Among the many controversies generated by the Common Core Standards, few generate more emotional debate than the decision to eliminate cursive writing instruction. Montessori educators Bobby George and June George enter the fray armed with the testimony of a famous 19th century scribbler. Their essay was published in Quartz in Sept. 2013.
Read it here: George & George, “Why We Shouldn’t Write Off Cursive”
- George and George mention—but give little explanation of—arguments and reasoning on both sides of the cursive writing debate. What are the arguments they mentioned? Summarize them in separate lists. Why might the authors have chosen to rely more on anecdotal evidence than on any of the statistical or scientific reasoning that abounds in the debate? Is their evidence persuasive? Why or why not?
- Why might the authors have mentioned the NASA space pen? Does it make a positive contribution to their argument? Why or why not?
- George and George give the example of Abraham Lincoln and his awareness that he would be known and judged by the quality of his handwriting; they close their essay by asking what type of mark we want to leave. Without cursive writing, what kinds of marks will we leave? Will our tweets and Facebook timelines be similar to Lincoln’s handwriting? Why or why not?
- Were you taught cursive in elementary school? What is your position on the instruction of cursive writing? Should we discard it from the school curriculum or maintain it? Write an essay in which you elaborate your arguments for or against the instruction of cursive writing in elementary school. Use evidence drawn from your own experience and that of students that you may know; link your evidence to the arguments discussed by George and George.
They Say I Blog 
It is disheartening to know we live in a world where the fictional portrayal of the food industry in “The Scarecrow” is not too far off. Obviously there are not mechanical crows ordering around scarecrows but, concerning the products we eat, it is not always what it seems. Chipotle’s attempt at distancing themselves from the rest of the fast food industry, though admirable, was dishonest. When it is all said and done, Chipotle is major fast food company who’s main goal is to be profitable. If this means they have to make a smear add designed to appear as an honest eye-opening message then so be it. It should be noted that Chipotle uses pounds on pounds of meat daily and did not show them doing so in their “Scarecrow” add. As nice as it would be for us to live in a world where we get out meat directly from a farm where everything is pure and fresh, it’s not possible. With the world’s population at what it is at and with the time needed for un-altered animals to mature, it would not be possible to feed everyone. There are ways to provide the families who are interested in having only the freshest, farm-grown food but, the reality of the matter is that we need genetically altered chickens and cows. The demand for meat will not decrease at anytime so we must do what is necessary. The living situations for these animals does not have to be as cruel as it is. These animals are contained in tight cages where they can hardly move and are treated inhumanly. This being said, we as people cannot expect fast food places to be hold to the standard of pure farm-fresh food. Chipotle attempting to come across as being different, is fine, until they lead people to believe false truths.
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ignore that comment
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The schools where I am from are ones that have taken out the teaching of cursive writing and I know that most of the teachers were very mad. Some of them still teach it when they get the chance. I however did learn how to write in cursive when I was younger along with my fellow classmates, but once we entered middle school we were never required to use it so many of us never practiced. Therefore when we all went to take the ACT our senior year and we had to write one sentence in cursive it took us almost as long as filling out the rest of the information did, which is very sad. I wish that the younger me would have kept up with my cursive writing because I believe it is very important to be able to write a letter that people will want to read just due to its sheer beauty when you look at it. I am sad to know that the younger generation will never know the struggle as a second grader trying to figure out what seems to be a new language, and then playing around with it to get your signature that you will sign when you become famous.
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Cursive was the font of all handwriting for an extended point in our history, but compared with many other things, there will always be a time where things must change because of how much society is too. Basically, we can not prolong the inevitable so to speak. George and George made controversial statements that encourage the continuation of cursive, and vice versa. Cursive is an artistic and official way of writing down letters, essays, signatures, and dates, but times change and older forms need to move on as well. In the least shallow way said, cursive is a beautiful form of writing, but humans are stimulated by the new styles popping out everyday and they can’t help but forget what they used to know. In reference to the NASA space pen; the pen is what brought this country together. It holds great meaning to our country, so for the USA to be able to design a pen that can withstand the space environment it must be included in this essay. This third question does not relate to each other what so ever. There is a major difference between Abraham Lincoln signing his name on an official document for the rest of America to see and judge, than the average american posting a tweet about what he is eating for lunch that day. If we are talking of social media, of course we are not making a mark. These social media sites were made to release our emotions to the rest of our 200 friends, not to construct a legal document and post it as a tweet. I was personally taught cursive starting in 6th grade when I moved to Florida. Cursive was a whole new way of writing. After a while, I began making my own font that many others do (mixing cursive with print). Getting the basics of cursive down helped my flow with writing in print astronomically. I could have written this faster than typing it on the computer.
