Crimson Wife Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'm amazed that here in a forum that is inspired by the book, the well trained mind, that you don't follow a basic recommendation of memorization at each grade level of history facts. I do make my kids memorize important facts, just not trivia like the Pharaohs of Egypt. Total waste of brain space that could be used for something way more important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) I'm a history major - I think memorizing anything that can be looked up on Google in 20 seconds is probably a waste of time :) Of course, I exaggerate, but having them memorize anything that will not be used on a frequent basis is - in my humble opinion - kinda a waste of time. They will soon forget it - use it or lose it sort of thing. For Egypt- I'd be happy with just knowing the historical periods/kingdoms. But - only the order and a close estimate of the dates. As for what is probably important - well - spelling rules, math facts/equations, grammar rules, some geography.... Maybe anything that a culturally literate person should know if approached on the street? This would be the "I don't want to look ignorant on The Tonight Show" sort of information :) Edited September 18, 2012 by SailorMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) or just the beginning and ending of Egyptian dynasties? OR do you have child memorize the beginning date... then the dynasties and then the ending date of the list? Um, I don't know any of these dates and life turned out just fine for me! I don't follow TWTM, haven't read the book or even heard of SWB until this forum and if I did, I wouldn't do this one:D Edited September 18, 2012 by MissKNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I didn't have my boys memorize the Pharaohs. I didn't have them do much history memory work at all in first grade as we were busy concentrating on other things. I don't think I would make them memorize Pharaohs today either. But if I had to pick something from Egypt to memorize I would have picked a short list of gods and representative animals, basically things that they would encounter in stories of Egyptian mythology. I probably would have them memorize a short list of Greek Gods as well. Here's why. I found that when the boys already knew a name, they tended to remember the story better. They sat up and paid attention. I'm not sure it acted as a peg to hang information on, though. Just an attention getter. Another thing that I think they might have enjoyed memorizing from the Egyptian section would have been the recipe for mummification.:D There's nothing they like better than to rattle off something that would be sure to result in grandparent's dropped jaw syndrome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poke Salad Annie Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Another thing that I think they might have enjoyed memorizing from the Egyptian section would have been the recipe for mummification.:D There's nothing they like better than to rattle off something that would be sure to result in grandparent's dropped jaw syndrome. I love this. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) wow, i love how, here at the hive... there always seems to be a unanimous decision! :D btw - forgot to mention she HAS memorized the books of the new testament and the 12 disciples, too. and lots of grammar (obviously) and spelling rules as well! heck, her brother who over hears (who is only 4) knows half the grammar definitions already and knows answer to spelling rules that he doesn't even know how to read yet... just by being around and in and out. i think i may give her some pharaohs and Egyptian dynasty periods, still. within a few days to a week she has anything i give her to memorized (only 5mins a day) memorized down flat and she gets happy about it.... typically she is someone who will forget what she learns instantly... i have felt that memorization gives her confidence... i.e. if she is in a test (in the future) whatever she has memorized, i hope, will give her an outline of information... but yeah.... all the dates tied to it.... i just couldn't even begin that until asking... ETA: We will be memorizing the names of the pharaohs and not the dates, just to answer your question. ETA: We will be memorizing the names of the pharaohs but not the dates, just to answer your question. BUT, again! I am so surprised by most of you that have responded. not in a bad way... just surprised. I'm amazed that here in a forum that is inspired by the book, the well trained mind, that you don't follow a basic recommendation of memorization at each grade level of history facts... i.e. not even wars or rulers? not that i'm judging at all... i'm new at this :D so, i am thankful for your wisdom. :D thank you so much for all of you who have responded! I'm surprised by the responses too. I had the pharaohs written down, ready to memorize and then got lazy and didn't do it. But you have inspired me and so I will go back to the list in the book and write them down again. I do feel that memory work at this stage is very important. I just bought the book Living Memory so I am going to use that, along with TWTM, to plan out our memory work. They memorize so effortlessly at this age, they enjoy it and it is so good for their brains that I am determined to make this a priority. I also just heard Andrew Peduwa speak for the second time and he is very inspiring in this regard. Must get my act together on memory work! Thanks for the thread. Edited September 18, 2012 by Lea in OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Over the past 13 years, I've read and reread all 3 editions of TWTM. At different stages of MY life, and with different students, I've have used different BITS of the book. It's a resource for me, not a lifestyle. The book as a WHOLE has never fit ME or any on MY students. But we are an odd bunch. