School Reform: Thoughts?

Michelle Nelson4 said:And besides, we haven't even heard who specifically needs it (other than your own opinion)

Basically, here is what happened: I suggested that most people don't necessarily need perfect penmanship, but you argued that they do (as seen in the quote above). So, I asked you to name anyone who actually requires it. You couldn't name a single soul besides teachers, yet somehow you wrapped things up by claiming THAT I am the one saying clients and customers need it. 🤣

I'm not putting you on my ignore list just because of little moments like this, though. 🤣

PS, I have to go type something a bit more productive now, so I'll be signing off! :mah;

I can't remember the last time I read something quite so nonsensical.🤣🤣🤣
Honey, you're the only one treating handwriting aesthetics like some kind of absolute necessity.

By the way, I'm not in school anymore, so having handwriting is actually useful for me.😛
(Whether it's pretty or ugly... it's still handwriting.)

feralmoose32 said:My little one just started first grade, and they actually gave us a presentation about how the curriculum is pivoting heavily toward reading—apparently, they realized kids were struggling to actually comprehend what they were looking at on the page
That’s even why they decided to pull back on teaching formal handwriting during the first-grade year itself...
Right now, the only real writing they’re doing is in their English class; for everything else, it seems like they're just frantically coloring and doodling away 🤣

🤣 🤣 🤣 I wasn't aware of that. 🤣

rowdypanther12 said:It’s like *Idiocracy* was actually a script written by Nostradamus 😂

🙏 🙏 🙏

I find it truly remarkable that anyone who has simply reached reproductive age believes they possess the absolute authority to lecture those actually trained in education on how the system should function.
The sheer audacity of claims suggesting that handwriting is some obsolete relic is, quite frankly, on par with someone shouting, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M TYPING INTO A COMPUTER AT THE CASH REGISTER?"

Jason Morgan said:I find it truly remarkable that anyone who has simply reached reproductive age believes they possess the absolute authority to lecture those actually trained in education on how the system should function.
The sheer audacity of claims suggesting that handwriting is some obsolete relic is, quite frankly, on par with someone shouting, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M TYPING INTO A COMPUTER AT THE CASH REGISTER?"

Oops. My apologies, dear Professor—I certainly didn't mean to offer any "legitimate" discourse; I suppose I'll just stick to being completely illegitimate 😵 Thank you so much for pointing out that crucial fact: that in your eyes, I lack the "proper credentials" to participate in this conversation. Then again, we do live in a country where having the "right paperwork" seems to be everything...

I'm particularly delighted to learn that you are a recognized expert with a sub-specialization in the future importance of handwriting. Is this based on a PhD, or just a Master's degree?

Michelle Nelson4 said:Oops. My apologies, dear Professor—I certainly didn't mean to offer any "legitimate" discourse; I suppose I'll just stick to being completely illegitimate 😵 Thank you so much for pointing out that crucial fact: that in your eyes, I lack the "proper credentials" to participate in this conversation. Then again, we do live in a country where having the "right paperwork" seems to be everything...

I'm particularly delighted to learn that you are a recognized expert with a sub-specialization in the future importance of handwriting. Is this based on a PhD, or just a Master's degree?

And honestly, what am I even supposed to say in response to a post like yours? 🤷

Sometimes when I read through these threads, I honestly wonder how we reached this stage of civilization—where we can't even have a constructive conversation, let alone anything else. 😂

On another note, does anyone here actually believe kids shouldn't be taught to write by hand in school? Like, is there an argument that practicing handwriting doesn't actually help their development?
Because, well, that's where we've landed.

Jason Morgan said:And honestly, what am I even supposed to say in response to a post like yours? 🤷

Not at all; everything was perfectly clear from your last message.

rowdypanther12 said:Sometimes when I read through these threads, I honestly wonder how we reached this stage of civilization—where we can't even have a constructive conversation, let alone anything else. 😂

On another note, does anyone here actually believe kids shouldn't be taught to write by hand in school? Like, is there an argument that practicing handwriting doesn't actually help their development?
Because, well, that's where we've landed.

