NEWSDEPTH QUESTION OF THE WEEK: In this week's poll, we ask: Should learning cursive writing be required? After you've voted, write to us! Tell us how you voted and why!
Amaya, Munroe Elementary: I think that schools should teach cursive, because when you grow up it might be useful. Say like if you’re applying for a job you might need to sign your name in cursive. And you might pick up a book that has cursive writing and you won’t know how to read it. It’s like when you were in kindergarten picking up your first book and you have no clue what it says.
Gus, Winesburg Elementary: I think you should not be required to teach cursive. I think that teaching cursive should be optional; this way teachers can have more time to prepare for state tests. If teachers are required to teach kids cursive one, these kids can't learn other more important skills for testing. These kids have more homework due to less class-time to get work done. Finally, the teachers have more work to do due to the grading of extra papers and the teaching of the subject. But, if teachers want to, I don't see why we are stopping them.
Hailee, Minster Elementary: I think that it should be mandatory for schools to teach cursive. I think this because when we are parents we will need to sign papers, checks, and other objects. Also, when we learned cursive I thought it was fun and challenging. Finally, if I was a teacher I would definitely teach cursive. So if you're a teacher please teach cursive.
Jay, Lakeview Middle School: I think cursive shouldn't be taught in school. I think this because it's just another way of writing that's just harder to read. I also think this because it's just another fancy looking writing, and I think that we should write how we write we don't have to make our writing fancy. We should write the way we want to write.
Mrs. Hitchcock's 3rd Grade Class, Rock Creek Elementary: 18 out of 21 people in our third grade classroom voted for cursive to be brought back into the curriculum! Two of those votes came from the principal and the teacher. How else do we sign our names if we don't know how to write in cursive? We are practicing the capital P right now!
Jesse, Falls-Lenox Primary: I think that cursive should be taught, even though I don't like it, because everyone in my family knows cursive and is good at it and it would not be fair if I didn't learn it and they did. Also I want them to keep cursive going because my family writes there holiday cards in cursive and that way I would be able to read them.
Devin, Ayer Elementary: I think that schools should be required to teach kids how to write their name but nothing else. The world is turning to a technology-oriented culture the older we get the less and less we will be writing words on paper. The information that we will need to write on paper is our signatures, these need to be written on contracts and other forms. I do believe that while it should not be required to teach cursive that should be and optional class. For older kids, some jobs are more tech-savvy than others.
Mrs. Chenoweth’s Fifth Grade Class, Citizens Academy: Our class has decided that cursive should still be taught in the classroom. We feel that it’s important that kids today learn how to write and read cursive writing. There are still documents written in cursive, and people often need to sign important documents. This is why we feel cursive needs to be taught in the classroom. So even if it’s not every day or even weekly—certainly finding some time in the school year to teach cursive is necessary.
Mrs. Rizkallah's Class, Woodland Elementary: Our class voted that cursive should be required. Kids need to learn cursive because our national documents are written in cursive and you should be able to read those! Also, you need to be able to sign your name on lots of paperwork when you are an adult including being able to write valid checks! If you learn to write in cursive, you're also learning to read cursive, and you need both of those skills. Plus, it is a beautiful remnant of the past and an art that should be taught. It might even make your handwriting neater!