A GRADUAL DISAPPEARANCE

Cursive vs Printing

I’ve had a lot of fun in the last couple of weeks doing some book signings for my  new paperback on Amazon.  The best part was getting to visit with so many awesome people.  Thank heavens — because I noticed  my handwriting is starting to look somewhat like  the old ladies’ chicken scratches I used to make fun of when I was younger.  Ha!

I did find out that  research says  it’s natural for  handwriting to progressively decline with age.  Although it can be an early sign of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, more likely small, uneven  writing is due to  motor function, stiff fingers or poor vision.

I remember being so excited to learn how to write in cursive when I was in elementary school.  We spent hours making connected circles on big-lined paper — without lifting our #2 yellow Ticonderoga pencils — so everyone’s abc’s would look exactly alike.

The standardized method of writing that began in 1840 lost some popularity after WWII and the invention of the ballpoint pen.   And personally, it was liberating  as teenagers when we got to dot i’s with hearts and make loopy exclamation points. But when computers became common place and the Common Core curriculum was introduced in 2010, they actually stopped teaching  cursive  in most schools altogether.

A couple years ago, my daughter who teaches 6^th Grade thought it would be fun   if I wrote  comments on her students’ compositions. I was really excited to help because it’s difficult for teachers to find enough time to give feedback to young writers. I wrote LOTS  of notes praising the kids --  along with giving them encouraging suggestions. I even used different colors of ink and added stickers.   My chest was puffed out when I returned them to her.

Time went by…

I was starting to get curious.  So, I finally asked, “How did the kids like my comments?’

After a minute of hesitation, she said,  “Mom, they couldn’t read them.  You wrote in cursive.  But don’t worry --  I just got done interpreting all the comments for them.”

Who knew I had written them  in a foreign language???

It’ll Be OK.

                                                      ~~~

“You may not be able to read a doctor’s handwriting, but you’ll notice his bills are always neatly typewritten.”  ~ Earl Wilson

COMMENT: WHICH DO YOU USE MORE: CURSIVE OR PRINTING?