Please share how you organize your "memory work"

[JulieH]

Hi!

 

I am thinking of starting a "memory work" book for each of my children. It would include things like any poems they are memorizing, math tables, Bible verses etc.

 

If you keep a memory work book for your child, how do you put it together, organize it, etc? When do you drill them on it? How often?

[Jewish Mama of 4]

I have a 3 ring binder that we use :)

 

I put plastic tab dividers to separate the subjects (grammar, history, math, foreign language, religion, and general -- colors of rainbow, days of week, months, etc.). This is what I used: http://www.staples.com/Avery-Two-Tone-Double-Pocket-Insertable-Plastic-Dividers/product_710147

 

Then I used plastic sheet protectors and put a piece of card stock in between the papers (papers faced out on each side of the card stock in the sheet protectors) to make it more solid, easier to read and turn the pages.

[katilac]

I use a tabbed Circa notebook, but this would work with a 3-ring binder as well. The disc bound notebooks just make it super easy to move stuff around.

 

There are 5 tabs: daily, M/W, T/TH, F, and review. Start with one item in the daily section. When they have it down, move it to M/W and add a new daily item. So, items move from daily to M/W, then T/TH, then Friday, then review. Because you are basing it on how well they recite, there's no schedule to keep track of, but items always move through each stage, so there is retention. We do the review section at times like the Christmas holidays, on boring car trips, or when I don't have something new ready to go :D

 

EDITED to add that there is often more than one item per tabbed section, both poems and subject items.

[Greta]

I use a plastic file box that I picked up at Staples. It holds the jumbo-sized index cards. I also bought some tabbed dividers that are just the right size. So, the first divider is marked daily, and that's where I put the cards with the newest or most challenging memory work that have to be practiced every day. Then I have two tabs, one marked Mon-Wed-Fri, and one marked Tue-Thu for those things that can be reviewed a little less often. And then I have tabs for every day of the week for those things that only need to be touched on once a week. I then have numbered tabs for those things that can just be reviewed once a month.

 

It is very simple and easy to use. But I only have one child. You could buy a separate box for each child, or a notebook system might work better with multiples (I don't know!).

 

ETA: I do not separate things out by subject, but I do color-code the cards by subject. This is really optional, though, because you could do memory work all at once in every subject area. Some days we do it that way. Some days, we do it at the start of each school subject. The index cards are nice because it's so easy to pull them out for the day, easy to re-categorize them when you need to, etc. To me, this seemed simpler than a notebook, but I've never tried the notebook so I can't say for sure.

Edited July 20, 2011 by GretaLynne

[Jewish Mama of 4]

ETA: I do not separate things out by subject, but I do color-code the cards by subject. This is really optional, though, because you could do memory work all at once in every subject area. Some days we do it that way. Some days, we do it at the start of each school subject. The index cards are nice because it's so easy to pull them out for the day, easy to re-categorize them when you need to, etc. To me, this seemed simpler than a notebook, but I've never tried the notebook so I can't say for sure.

 

I find the 3 ring binder the best only because I don't like to write anything out by hand (I have arthritis in my hands -- JRA from when I was a child and typing is easier). I type everything out in word and then print it out or find what I am looking for on the internet. I also downloaded the disk for the book The Homeschoolers Book of Lists by Sonya Haskins, which I use a lot. http://www.amazon.com/Homeschoolers-Book-Lists-Facts-Planning/dp/B004IEA34C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311181929&sr=1-1

 

We review the whole note book (say each item 3 times) every school day.

[missmoe]

I've posted about how we organize our memory time and what we are memorizing. Scroll down towards the bottom of the post to see pictures of how we've put together our binders.

 

http://missmoe-thesearethedaysofmylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-memory-time-works-at-for-us.html

[JadeOrchidSong]

I've posted about how we organize our memory time and what we are memorizing. Scroll down towards the bottom of the post to see pictures of how we've put together our binders.

 

http://missmoe-thesearethedaysofmylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-memory-time-works-at-for-us.html

Miss Moe,

You are amazing! I checked your blog about memory work and I am so impressed. I have a deep respect for moms who work hard and are so organized like you. Thanks for the inspiration. I really need to get our memory work going come fall.

