Cursive writing in school

sillygoose1977
sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
in Chit-Chat
I'm just curious as to how many of your children are still being taught cursive handwriting in school. My daughter is not and it is a little disconcerting that she isn't even being taught how to sign her name. Of course, I have taken on the task of teaching her myself, but since when is this a lost art?
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Replies

  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    I have heard of this happening:( Very sad, indeed.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    my step son is a HS senior and his handwriting looks like a kindergartners
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    My son's school still teaches it but only b/c it's a private school. Our public schools do not.
  • erica79
    erica79 Posts: 242 Member
    My son is in 4th grade and they started teaching him last year..I think they should just teach the basics in handwriting and then focus on typing..which is what he's going to use.
  • Dub_D
    Dub_D Posts: 1,760 Member
    That's awful. I hope it's just an American thing.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I should mention that only 47% of our Public School 10th Graders are "proficient" at reading....

    Ugh.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    there was probably a time when parents lamented that lack of calligraphy being taught as well. time moves on and things just arent needed anymore. they should replace cursive with more keyboarding/word processing.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    I print so that my writing is hard to discern from anybody else's. I don't want the FBI to find me yet.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    She can type like a champ, I'm not worried about that, but I do worry that she can't sign her name properly.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    My sons' school still teaches cursive writing, but I'd much rather that they not do so and instead put more focus on something like math or science.
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    Both of my kids practiced cursive in school. I dont think its necessary for them to totally master it. I remember when I was growing up...I had to copy the newspaper cause my handwriting was atrocious..Fun sundays nonetheless..

    Now..I either print..or I type...I dont think its a big deal. The only cursive I use is when I sign my name...
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    The private pre-k that my youngest went to taught her, but she has since forgotten.

    I think it is truly a shame. But my kids were doing homework on the internet in second grade. Because so much is done electronically now, it is deemed less important as some other things.
  • Val_from_OH
    Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
    Oh my gosh - I hope that this is true in our school district. My son has a fine motor issue and has reallly struggled learning to print. I was making myself sick the other day thinking that he is going to have to learn cursive next year.
  • CMASAM22
    CMASAM22 Posts: 17
    My daughter attends the Mead school district, they are still teaching cursive,,,, District 81 does not so I hear. Thats a shame,
  • MacInCali
    MacInCali Posts: 1,012 Member
    My kids' school starts teaching them cursive in 3rd grade. I would also like to see the schools teaching them how to type early on as well ... my son started middle school (6th grade; 11 years old) and it is "preferred" that he type his homework (aka he writes it and I type it, lol).
  • Sixalicious
    Sixalicious Posts: 283 Member
    I started teaching my kids cursive a few years ago when I realized that they had stopped teaching it. I think it sucks, but on eof the teachers said they may be bringing it back. Evidently, one of the senior exit exams was meant to be in cursive (essay) until they realized it wasn't going to happen because they stopped teaching it. :huh:
  • mommy2AR
    mommy2AR Posts: 2,796 Member
    My daughter will learn next year ( 3rd grade ) :)
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I know it's not that important, but so many schools are still cutting art, music and P.E. programs which are all (in my opinion) extremely important in children's development. I guess I see the writing as a sort of art form that shouldn't be altogether lost in this electronic age.

    Besides, her handwriting SUCKS!
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    My kids aren't being taught cursive at all. Evidently the district took it out of the curriculum.
  • loveYOUmore319
    loveYOUmore319 Posts: 79 Member
    No, they don't teach it over here in Tennessee either. Luckily my son went to a Christian Academy while I was deployed. He was in 1st grade and they taught cursive there. :) He thinks it's so neat that he knows how to write in cursive and his friends don't.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    I know it's not used that much anymore but there are a lot of professions which definitely need it. Imagine an archeologist or Writer/Biography/Scholar who's studying past records for information or writing a biography on someone from the past; think about it, what will they do when they can't read the personal writings or logs that are out there and they are all in Calligraphy? The horror!