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Eliminating cursive is like getting rid of an old form of art. In the 18th and 19the century, cursive was a status symbol. The better an individuals penmanship was, the higher the status of the individual, and the more educated certain people were. A very rich tradition of how to mark your prestige amongst other people. Tradition is important and has great meaning for the future.
As a student myself, I learned cursive in second-grade. Developing my penmanship until around fifth-grade, then I developed my own version of writing; a mixture of cursive and regular print. I’m proud of my hand writing, without the fancy cursive my hand writing would be extremely boring.
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Bobby and June George tackle the controversy of cursive writing, whether it should be taught in schools and the general principle of it, in their article “Why we shouldn’t write off cursive.” Throughout the article, it is clear that the Georges feel like cursive writing gets an unnecessarily bad reputation due to its “old fashioned” style. They acknowledge the fact that type and print are taking over the writing world due to all of the new technology coming out, but they still advocate for cursive being taught in school. The Georges believe that cursive and handwriting gives an aesthetic that type cannot and it preserves the meaning in letters and words in general. Comparing it with a quote from Abraham Lincoln, cursive writing is of high importance to Booby and June George.
I agree with the Georges that learning cursive handwriting should be kept as a priority in schools because my experience with it has been useful and meaningful. I was taught cursive writing in grade school, and at the time I thought nothing of it, but it now has a greater meaning. The classic movements and script gives an important and historical feel to any writing. The quality and beauty that is cursive handwriting adds a layer of meaning with each letter, article, or note. I believe that it allows for a deeper understanding of things just as the Georges mentioned. Children should continue to learn this basic form of writing so that the foundations of this society are not lost.
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Our society is progressively becoming more and more digital minded, this is bound to have an impact on the traditional educational system. To learn that an old fashioned writing system, such as cursive, is becoming less common does not come as much of a surprise. New generations will learn new things, and this generation is familiar with technology to interact and communicate, and it is much more effective than any physical mailing system. I do, however, believe that the old fashioned writing system should be kept around, as penmanship is an under appreciated art in this modern technological age.
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As stated in the essay by George and George, people take different sides on whether or not cursive writing should be taught in schools. I believe that cursive writing should be taught in schools because it can increase brain activity and can result in higher academic performance. In my elementary school I learned how to write cursive and I feel like it helped me in the long run. Even though our society is increasingly becoming more digitally inclined, I still believe that cursive handwriting should be preserved.
It is understandable that cursive writing is becoming a speck in the distance. New generations learn new things and this generation is familiar with using technology for communication and is considering much easier than mailing a letter. It is easy to understand why cursive writing is becoming less popular because our society using many other ways to communicate. However, with that being said, I believe that we should keep teaching cursive writing in schools because it is an under appreciated art form that from personal experience has helped me. Its beauty and quality adds meaning to any letter or note and this basic form of writing should not be lost.
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I feel that cursive should continue to be taught in schools. Many feel that cursive should be discontinued because it no longer holds any relevance, especially with computers, cursive is simply out of date. It may be true that cursive requires more effort than typing, but I believe that cursive is worth the effort. George and George give the example of Abraham Lincoln, one of the our nation’s greatest presidents, how he understood the significance of his own handwriting. As much as a person’s use of diction or tone affects their style, their penmanship does as well. Each stroke adds feeling and emphasis to their work. Typing something lessens the expression because in writing, like painting, each stroke means something different and adds unique feeling. The loss of cursive would be the loss of an important form of art. When I was in third grade, they began teaching me cursive, but eventually it stopped and I took it into my own hands and researched how to do it. It would be more encouraging to other students if the school had continued to teach cursive. I am glad that I pursued cursive because I feel that I have my own personal expression. Cursive is an art that should still be taught in schools.
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As seen in the text by George and George, there are two different views about cursive and whether or not it should continued to be taught in schools. I learned cursive in 2nd grade and although we did not practice it as much as I would have liked, it was still a great skill that I was able to learn in the earlier years of my life. Even though I find myself writing in print far more than cursive, I still believe cursive should be taught in school because it
enhances brain activity and it is a beautiful form of art.
