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PEAce sign
i'm not superstitious, but i am a little stitious.
PeaNut 274,722
August 2006
Posts: 13,001
Layouts: 0
Loc: OH-IO!
 |  Posted: 2/4/2013 10:02:16 AM
my third grader is learning cursive. it must just be some areas... | |
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hulagirlatheart
PeaNut
PeaNut 277,753
September 2006
Posts: 157
Layouts: 0
Loc: West Side of MI
| Posted: 2/4/2013 10:05:12 AM
I live in MI and my 4th grader learned it. She is required to use it. |
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elphalba
PeaNut
PeaNut 31,845
March 2002
Posts: 461
Layouts: 53
Loc: Poconos PA
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 10:10:11 AM
My schools are teaching it but I know I make an effort to teach it to my children. Certain things are no longer taught in school and so parents have to "step up." |
Erica
Mom to six kids, two pugs and a cat
2013 Layouts Completed: 131
2012 Layouts Completed: 219
MY BLOG
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nlbremer
BucketHead
PeaNut 243,520
January 2006
Posts: 890
Layouts: 43
Loc: Summerville, SC
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 10:48:12 AM
My first thought was...Ali Edwards won't have any up and comers to worry about competing with her designs. 
I am 33, and I write mostly in cursive. My bf said it's weird...that noone writes in cursive anymore.  I prefer it for my own writing. I have had people say that they can't read my writing even though it is very legible. Now sometimes I do script/cursive that is very artistic, and that is harder to read, but that's not what I use in my day to day life. | |
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Cat E. Clysm
PeaAddict
PeaNut 107,256
September 2003
Posts: 1,233
Layouts: 0
Loc: Northern California
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 12:32:27 PM
Why bother learning to write cursive, when it's easier and more legible to print or type?
Why bother learning how to spell or use proper grammar? A good Word program will automatically correct your spelling and grammar errors.
Why bother learning arithmetic, you can use a computer for all computational needs?
Eventually we won't have to think at all. Easy peasy.
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msntlm
BucketHead
PeaNut 37,907
May 2002
Posts: 747
Layouts: 40
Loc: Texas
| Posted: 2/4/2013 12:58:07 PM
Ugh, I hate cursive! I don't mind reading it, but I've found (personally) that most people don't have decent cursive penmanship so it's more difficult than print. And it's not just an age thing-my grandma had beautiful cursive, her mom and MIL were horrible (illegible). My mom's stinks, while my MIL's is gorgeous. Mine, dh and dd's all stink (and we were all taught in school).
I'm a print fan and even my signature is pseudo-print. I don't mind if they stop teaching it personally, but that's just me. I also hated 4&5th grades when we were forced to write in pen-my handwriting has always been faster and neater in pencil. However, I doubt either made my language skills better/worse.  | |
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therevolution
BucketHead
PeaNut 556,376
June 2012
Posts: 849
Layouts: 34
Loc: Bay Area University
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 1:48:51 PM
Why bother learning to write cursive, when it's easier and more legible to print or type?
Why bother learning how to spell or use proper grammar? A good Word program will automatically correct your spelling and grammar errors.
Why bother learning arithmetic, you can use a computer for all computational needs?
Actually, I suggest you do some research into the sociology of knowledge, symbolic systems, and cognition. We're not learning cursive or arithmetic anymore because computers can do it - you're absolutely right. It's one thing to know 10+10. It's another thing to be able to do 132x54 on paper. It's frankly not necessary. Yes, I absolutely think it needs to be taught now, but perhaps not in 100 years. We're going way beyond that.
We're actually getting MUCH smarter as we begin to outsource small tasks that require a lot of brain power to computers. By doing that, we can devote brain power to bigger questions and tougher problems. And I think that's pretty cool!
Here's one great article I just read. It's mostly talking about maps, since that's my area of expertise (and the reason I found this article).
Google Search & Maps are making you smarter
Anyway, I think that as technology advances there are some very legitimate things to fear. I don't think the loss of cursive, the King's English, or arithmetic are any of them. | |
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*kaleidoscope*
Leader of the Banned
PeaNut 52,171
October 2002
Posts: 17,551
Layouts: 105
Loc: Froogville
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 1:51:29 PM
Why bother learning how to spell or use proper grammar? A good Word program will automatically correct your spelling and grammar errors.
