Memory work coal to Newcastle

[Maus]

I was browsing the thread on the main curriculum thread about memory work and realizing we don't really do that. (Except for long passages like the Pledge.)

 

The kids just remember stuff. Isn't that just one of the characteristics of accelerated learners? They remember stuff without much review.

 

Memory work for us is just sort of a distraction activity to keep them from fighting in the back seat while we're driving, "Quick! Who can name the eight parts of speech?"

 

Maybe we should be more diligent about this, but mostly it seems sort of redundant.

[Laura Corin]

We used to learn poetry for memory work. It wasn't something that my bright kids learned instantaneously, but it wasn't a mindless chore either. I loved their heads being filled with great words. They also learned foreign languages from an early age, so that was natural memory work too.

 

Laura

[Dmmetler]

I've got a child who says she hates memorization, can't memorize and the whole nine yards.

 

But start a scripture passage in church, and miss a word, or make a mistake playing a song on piano and she'll be all over you, and happily show you where you got it wrong and keep going. Or mention a topic in history, and you'll get an oration on the topic. She memorizes...she just doesn't KNOW she does!

[zaichiki]

Memorization can feel pointless if it is -- if there's not enough challenge.

 

I think purposeful memorization (when the item being memorized is challenging enough for that person to require effort and practice) is very useful. It's exercise for the brain. There are so many wonderful lists, facts, poems, etc. to memorize -- go for something that challenges them.

 

We've done poetry (Midnight Ride of Paul Revere -- ds was 9 or 10), lots of sheet music (2-3 pages long), prayers/scripture (5+ paragraphs), etc.

 

I like Susan Wise-Bauer's suggestions for memorizing rulers (Egpytian, Ancient Roman, British etc.).

 

Of course there are always states and capitals, countries (Geography Songs anyone?), etc.

 

A lot of this stuff is really useful. Think of these facts as hooks to hang later/deeper information on -- I remember making connections to things I had memorized as a kid. I'll always have easy access to certain info without needing to run to a map, a book, or the internet. I really value that.

 

A lot of it is just good words, thoughts, feelings... Postitive things to have swimming around up there...

[Maus]

But start a scripture passage in church, and miss a word, or make a mistake playing a song on piano and she'll be all over you, and happily show you where you got it wrong and keep going. Or mention a topic in history, and you'll get an oration on the topic. She memorizes...she just doesn't KNOW she does![/Quote]Yes, this is what we are dealing with. I think they get it from DH, who has every line of dialogue for all three original 'Star Wars' memorized. He never set out to memorize them; he just loved the movies so much as a kid that he watched them over and over. Now, 30 years later, it's all still in there.

 

I think purposeful memorization (when the item being memorized is challenging enough for that person to require effort and practice) is very useful. It's exercise for the brain. There are so many wonderful lists, facts, poems, etc. to memorize -- go for something that challenges them.[/Quote]I think that will be the key for us, to find something challenging enough for them to have to work at it longer than an hour or two.

 

My son needed to know the Pledge for cub scouts. I printed it out for copywork. Handwriting is a struggle, though, so he wasn't happy about that.

 

I had him read it once, then put it down and try to say it. He missed three or four words, but got the gist of it. I corrected him, he read it again, etc. It took three readings, if I recall.

 

In the meantime, his little sister, who was overhearing, memorized it in the same time, just by listening to him do it.

 

We used to learn poetry for memory work. It wasn't something that my bright kids learned instantaneously, but it wasn't a mindless chore either. I loved their heads being filled with great words.[/Quote]Poetry is a great idea. I've been kind of musing on what I remember from my school years, and I do remember the poems and the passages from Shakespeare that I had to memorize. (I'm not sure I still have them word-for-word perfect.) And that's even though I always procrastinated until the night before or morning of the test.

[Maus]

Oh, and sorry for seeming to drop the thread I'd started, by-the-way. I was up at my IL's, without DH (yeah, fun, right?), who had to work, for a family get together. I thought I'd have lots of down time, but they got the wading pools out and I've got one under two and I had to stay close and off electronics.

[Jill]

My son accidentally and on purpose memorizes huge chunks of dialog from movies he likes and paragraphs from books and comic books (Hitchhiker's guide, anyone?) But he drags his feet a bit memorizing for schoolwork. So, I had him memorize a few of the Schoolhouse Rocks: America Rocks songs this past year. He liked that alright. He also has to memorize some Mandarin and Spanish songs so I feel like we're covering memorization at least somewhat. I wish I had downloaded all those old science mp3s when they were still free on the web, you know, "The sun is a mass of incandescent gase, a gigantic nuclear furnace..." Memorizing via song seems to be our best bet.

[SnegurochkaL]

We do poetry memorization here and consider it being important. My daughter memorized few long poems and it was fun to listen to her reciting 40 poems withing almost 2 hours (she did level 1 and 2 of IEW poetry memorization course). I think learning poetry helps to develop a rich vocabulary.

[LAS in LA]

Thank you, Maus!!!! I've been trying to remember the "carrying coal to Newcastle" expression for several weeks!! What a relief! :001_smile:

[Laura Corin]

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