I'm not sure how most would learn cursive without being required to learn it in grade school.
As far as math memorization, I'd say important. If all you do is memorize, that's bad, but if you don't have a lot memorized there's a lot of problems you'll either never solve or solve much more slowly. Memorization leads to having facts at hand, if all you know is theory you'll just be full of shit.
Wolfram Alpha can solve any and every problem I've ever run into as an undergrad much quicker than I could by hand... Not that that helps during test time.
Just as a suggestion without having all the facts in place but... I'm wondering if it would be practical to teach how to read cursive at least. At the very least maybe it would be more important to read it then have the option to learn how to write it.
I know that's the approach I took one time when I taught myself insular and gaelic writing, which kind of went into my personal handwriting style for a while and still does somewhat.
and math memorization, and being able to solve equations are really, really important. Especially if one wants to go into programming, being math-minded helps are great deal there.
IMHO there is no excuse in a modern society for people not to know at least the basics of arithmetic. For one thing knowing how to do tips or change right requires that. For another at least some knowledge of statistics helps with telling when a pile of bullshit has a rose or if it's just a steaming pile of bullshit.
As to cursive writing, it should at least be taught so people know how to sign their own name, not merely to print it. My cursive was impossible for me (let alone my teachers) to read at times, so I don't use it often for pragmatic reasons, but I can still do it if I need to.
Really, this shows how slow to adopt technology our legal system is more than it shows the necessity to learn cursive. There are far better ways to identify someone than a signature.
But will we do when the oil runs out? Just sit at a blank screen and keyboard away?
What shall we do for signatures on contracts? X marks the spot!
The downside of technology is it tends to eventually fail. This is why manual systems like books, pencils and knowledge sponges for brains were so useful for so long.
The downside of technology is it tends to eventually fail.
Exactly. When electronic formats fail, it's catastrophic.
What shall we do for signatures on contracts? X marks the spot!
At a job I worked years ago there were functionally illiterate people. Some were supervisors who signed time cards by essentially doing just what you just described: scribbled an elaborate version of a X.
I think what Rick was getting at was the inherent fleeting nature of electronic writing compared to writing real letters to people. I have a written correspondence with someone in the UK, and I know this sounds really corny, but the idea that someone takes the time to set a pen to paper and then writes 3 pages of handwriting just warms my heart in a way that him doing that via G-mail isn't. Not that I don't like getting E-mails from friends, mind you. It's just different.
I was taught civil service script before I went to kindergarten. I shall teach my children it before they go to school. Nevertheless I shall also ensure they can type. They'll get music lessons too. But I'm an elitist like that. Multiplying by zero is something so basic in maths that I am amazed that otherwise semi-educated folk don't know it. But there you go.
Qwerty typing is an artifact of the manual typewriter and there are more ergonomic and more efficient keyboard layouts and designs. I wonder when we will begin to teach those primarily.
Typewriters being in the Roman alphabet is the reason that Ireland reformed the spelling of Gaelic in the 1940's. This had led to a discontinuity historical Irish literature. Scots Gaelic retains the original alphabet and letter forms. My mother is of the generation that could read both Irish and Scots Gaelic with ease, but hers is pretty much the last generation with that facility.
You need to fight this "modernisation" if you want to retain a real connection with your cultural traditions. If these no longer matter in the modern world, well...I for one would be sad.
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As far as math memorization, I'd say important. If all you do is memorize, that's bad, but if you don't have a lot memorized there's a lot of problems you'll either never solve or solve much more slowly. Memorization leads to having facts at hand, if all you know is theory you'll just be full of shit.
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I know that's the approach I took one time when I taught myself insular and gaelic writing, which kind of went into my personal handwriting style for a while and still does somewhat.
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As to cursive writing, it should at least be taught so people know how to sign their own name, not merely to print it. My cursive was impossible for me (let alone my teachers) to read at times, so I don't use it often for pragmatic reasons, but I can still do it if I need to.
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What shall we do for signatures on contracts? X marks the spot!
The downside of technology is it tends to eventually fail. This is why manual systems like books, pencils and knowledge sponges for brains were so useful for so long.
anyway....my cursive sucks as it is..
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Exactly. When electronic formats fail, it's catastrophic.
What shall we do for signatures on contracts? X marks the spot!
At a job I worked years ago there were functionally illiterate people. Some were supervisors who signed time cards by essentially doing just what you just described: scribbled an elaborate version of a X.
Reply
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Multiplying by zero is something so basic in maths that I am amazed that otherwise semi-educated folk don't know it. But there you go.
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You need to fight this "modernisation" if you want to retain a real connection with your cultural traditions. If these no longer matter in the modern world, well...I for one would be sad.
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