3 ms·

I live in Ontario. Many years ago, my boss did the "Bring your kids to work" thing, and his son took to hanging around my area. He was 12, and nearing lunch it

by ksaj 3y ago

I live in Ontario. Many years ago, my boss did the "Bring your kids to work" thing, and his son took to hanging around my area. He was 12, and nearing lunch it became obvious that he could not read the analog clock. I asked him straight up, and he told me "They don't teach how to read that kind of clock anymore." I was shocked, because other than that, he was really intelligent and inquisitive. How could he have such an opt-in handicap? I feel the same about not teaching cursive writing. Yes we may be more digital than before, but basic communication skills still reign supreme. Don't forget, they still teach how to read Roman Numerals, and how to do math without Google!

082349872349872 3y ago
I got straight D's in cursive back in the 20th century, and have never used it outside of school. Unlike analogue clocks, which are still in ubiquitous service, or memorised times tables, which I use weekly, cursive isn't exactly a "basic communication skill". "We have to embrace some of those time-tested strategies that have worked for generations" says to me "we don't know how to teach something that'll actually be useful, so —like the drunk looking for lost keys under the lamppost— instead we'll teach something we do have pedagogy for; utility be damned".
- ksaj 3y ago
  How do you sign things? Printing? Most signatures are in cursive, so I wonder how someone signs things without having learned it, or how they know what other people's signatures even say. Many wedding invitations use cursive writing that is hard enough for cursive readers to read. And then there are birthday cakes that are often written in cursive. Lots of store signs have the word 'free' or "Today only!" (or whatever) in cursive. Chances are your graduation certificate has lots of cursive writing on it. How about all those cards that say Congratulations! in cursive? Look at how many brand logos are in cursive. Kleenex, Ford, Cadbury's, Barbie, Fender, Kelloggs, Coca Cola, Instagram, Vimeo... Understanding cursive is a basic skill because it shows up in so many basic places.

by ksaj 3y ago

082349872349872 3y ago

I got straight D's in cursive back in the 20th century, and have never used it outside of school. Unlike analogue clocks, which are still in ubiquitous service, or memorised times tables, which I use weekly, cursive isn't exactly a "basic communication skill". "We have to embrace some of those time-tested strategies that have worked for generations" says to me "we don't know how to teach something that'll actually be useful, so —like the drunk looking for lost keys under the lamppost— instead we'll teach something we do have pedagogy for; utility be damned".

ksaj 3y ago
How do you sign things? Printing? Most signatures are in cursive, so I wonder how someone signs things without having learned it, or how they know what other people's signatures even say. Many wedding invitations use cursive writing that is hard enough for cursive readers to read. And then there are birthday cakes that are often written in cursive. Lots of store signs have the word 'free' or "Today only!" (or whatever) in cursive. Chances are your graduation certificate has lots of cursive writing on it. How about all those cards that say Congratulations! in cursive? Look at how many brand logos are in cursive. Kleenex, Ford, Cadbury's, Barbie, Fender, Kelloggs, Coca Cola, Instagram, Vimeo... Understanding cursive is a basic skill because it shows up in so many basic places.