Crocheting to Build Community

Funded Feb 1, 2022

On March 10th, I introduced a crochet unit to my 90 Art 1 students. Because of your generous donation, I was able to provide enough crochet hooks for every student, and a variety of yarn types and colors. On day one, each table of students was provided with a bin of crochet materials- enough for everyone to have what they needed to practice. Students were excited and eager to get started.

If you have ever crocheted before, you know that there is a significant learning curve. It's not an easy skill to learn. Students learned to persist and demonstrated growth mindsets through this project. In a written reflection, one student said, "I felt focused because I think before I was upset and not trying but now I'm very focused on giving it my best shot."

Some students also expressed that crochet was a helpful coping mechanism for stress and anxiety. One student shared, "My main takeaway from this project was how calming it is because it has helped me with a lot of my anxiety these past few weeks." When asked if they would continue crocheting at the end of this project, nearly half of the class said they are very likely to continue on their own. Next year, I hope to start a crochet club for students who want to continue learning. This project truly would not have been successful without these donated supplies. We went through a lot of yarn, and having a variety of hook sizes was crucial to the success of students' projects.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Farley