Does your child's school teach cursive?

[nephthys43]

I write everything in cursive. Some of my students complained that they couldn't read it at the beginning of the year, but now they have no problem. I encourage it in their work too. If they give me an assignment written in cursive, I will praise their attempt and give them a couple of pointers if they need it. I think cursive writing is beautiful and so much faster than printing.

 

[Cindy B]

As a teacher, I will say that it varies between districts. During my 3rd grade student teaching, the teacher did not devote class time to it, but it was part of a morning routine. The students had a handwriting book and it was more of a trace it and do it yourself type thing. I would just check for completion and would change a few things if it was completely off.

My home district had specific class time devoted to it. As a left handed teacher, I will say teaching cursive on a smartboard, white board or board stinks. I would always find the kid with the best handwriting (right handed) and I would have them as my helper. I would attempt it- and it would be bad- and then the student would correct/critique/redo.

Now I teach 6th -8th grade English. 90 percent of the kids tend to print. I am shocked at how many students do not know how to read cursive. My 8th graders are going to high school and can't read cursive!

 

[Poohforyou]

My dd is in 8th grade & was taught cursive is 2nd grade. Teachers will still have kids do assignments a few times a year using cursive usually in social studies or language arts.

 

[shoney]

I have 2 boys, one in 8th grade and one in 6th grade, and neither can write in cursive. They both have difficulty reading it as well. When I leave them a note, I print...which is strange to me!!!

My oldest was taught to print in the DeNealian style starting in Kingergarten. That is how he still does it.

When my boys were in 4th and 6th, changes were made. Since the older one was in middle school, it didn't pertain to him.

The younger one had to relearn how to print in 4th grade back to the traditional style.

In 5th grade, they did a few handwriting lessons in cursive. They were never expected to use and it was never backed up, so he forgot!

The teacher explained that the district has went back to teaching the children cursive writing. So, the younger kids in the district will learn once again.

If the older grades don't reinforce it and expect kids to write that way, they too will not really learn it, IMO.

I guess it is just a change in the times. I just find it hard to believe that they will once enter the workforce and not be able to read a memo from an "old dinosaur" that still uses cursive.

I have taught them to sign their name, at least!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Does your child's school teach cursive? Do you think it is necessary to learn? If your child's school is not teaching it, are you going to take it upon yourself to teach your child?

My cousins are 2 years apart and both attend the same school. The younger one learned cursive last year (in 2nd grade) while the older one never did because it was left up to the teacher to decide if they wanted to teach it (district's decision). He is now in 5th grade and that teacher wants her students to write in cursive, however bc his previous teachers never taught it, he and another boy are starting to learn it now.

My daughter saw my other cousin writing in cursive (she is in 2nd grade now) and wanted to learn it so they were writing their letter and she figured out how to write her name, not they best, but its legable. She was writing it that way on the top of her papers at school and the teacher wrote "Print Please" at the top. My daughter said the teacher said they will learn it next year. I kind of felt like maybe it discouraged her a bit though, as she was excited that she knew how to write her name in cursive. And I am hoping it is taught next year because, while I understand that we are moving into a technological world, how are you going to be able to sign for a package, your drivers license, checks, etc?

Yes our schools do and I think it's totally ridiculous that a lot of districts do not teach it.
I'm an RN. Not all our charting is computer. We still have to handwrite a lot of things.

My DD is in 3rd grade. She started learning cursive last year. This year one of her classes is called handwriting. Separate subject separate grade dedicated to cursive.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Not anymore. I think I read that our district was no longer going to be teaching it.

Learning cursive is going to be like calligraphy. Which I can both.

I was in Catholic school and we had to learn calligraphy, which comes easy to me.

 

[luvmy3]

Our elementary school teaches cursive in 3rd grade. When my older kids were in 4th, all their writing was done in cursive. Now my youngest is in 4th and he doesn't write cursive at all. I don't know if that is up to the individual teacher (my older 2 had the same one).

 

[MIGrandma]

Our older grandchildren learned how to write in cursive, but the younger ones are not being taught. Our two step-granddaughters are 10 and 14 and they don't know how to write that way. They were taught to sign their names, but that's it. All of their work is done on computer (class work and homework as each child is assigned a laptop at the beginning of the year). Writing in cursive is a dying art, which I think is kind of sad.

