Most people who know me know that, in my spare time, I volunteer at a non-profit fight club for 8- to 15-year-old children from low-income families. I don't think that makes me a "hero" (although I humbly accept that as the nickname the children have given me). Last week, one of the 10-year-olds (who would honestly be the best in her age group if she didn't keep dropping her hands) informed me that she wouldn't be able to fight because she had homework to do. When I learned what her assignment was, I was shocked: They are still teaching cursive in schools.

Some schools have dropped cursive, but it's still a part of the curriculum in over 50 percent of American public schools. Why? I learned it when I was a kid but have never once used it in my life (my signature is a drawing of a middle finger wearing cool-guy sunglasses). This realization made me wonder what other shockingly outdated practices are still persisting in education, so I did some digging ...