Do you still write in cursive?

[Soapy Smith]

I don't have kids but my understanding is they no longer teach cursive writing in grade school. Admittedly, I tend to print more often than I hand-write.

I have an "old school" doctor...he's in his late 60's and has many of the older habits (including making his patients wait for 2 hours when you have a scheduled appointment but that's a different story). A few weeks ago, he wrote a prescription (in cursive) that I had to get filled. I stopped at Walgreen's and the pharmacist (early 20's) said she couldn't read his writing so she had to wait until the next day to call him to verify the prescription. I thought she was nuts - I read out the prescription to her and she said she didn't feel comfortable with that. I took my prescription and drove down the street to the next pharmacy....an older pharmacist. She read the prescription and said no problem, it would be about 15 minutes.

It's had me wondering...has cursive handwriting gone the way of calligraphy? Is it reserved for more personal notes and cards to friends (that their kids might not be able to read)?

 

[shavetech]

My ten year old mentions cursive a lot, recently when sending out a Xmas card, he asked me if he should write in cursive.

 

[ouch]

I speak in cursive.

 

[dsonyay]

Well, I'm 52 and still write cursive. My kids are 23 and 20. Both were taught cursive in school but they tend to print everything.

It seems to be a skill losing its importance. But like DE shaving, it too may make a comeback in a few decades.

 

[Shiloh]

I have spent so much time over the years keyboarding (computers, not musical...) that my (already not the most legible) cursive writing has deteriorated to the point where I can't read it! Maybe I need to find an old pharmacist...

 

[smalldog27]

My 11 year old daughter was not even introduced to cursive in school. At her age all of my schoolwork had to be turned in using cursive. We have been teaching it to her ourselves, my wife and I feel it is an important thing to know and use.

 

[Bob L.]

Remember the "paperless office"? The concept came about in the mid-70s as person computer usage started really taking off. Since then, we've used more paper with every subsequent year. "Paperless" along with dropping cursive writing has become part of the education process too.

School systems latched onto the idea that with personal computers, the internet, smartphones, personal data devices, laptops, yada yada, our children will no longer need to write words on paper. Dumping cursive writing from the curriculum would open time up for more important skills, knowledge, practice, etc... This concept came after schools stopped emphasizing the writing of multipage essays during the middle and high school years. (late seventies through the early two thousands).

Common core is putting an emphasis back on writing complex passages using multiple paragraphs, solid grammar, rich vocabulary, well thought out organization, along with the use of combining multiple informational sources and types for these essays. This is all to the good. We are putting rigor back into the US education system.

It is easier to read and correct typewritten work. It is easier to check essays for plagiarism. As a middle school teacher and a former electronics industry (word processing, electronic publishing, database mining, search and retrieval guru) I am happy to say I've become a card carrying Luddite. I teach cursive writing in my classes and award extra points to the students who use it for note taking, tests, essays, etc... All my tests include a tough essay that requires the use of all the materials used/taught within the class. I also grade classroom notes, student notebooks, and the student agenda entries associated with my courses.

The kids are doing well. Every once in a while a kid realizes that cursive writing / sans electronic writing requires them to think a bit before putting writing stick to paper. It takes longer to grade their work but the results are worth it!

 

[nemo]

I speak in cursive.

Aw, shucks.





And yes, I do write in cursive.

 

[TexLaw]

I am in my early 40s and write in cursive quite often. My middle school sons also do, but not always (and it was not stressed in school for them as it was for me). I do know that many curricula have dropped it altogether.


TL

 

[Slivovitz]

I speak in cursive.

I'm 57 years old. I do write in cursive most of the time if I'm not typing. When writing a letter, I do slow down and make an effort to write my most legible hand. A lot of people today might have trouble picking up my journal and reading it, not that that's a bad thing. Although in my opinion, someone of my generation or before would have no trouble with it.

I was shocked to find that my 21 year old goddaughter, a straight A English major now a senior in college, was never taught cursive, and hasn't picked it up on her own.

If I'm trying to communicate something to somebody, and it's to my advantage to be sure they understand, I will print if I'm not sure about their cursive reading skills. If I'm filling out a form that says "please print", then I'll print.

 

[Bob L.]

I sent some notes home with students and a few parents complained they couldn't read my "foreign language". Those students had to read the notes to their parents. Success! But, it is a sad success.

 

[mcjohns3]

I'm 25 and have not used cursive since I learned it in 3rd grade. I know I only see it when my grandmother sends notes, but I can still read them.

Maybe my iPhone will get a cursive keyboard option soon

 

[Soapy Smith]

Interesting...it must depend on the school system. I'm in my mid-40's. I remember spending much of 1st grade learning how to print correctly and much of 2nd or 3rd grade learning cursive writing.

 

[eastomjac]

i still use it,and practice it and caligraphy on a regular basis.i think we should have a cursive font as a choice on the computer.

 

[ouch]

If I'm trying to communicate something to somebody, and it's to my advantage to be sure they understand, I will print if I'm not sure about their cursive reading skills. If I'm filling out a form that says "please print", then I'll print.

Whenever I fill out forms, I usually write things just to see if they're actually paying attention. Whenever I'm at the doctor's office, where I seem to be required to fill out forms ad infinitum, I always fill out the box marked "sex" with the letter "Y". On the rare occasion I'm questioned about it, I simply say "I thought it was a yes or no question." For "who should we contact in case of emergency?", I always put "911".

 

[i.am.zed]

My kids are 17, 14 and 10 and all have gone through the same schools. My oldest was taught cursive in elementary school. The powers that be in our school district decided that is should be dropped shortly there after and my middle child did not learn it. They then reversed their decision after a few years and now my youngest did learn it. It's a token effort at best though, even when the oldest went through it. The schools do not require students write their other work in cursive and lo and behold, they do not form a habit of writing in cursive. Once they are through the time frame it is taught, that's it. My oldest can barely write cursive now. I have to force him to sign his name in cursive. We've taught the middle child to write a little cursive ourselves. It's just yet another sad statement of what a mess the upheaval in the federal and state curriculum mandates have left us with. It's a sorry state of affairs indeed.....

I personally mix and match. If it's something that needs to be read by others, I tend to print as it's more legible. My personal notes and such are in cursive. Frankly, both types have deteriorated in legibility over time as I just don't write that much anymore....I type.

 

[Rockminer]

I usually write cursive with my pen pals, and on rare occasions I use it in public.

Let's face it, it won't be very long before writing in any form will go the way of the Dodo. Technology is almost to the point where speaking will be the only thing required, although I will try to buck the system for as long as I can

 

[abragus]

I also mix and match depending on who's reading it. Even when I'm writing my own notes I'll mix between cursive and block letters.

 

[Doc4]

I speak in cursive.

No, you speak in Joisey. That's why the "F" key always breaks first on your keyboard.

 

[Screech8710]

I'm 27, learned cursive in elementary school, but rarely used it past elementary until recently.

In normal, day-to-day writing for school and work I mostly write in print. I will write in my journal in cursive or use cursive to write reminders to myself, but that's about it.

At least I don't write in all capital letters anymore...