How To... Teach A Knot

The kids in our outdoor education classes have really been enjoying learning their knots. For my part, I love to see the satisfaction they get when they learn a new knot. It's a real feeling of mastery and knowledge.

I learned most of the essential knots from my father when I was between the ages of 11 and 15. I'm not a naturally handy person and some of those knots took me years to learn, with no exaggeration. (Some people pick them up in what seems like seconds!) But my dad was patient and from him I also learned an approach to teaching knots that I use myself today.

1. Name the knot. This sounds simple, but make sure the kids know which knot they are learning. Get them to repeat the name. Repeat it over and again while you are teaching it. They must learn to differentiate one knot from another.

2. State its purpose. Again, this sounds simple, but it's the real key to effective learning. Once they know the reason this knot is different from others, they will start to have a reason to learn it. 'You can use this knot to tie yourself in to a rescue line.' 'You would use this knot to tie up a boat'. 'This knot is used to join two pieces of rope together.'

3. CONTEXT. Here you start to engage their imagination. It follows directly from stating the purpose. Give them a situation. 'Imagine you have pulled your kayak up a beach and you want to leave it while you go for a hike. You need to tie it to a tree. This is the knot you will use.' (In this example, you can back up the context by asking a few questions. Why do you need to tie it up if it's already on the beach? What is the worst thing that could happen if you don't tie it up properly?

4. Realistic practice. To practice tying a kayak to a tree, it really helps to have a kayak and a tree to work with! (Thanks to Noah and Iain's family, and our wonderful yard, NIS has both a kayak and many trees for practice.) If you can't get the kayak and the tree, make models or even cardboard cutouts. Do your best to put them in the situation they will face when tying the knot for real.

5. Show them. Tie it yourself. Make sure they are watching you from the right direction. When teaching the Bowline, for example, they will learn much faster if they stand behind and above you while you show them.) Show them many times. Take it slow.

6. Let them try. Some of them will get it right away. Some will not. Let them go away and try then bring the knot back to you.

7. Coach. Coaching is not teaching. In coaching you analyse what they have done, show them where they made their mistake, and help them to correct it. Give them a way to remember the part they find difficult. 'The rabbit comes out of the hole...' or 'make sure the tail goes right under the crossed part..'

8. Practice. Once they have got it, I send them off to tie and retie it five or ten times.

9. Test. Without pressure, tell them they have a few minutes to practice then you will test them if they think they are ready.

10. PRAISE. When they have mastered it, let them know they have really accomplished something. Really let them know how proud you are. This is the secret ingredient.

(11. Next week, be ready: they might well have forgotten it. Go back to 1....)