american students don't know the basics

[tradingstation0]

Quote from peilthetraveler:


I'm sure this same conversation took place 3000 years ago or so when the elder people were complaining that the younger generation did not know how to carve into stone when they started using paper.

a wonderful example for this discussion, love to hear that. Cursive is not compatible to the machine era

 

[Sam Mcgee]

If you can't write in cursive, how do you sign for anything? Are grade schools that busy that they can't fit cursive writing lessons in between movies and computer games?

 

[Fireplace]

Who said signatures needed to be precise and legible cursive in order to qualify as a signature?

Quote from Sam Mcgee:

If you can't write in cursive, how do you sign for anything? Are grade schools that busy that they can't fit cursive writing lessons in between movies and computer games?

 

[tradestrong]

Quote from Sam Mcgee:

If you can't write in cursive, how do you sign for anything? Are grade schools that busy that they can't fit cursive writing lessons in between movies and computer games?

I'm currently 34 and haven't written in cursive since 5th grade. And I also can't sign my name legibly, or even write legibly for that matter. Luckily...it doesn't mean jack because in today's society, being able to type is far, far more important in my software development job than how "pretty" I can write.

Equating writing in cursive to accomplishments of today's kids is bizarre. I'd like to know what writer decided to equate that "skill" of all things? It tells me more about the writer and old skill ideologies than it does about today's youth.

 

[tradestrong]

Quote from Fireplace:

Who said signatures needed to be precise and legible cursive in order to qualify as a signature?

Exactly...my signature is more of a scribble than anything.

 

[nutmeg]

I have a letter written in cursive from my father before he passed away. Quite different than holding a typewritten sheet with lifeless ink on a page.

I wrote a few notes to myself today in cursive. Never thought much about it till now, just something I've done without thought.

When I study, I take a blank tablet and a pen and make notes in cursive and/or print (for emphasis).

I suppose if my kids did not learn to write in cursive I may have taught them although I asked if they use it in school and the answer is "no".

 

[deadbroke]

Quote from zdreg:

most american college students cannot write in cursive.
do you expect them to compete with the chinese and the far east or for that matter Germany?

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/most-college-freshmen-dont-know-cursive-20100817-wpms

maybe Beloit college students are not typical of american college students..

neither can they do basic math without a calculator etc.

 

[deadbroke]

Quote from nutmeg:

I have a letter written in cursive from my father before he passed away. Quite different than holding a typewritten sheet with lifeless ink on a page.

I wrote a few notes to myself today in cursive. Never thought much about it till now, just something I've done without thought.

When I study, I take a blank tablet and a pen and make notes in cursive and/or print (for emphasis).

I suppose if my kids did not learn to write in cursive I may have taught them although I asked if they use it in school and the answer is "no".

Same here. Couldn't live without cursive nor would I want to.

Kids without cursive? Shoot them, with or without cursive, esp. american kids, the brattiest in the world.

 

[xtrader0]

Quote from tradestrong:

Exactly...my signature is more of a scribble than anything.

of course, we have our own signature so that no one can imitate