Please talk to me about Classical Conversations Memory Work

[Raising Little Shoots]

I am a huge fan of memory work. I have just finished reading 'The Core' & adored it.

 

Having looked at the CC website, I have more questions than when I began!

Following the CC program is not an option for me, but I am very interested in the memory work (which seems to be the main thrust of CC? is that correct?)

I downloaded a PDF for the Cycle 1 flashcards (grog / history / grammar / latin / maths / science) & I am wondering how CC advocates they are taught? - are they supposed to be taught with lessons covering those topics? or does CC have kids memorise facts they will learn later in their education?

 

I am really interested in this program & I am mulling over how to implement this is my home.

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[mazakaal]

I've just started doing this with my 8yo and 10yo. From what I understand from the guide book, they are to mainly memorize the information and depending on their age and ability go do additional reading and research about the topics at home. I'm not using their memory work for geography, grammar or Latin because I want them to memorize that information in the context of our studies on those subjects. I am having them learn the timeline, history sentences (which I've modified because I'm a chronic tweeker), and science facts because this is all information that we've learned or will learn through our history and science studies but not actually memorized.

[Raising Little Shoots]

thank you for your reply Megan.

 

So, according to CC the children do memorise out of context?

 

Please may I ask how you are having them memorise the timeline & history / science facts? Are you using the songs?

[mazakaal]

Right now we're just doing timeline and math facts. I got the timeline cards, so on Monday we go through all the cards (not reading the back, just reading the front) and learn the hand motions from a video I found on youtube. Then we review each day different ways. Either I say it for them, then they repeat, or I hold up the cards while they say and do hand motions, or I hand them the cards out of order and they put them back into order.

 

With the math facts, I'll just have them listen to me, then say them with me, then say on their own. It hasn't been an issue this week because this was the first week and they already know their 1 and 2 times tables. :D But this is what we're used to doing with other memory work we've done in the past.

 

Another idea for the sentences is writing them out on a white board and having the kids read them out. Then erasing a few words at a time so the kids have to do more and more from memory.

[bethben]

I have all three cycles of the memory work and cds. I place history sentences and science facts into the context of what we are learning. With math, we just go through the skip counting and other facts memorization because that will come in handy later. We also do the timeline.

 

There are a lot of people who just go with the program as listed and hope that the kids are able to contextualize the material when they come to it in their studies. I have seen this work, but for me, I want everything to be matchy matchy.

 

Beth

[Staceyshoe]

My impression is that families do this differently, and each family can choose how they want to approach it. Some base their entire homeschool week around the memory work so the children learn the context for it. Others just treat CC memory work as a separate subject and continue with their regular lessons whether they relate to CC or not.

[MeganW]

CC says to just present the info (yes, out of context) & have the kids memorize it.

 

My kids enjoy the process more when they have a clue what they are learning, so I try to give them some background info before the info is presented at CC. Sometimes it's a "Let's Read and Find Out" science book, sometimes it's just the back of the CC card, or a Magic School Bus video about cells, or a Brian P. Cleary (short paper book) about prepositions.

 

So my kids definitely are not studying the CC info in depth, just a little context then memorizing it. I consider CC to be a separate subject from our other lessons.

 

When we come across the info as part of our history or science lessons, we review what they have previously memorized, then study the lesson, then re-review the memory work.

 

I have friends at CC who do one of the extremes instead. Some give absolutely no context, and then there is another group who uses the CC memory work as the backbone for their homeschool. They build all their content-subjects around the CC memory work.

[walkermamaof4]

Can you provide the link to the pdf?

 

For us, I have a laminated set of cards for each child and we review them daily. We started with cycle 2 because someone gave us enough sets of that cycle for all of my kids. I don't mind that it doesn't coincide with our studies. I think when they get there, they can say, "Aha!" and enjoy the familiarity.

[mrs.m]

Can you provide the link to the pdf?

 

For us, I have a laminated set of cards for each child and we review them daily. We started with cycle 2 because someone gave us enough sets of that cycle for all of my kids. I don't mind that it doesn't coincide with our studies. I think when they get there, they can say, "Aha!" and enjoy the familiarity.

 

You have to purchase the download through the CC store. http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/cy1mecap.html

 

I only teach more on it if they ask. But it is really neat to see them make the connection to the memory work or time line song when we are working on other subjects.

[Raising Little Shoots]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

I found a great blog post about CC memory work

 

We have a huge blackboard, so will use this the way the blogger uses the whiteboard.

 

I am still a little undecided - the out of order history sentences is throwing me a little, too.

 

Thanks again!

[laughing lioness]

Here's a sample of a CC set up white board. Here are several more links about memory work and answers re: CC (just posted in response to some questions on another thread)

There are tons of threads about CC- have you done a search yet?

[Raising Little Shoots]

Those are super posts, thank you.

 

I also found this post most helpful: Memoria Opus