• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms

J

joko104

Banned
Suspended
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
65,981
Reaction score
23,408
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
[h=1]Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms[/h][FONT=&quot]AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- In the digital age, people are increasingly communicating by computer and smartphone. When the new Common Core educational standards were crafted, penmanship classes were dropped. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, for language arts will have students start learning cursive letters in second grade. [/FONT]

Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms | abc13.com

I completely agree.
 
joko104 said:
[h=1]Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms[/h][FONT="]AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- In the digital age, people are increasingly communicating by computer and smartphone. When the new Common Core educational standards were crafted, penmanship classes were dropped. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][FONT="]The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, for language arts will have students start learning cursive letters in second grade. [/FONT]

Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms | abc13.com

I completely agree.
Click to expand...

Hear, hear.

I think that is a fantastic idea. Teaching children to write is just as important about teaching children to paint or to play music. It is a form of self-expression that should not be lost to an increasingly mechanized age where the only thing of value is apparently learning how to code. :roll:
 
There are many reasons to require learning cursive. All old USA documents are in cursive. Not everyone has a keyboard with them 24/7. Cursive allows writing quickly. Printing does not.
 
Huh... I just tried writing in cursive, only to find out I have forgotten how. I'm 41, and learned it in school.

I don't see the point. I never use cursive in my daily life.
 
"I'm old and bitter. Whatever I had to to do growing up ,everyone else should do regardless of it's inadequacy. Because I'm old, and that's the way it should be."


:roll:
 
OlNate said:
Huh... I just tried writing in cursive, only to find out I have forgotten how. I'm 41, and learned it in school.

I don't see the point. I never use cursive in my daily life.
Click to expand...

I’m 43 and was always able to print faster and more neatly than I could writing in cursive so as soon as I had the choice I wrote in print exclusively, with the exception of my signature.

While it is pretty much obsolete in the modern day, I do think there is utility in teaching it some in elementary school, at least for a semester. First, some people will learn that they are actually very skilled in cursive and having people around who can turn words into art is nice. I never write cursive but I like looking at calligraphy. :) and perhaps even more importantly, cursive is still the way many of our founding and historical documents are written. There is something to be said for being able to read the Bill of Rights without having to take someone else’s word for what it says. So while most people never need to write in cursive, I think there is utility in being able to READ cursive, and kids should at least learn to do that.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
I’m 43 and was always able to print faster and more neatly than I could writing in cursive so as soon as I had the choice I wrote in print exclusively, with the exception of my signature.

While it is pretty much obsolete in the modern day, I do think there is utility in teaching it some in elementary school, at least for a semester. First, some people will learn that they are actually very skilled in cursive and having people around who can turn words into art is nice. I never write cursive but I like looking at calligraphy. :) and perhaps even more importantly, cursive is still the way many of our founding and historical documents are written. There is something to be said for being able to read the Bill of Rights without having to take someone else’s word for what it says. So while most people never need to write in cursive, I think there is utility in being able to READ cursive, and kids should at least learn to do that.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I guess... I find it very daunting these days...probably because of the whole use it or lose it thing. :)
 
OlNate said:
Fair enough, I guess... I find it very daunting these days...probably because of the whole use it or lose it thing. :)
Click to expand...

But do you feel you can read it ok?
 
joko104 said:
[h=1]Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms[/h][FONT="]AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- In the digital age, people are increasingly communicating by computer and smartphone. When the new Common Core educational standards were crafted, penmanship classes were dropped. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#000000][FONT="]The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, for language arts will have students start learning cursive letters in second grade. [/FONT]

Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms | abc13.com

I completely agree.
Click to expand...

Wow. What a complete and utter waste of time and resources.

I can see why you'd support it.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
But do you feel you can read it ok?
Click to expand...

Depends... The one thing I hate about cursive, vs. printing or typeface, is that it relies upon the handwriting of the person using it. I've seen old texts that look as if they were written in a different language, only to be assured that it is English. And I've gotten completely turned around when reading half legible love letters in public school, usually ending in me either embarrassing myself, or missing an opportunity... ;)

I agree, the calligraphy thing is beautiful to look at...I guess I've just gotten used to a more standardized form of reading. The amount that I have to focus on cursive takes all the enjoyment out of whatever I'm trying to read. The only exception I can think of is personal writings of passed on loved ones...the fact that the handwriting is unique is actually kind of nice in that situation.

But it's handwriting I'm familiar with and have been looking at all my life. Upon seeing it for the first time, I might not be able to read it at all. That's one of my big problems with cursive.
 
