Friends, Keep Your Cursive!

Keep your cursive. Friends, we know school curriculums in grades K-12 come and go to keep up with the passing of time. For example, during the early 1900s, the embroidery was taught only to young girls and laying sticks to young boys. However, cursive writing was taught to all.

And it was taught until 2010 when the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSS) and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices made a very BIG decision to remove the teaching of cursive writing in our public schools. Huh?

That’s right, this cursive writing that existed since ancient Egyptian times, (between the 1st and 3rd century B.C.E.) was sent out to the pasture to roam aimlessly[1].

Before we press on, please note that because independent and parochial schools have autonomy from the CCSS, they continued to teach their students cursive writing.

You may ask, why did these beautiful letters that connect with one another like close families and friends get the short end of the stick? According to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS): 1) The digital age showed up and brought with its keyboards, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even emojis to replace handwriting. 2) It is outdated. Re-read the first reason. 3) Finally, it allows teachers to dedicate time spent time teaching children what they need to learn to pass the State’s Standardized Test.

So, why is it a big deal that these cursive letters were left to roam around in the field? Well, for a few individuals it was a big deal. Through Sweat, Tears, and Persistence, their objective was to bring these cursive letters back into the classroom.

Again, what’s the big deal? Well, the BIG deal was families, guardians, and experts in the field of education found that cursive writing is VERY beneficial for many reasons: A) It improves children’s brain development, B) it Positive impacts on memory, C) Cursive signatures are artistic and highly personal, D) Improves fine motor controls in their hands and wrist, E) Allows one to read the Declaration of Independence and other past handwritten cursive literature and documents, and your own notes[2].

Wait, here are a few more: cursive writing may be an effective tool against dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other conditions associated with motor-control difficulties in forming letters[3].

And, if you need one more reason – a personal benefit. Cursive writing is like families and friends coming together – connected and united in one fluid sweep of the pen.

What now? The good news is that because omitting the teaching of cursive writing was not favored in the public’s eyes, 21 states reinstated teaching cursive in their common core curriculum.

So, friends, do continue writing those elegant cursive letters, like families and friends uniting.

I hope you enjoyed reading and we invite you to visit us at https://www.barbaragracellc.com for your next writing journal.

Warmly, Grace

[1] https://www.givemehistory.com/why-was-cursive-writing-invented,Published: January 22, 2023 - Last updated: January 25, 2023. Author The Editors of Give Me History [2]https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/cursive-writing-american-schools-where-dying-art-still-taught-why-mattersy Nicole Pelletiere, Cortney Moore | Fox News Published October 4, 2022, 11:59 am EDT [3] http://www.cursivelogic.com/why-cursive/