legal documents, like that Declaration of Independence?

Is Austin able to read the letters I've written to him while on his mission?
Hopefully the end of cursive didn't happen until after he graduated from elementary school...

I've heard it takes too long for teachers to teach cursive,
when they could be using that time for other learning.
Does this really make sense? What do you think?

19 comments:

Richard said...

Me think u dum.

Scrapally said...

My kids were learning cursive in AZ then we moved here and they weren't teaching it. That was in 1997! Poor Joel had the hardest time trying to sign his license because cursive just isn't used. I was not happy about it, but that's the way it was! It was so fun in AZ because in 3rd grade they got their "Cursive license" and when I asked the teachers here about it, they said because everything is done on computers they don't take time to teach cursive anymore. sad but true...I think it is another "lost art" like handwritten thank you note...but don't get me started on that. lol

Anonymous said...

Computer literacy is taking its place. I wonder if a day will come when handwriting is obsolete?
I loved my mother's handwriting. It was beautiful. A true work of art. I thought that she was expressing herself through her handwriting because she was an artistic person who loved beauty. One glance at her writing and you know who wrote it. We're losing that by typing everything. When you and I used to write letters to each other, I always knew it was from you by your handwriting on the envelope. I loved that.
On the other hand, I love typing. It's so fast and no more writer's cramp!
darlene

Grandma Honey said...

Well then I guess my grandchildren will need to hire an interpreter to read my journals.

Susan Anderson said...

My grandkids still have to learn it, but they stop using it in fourth grade. Kinda crazy, right?

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Grandma Honey said...

But Sue, don't your grandkids live in Calif? I read that 41 states no longer require it be taught in schools and Calif is one of them.

Anonymous said...

Please tell me that Michigan is NOT one of the 41!!

grandmapeg said...

This certainly surprised me! In speaking with two of my girls just now they said, "no, they do not teach that anymore". One, however, said that her son's third grade teacher last year was rebellious and taught it anyway. I am disappointed to find this out.

Karen Mortensen said...

I sort of kind of knew this. Not sure when I did. I know we don't teach it because there really isn't enough time in the day. "They" don't feel it is important because of the computer.

Brock Heasley said...

As someone who knows cursive and hates it, I have no problem with this. As for signing things... It doesn't really matter how you sign things. I've reduced my signature to an unintelligible scrawl. Doesn't matter. That's what I call my signature, so that's what it is.

I, for one, always found cursive laborious and messy. Very few people do it in a way that's easy to read. Print is much easier to distinguish. It makes more sense to me to focus on the format with the most utility.

threelittlebackseatdrivers.blogspot.com said...

As a fellow designer, I have to agree with Brock. I don't see the practical use for it anymore. I have never used cursive to sign my name to anything, not sure if it was required but I just printed my scribbly signature...just like on the credit pads at the store. On the flip side, I do think it is a gift to have beautiful handwriting and think if someone was going into Illustration or Painting or something that is could be offered as an elective. I think that what cursive does offer is patience- it's so detail oriented that it makes us slow down and take our time, which is nice in such a fast paced world. I remember having to erase whole lines and do them over because they weren't done just perfectly to the teacher's liking...and that teaches discipline and persistence! I think in the design world you can duplicate almost anything you want in a typeface...but I interviewed for a really well known candle company and in my interview they wanted all hand drawn and hand written artwork. So maybe there is a small need for it out there. When I think of cursive I think of Deedee Pauline and the beautiful poem she gave us all at Night of excellence that says, "Every day in every way, I'll make the most of the gifts I've been given." Which was so sentimental in her beautiful writing. But do I think it should take up time in Elementary school anymore, probably not. And this is coming from me and I'm a little old fashioned, but I still think there are too many other practical things they are not learning due to time restraints.

Grandma Honey said...

I have to say I'm surprised that I'm so outnumbered in my thinking. Very interesting. So you Natalie, and Brock too were taught cursive in school, right? So that would mean you know how to read cursive. But what happens to those who can't read it? How about all the letters and journals written by grandparents from years past....will this present generation need an interpreter?

Whitney Jay said...

This is an interesting topic to me, I believe that most states have adopted Common Core Standards so that most of the nation is holding their students to the same, pretty high reaching standards which I think is great.

In the process of making national standards and not just state standards I believe they looked at what curriculum is vital to the success of all students, which turned out to be a ton, and then cut back in the areas they could afford. I think this also serves a purpose of prioritizing in a very diverse nation. There are many classrooms from San Francisco to Kerman in just California where there are entire third grade classrooms that are made up of primarily English language learners and while it would be great if cursive could be taught, I think proper grammar and depth in writing content is now the focus for writing. That all said, I think a lot of schools around the country still teach cursive, both of the schools I have taught at do. I only write in cursive on special occasions, but I'll for sure teach it to my kids if it's not taught at school, I think it is beautiful.

Grandma Honey said...

Whitney, I'm impressed that you want to teach it to your kids! Your Dad is here with us now and as soon as he gets back from his walk with Dennis I will tell him about your comment. He said he was as shocked as I was to learn cursive is on its way out.

This is all an eye opener for me. I'm going to quit sending cursive written notes to Hailey. From now on I will either print them or type. I had no idea about all this until this week!

Grandma Honey said...

And also Whitney, in view of all I've learned this week about the death of cursive, I was surprised to read that both schools you taught at here in Calif still teach it.

Ammy said...

They arent teaching it here. Hannah tried to sign her name in cursive when she was in Kindergarten and got in trouble. Still in 3rd grade she like to write cursive...(she learned by watch me write) but is not allowed to at school. It seems really weird to me as well.

Grandma Honey said...

Not allowed? Seriously? That's crazy!

Richard said...

This way adversely affect the calligraphy school I was planning...

cristie said...

What the heck?! xox

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