But, I can see why others might be against the teaching of cursive. We have entered a new era where technology rules society, and therefore writing in cursive is no longer necessary or relevant. However, cursive is a beautiful form of art which enhances the writers expressions and emotions as they write. George and George remind us that Abraham Lincoln understood the importance of his handwriting and knew that it would impact many people if not done properly because it would express and give off false vibes. Although typing on a computer may be faster and easier to read, this same emotion can not be felt through a typed text. Many also argue that cursive is not needed for academic success. But these people can be proven wrong because cursive is more challenging than print and it stimulates the brain which can lead to increased comprehension and participation, which is something print does not offer. The beauty of cursive should not be taken away from schools.
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George and George claim that Cursive should be preserved as it offers many benefits both academically and artistically. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I agree that writing in cursive has many positive effects, as there is hard evidence such as MRI’s to prove it. On the other hand, despite these advantages, I still insist that cursive is unnecessary in this day and age. Personally, I find that when writing in cursive I find myself trying to focus on remembering how to write the letters than the actual content of the writing itself. Perhaps this is because I grew up writing mostly in shorthand or type. In sum, my personal preference is shorthand, despite the evidence and arguments illustrated by George and George.
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Back in elementary school, cursive was a massive part of the 3rd grade curriculum. I remember we would spend at at least an hour per day practicing cursive writing, with the hopes of mastering it. Then, I thought it was cool, since this was a step in becoming an adult, which every nine year old strives to be. I would take the lessons very seriously, since my regular print was very unsatisfactory (as shown by my report card), so it was a chance to improve my handwriting and make it legible. After reading the article, the studies done on cursive writing and its benefits vs print is very logical. The hand motion is more fluid and art like, which contributes to increased brain activity, as shown by MRIs. However, with the benefits that it has, I don’t love it. Computers and typing will be more useful in the future, as shown by the amount of people now learning how to type and use them, so I believe that having computer classes in school is necessary. Even so, cursive should still be taught, since it makes people “smarter” by using it. Lincoln was right about being judged by our handwriting. Your handwriting is part of your “black dot”. Your black dot is all of the physical traits people notice about you first, and then judge you on. For example, I was seen as being stupid in 3rd grade by my peers since they couldn’t read my handwriting. Being a 3rd grader, they automatically jumped to the conclusion that the quality of your handwriting has a direct correlation with intelligence. Now, they hopefully know that it’s not true.
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I agree that cursive is an art and should not be lost in time, but on the other hand I do not think that it should be taught in school. We used to learn it in 3rd grade, but I found that it was a waste of time because we never used it after we learned it or even later in life. I have never found the need to write in cursive, one because I forgot how to make some of the letters, and I also found that many people do not know how to read cursive. The author provides strong arguments for both sides and I now see how cursive could be useful to students, but I still agree that cursive writing is not something that is necessary for schools to teach. It should be taught in art classes because it is a fun and useful thing to know how to do.
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I feel that cursive, sadly really holds no strong purpose in current society and it is a waste of time and energy to try and preserve it. Others argue how our nation was based in cursive, but our nation was also based in slavery. I barely know how to write in cursive, and 11th grade AP English is the first time i will have to use cursive since the third grade. It’s a sad but inarguable truth that must be accepted
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Is cursive writing really important and what benefits can it have on our current society? That is the real question here, and it is one that many people present mixed feelings about. When I was in third grade, my fellow classmates and I were taught cursive. We have never been required to use it so, naturally most of us have forgotten how. It is true that typing or writing in print, is more functional than taking the time to write cursive. However, I still write in cursive; specifically I sign my name in cursive. When I have time, I almost prefer to write in cursive, it flows better and looks more elegant. That isn’t to say that it’s not time consuming, because it is. In school, I tend to print versus using cursive just for the sake of time. George argues that your handwriting determines what kind of person you are, and I agree because computers may not be around forever and paper has been around for thousands of years. Personally, I want to leave something concrete behind, not something that can be erased with the push of a button. “Once at the very heart of public school education, cursive is aggressively being replaced by computer classes.” I disagree about the fact that cursive should not be taught anymore, I feel as though it should be. It should be up to the student whether they want to use it or not.
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In recent discussions involving cursive writing, a controversial issue has been whether it’s kept in the curriculum or not. On the one hand, some argue that cursive writing is becoming useless and obsolete. From this perspective, its easy to say “I don’t want to learn cursive” or even try. On the other hand, however, others argue that cursive writing has a scientific aspect. In the words of George, one of this view’s main proponents, ” cursive is a matter of science, and what’s best for teaching our children”. According to this view, it has become a debate on the reasons for keeping versus dropping the wispy writing. In sum, then, the issue is whether cursive is still a contender for enriching the minds of our children, or if it has been replaced by the advancements in modern technology. I feel as though while cursive is a little old and less frequently used, I don’t think it should be completely obliterated in today’s society.
