First a bit about the school itself. This wonderful school is called SDK St Antonius Ampenan in Lombok, Indonesia. It’s a really good Catholic school. All my kids have gone to this school and one is still going to this school. Below you’ll see a picture of this nice school.
Because of this the head mistress wanted someone to come teach the kids to crochet. Someone who knows how to handle a lot of kids. So she asked me. I immediately said yes of course. With enough kids to start a clan, I am used to handling lots of kids at once. And I crochet really well so perfect for the job!
Every Wednesday afternoon I teach a group of girls. So far no boys have joined. There are some who want to though. Some day I’ll be able to convince them to join. First got to get them over that ridicolous fear of getting laughed at by other boys.
Anyway, as I said in the beginning, I teach these crochet lessons in Indonesian. That’s because none of the girls speak decent English. Some can barely introduce themselves in English. So Indonesian it is.
I speak the language well so not really a problem there. It takes some getting used to though. Because I mostly think in Dutch, speak Engish most of the time but then teach in Indonesian. My poor brains will overheat some day. Hahaha.
My students do not use expensive hooks or yarn or so. All the cheapest there is. I ask them to do this not only because with the economy as it is, parents might not be able to afford these extra costs. But also because I want these girls to learn that it’s not the expensive hook that makes your work perfect. It’s the person holding that hook that makes all the difference. No matter how expensive the hook is, if you crochet worse than a drunkard, your work will be messy. They found that way of explaining funny of course.
One of the first thing I told the girls was not to walk around with their crochet hooks, needles and scissors. It would be too dangerous if they did. Someone could get pushed, fall and have that hook poke them in the eye. One can never be too careful.
After lessons I require them to put everything back into the pouch or a pencil box or so. No loose crochet hooks, needles or scissors in their backpacks allowed. Wouldn’t want anyone to accidentally sit on a backpack and have a hook poke their behind. The girls found this explanation soooo funny but they wouldn’t find it funny anymore if it actually happened to them. Safety is so important and I made this very clear to them.
Then there’s a good sitting position. No elementary school student should be sitting more hunched over than a 99 year old lady. Told them to sit up straight like a proper lady. Not only is this better for their backs and neck but it just looks way nicer too. I remind them to sit up straight when they’re not and they remind me as well. I asked them to do so because sometimes I forget it too.
In my next post I’ll tell you how the very first lesson went. It was my first time teaching…ever! And what an experience that was.
See you in my next diary post!
Was born in Belgium but moved to Indonesia as a child. Have been living here ever since. I absolutely LOVE crochet and knitting. I made this blog to help others get to the same level as me. And to make sure people have a place to come to with questions. Even the very beginner questions. Go ahead and ask me!
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