Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
Posts: 10,056
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 16:54:15 GMT -5
Post by Phoenix84 on Aug 26, 2013 16:54:15 GMT -5
Back in the dark ages when I was in elementary school, I was told that everyone wrote in cursive and teachers in middle school and high school would give any assignment handwritten in anything but cursive an F.
As it turns out this wasn't the case, and I've never written anything in cursive except my own name. It's a non issue most of the time anyway, since I don't do any serious writing by hand, and use word processors for the vast majority of my writing professionally.
What about you? Do you write in cursive? Also, does anyone have trouble reading your handwriting? Do you physicially write a lot of stuff with a pen or pencil, or are you like me and write mostly using word processors?
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:16 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:13:10 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 17:13:10 GMT -5
First off, I haven't heard the term "word processors" in a long time I consider my handwriting to be in cursive, but I'm more or less just stringing letters together...I don't think it looks much like actual cursive. Most people I see will just print when they aren't typing something. My wife teaches 4th grade and, I think, they might've stopped teaching cursive recently in their school. There was at least discussion about it and I think it's on the way out.
|
|
Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
Posts: 10,056
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:16:00 GMT -5
Post by Phoenix84 on Aug 26, 2013 17:16:00 GMT -5
Yeah, maybe southernsusana can comment, but I wonder if elementary schools are still teaching cursive.
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 26, 2013 17:19:05 GMT -5
I write in cursive,and I believe I lerned to do that long before that was what it was called.
Back in my day, you learned to print, then you learned to do longhand. Learning to write in longhand was a sign of growing up, rather like when I finally traded my black patent tap shoes with little black ribbons for silver tap shoes with heels. My handwriting is very good, clear and easy to read. The forms that say "please print" are a disaster for me as my printing is terrible.
Its a shame that longhand is just another lost art, and that handwritten letters, invitations and thank you notes have turned into emails.
Call me old fashioned, and maybe I am, but the some of the finer things in life are sorely missed. It might do all of us good to go back to days of civility, dressing like a lady or gentleman, and not having to see Miley Cyrus screwing herself on TV.
|
|
Abby Normal
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 22, 2010 12:31:49 GMT -5
Posts: 3,501
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:23:55 GMT -5
Post by Abby Normal on Aug 26, 2013 17:23:55 GMT -5
Its a shame that longhand is just another lost art, and that handwritten letters, invitations and thank you notes have turned into emails. I agree. Think to what letter writing was in the 1800's. Now we get a text that says "k ty"
|
|
Malarky
Junior Associate
Truth and snark are equal opportunity here.
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 21:00:51 GMT -5
Posts: 5,313
|
Post by Malarky on Aug 26, 2013 17:24:07 GMT -5
Neither if my kids learned cursive in school. At most a really halfhearted effort was made and quickly abandoned. One problem I see is that kids can't READ cursive. Which would only be necessary for reading old source material instead of googling. ETA: I meant to say "original source material" not old. And I was thinking of those old letters in the attic I wrote papers in college that were researched entirely through handwritten letters and journals. I feel confident that my kids never did the same.
|
|
Phoenix84
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 17, 2011 21:42:35 GMT -5
Posts: 10,056
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:25:56 GMT -5
Post by Phoenix84 on Aug 26, 2013 17:25:56 GMT -5
I write in cursive,and I believe I lerned to do that long before that was what it was called. Back in my day, you learned to print, then you learned to do longhand. Learning to write in longhand was a sign of growing up, rather like when I finally traded my black patent tap shoes with little black ribbons for silver tap shoes with heels. My handwriting is very good, clear and easy to read. The forms that say "please print" are a disaster for me as my printing is terrible. Its a shame that longhand is just another lost art, and that handwritten letters, invitations and thank you notes have turned into emails. Call me old fashioned, and maybe I am, but the some of the finer things in life are sorely missed. It might do all of us good to go back to days of civility, dressing like a lady or gentleman, and not having to see Miley Cyrus screwing herself on TV. What's longhand? Is that the same thing as cursive? Don't feel bad about being old fashioned. I guess even the term I used, word processors, is old fashioned. What do the kids use nowdays? What term do the kids use nodays? Just "Word?"
|
|
Peace Of Mind
Senior Associate
[font color="#8f2520"]~ Drinks Well With Others ~[/font]
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 16:53:02 GMT -5
Posts: 15,554
Location: Paradise
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:26:20 GMT -5
Post by Peace Of Mind on Aug 26, 2013 17:26:20 GMT -5
My mom had gorgeous cursive handwriting. I must take after my dad. His was very nice but mom's was just gorgeous to the point that people always commented on it. Actually his was even nicer than mine. But my printing is very good. When I worked people used to ask me if I ever did drafting because of how I wrote. Now it's kind of 50/50 depending on the letters and how rushed I am when I am writing.
