Community Chat

[Krimpette]

I'm a senior citizen.  Last week, at my local senior center, some of us had the opportunity to take some basic technology classes.  The instructors were from one of our local high schools.  Part of the goal was bridging the gap between the young and the old.  The classes worked out very, very well, and everyone seemed to enjoy them.

I took a class in facebook and was, as always, astounded by how much these kids know, technology-wise.  Almost intimading, at least to me!  But at the end of one of the sessions, my young instructor took my sheet with my questions that I had to be sure that she covered everything.  She looked at me and smiled and said, "Oh, I'm sorry.  I can't read cursive."

I hope TPTB have thought this through about no longer teaching cursive.  I asked what she did if she received mail that was in cursive.  She said she has her mom read it to her.  

I found it kind of sad.  I really hate to see cursive being swept aside by so many educators these days.

[bri20]

I can't imagine not being able to read cursive. 

I think there are a lot of kids who don't know how to read an analog clock also.

[NickNack]

I agree.  I think it's unbelievable that they aren't teaching cursive anymore.  So many things are written in cursive.  It shouldn't be like a foreign language.  I didn't believe it when I first heard they were no longer going to teach it.  Now it seems to just be a fact.

[Witchy Woman]

This stuns me. 

Is it truly that difficult to read cursive if you didn't learn to write that way.  Couldn't you just kind of look at the letters and know what they were? 

Maybe someone who teaches can explain. 

Personally, I love cursive.  And, I learned Diamond Jubilee shorthand which I adored, and was good at.

Guess I'm ancient

[YorkieonmyPillow]

  I read that people who are dyslexic can read cursive much easier than print. People need to know how to read cursive and they need to know how to tell time.

[Krimpette]

There was another student sitting with my instructor.  He was able to pick out a word or two.  They were 10th graders, so I was kind of surprised.

[IamMrsG]

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@Krimpette wrote:

There was another student sitting with my instructor.  He was able to pick out a word or two.  They were 10th graders, so I was kind of surprised.

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I'm equally surprised as I would never have guessed they stopped teaching it that long ago.   Personally, I think it's a BIG mistake. 

[Q4u]

Any time something like this is "lost".... it dumbs down the populace.  My oldest son is learning ancient languages like old English, Celtic, even Latin.  What will he use it for? He is rounding out his depth of understanding regarding languages and cultures.  He probably won't actually USE them per se, but he'll be able to discuss them and read old books.... actually learning.....

I find it reprehensible to lose (and not teach) these most basic functions.....

[beckyb1012]

It is sad to see something disappear like cursive handwriting.  I am fearful that typing will be the only form taught or expected of our future generations.  As long as they can type no one will expect them to even print. 

How sad, but it is to be expected when so many young people would only look at a rotary phone and wonder how it works.

[StillFuntoShop]

Public schools are enslaved to state testing.

If it isn't on the state test, chances are it isn't covered.

There is simply no time.

Multiplication facts are not taught in our public school. They are supposed to "reason out" how to get the answer. 

My son was taught cursive very briefly in first grade.

When I was in school, we had a workbook that we used throughout the year. 

School is not what it used to be for many of us. I cover the missing content at home. I taught special education in a public school for almost 20 years. It was astonishing to me how things changed over the years.