Community Chat

[QueenDanceALot]

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@PenneyT wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@Mellie32 wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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And our educational system is in the toilet.

Yes, I know a number of teachers.  They think so, too.

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It is, but it has nothing to do with not teaching cursive handwriting.

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I didn't say that it did.

I was responding to the idea that texting and flash drive were important subjects to be taught in school.

I wasn't even talking about cursive.

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I didn't say those were important to teach in school. I was just pointing out that there are forms of communication that are used everyday by many more people than cursive handwriting. The people participating on this board probably type way more than they write in cursive. Children simply have more to learn, whether some want to admit that or not (for instance, in science and thechnology). There is only so much time in a classroom day. That's all. 

I wish kids could learn art and cursive and music everyday, but in most schools that just isn't going to happen. They also aren't learning how to sew, cook, use woodworking tools, etc., all things that I learned in school. Time moves on. 

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I work with people from ages 26 to 62.  They all communicate through texts, emails, and yes, cursive.  I find sticky notes on my computer all the time written in cursive, and yes, by the 26 and 30 year olds.

It's good to be well-rounded, don't you think?  I'd hate to go to a new job where I couldn't decipher a hand written note on my desk from my boss or co-worker.  And yes, some people's cursive is difficult to read, but having some skill in it could very well help you in not having to ask someone what they wrote.

What are kids learning in school these days?  We are woefully behind many other nations in science and technology.  Why is that if we have dumped the arts to spend more educational time on science and technology we are so far behind in those areas?

P.S.  I am not advocating a class in cursive.  Nor am I advocating classes in sewing and cooking or woodworkiing.

[QueenDanceALot]

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@Mellie32 wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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I didn't say that it did.

I was responding to the idea that texting and flash drive were important subjects to be taught in school.

I wasn't even talking about cursive.

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I didn't read it as her thinking texting should be taught in schools.  Very young kids already know how to do it anyway.

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I realize that.

I know some pre-schoolers who are very proficient.

[newziesuzie]

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@MickD wrote:

Oh boy.....I just had this conversation with my son's new boss.  My son has learning problems and never learned cursive.....actually the school never taught it.  He only knows how to sign his name.  I thought it odd, but with his learning problems ...had enough to deal with.  Anyway, his boss used to be a k-12 teacher and worked mostly with Montessori children. He was describing to me how it is so easy for a child to start cursive first than printing .....as young children scribble and draw circular designs.....and cursive is the natural beginning to writing as they would use a circular motion ...not lifting the pencil......and how printing is more difficult as the child has to lift the pencil off the paper.....duh!  Makes perfect sense!!!!

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I found your post to be very interesting!

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That is VERY interesting @MickD!

[Kalli]

Our local schools still teach cursive.  It's just not given the emphasis it once was.  I remember in elem school spending almost all afternoon on cursive when we were working on handing in samples for competitions.  Now, I would never want to see an entire afternoon spent on cursive.  There are just too many subjects and topics that are more important.

[Mellie32]

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@Kalli wrote:

Our local schools still teach cursive.  It's just not given the emphasis it once was.  I remember in elem school spending almost all afternoon on cursive when we were working on handing in samples for competitions.  Now, I would never want to see an entire afternoon spent on cursive.  There are just too many subjects and topics that are more important.

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Handwriting competitions?

[Starpolisher]

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@RainCityWoman wrote:

Sorry, but I am a big advocate of teaching cursive, even though most think it's archaic. To me, one's handwriting is the mark of personal identity, unique to every individual, containing elements of our personality.  Why would you want to forefit that special facet of yourself? There is nothing wrong with being able to communicate in a variety of ways in writing. Our ancestors, our historical documents, census, etc. are in cursive. I cherish the signatures I have of my ancestors. I also believe that teaching cursive is yet another area of development in our fine motor skills. 

I so agree. Growing up in the sixties and seventies I learned to write in cursive beginning in third grade. We were told by our teachers that once you learned to write in cursive, you should no longer print. So in my mind printing is for kids. We also learned to write letters and thank you notes which I often did. As a young girl I spent a lot of time practicing my penmanship and signature giving it my own unique flare. I wanted it to look nice and thought of it as a representation of myself. Often times it was the first thing someone saw about you. To this day I still get compliments on it. That may not be a great accomplishment but still it makes me feel proud.

[Marienkaefer2]

Well, they still teach cursive in the schools where I live, although I haven't seen it used much by the kids.

A lot of them have really good handwriting skills..printing.  Quite a few of the students I tutor have almost calligraphy style handwriting.  It's pretty cool.

I think it's important to know and understand cursive to sign your name...you will still have to sign different documents in your lifetime.

However, I don't think it's the apocalypse if they aren't good at it, either.

[Marienkaefer2]

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@PenneyT wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@Mellie32 wrote:

---

@QueenDanceALot wrote:

---

---

And our educational system is in the toilet.

