how do you teach knitting

Noreen, I agree with you - way back when I was 15 and teaching 4th grade I
had to teach knitting as their craft lesson and I did it very effectively
that way. They had to make one of those fluted tea cosies in one term so it
had to get through to them rather quickly God Bless Gwen

--

Gwen Kelly


"Noreen's Knit*che" wrote in message
...


"Allaya" wrote in message
news:b7HJe.296772$Qo.253876@fed1read01...
Hello everybody! Finally back online!

Anyway, I just had a question...do any of you teach knitting in a
classroom, and if you do, how do you go about teaching a group of people
how to knit? I end up going around to each student and showing them
individually, but I was wondering if there was a more "efficient" method
that doesn't keep everybody else waiting. Sometimes I get ten people in
a
class, and although it's effective, it's pretty time consuming.

Allaya

Allaya, I agree that individual attention to each student is highly
effective, however it's not an efficient use of their time, nor yours.
I would suggest, for teaching purposes, that you use the BIGGEST needles
you
can find, and the THICKEST yarn in a contrasting colour to the needles,
and
first 'show' them that way.
Also, are you using any printed material with diagrams for them to work
from?
JM2C,
Noreen
who has taught 'Brownies', 'BlueBirds' and Cub Scouts!

coggietm wrote:
When I teach a big class, over 7 people , I have found that I use
really big needles and teach in sets of 3 . Going from group to group
so everyone can see up close. I also have 1 helper for every 3 in the
class. So , 3 in a class , me and 1 helper , 6 me and 2 helpers ....and
so on. This way when I am going on to the next group the helper can be
with the group I just left and see when someone makes a mistake and
help them correct it. The really big needles ( size US15-35 or 10-19)
helps all three people really see how the motions are preformed while
learning to knit. I have also learned to teach knit then purl and then
before anything else , make them drop a stitch and learn how to correct
it , make them yo so they can see how it can make a mistake also ( like
changing from purl to knit without bringing you yarn to the back 1st)
and how to tink back and fix it. I have found that if you teach not
only how to fix the mistake but also how they made the mistake in the
first place, it helps people " get it " that much faster.I hope this
helps.
******************************
Coggie got the salution there.Have 3 or 4 students in groups & have a
helper sit with a group that have the hardest time understanding the
steps so that way every person with be on the same understanding page.
Also if you have a tape of the knitting that you teaching you can also
have a person review that way too. Whatever is the easyest way to
learn.

Pam-Doggirl3

Thanks for the suggestions everybody!

I was actually thinking of bringing my computer to the store and having
half view a knitting video whil I show the other half and then swap.
People are so lazy, they dont' even want to move from where they're
sitting! They figured they've paid for lessons, I should do all the
work, I guess. hehehe.

I've already tried a lot of your suggestions earlier, with having them
look on, hands above my heads, in groups, etc, but for some reason, they
just don't get it, or want to get it until it's done with THEIR yarn
and THEIR needles. It's really interesting...I'm sure it woudl make a
good phychology paper for anybody looking for a topic.

Allaya

Allaya wrote:
Oh, I've tried that Noreen...size 35 needles and some brightly colored
Jiffy yarn. These are absolute beginners, so all they do is stare and
say, "huh?" I seriously for some of them need to move their hands for
them in order for them to "understand," or more accurately, keep them
from stabbing themselves. Some of course get it pretty fast, but i
honestly wonder how some of these people have survived this long without
poking their eyes out with a fork in their adult lives.

As for the diagrams, I do have those as well...photographs and
instructions, even. However, they either don't want to read them or
again look at them and are like, "huh?" If these people could read
diagrams and instructions though, my thought would be that they would
have taught themselves years ago! LOL

Anyway, I'm sure you can understand my frustration, but I need a way
other than getting in front of them and showing them with large needles.

Allaya

Noreen's Knit*che wrote:

"Allaya" wrote in message
news:b7HJe.296772$Qo.253876@fed1read01...

Hello everybody! Finally back online!

Anyway, I just had a question...do any of you teach knitting in a
classroom, and if you do, how do you go about teaching a group of
people how to knit? I end up going around to each student and
showing them individually, but I was wondering if there was a more
"efficient" method that doesn't keep everybody else waiting.
Sometimes I get ten people in a class, and although it's effective,
it's pretty time consuming.

