Knitting during class: ok or not?

[BusyBee91]

Hi folks,

so I'm an auditory/kinesthetic learner, and I recently decided to start bringing my knitting to class, to see if it kept me more engaged in the lecture and off my electronics. It's pretty much a silent hobby, so I was surprised when a friend/classmate mentioned that she felt it was distracting and rude to the professor and other students. This is a class with many people on their laptops/tablets for lecture. Anyway, I grew up with a knitting mama who had hers everywhere, so I've never really seen it as inappropriate. Just curious what you all think? Would it bother you? More or less than people using electronics or eating in class?

Thanks for for the thoughts :)

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry but how in the world did someone doodling during a lecture distract you to the point that you went to the teacher about it?? That's like complaining that a student was writing notes! And yet someone making bows didn't bother you at all?? That just seems absurd.

I think if I was that instructor, my jaw might have dropped a bit! I agree with the ridiculousness of the "are you going to knit when a doctor is giving orders;" however, if someone is distracted by doodling, I am seriously going to wonder if he/she can hand the noise/chaos of a busy nurses station, or the scribbling, typing, talking, drug pushing, compressions, defibrillations, etc. of an arrest.

[SionainnRN]

I think if I was that instructor, my jaw might have dropped a bit! I agree with the ridiculousness of the "are you going to knit when a doctor is giving orders;" however, if someone is distracted by doodling, I am seriously going to wonder if he/she can hand the noise/chaos of a busy nurses station, or the scribbling, typing, talking, drug pushing, compressions, defibrillations, etc. of an arrest.

Exactly. And to me there is a big difference between the necessary noise created by someone taking notes on a computer, and the unnecessary noise and distraction made by knitting or making bows. If someone can't focus in class how are they going to focus at work?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Exactly. And to me there is a big difference between the necessary noise created by someone taking notes on a computer, and the unnecessary noise and distraction made by knitting or making bows. If someone can't focus in class how are they going to focus at work?

This is coming from a guy and it is not my thing….but it seems to me that making bows is quite the arts and crafts project--especially for in the classroom.

[SionainnRN]

This is coming from a guy and it is not my thing....but it seems to me that making bows is quite the arts and crafts project--especially for in the classroom.

Yep! The most creative I've ever gotten in the classroom was making paper triangle "footballs" or cootie catchers. But that was high school.

[OnlinePersona, LPN]

Well to be honest, my response would be to shove it.

i know its not the nursey thing to do or whatever lol. I could careless what people think. Especially if im not talking loud, joking around, laughing loudly...who cares if i knit?

[Wave Watcher]

I am a knitter, too. I think it would be distracting but not only from the clicking. It's the hand motions that people will notice even if you practice discreet knitting.

I have noticed that when I knit around other people, they are curious about it so I would assume you will draw at least a little attention from fellow students based on that.

I do think perhaps if you sit behind your classmates it might work, but only if everyone else, including your professor is OK with it.

That would be me distracted and guessing. *glancing over at knitter thinking to myself* "Wait, wait....she's knitting a....sweater! No, no.....arms aren't that long.....can't be a sweater.....let me give her 30 min and look again.....where is all that yarn coming from?.....look at her hands...I would poke my eye out......it's a coffee cup cozie.....now that's just stupid to think that....how the h*ll does she go so fast?....I need to learn how to knit...I'm feeling the need to do something with my hands....maybe randomly waiving at the instructor?.....no that's awkward she might wave back.....sweet mother of pearl what is she knitting?!"

Yep that would be exactly what was going through my mind during class.

[MissChloe]

Wow, I'm surprised at all these negative responses. I do knit in class and so do at least two others in my class (~30 people in my cohort). Nobody has ever said anything to me and the professors and other students have admired our work (during breaks) and didn't seem to have a problem with it. Nobody is loud, everybody knits small projects (socks) with no distracting patterning. I do actually listen better when I'm knitting, not that I can't listen without it, but I tend to fidget, and I think knitting a sock is less distracting than jiggling my leg or tapping my fingers.

[gearedup]

I would ask your instructor. Personally, by far the most distracting thing to me is when students play on their phones constantly. Followed by the handful of people that have stories about "someone they know had that, blah blah blah". Storytelling by the same people drives me bonkers! I would enjoy you peacefully knitting, but its up to your teacher. I draw designs in class sometimes when I'm really closely wrapped up in the lecture, so I understand what you are doing. I'm making A's and 1 b so I think its working for me!

[musingmom]

I too am surprised at the negative responses here. As a previous instructor (not nursing) I never judged engagement by who kept eye contact the longest or who kept completely still. I evaluated engagement by the level of interaction with the material and the class discussion participation and the test scores. If you're getting As and want to stand on your head in the back, go for it. If you're knitting and getting Cs and can't answer a discussion question, then I'm going consider you unengaged and grade you based on that.

In nursing school, I knitted in a couple of classes, always after explaining to the instructor that busy hands help me focus, and getting their permission. I always participated in class, did very well, and I finished with an extremely high GPA and more letters of Rec than I could submit. I accepted a very competitive job as a new grad in an ICU program.

The idea that I was unengaged, not paying attention or otherwise not participating because I was knitting in class is ridiculous. So as not to fall in the same generalization trap as we've seen in this thread already, I concede that every classroom knitter is not the same, and there certainly could be some that are not paying attention, and are being rude. But knitting alone isn't enough to judge that. :)

[kiszi, RN]

I have to say the title of this thread made me smile. I am in the camp of those that would have no problem whatsoever. But OP, based on the "poll" represented in this thread and the fact that another student has complained, you might want to consider leaving the knitting needles at home. I can sympathize with your situation, though. I have a hard time staying engaged in lectures at times, especially in longer classes where my focus seems to wander after an hour or so. When I resume classes soon I plan to record lectures and listen to them during my commute.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Thought of this thread when I read this article, about doodling during meetings (which can be extrapolated to lectures too, I think) making one more productive and aiding concentration:

Doodling in a meeting? Maybe you're just drawing inspiration - CNN.com

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I've read many responses now that say that they would be too interested in what the person is knitting, wondering what they're making, etc etc and that it would, therefore, be just too distracting. And, therefore, the KNITTER would be the one to have to adjust, by not knitting.

What keeps popping into my head is "your inability to pay attention isn't my problem"!

We always say that what someone else thinks or doesn't think is not your concern. That everyone is responsible for his or her own learning experience; no one ELSE is responsible for them.

And here we have people saying that because they would be unable to tear their eyes away from someone else's lap, that they cannot possibly concentrate on the instructor without wondering whether Suzie is making a scarf or a hat, that it's the KNITTER'S problem? Makes me think "REALLY not my problem that he can't mind his own business".

If the instructor allows eating, and someone is eating, the person who DOESN'T like the eating rule has to deal with it, period. If the instructor allows people to tap on cellphones all class, and someone else doesn't like it....yep, they have to learn how to deal with it. Life is an adjustment.

So, I still say that if it's the instructor who doesn't like it, don't do it. If you're quiet, keep it to yourself, and don't invite conversation, you (the knitter) is hardly responsible for someone else's daydreaming!