Being able to read a clock is a very important skill that is taught in elementary mathematics. It is so important that it is addressed in the MN academic standards under "Spatial Sense, Geometry and Measurement" in many grade levels. Our culture is so time oriented that being able to successfully read a clock is very crucial. For me, I struggled in attaining this skill due to my over-reliance of a digital clock that knowing how to read an analog clock came with great difficulty.
I love this picture. It is a really good way to show how literacy occurs in everyday life. Literacy not only occurs in books, but it also occurs in the ability to read other things besides words. It is a necessity in our culture to be able to effectively read a clock because we tend to as you said be "time oriented" and rely so much on digital clocks. What if there were to be a power outtage and there were no digital clocks?
ReplyDeleteI liked this picture and I had never thought of telling time as a type of literacy before, but it makes a lot of sense! I also remember having great difficulty with the telling time unit in elementary school and to this day, would prefer a digital clock. I think this shows that students all have different stregths, as well as, likes and dislikes in literacy. Some students may love to read a clock, others, not so much. However, it is important that we all learn to read a traditional clock whether we like it or not, like Ashley said, what if the power went out? Therefore, it would be benefical to make the lessons as engaging as possible for all students to encourage retention in learning.
ReplyDeleteLike Patricia said, I have never thought about telling as a form of literacy, but it's something we do many times in a day. I was shocked a few weeks ago when I asked the girl I nanny what time it was on my watch and she had no idea. She told me she can only read the time on a cell phone and the clock on the microwave. She's in 2nd grade and I don't know if it wasn't taught to her or if she just didn't get it but it was eye-opening for me. I think that literacy is this form is essential for everyone to know.
ReplyDelete