Cursive handwriting
 

The loss of this particular skill really saddens, and irritates, me. How many of your grandkid or kids can read and / or write cursive? If you handwrite birthday notes or any letters to them, are they able to read them?

I know the kids are spending their studies on skills important for their future world & not my past world. All the on-line bill paying & use of debit cards has eliminated the need for checks. Maybe it's because I hand write pages of journals, or maybe the little bit of genealogy research I've done, or maybe because I have no kids but I only recently became aware this is a lost skill. To me it's faster to write notes than to print, but I don't have a fancy phone for texting.

I was at the gym a few months ago & overheard 2 retired teachers telling stories & it was about not being able to read her name when she wrote it on the chalkboard. Then the news reports they always do on the incoming crop of college freshman & what they grew up with or without that we old people take for granted.

I just tell myself it is a secret code between us boomers now!

I was shocked when I found out the kids aren't learning to "write" anymore. As with checks needing signatures so do morgage notes, car info, and a lot of other legal and important documents. They may do away with writing checks but I do NO bill paying by credit/debit card or over the internet or phone. When they find out that no matter what your ID can be stolen from these venues and the trouble to straighten it our can take months or even YEARS THEN what will they do?

My grandchildren are learning cursive, in 2nd grade. That's a year earlier than my kids learned it. In fact, they learned a different style of printing, that had curves on some of the letters, that helps them learn cursive.

I found out through my SIL that they don't teach the children how to hand write in school anymore I asked how they're supposed to learn and she said they would need to teach them. So how do the schools expect them to sign a pay check, sign a legal document you can't print you name. They don't teach them the time's table or long division anymore either everything is done with a calculator. I've had cashier's stand there and give me a blank look if I say oh here I have a penny,they can't figure out how much change to give me back.

as a 2ndgrade teacher, I would start teaching the kids how to do basic letters in cursive because I couldn't stand to see the way they were trying to write them. It didn't take much to get them on the right track, then I could do some writing on the board and they would know what it looked like and could learn how to read it all at the same time.... worked well for me, but more and more nowdays, they are doing away with actually "teaching" things and are more and more letting them figure it out for themselves. I found that "teaching" or showing them how and explaining why taught them more and fed their self esteem much more than letting them figure it out for themselves.

Michael Jackson only printed. but that was most likely due to his working all the time and not getting much schooling.
i had wondered about cursive writing going away. sad to see.

I teach 5th grade, and yes, cursive writing is no longer a curriculum standard. There's simply no time or reason to teach the art of cursive writing when we are clearly headed for a paperless world. Children today are expected to master more skills and content at a much earlier age than we were and there's major pressure on them, and on teachers, to succeed. My students must pass state mandated tests and cursive writing is not tested so it is not taught.

Just a thought, my daughter is a nurse and she tells me they print most of the time as it is easier to read and harder to
mistake one letter for another.

I substitute teach while going to college to become a teacher. I was substituting 8th graders and they kept calling me Mrs. Cammom. I corrected them a number of times and they commented that is how you spelled it on the board. I am still in my twenties and could not believe that these children could not read cursive writing. On another note, I am going to college to be a math teacher and no student of mine will be allowed to use a calculator to tell me what 3 x 9 is etc. When I was in school we had to learn our times tables by heart and were tested very frequently. Here's hoping that I will make a difference!

With our elementary schools getting updated computers and now IPADs I can see how this is going by the wayside.
We too noticed that our drs and the nurses are printing instead of 'scribbling'. If you want a prescription, it is sent via computer to the pharmacy. You don't see a hand-written script anymore.
I will admit many things I do not use cursive anymore, as my handwriting has changed in the past 10 yrs or so. Dr. said it was probably part of the fibromyalgia. I mainly capitalize all letters when hand-writing as it is easier to read. My brother learned this in the service as it was easier to read, faster for him, and the capital letters were easier to distinguish what they were, vs. small letters sometimes a few end up looking like other letters.

I don't know how they can see any wisdom in this. Guess there won't be any such thing as a signature anymore.

I was dismayed when teaching, that the art of reading and writing cursive script seemed to be dying out. However, I've now come to the conclusion that we retain necessary knowledge and the kids will keep or use what they need.it is just different knowledge in just the same way that there were separate scripts for the male and the female hand in our grandparents' day. I learnt Spenserian script when I was a child but I know few people who write this way - especially when one uses emails and texting or just mindlessly poking "LIKE" on certain sites.

