https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 01:35:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-93925 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:55:45 +0000 KateGladstone 93925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Handwriting matters ... But does cursive matter?</p> <p>Research shows: the fastest and most legible handwriters avoid cursive. They join only some letters, not all of them: making the easiest joins, skipping the rest, and using print-like shapes for those letters whose cursive and printed shapes disagree. ((Citation: Steve Graham, Virginia Berninger, and Naomi Weintraub. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HANDWRITING STYLE AND SPEED AND LEGIBILITY. 2001: on-line at <a href="http://www.sbac.edu/~werned/DATA/Brain%20research%20class/handwriting%20speed%20style%20legibility%20berninger.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.sbac.edu/~werned/DATA/Brain%20research%20class/handwriting%20speed%20style%20legibility%20berninger.pdf</a> — and there are actually handwriting programs that teach this way.)<br /> Reading cursive still matters -- this takes just 30 to 60 minutes to learn, and can be taught to a five- or six-year-old if the child knows how to read. The value of reading cursive is therefore no justification for writing it.<br /> Remember, too: whatever your elementary school teacher may have been told by her elementary school teacher, cursive signatures have no special legal validity over signatures written in any other way. (Don't take my word for this: talk to any attorney.)</p> <p>Yours for better letters,</p> <p>Kate Gladstone — CEO, Handwriting Repair/Handwriting That Works<br /> Director, the World Handwriting Contest<br /> Co-Designer, BETTER LETTERS handwriting trainer app for iPhone/iPad<br /> <a href="http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.HandwritingThatWorks.com</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-92687 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:08:21 +0000 Mama2Cakes 92687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally already have. I have 9th graders, and they can't read my cursive writting on the board. Its so sad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-91548 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:30:13 +0000 StbHisMrs 91548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is still learning it at school, may have to do with him being in a private Christian school. I really wish they'd teach printing too though, his cursive is awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-91226 Sat, 10 Mar 2012 11:32:33 +0000 lemondrop 91226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: I teach at a local career college, so I have to send out students who can both pass the boards and function in an every day medical practice.</p> <p>My boss approached me about teaching to the test when one of our other instructors had a high fail rate in a class- I told him if that is what he wanted then I quit on the spot. I would not have students associated with me that cannot function in real life- board certified or not! Sorry off soap box...</p> <p>But yes, I use cursive all the time and plan to teach it to my kid too :)</p> <p>@ALittleP: great idea! Hadn't thought about choosing a different school system... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90998 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:29:34 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 90998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh no! I loved those classes in elementary. I would always get perfect grades ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90995 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:15:59 +0000 ALittleP 90995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's so sad. I would love my little one to learn cursive. They teach it in Montessori school, so I might have to just suck it up and send him/her to Montessori when the time is right. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90982 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:33:27 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 90982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to proctor the SATs a few years ago and there is a section now where you have to write a paragraph in cursive ( I think because cursive is more uniquely tied to a person and harder to replicate, so they can investigate cheating?) and I always had to put certain letters on the board for the kids to copy since they had no idea... Especially capital letters!</p> <p>I personally never use cursive anymore and will not be sad to see it go if it does :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90288 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:44:51 +0000 mrsjyw 90288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heard that last year... :( they've already stopped teaching it in several school districts around us. It's really sad.</p> <p>I tutor my younger cousin (4th grade) and I was helping him put together a posterboard presentation, I'm reading his instructions... and there were explicit remarks as to how everything should be typed and pasted on to the poster, no handwriting!! </p> <p>CUUURRRAJEEEE.</p> <p>I know tech/laptops/iPads etc will take over the world (if not already), but I think handwriting is still a basic tool for kids to learn. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90283 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:41:00 +0000 tequiero21 90283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i think my hubby said something about how cursive helps kids learn faster to read or something. plus, that's how i learned to do my signature. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90206 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:23:49 +0000 Andrea 90206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AmeliaBedelia: yes, it boggles my mind, too, that kids that age do everything online. this is what i am hearing from friends with school-aged kids. i guess there can be no more my dog ate my homework excuses. it'll have to be my dog ate my computer or something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90146 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:32:29 +0000 loveisstrange 90146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What I have an issue with is that the article I read about this said that one of the reasons they are finding less and less time to teach skills like cursive is because they spend more time "teaching to the test"?</p> <p>THAT is what is ridiculous. Thanks NCLB.