Who cares if our children can’t tell time?
My 5-year-old son was so excited today. He was showing me his new watch. It was a theme watch from the movie Cars. I looked at the watch and noticed it was an analog watch and after telling my son how cool his new watch was, I praised him and told him how proud I was that he bought an analog watch instead of a digital one.
Of course he immediately asked me what I was talking about. I explained to my son the difference and how important it is to be able to tell time on an analog watch. But then something weird happened. I actually thought about what I just said and I heard a little voice inside of me say, "Why? Why is it important to know how to tell time on an analog watch?"
Analog, schmanalog
The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to retract my statement. Does it really matter than future generations don't know how to tell time on an analog watch? What's the difference? If they can correctly tell time on a digital watch, who cares?
I'm sure those last few statements will bother some of you, but think about this. If you believe that it is important that future generations understand our old analog technology, why not force our children to learn all of the analog technologies?
In other words, why not teach our children...
- How to dial a phone number using a rotary phone.
- How to change channels on a television using UHF and VHF dials.
- How to record television shows using a VCR.
- How to put an LP on a record player and set the needle down on the album.
- How to take pictures on a 35mm camera and take the finished film to a store to be developed.
- How to go to the library and look something up in an encyclopedia.
- How to write a short note to a friend using pen and paper, put it in an envelope, address it, stamp it and drop it in the mail.
Some of you who are older than me could probably expand the list above even further. Perhaps we should teach our children how to pick up a party line or ask an operator to connect us to the person we want to call. Or tune into a serial radio show.
My point is this. Just because old technology existed doesn't mean it is important for everyone to learn it. Sure, analog clocks still appear in public places and yes, some children won't know how to tell time when they see one. But I'm betting those same children wouldn't know how to put a 45 record on a record player either. And you don't hear people walking around telling others how society is going downhill because the new generation refuses to learn how to play a 45 record.
Disagree with me? Leave me a comment below and tell me why.
8 comments for this blog post so far...
October 02, 2008 at 9:52 am
kayjo
One interesting difference between the analog watch and the other “old” technologies is that the display of an analog watch is a visual representation of the progress of time. The layout of the watch face might make it easier for some people to make a quick assessment of how much time is left before some event.
Just a thought, plus since there are still some places that use analog clocks it is still a useful skill.
October 07, 2008 at 7:01 am
Erik Deckers
Children should learn to tell time just because analog clocks are still out there. It’s one of those things that people should know how to do.
They should learn how to look things up in an encyclopedia, take pictures on a 35mm camera, and write a pen-and-paper note, because these things are still in use. Maybe not as much, but I think it’s important for kids to learn the foundation of why we do certain things. They can learn why an online encyclopedia follows its format, the fundamentals of good photography, or the personalized touch that a real letter offers.
And I happen to like serialized radio shows.
October 09, 2008 at 10:09 am
Patric Welch
@kayjo I agree to some degree about what you are saying with the visual representation but I can assure you that my 7 year old son has no trouble knowing what it means to have 5 seconds left on the shot clock when watching a basketball game. And he does this by seeing the “:05” on the bottom corner of the television screen. Where’s the visual representation there?
October 09, 2008 at 10:10 am
Patric Welch
@Erik I knew this point of view was coming so let me just say this. Some people still have record players. Does that mean our children should all learn how to play a record before they learn how to play a CD?
October 09, 2008 at 10:19 am
Erik Deckers
BEFORE they play a CD? No. But should they learn it to keep that historic knowledge alive? Yes. (And for the record, I bought my wife a reproduction record player several years ago for Christmas, and the kids actually think it’s cool.)
I want to make sure my kids at least understand the things I grew up with. If nothing else, it helps them appreciate their own lives and technology. Show them a record player, and they appreciate their iPod. Show them a black and white TV, and they appreciate color TV. For the last 10 days, we have been without cable, while we’re waiting for AT&T;U-verse to get reconnected. When the kids bemoan the lack of channels, I point out that we have as many channels now as I did when I was a kid. So I know they are going to appreciate getting Nick and Disney channel back.
So let me pose this to you: a few months ago, you wrote about how you bought some classic video games on your Wii. Didn’t your son get a kick out of playing those? I think it was important for him to play them, because he could see the history of video games, and see how far the technology has come in just 30 years.
October 09, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Patric Welch
@Erik OK, I see your point but where is the cutoff? Is it important for me to show my kids a film strip, then a movie reel, then a video tape and finally, a DVD before I allow them to download their first digital movie from the iTunes Store?
By the way, big bonus points to you for accurately referencing my blog post from a few months ago. However, buying nostalgic video games is something I think is fun. I don’t do it so my kids can see how video games used to look 10 years ago. I don’t believe that my sons should have to play Pong before they play Mario Kart.
Can you tell I like playing the devil’s advocate?
October 09, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Erik Deckers
I don’t think you need to go back as far as a film strip. And I don’t think these things need to be done consecutively (first a film, then a VHS, etc.). It doesn’t have to be linear. But if we ever have the chance to show our kids how things were “in the old days,” we should do it.
Visiting the Children’s Museum, or Science & Industry in Chicago, or any other place that shows historical technology is another way. Instead of rushing them past the old technology, take a few minutes to explain it to them.
I have a strong interest in radio theater and even wrote a few plays myself. In addition to making my kids listen to my own plays, I have often played old radio theater shows for my kids. I also download some podcasts from Decoder Ring Theatre, which my kids now love.
I also have an old console radio that’s about 60 years old, and I’ve explained to them how that was the TV of the 30s and 40s. I explained how radio theater was the only entertainment my parents and grandparents had back then.
By showing them something old, they were able to appreciate an updated version of the medium and art form. But I never had to make them listen to cassettes of the plays to reach that stage (and the radio doesn’t even work right, so I couldn’t make them listen to that). I just did it whenever the opportunity came up.
October 09, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Patric Welch
@Erik I think we’ve argued this to death by now. I think it all boils down to the difference between showing our children how things used to be in order to gain appreciation for what they have versus needing to know how old technology works. I think they can appreciate older analog technology without making it a requirement to learn it.
Fair enough?
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