I don't doubt that learning cursive has some benefits beyond learning cursive, but that's probably true of a lot of things, so it may not be such a strong argument in favor of teaching that particular skill. Being able to read cursive seems more important than being able to write it, and I don't know how separable the teaching of those two things are. Penmanship was never my strong suit and after decades behind a keyboard I am scarcely able to print legibly and cursive is a memory, yet I'm able to make a living in the word business, although of course the argument might be made that my long-ago training in cursive somehow informs my abilities.
In any case, this is what your elected representatives are worrying about now.
Issues of micromanaging school curricula aside, kids who really do have ADD/ADHD have a great deal of trouble learning cursive; some never do. Does the legislature intend to carve out an exception for them, or will it just beat them over the head with a bad grade in a skill they'll never really need?
Posted by: Lex | Feb 23, 2013 at 03:11 PM
I'm left handed. My cursive sucks and always has. I hate erasable pens, too...when I use those I do nothing but smear the paper and end up with ink all over my hand.
Posted by: Kim | Feb 23, 2013 at 03:35 PM
This was such a great state until the Republican's took over. The legislature and governor did nothing but great things.
But now it is so awful that some people have been reduced to bitching and whining about everything that happens in Raleigh, including such controversial things as teaching cursive.
Where is Bev Perdue, Jim Black, and Mike Easley when you need them?
Posted by: Spag | Feb 23, 2013 at 11:14 PM
And Spag once again ignores the issue raised, instead talking about past Democrats. If EdCone.com had a drinking game, that would be a sip.
Posted by: Dave Dobson | Feb 24, 2013 at 11:24 AM
No, I get the issue. We shouldn't be teaching cursive. I have also been around long enough to know that if this was a Democratic bill, Ed wouldn't have posted about it.
It's actually funny witnessing the whining over every legislative proposal that comes down the pike now that the GOP controls the state. Everyday there is some new overblown complaint, often about matters as trivial as this.
I'm not the partisan for pointing it out. The partisanship is clear from the content and increase in volume of complaints since McCrory became governor and Democrats no longer have the veto as a firewall.
Posted by: Spag | Feb 24, 2013 at 06:02 PM
"We shouldn't be teaching cursive." That's actually an open question, isn't it?
Probably not one best addressed by state legislators, though.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Feb 24, 2013 at 06:10 PM
Cursive?
Really? Cursive?
Posted by: polifrog | Feb 24, 2013 at 06:49 PM