From Shakespeare to division, we have so many rich and useful things to fill our minds with. As we increase our memorizing abilities we develop habits of focused attention, clear diction and diligence.
Table Time
Recitations: I learned that the ability to memorize increases the more you memorize. Children memorize so quickly, but they forget so quickly too. Every morning I get out our little binder that has the term's memory work. We sing a hymn and folksong. I have been expose to the idea that music has a unifying effect on people. If a group will sing together it is easier to get along. Each term I select a poet and we learn a bit about them, then memorize one of their poems each month. Shakespeare has been a subject that has given me an incredible surprise of joy. My dramatic son blooms with his Shakespeare recitations. He has a flair. I watched an interview with Ken Ludwig and Sarah Mackensie, from The Read Aloud Revival, where he explains the value of Shakespeare for children. See How to teach your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. I decided to give it a go. We practice the month's passage bit by bit. We also memorize scripture and parts of the Official Documents about Family and Christ. The whole memory work time is rather short and rather sweet.
Memory Box: We have a box with flashcards that we review daily. The cards include phonics, grammar rules, spelling rules, high frequency words, root words, and geography.
Math Drill: With a sheet protector and a white board marker, we practice basic facts for one minute or three minutes and check each others.
Reading fluency drill: We have word lists, fluency phrases and passages. We time ourselves and repeat the reading three times. Our focus is expression, speed and accuracy.
Daily Writing: We journal each day. Prompts include writing log letters, journal jar words we made, sentence starters like “I am grateful for...” and free writes.
Forgetting is natural, so we combat it with repetition. We review or past hymns and folksongs on Fridays with Music Studio. We recite past poetry and Shakespeare on Thursdays with Poetry Party. Each exam we record our memory work and put it in our digital portfolios. After February's exams my husband reminded us all that there are so many good things to think on. We can all try our whole lives to fill our thoughts with beauty.
Recitation Tips
Our minds are remarkable. Memorizing helps the mind, as well as the heart, as we give beautiful thoughts attention and time to enlarge, sprout, and flourish.
“The heart, I think, which is the home of all things rhythmic, is where learned poems go to live.”―Bill Richardson
What we memorize can be available to us where ever we go, or don't go. It trains our minds to capture and retain. We may memorize more that we think. What commercials, jingles or songs can you recall? I intentionally stretch my children in the selections I pick. The harder the work, the easier it gets. But don't take my word for it... give it a go and see for yourself.
1. Put it to music, clap the rhythm
2. Echo, back and forth
3. Recite in different voices, make it a bit fun
4. Take turns, fill-in the blanks
5. Create an acronym or acrostic
6. Repetition and review often
7. Break it up in smaller bits
8. Use more Senses: see the words on the page, hear them and say them
9. Have a good attitude, enthusiasm is contagious
10. Record and celebrate success
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