Stalwarts push to revive cursive in city schools

If your kid can't sign his or her name, here's why: Most city public schools stopped teaching cursive handwriting years ago.

The focus on high-stakes testing and rigorous Common Core math and reading standards has reduced handwriting to a "lost art." The city Department of Education leaves the decision to teach it up to each school.

But some school officials want to bring cursive back.

Marlon Hosang, principal of PS 64 in Alphabet City, plans to launch a cursive curriculum this spring, saying it will boost learning — and students love it.

"We should use technology, but not at the expense of being able to write your thoughts on paper," he told The Post.

The act of handwriting is "soothing," and research shows it stimulates a different part of the brain, Hosang said.

"It helps kids get smarter," he said.

His fifth-grade teacher, Amanda Roccanova, used to teach in city Catholic schools, where handwriting is still taught in second grade.

She has already taught her PS 64 class the basics: the slant, downcurve, undercurve, overcurve and loop.

Every Friday, she demonstrates a letter or two and sends kids home with practice sheets for homework.

"The hardest thing for them is holding the pencil correctly," Roccanova said. "A lot of them still hold it in a fist."

Hosang visits classes and writes kids' names to pique their interest.

The students seem eager to learn the "grown-up" skill.

"I like script because it's more curly than the straight lines," said fourth-grader Kasidee, 9, whose grandma has bought her handwriting manuals.

"It's a fancy way to write," said 9-year-old classmate Eric.

"It's like you're drawing, but you're making a word," chimed in Eliana, 8.

Fourth-grade teacher Meghan McElligott wants her students to eventually be able to read the script on the original Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, as well as sign their John Hancock.

Handwriting develops fine motor skills, she added.

In most city schools, students learn only to print or tap laptops.

"It's time-consuming to teach cursive writing," said Sheila Durant, principal of PS 69 in The Bronx. "We prefer to use that writing time to focus on the content rather than what it looks like."

But Hosang and other principals where handwriting is still taught say cursive benefits kids through their academic years and beyond.

"Writing in cursive is a necessity when they transition into high school. They need to write on exams — all the way to the SAT," said Angelo Sacco, assistant principal of PS/IS 180, the Seeall Academy in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

Seeall students learn cursive in second grade and use it in writing assignments through eighth grade, Sacco said.

This year, Seeall's Daniel Chi, now in fourth-grade, won a cursive award in a national handwriting contest sponsored by publisher Zaner-Bloser.

At least 10 states recently passed laws or added standards requiring the teaching of cursive, but no such move is afoot in New York.

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