If Handwriting Needs To Go – So Be It!

When I found out I was expecting a baby boy, nearly nine years ago, I had images of him tearing around, climbing trees, BMXing round the neighbourhood and having adventures.

Although my expectations have somewhat been fulfilled, nothing could have prepared me for his obsession with screens. Whether it’s the Wii, iPad or iPhone, my son isn’t happier than when he’s lost in his games.

Being a child of the 80s (and a little of the 70s) I find it really tough to get my head around constantly having to monitor his screen obsession; I find it depressing that it’s all he wants to do.

I recently read an article about Finland taking cursive writing out of the statutory curriculum. After I recovered from the shock, I was able to think about it more objectively and agree that it’s about time the education system started to adapt to the modern age and bridge the gap between schooling and the world of work.

Recent articles written by the Chamber of Commerce were riddled with evidence that the shortage of skills is slowing down businesses’ ability to grow and prosper. The education system is doing our children an injustice by continuing to teach in the same way it has for decades.

The way business is conducted has changed; agility and innovation is at the heart of staying ahead of the game. That means we need people who can think on their feet, problem solve, take risks and think critically, change at a moment’s notice and, importantly, build lasting relationships.

To make this a reality the bridge between schools and business needs to be narrowed. Businesses need to be incentivised to get involved with shaping the skills of tomorrow. Whether it’s taking on summer placements, setting and vetting school projects or even getting involved through lobbying and shaping policy, businesses need to realise they aren’t going to get the skills they need unless they get involved.

If eliminating cursive hand writing in exchange for typing lessons is the start of the skills revolution, then bring it on. We need to accept times have changed and we need to prepare our kids for the real world.