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Is cursive writing a concept still worth being taught in school? That is one topic that could go either way in a discussion. Although I agree that cursive is fading out, I don’t think that we should let it go away completely. It is an art that has been around since close to the beginning of our writing. Our society today however, is based majorly in electronic devices recording things with our keyboards, and when we do have to write most of the time we just choose to write in print anyway. Most students, around my age especially, have been taught cursive when they were younger, however almost everyone has chosen to act as if they had never learned it. Most students even have trouble reading cursive nowadays. It is a sad but true fact that cursive is slowly fading away in an ever more technological society.
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On the one hand, many people believe that cursive writing is no longer relevant. On the other hand I believe that cursive is a skill that still needs to be taught in today’s society. Cursive writing is almost like an art form that people used for centuries. When you write in cursive your thoughts and ideas are able to flow more from your brain to the paper. In cursive there is no pause between letters causing your ideas to join together and your ideas to be expressed better and more fully. You no longer have a loss of thought over a pause in writing because it is one solid movement. Cursive allows you to think and write smoothly and effectively. Cursive is an art form that shouldn’t be lost because if cursive writing is lost with it we could lose a great sense of thought. The thought that goes with cursive writing could be one of the past.
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When an adolescent you are taught how to write in cursive thus, later on in your life using this eloquent style of writing for signing official documents, checks, etc. George and George talked about Abraham Lincoln and how he knew the own importance of his handwriting, he saw the beauty and the significance of his cursive thus, affecting his style and his writing. Clearly cursive is more time consuming than typing or printing words but, the elegance is not shown through those handwriting styles. In our world today everything is so modern, fast, and computerized and I believe that cursive is one of the last forms of reading, writing, or communicating that needs to be preserved and taught for generations to come. How will kids sign official documents fifteen years from now if they don’t know how to write in cursive? On the other hand, I understand that times are changing and at one point cursive writing was a huge ordeal but then slowly faded out because it is not “relevant”. Cursive writing is an artistic way of writing but as times change so forms of reading, communicating, and writing in this case. Although I believe that schools should still teach cursive writing, it is a beautiful looking way of presenting written word.
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Cursive without a doubt, is a dying breed. I, like many other of my peers, learned the art of cursive in third grade and if not somewhere around that time frame. Unlike most kids today, I fortunately remember my cursive which I’ll be thankful for once my time comes for the AP test. Maybe if cursive was enforced in the public and even some private school systems, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. Cursive can complete the look of a hand written essay and simply makes it a piece of art. Once mastered, it can be used as a tool that can speed up the writing process by making the writing fluid which in turn opens up the brain more than print, proven by MRIs. For kids that are moving through elementary school, they should be held responsible for their cursive once it is taught to them. Cursive would then become ingrained into there heads to the point where it comes as naturally as print. That would keep cursive from dying as it is today.
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It’s common that people don’t use cursive writing much these days. According to the article of “The Stroke of his Hand” we know that now days people would type or either use print letters they would do anything to comfort themselves in order to avoid cursive writing. In fact that cursive writing is more efficient way to express your writing and it shows how much accurate a person can be. Although not a lot of people know how to write in cursive since it’s tough for most majority of people. It is based on how the person was raised meaning what he was taught and how he was taught from the early ages weather he/she was taught to write in cursive or printed letters. People find it hard and useless to write in cursive and it feels normal for them.
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Although cursive is becoming “outdated” and “irrelevant” , I still believe it is an important skill that today’s society needs to know. The art of cursive writing has been around for centuries. So many famous documents have been crafted using this style of writing, I find it extremely absurd to want to completely get rid of teaching cursive writing in school. It is a skill that I view as very useful and even necessary to know.
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While the first half of the article does defend cursive writing in a very aggressive manner, stating that keyboards are nuances, claiming that people believe it is no longer relevant, the second writer really hits home. He provokes the reader to enjoy cursive instead of showing us the things that go against it, such as keyboards and computers etc. The second author more so proves a point than the first, he shows us the importance of cursive and the benefits that come along with it.
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In this generation, cursive is basically becoming and extinct way of writing. George and George pointed out how less and less schools make cursive writing part of the curriculum. Cursive writing may take ten times longer than print or typing, but to me, it’s a necessary skill everyone should know and use. I agree with George and George that it’s wrong how school’s have stopped teaching cursive to younger kids, and went straight to either typing or printing.
