So, after finishing The Core, I am eager to stuff

[Jayne J]

my children's heads full of rote memorization. I am trying to come up with a somewhat comprehensive grammar level list of memory work, especially history and science based info. I have spent my budget for the year and so I am trying to do this without buying new resources, and so I am doing what I always do and hoping to sponge off of you more organized WTMers:D Anyone want to share your list or point me to some great online lists? What do you consider most important?

 

Thanks

 

BTW, for those of you who are concerned for my youngsters, be assured that I am not really going to stuff their heads, but will balance everything nicely, including lots of Time To Just Be Kids, and Conceptual Learning.:lol:

[melmichigan]

My twins just finished Core 1 and my older DD just finished Core 6 so we are using the cards and memorization phrases from Hannah's helps. I printed the cards, laminated them, and put them on a loop. :)

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hannah_hs_helps/files/HISTORY/

[melissel]

BTW, for those of you who are concerned for my youngsters, be assured that I am not really going to stuff their heads, but will balance everything nicely, including lots of Time To Just Be Kids, and Conceptual Learning.:lol:

 

:lol:

 

I haven't found too much that is free besides Hannah's resource, but I think Drew's Living Memory book is a good investment, and you see it more often on the FS board for $17 or so these days.

 

You could also look at Rose's Mnemosyne system. I strongly prefer a card system a la Simply Charlotte Mason, but I also strongly prefer not to have to rewrite everything we need to memorize onto cards :D So I'm reevaluating Mnemosyne so I can just print and stick into the binder.

[Jayne J]

oooh! Thanks for the link melmichigan!

 

melissel--sigh. I have been looking at Living Memory long and hard. I am trying soooo hard to be good, but you temptresses here at the boards keep undermining my best intentions....:D So, is it worth it? Living Memory I mean? (Can you hear the sound of crumbling resolve?)

[katilac]

oooh! Thanks for the link melmichigan!

 

melissel--sigh. I have been looking at Living Memory long and hard. I am trying soooo hard to be good, but you temptresses here at the boards keep undermining my best intentions....:D So, is it worth it? Living Memory I mean? (Can you hear the sound of crumbling resolve?)

 

I have found Living Memory to be very much worth it, and I put together all my own stuff for years before buying it. It simply saves a lot of time, for both memory work and copy work. I can type stuff up at the last minute, or I can type up two week's worth at once. I'm not wild about his poetry section, but it's easy to find an abundance of poetry selections online and in books.

 

I bought mine on the sale board, and I've seen it pop up fairly often since then. Full price plus shipping IS pretty steep.

[~Kirsten~]

oooh! Thanks for the link melmichigan!

 

melissel--sigh. I have been looking at Living Memory long and hard. I am trying soooo hard to be good, but you temptresses here at the boards keep undermining my best intentions....:D So, is it worth it? Living Memory I mean? (Can you hear the sound of crumbling resolve?)

That's a really tough question. I have it, and I'm happy to have it, but...(and I feel the need to duck here) I'm not sure I'd buy it again. I suspect it will indeed get great use in the future, but for right now, not so much.

 

I guess I was partly hoping it would outline exactly what or when to memorize specific things. Now, that's my own fault, totally, because that's not what is advertised. But I had hoped! :D So I find myself cobbling things together on my own anyway and not using it quite as much for the ages of my girls (last year my oldest was K-aged). Hannah made a fantastic memory work book that I do actually use. I believe it's the same one that's linked above, but I'll double-check. Anyway, if you're on a tight budget, I really think you can make do for now. Living Memory does really have tons of things, and it really is a wonderful resource, so your mileage will probably vary greatly from mine.

 

Maybe the issue is that these aren't really the things I'm trying to get memorized right now? We're focusing on Bible verses and Catholic catechism as well as poetry, parts of speech definitions, and some science memory work that's included in our curriculum. So maybe that's my problem! :lol: I can't imagine this rambling is terribly helpful, but maybe it is a tiny bit.

 

So to sidetrack a bit, you found The Core to be a helpful, inspiring read, huh? I keep staring at it. :tongue_smilie:

[melissel]

OK, I swear that there was a thread long ago about where to get ideas for memory work. In fact, I'm almost positive that that's where I first saw Hannah post the link to her resource. It's driving me crazy. I'll find it later today, because I want it too. I just can't look right now. Argh!

 

ETA: Oh phooey. I found the thread, but it's not exactly what I thought it was. Still, Beth has a very nice list of ideas in there!

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39196

Edited July 12, 2010 by melissel

[Jayne J]

Thanks for the link to the other thread--I'll check it out.

 

As for The Core, meh. Parts of it were really interesting and exciting--I liked the geography chapter and felt reassured, after reading the sections on history and science, that we were doing well in our studies. And I obviously felt inspired to ramp up our memorizations. But I probably wouldn't buy it again. If I had had the option, I would have loved to borrow it from the library instead. The first few chapters are inspirational, why-to-school-classically type stuff, but I have already commited to it and really wanted a more detailed, nitty gritty how-to book, like WTM or LCC, whereas this was more of a theory book. Overall, it was a great borrow-it read, but not a *must* read.

