1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.) I have been going over this issue in my head since the minute I first saw this on the news. I'm really not sure HOW I feel about this subject. For the most part, I don't care one way or another if students write in cursive. As a teacher, I am more concerned about the content than in what format it is written. Whatever makes the children comfortable works for me. However.... How does one sign something if he or she doesn't know how to write in cursive? I suppose as long as print signatures are going to become acceptable, I really don't have a problem with cursive not being taught in schools. That is one less subject to try to fit into an already tight school day.
2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone? I have carried pocket calendars for years, but I found I never used them. So, I write my important appointments on a slip of paper and put it in my pocket. When I get home I transfer the information onto our master white board calendar. We actually have three white boards hanging in our dining room, and they are the organization of our lives. You could pretty much get a good idea of what's going on in our family by looking at that one wall. It may not be high-tech, but it works for us!
3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe) The first thing I would grab is the folder that has all of our important information. We call this our "life folder." It has our marriage and birth certificates, life insurance information, and anything else that we have found to be needed to register for school or do any government related function. The second thing I would grab is my professional portfolio. That, like the life folder, has everything related to my career- certificates, letters of recommendation, copies of important clearance cards, etc. Finally, my laptop would come with me. It is another area where my life is organized and makes sense. All in all, it looks like the things I would grab in case of a fire all come down to what we would need to start rebuilding our lives.
4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person? Suburbs, for sure. I know.... there I am, sitting on a fence again. I just don't seem to care for extremes too much. I could not imagine living in a city similar to what I see New York portrayed as. That would just be too busy. I don't want to be too far away from the action, either. I love the area I live in now. The grocery store is a five minute drive away, but it's not too loud and congested.
5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick? I wouldn't be on any reality show. I don't like people looking at me that closely. Kind of silly for a girl with a blog, right? If I knew this was being read and judged by literally hundreds of thousands of people, I'm not sure I could continue to do it, though. If I had to pick one show, I think it would have to be any of the "Extreme Makeover" shows. I'd love to see what they would do with my townhouse or me.
6 comments:
Oh, I could use some Extreme Makeover Home Edition something fierce! Seriously...our bathroom is just not salvageable ;)
Enjoy your weekend, Karen!
I hear you about the bathroom! That is definitely the worst looking room in our house. We only have one, and it is TINY. You would think it would be EASY to make it look decent. Nope. You have a great weekend, too!
When I started subbing 3 years ago, I was struck dumb in a 9th grade English class that the requirement was for them to write the essay in cursive AND the teacher had to pull up a guide on the Smartboard for them to see the letters because they didn't all know how to write cursive. What? When did printing become the standard? I couldn't even figure out why I was so shocked. I've since come to terms with it. I guess it doesn't really matter whether they print or cursive as long as they write.
#3 - I have such folder as well. It's called the Important folder and both my kids know where to grab it if needed.
Good luck getting on Extreme Makeover! :)
I would like to see cursive stick around, but I have to be realistic, too. If the students don't know it by the time they come to me in 5th grade, I don't have time to teach it. That may sound harsh, but it's the truth. The nice thing about cursive, though, is that it can be learned by seeing how to form the letters using the Smart Board. That was an interesting use of technology. I personally think the writing is the most important part, but I have been able to agree with some of the points others have made since I posted this. I can see why some would be very concerned about cursive being a dying art. And... my third grader said she has lived for the day she learns cursive in school. That's why she wants to start NOW! Okay, she's a little dramatic. What can I say?
That's great to have an emergency folder. I never thought to tell the kids to grab it if needed. I will do that today!
I got three new outfits to start the school year with, so I guess I got pretty close to that Extreme Makeover. No TV cameras, though!
Cursive may someday be considered in the same way as calligraphy - a thing of the past. It's sad.
I agree it is sad, Bree. On the other hand, I DID have to buy myself a cursive workbook to teach myself how to write "properly" when I started student teaching last year. We just really don't use that form often enough. At least I don't. I have a goofy combination of printing and cursive. Whatever works to get the thought onto the page the quickest. I should probably start practicing again, though, to get ready for the new school year. I should probably try to model cursive when possible. See, I "know" this should be done, but I'm as bad as the students! LOL
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