Russian handwriting in US classrooms in the computer age

[Michael Denner]

Sarah,
My students write Russian just fine. It's just not cursive. They write like children, and the Russians probably smirk at them. Who cares? No one's suggesting returning to a pre-literate era. It's just a bloody waste of time to spend a week, a day, an hour on a totally unnecessary skill: Pretty handwriting. 

~mad

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
   Dr. Michael A. Denner
   Associate Professor of Russian Studies
   Editor, Tolstoy Studies Journal
   Director, Russian Studies Program
   Director, University Honors Program

   
   Contact Information:
      Russian Studies Program
      Stetson University
      Campus Box 8361
      DeLand, FL 32720-3756
      386.822.7381 (department)
      386.822.7265 (direct line)
      386.822.7380 (fax)

      google talk michaeladenner
      www.stetson.edu/~mdenner

-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of sarah hurst
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 6:56 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Russian handwriting in US classrooms in the computer age

I have to say that I am rather disturbed by the idea that today's students
no longer even need to learn Russian handwriting. Are we raising kids who
are going to be completely at a loss if they should ever find themselves
without access to a computer, cell phone or other digital device? Is such a
scenario really so implausible, especially in Russian-speaking countries
where limited internet access and power outages have been known?

It doesn't even take very long to learn handwriting but I do think it's an
essential skill for both reading and writing. What if they happen to work
with historical documents? What if a room-mate leaves them an important
note? 

I hope this skill will continue to be taught. Would you similarly
contemplate not bothering to teach English-speaking kids not to write their
own language by hand? 

Sarah Hurst

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