In 2010, elementary schools nationwide cut many Common Core standards through their curriculums due to state level revisions, high costs, political opposition, and more. These curriculum cuts include the reduction of teaching analog clocks and cursive penmanship, which in the long run, affects students’ cognitive abilities.
The Flynn Effect is an observed increase in IQ test results and the outcomes of them. Through multiple IQ exams, it has been determined that younger generations are going through a “Reverse Flynn Effect,” meaning IQ test scores are declining, leaving a huge impact on the children’s well being.
With the original Common Core standard cuts, many schools tested these cuts, before withdrawing from the changes; states like Florida and Kentucky withdrew from the changes before Common Core standards were rebranded. Education Week reveals that throughout the years, cursive writing has been removed and replaced multiple times through curriculums over the US; “The push and pull of teaching cursive and penmanship has been ongoing since the mid-2010s, after most states adopted the Common Core State Standards, which did not expressly mention cursive but did emphasize keyboarding.”
GCHS history teacher Payton Montemayor reflects on how since these cuts were put in place, schools have had to change their requirements: “Teaching cursive writing, for example, was removed from the Common Core State Standards for grades K–12. As a result, many elementary schools may have reduced or eliminated these topics from their curriculum because they are no longer required.”
At the same time, there has been a noticeable decline in the teaching of analog clock reading. In a recent study from schools in Seattle, Washington, only 35% of students could read an analog clock. Analog clocks have been replaced by a quicker, more accessible, and convenient solution: digital clocks. The lack of these important cognitive abilities has been shown through the Negative Flynn Effect. A Northwestern University press release elaborates, “In studying intelligence testing data from 2006 to 2018, Northwestern University researchers noticed that test scores in three out of four ‘cognitive domains’ were going down. This is the first time we’ve seen a consistent negative slope for these testing categories, providing tangible evidence of what is known as the ‘Reverse Flynn Effect.’” The Reverse Flynn Effect is when the average IQ test scores trend lower compared to prior decades. If this concern is recurring, it could lead to diminished societal innovation and even reduced economic productivity. Overall, the Reverse Flynn Effect will change the future of the workforce and schools forever if the trend continues.
However, junior Charlotte Polyak justifies how while these core standards get removed: they can still be implemented through their neighboring subjects, “Teachers are often required to prioritize on subjects that are heavily tested on, like math and reading, they don’t have enough time for life skill instruction,” Polyak explains, “Teachers can re-implement these skills by integrating them into already existing subjects, like teaching clocks during math, practicing cursive during writing, or incorporating basic life skills into projects.”
Overall, the decline of cursive writing and analog clock instruction reflects changes in educational priorities rather than a single cause of cognitive decline. While concerns regarding the Reverse Flynn Effect are valid, integrating these skills into existing subjects will help preserve their benefits without affecting curricula. This balanced approach could better prepare them for their future academic and cognitive demand.
