Monday Night Knitting Group Update

Hello all,
I went to the Monday night social experiment (knitting group) last night and kind of had a revelation (I love it when that happens). I showed up for the class and was nonchalantly greeted by the teacher once again. So I sat myself down and pulled out my projects. I had started knitting the clogs with another student, who is the teacher's star pupil. This student is nice, and it's not her fault that the teacher singled her out to be her prodigy. I really think that the teacher, while nice enough, likes to take credit for anyone who has ever been in a class that she has taught's knitting experience. (I know that last sentence would give my sophomore English teacher a hernia). So because teacher actually taught star pupil how to knit, she wants to control everything star student does. Teacher gets frustrated with me because, while I'm far from an expert, she didn't teach me how to knit, and so therefore can't control or take credit for what I do. And God forbid I offer any sort of knitting advice to anyone else in the class, especially star student. Anyway, the knitting part of my felted clogs is done, I just have finishing work left on them. Star student is having a harder time. So any time star student asks me a question about the pattern since I actually just knit them myself teacher gets all upset. Call me crazy, but I thought that was the point of a knitting group, to work on the same project with somebody to hold each other accountable and to discuss pattern and project issues along the way. So I've been leaving the sessions every week feeling like a chump-head. So anyway, revelation (have to keep myself on track). Remember when I said earlier that I had a hard time getting the teacher's attention to help me with anything because she was so wrapped up in hovering over star student? Well last night, one of star students two sisters who is in the group with us asked the teacher a question and was completely ignored. She turned to her other sister and said, "See, I tried". Then later while the teacher tore herself away from star student to close down the register, star student jokingly asked me if I would finish knitting her other clog. I said I would do it if the teacher wouldn't kick me out of class for helping her, and she said, "So you notice it too? That she hovers over everything I do?" and I said yeah, but I thought it was just me. And the sisters nodded. And that was the end of it. My revelation comes in that I should continue to always trust my instincts, my intuition telling me when something is not right. Because something was going on, and the problem wasn't me. But what I'm most proud of is that I didn't take it any further than that. I didn't gossip or slam the teacher, I just felt secure in the knowledge that I wasn't the only one who noticed what was going on. Let me try to explain this: what I'm trying to say is that in years past I might have felt the urge to gossip and done so, probably hurting feelings and getting myself into a trap. In more recent years I might have felt the urge to gossip but used a lot of will power to not do it. But here's the beauty: last night I could have gossiped and just didn't, because I felt no urge to do it whatsoever. My life is so full and busy with my kids and family and knitting pretty little things that I feel no need to spend my time cutting other people down. *sigh* that is such a good feeling.
I'm pretty sure that once the two other sister's sessions are over that they probably won't continue with the group. My knitting session at the other store starts tomorrow, and if it goes well, that's probably where I will do my weekly knitting socialization. I will continue to keep you posted. I know you can't wait. *wink*