Yes, I know a number of teachers.  They think so, too.

---

It is, but it has nothing to do with not teaching cursive handwriting.

---

I didn't say that it did.

I was responding to the idea that texting and flash drive were important subjects to be taught in school.

I wasn't even talking about cursive.

---

I didn't say those were important to teach in school. I was just pointing out that there are forms of communication that are used everyday by many more people than cursive handwriting. The people participating on this board probably type way more than they write in cursive. Children simply have more to learn, whether some want to admit that or not (for instance, in science and thechnology). There is only so much time in a classroom day. That's all. 

I wish kids could learn art and cursive and music everyday, but in most schools that just isn't going to happen. They also aren't learning how to sew, cook, use woodworking tools, etc., all things that I learned in school. Time moves on. 

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I work with people from ages 26 to 62.  They all communicate through texts, emails, and yes, cursive.  I find sticky notes on my computer all the time written in cursive, and yes, by the 26 and 30 year olds.

It's good to be well-rounded, don't you think?  I'd hate to go to a new job where I couldn't decipher a hand written note on my desk from my boss or co-worker.  And yes, some people's cursive is difficult to read, but having some skill in it could very well help you in not having to ask someone what they wrote.

What are kids learning in school these days?  We are woefully behind many other nations in science and technology.  Why is that if we have dumped the arts to spend more educational time on science and technology we are so far behind in those areas?

P.S.  I am not advocating a class in cursive.  Nor am I advocating classes in sewing and cooking or woodworkiing.

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@QueenDanceALot

I don't know about other places, but in our high school, the kids are learning (among other subjects)

AP Environmental Science

AP Computer Programming

AP Chemistry

AP Calculus

AP US History

AP English

We also have painting, drawing, sculpting, ceramic, glass blowing classes.

Music theory, woodoworking, agricultural classes.

We have a range of Math classes, from AP Calculus down to Consumer Math. 

We have all kinds of English, History, Psychology, Sociology classes.

We have all the sciences:  Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Anatomy.

We have college prep classes, and remedial classes for kids who need them.

We are a small public school district with one of the highest ratings in our state.

We literally have hundreds of community volunteers (retired doctors, engineers, teachers) who tutor and support our kids.

That's what our kids our learning.

[QueenDanceALot]

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@Marienkaefer2 wrote:

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@PenneyT wrote:

---

@QueenDanceALot wrote:

---

@Mellie32 wrote:

---

@QueenDanceALot wrote:

---

---

And our educational system is in the toilet.

Yes, I know a number of teachers.  They think so, too.

---

It is, but it has nothing to do with not teaching cursive handwriting.

---

I didn't say that it did.

I was responding to the idea that texting and flash drive were important subjects to be taught in school.

I wasn't even talking about cursive.

---

I didn't say those were important to teach in school. I was just pointing out that there are forms of communication that are used everyday by many more people than cursive handwriting. The people participating on this board probably type way more than they write in cursive. Children simply have more to learn, whether some want to admit that or not (for instance, in science and thechnology). There is only so much time in a classroom day. That's all. 

I wish kids could learn art and cursive and music everyday, but in most schools that just isn't going to happen. They also aren't learning how to sew, cook, use woodworking tools, etc., all things that I learned in school. Time moves on. 

---

I work with people from ages 26 to 62.  They all communicate through texts, emails, and yes, cursive.  I find sticky notes on my computer all the time written in cursive, and yes, by the 26 and 30 year olds.

It's good to be well-rounded, don't you think?  I'd hate to go to a new job where I couldn't decipher a hand written note on my desk from my boss or co-worker.  And yes, some people's cursive is difficult to read, but having some skill in it could very well help you in not having to ask someone what they wrote.

What are kids learning in school these days?  We are woefully behind many other nations in science and technology.  Why is that if we have dumped the arts to spend more educational time on science and technology we are so far behind in those areas?

P.S.  I am not advocating a class in cursive.  Nor am I advocating classes in sewing and cooking or woodworkiing.

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@QueenDanceALot

I don't know about other places, but in our high school, the kids are learning (among other subjects)

AP Environmental Science

AP Computer Programming

AP Chemistry

AP Calculus

AP US History

AP English

We also have painting, drawing, sculpting, ceramic, glass blowing classes.

Music theory, woodoworking, agricultural classes.

We have a range of Math classes, from AP Calculus down to Consumer Math. 

We have all kinds of English, History, Psychology, Sociology classes.

We have all the sciences:  Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Anatomy.

We have college prep classes, and remedial classes for kids who need them.

We are a small public school district with one of the highest ratings in our state.

We literally have hundreds of community volunteers (retired doctors, engineers, teachers) who tutor and support our kids.

That's what our kids our learning.

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Sounds like a wonderful school curriculum!!

Unfortunately, I think your school in in the minority.

[lyn61]

TO BE A PERFECT....HMMMMM...THAT MUST BE TIME CONSUMING