[ChristusG]

::sigh::...another thing I haven't thought of when homeschooling LOL. We do poem memorization and parts of speech definitions using First Language Lessons. Then we do scripture through AWANA at church. I'm wondering if I should be more organized with them? I usually just pull the AWANA book out during our Bible study time and pull the FLL book out during grammar time and just work on the memorization at those times.

[Goldilocks]

I really like the idea of the three ring binder divided into "Daily," "Even days," Monday," etc. But so much of what we memorize is short and I couldn't see putting a few sentences on one piece of paper. Plus, with multiple children I didn't want to have multiple pieces of paper to shuffle. I also didn't know what to do about days that we missed reviewing memory work. If the 13th and 14th were on the weekend, how did I review what was behind those tabs? So, I came up with a modified version.

 

I printed up everything that we want to memorize on just a few sheets of paper. When we begin memorizing something I put a star by it in pencil. After a few days the star gets erased and I put E (for even days) and O (for odd days). After that it would get a day of the week.

 

Now the children have so much memorized and don't need to review it as often, so I came up with a number system. Once an item only needs weekly review I give the item a letter (A-D). Only planning on reviewing memory work 4 days per week gives us some flexiblility if we miss a day. I just keep track of what letter we are on that day. When they need to review less often, the item gets a number. Last year it was 1-12. This year it is 1-16. I just keep a checklist at the front of the binder and cross off which day we are on. If two children had memorized the same selection I would have them review it on different days.

 

It is actually a pretty easy system. I hope that I explained it well enough to be helpful to someone.

[threeturn]

http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

 

We use it for more than just scripture. You could do a different colored card for each child and then another color for the things you want the entire family to memorize. Works great.

[Greta]

I find the 3 ring binder the best only because I don't like to write anything out by hand (I have arthritis in my hands -- JRA from when I was a child and typing is easier).

 

Oh, yes, that makes perfect sense! I try to remind myself to have my daughter make the cards herself, because that can start the process of cementing the facts or words in her mind.

[Joyoflearning]

I really like the idea of the three ring binder divided into "Daily," "Even days," Monday," etc. But so much of what we memorize is short and I couldn't see putting a few sentences on one piece of paper. Plus, with multiple children I didn't want to have multiple pieces of paper to shuffle. I also didn't know what to do about days that we missed reviewing memory work. If the 13th and 14th were on the weekend, how did I review what was behind those tabs? So, I came up with a modified version.

 

I printed up everything that we want to memorize on just a few sheets of paper. When we begin memorizing something I put a star by it in pencil. After a few days the star gets erased and I put E (for even days) and O (for odd days). After that it would get a day of the week.

 

Now the children have so much memorized and don't need to review it as often, so I came up with a number system. Once an item only needs weekly review I give the item a letter (A-D). Only planning on reviewing memory work 4 days per week gives us some flexiblility if we miss a day. I just keep track of what letter we are on that day. When they need to review less often, the item gets a number. Last year it was 1-12. This year it is 1-16. I just keep a checklist at the front of the binder and cross off which day we are on. If two children had memorized the same selection I would have them review it on different days.

 

It is actually a pretty easy system. I hope that I explained it well enough to be helpful to someone.

 

I like this idea, it seems less confining. We are using the "Scripture memory system" from simply charlotte mason. It is free and has tabs to ready to print onto card stock. It would be easy enough to add in the other subjects which I had not considered before.

[Jewish Mama of 4]

Oh, yes, that makes perfect sense! I try to remind myself to have my daughter make the cards herself, because that can start the process of cementing the facts or words in her mind.

 

That is a great idea to have the child write it out :iagree:

[missmoe]

Miss Moe,

You are amazing! I checked your blog about memory work and I am so impressed. I have a deep respect for moms who work hard and are so organized like you. Thanks for the inspiration. I really need to get our memory work going come fall.

 

Thanks Aomom, I haven't always been this organized! And posting it each week motivates me!

[ladydusk]

I do my binders a little differently. I have a "what" binder and a "when" binder. In my "what" binder I have all the content: poetry, catechism, science lists, history lists, Bible verses, creeds, hymns (well, I use the hymnal for that), etc. They're all numbered.

 

Then in the "when" binder, I have tabs set up following the Simply Charlotte Mason memory system (Daily, Odd/Even, Weekly, Monthly) I have a chart that I write (and cross out) the number of the item from the "what" binder behind the page. No moving pages about in the binder.

