Stop teaching kids to write in cursive?

[mabdoo]

I know that in the school district I teach in, cursive is taught but like everything else in NYS the curriculum here is so broad that they don't spend nearly enough time on it. My high school students can't always read my cursive. I don't use it often because I teach math. However you should see the way the kids make some of their numbers. they make a 4 starting at the top right, draw a line down and then move up and left. They make 5's from the bottom up, etc. Reading their work is often difficult. Even my husband who is not far from his PhD has horrible writing.

I think they should teach cursive still because it is faster but part of that may be nostalgia on my part. I understand that many people type but ...people still need to know how to write!

 

[Beavs]

I have been going though my parents old pictures. While Dad was in the army they sent pictures back and forth with notes on the back (written in cursive of course). Though both my parents are gone I am thankful to have some insight into their lives as young people. I wonder in an age of electronic information, here one one minute and gone the next will future generations be able to enjoy the same treasures from their families?

 

[Liann]

I don't really care either way, but honestly, I haven't written in cursive since I learned how to do it. My name is it. I've always said there was 0 point to me learning it. But I'm not against it still being taught.

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

In our school district they no longer teach spelling (my 14 yr olds spelling is very sad to say the least) nor do they teach how to read a face clock!!
Ridiculous!! IMO

 

[carres1973]

I have been going though my parents old pictures. While Dad was in the army they sent pictures back and forth with notes on the back (written in cursive of course). Though both my parents are gone I am thankful to have some insight into their lives as young people. I wonder in an age of electronic information, here one one minute and gone the next will future generations be able to enjoy the same treasures from their families?

Beavs - I think this is an even more important question that cursive. With the advent of digital pictures and computers, are the photo album and old, yellowed pictures going the way of the dodo?

Carrie

 

[carres1973]

In our school district they no longer teach spelling (my 14 yr olds spelling is very sad to say the least) nor do they teach how to read a face clock!!
Ridiculous!! IMO

That is certainly different! I cannot imagine not teaching a child to spell or how to read a clock. How are the children expected to learn to spell? The clock can be taught at home but teaching spelling in school is a basic skill!

Carrie

 

[ms71069]

In our school district they no longer teach spelling (my 14 yr olds spelling is very sad to say the least) nor do they teach how to read a face clock!!
Ridiculous!! IMO

Tami -
Just out of curiousity, where do you live? My 11 yo DS is ready to pack his bags!

My children are in parochial school and there is a great emphasis placed on handwriting. They have daily writing lessons, starting in Kindergarten until 5th grade.
My sister is a school guidance counselor and her district teaches printing in
2nd grade, and that's it. No cursive at all!
It'll be interesting to see what changes are in store for education!!!

 

[baylian]

Yet again - the dumbing down of our children.

Glad I was able to send my child to a parochial private school for 8 years and now attends a conservative high school. This crap is laughed at.