Amanda-Leigh Defends Cursive Writing

I am sure after my writing this morning, I may lose several readers. I do apologize in advance. I feel my real thoughts must be written. I feel the power of cursive writing is important in a person’s daily life along with modern technology. I do not feel modern technology should wipe out the old fashioned form of penmanship. I really do not. I feel both should balance each other the way an orchestra includes varieties of styles.

I would not be the woman I am today without learning how to write in cursive. Several states have taken cursive writing out of curriculum for students. Critics complain that teaching cursive writing is too time-consuming and other subjects are more valuable with computers. They claim this takes away from teaching other more important subjects students should learn. Teaching cursive is not comparable to our new and improved advancements in technology. Laziness is now going to be taught in the classroom. One young supporter of this lazy movement claimed that she only signs her signature on college forms. I guess the pure wholesome days of writing letters home in cursive writing have passed since the college years of Tom (Tennessee) Williams? What about teaching children the important value of writing letters to home from summer camps?

This new curriculum is a personal slap in the face for a woman like me. When I recovered from blood clots, my source of coping was hand writing journal entries in cursive. Sure, I had a computer, but my typing skills were terrible at the time. When I typed, my hand writing skills improved. I became proud of myself. This gave me a reason to go back to college and finish. I was able to express myself in ways only the journal knows. I wrote my goal to graduate in cursive. I was led to keep a daily planner of every event that happened. I have been faithful ever since that time. I have missed a couple days recently. Still,  I have kept up with this form of independence. When I have courses in college, I include everything I do. I include the times I study, type papers, read, and write vocabulary words and definitions. This experience has built my character better.

For example, yesterday, I got out my hand written vocabulary cards for literature. I began re-writing the terms and definitions on a new set of flashcards. I used color pens this time. I needed to practice my penmanship. After this is complete, I will then type the information into my computer. I believe in keeping a hand written version along with a printed version. In my college career last year, I knew that in order to be successful in the field of literature, I would have to make a set of literary cards to use as I examined literary pieces.

When I took Appreciation of Music during the summer of 2011, I hand wrote terms and definitions onto the book written by my professor and one of his colleagues. I did not begin college again to only pass a course. I entered college with the aim of applying concepts, values, and characteristic traits into my own daily life. I learned what made the great composers the great men they were. I learned the field of music was first a man’s world the literature was in early English and American literature. These artists did not have computer programs pounding out the correct formation and style. These artists were not slaves to a modern industry. These artists cultivated their talents by experimenting. These artists created movements. Some of the artists experienced hardships and personal tragedies of death, slavery, and bondage. Their escape became a personal expression through cursive hand writing.

One of the most tragic true stories I read in American literature came from the Barracks in California. Early Chinese settlers in America were held captive in Barracks. The guards would take the Chinese settlers on daily walks, chain them, and women cooked meals. This was not too pleasant of an experience. The way these settlers coped was by writing on the walls inside their jail cells. These settlers wrote about their despair, pain and suffrage, and dreams deferred.

I am aware that Chinese language is not like our style of cursive hand writing. Our founders of literature relied on cursive, old style pens, and candles to write great works. This was the culture for them. Great twentieth century English writer, Virginia Woolf, relied on her cursive penmanship. In the mornings she would compose work and then type it up on a typewriter in the afternoon. This is a method I can use in my own writings. When I write my books, I would prefer this style. Perhaps this may help my right hand to become stronger.

I am a woman who does prefer online college courses to in-class courses. My transcripts have shown that I perform better in online courses than regular in class courses. Two exceptions are the Religion and General Biology courses I took when I returned to college after surviving blood clots. I do depend heavily on technology for my communication and academic skills. I am able to type my thoughts each morning on this blogspot. Getting to this point involved learning how to write in cursive. I still rely on cursive to see what I need to present to the world. I am able to take notes in cursive and translate the thoughts and ideas onto this each morning as I type.

In Introduction to Law Enforcement, I read where police officers must hand write notes while gathering information for writing their police reports. The police reports can be read into evidence in court proceedings. This means the cursive penmanship must be taught to future police officers at an early age. The most effective form of community policing is foot patrol. For a police officer, a pad of paper and pen are easier to carry around than a small laptop computer. Cursive writing is needed in our society, especially with policing.

I disagree that cursive should be taken out of the classroom for our children. I believe cursive writing should still be taught and used in daily assignments. When – or if – modern technology ever fails our modern would, cursive writing will still be needed. Letters and documents from our ancestors will not be able to be read by recipients of this new form of curriculum. This is sad to me, and I refuse to be shy in my opposition. Cursive writing is an expression of the self. When anybody should happen to wind up in a similar situation I was in - which I pray not, cursive writing is going to be needed. This is a learned skill I use in my daily life. I remember exactly when cursive writing was taught to me in the third grade. I also remember how I learned to write in cursive. Not a day passes where I am ungrateful. If a girl with a physical disability can learn how to write in cursive, then so can the next young child. I strongly suggest putting cursive hand writing back into the curriculum.
  
Amanda-Leigh's Recommended Web Links Over Cursive Writing:

 http://www.wral.com/nc-schools-write-off-cursive-instruction/12035402/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/cursive-writing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/pitt-county-schools-in-no_n_2079608.html

http://www.southtexascollege.edu/nilsson/8_Handwriting_f/8_Handwriting_Benefits.html

http://www.home-school.com/Articles/the-benefits-of-cursive-writing.php

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575531932754922518.html

http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/cursive-vs-printing-is-one-better-than-the-other.html