Telling the time with a traditional clock

[JerkintheMerkin]

How important do you think it is to learn this skill? I've spoken with quite a few of my DD's friends (she's 10) who can't actually tell the time unless it's digital. In fairness she can't either. I've tried numerous times to explain it to her and purposely ask her the time in "clock speak" as opposed to "digital speak" but she has never got it and says what's the point when she mainly sees the time in digital. Shall I plough ahead until one day the penny drops or should I just say the time as if we're in the army? "Get up for school at oh-600 hours"

I'm 39 and traditionally 'clever' (I have a degree and a professional complicated job) but I am rubbish at using an analogue clock, always have been. Something in my brain just finds it very confusing and I have to really think about it.
I force myself to use an analogue clock face on my smart watch.
Unfortunately DD seems to have the same struggle (she's 9). DS2 (age 5) hasn't learned yet at school.

You need it because it’s a base skill that feeds in to lots of others (fractions) and it is a concept- time doesn’t pass in hiccups like an old movie, it passes smoothly like an analogue clock.

It helps them manage and self organise around time too.

I swear some of the people who can’t grasp how rude it is to be 30 mins late don’t understand time- it’s just a number, not a period.

Get the underlying concept and she’ll get the skill.
An hour is a whole pizza. 60 people get a mere slither of pizza. People don’t mind missing a slither that small, don’t mind you being a slither of pizza late. Being quarter of a pizza late requires an apology. People can need that quarter of a pizza!

My kids leaned in the first years of primary. They're still good at it now. Unlike me, who often gets confused with times, even with digital clocks.

I've always struggled, numbers confuse me. Twice in the past week I've been an hour and half an hour early to something because I read the time wrong. Better early than late I guess.

Also, you can change the face on your phones and watches so you see an analogue clock. That’s handy.

My very able 20 year old daughter was amazed that I can easily time from a clock face that has no numbers on it.

@AGlinnerOfHope I like your analogy but please please make it sliver not slither!!

Bit melodramatic!

Can you read a slide rule?
Can you use a lathe?
Can you make lace?

I taught mine to read analogue, and we have analogue clocks at home because I like them, but it's not unusual for things to decline in usage, this is human history.

Half my Year 6 class struggle with maths involving time. Questions like ‘The plane leaves at 08:37 and lands at 12:23, how long was the flight?’

We have also had to teach them the concept of ‘Change’ as though it was an ancient medieval ritual! The vast majority have no experience of a shopkeeper giving them change, and yet there it is in the SATs ‘Chen buys 2 choc bars for £1.35 and a pack of crisps for 95p, how much change does she get from a £5 note?’ What’s a £5 note? Actually, what’s a note?

I find it odd parents aren't teaching this skill before starting school. Mine wanted watches and you can't have a watch until you can tell the time! Dd1 got it around 4 dd2 was nearer 6

It'll be interesting when the SATS change to catch up!

Governments across the globe are very conflicted about cash in general.

I don’t think I do that out loud! I hope not 🤣

I forced mine to wear analogue watches so they would learn. It’s a skill that is needed and it reinforces fractions

one of mine did really struggle and she has dyscalculia and it was was of the symptoms of it. So I allowed her a digital watch. Analogue clocks are a nightmare for some and even now, she can’t understand what a “quarter to xx” means

Both my children have an analogue clock in their bedrooms and we have one in the kitchen and living room, both can tell the time. Perhaps a few around the house might help.

I just asked my teen and they said they have to as analogue clocks in school- and exam hall

Husband is a secondary teacher and he has mentioned that lots of the kids he teaches can't read an analogue clock.

My kids can, they had a clock I. Their room when we wear small and they wear wristwatches - have to be analogue for school. Mostly in the morning when they're getting ready for school I hear 'Alexa, what's the time?' 🤦🏻‍♀️

I imagine many kids don't have access to analogies clocks.

It’s not just fractions, but angles, sequencing, before and after, fence posts…
It’s a really complex skill so it’s hard to acquire, but it supports so many others.

I hate analogue clocks as I suffer from misophonia. Tick tick tick... arghhhhhh.

But still managed to teach time to my kids. It is something that has to be taught, kids do not pick it up intuitively. But life is evolving, soon we won't be teaching driving in a non-automatic car, cash is on the way out, most clocks are digital now... etc

"Back in my day...." is not an attractive phrase... my dad used it all the time
"... we didn't have calculators, have you even seen a slide rule/logarithm book/etc."

They will need to tell the time when doing GCSEs/ a levels etc. lots of exam halls only have analogue clocks.

It’s not just fractions, but angles, sequencing, before and after, fence posts…

Agreed, and if analogue goes out of the window it renders whole load of film banter (e.g. “watch your six”) and at least one film title meaningless..😉

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_O'Clock_High

Teach secondary here (11-18). A lot of them can't tell the time using an analogue clock. When I said I was stopping them at twenty-to, I had to further explain it was when the big hand was on the 8!

@NicoleSkidman I get her up in the mornings . She has this annoying knack of setting alarms but not actually hearing them.

Ah, trying to poke fun at me for having analogue clocks. Nice.

Yes I have one in every room, including the garden. Okay fair enough I don't have them in the toilet or bathrooms. I like them. I don't like the look of digital clocks.
I too have a cuckoo clock in the hallway as well.

It's not a stealth boast, clocks are cheap and look nice on the wall. It's also much easier to simply move my eyes towards the clock than digging my phone out my back pocket to check the time.

Keep on trying it is essential down the line. I've invigilated for a number of years and yes it is always an analogue clock in the exam hall/room. Apart from the invigilator letting pupils know there is only 5 minutes remaining, the children are on their own in terms of working out the time and planning how much time to spend on each question etc.
BUT, you have plenty of time before you get to this point.

How do parents give pocket money to children nowadays? Surely you still give cash for small amounts?

I have multiple analogue clocks too - you are not alone!