I just want to scream when I see people online using 'thru', 'enuf', and 'foto'.
I'm sorry, but you 'sound' like an idiot when you do that.
(I know the person I quoted was being sarcastic and the 'you' is generally speaking.) |
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3kidmama
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 268,201
July 2006
Posts: 5,020
Layouts: 8
Loc: Northwoods
| Posted: 2/4/2013 2:24:55 PM
I was taught Cursive (the Palmer Cursive style ) which was all the rage back in those days. I DETESTED the hours spend right before lunchtime trying to write my capitol "F", "G" and "H"! My hands had just a hard time getting all those loops even, and my painstakingly formed letters would come back with bug ugly red marks circling them. It felt like an impossible task.
Through college, I did take class note in cursive, but often found I had a harder time reading my own notes than when I would print them -but that was just me having to write so fast to keep up with the medical information thrown at you in nursing courses. 
As a RN, I hated reading Doctor's writing if it was in cursive - 80% of the time it was truly illegible and if I didn't get it right, my patient's safety was on the line! As a result, when it came time to teach my own daughters how to write in our home school, I chose "Italic Handwriting" where you basically join the letters that are easy to join in a word. The result is clear, easy-to-read, and quick-to-write handwriting that writes very quickly, has a cursive-style look, but is very easy to read!
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Two of our daughters needed vision therapy for vision weakness that were uncovered in elementary school. Both of them had to practice cursive writing as a way to promote hand-eye coordination for some of their therapy exercises. So there IS a medical developmental benefit to creating those smooth, flowing letters on a page! | |
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Shih Tzu Mommy
Million dollar camera, 10 dollar lock!
PeaNut 224,352
September 2005
Posts: 23,527
Layouts: 0
Loc: Right here
| Posted: 2/4/2013 2:31:11 PM
Age 20? Where did she grow up? My nearly 21 year old and 18 year old boys both learned it. As did some younger children in our extended family. I know that NOW they are starting to phase it out, but I am going to guess that she learned it and never USED it, so she lost the skill. |
Dog people are a special breed! | |
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KBPea
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 395,153
October 2008
Posts: 9,946
Layouts: 138
Loc: Here
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 3:12:04 PM
I'm 26. I learned it, love it, and still use it today, although rarely in my scrapbooks. I still send most of my handwritten notes and cards in cursive and I've had someone my age tell me she couldn't read the card I sent her because she can't read cursive (my handwriting is pretty neat, before you pin that as the culprit ).
ETA: When I have kids I'm planning to teach it to them if they don't learn it in school. | |
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therevolution
BucketHead
PeaNut 556,376
June 2012
Posts: 849
Layouts: 34
Loc: Bay Area University
| Posted: 2/4/2013 4:29:07 PM
Age 20? Where did she grow up? My nearly 21 year old and 18 year old boys both learned it. As did some younger children in our extended family. I know that NOW they are starting to phase it out, but I am going to guess that she learned it and never USED it, so she lost the skill.
