Cursive writing in school

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  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    "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
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    "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
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    "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
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    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
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    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
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    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.
  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
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    I am not a parent, but I believe that cursive should still be taught. It is important to write.

    The public schools must be horrible now at the K-8 level. I remember my mom complaining a lot in the 90s about some of things I was taught in certain schools. And I think public education is worse now than it was in the 90s, and it was not great back then.
  • dalgirly
    dalgirly Posts: 280 Member
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    I took cursive writing in school and I still can barely sign my name as I just NEVER write a thing.

    But my nephew still learns cursive in school.

    I am not saying they shouldn't teach cursive. But I think they need to teach it in conjunction to other forms of communication/writing. Maybe not put as much effort into cursive as they used to and do some cursive and some typing.

    As honestly, I do not know when the last time I wrote anything in cursive was. Other than my signature, which looks like I'm five. But really, there is not as much need for cursive and I would say typing is much more used and needed.

    That said, people really need to learn grammar!
  • Anomalia
    Anomalia Posts: 506 Member
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    I have not used cursive even one time since I have been in elementary school. I don't see a point to it unless someone really enjoys writing that way.
  • ShreddedTweet
    ShreddedTweet Posts: 1,326 Member
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    They learn it here but I'm not in the US....Too much dumbing down of everything, it hasn't quite reached us yet but I'm sure it will eventually. Not in my house though, they'll learn it whether they're taught it in school or not!!!!
  • sionnain
    sionnain Posts: 96
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    I'm very glad I was taught cursive, and it's all I use when I write. It's much quicker to write using cursive, IMO.

    If I ever have children and they don't end up learning cursive in school, I'll teach them myself.
  • stargazer008
    stargazer008 Posts: 531
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    That's awful. I hope it's just an American thing.

    They do it in Canada too. I remember doing cursive writing just a few years ago.
  • 1Fizzle
    1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
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    Unfortunately penmanship is a lost art. Nowadays these kids see things written in cursive and don't even recognize the letters. To me that is crazy..Times have changed! :noway:
  • mrssmith636
    mrssmith636 Posts: 80 Member
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    My son is going to learn this year in the 2nd grade.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    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.

    Actually this is the problem...not learning the fine motor skill creates issues for kids later on, and has a role in synapse development. Sorry....
  • paynch
    paynch Posts: 1 Member
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    My children were not taught this in our last district either. I was also upset about that. Being a busy working mom does not leave much time for us to have to take on such a task when already concentrating on other homework. I did work with them as much as I could on this. We have moved and they are in a new district this year that does teach it. They started teaching it in 3rd grade. My son is in 5th grade now. The teacher said that because we did work on it a little bit ourselves, it has helped him in getting caught up to where the other students in his class are.

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