And I forgot how to make some letters, or at least have to think about it, it's been so long.
Yes.
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 26, 2013 17:28:03 GMT -5
Neither if my kids learned cursive in school. At most a really halfhearted effort was made and quickly abandoned. One problem I see is that kids can't READ cursive. Which would only be necessary for reading old source material instead of googling. Really ? How about finding an old box in the attic at Grandmas house and it's full of love letters written during the Viet Nam war How about signing a check or signing legal papers. Is a "signature" written in childish 2nd grade printing going to be good enough?? This whole topic and to see what has happened in public schools just breaks my heart. What's next, stop bothering with spelling since no one knows how to read anyway?
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:30:18 GMT -5
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 26, 2013 17:30:18 GMT -5
Yes POM, back in the dark ages of the 1950s, it was called longhand. And above the blackboard in each class room was the signs that showed everyone how to write the Aa Bb in longhand.
|
|
Peace Of Mind
Senior Associate
[font color="#8f2520"]~ Drinks Well With Others ~[/font]
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 16:53:02 GMT -5
Posts: 15,554
Location: Paradise
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:42:31 GMT -5
Post by Peace Of Mind on Aug 26, 2013 17:42:31 GMT -5
Yes POM, back in the dark ages of the 1950s, it was called longhand. And above the blackboard in each class room was the signs that showed everyone how to write the Aa Bb in longhand. That was Phoenix that asked the question and I answered Yes. We had it in our schools and on blackboards too but we weren't quite as far back as the dark ages.
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 17:43:55 GMT -5
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 26, 2013 17:43:55 GMT -5
1950s grade school activities:
1.. At start of day, we stood, faced the flag with hand over heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Yes, I remember clearly when the word God was inserted into it. 2. Following the Pledge, we sang a patriotic song: Gold Bless America, America the Beautiful etc.
3-4-5-6-7-8 etc.....
We had art classses twice a week with an actual art teacher (oh was I terrible at it). We had a music teacher 2 times a week teaching us how to sing and play that silly black flute that is now called a recorder We had 2 recesses and lunch was in our lunch box. We learned, english, spelling, had to learn to diagram a sentence i.e verb/adverb/adjective etc. Math, science, and above all we had to learn to read. Reading included standing up in class and reading aloud to the rest of the class.
Back then the biggest controversy was Elvis Presley coming on the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evening, but they would only show him from the waist up.....you know how scandalous his hip movement was.
Getting sent to the Principals office was about the worst thing that could happen, as we were all terrified of that person.
It saddens me that today, so much of civil and courteous behavior has been lost. We dressed up to go shopping, we didn't go to the grocery store in our pajamas and flip flops. We were required to wear skirts or dresses, and boys had to wear nice pants with a belt.
Times change, but sometimes I'm still stuck in the 50s and 60s.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:17 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 17:45:37 GMT -5
Both my wife and I went to Catholic school and learned how to write in cursive... It was basically a class.
And yes I plan to each my kids, if any, how to write in cursive just for the hell of it; the same way I plan to teach them how to speak, read and write in both Creole and French.
|
|
alabamagal
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 11:30:29 GMT -5
Posts: 8,146
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 18:13:32 GMT -5
Post by alabamagal on Aug 26, 2013 18:13:32 GMT -5
My youngest (19 now) went to a private school and they taught cursive only starting in K. Never taught print. For the longest time when he would print his name at home, he would write a J backwards (his name started with J).
I don't use cursive anymore. I just print (what little I have to write out).
