Article: From punishing to pleasurable, how cursive writing is looping back ...

[catbert]

From punishing to pleasurable, how cursive writing is looping back into our hearts

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/from-punishing-to-pleasurable-how-cursive-writing-is-looping-back-into-our-hearts/2018/08/31/aa180b9c-aa06-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html?utm_term=.9e9bbc1373fb

[azkid]

Cool article! It makes me happy to see this.
My daughter got some cursive instruction last year. Sort of beyond the curriculum. She has a ways to go however. I may need to guide that along now that I think about it.

I disagree that it is all about following someone's rules but then I didn't get rapped on the knuckles by angry -- as my friend calls them -- penguins. The rules didn't exist for their own sake but to produce efficient, legible writing. Can't do that with people making up their own crap. They can (and did) develop their style after the drills.

I was always so envious of my mom's graceful, elegant handwriting, developed over many hours of practice in 1930's and 40's schoolrooms.

Writing is one of the very greatest advancements in the history of humanity. You can write with a stick and sand, charcoal and rock, and many other eternally available combinations. How sad if our species depended on exotic technologies to capture thoughts and ideas and information.

My wife just went to the doctor for an RX refill and the computers crashed. The physician was at a loss and failed to correctly capture and remember what scrip to fill and where to send it. Hello. Write it down!

And writing notes is better for retention anyway.

I may not be a Luddite but more of a believer that some old technologies will have their place for centuries to come.

[Rapidray]

I was going to reply and found that my comments would have hi-jacked this thread. So...its great to see some teachers going above and beyond. Doing what is right!.

[calamus]

My son is learning cursive, and is very excited by it. He has Down Syndrome and fine motor challenges, so it's quite an accomplishment for him.

[An old bloke]

I gave each of my two grandsons (15 and 8 YO) an inexpensive cartridge fountain pen (Manuscript brand) and a variety of cartridges (different colours) yesterday. I had to show them how to put the cartridges in, and give them the basics of the care and feeding of pens, nibbed. I explained that such pens, and the inks they use, allow an almost infinite colour palette for writing and art. I also explained that different nibs allowed the user different line widths as well. I showed them some pen and ink artwork we have in the house, and introduced them to calligraphy via the Internet. Both boys have artistic interests and some talent, their father - my youngest son - is a successful graphic artist, so introducing them to the world of nibs, ink and letters as art gave them something that I hope they will explore and experience.


The point of my comment is that cursive is not only a highly practical skill and a tool, it is also, or can be at least, an art form.