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O/T Not teaching cursive writing in schools anymore?

A

Alan K

Well-known Member
Our pastor was out the other day and mentioned there are some schools that dont teach writing such as cursive anymore. I know technology is useful but doesnt a person need to know how to write anymore lol? I guess that is "old school" pun intended. So down the line businesses will pass out pens and people will say.."What do you do with this?" Soon you wont have to read either because it will all be on audio somewhere?...but then someone has to be able to read it dont they lol....
 
Shoot that has been that way for a decade or more now. Sad that the key board is taking over every thing but one of these days if things keep going like they are the computer may not work so pen and paper will be in high demand again LOL
 
As a history buff, it makes me mad. How will they be able to read old family letters and historical documents.
Richard in NW SC
 
That is what I was thinking as well. I remember seeing in old movies where people just put an "X" and that was their mark...seems we are going backwards even with all the technology. I think we are eventually going to "convenience" ourselves out of existence.
 
I agree. I guess that's what google and youtube are for lol... It seems the world wouldnt exist without youtube and facebook...
 
The still teach it at my kids school. My kid is learning it right now in 2nd grade. Her older sister did it last year when she was in 2nd
 
I'm not one to talk when it comes to this subject. I can't write in cursive and I mean CAN'T. I tried a few years ago and it flat didn't work. I learned,but in about seventh grade the science teacher had written a long midterm finals test on the old mimeograph paper and didn't make enough copies. He had hand printed it,not written it in cursive and needed another copy done on mimeograph so he could print more. He volunteered me to do the job and by the time I was done I could do a heck of a fine job of printing. Been doing it every since. I couldn't even write my own ransom note if I had to write it in cursive.
 
They teach the students here to write their name in cursive. That would be it. Some teachers need to print on the whiteboards cause the students can't read their "cursive". Scary times

Kris A NC (now IN)
 
I am 47 and learned cursive in 3rd grade! They did not require us to use it, so I did not! I can sign my name, but that is all!
 
Still teaching it in the local school- we got a very nice Thank You letter from our 2nd grade grandson, done in cursive. He did a pretty decent job of it.

I guess they will still know how to print, if not write cursive. I can't imagine how anyone could get through life with being able to do SOMETHING with a pen and paper- grocer list, notes of meetings, notes to self, etc.

One thing that has nearly disappeared is cursive capital letters. Most everyone just prints the capital letter then takes of with cursive lower case. Remember the cards above the blackboard (the Palmer Method, I think it was called). The capital Q looked like a 2- when's the last time you saw one of those? H, R, B and several others had a bunch of extraneous lines, and hardly anybody does them the "proper" way anymore.
 
I tried that with my phone once for a text message....needless to say it wasnt what I said lol.
 
I'm not sure that cursive writing is really all that important. Ever try to read a doctor's cursive wirting and he made it throught med school. Go figure, just how important is cursive writing? Unless cursive writing means when you try to read what someone wrote, you want to curse.
 
I remember the cards above the blackboard, and the line / dotted line paper to practice on. Things sure have changed. A person used to consider him or herself as one of "us" (younger generation)...but then becomes one of "them" as time goes by (older generation)...funny how that works.
 
i remember being told how people are functional literate and unless parents get involved teachers dont bother the teach them as little as possible when my niece and nephew went to school uncle larry made time
 
I learned cursive when in grade school, but never used it since junior high. I had a drafting teacher that made us write in proper block letters, with small capitals for lower case. He drilled it into us, and would mark us down for poor lettering, so I think it stuck in all of our minds. I guess with Autocad even proper lettering was lost years ago.

Can't write cursive anymore, and have to think about lower case letters.

Josh
 
Having entered elementary school in 1946, of course I learned cursive. Have to admit, though, that in my later years I almost never use it. It was handy in high school and college for taking notes, and later in my journalism career for taking down a lot of information quickly. Now about all I do in cursive is sign my name.

Still think cursive should be taught in school, however.
 
I think many things that are taught in school should be questioned. Like teaching algebra to a special needs kid that will NEVER use it.
 
I am an elementary teacher of 32 years. Most 3/4th grade classrooms still teach it. I, too, am concerned about cursive writing getting sidlined, but writing is certainly still being taught.

The problem is, there are ever increasing state curriculum requirements for a population that is less prepared to learn than ever. Home/family life is not good. Work ethic among children is almost non-existant.

The teaching profession is more challenging than it's ever been.


Glenn F.
NE WI
 
interesting you should mention this.. Was talking with a buddy the other day. Said his 3rd and 6th grader when using a calculator use their thumbs and only thumbs.. because of texting... When I was young we held calculator in left hand and used index finger to tap..
 
My grandkids here in Pa are not being taught cursive or if they are they're not learning it. They all print and it is even terrible.
 
I did as well. I remember how funny it was to enter the numbers 1134 and turn your calculator upside down....lol what simple things to entertain ones mind back then....and all it required was a calculator and a battery.
 
They don"t teach the abacus (sp)either. Why use the time to teach something that is becoming obsolete? Electonic signatures are quickly becoming standard practice.
 
Yust another program by the new world order to dumb down the school system.
We are a subdued nation, and most people don't know it or care.
Where did the first amendment to the constitution go?
There are three groups of people in this country that think they are above criticism. They are the b,,,,s, the j..s, and the q....s
 
I think cursive writing is a thing of the past.
I do think that all kids should learn how to write their name in cursive for signatures.
I have read cursive writing by many many people, and to be very frank......it looks like a continuous line of scribble. The writing of men is far worse than women. If you look at the writing of some women it looks almost 7exy.
 
