The Pitch: The case for handwritten assignments

English timed writings, DBQs, LEQs and FRQs are stressful experiences for many WJ students. I’m sure most students can agree that frantically writing in blue or black ink as our hands start cramping with five minutes left in class does not bring back any fond memories. Yes, timed writings are nerve-racking for many, yet, it’s a more valuable experience than we think.

We gain a lot as students when we are assigned handwritten work. And it’s too bad that the only chances we get to hand write essays are when we have timed writings in class. Hand written work helps us to be successful learners. According to some studies, we better encode information through writing than typing...

The case for handwritten assignments – The Pitch (wjpitch.com)

MCPS chromebooks’ short lifespans pose issues for students [FYI: In Maryland Public School Curriculum is FREE. Students do NOT pay for Textbooks.]

...It also saves time and money with students no longer having to pay for textbooks that aren’t fully used or might not be completely up-to-date...

 
...In addition, students have expressed positive views about Chromebook usage. “I personally believe the increased Chromebook usage has had a positive change, especially when writing essays and doing projects. It is much easier for me to type than write, and my hand doesn’t hurt when I’m done. It is also more efficient as I can type much faster than I can write,” Feuerstein said.

With an increased reliance on Chromebooks, however, comes several flaws that have been popping up locally and across the nation. A 2023 report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund found that the short lifespan of Chromebooks, compounded by a lack of support repair and a built-in end for software support, often leaves schools with failing devices that saddle districts with additional costs. 

Faltering Chromebooks have been a recurring issue for students at RM as well. “My old Chromebook had a bad battery life but I swapped it out. That Chromebook had heating issues and some of the keys and the chassis began to warp and it got hot enough to burn me,” sophomore Dinh Cao said.

“It annoys me that Chromebooks continue to be produced with these malfunctions and that these issues are not generally addressed by Google,” Feuerstein said...

MCPS chromebooks’ short lifespans pose issues for students – The Tide (thermtide.com)

At a Small Maine School, Cursive Endures and Wins National Awards

Although cursive handwriting “is a dying field,” as one teacher said, it has made a comeback in some schools, including one in Maine where two students won awards this month...

...Although cursive handwriting is not as widely seen or as prominent as decades past, it has made a comeback in some classrooms. After Common Core standards no longer required that cursive be taught in public elementary schools in 2010, some administrators — including in districts in Texas, Ohio and Illinois — reintroduced a cursive curriculum in elementary schools...

...Sasha Morrissette, Christian’s mother, said that her son, who has autism, enjoyed creating character art, and that his artistic skills helped to improve his handwriting skills.

“He just has the ability to replicate things, like his memory is incredible, and I think that helps with this,” Ms. Morrissette said. “He was able to look at the example and just kind of picture it in his head, and he was able to transform it into a nice piece of writing.”..

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/us/writing-cursive-students.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20210525&instance_id=31504&nl=the-morning&regi_id=92976244&segment_id=58949&te=1&user_id=0660cb1477d0cec16ea24837e687f1bc