To teach cursive or not to teach cursive

[ejpoeta]

This may be a dumb topic, but the response from the main poster really got me and is what lead me to post this. I am Eileen that the main poster is referring to when she says how kids don't need to do anything they can't do with a keyboard.

MAIN POST: Today's Poll: Should school children be required to learn cursive writing?
Today's Poll: Should school children be required to learn cursive writing?
Should school children be required to learn cursive writing?
Source: The Batavian
Published: 2011-07-11 12:23:22 GMT
3 hours ago via RSS Graffiti · Like · · Share

LMP: of course they should!
3 hours ago · Like

SB: yes!
3 hours ago · Like

KB: YES!!
3 hours ago · Like

NC: Yes!
2 hours ago · Like

LMS: Why wouldn't they?
2 hours ago · Like

DJF: why if they write bad its hard to read and whats wrong with printing, in this world of typing and printing their homework whats the point of teaching cursive. most kids type out their homework
2 hours ago · Like

KB: The issue comes when they can't sign their own name or read something written in cursive. While we are tech oriented we can't lose the basics. Should we not teach addition and subtraction because we have calculators?
2 hours ago · Like

SMH: Yes!!!!!
about an hour ago · Like

ME: you know, part of the reason to learn how to write in cursive and to learn to write in the first place is not just to be able to write and read it, but hand eye coordination as well as concentration among other things. There are multiple purposes for many things at the elementary levels.
59 minutes ago · Like

ME: besides the fact that kids do need to know how to do things beyond computers and keyboards and video games and such. we are alreayd so disconnected from THINGS... physically touching the . pages of books.... pressing a pencil to paper and making words
55 minutes ago · Like

Here is the post that made me write this OP...
MAIN POSTER: Cursive is a waste of time. I've not written cursive since junior high.

Everything you need in life can be done on a keyboard these days.

http://www.indystar.com/ar​ticle/20110710/NEWS04/1071​00364/New-standards-don-t-​require-students-learn-cur​sive-writing?odyssey=mod|mostcom
44 minutes ago · Like

SMH: Maybe to you it is a waste of time. Many things children must learn in school are a waste of time and never needed. I cannot imagine not using cursive or it being taught at school.
40 minutes ago · Like
Eileen Ostrander I write cursive all the time. I do not use a keyboard for everything. I write things all the time. I make lists all the time. Write in a journal. There are many times my electricity is out. Or we play games that are not on computers. ...
See More
24 minutes ago · Like

MAIN POSTER: Everything you do Eileen can also be printed. Like I said, I haven't used cursive since JH. That's 35 years of getting along just fine without cursive in my life. The only time I EVER am required to read cursive is when my grandmother sends me a letter. This isn't about cursive vs. keyboard, it's about replacing a totally unnecessary school subject with one that is much more valuable -- it's just a simply fact, you can't make it in today's world without typing, but you can get along just fine without cursive. It might be a nice skill to have, but it's not required.

I think all kids should be able to compose a perfect sonnet before graduation, but they'll get along in life just fine if they don't acquire that skill. Kids will get along just fine without cursive.
17 minutes ago · Like

ME: I disagree. There are things that are in cursive. And if you can't read cursive then what. You just don't worry about those things? You are seriously hurting kids by taking that away from them. They don't need this... they don't need that.... this is their education. they need every advantage they can get. Cursive is every bit as important as typing or learning a language. There are many that argue all three of those aren't important at all. Kids could get along just fine without a lot of things. It's a wonder our kids are falling on lists of education levels.

I know this may not seem like a big deal. It's just a facebook discussion. But this is a mindset. Kids don't need cursive. Why should kids need to learn how to write in cursive? I mean, they can just type everything on a computer. Heck, why even learn how to write at all! Why not just learn how to type everything from the start. I mean, this person who said that they hadn't written in cursive in 35 years and their only use was to read letters from their grandparents, as if to say that the means of communication is antiquated somehow justified it.

There is something about that physical connection to writing that you do not get from typing. Sure, I can type, and maybe it's just that I haven't done it enough, but words flow better. and even when I start out printing, I end up flying in cursive. And I can remember all the time I spent experimenting with my handwriting. Testing out different ways to make it my own.

There is so much more to it than just something that you learn in school. You must exercise patience. And concentration. Hand eye coordination. Yes, at first you must learn it the way they expect you to, and those of us who are left handed can attest to that the most. They sure kept trying to turn my paper straight as I turned it back to the side. It is not just about the crazy Q.... but about the accomplishment.

We keep shaving off the top of education. And the sides. And around the edges. We cut in every nook and crany and make it so that there is nothing left but bare skin and bones. And then wonder why our kids are struggling with the very basics. There are lessons in every seemingly small thing they do. Every lesson had three other things it helped with. Every extracurricular activity and art and music class had some other purpose. But we couldn't see it's intrinsic value. Or didn't want to. And now that we sit and scratch our heads and wonder why our kids are falling further and further behind everyone else, we just want to keep taking more and more.

I know this may seem so trivial. It is, after all just cursive. Just one small thing. And maybe this poster on a facebook page had a point. And if I go look at the poll it will mimic much of the replies in support of continuing cursive learning... but what bugs me is this idea that everyone can just do everything on computers and no one needs to learn how to do something so basic.

btw:
Yes 79.62% (508 votes)


No 20.38% (130 votes)



Total Votes: 638