American students head for home... with their knitting
A GROUP of Sacred Heart University students who are returning home to the United States this week will bring home with them the knowledge they have accumulated from their studies over the past three months – and their knitting.
The latter, less expected, fruit of their time in Dingle comes from their Community, Folklore and Culture studies with Dr Aoife Granville, who felt it would be nice to add a practical element to her lectures.
The course Aoife teaches gives students an insight into Irish culture and traditions under a diverse range of headings such as calendar customs and festivals, superstitions, cures, music, sport, and crafts. To give the students an idea of the skills and the amount of time involved in making something by hand, Aoife introduced knitting to her classes. It was the first time any of the 23 students had picked up knitting needles – and they loved it.
“The students have really taken to the knitting and have made some lovely pieces, such as hats, scarves and mittens, since January,” said Aoife. “It’s great to see them enjoying knitting and see the accomplishment they get when they finish a piece. We were lucky when we were younger that we were all taught to knit but I guess it’s not always the case in schools now - there’s so much else to get through.”
Aside from the benefit of introducing a practical element to the course, Aoife reckons the knitting has had a very therapeutic effect on the students. “The knitting classes are certainly the quietest I’ve had!” she says.
Sounds like an idea that could be taken up elsewhere to bring calm to unruly classrooms.