More on cursive

I remember learning cursive writing as a child. It was difficult for me and I didn't like it. However, I came to embrace it as a valuable and needed skill. I still don't have what you'd call beautiful handwriting, but it gets the job done. As a young teacher many years ago, I was required to teach cursive writing. I thought this was funny because I hadn't been trained in it and I certainly didn't have handwriting that was worthy of modeling after. But I taught it because it was my job. As I got a little older and computers started making their way onto the educational stage, cursive writing slowly faded away. It was never a conscious decision. It just drifted off without anyone really noticing it. Now in the age of computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, Androids, iPhones and many other devices I've never heard of, cursive has become obsolete and viewed by many as completely useless. But is it really useless? Allow me to ask a few questions. Are people still required to sign things? Credit card receipts, loan applications, lease agreements, mortgage papers? Of course they are! Many children today can't sign their own name. They can print it, but they can't sign it. I know electronic signatures are out there, but they are not prevalent in the areas listed above. Another question... Do all college professors allow electronic devices in their classrooms for note taking? Nope. Some do, some don't. Have you ever tried to take notes using printing and not cursive? It's slower and tougher to do. Yet another question... Aren't high stakes college entrance exams (SAT, ACT) still done with pencil and paper? Yes. As far as I know the essay portion of these tests are NOT typed (at least not yet). In my opinion, cursive should at least be given cursory attention in elementary schools. I'm not saying it needs to be taught like it was years ago, but children should at least know how to use cursive and to sign their own name. And if cursive really is going to be made extinct, then schools need to teach keyboarding and technology courses in its place. I know this already happens in many schools, but it does not happen in mine. You can teach both cursive and keyboarding, but you can't teach neither. My students do not know cursive and they do not know how to type. In 4th grade, this is not such a big deal. In high school, college, and adulthood, this IS a big deal. Don't stick a stake in the heart of cursive just yet. It may be a dying skill, but it's still needed in today's world.