Important skill or obsolete?

[Wendy31]

We learned cursive in school. My older 2 kids learned cursive in school as well. And the homeschool curriculum that we use teaches cursive.

Our math curriculum also teaches Roman numerals.

While I think cursive is a dying art form & most schools just don't have the time to teach it any more, I think there are still enough analog clocks around that telling time on "clocks w/ hands" is a skill that needs to be taught.

It's really not a hard concept. At the same time the students are learning to count by 5s, you teach telling time.

I had an analog clock in my classroom, &, while we were learning, I taped the corresponding "5" beside the number - for example, I taped "15" beside the 3.

 

[Colleen27]

I've never really thought about it... I'm sure my oldest learned in early elem, but I have no idea how well he's retained it. We don't have an analog clock in our home unless you count DH's wristwatch so he doesn't get much practice here. I don't think my middle child had the lessons in telling time in the same way - I remember worksheets teaching the 60min thing, ie if it is 2:45 and your friend is coming over in a half-hour when will she arrive?, but I don't remember her bringing home worksheets focusing on reading the hands of a clock. My youngest is only in K, so while she hasn't touched on telling time yet it may just be that it is coming later in the year or in the next grade.

I don't think telling time on an analog clock is an essential skill. I think cursive still is, if only because the older generations still use it so being able to read it comes into play relatively often, but analog clocks are rapidly becoming more of a decorative element than a functional one. It is only natural that shifts in technology will result in shifts in the skills younger generations have.

 

[tara lynn]

Eh, times change. I don't find it "sad", it just "is what it is".

I did teach my youngest (now 17) how to read a clock though. She learned cursive in elementary, however she says that the teachers require printing for assignments now. It has been so long since she has done cursive that she just prints. She can read cursive but does struggle to make things out.

I'm in my 20s and I remember when I was in elementary school they taught us cursive and told us we needed to know it for middle school. It would be a requirement to write in cursive. We got to middle school and all of the teachers said "Don't write in cursive. We can't read it." I haven't really written anything in cursive since 5th grade, aside from my signature. I can read almost any kind of handwriting as long as it's not sloppy.


The clock thing doesn't surprise me at all. Everyone is so used to just looking at their phone or computer to see what time it is. We're not used to having to think about it. I was a kid before cell phones became commonplace, and I remember having trouble reading analog clocks for a while in elementary school. The only place I really saw them were in school, and there weren't many reasons there to actually read the clock because the teacher would always tell you when it was time for the next lesson, time for lunch, etc. so I guess I just wasn't getting enough practice. I got a lot better at it as I got older and had more independence and NEEDED to read the clock, but these days everyone just glances at their phones.

 

[indimom]

I taught my kids to tie their shoes before K. Didn't occur to me NOT to. Even with some Velcro shoes early on, they never lost the skill.

My kids learned to read a clock in grade school and retained it because we have clocks in just about every room in the house.

But, their cursive is atrocious. They can 'just' manage it if they really think about what they are doing, but it slows them down rather than speeding them up when they write.

As for typing. My kids learned in grade school (started in first grade with a computer game they could play with in free time) and continued until third grade when both had become very proficient. I'm still faster and more accurate, but they have the hand placement correct and do not have to look at the keys to type.

 

[Sparkly]

I learnt how to tell the time and write in cursive in school, although when I was 13 or so I stopped writing in cursive and just used it for my signature. I can't imagine not knowing how to tell the time on a normal analogue clock .

I can touch type a little, but I haven't done it in ages so I'm very slow at it. I tried to type this whole post like that and it took me FOREVER.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't think telling time on an analog clock is an essential skill. I think cursive still is, if only because the older generations still use it so being able to read it comes into play relatively often

I agree. My kids get cards from grandma a lot, and I just can't imaging them not being able to read those. And it makes me sad to think of them going through my things one day after I'm gone and not being able to read what they find.

