Schools and Cursive Writing. Conspiracy? Or just a sign of the times?

reply to post by Klassified
Absolutely yes they should be taught cursive writing,what would happen if suddenly we had no computers?Cursive was brought about to save time writing,and it should be taught just for the fact it's a basic elementary lesson,it's like not teaching them how to do long problems in math because we have calculators!!

My biggest problem with cursive writing, is that I am so bad at it. Couldn't read my own notes. That's when I started printing. I love really good cursive, my business partner is excellent at it (her husband says she draws not writes). I just can't do it. Wish I could

Why is it that every decision made
by the big brains and wizer heads to fix things
always winds up breaking something else along the way?

Now there is nothing standing between teachers and computer
grading all the tests and papers, cause computers can read print.

But the teachers probably think this is a good idea, and don't realize they have obsoleted themselves.


David Grouchy

Wow this is strange. Maybe I'm weird, but even with all the texting, internet, posting on here, etc. I still DO write some things on paper, too, every day! It's definitely part of the dumbing down strategy, as posted above, learning cursive makes you learn more. Plus it is MUCH faster and easier to use than printing.I only use cursive handwriting unless I'm making it all caps.

Do you all wnt it 2 gt lk ths 4ever? N soon?

reply to post by CaptChaos


LOL, BFF, WTF, IDK...much better

reply to post by Klassified


If they can't read cursive how will they read the constitution or the bill of rights... Oh yeah TPTB want those to quitely fade away.

Originally posted by greeneyedleo
My daughter is in 1st grade. She has been reading and writing since she was 3-4...
They are not teaching cursive in her school which is a highly rated school that scores very high on all standard testing in my state.

Although they are not teaching it, she is teaching herself (with my help) because she thinks it is "fancy writing" and cool and well different (because she has been taught different is good).

I really do not think there is a conspiracy behind it....but just more the fact that people do not really write like that much anymore. I don't write in cursive. I just developed my own style of writing over the years. I even get paid by some to write out invitations and other things because of my handwriting.

edit on January 21st 2011 by greeneyedleo because: (no reason given)

I think it's awesome that you're helping her learn it. I personally think it will serve her well in the future.
Your own style of writing sounds like a great way to make extra money. There aren't a lot of us who have that kind of hand eye coordination.

BTW. I thought your old avatar was cool. I almost didn't recognize you. But this one's good too. I'll just have to get used to it.

Originally posted by dfens
reply to post by staciebee

 

One of the companies I use to work for, we had to take tests to ensure safety compliance and such in order to become certified. We would watch the videos, then be given a test which we were promptly given the correct answers to by our safety director. We were certified and compliant, yet no telling if anyone learned anything. I think thats more common than most realize.

Schools are becoming like that, just push the kid through and never worry about the consequences of sending unarmed(intellectually) kids out into the real world. Its sad really.

It is sad...what's sadder still is that for many, the only other teacher is the tv/radio/internet/video gaming systems. Parents rarely take the time to teach life lessons and skills anymore. If this isn't the end times...surely when this upcoming generation begins to run things, that will be the end! (*snickers* I wonder how many generations have said that about the proceeding one?!

I have heard that here in at least one Texas community, that if a student needs help on the state assessment test, the teacher will help the child. Apparently, before the testing began, the teachers would name each of the four walls, A., B., C., & D. If a student struggled with a question, the teacher would go stand near the center of the corresponding wall.

There is so much pressure on both the teachers and students, that ruthless measures are taken to ensure the students pass, therefore allowing the teacher to pass and the schools to pass. If schools repeatedly fall below the state mandate, the school must shut down.

Passing the test to life is going to take more than knowing how to pass a test. The crap their cramming into students heads these days confuses the natural learning process. Memorization (a poor learning skill) has replaced actual absorption through practice. Children have a very small window in which to learn how to write their numbers and letters before being pushed forward, prematurely, to the next learning level. I noticed this first when my oldest started school and then have seen it rushed even more now that my forth son is in second grade. They have to make the time to emphasis the test material and drill that junk into their heads.

I would homeschool if I had the good fortune not to have to take a dayjob to help support our family. I have many friends who do home school and their children are more advanced, mature and articulate than many of the students that my children are friends with. Not that kids are numbskulled completely...all kids have a bright light that grows with them and they have plenty (too much) worldly knowledge. I just hope, personally, that I can equip my own boys, so that when they take flight, their light isn't snuffed out by expecting to much and not being able to cope with reality. Kids these days act like they are owed something...when they find out that they must truly earn somethings for the first time, it may be earthshattering to find out the world will not serve them on a silver platter, and no one's gonna have an answer for them...they will have to answer for themselves!

reply to post by staciebee


Good reply, thank you.

Learning is probably the most important thing in this world. Good and bad experiences culminate into what becomes a persons life. More experiences the better, I say. Everyone has to be good at something and when you take away opportunities, even as mundane as cursive handwriting, you limit growth. If kids aren't exposed to different methods, how are they going to be able to choose their own direction?

