Organizing Memory Work ans Suggestions

[kbpaulie]

2 boys here - 7 & 4. Haven't done much memory work but are thinking of "jumping in". I know some people have suggested organizing memory work ala SCM http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

 

* Question though... do you put yours in the file box (then what do you do with bigger things like long poems) or do you put it in a folder (then what do you do with short things like a bible verse)?

 

* I've seen people talking about memory in conjuction with copywork. Do you do these together or seperate?

 

* Looking for FREE GOOD resrouces to help us memorize things (numonics (SP?), songs, lists...)

 

* Do you memorize the lists as suggested in WTM or other?

 

* Other thoughts?

 

Thanks-

karena

[Penny]

Look at the post recently on dynamic memory system. Try ANKI free. We've been at it 2 days and it looks like it is the answer to our memory problems. I wish I'd started it when mine were so young.

[Staceyshoe]

We're just getting started, but here's what is working so far. I like using songs when I can find them. Ds absolutely loves this! If you look on You Tube, you'll find lots of songs for skip counting and various other subjects. (I find it's best to search for a specific topic but you'll get hits for things like "science songs" too.) When I watch these videos, ds's nose is practically glued to my computer screen. Great free resource!

 

I highly recommend getting a bulletin board or something to put in an area where your children will see it. Right now I'm using the top of the frig, but we really need more space. Ds tends to read through lists during mealtimes without me asking him to. At breakfast everyday, I have him recite two pieces of memory work. Takes about 5 minutes and is amazingly effective without feeling like work for either of us. Occasionally I cycle back through things that might need review. I'm keeping everything in a file for memory work so it's easy to pull it out again and hang it up. I don't have an organized schedule for this however.

 

So far I'm looking up various resources (Living Memory, WTM, and a few other lists of memory work that I've found). I skip what seems useless and have him memorize what is more meaningful (totally based on my own subjectivity). I try to have him memorize in context so I either have the lists coincide with our lessons or pull things out of the lesson.

 

Eventually I'd like to have him do part of the memory work as copy work. Doing it all seems like an awful lot of writing, but it would be a wonderful way to cement the more important things in his mind. Right now handwriting is a struggle so we don't do an unnecessary writing to keep his frustration level down.

[ladydusk]

I posted about how I do Memory Binders ala Simply Charlotte Mason/Mnemenosyne here. I have 3 children doing memory work one after another and use one binder so I use a chart that indicates the number of their memory item so I'm not always moving poems/catechism/Bible memory/Etc. We do a recitation session for Daddy on Saturdays which is when I assess if they need another week on a topic or if it needs moved to a less frequent practice.

[creekmom]

I use a 4x6 box with all the memory work on 4x6 cards. Long poems are photocopied, cut and partially glued to the card- usually folded up to fit. Most of their memory work easily fits on a 4x6 card though.

This is the first year I've been consistent with memory work. I usually have 5 cards for each kid in the "daily" section - a memory verse, our "word(s) for the day" (at the end of the week there are usually 4 -5 words to put on the next week's card), the states/capitals we studied the week before, a poem, and a misc. card. The misc. card is something I've noticed that the child needs to remember in a certain subject area. This has been anything from learning the math measurements to the difference between carnivore, herbivore, or the three branches of gov. etc.

 

I've pasted a link to a great (free) download of all kinds of memory work. I think it was actually created by someone on these boards.

 

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_39/596000/596907/1/print/596907.pdf

[kbpaulie]

thanks for the good ideas.

 

creekmom- Wondering how long you've been doing this. Also, do you eventually stop revewing things and pull them out of the box all together? And silly question, (I hvan't looked yet) what sort of dividing tabs do you have for your box? And is this just a file card box or something different? (Sorry, when replying I'm not seeing what you orig. wrote.)

 

Thanks-

Karena

[Penny]

Karena,

 

As your dc get older, memory work becomes so enormous that one simple cannot keep up with it. For example, you may begin vocabulary programs for words that simply aren't used in everyday language for review. Possibly scripture memory, alongs with dates, poems, not even to mention foreign language. Our memory box, which I have tried to keep manually, is simply so large that it is unmanagable. (Remeber, we've been at this for many years!) I could not find a system that would keep the work load at a level where we had the time to review so very much. That's why I suggested ANKI to you. ANKI will review the work when it is needed, automatically. Based on the child's responses, the passage may be reviewed daily, weekly, monthly, bimonthly, or even be scheduled for review next year or more. This is such a promising find for us because we will be able to reduce the daily memory work to a level that is managable. Even if you do not post long poems into the system, it will allow a tracking system, reminding you WHAT to review and WHEN. So, you may really want to take some time to look at it and get it going now, when you won't have so much to enter. I spent quite a bit of time organizing a manual box method which at some point fails because of the volume of work.

 

Blessings!

[creekmom]

thanks for the good ideas.

 

creekmom- Wondering how long you've been doing this. Also, do you eventually stop revewing things and pull them out of the box all together? And silly question, (I hvan't looked yet) what sort of dividing tabs do you have for your box? And is this just a file card box or something different? (Sorry, when replying I'm not seeing what you orig. wrote.)

