Yes, Cursive Should Be Taught

Why is this even an issue, whether or not we should "still teach cursive"? Has it become outdated in the eyes of our culture, only to be thrown out like most things creative? I am shocked that it's even a question among parents, and feel sorry for teachers forced to waste time pushing toward tests, tests, tests, unable to focus on imagination and beauty. 

Unabashedly I shout "YES," cursive is worth the time, and I ask a better question: Whose bright idea was it to eschew cursive as a part of instruction? I think it's reprehensible, and if I take such a stand, I have to be willing to do something about it. Cursive is a part of every school day here, and if your child is in traditional school, it can still be a part of your child's life, too. After all, parents are the true "educational professionals;" in spite of what a person with letters behind his name says, you know what's best for your individual children. Teachers have to comply with the latest guidelines, but if you feel that your kids are missing something, don't just throw your hands up. Teach it to them at home!

How sweet are my memories of days at St. Paul's School, where all work after second grade was done in cursive! Yes, that's correct. It never occurred to anyone to question whether cursive should be taught...cursive was part of everything! Beyond second grade, it never entered anyone at that school's mind to print ever again. Incidentally, I'm not convinced that St. Paul's was an island; it's how things were until we became "enlightened" a few years ago: everyone (private or public school) learned and wrote cursive, period. How else would we be able to read anything written?!

Notice that even math was done in cursive, with slanted numbers!

There is a narrow road to be walked, one on which our grandparents' letters and the backs of old photos are still read, and where thank-you notes are still written. Not so long ago, adults (and even children) wrote beautiful cursive. I truly am disgusted with how things are going. I give myself permission to declare that the old ways often are the best ways. We're willing to trade faux-enlightenment for beauty and ability, and it's lamentable. Again, let's stop throwing our hands up in defeat!

In teaching cursive to my kids, I hang on constantly to my memories of St. Paul's. How was I taught? Repetition, practice, constant writing, and it was just expected. I began with each of my own girls in second grade: over and over, it's a marathon and not a sprint, there's no choice but to learn it...and marvel at cursive's beauty. Don't forget the most important point: it's worth it, it's so unquestionably worth it! And our kids are worth teaching well.

Pentime is Milestone Books's ideal transition from manuscript to cursive. This book is well worth the few dollars it costs. I largely skipped the printing, mainly because I waited until second grade to buy it; however, it would be a wonderful resource for first graders to practice printing first. Students receive ample practice with each letter, lower case and capital, and move to entire words. 

My girls did a page of Pentime twice a week. Every day, they were also doing copywork, which involves having them copy a simple passage from a poem, Bible verse, quote, or just a sentence or two about something we've learned. I wanted to reinforce the cursive they were learning, but felt that they weren't ready to copy the entire passage since so far, they had only done letters and short words. The idea I got was to continue with the copywork in neat print, but I would select a word or two afterward and show them how to write it in cursive. For example, if the passage was "Love the Lord your God," they would write that sentence all in print, but then practice "God" three or four times in cursive. 

The final page of the Pentime book lists the entire alphabet in print, then in cursive, capitals followed by lower case letters. For a few weeks, I had the girls trace over two rows at a time of the cursive letters. That was their entire cursive lesson for those weeks, to give them a chance to go over the letters multiple times, developing the flow and learning how each looked.

Now we have moved on to this sweet book that I found at a Charlotte Mason retreat. It includes lines from hymns, and students copy the cursive words right underneath. It can be ordered from the Simply Charlotte Mason web site.

Notice how well my second grader is already doing! Where there were once tears (because yes, "Cursive is hard!"), now there is delight, because "Cursive is beautiful!" Nothing worth doing was ever easy.

Now both girls are rolling right along with cursive. All it takes is commitment to work through books like these, and throw in a little supplemental practice now and then. Literally overnight, my children just know how to write cursive, with letters connected, without asking me "Mom, how do you do 'F'?" I admit, it was no cake walk in the beginning, but I didn't push it. On days when there was frustration but they had tried, I would say, "Let's put this away and we'll get back to it later this week." That works with any subject.

Here's another example of where we are now:

We've been reading a book about colonial Williamsburg, and yesterday we read a passage about small businesses on its main street. I made up this sentence today not only to review a point from the story, but to practice cursive. The girls copied it word for word off the board as I wrote it. Yesterday, our sentences were about some birds we had read about the day before. The nice thing about copywork is that it helps students accomplish multiple tasks: reinforce sentence structure and grammar, review concepts, and practice cursive. It's a great way to teach poetry, learn Bible verses, or drive home science or history facts.

Don't listen to our culture and believe the lie that cursive is obsolete. Swim against the current and dare to keep the beauty of cursive alive. Be encouraged that you are not alone, it's worth it, and it's doable!

O why and whither?--God knows all;

I only know that He is good,

And that whatever may befall

Or here or there, must be the best that could.

                --J. G. W.