I was appalled (I know, an old fogey word, but it suits the situation) when I learned from this board that cursive writing was no longer being taught in schools. Cursive is a way to write more quickly than printing. Sure, we use it less nowadays, but you still need to sign your name on leases and other contracts. You still may want to leave someone a quick note, write a grocery list, keep a diary.

And what about taking notes in school when the teacher is lecturing?

I really don't want to hear that there's no time to teach cursive writing. Sure, the kids need to pass state exams, but that should be doable just from ordinary teaching. Some kids need extra help, but IMO too much time is now spent teaching to the exams.

I think it's a shame that kids cannont do cursive writing. Instead of doing all this fancy math, they should just go back to basic math and teach them how to write. We did fine in school, the kids today just are not learning the way they should. I can see it in my a 4 grandkids.

this is scary, our cursive is going the be like hyroglys to the next generation

I hate to see what our country will be in a few years when our children are not even taught the basics and are not taught to think for themselves.

My husband and most of the family are math majors - it really doesn't matter if you use a calculator or not - the point is to know the equation of figuring the math problem. Do you multiply - do you divide, etc etc. My 6th grade granddaughter tries to teach me "new math" when I visit. She knows all the concepts - has she memorized? NO But she is a straight A student in excelled Math. I can't do it!

There are some things that they will learn
 

My kids are preschool, but they will be classically educated. So cursive, logic and latin will be learned. If the school does not cover it, I will afterschool. They will read and analyze the classics. We will cover world and US history using source texts. They will memorize a LOT and be capible of giving a recitation/dictation. High standards but will produce a well-rounded adult who can think, analyze, and reason, having the ability to study and learn any subject of their choosing.

I used cursive writing for 2/3 of my life. I was pleased with it because I concentrated hard on evenly placed letters, etc. Then I went to work for the USPS with their long lines and pressing deadlines. And there went my handwriting. This year I was writing to Veterans in the hospital and found my handwriting is illegible so I printed.

My eight year old great granddaughter has asked me to teach her cursive writing. I will.

As a teacher I am told what to teach and I must adhere to that. I can't just teach what I want to teach. I must collect data on a daily basis and track each student on every indicator to show progress. And yes, ALL of that is geared to the state tests. That is where we are now, like it or not, it is reality in education. There's no room for creativity or veering away from the script.

I also believe that in the near future knowing how to write your signature will be unnecessary. Technology will take us to using finger printing or an iris scan of the eye to sign a legal document.

I found out that our schools were not teaching cursive. First I was outraged, now I am just sad.
It is a shame but I guess I am from the "old" world as I still write checks and mail them out (what a concept)!!
I also still send out birthday cards, Christmas cards via the postal system and I will also write a short note in them occasionally. I hope the parents teach the kids how to "read" cursive...of course.. after awhile it won't be necessary because no one will know what 'cursive' is :(

Maybe cursive writing will be like handquilting.

A skill that some may learn just because they want to.

The current education "standards" almost scare the **** out of me.

There ARE times when one can not communicate via a key pad or voice! Being able to write manually is still a useful skill.

I used to love to write letters but I have to admit that I almost never do anymore. I think that's become a lost art and I treasure the letters I have that my Gramma and others wrote to me :)
Someone mentioned we baby boomers- yeah that's me! But I love all the new technology as well
I'm just trying to keep up!! :)

My granddaughter is inkindergarten in a private christian school, she is being taught cursive writing now, and i am so glad, i was a little surprised they are doing it in kindergarten, but, after that is when I heard they aren't teaching it in the public schools any more at all. i wonder how children that are growing up now will read a birthday card that grandma or grandpa sends them??? it is very sad to me.

When I was a student nurse back in the 50's we were taught to pr int our chart entries and then sign our name in cursive. The reason for this was printing was easier to read.

I was shocked to learn my 9 yo Grandson would not be learning to write cursive at school. Daughter is going to teach him at home. How will they learn to sign their names? I've never heard of anyone printing their signature.

I am 53 yrs. old and I print most of the time. It is faster and easier to read. As for our children learning cursive writing, my 11 yr. old DGS has learned it, but I fear his 2 yr. old brother will have to be tought at home. I am believing more and more that our children should be home schooled. Maybe in small groups. I really don't know the answer to our childrens education, if is lacking more and more each and every year. Teachers try but with so much of their power being taken away, what can they do?