Sometimes at work, instead of leaving a note on a coworkers desk, I will send an email. I type faster than I write.
|
|
milee
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2012 13:20:00 GMT -5
Posts: 12,344
|
Post by milee on Aug 26, 2013 18:30:53 GMT -5
1950s grade school activities: 1.. At start of day, we stood, faced the flag with hand over heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Yes, I remember clearly when the word God was inserted into it. 2. Following the Pledge, we sang a patriotic song: Gold Bless America, America the Beautiful etc. 3-4-5-6-7-8 etc..... We had art classses twice a week with an actual art teacher (oh was I terrible at it). We had a music teacher 2 times a week teaching us how to sing and play that silly black flute that is now called a recorder We had 2 recesses and lunch was in our lunch box. We learned, english, spelling, had to learn to diagram a sentence i.e verb/adverb/adjective etc. Math, science, and above all we had to learn to read. Reading included standing up in class and reading aloud to the rest of the class. Back then the biggest controversy was Elvis Presley coming on the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evening, but they would only show him from the waist up.....you know how scandalous his hip movement was. Getting sent to the Principals office was about the worst thing that could happen, as we were all terrified of that person. It saddens me that today, so much of civil and courteous behavior has been lost. We dressed up to go shopping, we didn't go to the grocery store in our pajamas and flip flops. We were required to wear skirts or dresses, and boys had to wear nice pants with a belt. Times change, but sometimes I'm still stuck in the 50s and 60s. Hm, I think it would be nice to pick and choose. Many of the things you listed were enjoyable and good, but there were plenty of other things deeply ingrained in that era that wouldn't be so fun. For starters, I'm assuming that you and everybody you love is white? Might not have been so fun to be (or love somebody who was) black back then. I also think as a woman, I wouldn't have wanted to choose between housewife, nurse and teacher as a profession. Some progress is good. Some progress - such as the loss of cursive ability - is bad. Mixed bag, I guess.
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 26, 2013 18:45:04 GMT -5
I'm sorry you felt that racial issues needed to become a part of this thread.
How and where I grew up has a bearing on what I perceive is proper and right, Your comment Milee does not.
|
|
milee
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2012 13:20:00 GMT -5
Posts: 12,344
|
Post by milee on Aug 26, 2013 18:50:55 GMT -5
I guess I don't understand how you can claim to be stuck in the 50s and 60s yet only pick out certain parts of them? You refer in several different posts to these times as being more "civil" and "courteous", but that was really only true if one were white and fit within the tightly defined standards of the day - Christian, looked a certain way, dressed a certain way, not gay, etc. It's a little like complimenting the Germans in the '30s for their ability to make the trains run on time and take care of the pesky homeless problem. Many of the things you found joyful involved suppressing the joys of others. It's not unreasonable to bring up the cost of the benefits you cite. Not meant as a dig, just as an examination.
|
|
ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ
Community Leader
♡ ♡ BᏋՆᎥᏋᏉᏋ ♡ ♡
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 16:12:51 GMT -5
Posts: 43,130
Location: Inside POM's Head
Favorite Drink: Chilled White Zin
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 18:58:26 GMT -5
Post by ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ on Aug 26, 2013 18:58:26 GMT -5
We were taught cursive (longhand) starting in grade 3 back the dark ages. And we were expected to use it from that point on when doing classroom assignments, essays, writing exams, etc.
I consider my penmanship to be quite nice. My mom also had beautiful penmanship so it helped that I tried to emulate her style.
I think it should be pushed more in schools.
Kids now are so used using keyboards and abbreviations for everything, that the art of penmanship is flying out the window.
I've seen kids, teens and even adults who don't even know how to properly hold a pen/pencil in order to make the letters flow in cursive handwriting.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:16 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 19:11:11 GMT -5
What's the big deal about cursive? I wouldn't really consider it a "lost art" because it's pretty easy for anyone to learn if they care to. Quilting could be considered a lost art in the sense that not that many people really know how to do it, but not that many people WANT to know how to do it since you can buy blankets for cheap. Cursive is in the same category as learning how to use a typewriter. Sure, you can do it, but what's the point? Just for nostalgic purposes? The professor who said you shouldn't teach spelling because all machines have spellcheck is another story though
|
|
vonna
Well-Known Member
Joined: Aug 11, 2012 15:58:51 GMT -5
Posts: 1,249
|
Post by vonna on Aug 26, 2013 19:11:56 GMT -5
I can write much more quickly in cursive than print, and writing things down helps me retain the knowledge. So for me, writing cursive has been a skill that helped me in both my schooling and career.