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George and George argue that cursive writing is a form of art and that it should not be lost, and I agree because it is a beautiful form of writing, which enables writers to express their thoughts naturally with each stroke. The last time that I was taught cursive was in third grade and I remember enjoying it, but as I moved into middle school, I began to forget how to write in cursive and I lost interest in it because it was not being taught anymore. Nowadays, most things are written in text and learning cursive is not necessary anymore. I fear that cursive writing will disappear completely one day. In order to prevent this, we should start making sandcastles that are far away from the edge of the sea, in a safe place where there are no waves.
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George and George discuss the pros and cons of cursive writing in this article, all of which are great points on their position of cursive writing. However, I say that cursive is simply out of style and a dying technology. In third grade I learned cursive, but I haven’t used it since. Yes, cursive is nice script and more professional than print, but it simply isn’t relevant anymore. Nowadays, everyone is writing using keys on a computer. No longer is the wave of writing pencil on paper but rather fingers on keys typing away on a screen. Although it may be disappointing at how little cursive is being used nowadays, but new technologies have come into play and with each new technology society adapts to it, and cursive is no longer in the current era of writing.
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With this generation the art of cursive is becoming more and more extinct year after year. George and George have opened the idea that more schools are making a lesser part of the writing curriculum. I believe when i learned in cursive I did not learn it for very long so that is why I don’t write in cursive unless it is my signature. I do agree with George and George about how schools should include cursive into the writing curriculum because it is a important skill to have in life.
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According to the technology age, people assume that cursive is dying. The very essence of the mark of the author is fading away. In a way, I agree. Everywhere I look, I see students struggling to write in cursive. When I took the PSAT’s,I was surprised when students had were complaining about writing a phrase in cursive. I wondered why, how can anyone forget cursive? I took my pencil and began to stare at the blank lines. I forgot how to write cursive too. I believe cursive is still needed in this world, as George and George both said, “including ease of use, letter recognition, increased brain activation, higher academic performance, and greater coherence and reading comprehension”. The common core believes that cursive is not practical anymore. I disagree, cursive will help writers and readers in the long run.
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Of course some might object to the use of cursive writing in today’s society, but like the authors said it is truly an art form that makes those using it more involved in what they are writing. I believe that in the battle over writing or typing, handwritten words will always win because it shows that the writer is more caring since the challenges of writing by hand shows how dedicated and connected the author is to what they are writing. Cursive is probably the most sophisticated and challenging way of recording information in today’s world and the care put into writing in cursive shows a brighter and more intellectual side to today’s technology crazed society. I mean if cursive was good enough form of writing for American legends such as Lincoln, why should would give up on the art of cursive writing for the emptiness of a keyboard? Although I concede that cursive writing is not the easiest and most convenient way of writing, I still maintain the fact that a pen that creates cursive will be a pen that shows hope for such a great art form to survive.
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The two authors are arguing about whether cursive will be eventually forgotten due to people who are more likely to type on computers. I think that cursive should be made more of a requirement in schools. It is a very beautiful form of writing that should never be forgotten, and its been around for so long it would be sad if it just became a thing of the past. I agree that it was wrong for teachers to discontinue their teachings concerning cursive, I believe it’s a skill everyone needs to be able to do.
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In “Why we shouldn’t write off cursive” George starts his defense with the statement, “Cursive is an art.” When legible it is a beautiful style of writing. Cursive is an writing form which seems to be becoming extinct. Going to private school I was made to write in cursive from third grade all the way up until eighth. Cursive writing was stressed and I am very comfortable with it now. Going to the high school I have not been required to write in cursive at all, but I do still remember it. As I write in this artistic form, I feel my writing flows in a nice way. The letters flow into each other, making it so you don’t have to lift your hand up every letter. It is a faster way of writing for me, which with some practice is very easy to learn. I am one to believe the writing form should be used much more especially in high school.
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I do think that Cursive really is a dying out slowly. In third grade we learned how to write in cursive, but after that I never really had to use it, so therefore forgot how to write many of the letter. It’s not even part of the curriculum anymore so there is no use for it really. On the other hard, I do feel like that since most letters are combined, your brains thoughts do flow a lot easily. If we learned and used cursive a lot more than we do now, it would stick with us, and become a natutral thing for us to do. Cursive writing, is an art and should be restored. We’ve used it for years and years and should be kept that way.