Public school must be tempered with any kind of home schooling. Whether it be cooking supper, fixing around the house, auto repair, lawn maintenance, power tools, managing your money, proper cleaning and hygeine, planning for the future, goals... all of that needs to be addressed at home because a school will never do that for you.

When a kid is growing up, every waking hour is school. Knowledge and discipline will get anyone everywhere they want. If schools want to diminish their level of teaching, then its up to the parent to pick up the slack. Nowadays, public school is just a babysitter. At least it does instill a modicum of responsibility. Not the way it should though.

The best teacher a child will ever have is their family. Hopefully the family is equiped to provide that training.

Originally posted by ..5..
reply to post by Klassified

 

If they can't read cursive how will they read the constitution or the bill of rights... Oh yeah TPTB want those to quitely fade away.

I guess they won't be reading it. At least not the original. And it looks like teaching grammar may go the wayside too.

I prefer not to subject anyone to any form of my handwriting, because half the time even I have to guess what it means. And everytime I right click on my pen to check my spelling it never works and I look even dumber!!! Thank God for the computer age don't they have cursive looking fonts by now anyway?

reply to post by jaynkeel

LOL! You're right. The spellcheck stinks. At least you are able to read and write it if need be. Mine isn't great either. But it's legible.

The physical rigors required of writing -- assuming the correct posture, gripping the pen or pencil properly, writing the precise line and loop -- help develop motor skills and aids in cognitive development, experts say. Generations of students who sat in classrooms learning the classic penmanship method of Austin Norman Palmer were doing more than making pretty letters.

The demise of cursive writing

We noticed this while living in Maryland after asking our daughter in 3rd grade why she was still printing and not writing in cursive. She told us the teachers gave them the option to print. We told her she would use cursive end of story – she argued that the teachers didn’t want her to. She said that it was easier to read printing.

At the parent teacher conference we brought the issue up and were told indeed that the children were taught a block on cursive but it was not mandatory for them to use it in papers or essays. We told the teacher in no uncertain terms our child was to use cursive in all class work and that we expected her to support our wishes.

She did and our daughter has good penmanship.

In business one cannot dismiss the personal touch of a quick hand written thank-you note or even a post script in neat penmanship at the end of a type written letter for the personal touch.

One’s penmanship says a lot about a person’s attention to detail and pride in their work. I always had new officers hand write a short introduction about themselves when they came into my unit – one reason was because I wanted to get to know about them from their own words and two I could gauge their writing ability a little free of the influence of spell check and grammar check functions.

reply to post by Golf66

One’s penmanship says a lot about a person’s attention to detail and pride in their work. I always had new officers hand write a short introduction about themselves when they came into my unit – one reason was because I wanted to get to know about them from their own words and two I could gauge their writing ability a little free of the influence of spell check and grammar check functions.

Valid points. I never use the spell check or grammar function. I've just always try to proofread my own writing. I'm sure there are times I could stand to though.

reply to post by dfens


Thank you for your response. I completely agree that learning begins at home! I am doing my best to turn out self-sufficient young men, and believe you me, it is quite a task at times. But I want my sons not ton only be independent, but be respectable, valient gentlemen when they fly the roost. I never thought to add cursive to the training, but I think it's a must, if the schools aren't going to use it.

I always found it easier and quicker than printing, and still use it more than print. I want my sons to be able to read all the songs and stories I have written. As well as for them to write their own.

Originally posted by Klassified

The physical rigors required of writing -- assuming the correct posture, gripping the pen or pencil properly, writing the precise line and loop -- help develop motor skills and aids in cognitive development, experts say. Generations of students who sat in classrooms learning the classic penmanship method of Austin Norman Palmer were doing more than making pretty letters.

The demise of cursive writing

Eloquently executed edification. It reminds me of proper eating posture and such. A way to get out of disciplining? Too much effort involved? I wonder...

Originally posted by maskfan
It's interesting you should bring this up actually, I have literally just read an article about how a study done at Princeton showed that being forced to read complicated fonts (like script handwriting) makes it easier to learn stuff.

So there is a definite case to be made that not only should children learn to write in cursive, but that teachers should be encouraged to hand write notes on the board when teaching, intead of relying on printed text (of which the over reliance is most likely the reason behind the abandonment of cursive writing in schools).

Thanks for posting this. Interesting study.

I always use cursive. It's faster when you don't have to lift your pen/pencil from the paper.

Why remove it? The same reason recess was removed. With recess removed, children became obese and did less and less activity that required movement.

If they removed cursive writing, can you imagine the consequences the new generation would face? They would be born with another seal of slavery over them, a communication blockade. The corporations, government, and outside influences who still have knowledge of the cursive writing form will exploit it to control our young!

Teach your kids cursive eh? What about the parents who never learned cursive either? I guess they could learn together. In the end, school is a place that takes your child from you hours a day, days a week and so forth, for a good portion of their life. It is their place of advancement, it is their place of social awakening. I don't know about everyone else, but when my kids go to school I don't want them missing ANYTHING.

If this is allowed to pass, what next? Getting rid of showing work on math problems? Of course, this is all opinion on my part.