[Hot Lava Mama]

I just started reading The Core. I don't understand what "Core 1" and "Core 6" are. I have read all of the first section, and just started the "reading" part. Did I miss something?

 

:confused:

Hot Lava Mama

[Beth in SW WA]

I just read The Core by the pool last week on vacation. Loved it cover to cover. It confirms my intentions to join our new local CC this fall.

 

I would start with Hannah's free resources. Plenty of memorization to get anyone started.

 

LM is also wonderful because it is printed and all in one place.

 

For poetry, IEW is excellent.

[Guest aquiverfull]

I just started reading The Core. I don't understand what "Core 1" and "Core 6" are. I have read all of the first section, and just started the "reading" part. Did I miss something?

 

:confused:

Hot Lava Mama

 

I believe MelMichigan was speaking of Sonlight's Core 1 and Core 6 which are both a study of Ancient History. SO Hannah's memory cards went right along with her study. So those don't actually have anything to do with the book called "The Core". It is all rather confusing isn't it?:001_smile: .

[campmom]

If you are looking for something that tells you what exactly to memorize and when and how then spend your money on the CC foundations guide you can find the older version used pretty cheap and it would be worth your money if you want it all layed out for you 3 cycles worth, covers just about every subject you can think of, along with alot of how to's. Combined with your reading of the core you would be armed and ready to go.

[Goldilocks]

What about going through what you are using for science (or history, or whatever) this year and picking out things that are important to memorize? So I just grabbed my earth science book and astronomy text and came up with this:

 

* What are the names of the planets?

* Describe the three star categories.

* What is the exploded planet hypothesis?

* What are the layers of the earth?

* What is the water cycle?

* What are the three states of water?

* Name the ways that mountains are formed.

 

 

I could keep going, but you get the idea. This would be cheap and relavant to what you are studying.

[angela in ohio]

The older my dc get, and the more I learn about classical education, the less value of (or documentation/support for) random memorization I see.

 

Choose items, like SWB says in WTM, that are related to what you are studying. There is no great valor in choosing things that the dc have no idea about, regardless of what CC says. I look back and try to retrace where the leap was made between young children being good at memorization and this praise for having them memorize things that they have NO idea about, and I can't find it. (I bought it for a while, but I have repented. :D)

 

Young children's minds ARE sponges, so make your studies factual; read to them about places, dates, people, events; take them places and fill their eyes and minds with all you can; have them memorize what they are learing about; have them memorize what is beautiful and useful. Don't make them trick ponies.

 

I'm glad I learned the states and capitals, but I learned them while studying the states in social studies class. I also memorized beautiful poetry in elementary school, and I believe it gave me a love for the skillful written word, and a disdain for mundane or ugly writing. I memorized the prepositions in seventh grade, while learning how to use them to craft a more eloquent and interesting sentence.

 

So, you asked, what is most imporant? IMHO, Scripture, poetry, and facts about what you are learning: history, science, math facts, grammar facts, etc. Take them from your current work.

 

More than you asked, and written more to think out loud myself... :blush:

[Guest aquiverfull]

Thanks for the words of wisdom Angela. :)

[Hedgehogs4]

I'll be interested to see what the difference is for us this year. We did CC before, and I found the out-of-context memorization to be very irritating, because I have a very inquisitive son (i think he was born in the logic stage), and every fact was scrutinized. it was exhausting, because in many cases i didn't have solid answers for him. Now, after covering SOTW through book three and having a lot more "stuff" under his belt we are going back to CC and the memory work will have more of a schemata, and won't be so random. Haven't read The Core yet. frankly, her writing drives me crazy, so i haven't jumped at it, but i do plan to read it.

 

i agree with all the other answers given that say take the important facts from what you are studying and make cards or lists of questions and answers that can be memorized.

[katilac]

The older my dc get, and the more I learn about classical education, the less value of (or documentation/support for) random memorization I see.

 

Yes, I agree, memory work should be done in relation to what you are studying, not at random. Another poster had mentioned being disappointed that Living Memory didn't schedule things out, but this is precisely why it does not. It is mentioned in the 'how-to' section of the book that he specifically didn't do that, so each person could correlate the memory work to their studies.

 

Having said that, we do include items in our memory book after we quit actively studying them. In other words, I wouldn't have my kids memorize the list of simple machines at random, but once we finish that unit in science, it's cool if the memory work aspect continues.

[angela in ohio]

Yes, I agree, memory work should be done in relation to what you are studying, not at random. Another poster had mentioned being disappointed that Living Memory didn't schedule things out, but this is precisely why it does not. It is mentioned in the 'how-to' section of the book that he specifically didn't do that, so each person could correlate the memory work to their studies.

 

Having said that, we do include items in our memory book after we quit actively studying them. In other words, I wouldn't have my kids memorize the list of simple machines at random, but once we finish that unit in science, it's cool if the memory work aspect continues.