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Some say that cursive is no longer needed, but I have to disagree. Throughout the years, cursive writing has slowly drifted out of existence. While many use it for checks and signatures, it often goes unused by many. I remember learning cursive in elementary school and wondering why I needed to learn it. To me it was just a fancy way of writing and there was no point to it. Others know it as much more. To some people, cursive is a way of writing that can help us better comprehend what we are reading, which some people might doubt but there is proof to back it up. Cursive is also a faster way of writing and causes increased brain activation, which makes sense because cursive is like an art and you need to make sure it looks right. Although writing in cursive seems like it takes forever to accomplish, what really is a long task is mastering cursive. Once you have mastered it, your pen can glide across the paper with ease. With all of these benefits that come along with cursive, it makes you wonder why it was ever stopped. Once I left elementary school, I expected my education in cursive to start back up, but it never did. It is said that cursive has slowly been traded out for writing in print and computer classes, which is true. Cursive is no longer a requirement in class and so no one chooses to use it. Even printing is slowly fading out, as schools begin to use computers more and more for writing essays and for taking notes. I believe that cursive should be included again in the curriculum, or else someday, people might not even know how to sign their name.
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After reading “Why We Shouldn’t Write Off Cursive”, I realized that many Americans believe that cursive writing shouldn’t be used anymore. Many schools have started to use the Common Core Standards for English in which cursive is omitted. Because of this many students aren’t taught how to write in cursive and instead they are taught how to use a keyboard in order to type fast. People believe that learning cursive is useless nowadays, since our world is now becoming more digitized. I agree that we as a whole, are using more digital sources than print, but I don’t think that we should get rid of cursive entirely. People should use it to appreciate the art of cursive and the ability of reading and writing in cursive also helps to exercise and expand the ability of the brain. People say that one day cursive will disappear for good, but if we don’t let this happen and we take action to start using cursive again, we can prevent this from happening.
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Although George and George present evidence to suggest that cursive is on its way out, I disagree. Cursive is a form of writing along with an art form. Cursive makes the written word pleasing to the eye and faster to construct and therefore should be a more prevelant subject taught in school. When I’m writing a long important essay I want to be sure the teacher can read what I write and I want to write it as quick as possible. These two reasons alone should be enough for cursive writing to be taught in schools and carried with students throughout their lives.
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In recent discussions of cursive writing, a controversial issue has been whether it is useful or not anymore in today’s society. Some argue that it is important and students should know how to write cursive like the back of their hand. In my opinion, I think everyone should know how to write in cursive. However, it is less important because of the ability to type on a computer. I believe that as long as the quality in a piece of writing is rich with detail, the way it looks does not matter as much. Although it is important to be neat, when spelling, grammar and organization is present in an essay it’s appearance should not matter. In comparison to the “They Say/ I Say” introduction it is important to use a template to expand in ideas with your writing. It is completely necessary to state your opinion and use arguments within paragraphs to make it interesting. The value of an individual’s writing is a a major principal compared to its image.
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They say cursive is outdated and I agree because I don’t even remember how to write half the alphabet in cursive anymore. My elementary school taught me cursive when I was in third grade, and even though I never use it, I don’t think it should be removed from the system. Cursive has been around for forever and I find the thought of getting rid of it just wrong. It’s a form of handwriting, and taking that away from someone or letting it go unknown is unethical.
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As someone who was taught how to write cursive in third grade, I believe it is an important skill everyone should know how to do. Cursive has been around since a quill pen was used for writing. At one time it was one of the most important and aggravating tasks the average nine-year-old had to learn in school. Nowadays, cursive is only used when having to sign a document formally, which personally I think is absolutely ridiculous. As an avid reader, a handwritten story, although hard to read at times, is more enjoyable to read in my eyes. It shows that the author cares and put time into the story/ piece of work. Reading a piece of work that just so happens to be written not only makes it easier to read, but becomes a more beautiful and enjoyable text to read. When enrolled in elementary school, we used to write stories in cursive and had work-books in which we would write completely in cursive. Although at the time, I thought it was a tedious task that I would never use, I realized that it is actually a very important skill to know, as I got older. Because I did think it was quite annoying once I began using it, I chose to not take it seriously and or use it for a period of time. I actually forgot how to write certain letters in cursive. Once beginning to use it again, I had to google how to write certain letters in cursive. It is now a skill that I use every day- in fact, my “printed” form of writing has become a sloppier version of cursive.
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I agree with the author of the article that cursive is an art. We should preserve this art and be able to use it sometime in life. People shouldn’t forget a skill that is so high and an art made by the stroke of our pen. I agree with the author that cursive is an important aspect of our art we create. It sort of even shows what kind of person you are. Now with modern day technology us people tend to forget the art of writing. But this art is the art that our mind makes as we put it to pen and paper. “Those who forget the past condemned to repeat it”. Don’t forget the art that our nation was founded upon.
