Writing by hand

[midjd]

Could you get by - at work and in life - without ever writing anything but your signature? DO you?

I guess I'm kind of a throwback - I still take notes on a legal pad. And Post-Its are my best friends, my office is covered with em. If I had to go to a writing-free existence, it'd be a struggle, even though much of what I do is done via email.

But I've worked with a few people whom I've never seen touch a pen. If we're at a meeting, they're taking notes on a laptop/tablet. They do everything by email and phone. This probably is much easier, although always the risk of lost data. I just can't get out of the habit of writing things down on paper.

So, is handwriting going to become obsolete at some point?

[raeoflyte]

I think it will. I actually had 1 borrower whose signature was in print because it was all she had ever learned (how did I become this old?!?)

My handwriting is so awful I will welcome the day that I don't need it as much.

[Green Eyed Lady]

A teacher friend of mine told me that in the last 10 years, students' handwriting is becoming completely unreadable. They never practice. She said reading a Senior now is what it was like reading a 2nd grader 10 years ago.

[happyhoix]

I try to avoid hand writing anything.

My handwriting is so bad half the time I can't read it myself.

My husband proof reads the grocery list before he leaves the house so he won't have to call me up and ask "What did you want that starts with a T and ends with a W?"

Now if they could just make a device that would type out post it notes I would be in heaven.

[giramomma]

I know some school systems are no longer teaching cursive handwriting-moving to printing and keyboarding as the way to communicate.

My oldest child's handwriting isn't very good, partly because his fine motor skills aren't so hot. We went to OT, but that didn't really help much.

I personally won't give up writing. I'm a dork when it comes to writing implements and papers and what not. Writing things out also helps me learn and retain thing quicker. And, well, I still like to doodle.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I could and to be honest it would probably make my life easier in some cases. However I still prefer to have a notepad and a pen with me so I can scribble notes down as I go. I have papers full of what look like random numbers but are actually numbers off the HPLC machine. I write them down so I don't have to flip between screens (I can't copy paste from the software). I told the student that if anyone just happened to come across these papers they'd probably think I was nuts.

[milee]

Wonder if there's some rule of thumb that gives an idea how many years or hours one has to practice handwriting until it's legible? If so, then we could analyze if it made sense to teach to children.

For example, if it takes 5 years of 300 hours per year of practice, or 1500 hours, we could determine if we think that's a reasonable investment of time for a skill that is becoming much less used.

[Cookies Galore]

We still edit a lot by hand. You need to see what changes are made and paper and pencil is much easier on the eye than track changes.

Even if we were all electronic at work, i love writing down everything in my daily life. I don't use the calendar on my phone, i still use a pocket calendar and write everything down. Im also constantly writing lists.

[Deleted]

In school, I'd say I'd rather write than type. Now, typing is so much easier and faster than writing. Although when I was in class, I usually wrote my notes - something about writing it helps me to retain the information better.

[steph08]

I like writing, and I like writing in cursive. I always take notes by hands when I am in meetings. I used to make handwritten to-do lists, but now it is easier to put it on my iPhone so I have it everywhere with me - check what I need to do at the mall when I am there, the bank, the store, etc.

I always took handwritten notes in classes as well. To study for tests, I would write all of my notes a second or third time to memorize the information.

I hope everything doesn't go digital. Personally I find typed thank-you notes very, very tacky. I received one where the inside message was typed and generic and then the couple just signed their names. I took the time to write out 200+ thank you notes for my bridal shower and wedding mentioning the gift that the person gave us, and I would like to think that is more personal and appreciated.

[chiver78]

I'm a throwback, too. when I need to review documentation, I will print it out and add redlines to the paper copy. it drives most of my colleagues nuts b/c they all use Track Changes in Word.

as far as everything else, I've got post-it notes everywhere too. I use a little notebook (5x7") that I carry around with me - one for work, one for home - shopping lists and such.

[milee]

Another factor weighing in on the decision on what time to focus teaching handwriting would be if we had better tests to determine who has a kinesthetic learning style. People who have a strong kinesthetic style learn best by touching and making body movements, as several of the prior posters have mentioned. For people with this type learning style, handwriting would be very useful and worth learning, even if it took many hours. Handwriting might be less useful and therefore not worth the same investment of time for people with other learning styles (aural, visual, spatial, etc.)

[moxie]

"And Post-Its are my best friends,"


Me too! I used to have those sticky lil things all over my kitchen cupboards!!

[Waffle]

Jul 18, 2012 8:46:48 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I know some school systems are no longer teaching cursive handwriting-moving to printing and keyboarding as the way to communicate.

I saw that reported on the local news. They were showing as an example students who couldn't read a copy of the Declaration of Independence, because they had never been taught to write or read cursive. Now, that seems kind of sad - but not a real problem.

I do wonder, however if there will come a time in the work force where the older people are writing notes and the younger people will have no idea what the notes say. For example - I haven't been able to catch my boss in his office today - so I left a paper with a note (in cursive) asking him for what I needed. Wouldn't be an option if my boss was some young "kid" who never studied cursive.

