Another narration question from a newbie :)

[jkwynn]

I was going to put this on the other thread, but didn't want to hijack.

 

I think we're doing something wrong.:D

 

I have a 6 year old, and we're in our first year of homeschool, but the only narrations I've done are the scheduled ones in FLL and *very* occasionally in SOTW.

 

I want to start doing narrations regularly, but...I think I've been concentrating more on our schedule and finding our groove, and now that it's time to buckle down, I'm not sure how to fix what I think I broke in the first place.

 

When he narrates the stories in FLL, he does it completely orally and I write down exactly what he says. He doesn't do any copying of the narration, but he is doing daily copywork from other sources...I geuss I need to change that, too.

 

The problem is, he re-tells the WHOLE story. I try to get him to condense it, and he still draws it wayyyy out. There is no "2 or 3 sentences" with him, lol.

 

I think he gets frustrated b/c of the way I explained narration when we first talked about it. I think I used the words "important parts" and to him, I guess they're all important.

 

I want to get back on track and I feel like this is a very integral part of our curriculum, but I'm stuck on what to do next to get the ball moving.

 

Any tips? We're in week 10, but start chapter 9 in SOTW1 and lesson 45 in FLL 1/2 (I think? We just finished the pronouns I, me, my, mine on Friday.) on Monday. I feel like I've put it off for so long, I'm in trouble. :(

[newlifemom]

Honestly, I wouldn't worry. I have 2 1st graders and in week 6 they are still not answering the ?'s well. It can be a slow start. I would focus on asking the ?s from SOTW and then read the example narration to him for a while then try it again. Also, I think I used Aesops fables and things like Little Red Riding Hood to help dd when she started on narrations. Just the gist took at least a year for her and she is doing well as a 5th grader. HTH :001_smile:

[Annabel Lee]

I have a 2nd grader who does almost the same thing. I read the example child's answers from the FLL book to him so he can get a better idea of how to condense things next time. Or, I ask more of my own questions to help him narrow it down. Before you start the questions after a story, tell him/her you're going to ask questions to help him find the important parts, since not all the extra details are 'important'.

 

We just started doing TWTM stuff this year, so this is his first go-around w/ FLL and WWE. I started right into grade 2 with them, but found I needed to backtrack a little in grammar. We've been at it a little while, and I've got him to narrow his narrations down to 4 sentences so far. It keeps getting a little better as time passes. I think the more you keep at it, the more they understand what you're looking for. I find the WWE to be very helpful for this too.

[Haiku]

SWB has an article called Tips for Narration. I found it very helpful.

 

I read my kids a passage. Then I go back and pick two-three sentences and read them again. Then I ask my kids what the most important part is. Then I frame a sentence for them (e.g., I will say, "Ancient Egyptians believed ..." and let the kids fill in the rest).

 

I started off reading a passage and then having the kids tell me whatever they wanted about the whole passage. When I realized I wasn't going about it the way SWB suggests, I changed to what she suggests and narration has been going very well.

 

I don't, btw, use the SOTW AG. I am using a curriculum called Mosiac Intro to World History Part I. It uses SOTW, Usborne, and lots of other books. I pick a passage every day from whatever book we are using for the kids to narrate. They also do narration in science.

 

Tara

[JennW in SoCal]

Here's a quick answer from an old timer (been homeschooling 9 years now).

 

I think discussing the reading orally is the most important thing to be doing now. It may be a few more years before he can pick out "the important parts", so instead do as Tara was describing and use some leading questions. But don't make it a situation where he is doing something right or wrong, just keep it casual for now.

 

Don't neglect to always talk about everything you read, not just lessons from curriculum. Model what it is to pick out important parts of a story and comment on it, ask what he liked from the story. Keep it light so it doesn't seem like every moment of the day is school, but be mindful that at this young age kids are little sponges so everything you do is learning.

 

Your ds is young -- you aren't in trouble for missing anything. Really. And there is no need to feel like you have broken something either! You have not ruined your child -- you have years ahead of you to beat yourself over the head over one thing or another and most likely your kids in reality still won't have been ruined!

 

Reading and discussing is what matters at this point, plugging away at basic writing skills using copy work is more than enough. If it makes you feel any better, there was no SOTW or FLL when I started homeschooling. We didn't do a single formal narration until my kids were in 7th and 4th grades, and you know what? They've turned out fine and are good writers. I think it is all the discussing we do around here about all we're reading and learning about -- it is just a natural part of life to pick out and think about the "important parts" and even sometimes the more inane parts too. :D

 

Hang in there. I think you are doing just fine!

[jkwynn]

I really appreciate the encouragement and BTDT advice.

 

When I read that article, the first sentence made me think "She knows!" lol - as in, she knows I'm doing it wrong. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm going to try and regroup, start over with discussion and modelling and go from there. That's what I really needed to hear - where to START OVER! Oh, and that I hadn't ruined it altogether, hehe.

 

Thanks everybody!