ohiobuckeye

The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn”- Alvin Toffler

Lisanne

LOL, that's priceless!

Sure, the day may come when scans are used whenever a legal signature is required, but it's not here yet. Privacy advocates may protest its use for routine matters (though it's beginning to be required in some places for medical transactions).

I imagine this does vary by state, was glad to read that Michigan still teaches it.

I think it's terrible that teachers have no time to teach things that aren't strictly for the exams. I think daily updates must be quite a lot to manage. And really, is all the effort succeeding? Are 100% of the kids learning what they need to know? Or are the kids from more prosperous neighborhoods learning and the lower-income kids still behind?

tubroh730

It is not my intention to cause negativity, but please open your minds and ponder.

How many of you use a wringer washer or a mangle or even know what they are? I inherited both appliances (not my primary appliances!) and taught myself how to use them. It is amazing how self-instruction can be accomplished when the incentive is there.

Why do I ask this? Just so you can think how the world changes and how things have come and gone from use. I don’t think that many people crank the Model-T in their driveway and miss the experience. Just try to buy a typewriter ribbon---they’re out there, but not readily available like they used to be 40 or so years ago. The world DOES change and we must change as well whether we like it or not. I challenge most of you to text faster than your grandchildren. The relevant and important things in their young lives (and I am not necessarily referencing their personal likes) are probably very different than yours. This is not necessarily good or bad---it is what it is!

Also, as another member noted, what is the problem with parents and grandparents getting more involved in their children’s education? My mother was the person who taught me to count change and my dad taught me how to write a check and manage the checking account among a million other everyday tasks, not a classroom teacher. If something is important to you no matter how inconsequential it appears to be, why not enjoy some quality time and teach your children and grandchildren? (I still fondly remember those teaching session with my parents!) As a retired educator, it is not very often that teachers get the luxury of teaching something when the interest of a student is there...timing is everything!

P.S. I heard that children may not be learning cursive writing in general, but it is mandatory that they all learn to write their signature...at least until that fingerprint and iris scanner are more common!

Greenheron

Change is tough, isn't it? It is hard to conceive a world of non-writers.

I had a couple of years when teachers actually required us to bring ink and 'dip' pens to school to learn the Palmer Penmanship Method. Rows and rows of circles, rows and rows of slanted lines, don't lay your hand on the paper, stroke with your whole arm!

Look back, way back, and observe Spencerian Script with flourishes and embellishments. You might see some on old signature/friendship quilts.

Anyone miss fountain pens? I used to really enjoy my old Esterbrook. How about ka-ching manual cash registers and clickety, clickety, zip....DING manual typewriters, ##@&* sniff, sniff spirit duplicators, carbon papers and onionskin and those wheel erasers with a brush? Steno pads for the shorthanders? The twentieth century was an era of obsolescence. From buggies to the moon. Gibson girls to flappers to Rosie the Riveter to June Cleaver to Betty Freidan and Erica Jung, the Playboy Bunnies, Roe vs. Wade, Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher and Mother Teresa. What a ride.

zoeytoo

One thing the protesters in Albany N. Y. park are showing is how much we allow the government to control us. We let people run the schools like a business but children are not a product. I taught 12 non readers to read in one year using simple behavior mod and no one asked how I did it but they implemented a reading program at great cost and it did not show improvement in reading. Once we let the government force helmets on motorcycle drivers we were on the slippery slope to government control. After election day we can't get the streets cleaned so why expect government to know how to improve teaching. I taught cursive for 42 years as well as the other subjects. It improves eye hand coordination, gives children spaciality sense, boosts self confidence and is a break from the core subjects which the school day needs. Parents and grand parents need to be vocal with the top administrators. No child left behind was a pain in the behind and president Obama would gain a following if he implemented study of how to motivate children to want to learn and stay in school and created models from teacher imput on how they improve reading and other subjects. Scores on tests are baloney. Try to teach all the kids on your block to golf. None would be of the same skill level and think how frustrated you would be trying to figure which ones would still be golfing at 21 years old. Children are not measurable like they are trying to do. Only one of my teachers knew I wanted to teach snd I was the least likely to because I was shy. Yet I was the best in my area if I do say so myself and my evaluations agree. My point is we need to stop this testing because it hurts kids to take tests they are not ready to pass, and the cost could be going into finding ways to teach the kids. Any good teacher gives pretests she/he makes and can go from there. One big reason for less progress is the decline of respect for teachers and students as evidenced in bullying and assaults in schools. Discipline is needed before a learning community can do its job. Oh I do get carried away on this subject. Thank you for allowing my imput.

zoeytoo

One way to be helpful is be a literacy volunteer. Or ask your school administrator if you can go into a local school snd teach cursive to kids once a week. It will be an eye opener for sure. Some kids take to learning something new like a duck takes to water. Others it's like putting silk pjs on a pretty piglet.

Nanamoms

DOUBLE AMEN!!!!!! My nieces in HIGH SCHOOL were taught to write English/literature papers WITHOUT correct spelling!!!!! Teachers said the CONTENT was more important than the spelling. They could spell the words like they texted also. SUCH A SHAME! We were taught that spelling was important in any paper and correct punctuation had to be used also. How many of us got papers back where red marks were made to correct the spelling and punctuation??????!!!!!

leatheflea

So how do they sign their name now? All my legal docs are signed in cursive. Are we headed toward a thumbprint or barcode ID?

TanyaL

Years ago a teacher sent home a note saying "Your son be not a good student. He make the others laugh too much. He be a troublemaker in class." And this woman was suppossed to teach my kid? No wonder he was laughing. Unfortunately our schools are not a laughing matter.

kuseta

Besides all of the practical reasons already mentioned for learning cursive, there is research that learning cursive helps your brain function better. One of the techniques in Educational Therapy is rhythmic writing, which is repeating common cursive figures over and over on a chalkboard. Rhythmic Writing helps to strengthen attention, processing skills, and handwriting. It's helping my dyslexic DD in many different ways.