Unless the OP is quoting another 20 year old, I did learn cursive and did have to use it - not sure where she got that bit from and didn't notice it until now. We learned it in second and third grade, then were forced to use it in fourth and fifth grade. | |
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amom23
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 108,542
September 2003
Posts: 6,441
Layouts: 0
Loc: ND
| Posted: 2/4/2013 5:36:11 PM
My children have learned it in school, but the teachers don't require them to use it so really what's the point? I know my youngest age 11 can't read his birthday cards if they are signed in cursive. That's really sad to me. |
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"When was the last time you did something for the 1st time?" | |
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AimeeInOhio
Artsy-Crafty chick in Ohio
PeaNut 139,268
March 2004
Posts: 6,446
Layouts: 62
Loc: Lima, Ohio
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LisaMonique
PeaNut
PeaNut 510,214
June 2011
Posts: 103
Layouts: 19
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 7:58:00 PM
our principal has put her foot down and learning cursive is mandatory. This is the same principal who has implemented iPAD educational teaching in the classroom, too! Having said this, most of the "practice" is done at home vs in the classroom. OUr principal cited research about improved brain functions and writing. My child also does a lot of "cursive" in art with pastels, crayons, etc. Also, I also make him write in cursive on any "paper" homework. Don't give up! | |
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PaperTulip
PeaNut
PeaNut 567,278
September 2012
Posts: 184
Layouts: 2
| Posted: 2/4/2013 8:04:37 PM
I'm 27 and left handed, my primary school teacher didn't get how to teach me cursive. It was something I taught myself in high school but my handwriting is atrocious! The other kids in my class were taught cursive while I was being taught to print legibly! | |
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lovemykidos
PeaNut
PeaNut 291,092
January 2007
Posts: 213
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 2/4/2013 8:20:08 PM
Cursive is no longer taught at my children's school so I had to teach my kids myself. My 5th grader and 1st grader can write their names in perfect cursive. | |
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PolarGreen12
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 319,638
May 2007
Posts: 2,780
Layouts: 24
Loc: Tulsa, OK
| Posted: 2/4/2013 8:29:25 PM
Such a shame. I'm a hybrid writer, but I fully believe cursive is important to learn. |
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LovMelrose
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 66,686
February 2003
Posts: 5,976
Layouts: 0
Loc: Nebraska
| Posted: 2/4/2013 9:51:40 PM
So this means that there is a chance our grandchildren may not be able to read our scrapbooks, letters, etc. if they are in cursive?
I don't agree with schools not teaching it. Should we stop teaching math beyond anything basic too? We have computers and calculators for that!
That is just weird! I'm old school I guess. I am happy my 3 kids learned cursive whether they use it or not at least they know! |
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TheOtherMeg
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 463,585
April 2010
Posts: 2,082
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 9:52:12 PM
There are only so many hours in a day, and if the choice is to teach cursive or to teach keyboarding, I'd rather my kids be taught keyboarding. We can't keep adding students to the classroom and subjects to the curriculum and think that it's all going to be fine. Something has to give. I'd rather it be cursive than just about anything else my kids are learning in the classroom.
I think students could be taught to write/sign their signatures in cursive in a day. Send some worksheets home for additional practice and then move on. Families who want their children to be more proficient in cursive can certainly take it from there.
I have twins in fifth grade, one child in college, and one in grad school. I'm not a youngster. I've seen some changes in education and I'm 100% in agreement with giving cursive a brief introduction in class and then letting the parents take it from there if they wish. The schools can't do it all.
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You measure democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists. ~Abbie Hoffman
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Momma_Paparazzi
PeaNut
PeaNut 494,372
January 2011
Posts: 474
Layouts: 141
Loc: Wisconsin
| Posted: 2/4/2013 10:07:55 PM
My older two kids learned how to write in cursive. They are 25 and 15. Neither really write that way, but they can read it. I don't know what it is with the younger kids wanting to print. I think if my littlest in kindy doesn't learn it, I will try and teach him (and he is a lefty). I read on the first page, a mom considering not teaching her son because he is a lefty. I have worked with guys that have wonderful writing.. and are left handed. My husband, right-handed, should get a Dr's salary for that handwriting! LOL It is about as good as theirs! He has a hard time sometimes reading what he wrote!!
My handwriting can be neat, but it can be sloppy too... depends on how much of a hurry I am in. | |
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cmpeter
PEAceful Pea
PeaNut 14,521
April 2001
Posts: 34,593
Layouts: 31
Loc: Washington State
 | Posted: 2/4/2013 11:46:43 PM
My kids are 12 and 17 and both were taught how to write in cursive and can read and write in cursive. It's not required often on their middle school or high school assignments though. |
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Momof1sweet-lil-lad
& the Velcro dog
PeaNut 133,429
February 2004
Posts: 9,157
Layouts: 0
Loc: With my Shadow
| Posted: 2/4/2013 11:54:27 PM
My almost 16 yo was taught cursive in grade school. He only uses it when a signature is required.
He told me he can read cursive enough to get by. Writing it isn't second nature, though.
