The Writing On The Wall

Basically i agree with the article. However, it is open to some critique as the sources are in the field of publishing handwriting curriculum

There are very few ways in which I think that Americans are worse off in the 21st century than we have been in centuries past, but this is one of those very few ways. As someone who writes in a journal everyday and often elicits looks on the subway that say "what on earth could she be writing?," I know how foreign writing by hand has become to most Americans. What I find most interesting about this article is how it relates learning and expressing oneself to being able to write fluidly. I remember studying handwriting in the 2nd and 3rd grades at Clover Elementary in Los Angeles. I learned to read at the same time, and I will never forget the way that my world suddenly seemed to expand and open up. I remember the childlike awe of grasping, not only the skills of reading and writing, but for the first time having a solid concept of what learning was and how it was important to me. I want my children someday to have this same discovery - not just that wonderful feeling of having secured the knowledge and ability to perform an intellectual function - but that sense of confidence in the process of learning. You can call it "schoolmarmish" as much as you like, but when does that lead to all education being derisively categorized as "schoolmarmish"? Writing by hand is fundamental, and anyone who thinks it's okay to bypass teaching kids this important skill or tries to dismiss its usefulness would not be doing so with the best interest of our present or future Americans in mind.

There are very few ways in which I think that Americans are worse off in the 21st century than we have been in centuries past, but this is one of those very few ways. As someone who writes in a journal everyday and often elicits looks on the subway that say "what on earth could she be writing?," I know how foreign writing by hand has become to most Americans. What I find most interesting about this article is how it relates learning and expressing oneself to being able to write fluidly. I remember studying handwriting in the 2nd and 3rd grades at Clover Elementary in Los Angeles. I learned to read at the same time, and I will never forget the way that my world suddenly seemed to expand and open up. I remember the childlike awe of grasping, not only the skills of reading and writing, but for the first time having a solid concept of what learning was and how it was important to me. I want my children someday to have this same discovery - not just that wonderful feeling of having secured the knowledge and ability to perform an intellectual function - but that sense of confidence in the process of learning. You can call it "schoolmarmish" as much as you like, but when does that lead to all education being derisively categorized as "schoolmarmish"? Writing by hand is fundamental, and anyone who thinks it's okay to bypass teaching kids this important skill or tries to dismiss its usefulness would not be doing so with the best interest of our present or future Americans in mind.

I was reading this article and I disagree on one part. I have terrible hand writing, but English is my best subject. My chicken-scratch hand writing never has discouraged me from writing. I always hated to write in cursive though. My 4th grade teacher forced my class to write everything in cursive.

Handwriting/penmanship has not been overlooked in the schools. Children are first taught manuscript then cursive writing in third grade. However, there are some children who struggle with print and getting their ideas down on paper. This is called dysgraphia. These children are introudced to the keyboard as studies have shown when you take away the motor component of having to form letters they are able to put their ideas on paper. Thus the keyboard/computers are used as another form of communication for these children.

"Mind your p's and q's" is from the Guttenberg press era when individual backward letters were placed in the press. As they were removed from the press and placed in cases (upper and lower) it was important not to get the p's and q's in the wrong cases. It didn't matter how many pints or quarts you had, you still needed to watch your letters.

I am the parent of an 18 year-old technical college student. I began meeting with teachers about his handwriting in elementary school (at my request, not theirs). I was consistently told that handwriting and spelling would not be important in college. A few weeks ago he was advised by his English instructor to drop the class because of his handwriting and spelling. I think it is a shame that our public school system has fallen to such a low level in preparing our young people for their futture.

I was not educated in the US. At school we were only allowed to use pens or pencils and were taught that strong penmanship is a sign of intellect and education. We did not follow strictures about letter formation. The basics were taught and then you were free to develop your own style. Mine is beautiful- slanted yet simple cursive. My friends here think that it takes me eons to write -not true!- I'm very proud of my handwriting.

it's very vindicating to read this! My husband and friends have called me the last of the letter writers for over 18 years but still I persist.

I teach public speaking at a community college. One of my requirements is that students hand-write their inital rough draft (of a speech). It's been my experience that students become familiar with their topics faster when they write about it (by hand)! Once they have their initial thoughts, they may type their final outline. But I'm a firm believer in the connection between hand and mind....and let's not forget the power of a great signature!

I teach public speaking at a community college. One of my requirements is that students hand-write their inital rough draft (of a speech). It's been my experience that students become familiar with their topics faster when they write about it (by hand)! Once they have their initial thoughts, they may type their final outline. But I'm a firm believer in the connection between hand and mind....and let's not forget the power of a great signature!

Good penmanship was stressed in my gradeschool, and I always strived to excel. As a result of learning cursive writing, I developed a style of line drawing that led to a successful career in graphic design. To this day, I get compliments on my handwriting, and still write letters by hand. I judge others by their handwriting, and have rejected many an oiherwise qualified job candidate simply on the basis of sloppy handwriting.

As a third grade teacher in California , where the emphasis in education has been on reading and math while art, physical education, science, social studies and penmanship have gone by the wayside due to the time contraints and the over zealous focus on the far too many standards, I am delighted to see that penmanship is a key part of learning and should be reconsidered as an important part of our students' day. Two years ago, our assistant principal instructed the teachers in our grade level to omit penmanship in lieu of the language art and math instruction. and if we felt we needed to include cursive writing in our curriculum, then the signature of each child is the only necessary thing needed to be taught. Trying to decode the kids' journals, or spelling work has been a challenge and the lack of time to follow up on poorly written work is not helping our children improve on the quality of their penmanship. So, I am going to frame this and deliver it to our district office! Hopefully someone in this state will eventually realize that we need to encourage the development of the whole child rather than just cram too many reading and math standards into a grade level curriculum that doesn't allow the children time to absob, practice and internalize any of it while at the same time, leaving out valuable and enriching "stuff!"

I think the cognitive connection between writing and thinking is vital to the creative process. But, as far as cursive writing goes, although I enjoy it, I don't think it is vital to humans as a race.