I just read in the morning paper that 45 states are
seriously considering eliminating teaching cursive writing from their curriculums in schools
by the year 2014! Ok I get it,
kids can text lightening fast, but is it really necessary to leave them unprepared to even sign their names?
Let me get this straight right off the bat. I admit that I have poor
handwriting. (So does my Doctor, so I'm not alone) Sometimes I can’t
even decipher what I’ve written if it is more than 48 hours old--but I can
sign my name. It may look a bit
wonky, but it is a signature, a cursive signature, my own unique stamp.
Teens love the fact that the kids coming up after them
won’t be required to learn to read and write in cursive. I mean they'll never use it-- right?
Thank you notes, birthday cards, and even Christmas greetings
have become a simple email. Let me
say that my son left me a birthday wish on my Facebook page and I was totally
hurt that he didn’t even take the time to buy a birthday card, sign it and mail
it. Puhleese!!!
At the rate we are going how long before speech becomes
obsolete? After all you can always
text. People fight by text, they
make up by text, and they even break up by text! A Dear John letter is now a text or maybe even a tweet…seriously, how many sentences does it take to say it’s over?
What will the future look like without cursive? Well…
2025- Computers fail for one day and the world is plunged
into a state of chaos.
2100- a boy graduates from high school and receives many
well wishes and gifts. He pulls
out his hand top (laptops are ancient) and sends a hundred thank you notes with
the touch of a button. He smiles,
thankful that his parents taught him good manners.
2199- a petition is making the rounds in an
office asking for better pay and benefits. The only signatures garnered are a hundred X’s.
2200- a teen goes to a sports game and waits outside the
player’s gate. He sees his idol
and walks up to him pulls out his electronic paper and asks him to sign his
screen. Yes, he signs with a big X. and it fits
nicely into this teen's X collection.
2255- while digging in the dirt outside his home a child
finds a long cylindrical item with a point at the tip. He ponders for several minutes on its
use, pulls out his cell and texts a photo to his dad, who has no idea.
3099- someone discovers some ancient letters in a cave. The
letter contains a computer printout AND cursive. Hailed as Rosetta stone #2 scientists have a tool for deciphering
the words of ancient, long gone civilizations.
Just thought I'd mention...Virginia is one of 5 states that still want to require cursive.
Just thought I'd mention...Virginia is one of 5 states that still want to require cursive.
This post mirrors my own thoughts on the subject but with much more humor.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a crying shame. I've been a journaler and letter writer all my life. I can't imagine a world where one cannot put pen to paper and express one's thoughts. And our increasing dependence upon electricity is becoming alarming. I totally agree with you.
ReplyDeletelove the drawing of the hand. Really beautiful work. I do a form of calligraphy and use it to write in the cards the nursing home residents make at our craft club. I have a bundle of letters written by hand by my daughter at college 25 years ago. I'd hate to see handwriting (cursive) disappear. But I remember we had "Penmanship" in grammar school. For a little while we had to learn the Palmer method. It was tedious but I bet all of us still alive can still write cursive. I live in VA and home we can hold out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly! In fact, I think texting has taken away teens' verbal skills!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! You said it so well! I agree!
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ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you have said Crystal! It's going too far! You know, I don't even own a cell phone! I don't want it!
ReplyDeleteSchools no longer require students to learn how to diagram sentences, which is the best way to learn grammar and good writing skills. Most schools are no longer required to teach American history, so our students have no idea how this country was founded. Now they want to get rid of cursive writing. So, what exactly are these kids learning in school today?
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful hand you have drawn!
ReplyDeleteAnd point taken, we NEED cursive!
Ugh, this sounds horrible. I already notice how poorly younger folk write. I was mulling similar thoughts after hearing a university level teacher wanted to do away with formal papers. I don't understand why no one gets the importance of writing well - a vital skill for anyone. It may be that we are a more visual culture, but being able to think critically and organize thoughts is important.
ReplyDeleteA truly insightful post. My goodness it downright scary.
ReplyDeleteI love cursive... I DO write letter and notes and thank yous...
Can we just put the world on HOLD!!
Oops, I forgot.... I love your drawing...Please mat and frame it for the archives.
ReplyDeleteAn argument in favour of learning handwriting that any non-teachers may not know about - writing words by hand while saying the sounds of the letters out loud is one of the most effective ways to teach children to spell!
ReplyDeleteIt is an important part of the Synthetic Phonics literacy programs that are used pretty widely in the UK since the Rose Report looked into the teaching of literacy in 2006 and the government adopted its findings.
I tried, in vain, to interest a Linkedin US remedial reading group in this groundbreaking development, but they hadn't even heard about it aqnd weren't interested in knowing more :(
Great drawing, btw, Crystal - does this mean that your wrist/hand problems are resolved? I do hope so!
Great post. Here the kids concentrate on hand writing the first 2 years of school. Somehow my son has managed to retain his own scrawl much to everyone's horror :)
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