How Much Knitting…
…can one accomplish at an English conference?
This much:
Day 1
Day 2
That’s right. I knit an entire Monkey sock during the conference. I cast on during the first panel and kitchenered the toe during the closing talk. I didn’t even touch the sock during the drive or in the evenings–I only knit on it during the conference itself. This led to another round of an argument that I’ve been having with one of my profs for some time about whether or not one can listen and knit at the same time. I’ve grown so frustrated with his stubbornness that I think I’m going to write a research paper on the subject.
Speaking of the conference, my presentation went very well and I got lots of interesting questions and comments from audience members. It also gave me a great perspective on the profession since I was able to talk to people teaching at all sorts of higher education institutions from community colleges to top-ranked universities. I’m still holding out hope for admission to a Ph.D. program, but now I’m much more confident in my happiness teaching at a two-year college.
I’m home sick today because my sore throat took a turn for the worse. I slept the morning away, knit on another sock (In and Out) this afternoon while I was waiting for my headache to fade, and plan on grading papers tonight. With any luck, I’ll be ready to teach again at 8:00 tomorrow morning.
Red Knits 
I would love to read a paper that examines knitting during lectures and learning. I used knit in several of my classes that were held in dark, cavernous lecture halls. In every class that I knit in, I made an A. Now that my classes are smaller, I leave the needles at home. These days, my grades are not so hot, and while I could certainly blame it on being very late in pregnancy, I honestly think the lack of knitting offers a better explanation. I was far less distracted while knitting than I am now.
Exactly! I’ve read articles here and there that argue that mindless activities like simple knitting or doodling during lectures allows many students to focus, but I’d like to look into scholarly sources to see what I can find. It really does depend on the prof. I have some profs who are very understanding, but this one just doesn’t get it. I feel a very strong need to prove him wrong 🙂
My daughter, who knit through most of her med school lectures, at first got nasty looks from the lecturers. Then they figured out she was at the top of her class. And the people who slept through lecture weren’t!
Oh, and great sock, too. It seems we both have Cookie A on our minds!
Hi– first-time commenter here, since I wandered over from… somewhere? (Sorry, I can’t remember at the moment!) Anyway, this debate is one I have taken part in many times.
I once read (and wish I could find) a really interesting article involving an elementary school teacher who taught all her students to knit. She found that it really calmed down some of the wigglier ones and improved their overall focus.
I am not quite brave enough to knit in my graduate seminars, but I do it during the endless rounds of department meetings and talks I attend. I definitely think it improves my concentration!
I have to be the devils advocate on this one I guess. Although I would love to be able to knit in class, but I think it is kind of rude to do. I think it kind of disrespects the professor. I even just asked my teacher for my computers in education class, She says that she can knit and learn at the same time, I think it all depends on how you learn. Maybe I will learn better if I knit in class, but me as a learner needs to have organization, and i can only do one thing at a time.
Do you do it in a lecture class? How do you take notes? or do you asses what kind of class it is and then decide if you should knit or not? Maybe i am not a confident knitter, lol but anyway, More power to you sister but i don’t think i could ever do it. (ps Red, one of the guys you knit a hat for rides my bus. at least i think its him, i have been wanting to ask but haven’t lol Looks awesome! I love seeing him wear it too! 🙂