{"id":45550,"date":"2013-06-27T18:12:13","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T18:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/?p=45550"},"modified":"2015-06-08T15:22:58","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T15:22:58","slug":"ranting-on-the-loss-of-cursive-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2013\/06\/27\/ranting-on-the-loss-of-cursive-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranting on the Loss of Cursive Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, I found it excruciatingly painful to watch this video clip<\/a>,<\/strong>. Excruciating because I love and value cursive writing, and I felt really bad for this young woman, and for what is apparently a whole generation (or two) that has been denied the experience of learning to use it. Cursive enhances brain function<\/a>, helps to develop fine motor skills and gives a student a daily dose of something that is both an art and a discipline.<\/p>\n

Ranting about it in social media, I was told that cursive isn\u2019t taught any longer because \u201cwith computers and texting it is not required.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, screw that! If something is not absolutely required in life, it\u2019s not worth teaching? Do we not teach poetry? Art? Music? Jumping rope?<\/p>\n

I understand that schools spend a lot of time \u201cteaching to the tests\u201d<\/strong> and feel they have no time for some antiquated discipline (although, I must say, Sister Mary Alice Ann, RSM, managed to teach 45 second grade savages to write beautifully in cursive, while also teaching us to read, do sums and learn our catechism, and we did have standardized testing back then); I understand it but don\u2019t accept it. What are schools spending time teaching that leaves no time for penmanship?<\/p>\n

Our schools are deeply concerned with \u201cspecialness.\u201d<\/strong> They spend a lot of time boosting self esteem and carrying on about how special everyone is. You know what can demonstrate that better than almost anything, and instill a sense of pride-in-accomplishment? Cursive writing!<\/em> It\u2019s a distinctly individual endeavor, as no one\u2019s handwriting is like anyone else\u2019s. Get them writing their \u201cI am Special\u201d essays in script and let them see exactly how uniquely different (not better or worse but different) every one of us is! It will make a bigger impact than just droning the mantra at them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And there is more to recommend it, here<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is always something elegant, intimate and lovely about receiving a hand-written note, but that is particularly true when you can see that the writer has taken the time to really work on his or her presentment. I understood just how real my neurological problems were when I saw lapses in my penmanship that I could not easily control. I still work on it.<\/p>\n

[\u2026] Good Penmanship seems like a \u201clittle\u201d thing, but to me, it\u2019s always been an indicator of personal discipline and self-worth. The subject that \u201cmakes children feel bad about themselves\u201d has probably, in the end, made a great many ex-Catholic school kids feel pretty good about themselves. On a day when nothing is going right, or I feel cruddy about something I\u2019ve done, I can still scrawl a note and look at it and remember one of the first compliments my husband paid me. It occurred the day we met, as I wrote my name and number on a slip of paper. \u201cYou have a nice hand,\u201d he said, \u201cCatholic school, right?\u201d I looked up and smiled at him, completely understanding his meaning!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Cursive writing helps to expedite our thoughts to paper,<\/strong> before we lose them! It\u2019s individualistic! It is \u201cwhat grown-ups do.\u201d I\u2019m just disgusted to learn that it\u2019s not even taught anymore. I wonder if college professors must now print their lessons on white boards? What happens when a message in a bottle is found, or an old love letter? Will they be like hieroglyphics for the next generation?<\/p>\n

UPDATE I:<\/strong>
\nDeacon Greg also has fond memories of a sweet nun<\/a> who taught and wrote beautifully. He admits:<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not exactly the best at penmanship myself\u2014too many years of banging my fingers on the keyboard have made me jittery and impatient with my own hand\u2014but I admire people like my beloved 4th grade teacher, Sister Matthew Christi\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He has a few nice links, too!<\/p>\n

UPDATE II: <\/strong>
\nCursive Writing Makes Kids Smarter<\/a>
\nIt\u2019s the Penmanship, Stupid!<\/a><\/p>\n

First image courtesy of Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, I found it excruciatingly painful to watch this video clip,. Excruciating because I love and value cursive writing, and I felt really bad for this young woman, and for what is apparently a whole generation (or two) that has been denied the experience of learning to use it. Cursive enhances brain function, helps to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":45551,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[1380],"class_list":["post-45550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","tag-cursive-writing"],"yoast_head":"\nRanting on the Loss of Cursive Writing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, I found it excruciatingly painful to watch this video clip,. 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