I'm really glad mine learned cursive. I really don't care if they write with it, but I just think they still need to know how to read it.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My best friend teaches 10th graders. One of them asked her what time it was on Thursday. She pointed to the large clock above her head. The girl explained she doesn't know how to read a clock, she uses her cell phone. So my friend asked the whole class. Out of 27 students, 6 of them knew how to read the clock, all were taught by their parents. She gave a lesson on how to read a clock. And on Friday she got an earful form a parent saying no one needs to read a clock and its obsolete. This is an inner city school, most will not go to college ( 52% last year went to college). Not sure if the demographics matter or not. What do you think? I was surprised as it never occurred to me that kids were not learning this skill. What if you are in another part of the country? Your cell phone dies? Is it really a necessity? I think everyone should know how, but maybe I am too old to judge. What do you think?

My kids were both taught how to read a clock and cursive., they are in 4th and 9 th grade currently.,

I think kids and people in general have become too dependent on technology.
Kids cant add in their head anymore.

Ever go somewhere and say your total is $9.77 and you give them $20.03? I always have a million pennies. Ive had the cashier look at me more than once like I had 2 heads, even a couple have said oh you gave me too much money and tried to give the change back.

I'm not saying all but most, if they dont have the cash register to add and subtract for them, they cant do it.

 

[linnell]

Another lost art that kids aren't learning? How to address and stamp and envelope. I have a friend whose daughter tried to send a letter to a friend in the military (so overseas) and she had no idea how to write the address and where the stamp goes.

 

[mrsklamc]

I'm 40 and remember being taught things like cursive, reading a clock, counting money, and even learned how to tie shoes, all by my elementary school teachers. We even learned how to brush our teeth in school, with mirrors and toothbrushes at every desk!

It's interesting the differences...I do remember going over how to brush your teeth, but tying shoes was something we were expected to learn at home.

 

[nicolita3]

Gosh this is sad...I am 29 and I remember in second grade going over learning how to tell time, I wasn't any good at it and I had to stay after for a private session with the teacher but it worked. I just cant imaging kids not knowing how to tell time!

 

[sbtrfly74]

All three of my kids know how to read a clock, I refused to buy them digital watches when they were little.

But with that said, my DD17 was over a neighbors house the other day and I told her to be home by a quarter till 5... at 5:15 she still wasnt home so we picked her up as we were going out to dinner.

She said oh I though you meant 5:15, so either she had no clue, didnt hear me correctly or was just pushing her limits of wanting to stay over her friends house longer.

I think its ridiculous that kids cant read a clock, technology shouldnt have anything to do with it. Its like kids saying I dont need math because I have a calculator.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

My daughter was taught last year in 2nd grade how to read a clock and this year as well in 3rd grade. For Christmas I got her the Mike Wazowski watch from the Disney store, which only has the numbers 12,3,6,9 on it so I am hoping its not too difficult but it is a children's watch.

Another thing that throws me for a loop is handwriting. I am so thankful my daughter is being taught. At my cousin's school it was optional and in 5th grade his teacher wanted everything in handwriting, but he never learned so he had to learn then. Even though I know technology is taking over you still have to sign for a package, write out a letter, write out a check, sign the back of your license, etc.

 

[TanyaS]

Just FYI - Common core DOES include telling time on analog clock as a first grade standard.


CCSS.Math.Content.1 Tell and write time.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.B.3 Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.

Time: Reading clocks (First grade - S.2)
Time: Match clocks and times (First grade - S.3)
Time: Match analog and digital clocks (First grade - S.5)
Time: Compare clocks (First grade - S.7)
Time: Choose the appropriate time units (First grade - S.9)

 

[PigletsPal2]

Both DDs learned to tell time on an analog clock and how to read and write cursive, but they went to international schools overseas so maybe the emphasis was different.

However, DD#1 still has to think about the concept of quarter till, quarter past, and half past. To her "quarter" is 25 and "half" is 50 as in a dollar, rather than in an hour.

Both of them write in a combination of printing and cursive, but it's a lot easier to read than their full cursive writing!