Going to have to remedy that one. |
The difference between genius and stupidity is genius has its limits. ~Albert Einstein | |
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TracieClaiborne
Perfectionist Pea
PeaNut 23,809
October 2001
Posts: 15,796
Layouts: 364
Loc: Just a short drive from Nashville, TN! (Yee-Haw Ya'll!)
| Posted: 2/5/2013 1:11:33 AM
Although I am a little embarrassed that in the 21st century handwriting is "more important" for ladies than men.
therevolution - Just wanted to point out - I wasn't directing that comment at you - I didn't read the entire thread/your posts until today. I am raising a young lady and I was thinking as I responded originally, how that most men I know never write in cursive but all my closest girlfriends have beautiful handwriting. I can see each of their cursive in my mind and it reminds me of them. Cursive also reminds me of my Grandmother's letters and receiving Christmas cards with my Mother's and Aunt's signatures. So I equate it to ladies I know. It seems a very ladylike thing to me. I guess maybe it would be considered old-fogey to a 20 year old to think so but that's okay. | |
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OCLittleFlower
PeaNut
PeaNut 541,890
February 2012
Posts: 447
Layouts: 38
Loc: Orange County, CA
| Posted: 2/5/2013 1:16:22 AM
"Although I am a little embarrassed that in the 21st century handwriting is "more important" for ladies than men.
I always forget that there's quite a generation gap in scrapbooking!"
Well, my husband believes that cursive will become an art form that not everyone knows in another generation or so.
And let's face it, ladies are more likely to be into making things all pretty. Just look at the demographics of this forum -- don't you think that women, being that they are the ones who paper craft, will be the ones who do cursive in the future?
But what do I know? I don't even self identify as a feminist or anything like that, so I don't start from the same place as most posters here on those issues.
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Cupcake ipsum dolor sit.
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therevolution
BucketHead
PeaNut 556,376
June 2012
Posts: 849
Layouts: 34
Loc: Bay Area University
| Posted: 2/5/2013 1:49:14 AM
I self-identify as a raging feminist  Gender is almost entirely a social construct which explains why ladies tend toward certain types of creative expression and art. | |
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karensay
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 34,565
April 2002
Posts: 2,626
Layouts: 32
Loc: Elgin, SC (NE of Columbia)
| Posted: 2/5/2013 7:34:24 AM
My DD is 11 and in Sixth Grade now. She has not learned to write in Cursive and she has a hard time reading letters from her Grandmother who writes in cursive and greeting cards in cursive are difficult for her to read as well.
So sad. |
Karen in SC
Two page, multiple 4x6 photo scrapper.
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*kaleidoscope*
Leader of the Banned
PeaNut 52,171
October 2002
Posts: 17,551
Layouts: 105
Loc: Froogville
| Posted: 2/5/2013 7:41:33 AM
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Eliany
PeaNut
PeaNut 486,299
October 2010
Posts: 28
Layouts: 4
Loc: Rochester, NY
| Posted: 2/5/2013 9:55:00 AM
I understand they are going to quit teaching it in school but don't understand why people seem to believe that if the school doesn't teach it then it cannot possibly be learned.
Like many things that provide beauty and culture - teach it at home.
I agree. School is not the sole place where we can learn new things. It is important to me that my son (16 months) learns how to write and read cursive, so I'll be doing penmanship lessons at home when the time comes.