I don't really have the credentials to weigh in here—I mean, I've mostly just focused on raising my own kids rather than getting a degree from Quincy... so I can't say for sure what you think about it...

Lately, it seems like handwriting is being phased out of some schools across the USA (and maybe even elsewhere), but we can't just look at this through the lens of "how useful is this skill for their future careers?" Some research actually links learning to write by hand directly to brain development, so there's a much deeper conversation happening here than just practical utility.

hiddendriver34 said:Lately, it seems like handwriting is being phased out of some schools across the USA (and maybe even elsewhere), but we can't just look at this through the lens of "how useful is this skill for their future careers?" Some research actually links learning to write by hand directly to brain development, so there's a much deeper conversation happening here than just practical utility.

it seems like only one person here is actually talking about how impractical or pointless writing might be in daily life, if I'm counting correctly.
so, I suppose we shouldn't pay much mind to those who don't grasp why developing fine motor skills matters. if we set those folks aside, I think most of us could probably agree that trying to "lighten the load" of the first-grade curriculum by cutting these things out is just pure idiocy.

and honestly, the American education system really shouldn't be held up as some kind of gold standard for us.☕

Which grade level actually stops the constant writing?
My kid is in fourth grade and they’ve been writing like crazy since first grade. Between English and math, he’s already worn through entire notebooks, let alone all those workbooks and textbooks. Honestly, his handwriting is still a mess, and I doubt it’s ever going to improve.

It feels like the new reform has cut down on writing requirements significantly, if I'm reading this right. Honestly, back when I was using both cursive and print with fountain pens, my handwriting was pretty terrible 😁
Anyway, I haven't used cursive in ages 😁
But yeah, instead of giving me exercises for my low blood pressure, they just shoved me straight into a walker, as if that helps 😂

I think handwriting is a vital skill worth practicing and encouraging. But there’s a limit. Honestly, I feel like we overdo it lately—kids constantly complain about spending all day scribbling in notebooks until their hands actually ache. My generation was the same way; I’ve still got a permanent callus on my right middle finger as a souvenir from those days of obsessive note-taking.

Even my nine-year-old is complaining about hand cramps after writing just three sentences. That tells you everything you need to know. ☕

I’ve got that same "bump" myself, though mine isn't from frantic scribbling—it's from gripping my pen way too tight. 😁

Writing definitely needs practice and encouragement, but I’m really against those repetitive, soul-crushing assignments. Practice shouldn't have to mean filling two pages with nothing but

I’m not talking about my hands cramping up after typing three sentences.
But fine, if some people find scribbling down endless notes for every single class totally necessary, that's their business.

wearybadger6 said:I’m not talking about my hands cramping up after typing three sentences.
But fine, if some people find scribbling down endless notes for every single class totally necessary, that's their business.

Maybe not you, but kids definitely will. If we actually listened to them, they wouldn't be writing anything at all.

Robert Rodriguez9 said:Maybe not you, but kids definitely will. If we actually listened to them, they wouldn't be writing anything at all.

Look, I wasn't talking about what some random kids out there think. I’m talking about my own kid, who writes plenty for his teacher—honestly, probably too much. And I'm talking about other kids I know personally... So, my question stands: which classroom isn't seeing writing? Because from where I'm sitting, that's not the case at all.😁

wearybadger6 said:I’m not talking about my hands cramping up after typing three sentences.
But fine, if some people find scribbling down endless notes for every single class totally necessary, that's their business.

The reality is, we have to spend way more time working with these kids on basic reading comprehension. It’s gotten to the point where teaching Atomic Physics feels less like science and more like trying to extract five meaningful notes from ten lines of text.

wearybadger6 said:Look, I wasn't talking about what some random kids out there think. I’m talking about my own kid, who writes plenty for his teacher—honestly, probably too much. And I'm talking about other kids I know personally... So, my question stands: which classroom isn't seeing writing? Because from where I'm sitting, that's not the case at all.😁

Look, I’m also talking about my kid and the rest of the crew I know. 😁 Honestly, everyone complains and makes a huge deal out of it when they have to write just a few sentences for homework. I’m not saying they don't write in class; I'm just saying they whine about every little thing. It’s not as dire as it sounds. They're just lazy.