Friday 3 June 2011

A Question for you.

Fridays are always busy on the farm. It is Market Day - and Auction Mart Day and today there is also a machinery sale which the farm has put some stuff in - so not much time to blog, but I might have a read of a few tonight when the dust has settled.

In the meantime I leave you with this to ponder. I read today that twenty three percent of children cannot read a clock face now. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Does it matter? I suppose it is rather like saying after the motor car came into common usage that twenty three percent of people could no longer drive a horse and cart. What is your opinion?

See you tomorrow.

27 comments:

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

What's a clockface? Just kidding.

It's a shame to see original modalities of things fade out of usage. I love including old clockfaces into my digital art. Including a digital clock will just not happen!

Midlife Roadtripper said...

I have many kids in school that can't read a clockface. Always asking me what time it is and it took me a while to figure out they couldn't read time unless in digital form. Thinking it is important to learn as I don't see clock faces going away.

Eryl said...

I don't think it's a problem: I have no idea how to use a mangle.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

They can't make change either.

angryparsnip said...

To me a digital clock just tells you what time it is right now.

I like having a clock to look at rather than a Digital.
It gives me an overview of my time and to know what is coming up so I can finish up or start something new.

I think you should lean how to read a clock, never know when you might need it.
I remember being in a shop and the computerize cash registers went out, I had to help the sale clerk write the sale slip out add the tax because she didn't know how to do it.


cheers, parsnip

Elizabeth said...

I love looking at clocks
and children would get a kick out of 'reading' them.
So I think it's skill people would enjoy
maybe like calligraphy or something life enhancing
that they probably don't 'have' to know how to nowadays but might enjoy.......
Eryl: mangle skills are easy to master (mistress, really!)

Heather said...

Young children should be taught to tell the time. It used to be a little milestone in a child's development, like learning to tying their shoelaces. However, if everything is going digital it will become an unused skill except for those interested in 'antique' clocks!

Reena said...

Still think it is important to learn. It will always come in handy!

Golden West said...

Hi Weaver,

Yes, the ocean really is that blue here - those pictures are straight out of the camera.

I'm all for teaching children to tell time by non-digital clocks, if for nothing else, than to have the reasoning/decifering ability in their skill set.

Funny it feels like August there - yesterday felt like autumn here - we've had a month of windy days.

Dartford Warbler said...

It`s not that long ago that I was teaching in infant schools. Telling the time using an analogue clock was always taught first, followed by the use of the twenty four hour clock and digital clocks.

When I was teaching dyslexic and dyscalculic children across the age range, telling the time was often a real problem. Those with visual spatial difficulties often found a digital clock easier to read and understand, so it is good that we have both forms available!

Maggi said...

I think that as long as there are clock faces out there they need to be able to read them.

Tess Kincaid said...

I suppose there will come a time in the not so distant future that face clocks will be totally obsolete. Sad to think.

Gerry Snape said...

Well I'm sure that my children and grandchildren will say ...no it doesn't matter...but I think that it does..it's all adding to information. Any way the grandfather clock is eventually going to the son and family and it's still got it's lovely painted scottish face on it.

Totalfeckineejit said...

I'm amazed that 77% can!

Tom Stephenson said...

That's because they no longer need to arrange to meet under the town clock at a certain time - all arrangements can be changed or broken at the touch of a mobile phone button.

Penny said...

Actually I have trouble when cooking working out when to take, say a cake from the oven with the digital clock on the stove, but if I look at a clock face I know immediatly.
I would hate not being sble to tell the time from a clock face.

steven said...

weaver what's truly funny is that in all classrooms i know of their is an analogue clockface up on the wall. none of the kids i teach have such a thing in their home. they only know and use digital clockfaces. i we teach analogue and digital time but it's a bit like handwriting - i wonder why? now having said that i want you to know that i value handwriting as it is an expression of the writer. i value analogue timepieces because they are sometimes very beautiful works of art. steven

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

I can remember my parents had to come to elementary school when I was in the 2nd grade I think, for a conference because I had trouble learning how to tell time. I don't think clock faces are going to entirely disappear and I think it is a good idea for children to learn how to read one. Clock faces add a spacial dimension to time aside from just the numbers. I much prefer the clock face to digital.

Totalfeckineejit said...
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Totalfeckineejit said...
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Totalfeckineejit said...

I think Dave Allen might have the answer Weaver!

HERE

Loren said...

At 69 I much prefer digital, so I'm thinking it must not be a vital skill any longer.

MorningAJ said...

I don't think it's essential - but I think it's a shame that nothing 'old' seems to be valued any more.

Anonymous said...

It's sad, Pat. Not just the fogeyish view. As Midlife Jobhunter says, the clock face isn't on the way out.

ChrisJ said...

You are so right, Weaver. I remember the exact time and place I was when I learned to read the clock face. Now try asking kids to read Roman numerals!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Interesting comments. If you really want a laugh go - as TFE suggests - to Dave Allen talking to a child about time!

The Weaver of Grass said...

I think that with the clock face, once we have learned to read it, we no longer need to look at anything other than the shape the hands make - we know the time from that - I wouldn't like that skill to die out.