 

[Bonnie151]

Nope, no cursive. No Roman numerals either which I find horrifying (though I seem to be the only one to think cursive writing and Roman numerals should still be part of the curriculum!)

 

[dsneprincess]

Nope, no cursive. No Roman numerals either which I find horrifying (though I seem to be the only one to think cursive writing and Roman numerals should still be part of the curriculum!)

Wow! I never even noticed the missing Roman numerals! Something else to add to DS after-school school lessons. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[indimom]

My children are in 7th and 9th grade. They both "learned" cursive in 2nd grade. But, none of the other grades required it, so they only remember the more common letters and have forgotten the more unusual letters like Capitol Q. I do think it's a shame that our children's children may not be able to read the original Declaration of Independence, etc. I guess its the way of the world, but it just seems sad to me.

 

[HM]

North Carolina Board of Education just decided to take Cursive out of the curriculum (as of next year?).

Right now I think they teach it in 3rd grade (could be 2nd). But they don't spend much time on it. The only thing it seems any good for is for the child to learn to sign their name (which they'll have to do a lot in the future).

You know, it didnt' occur to me that if you don't learn to write it you might not learn to read it either. Anyone that needs to do research using documents from the past, will have a very hard time of it.

 

[Mkrop]

Both of my sons were taught cursive in 2nd grade. My oldest is now in 6th grade and has to do his weekly spelling tests in cursive and in pen. I think that is a little much. He has not had to keep up on the cursive every year though so he is still not great at it.

My youngest is in 3rd and usually has to do his spelling words in cursive for homework each week.

Cursive is taught in 3rd grade here. They write in cursive from then on 3-8. And they write in pen exclusively, except for Math, from 4-8, for every other subject,

 

[torinsmom]

Everyone says it's sad it's going away, but why not take the time to teach your child cursive yourself if you feel that way? I posted a link earlier to cursive worksheets. It takes 5 minutes per day to teach them. I think kids should learn as soon as they are reading and writing print well.

I have parents who think I should teach their child to tie their shoes. Well, back in the days where kindergarten was learning to get along, playing with blocks and learning colors and shapes, I probably could have done that. Teachers are being asked to teach more with larger class sizes and less resources. Unfortunately, something has to give.

 

[mjkacmom]

Ours does, for a couple of years, 2nd and 3rd, I believe. However, I took ds14 to a doctors appointment, and there was a space for him to sign his name, and OMG - took him a whole minute! So, even if your kids don't write in cursive (called script now), teach them to sign their names!

 

[PollyannaMom]

My district teaches it in 3rd grade. 4th grade requires it, and the 5th grade teachers can choose. (Some ask for it only in certain subjects.) DS's 5th grade teacher did not require it, and he had trouble reading the directions on the board at the beginning of 6th, but he picked it back up with some practice.

I do think it's worth teaching - for reading old documents, signing one's name, writing out the amount on a check, etc. I also understand how it has been squashed out in some places because of testing mania, and see that as yet another reason to back off on the current trends.

P.S. - Thanks for the reminder about Roman numerals. I think over next week's break, I'll check and see whether DS knows those!

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I always have to remember to PRINT anything I write to DGS9 because otherwise he can't read it.

 

[luvmy3]

My district teaches it in 3rd grade. 4th grade requires it, and the 5th grade teachers can choose. (Some ask for it only in certain subjects.) DS's 5th grade teacher did not require it, and he had trouble reading the directions on the board at the beginning of 6th, but he picked it back up with some practice.

I do think it's worth teaching - for reading old documents, signing one's name, writing out the amount on a check, etc. I also understand how it has been squashed out in some places because of testing mania, and see that as yet another reason to back off on the current trends.

P.S. - Thanks for the reminder about Roman numerals. I think over next week's break, I'll check and see whether DS knows those!

My dses know Roman numerals because of the Star Wars movies

 

[Minnesota!]

Yes, the kids still learn it at my kids school. My 3rd grader is deep in the throes of upper case cursive hell, ha ha!

 

[Minnesota!]

Cursive is taught in 3rd grade here. They write in cursive from then on 3-8. And they write in pen exclusively, except for Math, from 4-8, for every other subject,

This is exactly how it is at my kids school, too.