 

I mostly did this because I have three children doing the same memory work at different levels. This way, I just refer myself to the item number appropriate for that child.

 

Here's a link to my blog post from one of MissMOE's Memory Work Mondays.

[momma aimee]

thanks everyone :lurk5:

[Perogi]

http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

 

We use it for more than just scripture. You could do a different colored card for each child and then another color for the things you want the entire family to memorize. Works great.

 

This is what we use for Scripture memory as well and I really like it. Very easy to move the index cards around and keep everything contained and organized.

 

This is the first year that I've really started thinking about adding more memory work - partially because I've been hanging out here ;) and partially because I think it would benefit dd 6yo. I didn't see the need as much with dd 8yo because she is a very natural memorizer - she totes around books like Mother Goose and A Child's Garden of Verses and just naturally picks up poems by reading them so often and being such a visual learner.

 

We do the Scripture memory during our Circle Time every morning and I've been hesitant to add poetry memorization during that time slot because I think I would get resistance. They already groan a bit with going over all the Scriptures unless we jazz it up with some singing and actions. I can't see them sitting for 20 or 30 min while we just go over memory work.

[momma aimee]

This is what we use for Scripture memory as well and I really like it. Very easy to move the index cards around and keep everything contained and organized.

 

This is the first year that I've really started thinking about adding more memory work - partially because I've been hanging out here ;) and partially because I think it would benefit dd 6yo. I didn't see the need as much with dd 8yo because she is a very natural memorizer - she totes around books like Mother Goose and A Child's Garden of Verses and just naturally picks up poems by reading them so often and being such a visual learner.

 

We do the Scripture memory during our Circle Time every morning and I've been hesitant to add poetry memorization during that time slot because I think I would get resistance. They already groan a bit with going over all the Scriptures unless we jazz it up with some singing and actions. I can't see them sitting for 20 or 30 min while we just go over memory work.

 

how about in the car of or at bedtime?

I have DS1 say his verse each time we start up after a break inbetween subjects -- we recite as we put on shoes and so on -- it keeps it from being one long session.

[missmoe]

At one point when we were in the car for long periods of time on a regular basis, we went over our memory work whenever the car started. We were the most regular with our memory time at that point in time.

[mom31257]

I have 3 really big (like 8.5x11) library pockets stuck with velcro on the side of my bookcase. I have them labeled so that one is every day, one is 2 days a week, and one is once. Those labels are velcro, too, in case I need to change it. I just put a print out in those pockets.

[Laura Corin]

I had a folder with 31 sections, labelled 1-31. Today is the 22nd, so if we worked on something new today, it (or a note of its location, like 'French vocab. p. 22) would be moved to number 23. Tomorrow (23rd) we would work on it again. It would keep getting moved forward by one day until it was pretty solid. After that it would be moved forward by one week. After that, it would stay on that date and be reviewed monthly.

 

Every Sunday, I would check the file and rearrange things that happened to fall at the weekend.

 

Laura

[blessedmom4god]

http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

 

We use it for more than just scripture. You could do a different colored card for each child and then another color for the things you want the entire family to memorize. Works great.

 

We use this also. We do it together as a group, that means my 4 y/o does it all too, but I don't wait till he has learned it to move on to a new one. I figure he will hear it enough over the years to get it.

[ChrissySC]

Here is my Memory Organizer ... http://thelearningtrunk.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/memory-book-orangizer/

 

I use a binder. The pages are available on download.

[Coffeetime]

We use a 3 ring binder. In the binder, in page protectors, is everything we will be memorizing this year- Grammar definitions and lists, Bible, History, poetry and math facts. DD goes through the binder every morning on her own and I just listen in to make sure it's going well. For our math facts sheets, we just write on the page protectors with dry erase marker and it wipes right off!

[mom31257]

Here is my Memory Organizer ... http://thelearningtrunk.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/memory-book-orangizer/

 

I use a binder. The pages are available on download.

 

I like the idea of a binder.

[ChrissySC]

I like the condensed version of the memory book. I did not want a million zillion places to stick something! LOL

[ClassicMom]

We use the 4X6 index cards here too. I do mine a little bit differently. Since my son has autism, I don't want to add to the memory work that he already has.

