Generation Me By Julia O'Gallagher

Let's face it, our generation is way more selfish than the one before us. What happened to spending time with family and taking pictures just for souvenirs? 30 years ago the concept of a selfie didn't exist, today that's all we hear about. Some of the products we use these days seem to suggest being self-centered. Being self-centered doesn't lead anywhere, it only shuts you out from reality.

You might think I'm crazy for saying this but, kids these days have it made. Teenagers especially, are often way too caught up in there own lives to care about others and what goes on around them. You'll notice that lots of people our age don't pay attention to what goes on around them. They're too busy updating their Facebook status or checking how many likes their picture got on Instagram. The most common devices around us also seem to have an effect on us: iPods, iPads, iPhones, etc. The name says it all. Even songs we listen to have lyrics are less and less inclusive. They have been studied and they contain more "I" and "me" in them than "you" and "us". If these facts don't say selfish, what does?

The next thing I want to talk about is our generation's attitude towards others. We don't say thank you to bus drivers, cashiers or teachers. We don't hold the door for the person behind us and we act without thinking about how it will affect others. I have seen this so many times since I have been at school: "But, I have the right to do this" students say this all the time to teachers or other adults when they get in trouble. You might have the right to do something stupid but, you really don't have to. Not saying "thank you" can make you look too self-centered to care anything or anyone besides yourself. Not holding the door for the next person can also give people around you the feeling that you don't care. What do you do? Do you ignore others or do you thank them for what they have done for you?

To finish off, our generation is selfish, rude and can be ungrateful. Instead of the "I" in iPod, why not use "we"? All I want to say is to take off your earphones and look up from your phones. Share a smile and say "thanks". Just that could make someone's day.

The Endangered Art of Cursive Writing by Florence Clément

As time goes on, less and less people write in cursive, which is not a good thing because they are missing all the benefits of cursive writing. Elementary schools should keep teaching this art of writing, as it is a precious skill that everyone should own. Many experts have extensive knowledge of the gifts cursive writing has for us and our brain. Unfortunately, a lot of people still think that cursive writing is a useless, time wasting type of writing.  Schools should not miss this great opportunity of teaching cursive writting.

First of all, let's see what experts think about the benefits of cursive writing. Some explain that children who write in cursive generate more words and ideas than those who type. It can also help the brain to develop categorization skills, which helps to improve its capacities faster . So, let's imagine that you are an important person that does not know how to write in cursive, and that you need to sign a contract. Wouldn't you be afraid to sign a important paper in block letters ? If not, you should be. Signatures should always be written in cursive, because it decreases the chances of forgery. Elementary schools should continue to teach cursive writting because of its various benefits.

Second of all, cursive writting can help some people get smarter in some subjects that require note-taking activities, like math. Some teachers say that since they made their students take notes in cursive, they have become more good at remembering their notes. As we write in cursive,three areas of our brain get activated. The fusiform gyrus,the  inferior frontal gyrus and the posterior pariental cortex.  These may be weird names, but they play an big role in the development of our brain and can help us remenber certain things. Cursive writing doesn't help us  at school only, but also in everyday situations. One of my friends, who is enrolled in an archeology program, was once studying for an important history test, and she needed to read The Declaration of Independence, which was written all over in cursive writting. Since she didn't know how to read cursive, she didn't do well on her test. See ? Elementary schools should continue to teach cursive writing because, later on, if you don't know how to read or write in cursive, it can create problems.

As technology improves, less people write in cursive due to the fact that with  new technologies, it is easier and less complicated to write, because now, we can type. Elementary schools should still continue to teach cursive writing because it is an important skill that everyone should have. This form of writing helps develop our brain, can help us at school, at home and allows us to create unique signatures. We should not let time steal away this amazing art.