Page 258 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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TEACHING KNOT TYING

to tie them your students will get the benefits of practice right away.
Much can be learned about knots and their properties if you see
them “in action.” Your students will see when some knots slip and
evaluate what knots they were, how they were tied or tightened, and
what changes might be made to improve performance in the future.
The Clinch Knot is an example of a knot where experimentation is
important to see how many coils should be used in the knot for it
to hold, while also being tightened down without too much pull.

Games and Competitions

Scouting events are known for their schedule of competitions, and
these are excellent for learning knots. Based on speed, skill, coop-
eration, or any combination of these, competition can help learning
in many ways.

FACT

Tying a knot one-handed is a very important skill to be
taught. A great many activities that require knotting also
tend to occupy you with other tasks. Many pursuits require
you to hang on to something with one hand, making it very
important to be able to tie knots with the other one.

Games based on skill have obvious benefits and can involve
demonstration of knot-tying skills and use of judgment. Extra
degrees of difficulty can be added, such as trying to tie a knot
behind your back, one-handed, or blindfolded. The knot tyers’ judg-
ment can be tested by assigning a task to see which knot the con-
testants will pick to do the job.

Testing Speed
Speed is the basis for many student competitions, as it is easy
to explain the rules and judge the winner. A common speed com-
petition popular with scouting and other organizations is based on

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