Cursive

[haele]

88. Teach it as part of art in grades 1 - 3.

Let the kids write (or type) their graded writing assignments, but teach cursive as part of the art of writing. Start with block letters in kindergarten or grade 1, then go on to simple cursive (2nd grade), then fanciful, expressive cursive (where you can make swooshes at the beginning and ends of words and sentances with nib pens that look like leaves or trains or musical instruments).

It's excellent for eye-hand coordination, and being able to recognize what cursive letters looks like helps young people when they start learning to use primary source documents in research when they get older.

Of course, if all you want is to teach children how to produce something rather than the whats and whys of life - how to question contemplate, and understand, then stick with keyboarding. Teach them how to be automated, fungible (i.e., interchangeable and disposable) tools in a workforce.

I still sometimes doodle in cursive just for the joy and beauty of the loops and curves. And I never, ever, dotted my "i"s with hearts - I usually dotted them with eyes, complete with eyelashes and the occasional bloodshot whites...

Haele