fme

I think you don't want to know how many Americans cannot even tie their shoelace and get a square knot right. My European climbing friends always laughed that Americans need all of the pieces of aluminum climbing gear cause we can't tie knots. I learned to tie a onehanded bowline around myself while hanging onto a rope with my teeth. Its a good trick to know, sometimes...
Oh yes - teach em a figure 8, it can be used as a hitch, knot, bend etc.
Jim