On Common-Core Aligning Ourselves with Cra-Z-Knitz

 

Prior to Christmas, my daughter saw a commercial advertising the above product.  She, in fact, saw the commercial many times.  It must have been highly effective because each and every time she saw it, she called me in to see it.  And, each and every time I arrived too late. It's all in the timing.

When she saw Santa Claus, he, of course, being who he is, asked her what she wanted for Christmas.  Cra-z-knitz, of course!  Santa doesn't need to see commercials.  He just knows.  As chance would have it, she unexpectedly saw Santa a second time at a different venue.  And, of course, still being who he has always been, he asked her again what she wanted for Christmas.  Cra-z-knitz, of course!

Surprise of surprise, Cra-z-knitz arrived on Christmas morning.  I thought she might get two, but it was just one.  And ever since then, I have been wondering if Cra-z-knitz is Common-Core aligned.  First, we puzzled through the instructions together.  Manuals or informational texts do seem to be the preferred genre of the  Core--although I, personally, do not willfully read such stuff for pleasure.  Do you?



Yet, I read it, and duly noted each and every "Note" to the reader, only to better ensure my daughter's long-term enjoyment of Santa's gift.  Then, I reread parts and puzzled over a few pictures. Still, at some points, ambiguity reigned supreme.  Yet, we went for it, realizing that in the worst case scenario we might just pull out the yarn and start all over again.  In other ways, we do this repeatedly in life.  It would be little more than a metaphor and a minor inconvenience.  

It turned out we were actually producing a knitted scarf.  The amazement was equaled only by relief.  As the scarf grows longer, I increasingly wonder if I might not have just given my daughter a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn.  I could teach her to knit.  The basic stitches are not complicated.  Cra-z-knitz actually seems to take the simple process of knitting and break it into many more steps.  Although each step might be simple in itself, when put together, the whole thing seems overly time-consuming and complicated.  In this way, it reminds me of Common-Core math.  

Off hand, I would think anyone who could master that machine and its instructions could probably master a pair of knitting needles, but I might be wrong.  I know one thing for sure though:  The old-fashioned way is so much cheaper and more easily portable.  The more I think about it, the more I'm guessing Cra-z-knitz aligns in some key ways to the Kra-z-Kore!  Both are certainly well advertised.  Where might they differ?:  The end products of Cra-z-knitz promise to be tangible and intensely practical with winter upon us.  I'm not sure I can say the same about the Core.  Binding off for now...