Anonymous
Post 09/16/2021 05:44     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:Yes absolutely. It’s great for the brain, and now kids can’t even read old letters. There’s a whole subreddit on having people translate old cursive letters/documents because young people can’t read them.


I teach history. Any old letters/documents that kids (actual school children) read have been transcribed. What you describe from Reddit is nothing new. I used to work for my state’s historical society and did that for a living. I dealt with many newly donated letters and other handwritten documents from prominent individuals and local families. Despite learning cursive in Catholic school, there were letters that I really struggled to decipher because there’s always variations and idiosyncrasies in an individual’s handwriting. Sometimes you guess a word based on context and a bit of research.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2021 01:42     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
I think kids should at least learn how to read cursive and also be able to sign their name in cursive. Other than that, optional.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2021 00:02     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Much better to teach shorthand.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2021 17:55     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive


Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am 38 and haven't written anything significant by hand since college, much less in cursive. By law school, everyone brought a laptop to class and took notes like that. I use cursive for the occasional thank you note, but that's it, and I certainly don't care if people write notes in cursive to me. In a professional context, you'd better be sending your thank you note by email. My evaluation is done by the end of the day or the next day at the latest, so anything received after that achieves nothing, plus I hate snail mail cluttering up my office. If parents want their kids to learn cursive for social reasons, they should teach it themselves. This is a waste of class time.



I completely agree. Unfortunately, people in their 70s and 80s who vote in mass get very upset about cursive being removed from curriculum. Some states have even passed laws mandating cursive.

I've had some heated conversation with my parents and their friends in their 70s about kids learning cursive. They get so worked up about it.



Which schools in VA don’t have cursive?



Fairfax County. They also do not teach grammar or spelling.


This is not true. My kids learned cursive in 2nd grade in FCPS.

Anonymous
Post 09/10/2021 07:04     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am 38 and haven't written anything significant by hand since college, much less in cursive. By law school, everyone brought a laptop to class and took notes like that. I use cursive for the occasional thank you note, but that's it, and I certainly don't care if people write notes in cursive to me. In a professional context, you'd better be sending your thank you note by email. My evaluation is done by the end of the day or the next day at the latest, so anything received after that achieves nothing, plus I hate snail mail cluttering up my office. If parents want their kids to learn cursive for social reasons, they should teach it themselves. This is a waste of class time.


I completely agree. Unfortunately, people in their 70s and 80s who vote in mass get very upset about cursive being removed from curriculum. Some states have even passed laws mandating cursive.

I've had some heated conversation with my parents and their friends in their 70s about kids learning cursive. They get so worked up about it.


Which schools in VA don’t have cursive?


Fairfax County. They also do not teach grammar or spelling.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2021 07:00     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:The ability to read and write cursive will be the defining line between upper classes and lower classes. Children in private schools are taught cursive as a matter of course. The public school system, in choosing not to teach cursive, is installing up its own glass ceiling.


This. I agree with this. Cursive is another means of learning. Study after study shows our brains are wired to learn by reading and writing. Printing is tough for kids to do with any sort of speed. And typing into a keyboard for notes actually bypasses the brain. So it is not part of the learning process (it is literally wasted time) - where if note taking with cursive a vast majority of kids would be learning as they were writing then they review. They get the auditory from listening, the tactile and visual from writing, then they review the material.

The same that studies show kids learn better with textbooks than computer screens. IT is very important but understanding that our brains are wired a certain way is key to education.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2021 06:03     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive
In VA, cursive is supposed to be taught in the second or third grade. Ask your child's teacher about it.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2021 21:41     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our 3rd grader’s APS teacher told us that they will be learning cursive this year. I wish every school taught it. In all seriousness, I’ve read that there are cognitive benefits to children learning cursive.


Mine too.

Also, I didn't read the entire thread but cursive helps with spelling, vowel sound combinations for example. But what's CRT? Cognitive Retail Therapy?


Never mind. I know what CRT is. Im so slow sometimes.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2021 21:37     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:Our 3rd grader’s APS teacher told us that they will be learning cursive this year. I wish every school taught it. In all seriousness, I’ve read that there are cognitive benefits to children learning cursive.


Mine too.

Also, I didn't read the entire thread but cursive helps with spelling, vowel sound combinations for example. But what's CRT? Cognitive Retail Therapy?
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2021 18:17     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive
I have lovely handwriting and enjoyed learning cursive in 3rd grade. So I taught my kids how to write and they think it’s fun. Will they have as nice handwriting as I did? I don’t really care. Do I need them to learn this in school? Heck no. I would much rather they work on critical thinking skills and other subjects. Also not sure why OP even brings up CRT… they’re entirely different subjects.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2021 17:55     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Manual dexterity

There is a huge decline in the level of manual dexterity in medical students noted by surgical professors.

I guess the fine motor skills of the person stitching you up isn’t that important….


Stop it. Writing in cursive has nothing to do with being a surgeon. The surgeons I know worked on their manual dexterity by playing instruments and decorating cakes.


Lololol. We have 3 surgeons in our family. None of them decorate cakes. Cute idea, though.


My sister-in-law is brilliant, and she does. Some people are good at everything!!
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2021 17:09     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Manual dexterity

There is a huge decline in the level of manual dexterity in medical students noted by surgical professors.

I guess the fine motor skills of the person stitching you up isn’t that important….


Stop it. Writing in cursive has nothing to do with being a surgeon. The surgeons I know worked on their manual dexterity by playing instruments and decorating cakes.


Lololol. We have 3 surgeons in our family. None of them decorate cakes. Cute idea, though.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2021 04:28     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, they need to teach writing skills, whether cursive or just decent printing, so that you don't have more 26 year olds who write like this. What an embarrassment for someone that old. This looks like my 10 year old's handwriting.



So if it was so bad, practice with them. Be a parent!


I hate this dude I really do but he has traumatic brain injury. Making fun of his handwriting because of that is the lowest hanging fruit. He has legitimately awful politics you can go after without being ableist.


If only he’d had a handwriting book…
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2021 04:28     Subject: Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:Manual dexterity

There is a huge decline in the level of manual dexterity in medical students noted by surgical professors.

I guess the fine motor skills of the person stitching you up isn’t that important….


Stop it. Writing in cursive has nothing to do with being a surgeon. The surgeons I know worked on their manual dexterity by playing instruments and decorating cakes.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2021 04:08     Subject: Re:Should we go back to teaching cursive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, they need to teach writing skills, whether cursive or just decent printing, so that you don't have more 26 year olds who write like this. What an embarrassment for someone that old. This looks like my 10 year old's handwriting.



So if it was so bad, practice with them. Be a parent!


I hate this dude I really do but he has traumatic brain injury. Making fun of his handwriting because of that is the lowest hanging fruit. He has legitimately awful politics you can go after without being ableist.