The Beloit College Mindset List is designed to show an overview of what "cultural touchstones" make the Class of 2014 the way they are. This list has several statements that I found to be true, not so true, and also had the ones that made no sense to me at all. Out of this list of seventy-five, I have found three that stuck out to me more than the others.
I find that "Few in the class know how to write in cursive." is true. Thinking back to my senior year in high school, I remember my friend saying that he didn't really know how to write in cursive, even though it was a taught subject at our school in the third grade. I think this might be because back home when we were younger and we had to write in cursive, the entire class would groan because we all thought that it would just be easier to just write the way we were originally taught versus trying to figure out how to write that darn S. I think that if kindergarteners were taught how to write in cursive from the time a pen or pencil was placed in their tiny hands, cursive would be seen more and not just when someone is signing something.
Another statement I find to be true is "Beethoven has always been a good name for a dog.” This is only because when I was a kid, I watched the movie Beethoven probably ten thousand times because it was one of my favorites. When I read that statement, I had to laugh to myself because I instantly knew they were referring to the lovable Saint Bernard that destroyed the family's house on a daily basis, but the entire family still loved him and went through great lengths to get him back after he was dognapped. I remember wanting one of those dogs for the longest time, but of course dad said no. I’m thinking that the reasoning was the fear that it would eat my little sisters. Maybe even drown them with its immense amount of slobber, who knows?
One statement that doesn’t seem to be all that true, for me anyway, is “They first met Michelangelo when he was just a computer virus.” I don’t know a whole lot about computer viruses, so I don’t know if it was or is some big one that everyone, other than me obviously, knows about, but I know I was introduced to Michelangelo as an artist and not some computer virus.
Although there are seventy-two other facts, cursive writing, a huge dog named Beethoven, and a computer virus named after a famous painter are the three that stood out to me more than the rest.
You make me giggle Morgan! I loved Beethoven too and I would watch it over and over and over. I also had no idea what the Michelangelo computer virus was either. I knew about the artist, not the virus.
ReplyDeleteI totally know were your coming from when you say I agree with some, disagree with others and don't understand the rest. I guess in not understand the mind set it made it true because most of then I didn't understand were like... has near heard of some old famous person.
ReplyDeletewe were the same way in school, complaining when we were forced to write in cursive. and also i never heard of that computer virus. i first knew michelangelo as a teenage mutant ninja turtle.
ReplyDeleteThis list might better describe some people rather than others. I'm sure there are people out there that think of the computer virus as soon as they here Michelangelo, but to each their own.
ReplyDeleteWe always complained about having to write in cursive too, and i believe that is why my class from high school never really knew how to right in cursive. Because we would all complain so much that we would end up not having to do it and then we just forgot how.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the most people don't write in cursive part because it is not what we learned first. I have a friend who learned how to write English words in cursive and she can't write manuscript in English at all. It is just easier to do what we learned first.
ReplyDeleteI always complain about writing in cursive and I have never even heard of that computer virus. Talking about Beethoven makes me want to watch the movie!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the movie Beethoven until I was like 10 or so, so I didn't find that item to be too true for myself.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who doesn't know cursive at all. When he's forced to sign checks and the like, he just writes as sloppily as possible. I find that both funny AND discouraging. Reflecting on that is why I agree with the number 1 item on the list so much.
Learning cursive back then was almost as frustrating as learning multiplication tables. And that movie definitely came to mind when I heard Beethoven. I knew the artist not the virus so I can relate to this blog.
ReplyDeleteHey Morgan,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love Beethoven! I'm a huge dog person, so that's one of my most-loved movies.
Second, I have absolutely no idea what the Michelangelo virus is. I know that I have had a virus on my computer before, but I don't think it was called Michelangelo...maybe Da Vinci or Picasso, but definitely not Michelangelo ;)