Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Cursive's Curse

A few weeks ago, I read this scrawling note in Owen's agenda. Each kid has a day planner - homework, notes and helpful hints on becoming a model student (what-evah!)
The note said that Owen is not writing his homework down, and therefore not bringing it home. This prompted a letter to the teacher, since this is an issue we have been dealing with since October. Now I know why moms have the pretension to nag. Its to help keep everyone else off their backs. So, I reminded and reminded. We went over the assignments that he did remember to write down..and I asked him about one assignment, and he said "I am not too sure, I can't read my teacher's writing". So a meeting was scheduled with the teacher and other miscellaneous support staff, so I mentioned this. Turns out that teaching cursive writing is no longer in the curriculum. Too many other important goals to cover.

This is not good news is it? Doesn't our handwriting say something about the kind of personality we project? (Is there not a whole industry now on handwriting analysis). We like to make fun of Lisa's loopy L's and little heart over the "i"... but thats because she used to listen to New Kids on the Block and wears alot of pink. And then there is the impossible scratches your doctor or professor makes, which somehow indicates an air of superiority or intelligence (most often both). The art of penmanship a lost talent to the masses? That so sucks! Do people who were never taught how to write, end up teaching themselves, or are they doomed to a life of printing? What about developing that unique signature for all the official documentation? Will forgery suddenly become easier?

So what are your thoughts? Should cursive writing be taught in school, or is it an skill becoming obsolete?

6 comments:

growingupartists said...

Well, I s'pose that means you'll just have to teach him yourself. Start with his first and last name.

Cynthia said...

cursive should be taught - especially if the teachers are going to use it!

The Blonde Duck said...

I think it should be taught. But I think the anylzations as to our personalities are wrong. I think a lot of different factors can play into it!

twinutero said...

It definitely should be taught - if only because exams are probably still hand-written (or are they?). If kids don't learn to write, they won't have the muscles for a 2 hour exam!

Hotboy said...

It's a changing world! Handwriting? Are they teaching them to type? I got an apology from a seventeen year old recently and it was written in block capitals. Her dad's was in the normal handwriting and didn't look so primitive somehow. They can't read, spell, multiply, etc., I hope it doesn't matter. Hotboy

The Buddhist Conservative said...

Isn't building a child's self esteem by lowering the standards or giving awards for mediocrity much more important than penmanship?

Sadly, it is up to us as parents to fill in the gaps left by an educational system bent on turning our kids into dullards who feel good about themselves. It's less work than teaching.