can't read or write cursive

kittyloo · ‎03-11-2010

so my step-daughter was over last weekend. both her and her brother are very intelligent. ages 15 and almost 18. so when she mentioned that neither one of them can write cursive, and older brother can't read it at all, i was floored. I mean really floored. what???? I realize that it;s mostly not taught in schools anymore, but i had a really hard time wrapping my head around this. Is this unnecessary anymore? you don't have to sign your name? print it, or make a X? is this really the norm? Granted they go to a very "liberal,school" in a college town. (not sure if this makes a difference or not) maybe i'm just out of touch. not sure. they have 3 bathrooms, if that tell's you anything. just minor venting.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

my children.....all in their twenties.....never write in cursive other than when using their signature. i have seen their class notes from college and they are all printed.

it honestly does not bother me. i dont think they are teaching it here in school anymore.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

I don’t have kids or grandkids so I don’t know what is or isn’t taught in schools anymore but I once worked with a woman who’s step daughter was about 15 and she received a watch for Christmas and did not know how to use a watch to tell time. She only knew digital. Lots of them don’t know how to make a phone call either.

jannabelle1 · ‎09-12-2010

I know that there are many schools across the country that no longer teach cursive. My understanding is that it's because of technology. Most kids communicate via phones and computers. Our grandson is 9 and in 3rd grade now, but fortunately cursive is being taught in his school (major city, Midwest). I agree with you - it's unbelievable that some educators, school boards, etc came to the decision that cursive belongs in the dark ages!

SXMGirl · ‎07-07-2010

I was a high school business teacher and had to teach my students how to sign their names in cursive when I taught finance units. They needed to be able to not only balance a check book, but also how to sign their names. They also learned how to write a contract and had to sign their names. These lessons resulted in requests from students as to how to write all of the letters in the alphabet in cursive.

The next time that I hear salt and ice together, it better be in a margarita!

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

A lady in one of my book clubs was telling us about her grandchildren. They attend an elementary school affiliated with their Lutheran church, but not "in a college town" . She was also unhappy that they are not taught to read or write cursive. Guess it's a common practice in all schools.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@jannabelle1 wrote:
I know that there are many schools across the country that no longer teach cursive. My understanding is that it's because of technology. Most kids communicate via phones and computers. Our grandson is 9 and in 3rd grade now, but fortunately cursive is being taught in his school (major city, Midwest). I agree with you - it's unbelievable that some educators, school boards, etc came to the decision that cursive belongs in the dark ages!

@jannabelle1 And life skills, no home economics anymore.

Daysdee · ‎03-09-2010

@Meowingkitty In response to your post, I agree and I'll add that young people working in stores do not know how to make change unless the register shows the amount due to the customer.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@Meowingkitty wrote:
I don’t have kids or grandkids so I don’t know what is or isn’t taught in schools anymore but I once worked with a woman who’s step daughter was about 15 and she received a watch for Christmas and did not know how to use a watch to tell time. She only knew digital. Lots of them don’t know how to make a phone call either.

@Meowingkitty When my daughter was in high school she was the only student in her class that could read a clock...sad.

GrailSeeker · ‎12-01-2012

Several states are now mandating that cursive writing be taught in elementary school. My son is now 20, and there was very little emphasis placed on cursive writing when he was in elementary school.

It seemed like it happened in the matter of a year, because he did have one teacher in the second grade tell him not to learn the wrong way doing it, it would hinder him later on.

The very next year, his teacher did not require cursive, the way our teachers did past the second grade. Then, none of the others did, either.

Can you imagine the day when only an archaeologist could decipher handwriting?

I remember reading about a teacher, maybe 20 years ago, who was teaching her students penmanship exercises. She said it developed a part of the brain that was useful for more things than just writing.

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/general-assembly-passes-cursive-writing-mandate/

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/alabama-law-mandates-cursive-writing-schools-parents-express-mixed...