Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that it was important for my kids to learn cursive, but my kids learned this in 3rd grade (FCPS) and then were never asked to use it again (now in 7th and 5th). Why bother? Sure, it can be pretty, and maybe some would argue that you could write more quickly - but the shift is to typing. I'm just not convinced anymore. I feel like it's a better use of time to teach my kids something (anything) else.

If you read the article (link provided in the OP), then you would see there are some neurological benefits to learning/writing in cursive. I agree, everything is typed now, but there are still some benefits. I guess it's kind of like the argument of why do kids need to know how to add quickly in their heads if we have calculators.

Actually, the article is about the benefits to writing in general, which I agree with. There are a few paragraphs that distinguish cursive that can be summed up as follows:

If you have a brain injury and you knew cursive, you might still remember it afterward. Or not. Or if you have alexia, you might be able to read cursive if you can't read print.

These are interesting findings, but not enough to persuade me that learning cursive is not a waste of time.

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that it was important for my kids to learn cursive, but my kids learned this in 3rd grade (FCPS) and then were never asked to use it again (now in 7th and 5th). Why bother? Sure, it can be pretty, and maybe some would argue that you could write more quickly - but the shift is to typing. I'm just not convinced anymore. I feel like it's a better use of time to teach my kids something (anything) else.

If you read the article (link provided in the OP), then you would see there are some neurological benefits to learning/writing in cursive. I agree, everything is typed now, but there are still some benefits. I guess it's kind of like the argument of why do kids need to know how to add quickly in their heads if we have calculators.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When do they teach cursive in MCPS? I wish they taught it earlier. It is so much easier to learn than print because of the fluid motion and it is supposed to help integrate both hemispheres of the brain.

DC learned in 3rd grade. DC loves to write in cursive..thinks it's cool.

My DC also learned cursive in 3rd grade in MCPS. But they taught it and then they dropped it, so a lot of kids don't use it anymore.

I used to think that it was important for my kids to learn cursive, but my kids learned this in 3rd grade (FCPS) and then were never asked to use it again (now in 7th and 5th). Why bother? Sure, it can be pretty, and maybe some would argue that you could write more quickly - but the shift is to typing. I'm just not convinced anymore. I feel like it's a better use of time to teach my kids something (anything) else.

Anonymous wrote:Really? Which Arlington school? Our FCPS school teaches it for 2 weeks and then they seem to never practice it again. Hate it.

If it's important to you, then have your kid(s) practice it at home. Lots of people recommend Handwriting Without Tears.

Really? Which Arlington school? Our FCPS school teaches it for 2 weeks and then they seem to never practice it again. Hate it.

my kids learned in 3rd grade in arlington. all their work has to be in cursive once they learned

It was taught in 3rd grade in our FCPS.

My kids learned in Gr. 2 in our parochial. Love it!

Anonymous wrote:When do they teach cursive in MCPS? I wish they taught it earlier. It is so much easier to learn than print because of the fluid motion and it is supposed to help integrate both hemispheres of the brain.

DC learned in 3rd grade. DC loves to write in cursive..thinks it's cool.

My daughter is learning to write in cursive in a French school (PreK4). I was shocked as I thought it was obsolete!

When do they teach cursive in MCPS? I wish they taught it earlier. It is so much easier to learn than print because of the fluid motion and it is supposed to help integrate both hemispheres of the brain.

I don't know why but I really would like my son to learn cursive. Where I grew up it us the only handwriting taught to children- when I got my first American pen pal in 5th grade, I thought she was weird for not writing in cursive...silly me.

I don't know why but I really would like my son to learn cursive. Where I grew up it us the only handwriting taught to children- when I got my first US pen pal I thought she was weird for not writing in cursive...

I know some states that have adopted Common Core still teach cursive, but not all. Shame. My DC in 3rd grade has learned cursive in MCPS but I never see any of DCs school work in cursive. Not sure to what extent they expect kids to use it.

There's clearly some benefit. Personally, I like cursive. It can be beautiful.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/science/whats-lost-as-handwriting-fades.html?_r=0