My kid's school is one of many in PA to cut cursive. I taught it to my oldest while homeschooling and I am teaching younger two, but it would be nice to have it reinforced on school time. I'm in the camp that believes it's important developmentally and still allows for all other forms of learning (typing, computers, printing) so there is no justification for cutting it, not the camp that thinks it's pointless and obsolete. Also, it hasn't been replaced with bigger and better modern subjects (in our district anyway) it's just been cut. And not at the top-rated school in the neighboring district or the private school in town. So I don't want my kids left at a disadvantage compared to other students of course.
I brought it up at school conferences and surprisingly the teachers were very much in favor of brining it back and never wanted it cut. According to one teacher, the board member who made the decision retired, so I should approach the new contact in charge. She hasn't gotten back to me. Meanwhile I've started an online petition which I will print out and bring to a school board meeting.
I have it on my FB page and on the town's FB page, and surprisingly, the town responded well! Lots of comments that people want it back, can't believe it was cut, didn't know it was cut etc. So the locals are on board, signing and sharing. Which is good. But since it's a small town and I'm submitting to Pennsylvania School Boards Association as well, I need way more signatures. I emailed to family and stuff. I won't post it here since that's probably a conflict, but any creative ideas where I should post it to have it seen by people who may care about this issue? Thanks in advance!
That's a great point, thanks, mynewnickname!
Wow, Mamazita, uninformed much? Embarrassing, nostalgic people like me holding us back? The best education systems in the world still teach cursive as far as global competitiveness goes. Only the US is squeezing work down to fill-in-the blank worksheets to suit core tests. Schools who graduate people unable to read or write cursive are not outperforming other countries. Nor are top schools that still teach cursive in the US and abroad lagging in other areas. Also, horseback riding has never been a core element of school work, so not sure why you think that's a good comparison. Not to mention that lots of people do ride horses anyway. That's fine if you believe cursive is pointless. Many people do. Your hostility is interesting though. Added**I'm not less interested in the other topics you list. No one's asking to keep cursive and get rid of those, they're asking to keep everything as we have done all along.
I don't know, Veruca, if you posted that you were advocating for something in your child's school and someone replied by saying people with embarrassing mentalities like yours are what's holding America back rather than just skipping your post and you didn't find it even a little hostile then you are very kind and open-minded.
I agree but it's not going to happen. With the advances of technology it's going to get to a point that writing itself will go away and typing will be the only form of written communication.
Cursive may be old fashion and "nostalgic", but if we stop teaching it then we will end up with an entire generation that can not read it. That not only means they won't be able to read those old letters in Grandma's attic, they won't even be able to read the Declaration of Independence. My son's school still teaches it, but if they stopped I would teach them it on my own.
This doesn't really answer your question but...I'd encourage you to think about what you are trying to accomplish. Decisions on curriculum in PA are made by your local school board. So as long as you have signatures from a lot of local voters, you can influence your board.
If you start diluting that petition with signatures from non-local people who don't vote in your district, it may backfire. The board might say sure, she's got 10,000 signatures, but most of those people don't vote here and don't have kids in our school so why should we care?
I see that you are sending it to the PA School Boards Association, but they don't make decisions on your local curriculum. So this is unlikely to have much impact.
I think you are more likely to be successful if you focus on having your petition signed by people in your school district, with their address next to their name so that your school board can see that local voters care about this issue.
I saw this very topic on Facebook in the past few days. If kids can't read cursive writing they can't read historic documents, so keep up the fight.
I would try and call a meeting for the all the parents of kids in the area. Get the information out there. You could also set up a table and ask volunteers to help get signatures.. setup tables at school sporting events, concerts, etc. Any place the parents gather set up a table.
Good luck!!!
Well I agree that handwriting is lovely and certainly has it's merits, but so does riding a horse, and most of us just don't do that anymore.
