A 'yarn' about teaching

[Noreen's Knit*che]

Hi group!
I've just taught a 45 year old woman as well as her 23 year old daughter
the 'basics' of knitting.
How this came about was while entering 3 projects in the local county
fair... the 'registrar' was admiring my work, but felt terrible that she
had never learned... her grandmother knitted and crocheted, but her own
mom never learned... neither had any of her aunts.
I told her I could easily get her started, and she was very excited at
the prospect, and asked if her daughter could get in on the fun.
We had a great morning, knitting, frogging, and knitting some more.
Jess, the mom has a great start on a scarf, and Julie, her daughter, made
a potholder.
We're going to get together a few more times, and advance as they go...
THEN we start on crochet.
Jess has suggested that I consider teaching at the Appalachian Center for
the Arts.... and I'm seriously looking into it. It would take 2 weeks of
my time for a beginner series and two more weeks later in the fall for a
more advanced series.
(the pay wouldn't be 'great', but the REWARDS would be awesome!)
The local librarian is asking the 'board' if evening hours could be
dedicated to MORE learning of crafts, as SHE is very interested in
learning shuttle tatting!
Sorry to be so long-winded in my excitement, but I wanted to share!
AND, Jess and Julie ARE on the 'net... so we just may see them here at
RCTY as well... although I'm sure they'd probably 'lurk' at first.
Hugs,
Noreen

--
Noreen's Knit*che
NATA #447

[Anna MCM]

Noreen's Knit*che wrote:
>
> Hi group!

Hi Noreen!

<cut>

> Sorry to be so long-winded in my excitement, but I wanted to share!
> AND, Jess and Julie ARE on the 'net... so we just may see them here at
> RCTY as well... although I'm sure they'd probably 'lurk' at first.
>

That´s great! Best wishes for your teaching!
Too bad that I am so far from you, I would have liked to take knitting
classes from you!

Hugs,

Anna Maria

[Sonya Cirillo]

I can report that I've recently brought three back into the needlework
fold. Strictly by the fact that I carry my needlework around with me -
recently it's been knitting on socks - which I can do and still yak. . .
anyway at DH's workplace (same University that I'm taking classes at) I
go have lunch with the 'group' and bring out my knitting after I'm
through - when everyone is sitting around the table talking. . . so I've
inspired one to take back up crochetting (she's made two afghans in the
last 4 months), one to take back up knitting and just yesterday the new
secretary decided to take up crochetting again - she had stopped trying
because she felt she was terrible but really wanted to so I offered to
help her if she ran into troubles and she is off and running! This is
soooooo fun!

Sonya

[NoraBalcer]

Noreen and Sonya,

That's great that there are folks that want to learn how to knit and crochet
and all the other crafts.

Hugs,

Nora

[EJ]

In article >, says...
> Noreen and Sonya,
>
> That's great that there are folks that want to learn how to knit and crochet
> and all the other crafts.
>
> Hugs,
>
> Nora
>


And a lot of school-age children are very interested. I generally have some project or
other in my bag when I go to work (I do long-term substitute work in the public schools)
and when students see it I inevitably get.."What are you doing?" "Can you show me?" "Can
I try?" If its just simple plain knitting for example, I often DO let them try. If not I
make sure to bring some supplies the next day and do mimi lessons. So far I have managed
to start kids on knitting, crochet and cross stitch and have been so rewarded by seeing
their absolute joy at learning to make something themselves.

EJ

[AGRES]

My nephew has something akin to ADD. Five years ago, he always had a
"Gameboy" in his hands and was close to being antisocial. One of his aunts
got him crocheting about 2 years ago. Since then, he has crocheted several
queen-sized bedspreads and a pile of "outfits" for his little sister's
stuffed animals. Not bad for a teenage boy.

He carries yarn and tools with him at all times, and since he can crochet
and talk at the same time (unlike the Gameboy), he has become much more
social. Moreover, he has found girls are interested in his needle work, and
in fact, he has found that sitting in public and crocheting is a very good
way to meet girls.

Anyway, earlier this summer, I taught him how to knit and gave him a few
sets of wooden needles. Within hours, he was much better knitter than I
am. I saw him over the weekend, and he was wearing the kind of pants with
big cargo pockets that are so popular with "hip" skate boarders. Except
that my nephew had his cargo pockets full of yarn and needles. (Yes, I
expect him to break a few knitting needles when he falls off his skate
board.)

Moral of the story: If you have a kid that can not sit still, or can not
concentrate in school, try teaching them to knit or crochet.

