The following article appeared in the QUID NOVI by Bridges Spiva, Grammar School Principal.
One of the earliest historical markers students whimsically chant throughout their early years at New Covenant underscores humanity’s transition from cultural preservation through oral storytelling to the permanence of records made possible by the invention of writing in 3200 BC. Students learn early on that the symbols used by the Sumerians and Egyptians laid the foundation for the remarkable penmanship displayed throughout the Grammar School hallways which, not surprisingly, serves as one of first curricular distinctives to elicit recognition and simultaneous jaw-dropping awe from prospective families and visitors during a tour.
Arguably, the development of the written word contributed positively to cultural preservation and the advancement of an educated society. However, as in the case of most technological innovations, there were unintended consequences. Did you know that Socrates called into question the impropriety of writing by insisting that it served to destroy the memory, weaken the mind, and create people who were hearers of many things but learners of nothing? Likewise, as impressive as our students’ penmanship may be, in an increasingly keyboard- and touchscreen-driven society, we must ask: Is the direct instruction of pencil grip, writing posture, and basic strokes of manuscript and cursive writing an academic necessity, or is it merely an antiquated holdover that provides convenient evidence of classical instruction?
While many public and private schools have eliminated cursive instruction in favor of typing or swiping, New Covenant and other classical schools recognize handwriting as not merely a functional skill but an essential component of intellectual and virtue formation.
Intellectual Formation
Handwriting plays a foundational role in facilitating reading acquisition in young children. Students learn to read through repetition of detailed handwriting techniques combined with the precise articulation and writing of phonograms and high-frequency words. However, a lesser-known benefit of handwriting activity is its ability to establish neuronal connectivity patterns in the brain that are crucial for memory formation and encoding new information. Neurological studies suggest that coordinating complex hand movements with carefully shaping each letter improves spelling recall and facilitates letter recognition and understanding, while the act of forming letters by hand activates higher cognitive areas of the mind and increases neural network connectivity patterns in the brain. Such enhanced brain development was not evidenced when pressing keys on a keyboard. Furthermore, students who take handwritten notes retain information more effectively than those who type. The slower pace required to write notes by hand promotes deeper processing by encouraging students to distinguish essential from irrelevant information as opposed to the mindless activity employed when transcribing every word.
Virtue Formation
Just as wind and water shape and transform nature, the things you do shape and transform your mind. – Janice Campbell
The discipline required to generate harmony between the mind and hand cultivates patience, attention to detail, and perseverance. Handwriting requires students to slow down, pay attention, and think. Taking the time to produce quality penmanship shows appreciation and care for the task at hand and encourages the habit of self-reflection. Carefully crafted handwritten letters communicate intentionality and connect us to each other on a deep human level.
Classical Formation
The aim of a classical education is to promote human flourishing through exposure to the true, good, and beautiful. Hence quality penmanship is a worthwhile endeavor simply because it is beautiful. Throughout the ages, beautiful handwriting has been a symbol of literary sophistication adorning the pages of enduring literary and historical documents. More importantly, the beauty of handwriting represents the order, splendor, and majesty of God’s world.
At New Covenant, we continue to teach handwriting not out of mere tradition, but because it forms both the mind and the soul, connecting us to the beauty and wisdom of the classical tradition.