Allaya



Allaya, I agree that individual attention to each student is highly
effective, however it's not an efficient use of their time, nor yours.
I would suggest, for teaching purposes, that you use the BIGGEST
needles you can find, and the THICKEST yarn in a contrasting colour to
the needles, and first 'show' them that way.
Also, are you using any printed material with diagrams for them to
work from?
JM2C,
Noreen
who has taught 'Brownies', 'BlueBirds' and Cub Scouts!

Allaya,
When I teach Brownies, BlueBirds and CubScouts, I've had them sit in a
semicircle behind and around me.
Yes, size 35 needles and bright yarn helps alot.
Noreen


"Allaya" wrote in message
news:ZTaLe.437$ct5.49@fed1read04...
Thanks for the suggestions everybody!

I was actually thinking of bringing my computer to the store and having
half view a knitting video whil I show the other half and then swap.
People are so lazy, they dont' even want to move from where they're
sitting! They figured they've paid for lessons, I should do all the work,
I guess. hehehe.

I've already tried a lot of your suggestions earlier, with having them
look on, hands above my heads, in groups, etc, but for some reason, they
just don't get it, or want to get it until it's done with THEIR yarn and
THEIR needles. It's really interesting...I'm sure it woudl make a good
phychology paper for anybody looking for a topic.

Allaya

Allaya wrote:
Oh, I've tried that Noreen...size 35 needles and some brightly colored
Jiffy yarn. These are absolute beginners, so all they do is stare and
say, "huh?" I seriously for some of them need to move their hands for
them in order for them to "understand," or more accurately, keep them
from stabbing themselves. Some of course get it pretty fast, but i
honestly wonder how some of these people have survived this long without
poking their eyes out with a fork in their adult lives.

As for the diagrams, I do have those as well...photographs and
instructions, even. However, they either don't want to read them or
again look at them and are like, "huh?" If these people could read
diagrams and instructions though, my thought would be that they would
have taught themselves years ago! LOL

Anyway, I'm sure you can understand my frustration, but I need a way
other than getting in front of them and showing them with large needles.

Allaya

Noreen's Knit*che wrote:

"Allaya" wrote in message
news:b7HJe.296772$Qo.253876@fed1read01...

Hello everybody! Finally back online!

Anyway, I just had a question...do any of you teach knitting in a
classroom, and if you do, how do you go about teaching a group of
people how to knit? I end up going around to each student and showing
them individually, but I was wondering if there was a more "efficient"
method that doesn't keep everybody else waiting. Sometimes I get ten
people in a class, and although it's effective, it's pretty time
consuming.

Allaya



Allaya, I agree that individual attention to each student is highly
effective, however it's not an efficient use of their time, nor yours.
I would suggest, for teaching purposes, that you use the BIGGEST needles
you can find, and the THICKEST yarn in a contrasting colour to the
needles, and first 'show' them that way.
Also, are you using any printed material with diagrams for them to work
from?
JM2C,
Noreen
who has taught 'Brownies', 'BlueBirds' and Cub Scouts!

In article b7HJe.296772$Qo.253876@fed1read01,
Allaya wrote:
Hello everybody! Finally back online!

Anyway, I just had a question...do any of you teach knitting in a
classroom, and if you do, how do you go about teaching a group of people
how to knit?

I'm very glad you asked that question, because I'm about toi start a
'knitting club' at the schoiol where I work. I've never taught a group
before, and hadn't really thought about how it's different from 1:1.

I'll start by casting on for them and then they can make garter stitch
scarves, I think.

Kirsten. back from the wedding busy-ness

Kirsten Watson wrote:
In article b7HJe.296772$Qo.253876@fed1read01,
Allaya wrote:
Hello everybody! Finally back online!

Anyway, I just had a question...do any of you teach knitting in a
classroom, and if you do, how do you go about teaching a group of
people how to knit?

I'm very glad you asked that question, because I'm about toi start a
'knitting club' at the schoiol where I work. I've never taught a
group before, and hadn't really thought about how it's different from
1:1.

I'll start by casting on for them and then they can make garter stitch
scarves, I think.

Kirsten. back from the wedding busy-ness

SOunds excellent, Kirsten. Keep us posted on their progress. How old are the
kidlets?

Katherine