Killing Mark Twain – Don’t Take Cursive From Schools

A new debate has sparked, and at first glance, it may seem like one that could be easily dismissed. It centers around one simple question: Should cursive be taught in schools?

Cursive has already started to die and is, in fact, gasping for life. Suggestions that it is a waste of time and should be replaced by something useful, like coding, sound so practical, don't they?

I don't think so. Well, I should say that coding should be definitely be widely taught. There is little doubt that that is a skill that every person will be able to use.

But not at the expense of cursive. Why should we keep cursive? For beauty. For art. For creativity's sake.

Sure, coding is great. Essential, even. But without creatives to dream up content to put on those websites, what do we have? An internet devoid of beauty, art and creativity. MIght as well go back to MS-DOS.

Both sides of the coin are needed, and teaching the beauty of the written word is a big part of that.

I know there has been a push for America to improve in math and science, and that can be done as we also make sure that we develop the skills and attributes needed to establish the strongest creative class in the world.

When it comes down to it, the problems of the world are solved by the dreamers. The amazing inventions are created by those who can sit alone with their thoughts, scribbling furiously in their notebooks, and that scribbling is more thoughtful when done in cursive.

As course after course is created to enable us to utilize both hemispheres of the brain, the left and right, it seems that writing in cursive actually does that, where typing and printing do not. Writing in cursive has been shown to stimulate both sides of the brain.

What a beautiful prospect! With all of the amazing, flashy, unlimited stimulations of the internet, unplugging and writing with pen and paper is still one of the best ways to create.

Let's not resist this reach into our past, but celebrate that the two worlds work better side by side, in symbiosis, rather than separate. It's not advanced technology or pen and paper. It's advanced technology and pen and paper.

What I'm afraid we could lose is the creativity like that of Brielle Kelley. She is a freshman in college and the author of the brilliant book The Skunk Who Was Afraid to Stink.

It's a bilingual release that she put out while still in high school. After I showed her a little bit of support, this is the card she wrote to me...in cursive.

Brielle's creativity and artistic drive is what I fear we would lose if we continue eroding the emphasis on the arts.

Teaching cursive creates an inclusionary future, with arts and science. With math and creativity.If we could stop arguing about which side of the pendulum swing is more important and realize that they are both equally important, then we can set up a future of advancing technology and soul soothing art and creativity.