 

Yep, that's a tenet of a good classical education guide... it's not exactly scheduled. You have to make choices based on your own child's needs (like WTM. :001_smile:) Classical education cannot and should not come in a box, imho.

 

I agree about reviewing them after! We do that, too.

[Beth in SW WA]

have them memorize what they are learing about; have them memorize what is beautiful and useful. Don't make them trick ponies.

 

 

I don't consider my dd 6 a 'trick pony' because she can recite all the prepositions (in addition to all the other Shurley chants/jingles, for that matter) -- even though she has no idea what a preposition is yet. Nor does she need to at this age. She will get there. Her memorization of the preps is an asset to her future learning.

 

I don't consider her a trick pony for reciting all the Presidents -- in isolation and out of order when asked -- when she doesn't have an accurate context of what a President is - or does. She will get there.

 

I don't consider her a trick pony for reciting all 70 phonograms and spelling rules -- when she hasn't used the rules in context yet. She will get there.

 

I don't consider my dd 7 a trick pony when she recites Romans 8 -- by memory -- although she has no idea who Paul was, much less the context of his letter to the growing church in Rome. She will get there.

 

My dds know a plethora of random information from their short time in a classical school and the rich environment in our household.

 

They know more Scripture than many of my adult church-going friends. They may not have a context for this information. But when called upon at a further date, it will be there waiting to be incorporated into the next level of their learning.

 

My point is: Memorization of facts, figures, places, events, poetry, lists and constructs -- in isolation -- are pegs on which future learning will be 'hung' so to speak. (Per SWB's wise advice, of course. Not mine.):001_smile:

 

ETA: Today dd 7 was playing Rainbow Rock and came to a question dealing with multiplication of 9. I said, "Abi, chant your nines." She did and it worked. She applied that previously learned 'rote' list of facts. Up to this point, she hadn't needed the information on that peg yet. She has a boatload of math facts that haven't been called upon yet. She learns them in isolation before they are needed.

 

My older children would be vastly more equipped for advanced learning had they learned this CC-style of memorization of 'rote' facts, figures, events, etc at an early age. I didn't teach them classically until middle school. I am thrilled to be doing it right the second time around.

 

Enough from me. Discussions regarding CC make my ears perk up. It seems to be a controversial topic. I am getting a sense lately as to why it is debated....

Edited July 14, 2010 by Beth in SW WA
more....

[Hedgehogs4]

i think the "trick pony" syndrome comes when we equate all that memorization of facts with intelligence, as in "look what my kid knows...i bet your kid doens't know that"

 

i find that in some homeschooling circles there seems to be this scramble to get my kid into more and more activities, more and more advanced clubs and activities, and there is this smug satisfaction when they say, "oh, he's reading at a 6th grade level (and he's only 4)." kwim?

 

if we can humbly remember that the reason we are teaching this way is for their betterment later, (as the pp said) and not become prideful of our children's accomplishment, we can avoid the trick pony syndrome.

[Hedgehogs4]

The older my dc get, and the more I learn about classical education, the less value of (or documentation/support for) random memorization I see.

 

Choose items, like SWB says in WTM, that are related to what you are studying. There is no great valor in choosing things that the dc have no idea about, regardless of what CC says. I look back and try to retrace where the leap was made between young children being good at memorization and this praise for having them memorize things that they have NO idea about, and I can't find it. (I bought it for a while, but I have repented. :D)

 

Young children's minds ARE sponges, so make your studies factual; read to them about places, dates, people, events; take them places and fill their eyes and minds with all you can; have them memorize what they are learing about; have them memorize what is beautiful and useful. Don't make them trick ponies.

 

I'm glad I learned the states and capitals, but I learned them while studying the states in social studies class. I also memorized beautiful poetry in elementary school, and I believe it gave me a love for the skillful written word, and a disdain for mundane or ugly writing. I memorized the prepositions in seventh grade, while learning how to use them to craft a more eloquent and interesting sentence.

 

So, you asked, what is most imporant? IMHO, Scripture, poetry, and facts about what you are learning: history, science, math facts, grammar facts, etc. Take them from your current work.

 

More than you asked, and written more to think out loud myself... :blush:

 

:iagree:i still struggle with whether or not it is of value to me to have my kids working very hard on all that CC has them memorize. the history timeline--yes, it's great and important. the grammar facts--definite enhancements to our own studies. the science facts--interesting, but not sure they fit our needs. the latin--very removed from any context.

 

I WISH that CC was covering their materials in a way that was more sequential. the way they mix up the history facts year by year drives me nuts. i just don't think that way, but i do like that they devote a year to US history.

[SonshineLearner]

Because of all you I bought the book... mostly for the section on Geography! The other stuff.... what my kids can get from it... great! But, the ability to memorize has been sharpened... and the latin is a good base for what we'll do later... Course I'd love a Latin Centered Curriculum Cooperative... but imagine that ever getting put together! It'd be pretty hard for that to happen.... ohhhh... maybe that's one reason he got more involved with the whole school thing...... (If only we were closer...and I could afford it!) :)