Some lament loss of cursive but teachers shrug

The Evansville Courier Press ^ | October 12, 2006 | Margaret Pressler

[GSlob]

It's good and well that they do not know how to write. Nor should they.
"...It is all coming from literacy. First they say that the happiness is not in money, then the peasant is also human, then worse - insulting rhymes, and finally a rebellion! I would be asking directly: Literate? Impale him! Writing verses? Impale! Knowing the tables? Impale, he knows too much!..."
From "To be a god is difficult" by Strugatsky brothers.

[Professional Engineer]

When handwritten essays were intorduced on the SAT exams

Too bad the spill cheque capacity was lost as well.

[RightWhale]

It's funny though, to me anyway, that I eventually got a drafting job and did quite well. India ink is one of mankind's great technological advances.

[Professional Engineer]

cAPLOCK IS MY FRIEND.

[moog]

"The cursive script that's been taught for decades in American public schools is just plain UGLY.
Most people with more than half a brain develop their own cursive style as soon as they get out of elementary school (teachers seem to stop caring after that).

When I see handwriting that's written in perfect "schoolteacher" cursive, I think the writer must be a dull unimaginative person -- just like most public school teachers."

Then you don't know many public school teachers. I know many "imaginative" personalities among the their ranks.

The cursive I taught as a third grade teacher (about 10 years ago) has changed quite a bit, but yes, many people DO develop their own style regardless.

My little first grade students try to write their names in cursive sometimes. One is actually quite good, but the others have me scrambling to decipher them. :)

[Red Badger]

Yes, I took HS Spanish, TOO!............

[Lil'freeper]

There's this wonderful device called a notebook. It needs no batteries and can be transported in a purse, or even in your coat pocket.

I actually used one of those on a business trip last week - it worked great. I brought it along because I was tired of getting seats on planes with no power outlet and my poor laptop battery can't last the whole flight anymore. It turned out to be a very soothing way to record my thoughts.

[Professional Engineer]

"anyone writing like that had obviously blown $10,000 on an engineering education".

I wish mine had been that cheap.

[moog]

"If utility was the only criterion by which knowledge and skills were selected to be taught, life would be the drearier for it."

Especially if they fix our power problems. :)

[Red Badger]

Remember the capital and small letter Q?..........

[wideminded]

This trend has been underway for a very long time.

My son never really learned cursive writing well and almost never uses it.

People say that I have good looking handwriting, but I can't aspire to the standard set by my father.

My father had beautiful handwriting. Even little notes that he wrote looked like important historical documents. He must have learned this in school, but they don't teach that style any more.

[battlegearboat]

Well, the pub's open.

I think I'll ramble on over there and have a Harvey's Bristol Creme.

Brisk and overcast in Tulsa right now and I'm loving it!

[moog]

Sometimes it's a matter of personal determination as well.

[CarryaBigStick]

Exactly, I stopped using cursive after my first drafting class.

[battlegearboat]

I stopped cursing after my first date.

[Red Badger]

LOOOOOOOOVE THAT STUFF! BUT IT'S EXTREMELY FATTENING!.........

[Red Badger]

I stopped cursing after my first date.

She did enough for both of you?.........

[battlegearboat]

In shorthand.

[Tired of Taxes]

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL PING!

This ping list is for the "other" articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. If you want on/off this list, please freepmail me. The main Homeschool Ping List by DaveLoneRanger handles the homeschool-specific articles.

[Red Badger]

LOL!!.........;^}