 

Thanks-

Karena

 

This is the first year I've been consistent with memory work each week, although I've been doing a little memory work each year I've been hsing (6 years). I think M&Ms are to credit for my consistency! :) I wrote that the kids have 5 cards per week to learn; at the end of the week, they get 2 M&Ms for each card they've memorized-3 for longer poems/speeches. (I'm pretty stingy with sweets around here, so this is a big deal!) At the end of the first semester (right before Christmas), I did a "Memory Challenge" where I randomly pulled out 20 of their cards for a quiz. The child who remembered the most earned a treasure chest surprise. (I found a treasure chest at Garden Ridge and loaded it with dollar store toys/candy for school rewards.)

 

You asked about the filing cards. I looked everywhere last summer to find the cards I wanted, and I found them at Office Depot. They had sturdy 4x6 boxes and cards #1-31. I got their A-Z cards, flipped them, and printed with my label maker the days of the week and the daily tabs.

-One more thing, I wrote each kid's initials in the top right corner of the cards so their memory work doesn't get mixed up. Also, I plan on rubberbanding the cards at the end of the year with their grade level on top and filing them so I can use them again with younger kids! I'm all for saving time with 4 kids!!

HTH! :)

[Suzannah]

Taking a suggestion from Kendra (preschoolersandpeace) I put together a memory work folder over the summer for the upcoming year. This is our second year doing it that way and it is WONDERFULL! I go through the WTM suggestions for the student's grade level, add a dozen or so scriptures (some short, some quite long), math formulae, poems, whatever I want them to know. These are all put in each child's "Memory Work Folder" and they spend 5 minutes or so on it every day. At the beginning of the year they work on just a few things at a time, but by mid-year or so, everything is memorized and they are just reviewing it.

 

Songs and mnemonic devices are a plus, of course, but you really don't have to get fancy. Just pick something you want them to know (the continents, the kings of England from Egbert to William the Conquerer, the first 13 colonies) and work on it a little every day. We are learning the song "The 50 States that Rhyme" just because I thought it would be fun. We sing the Greek alphabet to the tune of "Itsy-Bitsy Spider". And from William the Conquerer to Queen Elizabeth II there's a rhyme that begins "Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee" that we use.

[kbpaulie]

Karena,

 

As your dc get older, memory work becomes so enormous that one simple cannot keep up with it. For example, you may begin vocabulary programs for words that simply aren't used in everyday language for review. Possibly scripture memory, alongs with dates, poems, not even to mention foreign language. Our memory box, which I have tried to keep manually, is simply so large that it is unmanagable. (Remeber, we've been at this for many years!) I could not find a system that would keep the work load at a level where we had the time to review so very much. That's why I suggested ANKI to you. ANKI will review the work when it is needed, automatically. Based on the child's responses, the passage may be reviewed daily, weekly, monthly, bimonthly, or even be scheduled for review next year or more. This is such a promising find for us because we will be able to reduce the daily memory work to a level that is managable. Even if you do not post long poems into the system, it will allow a tracking system, reminding you WHAT to review and WHEN. So, you may really want to take some time to look at it and get it going now, when you won't have so much to enter. I spent quite a bit of time organizing a manual box method which at some point fails because of the volume of work.

 

Blessings!

 

Penny-

 

What are the ages of your children and how long have you been using ANKI?

 

I did take a look at ANKI yesterday and liked the idea, sort of. Not sure that's what I want to do at this time. Partially b/c i don't think the 4 year old is ready for this program and I don't quite "trust" my 7 year old son yet. I suppose I could do it w/ them and just include some sort of trigger (for longer memory for example) with a ref. no. and the actual verse for reference elsewhere. There's also something for me currently having something physical to see. But I'm liking the idea better as I'm typing.

 

I also saw some things on ANKI where it said that you'd review it again in 12 minutes or X days. What happens when you aren't on the computer or in ANKI on those days? Also can you have everything in one deck and then at some later point easily seperate it or vise versa?

 

Thanks-

Karena

[Kuovonne]

What are the ages of your children and how long have you been using ANKI?

 

I'm not Penny, but I thought I'd let you know I started my daughter with Anki about a year ago when she was five. At first I sat with her and clicked the buttons for her. I gradually shifted the responsibility to her and she now does it by herself. I still usually sit by her when she does Anki because she is a very social person, plus every now and then she accidentally clicks the wrong button. Still, it usually takes only 2-10 minutes per day.

 

My younger daughter has been begging for her own Anki deck since she was three. I tell her that I'll give her an Anki deck once she learns to read.

 

I also saw some things on ANKI where it said that you'd review it again in 12 minutes or X days. What happens when you aren't on the computer or in ANKI on those days?

 

Anki will calculate how soon to show the card again down to the minute/second. However, that's just for the computer. We do Anki just once per day. We don't do it at all on vacation. When we come back there is a long backlog to get through, but I still limit it to 10 minutes per day, and eventually you get caught up.

 

Also can you have everything in one deck and then at some later point easily seperate it or vise versa?

 

Yes. I have one huge deck for DD. I used to have two decks for her. Then I got tired of managing two decks so I merged them. However, after she learns enough foreign language vocabulary, I'll split it back off into its own deck.

Edited April 3, 2010 by Kuovonne