    Also, students of the past did quite well and they also learned to read and write. Writing is definitely linked to higher reading scores so I don't see anything wrong with kids knowing this skill. I think they need to do intensive writing and vocabulary classes in the lower levels and middle schools. I sometimes wonder why most schools don't have writing classes anymore. We've begged for creative writing classes for years at our high schools but it always gets dropped because of money or some other reason. Kids want to write!

    Today's students are so used to sending weak text messages that they can't write and don't see the value of it. I think that could be corrected by including writing classes in all lower level grades to make kids have to practice basic writing. It should be taught as a key skill right from the start. Kids can learn the academics (Sciences, Social Studies - all the knowledge stuff) but they can't do it later in life if they are poor readers and writers. Writing should be central, and I don't see how Calligraphy - a few weeks of it - would harm anyone.

    Want to know something scary, my cousin (who teaches in Florida) told me that he's only given 3 days to teach all multiplication tables. What does this tell you about the emphasis of what's important? Parents are told - you must teach this skill. This is basic stuff we were taught and had to memorize so we'd learn to use our brains but apparently, this basic isn't important anymore due to calculators. I'm not sure that's a good thing as using your brain is actually good for you.
  • mdbs2004
    mdbs2004 Posts: 220 Member
    I was upset at first that my kids were not learing cursive. Then I thought about when was the last time I wrote cursive, and I can not remember the last time. There is no need for cursive writing.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    Oh my gosh - I hope that this is true in our school district. My son has a fine motor issue and has reallly struggled learning to print. I was making myself sick the other day thinking that he is going to have to learn cursive next year.

    I think most schools would probably do an adaptation for your son as it should be in his iep. The ADA requires that they adapt the curriculum to meet his needs. You'll probably have to fight for some changes only because the politicians seem to be anti-any adaptation. Down here, if you have a reading issue, their only adaptation is extended time - meaning all day. That's not necessarily a true adaptation for someone with severe Dyslexia. I truly feel for kids who are smart and can learn but the tests of today are basically setting them up for failure at times.
  • CentralCaliCycling
    CentralCaliCycling Posts: 453 Member
    Speaking as someone who is not comfortable in cursive having only printed or typed for so long I forget if I was ever taught cursive, it gets a little frustrating when I see something in cursive to work out what is said. I feel I have about as much comfort with it as with Spanish or French... I recognize some of it but don't understand it completely.

    That said, I can sign my name and have a few degrees which suggest it was not critical to higher education.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    "I hate cursive and I hate all of you! I'm never coming back to school! NEVER!"
    --Billy Madison
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    "I hate cursive and I hate all of you! I'm never coming back to school! NEVER!"
    --Billy Madison

    Best movie ever!

    If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    "I hate cursive and I hate all of you! I'm never coming back to school! NEVER!"
    --Billy Madison

    Best movie ever!

    If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.

    "That's the grossest thing I've ever heard in my life....LET'S GO!"
  • sexikc
    sexikc Posts: 153 Member
    I really dont think I care much. I just need to know...becasue I will teach her how to write her name. My handwriting is like a print/cursive combo so if it were only print, that would be fine. My daughter mentioned cursive and I have seen some handouts so I think her school teaches it, I think I will teach her the letters in her name on my own anyway...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    My sons' school still teaches cursive writing, but I'd much rather that they not do so and instead put more focus on something like math or science.

    ^^^ THIS


    I never write in cursive, except to sign my name on checks. This is the 21st century.
  • travisseger
    travisseger Posts: 271 Member
    My daughter's attend a private school and they start teaching cursive in the first grade. My youngest is still in K-5, but my fifth grader has been required to do all school work in cursive since. I have friends whose fifth grade children have no idea what cursive writing even looks like, because they've not yet been taught.

    My daughter's cursiv handwriting is beautiful. But since that is the only way they are allowed to write in school her print is terrible. Of course, once she hits 7th grade they go to iPads, so no pysical text books (which, as someone who makes his living in the commercial printing industry, makes me sad), and very little writing. Everything done on the iPad or a computer.

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