For those with a different learning style, writing cursive probably wouldn't provide them that advantage.
|
|
mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 18:13:34 GMT -5
Posts: 31,770
Today's Mood: Saddened by Events
Location: Memory Lane
Favorite Drink: Water
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 19:16:32 GMT -5
Post by mmhmm on Aug 26, 2013 19:16:32 GMT -5
Neither if my kids learned cursive in school. At most a really halfhearted effort was made and quickly abandoned. One problem I see is that kids can't READ cursive. Which would only be necessary for reading old source material instead of googling. Really ? How about finding an old box in the attic at Grandmas house and it's full of love letters written during the Viet Nam war How about signing a check or signing legal papers. Is a "signature" written in childish 2nd grade printing going to be good enough?? This whole topic and to see what has happened in public schools just breaks my heart. What's next, stop bothering with spelling since no one knows how to read anyway? I think that may have happened already, BG. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are quickly going the way of the dodo, I'm afraid. I do write in cursive. My daughter does, as well. My son prints.
|
|
spartan7886
Familiar Member
Joined: Jan 7, 2011 14:04:22 GMT -5
Posts: 788
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 21:46:40 GMT -5
Post by spartan7886 on Aug 26, 2013 21:46:40 GMT -5
My print is chickenscratch unless I'm block writing, and my signature is illegible. I never did like cursive, though, because it seemed like it took twice as much paper to write the same sentence. I can still do it if I need to, but it might take a while for some of the capital letters.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:17 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Cursive
Aug 26, 2013 22:31:53 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 22:31:53 GMT -5
My boys go to a Montessori school and there they teach cursive before printing, my 11 year old has been writing in cursive since Kindergarten and does have beautiful penmanship. This is from the Q&A on the schools website.
Why do Montessori students learn letters in cursive?
Dr. Montessori sought a way to teach writing that was less fatiguing to the student than filling pages with the sharp angles and straight lines of the typically taught alphabet.
“The child makes too painful an effort in following such an exercise. The first steps should be the easiest, and the up and down stroke, is, on the contrary, one of the most difficult of all the pen movements. Only a professional penman could fill a whole page and preserve the regularity of such strokes, but a person who writes only moderately well would be able to complete a page of presentable writing.” (Maria Montessori, The Montessori Method, p. 257)
Montessori’s students were known for their beautiful penmanship. She noticed that it is difficult for older children to write in cursive because, by the time it is introduced, they have to unlearn their already established poor penmanship habits.
“We directly prepare the child, not only for writing, but also for penmanship, paying great attention to the beauty of form (having the children touch the letters in script form) and to the flowing quality of the letters.” (p. 295-296)
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:17 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2013 22:45:46 GMT -5
I attended Roman Catholic parochial school(K-8) in the 1960s. It was called "Penmanship" back then, and we were graded on our handwriting every quarter. We had penmanship workbooks in the middle grades ("The Palmer Method") that we had to fill with handwriting exercises, pages and pages of loops and whorls, tediously completed under threat of behing "held back a year".
Back then, most of us used "ballpoint pens", but there were still inkwells in some of the older desks left from my father's generation. When he attended the same school in the 1930s, they used steel-nib pens that you dipped in inkwells. "Blotters" were standard equipment. I remember when the "the next big thing" was the "Flair Pen" line of "Magic markers". In Day-Glo colors of the rainbow. Revolutionary!
I fear Literacy itself may be going the way of those inkwells... th nu pardime iz spelng neway u plz... and as cryptically as you can, apparently.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Aug 26, 2013 23:18:35 GMT -5
My kids' elementary school was phasing cursive out when they were there. YDS learned it in 3rd grade and can read and write it fluently. ODS was pulled out of cursive lessons for speech and language therapy and missed learning cursive. It really pains him, especially when he has to sign a check received as a gift, or a job application, or his driving permit. Or, if he has to read the message on a greeting card. It's just a constant, nagging, little reminder that he is/was different. I'd asked them to teach him during free time, recess, whatever, but my request fell on deaf ears. It really doesn't take a lot of time to teach cursive -- he certainly could have completed the practice pages at home. Heck, they wouldn't even give us a cursive book to use. Yeah, I could have taught him myself, and still may. But, it is just another thing in a long list of items the school cheated him out of. But, then, I am a card-carrying Luddite who still values cursive, art, music, recess, civics, etc.
|
|
giramomma
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Feb 3, 2011 11:25:27 GMT -5
Posts: 22,140
|
Cursive
Aug 27, 2013 7:46:31 GMT -5
Post by giramomma on Aug 27, 2013 7:46:31 GMT -5
One of the reasons we chose a private school is that it's "old school." Kids are taught cursive in 2nd grade. They are expected to memorize their math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They have timed tests, the goal is 100 in 3 minutes. Now, my DS couldn't do that, but, could 100 in 5 minutes.