It is important to me to be involved on my son's learning process, I can't rely just on his teachers' work. Don't get me wrong, I love teachers and their daily labor of love (my husband is a teacher). I've just seen it too often, as parents, we are also responsible for teaching our children.  |
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mamaofdudes
PeaNut
PeaNut 501,296
March 2011
Posts: 433
Layouts: 10
Loc: Minnesota
| Posted: 2/5/2013 3:58:31 PM
Wow...I can't imagine not knowing cursive. We live in a super conservative area surrounded by very small towns. I'm guessing our kids will still learn cursive. My oldest is in preschool right now, so I won't find out for a while! |
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nerdnest
PeaNut
PeaNut 537,584
January 2012
Posts: 42
Layouts: 86
| Posted: 2/5/2013 5:15:00 PM
I said this in the PL Facebook group too, but there's no way there won't be an app for that! Even if by some crazy miracle that no one will be able to read cursive in 20 years, technology will be available to help your decedents translate your writing, for sure. | |
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camanddanismom
Manic Mom of 2
PeaNut 274,243
August 2006
Posts: 9,977
Layouts: 424
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/6/2013 5:17:23 AM
They still teach it here in 3rd grade. But my ds was so excited about it in 1st grade I bought an instructional dry erase board with the alphabet and he taught himself. I think it would be sad to drop it from the curriculum. |
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ladybug4233
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 248,678
February 2006
Posts: 2,342
Layouts: 0
Loc: Colorado
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*kaleidoscope*
Leader of the Banned
PeaNut 52,171
October 2002
Posts: 17,551
Layouts: 105
Loc: Froogville
| Posted: 2/6/2013 7:38:43 AM
You're welcome!
Helping to preserve cursive, one child at a time. |
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melanell
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 26,836
January 2002
Posts: 14,823
Layouts: 86
| Posted: 2/6/2013 8:19:15 AM
I learned cursive in third grade with a very strict, old-school teacher who kept you in at recess if your writing was messy. I did not see much of the playground in third grade as a result!
We must have had the same teacher.
I can clearly remember the view from my vantage point, on the floor of the main hallway, outside the principal's office door, using a bench as my table, rewriting my cursive fro many, many, many a recess. At eye level was all of the cubbies for people's coats, most of which were empty, except for the other kids kept inside either for poor behavior or poor penmanship.
And yet I still do like cursive, too.
And as much as that teacher drove me crazy, I do have rather decent handwriting now. |
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melanell
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 26,836
January 2002
Posts: 14,823
Layouts: 86
| Posted: 2/6/2013 8:27:10 AM
MY DS learned to write it in 3rd grade, but is not required to use it now in 4th grade.
However, at the end of 3rd grade they sent home a new cursive handwriting workbook for the kids to practice at home. Also, the worksheets they are given in spelling, grammar, and sometimes reading or social studies are in cursive, so that definitely helps to keep them able to read it with ease.
If our district stops doing any/all of that before my toddler reaches 3rd grade, i will definitely teach it to him at home. |
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Brickle
BucketHead
PeaNut 524,253
October 2011
Posts: 570
Layouts: 55
Loc: New York
| Posted: 2/6/2013 8:29:08 AM
OMG, I feel STUPID!! I'm 25 and yes, I learned cursive. I had to write everything, every paper in cursive up until 8th grade at least (I was in a private school so I don't know if they were more strict on teaching that) but anyway. I just tried to write a sentence in cursive to test myself and realized, I could do all the lower case letters but upper case....not even close. This is SAD! | |
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ladybug4233
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 248,678
February 2006
Posts: 2,342
Layouts: 0
Loc: Colorado
| Posted: 2/6/2013 8:59:22 AM
You're welcome!
Helping to preserve cursive, one child at a time.
Thanks for the chuckle...I needed it today. |
Candie
 
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terribradford
PeaAddict
PeaNut 120,141
December 2003
Posts: 1,678
Layouts: 82
Loc: Colorado
| Posted: 2/6/2013 9:00:14 AM
This is interesting... My son is almost 16 now and he was taught cursive in elementary school (and at home!), and has awesome penmanship. I feel it was important to learn to write and read in cursive for him.
I feel strongly that if you want your child to be successful - or in this case, learn cursive - you need to take responsibility for their progress and not only rely on the school system to educate your child for you.
I am 37 and have learned many new ways of doing math, etc. from my son by being open minded to the newer ways that schools are teaching them these days, and I am constantly learning things from him. Progress is good! |
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Ising
PeaFixture
PeaNut 454,238
January 2010
Posts: 3,804
Layouts: 68
Loc: Central Louisiana
| Posted: 2/6/2013 10:04:36 AM
I bought my third grader a handwriting course online. It teaches cursive writing. She does not learn it at school. I still think it important. I think it cost around $25 and the lessons and manuscript paper are all included. |
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