{"id":200,"date":"2026-05-27T12:10:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T12:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interstatelogisticshubs.com\/?p=200"},"modified":"2026-05-27T12:10:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T12:10:31","slug":"from-tying-shoes-to-artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interstatelogisticshubs.com\/?p=200","title":{"rendered":"From Tying Shoes to Artificial Intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cleaning out the attic, I\u00a0recently came across my daughter\u2019s first pair of walking shoes. They were the white leather real tie-up shoes where a parent had to actually tie the laces so the child\u2019s foot would be securely held inside the shoe.<\/p>

Read more Spencer Pratt Has Game<\/a><\/p>\n

In kindergarten, she \u201cgraduated\u201d to burgundy shoes because those were \u201cbig girl\u201d shoes. She learned to tie her own laces after a bit of practice and we learned about \u201cbunny ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, \u201cThe American Occupational Therapy Association states that the ability to tie shoelaces is a critical fine motor skill for children. Mastery of this skill can enhance independence and confidence in young learners.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cCommon contributing factors to difficulty in tying shoelaces include fine motor skill challenges and lack of practice. Children particularly benefit from repeated demonstration and visual aids when learning this skill.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudies show that about 70% of children can tie their shoes by age six, according to research by the University of Nebraska. This skill plays a vital role in personal independence and self-care.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Now, so many years later, my grandsons have no idea what I am talking about since they never learned how to use shoelaces in school. Their shoes are held together by Velcro.<\/p>\n

This is yet another example of the ongoing dumbing down of activities that children need to learn. Velcro is much easier to use, but consider the skills the child has never learned. Ponder the lost opportunity for a child to exult in his ability to tie his shoes by himself.<\/p>\n

In the same vein, there is the topic of memorization of material. In 2012, for example, North Yorkshire, England, psychologist and teacher, Marc Smith, wrote,<\/p>\n

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\u201cMemorising facts can build the foundations for higher thinking and problem solving. Constant recitation of times tables might not help children understand mathematical concepts but it may allow them to draw on what they have memorised in order to succeed in more complex mental arithmetic. Memorisation, therefore, produces a more efficient memory, taking it beyond its limitations of capacity and duration\u2026 There exists a considerable body of evidence to suggest that a memory rife with facts learns better than one without.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Consequently, \u201c\u2026memorized content [is] a stepping stone towards conceptual learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is in tandem with vocabulary acquisition. Children are rarely, if ever, given weekly vocabulary lists to study and be quizzed on. Their ability to speak and write well is impeded simply because their vocabulary base never truly expands. They don\u2019t have the opportunity to comprehend the nuance of language because the computer fills in the answers.<\/p>\n

The same approach goes for writing script. In 2010 Common Core State Standards removed handwriting requirements in favor of keyboarding and digital literacy.<\/p>\n

They did this despite the \u201cresearch [that] shows that writing by hand, including in script, engages fine motor skills, visual-motor coordination, and sensory processing. This active engagement leads to higher brain activity in regions linked to movement, vision, and memory, which helps children retain letter shapes and word structures more effectively than typing.\u201d The physical act of forming letters creates connections between motor action and visual recognition.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMoreover, children who practice handwriting perform better on recognition, writing, and pronunciation tasks than those who type.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Consequently, \u201cscript handwriting in particular, can help children internalize letter forms and sequences, making it easier to distinguish between similar letters and to read words accurately.\u201d Other benefits of script include:<\/p>\n