</p> <p>Anyway, I guess I'm one of the odd ones out because I write in cursive all the time. If our school doesn't teach it, I'll teach my kids myself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90141 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:37:03 +0000 looch 90141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My handwriting is horrible, my husband comments about it all the time. </p> <p>I don't have a problem with the death of cursive, for me, it can't come soon enough. I would rather have a child with legible printing than sloppy printing and sloppy cursive. Signing a name isn't necessarily cursive either, my signature doesn't look anything like what my name would look like in print or cursive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90140 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:35:40 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 90140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Just wanted to add that also, a lot of homework is done online even in elementary schools. My sister in FIRST grade got all of her assignments online, all of her math homework was on a website, and we got her spelling words off of the class site. It was/is bizarre to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-90138 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:33:08 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 90138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My youngest sister is DYING to learn cursive and they aren't doing it in schools, so I've been teaching her when I can. I find it kind of stupid to take it out - but maybe because I write in cursive a lot? I mean, it's kind of a print-cursive blend, but that's my "normal" handwriting. How are people supposed to sign their names? Write pretty thank-yous? Oh that makes me kind of sad. </p> <p>If my kids want to know (and even if they don't want to, honestly) I'll teach them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89528 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:47:23 +0000 skibobrown 89528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm ok with it. I hated writing in cursive, and I don't think I've written a thing in cursive since they stopped forcing us to in middle school. I do know how to write in cursive in Russian strangely enough, so now when I try to write English in cursive I get it all confused with the Russian letters. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89424 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:33:52 +0000 plantains 89424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is a high school teacher and when I look at papers written by 10th graders I get really sad. Some of them write like 5 year olds, it is horrific. I really think cursive is pretty important and I'm sad to see it go away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89417 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:22:35 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 89417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: yes, they teach "computers" which includes typing.</p> <p>I'm pretty sure schools will continue to teach cursive, though, there is just less of a focus on it and it's just taught and sort of forgotten about instead of reinforced year after year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89411 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:16:34 +0000 MsMamaBear 89411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only writ in cursive. I'll teach LO if I have to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89407 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:01:19 +0000 joyjoy 89407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl I learned typing in school starting in first grade...many years ago. It's my understanding that they still teach typing at a young age around here (granted, we're fairly close to Apple headquarters and have always had sponsored computer labs). Is that not common?</p> <p>I grew up around computers and am more likely to send an email or a text than to write a friend by hand, but I still hand write thank you cards and holiday cards. I don't write in cursive, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89354 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:46:49 +0000 MsMini 89354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: I write thank you cards/letters etc in regular printing, I never use cursive, except for signing my name. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89336 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:26:43 +0000 mediagirl 89336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay, I have a question. People have mentioned how schools are focusing more on typing and less on cursive. Are the schools teaching typing in 2nd grade these days? </p> <p>Does no one write letters anymore? I write cursive all the time because I send my friends and family members cards. I'm not THAT old - 34 - but I feel like sending cards snail mail are so important and can't imagine having to write one w/o using cursive. I do plan on teaching my child that you send letters to people every once in a while, not just email!! And don't forget those thank you cards! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89312 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:47:25 +0000 Ardently 89312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Huh. That's interesting, but I'm not sure what I think. I barely ever use cursive these days, but I'm glad I can. Oh well, doesn't matter for me anyway since I plan on homeschooling our kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89308 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:43:35 +0000 Rubies 89308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll teach LO cursive. I value good penmanship! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89306 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:42:25 +0000 His Barista 89306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PastaAndPotato: I didn't think about that! haha. </p> <p>I honestly really hated it, but I can see how it was useful. At the same time I guess people don't care as much about that any more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89278 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:04:40 +0000 heffalump 89278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm pretty ok without them teaching cursive. I rarely use it, and I don't even remember how to write all the letters. I'll teach LO how to sign her name of course, but other than that I don't really feel like it's needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89273 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:00:46 +0000 twinmama 89273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think teaching clear printing is probably more critical these days than specifically cursive. Seems like so many kids I know have really sloppy handwriting these days, and even though it's a digital era, there will always be a need to write legibly.</p> <p>That said, I think cursive is lovely and I would definitely teach my kids if they didn't learn at school. My typical handwriting is kind of a mix of both cursive and printing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89249 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:36:18 +0000 Boogs 89249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Really?! I hate to write in cursive, yet I love it because I think it's so beautiful. Here in CA I know they are still teaching it in third grade, and I hope it doesn't stop. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89246 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:34:09 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 89246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love writing in cursive! I will definitely be teaching my kids if they don't learn how at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89245 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:34:03 +0000 Andrea 89245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I thought that they stopped that already. It is definitely sad but I guess there are so many more things to learn. Hopefully cursive is being replaced by something useful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/theyre-going-to-stop-teaching-cursive#post-89242 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:32:14 +0000 BoogieBea 89242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's sad but I suppose no one really uses it much anyway. When I write, I usually write in block. My penmanship was never all that great to begin with and now it's gotten even worse because everything is typed and printed. </p>