They also teach long division how we learned growing up.
Quilting could be considered a lost art in the sense that not that many people really know how to do it, but not that many people WANT to know how to do it since you can buy blankets for cheap.
Actually, have you gone to quilt shows? Been to quilt stores? All of my small business crafty stores (yarn, quilting, needlework) that I support are still going strong, even expanding, since 2008. I went to a major quilt show for the first time this summer and there were quite a few people in attendance.
And, quilting isn't for blankets anymore.
Now, granted, I'll give you that most young people (35 or under) aren't into quilting, knitting, or anything that doesn't involve technology. Nor do they have much time to do so, especially if they have a family. But one shouldn't assume not many people want to learn how to quilt.
|
|
luckyme
Familiar Member
Joined: Dec 28, 2010 14:05:59 GMT -5
Posts: 826
|
Cursive
Aug 27, 2013 7:57:45 GMT -5
Post by luckyme on Aug 27, 2013 7:57:45 GMT -5
They teach cursive in one grade, I think it's 3rd. Then it isn't taught again. We were told it isn't necessary, as the kids will either type or print any papers they need to do. Also, it was deemed time consuming and took too much time away from studying for the PSSA. I taught DS16 how to sign his name. He recently had to sign his working papers, and you would think it was done by a third grader! I think he is going to need to practice that, as he will need to know how to sign his name.
|
|
Blonde Granny
Junior Associate
Joined: Jan 15, 2013 8:27:13 GMT -5
Posts: 6,919
Today's Mood: Alone in the world
Location: Wandering Aimlessly
Mini-Profile Name Color: 28e619
Mini-Profile Text Color: 3a9900
|
Cursive
Aug 27, 2013 8:02:27 GMT -5
Post by Blonde Granny on Aug 27, 2013 8:02:27 GMT -5
(OT) if anyone thinks quilting is a lost art, visit the Natl. Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. The award winning quilts are not to be believed.
Additionally, the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, now offers advanced degrees in textiles due to a donation of antique quilts. uNL has also built a museum for display of these quilts.
Quilting has become big business as both men and women are learning to quilt.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 7, 2024 2:30:16 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Cursive
Aug 27, 2013 8:42:08 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2013 8:42:08 GMT -5
My kids' elementary school was phasing cursive out when they were there. YDS learned it in 3rd grade and can read and write it fluently. ODS was pulled out of cursive lessons for speech and language therapy and missed learning cursive. It really pains him, especially when he has to sign a check received as a gift, or a job application, or his driving permit. Or, if he has to read the message on a greeting card. It's just a constant, nagging, little reminder that he is/was different. I'd asked them to teach him during free time, recess, whatever, but my request fell on deaf ears. It really doesn't take a lot of time to teach cursive -- he certainly could have completed the practice pages at home. Heck, they wouldn't even give us a cursive book to use. Yeah, I could have taught him myself, and still may. But, it is just another thing in a long list of items the school cheated him out of. But, then, I am a card-carrying Luddite who still values cursive, art, music, recess, civics, etc. Just as an outsider listening to that story, I'm not surprised it fell on deaf ears. They took him out of the class that probably serves the least amount of purpose and gave him speech path; something that would've cost a lot of money to do privately and will serve him much greater. And then you ask the teachers to give up their planning time during school to teach him?
|
|
garion2003
Familiar Member
Joined: Feb 20, 2011 15:48:25 GMT -5
Posts: 758
|
Cursive
Aug 27, 2013 8:42:24 GMT -5
Post by garion2003 on Aug 27, 2013 8:42:24 GMT -5
I wonder of those longing for the good old days ever grind up their own ink and scrape their own parchment?
|
|