Other than when signing my name I haven't written in cursive since high school in 1977. I'm not even sure I used cursive then.
I do think they should teach cursive. Enough so people can sign their names. I don't think they should spend a bunch of on it though.
 
Many 20 year olds can't tell time with an analog clock any more. They grew up in the digital age.
Yes I've heard a few years ago they are stopping cursive writing. As a country we are failing in that area big time.

How ironic is this? For those of who know how to read & write cursive will be soon secret code to those who weren't taught cursive. How Sad...

Your hand writing tells so much about yourself!!
 
My wife is 33 and never learned it in school. She prints her name any where she signs. However it s beautiful writing it would be hard to copy...
 
The truth id I must read what they write. (University Prof) 50% can't use printing well enough to make sentences that convey meaning. the next 45% are eye strain. and the last group can and do make nice words. (usually printed not cursive. Jim
 
Another thing that gets me is they way younger people hold their pen or pencil. Looks more like they are going to stab someone than write or print something.
 
Don't suprise me, I only use cursive to sign my name, than for checks you can get a stamp of you signature. So I can't see that being to important. My wife was telling me our school district are teaching kids to do math like this 7 + 5 = 13, instead of up and down
7
+
5=
13,?????? what kind of idiot would change that??? Lol
 
I broke my arm in 3rd grade and never learned cursive, never needed it in 57 years either. The schools here don't even have text books anymore. Every kid has a electronic notebook, seems to work well....James
 
Considering you can't get a job, get married, buy a car, house or land, can't get a social security card, etc without signing your name I'd say it was pretty dang important to be able to write cursive. Sure you can still use an X IF there are witnesses that can write to sign off on it but what happens when we are gone? The better half has been telling me for decades the government was trying to bring us down to a third world level and I thought she was nuts. Reckon I was wrong again.
 
If they can"t write cursive, then they probably can"t read cursive. So all they"ll know about the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, or any other historical document is what someone else has "translated" to them. They"ll never know first hand what is written...
 
When was the last time you went to a school board meeting and stood up and voiced your opinion? America is a nation of backseat drivers.

If you don't like it speak up! Otherwise.....you are just a f--t in the wind.

Just like ole Joe...sat at the corner store, spit on the stove and told everyone how he would run the country. Never voted, never ran for office, never went to a meeting nor stood up to say his piece....just complained and pontificated.

PS: Right or wrong why was your pastor an expert on modern education?
 
I happen to be making an inquiry about it as it suprised me. My pastor mentioned it in conversation, neither him or I ever claimed to be an expert on modern education. And I dont drive from the backseat, its unsafe.
 
OK guys, I'm 58 and I can see why cursive writing is stupid. Let it die. Just cause we had to learn it doesn't make it necessary to communicate. Just who is writing in cursive here?

Rick
 
I remember reading the stories of doing away with it too. But, my 4th grader's teacher makes them write all their homework and reports in cursive! Not sure if they changed all the way around here, or if it's just certain grades or what.
 
(quoted from post at 02:48:03 12/21/13) Considering you can't get a job, get married, buy a car, house or land, can't get a social security card, etc without signing your name I'd say it was pretty dang important to be able to write cursive. Sure you can still use an X IF there are witnesses that can write to sign off on it but what happens when we are gone? The better half has been telling me for decades the government was trying to bring us down to a third world level and I thought she was nuts. Reckon I was wrong again.
Click to expand...
A fair number of my customers print their name when they "sign" their checks. Of those that sign in cursive very few are legible.
 
Hail to the Big Chief writing tablet with it's dashed line for lower case and the #2 yellow pencil. Grin

Mark
 
If you google search Penmanship you will find some old school pen masters work . Besides beautiful writing skills they could do birds and feathers in the borders etc. They were college professors who taught this.
 
And what do you when you write, not with type, something you want people to read do. I find there printing very hard and distracting to read. And when I started in school first and second grades were in same room but taught seperatly with first being supposed to learn printing and second cursive. Well Befor the first grade was over I could not print but could write. Still cannot print. And most legal documents for signature say do NOT print.
 
Hey Alan.

This type of thing seems to be more and more the norm.

Relying on technology instead of learning skills.

Ie: In some schools kids learning a language can use google translator for homework.
Parents are required to furnish 4th graders with calculators to solve problems.
I watched a high schooler 'read' a story for homework. This involved a website that displayed the text and read it verbally.

Are we educating a whole generation that are in effect dolts when the internet or electronics are not available?

Brad
 
My 6th grade daughter was the last class to be taught cursive. This year all of our elementary schools quit teaching it.

When I went to college 87-93, all of our big papers were written on word processors or "early" computers, Apple II"s. Not a lot of handwritten dictation. For lab work yes, but mainly just short notations.

I think writing in cursive is faster that block printing. But you are really seeing less and less handwritten material anyway. You can get a cursive font for your computer if you really want it.

So I guess I am on the fence whether cursive is important or not. With 20 years around blueprints and such, everything we do is all caps, block style print. But as others have mentioned, will anyone in the future be able to read the Declaration of Independence?

Rick
 

There is a whole lot that they don't teach anymore. It was on the news recently, that our students who used to be number one in the world for test scores are now something like number 26. They have an hour less per day and five less days per year than when I was in school, and there are more things to teach so they have to decide what falls by the wayside.
 
LOL....yes there was, I do remember that! When the "caveman" style inhabitants had a book that they recited "E pluribus unum" and then Kirk recited more words from it.. We the people...and then read from it I believe. It was so far in the future I dont remember exactly how the episode went but it seems that might be where we are headed lol...
 
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