'Big picture' on cursive

I was intrigued by the article regarding cursive writing as a required legislative mandate. As an educator for over 35 years, I would like to bring a few schools of thought on the topic of "penmanship." First, the article mentions the Common Core Standards. It is correct that the Standards do not address a specific handwriting motor plan for the teaching of handwriting. They do, however, discuss that students should be able to "keyboard" written text.

Remember, these standards were written to create a progression for college and career readiness from kindergarten through high school. Students on either career path need keyboarding skills to produce written expression of what they learn and comprehend as well as to communicate. Will the legislation require this vital skill as well?

Second, there is much research on the topic of the instruction of handwriting (including cursive), its impact on the brain as well as the arts. The educational "rite of passage" in the U.S. since the 1920s was to learn cursive in second or third grade when fine motor skills in the hand were more established. I agree that it is a life skill worth knowing and applying.

Finally, educators are prisoners of time. With new standards in math, reading/writing, listening, speaking, grammar, social studies, physical education, the arts and social/emotional learning, one more under- or non-funded mandate from the legislature is not necessary .

As with all school curriculum, materials are necessary to support the practice of penmanship skills. Even the paper used for this practice costs money. Please, state representatives, tell me what we can eliminate from the already-backpack-filled school day and material costs to fully implement unnecessary legislation?

Thinking in the big picture of education.

Laura Beltchenko

Libertyville