 

Once we learn or memorize something, I add a card to the file box. We then go over it in the morning. I don't go over every single card each day but randomly choose cards each day to review. It is really helping his retention of the material that we have covered and the memory work that he has done.

[PentecostalMom]

::sigh::...another thing I haven't thought of when homeschooling LOL. We do poem memorization and parts of speech definitions using First Language Lessons. Then we do scripture through AWANA at church. I'm wondering if I should be more organized with them? I usually just pull the AWANA book out during our Bible study time and pull the FLL book out during grammar time and just work on the memorization at those times.

 

Don't beat yourself up. That is plenty for now. I know some are doing more, but ours is close to this. I do use the Memoria Press guide as a spine for memory work right now as well. We watch Schoolhouse Rock DVD's, and she gets stuff that way. Just take your time, there is plenty to do!

[Amy Jo]

For our math facts sheets, we just write on the page protectors with dry erase marker and it wipes right off!

 

Great idea - thanks!

 

Here is my Memory Organizer ... http://thelearningtrunk.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/memory-book-orangizer/

 

I use a binder. The pages are available on download.

 

We use a binder for school stuff, I have the children who are able write their own pages. (I separate Bible verses and poetry into a 4x6 file box, I print them 4 per page on cardstock. The idea is that they don't ever expire & I want my children to repeat them often, whereas the school binder will be periodically purged.)

[OrdinaryTime]

I saw this idea somewhere on these boards. It was worked wonderfully!

 

I have a tri-fold foam board that we put each week's initial memory work (8 categories: History, Geography, Civics, Science, Grammar, Latin, Catechism, and Virtue of the Week.) I attached 8 clear sheet protectors to the tri-fold board and slide each typed memory sentence into a protector. Everyday we can bring out the board and go over our work. The kids love the board and it makes memory time very intentional.

 

At the end of the week, I file all the memory work into a binder under subject matter for review. The new memory work goes up on the board.

[baybedaul]

We use the Simply Charlotte Mason method that others linked to as well. I prefer to use a binder though so I can just print things off (and print them in a bigger font). I also bought Living Memory after seeing it recommended in these forums. It's an interesting read that supports the importance of memory work and an excellent resource for suggestions on what to actually memorize. We just started our memory work a few weeks ago, but we're already on our 5th piece which I think is great for only spending 5 minutes or so on this every morning. Plus the kids love it, which is always a relief!

[ChrissySC]

Great idea - thanks!

 

 

 

We use a binder for school stuff, I have the children who are able write their own pages. (I separate Bible verses and poetry into a 4x6 file box, I print them 4 per page on cardstock. The idea is that they don't ever expire & I want my children to repeat them often, whereas the school binder will be periodically purged.)

 

 

I like the idea having them write/copy their memory work. Thanks!

[RainbowSprinkles]

I saw this idea somewhere on these boards. It was worked wonderfully!

 

I have a tri-fold foam board that we put each week's initial memory work (8 categories: History, Geography, Civics, Science, Grammar, Latin, Catechism, and Virtue of the Week.) I attached 8 clear sheet protectors to the tri-fold board and slide each typed memory sentence into a protector. Everyday we can bring out the board and go over our work. The kids love the board and it makes memory time very intentional.

 

At the end of the week, I file all the memory work into a binder under subject matter for review. The new memory work goes up on the board.

 

Love this idea! Do you have a link? Or a visual?

[Thia]

Great thread! I am reassessing how I do our memory work.

[Hedgehog]

Each child has a binder for English, and in that I have dividers for Spelling/Phonics, Grammar, Reading (just a list), Handwriting/Writing, and Memory Work. The Memory Work is simply filed in date order (the date it was memorised). I review it every 3-4 months.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

this is first year we're doing it so I don't have alot to organize as of yet LOL but as of now it's in a folder in a 3ring binder....

[OrdinaryTime]

Here is a pic of our memory board. It is really helpful to us!

[Amie]

Here is a pic of our memory board. It is really helpful to us!

Thanks for sharing! And that looks like a fun room--I looove that green bench-looking piece in the background.

[RainbowSprinkles]

Here is a pic of our memory board. It is really helpful to us!

 

 

Thank you! :)