[midjd]

I never thought about the fact that kids who aren't taught to write cursive probably can't read it, either... very interesting.

I like Milee's idea of identifying everyone's learning styles (I am also a kinesthetic learner, which is probably why I never got hooked by taking notes on a computer) and directing their education accordingly. DH, for instance - I don't know if I'd recognize his handwriting if I saw it. He NEVER writes anything down. So all that time spent learning to write in cursive was probably a waste.

[MB-NY]

I have to write a lot during the work day. I deal strictly by phone with my customers, so I must hand-write all my notes and info as the calls are being conducted. After wards, I transfer info to the computer as needed; orders, invoicing, etc.

Most of what I write is only seen by myself, so neatness is secondary. I write all that in a combination of printing and cursive. If I have to write something that will be seen by others, then I print because I feel it's neater and easier to read, at least with my handwriting.

Until I read this thread, I never realized that some schools don't even teach handwriting anymore, or that it's not emphasized as much. I think that's a shame. Whether you have a nice handwriting or not, I think it's a skill everyone should have, but then again, I think I'm kind of a dinosaur too.

[Angel!]

Jul 18, 2012 8:52:52 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I have papers full of what look like random numbers but are actually numbers off the HPLC machine. I write them down so I don't have to flip between screens (I can't copy paste from the software).

Given the way you describe your workplace it probably isn't going to happen, but you should ask for a 2nd computer monitor. You could then have one monitor with HPLC numbers & the second monitor with whatever program you need to enter the data into.

One of the best things my boss ever did was insist I get a second monitor. I didn't see the purpose & now I can't live without it. I get annoyed on my home computer because it only has one monitor

As far as handwriting - I remember better taking hand written notes. We also do a lot of data calculations that are just simpler to write by hand. But otherwise I do almost everything electronically now.

[973beachbum]

My DD is almost 17 and she never had cursive or handwriting in school when she was young. The teachers said they would try and get to it in second grade. They just didn't have time that year and the third grade teachers, and up, were constantly annoyed at how messy the students handwriting was and they couldn't even write in cursive. A few parents got mad at them for constantly complaining, read punishing, the students for not having been taught something the year before. If they really felt it was so important then why not tell the teacher who they thought was supposed to teach it that?

By the time my son got there it has completely stopped being taught, but the higher grade teachers are used to it. It really is hard to read his handwriting though.

I do write things down, mostly printing but I could just type if I wanted to. I guess I am a dinosaur also.

[alabamagal]

I saw articles where teaching of cursive handwriting was being omitted in some schools. I think this is fine. Most people that write notes/edits/comments by hand use printed writing anyway. Typing is probably a much better skill to have. I took typing in high school (just to fill in some time) - it was one of the most useful skills I learned even though I have never been a "typist". I do much better than many my age who are just "hunt and peck"

My DS (now 17) went to a school that tought only cursive writing starting in K5. That was fine for school, but when he was 10 or 11, when he would leave notes at home, he would print but make a capital J (his first initial) backward, since he had never learned to print. My other son (now 20) started at public school then transferred to the "cursive only" school in 3rd grade, so he was way behind in cursive and has terrible handwriting, but probably would have anyway.

[Deleted]

I always take notes with a pen or pencil, and when I want to just think things out I start with pencil and paper. The important stuff eventually gets transcribed and filed in the computer- but that reinforces it in my brain when I have to type it in and organize it. Writing notes during meetings helps me stay focused and isn't as noisy as typing into a computer, although I'll do that if I'm responsible for minutes.

DS, age 27, learned cursive very early because he was very annoyed when I wrote something down in what he called "stuck" (as in "stuck together") and he couldn't read it.

[Happy prose]

I also use post its in work daily. I also have a desk blotter calendar that I write appointments, etc on. I do you my outlook calendar, but I like it on my desk where it's in plain sight. And for work, I still keep a Roladex!

[xia]

I always hand write my notes. However I think I was ment to be a doctor or something because my handwriting is so bad
But I do admire beautiful handwriting so I hope the skill never completely dies out.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Could you get by - at work and in life - without ever writing anything but your signature? DO you?

Have for years. It's part of the reason I hate writing checks. I sometimes have to stop and think about what a particular cursive letter is supposed to look like. My hand writing has also deteriorated to the point of being all but illegible.

[movingforward]

I am a throwback as well. I bring a legal pad and pen to meetings. Most everyone else is sitting around with their iPad.

[movingforward]

Jul 18, 2012 9:50:39 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

I'm a throwback, too. when I need to review documentation, I will print it out and add redlines to the paper copy. it drives most of my colleagues nuts b/c they all use Track Changes in Word.

as far as everything else, I've got post-it notes everywhere too. I use a little notebook (5x7") that I carry around with me - one for work, one for home - shopping lists and such.

I do this as well. I have to negotiate contracts as part of my job. I usually print them and break out the red pen for adjustments. Honestly I hate using track changes in word.