The Death (and Rebirth) of Cursive Writing

In 2010, many schools in the US dropped cursive from the Common Core standards. The logic was sound: In a digital world, why waste time teaching kids to draw loopy letters when they need to learn typing?

The Consequences

Fast forward a decade. We have a generation of young adults who:

1. Can’t read historical documents (like the Declaration of Independence).
2. Can’t read their grandmother’s birthday cards.
3. Struggle to sign their own names on legal documents.

I’ve seen it happen. A 20-year-old at the bank, staring at the “Signature” line, and then awkwardly printing their name in block letters.

The Rebirth

But here is the twist: Cursive is coming back.

It’s returning not as a “necessity,” but as an art form. Bullet journaling, calligraphy, and hand-lettering are exploding on Instagram and TikTok. People are realizing that writing by hand connects you to your thoughts in a way that typing doesn’t.

Neuroscience backs this up. Writing in cursive activates different parts of the brain than typing. It improves memory and fine motor skills.

Final Thought

Cursive isn’t dead. It just graduated from “utility” to “art.” And that might actually save it.