If you want to talk about obsolete skills, how about shorthand? I learned Gregg shorthand in high school in the 1960's and I was very good at it. I earned more money than my classmates who didn't have shorthand, and one of my early managers successfully lobbied for me to get the equivalent of foreign language pay (a benefit offered only in my division, on a case-by-case basis) by challenging upper management to take and transcribe very basic dictation. It may be obsolete, but I use my shorthand at least once every day, for phone messages, to write down driving directions or to note instructions on how to accomplish a new task.

Queen Colleen

 

[tvguy]

Another lost art that kids aren't learning? How to address and stamp and envelope. I have a friend whose daughter tried to send a letter to a friend in the military (so overseas) and she had no idea how to write the address and where the stamp goes.

Or another lost art, writing a check. Or balancing a checkbook?

I have a former co-worker who did everything financial electronically. She had big problems because she would need cash for something, it would be after the business office closed, so she had no access to petty cash, or it happened at 11 pm 100 miles from the office.

Fast forward to a few months ago, she gets a better job, in a much smaller city (moves from city with population of 1.4 million to one with 350k). No corporate owned rental properties, all rentals are owned by local people who can only accept checks, no electronic payment systems in place. She has to go to the bank to get cashiers checks for first and last months rent, deposits, and her monthly rent. She asks the landlord why he won't set up an electronic payment system. He replies "Why would I? It would cost me several hundred dollars to set up and there are annual fees. Your bank will give you imprinted checks for free, why don't you just get some checks?"

 

[Becky2005]

I believe it but I find it hysterical in a way....the watch was INVENTED as a way to get rid of the pocket watch, so you didn't have to take it out all the time to tell time. We have gone backwards in that regard...basically a cell phone is a modern pocket watch. My kids can tell time -- my 16 year old WANTED a pocket watch for Christmas & he uses that one all the time. It's analog. I'm not sure about my 10 year old but he probably does as I think they still do teach it in our school (or did when he was in the younger grades -- it changes what they teach).

Unfortunately, they did teach cursive to my kids but most of them can't read it. It's a shame and does make things more difficult because cursive is still being used for some things, not many -- most of them are a combo between print/cursive so you could figure it out. I know my kids get birthday cards they can't read because the inside is done in script.

It's just how it goes. I drove my Cub Scouts to an event yesterday and one of the boys was baffled how I rolled my window up & down because I don't have automatic -- I still have the "roll the window" kind -- which then leads to in a few more years, kids are going to have no clue where that phrase came from or what the gesture means. People will still say roll the window down but won't know the origin -- kind of like "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water" or "raining cats & dogs" -- I had no idea where they originally came from until a few years ago, they are just sayings we use.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I am Ambidextrous but find cursive easier to do right handed than left handed (I mostly wright left handed)

 

[Albort]

i dont think its a skill or that being obsolete...

I was visiting China once, our tour guide said that one time in school (she was also a school teacher), she ask the students to draw the sky... they had no idea what color is the sun and moon is...

 

[MrsPete]

The skill of reading an analog clock IS taught in elementry school, as is cursive writing, addition, multiplication, etc. . . . But skills that are not reinforced aren't remembered. And all too many students don't use these skills; thus, they are lost.

Yes, quite a few of my students cannot read an analog clock, and they are a bit confused by phrases like "quarter after", many thinking it means 25 minutes after the hour.

 

[snykymom]

Or another lost art, writing a check. Or balancing a checkbook?

I have a former co-worker who did everything financial electronically. She had big problems because she would need cash for something, it would be after the business office closed, so she had no access to petty cash, or it happened at 11 pm 100 miles from the office.

Fast forward to a few months ago, she gets a better job, in a much smaller city (moves from city with population of 1.4 million to one with 350k). No corporate owned rental properties, all rentals are owned by local people who can only accept checks, no electronic payment systems in place. She has to go to the bank to get cashiers checks for first and last months rent, deposits, and her monthly rent. She asks the landlord why he won't set up an electronic payment system. He replies "Why would I? It would cost me several hundred dollars to set up and there are annual fees. Your bank will give you imprinted checks for free, why don't you just get some checks?"

She could still bank electronically. If the recipient doesn't accept electronic payments, the bank will cut and mail a check to them. I do it all the time.