Americans need to stop being nostalgic about the past and start embracing and being prepared for the future. This type of mentality is what holds our nation back. Frankly it's not only embarrassing but it's costing our children the actual lessons and skills they will need to compete in a global economy and community :-(
ETA: sorry my response pissed you off. Oh well. I'm more concerned about math, science, technology, music, art, writing, critical thinking, stuff like that I guess. NOT test scores. Not sure why you went there...namaste...
Good for you, A. J.!
I think it's important.
Our school still teaches it, thank goodness.
It's not a matter of STEM OR writing. If they'd stop spending every third day of the school year preparing the kids for the PSSA/Keystones, there'd be plenty of time for cursive.
Honestly, I really believe that cursive handwriting is important. It is usually taught in 3rd grade. A GOOD teacher can teach math, English, science, reading and STILL have time for teaching handwriting. The idea that handwriting needs to be cut for more teaching time for core subjects seems very shortsighted. It's like saying that we need to drop music, art, and PE. School is MORE than just core subjects. And kids who can write effectively in cursive can take notes faster and have readable script later on in life. It's not like EVERY class allows a computer to take notes. Many don't. Why would someone think that this is something that needs to be pulled out of the school?
I hope that you can get the ball rolling with this and get it sucessfully reinstated.
This doesn't answer your question, and not sure it will be helpful, but our school district does an online survey that all parents (and educators too) are invited to participate in. There is a questionnaire about this sort of thing, and space for comments. They then tally the data and use it to make decisions. We all were opposed to them cutting out homework entirely, and through this annual survey, we were happy to see them bring it back. It works really well and gives everyone a chance to rate how they feel the school programs are doing for their children. They do read aloud a lot of the comments at meetings. If you don't already have a tool in your area, it's a good one that works well here. Good luck with your petition. I agree, I was upset when stopped focusing on cursive writing. We do it at home too.
All the places the Salvation army people hang out. In front of the local supermarket, etc. You could ask to set up an informational table in the school lobby at car pick up time or perhaps during parent teacher conferences (ours are the week of Thanksgiving). Our school has continued to teach cursive but not particularly well. My son can write the letters but actually cannot read other people's cursive writing.
can you talk to the papers of the areas around you to have a small article about it added on a weekend paper? or a news station to cover your story and inform people that way?
if we follow folks like mamazita then no one will be able to read important original documents such as the constitution, or the declaration of independence.
and mammazita, when the grid goes down you will want to kow how to ride a horse and not see the point in knowing how to send a text message.
Good luck. I would just add a word of caution in how you approach this - I know in our state (Kansas AKA Brownbackistan) they have cut the budget for schools SO sharply that difficult decisions are having to be made - even closing down several schools, each of the past few years. It's hard. All I wanted to say is to keep in mind that educators are in the field because they care, they want to make a difference (mostly). They are your allies. They have tough decisions to make at times. I'd be cautious about approaching this in a combative way. Again, good luck.
no good ideas for how to spread the idea, hon, but i LOVE that you're doing it. like you, i find cursive to be an important skill, and i'm glad my kids got it in school. i probably should have reinforced it more when we were homeschooling, but i let 'em turn the work in to me however they wanted. my younger recently expressed to me how sad he is that his cursive has become labored and difficult.
i've made a point of writing my notebooks and journals in cursive for the last couple of years, after printing forever. i love it. it's still somewhat crabbed and not particularly easy to read (just as if it were frozen from my schoolgirl days!) but honestly it's more legible than my execrable printing.
i've been considering doing some of my 'real' writing in cursive instead of the computer and then transcribing it. it'll take way longer, but there's truly something mystic and magical about actually writing the words. having read this, i'm going to implement it.
i think. once i'm done procrastinating about it.
:)
but i hope you're successful! let me know if there's some way i can help!
:) khairete
S.
I actually agree that teaching cursive is still very important.
I completely disagree, however, that mamazita was even a little hostile! All she did was express an opposing view point! You're the one who went off on her, not the other way around. Sheesh!
