Indiana Schools No Longer Required To Teach Cursive
By: Brian Miller
Updated: July 8, 2011
The Indiana Department of Education wants students to stay ahead of the curve in today's digital world.
One way it's doing that is by no longer requiring schools to teach cursive.
It's a move to allow kids more time on keyboarding.
Indiana is one of more than 40 states, including Illinois and Kentucky to adopt the Common Core curriculum, a states standards initiative that is phasing out cursive writing in classrooms.
The Indiana Department Of Education sent out a memo in April, telling school districts about an emphasis on typing over the old-fashioned form of cursive handwriting.
Mount Vernon School District Curriculum Director Jody Pfister says it's just a sign of the times.
"Coming up this fall, we will probably go business as usual then begin to transition in the keyboarding which is what they are advocating, so handwriting is no longer a part of the curriculum," Pfister said.
Common Core curriculum supporters say it prepares students for college and careers by encouraging proficiency in typing.
Under the new state standards schools can still teach cursive, but don't have to.
College student Claire Wezet still writes class notes in cursive, but she admits younger generations are less dependent on this type of handwriting.
"We've just progressed to that and writing letters and things like that, people don't really do that as much anymore. I would like to see it stay and continue being taught in the schools," Wezet said.
The Indiana Department Of Education expects more schools to offer keyboarding classes and to focus more on skills students need to be be competitive in today's global economy.
But others say no longer requiring cursive to be taught could have a long term effect on society.
Cursive was once the only way to write, and it is very much part of our nation's history. "Writing out things has been a big part of our culture and who we are so that's why I think it's sad because it's a big part of our culture we would be losing," said parent Shauna Goff.
"If you look at the old documents or if you look at handwriting from the civil war letters, they are flourishing and absolutely beautiful it's like a work of art, so yes I think we might be losing something that is definitely an art form we need to keep around but progress moves on," Pfister said.
Most local school districts will continue cursive assignments for now, but it''s a skill, and an art, that is being slowly erased in today's classroom.
One way it's doing that is by no longer requiring schools to teach cursive.
It's a move to allow kids more time on keyboarding.
Indiana is one of more than 40 states, including Illinois and Kentucky to adopt the Common Core curriculum, a states standards initiative that is phasing out cursive writing in classrooms.
The Indiana Department Of Education sent out a memo in April, telling school districts about an emphasis on typing over the old-fashioned form of cursive handwriting.
Mount Vernon School District Curriculum Director Jody Pfister says it's just a sign of the times.
"Coming up this fall, we will probably go business as usual then begin to transition in the keyboarding which is what they are advocating, so handwriting is no longer a part of the curriculum," Pfister said.
Common Core curriculum supporters say it prepares students for college and careers by encouraging proficiency in typing.
Under the new state standards schools can still teach cursive, but don't have to.
College student Claire Wezet still writes class notes in cursive, but she admits younger generations are less dependent on this type of handwriting.
"We've just progressed to that and writing letters and things like that, people don't really do that as much anymore. I would like to see it stay and continue being taught in the schools," Wezet said.
The Indiana Department Of Education expects more schools to offer keyboarding classes and to focus more on skills students need to be be competitive in today's global economy.
But others say no longer requiring cursive to be taught could have a long term effect on society.
Cursive was once the only way to write, and it is very much part of our nation's history. "Writing out things has been a big part of our culture and who we are so that's why I think it's sad because it's a big part of our culture we would be losing," said parent Shauna Goff.
"If you look at the old documents or if you look at handwriting from the civil war letters, they are flourishing and absolutely beautiful it's like a work of art, so yes I think we might be losing something that is definitely an art form we need to keep around but progress moves on," Pfister said.
Most local school districts will continue cursive assignments for now, but it''s a skill, and an art, that is being slowly erased in today's classroom.
Comments
The schools will soon be producing a bunch of uneducated idiots! Guess they have to cut back some place, so others will have the advantage of private schools. America should be ashamed of their poor school systems. No wonder the foreigners will own more of America every day. Some day when the American flag no longer flies over our country the educators can stand back with their thumbs in their mouth and wonder what happened.
Judy S.
July 8, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Why!!!!
rk r.
July 7, 2011 at 9:51 pm