Aaron

"Noreen's Knit*che" > wrote in message
...
> Hi group!
> I've just taught a 45 year old woman as well as her 23 year old daughter
> the 'basics' of knitting.
> How this came about was while entering 3 projects in the local county
> fair... the 'registrar' was admiring my work, but felt terrible that she
> had never learned... her grandmother knitted and crocheted, but her own
> mom never learned... neither had any of her aunts.
> I told her I could easily get her started, and she was very excited at
> the prospect, and asked if her daughter could get in on the fun.
> We had a great morning, knitting, frogging, and knitting some more.
> Jess, the mom has a great start on a scarf, and Julie, her daughter, made
> a potholder.
> We're going to get together a few more times, and advance as they go...
> THEN we start on crochet.
> Jess has suggested that I consider teaching at the Appalachian Center for
> the Arts.... and I'm seriously looking into it. It would take 2 weeks of
> my time for a beginner series and two more weeks later in the fall for a
> more advanced series.
> (the pay wouldn't be 'great', but the REWARDS would be awesome!)
> The local librarian is asking the 'board' if evening hours could be
> dedicated to MORE learning of crafts, as SHE is very interested in
> learning shuttle tatting!
> Sorry to be so long-winded in my excitement, but I wanted to share!
> AND, Jess and Julie ARE on the 'net... so we just may see them here at
> RCTY as well... although I'm sure they'd probably 'lurk' at first.
> Hugs,
> Noreen
>
> --
> Noreen's Knit*che
> NATA #447

[MouseCLP]

>Moral of the story: If you have a kid that can not sit still, or can not
>concentrate in school, try teaching them to knit or crochet.
>
>Aaron

I'm guessing the manufacturers of the ADD drugs would rather you not mention
this. ;) It's neat that he was not only willing to learn, but that he's
self-confident enough to do it in public. More power to him!

I've taught my daughter to crochet and do counted cross stitch. Right now she
doesn't really work on either, but at least the basics are there for her.

I've also taught one of my co-workers (whose grandmother told her she'd NEVER
be able to crochet) -- now she's hooked [pun intended]. Another woman at work
would like to learn to knit, we just haven't worked out a good time to sit down
and work on it.

Still stitchin' and smilin'
Carol in SC

[EJ]

In article >, says...
> In article >, says...
> > My nephew has something akin to ADD. Five years ago, he always had a
> > "Gameboy" in his hands and was close to being antisocial. One of his aunts
> > got him crocheting about 2 years ago. Since then, he has crocheted several
> > queen-sized bedspreads and a pile of "outfits" for his little sister's
> > stuffed animals. Not bad for a teenage boy.
> >
> > He carries yarn and tools with him at all times, and since he can crochet
> > and talk at the same time (unlike the Gameboy), he has become much more
> > social. Moreover, he has found girls are interested in his needle work, and
> > in fact, he has found that sitting in public and crocheting is a very good
> > way to meet girls.
> >
> > Anyway, earlier this summer, I taught him how to knit and gave him a few
> > sets of wooden needles. Within hours, he was much better knitter than I
> > am. I saw him over the weekend, and he was wearing the kind of pants with
> > big cargo pockets that are so popular with "hip" skate boarders. Except
> > that my nephew had his cargo pockets full of yarn and needles. (Yes, I
> > expect him to break a few knitting needles when he falls off his skate
> > board.)
> >
> > Moral of the story: If you have a kid that can not sit still, or can not
> > concentrate in school, try teaching them to knit or crochet.
> >
>
>
> Yes..yes...YES. I sometimes work with kids who have ADD or other behavioral/psychiatric
> probems that give them the attention span of a fly. As part of a social studies
> assignment I taught them to graph cross stitch designs on graph paper and then stitch
> them. These kids wh could not sit still for 10 minutes would happily sit and stitch for
> an hour. And while they stitched we would discuss the assignment or watch a video or
> answer questions etc. Not only did they focus on the needlework they also focused ontheir
> schoolwork. All the nervous energy went into the stitching and they were able to
> concentrate. Plus it did wonders for their self-esteem :)
>
> EJ
>
And just to remain on-topic...I have also taught students to knit and crochet with much
the same results, though stitching seemed to be the favorite of the majority...maybe
because everyone already knows how to make an X :)

[NoraBalcer]

To all who wrote, great progress you have made with children that really need
you. You are to be commended for having the patience to show them how to do
something that they can enjoy.

Hugs,

Nora

[Katherine Burgess]

Good for you, Noreen! Please let us know how things go with the classes (and
other things!).
Hugs,
Katherine