Analog clocks may be a disappearing technology, but I still reference them often when teaching sewing.
In April/May of this year, you may have seen articles, like this one in The Telegraph, reporting that schools in the UK are replacing analog clocks because kids can’t read them. Following this were even more articles, blog posts, and comments that compared analog clocks to other technologies that have faded away from use, like sun dials, the abacus, and typewriters.
Whether or not how to read an analog clock is taught in school, they can still be helpful to illustrate other concepts.
Position
Do you remember driving lessons and tips on where to place your hands? Or how to identify the position of someone else around you? I use this when teaching the mechanics of a sewing machine. For example, when the thread take-up lever is at its highest position, at 12 o’clock, that indicates the start and end of the stitch cycle. This makes it easy for students to visualize the cycle, and remember that the lever always needs to be up before they start sewing or pull out their fabric when finished.
Direction
How often do you use the terms “clockwise” and “counterclockwise” when giving direction on which way an object spins? I also use this frequently when teaching students about their machine so they have a clear understanding of which way parts of the machine should spin.
Do you use the same when sewing, or have something that works better?