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In the article, a controversial issue has been whether cursive is important or not? On one hand, some say that its archaic, no longer relevant, not practical and that it’s ok if typing classes, in school, substitute for cursive writing or handwriting in general sometime in the future. On the other hand however others argue that it’s not about “rejecting technology or preserving history” they say cursive writing is best for teaching and use facts to back it up. George and George present the arguments but say that these arguments can go on forever without answering the main question “does cursive really matter?” In their view handwriting is “expression of thought” To support this view the George’s end the article with their favorite story of Abraham LIncoln. When the Emancipation of Proclamation had to be signed Lincoln’s hand was shaking. He did not sign anything until he could firmly hold a pen in his hand. Lincoln’s reason was that the way he wrote would reflect his character later on. What he left behind even in his writing, concluded the Georges mattered. They sum up to say whatever we leave in history is up to us.
My own view is that schools should not abandon teaching cursive. Though I agree that typing is crucial to know in the world we live in today, I still argue that knowing how to write cursive brings many benefits, many of which are talked about in the article. Although some may object and say that there are just as many arguments about why it’s ok not to practice cursive, and that use print or typing instead, I would reply with a question “Why not practice every way of writing?” Cursive, print, and typing all have advantages. (No side presented any negatives about being able to write in cursive.) To stop teaching cursive would deprive the following generations of this skill and all its benefits. This issue is important because we are the ones deciding whether to erase this knowledge or pass it on to the following generations.
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I think that cursive writing should be valued, because it both keeps the tradition alive as well as it practically becoming an art at this point.
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George makes a good point about how cursive could possibly disappear, and I agree. Throughout my years of high school, I haven’t had to use cursive once. Now during my junior year, I was told that we will begin to use cursive writing throughout the year. This makes me exited, because I will finally get to work on my cursive and make it look better, but that’s besides the point. In bedded in the document that George wrote, he had talked about how the English curriculum is now introducing cursive writing, which is great. Now I hope that cursive will stick around for a while, but you never know. Technology introduced all sorts of different fonts and most of those include cursive. Slowly, we are now depending on technology to write all of our documents and we don’t have to spend the time to hand write papers as much anymore, which is don’t get me wrong, a great thing, but we will slowly lose that ability to write cursive and that will become a thing of the past.
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George and George claim that knowing how to write in cursive is a great skill to have, and i have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, i agree that cursive is important when writing by hand. On the other hand we barely make hand written work anymore. Now we usually just type up essay’s or other works on the computer and then print it. So there is really no use for cursive unless you are a daily hand writer. If we weren’t so based on computers i would say that cursive is a great skill to have. Cursive does look like art. Cursive on paper looks beautiful, but if we won’t wright by hand anymore, then there is no point in knowing it.
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In recent discussions of handwriting, a deep controversy has been uncovered over whether or not cursive writing has a place in today’s society. While some argue that cursive has become more of a lost art in our digital age, what with the use of keyboards and reading of typed print more common activities, a popular assumption is that cursive will stifle the efficient transformation of thoughts into written words. Proponents of cursive on the other hand claim that the exact opposite occurs. They see cursive as a means for more fluid, developed thoughts and actions. Teaching children to read and write in a way that can also double as art is an excellent means of nurturing the mind and creating better and more abstract thinkers. It is my personal opinion that the proponents of cursive have a more developed and opinionated argument. While those against cursive seem too hold their views just because of their own dislike of having to read and write in an at-first foreign manner, those who argue for it realize the hidden benefits of putting in a little extra effort.
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Many people believe that cursive writing is no longer important. I believe that it is still a skill that people should learn. Cursive is a very beautiful form of writing and should be practiced more throughout school. Most students are in my shoes and haven’t really used cursive writing since the third grade and my (along with other students) cursive writing is not very “neat” and as beautiful as it should be. Cursive writing allows our thoughts to flow a lot easier. It has been around for a very long time and i do not think that we should get rid of it, we just need more practice with it. In today’s world most students only know how to write their signature in cursive and most of the letters that are not in the person’s name have been forgotten.