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girl Power Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 wow, i love how, here at the hive... there always seems to be a unanimous decision! :D btw - forgot to mention she HAS memorized the books of the new testament and the 12 disciples, too. and lots of grammar (obviously) and spelling rules as well! heck, her brother who over hears (who is only 4) knows half the grammar definitions already and knows answer to spelling rules that he doesn't even know how to read yet... just by being around and in and out. i think i may give her some pharaohs and Egyptian dynasty periods, still. within a few days to a week she has anything i give her to memorized (only 5mins a day) memorized down flat and she gets happy about it.... typically she is someone who will forget what she learns instantly... i have felt that memorization gives her confidence... i.e. if she is in a test (in the future) whatever she has memorized, i hope, will give her an outline of information... but yeah.... all the dates tied to it.... i just couldn't even begin that until asking... BUT, again! I am so surprised by most of you that have responded. not in a bad way... just surprised. I'm amazed that here in a forum that is inspired by the book, the well trained mind, that you don't follow a basic recommendation of memorization at each grade level of history facts... i.e. not even wars or rulers? not that i'm judging at all... i'm new at this :D so, i am thankful for your wisdom. :D thank you so much for all of you who have responded! Wow, I have to say I'm sorry you asked:D Talk about backlash. "useless", "ridiculous"? Really. I appreciate memory work, and I don't think it's ridiculous at all to include pharoahs in your memory work. Of course, I came from CC where memorizing PILES of information was the norm;) Really, though, for us memory work is a good return on our time investment. For a few minutes a day, they can have all sorts of rich information in their heads. Do I think it's essential to memorize all the pharoahs and their dates to be successful? Of course not. But to combine the brain training of memorization with the history we are studying at the time seems reasonable. Will they eventually forget it? Well the point is to have a system of periodic review so that it's stored in long term memory. Do I do memory work to the exclusion of other skills? Of course not. But I think it's a worthy area to spend minutes a day on, my kids enjoy it, so there:001_smile: Beck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I like this (free) ebook full of ideas for memorization put together by Hannah Wilson. While we don't do the pharoah's list, we do poems, faith stuff, science facts (or poems full of science facts -- a la Elemental Science's Biology poems), math facts, Latin vocab & grammar chants, grammar definitions, etc. I'm having my youngers try to remember SOTW1 this year using the one-liner summaries from the history cards (also put together by Hannah Wilson) & available free for download in the Files section of Hannah's Helps Yahoo group. (I use the cards that are labeled "SOTW 1 Ancients History Memorization Cards" parts 1 & 2.) It is so much easier for them to memorize stuff when they are young. Sometimes I think I'm pushing them to memorize too much stuff, but if they still have room for memorizing songs .... they still have room for school stuff. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 (edited) i didn't think it was a requirement, nor should it be at all! :) i don't want anyone to take offense at that. Oh, I know I'm at least not offended. :lol: I only wanted to mention that fact because of the statement you made below. I can totally understand why you would think that at this forum, but I just was pointing out that not everyone uses WTM or classical education here....so that could be the reason behind many of the comments. But, I guess you already knew that. :001_smile: I'm amazed that here in a forum that is inspired by the book, the well trained mind, that you don't follow a basic recommendation of memorization at each grade level of history facts... Edited September 19, 2012 by ~AprilMay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I like this (free) ebook full of ideas for memorization put together by Hannah Wilson. Thanks for that suggestion -going to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Wow, I have to say I'm sorry you asked:D Talk about backlash. "useless", "ridiculous"? Really. I appreciate memory work, and I don't think it's ridiculous at all to include pharoahs in your memory work. Of course, I came from CC where memorizing PILES of information was the norm;) Really, though, for us memory work is a good return on our time investment. For a few minutes a day, they can have all sorts of rich information in their heads. We do lots of memory work in our homeschool, only it's stuff that has actually paid off. My oldest does an hour worth of spelling bee prep per day, which is basically memory work. Two weeks ago, she won an iPad, a $100 gift certificate to Macy's, and a $50 gift certificate for Scholastic books. At the town spelling bee in November, the prizes for the top 3 finishers in each grade are $100/$50/$25 cash. DD and DS have each won the top prize in past years' bees. Nobody's ever going to give a prize for memorizing trivia like the Pharaohs of Egypt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonia Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Guess I'll be the odd man out because we do memorize those lists! :D No dates, just the list of names (from the Kingfisher index). I love that it really does create "pegs" for dd. We'll be reading something and she'll mention, oh yeah, he came after so-and-so who did this or that. It's all about connections for us and a simple list of memorized names does an awesome job of helping make those connections. Plus, I believe the things memorized while they are young will make a difference for the next go-round with science or history topics. Instead of having to work on memorization or trying to remember what event happened first, for example: the American Revolution or the French Revolution, we can focus on connections and why this guy did this or that guy did that. I will add that I don't care for the trend of just memorizing lists of things with no connections to anything else. We connect it to our science or history studies. And we also do the Bible verses, foreign language stuff, math stuff, etc. Takes very little time each morning, maybe ten minutes of recitation time daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I watch a lot of Jeopardy...maybe there? :D It's true! Dh put the down payment on our house with trivia game show money! But not the pharaohs of Egypt. :D I'm still just surprised that's in TWTM. I have mixed feelings about lots of memory work in the early grades (we do some, but not much like others). However, I think of the things in there as mostly being pretty relevant and important - even if we don't do them, I think there's a point to them (unlike some of the CC stuff). But that just... isn't. I'd be curious to hear SWB's reasoning behind that specific piece of knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 (edited) No, we don't have them memorize the list. But after reading the thread, I think it would be a good idea to take some extra time to make sure they've memorized the spelling of the word pharaoh. (Posts here seem to be running about 50/50. And that's with the correct spelling right there for us in the thread title.) :leaving: Edited September 19, 2012 by Eleanor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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