Every morning, I bring out those familiar dotted handwriting sheets for my three sons. They groan and complain, sometimes needing a moment for their ADHD medication to take effect before we can even begin. “I despise learning cursive,” my nine-year-old Leo tells me—over and over again.
“You have to,” I respond, adopting my best stern parent voice. “A lot of high school students can’t even read cursive.”
There’s plenty of debate around this topic, yet we push through. Historical documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta are written in cursive. I refuse to let my children grow up unable to read such significant texts. Ignorance of cursive is not something I’m willing to accept.
My kids aren’t the only ones facing this challenge. Jamie Thompson, a third-grade teacher in Manhattan, shared with The New York Times that teaching cursive seems nostalgic, almost like a throwback to a different generation. “As a millennial teacher, I feel it’s a Boomer initiative,” she explained. “We should focus on typing skills, anti-racist teachings, activism, and digital literacy instead.”
Fortunately, we homeschool, allowing me the flexibility to incorporate cursive into our daily routine. And I won’t be labeled as out of touch. Everyone needs a signature, and cursive is all around us—from street signs to various fonts. It’s essential for kids to understand cursive to navigate the world as literate adults. Plus, cursive is generally quicker to write.
So, yes, my kids are learning cursive, regardless of what Ms. Thompson thinks.
Committing Time to Cursive Learning
Ms. Thompson is right about one thing: mastering cursive takes time. We dedicate about twenty minutes each day to handwriting practice. I often invest an additional twenty minutes crafting their worksheets, which began with single letters and have evolved into quotes and poems.
Though I could use a textbook, I usually don’t bother.
Do I need to guide them through the process? Absolutely. Cursive is tricky. It involves reminders like “stay on the baseline” or “don’t lift your pencil.” It can be challenging even for teachers managing a classroom of thirty students. My middle son struggled immensely at first; I had to coach him through every letter. He’s nine and still finds it difficult, but he struggles with printing too.
I refuse to give up.
The Importance of Teaching Cursive
My oldest son, however, completes his handwriting sheets with relative ease. His cursive is quite impressive, especially considering he has dysgraphia, which affects his letter formation and spelling. His printing resembles that of a kindergartner, but learning cursive has given him pride and a means to express himself.
My other two sons need cursive to function in the adult world. When I design T-shirts, I often choose cursive fonts. While walking down the street, I encounter cursive signs. And when I read the Declaration of Independence, I’m faced with cursive text—Thomas Jefferson didn’t print everything in neat capitals for convenience.
Cursive is part of being literate in English. We should be able to read this script.
Imagine a future where people struggle to decipher the Declaration of Independence. It’s a beautiful document, yet they can’t read “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” We can debate Jefferson’s intentions, but that phrase stands as a glorious part of our history.
My kids can complain all they want about cursive. Just a few months ago, my youngest couldn’t form a cursive “A.” Now, he’s written “Ariel’s Song” from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It wasn’t perfect, and I had to assist him, but he did it. They all have legal signatures now.
One day, they might grumble about me teaching them cursive when they hardly use it except to sign documents. But at least they’ll be able to read it.
For more insights on parenting and education, check out one of our other blog posts here. Additionally, for authoritative information on this topic, you can refer to this resource. And for those interested in pregnancy and home insemination, this is an excellent resource.
Potential Search Queries:
- Benefits of teaching cursive to children
- Cursive handwriting resources for homeschooling
- How to teach cursive effectively
- The importance of cursive in modern education
- Tips for teaching kids handwriting
Summary:
Teaching cursive to children may seem outdated, but it remains an essential skill. Despite resistance, the author emphasizes its value for literacy, self-expression, and understanding historical documents. While it may require time and patience, the benefits of learning cursive extend beyond mere handwriting, fostering pride and competence in children.