This sign was in my local hobby shop and it says ‘Learn to Write’. It further explains that you can learn a simple form of calligraphy. Basically, learn to write in cursive.
Writing in cursive is not being taught in many schools these days, pupils are not allowed to use it, and people are now finding it harder and harder to read it. Which does not bode well for all the old texts that are written in cursive.
It has now been relegated to hobby status.
I found it rather sad, but then again, maybe I am an old fogey living in the past.
What do my readers think?
I’m a recently retired Scottish teacher who was taught to write in cursive script. During my time as a teacher I had to teach pupils a form of linked script which some pupils struggled with learning correctly. I enjoyed showing cursive writing to my pupils as part of a ” Victorian” topic and they loved trying it out and some even adopted it as their own.
I found it quite amusing when we were told we were changing to a new handwriting style about three years ago – you’ve guessed – cursive! Of course, we were told, we would need training before starting…
Wait… What? Pupils are not allowed to use cursive? This blows my mind. So if they do the teacher gives them bad marks? How ridiculous is this? Cursive is something some people learn because they like the results, but to some people like me it’s just the natural way the hand will write. I need to be forced to write in print. I truly believe people are becoming more stupid each passing day. The more gadgets are used (wrongly) the more their brains empty.
Look at this teacher’s note! I was shocked…https://thisbugslife.com/2015/09/28/the-death-of-cursive/
I too am a retired teacher who aggressively taught any manner of handwriting. Mine is a combination of cursive and print and is easily readable. When students asked the value of writing by hand I would tell them that no matter what kind of job they might get, the occasion will arise when they have to jot something down for themselves or maybe their boss. Even if they were working on a loading dock or sweeping a hall, a phone might ring and a message might need to be taken. If it’s written well and neatly, the person for whom it’s for might just remember who wrote that note, and who knows . . .
I am thankful that my 2 children are attending a school where cursive is still being taught. My eldest is artistic and was drawn to cursive writing from the moment she could hold a pencil and largely taught herself how to write in cursive by 7 years old by using an old practice book that I still had. Thank you for speaking openly about this latest trend in the mis-education of our children.
Writing, whatever form it may be, is a beautiful form of expression of one’s language, ideas, and culture. Writing artistically, which is what calligraphy (and script) is in my mind, elevates the status of what is written to art and demonstrates passion, patience, and a care for those who will read what is read by making what has been written beautiful for their eyes and mind, no matter how mundane the words may be. By takings script out of schools they are further showing our children that art does not matter, which is already the case in many school districts where art has also been stripped from the curriculum down to being barely visible. I am hopeful that this sad trend will reverse itself or someday there will be a new occupation – script reader.
I love all sorts of handwriting, which is why I also like seeing inside people’s Filofax! We were taught a most peculiar writing in junior school, and I’ve never seen it since. I’m a bit like a butterfly (Sagittarian trait) and skip from fad to fad so I never have settled on one form of writing. I like Copperplate, and I’m particularly fond of Medieval Secretary hand, amongst many others, and I guess mine is a combination of very many. And I’m never satisfied with it!!
My children are both learning cursive, my 12 year old is required to write his assignments in cursive and my 6 year old learns cursive alongside normal letters..
In England & Wales, but not Scotland, cursive writing was not generally taught until children were seven but now children are normally taught to join the letters of words from the very beginning.
maybe schools feel it is easier and more “hip” to allow kids to text….as opposed to writing. and to teac cursive….more difficult and it does require effort on the part of the student. i think kids would like to learn to actually write but school boards don’t seem to care. those decisions are made by well educated “professionals” which does not speak well for them. on a bright note, that looks like a terrific hobby shop.
As a retired teacher (2014) I am always saddened to hear that cursive is not being taught in school. I used to love to teach it and show the kids how script can be turned into these beautiful letters that “all hold hands together to make words”. I also used to explain that they needed to learn how to write that way so that they could do research when they were older and and you say, read the old texts. You must know that as an American and former teacher I am horrified to see what is being done with our public schools!!
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