Monday, January 26, 2009
The Death of Cursive Writing?
Schools have less time for penmanship | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star: "Learning to write in script is a time-honored tradition. But in today's time-starved classrooms, some around the country are questioning whether, given everything else vying for space in the curriculum and the increasing use of technology, teaching these children cursive is even necessary."
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11 comments:
My oldest is in first grade and thinks she's writing in "cursive" when she draws a line between the letters.
She has beautiful penmanship, btw.
Between this news and the Google G-Drive... we're one good EMP blast away from being totally screwed.
I have to confess I can't remember the last time I wrote anything in cursive. I was never any good at it to begin with; I've managed to adopt a halfway decent signature for checks and/or documents, and that's about the extent of it.
My longhand is atrocious, too, now that I think of it. If it weren't for keyboards you'd never know what I was writing.
Over the last 15 years, I've not only found cursive to be pointless, but haven't really used it in 25 years.
The last time, I think, was late in my senior year.
I wouldn't miss it much.
Btw, the small NYC-based chain with small Boston/Mass papers has settled its suit with NY TIMES/BOSTON GLOBE for touting the former's websites on the latter's. The small company now will not be linkable from the GLOBE.
That doesn't bode well for me.
I'm okay with the death of cursive. I never really got the hang of it. I invented my own handwriting style, and as long as people can read it, I'm fine with it. I much prefer keyboarding to writing longhand anyway.
Bill, actually, that's reasonably good news for those who present others' links. The NY TIMES folks treated it like the nuisance suit, and rather self-destructive one, it is.
Okay, I read an article about it. I don't think I have to worry.
My mother, both sisters, and wife all have beautiful handwriting. Mine is virtual gibberish, so teaching it doesn't guarantee results. Still, I think everyone should have a chance to learn it.
When I was in school, computers were just coming in, but even then they were slacking on the cursive. At the time I didn't mind so much (heck, I was only 9), but now I am so disappointed at my deteriorated half-cursive, which looks quite ugly. I've actually been looking around NYC for penmenship classes but have found none.
Even when my grandmother was 95 and half-blind, she could still write more legibly and beautifully than I could no matter how hard I tried.
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