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The authors George and George discuss a controversial issue on cursive writing. They explain how cursive writing is being replaced with computer classes in the education system. He insists cursive handwriting is an art in the English language and should be a class requirement. “On one hand, I agree that” he is right. Cursive writing is becoming extinct because I myself remember only in 3rd grade being taught cursive writing. From my perspective, the older I got I seemed to forget on how to write long sentences in cursive due to learning it at young age to then not be thought about it ever again. “Although some might object” including students and adults that cursive writing is not important or shouldn’t be apart of the education system. “My own view is that” it should be introduced to us in high school because it makes an individual’s appearance look intelligent. It is also a dominant technique for students to read and write in cursive. “For example” George and George mention how Abraham Lincoln himself had waited till his hand was at ease to sign the Emancipation proclamation due to the fact he had shaken over thousands of hands that same day. The action he chose was to show a statement that he did not want to leave a mark in history of the president designing a poor signature but the form of an art. Shouldn’t everyone partake in that same mark too?
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I agree that cursive is a dying art, but it still important to know. Countless famous written documents are written in cursive, and the future generations should not only be able to write it, but be able to read it.If they can’t write cursive, then how will they be able to read it? On the other hand, I also agree that cursive should be taught in art classes instead of an English class. Since cursive truly is an art, and since it clearly is dying down, it should still be taught but not forced to be used; they can learn it and use it at their own leisure, whether it’s in school, on an exam, on important paperwork, or even a love letter. Cursive has an elegant and sophisticated quality to it that should not be lost, but should also be a choice to use.
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In recent discussions of cursive and print, or keyboards and hand-writing, a controversial issue has been whether what kind of mark we want to leave when others see our writing. An example of this would be Abraham Lincoln when he was about to sign the Emancipation Proclamation because since his hand had been shaky, he did not want to sign the Emancipation Proclamation for the simple fact that he didn’t want to leave that kind of mark for everyone to look at. Therefore, Abraham waited until his hand was no longer shaky and continued forward to signing it. On the one hand, many say that cursive is not relevant to our use anymore and should only be used for things such as signatures. On the other hand, however, others argue that cursive is still relevant to our education experiences and appears to make us seem more intelligent and neat. In the words of George, one of this view main proponents, “They believe instructional time is better devoted to other classroom subjects that are included on standardized tests, and cursive is not necessary for academic achievement” (Why we shouldn’t write off cursive, 5). According to his view, writing cursive is not that important unless writing on assignments such as standardized tests. In sum, then, the issue is whether cursive writing is still useful or if print is now more relevant because that’s what they are used to. My own view is that it should be up to they to choose whether or not they want to write cursive or print. Though I concede that cursive is a beautiful form of art, I still maintain that print is just about the same thing except it’s not cursive. For example, someone who writes in print could be just as intelligent and neat as someone who appears to write in cursive. Although some might object that writing in print seems less academic, I would reply that I don’t agree with their opinion. The issue is important because if cursive is now becoming more and more popular in English classes all over the country, we should be getting more practice on how to do so because I only remember learning to do so in elementary school only and I’m not accustomed to writing in cursive anymore.
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In recent discussions of the use of cursive, a controversy over the importance of it in today’s society has been sparked. On the one hand, they say that it needs to be taught so that people’s writings leave a good, lasting impression. From this perspective, it is believed that teaching cursive would result in faster and more meaningful writings. On the other hand, today’s society is growing more and more technologically oriented, thus the need to spend time teaching kids cursive is less valued and is “aggressively being replaced by computer classes.” Although print is becoming increasingly more valued than cursive, cursive still plays an integral role in our society. It is needed for secure signatures on very important documents and that can simply not be replaced by print or typed text. I believe that cursive should be taught, but not the extent that it used to be, just so people can proficiently sign their signature, and write in it if the need arises.
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Many Americans, such as the common core- a standard in which 45 of our 50 states have adopted- assume that cursive is not necessary to be taught. They feel that it is time consuming, and essentially a thing of the past. Now that computers are everyday things and people are constantly finding more efficient ways to write, it’s simply seemed as absurd to use such a time consuming method. On the one hand, these notions create a valid point. On the other hand, however, these assumptions could be questioned. George and George, the authors of The Stroke of his Pen, both agree that cursive is indeed important. There is actual statistics regarding MRI’s that conclude that cursive writing does certainly “increase brain activation, higher academic performance and even greater coherence and reading comprehension”.Yet, some still argue that it is redundant to be taught and utilized. I still maintain that learning cursive writing is crucial and should be deemed mandatory, especially for younger students still developing their brains. Whether the student chooses to continue to utilize what they learn, at least they will be given the opportunity to better enhance their knowledge as well as their first impressions, a life skill that writing in script can benefit.
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