It’s Just Not Write

     Over dinner tonight, my 12 year-old son was lamenting about how long it was taking him to do his history homework. As is usual, I began my discourse on remaining focused and not being distracted by Lacrosse balls or books like “Tom Sawyer”, or the guitar. But even before I could get to the crux section of my speech, he interrupted me with

     “No, Mom. I’m not distracted. It’s just taking so long because I’m writing my responses in cursive.”

     “In cursive?” I asked totally bewildered. “Why the hell would you do that?  Is your computer broken?  Do you not like printing anymore?  What is the problem?”

     “I just wanted to try it again” he said. “But I’ve forgotten how to write some of the capitals, so I have to look them up…and it’s killing my hand! That’s what’s taking so long.”

     Does he like to suffer? I asked myself. Why was he writing in cursive? Oh ya – my thrill seeking boy – his way of making history homework an adventure, I guess.

     So, I started wondering….why is cursive even taught anymore? Under what circumstances would that curly and complicated form of communication be necessary? And how much time is spent in the early school years learning the pretty letters, when it might be better to focus on other things like languages, nutrition and family dynamics? Seriously, I don’t see how writing will aid in my children’s education, or provide them with any advantages in their future. All it does is waste time, and give the babysitters (I mean teachers) something to do.

     I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: our public teaching system is antiquated, thoughtless and almost irresponsible. We are supposed to be an advanced society but we continue to teach our children with outdated and irrelevant methods….and then we expect that they will be the leaders and saviors of our future. Are we giving them a fair chance? Do we even know what we are doing? At what point do we admit the system is broken and move towards a solution????

     But tonight, I simply nodded when my son said he would continue writing his homework. For now, I thought, I’ll consider it practice for reading cursive….for reading the sweet cards he receives from his grandmother….who was taught the same way….using the same methods of education….with the same claustrophobic and controlled structural outlines….75 years ago.

     Some things never change….

     Rip Van Winkle would feel right at home.