When I have spent hours working on knitting a sweater, I want to make sure it looks as good after a dozen washes as it did the day I was knitting it. Knitting is worked in rounds (the equivalent of rows in flat knitting) in a spiral.
There are also different types of knitting needles like Addi knitting needles, Clover knitting needles, Misc knitting needles, Crystal Palace, Rosewood and HiyaHiya All knitting instructions use basically two stitches, the knit stitch and the purl stitch. The pattern is knit first stitch, purl next stitch and repeat until the row is knit.
Remember to use the knowledge of the yarn supplier so that you can get the best yarn for the job you have lined up. It takes an hour to knit a sock. Knitting is an art from ancient times.
You watch it come to life as you go, and little by little, your knitting becomes reality. Brainstorm, and figure out which way of teaching would be best for you and your students!