In 2000 when I went back to take my nursing in University the very first class I had was English Comp 1 we were told that we all thought we knew how to write but we were all wrong (nice first day impression) she said I will write a topic onthe board and you will "write" an essay in 10 minutes and submit it for marking.
She said we would be graded on our eligible hand writing, grammar, punctuation, etc and she said everyone to expect it back with lots of red ink on it. Thankfully mine only had a few errors, however other's were told that they were not allowed to print it and they said they didn't know how to write. I was surprised but my prof wasn't, she told them it would be a long semister for them.

I have heard so many teachers say that children now days have to learn so much more and learn it more quickly than we did, but I wonder if that is really true when I think of all the subjects that I was taught that the students are not taught now. I had world history, European history and American history from Columbus to present day in my social studies classes plus world geography. In English we had English literature, American literature, current American literaure, grammer, all the structures of the English language including diagraming; writing including writing short stories, writing non-fiction, and writing research papers, plus how to conduct research. We had spelling and pronunciation and penmanship. In math I was taught everything from arthritmatic , algebria, geometry, trig, and beginning phyics. I had a general science, biology, botany, chemistry, foreign language for 3 years, phys ed for every year 1 hour per day, my choice of art or music every day for 1 hour. We had the choice of home ec, business courses or woodworking in highschool for some of our electives. As far as I can tell all I didn't have was computer classes as they weren't being taught then. My 1-12yrs of school was normal for our time as far as I know. It wasn't until college that I really felt any pressure. We didn't have problems with self-esteem, had a low drop out rate, pregnant teenagers were extremely rare in our part of the US. Almost everyone graduated and got a job or went to college or went to the service or got married. I'm so sorry that somehow I had a part of messing it up for my grandchildren. Their school system is screwed, the job market is dismal, the economy is failing and our newspapers read like the Book of Revelation. Too bad we aren't reading the books before Revelation more ,IMHO.

Hang in there...you are doing the right thing...HURRAY for U!!

i suspect that longhand/cursive will eventually become a "gracious art", much like spencerian script and calligraphy. those who perfect it will be in demand in select circles, for hand written invitations, notices, and the like. but most folks will just fire up their computers, find a font they like (yes, they closely mimic cursive), and type away. then, press "print", and the task is done. it's all a part of the push to "push" that we all feel. the general population is like a bunch of lemmings, rushing toward something that they are not even sure about--but it's there.

i'm content to be a sucker for my computer--but my feet still wear luddite shoes. i want people around me who have a solid education in general, and just meeting a state's standard is not going to fulfill that. we need families who continue the education at home; parents who really accept that parenting is nothing but a huge, underpaid teaching job will be the salvation of the next generation. when the web crashes, and the "lights go out", we are going to need all of those skills we learned from our grandparents, including sewing, quilting, canning, gardening, fixing, making, creating, and *gasp* writing. keep the faith, folks. the "rush" is on, but ultimately, simplicity wins. and never, never, never, even for a moment, stop teaching--your kids, the grandkids, the neighbor kids, anybody who will listen. knowledge is power. the only way to pass on that power is to teach.

(nope. not a teacher. i'm a nurse, a wife, a mom, a grandma, a great-grandma. but i'll go to my grave an educator...)

Not only is cursive not being taught but I noticed a decrease in spelling words also. SAD

Sad for me too, to learn my grandchildren aren't being taught cursive.

it must be a regional thing- i checked and all of the local schools here still teach cursive- my granddaugters, neices and nephews are all still learning to read and write (hand writing) and a couple of them (2nd & 3rd graders) happen to have BEAUTIFUL PENMANSHIP!
so it's not everywhere that it's not being taught---thank goodness!

Thank you to all who are teaching things that are supplemental to subjects being taught at school.

Here is a thought to ponder. In the future how will these kids be able to read the Constitution or other historical documents?

Here is a thought to ponder. In the future how will these kids be able to read the Constitution or other historical documents?

They will find it here on the internet in print. Just as they will type everything on the computer or whatever new invention comes along next. It's called progress...isn't it interesting that we're all using it to have this discussion?

The Social Studies textbook that we use has the historical documents in print on the same pages as the originals.

Here's a good story. A few months ago, there were two stories in the Akron Beacon Journal on the same day. One said that cursive would not be taught in the public schools anymore. The other said a woman couldn't get her name on the ballot because she didn't have enough valid signatures.