Cursive was a necessary skill before computers became household objects. Now all anybody wants is uniform print. Nobody wants to decipher that chicken scratch anymore.
 
Dragonfly said:
"I'm old and bitter. Whatever I had to to do growing up ,everyone else should do regardless of it's inadequacy. Because I'm old, and that's the way it should be."


:roll:
Click to expand...

Same as driving a manual transmission before automatic, and shaving with a blade before electric....
 
Dragonfly said:
"I'm old and bitter. Whatever I had to to do growing up ,everyone else should do regardless of it's inadequacy. Because I'm old, and that's the way it should be."


:roll:
Click to expand...

Should we also stop teaching sculpture and painting now that we have 3D-modeling and Printers, and art software?
 
Tanngrisnir said:
Wow. What a complete and utter waste of time and resources.

I can see why you'd support it.
Click to expand...

Since practically all forms of individual artistic expression (including music) can be generated via computer programs, would you support doing away with all form of fine arts classes and courses entirely, Tanngrisnir? Except perhaps graphic design courses, would painting, drawing, choir and orchestra all be put on the chopping block?
 
Last edited:
Felis Leo said:
Since practically all forms of individual artistic expression (including music) can be generated via computer programs, would you support doing away with all form of fine arts classes and courses entirely, Tanngrisnir? Except perhaps graphic design courses, would painting, drawing, choir and orchestra all be put on the chopping block?
Click to expand...

In today's age of overwhelmingly digital communications? Cursive adds nothing, is useless and detracts from time and effort best spend elsewhere.

To compare it to drawing, painting and orchestra is asinine. Cursive isn't fine art.
 
joko104 said:
There are many reasons to require learning cursive. All old USA documents are in cursive. Not everyone has a keyboard with them 24/7. Cursive allows writing quickly. Printing does not.
Click to expand...

I disagree with your speed notion. I print faster than writing in cursive/ calligraphic style. Calligraphy is a very good skill to pick up early while learning to write. It teaches children not only how to write well but how to read those styles of written word easier. It also promotes less messy, more disciplined, clearer writing.
 
OlNate said:
Huh... I just tried writing in cursive, only to find out I have forgotten how. I'm 41, and learned it in school.

I don't see the point. I never use cursive in my daily life.
Click to expand...

Not even your signature?
 
Felis Leo said:
Should we also stop teaching sculpture and painting now that we have 3D-modeling and Printers, and art software?
Click to expand...

That would be an appropriate comparison if the argument was about replacing writing with typing. I like writing in cursive sometimes but it is unnecessary.
 
Rexedgar said:
Same as driving a manual transmission before automatic, and shaving with a blade before electric....
Click to expand...

You still get a better shave with a properly stropped straight blade razor utilized by a skilled hand than any modern shaving gadget I know of.
 
PirateMk1 said:
You still get a better shave with a properly stropped straight blade razor utilized by a skilled hand than any modern shaving gadget I know of.
Click to expand...

That’s all well and good if you have the resources to keep a barber on staff.......


I bought a straight razor with bristle brush and shaving soap; I still use the brush and the soap, but the razor scares the crap outta me.
 
This very well be the first time I have agreed with anything the Texas school system has done.

You will please excuse me while I go lay down and decide if I need to check myself in somewhere....
 
In Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, (countries that use the Cyrillic alphabet), proficiency in cursive writing is required to graduate from primary school.

Cursive writing in the US during the Civil War period was quite beautiful.
 
Tanngrisnir said:
In today's age of overwhelmingly digital communications? Cursive adds nothing, is useless and detracts from time and effort best spend elsewhere.

To compare it to drawing, painting and orchestra is asinine. Cursive isn't fine art.
Click to expand...

If the written word was merely a form of conveying information and nothing more then I would agree with you. But simply saying "it isn't art" is modern philistinism. There is a reason we had a thing called "penmanship" at one time. Writing is both a means of communication and an art.

Spencerian_example.jpg


Taking away cursive writing classes does nothing to enrich the lives of our children. I think we are better served by keeping this and every art we can in place.
 
What a waste. Why not teach the kids how to use an 8 track player or use flashbulbs, or how to manually dial a phone?
 
beefheart said:
What a waste. Why not teach the kids how to use an 8 track player or use flashbulbs, or how to manually dial a phone?
Click to expand...

When there was a rotary phone, it was so much easier to dial the alphabet numbers. 1 800 CALL NOW, I need to hunt and peck on these on the touch phone.

A buddy used to have the number 528-5064, sign of the cross......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom