NYC Phone Ban Reveals Students Struggling with Analog Clocks

New York City’s smartphone ban in schools has successfully fostered greater student focus and interaction during lunch breaks, but it has also unveiled a significant skill gap: many students struggle to read traditional analog clocks. As of June 2025, New York is one of 21 states, along with Washington D.C., implementing a strict “bell to bell” smartphone ban in educational settings, according to an EdWeek tracker.

Teachers across the city have reported that while the ban has its benefits, it has also highlighted how many students lack the ability to read analog clocks. Tiana Millen, an assistant principal at Cardozo High School in Queens, noted, “That’s a major skill that they’re not used to at all.” Madi Mornhinweg, a high school English teacher in Manhattan, echoed this sentiment, sharing that students frequently ask her for the time. “The constant refrain is ‘Miss, what time is it?’” she said, describing her growing frustration. To address this, she has started prompting students with questions like, “Where’s the big hand and where’s the little hand?”

According to the New York City Department of Education, learning to read clocks is part of the curriculum for first and second graders. Isla Gething, a spokesperson for the department, emphasized the importance of this skill, stating, “At NYCPS, we recognize how essential it is for our students to tell the time on both analog and digital clocks.” She highlighted that young learners are taught terms such as “o’clock,” “half-past,” and “quarter-to” during their early years.

Despite this curriculum, 14-year-old Cheyenne Francis expressed that her peers have largely forgotten how to read analog clocks due to lack of practice. “They just forgot that skill because they never used it, because they always pulled out their phone,” she said. She also pointed out that broken or incorrectly set clocks in school buildings contribute to the issue.

Travis Malekpour, who teaches English and math at Cardozo, described the clock-reading skill as “underutilized.” To keep it relevant, he has incorporated lessons on time management and calendar skills into his algebra classes. This effort aims to reinforce these essential skills in students’ daily lives.

Kris Perry, the executive director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, suggested that the decline in analog clock-reading skills among teens raised in a digital environment is understandable. She questioned whether this shift represents “a cognitive downgrade or just a replacement,” noting that brain scans reveal that engaging with physical books and handwriting typically stimulates more brain activity than reading and typing on screens.

While some educators are concerned about the loss of traditional skills, they acknowledge the benefits of a digital upbringing. Many schools now boast advanced coding and robotics programs, leveraging students’ technological expertise. Mornhinweg recounted a recent incident where her students guided her through new software when she encountered difficulties opening a PDF. “I was freaking out and they were like, ‘Miss, it’s fine, this is what you do.’ I felt really old,” she admitted.

The smartphone ban has ignited a broader conversation about essential life skills in an increasingly digital world. As educators strive to adapt their teaching methods, the challenge remains to balance the advantages of technology with the preservation of foundational skills like reading analog clocks.