this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2026

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New York teachers stunned to learn some students can’t read time on old clocks after phone ban comes into play (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 2 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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At least 31 states and the District of Columbia restrict cell phones in schools

New York City teachers say the state’s recently implemented cell phone ban in schools has showed that numerous students no longer know how to tell time on an old-fashioned clock.

“That's a major skill that they're not used to at all,” Tiana Millen, an assistant principal at Cardozo High School in Queens, told Gothamist of what she’s noticed after the ban, which went into effect in September.

Students in the city’s school system are meant to learn basic time-telling skills in the first and second grade, according to officials, though it appears children have fallen out of practice doing so in an increasingly digital world.

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[–] tal@lemmy.today 38 points 2 months ago (3 children)

"These newfangled analog clocks with hands are killing the ability of people to understand clock bells. Kids these days."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striking_clock

A striking clock is a clock that sounds the hours audibly on a bell, gong, or other audible device. In 12-hour striking, used most commonly in striking clocks today, the clock strikes once at 1:00 am, twice at 2:00 am, continuing in this way up to twelve times at 12:00 mid-day, then starts again, striking once at 1:00 pm, twice at 2:00 pm, and the pattern continues up to twelve times at 12:00 midnight.

The striking feature of clocks was originally more important than their clock faces; the earliest clocks struck the hours, but had no dials to enable the time to be read.[1] The development of mechanical clocks in 12th century Europe was motivated by the need to ring bells upon the canonical hours to call the community to prayer. The earliest known mechanical clocks were large striking clocks installed in towers in monasteries or public squares, so that their bells could be heard far away.

[–] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I just want to say, as someone who lives near such a bell, I'm grateful that they appear to observe "quiet hours" between 8pm and 8am. When I first moved in, I was worried it'd be dinging all night. Thank goodness that's not the case.

I just have car alarms going off for no reason at 4am to worry about.

[–] CatLikeLemming@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I thought these were still common? Any time I'm near a church they do their thing every 15 minutes, banging one bell 1-4 times and then if it's 4 they bang another 1-12 times, signaling the time.

Well, not entirely, they're usually quiet during the night, but you get my point.

Didn't know people can't understand those anymore.

[–] dankm@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

The one near me plays the 4 bar "Westminster Quarters". It plays one bar for each quarter hour. The full song on the hour, and bangs out the hour.

[–] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 months ago

I used to live in a city with many striking clocks, which meant that no matter where you were in the city, you could probably hear a bell ring out on the hour.

I'm realising now how much I miss it. I remember times like drinking with friends into the wee hours of the morning, when we would hear a bell and then all fall silent as we counted how many chimes there were. If it was only 2, we would laugh and continue, but for four or more, we would wince and contemplate the future consequences of our choices.

Or while doing an all-nighter to get an assignment in before a morning deadline, how my handwriting speed would become a touch more frantic with each passing chime