It seems as more technology is introduced, the need for our former methods of communication and daily routine continue to be replaced by an easier and faster one. I found myself lying on a beach this week thumbing through the pages of a fairly thick novel when I glanced over to the chair next to me to notice that her novel wasn’t nearly as thick as mine because of the “device” she was reading it from. I stopped where I was, folded down the corner of my page and began to look around. Was I the only one in this span of fifty or so shaded beach chairs who was stuck in the dark ages? Among the digital readers, there were even children who had put aside the plastic shovels and smash ball rackets to try and find enough shade to eliminate the glare on the iPad in order to sling endless birds at innocent monkeys and crates! I mean, seriously, even at the beach? I’ve been guilty of breaking out the iPad or iPhone in a restaurant or two in place of the now considered boring coloring kid’s placemat and crayons, but I started to wonder if these kids would even know what a crayon is in years to come! I mean think about it…
No longer is it necessary to step foot into a library if you desire to excel in your education.
No longer is it necessary to address a letter and place a stamp on it to get the message across.
No longer is it necessary to “write” a rough draft for a term paper, only to have it bleeding in red ink revisions before “typing” the final version.
No longer is it necessary to mail invitations to your events.
No longer is it even necessary to “write” a grocery list!
The "no longer necessaries" are endless due to the new way we type and app our way through life now with our index fingers and thumbs, but it was one thing I heard recently that was really disappointing. My kids, who still build the actual sand castle instead of digital ones, are heading to a new school next year for many reasons I don’t have time to expand on, but one in particular caught my attention during our parent orientation and it had to do with their focus on cursive handwriting of all things. Why would they mention that? Well, it turns out that they were making a point of continuing the teaching of that technique because it has been slated for removal in many public school systems. I couldn’t believe it. First the demise of the library and red pens for making revisions, now the elimination of a technique used by our founding Father’s to lay out our Rights. I’m all for simplifying our methods of gathering information via the digital means of pointing and tapping, but call me old fashioned when it comes to writing a simple thank you note in cursive. What’s next? Eliminating handwriting all together? I guess it’s time to accept where our future generations are heading and jump on board, huh?
Anyone know of a sand castle building app or one that will “write” my thank you notes?
What a FANTASTIC post!!!
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