Hello children! It's blog time once again, so gather 'round on the rug and set Indian style while I summarize an article once again! And yes I know it's only Monday, but blogging is just so much fun I can't help myself, plus I'm something teachers like to call an OVER-A-CHIEVER!
1. Today my article is titled The Writing on the Wall and it's contemplating whether or not handwriting has a place in this digital age. And turns out it does! Educators insist that handwriting is important because research shows that when children are taught how to write, they are also being taught how to learn and how to express themselves (and that sounds important indeed!). Handwriting IS the fundamental building block of learning because it filters into all other academics: math, tests like the SAT, not to mention better spelling.
2. The audience is teachers, students (only so they can gripe about it & the chances of it meaning more homework!), and concerned (and nosy) parents, oh and me because I did just read it (and contrary to what you might think I do not fit into any of the above mentioned categories)! I know this is the audience because it's concerned with education and so are teachers, students, and parents.
3. I am interested in this article simpily because I found it ironic to read about an article that insists handwriting matters, only to turn around and blog about it. ha ha (twisted isn't it!?!)
4. I didn't really know anything about this topic before the article, but I figured it would be challenged sooner or later since people seem to spend more time online and/or texting instead of talking face to face or actually writing things out with pen and paper. Once I started reading the article I also assumed handwriting would get a thumbs up.
5. I learned that: in 1904 penmanship was practiced 45 minutes a day (I know!), and now it averages about 15 minutes a day! Educators are also noticing a significant decline in the quality of students' handwriting and an increase in the frequency of problems such as letter reversal. And the final thing I learned was less of a fact and more of a soundbite that I found interesting : "no one has suggested that the invention of the calculator means we don't have to teach kids to add, and spelling is still a prized skill in the era of spell check, [so why stop penmanship?]". OH SNAP!!!!
6. When will penmanship (handwriting) ever be completely obsolete? I hope never, if simpily for the sake of humanity.
If you are interested, I got this article out of the Nov. 12, 2007 issue of Newsweek, but that might be hard to find unless you are a magazine hoarder like me!
Thank you for your time, be sure to tune in next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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4 comments:
So now I am doing a for-real comment. On the right article, mind you. Like I said in my rather obnoxious comment on the OTHER article...we (being us select few people who love to write...daily) are going to provide the last written documents in history. That would be so cool. Anyways, if handwriting becomes obsolete, what is to come of the other non-digital arts? Drawings and paintings...significant art forms! It is only a matter of time before they, too, become seemingly obsolete.
'Tis a tragedy.
I think it's a bit of a shame that handwriting is no longer seen as important. Sure, it's much easier to type things out on the computer. Sure, it's MUCH faster (this would've taken me a minute to write when opposed to 15 seconds while typing). Despite all this, there's something about writing things out by hand that seems a bit holy.
We know that I write A LOT. Whether it's a paper for school, or my own ramblings, it's always on paper before I transcribe to the computer.
STORY: I wrote this short story on a subject that interested my internet friends (i am a loser, i know). They've been nagging at me to send it to then, but I can't because I wrote it down and I'm too lazy to put it all on the internet.
And they were shocked by the fact I actually use pen and paper.
Absolutely travesty.
Okay Brittany, I know it is long-awaited, but here is your comment. This is a really interesting article and your commentary is very amusing, yet informed. Before I read this, I was just talking with a student the other day about the loss of creativity in our society that has resulted from increased use of technology. Even our own art classes here at GCHS have began using the Macs to create art. The student in response informed me that canvas-like paper is available to print your computer created art onto. I'm wondering, when will the brush and canvas artist hit the endangered species list?
good day madam.
i am here to talk about this article of yours.
so...handwriting plays an important role you say. i am not so easily convinced. handwriting is nothing more then learning how to make scribbles on a piece of parchment. the education that is received through the teaching of letters, words, numbers, and such; yes this is very important indeed. but the actual act of handwriting, not so much. if it were up to me i would say, give them a typed document that lists the alphabet and anything else nessecary, give them time to learn each individual symbol, and then send them typing. i only think this because i *love* to write (or type rather). i have come to realize though that when i am physically writing on paper i become distracted easier, because i write rather slow. on the flip side, once a person learns to type, it becomes a skill that only improves (not to mention the great relief of not having hand cramps) and this way a person can get out their exact thoughts in a more efficient way that would lead to better expression and less distraction. i think that sometimes a person really wants to say something, but they just cannot bring themselves to pick a pen and paper. there is something about typing though that almost makes one want to keep going on and on. watching the words appear in front of you almost faster then you can think them. it is motivating. i agree that handwriting gives a more individual side to a piece of literature, but when we read novels, and books, and things of the sort, they are not in handwriting. they are typed. and is it not more important to have a more individualistic expressin of words rather then scribbles?
kinsey
(my word verification thing wants me to type the letters..mmmhdgse. this is hard for me to do because when i look at it i read the pharse, "mmm..hedges" as in yummy hedges. ew.)
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